Opinion piece

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…

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…

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…

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…

Sussex Sparkling Wine has been granted official Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, which is the equivalent of Appellation Controlee in France or DOC in Italy. A PDO, once granted, identifies products that are produced, processed and prepared in a specific geographical area, using the recognised expertise of local producers and ingredients from the region…

Tasting If you believe a wine is simple make sure you write the word “simple” in both the nose and palate sections, it’s worth a mark Ensure you comment on all aspects of palate – sweetness, acidity, alcohol, body, finish and flavour characteristics; create a mnemonic to ensure you remember them all SAABFF so you…

Ok so we don’t normally do politics, nor do we do spirits; however these are exceptional times. The Drinks Business recently posted an article on this subject, some of which is worth reproducing here. Amidst the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a movement to boycott Russian vodka in bars and shops has risen. The issues many…

The wines for this tasting were provided by L’Ecole du Vin de Bordeaux. If you are ever in the city I recommend their courses, many of which are held in English. The wines tasted were as follows: Cuvee Clemence 2020 – aromas of lemon and pineapple with some oak on the palate, although less on…

A lot of people in the UK buy French wine because they are familiar with the names and they are relatively easy to pronounce in restaurants (compared to, say Greek or German ones).  Because of this ready market much French wine can be rather over-priced, so here are some alternatives to try: Muscadet – a…

With no tastings or events possible for the last few months the recent Wine of the Month recommendations have had to be taken from my own personal consumption. The restrictions enforced on us in recent months have had a terrible impact on the hospitality industry and on everybody’s health, finances and quality of life. I…