Itata and the roots of Chilean wine
I am indebted to the De Martino family for their research into this fascinating region of Chile. It is fair to say that they rediscovered its potential as part of…
South African Mini Wine Odyssey ā Part One
Ā Craig Hawkins & Testalonga As the aircraft sashays towards Cape Town you get a glimpse of the muscular beauty of this slice of Africa. The city itself is expanding confidently,…
The Point of Points: Part 3
The Nature of Wine Tasting Many dozens of books have fully explored the mechanics of taste, its fixities and definites, and there are numerous systems to codify or judge these.…
The Point of Points: Part 2
Phile under Pinot Iām sure Pinotās musky quality directly stimulates the part of the brain that processes sensuality yet Iāve had more unfulfilling encounters with this grape than I care…
The Point of Points: Part 1
Originally posted April 2013 Of pointyheads, pulse-quickeners & phoeno-types Compare this, rank that, analyse to the nth degree ā the more you reduce wine to numbers the less you understand…
Notes From The Undersoil (or How to Enjoy Wine)
āI had that Bertrand Russell in the back of my cab once. So I asked him, āWell, Mr Russell, whatās it all about?ā And do you know ā he couldnāt…
The World According To Grape
āI am a possibilist. I believe that humanity is master of its own fateā¦ Before we can change direction, we have to question many of the assumptions underlying our current…
The Future’s Bright, The Future’s Artisan
Ā At the beginning of each year I don an oenomancerās spangly pointed hat, decant a colfondo Prosecco, examine the true lies of its wiggly wine sediment, sniff the prevailing wine…
Wine au Naturel podcast: an audio interview with Anna Martens
Ever wondered who the Anna is behind 'Vino di Anna', a label which, despite tiny quantities, has made its way onto the shelves and menus of many of the world's…
Returning Georgians and Lesser-Spotted Schuellers
Georgia āback to the future again As a country Georgia has been in our hearts and minds for several years. Ā And you can't discuss Georgian wines without putting them into…