Grape&Grain
Hat-trick of excellent reds from Sevslo Wine
Peter Ranscombe gets excited about three organic wines from France imported by Séverine Sloboda, the former sommelier at Glasgow’s The Gannet restaurant. THE closure of bars, restaurants and other hospitality venues has been one of the cruelest results of the coronavirus lockdown – with social distancing making it virtually impossible for many venues to reopen,…
Read MoreScottish rhubarb finds a new home in a soda
Peter Ranscombe samples a new soda made from that most Scottish of ingredients – rhubarb. WHETHER it comes in a tart, in a pie or in a crumble – and with custard or ice cream or cream – rhubarb has won a place in the hearts of many Scots. Our nation’s love affair with the…
Read MoreNine of the best from Barney’s Beer
Peter Ranscombe tastes through the range from Barney’s Beer, which is now being distributed UK-wide for the first time. ONE of the weirdest parts of lockdown for me was not attending this year’s Edinburgh Science Festival. I’ve covered the event for a nearly a decade for The Lancet’s specialist medical journals and even appeared on…
Read MoreOne Year No Beer: a lockdown lifeline
Looking to change your relationship with alcohol? Peter Ranscombe reports on a Scottish firm’s online programme. FOR so many of us who have been staying safe at home with no exposure to the coronavirus, it’s been a lockdown of memes. Memes about face coverings, memes about zoom quizzes, memes about TikTok challenges. One set of…
Read MoreArdbeg family’s blaaack sheep goes on trial tonight
Peter Ranscombe grabs his crook as he prepares to meet the black sheep of the Ardbeg Islay single malt family. TO SAY Ardbeg’s fans take their whisky seriously would be an understatement. Earlier this month, after I mentioned that I’d mixed Ardbeg into a daiquiri, one stalwart emailed to describe my actions as “unforgivable”. I…
Read MoreFinding the perfect plot for pinot in Chile
Peter Ranscombe ponders premium pinots from Chile during an online wine tasting with Viña Ventisquero’s Alejandro Galaz. ONE of the – very few – good points about lockdown for me has been rediscovering my passion for pinot noir. Although grenache may have turned my head, pinot will always be my first red wine love. Lockdown…
Read MoreArmchair exploring: a ‘virtual press trip’ to Lebanon
Lebanon’s two oldest wineries teamed up today to take journalists on a visit to the Bekaa Valley – without leaving lockdown. Peter Ranscombe stowed his tray table and ensured his seat was in the upright position for the online trip. FEW winemakers can match Faouzi Issa for sheer enthusiasm. Even as he stood on a…
Read MoreWhy I’m feeling good about Feel Good Grapes
A new online retailer run by award-winning blogger Mike Turner is demystifying sustainable bottles, writes Peter Ranscombe. THERE’S always an awkward moment when a friend asks me to taste the wines that their business stocks. But, when it comes to the bottles that Mike Turner has chosen for Feel Good Grapes, I needn’t have worried…
Read MoreFive of the best from Lidl’s latest wine tour
Head to Italy is Peter Ranscombe’s advice when it comes to the German supermarket’s latest summer special offer. IN THE big scheme of things, this definitely ranks as a #FirstWorldProblem – but the coronavirus lockdown has played havoc with wine writers’ routines. While many masterclasses with individual producers have shifted online, it’s much harder for…
Read MoreWINE TO DINE – JUNE 2020 – CHICKEN
Scottish Field wine columnist Peter Ranscombe thinks these five wines will fly with Neil Forbes’ chicken recipes. TUCKED away on North West Thistle Street Lane – now there’s a mouthful – in Edinburgh’s New Town, Neil Forbes’ Cafe St Honore has been the scene of many enjoyable journalists’ lunches for me – and one or…
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