Blog
7 ways to be a better wine lover (it’s OK - we’re all different!)
One size wine lover does not fit all. There isn’t one mould to make a wine lover - we are all different and that’s a good thing. A very good thing.
If you’re wondering whether or not you can be a wine lover - because you don’t really look like one - I have a secret. Wine lovers don’t all look the same. Shh! We don’t all wear red trousers (though some of us do, and that’s FINE...) and, on the other end of the spectrum, we don’t all look like supermodels posing with wine bottles. Whatever type of wine lover you are, wherever you see yourself of the spectrum, it’s all good. Your opinion is valid. Whatever you are wearing, whatever you sound like.
Harvest Supper with Simpsons Wines at The Pig at Bridge Place
The Pig Hotel at Bridge Place in Canterbury is a sight for sore eyes in the late afternoon sun in October. The period country house stands proudly in the beautifully manicured grounds – not too manicured, mind; there is a working kitchen garden that is tended to daily, the fruits of which are used on the menu from dawn ‘til dusk in dishes, teas and cocktails. The heady herbal aromas of the garden even lend a hand in the treatment huts, helping guests to unwind and find their inner zen.
Respect for the old ways at I Pastini winery
We found ourselves in the heart of Valle d’Itria (the valley of the trulli) during a small detour on the way to the I Pastini winery. My group and I had spent a quick 45 minutes taking in the historical town of Alberobello, where we were introduced to the charming ‘trullo’ houses, which I heard were becoming dilapidated until some bright spark decided to turn them into unique B&Bs for tourists. I imagine these luxury stone-walled tipis make very novel accommodation.
A weekend in the Languedoc - Part Deux: Every wine has a story
One of the fabulous things about the Languedoc is that you are never far away from wine. There are vines everywhere you turn and in every village there will be someone making their own wine (in Liausson, it’s the village mayor, as introduced to this story in Part One). There are also larger wineries and shops where you can see big production close up and, of course, try and buy the wines.
A weekend in the Languedoc - part one: Liausson Rouge
It’s always very fortunate when you have friends who live in wonderful places, especially when you can go and stay with them for a few days. It is even more fortunate when said places are located between 30-50 degrees of latitude (where the grapevines grow) and home to lots of lovely, lovely wine. Chris and Ian live in Liausson, a small village in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the South of France. It’s a beautiful, historic little place with Lac du Salagou to the north (or just a fifteen minute walk down a dusty road from Chris and Ian’s house) and vineyards in every other direction.
Wines of Venice
I find Venice’s wine story particularly fascinating because of its history as an influential, bustling port. As early as the Middle Ages, wines were being imported and exported out of Venice. The importing of wines from Greece, along with new species of vines, allowed Venetian viticulture to develop and, by exporting their own wines, a demand for them began to spread into Europe. When the trading power waned in the mid-sixteenth century, less Greek wine was imported and so the development of local wines from Valpolicella, Treviso and Vincenza began.