Small is beautiful is an oft heard adage, and nowhere is this more so than in the world of drinks production. Without doubt some of the most individual and highest quality wines and spirits are made..
You may read in many books that the use of cork as a wine stopper was discovered by the French monk, Dom Perignon. This is certainly not the case. The year 1680 has been stated as when the Benedicti
As I write this, I have just finished a week's work as speaker on a Noble Caledonia 'wine' cruise in Bordeaux. There were a hundred and twenty-four participants, mostly mature people, with varying
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
I have written extensively about TCA and related haloanisole taints in wine - there 60 pages on the topic in my book 'Wine Faults and Flaws: A Practical Guide'. There is no doubt that the incidences
I am often asked which wine regions offer the greatest value, and I can suggest quite a long list. Near the top are the best wines from Valpolicella, Bardolino, the Cru Beaujolais and Cahors.
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
Wine and music have much in common, and my tastes in both are very wide. I confess to being a failed classical musician – when I was at school I had dreams of being a trumpet player and composer.
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.
What is the essence of Tuscany? And where its heart? For the art lover Tuscany has everything, indeed it is everything. For the music lover we have the birthplace and home of Puccini. He has been
It is not very often that I write about tasting I have tutored or masterclasses presented. However, once in a while all the wines show really well, and the participants are truly amazed by the
There are many books written about Bordeaux and its wines, all of which discuss, to a greater or lesser extent, the properties listed in the 1855 Classification of the Médoc and Sauternes. However,
