How can you tell if a wine is off when offered a drop to taste in a restaurant?
How to Drink Better: I have never found sniffing the cork to be of any use, but others swear by it
How to Drink Better: I have never found sniffing the cork to be of any use, but others swear by it
How to Drink Better: It’s best not to use the cheapest bottle of plonk
How to Drink Better: It is a good idea to start with lighter wines that are lower in alcohol and work your way up
How to Drink Better: The margins for importers and retailers don’t leave room for great discounts, only the biggest retailers can make the most special offers
How to Drink Better: Any difference after €30 is likely to be marginal
How to Drink Better: There are very few really bad vintages and far less variation from one year to the next
How to Drink Better: Decanters help open up a young wine, remove sediment from older ones and look great on a dinner table
How to Drink Better: It often depends on what kind of wine you want and how much you are willing to pay
How to Drink Better: On balance, I think this is probably not the best idea
How to Drink Better: A great deal of wine nowadays has 14% alcohol, when for years that figure was closer to 12.5% or 13%
How to Drink Better: Traditional producers often believe the grape is just one part of creating a good wine
How to Drink Better: Ideally you need something with a little sweetness and light, refreshing fruits
How to Drink Better: This is not the time to bring out your finest wines, but it is worth spending a little more on your wine
How to Drink Better: When it comes to salmon you can forget the old adage of white wine only with fish
How to Drink Better: Rather than go by a country or producer, it’s useful to choose a wine by its style: light, medium or full-bodied
How to Drink Better: A proper barbecued burger makes a good match for serious red wines. Don’t be afraid to open a good bottle
How to Drink Better: Strips of thick bark can only be harvested every 10 years or so without damaging the tree
How to Drink Better: the categories Grand Cru and Premier Cru can provide an accurate guide to the best wines of the area
How to Drink Better: All the celebrities are doing it, why can’t I?
How to Drink Better: In warmer weather look for wines with less oomph and more acidity
How to Drink Better: With climate change increasing temperatures, it seems likely that Irish wine production is set to increase
How to Drink Better: Tastes differ but it depends on where wine is made, and where and how wine is consumed
How to Drink Better: The AC system gives a good indication of the style of wine you can expect
How to Drink Better: The distinctive combination of green and exotic fruits took wine world by storm in the 1970s
How to Drink Better: there are plenty of really interesting Italian wines to choose from
How to Drink Better: This original Italian aperitif can often be found in cocktail ingredients too
How to Drink Better: This fine white grape has yet to recover from falling out of favour in the 1990s
How to Drink Better: Good news is most supermarkets will have a decent Chablis for €18-€20
How to Drink Better: Any bottle of wine can be picked from your supermarket shelf without looking at the vintage
How to Drink Better: The best way to learn about wine is also the most fun way - drink it
How to Drink Better: Rosé is made by macerating the grapes and juice together for any length of time from a few hours to a few days
How to Drink Better: Producers are keen to sell their wine to anyone and everyone
How to Drink Better: Snobbish wine drinkers have always had a problem with the pink-hued inbetweener
How to Drink Better: The AOC system guarantees a wine comes from a defined geographical area and should also be a guarantee of quality
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices