I’ve never been to the village of Rasteau, but I can imagine it vividly. A side valley of the Southern Rhone, the village and all its houses with their back against the cruel Mistral. In my dream vision there’s a mule cart trundling along the stone flagged street. Old men play boules and the scent … Continued
Southern France, and particularly that area of myth that is the Rhone Valley, has a magical hold over the British. The landscapes of Cezanne, etc. The holiday homes in the lavender scented hillsides etc. The markets on Sunday with their baskets of fresh produce etc. All of that doubtless populated with a pleasing cast of … Continued
When you think about a red wine, the archetype is Bordeaux. Supple with dark fruit and a touch of elegant oak, they taste very much like a grown up’s treat. They walk, talk, smell and taste like you think a red wine should. That’s partly because this style of wine, and the grapes that make … Continued
There’s fewer wines that excite such raging passions as Pinot Noir and in particular its home in Burgundy. It has an appeal and allure which can be beguiling. That grape has become a sort of zeitgeist, almost what Blue Nun was to the 70s or Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc was to the 00s. It is the shorthand … Continued
For some time there’s been a need for an introduction to wine written by and for our generation. The majority of wine writing is simply not aimed at Millennials but that isn’t to say we aren’t interested in good drinks. What even is a good wine? If you’re an educated wine buff, which is a polite … Continued
Lucy Whitehouse’s My First Time series begins firmly at the bottom. If you’re going to write a gratuitously self-indulgent lifestyle blog, probably better start at the bottom and work your way up. Earn a bit of cachet, build up a devoted following, gain a few hysterical fans (dreaming big here) before you even think about … Continued
Recently, I have made a wonderful discovery, comparable only to the apple falling on Newton’s head- I came across (more accurately, was introduced to) the ‘good bad’ novels of Angela Thirkell. Thirkell wrote delightfully staid novels through the 1930s-50s, in which very little happened, but a good time was had by all. A cross between … Continued
Some time ago I was in Kenya. I went for lots of reasons, chiefly after a difficult series of incidents which is to say that I kept making a mess of things I wanted to run away. So I did. Some of my experiences I wrote about here. You can call me sentimental but I want to … Continued
Why aren’t we way past weddings as major markers of adult life? Sian Gardiner ran the London Marathon last year – the hottest on record at that – and reckons there’s more to life than putting a ring on it. Here, she explores why we still can’t seem to celebrate more meaningful milestones. At a … Continued