Features Archives - Circle of Wine Writers

Tools of the trade: road testing Kurt Zalto’s Josephine glasses in the world’s hardest wine exam

Posted on September 29, 2023September 29, 2023 by Amanda Barnes

Amanda Barnes shares her experience of taking the Master of Wine practical exam, and reveals her weapon of choice to tackle it — a wine glass with a special kink. The practical part of the Master of Wine exam is one of the hardest undertakings I have ever experienced. It is not only an intense academic experience, but a physical one too. In just over two hours you have to correctly identify (or g...

L’ Acadie Blanc bubbling away nicely on North Atlantic peninsula

Posted on September 29, 2023September 29, 2023 by Nathalie Spielmann

Nathalie Spielmann dives into Nova Scotian traditional method sparkling wines, made from its signature hybrid grape variety. Nova Scotia, a quaint Atlantic province of Canada, has many things going for it. The bustling harbour city of Halifax, the historic landmarks and villages, famous ships (like the Bluenose) and shipwrecks, undoubtedly the best lobster in the world, high tides, and picturesqu...

Rating the Rieds of Austria

Posted on September 29, 2023 by Jochen Erler

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Meet the Member: Joanna Simon

Posted on September 25, 2023 by Amanda Barnes

Joanna Simon is a prolific wine writer and editor, whose career includes 22 years as wine critic for The Sunday Times, authoring several wine books and editor of various food and drinks magazines. In our Meet the Member interview, she tells Amanda Barnes why she is surprised Riesling remains niche in the UK and talks about the irresistible appeal of photography. What is your first memory ...

Exploring Campanha and a direction for Brazilian wine

Posted on August 31, 2023August 31, 2023 by Amanda Barnes

Graševina: from beach bars to raising the quality bar

Posted on August 31, 2023 by Robert Smyth

Weighing up Washington

Posted on August 31, 2023September 1, 2023 by Heather Dougherty

Heather Dougherty ponders the Pacific Northwest state and its place, particularly in the UK wine trade, and finds it’s about much more than Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Washington State’s message to wine consumers in the UK must be pretty simple: firstly yes, we make wine; and secondly, no, we’re not Washington DC, but Washington State, in the Pacific Northwest. But when it comes to the tra...

Anne Krebiehl MW tours the world through the lens of Pinot Noir

Posted on August 31, 2023August 31, 2023 by Markus Hungerbühler

Markus Hungerbühler reviews Pinot Noir Around the World by Anne Krebiehl MW, a new monograph produced by the IWFS. The International Wine & Food Society (IWFS), founded in London in 1933 and with approx 6000 members around the world, aims to bring people together to be enriched by food, wine and good company. The IWFS also publishes Monographs, providing authoritative coverage of topics of ge...

Mallorca makes strides in reviving indigenous varieties

Posted on July 29, 2023 by Amaya Cervera

Manchuela – Spain not as we know it

Posted on July 29, 2023 by Keith Grainger

Keith Grainger goes off the beaten track, not so far from Benidorm, but in other ways a world away, and is beguiled by Bobal, Moravia Agria, Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante-Bouschet) and Macabeo. It’s a source of endless fascination as to why some wine regions have become world famous, whilst others remain largely unknown. “Monsieur, c'est le terroir!” is an oft-heard response, when asking the winem...