Rioja Wine Month returns throughout October 2022 Rioja Wine Month comes to the U.K. throughout October 2022. It’s a month-long celebration of Rioja, Spain’s most famous wine region. Meanwhile, this article represents my small contribution to Rioja Wine Month. It contains ten recommendations, first tried at the annual Wines of Spain tasting held earlier this year and then subsequently followed up. …
San Leonardo 2017 – Trentino’s Flagship Bordeaux Blend
San Leonardo 2017 – Trentino’s Flagship Bordeaux Blend Here is San Leonardo 2017. Gambero Rosso once described this red wine, made by Tenuta San Leonardo, as “one of the fifty wines that changed Italy”. They have awarded their Tre Biccheri to it consistently, and it has become something of a legend in Italy. It’s from Trentino, a less well-known Italian wine region. …
Límite Norte – a stunning white Rioja from Ramōn Bilbao
Límite Norte – a stunning white Rioja from Ramōn Bilbao Finding a wine that leaves you transfixed is a rare event, even more so when it’s unexpected. Then, momentarily, you feel like you’ve found the grail. And so it was with Límite Norte, a Rioja Blanco from the Ramōn Bilbao winery in Haro. It’s worth stressing that I knew nothing …
The World’s Wine Legends – Book Review
The World’s Wine Legends – Book Review The World’s Wine Legends is a new book by Stephen Brook, the subject of which is 100 of the world’s legendary bottles of wine. Stephen Brook is one of the world’s most prolific and awarded wine writers, with more than thirty published wine books, most of which I seem to own. Who better …
Badia di Morrona – excellence in Chianti DOCG
Badia di Morrona – excellence in Chianti DOCG This article concerns Badia di Morrona, a wine estate south of Pisa in Tuscany. They make a wide range of wines, including Chianti DOCG, called I Sodi del Paretaio. But before we get to that, it’s worth considering the broader context of Chianti DOCG. Chianti DOCG Chianti is one of the best-known …
Chenin Blanc with Baked Lemon Cheesecake
Chenin Blanc with Baked Lemon Cheesecake This Cheesecake is properly home-made for the third article in the occasional Wine and Cake series, not out of a packet, featuring actual baking! It pairs brilliantly with the sweet styles of Chenin Blanc, so here are two examples, one from South Africa and one from its original homeland in the Loire Valley of …
Epokale: In the Hall of the Mountain Grill
Epokale: In the Hall of the Mountain Grill Epokale has become an iconic wine with a glowing reputation. Its creator is Cantina Tramin, in the Alto Adige region of Italy, also the Italian spiritual homeland for the Gewürztraminer white grape. Some years ago, the Cantina commenced a long-term project to make a special cuvée representing Gewürztraminer, Alpine terroir, and wine-growing …
English Wine Week 2022. A fistful of sparklers.
English Wine Week 2022. A fistful of sparklers. English Wine Week 2022 runs from Saturday 18 to Sunday 26 June this year. I’ll support the fun by drinking and promoting excellent English* wines. About English Wine Week 2022 To paraphrase WineGB, they said “English Wine Week is our national campaign to raise awareness of English wine and its wide availability …
Summer Bubbles 2022 Collection. Rain or Shine.
Summer Bubbles 2022 Collection. Rain or Shine. It’s June. Feeling outdoorsy? Here’s my Summer Bubbles 2022 collection without any preamble: five sparklers to enjoy during the British summer. There’s something here for everyone, come rain or shine. So don’t forget your pacamac. Summer bubbles one. Valdo, Edizione Oro Puro, Prosecco Superiore Extra Dry NV, DOCG Valdobbiadene, Veneto, Italy. 11.5% …
Macarons and Recioto – Wine & Cake #2
Macarons and Recioto – Wine & Cake #2 Welcome to the second article in an occasional series about pairing wine with cake. This time its Macarons with Recioto della Valpolicella, the classic sweet red wine from Italy’s Veneto region. Macarons Who invented Macarons? There are rival claims aplenty. While proto-versions have Arabic origins, France and Italy claim it as theirs. One of …