This, the latest release of Champagne Dom Pérignon, was released out of sequence, before the 2008. It’s because of the ripeness of the year, which has produced a wine that…
A gem from Yarra Yering
Yarra Yering, with its distinctive labels, is one of my favourite Australian wineries. I drank this gem last night: probably well before its time, but it was lovely. [Read more…
Pio X 1903 from Gonzalez Byass: an ancient Moscatel
There’s something special about very old wines. While I was tasting through the Las Palmas sherries with Martin Skelton last week, I got a chance to try this remarkable wine,…
Gamay 35, Château de Grandmont Beaujolais Villages Nouveau 2017 France
So, it’s Beaujolais Nouveau day. For quite a while, those of us who love Gamay and Beaujolais were a bit embarrassed by this seemingly outdated celebration. We cringed when we…
Some thoughts on Minimum Unit Pricing of booze
Big news in the drinks trade yesterday, although this is less relevant to readers of this blog: Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) of booze has been ruled legal, and Scotland are…
Back at the IWC for some more wine judging
It’s Tranche 1 of the 2018 International Wine Challenge this week. [In case you are wondering why it’s 2018, not 2017, a couple of years ago an extra week’s judging…
Discovering new old varieties in southwest France with Plaimont
If a highly paid marketing consultant had come to Plaimont a decade ago, they might have given the following advice: give up on these difficult-to-pronounce, unusual grape varieties with their…
Rediscovering a love for Barolo
Two great recent experiences with Barolo, which I’ve struggled to love a lot in the past. I love the idea of Barolo, but I’ve often found the wines to be…
A great lunch at Terroirs with lovely wines
It’s always good to lunch at Terroirs. The combination of the food, wine and the vibe in the place makes it one of my favourite stops in London. On Friday…