The Wine Merchant's Blog

We have heard a rumour that summer approaches, and with a bit of luck, Mother Nature will hear the same rumour and deliver us sunshine more frequently than one day out of five. Summer promises one of the world’s most simple, yet most joyous, gastronomic pleasures; the BBQ. The BBQ is a truly wondrous invention, […]

Thursday was a great celebration for the American nation, and my visit to see Paul Draper and his charming wife Maureen invoked such wonderful memories of the time we have spent together over the past 30 years.  Paul has made an enormous contribution not only to Ridge but to the world of wine, one of […]

Treat Dad to his favourite tipple on Sunday 16th June 2019. We have put together a selection of gifts to put a smile on his face and help him enjoy his day. All wines are available to order online or call into our shop in Crossgar for a browse where one of our wine advisors […]

The idea that red wine has to be served at room temperature is dated and out of fashion. Wine lovers in this country routinely serve their red wines far too warm (and their whites far, far too cold!). In the 17th century French chateaux, where the rules and conventions of wine were discussed and decided […]

According to the highly respected Larrousse Guide, terroir is a French word with no translation in any other language. Terroir means the most intimate relationship established between soil and a unique micro-climate. These are behind the birth of a specific type of grape, one that will freely express the quality, typicality and identity of a […]

The first week in April always heralds our departure for Bordeaux and the beginning of 10-hour, action-packed days, visiting many Chateaux and joining in comparative tastings throughout the week. Many of the top wines have been tasted two or three times and very often on different days. It’s so difficult to summarise a vintage in […]

Last month I had the pleasure of spending a day at Felton Road with their talented winemaker Blair Walter. Blair has worked at Felton Road since 1996 and has overseen the transformation of this special place in the Bannockburn area of Central Otago. You need to be there to take in the location and the […]

There are lots of myths and theories about how to spot “quality wine” and how to avoid the plonk. While some have a bit of merit, most of them hold very little truth. Let’s have a look at some common myths.   MYTH – “Good legs” means good wine This is an oldie, but a […]

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and we have some excellent gifts to make her feel extra special. We can even gift wrap your item and deliver it with a personalised message.   A ticket to “A Taste of Spring with Susy Atkins” £35.00pp Why not take Mum out for the evening to meet […]

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting Champagne Louis Roederer, producers of one of the world’s finest wines, Cristal. If I am going to be perfectly honest, Champagne has never been a wine that I have drank a lot of. However, the opportunity to visit this historic region was just too good to pass […]

Regardless of one’s position on the influence of (or lack thereof) anthropogenic climate change on global temperature and sea level rise and associated weather patterns, it is undeniable – according to a March 2018 report by the European Academies’ Science Advisory Council (EASAC) – that weather has become more volatile and more extreme in the […]

Furmint February: It’s time to celebrate Hungary’s versatile flagship white grape! “Wine of Kings, King of Wines” was how the wines of Hungary’s were described, if you can believe it, by a Frenchman! And not just any Frenchman might we add, but ‘The Sun King’ himself, Louis the XIV of France.   That’s quite a […]