Tim Smith named ‘Barons of Barossa’ Winemaker of the Year 2019
By Charles Lea on 19/02/2019
“I’m absolutely ecstatic and humbled (and very hungover) after this being officially announced yesterday.”
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L&S Festive Favourites – What The Team Is Drinking This Christmas
By Edward Richardson on 13/12/2018
Everyone likes to indulge in a special bottle or three over Christmas and the L&S team is no different. We've all squirrelled away something to savour and share with (appreciative!) friends and family. L&S Top Brass Charles Lea: I'm rather hoping to get a chance to raid the better end of my brother-in-law's cellar - the 2002 Vieux Château Certan was particularly memorable last time.
Travels through Dorset & Kent – A Tour of English Wineries
By Phil Weeks on 07/12/2018
Just off the A31 not far from Dorchester in the heart of Dorset lies Langham Estate, the first stop on a vinous tour of some of the UK’s best sparkling wine producers.
2017 Burgundy | The Vintage In A Nutshell
By Edward Richardson on 27/11/2018
We have only just returned from our annual pilgrimage to Burgundy but the en primeur campaign is already looming large. Our visits in October and November were an absolute delight. Many vignerons were wearing broad smiles again and as well they might, this is clearly a vintage that will give enormous early drinking pleasure for both red and white.
Who Ate All The Jamón? A Visit To Acústic And Autòcton Cellars
By Angus Barcroft on 27/11/2018
On Tuesday, with two members of the Duddells’ team, I flew out to Barcelona to see Albert Jané of Acústic and Auctòcton cellars. Many of you will know of his wonderful creations, especially the Acústic wines from Montsant that we have been importing since the 2004 vintage, a year after Albert bought his first vines in the region.
2017 Burgundy | Tasting Trip Day Four
By Edward Richardson on 09/11/2018
Our final day careering around the Côte began with a rather bleary-eyed breakfast. Conversation quickly turned to volume (which was nothing at all to do with the size of my bowl of cornflakes.
2017 Burgundy | Tasting Trip Day Three
By Edward Richardson on 08/11/2018
Another star-studded day yesterday. If anything, the bar was raised a notch, and not just because of a certain cellar in Gevrey Chambertin.
2017 Burgundy | Tasting Trip Day Two
By Edward Richardson on 07/11/2018
We have an early appointment with Clos de Lambrays this morning so I’ll type fast. It was an (almost) embarrassingly star-studded lineup yesterday, with far too many wines to go into great detail on each. So a word on the vintage itself, which is coming more and more into focus.
2017 Burgundy | Tasting Trip Day One
By Edward Richardson on 06/11/2018
It’s a beautiful, crisp autumn day as we land in Lyon. After negotiating passport control (the sizeable queue was an ominous portent for life after Brexit), we headed through the fog to the ‘calcaire’ time-capsule that is the village of Rully. Our first appointment was at Domaine Jacqueson.
‘The Aerodynamics of a Portable Toilet’ vs ‘a Stellar Vinous Treat’
By Charles Lea on 27/10/2018
This week's Money Week 'Wine of The Week': 2015 GEWURZTRAMINER Domaine Marcel Deiss We have long quietly moaned about national newspaper editors’ extraordinary spinelessness and double standards when it comes to the price constraints that they impose on their wine writers.
Domaine Dugat-Py | Wines Of Grandeur & Heritage
By Edward Richardson on 21/10/2018
[caption id="attachment_29768" width="600" align="alignright"] L'Aumônerie, Gevrey Chambertin[/caption] During the 11th century, Abbot Halinard instructed for cellars to be built in Gevrey Chambertin as a store for the Abbey of Saint Benigné in Dijon. Nine hundred or so vintages on, the very same vaults shelter the latest batch of exulted offerings from Domaine Dugat-Py.
Beautiful Barbaresco – 2014 Sottimano
By David Porter on 15/10/2018
It was a year for the very best vineyards and the very best producers to shine. Skilled and dedicated winemakers farming the best sites of Barbaresco have pulled it out of the bag. And none more so than the brilliant Andrea Sottimano.