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Wine Features

My Wine Features section is my opportunity to take writing on The Winedoctor beyond the regular addition of tasting notes, book and restaurant reviews, and to sporadically add some of my own, more personal opinion. All such additions may be found by following the links below.

• Bringing Oak to Life: The Birth of a Wine Barrel (6/1/09) In this two-part feature I travel to Murua, a famous cooperage in Logroño, to see for myself how oak barrels are made.
• Sod the Tannins, What About the Acidity? (26/4/06) I've already opined on the problem of tannin in the 2003 vintage. But recently, acidity seems to me to be more of a problem. Here's the lowdown on one particular guilty wine, and advice on a very simple buying strategy for 2003 whites: avoid!
• Tannins and 2003 (18/11/05) The 2003 vintage, across several different regions of France, seems beset by low acidity in the white wines, and excessive tannin in the reds. Here's my opinion on this, and some comment what the longevity of this vintage might be.
• Sweet Wines (24/8/05) In a major feature and resource documenting all that is sweet, I look the science behind the sweetness, before a meticulous review of each of the diverse sweet wine styles in existence, covering the history, regionality and character of each style.
• Corked Wine (11/1/05) A year-long feature for 2005 (and continued beyond!). I'll be looking at all the corked bottles I open during the year, and seeing what responses I can get from the producers.
• The End of Print? (22/9/04) My response to Parker's assertion that the future of wine information lies with the internet.
• The Case for Chenin Blanc (21/7/04) One of the world's greatest wine grapes, shoved from the limelight by international varieties.
• A Lament for Bordeaux 2003 (25/6/04) Thoughts on the Bordeaux 2003 campaign, which saw high prices, smarting consumers and smouldering credit cards.
• Things You Can't Say with your Mouth Full (24/12/03) A light-hearted look (honest!) at some of the characters you might encounter at a wine tasting.
• What's it Worth? The Value of Old Wine (23/7/03) I receive frequent requests for advice on the drinkability and value of old bottles. My replies often result in disappointment, and here I explain why.
• The Problem with Primeur (24/1/03) A series of five articles covering the pitfalls of purchasing wine en primeur.
• The Appreciation of Wine: Sport, Science or Art? (13/11/02) Why do some critics have an almost tribal following, akin to sports fans? Why do the same critics treat wine as if it could be scientifically dissected?
• Hankering for Times Past (18/7/02) A yearning for the appreciation of simple wines. Drinking wine was less expensive back then!
• In Search of a Decent Wine List (14/3/02) Why are the vast majority of my local restaurateurs so sloppy with their wine lists?

• The 2010 Salon des Vins de Loire Top Ten (11/2/10) The ten most memorable, meaningful or remarkable wines from five days of tasting.
• Report from the 2010 Salon des Vins de Loire (4/2/10) News from the 2010 Salon and Renaissance events in Angers.
• Charles Sydney: Loire Vintage Report 2009 (8/1/10) An update from Charles, giving us a full and comprehensive report on 2009 for the Loire.
• Richard Bampfield: Bordeaux Vintage Report 2009 (21/10/09) Hyperbole-free reports from Richard Bampfield and Jean-Christophe Mau.
• Charles Sydney: Loire Vintage Report 2009 (21/10/09) Reflections on the harvest so far from Charles and Philippa Sydney.
• Bordeaux 2008: First Report (3/4/09) My early thoughts after tasting my way through the Bordeaux 2008 vintage.
• The 2009 Salon des Vins de Loire Top Ten (6/2/09) The most impressive or otherwise memorable wines from my last few days of tasting in the Loire.
• Report from the 2009 Salon des Vins de Loire (4/2/09) Some words on my visit to Angers in early 2009 for the annual Salon des Vins de Loire, the Association Renaissance des Appellations tasting, the state of the chateau in Angers, and much more.
• Charles Sydney: Loire Vintage Report 2008 (29/10/09) Reflecting on the vintage, Charles Sydney's mind turns towards not just quality, but he also a quick word on prices.
• Charles Sydney: Loire Vintage Report 2008 (24/10/08) An update from Charles Sydney. Ever upbeat, Charles describes 2008 as a 'golden vintage'.
• Charles Sydney: Loire Vintage Report 2008 (1/10/08) A few early words from Charles Sydney at harvest time.
• Loire 2008 (31/7/08) An introduction to my new Loire profiles from the summer of 2008, featuring Philippe Foreau, François Pinon, Philippe Alliet, Cognard-Taluau, Catherine & Pierre Breton and more.
• Loire 2007 (2/8/07) A round-up of my new Loire profiles from the summer of 2007, featuring Bouvet-Ladubay, Langlois-Chateau, Couly-Dutheil, Yannick Amirault, Olga Raffault, Domaine Bellivière and more.
• Bordeaux Classifications (31/3/07) A look at events surrounding the collapse of the St Emilion and Cru Bourgeois classification systems, reviewed in 2007, in my two part series on the Bordeaux classifications.
• Rhône Talk 2006 (6/9/06) I chew the cud with two Rhône winemakers, Bernard Tranchecostes and Thierry Caymaris, debating the merits of recent vintages, the influence of Parker and the rise and rise of the super-cuvées.
• Roussillon 2006 (17/5/06) I meet and taste with a collection of Roussillon winemakers in Edinburgh, and present my notes in a series of even profiles.
• Siena & Beyond (22/2/06) A trip to Siena leads to some new Italian profiles, looking at wines from a number of regions. My notes are presented in a series of ten profiles.
• Austria 2005 (10/11/05) I present an introduction to the wines of Austria in this short series, based on six recent tastings.
• Bandol 2005 (4/10/05) I spend the summer in Provence, and visit four of the top domaines in Bandol.
• Great German Riesling (16/6/05) I take a fresh look at the wines of Germany in my multi-part series, Great German Riesling, with a focus on Riesling and food, and the battle between Trocken and Traditional.
• Sherry 2004 (1/12/04) I taste through the ranges of four of the top Sherry bodegas. Entirely suitable for the festive season.
• Introduction to Graves (26/10/04) A small series of tastings featuring the wines of some of Pessac-Léognan's leading estates.
• Dinner with Etienne Hugel (12/10/04) I taste a selection of Hugel wines over two days; first at dinner with Etienne Hugel, then a more formal and more extensive tasting the following day; leading to a new profile for Hugel. (13/10/04)
• Cream of the Loire 2004 (8/6/04) Once again I focus on a small selection of the best Loire vignerons. I visited these domaines, and tasted their wines, during a visit to the Loire Valley in 2004.
• Rhône Dichotomy (13/1/04) This series explores the differences in quality offered by the négociants and the individual producers of the Rhône Valley.
• Port House Profiles (25/11/03) A series of articles profiling six of the top Port houses.
• The Cream of the Loire 2003 (4/9/03) A series of seven articles following my visit to some of the top producers of the Loire Valley.
• Non-Vintage Champagne: To Age or Not to Age? (30/4/03) Many non-vintage wines positively demand, in my opinion, further bottle age following purchase. I put forward my argument for the case in favour of ageing NV Champagne.
• Is Claret Expensive? (20/9/02) Prices seem to have risen dramatically in recent years - or are they just keeping up with inflation? I take a look at the real situation, and make some recommendations.
• Taking Advantage of a Situation (17/5/02) Germany: great wines at affordable prices. Can you afford not to buy?

Each year I reflect on the vinous events of the past twelve months, and decide on my favourite wines of the year.

• 2009: Your Turn (24/12/09) Your 'Wine in Context' submissions.
• 2009: Wine in Context (15/12/09)
• That Was.....2008 (30/12/08)
• Annual Review 2007 (27/12/07)
• Annual Review 2006 (29/12/06)
• Annual Review 2005 (29/12/05)
• Annual Review 2004 (31/12/04)
• Annual Review 2003 (1/12/03)
• Annual Review 2002 (1/12/02)
• Annual Review 2001 (1/12/01)
• Annual Review 2000 (1/12/00)