I can’t believe it took me so long to visit Montréal. Canada’s second largest city (with a population of 2 million, but double that in the metropolitan area), it’s a…
IPNC: the non-Oregon Pinot Noirs
One of the great things about the International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC) is the chance to taste a wide range of Pinot Noirs from around the world. I’ve already written…
Loire adventure: preparing in Paris
Day two of the Loire adventure saw us get ready to head to the Loire by spending a day in Paris. Nicole, Lexi, Krysta and I caught the Eurostar and…
In Elgin, South Africa, day 1
I’m currently in South Africa’s Elgin Valley, which I visited last October for the Chardonnay Symposium. I’m here to experience vintage with four different producers: Iona, Almenkerk, Paul Cluver and…
Pinot Noir: the alchemy of people, place and time
This is a written version of a talk I’m giving today at the Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir celebration. Pinot Noir is the grape variety that seems to inspire the most…
New Zealand Gewurztraminer
This masterclass was led by Nick Nobilo, who is the expert on this variety, and one with some experience: he’s now completed 56 vintages. He began making wine when his…
Wines of the year (4) some brilliant French wines
Continuing the theme of wines of the year, I’ve picked some of the very best French wines that I tasted in 2016, excluding Champagnes and older wines, which I wrote…
Wines of the year (2) older vintages
So, continuing with my theme of wines of the year, I have gone through my notes and pulled out the highlights. This post is concentrating on older wines, pre-2000. I’m…
Oh, the places you’ll go! 2016 in review
January: the year began in New Zealand, for a South Island Road trip, followed by the Sauvignon Blanc celebration. We started off in Central Otago, where it was unseasonably cold….