Bugey on down – explorations in undiscovered France In France, the little known wine region of Bugey is well off the beaten track. I have passed through it frequently, usually on the way to more famous wine destinations in France and Italy. When I finally stopped to explore it some years ago, I wished I had done so sooner. An …
Pla de Bages and its unique heritage
Pla de Bages and its unique heritage These days, Pla de Bages is a relatively obscure Spanish wine region in the heart of Catalonia, Spain. Yet winegrowing has been here since Roman times, and the word Bages comes from Bacchus, the Roman God of wine. North-west of Barçelona, this fascinating region occupies the valleys of two rivers, the Llobregat and …
Llopart – fine bubbles from Catalonia
Llopart – fine bubbles from Catalonia The Llopart winery in Catalonia is just 40 minutes away from the bars and cafés of Barçelona. This is the heart of sunny Penedès, an ancient and thriving wine region. Here, the still wines made under the Penedès DO co-exist with sparkling wines all made, (until recently), under the famous name of Cava. While …
More Beaujolais Pleasures – Beaujolais Pt.3
More Beaujolais Pleasures – Beaujolais Pt.3 This final part 3 of the Beaujolais trilogy contains even more Beaujolais pleasures. It covers six more crus plus some food-matching ideas. The clickable Google map below shows the producer locations for all of the wines recommended in parts 2 and 3. Even more Beaujolais pleasures await ♥ Brouilly 1,227 hectares and 8.5 million bottles. …
Beaujolais is for life, not just for Christmas – Pt.1
Beaujolais is for life, not just for Christmas – Pt.1 Ah, Beaujolais! Mention that word and the memories flood back, still fresh from half a lifetime. Beaujolais was where it all started. I never anticipated a lifelong wine journey would result. What would have happened if Beaujolais and I had not coincided? Life would have been very different. Let me …
Three Colours Red – Beaujolais, Pt.2
Three Colours Red – Beaujolais, Pt.2 Beaujolais part 1 was mostly a love letter to the region where my wine journey started. This part 2 is Three Colours Red. It covers the three main divisions, namely Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages, and four of the ten Beaujolais crus. There is a wine recommendation for each one from encounters over the past couple of years. Then, …
Diversity discovery in Valpolicella, Part 1
Diversity discovery in Valpolicella, Part 1 Part 1 of this article explores the diversity of Valpolicella; concerning grapes, styles, laws, terroirs, and winegrowing philosophies. Then Part 2 features twelve recommended Valpolicella wines illustrating these features. So, what do we think of when we think of Valpolicella? Is it: A: A cheap red quaffing wine without merit produced in vast quantity for supermarkets? or B: …
Valpolicella – Discovering Diversity Part 2
Valpolicella – Discovering Diversity Part 2 Part 1 of this article was about the diversity found in Valpolicella; in grapes, styles, designations, terroirs, wine growing, and philosophies. This Part 2 features a dozen great examples of Valpolicella wines designed to illustrate these points. They are also arranged in pairs to compare and contrast. Such is the strength-in-depth within Valpolicella that this article …
Kirkjuvagr Aurora – a Gin made for Winter
Kirkjuvagr Aurora – a Gin made for Winter When the current gin boom began some ten years ago, few would have wagered that it would still be continuing unabated today. Now there are more than 300 gin distilleries in the UK, double that of five years ago. This growth is due to the many new small artisan brands which major …
New Zealand celebrates 200 years of viticulture
New Zealand Celebrates 200 years of viticulture. The first record of vines planted in New Zealand was on September 25, 1819. It’s in a journal by Samuel Marsden, an Anglican missionary. (He was born in Farsley, less than ten miles from my home in West Yorkshire). He wrote that there were “about 100 vines of different kinds”. However, there seems …