Buy organic wine: Oddbins
Oddbins is definitely a new or no-name store. Having had a few ups and downs lately, some of the shops consolidated their efforts and you can see a shift to provide a better service, but also an interesting choice of wines and craft beers. I have been visiting a shop in Clapham several times and…
What’s the best thing to do when you feel the summer’s over?
It is not yet September and you feel like it is autumn already. This year is not generous on a prolonged summer days, but as it is still relatively warm, there is no excuse not to go out, have some al-fresco dinners or a simple picnic and enjoy ourselves. I was thinking of tasting three…
Buy organic wine: Humble Grape
It was a sunny afternoon in South West London when me and my partner needed to walk our dog a bit; on our way to Clapham Common we have encountered an independent wine shop / bar, which I’ve never been to yet. Shocking experience, knowing that we live 15 minutes away! Humble Grape is located…
Are amphorae getting a comeback to winemaking?
It has ben a bit weird as I bumped into the topic of maturing wine in the old amphorae quite a few times recently. First of all, it is close to my heart as I grew up near an ancient Greek city of Khersonessus (its ruins are located in Crimea, Ukraine) and its museum contains…
New organic wines 2015
How would one know which organic wines are new? Apart from meticulously checking all retail outlets, inlcuding online ones, (if that even possible!) you can visit a trade show like London Wine Fair and check out these new bottles which were imported to the UK recently or simply seeking their entrance to the lucrative UK…
Priorat product not for oral use
During my organic wine tour to Priorat, I have indeed tasted dozens of wines, they were provided during professional wine tastings and tasted awesome. Yet this time this short review is not about wine! Imagine you get a some crushed grapes that were not used in the winemaking. What would you do with it? When visiting…
Wine Tours: experience unexpected in Catalunya, Spain
I have been reviewing wines after my glorious tour in Priorat, one of the two greatest DOQ regions in Spain, yet this time it is to tell you more about the tour experience itself. It started with truly breathtaking views I cannot describe by just putting some words together. Mountainous area with narrowly laid roads…
Ohau Gravels – an exciting duo of sustainable wines
It is sometimes not very clear whether a particular wine is organic, biodynamic or made at the sustainable winery. Some companies, especially on a smaller scale, simply do not bother themselves with the certificates (I have met people from Sao del Coster in Priorat who said they simply do not like the paperwork), do not…
What to buy or avoid – August 2015
This new edition of ‘What to buy or avoid’ comes with a summery theme as I have decided to dedicate it to our planet’s Southern hemisphere or you can call it New World. Yet all the wines that are reviewed below are organic, so please shop away and taste the ones you find more attractive. The following…
Organic Wine Tour to Priorat, Spain
A wine tour to Priorat exploring some fantastic organic wines could not been better. That was possible thanks to Catalunya Wine and their recommendation of SweetEasy wine tours, so I have had a pleasure of visiting a few amazing wineries in Priorat this July. Yet let’s take it step by step, I will focus more on the wine tour and…
Hansen 2012, Organic Cabernet-Gernischt, China
This is a rare occasion of a wine that I have no idea about – no clue how it will taste like or should I take it to a party or not. Hansen 2012 is made from Cabernet-Gernischt, which only tell you that it is a clone of Cabernet (German origin?), but nothing else. The wine…
Auzolan organic wines from Bodegas Vega del Castillo
These three organic wines are coming from Bodegas Vega del Castillo, a glorious wine company established in 1910 and representing a region of Navarra on the map of Spanish wines. They are all called Auzolan and please have a look at the tasting notes for their rose, unaged red and aged red wines. Auzolan organic rosado…
Loidana 2012, Organic Priorat
Loidana Priorat 2012 is produced by Marco Abella and even though it does not bear the organic sign on the bottle it can be considered as uncertified organic. Many producers are adopting organic viticulture, but do not bother going through tons of paperwork or spend additional money to get the certification. After speaking with a few very…
Buy organic wine: Waitrose Cellar
Waitrose Cellar should have been one of the first retailers reviewed at I Blame The Wine – at the end of the day you cannot diminish the importance of Waitrose to represent organic farming, responsible and value-based approach to agriculture. Yet when you search for organic wines through their total range, you will be disappointed.…
Buy organic wine: Majestic Wine
Majestic Wine does not require any additional introduction when it comes to a wine retailer. As a consumer I will remember their set of advertisements, where they have tried to deal with the image of wine being a snobby and expensive product. Indeed they provide a very democratic and friendly service and I am mostly…