Poland doesn’t get the respect that it deserves, either with food or wine. Ignorance too often clouds the landscape. I was recently on a train to Warsaw eavesdropping as four Brits struggled to come up with a single dish other than vodka. And when it comes to Polish wine, it’s fair to say it does
Julien Meyer – Crémant d’Alsace Brut “0” 2010
I love Champagne. But whenever I start talking about it, I fear being labelled elitist. But, but… Grower Champagne? And then there are those Champagne enthusiasts who think any other form of effervescent wine inferior. They huff and puff and turn up their noses. I love bubbles regardless. So as a happy compromise, today I
Domaine J. Chamonard – Morgon Cru Beaujolais Le Clos du Lys 1997
This is a story about how I first encountered aged Beaujolais Crus – a fabled breed about which many wine lovers speak of with great fondness. My first entrée into the enthusiasm that surrounds this particular libation came courtesy of Stéphane Drieux on Vivino. I was enticed by claims that Gamay could approach the transcendence of Burgundian
Rennersistas – Neusiedlersee Chardonnay 2015
As Amber Revolution approches its second stretch goal on Kickstarter, what better way to celebrate than by reviewing another orange wine? This time we’re heading to Austria to revisit a producer already mentioned briefly on this site: The Rennersistas Chardonnay 2015. I first encountered this wine blind, at a jovial drinking session in Dalston’s Newcomer Wines, an Austrian
Clemens Busch – Mosel Riesling Trocken “O” 2015
To celebrate the launch of Simon’s Kickstarter campaign for his book Amber Revolution, here’s a German “orange” wine made from Riesling. German Riesling still has an image problem in the UK. And Germany is not the first place that comes to mind for unconventional vinification methods. Sure, there are a minority of winemakers, like Peter Jakob
Cascina Corte – Dolcetto di Dogliani Superiore Pirochetta Vecchie Vigne 2013
Cascina Corte’s Dolcetto di Dogliani Pirochetta vecchie vigne 2013 is not your typical Dolcetto. Read more to find out why.
Les Cailloux du Paradis – Romorantin 2013
I’m seeing more and more Romorantin in London and loving it. That’s saying something, with a grand total of only 70 hectares in existence. But what makes it more special is that it happens to produce great wine. Romorantin is grown around the Cour-Cheveny AOC in the Middle Loire, between Orléans and Tours. The Cailloux
Domaine Sainte Croix – La Serre 2015
Here’s a fittingly off-piste wine to mark my first review for The Morning Claret. Domaine Sainte Croix was created in 2004 by an English couple, Jon and Elizabeth Bowen. Jon used to be a globe-trotting winemaker, Elizabeth an agricultural economist. They dreamed of making wine in Languedoc or Roussillon, and searched rather specifically for land