STARTING YOUR WINE COLLECTION

In the absence of most things this year, wine has played a rather more important role than one might expect. At its most fundamental, it has helped to blot the tedium of everyday life, providing both intellectual stimulation and invigorating refreshment – allowing one to momentarily whisk off to far flung corners of the world.

A recent visit from Jeff Brinkman gave us the opportunity to re-taste his superb 2019 Pinots. While the more illustrious vineyards situated on the poorest, rockiest soils possess tremendous promise and deserve a little longer in the cellar; we discovered the Family Farm cuvee was already in a beautiful place.

Finally! After one of the coldest winters in recent memory, summer looks like it might actually be on the horizon. And what better way to prepare than making sure your rosé stocks are well maintained…

This year, perhaps more than any other, solace has been found in transportative bottles of great wine. Without recourse to travelling, it has come down to the willingness of producers to send samples, and in that regard I’ve been blessed with some very accommodating winemakers who have been happy to fire bottles across the seas for me to taste in the comfort and (occasional) peace of my own home.