Dow’s Port, a family-owned business of more than 200 years which was founded in 1798 has launched a range of aged tawny ports in Belgium. The Symington family have called the Douro their home since 1882 and five generations of the family have owned and managed Dow's since they became partners in the business in 1912. Drawing on the knowledge that the Symington family have drawn over many generations, the family legacy is reflected in every bottle of the Dow’s 10, 20, 30 and 40 year old tawny port. Johnny Symington, said during a presentation at The Cobbler in Gent, a bar that forms part of De Post hotel, that constant attention is needed by the master blender, the cellar master and the coopers who all play a part in nurturing the maturing wines which are essential to have a balanced tawny Port. The Symington’s like to say that vintage port is made in the vineyard while tawny port is made in the cellar. This statement highlights the painstaking and decades long work that is … [Read more...]
The wine battle: biodynamic vs natural wines
Around 10 years ago, I sat for a five session course on wine tasting. The sommelier who was organising the wine course presented us with a range of natural wines, a few excellent, most foul. The scope was not to convince us about the merits or not of natural wine but rather to allow us to spot the defects in a wine whether it was natural or not. Move 10 years and in 2018, most restaurants and wine bars worth their salt are offering many natural wines and biodynamic wines on their wine lists. But have we reached peak natural wine? What’s the difference when it comes to taste with biodynamic wines? Can they be both? And has there been improvement in natural wines. These were the questions we tried to explore at a wine tasting club I am a member of. Together with a friend, we selected 10 wines from philosophical European winemakers who in one way or another have a vision and who translate their vision into their wines. This was an atypical wine tasting moving where we compared … [Read more...]
Influential wine writer James Suckling opens wine bar in Hong Kong
James Suckling, one of the top wine writers in the world has fulfilled his dream of opening a wine bar. The wine bar on the second floor of Staunton Suites in Staunton Street, Soho, Hong Kong has softly opened its doors and is welcoming people for a glass or bottle of wine. The brand new wine bar and restaurant is called James Suckling Wine Central and includes a personal selection of wines which have scored between 90 and 100 points by him or his team. "It’s been a dream of mine for many years to open a wine bar. I want to share my lifelong passion for wine with every single one of you in Hong Kong. I want you to know that whether you purchase a rare old bottle or a good-value wine by the glass at my restaurant, you can be assured of a great experience," he told readers of his newsletter. Opening James Suckling Wine Central has taken many months of preparation and careful planning. "But I felt it was something I had to do as a natural extension of the large-scale consumer … [Read more...]
The last wine: Going once, going twice…. sold
When Gut Hermannsberg's general manager and oenologist Karsten Peter opened a bottle of the Schlossböckelheimer Kupfergrube Trockenbeerenauslese 1921 vintage in 2017 to replace the cork he was astonished by the concentration, complexity and freshness of the wine. He was heard exclaiming 'the wine is as fresh at the new morning'. This was the last bottle of the wine that remains in the Rarities Cellar of Hut Hermannsberg, a bottle that that is not only historical but also comes from a phenomenal vintage. The neck of the bottle is decorated with a banderol, where one can read the ornamental script: Presented as a celebratory libation to honour the President of Germany, General Field Marshall von Hindenburg, at the liberation festivities in Cologne, on 21 March 1926. This last wine bottle is being put on auction. The couple who own Gut Hermannsberg, Dr Christine Dinse and Jens Reidel, along with the general manager Karsten Peter, made the decision to auction the 1921er for this … [Read more...]
Dirk van der Niepoort is winegrower of the year
Dirk van der Niepoort, the Portuguese winemaker has been honoured as winegrower of the year at the Wine Awards gala presentation by German culinary magazine Der Feinschmecker. Over the past two decades, Dirk van der Niepoort has been the motivating force behind the quality revolution in the Douro. The region, which in the best cases, was producing grapes for Port wine has developed into a highly respected appellation for impressive red wines and mineral-driven white wines. Niepoort has played an extremely important role in the process. When he vinified his first red wine in 1987, he was laughed at and even criticised but he has now been widely imitated. From year to year, his wines improve and become finer and more elegant. The winemaker had no classical training as a winemaker. He approached the region's wines with the eyes and the palate of a wine taster with extensive international experience. His philosophy is to recognise the specific characteristics of each … [Read more...]
Gorka Izagirre wines: Making the impossible possible
Visitors to the Basque country will have definitely tasted the Txakoli, a local white wine that is drunk everywhere you go. But outside the region, the wine is extremely difficult to find despite the fact that it washes down well with food. When you visit the Azurmendi galaxy, a three Michelin star restaurant a few kilometres outside Bilbao in the idyllic Larrabetzu, you will not only find the sister restaurant Eneko, recently awarded with a Michelin star but also the headquarters of Bodega Gorka Izagirre, a newish and enthusiastically patriotic Biscayan wine producer. And as you would expect from a wine that is served in Eneko Atxa's restaurants, the wines produced are of the highest quality white wines while remaining true to their unique identity and origins. The wines are made from the Hondarrabi Zuri and the Hondarrabi Zerratia varieties. These are Atlantic grapes that are cultivated locally in small and concerntrated clusters located on the hillsides of Biscay giving … [Read more...]
First ever auction for Emidio Pepe includes wine vintages dating back to 1967
Emidio Pepe will be auctioning wine dating back to 1967 in a collaboration with Zachys Wine Auction. Some of the most iconic vintages that have not been released for a long time because of the tiny stock left will will released in small quantities. "It is a unique occasion and an extraordinary moment," says Emidio Pepe "to be able to tell the history of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo with bottles that are full of life and have a sense of place." He believes that every season is different and hence the wine is different. "It is the only way to let the wine tell the story of the place, letting it register climate conditions. This is the cultural and historical function of wine," he says. In total, 53 vintages will be auctioned with Zachys. The wines have all been hand destemmed and fermented in concrete. All the aging took plae in the bottle. Emidio was a pioneer in aging Montepulciano not only per se but also in the bottle. According to him, they could preserve their integrity, … [Read more...]
2017: A very fine and abundant vintage for Austrian wine with winemakers describing it as a picture perfect year
Austria has reported a harvest that is good in terms of quality and volume. While worldwide 2017 saw the lowest level of wine production in years, Austria's yield of 2.6 million hl (according to October’s third harvest estimate) amounted to a quarter above the five-year average, which will go a long way to filling cellars that in many places have been rather empty. True, there were late frosts in 2017 as well as hailstorms, but both caused substantially less damage than in the previous year. Only the Weinviertel experienced a more modest harvest compared with the average, due to extremely arid conditions in one of the hottest summers in a long time. In general, this year was distinguished by constant fluctuations of temperature, setting meteorological records. 2017 began with the coldest January of the past thirty years, which in addition was also very dry – by contrast, February was extraordinarily warm. This was followed by the warmest month of March that had ever been recorded in … [Read more...]
The health benefits of wine
As if we need more excuses to drink wine! Although many of us have heard whispers about the health benefits of drinking wine, the average wine enthusiast doesn’t know much about positive effects of the fruit of the vine. Fortunately for us, a great deal of research has been done, and there are many more studies yet to come out about how and why wine is good for you. Today, we’ll cover what we know about how a glass or two in the evening can help you stay healthy. Red is Love, Red is Life Although we’re still awaiting the results of many studies about the health benefits of white wine, the general consensus around wine and health is that red wines pack the most positive punch. As with many fruits and vegetables, the healthy elements in wine occur mainly in the skin of the grape. So start stocking up on tannin heavy reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, or Syrah. Heart Health Among the most well-known and documented health benefits of drinking wine is its effect on the heart … [Read more...]
Trudie Styler and Sting launch Il Palagio tasting tour at ProWein in Dusseldorf
Trudie Styler and Sting have launched the Il Palagio Tasting Tour at this year's ProWein, the world's leading trade fair for wine and spirits that was held in Dusseldorf, Germany from March 19 to 21. The traveling caravan has been designed to create a welcoming atmosphere for wine lovers from all over the world as they stop to taste Il Palagio wines and learn more about the Tuscan estate and winery during Sting's tour. The Mayor of Dusseldorf and the Prowein team welcomed Sting and Styler at the Prowein fair on Sunday. During the event, Sting also paid tribute to the late, great Chuck Berry, playing Johnny B. Goode at the fair. Il Palagio, the winery owned by world renowned singer Sting and his wife Trudie Styler, a film producer, director and human rights activist Featuring wines named Sister Moon, When we Dance, Casino delle Vie, Beppe Rosato, Message in a Bottle White and Message in a Bottle Red, the first stop of the traveling caravan was in Dusseldorf. The … [Read more...]