Alan Kingsbury

Aldi wine. It aint half bad

Alan Kingsbury goes off in search of cheap wine and ends up in an Aldi store.

A Wine, a Gin and a Port. We raid the drinks cabinet for three current favourites

Ever on the lookout for quality, individuality and good value, I have three diverse springtime discoveries each of which has filled gaps in my shopping list.

Le Macchiole Paleo 2007 An Italian Wine Masterpiece

Croatian wine. The labels are a mystery but the wine is fine

It's Chablis o'clock

‘Fishmonger’s Clock’ is basically a crafty method of cooking and serving a wide variety of fish for the enhancement and enjoyment of Chablis and, while pretending to be a rather grand dish, it is in fact very quick and easy to prepare.

‘The Vintner’ Choice wines that wont break the bank.

Weary of supermarket offerings, Alan Kingsbury finds a wine merchant who can put the fun back into bargain hunting.

Thinking Pink - something fizzy for your Valentine's

As the 14th approaches like a remorseless romance machine we start to think of champagne. Alan Kingsbury finds going for the pink can keep prices down and romance still high

Champagne Pommery Wintertime

From the depths of winter and with Valentine’s Day around the corner, I thought we could have another rummage around the Foodepedia Champagne cellar for something a bit special to share. Right now, I can’t think of anything more appropriate than ‘Wintertime’ a Champagne from the historic house of Pommery based in Reims.

Champagne Jacquart Brut Mosaïque NV and Nyetimber Rosé 2007

Tis the season to celebrate and how better than with some fizz? Alan Kingsbury looks at what France has to offer and finds something rather special closer to home too.

Ho Ho Ho. Why not try a different grape variety in your wines this Xmas?

If you're all set for food this Xmas but a bit unsure about the wines, Alan Kingsbury has got into the booze early and recommends trying some different grape varieties in order to bring a bit of novelty and cheer to your table this year

Discovering the Real Beaujolais

Forget the wacky races of Beaujolais Nouveau, says Alan Kingsbury,instead go for the Beaujolais Crus as he did by tasting six of the best to be found.

Waipara West Wines. New Zealand. Gift set of Six

Intelligent Wine Making at its Best

On one of the most favoured and protected stretches of the Mediterranean coast of France there exist 62 hectares of the luckiest vines. Here at Château Léoube the grapes are treated to a magical combination of roasting sunshine and cooling sea breezes.

Turning Leaf Zinfandel California 2010

Named after a town in California, Zinfandel is a characteristic grape variety of the U.S.A with its early ripening fruit producing a juice with relatively high sugar levels. This means that the resulting red wines are rich and powerful and ones that will appeal strongly to all those with a taste for the New World.

Château de Montmal 2009 Fitou Mount Tauch

2009 was a good year in Fitou. There could be more concentration in the fruit but the winemakers here have clearly gone for elegance and balance; more charm than power, serving as a reminder that wines from the south are working towards comparison with their classic counterparts further north.

Find the perfect drop for autumn

When pairing up with hearty roasts and the mushroom and game character of the season, you can do no better than to explore among the Pinot Noirs. Good value can be found on the New World shelves for under £10 and a wide variety of styles are produced in Chile, California and New Zealand.

Cornish Cove Cheddar - say cheese please

Our Cornish correspondent nibbles away at this new local (to him) cheese and likes it while the makers sling us over two rather tempting recipes to make the most of it