Valentine’s wining
As the name implies, a sparkling wine sparkles in the form of a bubble effect due to its rich carbon dioxide content. It’s the month of February and with it comes Valentine’s Day. For that intimate dinner with your loved one, a bottle of wine…
How to recognise if your wine has gone bad
So, you know whether to dump it, or drink it. Oxidation Look out for an orange or red-brown colour, with vinegar and sour notes in white wines or lack of aroma and flavour in red wines. It’s happened to the best of us: you want…
Why wine glasses have stems
There’s no doubt that stemmed glassware remains the standard. So how did it get its shape, and why do wine glasses have a stem? The architecture of stemware A modern wine glass consists of three architectural features: the bowl, the stem, and the base. The…
Busting wine myths
Only red wine needs to be decanted This myth is up first because it’s been hanging around for a long time – and it results in wine lovers missing out on a lot from their favourite bottles. To put it in an overly simplified way,…
What Old World and New World wines mean
It is fair to say that Old World wines set the qualitative benchmark for most wine styles and grape varieties. The terms originally referred to the country in which the wine was produced. However, with Old World countries now producing wines that are characteristically New…
Difference between cool and warm climate wines
Understanding the difference between cool and warm climate wines and knowing which you prefer can help you make better wine choices. How climate affects the flavour of wines First of all, let’s clear up one misconception about cool climate wines: that the region has to…
The stages of wine tasting
How to critically assess wines. The look The wine’s colour can give you an initial picture of the wine: how old it is, and what the quality of the wine is. Pour a small amount of wine into a glass, tilt the glass at an…
Champagne facts to impress your guests with
It can’t be disputed that the world loves champagne: in 2018, the Comité Champagne confirmed that champagne exports had outnumbered what was sold in France for the first time in about 50 years. As a delicious symbol for celebration, it’s no surprise that champagne remains…
The evolution of the champagne glass
How to serve champagne to show it at its best. The majority of champagne is made up of three grape varieties – Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier – and some of the production methods are the same between still and sparkling wines. The real…
The ideal glass to serve Champagne
Champagne flute from Riedel. The ideal glass to serve Champagne in is a tulip-shaped glass, as this will best keep the bubbles in and retains the flavour of the drink. Always rinse Champagne flutes with hot water before use and leave to drain. Do not…
