The Shiraz / Syrah grape & wines Shiraz used to be very popular here in the UK but Syrah remained, and still remains to some extent, relatively unknown. In fact Shiraz is the same grape as Syrah. This guide to the Shiraz or Syrah grape will reveal more about this wine grape variety and the […]
Guide to the Semillon grape & wines
Guide to the Semillon grape and wines Here I take a look at the Semillon or Sémillon grape and why it is, in my opinion, hugely under-rated. What’s the big deal with Semillon? Admittedly Semillon is not going to appeal to people who prefer their white wines to be very light in colour and body […]
Grenache grapes & wine styles
Grenache grapes & wine styles There’s a whole family of Grenache grapes and consequently a wide range of different Grenache wines. So, what wines are made from Grenache grapes? Grenache can be a full-bodied wine or a lighter style, Grenache can be a dry wine or a sweet wine, a red wine, white wine or […]
Guide to the Chardonnay grape & Chardonnay wines
Guide to the Chardonnay grape & Chardonnay wines I’ll show my hand upfront – I love a good Chardonnay but I know it is quite a divisive grape with many who don’t like it. Remember the “Anything but Chardonnay” or “ABC” era in the late 1990s? This was almost certainly in part a backlash against […]
All about the Pinot Noir grape & its wines
All about the Pinot Noir grape & its wines Writing my wine blog post A Quick Guide to New Zealand’s Wines made my mouth water for Pinot Noir so I thought I would pour myself a glass and write about this tricky grape and its amazing wines. Pinot Noir was a very unfashionable wine for many years […]
Guide to Cabernet Franc & its wines
Guide to Cabernet Franc & its wines A guide to the Cabernet Franc grape and where it is grown, the characteristics of Cabernet Franc wine and what it tastes like plus what to eat with Cabernet Franc. Despite being in the 20 most planted grapes in the world, Cabernet Franc is not necessarily one of […]
Guide to the Merlot grape and wines
Guide to the Merlot grape and wines A guide to the Merlot grape and where it is grown, the characteristics of Merlot wine and what it tastes like plus what to eat with Merlot. Often in the shadow of Cabernet Sauvignon, with which it is frequently blended, most famously in Bordeaux, Merlot has somehow acquired a reputation […]
Riesling – love it or hate it?
Riesling – love it or hate it? A GUIDE TO THE RIESLING GRAPE AND ITS WINES I have long been in two minds about having more than one Riesling in the Wines With Attitude portfolio – in my experience people either love Riesling or hate it which is why I describe it as the Marmite […]
All about Sauvignon Blanc
ALL ABOUT SAUVIGNON BLANC It is probably no surprise that Sauvignon Blanc features in the top 10 most planted wine grapes in the world.* Check out any list of the most popular wines in the UK and Sauvignon Blanc will be close to, if not at, the top. We Brits have fallen big time for the […]