Cracking bottles and eggs

April 21, 2020By Georges MeekersFood and Wine Matching, Gastronomy
The egg measure of skill White wine is to a winemaker what the egg, one of the most finicky but essential staples of cooking, is to a chef: a telling gauge of ability and skill. Making white wine is easy but hard to master. Requiring a delicate touch, an exact sense of timing and an [...]

The unsung heroes of wine service

January 13, 2018By Georges MeekersGastronomy, Malta
I remember how about 10 years ago the hospitality sector in Malta lamented the lack of sommeliers for hire. Back then, the feeling was that more certified wine professionals with the aptitude to look after wine service lock, stock and barrel needed to join the ranks. Pessimists will say that wine service is still not [...]

Manners Maketh the Wine

December 23, 2017By Georges MeekersGastronomy, Tips
The festive season is that time of year when some people get to try wine for the first time, especially when dining out. That’s when they come to realise that wine drunk at the restaurant table is a unique beverage having a set of manners all its own. Take the ritual of approval. Once you’ve [...]

Wine lists by soil type, seriously?

November 13, 2017By Georges MeekersGastronomy, Tips
Listing bottles on wine lists according to the soil type the grapevines grow in instead of by wine style, grape variety or winemaking region is the latest fad. I’m all for novelty but is this really a helpful way? It’s easy to see where this trend is coming from. Wine professionals and aficionados alike are [...]