Silvaner Iphofer Kalb from Weinbau Hans Wirsching

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Germany, Sustainability

Wirsching Silvaner

Silvaner Iphofer Kalb from Weinbau Hans Wirsching Silvaner is an underappreciated white grape variety, capable of great things when grown in the right place. This example from Weinbau Hans Wirsching may be a half bottle, but it’s so good you’re getting a magnum-sized review! It’s a dry (trocken) white wine from the Franken wine region in Germany, where Silvaner rules …

Share this Post

Introducing Port – it’s not one drink

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Portugal, Sustainability

Vargellas 2008 visit to Taylor's

Introducing Port – it’s not one drink. Port is a quintessentially British drink, yet it comes in many guises and can be confusing. Port is an entire category of wines rather than one drink. Sales of Port remain stubbornly seasonal, although it’s good at any time of year. However, peak Port is Christmas, which naturally gets the most commercial attention. …

Share this Post

Friulano – Friuli’s Favourite, Collio DOC

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Organic, Sustainability

Friulano

Friulano – Friuli’s Favourite, Collio DOC Of all the many authorised grape varieties in the Collio DOC, only Tocai Friulano is grown by all, accounting for a relatively large 15% of the vineyard area. Some of the most outstanding examples of varietal Friulano wines are from the hillsides of the Collio DOC, and it’s usually an essential contributor to the …

Share this Post

Badia a Corte Riserva – Vinum Florentinum

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sustainability, Travel

Badia a Corte - Torre a Cona

Badia a Corte Riserva – Vinum Florentinum Take the old Via Roma (SP1) southeast from Florence towards Rignano sull’Arno. After only 10 km, you’ll find Torre a Cona, a magnificent 18th-century Renaissance estate. It makes wine and olive oil and now offers fine dining and hospitality. Torre a Cona is one of the best wine estates in the Chianti Colli …

Share this Post

Ribolla Gialla – a True Speciality of the Collio DOC

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Organic, Sustainability

Ribolla Gialla courtesy ribollagialla.org

Ribolla Gialla – a True Speciality of the Collio DOC Ribolla Gialla (RG) is a white grape variety grown in the Italian Collio DOC and Colli Orientali DOC and across the border in Brda, Slovenia, where it’s known as Rebula. The enclave of Oslavia in the Collio is regarded as its original home. This is an ancient variety, hardly found …

Share this Post

Collio – introducing Italy’s best-kept wine secret

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sustainability, Travel, Wine Business

Collio Lapel Badge

Collio – introducing Italy’s best-kept wine secret The Collio (aka Collio Goriziano) is a small Italian DOC. It’s in the Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) region in the far north-eastern corner of Italy, bordering Slovenia. Following a recent visit, this article is designed as a brief introduction to Collio and its wines. Future companion pieces will cover some of the most …

Share this Post

A Subtle Dislocation of the Norm? Three wines

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sustainability

A subtle dislocation of the norm

A Subtle Dislocation of the Norm? Three wines Below are three wines, two whites and a red. Each one shows individuality, a great beverage in its unique way, combining people, place, and culture. However, there is also something even rarer about them, as they are unconventional creations. They offer a subtle dislocation of the norm.   Tetramythos, Retsina Amphorae, Traditional Designation, …

Share this Post

Chocolate Cake from Gascony with Maydie

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Food, France, Recipes, Sustainability

Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake from Gascony with Maydie Here’s an adaptation of a chocolate cake recipe by French Chef Marie-Claude Garcia, in the village of Poudenas in Gascony, Southwest France. This cake resembles a big chocolate brownie, while the secret weapon here is the inclusion of Sea Salt*, which adds a whole new dimension. This cake also improves if left to mature over several …

Share this Post

Nautilus – aged underwater by Ktima Foivos

Paul Howard Articles, Biodynamic, Blog, Greece, Organic, Sustainability

Foivos Nautilus

Nautilus – aged underwater by Ktima Foivos This year, there have been many requests for more Greek wine reviews. Perhaps their time to break cover has finally (and rightly) come. So here’s a Greek white wine called Nautilus, made on the beautiful island of Kefalonia by Ktima Foivos. The grape varieties in this blend are organic and biodynamic, native to …

Share this Post

Organic Rosé by Artesano de Argento

Paul Howard Argentina, Articles, Blog, Organic, Sustainability

Artesano de Argento Organic Rosé

Organic Rosé by Artesano de Argento Regular readers will know that the Argento Winery of Argentina has appeared in the pages before, firstly with their Organic Malbec/Cabernet Franc and then their single-vineyard Finca Altamira. Now for their Organic Rosé, in a UK launch perfectly timed for our current summer heatwave. It’s labelled as a single-variety Malbec, although strictly speaking, it’s a blend of …

Share this Post