In a series of blind-tastings of 9,200 wines over three days, by 350 judges, where no one knew the country of origin of any of the wines, Switzerland was the fifth most bemedalled country at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, a remarkable feat.
Petite Arvine
Uncork now: friends of asparagus, 11 May 2019
Right behind the Bains de Saillon, where I recently went swimming to kick off the annual spring fitness burst, is a farmer’s hut where I bought some tiny white asparagus. At home I cooked them in a fine risotto, and I was hooked: asparagus season was upon us. I went back to photograph some of […]
2017 wines from Swiss Mémoire group
Once a year the Mémoire des Vins Suisses group invites the public to a tasting session where wineries present three vintages of their wine. It’s a don’t-miss event.
A hard road to Chamoson
Jamie McCulloch picks up a few rays of the wintry sun outside the post office of Chamoson, waiting for his visitor. His face has the look of Scotland for me and I immediately recall men outside pubs in the west of Scotland, facing the setting sun and reflecting on the world. McCulloch is, however, a […]
Winespeak: grape varieties and varietals
The confusion about how to use varietal and varieties when talking about grapes and wines pops up so regularly that their definitions are worth repeating.