Five superbly priced wines to welcome in 2013
To finish off the year I have chosen five incredibly well-priced, tiptop quality, wines for you to welcome in 2013. 2011 M&S Negroamaro, Puglia, Italy (£6.49, Marks & Spencer). With impressively punchy blackberry fruit flavours punctuated with classy coffee and plum notes this is a .. more
Five Epic Christmas Wines with full stockist details.
I have chosen some seriously impressive, Christmassy bargain this week for you to savour. 2006 Peter Lehmann Wigan Riesling, Eden Valley, South Australia (£96.00 for 6 bottles, tesco.com ‘Wine by the Case’). Named ‘Best Riesling in the World’ by the IWSC six times since 1991; awarded .. more
NV Chartogne-Taillet, Sainte Anne Brut, Champagne, France
NV Chartogne-Taillet, Sainte Anne Brut, Champagne, France (£25.00, The Wine Society tel. 01438 741177). I have tried to add up how many NV Champagnes I have tasted this year, but the paper mountain is too high to scale. Suffice to say that in this crowded .. more
2011 Bekkers, Syrah, McLaren Vale, South Australia – first taste
A quick post on a wondrous bottle of wine which Toby and Emmanuelle Bekkers posted to me this week. There is no doubt that the packaging and feel of this wine is sublime. I love the gravitas of the label and the subtle logo. In .. more
A wonderful report on Wine Rules 2012 written by Zoe Lake
Please click on the words ‘Wine Rules 2012 Report’ below to open the pdf. This is a wonderful report on Wine Rules held in Elwood Park, Melbourne on 18th November 2012 raising money for St Mary’s House of Welcome. Wine Rules 2012 Report
Six Fantastic Wines for a Classic Christmas Dinner
Aperitif white 2011 Lugana, Lombardia/Veneto, Italy (£7.98, reduced to £6.98, until 3 January, Asda). It is crucial when choosing a Christmas aperitif white to ensure that all palates will love it. This means that oaky whites or those with high acidity are out. What you .. more
My Christmas 2012 Books, Gifts and Wine Column
My Christmas 2012 Books, Gifts and Wine Column Two Books Wine Grapes by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz; Published by Allen Lane (£120.00, reduced to £76.80 amazon.co.uk; £78.00, waterstones.com). This is an insanely grand piece of vinous publishing and it could only have .. more
The 10 Top Champagne and Sparkling Wines of the Season
Here are ten of the finest value and most celebratory wines of the season. Every one of these beauties will blow your mind and refresh your palate at the same time. 2008 Ancre Hill Vineyard, Sparkling Wine, Monmouth, Wales (£19.00, from the cellar door in .. more
2010 Gigondas, Domaine du Grapillon d’Or, Southern Rhône, France
2010 Gigondas, Domaine du Grapillon d’Or, Southern Rhône, France (£18.99, Waitrose in 6 branches and www.waitrosedirect.com). Early December is not just about stock-piling awesome wines for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, it is also about buying cunning, top flight reds to drink before the mad .. more
Five amazing new wines for your Christmas menu-planning
I am honoured to be matching wines with Mary’s recipes this week so I have pulled all of the stops out. 2011 Newton Johnson, Chardonnay, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde, South Africa (£13.99, Laithwaites). I adore full-bodied, decadent, exotic chardonnay and this new vintage from one of the .. more
