Monday, 31 May 2010

The Problem with Pinot Grigio UK


Pinot Grigio found in the UK could almost be the perfect drink: it's plainer than water, it's nearly the same colour and it's not much more in price than a good bottle of sparkling... water.

Friday, 28 May 2010

Bazaar not Bizarre: Modern Turkish Wine



A mark of intelligence is how to answer stupid questions in a smart way. And before I went to this year's London International Wine Fair, I had many stupid questions about Turkish wine.

Let's start with the basics. Isn't Turkey Islamic? Are Islamic cultures allowed to make and sell alcohol? Is it going to be rough traditional wine that will give me headache? Can you buy wine in restaurants there? Where is this wine drunk? How do you even pronounce the grape? Is it even a grape or a style of wine?

Monday, 24 May 2010

Summer drink: Los Rebujitos



A good way to break up a hot afternoon sipping Sherry in the sunshine is to do what local Sevillianos do and make a Rebujito.

Thursday, 20 May 2010

White Grange and Nirvana


2007 Yattarna or 2008 Bin 08A Reserve Chardonnay?


Nirvana's Bleach came out in 1989 on a budget of only $600, a thrilling album-long demo tape for their huge next album, Nevermind. Bleach is sound unpolished to perfection. So why was it this album cover the first image to come to mind when tasting the 2007 Yattarna? There couldn't be anything more opposite. Yattarna is a wine polished to perfection. On a huge Penfold's budget. Bleach was the birth of grunge.

Tuesday, 11 May 2010

Rose 101 - Why drink Rosé?


Before I tell you about Bibendum's Rosé tasting last night, I have to admit: Rosé has a special place in my life. I won my first serious job after university by writing a sales letter on Rosé. Nobody wanted to touch it. The manager flicked it at me across his very large desk with a hopeless smirk, "see what you can do with this".

Sunday, 2 May 2010

Michael Broadbent on music and wine tasting


"What perhaps is needed is something approaching musical notation, for in many ways the problems are similar.