Category: Miscellaneous

Chocolate conundrums – the best drinks to match

With Easter fast approaching it is that time of year when we like to look at our favourite tipples’ often troublesome relationship with chocolate. Here Fine Wine Account Manager and resident chocolate expert Peter Newton recommends some of his tried and tested matches, perfect for exploring this coming weekend   Chocolate and wine Chocolate has […]

Notes from Down Under: all in a day’s work

On her first foray into life on a winery as well as being “Down Under”, Sophie Thorpe shares her initial impressions on becoming a cellar hand, deep in the heart of Australia’s Margaret River “It’s going to be dirty. It’s going to be physical. And it’s going to be hard,” Nic Peterkin – my boss […]

Faking it part II: tell-tale signs

Following on from last month’s post on wine forgery, Fine Wine Quality and Authentication Manager Philip Moulin gives us his top tips on how to spot the tell-tale signs of “fake wine” Authentic age Does it look and feel as old as it says it is? Is there a consistent amount of “wear and tear” […]

A lesson in philosophy: André Ostertag

For wines golden in colour, backed by similarly illuminating words of wisdom, we sent Sophie McLean to an André Ostertag masterclass, to find out what makes him, his wines, and his Grand Cru Muenchberg vineyard site tick What strikes me most about André Ostertag is his “joined-up way of thinking”. Forgive the cliché, but this […]