Author Archives: dccrossley

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About dccrossley

Writing here and elsewhere mainly about the outer reaches of the wine universe and the availability of wonderful, characterful, wines from all over the globe. Very wide interests but a soft spot for Jura, Austria and Champagne, with a general preference for low intervention in vineyard and winery. Other passions include music (equally wide tastes) and travel. Co-organiser of the Oddities wine lunches.

Squirrelled Away in Soho

Posted on 08/10/2015 by dccrossley

It’s around 1pm on Wednesday and I’m walking through a big black door in Soho, entering the tight confines of a hallway to a very old town house. One young lady vets me, another locates my name on a list … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine, Wine Agencies, Wine Merchants, Wine Tastings | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Contenders (Arbois Week)

Posted on 29/09/2015 by dccrossley

As my latest week in Arbois begins to fade a little from memory, or more realistically how many articles is it reasonable to write on one subject, I thought I’d mention a few producers who I’ve got to know only … Continue reading →

Posted in Jura, Natural Wine, Wine, Wine Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Fine Sense of Balance

Posted on 26/09/2015 by dccrossley

The third article in my Arbois Week highlights my favourite restaurant in the town, La Balance Mets et Vins. There’s a fascinating section about Arbois gastronomy in Wink Lorch’s Jura Wine, telling the story of how Arbois was once a major stop … Continue reading →

Posted in Jura, Wine, Wine and Food | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Watching Stéphane Tissot

Posted on 24/09/2015 by dccrossley

We first visited Domaine André & Mireille Tissot in Montigny-lès-Arsures in the early 1990s. We were staying nearby and we found our way to their small tasting room down a hill behind the church, where we were entertained by a very … Continue reading →

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Between the Wood Smoke and the Water – Arbois Week

Posted on 22/09/2015 by dccrossley

I began visiting the Jura region in Eastern France more than twenty-five years ago. It began as a day trip from our then fairly regular wine visits to Burgundy, and then as a stop-off en route to Geneva by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Natural Wine, Wine, Wine Agencies, Wine Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Spice Oddity #2 (Without Major Tom)

Posted on 11/09/2015 by dccrossley

The second Spice Oddities at the India Club was a perfect example of how far some wine lovers will go to select truly “different” wines, odd in their origins (to a degree) but certainly not in their flavours. All seven … Continue reading →

Posted in Wine, Wine Agencies, Wine and Food, Wine Tastings, Wine with Curry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

More from Germany (Howard Ripley)

Posted on 10/09/2015 by dccrossley

The second instalment of Howard Ripley’s Germans was presented at Middle Temple Hall Yesterday, comprising the dry whites and reds, with a few strangers thrown in for good measure (one of which was my Wine of the Day!). I don’t … Continue reading →

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Finesse and Verve at Verveine

Posted on 03/09/2015 by dccrossley

It’s easy right now to completely lose the plot with visiting new London restaurants, so many exciting places seem to have opened in the last twelve months or so. But I’m also getting behind everywhere else. The New Forest used … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining | 3 Comments

Not With a Bang but a “Wimps” Lunch

Posted on 29/08/2015 by dccrossley

This is the way the world ends, or at least I hope so. Wimps lunches are so called because they are for people who only like one bottle each for lunch (although they actually allow for ten bottles between each … Continue reading →

Posted in Austrian Wine, Dining, Fine Wine, German Wine, Wine, Wine Tastings | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Rudest Word in Wine

Posted on 24/08/2015 by dccrossley

“MINERALITY” For some it’s not even a word. It’s not in my dictionary. Yet few concepts in wine, not even terroir, excite the angry to expletives more than this harmless word can! For some the idea that there’s a mineral … Continue reading →

Posted in Minerals and Wine, Wine, Wine Agencies, Wine Science | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments