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The world is much bigger than one thinks!
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We were in Hungary last week, and it was a reminder (if we needed one) of how big the wine world is, how many wines there are to discover and how much we have still to learn. For example, the names of all the local Hungarian grape varieties. Producers in Hungary focus a lot on local grapes. That’s good; it’s fashionable. We probably came across about twenty grape varieties we have never met anywhere else. More about this in future articles. It again showed that Hungary is a wine country to be reckoned with.
Wine enthusiasts are looking for – at least sometimes – the unknown. But does this apply even if the names are unpronounceable? We hope so, for the sake of Hungary. It would be sad if they gave up certain grapes because we foreigners are too lazy. Surely it is worthwhile to make an extra effort and figure out the name of a few unknown varieties?
Producers also have to exert themselves. There are very few wine producers who do not have to do their utmost to sell their wines. Most wines don’t sell themselves. With all these wines in the world, I sometimes think it’s pretty amazing that all the wines produced (well, more or less all) end up in someone’s glass. (Read, for example, our series on world wine production here.)
When talking to producers, you understand that it’s about meeting the right people. You happen to meet an importer or sommelier who falls in love with your wine or is looking for that particular style. You have to find enthusiasts who can sell and convince their customers back home about the excellence of your wine. It is necessary, especially for wines of “odd” origin.
Some consumers choose a particular wine because it is inexpensive and/or well-known. They may, out of habit, select the same wine as last time. But some wines, and here we can include those with local Hungarian grapes, need to be sold with an explanation, perhaps a little persuasion. Enthusiasts in wine bars, restaurants and wine shops do a lot to promote the unknown, and afterwards, people thank them for it. And actually, it is enough to say “yes, please” if someone suggests a cserszegi füszeres.
A thought about Hungary’s neighbour Ukraine
We saw some Ukrainian cars in Hungary, no wonder considering that they are neighbouring countries. Many Ukrainians have fled to Hungary. It makes me think (again) of the Hungarian wine magazine Drinks +, which a few months ago launched the “Wine Travel Awards” to help the wine sector get started after covid. Despite the war, they continue the competition. Read more about Drinks + in the notice below in the Brief.
The Wine Travel Awards want to promote good initiatives in wine tourism worldwide.
You can vote, but only UNTIL LAST OF MARCH!
Here are all the nominees in the Wine Travel Awards.
If you want to vote for Britt, you can do that here.
If you want to vote for Per, you can do that here.
Vote today! On April 1 it will be too late.
Travel
You still have the opportunity to book a wonderful wine tour in the autumn to inspect traditions in two of France’s most famous wine regions on site. Book now!
- Champagne
- Bordeaux
- Champagne & Bordeaux combined
And more exotic, but also very traditional, are of course the winter tours to the southern hemisphere:
- Chile & Argentina
- South Africa
- New Zealand
Travel to the wine regions with an experienced and knowledgeable wine tour operator. You know who. ;-)
If you want to discover the best in the wine regions and get some unforgettable memories, travel with one of the most experienced and most knowledgeable wine tour operators.
More info on our wine tours here.
Enjoy the Brief!
Britt & Per
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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:
- Bordeaux, April 20-24, 2022
- Champagne, May 4-8, 2022
- Bordeaux and Champagne, Sept 28 – Oct 6, 2022
- Champagne, Sept 28 – Oct 2, 2022
- Bordeaux, October 2-6, 2022
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- Chile-Argentina, January 16-29, 2023
- South Africa, February 8-18, 2023
- New Zealand, March 15-30, 2023
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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
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News from the World of Wine
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Short briefs on what’s been happening in the world of wine recently and other interesting things.
Many medals for Loire Valley and Styria (Steiermark) wines competing in Concours Mondial du Sauvignon
Sauvignon blanc is made in many countries and in many styles. In this year’s Concours Mondial du Sauvignon, 1,120 wines from 23 countries competed. Many oak-aged wines participated; 225, the highest number ever, most of them from Styria in Austria and Bordeaux. France, Austria, Italy, South Africa and the Czech Republic won the most medals. Among the regions, the Loire Valley came first, Styria (Steiermark) second and Friuli and Bordeaux shared the third place. The finest awards went to:
- Domaine Jean-Christophe Mandard Blanc 2020, Touraine Chenonceaux, Loire
- Peter Skoff Sauvignon blanc Ried Kranachberg Reserve 2015, Styria, Austria
- Ktima Biblia Chora White 2021, Mt Panego, Macedonia, Greece
- SKALÁK Sauvignon Slámové Víno 2015, Slovacka, Morava, Czech Republic
- Caillottes 2020, Joël & Sylvie Cirotte, Sancerre, Loire
- Wruss Sauvignon Blanc Gamlitz DAC 2020, Styria, Austria
- Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Marlborough, New Zealand
- Cantina Rauscedo Sauvignon 2020, Venezia Giulia IGT, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy
- Diemersdal The Journal Sauvignon blanc 2021, Cape Town, South Africa
Read more: CMS Sauvignon
No wine on the dinner table for young Americans?
How do you get young people to drink wine with their dinner? That is one of the questions the American wine industry is grappling with. Young people today in the United States prefer spirits over wine. Similar trends can be seen in some European countries. To some extent, it is about the wine having lost its significance as a dinner beverage. Combining food with classic European food is out of date and nothing that young wine consumers are interested in, says market analyst Jon Moramarco.
At the same time, the consumers who actually appreciate drinking wine with their dinner are getting older. Winemakers and marketers now face the challenge to continue to attract both these more senior people but also find out what the younger ones really want. Moramarco wants to make the connection between wine and dinner stronger. I agree with that, wine belongs on the dinner table. And you can drink wine with many other things than the classic French and Italian. So it shouldn’t be a hard sell, should it? Read more: WineBusiness
Read also, on BKWine Magazine: The US wine industry faces big challenges.
The tricky question of naming the new and popular fungus-resistant grapes
More and more fungus-resistant grape varieties are allowed to be used in France. These grapes are hybrids but with a fair amount of Vitis vinifera blood, which guarantees a good taste. In January, an Italian grape variety called fleurtai was authorised for use in vin de france wines (wines without a geographical indication). Other resistant grape varieties that have been approved for use in France are mainly varieties made in France.
Italy usually names its new grapes differently than France. The Italians give them names reminiscent of the Vitis vinifera grape used as a parent. There are names such as cabernet volos, merlot khorus, sauvignon kretos. France has so far chosen not to approve grapes with these misleading names. But in Italy, they think it is good to include the grape’s name with which it has, they say, significant similarities. The French give their fungus-resistant grapes names such as artaban, floreal, vidoc and voltis. In fact, Voltis has recently been approved for limited use in AOP Champagne. Is it an illustration of Italy’s talent for riding on trends (think prosecco, for example) and France’s more restrained traditionalism? Read more: Mon-viti
Research in the southern Rhône valley shows the impact of warmer weather
Institut rhodanien, a research institute in the Rhône valley, has carried out a comprehensive study of how the various maturation parameters of grenache have changed since 1969. These include changes in the acidity level and sugar content. Yields are now lower as the weight of the grapes has decreased. In the year 2000, 200 grapes of grenache weighed between 380 and 400 grams; in 2019 the same amount weighed 280 grams. This is because the temperature between flowering and veraison, the period when the grapes change colours, has increased. In addition, the researchers noted a decrease in days with a relative humidity higher than 60%.
The total acidity has decreased by 1.95 grams per litre, and the potential alcohol has increased by 2.7%. Before 1990, the potential alcohol was 10% on September 1 and 12.5% at harvest. Today it is 12.5% at the beginning of September and more than 14% at harvest. In 2019 and 2020, it was over 15% already in mid-September, something that never happened in the 1970s and 1980s. The vines bud and bloom 10–15 days earlier, and the harvest often starts 20 days earlier. Part of the change can probably be attributed to more knowledge and talent for the work in the vineyard, but hardly everything. Read more: Vitisphere
New Zealand needs a big harvest to compensate for the small volume of 2021
The harvest is in full swing in New Zealand. The whole wine industry hopes and believes that the 2022 harvest will be larger than last year. Demand for New Zealand wines is high, and stocks are beginning to look empty. 2021 was an excellent year in quality, but the volume was 19% down from 2020. New Zealand sold 324 million litres of wine in 2021, which means 48 million litres more than it produced that year. It has eroded the stocks.
In 2021, New Zealand had a vineyard area of 41,603 hectares. Red grapes are planted on 7,851 hectares and white on 33,752 hectares. Marlborough is still the largest wine region with 29,415 ha, and sauvignon blanc is the most important grape with 26,559 ha, corresponding to 64% of the total vineyard area. Pinot noir is the most planted red grape. Then comes a long line of grapes that have been shown to thrive really well, either on the North Island or the South Island. New Zealand producers make exciting wines from riesling, pinot gris, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, gewürztraminer, merlot and many other grapes. Read more: NZ Wine
Travel: Join us in New Zealand on the wine tour in March 2023!
Austria 2021, good volume and excellent quality
2021 was a vintage with perfect grapes in all Austrian wine regions, reports the Austrian Wine Marketing Board. A warm and beautiful autumn gave balanced and elegant white wines and powerful reds. The volume was 2.4 million hectolitres, which is an average harvest for Austria. The red wines are gaining ground, but Austria is still a typical white wine country. The vineyard area reached 44,913 hectares in 2021, of which 30,300 hectares, i.e., almost 70%, is white grape varieties.
The white and now quite famous grüner veltliner is planted on 32.6% of the surface. Grape number two, the red zweigelt, has 13.9%. Other important varieties are welschriesling and blaufränkisch. Austria is a small country, and the vineyards are all in the eastern part of the country. But despite this somewhat limited area, there is a lot of variation in both climate and viticultural conditions, which you will notice when you drink the wines. Read more: Austrian Wine
Rioja and Bordeaux celebrates their strong ties in Haro
A grand rendez-vous between Rioja and Bordeaux took place on March 21 in the small pleasant town of Haro in Rioja, more specifically at the well-known Barrio de la Estación, the old station area. This is a classic place in Rioja. Around the old railway station are seven producers, all within walking distance from each other: Viña Pomal, CVNE, Gómez Cruzado, La Rioja Alta S.A., Bodegas Muga, Bodegas Lopez de Heredia and Bodegas RODA. On March 21, 500 sommeliers, restaurateurs, journalists and other influencers were invited to taste wines from these producers and a dozen Bordeaux chateaux, specially invited to celebrate the strong ties between the two wine regions.
The ties between Bordeaux and Rioja date back to the 1860s, when some Bordeaux producers fled the phylloxera and went to make wine in Rioja instead. Bordeaux wine merchants began importing Rioja when the shortage of Bordeaux wines became noticeable. Bordeaux left its mark on Rioja wines, and even Bordeaux grapes were planted. But they were short-lived as producers realised that tempranillo, after all, thrived better. And in the 1890s, the phylloxera had found its way also to Rioja. Read more: Barrio Estacion
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Features of the Month
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Articles and features published on BKWine Magazine and on our wine travel blog and (occasionally) photography blog in the last month.
New Ornellaia launched, with Swedish label
With great pomp and circumstance, the new vintage of Ornellaia, the 2019, one of the world’s most famous wines from Bolgheri, was presented on February 9 in Tuscany. Swedish artists Natalie Djurberg and Hans Berg designed this year’s labels. In 2009, Ornellaia, together with the owner family Marchesi Frescobaldi, started the project “Vendemmia di artista”. A project that involves choosing a word each year to describe the new vintage of Ornellaia. The word is then interpreted by a renowned international artist who is tasked to design the labels and decorate the bottles.
Read more in Åsa Johansson’s article on BKWine Magazine: The new vintage of Ornellaia, 2019, with label by Swedish Natalie Djurberg and Hans Berg.
A message from the editor in chief of Drinks+, the leading Ukrainian wine magazine
Olga Pinevich-Todoriuk is the editor-in-chief of Drinks+, the leading Ukrainian wine and spirits magazine. She is also the initiator of the project the International Wine Travel Awards. Olga and all her collaborators are still in Ukraine, although perhaps no longer in Kyiv. At least, that was the situation the last time I heard from her. Here’s a message from her about the current situation, about the Drinks+ magazine and about the Wine Tourism Awards.
Read more on how you can support them in this text: Ukraine: A message from the editor in chief of Drinks+, the leading Ukrainian wine magazine, and The Wine Travel Awards.
A great grape for those in the know with astonishing international success: malbec
Malbec is a French grape variety, although people might be forgiven for thinking it is Argentinean. France has 6,000 hectares, Argentina 40,000 ha. Just like many of the other Bordeaux grapes, malbec has been adopted by a country far away from home. Malbec is a big success in Argentina. In Bordeaux, the surface is dwindling. In Cahors though, the true stronghold of malbec in France, the grape is very much alive and kicking. Today it reaps great success not only in Cahors but, of course, also in Argentina.
Read more in Britt’s article on BKWine Magazine, originally published on Forbes: Malbec, born French but adopted by Argentina | grape profile | Britt on Forbes.
Travel: Come on a wine tour to Argentina and Chile with BKWine.
The World Wine Market: wine exports 2020, during the pandemic
In 2020 the global trade in wine seems to have more or less stagnated. And prices fell. This is of course to a very large extent numbers that are affected by the first year of the pandemic. But looking at the details shows some interesting and surprising facts. Italy is the world’s largest wine exporter, counted in volume, followed closely by Spain and quite a way behind by France. Looking at the value of exports, France shoots up to a very comfortable lead as the by far biggest exporter. Joins us in a closer look at the numbers of global wine trade in 2020.
Read more in Per’s article on BKWine Magazine, originally published on Forbes: World trade in wine almost stable in 2020, but prices falling | Per on Forbes.
Cabernet Franc in Finger lakes and Long Island in New York – 3 wines and 3 winemakers | Britt on Forbes
Cabernet franc is becoming one of the trendy grapes. It has long been in the shadow of its cousin cabernet sauvignon but more and more wine consumers are appreciating it for its freshness, acidity and structure. Traditionally used in the Loire, for single varietal wines, and in Bordeaux as a component in the classic Bordeaux blends it is now planted all over the world. USA has the fourth largest plantings. It is most popular in the cool climate regions of Washington and New York. We met with three producers to explore what cabernet franc can do in New York’s Finger Lakes and Long Island viticultural areas.
Read more in Britt’s article on BKWine Magazine, originally published on Forbes: Cabernet Franc in Finger lakes and Long Island in New York – 3 wines and 3 winemakers | Britt on Forbes.
The World Wine Market: wine imports 2020, with two “exceptional” countries
We recently looked at the details of world wine exports. The other side of the coin is wine imports. In 2020 wine imports saw a decline. This mirrors the decline in exports that we described in the previous article. The drop in value of the imports is bigger than the drop in volume. The UK is the biggest wine importer counted in volume, followed by Germany and the USA. Looking at the values (euros), the USA is by far the biggest importer. The UK is second and Germany third. Two countries perform much better than the rest.
Read more in Per’s article on BKWine Magazine, originally published on Forbes: World wine imports in 2020 falling across the board, except… | Per on Forbes.
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Wine Tours
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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!
Bordeaux, wines with a distinct taste and style –the wine tour to Bordeaux
A Bordeaux often has a distinct style. You recognize notes of tobacco and cedarwood and the tannin structure that goes so well with food. The ageing in small oak barrels also gives a special Bordeaux feeling. You can see for yourself if you join our tour in October. We will visit the left bank – Médoc and Graves – as well as the right bank, which includes Saint Emilion and Pomerol. We will visit some of the grand, world-famous chateaux, but also some smaller, family-owned. Bordeaux is very diverse. All estates are called “chateaux”, and, surprisingly, many of them really look like castles. Several chateaux lunches are included.
- Wine tour to Bordeaux, October 2-6, 2022 (This autumn tour will also be offered in combination with the Champagne tour)
Book now: your wine tour with BKWine!
The Champagne wine tour: a sparkling success story in the north of France
Champagne has a long and exciting history, and it has been a success story ever since champagne sales took off in the 1950s. Now around 300 million bottles of champagne are sold worldwide every year. Throughout its history, rules on making champagne have been written, and Champagne is now one of the most controlled wine regions of the world. But as a winemaker, you can still put your signature on the wine. There is room for personal decisions. That is why we have so many different styles of champagnes. On our tour in September, you will discover some of these styles, and you will hear the reasons behind all the decisions that the winemakers make. During our meals together, you will pair some of these champagnes with delicious French food.
- Wine Tour to Champagne, September 28-October 2, 2022 (This autumn tour will also be offered in combination with the Bordeaux tour)
Book now: your wine tour with BKWine!
PS: We have written a ground-breaking book about Champagne so we have a bit of a clue of what we’re talking about.
The Grand Wine Tour to Champagne and Bordeaux: two world-famous and fascinating wine regions
It is not easy to choose between Champagne and Bordeaux. That is why we offer you the Grand Wine Tour, a 9-day wine tour where you will get to know these two great French wine regions. We will spend four nights in Reims, the beautiful “capital” of champagne, where you can find many of the big champagne houses and one of the most beautiful cathedrals in France, Notre Dame de Reims, a UNESCO heritage. We will continue with the fast train (TGV) to Bordeaux to visit chateaux in Médoc, Pessac-Léognan and in Saint Emilion. In both regions, we will not only taste high-quality wines but also share some fabulous meals.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to visit France’s two most famous wine regions in one very enjoyable go.
- Wine tour to Champagne and Bordeaux, September 28 – October 6, 2022
Book now: your wine tour with BKWine!
PS: We have written a ground-breaking book about Champagne, and also one on Bordeaux, so we have a bit of a clue of what we’re talking about.
Argentina and Chile 2023, wine, gastronomy and beautiful scenery in South America | Wine tour
Our two intense weeks in Argentina and Chile are full of unforgettable experiences. We taste many wines, of course, and we get acquainted with the local food, the lovely empanadas not least. Our lunches are often barbecues in beautiful settings. We will also have time to enjoy the mighty landscape, the Andes and the Pacific Ocean. After our days in the vineyards, we relax by the pool with a pisco sour.
The tour starts with a week in Argentina. Then we cross the Andes by bus to Chile. Producers on both sides of the mountains invest a lot in improving the wines and their viticultural practices. There is so much to discover here. Both countries are best known for their red wines, but we should pay attention also to the white wines.
Join us on our wine tour to South America!
- Wine tour to Chile-Argentina, January 16-29, 2023
Book now: your wine tour with BKWine!
South Africa wine tour 2023: Summer temperature, harvest and exciting winemakers
End of February, we still have summer temperatures in South Africa. The harvest has started with numerous activities in the vineyards and the cellars; the grape juice ferments. We begin our tour in Cape Town, and here we will, of course, go up to the top of Table Mountain and enjoy the breath-taking views. During the whole tour, we will enjoy the different styles of South African wine and incredible food. We will visit Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Elgin, Swartland and Walker Bay. We will discover the differences between the wines from the south coast and those made in the warmer hinterland. The exciting and ambitious winemakers that we will meet will share with us their knowledge and their stories.
It’s hard not to fall in love with this beautiful wine country.
Discover South Africa on a wine tour with us.
- Wine tour to South Africa, February 8-18, 2023
Book now: your wine tour with BKWine!
A memory for life: The wine tour to New Zealand 2023
New Zealand will soon open its borders, and we are delighted about that. The wine producers are looking forward to meeting foreign wine enthusiasts again after being isolated for two years.
Going to New Zealand is an adventure, and the tour will give you a memory for life. From the largest city in the country, Auckland, we embark on a fantastic road trip through the country, from the North Island down to the South Island. It includes a pleasant 3-hour boat trip between the two islands. We will visit several of the wine regions, Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay and Central Otago, of course, and a few more. In addition to tasting wines and having lovely meals, we will make some detours and visit, among other things, the geysers in Rotorua, a must when you are here. We will learn a lot about the culture and the country, and we will spend a few hours in the beautiful capital of Wellington. And above all, we will visit around 20 different wineries.
Join us on our New Zealand tour, a great adventure.
- Wine tour to New Zealand, March 15-30, 2023
