Exploring the wines, people and places that deserve more attention - one glass, one vineyard and one grape variety at a time.
There are plenty of places to learn about famous wines, famous regions and the grapes you're supposed to know. And rightly so!
I'm more interested in the questions, stories and discoveries that sit slightly off the beaten track. Why does one place make a particular wine? Why has a grape almost disappeared? Why does one wine become fashionable while another is ignored? And why are some of the things we're told about wine simply not true?
That might take me to a family vineyard in a Hungarian village with a name you can't pronounce, to a wine made from a grape you've never heard of, a producer making Cava from base wine aged in chestnut barrels or a bottle that makes me reconsider what I thought I knew.
The aim is to make wine accessible. No pretending every bottle is profound. Just curiosity, opinions, discoveries and the occasional rabbit hole. Because wine isn't just about what's in the glass. It's about the people, places, history, ideas and sometimes downright peculiar decisions that got it there.
I'm here for the wines that make you think, the stories that surprise you and the things that make you look twice.
Operation Don't look clueless
Got a fancy date, a restaurant booking or a business dinner looming? Suddenly realised you know less about wine than you probably should? Don't want to bring 10 generations of shame on your family for your lack of wine knowledge? Whether you've got ten minutes, half an hour or a little more time on your hands, I've got a crash course to help you get up to speed, make better choices and sound like you know what you're talking about. No exams, no snobbery, just the wine knowledge you actually need.
The 10 minute version
The Quick Fix
Short on time? Here's the essential wine knowledge you can pick up in ten minutes. Enough to get you through the immediate crisis.
The 30 minute version
The Confidence Boost
Got a little longer? Build your knowledge, understand the basics and pick up some useful tips to help you feel more confident choosing, buying and talking about wine.
My wine bascis series
The Full Download
Ready to go a bit further? Work your way through our Wine Basics series and build a solid foundation in wine, one subject at a time. You'll be surprised how much you can learn without having to become a wine geek.