Broadcast weekly across the Scottish Television network, The Hour was a lively magazine programme where Tom Cannavan was the resident wine expert.
In this episode legendary ex-manager of the Sex Pistols, Malcolm MacLaren, joined me to taste organic and vegetarian-friendly wines. With Mr McLaren in a particularly grumpy mood, it makes for excellent viewing.
In the three weeks running up to the FIFA World Cup I conducted my own Wine World Cup. This week it’s the final – a straight shoot-out between the four qualifying teams: Germany, England, Argentina and South Africa.
Last week The Hour launched its own ‘World Cup of Wine’. In round two, another four nations play off their wines against each other to see who goes through to next week’s final.
Coinciding with the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup, The Hour launched its own ‘World Cup of Wine’. One wine from each of the eight top-seeded countries compete. In week One, England vs Spain.
In this location broadcast I pay a visit to wine warehouse Majestic. I’m in search of the best bottles: one to drink immediately, one to save for special occasions, and one to add to the
cellar.
Earlier this year I shot a number of location films from supermarkets and high street wine chains. This one takes viewers through a selection of three wines from Sainsbury’s.
For a national wine industry that struggled for many years under the yoke of apartheid, South African winemaking today is in a robust and confident state, including a fizz, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinotage.
For this episode of The Hour regular hosts Stephen Jardine and Michelle McManus join me to sample a trio of Argentinean wines, of course featuring Torrontes and Malbec, as well as a much more unusual Tannat.
Italy is the biggest wine producing country on the planet, and we taste an inexpensive Nero d’Avola from Sicily, move through to a classic Chianti from Tuscany and end up in the northwest with a Barbera from Piedmont.
As part of a general ‘detox’ theme on the show that week, I present three low alcohol wines, from a de-alcoholised wine from Spanish giant Torres a naturally low-alcohol Spanish white at just 11%.
I visit the Lake Hotel at Menteith to sample three desserts, from a relatively light apple tart, to a dark chocolate mousse, to a sticky toffee pudding, and match them to fabulous wines.
On location, I choose a selection of moderately-priced wines to match with a traditional Christmas lunch of salmon, followed by turkey and all the trimmings and finally, Christmas pudding.
go to PART ONE
go to PART FIVE
