Wine Events, Wine Education, Journalist
WE all love a good deal; and when it comes to wine we love great wine at great value prices. I make no apologies for once again telling you about some newly-announced award-winning wines from the International Wine Challenge. In the last few days the IWC has announced 15 Great Value Awards; and 12 of
Wine Press: Great Value Awards celebrate great wines at great prices Read More »
I spoke to That Crazy French Woman Master of Wine Isabelle Legeron about natural wines before I visited her brainchild, the RAW wine fair. Isabelle told me about wine additives (read here) – but she shared more facts to make you think a little bit more about natural wines: Think About It #1: If a wine label says grapes are organically grown, it
Four things about natural wines to start you thinking Read More »
As English Wine Week and Welsh Wine Week 2015 get underway, I speak to the CEO of one of England’s leading wine producers, Frazer Thompson, from Chapel Down. There has been a massive leap in sales of sparkling wines in just a year and English sparkling wine has been winning praise from all quarters. Says
Praise for home-grown wines as English Wine Week begins Read More »
THE UK’s supermarkets have really upped their game in the past year when it comes to their own-brand wines. Many have excelled in the 2015 International Wine Challenge Awards. Top of the awards pile is Marks & Spencer, which won 169 medals, including 12 gold, 52 silver and 105 bronze. In all, 498 own-brand and exclusive
International Wine Challenge success for UK supermarkets Read More »
It’s a relief to know someone reads my missives. Tony McCaul maybe the only one; but that aside, it was very nice that he emailed me. He said: “This morning I looked at the contents of a bottle of red wine and discovered that it contained milk as well as sulphites plus another ingredient I cannot remember. What
The facts behind wine additives … and people who shun them Read More »
The other night I dashed home from work and hit the bottle. Well, to be precise, I hit three bottles which confounded the dog, as normally my 6pm priority is her tea-time walk. It wasn’t because I’d had a tough day, but because I had a dial-in tasting chat specially lined up for me with
Glen Moray single malt … “the greatest journey of flavours” Read More »
A few years ago there was a TV quiz show, Call My Bluff. My mum and dad loved it. I remember the 70s brown and beige shirts and the quizmaster technology included a simple bell. A team would give three definitions of a word; but only one was true. Another team had to guess which.
Wine Press: Call My Bluff Wine Tasting fizzes perfectly Read More »
Spring has sprung and yippee!! I want to spring into the garden to celebrate. Well that might be a bit optimistic. When I had a practice run with spring wines in the garden last weekend my finger ends were numb in five minutes. I clasped a glass of hearty red through slippy mittens and imagined
Spring wines in the garden … well, once the rain stops Read More »
I’d love to be involved in the creation of wine and not just sit at the “consumer end” opening a bottle and enjoying the contents. Don’t get me wrong, I love that bit. I really love that bit. Laura Stafford is a wine buyer for the Co-operative and I’ve spoken to her about her work
The life of a wine buyer for Co-op wines … a peek inside Laura’s world Read More »