Talking with Bruwer Raats, winemaker in South Africa The ghost of Gaston Huet looms large in the life of Bruwer Raats (pronounced brew-vay rahts) of Raats Family Wines in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Huet, an unbreakable French vigneron, survived a World War II Nazi concentration camp, then walked three days non-stop after release to make harvest […]
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Delicious triplet of Rhône wines from Domaine de Marcoux
Domaine de Marcoux is a family property in the northern part of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In addition to the exclusive chateauneuf wine, they also make côtes du rhône and vin de france, all of very good quality. On September 14, a triplet of Marcoux wines is launched on the Swedish market by Caviste, but the wines are […]
Corton Cuvée Docteur Peste 2015 from Hospices de Beaune, Patriarche Père & Fils
Importer Domaine Wines invited to a tasting of a red Corton from the excellent vintage 2015, bottled by the Burgundy Négociant Patriarch Père & Fils. The wine was Corton Cuvée Docteur Peste from Hospices de Beaune. First a few words about Hospices de Beaune which history starts back in 1443, when Nicolas Rolin (Chancellor of […]
The greatness of carmenere in Chile at Vina Maquis | Britt on Forbes
Carmenere is the signature grape of Chile. Given that, one would think that it is an easy grape to grow all over Chile. But that is not the case. It is a grape that can give green or harsh characters to the wine if it does not ripen properly or is on the wrong type […]
South Africa’s “hottest” cool region: with Crystallum’s winemaker Peter-Allan Finlayson
It’s quite possible to make exciting, interesting and characterful wines from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in South Africa! Everything depends on the temperature – and the winemaker of course (as well as a whole lot else). During a visit to Paul Cluver last spring I noticed an interesting map of temperature differences between the various […]
DP Burger at Glenwood Vineyards in Franschhoek, South Africa, interview and videos
Franschhoek can almost be too quaint, too pretty as a wine region. The wineries are dotted along the main road – the only road – along the valley like pearls on a string. They are surrounded by beautiful real estate developments where the villas have stunning views over the mountains. The village of Franschhoek itself […]
Tasting Suo Red Collection No 2 and Stellekaya Hercules from South Africa
If you’ve never tasted the wines of South Africa, you need to start – now! Arguably one of the globe’s most overlooked wine regions, South Africa hammocks the continent of Africa between the Atlantic Ocean on the west, and the Indian Ocean on the East. As an emerging New World producer, South Africa enjoys some […]
Ntsiki Biyela, the first black female winemaker in South Africa
It is not that much of an exaggeration to say that Ntsiki Biyela is a South African winemaking legend. She was the first female black winemaker and has been featured for example on CNN and on Forbes (and on BKWine Magazine previously). After many years as winemaker at Stellekaya in Stellenbosch Ntsiki Biyela has now […]
The Ackerman winery in Napa, a success story
Lauren Ackerman attributes some of the success of Ackerman Family Vineyards in Napa on a Bill Harlan quote. When asked why he bought cult winery Screaming Eagle at a time when most people considered retiring, he answered, ”If I don’t do this now, when will I?” Ackerman, an equestrian-turned-vineyard owner, wine maker, and civic leader, […]
Tasting the wines from The Walls, Walla Walla, Washington
This is a follow-up with tasting notes to accompany the article previously published on The Walls winery: Meeting Ali Mayfield at Walls Vineyards in Walla Walla, Washington. The Walls Martin’s Gold Chardonnay 2015 Alcohol: 13.3 % Suggested Retail: $36 Specs: “Originally brought to America by Paul Masson, Martin Ray planted French Chardonnay in the Santa […]
Meeting Ali Mayfield at Walls Vineyards in Walla Walla, Washington
Blame it on a darn hole-in-one. Attorney Mike Martin wasn’t looking for a bend in the road of life when he and a pal stopped off in Walla Walla a few years ago to play some golf and drink some wine en route to business in Boise. But bend it does. At Walla Walla’s Wine […]
Marchesi Mazzei in Tuscany shows some older vintages of Fonterutoli, Concerto and rosé
As is tradition, Marchesi Francesco Mazzei visited Stockholm this spring. He brought his good friend Dario Ceccini, the so-called “world’s best butcher”. He orated as usual and made his show in the sign of the big piece of meat, a “bistecca alla fiorentina” of over 1 kg! The Mazzei family has been active at their […]
A Swedish winery? Making Tuscan wine? Yes, indeed! | Per on Forbes
There are crazy wine projects. Actually, a lot of projects in the wine industry are more or less crazy. It is a business that it is very hard to survive in and it is even harder to make good money. Then there are really, really, really crazy wine projects. Harvesting grapes in Tuscany, putting them […]
Arinzano, a rising star in northern Spain
“Singular terroir, estate character, noble pedigree” Sometimes a winery doesn’t just surprise you – it knocks you on your palate. I discovered such a winery by happy accident while tasting wines from another country, Achaval-Ferrer of Argentina. Those wines lassoed me with their verve, and vibrancy. Turns out the same team, part of the Stoli […]
Tradition and innovation in Ribeira Sacra with Dominio do Bibei
Dominio do Bibei have a super modern facility in southern Spain but only uses traditional varieties. When the producer came to visit Stockholm BKWine Magazine’s Peter Cronström was there. Ribeira Sacra, which translated means the sacred river valley, is located in southern Galicia near the border to Portugal along the rivers Miño and Sil. The […]
Excellent Riesling from Rheingau – but not only!
Rheingau producer Georg Breuer has been an established name for the Swedish wine market since a long time, and a very reliable source for dry German riesling in the top class. Theresa Breuer, that runs the company since many years, visited Sweden once more on the invitation of importer Vinunic to present a new vintage. […]
Casa Marin, a cool climate pioneer in Chile | Britt on Forbes
Most people think of powerful, intense red wines when thinking of wines from Chile. Think again! Today Chile also makes outstanding white wines that are elegant, fresh, mineral and aromatic, and even very good pinot noir. Vina Casa Marin is one of the pioneers in this kind of wines in Chile. Casa Marin was created […]
Monteraponi and Montevertine, two stars in Radda in Chianti
A lot is happening in one of Europe’s oldest wine regions right now. Chianti Classico wants to take a step forward, and producers Monteraponi and Montevertine are not afraid to take the lead. BKWine Magazine’s Åsa Johansson reports. Monteraponi and Montevertine are two wineries that show how far you can reach quality wise in Chianti […]
Artisan Winemaker Don Hagge of Vidon Vineyard, Oregon
Ever hear that phrase, “Who do you think you are? A rocket scientist?” Well, today’s guest IS a rocket scientist. One part humble Midwestern farm boy, one part retired NASA astrophysicist-turned-winemaker, Don Hagge of Vidon Vineyard (vee-dohn) talks softly and drives a big tractor. And at age 85, instead of slowing down, Don shoots for […]
A few notes on Domaine Alexandre in Chablis
We recently had the opportunity to taste the range of wines from Domaine Alexandre in Chablis (they have just been launched by one of the Swedish internet wine merchants), and we quite liked them. The property is in the small village of La Chapelle-Vaupelteigne just north of Chablis itself. It is Olivier Alexandre and his […]
Tasting Roserock Drouhin Oregon Wines, Eola-Amity Hills
Tasting wines by Véronique Drouhin Boss resembles attending a piano concerto – each pour an elegant opus reverberating with its own inner core of subdued structure and grace. This is a follow up to the earlier article Tasting Domaine Drouhin Oregon wines, Dundee Hills. Recently, I was lucky enough to interview the wine maker about […]
Domaine du Moulin, Gaillac Cuvée Speciale 2015 – now with malolactic fermentation
In November we tasted new wines from Domaine du Moulin in Gaillac. It was a barrel sample taken before the malolactic fermentation (read our comments here). We have now tasted the same wine, still a barrel sample, but with the malolactic fermentation in barrel completed. Was there a difference? Absolutely. The acidity was still quite […]
More exclusive Burgundies from Comte Georges de Vogüé, with an odd white
Comte Georges de Vogüé is a very renowned Burgundy producer in the village of Chambolle-Musigny with 12.5 ha of vineyards, of which 9.9 ha is located in the grand cru vineyards Musigny and Bonnes-Mares. With 7.2 hectares de Vogüé is by far the largest vineyard owner in Musigny, the AOP that usually give rise to […]
A pioneer on the Etna volcano, Pietradolce in six vintages
One of Etna’s top producers, Pietradolce, had its first ever vertical tasting of the estate’s flagship wine, the Archineri, at the food and wine fair Taormina Gourmet in Sicily. BKWine Magazine’s Asa Johansson was there. In the last few years Etna wines has become the talk of the town and wines from the volcano are […]
Corton-Charlemagne 2014, 2006, 2001, from Bonneau du Martray
The largest grand cru vineyard in Burgundy’s is the Corton hill. One of the largest vineyard owner on the Corton hill, Domaine Bonneau du Martray, is located in the village of Pernand-Vergelesses. They own 11 hectares, of which 9.5 ha of Chardonnay is used to produce the Corton-Charlemagne and 1.5 hectares of pinot noir is […]
Unusual and delicious wines from the Australian Tahbilk Estate
A Rhône-inspired producer in Victoria Tahbilk Estate was founded in 1860 in the Nagambie Region in central Victoria in Australia, and has almost always impressed me, delivering very affordable white wines from the Rhone grape Marsanne. For around ten euros it is wines that can be aged for several decades! I have also been impressed […]
The French woman of Oregon, Véronique Drouhin Boss of Roserock Drouhin Oregon
In 2013, Domaine Drouhin Oregon purchased 279 acre (113 ha) Roserock Vineyard in Willamette Valley’s Eola-Amity Hills. This acquisition adds to the 225 acre (90 ha) estate in Dundee Hills they established in 1987, and allows for a focused expression of terroir reflective of their Burgundy domaine, Maison Joseph Drouhin. Véronique Drouhin-Boss, Robert Drouhin’s daughter, […]
Luxury organic, Chateau Latour converts | Britt on Forbes
Bordeaux is perhaps the most traditional and aristocratic of all wine regions. But it is not immune to trends and to concerns about the environment. The latest big-name chateau to convert to organic wine growing and wine making is Château Latour, one of the premier grand cru classes of 1855 (yes, it IS a long […]
Seven Port wines from Taylor’s to brighten up your holidays
A tasting of a selection of Taylor’s port wines illustrated the wide variety of port wines that exist, ranging from young ruby to vintage ports to lay down in the cellar to old and mellow tawny. When Taylor’s export manager Jorge Ramos came to Sweden he met with BKWine Magazine’s Mats Lindelöw. We tasted Taylor’s […]
Cecchi in Chianti, Montalcino, and Maremma
The Cecchi family has for 120 years been one of the premier producers in the Chianti region. Through acquisitions and partnerships they have started making wine in other areas in Tuscany. This tasting with Andrea Cecchi offered a mix of wines from their regular range and also one unique wine. BKWine Magazine’s reporter Peter Cronström […]
