Wine sales, consultancy and education
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. …
It struck me that I have talked quite a lot through any number of blog posts about ‘indigenous’ varieties, so I thought now would be a good time to do a bit of a deep dive into the subject – especially as my next wine club case will have as its theme…yes you’ve guessed it…. ‘indigenous’ grapes. Why? Because there are so many fabulous wines being made from grapes most of us are unfamiliar with or perhaps have never even…
As regular readers of my blogs know, I am a big Riesling fan, and if pushed to pick my favourite white grape variety, Riesling would be right up there at #1. Yet retail sales of Riesling continue to lag way behind other varieties here in the UK and it doesn’t come close to breaking into the top 10 most popular grape varieties. Why might you ask? I think there are a number of reasons:I blame the 1980s… It’s probably…
Zinfandel or ‘Zin’ to its friends is a grape which is seen very much as an American variety. The French have Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon (and many many more!) with Zinfandel proudly wearing the stars and stripes of America. But the hard truth of the matter is the grape isn’t American at all! DNA has proven that Zinfandel is in fact the same variety as Italy’s Primitivo and the rare ancient variety Crljenak Kastelanski (from Croatia). A quick history…
First things first, I expect most readers are wondering how on earth you pronounce it? It is actually quite easy...phonetically it is pronounced as “See-no-mav-ro”. Second main point: Xinomavro is a grape not a wine. About the grape – Synonymous with Greece, in particular the northerly Naoussa region, this black grape is widely considered the finest of the Greek varieties. Literally translated as ‘sour black’ – not a hugely appealing translation on the face of it I admit! ....and…