‘Show don’t tell’ was what I was taught as a journalist. And there’s no better format for it than an interview based solely on direct quotes - particularly when the subject is one of Burgundy’s most innovative, outspoken and disruptive winemakers… www.67pallmall.com/what-ive-lea...

Lots has been written about the quality, or otherwise, of the Burgundy 2024 wines. But what about the aspect that, for most consumers, is far more important (and that most critics ignore) - the prices? A few words on the Burgundy EP market: www.67pallmall.com/under-the-su...

UNDER THE SURFACE | En Primeur – Is Burgundy going the same way as Bordeaux?

Burgundy's 2024 vintage has had a lukewarm reception, yet for the most part, prices remain high. In a stuttering fine...

67pallmall.com

'I am addicted to wine. I drink it every night. My grandmother, who liked her gin very much, lived to 98, so touch wood.’ @JancisRobinson on her 50-year wine-writing career, with asides on tea, politics, The Queen and social media: shorturl.at/fkgWl

A fantastic portrait of life in the wine trade courtesy of David Williams in this week's Observer. Hats off to him for the humour, honesty and realism he brings to this 25-year overview of the ups and downs involved… observer.co.uk/style/food/a...

Days of wine and noses: the life of a critic | The Observer

Getting paid to drink all day might sound like a dream job. But what’s it really like to be a wine critic?

observer.co.uk

Useful advice from @thewinesociety.bsky.social in its 1880 list (though I'm a bit confused by the difference between 'Sweet' and 'Dessert'…)

If you want to read some words of wisdom (hers, not mine), here is the result of an hour’s conversation with the 100-year-old wine legend May-Eliane de Lencquesaing (NB her comments on wine and health – especially resonant as the AIV confronts the UN about the ‘denormalisation’ of wine by the WHO).

Considering the legacy of Michel Rolland, the uber-consultant who purists loved to hate… janeanson.com/michel-rolla...

Michel Rolland: the world's wine consultant - Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux

This article is a profile of one of Bordeaux's most prolific wine consultants, Michel Rolland, known for Merlot and Pomerol

janeanson.com

I see water sommeliers are in the news again. One of my favourite (and most widely reported) tastings when I was editing Decanter was a water tasting, spanning everything from London tap to 39p Vittel to £50-a-bottle, complete with Swarovski crystals… www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/...

Anecdotal evidence of ⬆️ perception of English Sparkling Wine: As deputy head of a private school, my wife receives some nice gifts at term-end. This year 2 of the 4 fizz were English (Nyetimber and Gusbourne, alongside Bollinger and Billecart-Salmon). Wouldn't have happened 5 years ago…

Taittinger’s English fizz Domaine Evremond served at the Royal Banquet in honour of French President Macron tonight…

‘We lock all our vineyard gates behind us when we go in, to make sure no-one can show up unannounced.’ The chaos wreaked on California wineries by Trump's immigration raids, and the possible loss of vineyard crews – 👏 to @decanter.com for running this: www.decanter.com/wine-news/ca...

California's wine communities face deeply human costs amid Trump's immigration raids - Decanter

Immigration raids affect California's wine community: Trump's immigration policy has placed immigrant communities squarely in the cross hairs

decanter.com

Am sure that, like the wine press, the cheese trade titles will now be running features panicking at how 18-24-year-olds are no longer buying Roquefort… www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2...

French Gen Z turn noses up at pungent cheese

Nine per cent of 18-to-24-year-olds say they do not eat it, compared with five per cent of the French population as a whole

telegraph.co.uk

My top five topics (among many) that all wine businesses should avoid when talking to consumers: harpers.co.uk/news/fullsto...

Guy Woodward: how to avoid putting off consumers - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

I’m going to come right out and admit it. I’ve worked in the wine world for 22 years now, and I still don’t really understand malolactic fermentation. I...

harpers.co.uk

At last – a piece on why young adults are drinking less that is actually based on research. 👏 @teamdb.bsky.social 'The headline reason Gen Z are drinking less? They’re skint.' www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2025/04/why-...

Why is Gen Z really drinking less? It’s not what you think

Gen Z's relationship with alcohol is driven by deeper economic and demographic shifts, according to a new report.

thedrinksbusiness.com

Stuck w @theobserveruk.bsky.social through the tribulations of recent years, but it’s now a world away from the great paper it once was. New sports section particularly low-budget. Sad to see the UK press now without a serious Sunday paper to represent a liberal, left-leaning perspective.

The Observer@theobserveruk.bsky.social · last yr.

The new Observer has gone to press. Buy your copy, available across the country, tomorrow morning. observer.co.uk/print

V good piece by @henrygjeffreys.bsky.social on whether wine writers need formal wine qualifications. My view, FWIW – definitely not! As Henry says: 'The most important qualification for a wine writer is to be able to write.' henryjeffreys.substack.com/p/do-wine-wr...

Do wine writers need qualifications?

After 15 years as a wine autodidact, I am wondering whether it would help to study for some professional qualifications. So I spoke to some experts...

henryjeffreys.substack.com

Which is further from the notion of terroir – wine made from grapes grown in raised beds of coconut husk under polytunnels, or wine made from a blend of Australian and Rhône Syrah? And does any of it matter? harpers.co.uk/news/fullsto...

Guy Woodward: How polytunnels could enhance producers’ toolkit - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

From Margaret River to Mendoza, Barolo to Burgundy, I’ve seen some picturesque vineyards in my time. The B58 Winery in Beaulieu was not one of them....

harpers.co.uk

Fine summary of the potential impact of US tariffs on EU wines on the wider wine industry: www.everydaydrinking.com/p/happy-libe...

Happy "Liberation Day" To All (Idiots) Who Celebrate

Trump's tariffs will damage the wine and spirits business in America, this much we know. It may even kill it.

everydaydrinking.com

‘Bordeaux is a very small town. It’s very incestuous. The sport is trying to sleep with everybody’s else’s wife.' I interviewed the always-entertaining Sacha Lichine, the man who gave up a fourth growth to invent swimming pool rosé... 67pallmall.com/what-ive-lea...

Producers are now having to jump through so many hoops to retain the style of their wine that they're almost circumventing terroir. Meanwhile, classed growths eliminate over half the crop from their grands vins. So – is great wine really still made in the vineyard? timatkin.com/the-dilution...

Great piece, and essential reading, from Kate Lofthouse for @timatkinmw.bsky.social 'The allegations feel under-explored in the media.' 100% – but it's not hard to fathom why, when Champagne houses are regular clients of most wine titles… timatkin.com/uncomfortabl...

Spottswoode has planted various varieties - Falanghina, Touriga Nacional - on an experimental basis, ‘because we can’t be sure that Cabernet will be viable in the future, given how hot it’s getting in Napa…’

For most of Napa, 2020’s fires were a disaster. For Harlan, they led to a permanent change in style. ‘It was like after 20 years of having a relationship with somebody, you realise you’ve missed something so key to them…’ My latest for 67 Pall Mall’s newsletter www.67pallmall.com/how-impendin...

People always like to know the blend breakdown of wines. Yet it seems winemakers couldn’t be less bothered. Some of them don’t even know. Marc Hochar of Musar: ‘It’s really not the most important thing.’ JG Prats of Léoville Las Cases: ‘It’s the least interesting aspect of all the wines we make.’

English Merlot being grown in raised beds of coir (coconut husk) within polytunnels in Hampshire

People make fun of influencers parroting press releases, but at the top-end, is there any more pointless tasting ‘report’ each year than the write-ups of DRC?

Brilliant piece on wine scores by @simonjwoolf.com themorningclaret.com/p/are-wine-s...

Quite funny. And in Vogue, of all places… www.vogue.co.uk/article/why-...

Why Is Every Restaurant In London A Wine Bar Now?

“Much like complicated dirty martinis or sexed-up smashburgers, wine bars are, for want of a kinder word, overdone.”

vogue.co.uk

🚨 Calling all wine communicators 🚨 Having worked on the inaugural edition of these awards last year, I can heartily endorse them as a way of getting your work recognised. The 2025 entries are now open… www.67pallmall.com/67-awards/

Watching the tennis… ‘This is an ad-free final set, brought to you by Rolex’ 🤔