Can we once and for all establish what is true and correct about brut, sec-dry, demi-sec etc? Some myths or mistakes are more persistent than others. One of these is how much sugar champagne and other sparkling wines contain. Time and again, incorrect numbers are repeated, in articles, on the internet, and even in books […]
It has been a difficult year for many wine producers. The difficult fungal disease downy mildew has been widely present in Europe’s southern wine regions, where many producers have lost part of their harvest. The copious rains early in the season brought on the nasty fungus. However, the world production of wine in 2018 is […]
“Mosel is perfect for riesling, why should I grow something else?” Sybille Kuntz is the latest generation in a long line of wine growers in the Mosel Valley. After taking over her family’s vineyard more than 30 years ago, quality has moved up to a different dimension. Unlike many others in Germany, she makes a […]
Amarone della Valpolicella is the dry version of the sweet Recioto della Valpolicella. Both are made in the Veneto region in north east Italy, not far from the wonderful city of Verona. Grapes for both recioto and amarone are dried after harvest to concentrate aromas and sugar content of the grapes. Despite the fact that […]
Wine producers should not deceive consumers when they promote their wines. This story is about Château de Reignac in Entre-deux-Mers. This chateau was bought in the 1990s by Yves Vatelot. His ambition from the very beginning was to make a high-quality Bordeaux. The natural conditions are there. In fact, he thinks that his soil is […]
Typical. Guessing right again…? They are easily counted, the times I have called a wine “typical” during the past year. But what is typical? Everyone who has attended a wine course has learned typical aromas for some of the most popular grape varieties: cedar and black currants for Cabernet Sauvignon, tar and charcuterie for Syrah, […]
Typical. Guessing right again…? They are easily counted, the times I have called a wine “typical” during the past year. But what is typical? Everyone who has attended a wine course has learned typical aromas for some of the most popular grape varieties: cedar and black currants for Cabernet Sauvignon, tar and charcuterie for Syrah, […]
A tour of France’s vineyards today shows that more and more wine producers prefer to let the grass and the weed remain in the vineyard instead of removing it. Today, many refrain from chemical weed control, also those who are not organic. The region of Anjou-Saumur in the Loire Valley has gone one step further. […]
Gérard Bertrand’s empire in Languedoc is growing. He recently bought Mas du Soleilla, a 22-hectare vineyard adjacent to Bertrand’s headquarters Château l’Hospitalet in the appellation of La Clape. Mas du Soleilla was founded by Peter Wildbolz and Christa Derungs, both Swiss. 2002 was their first vintage. Mas de Soleilla is, like the Château l’Hospitalet, certified […]
The most important grape in Argentina is Malbec and it has doubled its acreage in the last 15 years. It has now 18% of the vine surface in the country. Syrah has also increased its acreage substantially. The light coloured Cereza and the black Criolla Grande are decreasing but they are still planted on 20% […]
Alsace wines are becoming drier and drier. At least that was the impression we had on our recent Alsace tour. And that is very positive. In addition, it is easier to know if the wines are dry or not because producers are now more and more putting “vin sec” on the label if the wine […]
Germany is a small but important wine country. Steep slopes and a cool climate give us wines that are difficult to copy. The most planted grape is Riesling but nowadays one should also look out for Pinot blanc (Weissburgunder) and Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder). Both of these have increased their surface in recent years and are […]
Heavy rain and floods of a rare violence in the department of Aude In Languedoc in mid-October caused major damage to vineyards and wineries, in particular in the Minervois and Cabardes appellations and, to a lesser extent, in Saint Chinian. 14 people died. Several wine cellars were flooded, pumps and presses have been destroyed and […]
It is a mistake to think that “Bordeaux has become too expensive”. In fact, bordeaux is one of the regions in France that has an incredible wealth of good-value, affordable wines, provided you cast your net just a little bit wider than the famous Grand Cru Classes. They represent only a few percent, if event […]
It is amazing how different vineyards look today compared to 30 years ago. Then, there was not one single straw of grass in the rows between the vines. Today vineyards are often vibrant and colourful with different plants and flowers to keep the vines company. But they also compete with the vines for water and […]
Beaujolais has had a few hard years but it is now back in fashion. Today, the third Thursday of November, is the release of the new vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau. Now representing approximately 30 % of the total Beaujolais production, the wine producers put a lot of effort into their Nouveau wines. The quality has […]
Climate change is a fact and the wine industry prepares in different ways for the future. INAO, the Institut national de l’origine et de la qualité, recently approved a change in the rules that allow the French appellations to plant other grape varieties than the ones that are now permitted in order to be able […]
Many consumers perceive wines nowadays as more alcoholic than they used to be. This is actually quite true. This has to do with a lot of things (and not only global warming): grapes are harvested riper, wineries use better clones, consumers drink more wines from warmer climates, such as southern Italy, the New World, etc, […]
Armenia is a little-known wine country although it is believed to be one of the oldest wine producing regions, with a history going back more than 6000 years. Recently, a new concept was launched to promote wine tourism and to make the wine regions better known both with locals and international visitors: The Wine Cube. […]
Prosecco is producing more and more bottles. This year they will pass 500 million. People can’t seem to get enough. The yields for the simplest Proseccos are sky high, making the resulting wine sometimes a bit thin and tasteless. What can you expect with excessive yields?But there are different proseccos. There are excellent proseccos, if […]
Like a big green oasis she rises, Tenuta Regaleali. After driving on a winding, rough road and thanking a higher power that I do not suffer from road-sickness, we finally get up on the crest. There, we get a mighty view. Suddenly the road is well-kept and lined with eucalyptus trees, while rolling vineyards extend […]
Two of Italy´s most prestigious wines are the Piedmontese stars Barolo and Barbaresco. Both made from 100% of the autochthonous Piedmont grape variety Nebbiolo. It is easily recognized by its light colour, high tannins and perfumed aromas, but the two wines have some notable differences. The main differences between the two wines come from geological […]
A daring tasting with Oenoforos with base wines from Palmer & Co’s Blanc de Noirs. When you produce champagne you always start by making a still wine without bubbles. This “base wine” is bottled with some yeast and sugar, and thus the bubbles are made. Few people get the chance to taste these still base […]
The most important factor for making great wines! We can’t control the weather. The weather determines the size of the harvest and, to some extent, also the character of the wine. The overall climate (the longer term weather profile) always affects the wine, regardless of the weather. Weather and climate must surely be the most […]
The most important factor for making great wines! We can’t control the weather. The weather determines the size of the harvest and, to some extent, also the character of the wine. The overall climate (the longer term weather profile) always affects the wine, regardless of the weather. Weather and climate must surely be the most […]
In the past year, our latest book “Champagne, The Wine And The Growers” (“Champagne, vinet och odlarna” in the original language) has been acclaimed and won prizes in two prestigious contexts, by the OIV, the International Organization of Vine and Wine in Paris, and by Gourmand International in China. “Champagne, The Wine And The Growers” […]
One of the nicest events of the annual series of importer tastings is when Tryffelsvinet (a Swedish importer) presents the wines of Comte Georges de Vogüé with Jean-Luc Pepin. Comte Georges de Vogüé is a highly regarded Burgundy producer in the village of Chambolle-Musigny with 12.5 ha vineyards, of which 9.9 hectares are located in […]
The cooperatives are many and significant players in the Languedoc. They account for a large proportion of the production here. But to survive in today’s competition, they, like everyone else, have to invest in what consumers want. For example, in organic wines. That’s what Cave Héraclès in the Gard in the eastern part of Languedoc […]
Exclusive top Burgundy in new and old version On the Corton Hill in the northern part of Côte de Beaune you can find the largest grand cru vineyard in Burgundy, Corton. Here both red and white wines are produced. On those parts of the hill that are considered best for white wines, the appellation the […]
Three red wines from Piedmont Trends come and go. Food-wise there was a time when chefs held tight reins and two asparaguses in a cross in the middle of a giant plate was the main attraction. A few decades later, the quest is instead rustic and decorative leaves are placed only reluctantly on plates of […]
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