Beaujolais – the ultimate fruity red wine The very name “Beaujolais” often sends a shudder down the spine if, like me, you have memories of Beaujolais Nouveau tasting like fiercely dry Ribena with bubblegum and bananas served early on the third Friday in November just 8 weeks or so after the grapes have been harvested. […]
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 […]
Why drink sweet wine with dessert – and which sweet wine?
Why drink sweet wine with dessert? And which sweet wine? Celebrations like Birthdays, Mothers’ Day and Christmas are the perfect excuse to lay on a feast including dessert. Do you give any thought to which wine you will drink with pudding or stick with the red or white wine you have been drinking with the […]
Why we celebrate with champagne
Why we celebrate with champagne With Valentine’s Day around the corner many wine merchants like me will recommend that you open a bottle of bubbly with your loved one. After all, we should celebrate the good things in life. This got me thinking… whether champagne, prosecco, English sparkling wine, crémant or cava is your fizz […]
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 terroir and how it affects wine
ALL ABOUT TERROIR & HOW IT AFFECTS WINE Terroir is a much-used and much-debated term but what exactly does it mean? Some say terroir produces better wines with more character, so-called terroir wines – but is that right? I confess I have long been a great fan of terroir and I use the expression quite […]
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 […]
The 5 best red wines for summer and why
THE 5 BEST RED WINES FOR SUMMER – AND WHY When the weather turns warmer, many wine drinkers turn to white or rosé wines but what about those who prefer to stick to red wine whatever the weather? Which red wines are better suited to summer? As you might imagine, most heavily oaked big-bodied red […]