Category Archives: Uncategorized

Many traditional winemakers forget when making their wines that the majority of British consumers drink their wine within 48 hours of their purchase. Meaning that most of their quality wines are drunk before they have reached their full potential!  Stéphanie & Olivier have addressed this early consumption by throwing away the rule book and making their winesContinue reading “French Wine from Maison Ventenac”

Just how things have moved on, a wine from a cooperative in the South of France in the 1980’s was seen as mediocre at best, and the price reflected that. Today however, the best cooperatives are up there with ones from Alsace, in North Eastern France, and like the Alsatian wines, the Southern French WinesContinue reading “Les Vignobles Foncalieu, S France”

They take the making of rosé wine very seriously in the South France, especially, from the regions of Provence and the Languedoc. Rosé is NOT there simply to bulk up the winemaker’s portfolio, it is there because it is their most important wine! Not surprisingly then that these two regions make the best quality roséContinue reading “Want the Best Rosé Wine in the World?”

Over the last forty years the UK has seen a massive improvement in the quality of the food and drink that sits on our supermarket shelves. But tea, our national drink is still a national disgrace. Almost unthinkable now, but up to the early nineties, London was the hub of the tea world, with mostContinue reading “Take me to the Yorkshire Tea Gardens”

The New Order of whisky investors, it seems are no-longer  prepared to wait the 10 years plus to recoup their investment. They want their returns NOW! To achieve this they are releasing ’embryonic malts’ at 3, 4 & 5 years onto the market at super-premium prices.  Until recently these embryonic single malt whiskies  would  atContinue reading “Are Whisky Drinkers Being Spun a Good Yarn?”

IT BREAKS MY ‘HEART’ that great Italian restaurants in the UK are as difficult to find as rocking horse shit! Most major British cities have a decent French Restaurant, and the Michelin guide reflects that, but an Italian that presents food that sings of Italy, seems to  hit the flavour road block at the BritishContinue reading “Stecca an Italian Restaurant that mends broken hearts”

1930’s Quaglinon’s was the place in Mayfair to go if you wanted to be with the Inn-Crowd, and it’s still cutting it in 2018 with its slick and shiny interior and wall-wall beautiful people. 

Want a bottle of the best Rosé champagne I’ve tasted in the last 30 years for your special Valentine? Devaux Champagne  Rosé Cuvee D is 100% perfect for Valentine’s Day? Available from Quality Wines  D Rosé Cuvee D, Aged 5 Years, Devaux Champagne, France, 75cl, £54 This Pink champagne is produced from 50% Chardonnay &Continue reading “Your 100% Perfect Valentine Champagne”

By Martin Isark The Rum Market is Booming in the UK, at last count it was worth over £1 billion and catching up the Gin market which is £1.2 billion very fast. It comes in as white, golden, dark and spiced rum which enables it to cover more bases than Gin, Vodka or Whisky. BartendersContinue reading “Premium Rum is where it is at for Bartenders & Drinkers”

By Martin Isark The Sushi Shop in Marylebone is one of five shops that you can eat in or they deliver, the others are in Notting Hill, Old Brompton, Hampstead and Richmond. Truly fabulous, if you live in London, but if you reside outside, like I do, then you have to train and/or cab it.