Melody, Corot Noir, Valvin Muscat are perhaps not the best known grape varieties with wine lovers. They are all “hybrids”, i.e. crossings that are not the pure European Vitis Vinifera. Such hybrids can be much
The ranking of the most popular wine countries at the Swedish monopoly retail chain Systembolaget (September 2007) is as follows. Australia has grown with 25% mainly due to a few successful launches of bag-in-box and
Some parts of Brazil are certainly tropical but it is a big country. In the colder south, near the border to Uruguay, the climate is well suited to wine growing. We visited the vineyards in
Icewine is made by picking the grapes in the winter, when temperatures are below minus seven. It’s not exactly something that one connects with Spain (not least with ‘global warming’). Bodega Vidal Soblechero de la
Thilde Maarbjerg from the Kong Hans restaurant in Copenhagen won the title in the Nordic Sommelier Championship in Helsinki. It is the third year in a row that Denmark wins the title. This year it
Systembolaget, the Swedish retail monopoly, announced in its latest newsletter that their market share in Sweden is growing (of course, ‘monopoly’ does not quite mean monopoly). Systembolaget now provides 54% of all alcohol that Swedes
The Systembolaget increased sales from January to October with 5.1% measured in ‘pure alcohol’. Wine sales grew with 5.4%. Anitra Steen, Chief Executive, commented: “growing household income and a decrease in travellers’ carrying alcohol with
V&S Vin & Sprit Group, the state owned company that primarily makes Absolut vodka, announced in its third quarter figures that sales volumes were up 9% to 7 million 9-litre cases, operating profits grew with
The Association of Wine Economists have joined together with the Society of Quantitative Gastronomy (yes, they both exist!) to publish the Journal of Wine Economics with a new profile. Once every year they will publish
“Le Grand Tasting” (in bizarre Frenglish) is the name of another wine fair in Paris. They present a more modest, but still large, number of more specifically quality oriented producers. But all is of course
We’re not quite sure how it will be judged (length? precision? beauty? originalty?…) but at the annual Salon des Vignerons Indépendants in Paris (a huge event with 1000 exhibitors) they will have a spitting competition
As opposed to many other internationally famous spirits (Calvados, Cognac,…) whisky does not have a regionally protected name. You can make whisky anywhere (e.g. in Japan, or on Ireland). Wannborga Distillery & Vineyard and Ölands
The first edition of “Bordeaux et ses Vin” (Bordeaux and its wines) was published in 1850. It is an extensive collection of (almost) all the properties in Bordeaux. It is often called ”Cocks & Feret”
Château La Pointe, a Pomerol property with 25 ha, has been sold for an estimated 32-35 million euro to the insurance company Generali. They already own Ch La France in the region. Chateau Carignan has
The new appellation Coteaux du Languedoc, with the suffix Pézenas (which is a town in the region) is a red wine and should be made from Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Carignan and Cinsaut. Try follow this
Anselme Selosse is one of the most respected independent wine makers in Champagne. Together with Azienda Feudi di San Gregorio near Naples he has just launched an Italian sparkling wine, from a region that otherwise
Well, its not the pregnant women who are dangerous of course, but drinking wine while you are pregnant. At least according to the warning texts (or alternatively a graphically illustrative symbol) that are now compulsory
A sigh of relief can also be heard in Germany after this year’s harvest. they had an early flowering and good weather during the harvest (but what happened in between was perhaps not so great).
The Champagne region has approved 40 new communes as (potential) producers of champagne. Today, the Champagne region (the appellation) covers some 32500 ha and virtually all of it is already planted with wine. A project
As we noted in the last Brief, Sweden now has it’s first MW, the highly respected British wine diploma. At the same time, six other candidates passed the tests and can now add the magic
Perhaps a slight exaggeration – Denmark has had approved four regional denominations for its wines. According to European regulations a “new” wine district must first prove its capability of producing quality wines before getting the
Nils Stormby, the Swedish wine collector, recently sold most of his world famous Chateau d’Yquem collection at Zachy’s auction house in New York. The sale netted a very decent 4.5 million dollars.
In Muscadet this year’s harvest promises to yield very good quality but limited volumes. An early and warm spring kick-started the vegetation period. But a cold and humid summer caused problems with the flowering (limiting
Just off Les Champs-Elysées, on the avenue F Roosevelt, you find this pleasant restaurant with excellent food with a certain Provençal touch. It used to be called (simply) Spicy but have now (why?) changed name
Alain and Isabelle Caujolle-Gazet settled to make wine in Montpeyroux in Languedoc in 1998. Today they have 11 hectares, 7 of which are on very poor soil (and thus good for wine growing) on the
One of the things we really enjoy is looking for and discovering new wines. Drinking a very good Bordeaux or Burgundy (just to mention those two as examples) can be very satisfying but it is
Ulf Sjödin became Sweden’s first Master of Wine. His normal day job (when not working on the MW exam) is marketing manager at V&S Wine, the wine division of the government owned wine importer and
The Swedish wine enthusiast Per Warfvinge fell in love with Alsace wines and created a very interesting site on Alsatian wines, unfortunately only available in Swedish. After no doubt substantial work he has now translated
The summer has been exceptionally sunny and windy in Châteauneuf (as opposed to some regions further north). They have had a bit of rain during the harvest but it has not caused any serious problems
Sales of cognac reached a new record last year: 160 million bottles, which is the largest volume ever since the appellation was created in 1936. Sounds like good news from a region that otherwise seems
Melody, Corot Noir, Valvin Muscat are perhaps not the best known grape varieties with wine lovers. They are all “hybrids”, i.e. crossings that are not
The ranking of the most popular wine countries at the Swedish monopoly retail chain Systembolaget (September 2007) is as follows. Australia has grown with 25%
Some parts of Brazil are certainly tropical but it is a big country. In the colder south, near the border to Uruguay, the climate is
Icewine is made by picking the grapes in the winter, when temperatures are below minus seven. It’s not exactly something that one connects with Spain
Thilde Maarbjerg from the Kong Hans restaurant in Copenhagen won the title in the Nordic Sommelier Championship in Helsinki. It is the third year in
Systembolaget, the Swedish retail monopoly, announced in its latest newsletter that their market share in Sweden is growing (of course, ‘monopoly’ does not quite mean
The Systembolaget increased sales from January to October with 5.1% measured in ‘pure alcohol’. Wine sales grew with 5.4%. Anitra Steen, Chief Executive, commented: “growing
V&S Vin & Sprit Group, the state owned company that primarily makes Absolut vodka, announced in its third quarter figures that sales volumes were up
The Association of Wine Economists have joined together with the Society of Quantitative Gastronomy (yes, they both exist!) to publish the Journal of Wine Economics
“Le Grand Tasting” (in bizarre Frenglish) is the name of another wine fair in Paris. They present a more modest, but still large, number of
We’re not quite sure how it will be judged (length? precision? beauty? originalty?…) but at the annual Salon des Vignerons Indépendants in Paris (a huge
As opposed to many other internationally famous spirits (Calvados, Cognac,…) whisky does not have a regionally protected name. You can make whisky anywhere (e.g. in
The first edition of “Bordeaux et ses Vin” (Bordeaux and its wines) was published in 1850. It is an extensive collection of (almost) all the
Château La Pointe, a Pomerol property with 25 ha, has been sold for an estimated 32-35 million euro to the insurance company Generali. They already
The new appellation Coteaux du Languedoc, with the suffix Pézenas (which is a town in the region) is a red wine and should be made
Anselme Selosse is one of the most respected independent wine makers in Champagne. Together with Azienda Feudi di San Gregorio near Naples he has just
Well, its not the pregnant women who are dangerous of course, but drinking wine while you are pregnant. At least according to the warning texts
A sigh of relief can also be heard in Germany after this year’s harvest. they had an early flowering and good weather during the harvest
The Champagne region has approved 40 new communes as (potential) producers of champagne. Today, the Champagne region (the appellation) covers some 32500 ha and virtually
As we noted in the last Brief, Sweden now has it’s first MW, the highly respected British wine diploma. At the same time, six other
Perhaps a slight exaggeration – Denmark has had approved four regional denominations for its wines. According to European regulations a “new” wine district must first
Nils Stormby, the Swedish wine collector, recently sold most of his world famous Chateau d’Yquem collection at Zachy’s auction house in New York. The sale
In Muscadet this year’s harvest promises to yield very good quality but limited volumes. An early and warm spring kick-started the vegetation period. But a
Just off Les Champs-Elysées, on the avenue F Roosevelt, you find this pleasant restaurant with excellent food with a certain Provençal touch. It used to
Alain and Isabelle Caujolle-Gazet settled to make wine in Montpeyroux in Languedoc in 1998. Today they have 11 hectares, 7 of which are on very
One of the things we really enjoy is looking for and discovering new wines. Drinking a very good Bordeaux or Burgundy (just to mention those
Ulf Sjödin became Sweden’s first Master of Wine. His normal day job (when not working on the MW exam) is marketing manager at V&S Wine,
The Swedish wine enthusiast Per Warfvinge fell in love with Alsace wines and created a very interesting site on Alsatian wines, unfortunately only available in
The summer has been exceptionally sunny and windy in Châteauneuf (as opposed to some regions further north). They have had a bit of rain during
Sales of cognac reached a new record last year: 160 million bottles, which is the largest volume ever since the appellation was created in 1936.
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