Articles
24th May 2013
Rawfair steals the show
by Simon Woolf
No, I'm not at the London International Wine Fair. This... Read more
6th Apr 2013
2011 Rhône: the George Harrison vintage
by Matt Walls
Who was the best musician out of The Beatles? Let’s face it, it’s either Paul and John. What about George Harrison? After Paul and John, George comes a solid third. Sorry Ringo. ... Read more
22nd Mar 2013
Brunello and Bordeaux: a tale of two appellations
by Tim Atkin
Brunello and Bordeaux, Bordeaux and Brunello. Italy and France’s most famous wine regions have a lot in common, not least that they both hold high-profile tastings in the first part of the year. If it’s February, it must be Tuscany,... Read more
18th Mar 2013
Who needs Bordeaux vintages?
by Robert Joseph
No one could have predicted the impact the Senkalu Island crisis of March 2015, ten years ago, would have on the wine world. When President Hollande’s decision to align France with Europe and the US in support of Japan led to an immediate ban... Read more
27th Jan 2013
Everyday value?
by Matt Walls
Lined up against the wall in my hallway, they stood quietly like forlorn commuters queuing for a bus. These were not bottles to make a taster salivate. Why didn't I suggest a tasting of vintage Champagnes instead, I wondered? But this is the... Read more
26th Jan 2013
2008 Bordeaux revisited
by Sarah Abbott MW
Bordeaux is the most confident and comfortable of fine wines. Great Burgundy is like riding a runaway horse, bareback. Diving into a top Bordeaux is like being chauffeur driven in a purring Bentley. And just as establishment. Any discomfort is... Read more
20th Dec 2012
Gaillac the Tortoise
by Matt Walls
Say the word ‘Gaillac’ and what does it conjure up? Not a lot. Florent Plageoles of leading estate Domaine Plageoles confirms “we have a big image problem”. It’s not that it has a poor image, it’s just it doesn’t have much of an... Read more
4th Dec 2012
Ten things you need to know about the 2011 Burgundy vintage
by Tim Atkin
My full report on the very enjoyable 2011 vintage in Burgundy will be published in January... Read more
17th Sep 2012
Champagne: where the party's really at
by Matt Walls
Sometimes I feel very lucky to be living in the UK when it comes to getting hold of good wine. Since the UK has historically been an importer of other countries’ wines, rather than producer of its own, the UK wine industry has tended to be... Read more
15th Aug 2012
Try before you buy: the future of wine?
by Natasha Hughes
Some 10 years ago, when I first started out as a wine, journalist I was commissioned (by a certain Tim Atkin) to write about why people bought the wines they did. I spent a week or so lurking in the aisles of supermarkets and high street wine... Read more