Posts Tagged ‘Scotland’
Going green in the Bordeaux Hot 50
France’s most famous wine region has turned its ‘Everyday Bordeaux’ listing into a ‘Hot 50’. Peter Ranscombe follows his visit to the area in March with a look at the ‘green’ wines on the new list. SOMETIMES it’s hard to know where to begin with Bordeaux. It may be famous for its five “first growth”…
Read MoreAlbarino: how will lockdown affect the way wine is made?
Two very different vintages and two very different tastings demonstrate how the weather still plays a crucial role in winemaking, writes Peter Ranscombe. WHAT a difference a year makes; nearly 12 months ago, I was sitting in a London tapas bar – remember when we could go out for tapas? – listening to Paula Fandino,…
Read MoreA sneak peek at Majestic Wine’s new range
One of Scotland’s favourite wine retailers has some exciting bottles arriving in its warehouses, as Peter Ranscombe reports. MAJESTIC Wine has had a bit of a rollercoaster ride in recent months – and that’s even without the lockdown. Back in 2015, Majestic bought Naked Wines, an online retailer founded by Rowan Gormley, who became the…
Read MoreInside the Royal Scots
A 55-minute film about The Royal Scots, entitled “Scottish Soldiers : Regimental Memories: 1945- 2006” has just been released by the regimental museum. With interviews from fifteen former members of the Royal Scots, the film captures the experience of being part of the Royal Scots family. For 373 unbroken years until the process of being…
Read MoreSauvignon blanc: New Zealand and beyond
To mark international sauvignon blanc day, Peter Ranscombe goes on a mission to find exciting examples from New Zealand and beyond. FEW grapes split that audience like sauvignon blanc. For some, it’s the very epitome of freshness, with crisp acidity balanced by either savoury asparagus or tropical guava. For others, it’s over acidic, over hyped, and…
Read MoreUnique drawing competition
Children across Scotland have been invited to take part in a unique drawing competition to design their own special piece of jewellery or silverware. Edinburgh jeweller and silversmiths Hamilton & Inches have tasked children to design their own jewellery creation, from a single piece such as a necklace, earrings, bracelet, or ring to a full…
Read MoreScottish Hospitality for Heroes
Crerar Hotels are to gift 2,000 free ‘nights away’ for NHS staff, care workers and their families in an initiative that will give the company and the public an opportunity to express their gratitude to those who have worked tirelessly throughout the Covid-19 crisis. The ‘Scottish Hospitality for Heroes’ campaign will begin with two key…
Read MorePoint of no return?
A recent study of 121 black grouse leks (breeding sites) by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust has shone a light on the parlous state of numbers in Scotland. The black grouse population has now declined to the point where the species is a high conservation concern and action is needed to halt their decline.…
Read MoreAn odyssey through Italy’s indigenous grapes – via Zoom
Falanghina, montepulciano and passerina all featured in the latest online tastings attended by drinks blogger Peter Ranscombe. FEW countries can boast as many varieties of grapes as Italy – the International Organisation of Vine & Wine (OIV), the keeper of the geekiest of all statistics, lists 454 varietals as being grown from the Alps down to…
Read MoreThe final straw
In an unanticipated side-effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, shops in Glasgow have been forced to stop selling Buckfast, the iconic tonic wine made by Benedictine monks in Devon which is popular on the west coast of Scotland, as supplies have dwindled. “It’s really bad,” Whiteinch-based shop owner, Sobhan Rashid, told the Glasgow Times. “At the…
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