The Chapel Down vineyard is near Tenterden in Kent. It was started in 1995 and 25 years later it is England’s leading winemaker. English wine has been in the ascendancy for several years, gaining public support, critical acclaim and international accolades. My first experience of English wine was Denbies near Dorking – a beautiful spot,…
Month: February 2020
Louis Latour Pinot Noir ‘Valmoissine’ 2015
Pinot Noir Domaine de Valmoissine Louis Latour There are two theories regarding the ‘Pinot’ name. One is that it came about because their bunches are similar in shape to a pine cone (pinot in French). It may derive, however, from a place name in France such as Pinos or Pignols from where cuttings were obtained….
Fortnum & Mason Brut Reserve Vintage Champagne
Britain’s ‘prosecco boom’ could be over. Sales of sparkling wine in the UK have fallen for the first time since 2012, according to new figures. New sales numbers from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, reported by the Financial Times, show sparkling wine sales in Britain fell by 5% in 2019. The drop is equivalent…
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle Champagne
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle is a blend of three different vintages of premier cru champagnes – it is classified as NV as a result but it’s so much more than that. The magic here is in the winemaking; the blending of different vintages to create something which is greater than the sum of its parts. I…
Time…
It’s been a while! After a sabbatical I’m back to writing. My sabbatical has involved much travel; France, Spain, Austria (twice), USA, Germany – and a number of countries which don’t produce wine. I also took two WSET courses and attended a number of tastings – totalling hundreds of wines. I was invited to Paris…
A Time for Wine 