By Robert Giorgione on September 20, 2012
This tasty dish, (and yes it does contain raw meat), is probably one of the staple menu items of any classic French brasserie. Such is the special reputation of steak tartare, any restaurant worth its salt, that wishes to be judged on the quality of its meat will probably serve it. How to make “the perfect [...]
Posted in Food and Wine Matching, Recipes, Sommelier Stories, Videos, Wine Reviews | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, Beaujolais, Beef, Bistro Jeanty, Book, Bouchon, Brasserie Boulingrin, Burgundy, Champagne, eBook, Food and wine matching, food blogs, Gamay, Les Caves de Pyrene, Natural Wines, Pinot Noir, Recipes, Reims, Restaurant Reviews, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, steak tartare, Terroirs, Videos, wine blogs, Wine Reviews, You Tube, Yountville |
By Robert Giorgione on September 12, 2012
Much has been written and spoken about biodynamics over the years. But at the end of the day, do we actually know any more about it. Are we any wiser to the mysterious winemaking ‘hocus pocus’ and goings-on behind closed cellar doors in various regions of the world that practise this esoteric form of agriculture. [...]
Posted in Sommelier Stories, Tasting Notes, Videos, Wine Reviews | Tagged Alsace, An Epicurean Odyssey, biodynamic, Book, Burgundy, Champagne, eBook, Family of Twelve, Gisborne, James Millton, LIWF, Loire Valley, Millton Vineyard, Natural Wines, New Zealand, New Zealand Wine Growers, Pinot Noir, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, Tasting Notes, Tim Atkin MW, Videos, wine blogs, Wine Reviews, Wine tasting, You Tube |
By Robert Giorgione on June 1, 2012
Last week was a pretty busy one in London. We were treated to not one, but two natural wine fairs and there were plenty of shenanigans going on at this year’s London International Wine Fair at Excel. In addition, I had to deal with a burst water pipe at Roving Sommelier HQ and enjoyed celebrating [...]
Posted in Sommelier Stories, Wine Reviews | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, biodynamic, Book, Chenin Blanc, Craving For Chenin, eBook, Family of Twelve, Food and wine matching, Gisborne, James Millton, London International Wine Fair, Millton Vineyard, Natural Wines, New Zealand, Orrery, Pinot Noir, Providores Restaurant, recipe, riesling, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, wine blogs, Wine Reviews |
By Robert Giorgione on May 20, 2012
Allegedly, there’s a vicious rumour going around that Riesling wines do not work well with food. Either people think that they are too sweet or they believe that Riesling is too light to stand up to food. This of course is absolute rubbish and I would like to dispel this myth once and for all. [...]
Posted in Food and Wine Matching, Restaurant Reviews, Sommelier Stories, Tasting Notes, Wine Reviews | Tagged Alsace, An Epicurean Odyssey, Anna Hansen, Australian Wine, Bill Knott, Book, Candi Giachetti, Chef, eBook, English Wine Week, Food and wine matching, food blogs, Gemma Bell, German wines, Natural Wines, New Zealand, RAW Fair, Real Wine Fair, Restaurant Reviews, riesling, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, Tasting Notes, The Modern Pantry, wine blogs, Wine Reviews |
By Robert Giorgione on April 6, 2012
I’ve been a big fan of Seresin Estate since 1997. Their wines have featured prominently on my lists when I was wine buyer and head sommelier at Oxo Tower, Fifth Floor at Harvey Nichols and Orrery Restaurant. In addition, I have enjoyed many experiences at the vineyard, winery and with their people. My favourite Seresin [...]
Posted in Interviews, Sommelier Stories, Tasting Notes, Videos, Wine Reviews | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, biodynamic, Bistro du Vin, Book, Clive Dougall, eBook, Fifth Floor, Interviews, Marlborough, Michael Seresin, Natural Wines, New Zealand, Orrery, Oxo Tower, Pinot Noir, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sauvignon Blanc, Sommelier Stories, Tasting Notes, Videos, Viognier, wine blogs, Wine Reviews, Wine tasting, You Tube |
By Robert Giorgione on March 23, 2012
In the words of the esteemed organisers: “SITT (Specialist Importers Trade Tastings) is designed specifically for independent on and off-trade buyers who are looking to select wines for their customers that are as interesting as they are diverse. This year we have another fine line-up of specialist importers who are passionate about the winemakers they [...]
Posted in Sommelier Stories, Tasting Notes, Wine Reviews | Tagged biodynamic, Boutique wines, Champagne, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Dirty Dozen Tasting, Independent wine merchants, Natural Wines, Pinot Noir, riesling, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sauvignon Blanc, SITT, Sommelier Stories, Specialist Importers Trade Tastings, Syrah, Tasting Notes, The Dirty Dozen, wine blogs, Wine Reviews, Wine tasting |
By Robert Giorgione on March 5, 2012
As it’s the first Monday of the month, it’s time for my regular blog post – an article entitled“An Interview with…”. This may be a fellow sommelier, a chef, restaurateur, winemaker, blogger or person from within the wine and hospitality industry. It will enable you to catch a glimpse from ‘behind the scenes’ into someone’s [...]
Posted in Interviews, Sommelier Stories, Wine Reviews | Tagged Enomatic machines, Interviews, Italian Wine, Luciana Girotto, Marketing, Natural Wines, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sarah Coursey, Simone Semprini, Slow Food, social media, Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, Videos, Vini Italiani, wine blogs, Wine merchant, Wine Reviews |
By Robert Giorgione on January 28, 2012
During 2011, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend many wine tastings, masterclasses and events. In addition, my website was in its first year and I was getting stuck into many roving sommelier activities. January, the first month of each new year, is always time for a little reflection over the past year’s events. [...]
Posted in Food and Wine Matching, Restaurant Reviews, Sommelier Stories, Wine Reviews | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, Bistro du Vin, Book, Dirty Dozen Tasting, eBook, Food and wine matching, food blogs, Jose Pizarro, L'Atelier des Chefs, Les Caves de Pyrene, Marylebone, Natural Wines, New Zealand, Nopi, Oxo Tower, Peter Gordon, Providores Restaurant, Restaurant Reviews, Riverstation, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, The Modern Pantry, wine blogs, Wine Reviews, Wine tasting, Zucca |
By Robert Giorgione on January 22, 2012
Apparently, they say that “time flies when you’re having fun!” Well, I have just realised that we are fast approaching the final week of January. It seems last Christmas and all the various shenanigans of 2011 were ages ago – let alone, just one month! The new year normally brings in a time for reflection and [...]
Posted in Restaurant Reviews, Sommelier Stories, Videos, Wine Reviews | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, Bermondsey Street, Book, Borough Market, Cheese, eBook, English Wine, Facebook, Famers' Markets, Food and wine matching, food blogs, Interviews, Jose Pizarro, Locavore, Maltby Street, Microbreweries, Natural Wines, Predictions, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, social media, Sommelier Stories, The Shard Building, Trends, Twitter, wine blogs, Wine Reviews, Zucca |
By Robert Giorgione on November 15, 2011
Owing to an overwhelming popular demand, I’ve been invited back to my home city of Bristol to co-host another Roving Sommelier wine tasting and masterclass. This time you’re in for a treat, as once again, Peter Taylor, chef/proprietor of Riverstation Restaurant and his team will welcome and indulge you with their warm and friendly hospitality. I will [...]
Posted in Food and Wine Matching, Restaurant Reviews, Wine Reviews | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, biodynamic, Book, Bristol, eBook, Food and wine matching, food blogs, Les Caves de Pyrene, Natural Wines, Riverstation, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, wine blogs, Wine tasting |
By Robert Giorgione on November 14, 2011
As it’s a Monday, it’s time for my regular blog post – an article entitled“An interview with…”. This may be a fellow sommelier, a chef, restaurateur, winemaker, blogger or person from within the wine and hospitality industry. It will enable you to catch a glimpse from ‘behind the scenes’ into someone’s life, to listen to [...]
Posted in Interviews, Sommelier Stories, Videos, Wine Reviews | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, Aubert & Mascoli, biodynamic, Book, Colleen Rafferty, eBook, Interviews, Natural Wines, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, Tasting Notes, The Dirty Dozen, Videos, wine blogs, Wine Reviews, Wine tasting, You Tube |
By Robert Giorgione on October 10, 2011
Doug Wregg is the Sales Director of Les Caves de Pyrene – an award-winning wine merchant, which has been around for many years. They have now successfully branched out into the wine bar/brasserie business with Terroirs and Brawn and are spear-heading the natural wine movement. Here, via excerpts from his regular newsletter, Doug shares his point [...]
Posted in Interviews, Sommelier Stories, Wine Reviews | Tagged An Epicurean Odyssey, biodynamic, Book, Douglas Wregg, eBook, Interviews, Les Caves de Pyrene, Natural Wines, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, wine blogs, wine consultants, wine lists, Wine Reviews |
By Robert Giorgione on August 20, 2011
It was all about to kick off. A motley crew of people had assembled under a few railway arches down by London Bridge and in a large open space, which was formerly a car park within Borough Market. The event in question was The Natural Wine Fair. The drug of choice of this gang culture [...]
Posted in Sommelier Stories, Tasting Notes, Wine Reviews | Tagged Alice Feiring, An Epicurean Odyssey, Book, Borough Market, Douglas Wregg, eBook, Isabelle Legeron MW, Les Caves de Pyrene, Natural Wine Fair, Natural Wines, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, Tasting Notes, wine blogs, Wine Reviews, Wine tasting, You Tube |
By Robert Giorgione on July 11, 2011
Here at roving sommelier we just like to focus on wine and good things. Unlike some other magazines, rag mags, journals and websites we are not interested in fluffy PR stunts, irrelevant and over the top stories of tittle tattle and meaningless point-scoring. Moreover, we dislike the far-too-often high brow, superfluously smug and pompous tones of other [...]
Posted in Interviews, Sommelier Stories, Tasting Notes, Wine Reviews | Tagged 28-50, An Epicurean Odyssey, biodynamic, Book, Chenin Blanc, Craving For Chenin, eBook, Gisborne, James Millton, Les Caves de Pyrene, Loire Valley, Millton Vineyard, Natural Wines, New Zealand, Nicolas Joly, Robert Giorgione, Roving Sommelier, Sommelier Stories, South Africa, South African Wines, Tasting Notes, Videos, wine blogs, Wine Reviews, Wine tasting, Wines of South Africa, Xavier Rousset MS |
Recent Comments