'Frustrating doesn't begin to cover it,' I write in this recommendations piece for Decanter, picking 30 Chilean wines under £25. On paper, this should be a straightforward piece. Chile is making heaps of fabulous wines at this price, as I know from my regular trips out...
When The Sunday Times Travel asked us to do a piece on our favourite wine destinations, our first thought was: hope they're going to give us lots of space. As it happened, they cruelly made us choose only six - three each. Peter plumped for Chile (Casablanca...
Is old wine better than young wine? It’s a common question. And the answer is, as ever, a qualified one: it depends. Largely, it depends on your preferences. Which do you prefer? The freshness and firmness of youth? Or the smoothness and so-called secondary or tertiary characters...
Was this the worst Decanter panel tasting ever? Maybe that's over-stating things a bit. It certainly was heroically underwhelming. Dispiriting, even. Of 62 Chilean Sauvignon Blancs from £8-30, only 10 wines broached the 90-point threshold. More than half scored a lacklustre 85 points or less. No 'Exceptional' wines....
'A viticultural paradise.' That was how some people used to refer to Chile. A country whose vineyards were refreshed by pure Andean melt-water, free from pests and diseases that afflicted other less wholesome nations, and where all vintages were bountiful and even. These days, reality is catching...
'My friend Steve Anderson died earlier this year. Car crash, southern Chile. A journalist, campaigner and all-round cranky man, he gave me my first proper job. His main role in life was to be a pain in the backside. Mainly to those in positions of...
Morandé Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2016, Casablanca, Chile £13-14, The Drink Shop, Corking Wines or via Wine Searcher Earlier this year I had the misfortune to participate in one of the most depressing Decanter panel tastings ever. We had 62 Chilean Sauvignon Blancs. The overall standard was thoroughly...
Back in February, following a whistle-stop tour around Chile's wine heartlands, I was sat down for an interview by Alvaro Peralta Sáinz for Vida & Estilos. The resulting piece is in Spanish, accompanied by a somewhat sombre photo portrait (I plead weariness). To paraphrase, though, I was...
Casa Silva Lago Ranco Riesling 2016, Chile, 11.5% c £20, Field & Fawcett, Portland Wine co, Randalls, Jackson Nugent Vintners I've tried this wine twice recently and both times it has impressed. The first was in Chile in February with the winemaking team. Then, it stood out for...
Errázuriz Aconcagua Costa Pinot Noir 2016, Chile, 13.5% (£15.50-17, indies inc Stone Vine & Sun, Ocado, Oxford Wine Co, Eton Vintners) Last night at the Lanesborough Hotel in London, Eduardo Chadwick was officially crowned Decanter Man of the Year 2018. It was a typically showy, enjoyable occasion -...