Alsace – dry or sweet?
2013-05-13
We have probably all experienced a bottle of wine from Alsace that did not go well with the food we served. The reason being, for the most part, that the wine was sweeter than we
BKWine Blog
We have probably all experienced a bottle of wine from Alsace that did not go well with the food we served. The reason being, for the most part, that the wine was sweeter than we
For printed publications there are in many countries at least a quasi-official reader statistics for magazines and papers (or on circulation or print run numbers). In Sweden this is called “TS Controlled” edition, in other
Quite some time back I wrote a guest article on the blog Les 5 du Vin on planting rights. They have moved the blog to a new platform and the article seems to have disappeared.
Strikes, sometimes violent, hit South Africa’s vineyards and fruit farms earlier this year and late 2012. The workers have asked for strong wage increases which they also got beginning of February. The minimum wage is
Sancerre in the Upper Loire is famous for its refreshing and white wine from Sauvignon blanc. This wine goes wonderfully with another local speciality, the goat cheese. Read more about it on the wine travel
Picpoul de Pinet is doing well. Production has doubled since 1990. We have never really quite understood why this wine from Languedoc has become so popular. Good marketing is certainly one reason. The wine has
Grüner veltliner is the great Austrian grape that has become for Austria what riesling is for Germany, malbec for Argentina and carmenère for Chile. Now, however, many growers are worried, among them Lenz Moser. The
It is time for les primeurs, whether you like tender asparagus or Bordeaux wines. So there has been much focus lately on the vintage 2012. A vintage that is still resting in the chateaux cellars.
A super-Tuscan super-lunch Tenuta di Biserno is in the Maremma region on the Tuscany coast. The owner is Lodovico Antinori who used to own well known Ornellaia. To get there you need to navigate some
Weingut Kunstler in the Rheingau in Germany is a winery with roots back to the 17th century. But it is also a wine producer that is ferociously modern. Gunter Kunstler, the current head, makes outstanding
Chapoutier in the Rhone Valley was first among the larger producers in France to go organic and biodynamic. Now the head of the firm, Michel Chapoutier, is disturbed by the fact that some wines that
On the slopes of Etna you can find a small vineyard, 10 hectares, called Pietradolce. The old vines, between 40 and 80 years old, grow in the black volcanic soil. They produce small yields but
The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards is the Academy Awards (Oscar ceremony) for food and drinks book. Both happened on the same weekend recently. The GWCA is perhaps not quite as star studded as the AA
Verona is spreading and it is time to stop the urbanization, says Count Pieralvise Serego Alighieri and other wine producers and environmentalists in Valpolicella, one of Italy’s most famous wine regions. Valpolicella is still a
More and more champagne houses mention the disgorging date on the label. A champagne often spends several years in the cool cellar of the producer, resting on the dead yeast from the second fermentation. Removing
Spring has not yet quite dared to make an entry on the scene here in northern France. On Thursday we may even get some snow. This is the coldest spring we have ever experienced in
Learn how to make wine like a winemaker in a blending workshop But it is not much of a secret. Most winemakers are very happy to explain exactly what it is they do. The blending
10 or 12 producers in Alsace recently formed a group called Groupe Transverse Alsace 2015. The group believes that the wine industry in Alsace needs to be reformed. The members are well known producers such
There is a new section on our travel site where we publish some examples, samples, of wine tour programs, just to give you a feeling for what it can be like. We have chosen some
To have fine, healthy grapes when it is time to pick means everything, or at least a lot, to the quality of the wine. And that means that you must ensure that both the vines
It is quite fun to be part of the jury in wine competitions. It is also very good blind tasting practice. And above all, it is very humbling. Blind tasting is very difficult. In a
They make wonderful wines in Alsace and the landscape is wonderfully beautiful. It has long been a popular wine region in Sweden (at least as long as I lived there) and in other countries but
Arrogant Frog and Fat Bastard are two rather unpleasant brand names for unpretentious French wines. And they happen to be big sellers on the export market. If the names show foreigners’ idea of the French
The “best” wine travel destination is of course a matter of personal taste. If one wants impressive chateaux, famous names, beautiful landscapes, not yet discovered talents, innovative winemakers etc. Every wine region is different. It
The usual infighting between French appellations… Renaming the French table wines to Vin de France was an ingenious move. They were formerly called vin de table, wines without geographical origin. “France” is a brand name
Porto, at the mouth of the Douro River, is an interesting city. Its twin across the Douro, Vila Nova de Gaia, is where you find all the old port “lodges” (it is no longer an
A new association to promote South African quality wines South Africa is probably most famous for its wines in the entry and middle price segment, often with “plenty of wine for the money”-aspects. Now a
A great occasion to taste malbec wines from all over the world! As if you needed any excuse to drink malbec wines, the Malbec World Day is coming back. This year it will be on
We are thinking about two new travel projects: a wine tour including a wine course; and a wine tour combined with a photography workshop. The “wine course” project is simply a “normal” wine tour with
Best of Wine Tourism is a prestigious international competition that promotes wine tourism initiatives. One of the awards for this year has been given to Chateau Lestrille, one of the estates we often visit on
We have probably all experienced a bottle of wine from Alsace that did not go well with the food we served. The reason being, for
For printed publications there are in many countries at least a quasi-official reader statistics for magazines and papers (or on circulation or print run numbers).
Quite some time back I wrote a guest article on the blog Les 5 du Vin on planting rights. They have moved the blog to
Strikes, sometimes violent, hit South Africa’s vineyards and fruit farms earlier this year and late 2012. The workers have asked for strong wage increases which
Sancerre in the Upper Loire is famous for its refreshing and white wine from Sauvignon blanc. This wine goes wonderfully with another local speciality, the
Picpoul de Pinet is doing well. Production has doubled since 1990. We have never really quite understood why this wine from Languedoc has become so
Grüner veltliner is the great Austrian grape that has become for Austria what riesling is for Germany, malbec for Argentina and carmenère for Chile. Now,
It is time for les primeurs, whether you like tender asparagus or Bordeaux wines. So there has been much focus lately on the vintage 2012.
A super-Tuscan super-lunch Tenuta di Biserno is in the Maremma region on the Tuscany coast. The owner is Lodovico Antinori who used to own well
Weingut Kunstler in the Rheingau in Germany is a winery with roots back to the 17th century. But it is also a wine producer that
Chapoutier in the Rhone Valley was first among the larger producers in France to go organic and biodynamic. Now the head of the firm, Michel
On the slopes of Etna you can find a small vineyard, 10 hectares, called Pietradolce. The old vines, between 40 and 80 years old, grow
The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards is the Academy Awards (Oscar ceremony) for food and drinks book. Both happened on the same weekend recently. The GWCA
Verona is spreading and it is time to stop the urbanization, says Count Pieralvise Serego Alighieri and other wine producers and environmentalists in Valpolicella, one
More and more champagne houses mention the disgorging date on the label. A champagne often spends several years in the cool cellar of the producer,
Spring has not yet quite dared to make an entry on the scene here in northern France. On Thursday we may even get some snow.
Learn how to make wine like a winemaker in a blending workshop But it is not much of a secret. Most winemakers are very happy
10 or 12 producers in Alsace recently formed a group called Groupe Transverse Alsace 2015. The group believes that the wine industry in Alsace needs
There is a new section on our travel site where we publish some examples, samples, of wine tour programs, just to give you a feeling
To have fine, healthy grapes when it is time to pick means everything, or at least a lot, to the quality of the wine. And
It is quite fun to be part of the jury in wine competitions. It is also very good blind tasting practice. And above all, it
They make wonderful wines in Alsace and the landscape is wonderfully beautiful. It has long been a popular wine region in Sweden (at least as
Arrogant Frog and Fat Bastard are two rather unpleasant brand names for unpretentious French wines. And they happen to be big sellers on the export
The “best” wine travel destination is of course a matter of personal taste. If one wants impressive chateaux, famous names, beautiful landscapes, not yet discovered
The usual infighting between French appellations… Renaming the French table wines to Vin de France was an ingenious move. They were formerly called vin de
Porto, at the mouth of the Douro River, is an interesting city. Its twin across the Douro, Vila Nova de Gaia, is where you find
A new association to promote South African quality wines South Africa is probably most famous for its wines in the entry and middle price segment,
A great occasion to taste malbec wines from all over the world! As if you needed any excuse to drink malbec wines, the Malbec World
We are thinking about two new travel projects: a wine tour including a wine course; and a wine tour combined with a photography workshop. The
Best of Wine Tourism is a prestigious international competition that promotes wine tourism initiatives. One of the awards for this year has been given to
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