JAMIE GOODE gets friendly with the environment, saying, 'The number of organic wines, made by people who care about the diversity of life in their vineyards, is on the up.' His 'clear-conscience' tipples include 2004 Carmen Nativa Chardonnay, Maipo (7.99; Oddbins, Booths) and 2004 Chapoutier Ctes du Rhne (6.49; Waitrose).
Read more...You might be able to take Christmas out of Port, but
Read more...MATTHEW JUKES's wine of the week is 2004 Zamora Zinfandel, Lodi, California (6.99; M&S). He also recommends 2005 Stormhoek Pinot Grigio, South Africa (5.99; Harrogate Fine Wine), 2003 Seghesio Barbera, North Coast, California (19.45; George Hill of Loughborough, Liberty Wines, Valvona & Crolla of Edinburgh), 2004 The Storm, Reserve Sangiovese/
Read more...'Australia is alone in how seriously it takes wine marketing,' says JANCIS ROBINSON MW. The University of Adelaide has 600 students in its wine business and marketing school, compared to 10 students in the MBA course run by the University of Bordeaux, she reports. But while the clever Australians have 'seen their global market share zoom skywards over the past decade', there's no longer enough jobs for the growing multitude of wine-marketing graduates. Robinson talks to one such graduate, Jennifer Lynch, who has brought her skills to Britain, 'where there is a desperate need for more marketing expertise in the wine business'. When asked what could be done for French wines, Lynch suggests: 'De-mystify! Adding things like back labels and better labelling in general will help them enormously.'
Read more...JONATHAN RAY is really struggling: 'I've almost run out of goodwill to all men and we're not even there yet.'
Read more...With the party season in full swing, VICTORIA MOORE picks out some festive winners, pointing out that 'you can get a very decent bottle of still wine for the price of the cheapest bubbly'. Among her suggestions are 2005 Knappstein Hand Picked Riesling (6.99, or 5.99 when you buy two; Majestic) and 2004 La Serrana Tempranillo, Vino de la Tierra Castilla y Leon (2.99; Majestic). Or if you must stick to sparkling, a 'ridiculously good deal' is Duval-Leroy Premier Cru Fleur de Champagne (13.99, down from 20.99 until 8 January 2006; Waitrose).
Read more...It's tradition versus science for ANTHONY ROSE this week, as he reports on events from the recent harvest. Technology is
Read more...'I taste a lot of rubbish so that you don't have to,' says TIM ATKIN MW. Out of the 10,000 wines he tastes per year, Atkin reckons that only 500 are worth a second look. And although there might be a couple of good ones that slip through the net, Atkin maintains his customary modesty: 'I am generally a
Read more...GILES KIME suggests a few food-and-wine matches, such as 2004 Cono Sur Pinot Noir (4.99; Sainsbury's) with teriyaki salmon and sesame noodles.
Read more...JANE MacQUITTY selects her choice of the best 25 wines for under 8, including 2004 Mcon Ig, La Crepillionne Chardonnay, Domaine Fichet (6.95; Stone, Vine & Sun) and 2003 Icardi Barbera d'Asti, Tabaren, Cave Pierino (7.99; Oddbins).
Read more...NIGEL SLATER admits that he finds 'some, if not most, pontificating on wine and food "marriages" somewhat unconvincing'. He gives TIM ATKIN MW one lunchtime to change his mind. The savoury highlight is baked red mullet with preserved lemons, served with 2005 Kaituna Hills Sauvignon Blanc, Malborough (6.79; Marks & Spencer). While the sweetest sweet thing is mincemeat and apple tart with 2003 Mission Hill
Read more...JAMIE GOODE is well aware that 'brandy suffers from a somewhat fusty reputation these days'. But he's keen to buck the trend and
Read more...'I hate tasting wine in public,' confesses JANCIS ROBINSON MW, following the seventh annual Pol Roger Business School Alumni Blind Wine Tasting Challenge. One of the offending wines was a 'red Champy 2003 Pernand Vergelesses that I for one would have taken for a particularly exuberant Rioja'. The factual quiz was just as taxing as the tasting for those who didn't know that Winston Churchill is likely to have had around 42,000 bottles of Pol Roger opened for him between 1908 and 1965. 'Pol Roger is now branching out and clearly hoping to establish itself as the leader in the field of blind wine tasting sponsorship,' notes Robinson.
Read more...For good or bad, 'Italian red wines have gradually become riper, softer, fruitier and more New World in style', says JOANNA SIMON. For an example from Chianti, try 2003 Badia a Coltibuono (9.99; Tesco). Simon's wine of the moment, however, is 2003 Tortoise Hill Red, South Africa: 'an unusual but delicious blend' of Zinfandel, Shiraz, Touriga Nacional, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Moving on to spirits, her top choice is Reyka Vodka (15.99-19.99; Harvey Nichols, Peckham's).
Read more...ANTHONY ROSE also has Australia on the brain: 'Australian wine is squaring up to French at every level,' he asserts. He predicts that 'over the coming year, Shiraz is likely to remain the dominant force in Australian wine', while 'Cabernet from Margaret River and Coonawarra should stage a comeback'. Rose's top weekend wine to 'splash out' on is 2003 Hewitson Old Garden Mourvdre, Barossa Valley (16.95, or 15.25 each bought as a case; Berry Bros & Rudd).
Read more...MATTHEW JUKES goes red and gets serious with his own take on a few good-value winter warmers. Among his favourites are 2003 Robert Mondavi Woodbridge Shiraz (6.49; Sainsbury's) and 2005 Diemersfontein Pinotage (7.99; Waitrose). Although,
Read more...'Drinkable wine has never been cheaper,' says RICHARD EHRLICH, but he's still not happy. And this is because the low prices are brought about by supermarkets that 'screw such harshly ungenerous terms out of their suppliers'. Trade up a notch, says Ehrlich, and fork out for something better, such as 2002 Doa Dominga Carmenre Reserva, Chile (6.99; Sainsbury's).
Read more...A Sainsbury's selection from RICHARD EHRLICH: El Burro Kickass Garnacha (4.99, down from 7.99), Fuller's London Porter (1.32/500ml, down from 1.76) and 2004 Villa Wolf Pinot Noir Ros (4.99, down from 6.99).
Read more...Some of us might enjoy the run-up to Christmas, some of us might even have fun on the day itself, but not JONATHAN RAY: 'I must confess to finding both journey and destination pretty grim.' Drink your way through, is his advice, and a cracking fizz to start things off is Mumm Demi-Sec Champagne (22.49; Waitrose). For party wines that won't break the bank, Ray suggests 2003 Tiki Ridge Sauvignon Blanc/Chardonnay, New Zealand (4.99; Waitrose) and 2004 Sainsbury's Australian Merlot (3.99).
Read more...Stuart Husband attends the second quarterly Lunch Club at the Moro restaurant in London. Someone asks if ros is 'in'. 'Very much so,' comes the reply, 'but not Mateus Ros.' Rioja is the order of the day. The next Lunch Club, in January, is based on Sherry.
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