An enjoyable walk to work, and fantastic location for a wine tasting with Castelnau Wine Agencies this morning

Hmm, an interesting day to be tasting a range of Canadian wines. We're starting off with a dry Riesling and two Chardonnay wines from British Columbia. Excellent.

Today looking at alternatives to Burgundy at the Australia & NZ trade event. More than a couple of outstanding wines, inc. Hunter's Marlborough and Kelly Washington, Central Otago both NZ wines.

Second trade tasting this week and the second time a Beaujolais wine has been one of the outstanding wines on show. Interesting. Kewin Descombes on the outskirts of Morgon, nice.

First tasting of the year is Awin Barratt Siegel Wine Agencies en primeur Burgundy event. Richard Rottiers (l) and Julien Duport are Brouilly based winemakers mainly Gamay although Julienne has a Beaujolais villages white also. A real variation across their respective wines.

Ok, that's a wrap! My last column this year for The Wine Merchant Magazine is a film review of Widow Clicquot.

Over the next few days, will post highlights from the Autumn portfolio tastings whilst stuffing my face with mince pies and sampling the odd bottle too, which we'll call 'work'.