Blog
Tasting the world under one roof
Recently I wrote about holding a tasting at your own house. Although this is fun if you're short of money and so are your friends and you want to try up to 50 wines, then the answer is a wine tasting like no other!! If you're in London and want…
Lamont’s First Sunday Tapas 7th April
The first Sunday of the month came around again and for me that can only mean one thing now, Lamont's first Sunday tapas. Eight amazing wines with five delicious dishes - all for $75. It's just fantastic, I don't think you could get anything better in Perth for $75, for…
Margaret River
If you’re near Margaret River, you should take the time to visit a few wineries. Plantings started in the 1960s after research showed it had similar growing conditions to Bordeaux except for more sunshine and less risk of hail. If you’re a keen wine drinker you’ll be familiar with the…
A short wine tour in Denmark
I was back in Denmark over Easter and enjoyed a few visits to wineries; Forrest Hill, Harewood Estate, Singlefile (again) with a cheese stop at Ducketts Mill. Forrest Hill couldn't have been better. We arrived as a group of 8 first thing at 10am sharp and the manager, Dee Collen…
Tasting wines from Portugal and it’s not Port!
It's not often you have the opportunity to taste a range of interesting wines from Portugal that's not Port. So when I found out there was a tasting at Swanbourne Cellars purely focused on the wines from this country, I made sure I booked my place! For just $15, the…
Denmark in WA
If you travel at the speed limit down Albany Highway from Perth, you can reach Denmark in about 4 hours. I found this a treasure chest, full of stunning scenery, dramatic coastlines, beautiful beaches and my favourite of all; exceptional wineries. I went to Denmark for a weekend at the…
Pinot Noir tasting
[caption id="attachment_353" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Pinot Noir tasting"][/caption] I recently went to a Pinot Noir tasting where we had different Pinots from all over the world; Chile, New Zealand, Australia, California and of course, Burgundy which I consider the home of Pinot Noir! Pinot Noir is a fickle grape to grow…
Wines for a friend’s house
Finding good quality Burgundy wine at a "reasonable" price is hard to find in Australia due to the taxes and the distance the wine has to travel. But saying that I have found a great wine courtesy of Swanbourne Wine Cellars. The 2008 Philippe Colin shouts out "Burgundy"from the glass.…
An interesting wine
Riorret 2008 - The Abbey Vineyard Pinot Noir - $39.99 at Swanbourne Cellars. Riorret is made by Steve Webber of De Bortoli and if you read it backwards, you will notice it is 'Terroir' backwards. I spoke to Steve about the 'Riorret' label back in the summer of 2010 and…
Vasse Felix
If you're going to Margaret River, don't miss out going to Vasse Felix. I didn't have a lot of time down south this weekend (as I spent most of the time surfing) but I'm glad I stopped by Vasse Felix. It is the oldest winery in the region and not…
Champagne Tasting
Last year I attended the Swanbourne Cellars Annual Champagne Tasting. I recommend attending Champagne tastings as much as possible as it allows you taste across a wide range of Champagne while learning about the different styles in each one. Plus you are able to taste with other Champagne enthusiasts without…
Wines for a different Christmas
This year I spent Christmas in Australia. What a difference the warmer weather makes to the soul!! However whatever the weather, it's important to have good wine to celebrate the occasion and enjoy being with the family. I recommed you can't go wrong with the below wines: [caption id="attachment_208" align="aligncenter"…
A fantastic free wine tasting in London
On Saturday I attended the Roberson wine school tasting (www.roberson.com/tastings). Remi (who took the class) introduced us to Part three: The who? of wine. The 2 hour tasting focused on the viticulture - from looking at budbreak, to flowering, fruit set and veraison. Remi discussed the factors that need to…
Sunday night dinner on budget
We are all keen to have a tasty bottle of wine but not at a high price. Below are a few wines that are well worth trying and won't break the bank! Bouchard Père et Fils 2009 Chardonnay, £7.49 /£7.99 (on promotion at Waitrose) From a winery that was created…
Saturday night dinner
So you have a vegetarian meal you're cooking (courgette soup with chickpea casserole) and you want a wine that goes well with both. I wasn't sure what to have, at first I thought a Viognier or an oaked Chardonnay - more from Australia than France but at dinner the hosts…
Roberson Nebbiolo Masterclass
I've been so many tastings but the best ones are at Roberson, High Street Kensington, London. The team are so passionate about wine and the tastings are so informative. On Thursday the 10th February I attended the Nebbiolo Masterclass in the hope it would help de-mystify the world that it…
New Zealand Tasting
If you are ever invited to attend a tasting, I would recommend going. On Tuesday 11th January New Zealand Winegrowers held its annual tasting in London. The trade event was during the day with the evening dedicated to consumers. I was late so I decided to focus on a few…
Saint-Bris and Chenin Blanc – Wines that will surprise you
Saint-Bris Les Vaux Sereins 2008, £9.99 at Nicolas. Most of Burgundy is made from Chardonnay grapes. However in the Yonne department, south west of Chablis Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Aligoté are permitted in the blend. This wine is dry, high in acidity due to the continental climate of cold…
New Year Wines
To celebrate 2011 I went to a friend's house where we started the day with Gamay and Pinot Noir. Gamay is a lighter style of wine but still quite fruit driven, refreshing and has low tannins. So if you've had a heavy evening the night before, Gamay is a good…