Say ‘yamas’ to the fine wines of Greece
This week Times Drinks Editor James Viner chooses four delicious drops from a country whose wines are enjoying something of a renaissance… This week, I raise a toast to the brilliant wines of renascent Greece! The country’s winemaking history goes back thousands of years, but its revival only began in the early 1990s, when […]
True colours – now is the time for orange wine
When it comes to wines, orange is the new rival to pink, says Times Drinks Editor James Viner Pink has a new rival. Distinctive, dry orange wine made by fermenting white grapes, but with extended contact (long maceration) – as with red winemaking – between skins, pips, occasionally stems, and juice. This can turn […]
Cheers to the well-travelled Cabernet Sauvignon grape
James Viner uncorks five delicious bottles of one of the world’s most recognisable red wine varieties… This week I celebrate Cabernet Day on September 7 by raising a glass to five wonderful examples of this deeply coloured, classic black grape variety. Late-ripening, warmth-loving, small, thick blue-skinned Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) has plenty of colour, tannin […]
Raise a glass to British oysters with five complementary wines
James Viner looks forward to the native oyster season, which runs from September to April… Whether wild or farmed, oysters are nutritious and, for many, including me, delectable (à chacun son gout). Each region produces oysters with unique flavours, with some subtly sweeter, saltier, plumper, nuttier, silkier, juicier and more melony than others. I’m […]
Try these scrumptious wines for your bank holiday barbecue
The summer bank holiday is nearly upon us. I’ve decided to dust down the barbecue, grill up a storm for my family and relish some delectable wines on the patio. Splendid enjoyed in the late summer sunshine, these joyful, tasty wines are perfect with the sizzling flavours of your barbecue faves. Happy grilling and chilling […]
Cheers to International Pinot Noir Day!
In time for International Pinot Noir Day on Friday 18 August, Times Drinks Editor James Viner has tracked down a tasty selection of this influential (relatively) low tannin, early budding, early ripening, fussy, ancient red grape. Here are six humdinger bottles that are packed with flavour and possess the coveted Pinot magic that stimulates unqualified […]
Salud to Albariño from rainy Rías Baixas, Spain!
Fashionable, crisp, aromatically floral Albariño – the same grape as Portugal’s Alvarinho – is a true testament to Spain’s contribution to the world of white wine. Ahead of International Albariño Day (August 1), I’ve chosen four superior, typically bone dry, unoaked ones that come from its heartland in the turbulent, rainy Atlantic DO of Rías […]
Wines to buy on a French road trip
Whether you’re heading back from a wine holiday, or looking for smart buys on a trip across the Channel, these are the labels to try, says Sam Wylie-Harris As any wine lover will agree, France has it all. But where do you begin if you’re not sure which are the go-to appellations if you’re […]
Four rosé wines that will leave you in the pink
Nothing shouts summer quite like a glass of chilled rosé wine. Times Drinks Editor James Viner selects four delectable examples for seasonal sipping… Rosé wines are a significant category, offering an array of styles with colossally varying colours. They are made mainly from red grapes, and the pink hue usually comes from the brief contact […]
Make the time to say ‘cin cin’ to Verdicchio
Times Drinks Editor James Viner praises the grape from one of Italy’s least-known, high-quality wine regions 1) 2022 Moncaro Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico DOC (£6.99, Waitrose, waitrose.com) The Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico DOC subzone is restricted to vineyards located on the left (northern) bank of the Misa River. Of all […]
