Huia Blanc de Blancs and Marlborough Memories The Huia was a native New Zealand bird with beautiful plumage. In particular, its distinctive tail feathers, now extremely rare, were highly prized, both by the Maori and by milliners. Sadly, this species hasn’t been seen since 1907 and is now almost certainly extinct. Huia is also the name of a winery. In …
Artesano Organic Malbec/Cab Franc – Argento Redux
Artesano Organic Malbec/Cab Franc – Argento Redux Argento wines from Argentina used to be one of the mainstays of my public tastings with their Malbec. Sharply priced and with supermarket availability, it was always a crowd-pleaser. Then the Argento brand seemed to disappear. So I’m delighted to see them return to UK retail with a new brand, Artesano de Argento. …
Herbert Hall English Sparkling Brut Rosé 2016
Herbert Hall English Sparkling Brut Rosé 2016 My first encounter with Herbert Hall wines was in 2016 with their Traditional Method Brut. That’s from Kent, and it proved to be one of the outstanding wines in a lineup of high-quality Britfizz. You can read about that here. However, Herbert Hall also makes a Brut Rosé of a similar calibre. Herbert Hall …
Albarossa from Bricco dei Guazzi in Piemonte
Albarossa from Bricco dei Guazzi in Piemonte What is Albarossa? Good question. It’s a relatively unknown Italian red grape variety, primarily grown in Piemonte, Northern Italy. Piemonte is famous for Nebbiolo (think Barolo and Barbaresco) and Barbera. And that’s a clue to this high-quality grape variety with an interesting backstory. While many Italian examples have ancient origins, from mutations and …
Tenuta Sette Cieli: above us only sky
Tenuta Sette Cieli: above us, only sky There are many bright stars in the Bolgheri heavens. Bolgheri is the tiny Tuscan village that now shoulders a colossal reputation. These days, it’s famous for those iconic red wines that rival or surpass the most outstanding wines of Bordeaux. Much of Bolgheri is a flat coastal strip, but rolling hills rise not …
Millésime BIO 2020: the world’s biggest organic wine fair
Millésime BIO 2020: the world’s biggest organic wine fair Millésime BIO was established in 1993 by a handful of organic winegrowers from Languedoc-Roussillon. This 27th edition is the biggest trade fair for organic and biodynamic wines in the world. The 2020 show ran from 27-29 January 2020 in Montpellier, south of France. Diversity You might think that this show would …
Climate Emergency: Inaction will not be my Epitaph
Climate Emergency: Inaction will not be my Epitaph We all face an urgent climate emergency. Hard science tells us we have just twelve years left to modify our behaviours or face total catastrophe. The world’s leading climate scientists have again given us a stark warning. In a newly published United Nations IPCC report, these dozen years are now critical to keep …
Luce della Vite from Frescobaldi – Luce 2016
Luce della Vite from Frescobaldi – Luce 2016 In Italian, Luce means light. Light brings life. That’s the name of this Supertuscan winery, owned by the Frescobaldi family, whose top wine is Luce della Vite. In 1993, this project released its first vintage. It was originally a joint venture between two wine titans, namely Vittorio Frescobaldi and Robert Mondavi. Tenuta …
WOTY 2019: Llopart Original 1887
WOTY 2019: Llopart Original 1887 January 1st 2020: it’s time for my Wine of the Year 2019. Of course, there were outstanding candidates this year – each of which gave great pleasure. However, the moment I tasted this Espumosos (sparkling wine) at Llopart in Catalonia, I was convinced it would be WOTY 2019. However, a visit to Llopart with its warmth …
Altanza Rioja – Rioja Crianza and Reserva
Altanza – Rioja Crianza and Reserva Bodegas Altanza makes fine examples of Rioja made in the modern style. Massive investment in wine growing is now producing wines that highlight fresh fruit flavours rather than the traditional oak-dominant wines of yore. Neither is necessarily better; it’s great to have a choice. Altanza is a relatively young company, established in the heart of Rioja …