Grape&Grain
Wine in a paper bottle – whatever next!
Drinks blogger James Robertson reviews Laithwaites’ Bacchus wine in a paper bottle. WINE retailer Laithwaites has recently launched the Redbrook Estate Bacchus 2021 in a wonderfully eye-catching paper bottle. As many drinks producers have found out this year, glass is at a premium but, for winemaker Neil Walker, the self-penned “chief troublemaker and wine revolutionist”,…
Read MoreX Muse: a vodka that tips its hat to Scotch whisky
In his final blog post for The Grape & The Grain, Peter Ranscombe visits Jupiter Artland near Edinburgh to try its new X Muse vodka. IT’S not every day that you taste a vodka inside a temple. But, then again, it’s not every day that you taste a vodka that’s made like X Muse. The…
Read MoreReview: Cockburns of Leith – new Edinburgh wine shop
In his debut post, Scottish Field’s new drinks blogger, James Robertson, visits the new Cockburns of Leith wine shop in Edinburgh. WITH wine consumers increasingly used to buying online following long periods of being cooped up at home during the pandemic, it is wonderful to see an independent wine shop opening its doors in the…
Read MoreWine to Dine – August 2022 – The Shetland Chef
Wine columnist Peter Ranscombe selects five seafood-sociable bottles to swim alongside the recipes from The Shetland Chef. WHAT always sitcks in my mind about dining on Shetland is the quality of its seafood. From crab and lobster to mussels and scallops, it was so exciting to see the range of dishes on offer. With his…
Read MorePeter Crawford: From Champagne to cider
Having made his name in Champagne, Peter Crawford is now pumping some of his abundant energy into cider, writes Peter Ranscombe. FEW Champagne enthusiasts can match Peter Crawford’s energy. The Palmerston restaurant and shop in Edinburgh is buzzing with lunchtime chatter when we meet, but it’s still his laughter and baritone that fill the wood-panelled…
Read MoreChâteau de Pommard: Exciting times ahead
A new winemaker has arrived at Château de Pommard in Burgundy, writes Peter Ranscombe. FEW things ever stand still at Château de Pommard. The estate in Burgundy is not only busy building a five-star hotel, restaurant, spa, and wine school – but also new red and white wineries. While progress has been slowed by the…
Read MoreWine to Dine – July 2022 – Cafe Cuil
Peter Ranscombe picks five bottles to pair with recipes from Cafe Cuil on Skye. EATING on Skye is always a pleasure, whether it’s dinner and a snooze at The Three Chimneys or those amazing Skye Pies at Glenview. That’s why I was excited to see the recipes from Cafe Cuil in this month’s printed and…
Read MoreBank holiday rosé: Pink toasts for the Queen
Looking for bank holiday rosé wines? Drinks blogger Peter Ranscombe has you covered. AS THE nation prepares to raise a toast to Her Majesty during the platinum jubilee, it’s time for our regular review of rosés. Who knows what the weather will do over the long weekend? But rosé isn’t just for glorious bank holiday…
Read MoreLeith’s own Champagne, port, and sherry
Forget gin and whisky for a moment – it’s Port of Leith’s Champagne, port, and sherry that are the real stars, writes Peter Ranscombe. THERE’S a lot going in Leith. Not only is Port of Leith Distillery’s vertical whisky factory taking shape next to Ocean Terminal and the Royal Yacht Britannia, but the company’s sister…
Read MoreAnima: Taking beer and food matching to the next level
Peter Ranscombe reviews craft beers made by Anima in Italy’s Piemonte wine region. THINK Piemonte, think wine. From powerful reds like Barolo and Barbaresco made from nebbiolo grapes through to elegant whites like Gavi and Roero and the gentle spritz of moscato d’Asti, Piedmont has a world-class reputation for its wines. But how about its…
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