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The origins of baijiu are shrouded in a mysterious mist. Introduction Like the vapours from which the spirit emerges, the origins of baijiu are shrouded in a mysterious mist. Some claims put its beginnings to several thousand years while others mark its origin to the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279), a period of great …

Scala Dei translate as “Ladder to God”. In the 12th Century, Carthusian monks from Grenoble, France, built a monastery here in Priorat, Tarragona, Spain. Although they led a hermetic, reclusive life, the Carthusians loved wine.  Stairway to Heaven  Scala Dei translates as “Ladder to God”. Tracing those figurative footsteps, I see Scala Dei …

I have been a citizen for quite a few years now. I am not patriotic because I have divided my citizenship between Schiphol Airport Amsterdam (the first hotel that was opened in 2008), London, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, and Gare de Lyon. CitizenM was founded by India-born Dutch businessman Rattan Chadha and …

Saturday 20 JULY 2019 This coming Saturday 20 July 2019, if you happen to be in Singapore, you are in for a Italian vinous treat. Organiser Jessican Tan CSW, founder of Singapoured, is an Italian specialist. She is a member of the Vinitaly International Academy as well as an Italian Wine Ambassador. “Come …

Le Train Bleu is in Gare de Lyon, Paris. “The Blue Train” is one of the most sumptuous restaurants in Paris. In its hey days, it was the penultimate destination in Paris before you launched yourself to luxury travel. A pate of duck and foie gras of duck is the …

Priorat, the Catalan wine region, is about 120 kilometres from Barcelona in a southerly direction. Falset is a good location to overnight when visiting the vineyards. Lotus is a charming 3-star hotel in the old part of Falset. The rooms are very individual and the hotel prides itself in offering environmentally responsible …

Jorge Bombin has catapulted to Spanish wine fame since 9 July 2019. The winemaker’s Legaris Alcubilla 2015 won Gold and swept Trophies for Best Spanish Red and Best Ribera del Duero Red. Jorge Bombin’s first vintage at Legaris was 2008. The winery is just outside the town of Penafiel in …

For the very first time in their history, the Symington Family has made back-to-back Vintage Port declarations. 2016 has been followed by 2017. Back-to-back Vintage Port declarations by the Symington Family are more difficult to come by than finding the needle in the haystack. In fact, since their ancestor Andrew James …

I met Bernard de Nonancourt (c. 1920 – 29 October 2010), also known as “Big Bernard”, in 2001. The affectionate description is entirely justified. At 1.85 metres, Nonancourt was a towering presence. A bear of a man. Very friendly and smiling. A giant full of charm and genuinely interested in people. We set off …