As many of you know, I have been toiling away for the past two years, working towards a Masters of Wine (MW). For those unfamiliar with this qualification, the MW is among the highest levels of scholastic achievement in the…
Photo credit: Bernard-Massard It is easy to get stuck in a wine rut. We know what we like and the temptation is to just pick up more of the same, reliable labels…the same way we always buy Coca Cola or…
Photo credit: Claude Rigoulet In my previous life as a winery sales manager I used to do lots of in-store tastings. They required a lot of standing around, and serving consumers wine in terrible conditions…too warm, in awful little plastic cups,…
Photo credit: IVSO/ P. Poupart From a Canadian’s perspective, France is a small country. 15 times smaller to be specific. A mere blip on the world map. Yet in terms of wine output, France is enormous. Not only in terms…
Valpolicella…land of wine, charm and tradition. So proclaims the Consorzio Tutela Vini Valpolicella, responsable for the marketing and promotion of the region. And they are not wrong. Those three descriptors aptly sum up what awaits you when you arrive…
Perhaps it was the proximity to Verona and its star-crossed lovers that made me sentimental. And perhaps, after a week travelling with two strong, talented women, I had become somewhat biased. Whatever the reasons, the themes of enduring love…
My jaunt through the vineyards, cantinas, trattorias and castellos of Conegliano Valdobbiadene is sadly at an end. The festivities culminated in a lovely closing dinner with much merriment. The old, low beamed roof creaked under the weight of hundreds…
A grey, overcast sky greeting us this morning as we hopped on the minibus for the days’ adventure. First stop, the Enology school for a proper classroom session to learn the wonders of DOCG Prosecco. The main difference always cited…
It is becoming increasingly rare (at least in my experience) to have a perfect journey. I mean one where all your flights leave on time, the security lines are short and painless, the immigration people are friendly and your…
I have been a little remiss in posting recently. This is simply because the big count down has begun… I am T-26 days from the Masters of Wine exams. So, as you can imagine, I have had my head…