G.D. Vajra Part One, with Three Langhe reds

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Organic, Sustainability

G.D. Vajra Piemonte 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. …

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Castello di Querceto and their Gran Selezione wines

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Sustainability

Castello di Querceto

Castello di Querceto and their Gran Selezione wines Castello di Querceto was a founder member of the Chianti Classico consorzio, back in 1924. When heading south from Florence, Greve in Chianti is the first town on the Chiantigiana wine road and the gateway to the Classico region. Nearby is Castello di Querceto. This beautiful wine estate makes wines of high reputation, together …

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Italy’s Native Wine Grape Terroirs – Book Review

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Book Reviews, Italy

Italy Terroirs by Ian D'Agata

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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Etna terroir, the Burgundy of the Mediterranean – the Lava Lout Returns, Part 2 of 2

Paul Howard Articles, Blog, Italy, Organic, Travel

Etna terroir

Etna terroir, the Burgundy of the Mediterranean – the Lava Lout Returns, Part 2 of 2 The Etna Terroir Part 1 of this article described how a Sicilian volcano bestows natural gifts to create the Etna terroir. But Etna isn’t one terroir; there are many variations. Welcome to the Burgundy of the Mediterranean. Etna’s volcanic soils are free-draining and low in …

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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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What is terroir and does it matter?

Paul Howard Articles, Blog

Terroir

What is terroir and does it matter? Terroir is a French word without a simple English translation. The Oxford Companion to Wine devotes a couple of pages to it. However, my favourite explanation is from literature: “For nitrates are not the land, nor phosphates, and the length of fibre in the cotton is not the land. Carbon is not a man, nor …

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