Anthony Rose on The Independent

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Anthony Rose

Anthony Rose writes a column about wine for The Independent.

Anthony Rose: 'Something is happening: it's called the tapas bar revolution'

14 January 2012 12:00 AM

I was propping up the bar at José's eponymous tapas bar in London's Bermondsey when before you can say Rozinante, the barman offered me two red wines to taste, a bobal and a mencia. Not rioja, please note, but two relatively obscure yet delicious Spanish reds each with their own distinctive personality. I couldn't resist a glass of Gramona, a cava that's so refreshing it almost single-handedly redefines Spanish sparkling wine.

Anthony Rose: 'Whoever satisfies the growing thirst for Chinese wine in a price- and status-conscious market, wins'

17 December 2011 12:00 AM

Eyebrows were raised heavenwards this autumn when the trophy for a Bordeaux blend over £10 was snatched by a Chinese red from beneath the noses of Argentina, Australia and California. Sneering journalists questioned the integrity of the Decanter World Wine Awards. Then they queried the authenticity of the wine itself. How could China possibly make a wine capable of taking on and beating the world? D Loh commented in the China Daily: "If the wine is good, connoisseurs query if it has been secretly imported and then placed in a Chinese bottle."

The 50 Best wines

16 December 2011 09:00 PM

From fine champagne to the perfect party plonk and a few cheeky spirits, Anthony Rose selects his festive favourites

Anthony Rose: 'Pinot noir is high maintenance'

10 December 2011 12:00 AM

Pinot noir is on my mind, I'm pleased to say. In the past few weeks, I've tasted German pinot noir against the rest of the world, fine red Burgundy at a pre-sale tasting by the American auction house, Acker Merrall & Condit, Australian pinot noir against New Zealand, and, most recently, an 'emerging classics' tasting of Chilean pinot noir. That's quite a lot of pinot noir even if you love the thrill of great red Burgundy and its vinous acolytes, which fortunately I do.

BEST PARTY RED UNDER £10

<p>2007 Torre del Falco Nero di Troia, Puglia, Italy</p>

<p>This distinctively bright and spicy rosso made from Puglia's Nero di Troia grape shows a sweetly juicy dark berry fruit quality with a sinewy feel and vivid freshness. £4.99, down from £7.99, until 6 December, Waitrose</p>

Vintage chic: The best Christmas wines

19 November 2011 12:00 AM

Get prepared for the festive season with Anthony Rose's guide to the essential red and white wines...

Anthony Rose: 'Sauvignon blanc remains the haka with which New Zealand goes into battle'

22 October 2011 12:00 AM

It was a happy coincidence that New Zealand staged two important wine events in the lead up to tomorrow's Rugby World Cup final. The first was the annual new release tasting that gives the press a sneak peek at the new vintage while the harvest in Europe is barely under way. The second was a review of Craggy Range with the big (for New Zealand) cheese, Steve Smith MW. If you don't know Craggy Range, get acquainted, because I can't think of another wine company that's managed to roll Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire and Rhône styles into one harmonious group of wines so successfully.

Anthony Rose: 'The New World is focusing on terroir, while the French are putting the grape variety on the label'

15 October 2011 12:00 AM

It took a while for Arthur van Hoogstraten, who 'won' me at the last Independent charity auction, and I, to sync diaries. After scanning the options, Arthur plumped for the tasting of Clark Foyster (clarkfoysterwines.co.uk) followed by a seminar on terroir with the Plaimont Co-operative. I was delighted because Clark Foyster is a member of the new Dirty Dozen group I recently mentioned and only sells wines that its affable managing director, Lance Foyster MW, believes in. I'm also an admirer of the Plaimont Co-operative for its pioneering stance on Gascon dry whites and its enlightened re-introduction of South-West France's indigenous grape varieties.

Anthony Rose: 'The Dirty Dozen are passionate advocates of wines that speak of individuality from artisanal producers'

08 October 2011 12:00 AM

Was it the prospect of The Dirty Dozen yapping at their heels that prompted The Bunch to pull out the stops at their autumn tasting a fortnight ago? Let me explain. The Dirty Dozen is a new grouping of some of the UK's top independent wine importers, The Bunch an association of independent wine merchants that's been going strong for a little while now. No one's suggesting that The Bunch has been resting on its laurels, far from it, but The Dirty Dozen is a new force in the land.

Anthony Rose: 'Sales of Spanish wine are on the up'

01 October 2011 12:00 AM

Spanish wine sales are up, we are told, thanks to Spain's new flamboyant image. Marks & Spencer recently reported a 200 per cent increase on last year and Spanish sales at Waitrose are 40 per cent up. Various reasons have been suggested, from sangria nostalgia to the tennis heroics of Rafa and the brilliance of Spain's peerless World Cup squad. What better example of Spanish excellence is there, after all? Well, Cruz, Bardem and Almodovar apart, food and wine of course. El Bulli's Ferran Adria and the UK's tapas bar and sherry revolution have done much to shine a new light on the huge strides made in vino español.