Exactly six years ago I wrote: “…to evince an interest in wine in general while ignoring German Riesling is like claiming to study literature while disregarding poetry.” Those words remain as true today as they were then, yet an alarming number of wine drinkers continue to disregard the poetry. In Germany’s Mosel region (also known as Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) the poetry reaches a peak of perfection that is unmatched by any other wine region in the world. Reaching such heights, however, is no easy task and calls for a high-wire balancing act between sweetness and acidity. Veer in favour of the former and you end up with sugar-water. Over-emphasise the latter and the result is a teeth-jarring concoction utterly devoid of charm. Get it right and every sip of your wine tingles with excitement. Read More...

Tags: Mosel, Riesling, Germany

Having made do with nothing more than an orange for breakfast I was ready for something more substantial by the time I entered the Capella Hotel, Singapore yesterday for the mother of all brunches. On arrival, I caught the unmistakable, gentle but insistent, whiff of white asparagus on the air. Following the trail to source I came across a steaming urn of soup manned by Jan Touschil, head chef at the Magma German wine bistro. It was splendid stuff, delightfully subtle and judiciously seasoned by a light hand. Read More...

Tags: Singapore, Mosel, Risotto

The Riesling grape reaches its apogee in Germany’s Mosel Valley where, when handled skilfully, it produces wines of unparalleled excellence. Their signature is a thrilling electric charge of acidity that keeps even the sweetest nectars free of saccharine cloy, and bestows on all styles the ability to age and develop for decades. A noted master of the Mosel is Dirk Richter of Weingut Max Ferd Richter and he will be presenting a selection of his wines, matched to appropriate dishes from the able hand of Derry Clarke, at l’Ecrivain Restaurant, Dublin on Tuesday, 10th May. Read More...

Tags: Riesling, Mosel

I tend to bristle when people tell me that studying history is a waste of time: “All those dates and battles that you have to memorise – what’s the use of that?” I try to explain that it is much more than that, pointing out that the proper study of history enables us to see forward by looking back. Read More...

Tags: Australia, Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Mosel