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 […]
Land of my fathers, land of some exceptional food and drink – part one.
Tour of Mid Wales – Wine, Beer and Soft Drinks from Wales. Introduction. In Part One of this tour, we’re looking at some of the area’s best in wine, beer and soft drinks. In Part Two we will meet some great producers of chocolate, preserves and desserts. Food & Drink Wales are again running a […]
Billecart-Salmon Champagne – Understated Perfectionism and Beer Inspired Fizz
Exploring Champagne at Billecart-Salmon, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. On a windswept, vine-covered hillside, looking out over the Champagne region, Mathieu Roland-Billecart, 7th Generation of the house of Billecart-Salmon Champagne surveys his land. ‘This area, where we are standing is part of the Montagne de Reims, it’s the Bond Street of Pinot Noir for the Champagne Appellation – and […]
Champagne Revisited – an Introduction to the Champagne Region in France
Exploring the Vineyards and Wineries of Champagne – Wine Tourism in France: Remember gentlemen, it’s not just France we are fighting for, it’s Champagne! Winston Churchill Introduction to Champagne and the Champagne Region The British love for all things bubbly is undisputed. We are still the largest export market for champagne by volume (although we are […]
Wine Tours in the Alentejo – a new wine tourism
Wine Tours in the Alentejo and more: If the start of my trip to Alentejo took me through the ancient villages to the historic palace in Estramoz where I first fell in love with Portugal, the second part of our trip was focused on the changing landscape of this rural region which accounts for a […]
Wines of Wallonia, Belgium
The Smallest Wine Producing Country in the World, Wallonia, Belgium: The story of modern Belgium Wine production starts in France. And, in the UK and Germany too. Our first stop on the wine and gastronomy tour of Wallonia was at the vineyards of the charming and effervescent 80-year old Philippe Grafé who is, perhaps, at […]
Three unique hotels to visit – North Portugal and the Douro
Three Wine Themed Douro Hotels Exploring the wines of the Douro Valley in Portugal should be on the wish list for all wine lovers. And, there are a number of wonderful options if you want to experience the wine harvest in Northern Portugal for yourself. We’ve picked three of the best hotels for you and […]
Romania, New Year, New Wines
Wine Tourism and More in Romania: Most people know little about Romania, other than that it includes Transylvania, the home of Dracula. That’s despite the fact that Prince Charles first visited Romania in 1998 and has returned many times. Romania remains an undiscovered land. So while my visit was ostensibly for the wines, I took […]