Wine
These bottles will sing alongside Radio 1’s Big Weekend
This summer’s virtual music festivals mean you won’t have to make do with warm rosé from the bar or that dodgy carton of sangria you smuggled inside your rucksack, writes Peter Ranscombe. IT WAS the music festival that never was – Dundee’s Camperdown Park was due to host BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend this Friday…
Read MoreVisit vineyards without leaving lockdown
Getting itchy to take part in some wine tourism? Peter Ranscombe picks online wine excursions to give you a vinous kick while you #stayathome. ROAMING the globe to meet winemakers and visit their vineyards is a privilege and a blessing that I never take for granted – and no more so than during the current…
Read MoreCovid convenience: wines to pick at your corner shop
We’ve got Spar… and Co-op and Scotmid and… if you’re getting your lockdown supplies from a convenience store then Peter Ranscombe has some wine recommendations. ONE of the enduring images of the coronavirus lockdown will be shoppers queuing patiently outside supermarkets, with a line of mask-clad consumers snaking around the car park. Yet, for many…
Read MorePosh prosecco: The drier side of Italy’s all-conquering fizz
Peter Ranscombe explores the “Prosecco hills” – online – as he gets to grips with the quality end of Italy’s ubiquitous bubbles. THE numbers surrounding the success of prosecco are mind-boggling; Britons guzzle more than 110 million bottles of Italy’s flagship fizz each year, with the drink accounting for more than 60% of UK sparkling…
Read MoreWhy a wall broke down barriers at Chateau de Pommard
American entrepreneur Michael Baum has married traditional organic and biodynamic farming with modern marketing, writes Peter Ranscombe. RISING gently above Burgundy in a hot air balloon, the famous French wine region’s patchwork of vineyards soon sailed into view. It’s hard to get a proper feel for the landscape of the Côte de Beaune area from…
Read MoreGoing green in the Bordeaux Hot 50
France’s most famous wine region has turned its ‘Everyday Bordeaux’ listing into a ‘Hot 50’. Peter Ranscombe follows his visit to the area in March with a look at the ‘green’ wines on the new list. SOMETIMES it’s hard to know where to begin with Bordeaux. It may be famous for its five “first growth”…
Read MoreBank holiday rosé: Provence and beyond
He may not suit a pink shirt, but Peter Ranscombe has some rosé wine suggestions to brighten the weekend. IT’LL be a bank holiday like no other – no lazy picnics in the park, no boozy brunches with friends, and definitely no making a break for that secluded hideaway in the country. It was already…
Read MoreAlbarino: how will lockdown affect the way wine is made?
Two very different vintages and two very different tastings demonstrate how the weather still plays a crucial role in winemaking, writes Peter Ranscombe. WHAT a difference a year makes; nearly 12 months ago, I was sitting in a London tapas bar – remember when we could go out for tapas? – listening to Paula Fandino,…
Read MoreA sneak peek at Majestic Wine’s new range
One of Scotland’s favourite wine retailers has some exciting bottles arriving in its warehouses, as Peter Ranscombe reports. MAJESTIC Wine has had a bit of a rollercoaster ride in recent months – and that’s even without the lockdown. Back in 2015, Majestic bought Naked Wines, an online retailer founded by Rowan Gormley, who became the…
Read MoreArmchair exploring: Supporting South African wines
As South Africa lifts its ban on wine exports – again – Peter Ranscombe picks bottles to kick-start some armchair exploring. FEW countries have had such an intense rollercoaster ride through the lockdown as South Africa. First wine exports were banned. Then they were allowed again. Then they were banned again. Last week’s news that exports…
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