My friend Victor sent me a picture over WhatsApp the other day. He had found a three year old ticket I sent to him when we both worked together in the restaurant industry. It read “1x Btl Verdicchio - Ignore, French C*nt”. Victor is a typical stereotype of a Frenchman; arrogant yet charming, stubborn but … Continue reading “Do you realise how F**cking French you look?”… A brief guide to French wine
Summer is here! (Apparently). I hear that there has been a heatwave in the UK, however in the past week I have been caught in two thunder and lightening storms. Ah well, life goes on and I'm positive we will get some sun soon. So, in anticipation of a lovely hot season; I wanted to … Continue reading Think Pink: An introduction to Rosé
One of my jobs at the winery is to take people around the vineyard and give them a tour. I have been doing this twice a day since the start of the season and often find myself repeating the same things word for word. When I realise I am doing this I make a conscious … Continue reading Diaries from the vines #2: Bottle Job
“Why do we overlook our aural sense when it comes to wine?” (I narrated that in my head and then typed it in the style of Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and The City… I mean, I've never watched Sex and The City).
I currently find myself taking a glass, looking over the sights of The Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, Canada. I'm working for Luckett Vineyards; a local winery situated on the steepest fucking hill I've ever had the displeasure of cycling up.
"We all skateboarded together and we did our own thing but, at the end of the day, we'd catch up over a bottle of wine. Similar to going out for a beer with your mates."
By tasting a wine at the cellar door, you forge a much longer lasting memory of that wine - and it'll usually be a memory that you treasure for years to come.
Upon my return to Toronto, the city that I hold closest to my heart (second to Sheffield of course); I have had the opportunity to see how it has changed since I left four years ago. More importantly, I can see the development in attitudes to alcohol.
While we are working hard to break down barriers that can alienate younger people from truly appreciating wine, the worldwide beer community just keeps on growing.
Not all wines get better with age, but it's worth getting it right with the ones that do.
Wined Up 