Why Sicily’s wine is some of Italy’s best – and which bottles to buy Life&Style A sun soaked tour of Sicily’s vibrant reds, zesty whites and a wine-making culture shaped by centuries of shifting influences Sicily is known for its dazzling coastlines, romantic ruins and for Europe’s tallest and most active volcano, Mount Etna. The largest island in the Mediterranean, it has been ruled by Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans and [...]
Inside the French festival serving incredible wine in a beautiful setting Life&Style Typing this up on Eurostar, I am having to completely rethink what I had planned to include in this week’s column. Rather than writing from my London home and grimacing at the grey outdoors, I had been invited by Alex Watson, part of the Domaine Watson family and co-founder of Renais gin, to escape the [...]
Sexism is still rife in the wine industry – problematic men are the real ghouls this Halloween Life&Style Forget the ghosts and apparitions, the real terrors this Halloween season are the wine industry’s bigots and sexists Halloween may be on the way, but the scariest thing in wine is that snobbery and bigotry still exists. Recently, after a very good lunch in London Bridge, some friends and I popped into a nearby wine [...]
Fabulous! Pop these bottles this World Champagne Day October 20, 2025 A day worth celebrating, 24th October is World Champagne Day, as if anyone needs an excuse to pop a bottle! Hundreds of years ago the wine in Champagne was still and pinky-red – a world away from what we associate with the region now. Bubbles were considered a fault, exploding the weaker bottles made for [...]
The British vineyards that welcome families for fun activities beyond the wine October 16, 2025 Wine isn’t thought of as something for the whole family, but these British vineyard are inviting the whole brood As much as I adore spending time with my son, I take umbrage that I am expected to relegate myself to child-focused establishments over the holidays. No shade thrown at Pizza Express, those dough balls have [...]
South American wine is booming – try these bottles for the best experience October 7, 2025 South American wine is booming for us Brits. An Argentinian Malbec has long been a gateway, converting consumers with broodingly smooth glasses of dark fruits and spice at a good price. Last year the UK overtook China as the largest importer (by value) of Chilean wine with their lithe Sauvignon Blancs and traditional Carmère. Even [...]
Why South African wine is the GOAT September 8, 2025 South African wine is eternally exciting. It’s a country bursting with maverick winemakers, swaggering onto the wine scene with innovative ideas, original designs and their treasure trove of old vines – a forgotten leftover from the country’s brandy making days. The once blend-relegated Cinsault is now gaining popularity as a refreshing, rustic, red-fruited easy-quaffer from [...]
Beyond Barolo: The crisp joy of Italian white wine September 1, 2025 Though the reds are arguably more famous – the revered Barolos, the bold Super Tuscans, the classic Chiantis – the white wines of Italy are quickly on the rise. Often refreshing with notes of sun-ripened citrus and wild herbs, they are the orderable crowd-pleasers on any wine list. Who doesn’t like a Gavi? Everyone likes [...]
Why you’re drinking Port all wrong August 19, 2025 It turns out I have been drinking port entirely wrong. For me, this heavy fortified wine has always been something for the winter. A small glass served at room temperature to pair with the Christmas stilton. If anywhere is going to school me on the “how tos” of port then Kopke, the world’s oldest port [...]
Liquid assets: An introduction to fine wine investment August 15, 2025 Though overall global fine wine investment values are in decline, the UK market continues to grow. Over the last ten years around £570 million has been invested into British vineyards, but individuals are also increasingly investing in their own wine collections. Fine wine is now a mainstream asset for many high-net-worth investors, with 96 per [...]
