Amanda Barnes’ palate spans 4,000 kilometres in one tasting as she also feels the buzz in being back at a live event.
There’s a certain joy about seeing familiar faces again in person, isn’t there? After two years of physical separation, although with perhaps some virtual interaction, between most nations in the wine industry, the revival of in-person wine tastings and trade shows feels quite he...
Read More
Seeing the forest through the vines
To access this post, you must purchase Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Corporate Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Friend of the Circle (renewals) or Corporate Friend of the Circle (renewals), or log in.
Read More
Exploring Quintessa’s Napa terroir
To access this post, you must purchase Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Corporate Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Friend of the Circle (renewals) or Corporate Friend of the Circle (renewals), or log in.
Read More
Editor’s Column: Pioneering Gualtallary
Amanda Barnes shares an interview with Terrazas de los Andes CEO Hervé Birnie-Scott and winemaker Marcos Fernandez from the emerging region of Gualtallary in Argentina. A version of this interview was originally published on The South America Wine Guide.
This past month I've been roaming around the vineyards of Argentina, revisiting old friends and catching up with some new developments too. Fo...
Read More
Barreal, a desert oasis with old vines
To access this post, you must purchase Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Corporate Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Friend of the Circle (renewals) or Corporate Friend of the Circle (renewals), or log in.
Read More
A tale of two French titans: Château Pichon Baron and Domaine De L’Arlot
Amanda Barnes examines AXA Millésimes’ two very different but complementary estates, Château Pichon Baron and Domaine De L’Arlot, which became the first two members of its now six-strong portfolio.
When the insurance broker AXA made its first foray into the world of wine portfolios, it picked two estates to get the ball rolling in 1987 – Château Pichon Baron in Bordeaux and Domaine De L’Arlot in ...
Read More
A sparkling taste of Austrian wine with Fred Loimer
To access this post, you must purchase Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Corporate Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Friend of the Circle (renewals) or Corporate Friend of the Circle (renewals), or log in.
Read More
Conducting an orchestra of sparkling wine
Amanda Barnes finds herself in awe at Corinne Seely’s ability to craft a Blanc de Blancs blend from a large ensemble of reserve wines at Exton Park.
“Do you have a big black book in which you write this all down?” I asked Corinne Seely in awe as she started to detail the hundreds of tanks, barrels and vats of reserve wines she keeps to hand to make her reserve blend sparkling wines at Exton Park....
Read More
A virtual visit to Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG
Amanda Barnes takes off on a two-day online tour of Italy’s UNESCO-listed sparkling wine region as part of the Circle’s Let’s visit … series, and takes in plenty of ciglione and enjoys the Rive, Cartizze and sui liveti wines that hail from them.
A patchwork of vineyards and villages nestled between woodlands and hillsides, Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG is the most esteemed wine...
Read More
Champagne Drappier: Innovation from the south
To access this post, you must purchase Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Corporate Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Friend of the Circle (renewals) or Corporate Friend of the Circle (renewals), or log in.
Read More