Last night I became a Chevalier sabreur. You might be wondering what that is? Basically I can now perform sabrage or decapitate a bottle of champagne with a sabre. I don’t usually carry a sabre around but you never know… The bottle decapitations or “sabrage” as it’s formally known dates back to...
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Rosé always make me think of beachy holidays but you don’t have to jump on a plane to get that holiday feeling. Rosé d’Anjou might not be as well known as its cousin to the south, Provence, but it’s an excellent and delicious summer time wine. Although it can be off-dry in flavour not all rosé d’Anjou is, as...
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I was recently invited to a Sake and Spice dinner at Moti Mahal in Covent Garden. I was intrigued by the whole concept of sake with Indian cuisine because when I think of curry, sake does not immediately spring to mind. However, the dinner was a real eye opener. Below is the menu: ...
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Doesn’t that pool look inviting? And that view! I was staying at Chateau Haut-Gleon for a few days visiting and learning all about the wines of Vignobles Foncalieu. Vignobles Foncalieu is the oldest co-op in the Languedoc. The co-op was founded in 1967 and today is producing well priced and good quality wines. While I was...
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I received this lovely rosé not long ago from Château Léoube and as it’s definitely rosé weather, this one is a charmer. I’ve had this rosé in the past and it seems to be getting better every year. Château Léoube is located in Provence and they make a classic Provençal rose. The domain has a variety of soils and is...
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Waitrose has totally revamped their online wine service and I was invited to find out more about the Waitrose Cellar as well as taste some of the range recently. The event was held near King’s Cross at the London Canal Museum. The museum was a great setting as it was set next to Regent’s Canal and after a few...
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English Wine Week has begun and last night I was invited to the new pub, The Bull at the Hyde in the City to a dinner hosted by the Richard Balfour-Lynn, the owner of English vineyard, Hush Heath Estates. This was the first dinner for the pub’s new tasting club, The Cunning Plan Wine & Spirits Club. Richard first planted...
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“We are all consumers. Wine should be a pleasure and enjoyable…” That in a nutshell is the philosophy of Barone Francesco Ricasoli who was hosting a Brolio wine dinner recently at the Corinthia Hotel here in London. Francesco is the owner of Barone Ricasoli vineyards, set in the hills of Tuscany, and the 32nd...
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The avenue de Champagne in Epernay is a long and elegant stretch lined with some of the biggest and most famous Houses of Champagne, each behind an imposing gate behind which stand some of the most beautiful examples of 19th century architecture. There is one house that stands out due to its simplicity. Set behind a high wall and...
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Last week I was invited to lunch with one of the young up and coming winemakers of Champagne, Elise Losfelt of Moët & Chandon. Elise is relatively new to the Moët team and is originally from a family of Languedoc winemakers but ended up in Champagne. We met up with Elise at Heston’s Dinner in the Mandarin Oriental. It was...
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