Articles
20th May 2013
In a parallel universe
by Robert Joseph
In a parallel universe 1 (in which there is an Empress of Wine.) The most... Read more
19th May 2013
The London Wine Fair: time to move
by Tim Atkin
When the London International Wine Fair closes its doors at ExCel next Wednesday evening it will mark the end of a short and not particularly distinguished era in the show’s 33-year history. The 13 events out east have been unlucky for many... Read more
8th May 2013
The Wine Snob: an endangered species?
by Matt Walls
The snob may look just like you and me, but it is a parasite in disguise. It leaves its victim poisoned. When the snob discovered wine, like a facehugger, it pounced.... Read more
6th May 2013
Better Off Dead—New Wine Books!
by Ron Washam
Lately, my mailbox has been filling up with new books about wine and the wine business. It’s a seemingly inexhaustible subject, and the flurry of new books represents a wide range of subject matter. Nearly all of these new books are... Read more
3rd May 2013
Music and wine: classically trained
by Tim Atkin
Stroll through the vineyards at Il Paradiso di Frassina in Montalcino and the sound of Mozart soothes your ears. If you like Beethoven, Bach or Boulez, not to mention Miles Davis, Madonna or Motörhead, you will be disappointed. Musical variety... Read more
29th Apr 2013
2003 Bordeaux: tales from the strip club
by Sarah Abbott MW
"You don't go to a strip joint looking for a relationship", says the young man defending the merits of 2003 at BI's annual “10 Years on Bordeaux Tasting”. This is becoming the updated image of 2003: a floozy vintage, pneumatic and hot... Read more
25th Apr 2013
Bucking the trend: Natural wines at Gut Oggau
by Simon Woolf
Somewhere, out there on the internet, the discussion rages on about natural wines. To true believers, it's the one and only righteous path, to sceptics, nothing more than a farcical or even fraudulent movement. Regular readers of Tim's site have... Read more
19th Apr 2013
Getting warmer: wine and climate change
by Tim Atkin
Moaning about the weather is practically a national sport in England. There’s a bit of me that thinks that we enjoy being grumpy, “coveting disappointment” as the comedian Bill Bailey once put it. And yet the last 12 months have been... Read more
15th Apr 2013
What's that got to do with the price of eggs?
by Robert Joseph
Once upon a time, in the little village of Arse-Ende-of-Knowhere, in the county of Generallydullbutlovelyinpartshire, there was an elderly farmer called McDonald whose hens laid unusually tasty eggs. These eggs were so good, in fact, that local... Read more
8th Apr 2013
In praise of real wine journalism
by Tim Atkin
Peter Cook and Dudley Moore once did a very funny sketch about what they considered the worst job in the world. From memory, their choice involved working for Jayne Mansfield - I’ll spare you the anatomical details – rather than being a... Read more