Several years ago, I spoke with a wine producer who was complaining about wine journalists. We were discussing a particular vintage that some journalists had written off as worthless before the grape must had even
In recent months, there has been an unusually large amount of bad news about wine. People talk about a “wine crisis” with falling consumption, fires, heatwaves, wine shortages, price increases, and all sorts of gloomy
At the end of June, we wrote an in-depth article about the heat-wave’s effect on vineyards. Large parts of Europe have been hit by exceptional weather this year. We explained that the heat can lead
There has been a heatwave in Europe. Again. No one has missed it, not even those who still walk around saying things like “I actually think it’s nice when it’s warm.” According to The Economist,
Our Champagne tour at the end of April brought fantastic spring weather and high temperatures (albeit lower in the mornings and evenings). Spring has been early and warm in Champagne. This has caused problems. Vegetation
The heatwave in France at the beginning of August was a bit of a problem for winegrowers. But the producers we have met so far this autumn (late September) have been satisfied with the quality
Europe has been hit by an unusually high number of forest fires this summer. So far this year, there have been twice as many compared to the same time in 2024. In early August, violent
We recently got back from Austria and of course we were wondering how the vineyards had coped with the huge amounts of rain that came around the 20th of September. ”We will have one of
In France, the harvest and fermentation are in full swing. In many (most) places the harvest is finished. The weather has caused problems in many regions, and the Ministry of Agriculture estimates that the harvest
After three years of intense and persistent drought, it finally rained in the Cava vineyards in the heart of Penedès in Spanish Catalonia. A long-awaited rain fell this spring and allowed the vines to recover.
In the middle of March, warm temperatures hit France, meaning the growing season started early in the vineyards. In some places, the budding began as early as the third week of March (e.g. cabernet franc
The Southern Hemisphere is in full swing with the 2024 harvest—or they have already finished. We visited South Africa in mid-February, and some producers had already almost finished. Andrew Wightman at Wightman & Sons in
In several European wine regions, fungal diseases in the vineyard have been a major problem this summer. Severe attacks by, not least, downy mildew can be difficult to manage with only organic spraying (i.e. copper).
Perhaps this year, the growers in Roussillon in the southwest of France will have their lowest harvest yield ever. There has not been much rain this year, not even 200 mm. And last year was
Is the region of Roussillon in the south of France starting to look like a desert? Not far from it. In the Côtes du Roussillon-Villages Les Aspres, not far from Perpignan, they have had not
A wine grower always keeps an eye on the weather report. As we now enter the month of May, you would think that the risk of spring frost is over for the winegrowers in France.
Europe had a few freezing weeks in December, including Germany. This chilly weather has enabled some growers to make Eiswein (ice wine) finally again. It has been a long time. On December 11, 12 and
Frost nights in the spring when the tiny buds have begun to appear are a recurring scourge for many winegrowers. Arnaud Thomassin at Château de France in Pessac-Léognan, a producer we have followed for many
This spring’s wine tours have taken us to Champagne, Chablis and Burgundy, among other places. And here we already saw, around the 20th of May, the beginning of the flowering, which is unusually early. It
Say Andalusia and I’ll start thinking about olive trees. There are an estimated 70 million olive trees in Andalusia on just less than two million hectares. On a recent trip between Malaga and Cordoba, it
The frost has hit French vineyards again this year. So far, however, it has not been as bad as 2021. But in several places, measures have been required to heat the vineyards in some way
Institut rhodanien, a research institute in the Rhône valley, has carried out a comprehensive study of how the various maturation parameters of grenache have changed since 1969. These include changes in the acidity level and
France’s vibrant café and restaurant life has begun to return to normal. The outdoor cafes opened on May 19, and on June 9, we are also allowed to sit inside. The French are happy. According
How noticeable is climate change in the vineyard? The consequences are already visible and are positive for the quality of the must, says the producer association Comité Champagne (CIVC). In Champagne, for the past 30
Wine producers in France and other parts of Europe were hit hard by several cold nights in April with temperatures far below zero. The warm temperatures earlier this spring had led to early budding in
Philippe Bernard at Clos Saint Louis in Fixin in the Côte de Nuits has sent a greeting and some information about how the vine is on the brink of a new growing season. “2021 has
Wild fires in California are now more or less recurring annually. This year they have started unusually early. The winemakers had just started harvesting their grapes. Are the grapes at risk of being damaged by
It has been an extremely warm and dry spring in some parts of France, especially the northern and north-eastern parts. We asked Philippe Bernard at Clos Saint Louis in Fixin (Côte de Nuits) how the
Bordeaux was hit by violent hailstorms on April 17. In Saint Emilion, Château Bernateau – that we were supposed to visit the day after on our Bordeaux spring tour, if everything had been normal –
The harvest in Champagne was in full swing when we kicked off our autumn wine tour season with Champagne on September 11. And we mostly saw happy faces. Alexandre Penet at Champagne Penet-Chardonnet in Verzy
Several years ago, I spoke with a wine producer who was complaining about wine journalists. We were discussing a particular vintage that some journalists had
In recent months, there has been an unusually large amount of bad news about wine. People talk about a “wine crisis” with falling consumption, fires,
At the end of June, we wrote an in-depth article about the heat-wave’s effect on vineyards. Large parts of Europe have been hit by exceptional
There has been a heatwave in Europe. Again. No one has missed it, not even those who still walk around saying things like “I actually
Our Champagne tour at the end of April brought fantastic spring weather and high temperatures (albeit lower in the mornings and evenings). Spring has been
The heatwave in France at the beginning of August was a bit of a problem for winegrowers. But the producers we have met so far
Europe has been hit by an unusually high number of forest fires this summer. So far this year, there have been twice as many compared
We recently got back from Austria and of course we were wondering how the vineyards had coped with the huge amounts of rain that came
In France, the harvest and fermentation are in full swing. In many (most) places the harvest is finished. The weather has caused problems in many
After three years of intense and persistent drought, it finally rained in the Cava vineyards in the heart of Penedès in Spanish Catalonia. A long-awaited
In the middle of March, warm temperatures hit France, meaning the growing season started early in the vineyards. In some places, the budding began as
The Southern Hemisphere is in full swing with the 2024 harvest—or they have already finished. We visited South Africa in mid-February, and some producers had
In several European wine regions, fungal diseases in the vineyard have been a major problem this summer. Severe attacks by, not least, downy mildew can
Perhaps this year, the growers in Roussillon in the southwest of France will have their lowest harvest yield ever. There has not been much rain
Is the region of Roussillon in the south of France starting to look like a desert? Not far from it. In the Côtes du Roussillon-Villages
A wine grower always keeps an eye on the weather report. As we now enter the month of May, you would think that the risk
Europe had a few freezing weeks in December, including Germany. This chilly weather has enabled some growers to make Eiswein (ice wine) finally again. It
Frost nights in the spring when the tiny buds have begun to appear are a recurring scourge for many winegrowers. Arnaud Thomassin at Château de
This spring’s wine tours have taken us to Champagne, Chablis and Burgundy, among other places. And here we already saw, around the 20th of May,
Say Andalusia and I’ll start thinking about olive trees. There are an estimated 70 million olive trees in Andalusia on just less than two million
The frost has hit French vineyards again this year. So far, however, it has not been as bad as 2021. But in several places, measures
Institut rhodanien, a research institute in the Rhône valley, has carried out a comprehensive study of how the various maturation parameters of grenache have changed
France’s vibrant café and restaurant life has begun to return to normal. The outdoor cafes opened on May 19, and on June 9, we are
How noticeable is climate change in the vineyard? The consequences are already visible and are positive for the quality of the must, says the producer
Wine producers in France and other parts of Europe were hit hard by several cold nights in April with temperatures far below zero. The warm
Philippe Bernard at Clos Saint Louis in Fixin in the Côte de Nuits has sent a greeting and some information about how the vine is
Wild fires in California are now more or less recurring annually. This year they have started unusually early. The winemakers had just started harvesting their
It has been an extremely warm and dry spring in some parts of France, especially the northern and north-eastern parts. We asked Philippe Bernard at
Bordeaux was hit by violent hailstorms on April 17. In Saint Emilion, Château Bernateau – that we were supposed to visit the day after on
The harvest in Champagne was in full swing when we kicked off our autumn wine tour season with Champagne on September 11. And we mostly
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