Wines for Christmas 2017 – six of the best What are my Wines for Christmas 2017? ‘Tis the season. Last year I featured 12 wines, all of which I continue to recommend. This year I’m treating the topic a little differently. There are only six wines on my list. Reducing a long list down to only six is way harder than to …
The Born Digital Wine Awards 2017: in it to win it
The Born Digital Wine Awards 2017: in it to win it This year, I was on the shortlist for these awards by Wine in Moderation. It’s an annual global award programme for wine writers and photographers, with various categories. As a rule, I don’t enter competitions. However, I was asked to join in after the interest shown in my first piece …
Scotch Missed. Talisker 10-year-old single malt whisky
Scotch Missed. Talisker 10-year-old single malt whisky On a summer trip to the Isle of Skye, the weather was typical. The rain began as soon as we crossed the Skye Bridge from Kyle-of-Lochalsh. Even the SatNag was defeated. There were soaking sheets of horizontal rain and thick fog all at once. Temperatures felt not far from freezing. Couldn’t see a …
Legendary wines from Gérard Gauby
Legendary wines from Gérard Gauby Domaine Gauby, Calce, Agly valley, Roussillon, France Domaine Gauby is on the slopes of the rugged Agly valley in southern France. It’s inland from Perpignan, near a hamlet called Calce. This valley does not possess a specific wine appellation. Instead, it relies on the vast Côtes du Roussillon for red wines or the Côtes Catalanes …
Mountain Nebbiolo, Valtellina Part 2, Producers
Mountain Nebbiolo, Valtellina Part 2, Producers In Part 1 of Mountain Nebbiolo covered the extraordinary wine region of Valtellina. First, there’s spectacular scenery. Also, it makes a compelling expression of Nebbiolo. These wines stand easily with their more famous and expensive brothers from Barolo and Barbaresco. Meanwhile, the Sforzato is a unique style of Nebbiolo. Valtellina wines are always worth tracking down. …
The Alto Adige Wine Summit – Live At The Witch Trials
The Alto Adige Wine Summit – Live At The Witch Trials I recently attended the first Alto Adige Wine Summit, based in Bolzano, in Italy’s mountainous far north. Part of the activities included the most memorable wine event I’ve ever been to, the Wine in the Mountains tasting. It was in the Dolomites that tower over Bolzano, at over 2,000 metres. …
The Story of Tai Rosso in the Colli Berici. Part 2, the Producers
The Story of Tai Rosso in the Colli Berici. Part 2, the Producers While Part 1 of this article was about the Colli Berici DOC and its unique grape, Part 2 covers five producers making authentic Tai Rosso wines in various styles. These five examples demonstrate the potential of this land for high-quality wine production. Also, they all make excellent, contrasting …
Beeronomics – World History Through Beer Goggles
Beeronomics – World History Through Beer Goggles Here’s my review of a newly published book about beer, entitled Beeronomics, how beer explains the world. It’s a book that looks at world history via beer goggles. Well, my friends might you tell you that I’ve always seen the world through beer goggles. Now this book legitimises this viewpoint! All joking apart, beer …
Valtellina – an ode to Mountain Nebbiolo Part 1
Valtellina – an ode to Mountain Nebbiolo Part 1 This article is about how I discovered Valtellina, a special place. One to return to, again and again. The discovery A few years ago, a glass of red wine was accompanied by the dread question, “what’s this?” On the first inspection, there was a floral perfume, high acidity, cherry fruit, tar and tannin. …
D.I.G. will use Blockchain for wine distribution in China
D.I.G. will use Blockchain for wine distribution in China D.I.G. stands for Shanghai Waigaoqiao Direct Imported Goods Ltd. It plans to use Blockchain technology for imported wine distribution in China, concentrating on safety and counterfeiting issues. It looks like the predictions made in my earlier articles are already bearing fruit! I think it’s incredibly exciting. D.I.G. has partnered up with Shanghai-based Blockchain …