Stories

Champagne is the world’s most famous sparkling wine, with Italy’s Prosecco hot on its heels. But France isn’t just about well known designer labels, designed for the well-heeled. There are plenty of a...

Chateau Rives Blanques 'Le Limoux' 2012 £12.50  £11.00 A blend of Mauzac, Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay. Complex and very winey on the nose, with notes of Calvados, apple pie, cloves and herbs, and wit...

The recipe: I looked at recipes from Larousse Gastronomique, James Martin, Delia Smith and Anthony Bourdain for this recipe – all classics in their own right. The addition of the carrots came from Bou...

Solving one of the most frequently asked questions, here’s my guide to some simple suggestions for choosing the right style of wine, for whatever you’re cooking. There’s a great deal of nonsense talke...

Sauvignon de Touraine, Domaine de Pierre 2014 £10.75   £9.46  Beautifully fresh, complex aromas of spring flowers, fresh mint, capsicum and pea pod. Rounded texture, kept fresh with vibrant acidity....

Last Friday I invited my carnivorous twitter-loving friend @baconchop around for dinner. His steak eating prowess is legendary, beating fellow tweeter and award winning food blogger @hollowlegs in a s...

For those familiar with the French Autoroute A7, which leads to the South of France, as it runs like a major artery down the East of the country, there is a defining moment, as you crest the hill near...

Cheese and wine is not just for after a meal or for a cold winter’s night. As most cheese is better matched with white wines it makes sense to make a meal of it and create a summer cheese board that c...

Domaine de la Janasse, Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2013 £11.75    £10.34 Another producer with a talent for making great wines at different prices is the never-less-than-superb Domaine de la Janasse. The br...

The dish: I was told that Trimbach’s Riesling would be a great match with curry as it’s renowned for being a perfect partner with kedgeree. I thought I’d try it with a Nonya curry recipe, a style of c...

When is a wine corked or faulty? In fact, what does a ‘faulty’ wine mean? And what should you do about it? Most people are reluctant to complain about a wine they don’t like. Many others wonder why th...

Alsace is a picturesque region of France which has its own unique personality. Separated from Germany by the Rhine, and from France by the Vosges mountains, Alsace takes in cultural influences from bo...