Soapbox: Michael Karam on wine’s political power

Tim Atkin MW: Can you taste terroir?

My scientific credentials are embarrassing. I struggled to get a C grade in Physics with Chemistry O-Level in my teens. By dint of rote learning and conversations with winemakers, not to mention a thrilling, all-day visit to a bottling plant, I managed to bluff my way through paper two of the Master of Wine exam about the production of wine. I have a half-arsed understanding of things like pH, sulphites and oxidation, some of the building blocks of wine analysis. Where geology is concerned, I know the difference between sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks. But that’s about it.

Five minutes with Talal Madi, Ixsir

Over a preview of Ixsir’s 2024 vintage, the Lebanese winery’s CEO shares some insights with James Bayley.

Producer Q&A: Tamara Roberts, Ridgeview Wine Estate

As this Sussex winery heads into its 30th year, Andrew Catchpole catches up with one of the pillars of the modern English wine scene. 

Jerry Lockspeiser: When the going gets tough the 'authorpreneurs' get going

Billy Ocean’s song “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” immortalised the phrase attributed to 1950’s Texas American Football coach John Thomas. Despite its macho connotations – or perhaps because of them – it has since been used as a motivational tool in a variety of contexts outside sport, including business.

Buyer’s Spotlight: Prosecco’s next move

Jason Millar finds there is a likely solution to the confusion around the identity of DOCG wines.

Profile: H2Vin and Alliance Wine

The merger of H2Vin with Alliance Wine will play up the strengths of both companies, creating new opportunities across the board. Andrew Catchpole meets the drivers behind the business.

Profile: Cliff Roberson partners up

Jo Gilbert caught up with legendary wine trader Cliff Roberson to talk about a roster of new projects.

Guy Woodward: Why wine investment is the scourge of the wine world

If there’s one wine headline guaranteed to have me reaching for the eye-roll emoji (to be honest, there are several, though never in this fine publication, obvs), it’s the ‘Fine wine index soars as investors toast bullish market’ type of thing.

Jerry Lockspeiser: Seriously, are you ok?

Yes, are you ok? How often do we ask our work colleagues that? Many of us spend more time working than any other single activity, including sleeping – if not physically AT work, then working somewhere. So it seemed highly appropriate that the World Federation of Mental Health set the theme for World Mental Health Day 2024 as being about the workplace.

Five minutes with Patrick McGrath MW

Over a sneak preview of the recently disgorged (and as yet to be released) Domaine Evremond Classic Cuvée – the joint sparkling venture in Kent between Champagne Taittinger and its UK agent-importer Hatch Mansfield – Andrew Catchpole catches up with Hatch’s Patrick McGrath MW, who explains the inspiration for this ambitious project.

Producer Q&A: Cyril Brun, Ferrari Trento

Jason Millar catches up with native Champenois winemaker Cyril Brun to assess his impact on the sparkling wines of Trentodoc’s market-leading Ferrari Trento.

Buyer’s Spotlight: Cap Classique

These sparklers may still be a small sector, but Jason Millar says it’s time to call attention to them.

Tim Atkin MW: The Stones can keep rolling, but winemakers are the rockstars with longevity

In an interview for 60 Minutes in 2004, the journalist Ed Bradley asked Bob Dylan if there was anything in his early work that surprised him. His Bobness looked pensive for a moment before quoting the beautiful opening lines of It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding). “I don’t know how I got to write those songs,” he said, “…they were almost magically written.” Did the muses still hum such poetry – the very stuff that earned Dylan the Nobel Prize for Literature – in his ear? Dylan shook his head. “You can’t do something for ever,” he replied. “I can do other things now, but I can’t do that.”

Jerry Lockspeiser: What are we in business for?

Two contrasting news stories caught my attention last month. The first featured the largest ever gathering of the B Corp movement. Held in Oxford the B Corp Festival brought together people from a growing community of over 2000 UK companies who have embraced its key objective – that business should be a force for good. B stands for Benefit. The slogan is People, Planet, Profit. The ethos is that all stakeholders – internal and external – should benefit from what a business does and how it does it.

Five minutes with Angus Lugsdin, Salcombe Distilling Co

The head of Salcombe Distilling Co reveals the origins of an innovative new barrel-ageing project, by Jo Gilbert.

Producer Q&A: Philip Cox, Cramele Recas

Having tripled turnover to €100m in less than a decade, Philip Cox explains to Andrew Catchpole why he’s now further investing in the future of Romania’s biggest winery.

Buyer’s Spotlight: Beyond Barolo

Jason Millar tastes his way through the varieties of Barolo to find great strength in the obscure.

Soapbox: Libby Brodie bursts the communication bubble

Columnist and communicator Libby Brodie of Bacchus & Brodie makes a persuasive case for embracing all platforms that promote wine’s appeal.

Guy Woodward: LVMH and the cult of personality

I copped a bit of flak recently for heading to Spain for the global launch of Dom Pérignon’s 2015 vintage, rather than attending the London bash. It’s a fair cop. Though if you felt a 48-hour London-to-Barcelona jaunt was indulgent, you should have seen the press corps from Japan, Korea and the US. I trust there was plenty of carbon-offsetting to cover those business-class flights…