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Vintages ain’t what they used to be - which is good news May 25 2012

IS it right that the 2011s aren’t up to much?” asked a friend who enjoys drinking fine red Bordeaux wine and occasionally, lucky man, has enough spare cash to buy a few extra cases as an investment.Read

Profit squeezed as much as grapes May 18 2012

WINE doesn’t come cheap. The average retail price of a bottle sold in the UK has crept up to very nearly £5, but fine wines, like top Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne cost a small fortune.Read

Hungary wines are a sweet partner for a pudding May 11 2012

I WAS invited to a very posh dinner in Bordeaux last month. The food and wine were fabulous. The main course, for example, was local lamb washed down by a superb old vintage of Château Mouton Rothschild.Read

Bowled over by oak barrel wine taste test May 04 2012

OAK barrels have been used to transport and store wine for many centuries.Read

Chateau Siaurac emerging from Pomerol's shadow Apr 27 2012

THREE elegant church belfries can be seen from the vineyards of Château Siaurac. Néac is the nearest. Beyond it lies Pomerol and furthest away, to the south, is Saint Emilion.Read

Virgile Joly so proud of his wine Apr 20 2012

I’VE been looking for an opportunity to meet Virgile Joly for a long time. Although he’s still not 40, he’s held in great esteem by winemaking colleagues in the Languedoc.Read

Opening the door to a taste of Burgundy’s finest wines Apr 13 2012

EVERY two years, Burgundy wine growers open their doors to the world’s trade and press for a remarkable series of tastings spread, if you have the stamina, over five days.Read

Spring sunshine puts me in the mood for fine wine Apr 06 2012

MY ENTHUSIASM for some drinks depends on the weather. I’ve never been able to drum up any enthusiasm for gin and tonic, for example, except on a hot summer evening – a rare treat in North Shields.Read

Portugal's unique vineyard produces rare but outstanding port Mar 30 2012

QUINTA do Noval is different. Unlike the other historic port producers, it’s surrounded by its own vineyard, from which it takes its name: 145 hectares of some of the finest land on which to grow grapes in the Douro Valley.Read

English vines thrive in lost Roman city of Shrewsbury Mar 23 2012

THE Romans fell on their feet when they built a fine city beside the River Severn at Wroxeter, under the shadow of the Wrekin in the green, rural heart of Shropshire.Read

Engine of Spanish wine success Mar 16 2012

SPAIN’S share of the UK wine market has grown steadily over the last five years. It’s easy to see why: its wines offer variety and value, vividly fruity flavours and food-friendly subtlety.Read

Cheers to new Bin 21 wine store in Hexham Mar 09 2012

ABOUT a year ago I reported on Bin 21, an exciting new wine shop in Morpeth. Its owner, Paddy Eyres, explained that he was looking to build a brand, with branches in other Northumbrian market towns.Read

Sweet taste of the Rust vineyards Mar 02 2012

SULLEN in the cold, grey light of winter, the vast expanse of Lake Neusiedl is a lonely place.Read

How the Kiwis have made Pinot Noir a success story Feb 24 2012

FOR decades, winemakers all over the world have dreamed of making great Pinot Noir.Read

The key to Australia’s success is its winemakers Feb 17 2012

OUR love affair with Australian wine continues. We drink lots of it. The bare facts are that although Australia makes less than 4% of the world’s wine, it has held pole position in the UK for ten years, with over 20% of sales by volume and by value. The UK remains Australia’s biggest export market.Read

New Zealand winemakers rise to Riesling challenge Feb 10 2012

NEW Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir are so good that it’s sometimes easy to forget just how good other New Zealand wines can be. This was brought home to me by two special features at the annual trade tasting of New Zealand wines in London a fortnight ago.Read

Getting to grips with Austria's pride and joy Feb 03 2012

MICCHI Moosbrugger is a brave man. He allowed a group of Master of Wine students free rein in one of Schloss Gobelsburg’s best vineyards in Austria’s Kamptal to practice pruning.Read

Wine importers Bibendum on a mission to make wines more accessible Jan 27 2012

I’M FASCINATED by wine lists. The biggest one I ever struggled to pick up was several inches thick.Read

Syrah is a French classic through and through Jan 20 2012

SYRAH is from South East France. Despite being known to lots of wine lovers as Shiraz it has nothing to do with the ancient Persian town of the same name. DNA profiling has proven its French origins beyond doubt. It first made great wine in the northern part of the Rhône Valley and still does.Read