The Smart Traveller's Wine Guides – book reviews
Six sleek guides for wine lovers wanting on-the-ground advice on what and where to drink and eat.
Ben Colvill
Freelance writer, editor and restaurant reviewer
Portfolio Selection
JancisRobinson.com
•
18th December 2025
Adventures in wine and cheese – the festive board
Dickens and the festive season are now so synonymous that I often find myself rifling through his dusty old pages to check what he, or rather they, had to say about cheese ...
JancisRobinson.com
•
22nd November 2025
More pie and wine
It’s pie season! Some mouth-watering ideas for pies and what to drink with them in time for Thanksgiving and all the festive occasions to follow.
Penguin: The Happy Foodie
•
16th October 2025
8 must-try Ottolenghi pasta recipes
Chef and bestselling author Yotam Ottolenghi is well-known for his wonderful Middle Eastern recipes. But leaf through the pages of his cookbooks and you’ll find some truly innovative pasta dishes ...
JancisRobinson.com
•
4th November 2025
Adventures in wine and cheese – Langres and fizz
Kicking off a new monthly column, Ben introduces us to the dark arts of wine and cheese pairing. Pictured, Langres – a French cheese just made for fizz.
JancisRobinson.com
•
31st August 2025
Etch – carving out a niche in Hove
Passing the open kitchen on the way to my table, I noted gleaming stainless steel and corps-de-ballet choreography: military precision, artistic flourishes and the odd relaxed smile, too ...
Falstaff International
•
5th September 2022
Franciacorta: Italy’s young pretender to the sparkling crown
Rejecting the tank production methods of neighbouring Prosecco, Italy’s Franciacorta has its sights firmly set on another model: Champagne.
Falstaff International
•
24th January 2023
Cooking with the seasons: Seville oranges
A burst of citrus sunshine, Seville’s bitter oranges are surprisingly versatile and celebrated around the globe...
Falstaff International
•
11th November 2022
Save the date: 17 November is Beaujolais Nouveau time again
It’s time to celebrate Le Nouveau once more. Falstaff explores the ongoing appeal of Beaujolais’ child prodigy.
Falstaff International
•
13th February 2023
Syrah in focus, part 1: the French homelands
16th February is International Syrah Day – Falstaff celebrates with a deep dive into this brooding, mysterious variety.
JancisRobinson.com
•
10th August 2025
Beach House – a review
Something of the Milk Wood dreamtime lingers on in the creeks and coves, the nants and the cilfachs, of this stretch of the south Wales coast ...
Falstaff International
•
6th April 2023
Cooking with the seasons: oysters
Falstaff does an oyster deep-dive, down through the churning seas of foodie fashion and the maelstrom of menu terminology...
Falstaff International
•
17th January 2023
Wine beyond January: re-think, re-connect, re-set
Would you like to start being more considered in your wine choices? Here are Falstaff´s suggestions.
Falstaff International
•
1st June 2023
Where to eat seafood in London, part 1
London is a truly great seafood city: here are our favourite seats at the bar for cracking, picking and shucking.
JancisRobinson.com
•
24th August 2025
The Old Pharmacy – a panacea, a destination
... it seemed to embody the mix-and-match eclecticism, the Regency breakbeat, Hoxton-meets-Bridgerton charms of the place: fresh, exciting.
Falstaff International
•
13th March 2023
Syrah in focus, part 2: journeys around the world
Part two of our series follows Syrah through Europe and beyond.
Falstaff International
•
20th June 2023
Where to eat seafood in London, part 2
The second part of our round up of fabulous places to eat seafood, especially shellfish, in London.
JancisRobinson.com
•
17th August 2025
Rake @ the Compton Arms – a very modern residency
In the music world, the term ‘residency’ conjures up images of well-established divas belting their way through endless greatest-hits runs on the Las Vegas strip ... not so the world of restaurants.
Falstaff International
•
11th May 2023
Syrah in focus, part 3: new world, new homelands
The last chapter in our Syrah story: The Americas, New Zealand and Australia...
Falstaff International
•
18th April 2023
Fortnum & Mason’s new Coronation Collection
Fortnum & Mason launches a new collection in celebration of the forthcoming coronation of their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
The Guide
•
21st October 2024
Toasting Tradition
On 21st November, a young red wine is released at exactly 12:01am in Beaujolais, France. Food and wine writer Ben Colvill celebrates Beaujolais Nouveau Day.
Falstaff International
•
2nd February 2023
Dutch Chef wins the prestigious 55th annual Taittinger prize
Jan Smink is crowned winner of “Le Taittinger” prize, one of the most prestigious in the world of cooking.
Falstaff International
•
21st February 2023
Cooking with the seasons: venison
Lean and with a wonderful depth of flavour, venison is not just for the landed gentry.
Falstaff International
•
17th November 2022
Beyond the Nouveau: exploring the subtle complexities of Beaujolais’ 10 crus
Closing the door on the Nouveau festivities, Falstaff turns to the richer delights of Beaujolais’ more grown-up wines.
Load More