James Wine & Spirits
Georgia 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 MoreNever dismiss the land between the rivers
In the second of three articles about Bordeaux, Peter Ranscombe praises a selection of organic white wines from one of its overlooked areas. OPEN a wine textbook at the page marked “Entre-Deux-Mers” and chances are the words will relay the story that the region between Bordeaux’s Garonne and Dordogne rivers is flat and dull and…
Read MoreIt’s Bordeaux, but like you’ve never seen it before
Before the lockdown, Peter Ranscombe travelled to Bordeaux to visit winemakers who are caring for the environment as well as their vines. JEAN-BAPTISTE Cordonnier knew he was doing something right when the baby grass snakes started coming back into his kitchen. His father, Pierre, had farmed the family’s vineyards near Moulis in Bordeaux organically “without…
Read MoreSmall Beer could make a big difference during lockdown
Looking for a lighter lockdown libation? Peter Ranscombe may just have found the solution, courtesy of Small Beer. IT’S the holy grail for craft brewers – making a beer that’s packed full of flavour but without blowing the drinker’s head off. Brewing a strong beer that’s flavoursome is relatively simple, which is why many pints…
Read MoreSix of the best from the new Wine Line Glasgow website
Making the Covid-19 switch from wholesale into retail gives consumers access to Alexander Wines’ exciting selection, says Peter Ranscombe. AS A business journalist as well as a wine writer, one of the most encouraging sights during the coronavirus lockdown has come from the drinks companies that have adapted to the changing landscape. Diana Thompson at…
Read MoreHow one wine firm helps hospitality heroes in the lockdown
Peter Ranscombe reviews six bottles from Berkmann, a wine wholesaler that’s donating cash to help the hospitality trade. THEY’RE the unsung heroes who make our nights out really special – the waitresses, the waiters, the barmen, the barwomen, and all the other members of the hospitality trade. They were also some of the first casualties…
Read MoreLockdown lamb: Five online ideas for wine pairings
As Holy Week continues, Peter Ranscombe picks five bottles to go with your Easter feast. IF YOU’VE managed to find yourself some lockdown lamb to celebrate Easter on Sunday then wine merchants from across Scotland and further afield are on hand with some perfect pairings. My go-to matches for lamb tend to centre around the…
Read More