Sweet solutions
Bordeaux-based oenologist, Fabrice Dubourdieu, always brings a bottle of Sauternes to Asian dinners as the elixir is an effective all–rounder for wine pairings.
Bubbling over
You’ll rarely find ambassador for Piper-Heidsieck and Charles Heidsieck, Ned Goodwin, drinking wines from Bordeaux when he’s off-duty. The Master of Wine prefers quaffs from Jura and Loire Valley.
Going easy on the sugar
Grower champagne maker, Alexandre Penet, shares on how he intends to win more drinkers over to his side with his low dosage bubblies.
Where to drink this month
Looking for a place to hang out after work? We highlight two Japanese bars to visit this month—KUMO Sake & Whisky bar and The Horse’s Mouth.
Traditional tastes
If you are taking bar legend Charles Schumann out for drinks in town, pick the quiet joints. Watering holes with deejays annoy him.
Legally delicious vinos
A winemaker by day (and weekends) and a criminal judge by night, George Shinas, shares how the cheeky names behind his wines came about and why drought can be a good thing for his vines.
Raising the bar
If you recognise the name Vasco Rossi, then you know your international rock and roll stars. Rossi is Italy’s answer to Bon Jovi. Named after the Italian singer-songwriter, Sydney’s latest watering hole, Vasco, isn’t a singular tribute to this rock star but more of a general homage to the who’s who in the rock and roll pantheon.
The other Burgundy
For winemaker Grant Taylor, Central Otago’s various sub-regions offer fascinating opportunities to produce complex and top class Pinot Noirs.
Beyond sangiovese
By actively seeking out and planting a variety of indigenous grapes and balancing traditional winemaking with an open mind, Cesare Cecchi has taken his family’s wine estates into a new era in Tuscany.