fine wine

If only Eurostar still stopped at Ashford International; it would have saved me countless hours over the past few months. However, stepping into the Business Premier lounge quickly put me at ease. Thanks to the iProov.me app, which streamlined the check-in process (so much so that the Business queue felt slow in comparison), I was able to relax before my journey. With Champagne Drappier awaiting me at my destination, enjoying a glass of bubbly at 6:30 a.m. felt perfectly justified.

I recently had the privilege of spending a day at Villa Margon, the beautiful heart of Ferrari Trento wines, located just an hour’s drive from the culturally rich city of Verona. Renowned for its Roman-era Arena di Verona, Verona is still a venue for operas and concerts, and its connection to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. While my previous visits had been centred around cycling along the scenic routes of Lake Garda, this trip was all about the wines of Ferrari Trento. 

In the heart of Napa Valley lies Joseph Phelps Vineyards, a winery that I fell in love with during a visit in 2004, while conducting research for a book on North American wines. Unlike many other estates, Joseph Phelps had a human touch, an absence of corporate sterility that left a lasting impression. Here, the emphasis was on genuine care and the people who worked there.

When it comes to Italian white wines, Verdicchio stands tall as a timeless classic. Hailing from the region of Marche in central Italy, Verdicchio has captured the hearts of wine enthusiasts with its vibrant flavours, refreshing acidity, and, perhaps most notably, its remarkable ageing ability, which is often underexplored.

I cannot be certain of my first encounter with Chilean wine, but most likely was Los Vascos in the early 1990s. The pioneering estate, owned by Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), bought credibility and respect for the country which has paved the way for it to become the 7th largest wine producer in the world. 

If I were to compare Napa Valley, one of the gems of the American west coast, to a piece of high jewellery, it would be an IF diamond. Flawless is reserved for only the finest, purest and best, and like every wine-growing region, there are exceptional to mediocre estates.