Blogs

Ski season is upon us, and it’s inspired us to dust off the ski gear and sip some mountain wines, but why are these wines so exceptional and what makes them unique? The cool air and fog at high-altitude vineyards give these wines a distinctive identity. Vineyards that are high altitude are sometimes built on terraces, steep slopes, or areas only accessible by foot. Making it nearly impossible to mechanise and mass produce, they tend to be handpicked and tended to, directly influencing the quality. High-altitude vineyards tend to have a high diurnal range, with evening temperatures plummeting and slowing...

I’ve tasted so many incredible bottles this year and had the pleasure of recommending so many great drops to you all. So, it’s time for my end-of-year round-up of all our favourite tipples of 2022. It was hard, and so many exceptional wines aren’t on the list, but I’ve narrowed it down to just ten bottles. There’s only one rule, they must be available in the shop, so in no particular order, here they are. 2019 Grandes Lignes Riesling, Leon Boesch An 11th generation family estate that started in 1640 at the heart of the Vosges Mountain Regional Natural Park....

After a recent trip to Burgundy, we’re back with fresh wines and the first look at the 2021 & 2022 vintages. We met with several of the best wine producers from the region, tasted their newly pressed 2022 vintages, and newly bottled 2021 wines, and explored their range further. The overall feedback from vignerons (winemakers/vine growers) in the region was that 2022 will produce ripe & rich wines in good quantities. The larger crop was unpredicted, so winemakers had to invest in new vessels, and the amount of new oak used dramatically increased. It will be interesting to see how...

Consecutively poor vintages in Champagne have resulted in smaller crops and ultimately a reduction in production. Amplified by other global factors, this has pushed Champagne prices to an eye-watering new high.  Now has never been a better time to look elsewhere for Champagne-style/method wines that represent better value for money. So have fun, explore why you try something new, and save a few quid!  We’ve put together a list of some of our favourite alternatives to Champagne that have been inspired by the region in some way and how to best enjoy them.  Here are my favourites:   2019, Methode...