Crémant de Loire – Créme de la Créme of Fizz: I’m a big fan of Crémant de Loire. Love at first sip, it was the first sparkling wine I ever tasted, on a camping holiday in the Loire Valley when I was about ten. I’ve always found that a good Crémant has plenty of benefits, not only […]
The Loire Valley comes to the heart of London
Loire Valley Rosé Wine Barbecue Pairings: This summer has been unbelievably wonderfully warm, and London has been revelling in the heat with everyone trying to find places to eat and drink outside. We were able to combine these pleasures at a rosé wine barbecue dinner at Jimmy’s BBQ Club on the Southbank hosted by Loire Valley wines. […]
Burgundy Masterclass at the Wine and Spirit Education Trust
Wine Classes at WSET – the Expert’s Choice I’ve always been slightly in awe of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET global). It’s the largest global provider of wine and spirits qualifications offering beginner to expert courses in wine, spirits and sake through Approved Programme Providers across the world for enthusiasts and professionals. All […]
Discovering Burgundy with Honest Grapes
Learning about the Wines of Burgundy – Honest Grapes: A while ago I was invited along to a sherry tasting event by the Honest Grapes team. Not only did I come away with a bottle of rather good sherry but I also invested in a monthly subscription to the Honest Grapes Premier Crew – so […]
Chablis – The new black?
More Chabbers dahling? Referred to as ‘the little black dress of Chardonnay’ by the president of the Chablis Commission of the Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne, Jean Francois Bordet, Chablis has been “paired” with British fashion designers to highlight the fashionable status of the region’s wines. For someone like myself who loves both fashion […]
A River of Wine from the Loire Valley #LoireMoments
Loire Moments in London: London Wine week kicked off with a hedonistic bang; with Loire Valley wines flowing freely in the 5 Star London Edition Hotel. I was invited by the charming host, wine writer for the Evening Standard Douglas Blyde and wine educator Lindsay Oram, for a gastronomic event with six Loire wines matched […]
A trip to the Bourgogne Secret South (and then Gatwick!)
Wine tasting on a Monday night; what could possibly go wrong? I’ve long been a fan of a Cremant de Bourgogne as an alternative to Champagne, but haven’t really had the opportunity to explore wines under the AOC Macon appellation. Bourgogne has five wine producing regions, but it was the latter that we were to […]
#FantasticBourgogne Wines – A Seasonal Quiz
Seasonal Wines – Fantastic Bourgogne and Christmas Entertainment: When Sopexa and the Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) asked me to take part in a little wine pairing just before Christmas I was, needless to say, very enthusiastic. I love wines from Bourgogne – Chablis, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, the Mâconnais and more. So, of course, I agreed without reading […]
Classic Coq Au Vin Recipe
Coq Au Vin – A Classic Recipe from my Childhood: Now I’m well past my forties, I’ve become a firm believer that fifty is the new twenty. Despite that, I increasingly find myself spotting things that were significantly different when I was growing up. There are certain foods which really seem to have changed in terms […]
#PureChablis – not Chardonnay.
Chablis Tasting and Supper at Andaz Studio: Suppers involving wine tasting have a recurring end result for me. My notes at the start of the evening are comprehensive and precise. By the time the cheese is served I’m in free-fall and anything after that is gone with the wind…an abstract scrawl in my notebook that […]