Chablis and the Grand Auxerrois – Book review Chablis – it’s the best known white wine. And not just in the UK, which is still its biggest market, but worldwide. It’s so famous that many don’t realise it’s a Chardonnay from a small group of villages in northern Burgundy. Even though it’s a unique expression, Chablis is far from being …
Lessini Durello – Exciting Fizz from the Veneto
Lessini Durello – Exciting Fizz from the Veneto Between Verona and Vicenza in Northern Italy lies a currently obscure DOC, based on a little known Italian white grape variety called Durella. Eclipsed by Venetian vinous heavyweights such as Valpolicella, Soave and Prosecco, the small enclave of Lessini Durello nevertheless makes unique sparkling wines. Now, some thirty years after becoming a …
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Georgia Gvino – a brief introduction to wines of Georgia
Georgia Gvino – a brief introduction to wines of Georgia In this Part I, we journey to the Black Sea and the Caucasus, to the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Georgia is an ancient country that’s been a melting pot of cultures. It also lays claim to being the origin of winegrowing. It has an 8,000-year wine history evidenced by …
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DeuS Brut des Flandres, a Belgian beer by Bosteels
DeuS Brut des Flandres, a Belgian beer by Bosteels The Belgians are master brewers, and their beers come in a wide range of styles, including the unique and unusual. One such beer is DeuS, brewed by the famous Bosteel Brouwerij, founded in 1791 in Flanders. Bosteels is at Buggenhout, between Ghent, Antwerp, and Brussels and is world-famous for it’s traditional Kwak …
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Summer of Soave – UK promotion 2019, and more besides
Summer of Soave – UK promotion 2019, and more besides Summer of Soave is a UK promotion that’s running, you guessed it, this summer. So look out for tastings, promotions and more besides. Soave is undoubtedly one of my favourite Italian white wines and is also a place close to my heart. Rather than explain in words why this is, check …
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Recantina renaissance – a rare red grape from the Veneto
Recantina renaissance – a rare red grape from the Veneto Regular readers of these pages will know how much I like to discover new and unusual grape varieties, especially those native to Italy. Recently I had the pleasure of staying in Asolo, primarily to explore their DOCG Prosecco. However, this part of the Veneto is also an excellent source for …
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Dosage Zero, Champagne Paillard with Crofton Cheese
Dosage Zero, Champagne Paillard with Crofton Cheese Dosage Zero is a specialist Champagne from Bruno Paillard. I’ve written about this Champagne House previously, so rather than repeat myself, see here for my piece on what Champagne Bruno Paillard is all about. In style, the wines from this Champagne House are usually Extra-Brut, with minimal residual sugar, designed to let the land …
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F Scott Fitzgerald conjugated the word Cocktail
F Scott Fitzgerald conjugated the word Cocktail F Scott Fitzgerald is best known for writing The Great Gatsby and Tender Is The Night, those magnificent novels of glamour, decadence and tragedy. He wrote other novels, short stories and letters. Meanwhile, his notes and lists collected ideas and impressions, ranging from the profound to the banal, including a list of thirteen ways …
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Stephane Derenoncourt and St. Emilion
Stéphane Derenoncourt and St. Émilion I don’t often write about serious Bordeaux reds. Not because I have an aversion to them, it’s more because I don’t get involved in the en primeur or auction/investment scenes. I prefer to drink my wines! Also, top Bordeaux Cru like St. Émilion commands prices ranging from expensive to stratospheric. However, looking back through my St. …
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Silly Tasting Notes and Neuroenology
Silly Tasting Notes and Neuroenology It might seem obvious, but the taste of wine occurs in the Human brain. Indeed, there is a good deal of scientific research that’s gradually revealing how this works. A terrific book called Neuroenology, by Gordon M. Shepherd, explains this in detail. So why also include the Silly Tasting Notes in this article? Well, once the taste …
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