Bugey on down – explorations in undiscovered France In France, the little known wine region of Bugey is well off the beaten track. I have passed through it frequently enough, usually on the way to more famous wine destinations in France and Italy, always making a mental note to stop and explore. When I finally did so, some years ago, …
Colet Navazos Extra Brut, original and brilliant fizz
Colet Navazos Extra Brut, original and brilliant fizz Regular readers will know of my love of Sparkling wine and Sherry. They are two unique wine styles with entirely different origins. Two methods defined by their complicated production and maturation processes. They couldn’t be more different from one another. Poles apart, you might say. But what if someone was bonkers enough …
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Huia Blanc de Blancs and Marlborough Memories
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 …
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WOTY 2019: Llopart Original 1887
WOTY 2019: Llopart Original 1887 Being January 1st 2020, it’s time for the Wine of the Year 2019. Of course, during 2019 there were some outstanding candidates. Each one brought great pleasure and taught something new. But the moment I tasted this Espumosos (sparkling wine) at Llopart in Catalonia, I was convinced it would be WOTY 2019. However, a visit to …
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Llopart – fine bubbles from Catalonia
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 …
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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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Lessini Durello – Exciting Fizz from the Veneto
Lessini Durello – Exciting Fizz from the Veneto Between Verona and Vicenza in Northern Italy lies a currently obscure DOC, based on a little known Italian white grape variety called Durella. Eclipsed by Venetian vinous heavyweights such as Valpolicella, Soave and Prosecco, the small enclave of Lessini Durello nevertheless makes unique sparkling wines. Now, some thirty years after becoming a …
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Asolare: drinking Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG (Pt.2)
Asolare: drinking Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG (Pt.2) Part 1 introduced the Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG, setting it in a cultural context and describing its relationship with the larger Prosecco DOC and the neighbouring Prosecco DOCG of Conegliano-Valdobbiadene. Now Part 2 features a dozen recommendations for Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG. In style, these range from bone-dry to sweet, each with food matching …
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Asolo: Prosecco with a sense of place (Pt.1)
Asolo: Prosecco with a sense of place (Pt.1) On a clear day in Venice, take a moment and look inland to north-north-west. On the horizon, shimmering in a lagoon haze, are a range of hills forming the first outliers of the alps, some 60 km distant across the pancake-flat land of the pianura. Here lies the town of Asolo; perched on …
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Mirabeau: Rosé from the Côtes de Provence
Mirabeau: Rosé from the Côtes de Provence This article is about Provençal rosé and the wines from one of its leading companies, Mirabeau. Mention the word “Provence” to virtually anyone, and that will invoke an immediate response, accompanied by a smile. Such is its resonance. The images and memories it conjures might be of chi-chi glam locations; of Aix-en-Provence or the …
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