Learn more about wine with our fact-filled articles under the heading ”wine school”. On how to make wine, on wine regions, on grape varieties, on tasting wine and much, much more. Facts about the wonderful world of wine. Everything from in-depth technical articles on viticulture and winemaking to tasting tips to learn more about flavours and characters.
The battle for sustainability labels in France is intensifying. France’s first such label, Terra Vitis, has increased significantly in the past year. They have doubled their membership and now have 1,800 members with 45,000 hectares,
Wine defects. No-one wants them. But what is it really? Numerous things can spoil a wine. No doubt many wines were spoilt back in the old days when wine producers had little knowledge of wine
The Canary Islands have sun, beaches, volcanoes and tourists. But they also have wine. In fact, they have an important place in the history and evolution of world-wide wine growing. On the Canary Island they
I remember my first cabernet franc in France, many years ago. The restaurant served it freezing cold. It was customary at the time to keep the wines from Chinon and Bourgueil in the fridge with
Germany introduces a wine hierarchy based on geography Germany has introduced a new “classification” system for its wines, under the name Qualitätswein. It creates a hierarchy of wines – Area, Region, Village and Vineyard –
Making wine is pretty straightforward. Or rather, it was, once upon a time. Today it is more complicated. The fermentation, not least, requires the winegrowers to think carefully. They know that yeast turns the sugar
Sauvignon blanc is a popular grape. It has increased enormously in the last 20 years. A dozen countries have significant plantings, and another ten have a smaller, but growing, surface. Sauvignon blanc grows best in
In 2009 the EU implemented a wine reform that structured wine in a few different groups. The intention was, and is, to harmonise the different systems that exist in the member countries. How this has
Timorasso is the name of a rare Piedmontese grape variety. It had almost disappeared; barely a hectare remained when a winemaker near the town of Tortona decided to save it. We should all be grateful
Grenache was the first grape variety I ever harvested. It was in Banyuls in southern France, a beautiful vineyard by the Mediterranean Sea. Big bunches with ripe grapes. Maybe that is why I like it
Are there pesticide residues in wine? That’s become a hot topic in some media recently. We spoke with Matthieu Dubernet from Laboratoires Dubernet in Languedoc, who explained the rules for maximum residue levels (MRL) and
Provence is beautiful, sunny and colourful. The Mediterranean is blue, the mimosa is yellow, the lavender is purple. And the wines are pink. Yes, but not all of them. The success in recent years of
Riesling is a magnificent grape but a difficult one. For its many devoted admirers, it is the foremost white wine grape in the world. Riesling is one of the most prestigious grapes, but it is
How do wine regions become internationally famous? Some, of course, have the advantage of having been known and appreciated for centuries, such as Bordeaux and Burgundy. It may seem impossible that other wine regions would
A successful and adventurous journey across the United States in the midst of the phylloxera crises in the 19th century helped save the French vineyards. Pierre Viala, a French botanist, had been sent to find
Making wine environmentally friendly is seen by many today as a matter of course. However, the extent to which producers are involved in the environment varies, not least depending on their financial situation. Sustainable viticulture
France is not like Italy, where vines grow in every region. But France is not far behind. In fact, there are more vineyards in France than in Italy. France has 794 000 hectares of vineyards,
No, your Bordeaux wine will not soon be made from other grape varieties, as some headlines have implied. Last year, producers in Bordeaux approved a proposal to experiment with grape varieties that have never been
Oak barrel ageing is today important when it comes to a certain category of red and white wines in the upper echelons. If you talk about quality improvements in a wine district, oak ageing is
Viognier has its “home” in the Rhône district, in the two small appellations Condrieu and Château Grillet. Until the end of the 20th century, it was hardly found anywhere else in France or any other
There are different ways to work sustainably and environmentally friendly. Some producers have noted consumers’ fear of pesticide residues in the wine. One path to take is then to work organically and thus completely exclude
Birds munching on ripe grapes can be a big problem in the vineyards. We have seen it in New Zealand and South Africa; it occurs in Australia and elsewhere around the world. However, from what
Wild yeast or cultivated yeast? That is the eternal question right now, or at least one can get that impression in certain discussions. It seems as if the wild yeast is gaining ground, but that
Pinot noir has a reputation for being a difficult grape, yet it is found in many places around the world. Maybe the grape isn’t so tricky after all if you free yourself from the idea
What is natural wine? Are there rules? Is it good or weird? The concept of natural wine has emerged in recent years. It has been covered in media and bated. Many people have never drunk
A reader of our Brief had seen an advertisement for a sparkling wine called Bubbly Rosé which was sealed with a regular crown cap (old fashioned beer bottle cap). She wanted to hear more about
Being biodynamic is not the same as being organic, even though they have many things in common. Only a tiny proportion of organic growers are also biodynamic. But their number is growing. If you want
Organic wine is becoming increasingly popular. Many consumers look for it and many producers convert to become organic. But what is it really, organic wine? On this web conference video masterclass we explain what it
Merlot is something of a chameleon. All grapes are, of course, in one way or another. But sometimes it’s more noticeable, as with merlot. Château Petrus, 95% merlot, is Bordeaux’s most expensive wine. Petrus’ prices
Although organic farming is increasing, it is still what we call conventional agriculture that dominates, where you can use synthetic chemical products. Therefore, organic producers need to be able to prove that they work organically
The battle for sustainability labels in France is intensifying. France’s first such label, Terra Vitis, has increased significantly in the past year. They have doubled
Wine defects. No-one wants them. But what is it really? Numerous things can spoil a wine. No doubt many wines were spoilt back in the
The Canary Islands have sun, beaches, volcanoes and tourists. But they also have wine. In fact, they have an important place in the history and
I remember my first cabernet franc in France, many years ago. The restaurant served it freezing cold. It was customary at the time to keep
Germany introduces a wine hierarchy based on geography Germany has introduced a new “classification” system for its wines, under the name Qualitätswein. It creates a
Making wine is pretty straightforward. Or rather, it was, once upon a time. Today it is more complicated. The fermentation, not least, requires the winegrowers
Sauvignon blanc is a popular grape. It has increased enormously in the last 20 years. A dozen countries have significant plantings, and another ten have
In 2009 the EU implemented a wine reform that structured wine in a few different groups. The intention was, and is, to harmonise the different
Timorasso is the name of a rare Piedmontese grape variety. It had almost disappeared; barely a hectare remained when a winemaker near the town of
Grenache was the first grape variety I ever harvested. It was in Banyuls in southern France, a beautiful vineyard by the Mediterranean Sea. Big bunches
Are there pesticide residues in wine? That’s become a hot topic in some media recently. We spoke with Matthieu Dubernet from Laboratoires Dubernet in Languedoc,
Provence is beautiful, sunny and colourful. The Mediterranean is blue, the mimosa is yellow, the lavender is purple. And the wines are pink. Yes, but
Riesling is a magnificent grape but a difficult one. For its many devoted admirers, it is the foremost white wine grape in the world. Riesling
How do wine regions become internationally famous? Some, of course, have the advantage of having been known and appreciated for centuries, such as Bordeaux and
A successful and adventurous journey across the United States in the midst of the phylloxera crises in the 19th century helped save the French vineyards.
Making wine environmentally friendly is seen by many today as a matter of course. However, the extent to which producers are involved in the environment
France is not like Italy, where vines grow in every region. But France is not far behind. In fact, there are more vineyards in France
No, your Bordeaux wine will not soon be made from other grape varieties, as some headlines have implied. Last year, producers in Bordeaux approved a
Oak barrel ageing is today important when it comes to a certain category of red and white wines in the upper echelons. If you talk
Viognier has its “home” in the Rhône district, in the two small appellations Condrieu and Château Grillet. Until the end of the 20th century, it
There are different ways to work sustainably and environmentally friendly. Some producers have noted consumers’ fear of pesticide residues in the wine. One path to
Birds munching on ripe grapes can be a big problem in the vineyards. We have seen it in New Zealand and South Africa; it occurs
Wild yeast or cultivated yeast? That is the eternal question right now, or at least one can get that impression in certain discussions. It seems
Pinot noir has a reputation for being a difficult grape, yet it is found in many places around the world. Maybe the grape isn’t so
What is natural wine? Are there rules? Is it good or weird? The concept of natural wine has emerged in recent years. It has been
A reader of our Brief had seen an advertisement for a sparkling wine called Bubbly Rosé which was sealed with a regular crown cap (old
Being biodynamic is not the same as being organic, even though they have many things in common. Only a tiny proportion of organic growers are
Organic wine is becoming increasingly popular. Many consumers look for it and many producers convert to become organic. But what is it really, organic wine?
Merlot is something of a chameleon. All grapes are, of course, in one way or another. But sometimes it’s more noticeable, as with merlot. Château
Although organic farming is increasing, it is still what we call conventional agriculture that dominates, where you can use synthetic chemical products. Therefore, organic producers
25,000 subscribers get wine news every month. You too?
