Simon MW

1 week ago | worldoffinewine.com | Simon MW

With its wines made from Cabernet Franc in Saumur-Champigny and from Chenin Blanc in Anjou, Clos Rougeard represents “all that is good about the Loire,” says Simon Field MW. It was from Chinon rather than the marshes of Aquitaine that Henry II of England, in 1150, made a valiant attempt to carve up western France and to salvage, at the very least, the legal gift of his marriage to Eleanor.

1 month ago | worldoffinewine.com | Simon MW

Rosé Champagne has taken some time to shake off a reputation for frivolity. Bollinger did not presume to make a Non-Vintage Cuvée until 2008, several decades after the death of the family’s eponymous matriarch, who was not, we infer, a great fan. Best left to the Folies Bergère or, heaven forfend, to the Moulin Rouge (Moulin Rosé?!). And as for Vintage Rosé…well, there we have had an amusing oxymoron to ponder.

1 month ago | worldoffinewine.com | Simon MW

In a piece first published in WFW68 in 2020, Simon Field MW learns of a winemaking approach based on the twinned terroirs of vineyard and cellar when he visits Hidalgo’s home in Sanlúcar de Barrameda during the coastal town’s annual equestrian fiesta. It is hard, ordinarily, to believe that Sanlúcar de Barrameda is one of the poorest towns in Spain.

1 month ago | cluboenologique.com | Simon MW |Mandy Naglich |Ciaran Griffiths |William Morris

The clocks have gone forward and there are the first hints that summer is on its way in the northern hemisphere. Adding to that feeling is this month’s selection of new bars, which is dominated by al fresco drinking venues, with rooftop bars opening in New York, Los Angeles and London. Those drinkers still not ready to embrace the great outdoors can consider cocktails and celeb spotting at an exclusive spot in London and drinks in a snug, speakeasy-style bar at a recently opened hotel in Osaka.

1 month ago | cluboenologique.com | Simon MW |Mandy Naglich |Ciaran Griffiths |William Morris

The Errázuriz Wine Photographer of the Year 2025 shortlist has been revealed, offering new perspectives on the people, places and produce in vineyards and wineries around the world. Showcasing the effort that goes into wine production and snapshots from the lives of workers and the wines themselves, this year’s entries span everywhere from the Elqui Valley in Chile to the north-west region of Tenerife.