The wine untouched by the scourge of daylight April 30, 2021 Slovenian Untouched By Light sparkling wine does exactly what it says on the bottle. Its Chardonnay grapes are picked on moonless nights on the Bouvier family (as in Jackie Kennedy) Radgona vineyard in south-east Slovenia and matured in pitch-black, 170-year-old cellars. They are bottled in 99.8% black glass and shipped and sold in vacuum-sealed light-free bags. [...]
Where to eat… In Canary Wharf April 30, 2021 Once, the daily commute to Canary Wharf seemed to encapsulate the very idea of the daily grind, a long and uncomfortable journey to a land of grey buildings filled with grey suits. But Canary Wharf has transformed in recent years and lockdown has only made our hearts grow fonder. Now we can’t wait to get [...]
How to celebrate International Viognier Day in style April 30, 2021 It’s the 30 April, which may as well be my birthday, as it’s the international celebration of one of my favourite types of wine – Viognier. And it is a Friday, so let us all raise a glass to this aromatic, romantic grape. It’s like it knew it was the start of the weekend. Viognier [...]
Drinking around the world: Care for a glass of Dutch red? April 28, 2021 When one thinks of wine growing terroir, thoughts turn to the rolling valleys of the Languedoc or the rugged terrain of the Duero River Valley. The flat-as-a-pancake Dutch countryside doesn’t generally spring to mind. But with more than 200 active, commercial vineyards, Holland is slowly gaining international attention as a wine-making region as it recovers [...]
Bouji restaurant group Hakkasan sold to hospitality giant Tao April 28, 2021 The famously bouji restaurant group Hakkasan has been bought by international hospitality giant Tao Group for an undisclosed sum. First opened in Fitzrovia in 2001 by Wagamama founder Alan Yao, Hakkasan soon became synonymous with London’s high end, high price dining scene, frequented by celebrities and oligarchs, with an encampment of paparazzi often waiting outside. [...]
Which wine goes with Shakespeare? Honest Grapes knows April 28, 2021 Which white Burgundy would help cut through the barbed wit of Oscar Wilde? Which of Shakespeare’s comedies would bring out the best in a glass of crisp English sparkling wine? And which famous British humourist would complement a modern, peppery Super Tuscan? I discovered the answer to these questions and more thanks to a wonderful [...]
Wine’s not just for tasting: Meet the wine photographer of the year April 28, 2021 Wine is not just about the nose, the finish and mouth feel. It’s about inspiration, lighting, styling, composition and framing, and being in the right place at the right time. Spain’s Oscar Olivares, an award-winning vinographer, has just become the 2021 Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year, receiving a prize of £1,000 and the prestigious [...]
How mead emerged as the drink of summer 2021 April 26, 2021 These are heady times for British mead. The honey-based drink is thought to be the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage. It was probably being made in China in 7000 BC and King Arthur counted it amongst his favourite tipples. Chaucer mentions “braggot”, a form of mead made with honey and barley malt, and the Ancient Hindus [...]
Busy terraces mask dire straights at restaurants, says new data April 26, 2021 You may be struggling to get a reservation at your favourite restaurant, but that doesn’t mean the sector has recovered from the pandemic, according to new data. Booked out terraces are putting a positive facade on an industry still in crisis, with orders estimated to be at just 60 per cent of pre-lockdown levels. Data [...]
Where to eat… In the City April 23, 2021 In a new bite-sized column, we’ll be focusing on an area of London and selecting three of our favourite restaurants, one for breakfast, one for lunch and one for dinner. For the first instalment we have, of course, chosen the City, the regular haunt of our Life & Style editor Steve Dinneen for well over [...]