The Wine Merchant's Blog

With a number of great South African wine makers travelling over to the UK for WineFest South Africa this weekend, we thought it only right to join in and celebrate with a South African promotion in store and online. For three days we will be discounting South African wines by 15% on selected ranges. Pop […]

Enjoying your wine may seem simple but we’ve put together five top tips to help you make the most of your wine. These things can really make a difference and take your wine to the next level, why not give them a try?   1.Temperature It is a bit of a generalisation, but in the […]

Before we answer the burning question, the question on everyone’s lips, or should that be in their mouth – do Wine Gums contain wine? We should add a little dusting of mystery to proceedings. In 2009 a shop in Cambridgeshire denied a schoolboy the right to purchase these delicious confectionery goods.  Supposedly he was ‘underage’, with the […]

About this time two weeks ago I was fast asleep aboard a minibus headed for the village of Oberhausen; a languid, bucolic settlement nestled between rocky outcrops and steep hillsides on a forested bend of the river Nahe – slap bang in the middle of the small but well-renowned German wine region of the same […]

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 […]