From the Journal
Tasting reports, event write-ups, the occasional digression. 198 posts so far.
27 May 2025
Mixed Bag Vol. 17
A tasting where logic took the backseat to generosity, impulse, and the quiet satisfaction of doing something that matters.
charityreport
26 May 2025
Borgogno Barolo Cannubi Vertical
A quiet riot of vintages from Cannubi - where clay and sand, tradition and temperament, all found a glass to speak through.
externalreport
19 May 2025
Bottle Royale Vol. 1: Oak Infusion
A chaotic, oak-driven BYOB tasting that pushed us to the edges of flavour and reason - yet somehow brought us closer. Beautifully strange, and exactly what it needed to be.
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17 May 2025
City 17: Chapter Matassa
A spontaneous tasting in Ivano-Frankivsk that grew from a photo, a chat message, and a shared love for wine - bringing together people, bottles, and honest conversation in the cosy space of café Misto. Chapter Matassa, as it happened.
report
13 May 2025
One Round Battle: New Zealand
A playful blind tasting turned into an exploration of bias, marketing, and genuine character in wine. We put Sarah Jessica Parker's Marlborough red up against a cult Garnacha and a serious Central Otago Pinot - and let the glasses speak for themselves. Turns out, labels can confuse, but flavour always tells the truth.
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29 Apr 2025
Canary Islands Vol. 2
Volcanic soils, ungrafted vines, and wines that hum with smoke, salt, and sun. With fewer bottles reaching Ukraine, each Canary Islands tasting feels more precious - and more necessary. This one was a quiet celebration of what makes them unforgettable.
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24 Apr 2025
The place where the Rosemary grows
What started as a casual blind tasting turned into a quiet obsession. A rare chance to line up five vintages of Tom Lubbe's Cuvée Romanissa - from the fresh 2023 all the way back to the brooding 2006. Sun, rosemary, iron, and the wild heart of Roussillon, bottled. A night to remember.
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22 Apr 2025
Champagne Bag Vol. 5
A springtime Champagne tasting that spiralled (as these things do) into something quietly unforgettable. From a Moldovan Brut Nature as welcome drink to rare grower cuvées from Larmandier-Bernier, Bérêche, Léclapart, and others – this was less about bubbles and more about depth, place, and memory.
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1 Apr 2025
Domaine Labet Uncorked Vol. 2
An exploration of Jura terroir through the diverse, nuanced expressions of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and traditional sweet wines by Domaine Labet. And a bit of Buronfosse.
charityreport
14 Feb 2025
Site Updates Vol. 7
A deep dive into the latest redesign of Barberry Garden, covering structural improvements, new features, and upcoming plans.
development
6 Feb 2025
Cellar Raider Vol. 1
A journey that stuns and sparks endless curiosity, from unearthing ancient bottles to sampling relic wines that share tales of bygone eras. Spellbinding and undeniably personal, it proves that wine can serve as a living time capsule for those willing to explore. Turns out time machines do exist—and sometimes, they’re hidden in our glasses.
externalreport
30 Jan 2025
Les Davoche
Lo Bar Kyiv hosted an intimate tasting of Davoche Wines' first estate releases, featuring their complete range from Roussillon. The evening concluded with a playful blind tasting session, where neither their négociant wine nor Tschida's Brutal were correctly identified, yet sparked (engaging) discussions.
externalreport
28 Jan 2025
Champagne Bag Vol. 4
A few bottles of Champagne to melt our souls.
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22 Jan 2025
David Fletcher
A horizontal tasting of David Fletcher.
externalreport
21 Jan 2025
Mixed Bag Vol. 16
A classical mixed bag in its fullest glory.
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20 Jan 2025
2024 wrap-up
This could have been just a regular wine tasting, but with 2024 now behind us, we have plenty of statistics and insights to explore. So, consider this a unique combination of a classic wine tasting, a review of the year's results, and a quiz filled with delightfully silly questions. And prizes, of course!
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16 Jan 2025
Amigos blancos
Four vintages of Tondonia Blanco Report and their friends. There is no room for reds!
report14 Jan 2025
Site Updates Vol. 6
An overview of the latest updates and improvements to the Barberry Garden site, including social links, unified price changes, updated QPR formula and representation, and new features like consumption frequency heatmap.
development