Amanda Barnes, Author at Circle of Wine Writers

Book Review: Foot Trodden: Portugal and the wines that time forgot by Simon J Woolf and Ryan Opaz

Posted on October 20, 2021October 22, 2021 by Amanda Barnes

Simon J Woolf and Ryan Opaz both hold Portugal as dear to their hearts: a wine country that has captivated both of them over the years and so much so in Ryan’s case that he and his family moved there in 2013. Foot Trodden: Portugal and the wines that time forgot isn’t just their account of the lesser-known wines of Portugal, but very much a foray into the personalities of the Portuguese wine world...

Book Review: Wine Faults and Flaws by Keith Grainger

Posted on October 20, 2021October 23, 2021 by Amanda Barnes

The first time I met Keith Grainger was on a Circle trip to Sicily in 2013, and what struck me most was his fascination for bottling lines. Every winery we went to, while the other wine writers were busy looking at the vineyard views or asking to taste older vintages, Keith was scribbling notes and asking questions about sparging and sanitisation that went way over my head. Keith has long been fas...

Château de Ruth: embracing the past and future of Sainte Cécile

Posted on October 20, 2021October 22, 2021 by Amanda Barnes

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Jancis Robinson MW sells JancisRobinson.com

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Amanda Barnes

Meet the Member: Elizabeth Gabay MW

Posted on September 11, 2021September 13, 2021 by Amanda Barnes

Elizabeth Gabay MW is one of the leading authorities on rosé wines and author of Rosé: Understanding the pink wine revolution. In this interview, she explains why the pink world of wine is a hub of creativity, why she might start tasting using black glasses from now on, and reveals that she is now making her own rosé wine... in Slovakia! What is your earliest memory in wine? It's difficult ...

Meet the Friend: François Chartier, Tanaka 1789

Posted on September 11, 2021September 13, 2021 by Amanda Barnes

François Chartier’s whole career is a true tour de force. Starting out in the wine world as a waiter in his early 20s, he has gone on to become one of the world’s most respected sommeliers. He is an award-winning author of 27 books of wine and flavours, and is a sought-after advisor on wine, beer, chocolate, fragrances and AI with Sony's new gastronomy project. One of his most recent adventures ha...

The Canary wine challenge completed

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Amanda Barnes

The awesome ageability of Albariño

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Amanda Barnes

Paying tribute to Philippe Boucheron

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Neil Fairlamb

Wine writer Philippe Boucheron was a long-standing Circle member and former treasurer of the Circle and deputy chair, serving with Steven Spurrier at the time. Philippe passed away in August. Neil Fairlamb pays tribute. Philippe Boucheron, a very long-standing Circle member who served on the committee for years, has died aged 89. His real name was Nick Mendes. He joined the regular army – the 66...

New Member: Simon Field MW

Posted on August 20, 2021 by Amanda Barnes

Simon Field, an Oxford languages graduate, was lucky to escape from the world of Chartered Accountancy, having qualified with KMPG in 1991, and then spent a couple of misguided years working for an American Bank in such cosseted dens as Monaco, Guernsey and Gibraltar. In 1995 he joined Oddbins, scaling the heights of a managerial position in the Belgravia branch, an up-market broom cupboard as it...