'We believe English still wines have the potential to challenge Burgundy.' Let's consider that statement for a moment. Yes, it's hardly disinterested because it was said by an English wine grower (Ruth Simpson of Simpsons Wine Estate in Kent). And yet the Simpsons also make wine in...
'If there's one thing that gets wine lovers hot under the collar, it's great Pinot Noir. As for the Holy Grail - well, that's great Pinot Noir at a bargain price.' This Decanter panel tasting revealed exactly that - some outstanding Pinot Noir from Chile at...
This opinion piece (Decanter, Oct 2019) is a heartfelt plea for Chile to realise its potential. And a slightly despairing sigh...
This fascinating tasting, which featured in the September 2019 edition of Decanter, took the temperature of Blanc de blancs sparkling wines from around the world. And would you believe it but top of the tree emerged...
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...
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...
Back in March I flew over to Bordeaux for a whistle-stop tour of some of the most eye-catching modern wineries in the wine world. This was a mini-reprise of my first book - Wineries with Style, an attempt to look at and talk about wine from...
This panel tasting for Decanter magazine focused on Carmenere - a repeat of the exercise from 2017 yet with hardly more conclusive results. Carmenere is a Chilean USP and makes some fine wines there but you can't help but feel the best is yet to come....