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Why grenache is so much more than ‘poor man’s pinot’
Ahead of tomorrow’s World Grenache Day, Peter Ranscombe praises the grape’s revival in Australia’s McLaren Vale – and beyond. SOMETIMES wine feels like a popularity contest, with bottles like prosecco, pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc elbowing each other out the way to catch the drinker’s eye. For ugly duckings, it’s harder to be seen –…
Read MoreWhy The Wine Society is ‘backing its best’
Peter Ranscombe finds out how The Wine Society, a long-running club owned by its members, is supporting small producers hit by the pandemic lockdowns. FEW businesses have been left untouched by the coronavirus pandemic – and winemakers are no exception. On top of the disruption caused to the harvest in the southern hemisphere, the closure…
Read MoreFizz Feast organiser unveils ‘Fizz Friday’ online tastings
THE annual Fizz Feast wine and food festival may not be taking place in Edinburgh this autumn but organiser Diana Thompson has created an online “bonanza of bubbles” to take its place. Thompson, who runs Wine Events Scotland, has organised five “Fizz Friday” tastings on video conferencing platform Zoom. They begin on 30 October and…
Read MoreBenriach relaunch: Rachel Barrie makes her mark
Peter Ranscombe tastes his way through Benriach distillery’s new range, which was launched online today. I’LL always have a soft spot for Benriach. It was one of the first whiskies that I got to know when I was cutting my teeth as a reporter at The Scotsman newspaper. I remember meeting its then owner, Billy…
Read MoreA Week in Whisky: Going, going, gone
THE Isle of Raasay Distillery has sold all its maiden single malt ahead of its release in November. Raasay, which lies off the coast of Skye, has sold 4,350 bottles through the internet, with the remainder of its 7,500-bottle run bought by retailers, restaurants and bars. The whisky is made with Scottish barley and is…
Read MoreWhat does a covid compliant wine list look like?
As hospitality venues continue to reopen, Peter Ranscombe visits Hotel du Vin in St Andrews to run the rule over its pared-back wine list. I’LL always have a soft spot for St Andrews – it’s where I studied physics, where I met some special people, and where I developed an obsession with Janetta’s ice cream.…
Read MoreA week in whisky: ‘I’ll have a pea, please, Bob’
THOSE enterprising souls at whisky distiller Arbikie have followed-up their carbon-negative Nàdar gin with its vodka twin. Both Nàdar spirits absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than is emitted over the course of the production process. The alcohol inside them is made by distilling peas instead of wheat. Master distiller Kirsty Black developed the…
Read MoreTrying Lebanon wine ahead of Friday’s charity auction
Peter Ranscombe reviews wines from Domaine des Tourelles ahead of a fundraising auction this weekend for rebuilding Lebanon. WINE connects people – whether it’s through work or through pleasure, it has an almost magical way of linking lives. When times are tough, people in the wine industry pull together, like when wildfires devastated parts of…
Read MoreA week in whisky: Islay, islands and Ireland
Scottish Field drinks blogger Peter Ranscombe takes a look at what’s been happening in the world of whisky over the past seven days… CLYDESIDE distillery in Glasgow will host Scottish band Skerryvore’s first live performance in six months on 5 September. Fans will be able to “pay what you want” for the performance, which will be broadcast…
Read MoreRound the world in 10 bank holiday rosés
With a bank holiday weekend dawning and – whisper it – decent weather forecast for Friday, Peter Ranscombe takes a whistle-stop world tour of rosé wine. FOLLOWING on from our last look at pink wines back in May, it feels like the right time to put on some rosé-tinted specs ahead of the early August bank…
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