Monthly Archives: April 2024

Exploring the Remarkable Wines of Bodega Cerrón, Jumilla, Spain

Website: http://vinacerron.com/ Jumilla is a wine region in the southeast of Spain, in the province of Murcia. The climate here is hot and the main grape is Monastreall (also known as Mourvèdre). The early arrival of winegrowing in this region can be credited to the Phoenicians, and the practice was continued by the Romans. The… Read More »

Understanding the Current Status of English Wine Industry

Once a skeptic, Tom Stevenson has come to love his home country’s dramatically improved wines. By Tom Stevenson Tom Stevenson tells the story of his conversion to English wine, and picks some of the best bottles he has tasted over the past 12 months. There was a time when I certainly considered all English wine… Read More »

Andrew Jefford Expresses Concern: Farming’s Future Is At Risk Without the Younger Generation

‘I worry about the younger generation,’ Gallica owner and winemaker Rosemary Cakebread confessed. ‘It’s tough for young individuals in Napa to afford a house, much less a vineyard.’ ‘Should you possess any desire to work independently, you’ll require family investments or supporters. Without the incoming generation, we risk losing traditional agriculture.’ She has a point.… Read More »

Introducing Quinta do Poeta: A New Winery in Douro

Fausto José dos Santos Júnior (1903-1975), a notable poet, was born in Aldeia de Cima in the Douro. This niche venture is spearheaded by his grandchild Nuno Santos and Nuno’s wife Gabriela. The Santos family owns vineyards in Douro: The primary source of white vines is a 2.5 ha expanse at 620 m in Aldeia… Read More »

Exploring History: The Symbolic Representation of Wine as Blood

Stuart Walton explores the sanguine significance of red wine. By Stuart Walton The color of red wine has suited it since antiquity to be the sustaining metaphor for blood. Not only does its color resemble vital fluid, but the juice itself and its method of extraction, could stand for the life-force of the grapevine. This… Read More »

Introducing the 2023 Releases From Eben Sadie, South Africa’s Wine Icon

Eben Sadie has been a frequent topic of my previous writings. He requires little to no introduction. Therefore, instead of a lengthy preamble, I will directly dive into my observations on the latest offerings from South Africa’s most reputed winemaker. Regrettably, his creations sell out within moments of their release. Skerpioen 2022 SwartlandA vineyard, co-planted… Read More »

Exploring Wiston Estate: The Banana Belt Republic

The story behind the Goring family’s stylish West Sussex sparkling wines. By Margaret Rand Margaret Rand visits a part of the South Downs famed (and nicknamed) for its warm climate, where the Goring family is making fine sparkling wines of tension and generosity on their sustainably managed farm at Wiston Estate. It used to be… Read More »