Learn more about wine with our fact-filled articles under the heading ”wine school”. On how to make wine, on wine regions, on grape varieties, on tasting wine and much, much more. Facts about the wonderful world of wine. Everything from in-depth technical articles on viticulture and winemaking to tasting tips to learn more about flavours and characters.
What does it really cost to convert to organic farming? It is sometimes said that “certification is expensive so the producer X works organically but does not certify”. That’s not correct. The certification is a
New Zealand is through with being the new kid of the block. Which is totally natural. They have nothing to prove anymore. Their wines (at least many of them) are world-class and as interesting as
Local grape varieties can be a strong point for wine countries. The wine enthusiast is more and more looking for the unusual and the unknown. Moldova, in the easternmost part of Europe, is in many
Sometimes people at wine tastings try and impress with opinions like “this wine tastes as if it has been in an egg-shaped concrete tank”, “this must have been kept in a stainless steel tank”, “you
The wine festival for wine “made in Sweden” in Skepparp My wife and I usually go down to Skåne, Scanie, the very south of Sweden, at least once a year to visit grandchildren and other
There is no reason to be alarmed even though the world’s production of wine fell with 10% in 2019. The global total of wine is still good, estimated to be 263 million hectolitres. It is
Wine producers are facing difficult choices today. Not least in what way they should manage the vineyard. Conventional, sustainable, organic or biodynamic? They have a variety of pesticides to choose from. More if they grow
A wine’s sulphur content is increasingly scrutinized. Sulphur dioxide is added to the wine as an antioxidant and stabiliser. But its use has diminished, rather drastically I think, in recent decades, in part thanks to
Stop harping on about “good” years and “bad” years! The harvest is in full swing. And so, inevitably, the discussion whether or not it will be a good year. But what is a good year?
Congratulations! On September 25, 2019 it is 200 years since the first vine was planted in New Zealand. An anniversary well worthy of a celebration, don’t you think? It was the Reverend Samuel Marsden, Chaplain
The fact that you make wine in Sweden often surprises foreigners. This is understandable. It is not an obvious wine country. David Morrison, in his blog The Wine Gourd, has taken a closer look at
There is a new report on New Zealand’s vineyards and grapes. The area has increased by 2% and the country now has 38,680 hectares (~a third of Bordeaux) of which 30,921 hectares are white grapes
Rioja is experiencing something of a renaissance right now. To some extent, it is thanks to young, dynamic producers who think it is time to refresh Rioja’s image in the world. Therefore, we have recently
It can be tricky to read statistics on viticulture in different countries. It is important to know whether the statistics apply to both grapes grown for wine production and for eating. The world today has
We’ve all seen them. (Or perhaps not.) The egg-shaped tanks in concrete or in terracotta. A few years ago, they were a sensation, now it feels like every other winemaker is investing in at least
Aroma wines and structure wines Sometimes a wine has a very small nose, does not smell much. We sometimes say a discreet or shy nose. Is that always bad? There is so much talk about
Experimenting with summer wines Do we drink differently in summer? To some extent yes. Especially if it’s a hot summer. Which is not always the case. But if it is hot and you eat outdoors,
If drought is a recurring feature of the weather, then the wine growers become experts in handling it. This is the case, for example, in South Africa. Here they have learned how to optimize irrigation
The brand new numbers for 2018 show a positive picture. Wine production reached a record level in 2018 reaching 293 million hectolitres, a good recovery from a catastrophic 2017. The biggest wine producers in the
A Prosecco debate rages in both Australia and New Zealand. The big question is whether Prosecco should be considered as being a grape variety or a geographical origin. Up until 2009, Prosecco was the name
Is it worth ageing wine? “With age comes complexity but wines get more similar with time. You find more nuances in young wines. They are purer and wilder and you can taste the place where
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most popular grape varieties in the world. With 123,000 hectares it is in fact the third most planted white variety in the world, after the Spanish grape Airen (218,000
Piedmont has a wealth of little-known traditional varieties. Time to discover them! The wine region Piedmont in north-western Italy is best known for its powerful Nebbiolo wines Barolo and Barbaresco, its fruity Barbera and sweet
Today, an organic wine farmer who wants to plant new vines can buy the same vines from the nursery as a conventional wine farmer. But this will change. New rules, although not until 2035, will
Cognac has a new category: XXO. In 2017 Hennessy launched a prestigious Cognac which they named XXO. But the authorities were not happy about it as this category of Cognac didn’t exist. Thus, the sale
9 myths and 9 truths about organic, biodynamic, “natural” Organic wine continues to increase, it seems. Commercial success is well established in several countries already. We recently wrote about sales in France that have increased
Portugal is a wonderful wine country in many ways. Not least because it is unrelentingly focusing on Iberian grape varieties. The only French grape that is included in the top-10 list is Syrah, and it
Can we once and for all establish what is true and correct about brut, sec-dry, demi-sec etc? Some myths or mistakes are more persistent than others. One of these is how much sugar champagne and
It has been a difficult year for many wine producers. The difficult fungal disease downy mildew has been widely present in Europe’s southern wine regions, where many producers have lost part of their harvest. The
It is a mistake to think that “Bordeaux has become too expensive”. In fact, bordeaux is one of the regions in France that has an incredible wealth of good-value, affordable wines, provided you cast your
What does it really cost to convert to organic farming? It is sometimes said that “certification is expensive so the producer X works organically but
New Zealand is through with being the new kid of the block. Which is totally natural. They have nothing to prove anymore. Their wines (at
Local grape varieties can be a strong point for wine countries. The wine enthusiast is more and more looking for the unusual and the unknown.
Sometimes people at wine tastings try and impress with opinions like “this wine tastes as if it has been in an egg-shaped concrete tank”, “this
The wine festival for wine “made in Sweden” in Skepparp My wife and I usually go down to Skåne, Scanie, the very south of Sweden,
There is no reason to be alarmed even though the world’s production of wine fell with 10% in 2019. The global total of wine is
Wine producers are facing difficult choices today. Not least in what way they should manage the vineyard. Conventional, sustainable, organic or biodynamic? They have a
A wine’s sulphur content is increasingly scrutinized. Sulphur dioxide is added to the wine as an antioxidant and stabiliser. But its use has diminished, rather
Stop harping on about “good” years and “bad” years! The harvest is in full swing. And so, inevitably, the discussion whether or not it will
Congratulations! On September 25, 2019 it is 200 years since the first vine was planted in New Zealand. An anniversary well worthy of a celebration,
The fact that you make wine in Sweden often surprises foreigners. This is understandable. It is not an obvious wine country. David Morrison, in his
There is a new report on New Zealand’s vineyards and grapes. The area has increased by 2% and the country now has 38,680 hectares (~a
Rioja is experiencing something of a renaissance right now. To some extent, it is thanks to young, dynamic producers who think it is time to
It can be tricky to read statistics on viticulture in different countries. It is important to know whether the statistics apply to both grapes grown
We’ve all seen them. (Or perhaps not.) The egg-shaped tanks in concrete or in terracotta. A few years ago, they were a sensation, now it
Aroma wines and structure wines Sometimes a wine has a very small nose, does not smell much. We sometimes say a discreet or shy nose.
Experimenting with summer wines Do we drink differently in summer? To some extent yes. Especially if it’s a hot summer. Which is not always the
If drought is a recurring feature of the weather, then the wine growers become experts in handling it. This is the case, for example, in
The brand new numbers for 2018 show a positive picture. Wine production reached a record level in 2018 reaching 293 million hectolitres, a good recovery
A Prosecco debate rages in both Australia and New Zealand. The big question is whether Prosecco should be considered as being a grape variety or
Is it worth ageing wine? “With age comes complexity but wines get more similar with time. You find more nuances in young wines. They are
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most popular grape varieties in the world. With 123,000 hectares it is in fact the third most planted white
Piedmont has a wealth of little-known traditional varieties. Time to discover them! The wine region Piedmont in north-western Italy is best known for its powerful
Today, an organic wine farmer who wants to plant new vines can buy the same vines from the nursery as a conventional wine farmer. But
Cognac has a new category: XXO. In 2017 Hennessy launched a prestigious Cognac which they named XXO. But the authorities were not happy about it
9 myths and 9 truths about organic, biodynamic, “natural” Organic wine continues to increase, it seems. Commercial success is well established in several countries already.
Portugal is a wonderful wine country in many ways. Not least because it is unrelentingly focusing on Iberian grape varieties. The only French grape that
Can we once and for all establish what is true and correct about brut, sec-dry, demi-sec etc? Some myths or mistakes are more persistent than
It has been a difficult year for many wine producers. The difficult fungal disease downy mildew has been widely present in Europe’s southern wine regions,
It is a mistake to think that “Bordeaux has become too expensive”. In fact, bordeaux is one of the regions in France that has an
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