Articles

The wines of DO Montsant 2022

by  |  20-06-2022

I’m very happy to be releasing the latest tasting report for DO Montsant today. Over half of the nearly 90 wines tasted resided within the vintage boundaries of 2018, 2019, and 2020. But, with 1/4... more »

The Hail Mary to save La Palma’s vine heritage

by  |  15-06-2022

It was on September 19th, 2021 that the Cumbre Vieja volcanic ridge in the island of la Palma, Spain began a massive, three-month long eruption. It’s no small thing to say that this was a... more »

Cul de Cuvée 11-06-2022

by  |  11-06-2022

A bluntly-curated selection of absolutely random recent bits from around the wine and drink world served up “mostly fresh” for your enjoyment. Well Sue Gray really put the “downer” in Downing Street as now that... more »

How the bum was won

by  |  09-06-2022

It started as a simple proposition. Mike Boyne of Bin Two in Padstow, England contacted me a few weeks back and asked if I’d be interested in tasting the third edition, of his now-legendary pét-nat... more »

Food Through Wine: Le Chameau Ivre, Béziers, France

by  |  02-06-2022

A regular series that reviews dining through the lens of wine. I was to find out that Béziers has something of a shit reputation amongst the other towns that dot the tongue of territory that... more »

The wines of AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2022

by  |  31-05-2022

I’d missed that view of the “Pope’s new castle” seen above. It’s striking in how it lords over the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, making for spectacular photos whether day or night. My longing for it was... more »

SOMM a decade on, the aftermath of a documentary

by  |  26-05-2022

There are few if any films that have had such a profound impact on the wine world than the original SOMM film from 2012. I’m reminded of this constantly such as when I was leading... more »

In The Glass: Artemis Karamolegos – Santorini 34 2019

by  |  23-05-2022

This wine came my way via my Big Fat Greek Wine Shipment last fall. It’s one of the benefits of getting white wines from Santorini in that they can sit in the cellar and actually... more »

Ukraine’s wine people finding homes around Europe

by  |  20-05-2022

The war in Ukraine continues to be a heinous atrocity. The only thing that’s clear now is that there will be no resolution any time soon, especially as Russia seems hell-bent to grind on despite... more »

Bordeaux 2021, En Primeur

by  |  18-05-2022

After three years away, the world’s wine professionals landed upon Bordeaux this spring for the (previously) annual En Primeur campaign covering the 2021 vintage. The general takeaway? Great estates made great wines. All others, take... more »