Grape&Grain
REVIEW: Cask 88 Sir Walter Scott 250th anniversary whiskies
Peter Ranscombe gets an exclusive preview of whisky bottler Cask 88’s tribute to Sir Walter Scott. THERE’S something so evocative about tasting whisky outdoors. When it comes to wine tasting, many vineyards will serve visitors samples out among the vines. Whisky distilleries, less so. Standing on the terrace outside Abbotsford House near Melrose, I could…
Read MoreGlen Moray whiskies paired with Coco chocolates
Glen Moray whiskies’ rich texture allows them to pair perfectly with Coco’s chocolates, writes Peter Ranscombe. LET me start with a confession – I’ve been crushing on Glen Moray whiskies all spring. I was given two samples back in January, and one of them has fast become my house whisky. There’s something visceral about the…
Read MoreWine to Dine – June 2022 – Buck & Birch
Wine columnist Peter Ranscombe forages for five favourites to back-up the Buck & Birch recipes in the June issue of Scottish Field magazine. IT’S a tale of two malbecs this month. Argentina’s all-conquering red is a favourite with steak, yet the best examples are versatile and a good match for many game dishes too. The…
Read MoreJascots: Serving restaurant-quality wine at home
Jascots at Home is a wine club delivering bottles to the doorstep that are usually only found in restaurants, as Peter Ranscombe discovers. FLITTING from wine tasting to wine tasting, there are names that come up again and again. Names of the mainstream wine merchants, names that will be familiar to professionals and consumers alike,…
Read MoreBellfield Brewery: Keeping ‘Vigil’ on Edinburgh’s beer
Bellfield Brewery took a ‘deep dive’ into gluten-free beers, but is now moving them from a niche into the mainstream, writes Peter Ranscombe. WHILE the rest of the nation sat transfixed by BBC One submarine drama Vigil last autumn, Bellfield Brewery in Edinburgh was preparing to take delivery of its very own stainless-steel tubes. “They…
Read MoreMade From Grapes: It’s time to subscribe to sustainability
Made From Grapes, the wine shop in Glasgow, has launched a monthly subscription service with some very special bottles, writes Peter Ranscombe. THERE’S a phrase on one of the bottles from Made For Grapes that really caught my eye: “Grapes from healthy vineyards – cultivated by real farmers”. It’s a mantra that could apply equally…
Read MoreWine to Dine – May 2022 – Ruaridh Emslie
Wine columnist Peter Ranscombe goes wild pairing wines to recipes by Ruaridh Emslie. RIESLING is such an exciting yet under-rated grape variety. It’s the darling of the wine trade – ask any wine merchant about their favourite white wines and riesling is bound to be near the top of the list. Yet vague memories of…
Read MoreWine to Dine – April 2022 – Bad Girl Bakery
Good egg Peter Ranscombe pairs five wines with recipes from Bad Girl Bakery. CHECK out the recipes from Bad Girl Bakery in the printed or digital versions of Scottish Field’s magazine food feature and then grab your apron. Once those sweet treats are cooling on their racks, it’s time to think about the accompanying wines.…
Read MoreWine to Dine – March 2022 – Gordon Ramsay
Wine columnist Peter Ranscombe tries not to swear as he pairs five wines with Gordon Ramsay’s recipes… THERE’S a distinctive Scottish flavour to Gordon Ramsay’s dishes in March’s food feature in the printed and digital versions of Scottish Field magazine. From beef and mushrooms to salmon and scallops, these recipes are full of ingredients that…
Read MoreVeganuary: Spar’s own-label wines turn vegan
As ‘Veganuary’ continues, Peter Ranscombe recommends wines from Spar’s own-label range, which has turned vegan. WHY isn’t all wine vegan? It’s a good question, and one I get asked a lot at wine tastings. Don’t worry – winemakers aren’t sneaking slithers of steak into their vats or grating gorgonzola into their barrels. The main culprits…
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