The ‘Magic Flute’ for Fizz

December 9, 2016By Georges MeekersGastronomy, Judging

What glass shape is best to enjoy celebratory bubbly this festive season or on any other day of the year for that matter? While the wide and shallow coupe has been written off ages ago because it allows effervescence and aromas to dissipate quickly in favour of the slender and tall flute, a few experts … Read More

Ġbejna friendly wines

October 15, 2016By Georges MeekersGastronomy, Malta

Ġbejna, the cheeselet of the Maltese Islands, traditionally made from sheep or goat milk, salt and rennet, is staple diet in Malta and Gozo. However, because of its special personality, it’s often left unpaired with a nice glass of wine. But if the great Italian and French cheeses go so well with their native wines, … Read More

Veraison: grapes in full colour

August 5, 2016By Georges MeekersGastronomy, Wine

Malta’s vineyards are spattered with brightly-coloured dots in new shades of yellow and red hues peeping through leafy vine canopies ready to have their ripe crop picked. The vivid transformation from small green berries to fully-coloured grapes known as veraison (and pronounced ‘VEH-ray-zoh’) has come to an end. Adopted into English use, veraison is originally a French viticultural term meaning ‘the onset of grape ripening’ … Read More

Grasping Girgentina

July 22, 2016By Georges MeekersGastronomy, Wine

Just say ‘Girgentina’. The soft sibilance, the internal alliteration, the jovial completion, whether you give it the sharp English pronunciation or slowly ease off the word in Maltese, it’s a sound suggestive of heritage and, of course, wine.

Wine hacks for summer salads

June 26, 2016By Georges MeekersGastronomy, Wine

As a wine lover you may not be overly keen on a summer diet of salads for the simple reason that many a bowl of greens is often pretty unfriendly to your favourite drink. Luckily there are some hacks to appease the confrontation between tossed vegetables and the divine nectar.