10 Best Wine Villages in France
Find the best wine villages in France, from Alsace to Burgundy, with scenic stays, cellar doors, local food and slow-travel ideas worth savouring.
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Our Epic Roadtrip to See the Edinburgh Military Tattoo 🚐🎺
Vineyards and Villages – Episode 12 There are road trips… and then there is an epic roadtrip to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The kind that involves trusted old campervans, winding “B” roads, historic towns, Roman walls, sea cliffs, Scottish rain (of course), and one truly unforgettable night beneath Edinburgh Castle. With our narrowboat Spirit of…
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Beautiful Barossa Valley; The Wine Barrel of South Australia
INTRODUCTION Set just an hour from Adelaide in the heart of South Australia lies one of the world’s most celebrated wine regions — a landscape of rolling vineyards, heritage villages, and unforgettable cellar doors. Here, generations of winemakers have shaped a culture where Shiraz reigns supreme and European traditions still thrive. From historic tasting rooms…
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Discover Bragança, Portugal: A Hidden Gem of Vineyards, Villages & Timeless Traditions
Welcome to the second chapter of Vineyards and Villages, where we wander into places less travelled but overflowing with heart, heritage, vineyards, and sunshine. This week’s destination is Bragança, Portugal, a remarkable medieval town tucked away in the Trás-os-Montes region, just a whisper from Spain. If you’re dreaming of stone-walled castles, golden olive groves, hand-pressed…
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Blue veined cheese; the facts and the fiction
To really enjoy blue strong cheese, we need to differentiate between the facts and the fiction. What all blue cheeses have in common is the presence of a strain of penicillin mold which is introduced directly into the cheese curd before it is shaped. The cheese is then pierced with metallic spikes to allow air…
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Exploring the Vineyards of the United Kingdom: A Wine Lover’s Journey
The United Kingdom might not be the first place that springs to mind when you think of world-class wine, but times are changing! Over the past few decades, England (and increasingly, Wales) has emerged as a dynamic player on the global wine scene. With picturesque vineyards, passionate vintners, and climate shifts reshaping the landscape, there’s…
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The difference between Champagne, Prosecco and Cava?
Sparkling wines come in a wide variety, with huge price differences, sweet or bone-dry, yeasty or fresh and the difference in production method is of utmost importance. So, what is the difference between Champagne, Prosecco and Cava, aka sparkling wines? I am using the world’s friendliest online business engine…it’s free…forever! Sparkling wine is an umbrella…
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Discover Cesanese Comune, the ancient red wine grape from Italy
Driving to the town of Olevano Romano, Lazio region of Italy in the pouring rain did not dampen our enthusiasm to discover Cesanese Comune, the ancient red wine grape from Italy. Cesanese Comune is an old and elusive vine of the Roman Empire dating back to the first century BC. The Romans were great consumers…
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Chenin Blanc; Ask for it by name!
Chenin Blanc is a white wine grape variety from the Loire Valley of France. Its high acidity means it can be used to make varieties from sparkling wines to well-balanced dessert wines. Chenin Blanc makes lithe, dry summer whites and sparkling wines. It also offers oak-aged styles with similar flavors to Chardonnay. Thus, there really…
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The Awakening: A tale of budburst, shoots, vines, and wine
Book your flights and accommodation here! Early spring marks the awakening of sleepy vines in leafless vineyards. Join me as we are reminded of the annual tale of budburst, shoots, vines, and wine. Budburst or bud break is that momentous moment that happens in the vineyard each spring as the vines wake up from their…
