Posts by Adrian
The Big Fortified Tasting 2023
I have to say this is one of my favourite tastings of the year. It is very well organised and covers Sherry, Port, Madeira and Moscatel. The overall quality was extremely high; however among my personal highlights were: I’m running a fortified tasting next month which is already fully booked so it looks hopeful that…
Read MoreWines of New Zealand tasting – April 2023
New Zealand is only the 15th highest wine producing country in the world; however they do put an emphasis on quality. In the UK on average we spend more per bottle on New Zealand wine than any other country. In this tasting my aim was to go beyond Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to try wines from…
Read MoreWines of North America Tasting – March 2023
Thank you to everybody who came along to the tasting of Wines of North America – the wines we tasted were as follows: Peller Estates, Signature Series Ice Cuvée Classic NV (Courtesy of Barry Gibbon) Region: Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, CanadaGrapes: 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir12% ABVThis wine is made in the Traditional Method from hand-picked Chardonnay…
Read MoreMinimum Unit Pricing (MUP)
I have long been an advocate of MUP on the grounds that it would promote responsible drinking in pubs rather than the purchase of cheap alcohol from supermarkets that may be drunk on the streets. Scotland introduced a MUP of 50p per unit in 2018. The impact of this is as follows: 1 pint of…
Read MoreHarpers 50 Best Indies 2023
Congratulations to the following Sussex wine merchants which were in Harpers “top 50” for this year. The judges comments are also shown: Butlers Wine Cellar Everything a local merchant should be, with Henry Butler and Cassie Gould being immersed in the community, whether that be through impressive charitable works or intimate knowledge of the restaurant…
Read MoreBeer is good for you – “official”
As reported by The Drinks Business, drinking two pints of beer every day could lower your risk of dementia, according to scientists. A recent study, led by Australian researchers looking into the drinking habits and dementia rates among 25,000 over-60s, showed those who drank the equivalent of two pints of beer per day were a…
Read MoreNext Treasure Hunt – 1st October 2022
THE KEMP TOWN BEER MILE TREASURE HUNT ________________________________________________________ SEEK OUT THE CLUES AS YOU CROSS BRIGHTON KEMP TOWN AT YOUR OWN PACE AND ENJOY A FEW DRINKS ON THE WAY – FREE TO ENTER ________________________________________________________ SATURDAY 1ST OCTOBER 2022 START Brighton Bierhaus, 161 Edward Street, Brighton BN2 0JB BETWEEN 1 PM AND 2.30 PM ________________________________________________________…
Read MoreIs it worth paying more? Tasting September 2022
We served two wines each of four different styles, one at around £10-12 and one at over £30. The wines were served blind and attendees asked which they preferred. Group A – Chenin Blanc Ken Forrester Reserve Collection Chenin Blanc 2020 An elegant, zesty, oaked white wine with flavours of tropical fruit, caramel and honeycomb.Ken…
Read MoreChile – overcrowding, water and rabbits!
WSET students may need to update their notes as the Drinks Business has reported a mass exit of one of Chile’s most prominent wine regions is underway due to overplanting, a lack of water, and a pervasive rabbit problem. As a result of the lack of water, producers are packing their bags and taking off…
Read MoreGreat British Beer Festival 2022
It was great to see the GBBF, organised by CAMRA, return to Olympia. There were hundreds of beers available plus gins, wines and many food stands. The stand out beers for me were: Blackedge Dark Mild (3.9%) – from a brewery based in Greater Manchester, a rich dark mild with loads of flavour from a…
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