Wine Knowledge

The second post in our series about investing in wines focuses on some key considerations.   Part 1 listed five reasons why you might want to invest. We also recorded a 20-minute podcast on the subject of wine investment highlighting some 'dos and don'ts', which you can listen to here. 1. The wine market is […]

Five reasons for investing in wine. Fine wine prices have tended to perform well in periods of uncertainty and high interest rates - quickly shrugging off dips after both the financial crash in 2008 and the covid-19 stock market reverse in 2020. In July 2022, the Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 index (the industry benchmark for […]

One of the most pleasurable parts of my vocation is getting the chance to visit some of our winemakers in situ. Although sadly curtailed over the past couple of years, these visits are invaluable to gain first-hand knowledge, and provide an in-depth insight into the unique terroir, micro-climate and vinification techniques of individual vineyards. They […]

Grappling with Grape Varieties I am always surprised when people proclaim a passion for or an aversion to one particular grape variety. There can be so much bandwidth within a grape's different interpretations and incarnations that it seems odd to be able to declare a strong stance amidst such variety. And what of wines like […]

There aren't many appéllations in France that are epitomised by one family and their dedication to its advancement and the greater collective appreciation of its wines but the Clape family in Cornas (in the Northern Rhône) have set the bar high and remain at the forefront of its international renown.   It wasn't always thus. […]

Although international ‘lockdown' put paid to our travel plans and confined us to our homes it hasn't all been negative. We have had to innovate and acquire new skills in order to get on with getting on. Here are some of the innovations and pastimes that have got my family through the last few weeks. […]

As a keen oenophile and Francophile I have an enduring interest in the celebrated ‘Grands Vins’ of Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Rhône as well as less well-known wines from the Loire, Alsace and Provence but the region that is increasingly commanding my attention is the Languedoc. Specifically, the limestone outcrops of the Hérault, which lie […]

Sotheby’s 3-day auction in Hong Kong at the end of March smashed the record for a private owner collection, achieving sales of $30m. It got close to reaching the heights of last June’s auction in Geneva of the legendary Burgundian winemaker Henri Jayer’s cellar ($35m). The leading lot in Hong Kong was a 12-bottle case […]

As a wine lover, you've probably heard of La Grange des Pères, Mas Jullien, Domaine de Montcalmès or Mas de Daumas Gassac. They're all located in the north of the Languedoc in a micro-climate region known as the Terrasses du Larzac. Pioneering in Southern French fine wines for the past 20 years, they've rejuvenated a […]

My eldest son Alfred turned 20 this week and we marked the occasion and a visit home with a bottle of Gigondas 1998 from Domaine Saint Gayan. Fortunately, Alfred was born in great Rhône vintage and I was able to cellar quite a few wines for our mutual future enjoyment. The Gigondas cost £10.95 a […]