Ben Tish profile picture credit: Kris Kirkham Mediterra is a collection of my favourite recipes gathered over many years of travelling through the Mediterranean, from shore to shore and beyond to its islands – holidays, work or research, I’m there! While the countries of the Mediterranean are varied and diverse, food and its culture are a common thread: the way …

Belthazar terrace overlooking Table Mountain in Cape Town There’s never been a better time for wine lovers to visit Cape Town in South Africa. Critical acclaim for the oldest New World wine region has kept on gaining momentum since renowned vineyard manager and viticultural consultant Rosa Kruger made her benchmark presentation of the Cape’s most exceptional old-vine wines at the 2013 …

IMG_1125_L | Truro Vineyard | thebiblioholic | Flickr Uploaded on August 18, 2024 Taken on August 13, 2024

Here’s why. I’ve loved wine for 50 years. If I’d done nothing but sit at home and drink it, that love would have been a consuming hobby, a lifelong infatuation. What wine and I have is more than that. We have a serious relationship, by which I mean love based on respect and understanding. Agreed, wine has been my work… …

Beaujolais has long been misunderstood. The root cause was the introduction of Beaujolais Nouveau in the 1950s, which has been both a blessing and a curse for the region as a whole. In recent years, however, there has been a quality revolution in Beaujolais, and serious wine lovers owe it to themselves to taste some of the top examples. Because …

Ken Forrester and his dogs in The FMC vineyard. When Ken Forrester took over the abandoned vineyard of Scholtzenhof in 1993, it was a change of lifestyle for a man who had spent the better part of three decades in hotel management. Relocating his wife and young family, he renamed the estate Ken Forrester Vineyards and began the work of …

IMG_1118_L | Truro Vineyard | thebiblioholic | Flickr Uploaded on August 18, 2024 Taken on August 13, 2024

As a musical icon with over 200 million album sales and 32 Grammy wins to her name, alongside being a powerful voice for female empowerment globally, there’s very little else which Beyoncé has left to accomplish. However her latest project is a truly intriguing one, aimed at shaking up the American whiskey market, with the launch of SirDavis: a brand …

Federico GambettaAltos Las Hormigas – The quest to reveal terroir Ines Salpico It can’t be easy to be the winemaker of a project spearheaded by Alberto Antonini and Pedro Parra. This big responsibility has, for the past four years, rested on the shoulders of the enthusiastic Federico Gambetta, who seems enduringly motivated by the expectations surrounding Altos Las Hormigas. He …

Scallops are some of the most delicate and versatile shellfish, beloved by chefs from different backgrounds and across cuisines. Their affinity with multiple cooking methods gives sommeliers a wide range of pairing possibilities – to be considered mindfully lest they spoil the fine balance of scallop-based dishes. We reached out to leading sommeliers and asked for their tips on how …

Cyprus, PL10, 2024 | Steve Brett | Flickr Uploaded on August 18, 2024 Taken on May 10, 2024

Hints of smoke and bacon fat underscore the crushed black raspberry and boysenberry fruit of this well-balanced, medium-bodied red. Marries fine, taut tannins and plum skin acidity with the core of dark fruit. Accents of star anise, dried dill and thyme play out on the chewy finish. Drink now through 2029. 5,000 cases imported. Source : 5d382cfdde5ce0283275950aa113f8b6

Three hundred-acre estates are hard to come by in Napa Valley, so when one comes on the market, you might think that finding a new steward comes down to the highest bid. But when Kelly Fleming decided to sell her property and winery, she opted for the neighbor who would agree to keep it in one piece. Fleming announced Aug. …

Juicy up front, this white is bright and well-spiced as it expands on the palate, with ripe nectarine, pear, tangerine and green almond flavors. A racy streak of smoke- and salt-laced minerality kicks in midpalate and through the mouthwatering finish, which offers pretty floral and herb notes. Drink now through 2030. 1,700 cases made, 800 cases imported. Source : fa99d06133949b592250a169003e0719

Old vine Grenache in The Cutting vineyard, Barossa Valley A common charge levelled against the French wine industry is its restrictive appellation legislation. Though drawn up with good intentions, it can indeed cramp winemakers’ creativity. How freeing it must be therefore to make wine in countries like Australia, unhindered by such bureaucracy. But the local market can also have a …

Sleek yet well-structured, with expressive flavors of raspberry and pomegranate accented by crushed stone, rose petal and black tea as this builds tension and polish toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2033. 4,503 cases made. Source : ec8ce5b1583edc76aba528f9dc400d3c

Cyprus, PL10, 2024 | l110 | Steve Brett | Flickr Uploaded on August 18, 2024 Taken on May 10, 2024

Everleaf’s aperitifs are designed for making spritz-style drinks with the addition of a mixer What a difference a decade makes, eh? Pop into pretty much any pub, restaurant or bar today and you’d be hard pressed to find one that doesn’t offer at least one dedicated no/low-alcohol option on its menu. It’s a far cry from the days when choices …

We’ve had a few readers bring this bottle to our attention, and it’s a Costco Pinot that we have yet to review for the site. We had the chance to visit Etude winery several years ago and taste many of the different Pinots they produce; enjoyed them very much so it’s nice to see this … Source : https://costcowineblog.com/2019-etude-grace-benoist-ranch-carneros-pinot-noir/

Hello and welcome to my weekly roundup of the wine stories that I find of interest on the web. I post them to my magazine on Flipboard, but for those of you who aren’t Flipboard-inclined, here’s everything I’ve strained out of the wine-related muck for the week. Drop in wine consumption is reshaping French vineyards132 million gallons of excess wine. What’s …