Back in April we set a fiendish quiz based on the Tour de France bike race mixed with a bit of local wine knowledge - we had a first prize of a rather nice cycling jersey, thanks to our friends over at Rapha, and we offered two runners up prizes of a bottle of Yapp […]

Our last day in the Rhône valley and feeling a little road weary, but we’ve saved the best till last. Appointments at Clape, Graillot and Chave proved to be as exciting as we had anticipated. A multiple cask sampling chez Clape is always an enjoyable experience, but not for the faint-hearted. The 2010 vintage in […]

Back in March we finally fulfilled a long-held ambition, to order a portion of Quenelle de Brochet au Salpicon de Homard, at Condrieu’s legendary Beau Rivage restaurant, right beside the Rhône in the middle of the town. This is not a venture for the faint-hearted (at 38 euros as a starter) especially if it is […]

Anyone who has enjoyed listening to Radio 4's Desert Island discs has probably amused themselves by selecting their own favourite records in anticipation of a call from the BBC. As the winter nights stretch monotonously ahead I sometimes amuse myself by compiling my fantasy wine list for an evening of consummate decadence. Instead of Shakespeare […]