Margaret Rand meets the Etna winemaker. By Margaret Rand How did Federico Graziani, the child of an accountant and a shopkeeper, become a champion sommelier and a star Etna winemaker? Margaret Rand finds out. A butcher walked into a bar… This should be the start of a joke. What would the punchline be? “And the… Read More »
The whisky has been maturing at the Speyside distillery since 1974, initially in a bourbon barrel and then in refill hogshead. Twelve bottles will be released on the blockchain-enabled marketplace, each priced at €40,000 (£34,000) plus VAT. Each bottle represents one of the 12 essential elements that underpin The Glenlivet: Air, Angel Share, Barley, Cooper,… Read More »
Germaine Santallier is a youthful wine grower in Beaujolais. His work experience includes stints with Marie-Thérèze Chappaz in Switzerland, then Jean-Claude Lapalu in Beaujolais. A twist of fate caused by the death of his father pressured Germaine to takeover the family’s 7-hectare vineyard, he was just 19 at that time. His first-ever wine vintage was… Read More »
Bellingham holds an influential position in South Africa’s winery culture, both traditionally and currently. Despite a production of just over 1000 tons each vintage, it successfully strikes a balance between more commercial, widely available offerings, and also crafting more refined wines that are still well distributed. The journey of Bellingham starts with Bernard Podlashuk. In… Read More »
The best wines for a divisive and strong-scented French dish. By Joanna Simon It is almost a badge of honour in France to assert a strong preference for andouillettes. If you lack affection for them, the implication is that you’re neither truly French nor a genuine Francophile. However, among Francophiles, there are few foods more… Read More »
Domaine Roche Bleue L’Orée de la Berterie 2022 Coteaux-du-Loir, Loire 13.5% alcohol. This is Chenin Blanc from 30 year old vines. 80% on slopes and 20% on the plateau. Some red clay with a limestone subsoil close to the surface, and some heavier clay with the limestone deeper down. Low yields of 30 hl/ha. Classic… Read More »
The Okanagan Valley in Canada, which stands as the country’s second largest wine region, has unfortunately received some bad news. Despite being used to cold winters, it’s rare for the region to experience winters so cold that it could damage grape vines. However, for the second winter consecutively, temperatures have plunged below -20 °C, a… Read More »
Lisboa Food & Wines Group Sommelier Henry Chang explains how his team built their award-winning wine program at Le Salon de Thé de Joël Robuchon. By The World of Fine Wine Team With entries now open for the 2024 World’s Best Wine Lists awards, we asked some of the 2023 winners about their approach to building an award-winning list. This… Read More »
Specialist financial police in Brindisi, south-east Italy, seized assets worth more than €520,000 (£440,000) as part of the organic wine fraud probe, at the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Naples. It’s a case that involves suspected misuse of European Union (EU) agriculture funds made available to support a wine producer’s conversion… Read More »
Website: https://zephyrwine.com/about.htm Ben Glover earned his renown as a winemaker while employed at Wither Hills under Brent Marris, and subsequently at Mud House. This experience served as the perfect foundation for establishing his own family winemaking venture, Zephyr. Prior to stepping into the world of winemaking, the Glovers were dairy farmers in Marlborough. They sold… Read More »