Tasting wines blind during two completely different dinners illustrates that wine should be more about conversation and enjoyment than correct answers or superior tastes. Nina Caplan writes on her recent French adventures
The garnish is one element of a cocktail that's easily forgotten, says Joel Harrison, but with a little consideration, they can elevate even the simplest drinks to new heights
Chefs are still seen as the true masters of flavour, says Joel Harrison - it's about time they showed the same level of reverence as their bartender counterparts towards the world's finest spirits
Georgia's huge and diverse range of grapes means that anyone with an appetite for new adventures in the world of wine is likely to find much to be excited about in this temperate, welcoming country, says David Kermode
Cabernet Franc might be the last bastion for greenness in fine wine, says Sarah Heller MW, but a new wave of Argentinian winemakers are showing just how compelling the grape's characteristic charms can be
California is moving away from the homogenous type of blockbusting, heavily oaked wine for which it came to be known towards a variety of styles that reflect places and personalities. Nina Caplan's enjoyment of travels around Napa and Sonoma are heightened by a willingness to ditch her preconceptions
The arrival of warmer weather has Joel Harrison popping his shorts on and pouring the rum. It's an annual ritual that reminds him of the spirit's unrivalled versatility, a quality that means it can be consumed even when the sun is nowhere to be seen
Unfiltered sherry: it's exciting, it's delicious and then it's history. David Kermode extols the charms of a traditional product with an ephemeral nature
An unscheduled rosé during a trip to Lebanon reminds Nina Caplan that the most profound pleasure in wine relates to people and place - it's this that ultimately determines which bottles are laid down to develop in our memories
It's a drink that means different things to different people. Joel Harrison turns his attention to the classic Martini – and shares how he drinks his