Drink
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…
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…
Mineral reserves
St James’s Street is a repository of urban comfort. It contains majestic clubs, a gunsmith, a boot-maker, a barber, a…
Mineral reserves
St James’s Street is a repository of urban comfort. It contains majestic clubs, a gunsmith, a boot-maker, a barber, a…
House sherry
The Speaker was in trouble. I do not refer to Michael Martin or John Bercow, the two worst Speakers in…
House sherry
The Speaker was in trouble. I do not refer to Michael Martin or John Bercow, the two worst Speakers in…
Drink: the romance of fall
The fall: one of the few instances where American English is superior to English English. ‘Autumn’ has a comfortable charm,…
