Christopher Piper Wines Blog

Chris Piper and John O’Keeffe’s Cycle Challange for Force Cancer, by John O’Keeffe

Fiona Taylor — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:12:57 +0000

Both Chris Piper and myself have signed up for a 55 mile cycle ride on 24th June in aid of the above charity, based in Exeter. 55 miles doesn’t sound too bad when you say it quickly but, trust me, it’s a long way using leg power. To be frank, neither Chris nor myself are [...]

The Mystery of Somerset Cider Brandy

Fiona Taylor — Fri, 04 May 2012 09:17:03 +0000

A damp morning in Somerset, cold winds blowing and puddles underfoot. But at the Somerset Cider Brandy distillery the CPW team dismissed the weather and followed Julian Temperley of the SCBC around his wonderfully eclectic distillery learning about apples, the art of distillation and the wonderful drink that is cider brandy… See all [...]

Vincent Rochette and Chris Piper talk Bio-Dynamic Purity of Fruit from Domaine Roche-Audran, Southern Rhône

Fiona Taylor — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:47:03 +0000

With Vincent Rochette’s recent visit to CPW it seemed a perfect opportunity to video his thoughts on his relationship with CPW and discuss the purity of fruit in his wonderful wines. See all wines from Domaine Roche-Audran

The Mystery of Somerset Cider Brandy Company by John O’Keeffe

Fiona Taylor — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:50:55 +0000

The CPW sales team (Chris, Catherine, Claire, Nicky and John O’Keeffe, aided and abetted by Fiona and John Earle) recently visited Julian Temperley at Somerset Cider Brandy in … wait for it…Somerset! Some of the team had been to Burrow Hill before but this trip had a specific purpose as their ‘alembic’ stills were in [...]

National Trust Tasting by John O’Keeffe

Fiona Taylor — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:08:40 +0000

I was glad to help our local group of the National Trust (Honiton and Ottery St Mary) with a fund-raising wine tasting at West Hill Village Hall on Friday 23rd March. We do not ‘host’ many events of this type as most of us CPW’ers have families and our Friday evenings are far too precious. However, the indefatigable Richard [...]

Shining Glory in Chile (Part 3) by John O’Keeffe

Fiona Taylor — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:11:33 +0000

As promised, here is Part three of my monologue/diatribe on the recent trip to Chile and I’m finally going to start talking about grapes and wine. Before I start wittering on about terroir, soil profiles and salinity gradients, a quick personal opinion is needed on what Chile is doing with its grape varietals. The country [...]

John O’Keeffe sets out alone in Chile in his Chevrolet ‘Spark’ 1.2, by John O’Keeffe

Fiona Taylor — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:42:09 +0000

“Mad dogs and Englishmen” as Noel Coward so memorably wrote but, in my case, it wasn’t about going out in the midday sun but striking out solo in Chile without being able to speak a word of Spanish…what was I thinking of? My friends from the Wines of Chile trip departed back to Blighty on [...]

John O’Keeffe in Chile (part one), by John O’Keeffe

Fiona Taylor — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:51:32 +0000

32C in Santiago, Chile, just -1C in Exeter…well, what can I say? “Brass monkeys” is probably the correct answer! I’ve just returned from an extraordinary ten day trip to that lovely country, very kindly organised by Wines of Chile. My wonderful colleagues, especially Sarah, did a great job promoting Chilean wines in our shop and [...]

Travelling Man – by John O’Keeffe

Fiona Taylor — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:57:55 +0000

The last blog announcing my change of job could have been misread (by the cynics amongst you) to imply that I had taken up life as a ‘gentleman of the road’, as the euphemism would have it, and spending my days in the harrassment of publicans/restauranteurs for free drinks. I can assure you that: i) I am not living out of any cardboard boxes…but [...]

All Change at CPW

Fiona Taylor — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:49:16 +0000

John O’Keeffe, previously Office Manager has been released to travel along the roads of Wiltshire, Dorset and East Somerset. He is also in the possession of a new Blackberry and in the hope that he has read the instructions can now be contacted for anyone wishing to see him in those areas. We are sure [...]