The flavor of sweaty saddle in wine of Thrace

Having joined The Wine Society’s team in 1973 as promotions manager, Payne became the head buyer in 1985. He stepped down from this position in 2012, when Tim Sykes took over, but has remained on the buying team ever since. As part of his responsibilities, Payne has bought in every region throughout the years but, in recent years, focused mainly on Italy and Bordeaux. He was also instrumental in introducing wines from Eastern Europe and Greece to the portfolio. The Wine Society described Payne’s ...

My father worked in the wholesale supply of fruit and vegetables. He would often come home with a box of the day’s best produce, and so I became interested in what was in season. Both my parents often worked late, so cooking dinner to help take some weight off them inspired me to want to learn more. My first kitchen job at age 14 was at a Greek restaurant in Southampton, and it inspired my love for foods of the eastern Mediterranean. Today, I’m lucky to be able to obtain the best produce from ‘O ...

Rosa Kruger, a self-styled ‘farm manager’ who is a leading figure in world viticulture and has played a major role in the development of South Africa’s modern-day wine scene, has been announced as recipient of the Decanter Hall of Fame prize for 2022. She is also the first South African to join this exclusive group of wine world stars. This year marks the 39th edition of the award, previously known as Man or Woman of the Year and launched in 1984. Chris Maillard, Decanter’s Edi ...