Fishing rights with a Highland country house hotel

A delightful Highland hotel with access to fishing rights on three nearby lochs has been put up for sale. Presented by agents Bell Ingram, the Overscaig House Hotel is set in an idyllic location near Lairg, Sutherland, and has eight en-suite letting bedrooms, plus spacious owners’ and staff accommodation. The 3-Star STB hotel sits in…

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Winners of People’s Choice Drinks Awards revealed

Drinks enthusiasts from around the world were able to ‘attend’ the People’s Choice Drinks Awards from the comfort of their own home this year. Britain’s Got Talent finalist Steve Royle handed out awards for wines and spirits for the first time this year in a virtual awards ceremony at Manchester’s Zymurgorium Distillery. Winners in the…

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Find fantastic fizz for your Valentine’s Day at home

Whether you want splash-out sparklers or bubbles on a budget, Peter Ranscombe has you covered. FEW dates strike fear into the hearts of wine fans like the fourteenth of February. Should I buy bubbles? Should the wine match the food? Should I shake the bottle and spray the room like I’ve just won an F1…

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A carefully restored manse from the 19th century

An exceptional listed detached period house from the early 19th century is on the property market. Presented by Savills, Avaig was formerly a manse, and is situated on the outskirts of Crimond, just over eight miles from the seaside fishing town of Fraserburgh. It has been superbly restored and decorated in a sensitive style that…

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Online wine tasting just went hi-tech

Peter Ranscombe logs on to tech entrepreneur Michael Baum’s Vivant virtual wine tasting platform – and he’s impressed by what he sees. I GUESS is was just a matter of time before online wine tastings got the gamification treatment. When every other aspect of our lives – from logging the miles we slog on running…

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Seven South African wines you need to try

Peter Ranscombe revisits some of his recent favourites from South Africa as the country’s alcohol ban shifts direction once more. YESTERDAY’S news that the South African government has lifted parts of its alcohol sales ban will provide some relief for wine producers. Yet – as winemaker Bruce Jack warned in a recent article for The…

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#TryJanuary: If you like that, try this…

Looking for inspiration to kick start your #TryJanuary? Peter Ranscombe is on hand with some suggestions. If you like… Albarino Try… its fizzy friend As we saw during lockdown, the pandemic hasn’t got in the way of Mar de Frades continuing to produce seafood-friendly albarino. Winemaker Paula Fandino has also been busy perfecting her sparkling…

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12 Wines of Christmas: Chile

Day nine of his “12 Wines of Christmas” series sees Peter Ranscombe taking a look at carmenere from Chile. DIVING into a tin of Christmas chocolates can be a bit like a playing lucky dip at the showies – you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get. Back in 1994, Chilean farmers were faced…

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12 Wines of Christmas: Spain

Day eight of his “12 Wines of Christmas” series sees Peter Ranscombe exploring Spanish food and wine pairings. THINK Spain, think sunshine. Long lazy days spent soaking up rays on the beach, simmering summer evenings spent devouring plates of tapas, and cringe worthy late nights spent crooning to questionable karioke in “Irish” pubs. Yet master…

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12 Wines of Christmas: South Africa

In the latest instalment in his “12 Wines of Christmas” series, Peter Ranscombe looks at KWV’s top wines from South Africa. QUANTITY and quality don’t necessarily have to sit at opposite ends of the spectrum. As we saw with Paul Mas’ operations in the south of France, it’s possible to produce quality wines in large…

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