Posts Tagged ‘France’
Rhone Part 1: Syrah’s spiritual home
The Crozes-Hermitage area of the Northern Rhone produces only a single red grape variety, but Peter Ranscombe finds out just how varied its Syrah can be. “Syrah loves a view” – or so French winemaker Jean-Louis Chave once said. In the Crozes-Hermitage region in France’s Rhone valley, those grapes are spoiled for choice when it…
Read MoreRhone Part 2: Finding whites in the land of reds
Syrah may be the king of Crozes-Hermitage, but the Northern Rhone’s largest appellation is also home to some stunning whites, as Peter Ranscombe discovers. Word association can be a dangerous sport in the world of wine. Mention the name “Crozes-Hermitage” and most wine fans will immediately think of deliciously rich and ripe reds made from…
Read MoreJamie McCulloch: Scottish passion with Swiss precision
Peter Ranscombe meets Scottish winemaker Jamie McCulloch, whose handcrafted wines from Switzerland are finding fans on Edinburgh’s food scene. IT’S always fascinating to meet Scottish winemakers. It’s possible to count the number of vineyards in our nation on one hand and so it’s interesting to explore the reasons why fellow Scots turn to making wine.…
Read MoreSearching for regionality in English sparkling wine
To mark the start of English wine week tomorrow, Peter Ranscombe ponders whether it’s possible to spot regional identity in the country’s sparkling wines ASK a connoisseur of Champagne about their favourite bottles and more likely than not they’ll start waxing lyrical about the different areas that make up the famous French sparkling wine region.…
Read MoreOrganic, biodynamic and natural wines
PETER RANSCOMBE WINEMAKERS have many motivations for tending their vineyards using organic methods; some want to improve their soil, some want to enliven the taste of their wines and some want to protect the land that’s been home to their family for generations. Vincent Rochette has another reason for farming organically – the health of his…
Read MoreFirst vines planted at Taittinger’s Domaine Evremond in Kent
PETER RANSCOMBE “WE HAVE even arranged for bubbles to fall from the sky,” laughed Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, president of the eponymous Champagne house, as he prepared to plant the first vines at Domaine Evremond, the French producer’s vineyard at Chilham, in Kent. His joke drew nervous giggles from the crowd of journalists, drinks industry veterans and…
Read MoreFranciacorta – fizz with food
PETER RANSCOMBE IF YOU stop to think for a moment, sparkling wine is an amazing product. No other drink has such a strong connection with celebrations, whether it’s a bottle of Champagne to toast a newly-married couple or getting the keys to your first house, or just a glass of Cava or Prosecco to congratulate…
Read MoreIt’s all about the base
PETER RANSCOMBE WHEN it comes to Champagne, it’s all about the base – the base wines that go into creating France’s signature fizz. Each Champagne house or producer will normally create a non-vintage blend, mixing wines from different vintages or years to create a house style that can be reproduced bottle after bottle. In exceptional…
Read MoreUnfamiliar wines in familiar places
PETER RANSCOMBE MENTION the word “Sancerre” and most wine drinkers will immediately think of a dry white wine, then slip the name “Beaujolais” into conversation and they’ll picture a light and fruity red. We’re all guilty of it – we taste a wine we enjoy from a specific region and it becomes fixed in our mind,…
Read MoreGoing beyond bubbles
PETER RANSCOMBE FLICKING through the pages of a wine textbook sometimes feels like looking back at an old photo album. There on the pages are all the old friends – from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir through to Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and that cheeky wee Sauvignon Blanc. Then you reach the pages about England…
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