This is the kind of wine label that grabs your attention. The one that stops you in your tracks as you innocently peruse a bottle shop for your favourite drop. Nude and erotic imagery. Entwined bodies in light and dark shades wrapped around a wine bottle. Naturally, you do a double take. From Moorilla, one [...]

“Good evening. May I offer you a cocktail with the compliments of Richard Branson and Virgin?” This must be a dream. Or an opening line from a movie or a setting for a lavish fantasy. I blink and remind myself that we are at Vessel, a swanky new venue in Sydney’s King Street Wharf. Our [...]

The visit to Fontainebleau was brief. The reason being we have a date with an old monk in Epernay. We continue along the N6 to Melun past Crécy La Chapelle on N36 through smaller picturesque departmental roads before we join the N3. In between vast plains and valleys, we pass little villages that seem void [...]

After leaving Bordeaux, we take the RN137 up to Pons then along the picturesque D732 that lead us to Cognac. This small, somnolent town lying on the gentle banks of the Charentes river offers the visitor tours and tastings at the major Cognac houses such as Martell, Hennessy and Otard. It enjoyed its prime time [...]

Missing our visite to Janneau Armagnac in Condom gave us more impetus to reach our next destination on time. As we approach Bordeaux, I remembered the warning given to me by a friend who drove around France, regarding the massive and confusing roundabouts. I caution Mr G to avoid more disappointments. Roundabouts or rond-points, exist [...]

It’s not every day that you get an invitation for a cold beer in a Japanese home. So when friends in Tokyo invited us for a couple of ales before dinner, little did we know who would be serving us. Meet Robo-san*, the Asahi Beer Robot. So cute, you’ll be tempted to pat him on [...]

At the Ultimo Wine Centre’s Saké Tasting, we had the opportunity to sample Grace Wines from Japan. Grace Wine is situated in Katsunama, Yamanashi near Mount Fuji in Japan. Their wine production is relatively young, dating back to 1923. They use traditional grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot as well as lesser [...]