Jefford on Monday
In Pursuit of the Pesky Phthalate
[Andrew Jefford] Excessive phthalate levels has become another Chinese concern for the French wine and spirit scene.
A vineyard high
[Andrew Jefford] The pilot’s eye view of a sweep of vines is far more revealing than the driver’s.
Wine and the information tsunami
[Andrew Jefford] The electronic word continues to chew up the printed word.
Syrah’s mystery ailment
[Andrew Jefford] I’ve often heard local Languedoc growers mention a disease--‘Syrah decline’, which affects no other variety.
Confessions of a Cobbler
[Andrew Jefford] My glasswear, frankly, is a disgrace. As the French say, ‘Cobblers are always worst shod.’
The crazed giant
[Andrew Jefford] The giant will always be back, sooner or later, crazier than ever.
A bit of a stink
[Andrew Jefford] Wines smelled of sulphur compounds principally formed because they were under-exposed to oxygen prior to bottling. This is usually called ‘reduction’.
Therapy with Jackie
[Andrew Jefford] Let me own up. I have a Sauvignon Blanc problem. It’s the variety of choice for millions, yet it really only gets my pulse racing if its creator has taken the precaution of dissolving it in a greater volume of Sémillon first, and ideall
A rock in the river's path
[Andrew Jefford] What do solar panels and bottles of Bordeaux have in common? The answer was very little – until June 4th.
More than alcohol
[Andrew Jefford] There is, perhaps, no country in the world where drinking a glass of wine in a public space has more political significance than in Turkey.