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There is a moment, somewhere between your third glass of Grenache poured on the banks of the Columbia River and a Basque-inspired Garnacha raised above Walla Walla's rolling hills, when Washington State stops surprising you — and starts making complete sense. This is a wine region that actively refuses to be defined by a single grape, a single style, or a single landscape. Over seven extraordinary days, I discovered that this refusal is not a weakness. It is Washington's greatest strength.

There's a particular kind of despair that comes from watching a dog shed across an open-plan floor faster than you can mop it. Cardine tile downstairs, carpet on the stairs and landing, and a coat that seems to renew itself daily — this is not a house that forgives a lazy cleaning routine. So when the MOVA Z60 Ultra Roller Complete arrived, the question I actually cared about wasn't whether it had impressive numbers on a spec sheet. It was simpler: would it get my Saturday back?

Yes, I know. More rosé. I promised myself I'd move on to something else this month, but then a pair of Italian pinks landed on my table and made a nonsense of that plan. If the wines keep being this good, I'm afraid the rosé run continues — and honestly, with the sun doing what it's been doing, I don't think anyone's complaining.

These two come from Pasqua, a Veronese producer I've long admired but whose rosés I'd somehow never tried until now. Consider that oversight corrected — emphatically.

There is a version of Champagne that exists purely for the party. The pop, the pour, the Instagram moment. And then there is the version Cédric Jacopin makes. It asks you to slow down.

There are moments in the wine world that remind you just how much remains undiscovered. This April, Coravin leans into that very idea with its Curiosity By-the-Glass campaign—an initiative designed to challenge familiarity and celebrate exploration, one glass at a time.

I experienced this firsthand at Frog by Adam Handling, in the company of Wine Director Kelvin McCabe (no relation), whose thoughtful curation brought the campaign vividly to life.

Easter is one of my favourite moments in the wine calendar. The menus are generous, the pace a little slower, and the table often stretches from lunch into the evening. From celebratory bubbles to reds worthy of roast lamb and long conversations, these are bottles that rise to the occasion.

Taittinger Nocturne NV

RRP £45 | Waitrose, Tesco, Laithwaites, Hedonism, Amps Wine Merchants

Perrier‑Jouët has long been synonymous with beauty — not only in its wines, but in its intimate, century‑long dialogue with the Art Nouveau movement. Today, that legacy evolves under the visionary leadership of Séverine Frerson, the first woman to serve as cellar master of the maison since its founding in 1811. She carries forward the house’s poetic sensibility while ushering in a new era defined by precision, purity, and a contemporary understanding of elegance.

There are few rosé houses in Provence that manage to combine poise, pedigree and a genuine sense of place quite like Sainte Marguerite en Provence.

Cupid may have his arrows, but I’ve always preferred a well‑aimed cork. This Valentine’s Day, forget the clichés and reach for something that actually makes your heart beat faster — great wine. From South African sparkle to French finesse and Rioja romance, here’s your cheat sheet to bottles guaranteed to impress. Flowers fade… but good wine is forever.