Sun wine critic Brian Moore opens heart to Decanter

Former England rugby star turned wine writer Brian Moore has opened his heart to Decanter.

In a wide-ranging interview in this month’s Decanter, the rugby hardman hints at how a traumatic childhood has dogged his professional career, leading to what he describes as his ‘split personality.’

‘Describing this, I’m trying not to sound schizophrenic. Or Mad,’ he explained.

The former England rugby international talks about his alter-ego, Gollum, named after the character from one of his biggest passions, JRR Tolkien books.

‘Sometimes I wake up and Gollum will be there,’ he says – explaining that this alter-ego influences his choices: ‘He’s more likely to manifest himself in an extravagant purchase that a style of wine.’

Not that any of this has held him back, he stresses.

As well as being part time critic for The Sun, Moore is a television sports commentator and writes for The Telegraph newspaper.

In 2009, Moore consulted on the creation of Vin du Soleil, a blend of Vermentino and Viognier, in collaboration with UK tabloid The Sun and Asda’s chief wine buyer Philippa Carr MW.

He described the experience as ‘terrifying,’ saying that ‘it brings it home that someone has tried to do their best with every bottle you drink.’

Arguing in favour of displaying grape varieties on the labels of French wine, Moore says that consumers should not ‘have to guess the difference between a Pouilly-Fume and a Pouilly-Fuisse.’

‘When the French really care about something, they do it better than anyone. When they’re not bothered, they make rubbish.’

Read the full article in the March issue of Decanter magazine – out now

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Written by John Abbott