Pairing French Chardonnay A few years ago, after the British market was flooded with New World chardonnay, the phrase ‘Anything but Chardonnay’ appeared. For most people, ‘Chardonnay’ was a heavily oaked, buttery wine, often from California, rich enough to drink with red meat. Sommeliers used to joke about customers who stated that they hated Chardonnay […]
Château des Jacques Beaujolais Lunch
Back to the Future with Beaujolais It’s not often you get to celebrate your 100-year anniversary. So when the lovely people at Château des Jacques decided to throw a lunch party at Michelin starred Pied à Terre in Fitzrovia’s Charlotte St, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse. We were invited for a tasting of […]
Compagnie Des Vins Surnaturels, Seven Dials
Paris, London – A little corner of France in Covent Garden. Since I’ve lived in London, Covent Garden has changed. Once as hip as Shoreditch, it was a regular hangout for me. I bought herbs from Culpepper, and cheese from Neal’s Yard Dairy, I ate at Cafe des Amis du Vin or at Le Garrick. […]
l’Escargot, Soho
Classic Dining in the Heart of Soho A firm favourite with so many of my friends, L’Escargot is one of London’s oldest restaurants. It’s a London legend – a French restaurant established in 1896 by M Georges Gaudin on Greek Street, which proved so popular for the snails served there, that the restaurant moved a […]
What is Crémant?
Crémant – Not Quite Champagne at Nowhere Near the Price Ad: Post written in conjunction with 8Wines If you like sparkling wine, then you’ve probably enjoyed Crémant at one point or another. Cheaper than champagne, but still from France and made using the same method traditionelle, it’s a fizz which can bring a smile to […]
Easy Summer Drinking with Les Vignobles Foncalieu
Fresh Tastes from the Languedoc As the weather tempts us with the promise of summer I’ve been starting to eat outdoors as much as possible; firstly, to be able to socialise under lockdown rules but secondly because food and drink always seem to taste better al fresco. We were asked to review 3 bottles of […]
Types of Champagne – How to pick the best fizz for you
Types of Champagne – All About The Best Known Sparkling Wine in the World. What makes Champagne so special? And how do you know which type of Champagne is right for you? There are several elements to consider – Champagne is a multidimensional drink so, apart from the basic controls about what can be called […]
French Date Night – A Valentine’s Menu
Avoid “une loterie d’amour” with our French Date Night Menu There’s nothing more romantic than zipping over to Paris on the Eurostar for a Valentine’s date with your significant other. But we can’t do that at the moment… Putain! So on February 14th, we will all be downing a couple of Valium, searching for our […]
A Love Story, Asparagus and Grenache Gris
Asparagus, Pancetta and Quail Eggs paired with Grenache Gris. Who doesn’t love a bit of romance? The story of Domaine Jones, of an English woman who went out to work in the South of France in the 1990s and, after running the local wine co-operative in Mont Tauch went on not only to buy a […]
Thai Fish Curry – Dourthe sets the bar high in Bordeaux.
Dourthe Wines from Bordeaux and a Thai Red Fish Curry: It’s always fun to try new wines and play with food pairings. So I was thrilled to be sent a selection of Dourthe wines from Bordeaux to do just that. I’m particularly pleased with my pairing of a white Bordeaux with a Thai Red Fish […]