Welsh Wine Week: Meet the UK’s fastest-growing wine region June 10, 2021 Welsh Wine may be the UK’s best kept secret. Though wine was grown here as far back as Roman times it fell by the wayside, with the rolling countryside being dominated by other agriculture, farming and basically a lot of sheep. Until now. Today it is one of the most dynamic new regions for wine, [...]
Why the winelands of Wales are set to be a UK holiday hotspot June 4, 2021 Holidaying abroad this year is tricky and a staycation may be on the cards, but before you book a long trek to Cornwall or the Highlands, why not consider the wine-country of Wales? No, this is not a joke. Despite being relatively small on a global scale, Welsh wines won six awards at the recent [...]
Not as easy as ABC: Why you like Chardonnay more than you think May 21, 2021 You may have heard the phrase uttered near you at the bar, perhaps you have even said it yourself and ignored the twitch in the waiter’s eye. “A.B.C” is shorthand for “Anything But Chardonnay”, a hangover (in more ways than one) from the 1980s fashion for rich, heavily oaked wines. This trend was taken to [...]
Rosé-all-day : Why it’s time to get serious about this fun wine May 7, 2021 Spring is in the air, terraces have opened up and despite what the rain gods may think, rosé season is upon us! But what is a rosé? And why are red and white wines defined by grape or region like Cabernet Sauvignons or Chablis, yet we lump all rosés together under that one umbrella term? [...]
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 [...]
How to pick the perfect wine to suit your tastes April 23, 2021 We have all been there. Staring down the barrel of the supermarket aisle trying to work out which wine to choose for dinner. Do you reach for the “reassuringly expensive” top shelf or look for what is currently on offer to grab yourself a bargain? You may have a better-made wine or a steal of [...]
The best of wine tourism within day-trip distance of London April 15, 2021 The warm sun on my back, I sip a delicious glass of wine looking across a sweeping vista of vines with the rolling green countryside stretched out before me towards – yes, could that possibly be? – the distant sparkle of the sea and a blue-sky horizon. Have I thrown lockdown travel precautions to the [...]
How to Navigate restaurant wine lists post-lockdown April 11, 2021 It’s happening. Things are shifting. Spring is in the air and soon restaurant terraces will be open for business and shortly after that (please oh please) inside restaurants too. I am among the thousands who are chomping at the bit to see friends and loved ones over a plate of linguine and a nice glass of [...]
The British love affair with Bordeaux is here to stay September 26, 2015 The UK has traditionally been a nation of claret-lovers, dating as far back as the 12th century when Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry Plantagenet. Eager to please his French subjects, King Henry II decreed that any ship sailing from Bordeaux would be exempt from export tax. By the 14th century, England, Scotland and Ireland were [...]
Lessons in wine: A leisurely stroll through the sublime Medoc region September 22, 2015 Those who love Bordeaux will know that the Left Bank is Cabernet Sauvignon territory while the Right Bank is dominated by Merlot. My apologies to readers who are loyal to the wines of the Right, but today I want to delve further into the wines of the Left. The likes of Petrus and Cheval Blanc [...]