Changes on the Website – November 2025

Paul HowardArticles, Blog, My Events, NWR (Non-Wine Related), Wine Business

Website Changes

Changes on the Website – November 2025 In this media-saturated digital world, there are constant changes in technologies and reader needs, so this website must keep up! The simplest way of letting you know about changes made to this website is right here. What hasn’t changed For over 25 years, Wine Alchemy has catered for wine lovers who enjoy reading. This …

Tenuta Liliana – a new Cabernet Sauvignon from Puglia

Paul HowardArticles, Blog, Climate Emergency, Italy, Organic, Puglia, Regenerative, Sustainability, Wine Business

Tenuta Liliana Winery

Tenuta Liliana – a new Cabernet Sauvignon from Puglia Puglia is best known for big red wines, principally from native grape varieties such as Primitivo and Negroamaro. Almost inevitably, Puglia also has representation from the international brigade, typified by Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Often, it’s easy to dismiss international varieties because of their ubiquity. However, there are exceptions to the …

What is terroir and does it matter?

Paul HowardArticles, Blog, Wine Business

Corte Sant'Alda

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 the subject. However, my favourite explanation is much more succinct. It comes from literature: “For nitrates are not the land, nor phosphates and the length of fibre in the cotton is not the …

Le Fornaci – an exciting Lugana white wine from Tommasi

Paul HowardArticles, Blog, Italy, Lombardia, Sustainability, Travel, Veneto, Wine Business

Tommasi Le Fornaci Lugana DOC

Le Fornaci – an exciting Lugana white wine from Tommasi Le Fornaci is an ongoing wine project by the Tommasi family. It’s in the Lugana DOC on the southern tip of Lake Garda. Gradually, this project has come to fruition, and the latest 2020 release is a beauty. (Update – so is 2021). Here’s why. Tommasi Tommasi is arguably so …

SWGB: sustainability and using glass wine bottles

Paul HowardArticles, Blog, Climate Emergency, England and Wales, Sustainability, Wine Business

SWGB Sustainable Logo

SWGB: sustainability and using glass wine bottles Sustainability isn’t a “nice to have” these days, it’s an essential part of business success, and wine growing is no exception. In an exciting development, WineGB (English and Welsh wine’s national association) commenced a new environmental sustainability scheme last year. It’s called SWGB, standing for Sustainable Wines of Great Britain. The SWGB code affirms that members …

Rightweighting Glass Wine Bottles

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

Rightweighting - bottle making

Rightweighting Glass Wine Bottles Suppose that we had the technology to create a “wonder material” to package wine? It would need some essential properties. For example, it would come from abundant natural materials. And be completely inert, not affect the taste and have the ability to preserve the wine for decades. It would come in a range of shapes and …

Unblocked: 20 Minutes Into The Future, Part 5

Paul HowardArticles, Blockchain, Blog, Wine Business

Max Headroom 20 Minutes Into the Future ©All3Media

Unblocked: 20 Minutes Into The Future, Part 5 Part 4 described how Blockchain will be used in the wine industry to guarantee wine quality, safety and origins. In this final Part 5 of Unblocked, it’s time to imagine what the future of Blockchain and Wine will be. The road ahead This is what the road ahead looks like right now. It’s …

Unblocked: from Grape 2 Glass, Part 4

Paul HowardArticles, Blockchain, Blog, Wine Business

Consumer trust

Unblocked: from Grape 2 Glass, Part 4 Part 3 took a look at wine frauds. Because of wine and food scandals, consumers distrust the system and are increasingly demanding traceability & transparency about food and wine. In wine, this ideally needs to exist all the way from grape 2 glass. As you know, we now have lots of complicated wine …

Unblocked: a brief history of wine fraud, Part 3

Paul HowardArticles, Blockchain, Blog, Wine Business

Wine frauds

Unblocked: a brief history of wine fraud, Part 3 Wine Frauds – a short detour Wine Fraud exploits wine industry processes in many ways. The rewards are high, while the chances of being caught are small. Penalties such as fines and imprisonment tend to be light too. Wine fraud damages everyone. This slide lists ten major wine frauds that are all a …

Unblocked: the Trust Machine, Part 2

Paul HowardArticles, Blockchain, Blog, Wine Business

The Blockchain Trust Machine components

Unblocked: the Trust Machine, Part 2 Part 1 claimed that the Blockchain is a Trust Machine. But what is it? The Blockchain has several essential elements that combine to make it a Trust Machine. The Ledger is a critical part. It’s just a database; recording transactions, assets, locations and anything else. The clever bit is that the Ledger sits on a …