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The North-South Divide
On Wednesday 23 June my friend Stefano Milani invited me to taste four wines and four cheeses at a Selezione Zanotto “Wine Cheese & Jazz” evening at The Star of Bethnal Green – not somewhere I visit very often, admittedly, and certainly not for wine tastings. I took my passport just in case. We began…
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My “Curdy Vapours: Sherry and Madeira” article published by Langton’s
The Big Fortified Tasting, or b.f.t, is an annual tasting held in London that celebrates the diversity of fortified wines. It showcases Sherry, Madeira, Port and local variations on these classics. The only snag is that it is impossible to taste everything and still be standing at the end. Despite the treats on offer, consideration…
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Orient Express: Beer, wine and canapés at Pacific Orient
On 11 May I was invited to attend a “Food4Media MediaPlace” event – “A Taste of the Orient” – at Pacific Oriental on Threadneedle Street, right in the heart of The City and completely surrounded by our friends in the banking industry. No. 52 Threadneedle Street was built in 1840-43 as a mercantile clubhouse and…
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Passion fruits
Recently I was invited by www.fruitwineshop.com to attend a tasting of fruit wines at The Bowler overlooking Wandsworth Common. The Cairn O’Mohr Winery at Errol, between Perth and Dundee on the East Coast of Scotland, produces a strawberry sparkling wine, made, like all the wines here, from a single but unspecified vintage. According to their…
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In Vinopic Veritas
A couple of weeks ago I spent a pleasant afternoon with Santiago Navarro, founder and Chief Executive of a new online wine retailer called Vinopic. Of Maltese and Scottish (well, nobody’s perfect…) heritage, Santiago previously worked in media sales for Fortune 500 companies. Like my friend Lidewij van Wilgen (my profile of whom can be…
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The view from above
At today’s Wines of California tasting at the Millbank Tower, the wines were the usual mixed bunch. You have to pay good money for good Californian wine. The view from the 29th floor, however, was free – and magnificent.
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My “Natural Wine” article published by Langton’s
In February, I spent a very enjoyable evening in New York with Alice Feiring, the self-proclaimed “Patti Smith” of “natural” wine and author of The Battle for Wine and Love: Or How I Saved the World from Parkerization. While discussing important things like English and Noo Yawk accents (I’d been watching Goodfellas too much, thought…
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Prosecco, naturally
Having had my senses assaulted by various “natural wines” during my recent visit to New York, I vowed never to touch the filthy things again. (Sorry Alice…) But last week I met somebody who is planning to import Italian foods and wines into the UK. As an example of the portfolio I was shown a…
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New York, New York: A wine auction on Central Park South
On Saturday 12 February I had the pleasure of attending Acker Merrall & Condit’s “Burgundy Forever” auction in New York. The sale was held on Central Park South at Marea restaurant, which is “the hottest reservation in town” – Lady Gaga likes it a lot, apparently. In contrast to the ascetic ennui of London wine…
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The Nine Network: Burgundy 2009
My report on Burgundy 2009 has just been published by Langton’s. Visit Langton’s Magazine to see my article.