Champagne is normally made from a blend of three grapes, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Michael Edwards in The Finest Wines of Champagne, (Aurum, London 2009) tells us that the proportions planted are 38, 33 and 29 per cent respectively, which means that one-third of the total area of the Champagne vineyard is planted
Unsung Pinot Meunier Read More »
Blind tasting is supposed to be such a serious business but sometimes … and good company and alcohol may have something to do with it … it dissolves into hilarity and just a great evening together. The tone of the this evening where people brought one or two wines to taste blind was set by
White Sauvignon Blanc and other tales of the unexpected Read More »
Away from the powerhouse of Bordeaux, the southwest of France is a treasure trove of local varieties, obscure appellations and local traditions. Marcillac is a case in point. I am happy to admit that I had to ask Germain de Marquis of the Clos du Marquis, which specialises in the food of the southwest, where
Marcillac – rustic southwest magic Read More »
Many trade tastings are rather orderly affairs with a bit of elbow room, an atmosphere in which you can talk to producers or suppliers and often rather good catering thrown in. Some are in very fine settings with a lot of attention being paid to the whole environment. After all – let’s be straightforward about
Last Saturday’s Decanter Spain tasting in London featured good wines mainly from well-known regions – Rioja, Priorat, and, perhaps most interestingly, whites from Rueda. By contrast, Andover Wine Friends’ monthly tasting took us on a vinous tour of Spain. Nine wines from nine different quality areas showed both what some local grapes can do and
Off the beaten track Spain Read More »
Persistent driving rain in the middle of winter is no incentive to get out and enjoy the wines of the sunny south of France, even if the journey is only to London’s West End. The weather was conspiring with the economic climate. And is the most difficult financial situation most of us can remember really
Tasting wines blind is a journey into the unknown. This is quite literal at times – you are presented with a glass and, apart from being able to see whether it is white or red, you have no idea what it is, even after you have tasted it. When the wines are obscure or quirky,
In the United Kingdom, Rioja lives a sort of double life as supermarket bargain wine and, much less conspicuously, as a top quality wine in its own right. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a supermarket bargain – inexpensive bottles, often marketed with highly improbably ‘half price’ slogans, but nonetheless producing very drinkable wines. The
The large annual Burgundy tasting, organised by its growers and merchants’ association (BIVB) presents a feast of plenty. Where do you start with 90 stands and over 500 wines? This year I arrived with a vague notion of trying to pick off as many different village appellations as possible. Most wine lovers will have heard
Burgundy highways and byways Read More »
For much of human history, wine was sweet. Winemakers didn’t have the knowledge to get wines to ferment out completely and so inevitably the result was sweet. And anyway, people like sweet things and, it could be said, some sweetness can cover up a number of faults. In the last twenty years, fashion has dictated