Monthly Archives: August 2009


I’ve been on holiday in the Vendée this last week, leaving serious tasting behind in the UK. But earlier this year, I tasted through a range of Chilean Syrahs (mostly from the northern valleys of Elqui and Limarí) for a piece I was doing for Decanter – here are the […]

First Taste August 2009 Week 4


Have been reacquainting myself with the glorious country that is Molvania, and in particular with its extraordinary wine heritage:- ‘Vajana is an historic wine-growing region and produces the world’s only red Riesling. The most popular wine is a type of claret made out of a grape unique to this area […]

Molvanian wine – an acquired taste…


A mixed bag this week, with notes on some new wines, plus others on bottles that were sitting there on the rack waiting to be tasted/drunk Three Sauvignons Dogfish Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand (£4.99 Netto) Clean, green grassy, intense, classic Marlborough nose, has a slight green pepper […]

First Taste August 2009 Week 3



My son’s a big Star Wars fan, and also loves Chinese food. So he’ll be delighted to hear about something I’ve just been informed of by Jolly Olly Smith – the Chop Saber… Available in different colours depending on whether your role model is Luke Skywalker, Yoda or Darth Vader, […]

The forks Luke, don’t use the forks…


I’ve got aching upper arm muscles today. Was it a strenuous boxing work out on Wii Fit? A marathon Swingball session in the garden with kids? Or was it having to manhandle two wine bottles that were so heavy that they made your wrists wobble even when they were empty? […]

Big Bottle Battle


Never tried wine from Virginia? Can’t say much of it’s passed my lips either, but the Oxford Wine Company has just taken on a handful from the Boxwood and White Hall wineries. Read more about them here, or check out the following video, introduced by one of the wine trade’s […]

Welcome to (the wines of) Marlboro Country