Author: Per Karlsson

Swedish. Per is co-founder together with his wife Britt of BKWine. Rumour has it that his interest in wine started already when he was 11. Just like Britt he visits some 200 wineries each year on wine tours and for journalistic research. He writes about wine primarily online on BKWine Magazine and in the BKWine Brief. Per is also a professional photographer, specialising in wine and travel photography. See BKWine Photography for more on this. Since a few years back he has also branched out into video production on the same subject. He has contributed all images, and some text, to BKWine’s wine books.

Dutch wine threaten by EU reform?

Dutch wine growers are worried that the proposed ban on adding sugar to the must will make it impossible to make wine in Holland. Virtually all wine made in Holland is chaptalised, since the vines

The main themes in the EU reform

Until then, here are the main themes of the reform: – abolition of market management measures (e.g. “crisis” distillation) – ban on sugar for enrichment (chaptalisation) – grub up 200,000 hectares – end planting restriction

The EU wine reform

In early July the EU launched its proposal for reform of the wine sector. Today large amounts of money are spent on various measures, that may not always improve the competitiveness of the wine industry,

Machine identifies corked wines

The restaurant Latour in new Jersey, has developed a machine (in collaboration with UC Davis) that can identify if a wine is corked or not – without opening the bottle! The machine takes a sample

Bag-without-box

Otherwise, the latest packaging innovation is wine in plastic bags. Not the ones you carry home the bottles in of course. Many people are familiar with wine packaged in plastic bags: all bag-in-box wines are

Wine in plastic bottles

Sainsbury’s, the big British retail supermarket chain, will start selling wine in plastic bottles. One of the arguments is that it will reduce carbon dioxide emissions. And it is easier to handle for the retail

Domaine Vincent Paris, Cornas | BKWine Pick

Vincent Paris made his first wine in 1997 and was soon mentioned as one of the future young stars in Cornas. Now it is perhaps time to remove future. Vincent’s uncle is the well known

Mas de Perry, Murles, Coteaux du Languedoc | BKWine Pick

Geneviève and Didier Ponson-Nicot and the two children manage this charming family property just north of Montpellier. Stéphanie, the daughter is responsible for the wine making and Olivier, the son, for the vineyards. They make

BKWine Brief nr 49, August 2007

This is a summer when I feel very English: always talking about the weather. Will it change or not? For most people a summer like this year’s is disappointing but for wine growers it can

English wines win prizes

The recently held competition for English wines saw record number of contestants and better wines than ever, according to the organisers. 142 wines were awarded medals. “Wine of the Year” was awarded to Camel Valley

Bordeaux.com in new clothes

Bordeaux.com, the ”official” site for Bordeaux wines, have had a thorough redesign. You will find information on appellations, the classification system, the history of Bordeaux wines, varietals, winemaking methods, vintages, how to discover the region

Would you like to buy a vineyard in France?

Then you have a vast range of prices to choose from. Some examples of prices per hectare: – Champagne: 627,000€ (the only region where prices are up this year) – Alsace: 133,000€ (curiously second most

V&S Vin & Sprit up for sale

The Swedish government has confirmed its willingness to sell the government owned wine and spirits importer and producer V&S Vin & Sprit. Many suitors are expected, not least because Vin & Sprit owns one of

Test (MetaCafe)

Languedoc – Going Home (test) – More amazing video clips are a click away

Conference on competition and the future in the wine industry

”Competitive Forces Affecting the Wine and Winegrape Industries” is the full title of the conference organised at US Davis wine university in California. Indeed an interesting theme. More info: https://wineconferenceaugust07.ucdavis.edu/

World’s finest collection of Yquem for sale

– Do you have a sweet tooth? Then you should note September 28 in your agenda. On that date Nils Stormy will sell his unique collection of Chateau d’Yquem at auction at Zachys in New

Small demonstration in Languedoc against the EU wine reform

Only 300 participants in the demonstration on Monday in Béziers (Languedoc) protesting against the upcoming EU reform of the wine support program. Most producer organisations had preferred to await the official presentation which is expected

France’s oldest vineyard

Archaeologists have found what is believed to be France’s oldest vineyard dating back to 10 AD. They have identified fragments of the fermentation tanks and water channels that are said to have been used for

Moth threatens American grape harvest

The light-brown apple moth can devastate fruit plantations – both grape crops and other fruit such as apple (obviously), apricots, and tomatoes. The moth has not previously existed in North America but has been spotted

EU and Australia writes new wine agreement

A new wine agreement has just been signed by the EU and Australia. It stipulates e.g. that Australian wine producers will no longer be able to use European regulated place names for their wines, such

Chambertin Grand Cru with screw cap

The Burgundy producer Jean-Claude Boisset has launched two top level wines with screw cap: a Chambertin Grand Cru and a Beaune Premier Cru Les Bressandes. Both are from the vintage 2005. Boisset calls it “a

A vineyard where chemical herbicides are used, in Champagne

Lower yields = better wines. Or?

The ruling has been confirmed that raises the yield in Champagne to 15,000 kg/ha. Very few people (in France) counts in kg/ha so if we translate it to hectolitres per hectare it equates to 100

Does the minister drink?

There was some concern in wine circles in France after the appointment of Christine Lagarde as agricultural minister after the French presidential elections. The magazine L’Express had written that the new minister did not drink

Champagne Duval-Leroy appoints new female winemaker

Not many champagne houses have a female winemaker. But now there is one that is both owned and managed by a woman as well as having a female winemaker. Duval-Leroy recently appointed Sandrine Logette-Jardin to

Wine region-of-the-month: Muscadet

– Muscadet is a wine region in the westernmost Loire valley A total of 13,000 hectares and 91 communes The appellation was created in 1936. There are now four ACs: Muscadet (3400ha), Muscadet Sèvre et

USA tops the cognac list

The top ten export markets for cognac is quite an interesting read (source BNIC): – USA – Singapore – UK – Germany – China – Russia – Finland – Hong-Kong – Norway – Japan All

Dutch wine threaten by EU reform?

Dutch wine growers are worried that the proposed ban on adding sugar to the must will make it impossible to make wine in Holland. Virtually

The main themes in the EU reform

Until then, here are the main themes of the reform: – abolition of market management measures (e.g. “crisis” distillation) – ban on sugar for enrichment

The EU wine reform

In early July the EU launched its proposal for reform of the wine sector. Today large amounts of money are spent on various measures, that

Machine identifies corked wines

The restaurant Latour in new Jersey, has developed a machine (in collaboration with UC Davis) that can identify if a wine is corked or not

Bag-without-box

Otherwise, the latest packaging innovation is wine in plastic bags. Not the ones you carry home the bottles in of course. Many people are familiar

Wine in plastic bottles

Sainsbury’s, the big British retail supermarket chain, will start selling wine in plastic bottles. One of the arguments is that it will reduce carbon dioxide

BKWine Brief nr 49, August 2007

This is a summer when I feel very English: always talking about the weather. Will it change or not? For most people a summer like

English wines win prizes

The recently held competition for English wines saw record number of contestants and better wines than ever, according to the organisers. 142 wines were awarded

Bordeaux.com in new clothes

Bordeaux.com, the ”official” site for Bordeaux wines, have had a thorough redesign. You will find information on appellations, the classification system, the history of Bordeaux

V&S Vin & Sprit up for sale

The Swedish government has confirmed its willingness to sell the government owned wine and spirits importer and producer V&S Vin & Sprit. Many suitors are

Test (MetaCafe)

Languedoc – Going Home (test) – More amazing video clips are a click away

France’s oldest vineyard

Archaeologists have found what is believed to be France’s oldest vineyard dating back to 10 AD. They have identified fragments of the fermentation tanks and

Moth threatens American grape harvest

The light-brown apple moth can devastate fruit plantations – both grape crops and other fruit such as apple (obviously), apricots, and tomatoes. The moth has

Chambertin Grand Cru with screw cap

The Burgundy producer Jean-Claude Boisset has launched two top level wines with screw cap: a Chambertin Grand Cru and a Beaune Premier Cru Les Bressandes.

A vineyard where chemical herbicides are used, in Champagne

Lower yields = better wines. Or?

The ruling has been confirmed that raises the yield in Champagne to 15,000 kg/ha. Very few people (in France) counts in kg/ha so if we

Does the minister drink?

There was some concern in wine circles in France after the appointment of Christine Lagarde as agricultural minister after the French presidential elections. The magazine

Wine region-of-the-month: Muscadet

– Muscadet is a wine region in the westernmost Loire valley A total of 13,000 hectares and 91 communes The appellation was created in 1936.

USA tops the cognac list

The top ten export markets for cognac is quite an interesting read (source BNIC): – USA – Singapore – UK – Germany – China –

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