What should you look out for in Pinot Gris? | Common tasting characteristics of Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio
Pinot Gris is a true chameleon: it can produce light and fashionable wine in northern Italy (where it is known as Pinot Grigio) and smoky, voluptuous whites in French vineyards. The differences lie in terroir, …
What to look for when buying Sémillon | A buyer’s guide to a white grape variety
For centuries, winemakers have blended Sémillon with Sauvignon Blanc to produce exceptional dry (and sweet) Bordeaux Blanc. In Graves and Pessac-Leognan, the grape yields rich, full-bodied and complex whites, renowned for their honeysuckle bouquet. In …
A guide to buying Viognier | What should you know about choosing grape varieties?
Indigenous to the vineyards of Condrieu in southern France, Viognier is a wonderfully diverse variety, producing wines that range from fruity and aromatic to voluptuous, barrel-aged beauties. Today, high-quality Viognier is made in the Rhône …
A guide to buying Chenin Blanc | What should you consider when choosing a white wine?
The wonderful white grape of the middle Loire has been sorely underrated. Historically, winegrowers in California and South Africa exploited the grape to produce generous volumes of bulk wine, and so Chenin’s reputation was tarnished. …
How do you choose a Sauvignon Blanc? | A guide to buying white wine
Sauvignon Blanc is a vastly diverse grape variety, open to various interpretations depending on the climate, terroir, and winemaking . Its ancestral home is the Bordeaux region, where Sauvignon Blanc yields piercingly aromatic, fruity whites …
A guide to buying white wine | What should you know about Chardonnay?
Widely cultivated in France, Chardonnay has long been synonymous with complex white wine capable of ageing into subtle splendour. Originating in Burgundy, this Gallic celebrity is now ubiquitous worldwide, partly because it is relatively easy …
Nothing makes the future look so rosy as to contemplate it through a glass of Chambertin.
Napoleon Bonaparte