So I gave my body a break for a few weeks and stayed clear from alcohol. Enough of that already! With flu season approaching it’s time to get back in the wine. Check out the article below by maxim.com on wine's antibacterial qualities that protect against sore throats. Click on image to open article by … Continue reading Wine Protects Against Sore Throats →

When it comes to oak barrels size does matter. The smaller and younger the barrel the more flavour it imparts to the wine. The older and larger barrels allow the wine to age without gaining any oak flavour effects. Both have there place in wine making. According to our host at an Italian wine tasting … Continue reading Size Does Matter →

Back in the Middle Ages in Europe water was considered unhealthy. This was because it was unclean and full of harmful bacteria. For centuries dating back to the early civilisations water was made drinkable by adding alcohol, usually wine. This is why the majority of Western people carry the enzyme to digest alcohol as they've … Continue reading When Wine was Healthier than Water →

A battle is raging in the Barolo region between the traditionalists and modernists on the best way to make Barolo wine. This is a battle well known to us winos in Spain as it is also fiercely contested in Toro and Jumilla, or I presume any region of the wine making world where very thick … Continue reading Barolo Wines: Traditionalists vs Modernists →

When choosing wine in restaurant or bar I look for a grape variety or region I haven't tried before. However, according to research by The Wine and Spirits Education Trust, most of us either stick to what we know or go by look and price. The top reasons for choosing a particular wine are given … Continue reading Britons’ Top Reason for Choosing Wine →

A few interesting Prosecco facts that came up in my last wine tasting. Prosecco has been around long before the classic bubbly Champagne was invented (in the mid 18th century). There is evidence it was made in Roman times but it was not a sparkling wine then. In the 1600s a batch of local Prosecco … Continue reading Some Prosecco History →

Yesterday I wrote up a wine tasting about a white wine that had been aged on lees. Now I quite like ‘sur lies’ wines as they often have a nice yeasty taste (think bread dough or toast) and a heavier texture, which works for me. However it’s not to everyone tastes and if you prefer … Continue reading What are Lees? →

You may have noticed that I’ve been offline for a few days. That’s because I returned to a full on Madrid summer heatwave with night time temperatures above 30c. Such intense heat is one of the few things that can put me off my favourite tipple. Here in Spain the summer heat doesn’t stop the … Continue reading The Invention of Calimocho →

Yesterday I published a wine tasting for a white wine that was labelled Vino De Autor. What is that? You might ask. Well I certainly did and I have to say there was not a great deal of information available on google about this. As far as I can tell Vinos de Autor are select … Continue reading What Are Vinos De Autor →