April 2025 Newsletter

Early spring is one of the best times of the year on England’s south coast. Temperatures begin to rise, daylight becomes plentiful, and trees start to blossom, bringing beauty even to the most depressing urban environment – which abounds here in Southampton. The vibrant colours of Spring have been a welcome lift, as it made what could have been a disappointing couple of weeks much more bearable. I was due to travel to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan for a long-dreamed-of family holiday to the heart of the Silk Road, but had to cancel at the last minute due to my daughter falling ill (it wasn’t anything serious, but given the state of healthcare in the region, it simply wasn’t worth the risk). Thankfully, we were at least able to spend a few days in Paris back in February, which was lovely as it gave me the chance to experience one of the world’s most beautiful cities during the quieter, off-season months.

There’s also been plenty of non-leisure travel. I’ve been working on a project with a British gin distillery that has taken me to the Białowieża Forest in Poland, Rome, the Tuscan Apennines, Bosnia, and Kosovo. The results of this work will hopefully see the light shortly after the summer. In the meantime, I also delivered a masterclass on the wines of Abruzzo for the UK Sommelier Association, as part of their annual Gold Awards celebrations.

The gin distillery project has taken up (and continues to take up) much of my time and energy, but I’ve still managed to carve out moments to focus on my writing and journalistic research.

I was super happy to see Full Pour publish my piece on how “nerdy” rum is going mainstream, because let’s be honest, we could all use more high-quality rum in our lives. I also wrote another piece for Full Pour exploring how some of Scotland’s most innovative distilleries are changing Scotch whisky. One standout is certainly Holyrood Distillery, which I also featured in my debut article for Men’s Journal.

I’m currently investigating some exciting whisky-related developments in Italy, and part of that research has already made its way into print with my profile of Tuscany’s Winestillery in Whisky Magazine.

Also in Whisky Magazine, you’ll find my profile and photography of one of Mexico’s newest whisky projects, La Ley Seca, launched by renowned tequila producer Corralejo, which I had the chance to visit last year.

On the beer front, Ferment published my profile of Crisp Malting, and Wine Enthusiast ran my beer lover’s guide to Brussels, honestly an essential read if you’re planning a trip to the Belgian capital.

As for wine, I’ve reported on some key developments in Italy for Decanter: the official recognition of orange wine as a category within Friuli’s Collio DOC (widely regarded as the birthplace of modern orange wine) and the introduction of an “extended” geographical mention across all Piedmontese denominations. The latter ties into broader reflections on the value of region-wide appellations, a topic I also explore in my latest piece for Club Oenologique, which focuses specifically on Sicily.

I also contributed two pieces to Glug’s latest Kakheti-focused issue (Georgia), exploring the craft of qvevri making and the country’s wealth of indigenous grape varieties.

Meanwhile, for SevenFifty Daily, I examined why the past year marked a turning point for the no- and low-alcohol wine sector, and why 2025 is shaping up to be a year of major growth and acceleration for the category.

As for my consumer research work with Canvas8, recent months have seen me delve into the state of Britain’s cider market, the evolution of bar snacks, shifting alcohol purchasing habits among America’s Gen Z, and the rise of savoury cocktails. If you’ve ever wondered whether blue cheese is trending as a cocktail ingredient, that’s where you’ll find your answer.

The coming weeks will be relatively quiet on the travel front: no doubt I will enjoy this much-needed chance to recharge after months of intense travel (and to prepare for the coming season). In June, I’ll be heading to Ningxia, China, for my annual stint as a judge at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles and to explore the local wine scene, so if you have any winery recommendations or contacts, do let me know. 

Later in the month, I’ll be off to Slovakia through a partnership with local whisky producer Nestville. Stay tuned, I'll be sharing all about it on my blog once I'm back.

In the summer, before my usual trip to visit family in Italy, I’m planning a short, relaxing work-from-abroad week in Lanzarote. I definitely won’t pass up the chance to explore some local wineries and other booze makers, so feel free to reach out if you have any recommendations.