Posts by Peter Ranscombe
Meet the ‘most Burgundian’ of Bordeaux’s wines
An online tasting with Edinburgh restaurant Fhior reveals new ideas are meeting traditional methods in Bordeaux, writes Peter Ranscombe. IT’S the quiet ones you have to watch. When he’s serving you in Fhior, Stuart Skea is the epitome of discretion. He’ll slide quietly up to your table, whisper wise words of advice about the bottles…
Read MoreThe women who inspire the winemakers
To mark International Women’s Day, Peter Ranscombe asks three female winemakers about the women who supported and inspired them. The winemaker: Jen Walsh, La Crema, California The woman: Linda Bisson “I’ve been fortunate to have worked alongside many talented and inspiring women within the wine industry. Foremost would be Dr Linda Bisson, who was my…
Read MoreWine to Dine – April 2021 – Brodie Williams
Scottish Field wine columnist Peter Ranscombe hums Eddie Grant’s classic tune as he matches bottles to Brodie Williams’ brunch dishes. THE first time I got off the tube at Brixton and saw the sign for “Electric Avenue”, a wee lightbulb popped on inside my head. It hadn’t dawned on me that Eddie Grant’s 1983 reggae…
Read MoreWhy does Portuguese wine taste so different?
Peter Ranscombe hits the trail to find out what makes Portugal’s wine so special. IT WASN’T the grapes that first brought Peter Bright to Portugal – it was the surfing. Winemakers seem to have an affinity for the waves, no matter whether they’re from California or South Africa or Australia. Bright’s first visit to Portugal…
Read MoreChardonnay showdown: Australia v New Zealand
Peter Ranscombe had a ring-side seat for this afternoon’s virtual clash between two chardonnay giants. IN THE red corner: all the way from the southern hemisphere, the undefeated heavyweight champion of chardonnay, it’s Australia. And in the blue corner, from the other side of the Tasman Sea, the upstart challenger looking to land a knock-out…
Read MoreFind out what Oz Clarke picked as his ‘unexpected’ wines
Louis Latour let Oz Clarke loose in its cellars to select bottles for his ‘Tales of the unexpected’ tasting; Peter Ranscombe reports on the results. THERE’S something a wee bit weird about one wine reviewer writing about another wine reviewer’s choices – but, for Oz Clarke, I’m happy to make an exception. As a child…
Read MoreNOTEBOOK – FEBRUARY 2021
Scottish rum, oak-aged gin, and low-alcohol beer are among the latest treats to emerge from Scottish Field drinks blogger Peter Ranscombe‘s notebook. AFTER the Christmas rush of spirits reviews, January offers a bit of welcome relief. Catch your breath, refresh your palate, and give your liver a rest. That break makes February’s new releases all…
Read MoreWatch out Talisker – there’s a new kid in town on Skye
Peter Ranscombe takes a sneak peak at Torabhaig distillery’s maiden whisky ahead of its release tomorrow. WHEN it comes to whisky, some locations and some distilleries go together like a horse and carriage – or maybe like a cask and bung. Think Orkney, think Highland Park (sorry Scapa!). Think Campbeltown, think Springbank (sorry again Glen…
Read MoreWhy Yalumba’s cabernet will make you sit up and take notice
When cabernet sauvignon reaches full ripeness, there’s the chance to bottle the variety on its own, writes Peter Ranscombe. “CABERNET is a serious variety – whenver I think about it, I always hear my mother telling me to ‘Sit up straight and don’t slouch’,” laughed Louisa Rose, the chief winemaker at Australian producer Yalumba during…
Read MoreNew Zealand syrah: Gimblett Gravels and beyond
After exploring syrah from Gimblett Gravels, Peter Ranscombe casts his net wider to look at other parts of New Zealand. WINES fall into two categories. There are the crowd-pleasing styles that most fans will recognise – Prosecco from Italy, shiraz from Australia, sauvignon blanc from Marlborough. Then there are the niches, the bottles about which…
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