Ribera del Duero breaks score barrier

The fifth annual Ribera del Duero Top 100 Selection has confirmed the awesome potential of the region, with every wine featured scoring a remarkable 94 points or more for the first time ever.

Tim Atkin MW: A year that changed wine

‘Never A Dull Moment’ is the title of a wonderful book about what its author, David Hepworth, calls “rock’s golden year”. 1971 was indeed an annus mirabilis for music, witnessing the release of landmark albums by David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Pink Floyd, Marvin Gaye, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Yes, The Who and Rod Stewart. For Hepworth, 31 December 1970 marked the end of the Sixties – 12 months late, in one sense – and the start of something very different. It was a turning pint, a line in the sand.

Tim Atkin MW: Spare a thought for the wine tasters that get it right

TIM ATKIN MW

New GM for NZ's Neudorf Vineyards

Nelson-based New Zealand winery Neudorf Vineyards has promoted its winemaker Todd Stevens to the role of general manager.

Tim Atkin MW: Sherry deserves applause

TIM ATKIN MW

Tim Atkin MW: Beyond the cellar door

The pencil was as sharp as a tack. The tasting sheets were beautifully designed, with just the right amount of information: geeky, yet precise, containing useful details about vineyards and vinification techniques, but no vapid tasting notes. The water bottle was freshly cooled, the glasses polished and well chosen, the wines at exactly the right temperature. Every tasting should be like this, I found myself thinking, settling into a comfortable chair.

Tim Atkin MW: Fanfare for a Chablis titan

TIM ATKIN MW: Wine critic, broadcaster, co-chair of the IWC

Buckingham Schenk expands sales team with Tim Calcroft hire

Buckingham Schenk has hired Tim Calcroft as on trade regional sales manager for the north.

Tim Atkin MW: Celebrating Chenin

TIM ATKIN MW

Tim Atkin MW: The dangers of karaoke journalism

The two emails arrived on the same morning. The first was from Mark A, offering me an “exclusive invite” to join Biginfluencers.com and “connect with some of the biggest brands”; the second was a release about the launch of a Standardised Wine Rating System called iS Winescale. In their different ways, they both cut to the core of what it means to be a wine writer today. Are we still relevant? And if so, how and to whom?

Tim Atkin MW: Closing off the cork-vs-cap conundrum

TIM ATKIN MW

Tim Atkin MW: Wine is never a one man band

Tim Atkin MW: How low can you go?

Wine critic, broadcaster, co-chair of the IWC

Tim Atkin MW: State of the Union Jack

What does the Union Jack symbolise to you? Pride? Shame? Sovereignty? Populism? Peace? Colonialism? All are possible responses and have been almost since the flag was designed in 1800 to reflect the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland. As Tim Marshall writes in his recent book, Worth Dying For: The Power and Politics of Flags, “its beauty or otherwise is in the eye, imagination and politics of the beholder”.

Tim Atkin MW: Why wine and food pairing is not an art

At the height of her fame as a Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Fit Club contestant, ex-Tory MP Ann Widdecombe was asked to write a book about how to lose weight. Her response was that were she to produce such a work, it would be very short. So short indeed that it would contain just two simple injunctions: “eat less” and “exercise more”. 

Tim Atkin MW: Argentina and Chile are a joint wine force to be reckoned with

This year is the 200th anniversary of one of the key events in Latin American history. In January 1817, the Army of the Andes set off from Mendoza, determined to end Spanish rule on the other side of the mountains. At its head were an Argentinian, General José de San Martín, and an exiled Chilean, the wonderfully named Bernardo O’Higgins, who, after a brave and arduous crossing of the Cordillera, did indeed defeat their common imperial foe.