Club Oenologique

07/07/2024

With warmer weather incoming (apparently), now is the perfect time to add some red wine to your cooler

David Kermode selects six of the best red wines for summer - just make sure you have your cooler to hand

06/07/2024

'Despite shifting fortunes, fluctuating fashions and the lure of myriad other cask types, Sherry’s unmistakable compatibility with whisky continues'

Kristiane Sherry unveils the top sherry cask whisky and new, inventive flavours from an extensive tasting of sherried whiskies from around the world

06/07/2024

Tomé Morrissy-Swan speaks to the chefs taking diners beyond the usual Western influences to the flavours of the Amazon

A growing interest in regional cuisine is helping put Amazonian food on menus in São Paulo. Tomé Morrissy-Swan speaks to the chefs who want to take diners beyond the usual Western influences to the flavours of the Amazon

05/07/2024

New bars launching around the world this month include a secretive drinking den accessed with a password and a New York bar with a focus on the Spritz

From an aperitivo bar in Miami to a new cocktail destination in Jakarta, these are the best new bars to visit in July

05/07/2024

In this week's newsletter: The top sherry cask whisky to seek out. Plus, David Kermode explores the top level of Vinho Verde wines and we list the hottest new restaurants to visit in July.

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04/07/2024

In the past five years – spurred on partially by ever-growing expat communities – Lisbon has quietly become a haven for natural, minimal-intervention styles of wine

Lisbon's natural wine bars are thriving thanks to ever-growing expat communities. Tomé Morrissy-Swan tours the city's trendiest neighbourhoods to pick six of the best

04/07/2024

Sommelier Bradley Tomlinson says the secret to storing wine at home is to 'think of your bottles like tiny vampires'

Sommelier Bradley Tomlinson shares his tips on the ideal place to rest your bottles at home - plus how to keep your wine in top condition

03/07/2024

These exciting new restaurants have a distinctive Spanish influence 🇪🇸

From top Spanish steak in London to upmarket American classics in Los Angeles, these are the best new restaurants to visit this month

02/07/2024

‘I changed everything. The next generation will come and they will change it again.’

The next generation in fortified wine are gradually implementing changes across sherry, port and Madeira. Gabriel Stone profiles five producers preparing for the future with the help of younger winemakers

02/07/2024

In the latest episode, David Kermode pays homage to a region with a remarkable terroir

For the second of two special editions dedicated to Chablis, David Kermode speaks to more of region’s producers and talks to Robin Kick MW about Petit Chablis, a wine that offers an exciting, affordable entry point to the world of fine Chardonnay

01/07/2024

'I call the Côte des Bar "the ugly duckling of Champagne,"' says Sandia Chang, co-founder and sommelier at the two Michelin-starred Kitchen Table in London’s Fitzrovia, and founder of online retailer Bubbleshop. 'The wines are so beautiful, but no one knows about them.' ⁠
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In this month's newsletter going out this week to subscribers of The Collection - the home of our premium wine and spirits content - Chang is sharing her thoughts on the vibrant grower Champagne scene.
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To receive the newsletter, sign up to The Collection via the following link ➡️ https://hubs.ly/Q02DV3S_0

01/07/2024

Essie Avellan MW recommends the cuvées best expressing the elegant employment of oak barrels in various shapes and sizes

Essi Avellan MW charts the return of the subtle use of oak by Champagne’s leading houses – and recommends top cuvées to try the trend

30/06/2024

For decades, spirit from the Lowlands has been seen by some as 'beginner's whisky'. Johanna Derry Hall meets the new producers breaking free from the stereotypes and creating something altogether more complex

New independent distilleries are springing up in the Lowland region of Scotland and breaking free from the traditional Lowland whisky style. Johanna Derry Hall speaks to producers about the diversity whisky drinkers can look forward to when their new drams hit the shelves

30/06/2024

‘The "molecular gastronomy" term was definitely not used in a positive sense’
- Albert Raurich, a former head chef of El Bulli, is just one of many chefs who instead prefer to define their style of cooking as 'techno-emotional cuisine'

Ben McCormack speaks to chefs championing ‘techno-emotional cuisine’ over 'molecular gastronomy', the term associated with El Bulli and other restaurants

29/06/2024

Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW believes that several parts of this region are soon bound to become as exclusive as Priorat, and for very good reason

Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW delivers tasting notes and scores of top Montsant wines, as part of the wider Spain Report 2024

29/06/2024

After an impressive showing in The Grower Champagne Report 2024, Essi Avellan MW explains why the style is so popular

Essi Avellan MW shares ten top blanc de blancs grower Champagnes from the Grower Champagne Report 2024 and explains why the style shines

28/06/2024

David Kermode selects five wines that show the capacity for complexity and depth from the Portuguese region known for its easygoing whites

Vinho Verde produces wines of complexity and depth, says David Kermode, despite the region's association with fruity simplicity. He selects five quality bottles that demonstrate the range of styles on offer

28/06/2024

In this week's newsletter: top summer reads for food and drink lovers.

Plus, Johanna Derry Hall speaks to the Lowlands distilleries challenging tradition and Essi Avellan MW provides her unique insight into the current state of blanc de blancs Champagne.

Sign up here to receive our latest stories, delivered to your inbox every Friday ➡️https://hubs.ly/Q02DzY510

27/06/2024

A Florence local shares 8 of the city's best bars to seek out if you're looking to partake in the food-and-drink tradition

As the birthplace of the Negroni and with the Chianti region on the doorstep, drinking in Florence is a pretty prestigious pastime

27/06/2024

Sommelier Melania Battiston explains what the term means to her

Sommelier Melania Battiston explains what it means to her when she describes "minerality" in wine.

26/06/2024

The classic cocktail might be associated with cloying drinks filled with tropical juices and syrups galore, but in its true form it offers a unique balance of sweet and sour

The Tiki cocktail is having something of an identity crisis. Tyler Zielinski seeks insights from experts on how get the drink just right

26/06/2024

With summer well and truly upon us, a chilled red wine is the perfect drink to accompany the bright sun and high temperatures 🍷

David Kermode selects six of the best red wines for summer - just make sure you have your cooler to hand

25/06/2024

'The best rosés made with indigenous varieties are creating exciting new styles for the category, expressing varietal character rather than trying to be a Provence imitation.'

Elizabeth Gabay MW explores how winemakers keen to experiment with grape varieties closer to home are producing some standout indigenous rosé wines

25/06/2024

David Kermode sits down with Rosemary George MW to talk about the enduring appeal of the iconic region

Episode 167 of The Drinking Hour podcast is the first of two special editions dedicated to the wines of Chablis, a region that has built a global reputation for some of the world's best Chardonnay

24/06/2024

To mark the 50th anniversary of Viña Arana, La Rioja Alta is releasing a limited-edition collection of three vintages that showcase its impressive ageing potential

To mark the 50th anniversary of Viña Arana, La Rioja Alta, S.A. is releasing a limited-edition collection of three vintages that showcase its impressive ageing potential

24/06/2024

Which are the gems to be found on the shelves of Waitrose this summer?

From a great value white made from an unfamiliar grape to a rich Australian red, these are 10 of the best wines at Waitrose in 2024

23/06/2024

We've selected some of the hottest new bars to know this month, including a quirky London hotspot for those seeking a bit of colour and a New York listening bar inspired by the Japanese concept ➡️https://hubs.ly/Q02CR4540

23/06/2024

Appassimento might be an ancient process, but Amarone producers are now faced with the need to adapt their tried-and-tested method

Different approaches to appassimento among Amarone producers are helping to modernise their wines as fine-wine lovers look to fresher, lighter red wines. Sarah Heller MW talks to the winemakers playing with this 'powerful' process

22/06/2024

'The Largo is an exceptional hotel, particularly for wine lovers, maybe especially for those wine lovers bent on proving that everything good in life springs from granite,' says Nina Caplan

Striking design and understated luxury make The Largo one of Europe's hottest new hotels. With a bar showcasing some of the best small Portuguese winemakers and a restaurant led by Nuno Mendes, it's an exceptional destination for the gourmand

22/06/2024

A striking tableau of shadows on a vineyard-adjacent dust track claimed the top prize

The Wine Photographer of the Year 2024 winners have been announced – with the top prize awarded for a striking shot of a Burgundian harvest