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Category Archives: General Musings
A Trip to Champagne – Part II: Veuve Clicquot
Wandering Champagne connoisseur Marc Ditcham continues his epic two day journey with a visit to Veuve Clicquot. Missed part one? Catch up now…
The next morning I woke early to a stifling room and a groggy head, not helped by the defunct air conditioning unit and certainly not helped by the whisky sours and the cognacs [...]
Also posted in Outside Roberson, Travel, Winemakers and Experts 1 Comment
A Trip to Champagne – Part I: Ruinart
Having been fortunate enough to be invited to join Moet Hennessy on a trip to Reims, Champagne in March I thought it was time to reflect and to share my experience of visiting two of the truly great Grand Marques; Ruinart and Veuve Cliquot.
For many, waking up early on a Monday morning to face the [...]
Also posted in Outside Roberson, Travel, Winemakers and Experts 1 Comment
From the Archives – Cliff’s Christmas Song 2007
If you’re one of the many people who enjoyed Cliff’s Christmas Single last year then it’s your lucky day. A rummage through the archives today turned up Cliff and the Mothers’ 2007 Christmas Song, which was long thought lost.
Download the song now (right click and choose ‘Save target as’, ‘Download linked file’ or similar) and [...]
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The Grande and the Good
I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but there was something a bit, well naff about an organisation called the Champagne Academy. To me, it sounded a bit hoorah, and when I looked at some of the photo’s from the social evenings I really wasn’t sure that I wanted to be a part of [...]
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A Fine Wine Revolution
Well, finally.
After years, and I mean years, of talking, plans, sketches and delays, the refit of the fine wine area is complete. Those of you who are regulars will know well the wild-west style wine cage that we have had lurking menacingly at the back of our Kensington High Street Shop for the last two [...]
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Some thoughts on Natural Wines
On Tuesday, wine importer Caves des Pyrene, held a tasting in Central London. It was a bit of a chaotic affair, just a bar full of shifty looking French folk, a table and twenty or so wines arranged in tasting order. Like Peter Crouch, my long limbs can come in handy at times and I [...]
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Ancient Greek, Glyndebourne and 2010 Bordeaux
Having missed out on the Ancient Greek GCSE at my local state school and still absolutely unmoved by opera, I was a little non-plussed when a customer insisted I take a look at his programme from 1939.
It was 7:00, I had to key in the latest round of Champagne price increases and well, I was [...]
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Serious vintage Champagne
The first tasting of the new year was a look at some old Champagne – none of the ten wines were younger than 1990 and the oldest dated back to 1976. The purpose was to look at the prestigious cuvées of the top houses rather than any old bubbly so, although there were a few [...]
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On yer bike, son! – In praise of the bicycle.