Vegan Wines?There is a real vogue at the moment in the UK for vegetarian, and indeed vegan, products. Restaurants now have to have a vegan option in both beer and wine. One would have thought that surely wines and beers are already vegan being made…
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There has historically been a perceived link between soils that vines are grown in and the flavour of the wine that you drink. However, there has been quite a lot of research into the subject in the last few years and there is very little…
More detailsThe Prosecco Bubble Bursts? Prosecco corks have been popping in the UK at a steadily growing rate for a decade and we drank 112.5 million bottles in 2016 (even leading to a dentist claiming that it was affecting the health of the nation’s teeth!! This…
More detailsSadly, I don't think Philip Hammond reads my articles, however, I'm going to have a moan at him anyway. The price of wine is about to go up again. The chancellor kindly delayed the increase in duty until after Christmas, but it is a moot…
More detailsChampagne cynic...I started my wine journey many years before I could afford to buy anything that was famous. I think I had one bottle of Champagne my entire life before age 25 (it was Moet, needless to say). Champagne is probably the most famous wine…
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Sod’s law that the weather in France was grim when I was there last week. One doesn’t expect the weather in Scotland to be better on departure than arrival if you head off to Champagne in June, but on this occasion it was chucking with…
More detailsSeeing as there seems to have been some wedding chat recently, I’m trying to keep my column vaguely topical and give some advice. Everyone and their mother has some advice for you in some form or another when you are getting married. The most exciting…
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SunburnSunshine is a vital ingredient in making great wine. As you are browsing the summer holiday destination this year seeking out that vital few weeks away, those weeks of trying to avoid being a lobster by slapping horrendously expensive emollients onto your skin, have you…
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FOOD AND WINE MATCHING - WHERE TO START Cooking is a balance of sweet, salty, acid, umami and fat. The trick is to maintain that balance and not choose a wine that will ruin the food (or vice versa). The idea is to increase the…
More detailsNatural Nonsense? The current vogue in the consumer world of wine is to be as eco-friendly as possible. This is a laudable aim. However, I am ever the cynic about what actually contrives to be ecological. I was reading a social media feed from a…
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Richard’s Christmas 2018 Ramblings
Champagne Cynic 2018 I started my wine journey many years before I could afford to buy anything that was famous. I think I had one bottle of Champagne my entire life before age 25 (it was Moet, needless to say). Champagne is probably the most…
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Another year, another festive Grog-laden extravarganza. 180 lovely customers braved the chill and came along to sample over 100 of our tastiest wines. 2.5 hours later, as they wandered away with a slight spring in their step, orders were placed for cases of lovlieness. So,…
More detailsThere is a little bit of a nip in the air in the mornings now. This is the first time in 11 years since Ben Nevis had no snow at the top, but it will be back soon enough. Some of us will switch back…
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