The flavor of sassafras in wine of Jujuy

I first contributed to Decanter back in November 1988; the hundreds of columns and articles I’ve written since constitute a journey of discovery. I squirm, though, if I’m described as a ‘wine expert’. Whatever wine knowledge we acquire quickly cools, congeals and crusts over, like custard or gravy, as the years pass. The wine world expands at a clip. Every vintage rewrites history. It’s the chance to share discoveries – not just about wines, but about people, places and the act of drinking itsel ...

There’s a reason why heavily-applied perfume ranks highly on most wine lovers’ list of pet peeves. It overpowers your senses, conceals aromas and distorts your perception of a wine. In professional tastings and wine exams the wearing of perfume is banned, if not thoroughly frowned upon. You just don’t do it. What then, if we applied the same logic to music, controlling the sounds we hear, or don’t hear, while tasting wine? There’s no doubt that a chaotic environment can clog your synapses, makin ...

North Canterbury-based Pyramid Valley has formed a partnership with fellow New Zealand firm Oritain, which specialises in proving the origin of different products, and said the group’s ability to ‘fingerprint’ vineyard terroir offers a way to guarantee the provenance of its fine wines. Both partners suggested the system could contribute to preventing fine wine fraud more generally, but it’s early days. Wines in Pyramid Valley’s 2020-vintage Botanicals Collection, featuring Pinot Noir and Chardon ...