Category: News

BKWine Blog

Douro landscape and vineyards a rainy and sunny day

Climate change in the vineyards, is it a problem?

In late October, a conference called Tasting Climate Change was held in Canada. The subject was the impact of climate change on wine growing. An important question asked was: is it justifiable to plant vines

Vine burned by the frost in Languedoc

French wine producers’ main concerns 2018

On February 8, BIVB, Interprofession des Vins de Burgundy (BIVB), will host its annual conference, Vinosphère, to discuss the future of Burgundy. The things that will be discussed are probably high on the agenda for

A barrel cellar tunnel at Bodegas Roda in Rioja

Viti-tunnel may reduce need for spraying

Ten Bordeaux chateaux will in 2018 and 2019 try out a new way to reduce the spraying in the vineyard. They will protect their vines against rain by installing in their vineyard a Viti-tunnel. This

Forest fire damage in Stellenbosch, South Africa

South Africa’s harvest hit by the drought

There is a severe water shortage at the moment in South Africa’s wine regions. The harvest 2018 will probably be the smallest in ten years. The South Africans begin picking their grapes in February. The

Cool climate vineyard landscape in Walker Bay on the south coast

What’s on at BKWine Tours, as per January 2018

Winter 2018 Chile and Argentina, January 27 – February 11 (full) South Africa, February 23 – March 5 (full) Spring 2018 Bordeaux, April 25-29 Autumn 2018 More to come: Bordeaux, October 10-14 South Africa, November

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon more and more popular in Washington

No, this is not about preferences in the White House. We are talking about wine production in Washington State, north of California and Oregon. Cabernet Sauvignon has grown significantly, from 560 hectares in the early

Chardonnay

IGP Pays d’Oc celebrates 30 year anniversary

A success story in the Languedoc celebrates 30 years. Robert Skalli and Jacques Gravegeal created IGP Pays d’Oc in 1987. At the time it was called Vin de Pays d’Oc. It became the most successful

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes

Phenomenal 2017 vintage in California

We have received a harvest report from California that says that 2017 will be a very good vintage. The fires in October have not affected the quality of the wines. Napa Valley, Sonoma and Mendocino

Pinot Noir in a grand cru vineyard in Corton

New appellations in Burgundy: Vézelay and Côte d’Or

Burgundy has a new village appellation. Bourgogne Vézelay has been upgraded to AOP Vézelay. The new village appellation has 70 hectares planted with chardonnay, the only grape permitted. Vézelay is located 50 kilometres south of

A tractor for treatments in a vineyard in Champagne

Foreign harvest workers dominate in Champagne

Where do all the harvest workers come from? This is a question we are often asked on our wine tours. Even though harvesting machines are being used more and more, still perhaps 40% of all

A glass of South African brandy, Alchemy of Gold

Fungus resistant grape varieties tested in Cognac

Cognac has a long-term plan to reduce the spraying in the vineyards. Currently, four different hybrids are being tested in the vineyards. All four grape varieties have good resistance to both downy mildew and powdery

A vine leaf attacked by mildiou (downy mildew)

Wine myths: hybrids make poor wines

In the previous issue of the Brief. we wrote about myths in the wine world. Some of our readers have contacted us with comments. Among others, William H. Shoemaker, retired horticulturist from the University of

Britt Karlsson, BKWine, tasting wine in Ningxia in China

Ningxia Winemakers Challenge

Ningxia started an original project in 2015, the Ningxia Winemakers Challenge (NWC). 48 different wine makers from all over the world were invited to Ningxia for the harvest that year. Each winemaker was paired with

Forest fire damage in Stellenbosch, South Africa

Horrible forest fires in Portugal and Spain

Portugal and Spain have also been hit hard by forest fires, just like the fires in California. A dry and hot October made it easy for fires to start. When the hurricane Ophelia came, the

Chenin Blanc

Buy chenin blanc to drink or to age

We were recently doing wine tour with wine lovers in the Loire Valley we tasted some really delicious chenin blanc wines, many of them. Chenin blanc has never really caught on as a trendy grape,

Forest fire damage in Stellenbosch, South Africa

Violent wildfires in California’s wine regions

Around 40 people died in very extensive fires north of San Francisco in mid-October. Wine regions like Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino were affected and the fires caused damage to a large number of wine estates.

Britt Karlsson, BKWine, tasting wine in Ningxia in China

Ningxia Winemakers Challenge

Ningxia started an original project in 2015, the Ningxia Winemakers Challenge (NWC). 48 different wine makers from all over the world were invited to Ningxia

Chenin Blanc

Buy chenin blanc to drink or to age

We were recently doing wine tour with wine lovers in the Loire Valley we tasted some really delicious chenin blanc wines, many of them. Chenin

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