I like my wine, as you know, but sometimes, especially on super hot days like we’ve been having in the Capital, I fancy something ice cold with lots of ice! Yes, I’m talking about summer time cocktails and what’s more summery than rum? The Jam Tree are thinking along the same lines and to celebrate summer are...
read more
Acquiring fine wine is one stage in the process but if you don’t have optimum conditions in which to store them, there is always the risk that the wine may not mature as you wish. There are four crucial elements to consider regarding the storage of fine wine – humidity, temperature and air quality, the light and vibration and the...
read more
Late night cocktail bar, Ray’s Bar in Dalston recently launched their new summer menu and to coincide with that, they are offering 50% off their new cocktails this week only. “From long and short concoctions, to sweet and savoury flavours, many of the cocktails comprise unusual spirits from around the globe, including...
read more
I attended a Bologna Hills food and wine tasting evening the other day at well known Italian restaurant Burro E Salvia in East London recently. The Consorzio Vini Colli Bolognesi was in town to show off the delicious pastas, meats and wines of the region. Situated in the hills surrounding Bologna, it is the capital of the...
read more
I recently attended a dinner hosted by Franciacorta producer Bellavista. We met at Italian restaurant Margot in Covent Garden for what promised to be an enlightening wine and food matching occasion. Franciacorta is often said to be Italy’s answer to Champagne and, while it is made using the same method and uses chardonnay as it’s...
read more
The Winesleuth has left the late night vibes of Soho for up and coming Bermondsey. You can now find me at the brand spanking new wine shop/wine bar, Lechevalier on Tower Bridge Rd. A small, intimate venue with an eclectic wine list, I’m being reintroduced to the world of wine. Lechevalier specialise in biodynamic, organic...
read more
So what do you do if you’re a microbiologist in the Antarctic and need something to do in the off-season? Start a winery of course and in India no less! To be fair, Ashok Surwade is Indian and from the Nashik Valley so it might not be such a huge leap of faith but still – he was an Antarctic researcher before chucking...
read more
The Nashik Valley is known as India’s Napa Valley so it stands to reason that there would also be a wine trail. While the wine trail is still quite small, only 3 wineries at the moment (Sula, York and Soma) what it lacks in size, it certainly makes up with in the quality of the wines and the winery resorts. I popped into Soma...
read more
Last week I went to the launch of Pop Up Japan at Proud East. Proud East is perched on the towpath of Regent’s Canal in Dalston and is really such a lovely location. I love walking along the path, especially at sunset… I was there for the the Japan pop up but Proud East is a pretty neat concept being a half indoors/half...
read more
Most people consider champagne as a celebratory drink and only pop it open on special occasions. I, however, consider champange to be a wine just like any other, albeit with bubbles and it should be drunk with food accordingly. The folks at Champagne + Fromage are also firm believers in pairing champagne with food and in particular...
read more
