I’ve become slightly obsessed with the Master of Wine qualification recently. There’s something about it that fascinates me. There are only a few hundred Masters of Wine in the world and, when you consider how many millions of people work with wine, drink wine and study wine, that is an absolutely tiny number. Naturally, this…
There’s been something I’ve been trying to describe for a while now. That high end wine flavour. I’ve mentioned it a few times, usually after trying something like Tignanello, where the wine just feels different. Not louder, not necessarily fruitier, just better. More complete. But I’ve never really been able to put my finger on…
There’s a point in your wine journey where you realise you need a bit of direction. Not in a formal way. Not textbooks or exams. Just something to help you make sense of it all. That’s where I was when I picked up Thirsty by Tom Gilbey. I’d already had a few great wines at…
The idea that wouldn’t leave me alone This all started with a thought that probably should have been left alone, but once it got in my head it wouldn’t go anywhere. What if I bought a bit of land near home, somewhere around Aughton, and built something that felt like a proper estate. Not just…
I had a bit of a moment the other day. I’ve now finished Thirsty by the fabulous Tom Gilbey four times. Not skimmed it, properly read it, gone back to it, picked bits up I missed the first time. Alongside that I’ve spent hours watching Konstantin Baum on YouTube, really trying to understand not just…
There’s something about opening a bottle like Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc that carries a bit of expectation with it. It’s one of those wines you feel like you should love. A proper benchmark. Crisp, refined, Marlborough at its most polished. I received a bottle for Christmas from my mother in law and was naturally excited,…
There comes a point in your wine journey where you stop just enjoying it and start asking a bigger question am I actually ready to take this seriously? For me, that question has been WSET Level 3. I’ve been drinking more, tasting more, thinking more about wine than ever before. Not just what I like,…
There’s something about walking into a good wine shop when you’re not really expecting anything… and then suddenly you’re surrounded by amazing bottles That was me this week. What started as a quick browse turned into one of those moments where you realise your taste in wine is starting to take shape. Todays Bottle Hugel…
If you’ve ever searched for a Tignanello alternative in a supermarket, you’ll know how difficult it is to find something that actually compares. There’s a moment every wine drinker has. You taste something extraordinary, a wine that just clicks. Everything is in balance, the fruit is silky, the finish just keeps going and then you…
A few months ago I realised something. I don’t want to work in a wine shop full-time.I don’t want to be tied into restaurant hours.And I definitely don’t want to turn wine into something that feels like a rigid 9–5. But at the same time, I knew I wanted more from it. Not just drinking…