You know the New Year is is off to a good start when one of the first things to land in your inbox is an invitation to a Nyetimber sparkling wine tasting (including the soon to be launched 2007 Blanc de Blancs)- just when you thouht the excuse to taste bubbles was over.   Even better […]

Whilst the streets of London were being battered by gusts and heavy showers almost designed to test the resolve of the doughtiest of Hallowe’en trick-or-treaters (but no sign of an American werewolf), I was privileged to attend a tasting of two illustrious champagne cuvées at the very smart Belgravia headquarters of Moët-Hennessy.  Initial signs were […]

At the moment Barcelona, 28 degrees dry sunshine, and Cava feel like distant memories.  But I can still almost taste the 1999 Gran Reserva Celler Batlle, of which more later. Last week, I was with our sparkling wine buyer Simon Field as guests of Gramona, who have been producing wine and Cava for over 100 years. After an […]

Having won the UK final of the Champagne Ambassador in September last year (a competition run by the Champagne Information Bureau, who are the London base for the the CIVC, Champagne’s regulatory body), I followed up with the European final in Champagne itself. This took place at the end of three days touring the region visiting […]