Vasse Felix Filius Chardonnay 2016, 13%, Australia (£13, Booths) Based in the north of England, Booths is known for its wine range and rightly so. Based on the supermarket’s recent tasting in September 2019, the wine range shows strength and depth, with some particular high points in the...
Salicornia Dão Reserva 2016, 13%, Portugal (£6.99, Aldi) This was my pick of the bunch from a recent Aldi tasting (Sept 2019). As the nights draw in and we all start to crave characterful, comforting reds to sink into, this one ticks all the boxes. It’s Portuguese (made from...
As the English wine bandwagon trundles steadily onwards and upwards, attention has been shifting from sparkling wine onto still. While the quality of the fizz is no longer in doubt, many wine lovers seem to remain wary of the still wines. Perhaps they've been scarred by dodgy...
I had a fascinating trip to Australia at the end of 2018, in particular looking at the cooler climate regions like Western Australia, Yarra, Mornington and Tasmania. Australia has never made finer wines in a more diverse range of styles than now. It's a hugely exciting...
Blackwood Clayhill Chardonnay 2017, 11.5%, England (£18.50, blackbookwinery.com) This is a wine that gets us excited - for many reasons. Firstly, it's made from Chardonnay. We're aware that may be problematic for those many people traumatised by soupy, sickly, revolting Chardonnays of the past. But this isn't just any...
This was a fascinating panel tasting for Decanter back in January 2019 (published in the June 2019 edition). The focus was 'icon' bordeaux-style blends from South America. In other words, some of the continent's most expensive and highly vaunted wines based on Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec...
'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...
Louis Guntrum Pinot Noir 2017, 13.5%, Rheinhessen, Germany (£13.99 down to £10.49 until 16.7.2019, Waitrose Cellar) Is Pinot Noir the wine lover's ultimate grape? And, if so, where do you find great value bottles of the same? A short while ago, I posed these questions on social media. In answer...
Roebuck Estates Classic Cuvée 2014, 12%, Sussex, UK (Enquiries via website) One of the wonderful things about working in wine is the potential for making new discoveries. Roebuck Estates is my most recent. Until mid-June, I hadn’t heard of Roebuck. It was only after chairing the WineGB Awards...
Denbies The Brokes Botrytis Ortega 2016, 10%, England (£60 for 375 ml, Denbies) ‘Celebrating the sparkling success of English still wine’ is an inspired turn of phrase, and it belongs to Ruth Simpson. It was uttered at a masterclass I was hosting on English still wine together with...