Drink

The Eton vs Winchester of the wine world

29 October 2022 9:00 am

A few days ago, when everything looked black, a small group of us were consoling ourselves over a couple of…

A wine company after Roger Scruton’s heart

15 October 2022 9:00 am

‘Golden’ is often used to describe the hue of some wines in the glass. But there is another resemblance. Gold…

Why the dry martini is the finest cocktail of all

1 October 2022 9:00 am

We were discussing bourbon and whether American whiskey could ever rival Scotch. I recalled the first time I ever tried…

A toast to absent friends

17 September 2022 9:00 am

There have been few more momentous weeks in British history, or indeed in world history. This commentator must plead guilty.…

A toast to the field marshals

3 September 2022 9:00 am

August may not be the cruellest month but it is often the most dangerous one. Now that it is over,…

At least we still have wine

20 August 2022 9:00 am

Even in recent heat, the English summer can be magical. As long as there is shade, a pool and a…

Should you really pair Pimm’s with oysters?

6 August 2022 9:00 am

Imagine a camel train, crossing the great desert. The remaining water is rancid; the beasts’ humps are shrunken. Death looms.…

Think pink: there’s no shame in quaffing rosé in England

23 July 2022 9:00 am

In the battle of ideas, it is sometimes necessary to make a tactical withdrawal. That is now the case over…

My memorable night at the Carlton Club

9 July 2022 9:00 am

‘Club’ is a four-letter word. Whenever a club is mentioned in the press, it will inevitably be portrayed as a…

A voyage through fine wine off Sardinia

25 June 2022 9:00 am

One could get used to this. I come from seafaring stock, albeit distant. ‘Anderson’ suggests Viking antecedents, especially as my…

A claret to toast the Queen – and forget the Prime Minister

11 June 2022 9:00 am

It was an extraordinary weekend. The various spectacles had something for all tastes: pageantry on Horse Guards; solemnity in St…

The perfect pairing of books and wine

28 May 2022 9:00 am

In the West End of London there is an alley which insinuates its way between the Charing Cross Road and…

The horror of gluten-free beer

14 May 2022 9:00 am

I was reminded of the worst liquid that I have ever consumed. It was the last occasion on which I…

A taste of la dolce vita in Tuscany

30 April 2022 9:00 am

Amid the grandeur of old Edinburgh, in the lee of the castle, is one of the finest buildings in Scotland:…

The wine of the Wild Geese

16 April 2022 9:00 am

The Irish rarely understate their achievements. Yet there is one exception. Over the centuries, the links between Catholic Ireland and…

War, wine and the brilliance of Beychevelle

2 April 2022 9:00 am

If only toasts and good wishes were weapons of war. At every serious repast I have attended since the invasion…

A toast to the platonic ideal of diplomatic intellect

19 March 2022 9:00 am

My dear friend Richard Stow is a most congenial fellow. A serious financial entrepreneur, he is also a clubman and…

The story of Tuscany’s all-female winery

5 March 2022 9:00 am

The inhabitants of Tuscany and Umbria can claim to be the most civilised beings on the planet, even exceeding the…

A toast to Victorian Britain

19 February 2022 9:00 am

Across oceans and continents, less favoured nations produce more history than they can consume. In these islands, the English —…

Why Sardinian wine is one to watch

5 February 2022 9:00 am

The larger islands of the Mediterranean all have their glories. Fought over for millennia, they now seem to have attained…

A magnificent malt worthy of Burns

22 January 2022 9:00 am

The bleak midwinter. Actually, since I wallowed in curmudgeonly complaints about dreich days, everything has improved. Clear blue skies, pleasing…

A rioja to beat the new year blues

8 January 2022 9:00 am

There was only one flaw in my Christmas this year. I did not spend enough of it with Santa Claus-age…

The promise of South Africa

18 December 2021 9:00 am

‘Earth has not anything to show more fair.’ One can admire the view from Westminster Bridge and feel near the…

Raising a glass to Grey Gowrie

4 December 2021 9:00 am

A group of us had gathered together to raise a glass, tell stories, to laugh and to mourn. It was…

The heady Heights of Israeli wine

20 November 2021 9:00 am

‘Where is this from?’ my friend asked, handing me a wine glass. It was a Cabernet Sauvignon, high in alcohol,…