Michel Chapoutier is not alone in detecting similarities between 2011 and 1991. Both followed a brace of superlative vintages and both had rather uneven growing seasons, unusual even. Indeed 1991 took rather a long time to achieve its due recognition; hopefully the same will not apply to 2011, for all the sound and fury associated […]

Tied up with contributing (proudly) to Oz Clarke’s Pocket Wine Book 2014 (…on Italy) I’ve been unable to make my annual trek to the Loire to catch up with the latest vintage. Fortunately I know a man who did: Adam Bruntlett, Junior Buyer at Fields Morris & Verdin, and here’s his report: ‘Muscadet – Fantastic […]

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 […]

Inside Burgundy is starting to show signs of repainting the Forth Bridge syndrome. No sooner, it seemed, was the text for the hardback book finally signed off than work on revisions began – firstly amendments for the Japanese edition which was published last month, and now for the electronic version of which the first two […]