Grape&Grain
James Hocking: Spreading some Cali sunshine during lockdown
Wine merchant James Hocking is bringing a splash of Cali sunshine and Cali wine into self isolation, writes Peter Ranscombe. WINE drinkers may be pining for their favourite bars and restaurants, but the lockdown has brought one major benefit for oenophiles – wholesalers are selling some of their top-notch bottles directly to consumers. Alexander Wines’ new…
Read MoreThis is not just wine… this is a first look at M&S’s £5 range
Peter Ranscombe relives his youth as he dips into Marks & Spencer’s latest releases. DERVLA Kirwan has a lot to answer for. Whether it was putting the “kiss” into Balykissangel on BBC One or making the Noughties truly naughty with her sultry voiceovers for Marks & Spencer, the Irish actress’s dulcet tones enticed a generation.…
Read MoreMake mine a half: small bottles to avoid lockdown largess
Looking to lower your isolation libations? Peter Ranscombe picks half bottles to help. GOOD things come in small packages – or so the old adage goes. During the pandemic, those words of wisdom could well come into their own. Whether it’s to cope with home schooling or to relieve the boredom of furlough, it’s all…
Read MoreArmchair exploring: Returning to Romania with Cramele Recas
Restrictions on movement present an ideal opportunity for Peter Ranscombe to return to Romania’s native varieties and great-value wines. WHENEVER friends or acquaintances ask about the wine adventures on which I’ve been, one trip more than any other always piques their interest – Romania. So many people still have images of Anneka Rice’s 1990 visit…
Read MoreThe Eyre affair: Why there’s nothing plain about Jane’s wine
Peter Ranscombe joins specialist retailer Honest Grapes to see if a former Australian hairdresser’s French wines can ‘cut it’. EVERYONE has a story about an Australian traveller – whether it’s the backpacker who kipped on your couch for a month or that lost night drinking with the Bruces and the Sheilas who congregated at Walkabout…
Read MoreAn odyssey through Italy’s indigenous grapes – via Zoom
Falanghina, montepulciano and passerina all featured in the latest online tastings attended by drinks blogger Peter Ranscombe. FEW countries can boast as many varieties of grapes as Italy – the International Organisation of Vine & Wine (OIV), the keeper of the geekiest of all statistics, lists 454 varietals as being grown from the Alps down to…
Read MoreGeorgia on my mind: wines for lockdown armchair explorers
Being stuck at home is the perfect time to try wines from Georgia, writes Peter Ranscombe. REMEMBER the days when we could just hop on a plane and fly around the world? Or catch a bus or a train? Or just leave the house whenever we fancied? Lockdown has definitely given me time to reflect…
Read MoreTasting wines at home – from a merchant helping NHS heroes
Peter Ranscombe joins master of wine Rose Murray Brown for her latest online tasting, featuring bottles from De Burgh Wine Merchants. ONE of the most encouraging aspects of the coronavirus lockdown has been how bottle shops and wine educators have adapted to carry on serving their customers. Many independent wine merchants have switched from supplying…
Read MoreMalbec and beyond with Terrazas de los Andes
Argentina may be famous for its malbec but it’s not the only grape in town, writes Peter Ranscombe. BACK in 1991, when winemaker Hervé Birnie Scott stepped off a plane in Argentina for the first, he was dressed in a t-shirt and shorts – only to find it was -5c outside. Like many first-time visitors…
Read MoreA taste of the future in Bordeaux
Weird and wonderful newcomers could soon join familiar names like cabernet sauvignon and merlot on Bordeaux’s roster of grape varieties, writes Peter Ranscombe. I’VE tasted the future, and it tastes… different. Sitting on a stool in the Vignobles Ducourt tasting room – a cross between a school science lab and an Arthurian round table, watched…
Read More