It’s never great when you’re shopping for wine at Spar. I was unexpectedly called to a friend in need of an emergency girlie chat so popped into Spar for ice cream and wine. The criteria were something New World, recognisable and not chardonnay. I panicked a bit, dallied by the ...

It’s never great when you’re shopping for wine at Spar. I was unexpectedly called to a friend in need of an emergency girlie chat so popped into Spar for ice cream and wine. The criteria were something New World, recognisable and not chardonnay. I panicked a bit, dallied by the ...

An unfortunate side effect of branded wines is it’s really rather easy to buy the wrong one. Whilst this could be an exciting new adventure in wines you’ve never gotten around to tasting, introducing you to new favourites, it can also be a pain the bum if you’ve accidentally opened ...

Clos d’Yvigne is an interesting wine. It’s maker, Patricia Atkinson, had moved to France without planning on being a winemaker, knowing anything about it, or speaking French, but a series of unfortunate events, documented in her books, The Ripening Sun and La Belle Saison , meant that winemaking seemed like ...

Clos d’Yvigne is an interesting wine. It’s maker, Patricia Atkinson, had moved to France without planning on being a winemaker, knowing anything about it, or speaking French, but a series of unfortunate events, documented in her books, The Ripening Sun and La Belle Saison , meant that winemaking seemed like ...

An unfortunate side effect of branded wines is it’s really rather easy to buy the wrong one. Whilst this could be an exciting new adventure in wines you’ve never gotten around to tasting, introducing you to new favourites, it can also be a pain the bum if you’ve accidentally opened ...

It’s never great when you’re shopping for wine at Spar. I was unexpectedly called to a friend in need of an emergency girlie chat so popped into Spar for ice cream and wine. The criteria were something New World, recognisable and not chardonnay. I panicked a bit, dallied by the ...

I tried a Vina Maipo Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2006. It has a cute label which tells a neat story about how the local people gather at their church to ensure protection for the vineyards. It has a raised outline of the church making for a tactile label. I wonder ...

We drank Montana Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Marlborough with friends this weekend. It was a fun evening – fabulous seafood pasta and fresh tuna which if I was an American I’d feel the need to tell you was sushi grade. The wine matched the evening perfectly, it was bright, fresh and ...

Cheverny is an impressive French Chateau, in the big fancy house sense rather than the wine corporation way. There’s an absurd quantity of Chateau along the Loire as it heads east to west, and cycling through the neighbourhood it’s easy for them to blur together. This one is probably easiest ...