The snob may look just like you and me, but it is parasite in disguise. It leaves its victim poisoned. When the snob discovered wine, like a facehugger, it pounced. But now the snob is weakened, dying; and wine is on the path to recovery.

Decades ago, wine had to be imported into [...]

A brief introduction to the wines of Chablis…

You’d have trouble making drinkable wine further north than Chablis. Every year the local winegrowers sleep fitfully during spring, keeping one eye on the thermometer. Frost is a tireless threat, and can decimate a crop. But if the delicate buds make it through the spring, and the [...]

Who was the best musician out of The Beatles? Let’s face it, it’s either Paul and John. What about George Harrison? After Paul and John, George comes a solid third. Sorry Ringo.

If 2011 Rhône was a Beatle, it would be George. The two stellar years of 2009 and 2010 would be Paul and John; [...]

A brief introduction to the wines of Gevrey-Chambertin in Burgundy…

With over 600 vineyards across 100 appellations, Burgundy can be a daunting region to explore. Especially when most vineyards are split between numerous producers – some lazy, some gifted.

There’s no easy way in. Just choose one village at a time and taste a handful [...]

If Jesus had chosen something other than the fruit of the vine for his followers to worship him with, today’s wine lovers might have a harder time indulging their hobby. You might have to meet up with a mate of a mate in a pub car park to collect a few [...]

A brief introduction to the wines of Corsica…

In Corsica, the regional wine is designated ‘Vin de Pays d’Île de Beauté’. Now a level of provincial pride is to be expected in France, but naming your region the ‘Island of Beauty’ takes some beating. But in reality it’s actually an understatement; Corsica is jaw-droppingly, heart-stoppingly [...]

Lined up against the wall in my hallway, they stood quietly like forlorn commuters queuing for a bus. These were not bottles to make a taster salivate. Why didn’t I suggest a tasting of vintage Champagnes instead, I wondered? But this is the sharp end of the market: a collection of 92 supermarket [...]

A brief introduction to the wines of Hermitage…

Some of the most eminent winemaking villages of France also turn out to be the most beautiful. Tain l’Hermitage sadly isn’t one of them. Far from ugly, but fairly unremarkable, it crouches at the bottom of an imposing hill of granite that forces a bulge in the [...]

Say the word ‘Gaillac’ and what does it conjure up? Not a lot. Florent Plageoles of leading estate Domaine Plageoles confirms “we have a big image problem”. It’s not that it has a poor image, it’s just it doesn’t have much of an image at all – not amongst most UK drinkers at [...]

A brief introduction to the wines of Champagne…

Most of us have a favourite Champagne, the label that raises a subtle smile when spotted in the lilting hand of our host. Champagne has a special place in the hearts of the British: we imported more than 34 million bottles last year, way more than any [...]