‘My aim was always to create a bridge between producers and the wine lover, our readers; to share this magical world...’
I GREW UP in a small village in west Sussex, a convent girl of a generation where girls weren’t expected to work; my teenage ambition was to marry a handsome Arctic explorer, live in an old rectory, have six children and masses of dogs. I am sure it would have been a perfectly lovely life, but then for my 16th birthday my father gave me the second edition of Hugh Johnson’s Wine Companion.
My father, a journalist who spent most of his time in war zones, loved books. He regularly sold review copies and bought our presents (other review copies) at a small bookshop off Fleet Street. He had no interest in wine, and nor did I – but he bought the Wine Companion for me because it was illustrated by paul Hogarth, one of his favourite artists. I remember looking through the pages and discovering an exotic realm of châteaux and fascinating people. I was hooked.
I have been fortunate to spend 32 years at Decanter and to run the organisation for more than 20, lucky to be in the world I fell in love with as a teenager. people talk about the wine ‘industry’, but it is not that; it is a magical world – full of amazing people and places, with all the drama of a Tolstoy novel. And that’s even before you get to the wine.
Denne historien er fra September 2017-utgaven av Decanter.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra September 2017-utgaven av Decanter.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Wine lover's guide to ALSACE
Pretty postcard villages, delicious food, fascinating history and, of course, excellent wines - this beautiful northeastern corner of France has everything a wine lover could ask for
José Pizarro does Christmas Spanish style
In a Decanter exclusive, the celebrated chef offers up an alternative menu for the seasonal celebration
Perfect whiskies for wine lovers at Christmas
What better gift could there be for a wine and whisky lover than a whisky matured in barrels previously used for wine? Our selection of 12 great bottles shows just why it can be a match made in heaven
WHITE CHATEAU
Hitherto a bit-part player, the white wines of this celebrated southern Rhône region are well placed to find themselves increasingly in the spotlight, as a result of the changing climate conditions. Our Rhône expert recommends 20 of his favourite examples to seek out
Chablis 2023
Variable weather made it challenging at times, but a late hot spell came to the rescue, resulting in plenty of good wines for drinking and for keeping. Having tasted almost 400 Chablis 2023 wines, our expert selects 30 of his favourites, along with five from top producers in neighbouring crus
Looking BACK, looking AHEAD
As 2024 draws to a close, we asked eight of our regular contributors to nominate their most memorable wine experiences of the year and to reveal what they're anticipating most in their plans for 2025
25 TOP SYRAH/SHIRAZ REDS
Two names, a multitude of personalities. For almost two centuries, Syrah has been woven into the fabric of the southern hemisphere's wine world. Today, it makes some of the most exciting and terroir-expressive wines to be found south of equator, with a growing shift towards single-site bottlings
A Resource for the World? - Argentina is unique in the genetic diversity preserved in much of its vine material. With climate change and disease posing increasing threats worldwide, Catena Zapata winery is asking what lessons can be learned to protect vineyards within and beyond the nation's borders
Argentina is unique in the genetic diversity preserved in much of its vine material. With climate change and disease posing increasing threats worldwide, Catena Zapata winery is asking what lessons can be learned to protect vineyards within and beyond the nation’s borders
Great Cabernets of South America
Other varieties may hog the limelight across South America, but the world’s most popular grape for red wines has played a critical role in the continent's wine heritage. We trace Cabernet Sauvignon’s story here, and recommend 16 benchmark wines to try
PROVENCE by train and bike
With rail links to Paris, Nice, Marseilles and beyond, a vast network of cycle paths and quiet roads, and a plethora of historic wine estates, Provence is an ideal destination for an eco-friendly, car-free and carefree) holiday