This blog began as a record of taking the WSET Diploma, during which I studied and explored wines and spirits made all around the world. Having passed the Diploma and become a WSET Certified Educator, the blog has become much more: a continual outlet for my passion for the culture of wine, spirits, and beer.
I aim to educate in an informal, enlightening, and engaging manner. As well as maintaining this blog to track my latest enthusiasms, I provide educational tastings for restaurants and for private groups. Details can be found on the website, and collaborations are welcome.
Wine is my primary interest and area of expertise and this blog aims to immerse the reader in the history of wine, to understand why wine tastes like it does, and to explore all the latest news. At the same time, beer and spirits will never be ignored.
For the drinker, whether casual or professional, today is a good time to be alive.
Winemaking in Rioja has traditionally been all about blending, bringing different sub-regions and grape varieties together to create a reflection of the region as a whole. I recently met a producer who has a very different attitude, refusing to use the Rioja designation on their labels and making single-vineyard wines. Should other Spanish producers follow suit and make wines that are more individual expressions rather than regional blends?
It can be difficult to find good Bordeaux that’s also affordable. Cru Bourgeois is a category which offers approachable, good-value Cabernet Sauvignon based wines. Read more to find out about these alternatives to expensive Left Bank wines.
Douro Valley is the heartland of port, the great fortified wine. It’s spectacularly beautiful, with steep, rocky terraces covered in vines. Visiting the region was a long-held ambition of mine, and it did not disappoint.
The latest in my series of podcast episodes on spirits: Vodka is the most widely drunk spirit globally, popular because of its clean, neutral taste. The spirit goes back centuries, changing due to fashion and technology. This episode focuses on how vodka is made and how to make sense of a drink that is so deliberately flavourless.
The cork industry has suffered in the last twenty-five years due to the number of “corked” wines. On a recent trip to Portugal, I learnt how producers are working very hard to redeem the image of the industry.
Blind tasting is fun, challenging, and humbling - as well as necessary for WSET Level 3 and 4 exams. Find out what students taking the Diploma made of tasting four blind sparkling wines.
Meursault is a village in the heart of Côte de Beaune famous for producing rich, opulent wines. But things are changing as I found out at a tasting - the wines now are designed to be more expressive of the part of the village they come from.
Cava is known for being simple and inexpensive, but producers are finally beginning to think about making more expressive, structured wines. I learnt about the new Paraje designation, created with the aim of improving the quality and reputation of cava.
Think cider is cheap and sweet? Think again! The growing craft cider movement is drawing on the historic traditions of cider to create drinks that are dry, sophisticated, and unique.
Paso Robles is one of my favourite California regions, producing Rhône-style wines as well as Petite Sirah and Zinfandel. A revisit to the area introduced me to some new producers, and confirmed the quality of the wines being made there.
Crémant de Bourgogne is made from the same grape varieties grown in Champagne and isn't too far away from the famous sparkling wine region. Can Crêmant de Bourgogne match champagne?
South Africa isn't simply a hot country producing powerful red wines: the cooler conditions in coastal regions result in fresh, complex white wines, especially from Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Chardonnay.
The combination of old vines and one of the world's great white grapes, Chenin Blanc, makes for some extraordinary wine in South Africa. By drawing on its heritage, the country is carving out a unique niche for itself.
The Swartland Revolution: a combination of old vines, intelligent new plantings, and innovative winemakers make Swartland the most exciting region in South Africa.
Montilla-Moriles, 150km inland from sherry, is best known for providing Pedro Ximénez grapes for intensely sweet styles of sherry. But I discovered the region produces remarkable wines in its own right.
Terroir usually refers to where the grapes are grown and how the land and the climate affect the style of wine. That's true in sherry, but the terroir is also about where and how the wines are aged. No other wine quite reflects the subtle variants in how it's been made.
Champagne is one of the iconic wines of the world. But why is it sparkling? Why is it made like it is? My recent trip to the region gave an insight into the history of style of champagne, which is much imitated but rarely replicated.
There is an extraordinary number of appellations within Burgundy. Some of them are quite obscure and provide an opportunity to find good-value alternatives to more famous names.
Sake is an historic Japanese drink, made for the last two thousand years. The WSET Level 1 in sake gave me an introduction to the many different styles of this fascinating drink.
Explore the world of fortified wine, from sherry to Rutherglen Muscat, through Matthew's World of Wine and Drink. The episodes are particularly focused on students preparing for Unit 6 of the WSET Diploma, but anyone enthusiastic about wonderful world of fortified wine. The first episode gives an overview into fortification and the history of fortified wine.
