A Great Gattinara


I was being driven to the Gattinara vineyards in the Alpine foothills of northern Italy. I tried to talk to the grim faced driver. “He is a Russian,” the girl from Antonilolo said. I spoke to him in Russian and he nearly fainted! Was my Russian that shocking? That was a few years ago. This…

English Wines at Harrogate Food show


Julia Trustram Eve of the English Wine Producers conducted a tasting of seven English wines at the Harrogate Speciality Food Show on Monday 27th June 2011. Jenkyn Place Brut 2007: Predominantly Chardonnay (60%) with the rest made up of the two Pinots. Too acidic, short with no consistency or flavour. Difficult to imagine paying £24.99…

First May 2011


Beautiful, still, sunny spring morning. It is very quiet. It’s Rani’s birthday. We sip coffee in bed as Rani opens her birthday cards and reads out the greetings. The telephone relays more greetings and good wishes. In the conservatory, the oleander is flowering. We have Mung bean Kiribath and black tea for breakfast and set…

Sri Lankan New Year In Leeds


A Sri Lankan New Year party was held in Leeds on Sunday. Over one hundred Sri Lankans and some of their British friends enjoyed traditional Sri Lankan festive fare, played ‘New Year Games’, sang and danced to Sri Lankan music late in to the night. This remarkable annual event was organised by a remarkable Sri…

Not Sour Grapes


Unwanted political meddling cost Sri Lanka the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. Baffling team selection, atypical fielding lapses, strange bowling changes are some of the things that surprised viewers. The position of the captain and selectors has become untenable.

Jacqueson Grand Cru Avize 1995


On a warm, sunny spring day, I drank a bottle of old champagne with a dear friend. I have been feeling out of sorts for over a week and the Jacquesson Grand Cru Avize from the very good 1995 vintage was the perfect pick me up. It was one of several from a visit to…