Llopart – fine bubbles from Catalonia The Llopart winery in Catalonia is just 40 minutes away from the bars and cafés of Barçelona. This is the heart of sunny Penedès, an ancient and thriving wine region. Here, the still wines made under the Penedès DO co-exist with sparkling wines all made, (until recently), under the famous name of Cava. While …
Christmas 2019 – a dozen wines to check out!
Christmas 2019 – a dozen wines to check out! Happy Christmas to you all, and here’s my pick of the wines for Chrismas 2019. Here’s my Christmas Card as well. It’s the skating rink at the Christmas Market held in Bruges, Belgium. Anyway, here are a delightful dozen wines for the festive season that are all available in the UK. …
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Black Chalk – Classic 2015 – first release
Black Chalk – Classic 2015 – first release Hampshire has become something of an English Sparkling Wine hotbed during the last few years. Perhaps it’s arguably not quite as well known for wine as say Kent, Sussex or Cornwall. However, there are nevertheless some 27 vineyards in Hampshire at present, 21 of which are making sparkling wine. Some of these …
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More Beaujolais Pleasures – Beaujolais Pt.3
More Beaujolais Pleasures – Beaujolais Pt.3 This final part 3 of the Beaujolais trilogy contains even more Beaujolais pleasures. It covers six more crus plus some food-matching ideas. The clickable Google map below shows the producer locations for all of the wines recommended in parts 2 and 3. Even more Beaujolais pleasures await ♥ Brouilly 1,227 hectares and 8.5 million bottles. …
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Beaujolais is for life, not just for Christmas – Pt.1
Beaujolais is for life, not just for Christmas – Pt.1 Ah, Beaujolais! Mention that word and the memories flood back, still fresh from half a lifetime. Beaujolais was where it all started. I never anticipated a lifelong wine journey would result. What would have happened if Beaujolais and I had not coincided? Life would have been very different. Let me …
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Three Colours Red – Beaujolais, Pt.2
Three Colours Red – Beaujolais, Pt.2 Beaujolais part 1 was mostly a love letter to the region where my wine journey started. This part 2 is Three Colours Red. It covers the three main divisions, namely Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages, and four of the ten Beaujolais crus. There is a wine recommendation for each one, from encounters over the past couple of years. Then, …
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A Tuscany Travelogue – introducing Toscana
A Tuscany Travelogue – introducing Toscana This is an overview article about the wines of Tuscany because many regard it (with some justification) as quintessential Italy. Really, this is a topic needing an entire book or maybe two. However here it is in less than 1,300 words. There are two maps showing just how complex Tuscany is. For brevity, the …
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Vernaccia di San Gimignano Vigna a Solatio
Vernaccia di San Gimignano Vigna a Solatio Riccardo Falchini bought the property now known as Casale-Falchini back in 1964. This was an ancient convent located outside the San Gimignano city walls, with forty hectares of vineyards and olive groves occupying the green rolling sandstone hills. From there, the famous medieval towers of the city dominate the skyline. He has worked …
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Diversity discovery in Valpolicella, Part 1
Diversity discovery in Valpolicella, Part 1 Part 1 of this article explores the diversity of Valpolicella; concerning grapes, styles, laws, terroirs, and winegrowing philosophies. Then Part 2 features twelve recommended Valpolicella wines illustrating these features. So, what do we think of when we think of Valpolicella? Is it: A: A cheap red quaffing wine without merit produced in vast quantity for supermarkets? or B: …
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Valpolicella – Discovering Diversity Part 2
Valpolicella – Discovering Diversity Part 2 Part 1 of this article was about the diversity found in Valpolicella; in grapes, styles, designations, terroirs, winegrowing, and philosophies. This Part 2 features a dozen great examples of Valpolicella wines designed to illustrate these points. They are also arranged in pairs to compare and contrast. Such is the strength-in-depth within Valpolicella that on another day, …
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