Winery Babich Indvidual Vineyard Fernhill Viognier

When I started my nomadic winemaking project, in 2018 at Niepoort Vinhos in Portugal’s Douro region, I had no idea how large a part Spain would go on to play – I certainly never intended to make it the locus of my project. So how did it happen? Yes, there was an element of chance and taking opportunities where they arose. But also, among the talented winemakers to whom I pitched collaborations, I sensed an openness and a readiness to collaborate which seemed particular to Spain. Held in June las ...

Being notably peated, the inaugural chapter emerged in 2020, followed by Chapter Two in 2021, finished in a first fill Port pipe and refill Bourbon cask. The concluding sixth chapter is reserved for release in 2025, coinciding with the 200th anniversary of the foundation of the Old Midleton site, which operated from 1825 to 1975. ‘When it’s gone, it’s gone, which is sad in some ways, breaking the link to the old distillery,’ said Kevin O’Gorman, the Master Distiller and head of maturation of the ...

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 ...