Vajra Barolo DOCG – Part Two, Red Roses for Me Part One of this article on G.D. Vajra introduced their estate and focused on their Langhe varietal red wines: Dolcetto, Barbera and Freisa. In Part Two, the focus shifts to feature three Vajra Barolo Cru wines. Each is a different expression of this famous DOCG from the 2019 vintage. As …
G.D. Vajra Part One, with Three Langhe reds
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. …
Goetheanum Celebrates Centenary of Biodynamics
Goetheanum Celebrates Centenary of Biodynamics The Goetheanum and the Biodynamic farming community worldwide have reason to celebrate this year. 2024 marks the Centenary of the philosophy and practice of Biodynamics. In the beginning It all began in 1924. European farmers saw increasing disease and susceptibility in their plants and animals. Furthermore, they already had concerns about the adverse impacts of …
Mi Lugar Rioja from Bodega Queirón is WOTY 2023
Mi Lugar Rioja from Bodega Queirón is WOTY 2023 The Wine of the Year (WOTY) 2023 award from Wine Alchemy goes to Bodega Queirón in Spain for their extra-special red wine, Mi Lugar Rioja DOCa, 2018. As is usual, the Wine Alchemy WOTY must be inspirational. Exceptional taste is a given. But, in addition, the winning wine must be genuinely …
Yuletide drinking – a dozen wines for Christmas 2023
Yuletide drinking – a dozen wines for Christmas 2023 I hope you like my Yuletide card to you all! Like last year, I remain mindful that living costs stay off the scale. However, unlike the previous year, there’s no overall price cap, but each category includes a “budget” wine. No compromises have been made regarding excellence and value in recommending …
Distinctively Different Collio Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio
Distinctively Different Collio Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio This final report from the Collio DOC features two world-famous grape varieties. Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio are now household names. Both enjoy huge recognition and commercial success worldwide. Accordingly, both of them have also become popular in the vineyards of Collio DOC. Here, the hillside terroir and Ponca soil create excellent varietal …
Silvaner Iphofer Kalb from Weinbau Hans Wirsching
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 …
Introducing Port – it’s not one drink
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. …
Borgo Maragliano – Bubbles that Touch the Sky
Borgo Maragliano – Bubbles that Touch the Sky The Galliano family own Borgo Maragliano, a wine estate in Piemonte. It sits 450 metres above sea level (asl) on a natural terrace of the southern Langhe, surrounded by hills reaching over 600 metres. Their glass and steel tasting room seems suspended mid-air and offers breathtaking panoramic countryside views, while the roads here …
Friulano – Friuli’s Favourite, Collio DOC
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 …