Tag Archives: claret

Booze interview: Fergus Butler-Gallie

Posted on 27/01/2020 by Henry

This week I’m delighted to have writer, man of the cloth and most notable ambassador for the double-breasted blazer since Jerry from The Good Life as guest on World of Booze, Fergus Butler-Gallie. You might know him as one of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

World of Booze returns

Posted on 28/12/2019 by Henry

Merry Christmas! Here’s a picture of what I drank over the festive period. Obviously, we drank a lot more than this but these were the highlights: But I’m not writing to show off the fine booze consumed. Well, I am … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine articles | Tagged , , , , , | 15 Comments

A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing

Posted on 08/03/2017 by Henry

Wine lists can be difficult for the uninitiated to understand. One restaurant in Los Angeles, Hatchet Hall*, has taken this a step further: not only is their list incomprehensible to the general public, it’s incomprehensible to anyone who doesn’t work … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine articles | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Some very clever marketing going on at Majestic

Posted on 18/02/2017 by Henry

I’ve been on Majestic’s mailing list since I’ve been legally allowed to by wine, or so it seems. And as far as I can remember, the months offer has always been The Ned Sauvignon Blanc for £7.99 and Berberana Reserva for … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine articles | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Who will be the next Robert Parker?

Posted on 04/02/2017 by Henry

Searching around for a sequel to Empire of Booze, my book about the British and alcohol, the obvious choice is to look at other countries and their influence on what we drink. A friend suggested Khanates of Booze. There’s potential … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine articles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bergerac and prejudice

Posted on 05/03/2016 by Henry

There’s a lot of advice for writers out there: write what you know; write what you don’t know. My best bit of advice apart from don’t, get a job in the City or become a plumber instead, is develop your … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine articles | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Wine and golf

Posted on 05/10/2015 by Henry

Apart from a couple of games of pitch and putt in my early teens, I have never swung a golf club in anger. Until a couple of weeks ago that is. I had been invited for an afternoon of wine … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine articles | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

“an oeuf is an oeuf”

Posted on 19/06/2015 by Henry

The most-repeated Jeffreys family story concerns the time my grandfather tried to explain the joke “an oeuf is an oeuf” to a waiter in France. My father squirms with embarrassment when he recalls it, yet it never stopped him indulging … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine articles | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mouton Rothschild – an affordable luxury

Posted on 18/08/2014 by Henry

In 2012 I won a bottle of Mouton Rothschild 1996 in a writing competition on Jancis Robinson’s site. When we moved house last year I didn’t trust the movers with it so I wrapped it up in layers of bubble … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine articles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wine and Le Style Anglais

Posted on 02/05/2014 by Henry

When authors or publishers get to a certain age, roughly 37, they are issued with a shapeless blue linen jacket. They then fill the pockets with books, papers, tobacco and various literary ephemera to make it more shapeless still. Men … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine articles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments