The writer Michael Jacobs once described the central Spanish plateau, known as the meseta, as a ‘land scorched by the sun, blown by the wind, framed by distant glimpses of gaunt mountains’. His words give you some idea of what large parts of Castilla y León feel like, especially at the height of summer when […]
Cava is in the throes of reinventing itself. And about time. Spanish food has transformed itself this century into being one of the most dynamic and exciting cuisines in all of Europe. Spanish table wines are now unrecognisable from those of 20 years ago. Spain produces some of Europe’s tastiest and freshest whites and pinks; many […]
Anyone that’s spent a bit of time with me tasting (or drinking) wine will be aware of my love for Albariño. We’re all objective professionals when assessing wine, but I’m an enjoyer first and foremost. I was lucky enough to visit Rías Baixas in Galicia – the home of Albariño, in many ways – a […]
I sometimes think I’m an endangered species. I love the wines that Cabernet Sauvignon produces. Right now we are living through a period of Pinot-mania, of Syrah-mania, of Nebbiolo- or Sangiovese-, Cinsault-, Carignan- or Pais-mania – ‘anything-but-Cabernet’-mania. Hey – I love all those others too. And I do understand, I suppose, that Cabernet has been too successful, and […]
New York is both familiar and unfamiliar territory to me. The city itself is the setting for some of my favourite movies, from The Apartment to Manhattan, Midnight Cowboy to The French Connection. It’s the same with music. Chelsea Hotel, New York State of Mind and Fairytale of New York are part of the soundtrack […]
2021 marks 50 years of Cap Classique wines, the incredible sparkling wines, made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier (of Champagne fame) throughout the Western Cape of South Africa. Simonsig were first out the traps, releasing Kaapse Vonkel in 1971; followed by a host of brilliant producers, each pushing each-other forward and driving quality. As […]
I’m sure most of us drink New Zealand wine. And I bet most of us love it for its bright, fresh, clear snappy flavours – usually from the Sauvignon Blanc grape grown in the Marlborough region of the South Island. Well, Marlborough is the most important wine area in New Zealand. But the North and South Islands have […]
In our household we would consider ourselves to be ‘good home cooks’, so when looking for a treat it was with some scepticism that I looked at the pictures on the website and felt we could recreate exactly what Simon Rogan at home was offering – the real restaurant experience. There were two choices of […]
There’s no food pairing this week. The only thing more solid than the liquid is the ice-cube. But what an ice cube. I’ve recently invested in a new ice-cube tray. One that makes massive cubes. This one, to be honest. A large cube melts more slowly, it dilutes the drink it’s in less, retaining its character […]
I’ve been having a bit of an apple-y winter. I started eating an apple a day in the autumn, as I usually do, but here we are at the beginning of March. And I’m still doing it. And not only that – the apples are still English. And they’re Coxes. In fact, I’ve been eating a lot […]
