Cellar Stories
The Story of the Paris Judgement Wine
The world of competitive winemaking is widely considered one of mutual respect, defined by calm – dare we say quaint – rivalry. Naturally, however, wherever a contest is involved, it's somewhat inevitable that a measure of controversy will follow. A fine example is the story of the Judgment of Paris, which inspired the film Bottle Shock. To set the scene, cast your mind back to 1976. Steven Spurrier and Patricia Gastaud-Gallagher, two of the three founders of the first private academy in France dedicated to studying wine, L'Academie du Vin, created a blind taste test known as the Paris Wine...
Navigate the minefield of terminology
Few conversations strike as much fear as discussing wine. A drink that many consume nightly can still induce panic when someone at the table asks whether you think the wine is a little muted for this vintage. You have heard the terms before, but what do they really mean? Don’t worry we have you covered. Here are 10 typical wine terms and their meanings:1) OrganicDespite much misconception surrounding this little word, it simply refers to the farming that takes place in the vineyard and is classified as farming without the use of any synthetic chemicals.2) BiodynamicAlmost like the next step...
Bordeaux, the region unearthed
Bordeaux is undoubtedly one of the best known and celebrated wine regions in the world, with the top wines fetching astronomically high prices in today’s market. The devoted torch is passed from generation to generation of wine drinker and each new year brings much excitement and discussion as to whether it is going to be the next great vintage. The region has become pillared by its annual vintage reports and first growth Châteaux, but behind these lie a nuanced and often forgotten history whereby Bordeaux was not always king and indeed, Bordeaux as we know it did not even exist....
ABC - Anything But Chardonnay
ABC. Just to clarify - we’re not going to reteach you the alphabet. But what we are going to do is attempt to unpick a topic that is at once deeply ingrained in our wine drinking culture and yet, at the same time, appears totally misunderstood. Perhaps the best place for us to start is at the beginning; what is Chardonnay? This myth-like creature is a white grape that hails from Burgundy. It is medium-bodied, has good acidity and despite what the haters may want to argue, is really quite neutral in flavour. It doesn’t sing and pop with aromatic...
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