La Parrina is a unique Tuscan wine estate near the border with Lazio. In general, terms is it on the Southern Tuscan coast now chiefly famous as a holiday destination. Each year millions of tourists, principally Italians, flock to enjoy the Italian seaside experience of closely packed togetherness on the beaches, in the restaurants, at
La Parrina – last stop in Tuscany Read More »
This weekend has given the chance to taste two bottles of Valpolicella Ripasso (you can add Classico Superiore if you wish). Most Valpolicella is made for quick and easy drinking and there is a huge jump up to Amarone, made from semi-dried grapes, and thus far weightier and hopefully more complex. In between is Ripasso.
Sancerre, Chablis and Champagne – the top glasses At the end of a wine tour, it’s good to stand back, review the experience as a whole and pick a few favourite glasses. There were 89 to choose from by my count. Of course one wouldn’t want to give the impression it was all tasting and
Coach travel is all very well. Within northern France from the UK, it is tolerable – quite fast, better ecologically than flying short distances, secure, uneventful. But it still takes quite a while to get from London (7.45 am) to Sancerre (6 pm French time), central France. The specialist wine travel company, Arblaster and Clarke,
Arriving at Sancerre Read More »
Masters of Wine probably don’t often buy wine in a supermarket, not even a rather well-stocked branch of LeClerc in France. But that’s exactly what Martin Hudson did to demonstrate the remarkable range of wines which are made along the length of the Loire valley. So while his last tasting for Andover Wine Friends featured
Whistle stop tour of the Loire Read More »
Hyde de Villaine is a joint venture between Californian grape growers Hyde with vineyards in Carneros and Aubert de Villaine. What’s all the fuss about? Well, de Villaine is a co-owner of Burgundy’s (and one of the world’s) most famous wineries, Domaine de la Romanée Conti, though it has to be said that this a
In a blind tasting, there is the occasional moment when you put your nose in the glass and know what the wine is. When I say ‘occasional moment’ that’s what it is. The rest is the application of experience to the aromas, flavours and styles of wine – and most of us just don’t have
Italy is blessed with a very large number of local grape varieties. One of the standard guides lists more than 500, others speak of thousands. More importantly, it has a significant number of great varieties – however much it’s fun to have something local, you still want it to make good wine or better. This
Italian half-marathon Read More »
Stephen Brook has an enviable task – to pick some of his favourite newly-released Barolo and Barbaresco and introduce them to the trade at a recent Decanter event entitled ‘Highlights of Piedmont’. He has to get his selection down to ten wines and so he can only nod at Dolcetto and Barbera as grape varieties
In praise of Nebbiolo Read More »
If you are of a certain age you will have a very clear memory of German wines – inexpensive, sweet brands (Blue Nun, Black Tower). And then suddenly these wines became deeply unfashionable – our tastes moved South to the sunshine of Spain, Italy and the New World. Liebfraumilch became the least cool drink on
Rediscovering German wines Read More »