Celebrating the diversity of Chianti Classico: the 2015 London tasting As wine lovers, we can all have our preferences within the large region which is Tuscany. We might love the bright, cool, austerity of Chianti Rùfina or the richness of the Tuscan coast, but there is no getting away from the point that Chianti Classico
Chianti Classico diversity Read More »
What are your expectations of medium to high-end Chilean, Argentine and Uruguayan wines? The tick list would probably include: powerful fruit expression, high level of ripeness, high alcohol and devotion to new French oak barriques. From a very select group of South American producers, the Institute of Masters of Wine’s Cutting Edge South American wines
Cutting edge S America Read More »
Photoblog – Madeira magic The warm, Atlantic island of Madeira is visually remarkable and hence here is a photoblog. Amazing landscapes, old low-pergola vines, historic names of the wine trade, incredible century-old vintages and much more.
Some wines are so outstanding that they demand a piece to be written about them … even when one is supposed to be revising for ridiculously demanding exams in a week’s time. Corton-Renardes, Grand Cru, Domaine Michel Voarick, Burgundy, 2005 was the only wine served blind at the end of a tasting of the most important
The antidote to revision: Corton 2005 Read More »
Quinta do Noval – Douro magic The land Every book or website about the Douro comments on its magical landscape and remarkable wine culture. But nothing can prepare you for the impact of the majestic river, the sweep of the steep and extensive terraces, the autumn fog or the baking heat of summer; or for
Quinta do Noval – Douro magic Read More »
As Claret fans will know 1982 was a legendary vintage in Bordeaux: ripe, bold and, we can say after 32 years, one that has passed the test of time. I got a rare chance to taste two examples from this year with Andover Wine Friends due to the generosity of one of our members who
Celebrating 1982 Claret Read More »
The 1855 classification of the Médoc has proved remarkably robust. There have been a few revisions, you have to take into account that in Bordeaux the name on the bottle refers to the commercial entity, the ‘château’, which can buy or sell land (thus obscuring the pure terroir argument) and, of course, the quality of
Quality hierarchy: Claret 2004 revisited Read More »
Last night’s tasting in Longparish was a great opportunity to explore again the amazing diversity and riches of the wines of South West France. Even the names are redolent of difference and local pride: from Irouléguy in Atlantic-influenced Pyrenees, deep in Basque country, via Madiran, Fronton and Gaillac spread across the central area, to Marcillac
Diversity in South West France Read More »
England rises … I recently ran a tasting for Andover Wine Friends which a decade ago would have been scarcely conceivable. In order to test the progress of the quality of English sparkling wine, it pitted the wines of Nyetimber, West Sussex against the grand marque Louis Roederer, historic Champagne house. On the face of
Nyetimber v Roederer Read More »
When we casually open a bottle of wine on an evening or a weekend, we have little sense of the severely practical decisions which had to be made for our pleasure. Our biggest concern might be to twist the screw cap or to find the corkscrew. By contrast, there are dozens, even hundreds of decisions
Unglamourous harvest Read More »