BKWine Brief nr 257, January 2025
2025-01-31
— Allow time for the food — We all occasionally long for a break from the fast pace of daily life. One way of doing that is to spend time with your food. And I
— Allow time for the food — We all occasionally long for a break from the fast pace of daily life. One way of doing that is to spend time with your food. And I
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
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,
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
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
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
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
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
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.
— 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
The cinsault grape is unusually well adapted to cope with heat waves and dry weather. So, it is a grape that some wine regions should perhaps pay more attention to. It produces a light and
France will uproot almost 30,000 hectares of vineyards shortly. This was announced by FranceAgriMer, which is attached to the French Ministry of Agriculture. The growers who want to uproot vines have been able to apply
Being a grape grower in California has not been easy this year. Nobody wants to buy their grapes. Even normally highly sought-after grapes like chardonnay from Sonoma and cabernet sauvignon from Napa have been hit
When you visit Champagne nowadays, the question of the acidity in the wines often comes up. It is generally accepted that a good quality sparkling wine should have a high acidity. But with warmer summers,
There is a lot of talk about fungus resistant grapes (sometimes called PIWI, from German pilzwiderstandsfähige). But the descriptor is maybe poorly chosen. The “fungus resistant” grapes used today are hybrids, in other words crosses
Portugal is the country to turn to for Christmas wines. They make some stunning fortified wines, very suitable for the winter season and, of course, Christmas. But it is not only port wine. Here are
I drank an excellent Beaujolais nouveau on November 21st, and I’m sure many of our readers did, too. There is a cautious optimism among Beaujolais growers. Indeed, the Beaujolais nouveau celebration isn’t what it was
Biodynamic agriculture turns 100 this year. It was in 1924 that Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy, gave his famous lectures to a group of anthroposophical farmers who worried that the new artificial fertilisers would
Congratulations to the South African grape pinotage, which turns 100 this year. Pinotage was created in 1924 by Professor Perold who crossed two grapes, cinsault (in South Africa at the time called hermitage) and pinot
It is really too early to ask if 2024 will be a year for Vintage Port, as we learned on our Douro Valley tour recently. Although the winemakers may know deep down. Kay Bouchard at
In Europe, the 2024 harvest has just finished and in South Africa the growing season for vintage 2025 is underway. The industry body SAWIS forecasts a good harvest. After a challenging 2024 season with extreme
Like many other wine countries in 2024, Germany has struggled against the forces of the weather. The overall harvest volume was not much lower than normal as the large regions of Rheinhessen, Palatinate and Baden
The wine world is being flooded with labels. I recently read that Champagne Bollinger was awarded the label “Entreprise du Patrimoine vivant” (roughly “a company that keeps historical tradition alive”); I didn’t even know one
— Are we drowning in labels? — The wine world is being flooded with labels. I recently read that Champagne Bollinger was awarded the label “Entreprise du Patrimoine vivant” (roughly “a company that keeps historical
Local grapes are on the rise in many parts of Europe. This is also noticeable in Mallorca, an island that is so far better known for its beaches than for its wines. But it is
That France has the world’s largest production of oak barrels will come as no surprise. Most of the world’s wine regions buy French oak barrels of various sizes and shapes. But which country buys the
Mealybugs are a feared enemy in the vineyards in California, Oregon, South Africa, and other places. These tiny bugs are dangerous because they spread the leaf roll virus (court noué in France) which causes the
Some countries are primarily associated with one grape variety, such as malbec in Argentina and sauvignon blanc in New Zealand. However, this latter country makes wine from a variety of other grapes (and so does
More and more fungus-resistant hybrids are being allowed in France. Or perhaps a better wording: lesser prone to disease. Four new varieties, two whites and two reds, were recently introduced. These can be planted and
Everyone who reads the Brief is probably more or less a wine enthusiast. We are, of course. We have been called geeks and it has probably happened to one or two of our readers as
— Allow time for the food — We all occasionally long for a break from the fast pace of daily life. One way of doing
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
— 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
The cinsault grape is unusually well adapted to cope with heat waves and dry weather. So, it is a grape that some wine regions should
France will uproot almost 30,000 hectares of vineyards shortly. This was announced by FranceAgriMer, which is attached to the French Ministry of Agriculture. The growers
Being a grape grower in California has not been easy this year. Nobody wants to buy their grapes. Even normally highly sought-after grapes like chardonnay
When you visit Champagne nowadays, the question of the acidity in the wines often comes up. It is generally accepted that a good quality sparkling
There is a lot of talk about fungus resistant grapes (sometimes called PIWI, from German pilzwiderstandsfähige). But the descriptor is maybe poorly chosen. The “fungus
Portugal is the country to turn to for Christmas wines. They make some stunning fortified wines, very suitable for the winter season and, of course,
I drank an excellent Beaujolais nouveau on November 21st, and I’m sure many of our readers did, too. There is a cautious optimism among Beaujolais
Biodynamic agriculture turns 100 this year. It was in 1924 that Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy, gave his famous lectures to a group of
Congratulations to the South African grape pinotage, which turns 100 this year. Pinotage was created in 1924 by Professor Perold who crossed two grapes, cinsault
It is really too early to ask if 2024 will be a year for Vintage Port, as we learned on our Douro Valley tour recently.
In Europe, the 2024 harvest has just finished and in South Africa the growing season for vintage 2025 is underway. The industry body SAWIS forecasts
Like many other wine countries in 2024, Germany has struggled against the forces of the weather. The overall harvest volume was not much lower than
The wine world is being flooded with labels. I recently read that Champagne Bollinger was awarded the label “Entreprise du Patrimoine vivant” (roughly “a company
— Are we drowning in labels? — The wine world is being flooded with labels. I recently read that Champagne Bollinger was awarded the label
Local grapes are on the rise in many parts of Europe. This is also noticeable in Mallorca, an island that is so far better known
That France has the world’s largest production of oak barrels will come as no surprise. Most of the world’s wine regions buy French oak barrels
Mealybugs are a feared enemy in the vineyards in California, Oregon, South Africa, and other places. These tiny bugs are dangerous because they spread the
Some countries are primarily associated with one grape variety, such as malbec in Argentina and sauvignon blanc in New Zealand. However, this latter country makes
More and more fungus-resistant hybrids are being allowed in France. Or perhaps a better wording: lesser prone to disease. Four new varieties, two whites and
Everyone who reads the Brief is probably more or less a wine enthusiast. We are, of course. We have been called geeks and it has
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