The Winery Pant Du of Wales

Vanilla was ranked as the most pleasant smell in a study involving 235 people and conducted by an international network of researchers, including those from the University of Oxford and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. This was closely followed by ethyl butyrate, ‘which smells like peaches’, said the researchers, who published their findings in the Current Biology journal. Vanilla notes can be found in several wine styles, such as some iterations of Chardonnay or Rioja, largely resulting from ...

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 ...

Every year the hospitality industry holds its breath as the revised line up of the Michelin Guide is announced. A star won – or lost – is often a pivotal moment in the consolidation of a venue’s name and the reputation of the chef, sommelier and restaurateurs behind it. Yesterday, February 16th, the Michelin Stars were unveiled for this year’s Michelin Great Britain & Ireland Guide, with 19 restaurants having been newly awarded a star, bringing the total number of one starred restaurants in ...