Rioja Vega tasting at Avanti, Kirkby Lonsdale Rioja DOCa remains Spain’s most prestigious and well-known wine region. Aged red Rioja is predominant and rightly popular. Indeed, the UK remains Rioja’s largest export market. However, the Rioja region has had a welcome rejuvenation over the past few years, with new wines and styles gaining acclaim. Hence, the opportunity to attend a …
Wines From Spain 2025. Five Personal Favourites
Wines From Spain 2025. Five Personal Favourites One of the highlights of my wine year is always the annual Wines From Spain trade tasting, which I look forward to for weeks beforehand. That’s not least because they always ensure they visit the north of England in addition to exhibiting in London. This year, the northern leg of Wines From Spain …
Bodegas Tobía – Cuvée Blanco Rioja
Bodegas Tobía – Cuvée Blanco Rioja Last year, I tried a glass of Rioja Cuvée Blanco from Bodegas Tobía, a producer then unknown to me. As there are 66,902 hectares of vines and 748 producers in Rioja selling around 325 million bottles annually in many diverse styles, perhaps you’ll forgive me for not knowing all of them.1 Meanwhile, this glass …
Greatest Hits – A Case for Christmas 2024
Greatest Hits – A Case for Christmas 2024 This year, I’m ringing the changes for the Case for Christmas 2024 article. This time, it’s a Greatest Hits package. This features a dozen wines selected from all my previous annual Christmas wine recommendations. They are twelve wines that stand the test of time and fully deserve highlighting again. Such a listicle …
International Sherry Week, 4-10 November 2024
International Sherry Week, 4-10 November 2024 Once again, International Sherry Week occurs between 4-10 November 2024. Let’s celebrate Spain’s great gift to the world! There are the floral delights of a chilled Manzanilla or Fino. Or try the nutty notes of an Amontillado and Oloroso. Add the umami flavours of Palo Cortado or the sweet caramel of PX. There’s a …
Mi Lugar Rioja from Bodega Queirón is WOTY 2023
Mi Lugar Rioja from Bodega Queirón is WOTY 2023 The Wine of the Year (WOTY) 2023 award from Wine Alchemy goes to Bodega Queirón in Spain for their extra-special red wine, Mi Lugar Rioja DOCa, 2018. As is usual, the Wine Alchemy WOTY must be inspirational. Exceptional taste is a given. But, in addition, the winning wine must be genuinely …
Yuletide drinking – a dozen wines for Christmas 2023
Yuletide drinking – a dozen wines for Christmas 2023 I hope you like my Yuletide card to you all! Like last year, I remain mindful that living costs stay off the scale. However, unlike the previous year, there’s no overall price cap, but each category includes a “budget” wine. No compromises have been made regarding excellence and value in recommending …
Discovering Dry Sherry, Part 2. May the Flor be with you
Dry Sherry, Parte Dos. May the Flor be With You. Manzanilla, Manzanilla Pasada, Amontillado and Palo Cortado In Parte Uno of discovering dry Sherry, we met Fino and Oloroso. These are entirely different from each other yet they originate from the same base wine. The essential difference between them is that their creation is either by ageing biologically with flor (Fino) …
Discovering Dry Sherry, Part 1: Fino and Oloroso
Discovering Dry Sherry Parte Uno: Fino and Oloroso Britain has enjoyed Sherry since the 14th century and was primarily responsible for its subsequent worldwide popularity through merchant trading. It comes in all sorts of dry (and sweet) versions. This first piece focuses on Discovering Dry Sherry, the Vinos Generosos, Spain’s great gift to the world. Part 1 of this article …
A Subtle Dislocation of the Norm? Three wines
A Subtle Dislocation of the Norm? Three wines Below are three wines, two whites and a red. Each one shows individuality, a great beverage in its unique way, combining people, place, and culture. However, there is also something even rarer about them, as they are unconventional creations. They offer a subtle dislocation of the norm. Tetramythos, Retsina Amphorae, Traditional Designation, …