Why does a wine cost what it costs? It is never easy for a producer to put a price on his wine. It requires reflection. Not least, he has to decide how to position himself
Saint Emilion is updating its classification. But Chateau Cheval Blanc and Chateau Ausone no longer want to be part of it, which is fine. It is voluntary to take part in the new update (scheduled
For many, the month of July means sun and holidays. A few weeks to relax and do whatever you like. And what about the wines? Shouldn’t they be undemanding as well? Probably, and the good
There is something called heroic viticulture. It is, for instance, vineyards on steep slopes, at high altitudes, on narrow terraces, on dry, windy islands. Here the wine world’s superheroes toil. The more difficult the terrain,
Sometimes the spell check program tells you that the word you have used in a text is “overused” and that you should “consider using another word”. This is often a good observation. A varied choice
Many wine lovers tend to prefer smaller wineries. And the wine world has plenty of them. Do small scale wines have more personality and character than the big ones? Perhaps. We often buy wine from
Novelties are exciting. This is true not least in our country of birth, Sweden. Every month new wines are launched in the state monopoly shops. And every month wine journalists all over the country write
Predicting what will happen in 2021 is difficult. The only thing we can be sure of is that the environment and everything the wine producers can do to improve it will be on the agenda.
The wine world loves hierarchies. But despite this fact, isn’t it time to scrap the term “noble grape”? In Alsace, it’s been around for ages, but it’s a glaring anachronism. You can make an Alsace
This is a book review of a Swedish book called ”Så roligt ska vi inte ha det – En historia om svensk alkoholpolitik” which translates as in the heading. Why publish a review of a
Were we wrong when we said last month that you should not over-estimate the value of ageing wine? (Do you have ageing-mania?) Cellaring wine doesn’t always give you what you wish for. One reader commented:
Many people have ageing-mania. The refreshing flavours of a young wine are undervalued. When we taste wine with travellers on our tours, this question always pops up: “How long can I age this wine?” Should
How could pinot grigio from Italy become such an export success? A grape that was barely even found in Italy 20 years ago. It appeared out of nowhere, was shipped across the Atlantic and became
We all have unnecessary things in the kitchen. The pasta machine that you used only once, a malfunctioning espresso machine. Maybe a sous vide machine that was thrilling for a couple of weeks. Many wine
Creative ideas for new times Creativity thrives in crises. That’s how the saying goes, isn’t it? We hope so. Because the wine industry will need all the ingenuity, it can muster. The wine world is
It’s great to have access to all this wine information… But watch out! Most things we want to know about today, we can google in a few seconds. It’s terrific and it’s hard to imagine
On my bedside table is a brick-size book with the title “Wine & Spirits – From Politics to Market” (”Vin & Sprit – Från Politik till Marknad”). On almost 450 pages, the author Hans De
Is the consumer just paying lip service in the enthusiasm for environmentally friendly and sustainability? Or are we approaching a paradigm shift? Temperature control is one of the most important technological improvements ever in the
Chardonnay, the swan that became an ugly duckling? …and… Issue 200 …and… Where are we now? This will be a long Brief, so save it and read when you have the time. Let’s start with
The best or the most practical terroir? The world’s classic wines come from places, usually in France, which have been praised for so long that it is difficult to say if the first vines were
Time for Pinotage to come out of the closet? The apple never falls far from the tree. Well, sometimes it does. For, to be honest, does pinotage really resemble its parents, pinot noir and cinsault?
Are we wine consumers ready to stand up for our environmental commitment? Or are we merely paying lip service? A trend for 2020 will undoubtedly be the continued focus on organic and sustainable wines. Many
The wine world’s vague and hard-to-explain words There are difficult words in the world of wine. It may not be obvious to know exactly what is acetaldehyde, tangential filter or sexual confusion. But these words
Seek out diversity, ditch the same-same and fame Diversity is what makes the wine world unique. Wine is in essence nothing but an agricultural product. For most of those who make wine, life as a
A true story Systembolaget, the Swedish wine and spirits monopoly, usually boasts its wide range of products, but as is well known, the majority of all their listed products, especially quality wines, are the result
Should we lament that the taste of wines have changed? That the wines we are accustomed to drinking will eventually change is probably inevitable in the wake of climate change. Some regions may need to
Stop harping on about “good” years and “bad” years! The harvest is in full swing. And so, inevitably, the discussion whether or not it will be a good year. But what is a good year?
The new “no sulphur” trend There is a new trend, still in its infancy. But it will – most likely – increase. You see it in France and probably in other wine countries as well.
Aroma wines and structure wines Sometimes a wine has a very small nose, does not smell much. We sometimes say a discreet or shy nose. Is that always bad? There is so much talk about
Experimenting with summer wines Do we drink differently in summer? To some extent yes. Especially if it’s a hot summer. Which is not always the case. But if it is hot and you eat outdoors,
Why does a wine cost what it costs? It is never easy for a producer to put a price on his wine. It requires reflection.
Saint Emilion is updating its classification. But Chateau Cheval Blanc and Chateau Ausone no longer want to be part of it, which is fine. It
For many, the month of July means sun and holidays. A few weeks to relax and do whatever you like. And what about the wines?
There is something called heroic viticulture. It is, for instance, vineyards on steep slopes, at high altitudes, on narrow terraces, on dry, windy islands. Here
Sometimes the spell check program tells you that the word you have used in a text is “overused” and that you should “consider using another
Many wine lovers tend to prefer smaller wineries. And the wine world has plenty of them. Do small scale wines have more personality and character
Novelties are exciting. This is true not least in our country of birth, Sweden. Every month new wines are launched in the state monopoly shops.
Predicting what will happen in 2021 is difficult. The only thing we can be sure of is that the environment and everything the wine producers
The wine world loves hierarchies. But despite this fact, isn’t it time to scrap the term “noble grape”? In Alsace, it’s been around for ages,
This is a book review of a Swedish book called ”Så roligt ska vi inte ha det – En historia om svensk alkoholpolitik” which translates
Were we wrong when we said last month that you should not over-estimate the value of ageing wine? (Do you have ageing-mania?) Cellaring wine doesn’t
Many people have ageing-mania. The refreshing flavours of a young wine are undervalued. When we taste wine with travellers on our tours, this question always
How could pinot grigio from Italy become such an export success? A grape that was barely even found in Italy 20 years ago. It appeared
We all have unnecessary things in the kitchen. The pasta machine that you used only once, a malfunctioning espresso machine. Maybe a sous vide machine
Creative ideas for new times Creativity thrives in crises. That’s how the saying goes, isn’t it? We hope so. Because the wine industry will need
It’s great to have access to all this wine information… But watch out! Most things we want to know about today, we can google in
On my bedside table is a brick-size book with the title “Wine & Spirits – From Politics to Market” (”Vin & Sprit – Från Politik
Is the consumer just paying lip service in the enthusiasm for environmentally friendly and sustainability? Or are we approaching a paradigm shift? Temperature control is
Chardonnay, the swan that became an ugly duckling? …and… Issue 200 …and… Where are we now? This will be a long Brief, so save it
The best or the most practical terroir? The world’s classic wines come from places, usually in France, which have been praised for so long that
Time for Pinotage to come out of the closet? The apple never falls far from the tree. Well, sometimes it does. For, to be honest,
Are we wine consumers ready to stand up for our environmental commitment? Or are we merely paying lip service? A trend for 2020 will undoubtedly
The wine world’s vague and hard-to-explain words There are difficult words in the world of wine. It may not be obvious to know exactly what
Seek out diversity, ditch the same-same and fame Diversity is what makes the wine world unique. Wine is in essence nothing but an agricultural product.
A true story Systembolaget, the Swedish wine and spirits monopoly, usually boasts its wide range of products, but as is well known, the majority of
Should we lament that the taste of wines have changed? That the wines we are accustomed to drinking will eventually change is probably inevitable in
Stop harping on about “good” years and “bad” years! The harvest is in full swing. And so, inevitably, the discussion whether or not it will
The new “no sulphur” trend There is a new trend, still in its infancy. But it will – most likely – increase. You see it
Aroma wines and structure wines Sometimes a wine has a very small nose, does not smell much. We sometimes say a discreet or shy nose.
Experimenting with summer wines Do we drink differently in summer? To some extent yes. Especially if it’s a hot summer. Which is not always the
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