Birmingham Mail - Food & Drink - Wine Column

Raise a Glass: Wine experts are giving oak both barrels

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:46:00 GMT

“I don’t like it,” said Bruno Schenk as we sniffed and smelled the red wine that had just come out of an oak barrel in his dark and silent cellar.

Raise A Glass: Blow winter blues away

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:05:00 GMT

There’s a sense of smugness around at the moment – it’s all those people who’ve decided to give up alcohol for January. Well, it’s not a bad idea, after the excesses of the festive season, but it does make what is already a bleak month even more of a grind.

Christmas wine ideas - and how to save money now

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:26:00 GMT

The German Market opens in Birmingham on Thursday – and that means goodbye to any hopes of blocking out Christmas until it actually arrives.

Raise a Glass: Toast the winners of the World Cup final

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:31:00 GMT

BIRMINGHAM’S wonderful Electric Cinema had a great idea this week – screening Sideways, the hit film about wine, while cracking a few bottles to get viewers in the right mood.

Raise a Glass: Greece is the word for wines with character

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:15:00 GMT

Anyone who’s struggled to be positive about a bottle of Retsina on a Greek holiday – even if the sun is shining and the waves are lapping gently at the restaurant’s harbour wall – might be surprised that Greece actually makes lots of wines that are well worth seeking out.

Raise a Glass: Time to bring beers to the dining table

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 12:37:00 GMT

BELGIANS may not be well known for very much, apart from chocolate and Poirot... oh yes, and beer.

Raise a Glass: The sun's shining on Midlands winemakers

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:36:00 GMT

It could be the Mediterranean: shirtsleeved grape pickers at work in the vineyards as the sun blazes down on a vintage harvest.

Why Chinese wine will soon be as popular as tipples from Bordeaux and California

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:52:00 GMT

CHINA is not exactly the first place you might look to find quality wine... or any wine at all for that matter.

Raise A Glass: Plump for a rosé before the weather turns

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 13:23:00 GMT

WITH summer well and truly on the run, it’s time to say goodbye to the rosé.

Raise A Glass: Cheap British not real deal

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:08:00 GMT

Cheap wines that look as if they are made in England are not necessarily the best of British.

Raise a Glass: Avoiding rip-offs with BYOB

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 13:20:00 GMT

Ordering wine in restaurants can be an ordeal, especially when the mark-up on prices brings a lump to the throat.

Raise a Glass: Future for British cider is looking even rosier

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:17:00 GMT

THE future’s looking rosy for cider. The harvest is already under way – a record early start – and cider-makers are hoping for another bumper year.

Raise a Glass: Small breweries enjoy a moment in the sun

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:42:00 GMT

There are around 57,000 pubs in the UK but with something like 100 going out of business every month that number will soon be a lot smaller.

Raise a Glass: Age old argument exploded

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:28:00 GMT

The latest Harry Potter adventure is ample proof that people still have a hankering for fairy stories. But there can’t be many people left who still believe that corks are the best way to seal a bottle of wine.

Raise a Glass: Prices cut for Riesling Week

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 12:51:00 GMT

With the wine shelves awash with Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon it’s tempting to search out a taste of something different. Thankfully, the Riesling revival seems to be continuing apace and its versatility and food-friendly nature make it well worth hunting down.

Raise a Glass: Refreshing drink to go with holiday tapas

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:25:00 GMT

ANYONE jetting off to ‘real’ Spain for a holiday may be surprised to find that the drink the locals choose to go with their tapas is not sangria but sherry.

Raise a Glass: Develop a taste for foreign travel

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:52:00 GMT

SOME of the most memorable wine tasting experiences happen on holidays. That amazing bottle of rosé at the beachside restaurant, for instance; or that wonderful red in the shady piazza after a morning touring the ancient ruins.

Raise a Glass: Anyone for Pimm's in Wimbledon fortnight?

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 10:50:00 GMT

THE longest day has been and gone, Wimbledon is in full swing... it must be summer!

Raise a Glass: Can animal skulls make wine better?

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 10:31:00 GMT

THE sight of a winemaker burying animal skulls in his vineyard to help the vines grow might well raise a few eyebrows. And the fact that he runs his business according to the movements of the planets could suggest he is just barking at the moon.

Raise a Glass: Make it a real vintage year for dad

Birmingham Mail — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 12:11:00 GMT

FATHER’S Day may be a blatant attempt by the greeting cards manufacturers to cash in, but dads do deserve some recognition and there’s plenty of time before next Sunday to think about a gift that will make his day.