News from Jancis Robinson

Matthew Hayes, our man in Burgundy and MW student, takes a second look at Beyond Flavour by Nick Jackson MW, pictured above. See Tam's review of the book last year and The evolving language of wine. As the Institute of Masters of Wine first-year programme hurtles at quite terrifying speed to a delayed August conclusion, I have become very aware

Just in time for tomorrow's 25%-off offer on wines and champagnes. Andy gives his overview first, followed by Jancis's. Andy Howard MW writes As with their autumn tasting, UK supermarket Waitrose led the way in terms of managing a COVID-secure process for wine tasting with just seven journalists seated at individual, widely spaced tables. The

Current Riserva and Gran Selezione releases – mainly 2018s and 2017s. Consultant oenologist Maurizio Alongi is pictured with his own vines near Gaiole. See also Chianti Classico in 2021 – part 1. Walter writes Compared with the 2018 straight Chianti Classicos, the 2018 Riservas also seemed on the light side, while almost every wine I tasted

In his application for the Taylor’s Port Golden Vines Scholarships Colombian Oscar Marulanda described himself primarily as ‘the son of a cleaning woman’ and observed how difficult it was to gain experience of a wide range of wines in Colombia. He has worked for wine importers, luxury hotels, as restaurant manager with responsibility for wine

Nick takes a quick trip to Glasgow. Every restaurant bill tells a different story. Of the place, of the occasion, or as an increasingly essential memento of the food, the wine and the company. These are some of the reasons that I try to hang on to them for as long as possible. My bill from the Partick Duck Club in Glasgow’s West End on Friday

A look at just a slice of what English winemakers are up to. A version of this article is published by the Financial Times. English Wine Week begins today. It has taken quite a while for the British to embrace their native ferments but English sparkling wine is definitely now fully respectable. The sommelier at The Dorchester, one of London’s

Today’s wine of the week is made by a remarkable young man who was one of the early beneficiaries of the Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé Programme. So it’s timely (and entirely by chance) that it coincides with their first online, international Protégé Programme Auction, currently running on Bonhams online auction site until this Monday 21 June. The

We continue our preview of English Wine Week (19–27 June) with a look at multiple sparkling wines. Above, harvest at Breaky Bottom, in Sussex, which produces some seriously surprising English fizz. Tamlyn writes The innovative, pioneering (and perhaps sometimes even a little bit crazy?) English spirit is not restricted to Chardonnay, it would

Mainly 2019s and 2018s reviewed, and assessed as unexpectedly similar. Recently released Riservas and Gran Seleziones to follow. Pictured are rising star Castagnoli's historic terraces of bush vines. Walter writes After having tasted the Chianti Classico 2019s and 2018s side by side I was struck by their similarity. Both vintages are very fresh

17 June 2021 The G7 summit brought Cornwall, in the far south-west of England, to the fore so we're republishing the other JR's guide to the county's revitalised food and drink. 25 January 2021 More escapism (see Travel by bottle) and a survey of what those attending the G7 summit in June may sample. Jonathan Reeve, who took the picture of

A past Auction Napa Valley is pictured above, by Alexander Rubin for Napa Valley Vintners, but changes are afoot. With its usual location, Meadowood resort, still in the process of reconstruction after serious fire damage plus the small matter of a global pandemic, the non-profit organisation Napa Valley Vintners have been examining alternatives

Chardonnay might not be your first thought, if you're looking for a wine to celebrate English Wine Week, from this Saturday 19 to 27 June 2021, but maybe it should be. Five years ago, a horizontal tasting of English Chardonnay would not only have been very limited, but it would also have been more trial than exploration. How things have changed

Sancerre and chèvre, Barolo and boar, Ningxia and … noodles? Richard asks a silly question and gets a silly answer. Matching wine and food takes two variables that are infinitely complex and totally subjective, then multiplies them together. As a premise for certainty, that's a pretty shaky one [though see Tam's most recent report on the topic –

The final part of Walter's useful audit of new releases. See also Valle d'Aosta and Piemonte, Lombardia, Alto Adige and Trentino, Friuli and Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Toscana and Umbria, Marche and Abruzzo. The Barone Macrì estate, a Calabrian discovery, is pictured above. I have finally managed to taste more than a handful of wines from Lazio

Our next profiled applicant for a Taylor's Port Golden Vines Diversity Scholarship (see also Winnie Toh) is Diana Hawkins, an obviously talented American who is currently assistant winemaker New Zealand for The McBride Sisters as well as writing about wine. As a Black woman in the wine industry, there’s an unspoken expectation to share the

Some great, often unconventional wines, from one of our favourite wine-producing countries. Julia writes Fortunately, bottles arriving from Greece don't need to self-isolate or take PCR tests, so while travel from the UK continues to be a pipe dream, I can still report on these recent releases from Greece. Since these were kindly sent to me by

Alder reports on a growing trend. I’m a particularly bad (read: unobservant and unbelieving) Jew, but I’ve written my share of articles on kosher wines over the years, usually for magazines or websites with broad consumer readerships, and usually to coincide with some Jewish holiday. I wouldn’t say that I’m particularly in touch with Jewish

The Kent coast, easily accessible from London, has much to offer the greedy. Deal beach, above, was pictured by Seth Carnill who was responsible for all these photographs. A version of this article is published by the Financial Times. When the history of English restaurants in the early 21st century comes to be written, I trust that sufficient

A version of this article is publshed by the Financial Times. See also White rioja's evolution. Vines on the Contino estate are seen above. Even the most dispassionate wine correspondents fall in and out of love with various categories. I loved the wines made in California in the 1970s, for instance. And then I rather tired of the much less

A naturally made Chenin Blanc has Richard completely convinced. See also today's collection of Loire wines tasted by Jancis and Tamlyn. From $50, SG$67.20, £39 Find this wine The wine world still seems divided on natural v conventional winemaking. By way of microcosmic example, take Singapore. The bars, restaurants and retailers focusing