Blog

Lugana - The Lady of the Lake

Lugana - The Lady of the Lake

Of all the fascinating white wines produced in north-eastern Italy, Lugana is one of the least well known. The production area lies to the south of Lake Garda, which is Italy’s largest lake.

Read More
Manchuela – Spain As We Don’t Know It

Manchuela – Spain As We Don’t Know It

It is a source of endless fascination as to why some wine regions have become world famous, whilst other remain largely unknown. ‘Monsieur, c'est le terroir!’ is an oft heard response, when asking the

Read More
Association of Wine Educators awarded a Special  Gourmand Award in Umeå

Association of Wine Educators awarded a Special Gourmand Award in Umeå

At the 28th Gourmand Awards Ceremony held Umeå in Sweden, the Association of Wine Educators received a Special Award, with congratulations for its 30th Anniversary.

Read More
Trevor Elliott - An Appreciation

Trevor Elliott - An Appreciation

It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of Trevor Elliott. He was a great wine educator, undertaking rigorous research on the topics he presented, but always aware that his audience

Read More
Asolo - Prosecco that Knows its Place

Asolo - Prosecco that Knows its Place

There is no doubt that Prosecco is the go-to wine for wine lovers seeking fun, fresh and fruity fizz. It is a wine that can be enjoyed without breaking into eulogies and without breaking the bank.

Read More
Monte del Frà - Rock & Roll Arias

Monte del Frà - Rock & Roll Arias

I have often written of my passion for opera, and particularly the great Italian composers of Puccini and Verdi. Perhaps my love of rock & roll is less well recorded

Read More
Some thoughts on tannins in wine

Some thoughts on tannins in wine

Tannins are polyphenols, the primary source in wine being the skins of the grapes. Stalks also contain tannins of a greener, harder nature and nowadays are, with some notable exceptions, generally exc

Read More
Pommery England - The Age of Reason

Pommery England - The Age of Reason

The renaissance of English wine began in 1951, when Major General Guy Salisbury Jones planted a 1acre vineyard at Hambledon in Hampshire. Guy died in 1985, before English wine became so acclaimed....

Read More
Zoning in on Bardolino

Zoning in on Bardolino

Although I admit that I am fickle, in the last couple of decades I have fallen in love with north-eastern Italy and its wines. It’s not me getting older, but there has been a renaissance in quality.

Read More
Almaviva - 25 Years

Almaviva - 25 Years

To my mind and palate, Almaviva is the top Icon Wine of Chile. If ever there was wine that interweaves ripeness of the New World with the ' sense of place' of the old, this is the one.

Read More
Awards Ceremony in Bordeaux

Awards Ceremony in Bordeaux

I was thrilled to receive the coveted Prix de 'l'OIV (Oenology Category) at the awards ceremony held at the iconic Cité du Vin in Bordeaux on 30th September. The award was for my book 'Wine Faults...

Read More
Book Review: Mastering the Art of Enjoying Wine: From Enology to Enosophy

Book Review: Mastering the Art of Enjoying Wine: From Enology to Enosophy

Sharing perceptions of wine, by both consumers and professionals, has probably taken place throughout the 8000 years of wine history. In the decades following World War 2, various structured systems

Read More