In 2012, the EU introduced rules for organic vinification, 21 years after the rules for organic farming were established. Small changes have been made since then with regard to (mainly) additives. In 2021 further changes will be made to the regulations. Currently, the organic rules allow the heating of must or wine to a maximum […]
For those of you who love bubbles, we can announce that the fourth “International Sparkling Festival” will take place on June 14, 2020 in Frankfurt. Over 160 sparkling wines, made using the traditional method (with a second fermentation in the bottle), will be presented by around 60 different producers. There will be growers from Germany, […]
We are now on instagram: BKWine on Instagram. We share photos and videos from some of our trips on our Instagram page. It is still a bit of an experiment, so if you have any comments or remarks, it is, of course, welcome. Many people say that it is more important to be seen on […]
The last two years have seen a lot of commotion in the French wine fair world. World leading Vinexpo has long been firmly rooted in Bordeaux. So, the decision to move Vinexpo to Paris this year surprised many. Just as surprising was Vinisud’s decision in 2019 to move from Montpellier in Languedoc to Paris and […]
All producers we met on our wine tour in mid-February were, so far, happy with the quality and most of them also with the quantity. After the drought the quantities are now again back to more or less normal. The drought the past three years is over but water is still a scarce resource and […]
A few months ago we wrote about the 40th anniversary of Torres Chile. Today we congratulate the Torres family again, because this year the Spanish company is celebrating 150 years as winemakers. It was in 1870 that brothers Miguel and Jaime Torres Vendrell founded Casa Torres y Compañía in Vilafranca del Penedès, Catalonia. The company […]
The latest technology to obtain more aromas in the wine is to use ultrasound. The method will probably soon be approved for winemaking. Ultrasound can be used on both white and red grapes in order to quickly extract aromas and other components from the grape skins. The de-stemmed and lightly crushed grapes are subjected to […]
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? Not so much. In any case, the dark colour certainly does not indicate that pinotage originates from the two grapes […]
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? Not so much. In any case, the dark colour certainly does not indicate that pinotage originates from the two grapes […]
Organic wine continues to increase its sales and market shares. Now, consumer demand drives the three largest wine countries, Italy, Spain and France, to increase their organic surface at a quicker pace, according to a report by Millésime Bio, an organic wine fair that takes place in Montpellier at the end of January. Not least, […]
People sometimes wonder how you can tell the difference between one grape variety and another in a vineyard. After all, they look pretty much the same. And the truth is that it’s not easy. Pierre Galet, who passed away on December 30 at the age of 98, could tell them apart without a problem. He […]
The greatest of them all in Beaujolais, Georges Dubœuf, has passed away. Beaujolais has lost a great promotor. Of course, his wines will continue to thrive through his son Franck. Georges Duboeuf was born into a winemaking family and he was only 18 years old when he started working full time with wine. He successfully […]
Criolla is the collective name of the grapes in South America that were either brought here as seeds or cuttings by the Spaniards in the 17th century or which are the result of spontaneous crossings that took place in South America between these European grape varieties. Listán negro, listan prieto, moscatel de alejandría and pedro […]
Pierce’s disease affects vines especially in California and the rest of the United States. But it exists also in South America. The disease is spread through insects called sharpshooters. It is difficult to cure and the vines usually die within five years. Now, the University of California Davis has released five new grape varieties that […]
Sometimes you get tied up in things, so this has been a long time coming. Last year we were very honoured and proud to receive the OIV Book Award for best book in the category “Discovery and presentation of wines” for our latest book “Languedoc-Roussillon, the Wines of Southern France”. OIV is the International Organisation […]
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 countries’ wine drinkers clearly show that they want more and more organic wines. Demand is expected to increase dramatically in […]
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 countries’ wine drinkers clearly show that they want more and more organic wines. Demand is expected to increase dramatically in […]
It is inevitable to be wow-ed when you come to the Douro Valley. It is one of the world’s most spectacular wine regions. These days they make both excellent “table” wines and the famous fortified port wines. We are frequent visitors to the Douro Valley. The Douro is one of our most popular travel destinations […]
The 2020 edition of the excellent wine guide “Platter’s South African Wine Guide” was launched in November. A total of 125 wines and one brandy received the coveted 5 stars. “Editor’s Award Winery of the Year” went to the well-known Boekenhoutskloof in Franschhoek. “Best newcomer of the year” was Pieter Ferreira Cap Classique. Pieter Ferreira […]
Our latest book “Languedoc-Roussillon, Wines From The South of France” (Languedoc-Roussillon, södra Frankrikes viner) has been named Drinks Book of the Year 2019 (it actually happened a couple of months ago). Not the best wine book as such, but the best book in Sweden about any kind of drink, wine, spirits, tea, coffee, water. So […]
What does it really cost to convert to organic farming? It is sometimes said that “certification is expensive so the producer X works organically but does not certify”. That’s not correct. The certification is a marginal cost. But what about the rest? A French report from consulting firm CerFrance Gard tries to work it out. […]
Every year, over 2 billion Diam corks are sold, so chances are you will now and then pull one out of your wine bottle. Diam Bouchage is a French company that 12 years ago introduced a technical invention that eliminates the molecule responsible for the annoying cork taste (2,4,6-trichloroanisole, TCA) from cork granules. Diam could […]
In the November Brief, we wrote about an article on Scandinavian wines in the New York Times. We recounted, among other things, a quote by Sveneric Svensson, chairman of the Swedish Wine Association, uniting many of the Swedish wine producers. Sveneric sent us an email immediately after he read the newsletter to refute this quote. […]
How much does a grape name on the label really mean? A lot. At least some people think so. During the international Chenin Blanc congress that took place in Angers in July, there was much talk about the importance of providing consumers with information on the label and what added value it provides. The still […]
Not all grape varieties are so famous that Lady Gaga writes a song about them, but pinot grigio is. The north-eastern corner of Italy is the regions where most pinot grigio is produced in the whole world. Now the three regions Veneto, Friuli and Trentino are investing in common cause for pinot grigio to keep […]
Every year, the Swedish food magazine “Allt Om Mat” (Everything About Food) selects a winery for the “Golden Glass” trophy, an award that goes to a winery that has distinguished itself for high quality and that is available to consumers in Sweden. In 2019 the award went to Musella in the Italian region of Valpolicella. […]
Will there soon be a requirement for wines to list the ingredients on the label? The issue has been debated in recent years. (Just to be clear: it is not forbidden to have a declaration of contents, it’s just not compulsory.) Many consumers ask themselves why alcoholic beverages are exempt from the rule that all […]
A little brother is always a little brother. Even as he grows up, catching up with his big brother, borrowing his moped and kissing his girlfriend. Anyone who is knowledgeable enough to put Gigondas on the map will then point to neighbouring Châteauneuf du Pape. If the Gigondas vineyards cover 1,230 ha, big brother’s is […]
Anniversary wines to drink in 2020 It is always a surprise to notice that you are coming to the end of a year – and of a decade – even if, as a fine wine merchant, you are expected to keep an eye on years (or vintages) that come and go. If, like me, you […]
27 appellations in the Anjou and Saumur regions in the Loire Valley have recently published their new rules and regulations. The big news is that they all now prohibit chemical weed removal. These 27 AOPs together have 18,000 hectares. In the current climate of sustainability awareness more and more wineries reduce spraying with chemical herbicides. […]
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