Utiel-Requena: searching for the heart of Bobal

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Spain

PDO Utiel-Requena / Bobal Requena rooftops

Utiel-Requena: searching for the heart of Bobal Utiel-Requena is one of the appellations in the València region, alongside Alicante and València itself. Of the three, it’s the largest and furthest inland, about 60 km west of València, and home to an indigenous red grape called Bobal. Neither appellation nor grape is exactly a household name. But now, times are changing. …

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Dry Riesling reveals the Terroir at Martin Tesch

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Germany, Organic

Tesch Riesling vineyards in the Nahe

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 …

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Book review: Wine Production and Quality

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Book Reviews

Wine Production and Quality

Book review: Wine Production and Quality Wine Production and Quality is a book by Keith Grainger and Hazel Tattersall. They show how actions in the vineyard and the winery determine the wine quality. Quality means the style, price and taste of the market. The authors I’ve met Keith and Hazel, through memberships of the Association of Wine Educators (AWE) and …

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San Leonardo Rosso 2011 – my WOTY 2016

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sustainability

San Leonardo

San Leonardo Rosso 2011 – my WOTY 2016 Gambero Rosso once described San Leonardo Rosso as one of the fifty wines that changed Italy. They have awarded their Tre Biccheri to it consistently, and it has become something of a legend in Italy. It’s from Trentino, which is a less well-known wine area. However, there are, as we shall see, some links …

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Cristal – is it a Diamond or just Zircon?

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Champagne, France

Cristal - Diamond or Zircon?

Cristal – is it a Diamond or just Zircon? Cristal – in the rarified world of luxury, Cristal Champagne from Louis Roederer has no peer. No other equals its fame or reputation. Perhaps Dom Pérignon, Krug and Belle Epoque come closest. In any good Champagne vintage, Cristal will be up there with the best. It’s expensive, but these days there …

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