Wine
Veganuary: Spar’s own-label wines turn vegan
As ‘Veganuary’ continues, Peter Ranscombe recommends wines from Spar’s own-label range, which has turned vegan. WHY isn’t all wine vegan? It’s a good question, and one I get asked a lot at wine tastings. Don’t worry – winemakers aren’t sneaking slithers of steak into their vats or grating gorgonzola into their barrels. The main culprits…
Read MoreWine to Dine – February 2022 – Ghillie Başan
Teuchter wine columnist Peter Ranscombe selects five wines to pair with dishes by Ghillie Başan from his homeland… EVERYONE enjoys a wee taste of home. As a Highlander, it was great fun to pick five bottles to pair with Ghillie Başan’s recipes in the February issue of the printed and digital Scottish Field magazine. All…
Read MoreAldi goes upmarket with its Christmas wines
Aldi has unveiled a range of premium wines for Christmas, with Peter Ranscombe getting a sneaky preview. WHENVER I mention the names “Aldi” and “Lidl”, readers’ ears immediately begin to twitch. I’ve learned over the past seven years that Scottish Field readers love a bargain, and they appear to be interested especially in the bottles…
Read MoreHow well does Rioja age?
Rioja is a wine that can be enjoyed in different ways at different stages of its evolution, writes Peter Ranscombe. ONE wine comes up in conversations with Scottish Field readers more often than perhaps any other – Rioja. Don’t get me wrong, readers still enjoy asking me questions about many of the other classics too,…
Read MoreChile: Where quality needn’t cost the earth
Chile once again demonstrates that it can produce high-quality wines at affordable prices, as Peter Ranscombe samples bottles from stablemates Santa Rita and Carmen. GAZE along the bottom shelf of most supermarket wine aisles and two countries’ bottles will jump out at you – Chile and South Africa. Both nations are renowned for producing cheap…
Read MoreBorja Perez: Putting Tenerife’s wines on the map
Winemaker Borja Perez demonstrates there’s more to Tenerife’s wines than forgetable holiday whites, writes Peter Ranscombe. ANYONE who dismisses palomino as a “boring” white grape needs to taste the wines made by Borja Perez. Famous for being the variety that’s turned into sherry in Spain’s Jerez region, palomino is known in the Canary Islands as…
Read MoreWine to Dine – September 2021 – Street Food
Street food produces some exciting drinks pairings from Scottish Field wine columnist Peter Ranscombe. INNOVATION is at the heart of the dishes produced by Scotland’s street-food vendors. They take familiar ingredients and weave their magic – often in a portacabin or a trailer – to produce dishes that make you go “wow”. Winemakers – and…
Read MoreRosé for the bank holiday
Rosé wine will brighten up your bank holiday, even if the weather doesn’t play ball, writes Peter Ranscombe. AFTER this week’s thunder storms brought an end to July’s glorious heatwave, who knows what the weather will do over the bank holiday weekend? Come rain or shine, rosé will still be the order of the day…
Read MoreLidl goes back to the future with French wine tour
Tomorrow’s Lidl wine tour promotion features French classics you may have forgotten, writes Peter Ranscombe. DON’T you just hate it when a tune gets stuck in your heid? I’ve been humming the theme to Back to the Future since getting a sneak peak at some of the wines in Lidl’s latest wine tour promotion, which…
Read MoreJean Leon: Drinking wine like Hollywood royalty
The legend of restaurateur and winery owner Jean Leon lives on under the watchful eye of the Torres family, writes Peter Ranscombe. SOMETIMES the very thing for which you’re looking is sitting right under your nose. Jean Leon emigrated from Spain to America with dreams of starring in Hollywood films. Yet he returned to his…
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