Women and wine In celebration of International Women’s Day here are a few facts and musings about women and wine. Is it true that women are better tasters than men? Can you generalise about women’s taste in wine? Do women spend more on wine than men? How do women buy wine? Do men and women […]
Wine Tasting etiquette
Wine Tasting etiquette A fun look at wine tastings and how to tackle them A while ago I got myself into a Twitter discussion with Victoria Moore, author & wine editor for the Daily Telegraph, about the things we don’t like about trade wine tastings, so I thought it might be interesting to share them […]
Wine Ratings; what’s the score?
Wine Ratings; what’s the score? A critique of the wine critics There are many people who review and score wine; I am often asked which of these wine critics I rate. So below are those wine critics at the top of my list and why together with some information on the different ways in which […]
Why champagne tastes like champagne
Why champagne tastes like champagne Why does champagne taste like it does? This ‘quick & general’ guide to the champagne flavour profile looks at what champagne tastes like and the reasons why. Essentially, why champagne tastes like champagne. It compares the production of champagne and other wines made by the champagne method to the production of other sparkling wines […]
Which wines to drink in hot weather
Which wines to drink in hot weather Which wines should you drink in hot weather – and which should you avoid? Some prefer a cold beer or a long cocktail with heaps of ice or stick to non-alcoholic drinks because they think there is no wine that will be refreshing enough to enjoy when temperatures […]
What colour can tell you about wine
What colour can tell you about wine When drinking or tasting wine most people focus only on the smell and the taste of it, ignoring what ought to be the first step – looking at the wine’s colour and its general appearance. You might think that choosing red, white or rosé is all you need […]
How & why our wine tastes change
How & why our wine tastes change Think back to when you first started drinking wine – what was your preferred wine style then? My guess is something different from your current favourite style of wine. For me personally I suspect it was something like a medium-dry German white wine a la Blue Nun or […]
To decant or not to decant? That is the question…
To decant or not to decant? That is the question… Often regarded as an old-fashioned, even somewhat pretentious practice, decanting wine has its fair share of doubters. Is decanting simply done for show or does it serve a useful purpose? If so, which wines should be decanted and how long before serving should wine be […]
Fruit & Root days: do they affect how wine tastes?
Fruit & Root days: do they affect how wine tastes? Have you ever wondered why some days a wine tastes great but the next time you open a bottle of the same wine from the same vintage, it tastes really different? There is such a thing as bottle variation usually caused by damage to a […]
Wine Competitions, medals & awards
Wine Competitions, medals & awards You will have seen numerous wine bottles on supermarket or wine shop shelves with shiny stickers indicating that the wines have won a medal or award in one of the many wine competitions. The question is, should you buy a wine based on a wine competition medal or ignore the […]