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Can a wine be “typical”? Should a wine be typical?
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A wine can be typical or not typical. Typical of what? It can be typical of a grape, a region, a vintage, or a producer. However, most people who taste wine know that it is a fluid concept that is challenging to grasp.
(Typical is what often translates into wine-speak as typicity rather that “typicality”.)
Typicity is a bit like quality, though, if possible, even more vague. Before going into depth about the reasoning, one must define what it really means.
Someone could say that a wine is typical when it reflects its “terroir”. But it doesn’t really lead anywhere. What is terroir, concretely, translated into the taste of a wine? A wine grower could say that about his wine with some right. If someone else says it, it feels like that person makes it too easy for themselves.
You could perhaps say that “typicity” is what we think a wine “should” taste like, as we have learned it, as it is written in books (ours as well as other’s), as they teach you at wine courses. Bordeaux is austere, syrah is peppery, sauvignon blanc aromatic, etc. It sounds simple, but in fact, there are endless variations of austere, peppery and aromatic.
If we drink a wine knowing what it is, which after all is the most common, and see on the bottle that it is, say, a Bordeaux, then it is easier to evoke the expected character traits. I know, because I’ve often tasted blind, guessed wrong, and then, seeing the bottle, all of a sudden, like magic, I’ve felt the typical nose and taste. (Although Bordeaux is one of those wines that I sometimes actually get right in a blind tasting.)
The French appellations strive for a certain homogeneity, a certain typicality for their wines. The regulations specify how the wines should taste. Sometimes, there are detailed descriptions, but by necessity, they are often quite vague.
It says that a Pauillac should have tannins and be suitable for ageing, a Beaujolais easy drinking, fruity and floral and a Moulin-à-Vent powerful and complex with a spicy scent of truffle. A Gigondas should be generous but with some tannins, with ripe red berries. Neighbouring Vacqueyras complex with both red and dark berries and some dried fruit. It is vague enough for most of the wines within the appellation to fit within the framework but still leave room for each producer’s interpretations.
Sometimes, there is no typicality to fall back on. This summer we have drunk wines from grapes such as albana and pagadebit (Romagna, Italy), vranec (North Macedonia), mülller-thurgau (Czech Republic), codrinschii (Moldova), albillo mayor (white Ribera del Duero) and other oddities. You can always find some description of unusual grapes (though codrinschii was difficult as we probably drank the only wine (!) made from this grape, thank you Stefan I.). Mülller-thurgau is well-known, but mostly for being a bit boring, but then it unexpectedly appears in the Czech Republic in a very delicious and exciting guise. Typicality can sometimes become a straitjacket.
But typicality is far from obvious even for the supposedly “classic” regions. Bordeaux, with its 100,000 hectares and wines from 3 euros to 300 euros (and even 3000), what is typical? A typical chablis? Steely and tight? Yes, but the more full-bodied, are they inferior? Or even atypical? Perhaps with a bit of oxidation or “fat” from the bâtonnage of an ambitious winemaker? Champagne, with three different grape varieties in arbitrary proportions and a great variety in how the winemaker makes the wine – what is typical?
Sometimes, a wine lacks the expected typicality. Are we disappointed if the wine does not taste as we imagined? Or is it enough that we like the wine? Maybe you can be pleasantly surprised by something unexpected? Is it possible to like a certain character trait from one region but not from another? Can one appreciate oxidised white wines if they come from the Jura or sherry but not from anywhere else? Powerful fruit bombs from California or Languedoc but not from Bordeaux? Oak ageing in a Rioja but not in a Beaujolais? Is a wine’s first task to be good or to be typical?
There are so many question marks around what “typical” really means that you become exhausted, even without 35C summer heat (like today). Striving towards typicity also leads to the concept of “stereotypical”. Do we want it? In this era when “diversity”, individuality and one’s own genuine individual character are highly valued concepts?
You realise that typical is an elusive (almost non-existent) concept when you taste many wines completely blind without having any idea what they are. For example, at the Sparkling Selection by CMB wine competition recently where I tasted around 120 different sparklings from all possible origins completely blind (out of a total of 1000 in the competition). Was it obvious what was champagne, cava, franciacorta, prosecco and so on? No, not at all. I challenge anyone who thinks it’s easy to an Olympic blind tasting!
Read more about the elusive concepts of typicity and quality, and about wine competitions in our recently published article What good are wine competitions?
Oh là, là!…
We also have to share some very fresh news that we learned today. Our latest book, “Framtidens vin” (The Wine for the Future), about sustainability, organics and other environmental issues in wine, has been awarded a very nice award in one of the world’s most prestigious wine book competitions. More on this soon as soon as we have had time to digest it and have time enough to tell you the story.
(And soon maybe another big news about our books! Keep tuned for that.)
Wine tours
If you want to join us on some really great and extraordinary adventures – once in a life-time wine tours – you can join us next winter on the extended Southern Hemisphere Tours: Chile-Argentina, South Africa and New Zealand.
We are also pre-announcing a new tour for 2025, combining Burgundy and the Rhone Valley over nine days: 17-25 September, 2025. More details coming soon.
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.
Wine editors to the national encyclopedia, 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.
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:
- Champagne, 25-29 September 2024
- Bordeaux and Champagne, 25 Sept – 3 Oct 2024
- Bordeaux, 29 Sep – 3 Oct 2024
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- Chile-Argentina, 13-26 January 2025
- South Africa, 14-24 February 2025
- New Zealand, 11-26 March 2025
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- Burgundy and the Rhone Valley, 17-25 September 2025 (program coming soon)
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:
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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.
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Alsace’s future: syrah, voltis and chenin blanc replacing riesling and gewurztraminer?
In France, it has so far been forbidden for a wine region to plant a grape variety that is considered emblematic in another wine region. Regions such as Alsace, Savoie and the South West had a tight hold of some of their famous varieties. Bus this is no longer the case, INAO (Institut national de l’origine et de la qualité) has decided. Other regions will now be allowed to experiment with such grapes. They can be planted on a maximum of 5% of the surface and included in a blend with a maximum of 10%. (Just as has already been done in e.g. Bordeaux and Champagne for some grapes.)
Alsace will soon start experimenting with chenin blanc, syrah and rolle (vermentino). They want to see how well these grapes can adapt to the climate in Alsace with regard to climate change. For the same experimental purpose, Alsace will also plant fungus-resistant grapes (hybrids), five white varieties, opals, selenos, voltis, johannites and souvignier gris and one red, coliris. These varieties have good resistance to downy mildew and/or powdery mildew, but it is still necessary to spray once or twice during the year to maintain the resistance. (Read more here: Fungal disease attacks fungus-resistant grapes.) Voltis is already available as an experimental grape in Champagne. Souvignier gris is planted on around 300 hectares in France and gives promising results. Read more: vitisphere
Pernod-Ricard sells famous wineries but keeps the champagne houses, spirits and rosé
The French company Pernod-Ricard owns many well-known wine and spirits brands. But they have had a major spring cleaning and thrown out many of their wine producers. Recently, parts of the extensive wine portfolio were sold to Australian wine giant Accolade Wines, including Jacob’s Creek and Orlando in Australia, Stoneleigh, Brancott Estate and Church Road in New Zealand and Campo Viejo and Ysios in Rioja. Pernod-Ricard is not abandoning wine entirely, however. They keep their slightly more luxurious brands: Champagne Mumm, Champagne Perriet-Jouët, Château Sainte Marguerite (rosé) in Provence, Kenwood in Sonoma, and Mumm Napa. What they keep is more marketing driven products than ones with regional or terroir identities.
It is perhaps natural that Pernod-Ricard wants to focus more on spirits. That is how it started once upon a time, with anise-flavoured spirits such as pastis concocted by Monsieur Pernod and, much later, by Monsieur Ricard. In 1975, the two companies merged. Anise drinks are still big sellers. Pernod-Ricard bought the Swedish company Vin & Sprit AB in 2008 because they wanted their Absolut Vodka. They got rid of the about 40 wine brands included in the buy quite quickly. Read more: pernod-ricard
Big drop in sales at the Finnish monopoly in June – due to the new 8% law?
Last month we wrote that in Finland, since June 5, it is legal to sell wine (and other alcohol drinks) below 8% alcohol in regular grocery stores. (Finland seems a bit more advanced and liberal-minded than Sweden when it comes to alcohol regulations.) It had a quick effect with lots of <8% wines on the market. It also seems to have had a quick and dramatic effect on sales in Alko’s shops (the Finnish monopoly stores). Sales figures fell sharply in June 2024:
- Wine, all categories: -14.7%
- Sparkling wine: -17.2%
- Champagne: -21%
- Red wine: -16.4%
- Rosé wine: -10.8%
- White wine: -13.2%
If it is due to sales in grocery stores, one can only speculate, but it seems likely. A few comments: Champagne has clearly suffered a substitution effect. There is no <8% champagne, but there are plenty of alternatives. Champagne has recently seen a general decline in sales (see other notice) so this hardly comes as good news for the expensive bubbly. Rosé wine also fell, but comparatively little. It is perhaps an effect of that during the summer, sales would normally rise significantly. But this year it was instead a less dramatic fall than for red and white in the monopoly stores. (Thanks Petri Pellinen for the numbers.)
Which countries irrigates their vineyards the most in the world?
FranceAgriMer, under the French Ministry of Agriculture, publishes interesting figures on agriculture, including viticulture in France. Sometimes, they also publish figures for wine countries outside of France, such as how much of some wine countries’ areas are irrigated. Naturally, the New World countries lead the irrigation league. Australia and Argentina have 100% irrigation for their vineyards, New Zealand 95%, South Africa 87%, Chile 86%, and the United States 75%. Brazil differs from the others as only 5% of its vineyards are irrigated. There is no lack of rain where its vineyards are situated, mainly in the southern part of the country, on the border with Uruguay. Even in 100 % irrigated countries, there are pockets of growers who practice dry farming.
The differences in Europe are significant. Spain has 35% of its area irrigated, Italy 30%, and France and Portugal only 5% each. In the arid parts of Spain, irrigation has meant slightly higher yields and thus improved incomes for the growers. In the south of France, artificial irrigation is believed to be needed more in the future.
All this is an illustration that “irrigation = simple wine” is a myth (just like “you don’t irrigate in Europe”). Irrigation can improve quality (and production) if used correctly. But access to water is an increasingly important concern. Read more: franceagrimer (pdf)
The market and weather forces control the harvest in Champagne; weak sales = yields are lowered
In Champagne, the permitted harvest for 2024 has now been determined. It is estimated that the harvest will begin around September 12. The determined harvest output has been set at 10,000 kilos per hectare (ca 64 hl/ha), slightly lower than last year’s 11,400 kg (ca 73 hl/ha). Sales figures have been pointing downwards 2023 and in recent months, and the Champagne people prefer to be cautious in their forecast. Regulating how much volume is harvested is a way to ensure that Champagne does not produce too much, as this could decrease prices.
Perhaps the growers would not have been able to harvest more even if they had been allowed. It has been a complicated growing season so far in Champagne (and many other places in France). Since the beginning of the year, it has rained a lot. It has been wet and cool, with a significant lack of sunshine and severe attacks of fungal diseases such as downy mildew. Growers have kept the diseases under control with some difficulty. The frost in the spring and some hail storms have also affected the harvest potential a little, but not too much. Read more: champagne
Miguel Torres: more irrigation but with improved water management
The Torres family in Catalonia in northern Spain are some of the wine world’s foremost environmentalists. One project is to increase the use of reclaimed water (=water that has been purified after previously being used for other purposes, e.g. cleaning) and increase the capacity to collect rainwater to optimise water resources and reduce dependencies on municipal water. This regenerated water is mainly used for irrigation, cleaning, and cooling. The project is essential because Torres estimates they need to increase irrigation in their vineyards to preserve quality and ensure the vines survive in the increasingly dry climate. Almost a third of their own vineyards, around 300 hectares, already have drip irrigation systems, and there are plans to expand this to 600 hectares within the next three years. Torres also collects almost all rainwater on the roofs of its facilities in the Pacs del Penedès. It has around 45 dams on its properties in Catalonia, with a total water storage capacity of 122,000 m3. Read more: torres
Research should help South African winegrowers become financially sustainable
South Africa has two world-renowned wine research institutes, the University of Stellenbosch and Nietvoorbij, also in Stellenbosch. The South Africa Wine Research, Development, and Innovation Team has recently presented its “2024 Research Book”. This publication describes strategies and initiatives at these two research institutions to help ensure the South African wine industry’s economic viability and market growth. Reading about various research projects dealing with pest and disease control, grape and wine quality improvement, climate change adaptation, water efficiency, soil health, and sustainable production methods is fascinating.
A project is about increasing financial/economic sustainability. Many South African growers find it difficult to make their business profitable. Grape growers and wine producers must receive a price for grapes/wines that is financially sustainable. For the project, they have chosen to study chenin blanc, the most cultivated grape in the country. The grape is used for quality wines, and it can also, under certain circumstances, cope with high yields. The research includes 19 different pruning methods to study grapes from very low to very high yields in terms of physiology, nutrition, maturity, etc. and through various types of fermentation to determine the best techniques for the different yields with the idea of premiumisation for all the categories. Read more: 2024 Research Book (e-book)
Travel: Come on a wine tour to South Africa with BKWine. 2025 tour soon to be launched.
See: See pictures and videos from South Africa 2024 in the wine tours Facebook group.
Appellation Marlborough Wine, a counterweight to sauvignon blanc in bulk
New Zealand producers who worry that too much commonplace sauvignon blanc is being made in Marlborough can join the Appellation Marlborough Wines. This association has strict requirements for its members’ wines. We wrote about Appellation Marlborough Wines when it was created in 2019. Initially, the requirements were that 100% of the grapes must come from Marlborough, and the wines must be bottled in New Zealand. Around 40% of the country’s sauvignon blanc is exported in bulk, and some of it is of such substandard quality that AMW members fear it could tarnish Marlborough’s reputation in the long run. AMW wines must be Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand certified (which pretty much all New Zealand wines are) and approved by a tasting panel of local and experienced winemakers. The association now has over 50 members. It recently hired a CEO and is now aiming to capture the interest of buyers and consumers. The appellation has been expanded to include all grapes grown in Marlborough, so it is no longer just sauvignon blanc. Read more: appellationmarlboroughwine
Travel: Come on a wine tour to New Zealand with BKWine.
See: See pictures and videos from New Zealand 2024 in the wine tour’s Facebook group.
Invite your friends for a South African braai – with some delicious wine recommendations
Many countries like to put food on the outdoor grill. The South Americans have their asado and in South Africa they have braai. People love their braai in South Africa. The food is important, of course, but a braai is a lot about getting together. People gather around the grill with a beer (often) or a glass of wine. And there you remain, for a long time. On the grill you put steaks, lamb chops from the Karoo region (the world’s best lamb), boerewors (a traditional sausage with 90% meat, usually lamb and pig, and tasty spices), potatoes, corn on the cob, etc. It is never just one thing when making a braai. South African wine recommendations for your next braai:
Catherine Marshall Pinot Noir Sandstone Soils 2022, Elgin, ~25 euro. Elegant pinot noir from the south coast.
Fryer´s Cove Grenache Cinsault 2022, Cape West Coast, ~12 euro. Light and fresh red from South Africas west coast with influence from the cool Atlantic winds..
Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon, 2019, Stark-Condé, Stellenbosch, ~40 euro. Classic, flavourful cabernet with some maturity made by skilled José Condé.
Gabrielskloof Amphora Sauvignon Blanc 2023, ~17 euro. Sauvignon blanc with a pleasant, subdued aromatic character, full-bodied and slightly spicy. From Bot River, a sub-region of Walker Bay.
Kloof Street Chenin Blanc, 2021, Swartland, ~12 euro. Pleasant, unpretentious wine made by the famous Mullineux family.
Holden Manz Chenin Blanc 2020, ~30 euro. Superb chenin blanc with intense aromas and some exotic fruit, full-bodied.
Travel: Come on a wine tour to South Africa with BKWine. 2025 tour soon to be launched.
See: See pictures and videos from South Africa 2024 in the wine tours Facebook group.
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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.
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Which wine tour to choose? WineSociety: “Sweden’s best wine tours” with BKWine
There are many different wine tour operators to choose from. So who should you bet on? We at BKWine think, of course, that experience, knowledge, commitment, enthusiasm and contacts are important and then the obvious choice is BKWine Tours. Of course we think so. Who else? Buying wine cheap can also be something you aim to do when you go on a wine tour, but then you probably won’t get the best wine experiences. Likewise, wanting to visit the most famous names – they are often famous because they are big and have a big marketing budget, which is not always synonymous with the best reception and best winery visit. Ask us. We know. We’ve been doing this for more than twenty years.
The wine site “WineSociety” has taken a look at various organizers of wine tours and named BKWine Tours as one of “Sweden’s best wine tours”. Thank you for that. For example: “Their long experience and international reputation means they can offer unique experiences on their tours”. Certainly true. Read more here: “Sweden’s best wine tours” according to WineSociety.
And of course, we do wine tours in English too (not only in Swedish):
Explore all of BKWine Tours’s exciting wine travel program here.
Malbec is the soul of Mendoza, in Sebastian Zuccardi’s new strategy | Per on Forbes
Malbec is the signature grape of Argentina and of Mendoza in particular. But it is a grape that has only really emerged as an international top-quality grape in the last few decades. One of the driving persons behind this is Sebastian Zuccardi, third generation winemaker at the Zuccardi winery in Mendoza. He has spent a lot of effort (and money) on finding the best places to grow malbec and the best ways to work with this intensely fruit grape in the winery. I had a long talk with Sebastian about the grape, the soil and the tradition.
Read more in Per’s article on BKWine Magazine, originally published on Forbes: In search of the soul of Mendoza Malbec, a talk with Sebastian Zuccardi | Per on Forbes.
Travel: Come on a wine tour to Chile and Argentina with BKWine. 2025 tour soon to be launched.
See: See pictures and videos from Chile and Argentina in the wine tours Facebook group.
BKWine Tastes: Tricolour from Etna and refreshing petnats from Tuscany
We have recently tried three Etna wines in three colours and two exciting Petnats from Tuscany. All these wines are imported to Sweden by Vinonista but are also available in other countries. Cantina Calcagno is a fairly new producer, as it has been producing its own wine since 2006. But the vineyards have been in the family for a long time. Brothers Franco and Gianni inherited them from their grandfather. They now run the estate together with Gianni’s daughter, Giusy. The vineyards are located at an altitude of between 650 and 850 meters. The family mixes tradition with a certain amount of experimentation.
Read more in Britt’s article on BKWine Magazine: BKWine Tastes: Tricolour from Etna and refreshing petnats from Tuscany.
An introduction to Languedoc, a large, dynamic, and successful wine region | Britt on Forbes
Languedoc in southern France has become a dynamic and exciting wine region. The region has an incredible variety of wines, including red, rosé, white, and sparkling. The warm climate produces wines with generous fruit but without excesses. A fresh acidity is often present. Languedoc brings us quality at every level, from unpretentious but well-made wines to high-quality ones with bold price tags. But like many other wine regions, Languedoc must prepare for challenging times.
Read more in Britt’s article on BKWine Magazine, originally published on Forbes: An introduction to Languedoc, a large, dynamic, and successful wine region | Britt on Forbes.
Exciting Swedish wines (and food) at Spritmuseum’s restaurant in Stockholm | Per on Forbes
A lot has happened in Swedish vineyards in recent years. When we at BKWine organized a series of wine fairs in Paris for “Scandinavian wines” over a few years ago in the early 2000s, a handful of wine producers who made wine in Sweden participated. We weren’t overly impressed by most of the wines back then. But obviously things have progressed quickly. I had an unexpected opportunity to taste a series of Swedish wines a little while ago and I was impressed.
Read more in Per’s article on BKWine Magazine, originally published on Forbes: Exciting Swedish wines (and food) at Spritmuseum’s restaurant in Stockholm | Per on Forbes.
What good are wine competitions?
Are wine competition medals a useful buying indicator for consumers? Or are wine competitions a scam where producers buy medals to make their bottles look impressive? This article explains (in quite a lot of detail) what wine competitions are and how they work. I also describe why I think wine competitions are a helpful indicator of quality for consumers and why you can, in general, trust the medals as a “plus signal”. But not all wine competitions are equal. I discuss differences between how they are organised and the worth of their medals. All of this is based on my experience as a wine competition judge and taster for over twenty years on four continents. I also include a brief discussion on what quality is, and if you can evaluate quality objectively — or if it is always subjective, with a short note on “typicity”.
Read more in Per’s article on BKWine Magazine: What good are wine competitions?
World-class Chilean carmenère from Viña Maquis in Colchagua
“One of the best carmenère I have tasted is from Viña Maquis in the Colchagua Valley of Chile, a wine region known for its red wines, about 200 kilometres south of Santiago. Their Maquis Viola is a magnificent wine made from the best carmenère grapes on the estate and a touch of cabernet franc. Viña Maquis has a unique location between two rivers. This plays a significant role in Viña Maqui’s wines. We meet Ricardo Rivadeneira Hurtado, owner and CEO of Viña Maquis, out in the vineyard and he describes the phenomenal location of the estate. ‘The river breeze protects perfectly from frost damage,’ he says.”
Read more in Britt’s article on BKWine Magazine: Fantastic carmenère from Chilean Viña Maquis: Meeting with owner Ricardo Rivadeneira Hurtado.
Travel: Come on a wine tour to Chile and Argentina with BKWine. 2025 tour soon to be launched.
See: See pictures and videos from Chile and Argentina in the wine tours Facebook group.
BKWine tastes: Tenuta Sette Cieli on the Tuscan Coast | July 2024
We have tasted two excellent wines from the beautiful coast of Tuscany. Tenuta Sette Cieli is located between Bolgheri and Castagneto Carducci, 400 meters above sea level. The property is over 100 hectares, but only 15 hectares are vineyards. The climate is mild and seldom too hot. The grapes are cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, and malbec. The French varieties feel right at home here.
Read more in Britt’s article on BKWine Magazine: BKWine tastes: Tenuta Sette Cieli on the Tuscan Coast | July 2024.
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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!
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New experiences in the world of wine, the wine tour in Chile and Argentina
Wine has been made in South America since the end of the 16th century, but the modern era began only 50 years ago. Now, the two largest wine countries, Argentina and Chile, have come a long way in terms of the quality and character of their wines. Join us on this amazing journey of discovery to taste the wines, look at the vineyards, and talk to the winemakers. Enjoy the magnificent scenery, the delicious lunches, and maybe a pisco sour by the pool in the afternoon.
We start the tour in Buenos Aires and end it in Santiago de Chile. We fly to Mendoza, but from there, we take the bus over the great mountain range of the Andes to Chile, a breathtaking journey with spectacular views. From the great malbec in Argentina to classic cabernet sauvignon and surprising carmenère in Chile, but we will also get to know many white wines on the Chilean Pacific coast. We also visit the famous harbour city of Valparaiso. And taste a very extensive range of wines.
Join us for a great wine, nature, and culture experience on the wine tour in Argentina and Chile.
Discover the wine countries of Chile and Argentina.
- Chile-Argentina, 13-26 January 2025
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.
South Africa: initiative and ambition produce great wines | wine tour
South Africa’s wine industry has changed a lot since 1995. And it’s still evolving. During our tour in February, you will get to know the wines and discover the range of delicious, exciting wines made in the country. A host of ambitious producers will show us what can be achieved under the beautiful South African sun. New initiatives regarding grapes, the work in the vineyard, the wine cellar, the essential social work, we learn more about everything during our tour. We will discover not only the wines but also the gastronomy, the landscape and the people.
We meet in Cape Town and start by admiring the view from the top of Table Mountain. Then, the wine adventure begins with visits to Elgin and Walker Bay on the south coast, followed by Franschhoek, Swartland, Tulbagh, and finally, classic Stellenbosch. A wine tour that gives you an insight into South Africa like no other.
Discover South Africa, the fantastic wine country, with us on this fabulous wine tour.
Book now!
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.
A young wine country with great wines and much to discover | wine tour to New Zealand
This fantastic 2-week tour showcases New Zealand, from Auckland on the North Island down to Queenstown on the South Island. An experience that includes a 3-hour boat trip between the two islands, natural phenomena such as geysers and bubbling mud pools, Maori culture, meetings with winemakers and many wine tastings in famous wine regions such as Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay and Central Otago.
We combine wine visits and tastings with delicious meals and fantastic nature experiences. It is noticeable that New Zealand is a relatively new wine country with a pioneering spirit and great joy of discovery. It was not until 1973 that the first sauvignon blanc plants were planted in Marlborough. These wines quickly became popular and still are, but we will also discover many other wines, such as cabernet sauvignon from Waiheke Island, syrah from Hawke’s Bay, pinot noir, riesling and pinot gris from Central Otago and Wairarapa.
Come with us to New Zealand for a wine adventure!
A great wine, nature and culture experience on the New Zealand wine tour.
Book now!
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.
Burgundy and Northern and Southern Rhône Valley | wine tour
The Grand French Wine tour to Burgundy, Northern Rhône, and Southern Rhône with exclusive wines, world class gastronomy and world-famous wine villages. On this 9-day wine tour you will taste some of France’s most famous wines.
We start in Côte d’Or, the heart of Burgundy, a magical place. We will stay in Beaune, a small but very lively town in Burgundy surrounded by vineyards. After three days with wine visits including tastings of some of the best French wines, our bus will take us south, to the region of Hermitage in northern Rhône Valley, renowned for its elegant syrah wines. The next day we continue to Avignon for a few days of discovery of the famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape, steeped in history but very dynamic, and other wines in the beautiful Provence region.
Program to be published shortly.
- The Grand French Wine tour to Burgundy, Northern Rhône, and Southern Rhône, 17-25 September, 2025
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I noticed this in one of your blog posts: “Beautiful Jurançon is located just south of Pau in the Southwest. The grapes are the two magnificent petit manseng and gros manseng”. You should check into the warm climate white wines being produced in Arizona, USA. While the wineries here still want to believe they make better reds, the plantings of viognier, petit manseng, picpoul, roussanne and assyrtiko are producing fabulous white wines here.
Sounds interesting. Would love to get to know them. There’s no reason they shouldn’t be successful, so why not?