Articles
14th Jan 2012
Me, Kurt Vonnegut and wine
One of my favourite cuttings, passed on to me by my father more than a decade ago, first appeared in an unlikely place: Inc. Technology magazine. It's an interview with the late Kurt Vonnegut, best known for the satirical novel... Read more
12th Dec 2011
Crystal ball gazing: the world of wine in 2012
As this is the last OLN of 2011, I’ve pulled my dusty crystal ball from my bottom drawer a little earlier than usual. Predicting anything is unwise at the moment – the euro is tottering, the weather is all over the place and the state of the... Read more
11th Dec 2011
Win a Christmas Hamper from Berry Brothers
Xmas Competition Berry Brothers & Rudd have kindly offered one of their Best of British hampers (worth £219) as a prize for my Christmas competion. All you have to do is complete the following sentence in an... Read more
8th Dec 2011
Twelve Christmas wines under £10
Bearing in mind that most of us are broke at this time of year, I've decided to keep things simple and affordable this Christmas, restricting my choices to just a dozen bottles, all of them under £10. What I've focused on is great value, which... Read more
29th Nov 2011
Biodynamic wine: more than moonshine? by Brian Miller
"Biodynamics produces wines that make you think more clearly". This thought-provoking announcement was made by a winemaker recently in the press. He continued: “With biodynamic wine you are tasting all of the cosmos distilled down... Read more
25th Nov 2011
Who pays wine critics?
The campaigning journalist George Monbiot stirred up a considerable amount of debate among hacks recently when he decided to publish a registry of his financial interests on his ... Read more
23rd Nov 2011
Does Decanter Magazine make you blush? by Matt Walls
There was one magazine above all that I found embarrassing to buy as a student. I used to surreptitiously snatch it from the newsstand and guiltily stuff it into a brown paper bag at the till, in the hope that no-one would see. No, not Playboy;... Read more
12th Nov 2011
The rocky road to the Chinese wine market
The attendance of Robert Parker, the world’s most influential wine critic, may have garnered the pre-conference headlines, but the most eagerly awaited panel at Wine Future Hong Kong 2011 was the one dedicated to selling wine in Asia. The... Read more
11th Nov 2011
My top dozen wines from the Biodyvin tasting
2007 Domaine Bott-Geyl Gewurztraminer d’Alsace Grand Cru Sonnenglantz (available from OW Loeb)One of a series of stunning wines from this outstanding... Read more