James Wine & Spirits
What was Berkmann’s best seller this summer?
With wine merchant Berkmann’s ‘Help 4 Hospitality’ campaign finishing, Peter Ranscombe looks back at its best sellers. WHEN the lockdowns were imposed around the UK, wine suppliers like Berkmann were faced with the closure of the restaurants, pubs and other hospitality venues to which they normally sold their bottles. The company responded within two weeks…
Read MoreHow Scotch helped Belvedere enhance vodka’s flavour
Vodka brand Belvedere took a leaf from whisky’s book to create its latest drink. Peter Ranscombe finds out why. VODKA is – if I’m feeling generous – a blank canvas on which bartenders can paint exciting pictures through cocktails. At its best, it’s neutral and unobtrusive; at its worst, it’s just plain boring. You can…
Read MoreWINE TO DINE – OCTOBER 2020 – AL FRESCO
Scottish Field wine columnist Peter Ranscombe picks five luxurious wines for al fresco dining. IT WAS really exciting to see al fresco dining returning as the theme for the food feature in the luxury issue of Scottish Field. As we’ve explored before, outdoor dining requires wines with plenty of character and flavour. And, with this…
Read MoreWine and dessert matching with SprEHd and Vino
Having indulged in SprEHd’s cheese and charcuterie grazing box, Peter Ranscombe turns his attention to its sweet incarnation. PERHAPS the only drawback of the current format for the food feature in the printed Scottish Field magazine is that chefs are recommending fewer recipes for desserts. While it’s exciting to have a different “star ingredient” each…
Read MoreBenriach relaunch: Rachel Barrie makes her mark
Peter Ranscombe tastes his way through Benriach distillery’s new range, which was launched online today. I’LL always have a soft spot for Benriach. It was one of the first whiskies that I got to know when I was cutting my teeth as a reporter at The Scotsman newspaper. I remember meeting its then owner, Billy…
Read MoreWhy Local Selects’ gift boxes are here to stay
Peter Ranscombe reviews some of the amazing Scottish drinks featured in Local Selects’ gift boxes. ONE of the few positive results of lockdown has been the inspiring and innovative ways in which many Scottish drinks businesses dealt with the closure of bars, pubs, and other on-trade venues. The Start-up Drinks Lab in Port Glasgow is…
Read MoreFive of the best from M&S’s new ‘Classics’ range
Wines from Europe feature in the first wave of arrivals in Markies’ new ‘Classics’ selection, as Peter Ranscombe finds out. FOLLOWING the launch of its “This Is…” £5 range, Marks & Spencer is continuing the revamp of its wine selection with the introduction of its “Classics” series. Starting at £7 a bottle, the “Classics” mark…
Read MoreWhat does a covid compliant wine list look like?
As hospitality venues continue to reopen, Peter Ranscombe visits Hotel du Vin in St Andrews to run the rule over its pared-back wine list. I’LL always have a soft spot for St Andrews – it’s where I studied physics, where I met some special people, and where I developed an obsession with Janetta’s ice cream.…
Read MoreMaking organic wine in style
NEVER judge a book by its cover – nor a wine by its label. Fortunately, the liquid inside brothers Paride and Jacapo d’Angelo’s bottles lives up to the promise of its packaging. The siblings have been making wine in Italy’s Abruzzo region for the past seven years, having learned about wine at the feet of…
Read MoreA first look at Spar’s latest wines
Continuing his covid convenience retailer romp, Peter Ranscombe runs the rule over Spar’s latest bottles. AS WE explored earlier during lockdown, staying local to do the weekly food shop is nothing new for many of us in Scotland. In most rural areas, our choice of grocery store won’t be the “big four” supermarket chains or…
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