A guide to buying Sangiovese | How do you choose a red wine?
The dominant grape of Italian viticulture, Sangiovese is the country’s most-planted red grape variety. Found in central Italian regions, such as Tuscany, Sangiovese is one of Italy’s most elegant and structured reds, which are savoury, …
A guide to buying Cinsault wine | What should you consider.
A staple of southern France, Cinsault is a red wine grape that has been described as a ‘workhorse’ grape; meaning they are incredibly popular and are the “go-to wine” for many drinkers. Cinsault (or Cinsaut) …
How to choose the right Gamay wine | Guide to red wine
Gamay is strongly associated with the Beaujolais region in eastern France, 50km north of Lyon, but the grape was native to the Burgundy region. These wines have been around for centuries and are known for …
A guide to buying Cabernet Franc wine | How to choose a red wine
Known as a blending partner with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc plays a vital role in the Loire Valley and Bordeaux wine regions. The red grape variety is used to make silky and elegant …
Your guide to red grapes | Buying Merlot
Merlot scarcely requires a lengthy introduction. The grape is planted in every corner of the earth, ranging from the snow-capped mountains of Chile to the limestone hills of St-Emilion, Bordeaux. It is also a variety …
How to choose the right Syrah | Your red wine guide
The noble red grape of the Northern Rhône is famous worldwide. And for good reason: Syrah yields elegant and powerfully structured wines of remarkable longevity. It reaches an apogee in the village of Hermitage, while …
How to choose Grenache wine | Your guide to red grape varieties
Although Grenache is widely cultivated around the Mediterranean – the most-planted variety of the southern Rhône Valley – the Grenache grape was often referred to in the 20th century as a ‘workhorse’, used to add …
How to choose the best Malbec | Your guide to red wine
Malbec is a leading contender for the world’s most popular red grape variety. Few can resist its charms: Argentinian Malbec is a gloriously concentrated, voluptuous wine, ripe and full-bodied. Heavily planted in the Mendoza region, …
Your guide to red grapes | How to choose the right Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most planted grape variety in the world and is a major celebrity in Bordeaux. However, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape is also incredibly well-travelled, planted in locations as diverse as Chile, Australia …
Your red wine guide | Choose the best Pinot Noir
The great red grape of Burgundy can produce utterly thrilling wine: silky, fragrant and gloriously complex. The name may have come from the French word for pinecone (pinot) to describe the shape of the grape’s …
Nothing makes the future look so rosy as to contemplate it through a glass of Chambertin.
Napoleon Bonaparte