My top 10 natural wine discoveries in 2022
Simon chooses 10 wines that surprised and delighted him in 2022.
Tasting Romanian natural wine with Philip Cox
Tasting Romanian natural wines with the owner of one of the largest wineries in Romania – Philip Cox – might seem like an odd choice for Simon. But this meeting of two very different minds ended up being enjoyable and educational for both of us.
Orange couture – a Denavolo vertical
The story of an incredible and unexpected lunch which took in a complete summary of Guilio Armani’s Denavolo wines.
Originally published as “Dina is served” in Noble Rot issue 29.
I Come from Nowhere (Wine Classification is an Ass)
Wine classifications guarantee provenance, but why have many of their controlling institutions become de facto style police?
Originally published as “System of a Dão” in Noble Rot issue 28.
Is food and wine pairing irrelevant?
Simon gets grumpy about the state of food and wine pairing in restaurants, outlines some of the most deadly sins and ponders if this fussed over topic is even still relevant.
Auf Wiedersehen Pét
Simon gets ranty about pét nat, natural wine’s ubiquitous fizz. This article was originally published in Noble Rot Magazine, issue 27.
How to survive La Dive
Hannah has the essential tips for you if you’re a wine professional and you want to keep body and soul together at La Dive Bouteille and its spin-off wine fairs in the Loire this winter.
Amazing opportunity, cellar hand wanted
Want a job working for an up-and-coming winery located somewhere in France? Hannah Fuellenkemper has the most amazing opportunity for you…. possibly.
Was there Georgian wine at Raw Berlin 2021?
A brief report on RAW Fair Berlin 2021, which went ahead despite the odds stacked against it. A small crisis with a missing shipment of Georgian wine was also resolved swiftly on the day.
Grafenegg single vineyard summit 2021 – Part 1: Lower Austria
Simon reports back from this year’s Austrian single vineyard summit – a massive tasting at Grafenegg castle which provides a unique opportunity to survey the current vintage and many of the region’s top wineries.