Why We Drink.

Why? It is often an excellent question, so fine in fact, I doubt we really bother to ask ourselves it all that much. I've been having a bit of a figurative toss about with the idea of 'cultural exchange'. So much so, I thought for a tasting I'd been asked to host, maybe this big eponymous 'why' question might just be an interesting way to frame the tasting. Well, it turns out I was rather wrong about it being a novel idea to frame a tasting with actually. The tone was something much more low key. But, in the spirit of interest, in the closing minutes as everyone swirled their favourite glass, I asked. "Why?"

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@Rob_Gilmour has been writing for Empty for too long to mention, he is currently working in wine in Edinburgh where he runs @Wine_Edinburgh and somehow has found time to be Vice-President of the @IWSScotland. Being a balanced, multifaceted individual Rob's only interest in not wine, he is also interested in wine education as well having passed with distinction his WSET L3. If you'd like to contact him email: emptyglassie@gmail.com 

Reasoned Riesling Reactionaries

Nothing is beyond the  repertoire of armchair activists such as ourselves here at Empty. That's right, we said it, armchair activists.  Bugger that, while Germany, is and always will be one of leaders  for propagating the quality of the wino's favourite grape we have to all dust ourselves off and realise, the Aussies really have led the charge on getting Riesling noticed. Not mentioning them, is by our books, rather uncool. So we did what any self respecting wino aficionado would do. We answered the four questions we shouted at our computers in the wee hours of this morning. Where's Australia? Where's Austria? Where's Alsace? Where's the Kiwi's? (Also watch out for some of the Riesling that sadly doesn't make the Irish market; USA, Chilean etc.)