Blog - WineTrust

Climate Change – what does it mean for grape growing and how might it change Old World and New World winemaking and thinking?

By Nick Adams, Master of Wine. The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s new report (summary) has sent reverberations around the world and set politicians and scientists into an understandable frenzy. For weeks now details have been well publicised of the excessive and unprecedented temperatures in both the Western USA and Canada. And just recently Italy (Sicily) recorded…

David Guimaraens – Taylor’s & Fonseca Ports

By Nick Adams, Master of Wine Next in the series of blogs on star winemakers behind some of the Wine Trust selection, we look at one of the greatest winemakers in one of the most traditional of all regions – The Douro and Port. In the world famous Port production region of The Douro the…

Building a Wine Cellar

by Master of Wine, Nick Adams. This blog has nothing to do with the physical construction of the said item, but how anyone can put together a collection of wine and enjoy the benefits from this exercise. And it gives me the chance to outline a new development with WineTrust and the web site offering…

Let’s Talk Wine: Merlot

By Nick Adams, Master of Wine So often the dancing partner with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot produces an array of wine styles at all prices. And to put this into context, paradoxically, it is the main grape behind the most expensive Bordeaux wines of the whole region. A grower’s favourite, but it has not always commanded…

John Duval – One Of Australia’s Greatest Winemakers.

By Nick Adams, Master of Wine Behind all the wines on the WineTrust list are real people making hands on wines in a creative, expert, and passionate manner. I thought it would be good to start an occasional series of blogs highlighting some of the revered personalities that make these fantastic beverages. In the modern…

How And Why Does Wine Age, And To What Purpose Or Benefit?

By Nick Adams, Master of Wine. It is estimated that 90% of all wines produced are made, bottled, and consumed within 2 years. Here the value of the wines’ styles is all about freshness and fruit and immediate (primary) flavours and pleasure. For a relative handful of wines, the opposite is true – these examples…

Cabernet Sauvignon – The star solo artist, or lead guitar in the band?

By Nick Adams, Master of Wine Cabernet Sauvignon vies with Merlot as the most widely planted black grape in the world. It is also a variety which causes many wine drinkers to purr with expectation and deference. It is the bedrock of most of the left bank Bordeaux and anyone lucky enough to have tasted top…

Sherry – Please Give It a Chance!

‘Off The Beaten Track’ Part Three By Nick Adams, Master of Wine Frankly, Sherry should not be considered “off the beaten track” as it is one of the finest and most traditional wines of the world – and has been exported to the UK since 1340! For many reading this though I imagine sherry is…

How Champagne is Made – Part Two

By Nick Adams, Master of Wine A classic scene of a Champagne cellar where the magic of bubbles happens and the wine ages. It all starts when a solution of dissolved sugar, wine and yeast are added to the base wine blend (as outlined in Part One). This is called the liqueur de tirage in…

How Champagne Is Made – Part One

By Nick Adams, Master of Wine. It is absolutely fascinating how bottle fermented sparkling wine is made. I could have committed this to prose and included a few pictures but felt that the subject matter in block text might become a tad dry. So, in line with the earlier visual blog on how white and…

Easter Wine Parings

By Nick Adams, Master of Wine. Why does the Easter date keep changing – and what should we be drinking with Easter fare? With a light at the end of the lock down tunnel this might just be the moment to indulge at home and raise a glass or two to a brighter 2021! The…

ALSACE: “Off The Beaten Track”

By Nick Adams, Master of Wine Alsace might be off the beaten track in more than one connotation. Tucked away in the north east corner of France it has been under German ownership or occupation through several periods in its history. The Germanic influence is only too clear in the architecture and place names –…