2015
Braida di Giacomo Bologna: birthing fine Barbera
In the village of Rocchetta Tanaro, just South-east of Asti in the Monferrato, the late Giacomo Bologna, having inherited vineyards from his father, established …
Barbera d’Asti and Nizza: finest Barbera?
The President of the Barbera d’Asti and Monferrato Consorzio Tutela, Filippo Mobrici, welcomed us to the old, covered cattle-market in the central square of …
Cantariña, Bierzo: Finance to fine wine
In 2002, I first met Santiago Ysart Alvarez de Toledo – Santi Ysart – when we joined the full-time MBA programme at London Business …
Napa: exceptional Cabernets, and exaggerated too
Napa Valley, the Big Daddy of California wines, is today world-famous for Big Cabs and Bold Chardonnays, landmark wineries and the Napa Valley Wine …
Marqués de Riscal: Gehry hotel outshining solid Rioja and Rueda
Marqués de Riscal is a long-established, prominent bodega in the Rioja Alavesa village of Elciego, 20 minutes’ drive West of Logroño. At 5m bottles …
Pujanza: classy, boutique, new wave Rioja
We arranged a visit at Pujanza on the recommendation of Madeleine’s good friend and new Contino winemaker, Jorge Navascues. I’m grateful to Jorge for …
Roda: original modern face of Rioja and beyond
With a first vintage in 1992, Bodegas Roda were pioneers of the ‘modern’ Rioja style that emerged in that decade. Every aspect of their …
Ramón Bilbao: modern Rioja with altitude
Ruth and I first visited Ramón Bilbao just as tourists in 2014, when visiting Haro the first time. In 2018, by random allocation, we …
Muga: seamlessly blending classical and modern in Rioja
The first time we visited Haro, we were not able to book into Bodegas Muga. Therefore, the first thing we did before the 2018 …