A military funeral for a heroic vintage
Alas, the ’63 ports are beginning to fade. I came to that conclusion the last time I tasted a Warre’s,…
A military port
Alas, the ’63 ports are beginning to fade. I came to that conclusion the last time I tasted a Warre’s,…
A toast to Le Roi Jen Quinze
There ought to be a new literary award: the antisocial book of the year. A dozen years ago, Claire Tomalin’s…
A toast to Le Roi Jean Quinze
There ought to be a new literary award: the antisocial book of the year. A dozen years ago, Claire Tomalin’s…
It would take a heart of stone not to laugh at Bordeaux's misfortune
The en primeur tastings have been taking place in Bordeaux, and the mood has oscillated from despair to defiance. It…
A storm in Bordeaux
The en primeur tastings have been taking place in Bordeaux, and the mood has oscillated from despair to defiance. It…
Secrets of Sicily
Western Sicily has been a crucible of aspiration and grandeur: the human condition at its most exalted: unsurpassable art and…
What Quique Dacosta knows that Picasso didn’t
Chefs have a problem. Think of much of the best food you have ever eaten. Caviar, English native oysters, sashimi,…
New ways to open a bottle
Chefs have a problem. Think of much of the best food you have ever eaten. Caviar, English native oysters, sashimi,…
The tragedy of Armenia (and its brandy)
It is impossible not to sympathise with Armenia. It has spent much of its history between the hammer and the…
The spirit of Armenia
It is impossible not to sympathise with Armenia. It has spent much of its history between the hammer and the…
Toast to a young gun
Three of us, old friends, were meeting to arrange a marriage. The young couple have never actually met. Indeed, they…
Toast to a future wedding
Three of us, old friends, were meeting to arrange a marriage. The young couple have never actually met. Indeed, they…
A spirit to warm Bruegel’s ‘Hunters in the Snow’
The ostensible subject matter is misleading, as is any conflation with his lesser relatives’ wassailing peasants and roistering village squares.…
Spirits of Bruegel
The ostensible subject matter is misleading, as is any conflation with his lesser relatives’ wassailing peasants and roistering village squares.…
Our daily haggis
Give us this day our daily bread: those are also words of great culinary significance. Even if the ‘bread’ takes…
Burns Night bottles
Give us this day our daily bread: those are also words of great culinary significance. Even if the ‘bread’ takes…
Is there a clean joke for Burns Night? I asked Cecil Parkinson...
As a life, it was a scintillating spectrum of the human condition. There was hardship and suffering, as well as…
The immortal memory
As a life, it was a scintillating spectrum of the human condition. There was hardship and suffering, as well as…
Drink: The great white Burgundy disaster
We agreed that it was the gravest crisis facing mankind. It has led to dashed hopes, widespread grief and a…
The great white Burgundy disaster
We agreed that it was the gravest crisis facing mankind. It has led to dashed hopes, widespread grief and a…
Bruce Anderson: Bordeaux's negociants deserve to suffer - and they will
Our sweet enemy, France, is not always that sweet. It is tempting to respond to France’s current degringolade with cynicism…
The fall of France
Our sweet enemy, France, is not always that sweet. It is tempting to respond to France’s current degringolade with cynicism…
When the Rothschilds waged a claret class war
Claret has a commercial advantage over Burgundy. Thanks to the grandes lignes of châteaux and vintages, you know where you…
Claret’s class war
Claret has a commercial advantage over Burgundy. Thanks to the grandes lignes of châteaux and vintages, you know where you…
