Published June 2016
Wine + education + fun + engagement + accessibility = win
It’s a simple formula, but one which many companies have tried and failed over the years. Le Petit Ballon reckons they’ve got it sussed.
Formed in France in 2009, Philip McNee of Le Petit Ballon says the company had a simple aim: to help people “discover [...]
Posts in category Tasting Notes
Le Petit Ballon
Published June 2016
Wine + education + fun + engagement + accessibility = win
It’s a simple formula, but one which many companies have tried and failed over the years. Le Petit Ballon reckons they’ve got it sussed.
Formed in France in 2009, Philip McNee of Le Petit Ballon says the company had a simple aim: to help people “discover [...]
Gordon’s Alive
Published 30 July 2014
Which state in America am I?
The first vines were planted here in 1825 by the Hudson’s Bay Company
I have more glaciers than any other state.
I do not levy a personal income tax
amazon.com is based here
Jimi Hendrix was born here
Starbucks was founded here
The world’s richest man, Bill Gates, lives here
The answer is [...]
WineKick
Published 22 August 2013
“Which wine do you recommend?” is a question I get asked at least once a week. Of course I don’t have ONE wine that is my favourite; although I do have favourites for different occasions, food matches, mood, etc.
What amazes me is that people are often surprised by my response. Do people really think [...]
Net-A-Pinot
Posted 19 June 2013
Today, I hosted my first wine tasting since moving jobs. The team volunteered me for the event, but I was very happy to oblige. They were happy to buy the wine for the tasting: the suggestion was for me to assign a country to them, then they bring an example wine along. However, because they wanted some “knowledge [...]
My Bordeaux
Published 4 June 2013
I have a confession: until last month, I’d never been to Bordeaux. Sure, I’ve drunk lots of their wines, but I always thought of Bordeaux as big, imposing, inaccessible chateaux whose wines I couldn’t afford.
Happily, I can report that Bordeaux city is not like that. It has recently gone through a period of regeneration [...]
VINPIN
Published 13 May 2013
“Have you photographed this bottle? Can I throw it away now?” Not an uncommon question in the Bigpinots house as, like some sort of digital hoarder, I photograph and document every different bottle of wine we open. I try to document some at tastings too, but that’s often just too laborious.
I’ve struggled with tasting no [...]
Sandeman Port 2011 Vintage
Published 1 May 2013
A guy wearing a polo shirt turned to me and declared “I bought more Port last year than the rest of London”. It was clear that I was in a room full of serious Port nuts.
The Sandeman logo
I’d eaten at The Don (in The City of London) a few times and was familiar with the mural of a Zorro-like figure that greeted visitors. [...]
The Milestone Hotel
Published 24 April 2013
“I’d come back just to eat the truffle butter again”. When a dinner starts off with statements like that, you know you’re in for a treat.
Having just worked on the rebuild of Red Carnation Hotel’s website, I knew quite a bit about their hotels – including the fact that they hold the top 3 spots on Trip Advisor for best [...]
Texan wine by Messina Hof
Published 16 September 2012
The Tasting
I met Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo (of Messina Hof Winery) at Rome airport in January 2012. We were all speaking at the International Wine & Tourism Conference (IWINETC) in Perugia, but had a journey around Umbria beforehand (and a trip around Campania afterwards). It was an incredible trip which I [...]
Oddbins Wine Fair … on one of t...
Published 26 May 2012
Despite being one of the hottest days of the year so far, there was a steady stream of people turning up for the Oddbins Wine Fair today.
Located in a cool basement near Holborn, 65 producers are showing off around 300 wines. The highlights of my 2-hour visit included a beautiful Marlborough (New Zealand) Sauvignon Bla [...]