A PASSION FOR WINE FROM HOW IT’S MADE TO HOW IT TASTES

Imbibe; sip; quaff; savour; consume. There are many ways to describe the act of drinking wine. But they should all mean only one thing: pure pleasure.  My approach to wine is exploring, experimenting and enjoying – from French classics to obscure Italian grapes to New World boutique wonders.

Because I’m All About Value

As UK wine lovers get hammered by even more tax, it's time to look to Languedoc-Roussillon for thrills, spills and making your pennies go further.

Koshu Can Match White With Lamb

You know the rule about red wine with red meat. Well, guess what? It's there to be broken. A tasting of Japanese Koshu wines with food reveals some surprises.

Relight My Sauvignon Fire

Overproduced, over flavoured and over here. That used to be my view of most Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. But it seems one size no longer fits all.

It Was A Very Good Year

At a tutored tasting of Fonseca Ports, I got the chance to taste a vintage as old as me. A thrill. But it was the Aged Tawnies that left the lasting impression.

Not Just For The Dowager Duchess

Sherry revolution? Pah! If you want to be really bleeding edge, start drinking Madeira. It's been called "crazy and monstrous" you know (and it will never go off).

Anything But Champagne

No. I haven't taken leave of my senses. But, just as there are alternatives to turkey, it is possible to enjoy a deliciously different sparkling wine at Christmas.

All I Want For Christmas…

... is a trip to the Douro, Zalto Champagne glasses, private chefs to cook the big dinner and something REALLY special to drink. Hey Santa! Are you listening?

Don’t Be Afraid Of Virginia Wine

Especially if it comes from Boxwood, a winery that is pushing for greater recognition for the state's wines, both at home and abroad.

Partridge In A “Dare Me”

A plucky tale about game, guts and Grenache. Or how I took the plunge and dressed my first partridges. And then opened a bottle of wine that made them sing.

Wines For Bourgeois Tastes

Below the highly-prized and highly-priced Bordeaux top growths, there is a plethora of producers with equally pretty châteaux. But what about the quality of their wines?

50 Years of Villa Maria

Sir George Fistonich started Villa Maria with two red wines. 50 years later he's proving there's more to New Zealand than Sauvignon Blanc.

Semillon, But Not As You Know It

Australian winemaker Neil McGuigan is on a mission. To place a new wine in the hearts of NZ Sauvignon Blanc addicts. It's Semillon... with a twist.