Wine Events, Wine Education, Journalist
The Raise a Glass feature is published in several UK regional newspapers every week – here’s a quick glance at Veganuary 2024. When I first started to write drinks-shaped words several years ago, there was no such thing as Veganuary. Now it is very much part of my annual themes for the start of […]
WE ALL love a reason to celebrate, so here’s advance warning of International Grenache Day. Buy the bunting, invite your friends round, bake a cake as it’s next Friday (September 18 2015). Grenache Day is a global event organised by the Grenache Symposium Association. I bobbed onto their website which waxes lyrical about the grape.
Five wine picks for International Grenache Day. Don’t forget the bunting. Read More »
AS its summer, I suggest you grab some summer pink wines, glasses and head to your nearest park, picnic basket in hand. And as its summer, don’t forget the umbrella. Some people view pink wines as flim flam, never to be touched. One or two wines here may convince you otherwise. But first, do you know
Summer pink wines to enjoy while the sun is out (or when it rains) Read More »
If you fancy yourself as a savvy amateur wine-taster, then Oddbins’ The Palate contest might be the perfect place to show off your skills. The High Street and online chain is launching its 2015 search for the ultimate amateur palate. The competition is now in its fourth year and last year 21,000 people took part.
Oddbins launches The Palate to find finest amateur wine-taster Read More »
Who would have thought there is a day devoted to the humble yet wondrous Yorkshire Pudding. I love a Yorkshire pud, even better, I love its traditional accompaniment of beef. So when someone told me that tomorrow, Sunday, is The Day to celebrate Yorkshire puddings (always the first Sunday in February apparently) it seemed a
Wine Press: Roast beef, wine and National Yorkshire Pudding Day Read More »
TO celebrate the British Open last weekend I opened some wine. That is the closest affinity I have to golf. I didn’t even have a British “open” it was a French “open” with wines from Languedoc-Roussillon. It is the most prolific wine-making region in the world. Yes, there are some mass-produced so-what wines, but there
Sun-kissed winning wines from Languedoc-Roussillon Read More »
THIS girlie, as I write, has a mild red wine hangover. I have tried revitalising shampoo but it hasn’t worked, so I’m going to write to the Shampoo Ombudsman. The reason for my “mild” head? This week the International Wine Challenge announced its Merchant Awards and I was there “quietly” enjoying the occasion. The headlines
International Wine Challenge announces Wine Merchant honours Read More »
“I don’t like raisins,” said The Girl Who Doesn’t Like Raisins. “You might not like raisins,” I said, “but you’ll like this.” I asked Girl Who Doesn’t Like Raisins to pour a fingertip of Blind Spot Rutherglen Muscat wine into a glass and taste. “I’m not sure” she said, “Don’t be scared,” I said, as she raised
The Wine Society wizards and the girl who hates raisins Read More »
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 »