September 24 has been named as the First Annual International Grenache Day (FAIGD?). It has been created to celebrate “the great grenache grape”, indeed one of the great grapes of the south and not very
In the last Brief we noted that it is really not a big issue if you don’t remember all the 13 permitted grape varieties in Châteauneuf. Or is it 15? Well, it all depends on
Châteauneuf-du-Pape has over the last decade or two seen a tremendous development both in terms of popularity and more importantly in terms of quality of the wines (hopefully the two aspects are linked). It has
According to statistics from Nielsen in the USA sales of malbec wines (made from the grape variety malbec) have increased with 60% over the last year (Jan 09 to Jan 10). The stats show that
There’s actually a club for people who have tasted more than one hundred grape varieties: the Wine Century Club. To become member you have to have tasted at least 100 varieties. And if you have
Not just football There’s a lot of talk about South Africa these days (but less and less in some countries perhaps…) with the World Cup in full spin. But disregarding if we’re watching football or
As in most old wine producing countries there is in Italy a wealth of grape traditional varieties. Unfortunately they are often overshadowed by the “international” or even Italian grape varieties that have reach international fame
Tales from a recent trip Chile is a wine country in transformation. For twenty years it has been delivering reliable but quite basic wines but now many wine producers think it is time to show
In Bordeaux they grow more and more petit verdot and sauvignon gris. Marselan has been approved for AOC Côtes du Rhône. We will see more and more wines with unusual grape varieties that previously were
In August the University of Stellenbosch was given permission to plant en experimental plot with 1 ha of genetically modified vines. This touches a very infected debate. Some say that such trials must not be
It’s very popular with varietal wine competitions so for the first time in world history (!) there was recently an International Malbec Competition. Malbec perhaps not the world’s most wide-spread variety but you can find
Domaines Rollan de By, best known for the Château Rollan de By in the Médoc, has launched a four bottle case with single variety wines. Each bottle contains wine from just a single grape variety.
Some wine producers in Australia have turned out some very decent wines from albariño grapes (some 150 ha planted). Albarino is a grape variety well known from e.g. northern Portugal. At least, so they thought.
What is your guess? Cabernet? Syrah? Ugni blanc? Or something else? No, none of those. For most of the 20th century it was carignan, but half of that acreage has been up-rooted, primarily in the
The albariño grape variety is best known from Spain and Portugal (alvarinho) where it produces refreshing wines with a citrus tang. But it is not allowed in France. This is about to change. Earlier this
At the Syrah Symposium in May 2008 grape researchers established that the syrah variety is not originating from Greece, the Middle East or any other distant country. it is simply a genuinely French crossing. The
Can we look forward to soon seeing a Bordeaux chardonnay? Perhaps. The producer organisations for AC Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur has requested permission from the INAO to plant experimental vineyards with e.g. chardonnay, chenin blanc,
The most grown grape varieties in south Africa (source: WOSA): 1. Chenin blanc, 19 % 2. Cabernet sauvignon, 13 % 3. Colombard, 12 % 4. Shiraz, 10 % 5. Chardonnay, 9% 6. Sauvignon blanc, 8
Andrew Jefford’s Wine Course By: Andrew Jefford Photo: William Lingwood & Alan Williams, et al Ryland, Peters & Small, £19.99, ISBN 978-1845977238 This is an introduction to wine and wine tasting. Andrew Jefford accompanies the
New Zealand is best known for its very fragrant sauvignon blanc wines, with much ”SB” typicity, yet full-bodied. But all is not sauvignon in Kiwi land. This is the split between different grape varieties according
The top-ten highest scoring wines in the competition Syrah du Monde was: – Australia Witchmount Estate Shiraz 2004 Witchmount Estate – Canada Pillitteri Estates Shiraz Icewine 2006 Pillitteri Estate Winery – South Africa Hartenberg the
Argentina is actually the worlds largest producer of Malbec (sometimes called Auxerrois) with 24,000 ha. But historically it is Cahors in south-western France that is considered the cradle of this variety. The two wine regions
Melody, Corot Noir, Valvin Muscat are perhaps not the best known grape varieties with wine lovers. They are all “hybrids”, i.e. crossings that are not the pure European Vitis Vinifera. Such hybrids can be much
Since 1979 a lot has changed in the vineyards so it is time to review old truths about what is taught in wine classes. The statistics is from Drinks International and based on SCEES RGA79
On May 22-24 the World’s Best Tempranillo competition will be held i Cologne. The competition is organised by a Spanish organisation which perhaps is not surprising since much of the world’s Tempranillo is made in
You often hear the critique “Why don’t the French make more wines with the grape variety on the label? It would be so much more easy to understand!”. Well, maybe for some: A survey has
September 24 has been named as the First Annual International Grenache Day (FAIGD?). It has been created to celebrate “the great grenache grape”, indeed one
In the last Brief we noted that it is really not a big issue if you don’t remember all the 13 permitted grape varieties in
Châteauneuf-du-Pape has over the last decade or two seen a tremendous development both in terms of popularity and more importantly in terms of quality of
According to statistics from Nielsen in the USA sales of malbec wines (made from the grape variety malbec) have increased with 60% over the last
There’s actually a club for people who have tasted more than one hundred grape varieties: the Wine Century Club. To become member you have to
Not just football There’s a lot of talk about South Africa these days (but less and less in some countries perhaps…) with the World Cup
As in most old wine producing countries there is in Italy a wealth of grape traditional varieties. Unfortunately they are often overshadowed by the “international”
Tales from a recent trip Chile is a wine country in transformation. For twenty years it has been delivering reliable but quite basic wines but
In Bordeaux they grow more and more petit verdot and sauvignon gris. Marselan has been approved for AOC Côtes du Rhône. We will see more
In August the University of Stellenbosch was given permission to plant en experimental plot with 1 ha of genetically modified vines. This touches a very
It’s very popular with varietal wine competitions so for the first time in world history (!) there was recently an International Malbec Competition. Malbec perhaps
Domaines Rollan de By, best known for the Château Rollan de By in the Médoc, has launched a four bottle case with single variety wines.
Some wine producers in Australia have turned out some very decent wines from albariño grapes (some 150 ha planted). Albarino is a grape variety well
What is your guess? Cabernet? Syrah? Ugni blanc? Or something else? No, none of those. For most of the 20th century it was carignan, but
The albariño grape variety is best known from Spain and Portugal (alvarinho) where it produces refreshing wines with a citrus tang. But it is not
At the Syrah Symposium in May 2008 grape researchers established that the syrah variety is not originating from Greece, the Middle East or any other
Can we look forward to soon seeing a Bordeaux chardonnay? Perhaps. The producer organisations for AC Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur has requested permission from the
The most grown grape varieties in south Africa (source: WOSA): 1. Chenin blanc, 19 % 2. Cabernet sauvignon, 13 % 3. Colombard, 12 % 4.
Andrew Jefford’s Wine Course By: Andrew Jefford Photo: William Lingwood & Alan Williams, et al Ryland, Peters & Small, £19.99, ISBN 978-1845977238 This is an
New Zealand is best known for its very fragrant sauvignon blanc wines, with much ”SB” typicity, yet full-bodied. But all is not sauvignon in Kiwi
The top-ten highest scoring wines in the competition Syrah du Monde was: – Australia Witchmount Estate Shiraz 2004 Witchmount Estate – Canada Pillitteri Estates Shiraz
Argentina is actually the worlds largest producer of Malbec (sometimes called Auxerrois) with 24,000 ha. But historically it is Cahors in south-western France that is
Melody, Corot Noir, Valvin Muscat are perhaps not the best known grape varieties with wine lovers. They are all “hybrids”, i.e. crossings that are not
Since 1979 a lot has changed in the vineyards so it is time to review old truths about what is taught in wine classes. The
On May 22-24 the World’s Best Tempranillo competition will be held i Cologne. The competition is organised by a Spanish organisation which perhaps is not
You often hear the critique “Why don’t the French make more wines with the grape variety on the label? It would be so much more
Newsletter:
Get our free monthly newsletter, the BKWine Brief and join 25,000 other wine and travel enthusiasts.
Text and images may not be used without our permission. More info on copyright.
25,000 subscribers get wine news every month. You too?
