Fabulous Christmas cheese and wine to stun dinner party guests November 30, 2022 How to perfect your Christmas cheese and wine servings this year Flavour is fine, but when selecting items for a cheeseboard, the key is to think about weight, texture, and intensity. A creamy bloom cheese such as a brie or camembert, for instance, is perfectly paired with the effervescent bubbles and acidity of a champagne [...]
How Instagram is changing the way people think about wine November 18, 2022 Though a few of the old guard may prefer wine to remain solely in the cellar (preferably theirs) or the members club tasting room, savvy wine brands have been working with social media to expand their reach, diversify their client base and make the industry, essentially, more enjoyable. “The wine trade was late to the [...]
How neuroscience can make your wine taste better November 4, 2022 Neuroscience and wine may not seem like immediate bedfellows, but some producers are putting the time in to find out how drinkers are affected by things like our surroundings and assumptions. This in turn offers some insights into how to make the wine you serve taste better. Dr Qian Janice Wang, on behalf of Ramón [...]
How neuroscience can make your wine taste better November 3, 2022 Neuroscience and wine may not seem like immediate bedfellows, but some producers are putting the time in to find out how drinkers are affected by things like our surroundings and assumptions. This in turn offers some insights into how to make the wine you serve taste better. At risk of putting us wine communicators out [...]
Firebird Soho has some of the best service in the capital – and great wine too November 2, 2022 Unassumingly nestled on a bustling Soho street, Firebird greets you as a cool oasis of relaxed good taste. Almost all of its dishes, as the name implies, have been licked by flame. The true charm of this place lies in the warmth and attentiveness of the staff, who carry their impeccable knowledge with a casual [...]
Ormer Mayfair by Sofian Msetfi is worth the hype October 19, 2022 When the AA Hospitality Awards bestow four AA Rosettes on a restaurant for the first time, it is probably worth taking notice. Especially when it is only one of three awarded the honour in London and the chef, Sofian Msetfi, is only 30. Welcome to Ormer. A stone’s throw from Green Park, this old-school, art-deco beauty [...]
Old vines: Why you should care October 19, 2022 You may have seen the term “old vine” or “vieille vignes” on your wine label and wondered why it matters. Though there’s no legal definition, it usually means the vines are older than 25 years, but preferably over 50 or even 100. These wines are rarer because the older a vine gets, the less fruit [...]
Why it’s time to invest in port, and drink plenty too October 6, 2022 There has always been a special relationship between Portugal and Great Britain. Indeed, the Portuguese government declared three days of national mourning to honour the passing of her Majesty, the Queen. Equally, there’s something quintessentially British about serving a decanter of port at the end of a dinner party, passed around to one’s left of [...]
M Canary Wharf is both fun and elegant September 26, 2022 M restaurant has launched its newest incarnation in increasingly buzzy Canary Wharf, making the most of all the sky, steel and views over the water with floor to ceiling windows showcasing aspects and angles of the London skyline I had never seen before. Lights hang like flocks of seagulls above booths and tables designed to [...]
Alsace wines have bite as well as bark September 25, 2022 When I began to learn about wine in my early 20s, Alsace was a region I was drawn to. I loved the opulent richness of the wines, from the semi-sweet floral Gewurztraminer and Muscat to the broad strokes of the rounded Pinot Gris and complexity of the Rieslings. The good ones were balanced by a [...]