2024-03-13 15:47
Blend of Tempranillo, Graciano, Viura grapes - I asked for an unusual Rioja with a lighter touch. An interesting chat about Graciano ensued. It is being used more widely in Rioja adding perf… Read More
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The Secret Sommelier is a blog about Fine, Rare and Vintage wine hosted by Christopher Burr, Master of Wine
2024-01-23 19:40
88% Tempranillo, 9% Garnacha, 2% Graciano, 1% Maturana Tinta
12 months in American (70%) and French (30%) oak barrels Read More
2023-11-01 13:05
We are tasting with Nicola Chiucchiurlotto, founder of the organic Madrevite estate located on the border of Tuscany and Umbria on the undulating hills around lake Trasimeno.
A common… Read More
2023-10-25 11:28
On tis visit to Domaine Terra Noé in Ardeche, France, we meet Philippe Dry, the Diector General on a mission to improve winemaking and quality of the wines. After eight years, we get… Read More
2023-10-02 09:59
We are standing on the edge of the plot of vines called Madonnino (Little Madonna); vines laden with healthy tight dark bunches of Sangiovese grapes, waiting patiently for their divine passa… Read More
2023-08-16 20:00
For those acquainted with the series of books by pseudonymous author, Peter Stafford-Bow, there is no disappointment in the latest instalment of Felix Hart’s wine soaked expedition, &l&hell…Read More
2023-08-01 21:07
Lake Garda is Italy’s largest lake, shaped strikingly like an outstretched brontosaurus with its head seeking the cooler northerly air. Along the southern shores, the Lugana DOC area i… Read More
2023-06-13 11:41
The sun comes up over the vineyards, set among the Monferrato Hills, illuminating each undulation in subtle pinks against the Western Alps soaring skywards Read More
2023-05-18 12:06
I have a lucid memory of January 2006, standing with a friend in the biting cold (-6ºC) North Italian town of Bassano del Grappa, watching huddles of ladies wrapped in animal furs, gene… Read More
2023-05-05 14:49
The London Wine Fair 2023 (LWF23) has joined forces with the Porto Protocol and Sustainable Wine Solutions to collect new data by analysing the estimated 30k empty bottles consumed at the fa… Read More
2023-04-15 13:22
There’s a cool breeze blowing in across Lake Garda and, despite the record breaking drought of Italy’s ’22 summer, the horizon line between the lake and sky is a silky, sil… Read More
2023-01-23 09:09
The whites were very good wines, but incredible value for the quality of the wine when compared to Burgundy or Northern Rhone. They are not the same wines, but they are of excellent qua… Read More
2022-11-06 22:01
The desire for Prosecco?
In recent years, I have routinely overlooked Prosecco while perusing the wine shelves. Despite spending extended periods of months in Italy, more often I have selec… Read More
2022-10-24 18:51
Brendan Barrett tastes two rosés with varied responses. But the big question he is asking is whether rosé might actually grow up into something much more revered? Read More
2022-10-12 10:30
Tenuta di Arceno is situated just northeast of Siena and south of Florence in the Municipality of Castelnuovo Berardenga in the Chianti Classico region. The area is picture book Tuscany with… Read More
2022-09-15 11:23
I am mostly aware of Calvet for their Bordeaux wines, including a very agreeable Cremant. I was pleased to be sent this selection of wines demonstrating that Calvet is striving to produce Fr… Read More
2022-07-24 17:41
There were a few good wines but for the price, they were mad. They need a bit less Beach Boys and more Dead Kennedys (maybe even some NOFX or Bad Religion) in the wine-making game over… Read More
2022-05-26 16:58
On Tuesday 24th April the Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme (WASP) accompanied by 8 wine producers, came to London to present both the work they have been doing in establishing a ri… Read More
2022-05-09 21:19
We have ascended the 400 metres to Tenuta Sette Cieli, located in the hills behind Castagneto Carducci, in Pian delle Vigne in Monteverdi Marittimo, for an opportunity to examine the potenti… Read More
2022-05-02 08:44
The first impression of Verona under the weight of the VinItaly wine expo is not dissimilar to the scene in the original ‘Italian Job’ movie with cars gridlocked around a central… Read More
2022-03-24 19:25
Saint-Péray is a small area in the Rhone Valley and not so well known. Vidal Fleury is one of the oldest houses in the Côtes-du-Rhône and so when they turn their attention… Read More
2022-03-14 18:40
A few years ago in London, I met James King from Chateau Unang in the Ventoux AOC in the Rhone. This is an area of the Rhone that is currently enjoying an ascending reputation due to a warmi… Read More
2022-03-08 20:41
Last week a picture was posted on Twitter of vines in Shabo, a large estate that lies to the west of Odessa on southern Ukraine’s Black Sea coastline. The image seemed benign at face v… Read More
2022-02-22 20:03
A real beauty of a modern rosé from the Cellier des Princes, a cooperative of 150 winegrowers in Chateauneif-du-Pape.
Strawberry pink colour - in a bottle with elegant floral d… Read More
2022-02-16 08:10
Climate change is on the agenda and great things are being done but are we gearing up for change or just freewheeling into an uncertain and highly variable future? These are my notes and ref… Read More
2022-02-11 12:15
In this interview with Champagne Telmont, we discuss the efforts being made across the business to respond to the sustainability challenge. Established in 1912, the Telmont story is deeply e… Read More
2022-01-24 18:00
Scottie Gregory explores 4 quality white Bordeaux wines that pair easily with a range of dishes and offer fabulous value for money. Even with white wines, the art of the blend in Bordeaux co… Read More
2022-01-04 12:26
Located 60km’s east of the Tunisian coast in the Strait of Sicily, the tiny rugged volcanic island of Pantelleria pierces the choppy waters. The Arabic name for the island was Bint al… Read More
2021-12-27 18:11
Since spending much of the last year in Italy, just south of Piedmont, I have become very much enamoured with the Cortese grape for it’s freshness and suitability to drink with seafood… Read More
2021-12-15 21:32
Scottie Gregory visits the Grange Estate on the Hampshire Downs to meet the team and taste their Grange Classic and The Grange Pink Sparkling Read More
2021-12-03 12:31
During VinItaly Special Edition 2021, I moderated a sustainability and wine panel as part of Wine2Wine, with Pasqua Wines CEO Riccardo Pasqua, Marta Mendonca from the Porto Protocol and Mich… Read More
2021-12-01 09:11
Scottie Gregory tastes three appetite igniting red wines from Tesco, pairing them with a series of desirable food plates that will see the reader scampering towards the cucina with ravenous… Read More
2021-10-27 19:39
Brendan Barratt tastes the St Emilion Grand Cru Classés 2018 reporting on mixed results but with a few highlights worth noting Read More
2021-10-06 07:52
I was recently invited by Sicilian wine producer, Donnafugata, to join a tour of Mount Etna and visit their vineyards in their striking landscape. Donnafugata is a brand with striking person… Read More
2021-08-26 16:59
Next time your friends ask you for a Tesco tip, don't just give them a list of wines... make their mouths water with Scottie Gregory's accompanying food pairings: Read More
2021-06-04 13:43
In this interview and tasting, I speak with Stefano Girelli, owner of two estates Santa Tresa and Cortese, in the southern part of the Sicily, Vittoria. We discuss the island’s potenti… Read More
2021-05-26 14:48
I was pleased to moderate this International Wineries For Climate Action (IWCA) briefing during the London Wine Fair. The session involved three of the leading names in the wine world?: Fami… Read More
2021-05-20 10:07
The Champagne collective group of growers, Le Mains du Terroirs du Champagne, held a tasting in April to connect with us aficionados who like to pilgrimage to Reims for the annual Printemps… Read More
2021-04-30 10:35
The James Vasey ‘Fiction For Foodies’ trilogy brings the ancient mountain village of Seborga to life, shining a light on its Templar past, local cuisine and wines, as well as pat… Read More
2021-04-22 12:58
Welcome to wine on the frontline where in this episode we discuss Biodynamics & Ancient Soils in the context of producing fine wine in a changing climate
In this interview with award-wi… Read More
2021-04-19 13:14
Art & Expression
In Greek mythology, Zeus was said to have trapped a monster called Typhus beneath the mountain. That might explain the near-constant active displays that we witness on… Read More
2021-03-30 20:45
Piemonte is only a few hours drive away from here but under the lockdown conditions, a visit is currently off-limits. It was a pleasure to receive these wines in 2020 and they have been dela… Read More
2021-03-24 16:09
As unexpected as the lockdown was, so it has been that probably the most memorable drinking experiences throughout the period have come from fortified wines. In 2019 I visited Portugal 3 tim… Read More
2021-03-04 09:58
To celebrate International Women’s Day on 8th March I tasted and reviewed La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay from Jackson family wines. Proprietor Barbara R Banke has led the company for… Read More
2021-03-01 17:17
Around two-thirds of vines planted in Tokaji is Furmint. Although it is by far the most used grape in the famous botrytised sweet wines of Tokaji, it is also now widely explored by producers… Read More
2021-02-17 18:56
When Armand-Raphaël Graser started producing Champagne under his new brand AR Lenoble 101 years ago (Lenoble being a tribute to the noble wines of Champagne), there would have been a se… Read More
2021-01-17 20:34
More evidence that rosé wines pair fabulously well with food and are at the ready to add colour into the wintry months. Scottie Gregory explores three fine pinks from Provence with so… Read More
2020-12-15 22:08
Spending this winter in Liguria in NW Italy has been joyous for the ongoing experience of the local aperitivo. Social strictures that COVID places on us here mean that dining out in the even… Read More
2020-11-24 08:39
As we head towards winter, some of us may discard the habit of a glass of chilled rosé as a soothing balm for warm weather but this rosé is a delight barely chilled. This is a… Read More
2020-11-16 19:06
A group of wine producers including Torres, Symington and Jackson Family Estates have coordinated efforts to combat climate change under the banner of the International Wineries For Climate… Read More
2020-11-12 12:37
All eyes turn towards the young sommeliers recognised for their achievements and expertise as the ultimate guides in the sensorial world of fine wine. Paul Robineau at 110 de Taillevent take… Read More
2020-10-21 18:58
As Champagne Day on 23rd October is dangerously near, it seems appropriate to strike a reminder that there once was a world in which people met civilly, where corks popped and there was chat… Read More
2020-10-13 15:31
In these days of COVID chaos, anything that strokes, as opposed to stokes, the nerves is absorbed into our sphere of comfort with easiness. Read More
2020-10-03 18:47
New release of this fabulous vinho branco. I must admit some bias. Having spent some days last year beneath the cedar tree (as depicted on the label), enjoying the same wine with an array of… Read More
2020-09-28 10:29
At a recent out of town gathering, I met the director and mead-evangelist Danny Bacon. Danny has his connection to the world of medieval England at his family farm where people come to shake… Read More
2020-09-16 12:30
With restrictions still in place, we all now comprehend that life under lockdown is hard on the social psyche. It is hard on those preparing to take life forward when the government (in the… Read More
2020-09-08 14:14
People approach red wines from Bordeaux in myriad ways. Be it by budget, region, vintage, or, a mix of all three. For myself, I prefer the octopus approach: inquisitive tentacles and a wanto… Read More
2020-09-02 16:50
August has receded into memory and September is offering bright but slightly chillier starts to the days. Uncertainty around all things means we are still living out the most surreal of year… Read More
2020-07-04 14:11
Inhaling the soft enticing aromas of this Californian Vinters Reserve Chardonnay, produced by Kendall-Jackson, I can’t help reflecting that this is possibly the most surreal year of my… Read More
2020-06-28 17:10
This Welsh wine producer ticks a few boxes. Much love and care is lavished on the production of the wines and they have achieved biodynamic status Read More
2020-06-28 09:16
Honey-traps, blackmail, embezzlement and fine wine? It can only be Felix Hart emerging in what now counts as a trilogy of semi-fictional adventures by pseudonymously named Peter Stafford-Bow… Read More
2020-06-16 21:02
The wines in this selection all fit neatly into a category of rosé that this year, somewhat ironically, seems more desirable than ever before. The irony is that I should be basking in… Read More
2020-06-08 22:43
This podcast interview with AXA wine estates Managing Director, Christian Seely, was not originally intended to be released as a podcast, however, the insights and enthusiasm with which he d… Read More
2020-05-18 12:05
The heady days of pre-lockdown have become a fuddled misty memory of a bygone time as many of us adapt to life through a lens. Wine lovers the world over are making great efforts to support… Read More
2020-05-10 17:45
In preparing to speak to Bruce Jack for this interview there were very apparently too many avenues to explore. Thankfully, Bruce doesn’t shy away from engaging and digging deep on subj… Read More
2020-04-29 12:26
Last night the prestigious wine photography awards category of the Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2020 were announced Read More
2020-04-27 17:35
Quinate do Noval and Ramos Pinto port houses today declared their 2018 vintage ports. Representatives from both house released commentary to the press:
Christian Seely, Managing Director of… Read More
2020-04-23 21:57
This evening after our golden sunlight strewn lockdown stroll, we arrived home with more than an ounce of peckish-ness. It was a perfect moment to open a bottle of Bella Luna Fino Sherry, ma… Read More
2020-04-21 18:30
The best rosé wines taste a good as the sunshine makes you feel - a rapid succession of sips, a smacking of the lips and we are in a technicolour dream of memories, laughter, voices a… Read More
2020-04-17 16:11
With the world in lockdown and those who can and care to, turning to their wine wracks, cellars, fridges and merchants, a growing number of professional wine communicators are turning their… Read More
2020-04-17 08:42
The first time I met Oastbrook Wine Estate’s owner, America Brewer, was at a consumer tasting in central London. As more and more people gathered around the Oastbrook table, myself amo… Read More
2020-04-13 17:18
Bolney Wine Estate interview with Sam Linter, MD and winemaker:
Located about ten miles north of Brighton somewhere in the middle of Sussex in a village of the same name, Bolney Wine Estate… Read More
2020-04-10 17:57
English vineyards have been popping up across the country at an unstoppable pace in the recent years and the wines on offer are very high quality and diverse in the range. Despite this many… Read More
2020-04-10 17:50
I caught up with Adam Williams, Sales Manager at Hush Heath in Kent, to discuss the background of the winery, as well as how they are coping with the severe disruption to both the industry a… Read More
2020-04-10 17:50
I caught up with Adam to discuss the background of the winery, as well as how they are coping with the severe disruption to both the industry and life as we know it from COVID-19. Adam also… Read More
2020-04-06 20:10
One of the world’s most recognisable and respected large brands, Familia Torres is using its 3D printers to exclusively produce protective equipment for healthcare workers fi… Read More
2020-03-29 00:59
It is mid-March and after several weeks of gambolling about our flat here in London, I have finally nested in the far corner of the spare room. It now is apparent that this could be my fixed… Read More
2020-03-24 23:53
The Ear Nose and Throat Society of the UK (ENT UK), a prestigious group of specialists in this part of the body, are reporting that there is a potential for COVID-19 to show first signs infe… Read More
![Recovering From [untested] COVID-19](https://cdn.blogarama.com/images/posts_thumbs_site_id/98/9831-3667262093.w320.jpg "Recovering From [untested] COVID-19")
2020-03-23 20:03
When the symptoms started to show, we had already been distancing ourselves from others for a couple of weeks with only a couple of excursions and one dinner with friends. I had also moved m… Read More
2020-03-05 15:53
As COVID-19 conspires with the grimmest of winds and rain to force a societal retreat behind our own front doors, the word ennui springs to mind. The muddle of displeasure is pierced when Na… Read More
2020-02-25 13:10
My wine smells funny?
Closing a bottle with cork significantly reduces the carbon footprint of wine packaging and helps sustain vital ecosystems.
Ten years ago there seemed to be a huge sh… Read More
2020-02-17 17:59
Britain’s lamentable exit
On the eve of Britain’s official departure from the EU, my partner and I decided to explore a small town on the Italian Riviera where thewintry cold do… Read More
2020-02-17 15:07
Baby it’s cold outside and the climate inside calls for something that exudes an edge of luxury. This old vine Grenache suits perfectly well. Good modern style with a burst of pleasura… Read More
2019-12-24 12:47
With images of forests and vineyards burning in the world media, the message that the wine industry sits on the frontline of climate change is strikingly clear. So far the pressure is with t… Read More
2019-12-19 16:01
On a recent trip to northeast Portugal, I met Vanessa Perdigão, an artist and, with her husband, a winemaker in the Dão region, under the name of Quinta do Perdigão. We… Read More
2019-11-28 13:59
Dropping onto Tooley Street from London Bridge on a wet and wintry Monday evening hardly imbues the soul with the joy of life and, given a choice of beverage, I doubt I would opt for a cool… Read More
2019-11-18 12:36
The Autumnal months are undoubtedly one of the best times of year for quality white wines to show-off their versatility in being paired with a wide range of dishes. SCOTTIE GREGORY delves in… Read More
2019-11-11 18:10
I was very pleased a few weeks ago to be sat next to sommelier Matteo Montone and to learn of his recent competition triumph in South Korea. It was only back in March of this year when Matte… Read More
2019-11-02 08:43
I recently caught up with Yealands chief winemaker, Natalie Christensen, to quiz her on the contemporary issues and practices that are all the component parts in the production of a diverse… Read More
2019-10-29 16:44
Alice Paillard was in London to give a masterclass recently to launch the Champagne Bruno Paillard NPU 2004. Scottie Gregory has long been a fan of Champagne Bruno Paillard and equates the h… Read More
2019-10-25 13:04
The title of Ben Howkins new book, ‘Sherry - Maligned, Misunderstood, Magnificent’ sums up the facets of the image problem that sherry is currently experiencing. Last weekend I g… Read More
2019-10-22 11:59
The Bladon’s of Jenkyn Place hosted a vineyard event to launch their new 2015 blanc de blancs. Unperturbed by torrents of falling rain, Scottie Gregory traversed the Hampshire countrys… Read More
2019-10-21 12:05
Careening through central London’s subterranean arteries to get to wine tastings inevitably provides a combination of anticipation and perspiration. When the wine tasting in question i… Read More
2019-10-15 19:45
Despite being a global brand producing 6.5million bottles annually and shipping to 149 countries, the Taittinger family remain familiar and personable faces to the wine, culinary and art fra… Read More
2019-10-04 10:36
Over 4,000 bottles of wine valued at nearly £100,000 are to go under the auctioneers' hammer next week after the failure of the interesting Lincolnshire-based wine club 3D Wines… Read More
2019-09-29 20:01
The autumn leaves are starting to fall and the colour schema is turning to a range of russet hues. It is, however, the white wines that typically suit many of the culinary and social occasio… Read More
2019-09-10 16:24
The annual WineGB (English and Welsh) tasting in London was bursting at the seams with new producers keen to share the liquid fruits of their labour. Taster, SCOTTIE GREGORY, highlights two… Read More
2019-09-05 12:00
Delving deep into the shelves of my local Laithwaite’s merchant in Borough Market, London Bridge, I found a trove of unusual Spanish wines and that evening enjoyed this Marqués… Read More
2019-09-02 08:27
A newly published series of dates of grape harvest covering the past 664 years is the latest line of evidence confirming how unusual the climate of the past 30 years has been. The record sho… Read More
2019-08-23 11:57
It has been a busy year for Douro Valley port and dry wine producer, Quinta do Noval. February saw the release of Noval's dry wine range in London, and in the summer, Managing Director Chris… Read More
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