A new science of wine is emerging from two complementary sources: the practical knowledge of growers and winemakers, developed through constant experimentation, and scientific research that uses technology to follow grapes and wine at a molecular level. The two approaches help explain why wines taste as they do. History and reputation matter, too, but neither… Read More »
Terry Theise recently tasted the latest releases from Champagne Hébrart, a producer whose wines he has admired for years. This time, he tasted the first six without knowing their technical details, then revisited them with information about blends, vintages, and winemaking. The experiment highlighted how much expectations can shape a tasting. Oak was a recurring… Read More »
Online grocery shopping can be especially convenient when it means heavy bottles arrive at your door. A recent tasting of Ocado’s autumn and winter drinks range turned up five distinctive options for occasions from aperitifs and festive meals to after-dinner drinks and gifts. A cocktail-hour pairing The sculptural bottle of Oyster Adriatic Gin is an… Read More »
Château Nadal Hainaut is an organic wine estate in France’s Roussillon region, producing wines from its own vineyards. The estate’s winemaker, Pauline Nadal, is the sixth generation of her family to work there. Pauline trained in fine arts in London and is also a ceramicist. She sees winemaking as a hands-on creative practice, describing it… Read More »
Malta’s wine heritage stretches back more than 2,500 years. Near Mġarr ix-Xini on Gozo, an ancient rock-cut wine press—thought to date to around 500 BCE—offers evidence that grapes were once grown and wine produced on a substantial scale. Trade in wine may go back even further: vessels bearing traces of wine have been recovered from… Read More »
A small family farm in the southern part of Vinho Verde, Quinta da Pegadinha sits on the Cávado River, about 15 kilometres from the ocean. Its six hectares of vineyards share the farm with six hectares of pasture for cows and sheep. The family also makes cheese. Winemaker Felipe Lemos describes the farm’s approach as… Read More »
Unlike Japan, a major market for Laurent-Perrier’s Grand Siècle, China is not an important market for the Champagne house. “The Chinese don’t like fizz, they don’t like cold, and they don’t like acidity,” said Lucie Pereyre de Nonancourt, Grand Siècle ambassador and a member of the family that owns the company. She made the observation… Read More »
Taela, 23, lives in Fremantle, Western Australia, where she works as a bartender at craft brewery Little Creatures. She spends much of her time recommending beer, but is keen to learn more about wine and what makes certain styles appeal to her. Her usual choice is a fresh, crisp white—often New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. For… Read More »
Filipa Pato began making wine in Bairrada in 2001, aged 25. Her early wines made an impression, and over the years she has built the project with her husband, Belgian restaurateur and sommelier William Wouters. William joined in 2006; Filipa remains responsible for the winemaking. A distinctive region and its old vineyards Bairrada’s reputation is… Read More »
Nearly ten years after visiting Constance Hotels & Resorts in Mauritius, I returned to explore two of the group’s Maldivian resorts: Constance Moofushi and Constance Halaveli. Both are celebrated for their wine lists, and the visit offered a chance to see not only what guests experience, but also the work behind the scenes. After a… Read More »