Tag: Simon Field

Rioja – Ancient and Modern

There is something beguiling about Spain, about the way in which this oldest of cultures is able to embrace the new and give it a pleasing twist of tradition. The beauty in that most modern of constructions, the Guggenheim in Bilbao, resides in its affinity to its surroundings; the way in which the shapes and […]

Tonto or not tonto?

The word ‘tonto’ in Spanish refers to someone who is stupid or foolish, and unfortunately in one’s adventures through wine it is inevitable that such ‘tonto’ wine producers will make appearances: winemakers who are more interested in selling wines in bulk as early as possible, sometimes even stopping or quickening the fermentation process in order […]

Elegance personified

This year, we had the great pleasure to be invited to the house of Billecart-Salmon near Epernay. No small gesture as the trip was to include staying at the Maison du Billecart, dining with Monsieur François Billecart himself and after a tour the next day, dining at a 3 Michelin starred restaurant in Paris no […]

Dizzy Heights

The idea was as immediately appealing as it was self-evidently indulgent, namely to conduct an ‘experiment’ to assess the on-going impact of altitude on the taste and flavour of Champagne. And we are not talking 35, 000 feet here, and the effects of cabin pressure and recycled air of a dubious nature. On the contrary, […]