The Great Vine – the World’s Oldest Grapevine Where is the world’s oldest grapevine? Perhaps in continental Europe, where grapes have been grown for centuries. Or alternatively, in a place that’s a cradle of winegrowing, such as Georgia or Syria. Surprisingly, the world’s oldest grapevine is thriving in London. This is The Great Vine, which it’s now 252 years young. The …
Comité Champagne MOOC, Massive Open Online Course
Comité Champagne MOOC, Massive Open Online Course The official online course about Champagne wines is now available, provided by the Comité Champagne, called the MOOC. The Comité Champagne is, “the trade association that represents the interests of independent Champagne producers and Champagne Houses. Its mandate is to promote the vines and wines of Champagne. Its broad remit includes economic, technical, …
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Brunello di Montalcino Terroir: Tenute Silvio Nardi 2015’s
Brunello di Montalcino Terroir: Tenute Silvio Nardi 2015’s Tenute Silvio Nardi has just released their three 2015 vintage Brunello di Montalcino DOCG wines. This article is about how each one expresses their particular Montalcino terroir. Let’s begin with a little more about Brunello and why Nardi is a classic producer. Then we can see how these wines express their environments and …
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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. …
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Le Pupille – delicious summer drinking
Le Pupille – delicious summer drinking For many lovers of Italian wine, the Fattoria Le Pupille winery and founder/owner Elisabetta Geppetti will need little introduction. The name Le Pupille derives from the two farmhouses, (the Pupils), located on the top of the hills near the village of Pereta, in the deep south of coastal Tuscany. We are in the Maremma, in …
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Lyme Bay Chardonnay 2018 for English Wine Week 2020
Lyme Bay Chardonnay 2018 for English Wine Week 2020 This year’s English Wine Week is a little later in the year than usual. It runs from Saturday 20 June to Sunday 28th June. To tie in with this year’s event here’s my English wine recommendations. The principal feature is the newly released Chardonnay 2018 from the Lyme Bay Winery in …
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Txakoli: The Drunkard, Zarauz, by Joaquín Sorolla
Txakoli: The Drunkard, Zarauz, by Joaquín Sorolla Most of the time, it’s the wine itself that inspires the desire for writing about it. However, at other times inspiration comes courtesy of an entirely different subject. This time is one such, where Art has inspired the desire to write about a less well-known and unique Spanish white wine called Txakoli. The Drunkard, …
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MonteRosola, an emerging Tuscan star
MonteRosola, an emerging Tuscan star MonteRosola is a contemporary winery in the hills close to the hilltop town of Volterra in Tuscany. Volterra may be less familiar to some, so let’s start there, to get a sense of how MonteRosola and their wines fit into this delightful Tuscan landscape. Volterra lays claim to the title, “the oldest town in Tuscany.” …
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Pedro Ximénez: Discover the Joy of PX
Pedro Ximénez: Discover the Joy of PX Pedro Ximénez (PX) is both a Spanish white grape variety and a particular style of super-sweet dessert wine. PX (the grape) is grown in many Spanish regions and occasionally elsewhere. However, the most outstanding examples of PX (the wine) are arguably from the inland Andalusian wine region of Montilla-Moriles DO. It’s some 45 …
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Jerry Cornelius, The Nature of the Catastrophe, Part 2
Jerry Cornelius, The Nature of the Catastrophe, Part 2 Part 2 continues the story of Jerry Cornelius’ wine tasting at Kensington Roof Gardens. Please read Part 1 first if you haven’t already done so. Otherwise, what follows will make even less sense. ————————————– Jerry slowly poured the first wine, Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal, 1900. He read out the label without pausing …
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