Thanks Enotria for the six Rieslings that landed on the doorstep recently, two with corks, two with screwcaps and two with those very pretty Vinoloks. It’s been a rather soggy afternoon in the Pennines, but these brightened up matters considerably. More on this week’s First Taste page here.
Australia
Two vintages of an undersung Australian classic.
Steingarten – an Aussie masterpiece
Last year, my prize for the wine name which didn’t transfer so well to the UK market went to a Brazilian wine. It was a 2005 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tannat from the excellent Miolo winery, and I liked everything about it except the name – Gran. This […]
Lost in translation
Sometimes you open hallowed bottles and they piss on your chips. Occasionally it’s because they’re corked, but most often the let-downs are because the wines just don’t live up to their billing – anyone seen a good Bob Dylan gig in the last 20 years? But tonight, I’m on a […]
Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay 2001 – not yer typical Aussie Chardie..
“It is currently not obvious to observers and managers caught up by the damage of change that Australia has just finished two decades of branded commodity wine growth to dominance and inevitable decline and is now entering the decades of Australian wine emergence. As the trauma recedes that will become […]
Australia down and out? Don’t you believe it…
Just been reading a recent post on Colin Smith’s blog, all about the Monsoon Valley wines from Thailand – anyone else tried them? For me, they fall into the ‘er, interesting’ bracket, as the following piece I did a few years ago for the now-defunct North West Enquirer will testify… […]