G.D.Vajra Part One, with Three Langhe Reds The G.D. Vajra winery is one of the great Barolo addresses. It lies at Vergne, the highest community in the Barolo DOCG, towering over Barolo town, three km away. Indeed, one of their best vineyards is nearby, the famous Bricco Viole (the Violet Hill), the westernmost and highest Barolo cru vineyard, at 497m. …
Castello di Querceto and their Gran Selezione wines
Castello di Querceto and their Gran Selezione wines Castello di Querceto was a founder member of the Chianti Classico consorzio, back in 1924. When heading south from Florence, Greve in Chianti is the first town on the Chiantigiana wine road and the gateway to the Classico region. Nearby is Castello di Querceto. This beautiful wine estate makes wines of high reputation, together …
Share this Post
Italy’s Native Wine Grape Terroirs – Book Review
Italy’s Native Wine Grape Terroirs – Book Review This article reviews a new wine book by Ian D’Agata, entitled Italy’s Native Wine Grape Terroirs. It follows on from his indispensable previous book, Native Wine Grapes of Italy. Here D’Agata continues his focus on Italian native grape varieties. This time he shows how these can communicate a unique “somewhereness” in the wines made from them. …
Share this Post
Etna terroir, the Burgundy of the Mediterranean – the Lava Lout Returns, Part 2 of 2
Etna terroir, the Burgundy of the Mediterranean – the Lava Lout Returns, Part 2 of 2 The Etna Terroir Part 1 of this article described how a Sicilian volcano bestows natural gifts to create the Etna terroir. But Etna isn’t one terroir; there are many variations. Welcome to the Burgundy of the Mediterranean. Etna’s volcanic soils are free-draining and low in …
Share this Post
Dry Riesling reveals the Terroir at Martin Tesch
Dry Riesling reveals the Terroir at Martin Tesch Dr Martin Tesch owns Weingut Tesch in the Nahe region of Germany. The estate has been family-owned since 1723, while the vineyards date back to Medieval times. These days, dry Riesling rules here. Tesch is a microbiologist by training but a winegrower by inclination. In 1996, he took over the estate from …
Share this Post
What is terroir and does it matter?
What is terroir and does it matter? Terroir is a French word without a simple English translation. The Oxford Companion to Wine devotes a couple of pages to it. However, my favourite explanation is from literature: “For nitrates are not the land, nor phosphates, and the length of fibre in the cotton is not the land. Carbon is not a man, nor …
Share this Post