Grape Variety MindMaps for WSET4 Diploma: D3-Wines of the World
We have just over two weeks to go until the big ‘Wines of the World’ exams for WSET4 Diploma, so most of the time I am oscillating between utter panic and – less frequently,...
wine & words Blog
Early Signs of Spring: New Life in the Urban Garden
Early spring is always an exciting time in the urban garden: delicate fruit blossoms, the bright hues of the first green herbs and rainbow chard peeking through the winter mulch, and the vibrant sunny...
Sparkling Pairings I Just Love: Cheese and Champagne
Belgium may be small, but it is home to a rich gastronomic culture and a wide array of top-notch artisans, chefs and sommeliers. And when they combine forces, the results are truly magical. Head...
Wine Deliveries and Wonderful Memories
It’s amazing how, even after so many years, wine deliveries can still excite me. Especially when the wines bring back as many lovely memories as these… I recently discovered that some of my best-loved...
An Appetite for Wine: Copa Jerez Pairing Dinner at Restaurant Paul de Pierre, Maarkedal, Belgium
Last November, Belgian sommelier Paul-Henri Cuvelier and chef Fabian Bail of restaurant Paul de Pierre in Maarkedal, attained a smashing victory at the prestigious Copa Jerez in Spain, an international competition dedicated to high-end...
An Appetite for Wine: Wine Bar Pinot in Breda, the Netherlands
Last week, after an intense WSET4 class day, we met up in Wijnbar Pinot in Breda’s city centre. Pinot is one of many lively bars and restaurants in this vibrant Dutch town, and owned...
In the Eye of a Wine Hurricane: My WSET4 Diploma Journey
It’s been quiet here on the blog this past half year, but those of you who follow me on Facebook or Instagram know I’ve been a tad busy. 😉 Last June I started the...
An Appetite for Wine: Restaurant De Vijf Seizoenen in Brakel, Belgium
Great food, great wines, great people – the best way to summarise dinner at the award-winning vegetable restaurant ‘De Vijf Seizoenen’ (The Five Seasons), owned and run by WSET Diploma student colleague Peter Haegeman...
To Be or Not to Be: Wine Faults – Part One
When I write about wine aromas and flavours, I tend to focus on the positive ones: the appetising compounds in wine, which bring us pleasure and make us take another sip. But wine, like...
New Book Recommendation: The Grapes and Wines of Italy
With our Easter holidays coming to an end and the temperatures still on the low side, it’s the perfect time to enjoy a bit more cherished reading and/or study time. Today’s setup:✔️comfy couch✔️my warm...
