Xinomavro – Celebrating International Xinomavro Day

Paul HowardArticles, Biodynamic, Blog, Greece

Xinomavro JV Thymiopoulos

Xinomavro – Celebrating International Xinomavro Day Xinomavro is a Greek red grape variety that deserves celebration, and what better time than the annual International Xinomavro Day on 1 November. As a contribution, this article features a terrific example. Would you please welcome Jeunes Vignes from Thymiopoulos Vineyards? It’s an “entry-level” wine that offers remarkable quality and value, the perfect introduction. Xinomavro Xinomavro means …

Slow Wine Coalition – Good, Clean and Fair Wine

Paul HowardArticles, Biodynamic, Blog, Climate Emergency, Italy, Organic, Sustainability, Wine Business

Slow Wine Coalition

Slow Wine Coalition – Good, Clean and Fair Wine The Slow Wine Coalition is a new collaborative wine network established by the Slow Food movement*. For some years now, vanguard wineries from around the globe have understood that we must establish a wine industry upon solid environmental, ethical and social values. As a result, many sustainable initiatives are now happening …

Le Feu, Savoie’s greatest wine – for Dominique Belluard

Paul HowardArticles, Biodynamic, Blog, France, Sustainability

label-domaine-belluard 2

Le Feu, Savoie’s greatest wine – for Dominique Belluard This article is about Savoie’s most excellent white wine, Le Feu, made at Domaine Belluard. It’s written as a small memorial tribute to Dominique Belluard, pioneering owner of the Domaine. He tragically took his own life, age 55. Dominique Belluard farmed this small biodynamic estate at Ayse. It’s in the heart …

Spanish Reds – six great examples

Paul HowardArticles, Biodynamic, Blog, Organic, Spain, Sustainability

WFS 2021 Great red wines

Spanish Reds – six great examples The Wines From Spain 2021 virtual event had no shortage of red wines. So following on from the previous article on Spanish whites is a companion piece in the same format about six great Spanish dry reds. As with the whites, there are no sweet, fortified or sparkling wines included. In addition, such is the …

Spanish Whites – six great examples

Paul HowardArticles, Biodynamic, Blog, Organic, Spain, Sustainability

WFS 2021 Great Spanish white wines

Spanish Whites – six great examples Spain’s enormous wealth of native grape varieties, terroirs, and winegrowers means that it’s one of the most exciting countries for wine diversity, interest and value. This article covers six dry white wines chosen from the hundreds available at the annual Wines From Spain 2021 event. Furthermore, Spanish whites have emerged from the shadow of …

SP68 Rosso by Arianna Occhipinti – serious fun

Paul HowardArticles, Biodynamic, Blog, Italy, Sicilia, Sustainability

Occhipinti SP68 Rosso 2019

SP68 Rosso by Arianna Occhipinti – serious fun Arianna Occhipinti owns 23.5 hectares of vineyards in the southeast of Sicily, near Vittoria. Here is a beautiful land of limestone and sandy soils at around 300 metres in altitude. It’s in complete contrast to Mount Etna further north; flattish land where grapes are just one of the many fruits, and vegetables …

Millésime BIO 2021 Organic Wine Fair

Paul HowardArticles, Biodynamic, Blog, Organic, Sustainability, Wine Business

Millésime BIO 2021 Event

Millésime BIO 2021 Organic Wine Fair Millésime BIO 2021 takes place in Montpellier, France, from 25-27 January 2021. It will be the 28th edition of the world’s biggest Organic Wine Fair. However, this will now be held in 2021 as a Virtual Event for the first time due to continuing pandemic. WORLD ORGANIC WINE FAIR, NOW A 100% DIGITAL EVENT …

Goldilocks. Or, drinking Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

Paul HowardArticles, Biodynamic, Blog, France, Organic

Goldilocks

Goldilocks. Or, drinking Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Any opportunity to try the wines made by the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) in Burgundy is the chance of a lifetime. Not only is this celebrated patch of dirt in the village of Vosne-Romanée regarded as producing the most outstanding red Burgundy, many consider it to be the source of the world’s …

IWCA – International Wineries for Climate Action

Paul HowardArticles, Biodynamic, Blog, Climate Emergency, Organic, Sustainability, Wine Business

IWCA. Scorched vineyards in Lenswood, Adelaide Hills

IWCA – International Wineries for Climate Action Wine is one of the most valuable agricultural products in the world. Now we’re witnessing the catastrophic effects of the global climate emergency. The world’s vineyards are vulnerable to an increasing amount of extreme weather events; from storms, floods, heat, fire and drought. Some marginal winegrowing regions in the world have arguably benefited thus …

Huia Blanc de Blancs and Marlborough Memories

Paul HowardArticles, Biodynamic, Blog, New Zealand, Organic, Sparkling Wine, Sustainability

Huia Blanc de Blancs 2016

Huia Blanc de Blancs and Marlborough Memories The Huia was a native New Zealand bird with beautiful plumage. In particular, its distinctive tail feathers, now extremely rare, were highly prized, both by the Maori and by milliners.  Sadly, this species hasn’t been seen since 1907 and is now almost certainly extinct. Huia is also the name of a winery.  In …