—
Trends and non-trends
—
New trends don’t appear just because the calendar says it’s a new year. But at the end of December, many people have a go at predicting everything new that will happen in the wine world.
On the other hand, in the world of wine, trends rarely change drastically from year to year. Once a trend takes off, it usually lasts for a while. And then it fades. Or not. The environment, primarily organic wine growing, has been on everyone’s trend list in recent years. Organic production has increased enormously in the past 15 years. The pace has now slowed, and consumer interest has temporarily cooled down a bit. The trend is at a low ebb. At the same time, most producers and authorities agree that environmental issues are one of today’s major challenges. As we consumers do too.
No one can escape sustainability today. So, it is not exactly a trend. You cannot choose to jump on it or not. You are more or less forced to.
This can also apply to market adaptation. A winegrower may be forced to jump on a trend he dislikes because customers demand it. In these times of reduced consumption, this is becoming more and more important. A trend for the coming years may well be market adaptation. How the wine turns out depends, above all, on the winemaker’s choices and goals. A wine does not have an obvious “natural” unadulterated taste (that is one of the big misconceptions about “natural wines” – the natural taste of a wine does not exist), so making a wine that suits a particular market is a condition of life.
Speaking of sustainability. If it gets too quiet around the table at one of the upcoming dinners, you can play the game “Guess the weight of the wine bottle” (this assumes, of course, that the bottle is on the table and that the hosts haven’t poured it into a beautiful carafe). How much does it weigh empty? Then put it on the household scale. We like glass bottles and corks for wine but are happy to advocate for lighter bottles. It’s been a long time since we were impressed by a heavy bottle. The Swedish standard for a lightweight bottle is 420 grams. The Swedish monopoly stores, Systembolaget, has thus decided and several players in the industry in other countries have adopted this weight. But you probably will not find many such light bottles during the Christmas and New Year holidays. Fine wines still tend to be bottled in heavy bottles. But the trend is clear: bottle weight is decreasing.
Another clear trend is that the production and sale of non-alcoholic wines are increasing in many countries. According to some market studies, they are predicted to grow explosively over the next ten years. They will probably take market share from wine. I am curious to see if the producers can do something about the grotesquely high sugar levels. Non-alcoholic wine is a real wine that has been de-alcoholised. But without alcohol, it becomes unbalanced and, not least, uncomfortably acidic. Added sugar saves the day. At Systembolaget, one non-alcoholic wine has 16 grams of sugar; all others have between 35 and 70 grams. You can also keep in mind that non-alcoholic wines are perhaps the most technically processed wine there is, especially if you like wines with few additives and little technology in the cellar.
Trends often go in different or even opposite directions. One trend is to use more and more technology in the vineyard – drones, robots, etc. At the same time, there is another trend that is moving towards utilising the technology that is available to an ever-decreasing extent. The natural wine movement and other closely related things fall under this, as do the rules for Burgundy’s latest premier cru vineyards prohibiting machine harvesting. One wonders why, today, when machines are better than ever, and people who want to harvest are hard to find, and almost all experts agree that machine harvesting can give at least as good results as hand harvesting. Perhaps it reflects the old-fashioned traditionalism in the wine world?
The smart ones realise that technology and a back-to-nature vision can be combined for the best results. It is also true that the better your technology, the smaller doses you need to use.
Another definitely not straightforward trend has been on trend lists in recent years, namely that people are increasingly looking for light, juicy and refreshing wines. I think it is a niche trend. Many people don’t like these wines – too light, too bright, too acidic, they say. Ever since the New World, and southern Italy for that matter, began to provide us with its warm-climate wines, people have liked powerful and full-bodied wines. And they still do. Nothing is wrong with that; the best wine is the one you like — light and juicy or rich and intense, fresh and fruity or spicy and oak-aged, etc. — not the one that fits the latest trend.
And in 2025?
What do you think? What will be the big trends next year?
Join us virtually to South America, South Africa and New Zealand
As soon as the holiday season is over, the winter season will kick off for us with our three fantastic winter wine tours. If you are curious about these three wine countries, you can join us virtually by joining our Facebook groups for these tours. We will post lots of pictures, videos and comments from these tours. Join us on a wonderfully spectacular winter wine tour virtually:
Chile and Argentina wine tour on Facebook.
South Africa wine tour on Facebook.
New Zealand wine tour Facebook.
But, of course, it is summer in these countries! Click Join and then choose how many notifications you want – everything, the most important, nothing.
Winter wine tours
A tour that is really special is our South America wine tour that takes you to Chile and Argentina in January. It is really last minute but we can, as it looks, take a few more guests on this tour.
We have two other very special tours this winter. First, The Great South Africa Tour, which takes you to almost every wine region in South Africa. No more bookings on this.
The third winter tour is to New Zealand. I should probably also call it “The Great” New Zealand tour. Very few seats left on this. Book now.
More info on our wine tours here. “World’s Top Wine Tours“. Tours with the people who know wine and who have an unrivalled experience of wine and tours.
Travel in wine regions with someone you trust.
Enjoy the Brief!
Britt & Per
Wine editors to the national encyclopaedia, Forbes.com contributors, award-winning wine book authors, wine tour advisors to the UN and national wine organisations, wine judges … and, above all, passionate wine travellers.
If you appreciate what we do, you can help us:
Tell your friends about the Brief or send it to them.
Like us and follow us on social media:
BKWine Magazine on Facebook | Wine Tours on Facebook
—
What’s on at BKWine Tours
BKWine is also one of the world’s leading wine tour operators. Here’s what we currently have on our scheduled wine tour program:
- Chile-Argentina, 13-26 January 2025
- South Africa, 14-24 February 2025
- New Zealand, 11-26 March 2025
–
- Burgundy and the Rhone Valley, 17-25 September 2025 (program coming soon)
–
- Chile-Argentina, January 2026
- South Africa, February 2026
- New Zealand, March 2026
We also make custom designed wine tours.
We’re different than most other wine tour operators. We are people who know wine inside out, who travel constantly in wine regions, who write award winning books about wine. Who do this out of passion.
Our wine tours are different from others.
A typical year we organise more than 30 wine tours to destinations across the world. In Europe: France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and more. World-wide: South Africa, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand. Thanks to our Scandinavian background we have a separate offer for the Scandinavian market. These are sometimes offered in English and also available as custom made tours. For example, these destinations:
—
Read our books
We have written eleven wine books. They have won awards from the Gourmand Awards, The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) and others.
Unfortunately, only one of them has been translated to English; the others are (so far) only available in Swedish. This is the one that is available in English:
Here’s the full list of our books:
- The Wonderful World of Wine
- Languedoc-Roussillon, the Wines of Southern France
- Champagne, the Wine and the Growers
—
News from the World of Wine
—
Short briefs on what’s been happening in the world of wine recently and other interesting things.
—
Organic farming is still growing in 2024 despite the challenges
From January 27 to 29, 2025, Millésime Bio 2025 will open its doors in Montpellier in Languedoc. This fair for organic wines started on a small scale in 1993 but has now grown to 1,500 exhibitors from 16 different countries and visitors from all over the world. Despite gloomy reports of reduced consumption and difficult weather conditions in 2024, the fair’s organisers are still optimistic.
In a season like 2024, with repeated attacks by fungal diseases, some organic vineyards will inevitably give up their certification. However, only a few did it this year. At the end of September, 340 growers had ended organic farming, but at the same time, 500 new ones had started their conversion, which meant an increase of 1.6% in the organic vineyard area. Organic agriculture in general, however, decreased for the first time in France.
Organic wine production in France continues to increase, but the pace has slowed considerably. The supply of organic wine is now greater than the demand. France has had 15 years of strong growth in organic wines. Today, 22% of the wine-growing area is organic, compared to 6% in 2012. More than two-thirds of French organic wines are exported. Read more: Millesime-Bio
Read: Read more on organic wines in BKWine’s book Organic, Biodynamic and Natural winemaking.
Happy Hour is out, apéro is in – and preferably with vermouth
There is a new trend in the US. Sweet, alcoholic cocktails are out and vermouth is in. Americans have become more bitter. However, we hope that this is not due to harsh times, but that they are simply starting to appreciate the bitter, herbal taste of a good vermouth. We drank one from Mallorca the other day. Sweet but with a distinct herbal and bitter taste. Most vermouths are sweet, but it is a sweetness balanced by the bitterness from the wormwood and other spices. This makes vermouth a superb aperitif.
Vermouth is made everywhere. In Italy, of course – where the classic vermouth is particularly bitter – but also in France (most famous for its Noilly Prat, which is relatively dry) and not least in Spain (Catalonia is a vermouth stronghold). And now the USA is coming as both a producer and consumer of vermouth. It is ironic to read in the American Wine Business that “happy hour” with cocktails is out and aperitif hour is in. Happy hour with cocktails is a big thing in France, at least on summer outdoor terraces. But maybe it is a temporary phenomenon. Having vermouth in peace and quiet before dinner is so much more pleasant than drinking cocktails at a set time. Read more: winebusiness
Where does that peculiar petroleum character in your riesling come from?
Who has not at some point felt petroleum aroma in a wine, most likely in a riesling? This slightly odd aroma is often associated with older, mature riesling. There has been discussion about where the aroma actually comes from. And is a petroleum-scented riesling attractive or not? Well, opinions differ. It seems that either you love it or hate it. The excellent Seven Fifty Daily has attempted to explain the phenomenon.
Petroleum comes from an organic compound called TDN (1,1,6-Trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene). The formation of TDN in wine is due to the carotenoids found in grapes. (Carotenoids are a type of organic nutrient and coloring agent found in carrots, among other things.) When carotenoids break down, two types of non-volatile TDN precursors called C13-norisoprenoids can form in a riesling. These precursors eventually form (volatile) TDN. However, it takes time, which is why the petroleum aroma often only appears after several years. Acidity plays a key role in these changes, so riesling wines with higher acidity tend to develop TDN more quickly. More sunlight means more carotenoid production, so if the producer wants to avoid petroleum, he should protect his vines from too much sun. This is also important to consider in the light of climate change. Read more interesting things about wine and petroleum here: sevenfifty
New premier crus in southern Burgundy
Southern Burgundy is in the spotlight. Côte Chalonnaise and Mâcon make affordable wines in villages that are not as hyped as in the Côte d’Or. In Mâcon, two small white wine appellations, Pouilly-Loché and Pouilly-Vinzelles, have recently been awarded premier cru vineyards. INAO, the state body that supervises the appellations, does not hand out premier cru (not to mention grand cru) easily. It takes time. For Loché and Vinzelles, it began in 2006 with, among other things, geological studies of the soil.
The result is that Pouilly-Loché (a total of 32 hectares) has been awarded one premier cru: Les Mûres (7.09 ha). Pouilly-Vinzelles (52 ha in total) has been awarded three: Les Longeays (7.50 ha), Les Pétaux (2.76 ha) and Les Quarts (12.45 ha). The rules for these four premier cru vineyards are a little stricter than the plain village wines. The yield is limited to 58 hl/ha (instead of 62). The wines must be aged a little longer and may only be sold from July 15 following the harvest. All chemical weeding is prohibited and manual harvesting is mandatory. This last rule is a bit strange, especially for white wines. In Chablis, for instance, a large part of all grapes is harvested by machine. The larger neighbour Pouilly-Fuissé, with 800 hectares, was awarded premier cru vineyards in 2020. And quite a lot of them, 22 in total, 24% of the appellation’s surface. Read more: vins-bourgogne
Travel: Come on a wine tour to Burgundy (and the Rhone Valley) with BKWine. (PS: We’ve written a prize-winning book on Burgundy and one on the wines of France.)
Do you recycle your wine box (bag-in-box) correctly?
The first impression of a wine is important. So today, focus is as much on the packaging of wine as the contents. For the wine producer, it’s about choosing a packaging that attracts young, trend-conscious consumers without scaring away the old, loyal customers. And of course, they must take sustainability into account. Skipping the glass bottle and going for a bag-in-box is popular for more unpretentious wines. However, the new PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation Directive) that will soon be introduced in the EU states that packaging must be 80% recyclable, which can be difficult for a bag-in-box today to reach. The bag-in-box consists of a paper box and a plastic bag with a metal component. If these two are not recycled separately, the recycling rate will be much lower than 80%.
So, the box and bag must be more easy to separate to facilitate recycling. When properly separated, the bag and the box can each be recycled, increasing the overall recycling rate to over 90%. In response to this challenge, Smurfit Westrock, a global packaging company leader in BiBs, has developed its patented EasySplit Bag-in-Box® design. From now on, there is no problem recycling correctly. But considering it is a patent, the level of innovation was modest. Read more (and watch a video of this distinctly modest “invention”): Smurfitkappa
EU’s 18 (19) key wine countries – statistics and good advice for the future
The wine sector is vital for EU’s cultural heritage and also for EU’s economy, society and rural areas. The wine sector has its own high-level group (“think tank”) that discusses the challenges and opportunities for the wine sector. The group has just published new recommendations consisting of a series of targeted policy measures to address the challenges facing the wine sector. The recommendations focus on three key areas: adapting wine production to demand, building resilience to market and climate challenges, and adapting to trends to seize new market opportunities. All of that sounds like sensible advice.
The report also includes figures on this year’s production from 18 wine-producing countries within the EU. Half of these will produce over 1 million hectolitres in 2024. These are Italy (41 million hl), France (39.3), Spain (38), Germany (8.1), Portugal (6.9), Romania (3.7), Hungary (2.9), Austria (2.1) and Greece (1.8).
The smaller wine countries, under 1 million hl, are Bulgaria (712,000 hl), Slovenia (512,800), Croatia (458,000), Czech Republic (347,000), Slovakia (318,000), Luxembourg (77,000), Cyprus (63,000), Malta (9,500) and the Netherlands with 7,000 hl. (Sweden is not included but produces just under half of the Dutch volume). In total, the EU produced 146.5 million hectolitres of wine in 2024. The five-year average is 160 million. EU is the global leader in wine production with 60 % of world production. Read more: market-observatories-wine
Etna Wine School Ambassador Program, for the true volcano wine aficionado
Are you fascinated by volcanic wines, and especially those from Etna, Europe’s biggest active volcano? Do you want to know more and maybe even gain expert knowledge about these fascinating wines? If yes, then the Etna Wine School has what you need. Benjamin Spencer, who runs the school, offers both online courses about Etna and on-site courses. Now you can also obtain an Etna Ambassador Certificate. This Etna Ambassador course takes place in Sicily from 11 to 17 May and includes expert lectures, educational visits to the vineyards, tastings, delicious Sicilian meals and much more. There is a final exam for those aiming to earn the Etna Ambassador Certificate™. Read more about The Etna Wine School and the Ambassador Programme here: etnawineschool
Red wines for a good start of 2025
Chile, Argentina, and South Africa all make red wines of top quality in many different styles: elegant, powerful, and easy-going. Here are some recommendations for the firsts months of 2025 with no specific theme, except that they are inspired by our upcoming wine tours to the southern hemisphere. Maybe you won’t find these particular wines but you can look for the producer or the grape variety. Happy hunting!
Vigno by Bouchon, Carignan 2020, Maule. Chile, ~25 euro. Full-bodied, flavourful from carignan, Maules’ signature grape.
Weinert Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Mendoza, Argentina, 94842, ~25 euro. Classic cabernet sauvignon from Mendoza with a powerful warm climate feel to it and a pleasant acidity in the finish.
Creation Pinot Noir Reserve 2021, Hemel en Aarde, South Africa, ~30 euro. A pinot noir with grape typicity from the cool south coast of South Africa.
Craven Cinsaut 2020 Stellenbosch, South Africa, ~28 euro. An elegant and flavourful cinsault with personality.
Lievland Cellar Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Coastal Region, South Africa, ~12 euro. Black currents and soft tannins create a good balance.
Rústico Cinsault Viña Bouchon, 2023, Valle del Itata, Chile, ~15 euro. Juicy, easy-drinking pleasant.
—
Features of the Month
—
Articles and features published on BKWine Magazine and on our wine travel blog and (occasionally) photography blog in the last month.
—
Magnificent Californian Zinfandel from Turley
Turley Wine Cellars was founded in 1993 by former emergency room doctor Larry Turley. Larry grew up on a farm in Tennessee, and he brought with him a respect for the land and agriculture. In the late 1970s, he met John Williams, and together, they started Frog’s Leap Winery. The winery was a success, but Larry felt he wanted to take a different path. He had taken an interest in zinfandel and petite syrah, especially from older vineyards. In 1993, he sold his share in Frog’s Leap and started Turley, with a focus on zinfandel and petite syrah. We tasted eight wines from Turley.
Read more in Anders Åhlén’s article on BKWine Magazine: Magnificent Californian Zinfandel from Turley.
—
Wine Tours
—
Details on our current and future wine tours. Book a wine tour with the “World’s Top Wine Tour Operator” today (or when you feel like travelling to wine country).
Treat yourself to an unforgettable experience in the beautiful wine-lands together with some of the most knowledgeable wine people around. Book now!
—
Making great wine since 1551 in South America | wine tour Chile-Argentina
Exactly when is not known for sure but it is believed that the first vineyards were planted in South America in 1551 and the first wine made in 1555. Oddly enough, in Peru! This is 70 years before proper wine was made in North America. How great it was is perhaps dubious, with today’s standard. The grape variety was listan prieto, originating from Spain. The grape is almost forgotten in Europe but is experiencing a revival in Chile and Argentina. Today, it goes under the name criolla chica in Argentina, país in Chile (and mission in California). It is one of the leading personalities in the new trend towards lighter, fresher and elegant wines at the same time that it is a monument to wine history.
Other grapes play the leading roles these days (malbec, cabernet, carmenere, sauvignon, chardonnay…), but when you come to South America it is a must-try. Travelling to the wine regions in Argentina and Chile gives an interesting perspective on the wine world. They made wine here before the great and famous wine chateau in Bordeaux were born. Come with us and discover these great wines and wine countries.
Come on this exciting wine tour to Argentina and Chile with Britt and Per of BKWine, one of the world’s leading wine tour operators (*).
Urgent to book! Only a few places left.
- Chile-Argentina, 13-26 January 2025
–
- The Chile-Argentina wine tour will be back in 2026. Contact us for info.
(*) And the only one who has authored 13 award-winning wine books.
More inspiration: You can get an even better feeling for what you will experience on this tour if you visit the latest tour’s own Facebook group. Lots of pictures and videos from the tour (join the group and you’ll get an update when we post new contents): The wine tour to Chile and Argentina 2023.
You will surely fall in love with South Africa | wine tour
It is easy to like South Africa. The wines are delicious, even magnificent, the food is excellent, the landscape is beautiful. South Africa’s vineyards are all located in the southernmost part of the country. The almost 100,000 hectares are spread over a fairly small area. You could stay in Cape Town and make day trips to many of the wine regions. However, we prefer to move around a bit and stay, not only in Cape Town, but also in Franschhoek, Stellenbosch, Hermanus in Walker Bay and in Riebeek Kasteel in Swartland. This gives us a better feel for the wine regions and these small towns are also very charming (in different ways). The weather in South Africa is Mediterranean, warm in the summer, but not too hot and often with a slight breeze that cools the vineyards. Many grape varieties thrive; Bordeaux grapes, syrah, cinsault, grenache, pinotage, chenin blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, and several other. Wine is the focus of our tour, but we also do some sightseeing, such as Table Mountain and the Cape of Good Hope. During our delicious lunches (and a few dinners) together, most of them at the wineries, we enjoy the local gastronomy. Passionate winemakers are of course also part of the tour.
Come on this fabulous wine tour to South Africa with Britt and Per of BKWine, one of the world’s leading wine tour operators (*).
–
- The South Africa wine tour will be back in 2026. Contact us for info.
(*) And the only one who has authored 13 award-winning wine books.
More inspiration: You can get an even better feeling for what you will experience on this tour if you visit the latest tour’s own Facebook group. Lots of pictures and videos from the tour (join the group and you’ll get an update when we post new contents): The wine tour to South Africa 2024.
New Zealand, a wine adventure far, far away | wine tour
Travelling far away is always an adventure. And further away than New Zealand is hard to get. So that is why our trip to New Zealand is something of an adventure. With a big focus on wine. But we will also see a lot of the country. Our tour is not only an adventure but also a road trip. Travelling with bus – and the occasional ferry boat – is the best way to travel in New Zealand. The tour starts in Auckland, the country’s largest city, and we then travel all the way to Queenstown on the South Island. During the tour we visit wine regions such as Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough, and Central Otago. You will taste a lot of wines but there will also be time for relaxation, sightseeing, natural phenomena, and charming towns.
New Zealand’s nature is unique and sometimes spectacular – Rotorua’s geysers and hot springs, the high mountains of Central Otago and the incredibly blue waters of Lake Tekapo. In Kaikōura, a town famous for its seafood, we will taste local delicacies, New Zealand lobster. We also make a short visit to the beautiful capital Wellington and stay three nights in the lively city of Queenstown, actually called the adventure capital of New Zealand. A fitting finish for an adventure wine tour.
Come on this stunning wine tour to New Zealand with Britt and Per of BKWine, one of the world’s leading wine tour operators (*).
Urgent. Book now! Only a few seats left.
–
- The New Zealand wine tour will be back in 2026. Contact us for info.
(*) And the only one who has authored 13 award-winning wine books.
More inspiration: You can get an even better feeling for what you will experience on this tour if you visit the latest tour’s own Facebook group. Lots of pictures and videos from the tour (join the group and you’ll get an update when we post new contents): The wine tour to New Zealand 2024.
Explore the Eastern part of France: Burgundy, and the Rhône Valley | wine tour
Burgundy has so many famous villages that you feel at home when you see all the sign posts, even if you have never been there: Aloxe-Corton, Gevrey-Chambertin, Pommard, Morey-Saint-Denis, Puligny-Montrachet and so on. Burgundy is filled with small producers and they have small plots spread out over the region, in different villages. But no matter how small the quantity from one village, they would rarely blend it with another village. The concept of terroir is deeply rooted in Burgundy. We will talk a lot about terroir during our days in Burgundy while tasting taste magnificent wines including premier cru and grand cru. We continue our tour south, to the Rhône Valley and the landscape changes and also the wines. The elegance of Burgundy give way to more structured syrah wines in the Northern Rhône and opulent grenache wines in the Southern Rhône. The Southern Rhône Valley is not only synonymous with the famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines, but there are also many prominent wine producers in villages such as Gigondas, Séguret and Vacqueyras. The region is part of Provence and is therefore known for its beautiful landscape and delicious Mediterranean-inspired food.
Come and discover French wine and food in Burgundy and the Rhone Valley on this luxurious wine tour with BKWine, one of the world’s leading wine tour operators (*).
- The Grand French Wine tour to Burgundy and the Rhône Valley, 17-25 September, 2025
(*) And the only one who has authored 13 award-winning wine books.
Champagne every day? Absolutely! | Wine Tour
An entire tour dedicated solely to champagne! And there’s nothing strange about that. You can explore champagne throughout a whole journey, just as you might with Burgundy or Bordeaux. The variety among different champagnes is greater than you might think—especially if you choose interesting visits to different types of producers, mixing large houses with smaller growers. Despite the strict regulations in Champagne, there is plenty of room for individual producers to leave their personal mark on the champagne.
The grower influences everything—from the work in the fields to the final stage, the addition (or not) of dosage, which often makes the wine a bit rounder. We learn all about the production process, and being here in person makes it much easier to understand how and why certain choices are made. It’s a complex wine to produce. We’ll explore the vineyards, visit many different types of cellars where thousands—or even millions—of bottles rest for many years before they’re ready to be enjoyed. Amazing lunches paired entirely with champagne, of course. No red wine here!
Come on this luxurious wine tour to Champagne with BKWine, one of the world’s leading wine tour operators (*).
- This tour is currently available as a bespoke tour for small groups.
(*) And the only one who has authored 13 award-winning wine books.
Bordeaux, historic, sought-after and now also innovative | wine tour
Bordeaux has long been France’s and the world’s most sought-after red wine. Today, the competition is fierce. Bordeaux is changing. The wines that can be aged for a long time are still there, but now there is also more “quaffable” wine, a way to attract young consumers to Bordeaux. Because it is a fantastic district to visit with fabulous chateaux and a long and glorious history. We taste prestigious wines and eat luxurious lunches at the chateaux. We visit traditional family chateaux and famous chateaux and we meet winemakers who speak of the importance of growing organically. The classic and the new innovative. We will get a good idea of what is happening in the great wine region of Bordeaux today. We stay in the city of Bordeaux, one of the most beautiful in all of France.
Come on this wonderful wine tour to Bordeaux with BKWine, one of the world’s leading wine tour operators (*).
- This tour is currently available as a bespoke tour for small groups.
(*) And the only one who has authored 13 award-winning wine books.
Tuscany, the perfect food wines in an enchanting setting | wine tour
Of all of Italy’s 20 regions, Tuscany is probably the most famous. The landscape of Tuscany has been described countless times but it is still just as enchantingly beautiful, with vineyards on rolling hills, cypresses and impressive old private palaces. Tuscany is mountainous and vines are grown at an altitude of up to 600 meters. We visit Chianti, Chianti Classico (two different districts actually) and Brunello di Montalcino, have lunch at the producers’ and enjoy the wines, which are mainly red, made from the characterful sangiovese. Tuscan wines have exactly that acidity, the slight austerity and elegance that make them perfect food wines. The gastronomy in Tuscany today is a mixture of traditional, rustic cuisine and star-quality gastronomy.
Come on this wonderful wine tour to Tuscany with BKWine, one of the world’s leading wine tour operators (*).
- This tour is currently available as a bespoke tour for small groups.
(*) And the only one who has authored 13 award-winning wine books.
Piedmont, a deep dive into Nebbiolo wine, with truffles | wine tour
Piedmont wines have won recognition all over the world. Piedmont is also a fantastically beautiful wine region. We stay in Alba, a small town of just the right size to enjoy in the evenings, after intense days among the vines. Nebbiolo is the great grape in Piedmont, responsible for, among others, Barolo and Barbaresco – today some of the world’s most acclaimed wines – but there is more to discover, not least the Barbera grape, formerly a grape “for the people” but now as noble as Nebbiolo. And freisa, cortese, arneis, dolcetto, grigolino… We visit large, impressive wine cellars, small producers who tell their fascinating stories, we meet newcomers and those who have grown wine here for many generations. October is truffle season in Piedmont and we taste the fantastic white truffle at our closing lunch, after a visit to the famous truffle market in Alba.
Come and discover all the good things that Piedmont has to offer on this wonderful wine tour with BKWine, one of the world’s leading wine tour operators (*).
- This tour is currently available as a bespoke tour for small groups.
(*) And the only one who has authored 13 award-winning wine books.
Douro Valley, breathtaking, magnificent and different | wine tour
The landscape of the Douro is magnificent with steep, laboriously terraced vineyards that have earned the district a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The grapes that grow here eventually end up in either a port wine or a so-called Douro wine, high-quality, dry wines that are becoming more and more popular here. They are among Portugal’s best wines today, both the reds and the whites. This is the tour where you have the chance to discover these exciting wines and at the same time rediscover port wine, which has actually had a renaissance in recent years. People don’t drink port wine as often anymore, but there is now a good market for really high-quality port, both tawny and vintage. We visit both small growers with a family feel and who offer home-cooked lunches and large port wine houses that use the latest technology. We stay two nights in the pleasant town of Porto, Portugal’s second city, and two nights in the valley, at the excellent Vintage House.
Come and discover the spectacular landscapes and wines of the Douro on this wine tour with BKWine, one of the world’s leading wine tour operators (*).
- This tour is currently available as a bespoke tour for small groups.
(*) And the only one who has authored 13 award-winning wine books.
