Yuletide drinking – a dozen wines for Christmas 2023

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, France, Greece, Italy, Organic, Portugal, Spain, Sparkling Wine, Sustainability

Yuletide Card 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 …

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Borgo Maragliano – Bubbles that Touch the Sky

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sparkling Wine

Borgo Maragliano vineyards dawn

Borgo Maragliano – Bubbles that Touch the Sky The Galliano family own Borgo Maragliano, a wine estate in Piemonte. It sits 450 metres above sea level (asl) on a natural terrace of the southern Langhe, surrounded by hills reaching over 600 metres. Their glass and steel tasting room seems suspended mid-air and offers breathtaking panoramic countryside views, while the roads here …

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Kranz Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé Brut Sekt

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Germany, Organic, Sparkling Wine

Kranz CS Sparkling Rosé Brut

Kranz Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé Brut Sekt Weingut Kranz is a top-quality winery in the German region of the Pfalz (aka Palatinate). It started in 1948 in the south of the Pfalz region, not far from the French (Alsace) border. Today, it’s run by the fourth generation, Boris and Kerstin Kranz. The estate is organic and a member of the prestigious and influential VDP. …

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The Cost of Living Crisis Case, Festive Season 2022

Paul Howard Articles, Biodynamic, Blog, France, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, New Zealand, Organic, Spain, Sparkling Wine, Sustainability

Cost of Living

The Cost of Living Crisis Case, Festive Season 2022 I hope you like my Christmas card! Everyone knows we’re in a cost-of-living crisis, so this situation has affected my wine recommendations for the festive season. We all want to celebrate and enjoy ourselves, but in a cost-conscious way. What is a wine-lover to do? A real price cap Hence, for …

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English Wine Week 2022. A fistful of sparklers.

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, England and Wales, Sparkling Wine

English Wine Week 2022 WineGB

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 …

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Summer Bubbles 2022 Collection. Rain or Shine.

Paul Howard Articles, Australia, Blog, Champagne, France, Italy, Sparkling Wine

Summer Bubbles

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% …

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Ribolla Gialla and a Dachshund – what’s the link?

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sparkling Wine, Sustainability

Ribolla Gialla harvest at Collavini

Ribolla Gialla and a Dachshund – what’s the link? What links the Ribolla Gialla grape variety with a Dachsund? The answer is the Eugenio Collavini winery in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of Italy. But as for why –  you’ll need to read to the end to find out. Friuli Venezia Giulia Friuli Venezia Giulia lies in the northeast corner of …

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Sténopé – a Champagne from Devaux and Chapoutier

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Champagne, France, Organic, Sparkling Wine, Sustainability

Sténopé 2011

Sténopé – a Champagne from Devaux and Chapoutier Champagne Veuve A. Devaux was founded in 1846 by brothers Jules and Auguste Devaux, based at the beautiful Chateaux of Domaine de Villeneuve. It’s at Bar-sur-Seine, down south in the Aube region. The Veuve (widow) referred to was Madame Augusta Devaux, in charge of this House for several decades. After five family …

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Wine and Cake – the first of an occasional theme

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Food, Italy, Recipes, Sparkling Wine

Wine and Cake assortment

Wine and cake – the first of an occasional theme Let’s try some word association. If I say the word wine, do you reply with cake? No, I thought not. Pairing wine and cake together only occurred to me on a miserable winter afternoon. Given the current spate of storms battering these shores (Storm Xena Warrior Princess* will be along …

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Cantina Toblino Vènt project – a different kind of tension

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Organic, Sparkling Wine, Sustainability

Cantina Toblino Vènt Project Wines

Cantina Toblino Vènt project – a different kind of tension Cantina Toblino was recently awarded the Wine Alchemy WOTY 2021. This was for their sweet dessert wine, Trentino Vino Santo DOC. You can read all about this here. However, as we’ll see, this isn’t the only terrific wine they make. Thanks to their Vènt Project, there are several new wine stars, all …

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