The Wine Demystifier

This is something I’ve been pondering for a while now, ever since tasting my first English Bacchus some years ago. Since then, the quality (and quantity) has improved exponentially, and I have real hope that this variety could be a breakout star for the English still wine scene. What is Bacchus? First up then, an explanation of the name: I mean who names a grape after the Roman god of wine? This isn’t rhetorical, the man in question was…

Following on from the popularity of The Wine Demystifier themed case ‘Wines of Spain’ last year, we will soon be releasing a wine club case featuring ‘Wines of Italy’. Most people would readily name ‘Prosecco’ and ‘Chianti’  if asked to name Italian wines.  Others may perhaps name ‘Barolo’ or ‘Amarone’ and at a push ‘Brunello di Montalcino’ but its unlikely many more names would be forthcoming and therein lies the problem.  With 20 wine regions and incredibly more than…

A shocking headline in the Daily Telegraph grabbed my attention recently “Wine shortage: New Zealand sauvignon blanc set to disappear from shelves in run-up to Christmas”.  Ok, so it’s not really ‘shocking’ but for those of you, who like me, enjoy a nice cold glass of Kiwi Savvy, it is shall we say, slightly concerning!What it essentially means, is the mass produced glut of sauvignon juice which goes into many of the Supermarket ‘own’ brands just won’t be available…so…

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,…