25 years of Wine Alchemy – the first article redux Executive Summary 25 years! Early in 1998, the Wine Alchemy brand was inflicted on an unsuspecting world. In short, I’ve taken this extravagant journey So it seems to me I just came from nowhere And I’m going straight back there* . A (slightly) Longer Version This was in the early …
Passive Cooking saves energy, CO2 and money
Passive cooking saves energy, CO2 and money. Passive cooking isn’t sitting and watching TV while someone else cooks dinner for you. No matter how much you might want it to be. Instead, it’s a thoughtful response to the Energy Crisis, subsequently developed as an ad campaign by pasta makers Barilla and then picked up by the press and media*. Sure, Barilla is promoting its …
The Cost of Living Crisis Case, Festive Season 2022
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 …
Le Serre Nuove dell’ Ornellaia 2020
Le Serre Nuove dell’ Ornellaia 2020 Le Serre Nuove dell’ Ornellaia is sometimes known as LSN. It’s the official “second wine” of the now iconic Ornellaia estate. They say it’s “made with the same passion and attention to detail as Ornellaia; it reflects the estate’s pedigree”.* Does it live up to this billing? Let’s travel together to the Bolgheri region of Tuscany …
Beronia Rioja – an historic wine tasting
Beronia Rioja – an historic wine tasting Rioja deserves to feature more frequently on these pages – it’s the most famous and well-loved Spanish wine region. Indeed, Rioja is synonymous with Spanish wine quality and inextricably linked with Spanish culture and cuisine. Like Bordeaux and Burgundy, there are millions of words and thousands of books about Rioja*. The difference with …
Cantina Toblino Vènt project – a different kind of tension
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 …
Lincolnshire is a wine-producing county too
Lincolnshire is a wine-producing county too. As many will know, English and Welsh wine has become a fantastic success, and our isles can now boast 178 wineries and 800 vineyards. Meanwhile, Lincolnshire, England’s second-largest county, is devoted to farming and fishing. As a result, it produces over 20% of Britain’s food and has an enviable food culture to match. But do …
Bentu Luna is where the old ways are new again
Bentu Luna is where the old ways are new again. Bentu Luna is a new wine project located in the centre of Sardinia, based at Neoneli, in the Province of Oristano. It’s led by the Moratti family from Castello Cigognola in Lombardy and managed by CEO Gian Matteo Baldi, who grew up and worked in Sardinia. They have been featured …
Custoza celebrates its 50th Anniversary, Part 1
Custoza celebrates its 50th Anniversary, Part 1. The Custoza DOC covers the white wines made on Lake Garda’s eastern Venetian shore. It’s centred on the small village of Custoza, which is just to the west of Verona. This DOC overlaps and shares some boundaries with the Bardolino (red) and Chiaretto di Bardolino (rosé) DOC. It dates from 1971, renaming it …
Black Bee Honey from Sicily – tasting with cheeses
Black Bee Honey from Sicily – tasting with cheeses. We all know that bees make honey. But not just honey; beeswax, honeycomb, propolis and royal jelly too. However, this article is about Sicilian Black Bee honey, which, like wine, comes in different flavours according to where the beehives are. And like wine, these can match different artisanal cheeses to a greater …