Wine sales, consultancy and education
Spain is fast becoming my “go to” country for great value, good quality wines, if you know where to look you can get some fabulous wines but you do need to be careful of mass produced ‘soft brand’ wines which come from across the Castilla-La-Mancha region – a region which produces vast swathes of grapes, many of which go into low cost, high volume wine where quantity tends to outweigh quality (although you can find boutique gems if you…
Sauvignon Blanc is one of those varieties that really divides opinion, wine snobs may look down their noses feeling it lacks complexity and subtlety (which it can!) but I am firmly in the ‘love’ it camp. Love it or loathe it though, one thing is for certain, it is hugely distinctive and perhaps it is because it is so easily recognisable that it has become one of the UK’s most popular white wines?At its best it is unapologetically pungent,…
As recently as the turn of the century the word “Malbec” would hardly have registered with British wine drinkers. The last decade however has seen a big change and today wines made from Malbec are among the most popular with UK consumers. As we approach World Malbec Day (on the 17th April) I thought now would be a good time to explore the grape in a bit more detail. A Bit of History Malbec’s vinous roots lie in France,…
I have always had a soft spot for New Zealand and its wine, and it was a vinous experience way back in the 1990s that proved to be my epiphany – getting me interested in wine in general and New Zealand wines in particular. A love affair that remains to this day. I tried a wine that was so different from anything I had tasted before – it quite literally grabbed me by the throat with its pungent intensity. …
With Easter coming up this weekend, I thought it might be interesting to put together a few recommendations of wines that make a great match for the Easter Sunday roast as well as a few ideas for what you could pair with your chocolate eggs, yes that is right you can get wine that pairs well with chocolate!First up though the Sunday roastTraditionally on Easter Sunday the roasting joint of choice tends to be lamb. A lot will depend…