All too often we take for granted what is readily available, attributing greater value to the rare and inaccessible without subjecting it to the same kind of quality testing. The cachet of the exotic can be its own selling point: the word “imported” is often added to a description in order to justify a more elevated price, or simply to imply greater desirability. Read more

The “en primeur” or future sales of the 2008 Bordeaux vintage are pretty much in full swing — assuming that the announcement of prices by the major chateaux (rather than actual transactions) is your measure of commercial activity.

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It is impossible to separate preference from aesthetic judgment: you can compensate for your known biases but at best you are applying an adjustment factor to balance out the result. American uber-critic Robert Parker likes intensely flavoured, plush red wines. He tacitly admits to not fully understanding appellations whose hallmarks are delicacy and finesse. He no longer focuses on Burgundy, in whose nuances he has more than once stumbled into a minefield. Read more

Thirty years ago, if you talked to anyone about serious South African red wine, it was generally assumed you meant Cabernet Sauvignon. Of the better-than-workhorse cultivars in SA, it was the comfortable front runner.

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The “en primeur” or future sales of the 2008 Bordeaux vintage are pretty much in full swing — assuming that the announcement of prices by the major chateaux (rather than actual transactions) is your measure of commercial activity.

Read more