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Glenmorangie Signet Single Malt Scotch Whisky

The Signet’s creator, Bill Lumsden, perhaps put it best - calling it the culmination of a lifetime of experimentation and innovation. For me, I see the Signet’s truest representation of this statement not to necessarily rest on the idea of extreme experimentation, but more so on its ability to find such divine balance within said experimentation. It’s one thing to throw in one or two curveballs for a new release, but to control that in a way to result in ...

Week 4 of 4 Week France course // Saint-Émilion

On the Right Bank, most famously in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, it is the fleshy Merlot grape which prevails, sometimes supported by Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Here the soils are more mixed, with gravel and clay underpinning the rich, fruity wines of Pomerol. Styles vary more in Saint-Émilion, depending on the predominance of sand in the lower-lying slopes, or limestone on the hillsides and plateau.

Week 4 of 4 Week France course // Sancerre

The ancestral home of the now-ubiquitous Sauvignon Blanc variety, today we travel to the appellation of Sancerre, to find out more about its chequered past, terrior and why it is one of the most significant and well-known regions of the huge Loire Valley region.

Week 4 of 4 Week France course // Margaux

One of the most recognised appellations in one of the world’s Premier wine-growing regions, Margaux holds an esteemed position in winemaking folklore- but why? What makes it so special? It’s long history? It’s climate? Soils? Chateaux/People? Today we’ll try and find out just what it is that makes the name Margaux synonymous with quality in the world of wine.

Week 3 of 4 Week France course // Rhone Valley

The Rhone Valley Has played a huge role in the history of French commerce and trade. It has also served an equally important role in being the source of fine wines from some of the most iconic grape growing regions in the world. The history is deep and rich and this blog will only scratch the surface of appellations that make up the region.

Week 3 of 4 Week France course // Provence

Provence lies on the Mediterranean coast of France, bordered by the Rhone River to the west and the Côte d’Azur on the east. Whilst Provence produces both Red and White wines its most famed product is Rose. Rosé is king and Queen here and known the world over. Usually, a blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Syrah and Counoise, the typical style is considered dry, pale and delicate. For the purposes of this blog and the upcoming tasting we shall focus pu...

Week 2 of 4 Week France course // Burgundy

Burgundy: This long, skinny wine region south-east of Paris runs south from its capital, Dijon. As a wine, Burgundy is the name on every Pinot Noir drinker's lips. Chardonnay is the alter ego, although both varieties only appear on the labels of the basic regional wines — known as Bourgogne Blanc and Bourgogne rouge. Other wines are defined by their appellations.

Week 2 of 4 Week France course // Alsace

In preparation for week 2 of our Online Tour De France we are briefly exploring Alsace. On the eastern edge of France, in a valley along the Rhine River which makes up the border with Germany, lies Alsace. Its history of being the prize in a tug-of-war between France and Germany is reflected in its wines, the heroes being dry Riesling, Pinot Gris and aromatic Gewurztraminer.

Week 2 of 4 Week France course // Beaujolais

In preparation for week 2 of our Online Tour De France we are briefly exploring Beaujolais. Beaujolais is a fairly small area (just 34 miles long and 7-9 miles wide) and lies just south of Burgundy. It makes wine with Gamay grapes. And unlike its Burgundian counterparts it is one of the few wine regions of France that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Week 1 of 4 Week France course // Chablis

In preparation for week 1 of our Online Tour De France we are briefly exploring Chablis... Chablis is an outlier to the north of Burgundy. It shares the similar chalky soils to Champagne, with the mandatory grape being Chardonnay.

Week 1 of 4 Week France Course // Champagne

Champagne-A brief introduction to the region. “Come, for I am drinking stars!” Dom Pérignon, according to legend, when he tasted the first Champagne

Chile shows it’s class…

I have spent many years both living in and visiting Chile, and things have come so incredibly far in the two decades that I have known the country’s wine industry. Suffice to say that I truly believe it to be one of the most dynamic producers in the world right now. One of the key factors has been the tireless amount of work that producers and viticulturists have done on soil analysis and terroir, through which they have gained a much deeper understanding of ...

How Important is a Wine's Vintage?

The term vintage has two meanings in the wine world - the year in which grapes making a particular wine come from; and the physical process of grape harvesting and winemaking. A vintage wine thus means the grapes used to make this wine come from a particular single year. As weather varies from one year to another and is never identical, the grapes grown and wines made each year are also unique. Therefore it is hardly surprising to find same wines from diffe...

What makes a wine great?

The defining element of a great wine is its ability to provide enjoyment. After all, we drink and appreciate wine for the joy and pleasure it brings. However, we are all influenced by our personal preferences and experiences, so not surprisingly, we don’t all enjoy the same wines. The differentiation of a great wine with a good wine becomes a very subjective matter, and we often find a commonly acknowledged ‘great wine’ tastes merely ‘good’ to us, or ...

'Tasting Climate Change' discussed in Montreal

An unseasonably cold and snowy Montreal played host to Tasting Climate Change, an informative and engaging wine-industry conference held on 12 November. The global climatic conditions then current provided a poignant and powerful backdrop for the event. Venice was underwater with its second-highest water levels since records began in 1923, while bushfires were raging (extremely early in the season) in drought-ridden Australia, and Sonoma’s wildfires continued...

Introducing Kaiyo

To break into the incredibly popular Japanese Whisky market, we wanted something that, just like our wine selection, would not only over-deliver in regard to complexity and flavour, but would also have a great story to accompany it.

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