“One of the most glaring issues with the Old vs New dichotomy is historical inaccuracy…For instance, let’s say we adopt the mindset of some European winemakers and define “Old World” as places where Ancient Romans planted vines: France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Portugal. Curiously absent from this list is Greece, which also produced wine during that time, but isn’t presently …

Hello and welcome to my weekly dig through the pile of wine samples that show up asking to be tasted. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have crossed my doorstep recently. This week included a lot of refreshing wines of many colors, so let’s dive in! …

Hello, and welcome to my weekly roundup of the wine stories that I find of interest on the web. I post them to my magazine on Flipboard, but for those of you who aren’t Flipboard-inclined, here’s everything I’ve strained out of the wine-related muck for the week. What You Need to Know About Albanian WineEverything! I can’t wait to taste these …

What is Picpoul de Pinet wine? Picpoul de Pinet is a crisp, refreshing white wine made exclusively from the ancient Piquepoul grape variety in the Languedoc region in southern France. It is the only Languedoc appellation dedicated solely to dry white wine production, and in a region dominated by blends, this is one of very few areas that permits the …

Budva, Montenegro. Lying on the Balkan peninsula between Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo and Albania, Montenegro has five national parks, highlighting its dramatic landscapes and unspoilt nature. Through the millennia, its original inhabitants, the Illyrians, were joined by Greeks, Romans, Slavs, Byzantines, Venetians and Ottoman Turks. While much of the coast was under Venice from 1392 to 1797, the …

Introduction Are you curious about new South African wine styles and regions to try? What do most people misunderstand about Pinotage wine? Is it really necessary to spit when doing a wine tasting? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with international wine and spirit judge Dr. Winnie Bowman. You can find the wines we discussed here.   …

Shiraz grapes. If you love the pepperiness of Shiraz/Syrah, you probably already know that this is down to rotundone. This organic compound was discovered in 2008¹ but in May 2023 when researchers at the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) sequenced the genome of Shiraz, they finally identified the genetic variants ‘which when combined with appropriate environmental triggers may allow Shiraz …

What is Vinho Verde? ‘Young, fresh and light,’ the marketing trumpeted but, these days, Vinho Verde’s Wine Commission is keen to broaden perceptions beyond the classic, slightly pétillant, non-vintage blends. As are the Guedes’ family who, in addition to making the best-selling classic, Casal Garcia, now produce sophisticated single-parcel Vinho Verdes under their Aveleda brand. Today, there’s plenty more on …

A fresh, beautifully textured white, with creamy apple blossom and white nectarine flavors coated in a thin layer of honeycomb. Gains complexity from a firming mineral foundation and blanched almond details, revealing good persistence and vibrancy overall. Drink now through 2025. 20,000 cases made, 100 cases imported. Source : 0c80263f823acfdccb1251a5797737ef

A supple, succulent red marked by intense aromas and flavors of blackberry, black cherry, violet, earth and graphite. Reveals tannins that leave a powdery feel on the finish, along with vibrant acidity. Overall, this is balanced and superlong. Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino. Drink now through 2033. 6,000 cases made, 300 cases imported. Source : 29781ad927ad32afaf27f1e5cf33024a