For those who think of February as a dull month of fading memories of New Year festivities and of a winter that seems to never end, I have to disagree.  For the past few years, this month has always been enlivened by two important dates in my calendar.  The Berrys’ Rosé Champagne tasting that I host […]

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 […]

With the end of year in sight, a few rays of sunlight have brightened the fine wine outlook over the past month. Christies reported a series of lucrative fine wine auctions in Hong Kong (23rd-25th November) including a rare private cellar focussed primarily on Bordeaux. Decanter published an article headed ‘Bordeaux prices ‘stabilising’: analysts’ supporting […]

Creating a bottle of Champagne is a game of two halves: from the first fermentation with its viticultural processes of harvesting and fermenting for a pure and raw still alcohol, to the second fermentation of adding dosage and yeast to create bubbles for the glossy finished product. Two different processes, culminating in the same thing. […]