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  • The WSET Diploma

         Guildhall, London Although I have written about this once before, I am returning to it here, prompted by the fact that I have now actually graduated. While counting the weeks to the ceremony (only held annually) I had time to reflect on what I learned and how it has shaped my attitude to wine…

  • Balinese Wine (Part 2 of 2)

    In Part 1 I described the terroir and grape varieties in Bali, a true example of the rare art of tropical viticulture. Now this blog is about the wineries on this Island of the Gods. There are two main wineries, using locally grown grapes, plus Plaga Wine, which uses only imported concentrated juice (thus avoiding…

  • Success!

    It’s time for some trumpet-blowing on my part, because last week I received word that I passed the last of the exams for my WSET Diploma in Wine and Spirits. This means that I can add the post-nominal DipWSET to my business card and auto-signature. Like my existing CStat (Chartered Statistician) acccreditation, almost no-one I…

  • Balinese Wine (Part 1 of 2)

    Dreamland Beach, Bali Winemaking is almost certainly not an activity that you associate with Bali – unless I have underestimated the knowledge of my readers! Until recently I would have not have done so myself, but then learned that not only is wine made in Bali but that viniculture is quite widespread in the tropics…

  • Where does all that sulphur come from?

    This blog is about the remnants of the hellish industry of sulphur mining, which I recently witnessed first‑hand on the island of Java. You may be familiar with the important role than sulphur and sulphur dioxide (SO2) play in preserving the health of, respectively, vines and wines. Sulphur in powder form has long been dusted…

  • Your must-have region

    If you could drink wine from only a single region for the rest of your life, and someone else was paying, which one would it be? One day I might run a little survey to find out what people think, but for now it is just a thought experiment. If you only drink red wine,…

  • Can’t finish the bottle?

    It is a source of some pride for many of my winocerous friends (and yours too, I’m sure) that wine bottles are always emptied by bed-time. But if that’s not always possible, what’s the best way of keeping the remainder in top condition? A lot has been written about this, but I disagree with quite…

  • Economical with the truth

    We read today that ‘Britons are increasingly under-reporting their daily calorie consumption’ (The Guardian, Monday 8th August 2016), a news item carried widely by the national media. It is based on a report called ‘Counting Calories – How under-reporting can explain the apparent fall in calorie intake’, which is available here: http://38r8om2xjhhl25mw24492dir.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/16-07-12-Counting-Calories-Final.pdf This report was produced by…

  • The UK Drinking Guidelines – what is risk?

    Today we return to trying to understand the rationale for the new drinking guidelines introduced at the end of 2015. The key concept is ‘risk’. This word is used 13 times, appropriately enough, in the summary version of the guidelines that I reproduced in July. When first mentioned, the context is ‘keeping risks to a low…

  • John the Pole, John the Priest and John the Pirate – The Story of Château Canon

    Château Canon is one of the leading estates in Saint-Émilion.  It is located on the top of the limestone plateau with a great view of Saint‑Émilion village.  The soil is limestone containing fossilised starfish covered with a thin layer of  clay and is said to give the wine freshness, subtlety and elegance.  Canon was graded…