“What is the definition of a good wine? It should start and end in a smile” – William Sokolin

So why look at a wine before tasting? Your looking for faults in the wine, checking it is clear and not cloudy. Fill the glass a third of the way, tilt the glass at 45 degree angle so that you can see the surface of the wine from the centre body all the way to […]

Oenophobia – A fear of Wine. Thankfully, one I don’t suffer from.

I have a few friends that get together and taste wine as and when we can meet. Last night we tasted a few Rieslings from old and new world. Old being the European countries and new being countries such as New Zealand, America and Australia. I love the Riesling grape and I have to say […]

I decanted the Barolo to allow it time to breath for most of the day. It was a gorgeous brick red with a real pungent meaty nose with so much going on, black fruits liquorice sweet clove and rose. It was well balanced with juicy acidity and ripe firm tannins… It needs food.

Tonight I’ll be Tasting Manfredi Barolo 2005. Tasting Note to follow…

Phylloxera. You what! This nasty louse was the cause of disaster and destruction in the 19th Century across Europe. The European vine known as vinifera could not stand up to this louse eating through its roots and exposing them to bacteria and fungi resulting in decay and disease. This changed viticulture practices all over Europe. […]

Paul Cluver Estate is a family run business with Paul and Songevi at the head of the family and their 3 daughters and one son working hard to produce quailty wine. You will find them in the Elgin Valley east of Cape Town which gives a cool climate, great for Pinot Noir! Their 2008 Pinot […]

I believe we will still have summer evenings to enjoy a glass of rose in the garden. So how is Rose made? There are three ways and it isn’t blending red and white wine together, however, the blending of red and white for the base wine of Champagne is allowed before it goes through the […]

If you like to dabble with dessert wine then try this scrumptious Recioto di Soave from Coffele. The colour alone is divine! It reminded me of a field of sunflowers! A nose of honey and orange and the it carried on to the palate with a delicate burnt orange lingering finish. Delicious!