Wine Events, Wine Education, Journalist
It’s always nice to know that people read my wine columns. I know, because occasionally people get in touch with me. Here is an email from Deiniol ap Dafydd, the managing director of www.blasarfwyd.com The note reads: “Enjoyed your ‘Raise a Glass’ article again today, but had to smile that you were promoting Bruno Paillard […]
Support your independent wine merchants if you can Read More »
Celebrity chef and Masterchef presenter John Torode has created an exclusive recipe collection alongside McGuigan Wines, with winemaker Neil McGuigan offering wine pairing suggestions. To mark the collection, John Torode answered some of my questions about wine and food. The questions and answers ….
Celebrity chef John Torode speaks of his love for food and wine Read More »
I watched a wine-tasting DVD on a school night – a night when I was determined not to open a bottle of wine. Just five minutes into the Essential Guide to Wine Tasting, backbone like a jellyfish, I wandered into the Place Where My Wine Is Kept, grabbed a bottle, glass, corkscrew, and poured. A big
The Essential Guide to Wine Tasting video drives me to drink Read More »
I’m not going to cast any aspersions on anybody here (even though perhaps I should). But *deep sighs*. Ladies and gents – do yourselves a favour and when you see a wine branded as an award-winner online, or in a supermarket, don’t always take it for granted that the one your mitts are eagerly reaching
A rant about promoting wines as award-winners when actually they’re not Read More »
AS I write I have five glasses of low alcohol beer next to me and a packet of salted crisps. This is one of my scientific experiments which would not bear the scrutiny of a Nobel judging panel. I can’t /won’t give up alcohol for the month; the least I can do is try and
Very, very sad to see the final publication of a great newspaper institution. On December 19th 2013 the Liverpool Post was published for the very final time. These statistics say it all. It was the paper where I began writing my wine column. The features staff enthused me and urged me
Raise a glass to the Liverpool Post, as a wonderful paper says farewell Read More »
What was going on in the world in 1997? A book about a schoolboy wizard hit our bookshelves, Pierce Brosnan enjoyed his second outing as a Martini-shaking secret agent, while Tony Blair became Prime Minister for the first time. Oh, and a Scotch whisky was laid down in Bourbon casks. Sixteen years on and the eighth
Balblair 97 whisky is delicate and “Bryan Ferry smooth” Read More »
This, my friends has pretty much been my Easter weekend. My level 3 wset exam looms in just over three weeks. I’m having a crisis of confidence. Poured a chianti to get over it: not exactly a geographically themed wine linked to the revision I’m just beginning. Starting on North America – I said goodbye
Am happy to report that there will be plenty of beer around my way soon, as this beer mat testifies. Oh – I am in the pub. So drinking caps on and ready for the fun – Waterloo Beer Festival is coming around again on April 18-21. Can’t wait. Not like I have a long