“Riserva Ducale” means “Reserve of the Duke”, in honour of the the Duke of Aosta, who was understandably fond of the stuff. The first such Riserva was made in 1927, and was joined twenty years label by this “Riserva Ducale Oro” or “Gold label”. Both are cuvées, blended from grapes from the firm’s best vineyards, with the “Oro” only made in the better years. (more…)

The contrast was something of an exaggeration. In point of fact, the US does have a wine appellation system. The so-called American Viticultural Areas, or AVAs, are administered by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, part of the US Treasury Department. The chances are you have never heard of them, and there is no reason why you should, because like all such systems, the AVA classifications are of no use at all to drinkers of wine. (more…)

Is Talbot slain, the Frenchmen’s only scourge,
Your kingdom’s terror and black Nemesis?
O, were mine eyeballs into bullets turn’d,
That I in rage might shoot them at your faces!

Shakespeare, Henry VI Part 1

Once upon a time a sizeable chunk of France lay in English hands, and it was the task of John Talbot, First Earl of Shrewsbury, to keep it that way. The old boy was good at his job. He won more than forty battles and in the process killed many revolting Frenchmen. (more…)

I remember Carlsberg beer used to be advertised in Britain as “probably the best lager in the world”. That “probably” must have taken up an entire creative conference. “For Christ’s sake, why are we using the modifier?” some ad man must have said. “Let’s just call it the best.” “Oh no,” someone else would have countered. “This is the UK. Everyone hates show-offs. By saying ‘probably’ we’ll sound modest and reasonable, while really, we’ll still be calling it the best.” (more…)

Many years ago some friends and I explored the Italian South Tyrol. I do not believe there is such a place as Paradise, but if there were, it would not look very different from what we found: Alpine mountains, fairytale castles, exquisite villages, a region whose highest altitudes remain snowy all year round, yet whose valleys are so warm that palm trees thrive in them.

Best of all, this is a land of wine. Its valleys and hillsides bristle with vines; its summer air tingles with the odour of grape. They say Gewürztraminer originated here, in the village of Tramin. This is also the only place I know that makes a really good Müller-Thurgau, Tiefenbrunner’s remarkable Feldmarschall. Better yet, this region makes the finest Pinot Noir in the Italian peninsula. (more…)

Every aspect of the story was hilarious. The organizer, an Englishman called Steven Spurrier, did his best to stack the contest in favour of France. Mr Spurrier owned a wine school in Paris, and had no desire to upset the people he did business with each day. So he chose the most distinguished white Burgundies (Clos des Mouches, Meursault Charmes Roulot, Bâtard-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet) and the most celebrated red Bordeaux (Mouton Rothschild, Haut-Brion, Léoville-Las-Cases), convinced that the judges would recognise them effortlessly. And to be sure, the judges had no doubt about what they were drinking. “Definitely California. It has no nose,” one declared, as he sniffed the Bâtard-Montrachet. “Ah, back to France,” said another, while sipping a Californian Chardonnay. (more…)

Whatever the miraculous wine was like, one can only hope it did not resemble the other stuff that has been sloshing out of the Holy Land for the last few thousand years. Most of the so-called sacramental wines are sweet, syrupy reds fit only for comparison with Coca-Cola. Had any of these been served at my wedding, I would have been grateful to see them turned back into water.  (more…)

During its first hundred years of existence, Penfolds concentrated on fortified wines and brandies. All that changed after the firm’s chief winemaker, Max Schubert, visited Europe in the late 1940s. Schubert was taken up by the Bordeaux winemaker Christian Cruse, who taught him the craft of making first-class wine. The young pupil became obsessed by the idea of making an Australian wine to rival the French classics.   (more…)

The first school contains some Oregon houses, one or two in California, and many more in New Zealand. The second covers just about everyone else, including the Argyle winery of Dundee, Oregon. (more…)

“The waiter came over and said ‘too much wine’ in a loud voice. So we stuck to one bottle for the entire meal.”

If you have ever wondered why British food and British restaurants are so awful, this story tells you all you need to know. (more…)