Wine Education


Ramos Pinto Duas Quintas Douro Red 2008 (£10.99 Whole Foods Market, Roberson, Partridges, Philglas & Swiggot, Planet of the Grapes, Wines of the World) Young boisterous wine, awash with juicy fruit – black fruits on the nose, but strawberries and redcurrants in the mouth – pepped up with notes of […]

Wine Tasting Video: Four Douro reds


Château Le Barrail Médoc 2009 (£7.11 Tesco) Firm, fruity young wine, with plenty of blackcurrant and damson favour, and a slightly briny edge, but structure of smoky oak and hard tannins just a bit OTT. B(-) Château Prieuré Les Tours Graves 2006 (£9.99 Majestic) More of that savoury/briny character, benefiting […]

Wine Tasting Video: Five Left Bank Bordeaux reds


Champagne Canard-Duchêne Charles VII Brut NV (£30 Majestic) Quite a mature style, with crystallised pineapple and nut brittle flavours, rich but simple, and ever-so-slightly cheesy, bit of a crowd pleaser. B Champagne Canard Duchêne Vintage 2004 (£25-£30 Majestic, Lockett Brothers) A more forward, zesty style than the Charles VII, cleaner […]

Wine Tasting Video: Champagne Assortment, including a lovely demi-sec



Champagne Thiénot Brut NV (from £25 Bedales, Constantine Stores, Corks Out , Cornelius Wines, Eagle Wines, Evington Wines, Four Walls Wines, L’Eau a Bouche, Lockett Bros, Olde World Wines, Richard Granger, The Veritable Wine Co, The Wine Library, Thorold Wines, Upton-Upon-Severn Wines, Weavers of Nottingham, Wine Schoppen) Starts off with […]

Wine Tasting Video: Five NV Champagnes



Endeavouring to clear a backlog of video material that has accumulated since going to Australia in December. Here are two films featuring eight red Burgundies I tasted late in 2010…. PART 1 Henri Prudhon St Aubin 1er Cru Les Frionnes 2006 (£18.50 Adnams, Yorkshire Vintners) There’s a toffee-like note to […]

Wine Tasting Videos: eight red Burgundies