Record price for vineyard in Bordeaux
>> Monday, February 28, 2011
More about the book on Tokaji
>> Friday, February 25, 2011
The author sent us a mail and explained:
”I feel obliged to respond to your question about 'the intended reader.' If we are talking about someone who is going to read the book from front to back, certainly it would only be a real Tokaji enthusiast. But mainly I was thinking of serious enophiles who occasionally want to explore particular topics about Tokaji. That is why I divided the book into parts, with an A-Z format within that framework. Also, I definitely had wine writers, MWs, etc. in mind in wanting to set out everything needed to avoid the wrong or false history that has plagued Western literature on Tokaji to date.”
Here’s the original book review.
Is it outrageous that a bottle of wine can cost 1000€ or more?
Many consumers see in a nostalgic light the bottles they bought years ago without too much pain inflicted on the wallet. Many wine writers have been outraged over the price rises in recent years. One who just shrugs the shoulders is Robert Joseph, a well-respected British wine writer. His view is that today some wines have become pure luxury goods, and there’s nothing wrong with that. “the $1,000 bottle is no more crazy than the $10,000 handbag“. We agree.
For the rest of us, who don’t want to pay 1000€ for a bottle of wine, or not “even” 100€, there are plenty (more than ever) good and excellent wines to buy at reasonable prices. And the producers of those wines probably needs our money more than those who make the diamond studded wines. Read all of Robert Joseph’s article here Plus ça change
Must-have thing of the month: remove sulphur with SO2GO
>> Wednesday, February 23, 2011
A small vial of 3 ml is enough to remove the sulphur in one bottle of wine (how can one know, since the sulphur contents varies greatly?). It costs a mere £1.50 a pop. So2go contains hydrogen peroxide that is also used as bleach, as an antiseptic and (according to Wikipedia) as rocket fuel.
If you prefer to remove the sulphur in the wine without bleach and rocket fuel you can pour the wine into a decanter and aerate it a bit. It works too. And it is free. (As a matter of fact So2go releases oxygen when added to the wine. So in practice it does noting different than a decanting.) More www.so2go.co.uk
Greek winemaker becomes mayor of Greece’s second city
Today the winery is run by Yiannis’ son Stelios Boutaris. Kir-Yianni has in spite of its short life take a place among the most quality conscious wine producers in Greece. We were quite impressed when we were there some while back.
In fact, there are a lot of interesting developments in the wine regions in northern Greece today. Perhaps the next new wine tour destination? Let us know if you are interested.
Can a Swedish resident import wine for personal consumption, without having to go through the monopoly?
>> Monday, February 21, 2011
This is a question that pops up quite often, both from Swedish residents and from wine producers / wine sellers. This is a first version of the answer, perhaps not 100% exact (it is difficult to be that) nor 100% to be taken as legal advice:
Yes he can. Under certain conditions.
Since a few years it is OK for a Swedish resident to buy wine from a seller outside of Sweden but inside the EU. This is a result of EU competition laws. However, this is legal only under certain conditions. Read the details here Can Swedish residents import wine for personal consumption?
Delicatessen and wine shop in Bordeaux
Lestrille is run by Estelle Roumage who took over the winery from her father a few years back. She is full of ideas and she has now opened a wine shop (selling not only her own wines!) and delicatessen. A wine bar and restaurant is in the pipe-line for next season. If you are a small family producer you have to have lots of energy as well as ideas!
And why are we not neutral? French Estelle is married to Spanish-Swedish Martin, and Martin is one of the wine guides for BKWine’s wine tours. You can hardly get a better insight into wine than that!
Read more bordeauxwinenews.blogs.sudouest.fr
Protection against bad times for Armagnac? Condom from Condom…
Freedom to the vines? Should planting rights be abolished?
>> Friday, February 18, 2011
The planting rights system means that you must obtain a permit to plant new vines and these “rights” are severely limited. Instead, it was agreed, people would be allowed to plant vines more or less as they want. On the other hand – if they couldn’t sell their wines they should not expect subsidies. (The current/old system provides subsidies for unsold wines.)
The whole reform was created to make the European wine industry more internationally competitive. Now, some politicians are starting to say that planting rights should be maintained and that the government(s) should continue to control and “manage” vine plantings. The last one out was president Nicolas Sarkozy in France. Last year it was chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany.
Just recently an organisation called AREV has joined in the choir. AREV is an organisation that brings together various wine regions around Europe. They have a habit of supporting measures that protect the wine growers from competition and from change. But that rarely benefit the consumers.
The French wine writer Hervé Lalu has written a very interesting article on his blog that argues that this is a bad idea; that the wine industry and the wine consumers will be better off if the system with planting rights is abolished. In fact, maintaining planting rights is just one way for the “old-generation” current wine producers to try and protect themselves from competition.
We agree with Hervé Lalu, that that position is outdated, wine consumers and wine producers will be better off without the old protectionist system. Down with planting rights! Read Hervé’s article here (Use Google Translate if you don’t read French!): Droits de plantations, la polémique continue... mais est-ce la bonne?
Most planted grape varieties in Austria
Whites first:
- Grüner Veltliner 29% (+)
- Welschriesling 8% (-)
- Müller Thurgau 5% (-)
- Weißburgunder 4% (?)
- Riesling 4% (=)
- Chardonnay 3% (?)
- Sauvignon Blanc 2% (++)
- Gemischter Satz 2% (-)
- Neuburger 1% (-)
- Muskateller 1% (++)
- Zweigelt 14% (+)
- Blaufränkisch 7% (+)
- Blauer Portugieser 4% (-)
- Blauburger 2% (+)
- St. Laurent 2% (+)
- Pinot Noir 1% (+)
- Merlot 1% (++)
- Cabernet Sauvignon 1% (++)
- Blauer Wildbacher 1% (-)
- Roesler 0.3% (?)
Bordeaux court fines Italian wine producers for economic parasitism
>> Thursday, February 17, 2011
The organiser of Vinexpo were very upset when they discovered the Italian tent, what in French they call an “off” event (not linked to the official fair). The were so upset that they took the Italian tent organisers, Ital Assist, to court. The court has now decided in favour of Vinexpo and fined the Italians 150,000 euro for “economic piracy”.
We can’t help thinking that what Vinexpo has done is not only silly, but also wrong. In reality, all those “off” events at a trade fair bring a lot of value added to the event itself. If the result will be that there will be fewer off events then Vinexpo will be the loser, since the off events certainly make the fair more interesting and bring more visitors. We can only hope that Vinisud, the second biggest French wine fair, who has also been critical of off events, will not try and do the same thing! Read more www.vitisphere.com and www.vitisphere.com
More extraction with higher pressure – or lower. Flash detente and Delta Extractys
Another big vinification equipment manufacturer, Bucher-Vaslin, has now invented another process which is different but that does essentially the same thing: Delta Extractys. It uses high pressure instead of low. After heating the grapes to around 60 degrees C (in e.g. a thermo-vinificator) they are transported to a pressure chamber. The grapes are put under high pressure, up to 4 bars, and then rapidly returned to normal atmospheric pressure.
The effect is very similar to what happens in flash detente: the grape skin membranes are damaged so that the extraction of polyphenols is more intense. It supposedly increases the fruit and body of the wine and gives them a better tannic structure. Most likely to be used by cooperatives and other large producers of not too ambitious wines. And not cheap: 35,000 to 90,000 euros. (Source: La Vigne, Bucher Vaslin).
Not all yeasts are created equal
>> Wednesday, February 16, 2011
A new type of has now been launched that is not a Saccharomyses. It is called Torulaspora delbrueckii. The benefits are said to be that the wines get more pleasing aromas and more fresh fruit.
A test on chardonnay in Burgundy showed that Torulaspora wines had more aromas of citrus fruit, flowers and spices whereas Cerevisiae wines had more notes of tropical fruit like pineapple. The “T” wines also gave the impressions of being more full bodied. However, Torulaspora cannot completely finish the fermentation since it dies at 8-10% alcohol. The winemaker has to add Saccharomyses Cerevisiae yeast at the end to finish the fermentation. (Source: La Vigne)
Portugal dominates cork production
- Portugal: 157,000 tonnes (52%)
- Spain: 88,400 tonnes (29%)
- Italy: 17,000 tonnes (5.6%)
- Algeria: 15,000 tonnes (5%)
- Morocco: 11,000 tonnes (3.6%)
- Tunisia: 7,500 tonnes (2.5%)
- France: 3,400 tonnes (1%)
Fighting vine diseases organically – copper and sulphur the only weapons?
>> Tuesday, February 15, 2011
- Mildiou (downy mildew): copper is used preventively, currently maximised at 6 kg/ha (possible reduction to 4 kg/ha in view). Having a well aerated vine is important.
- Oidium (powdery mildew): spraying with sulphur preventively. There are trials with some alternative products based on e.g. citrus fruit peels, milk or fenugreek (fenugrec, bockhornsklover) with varying success
- Botryts (rot): Prevention by avoiding excessive humidity in the vine is most important. Inconclusive trial with e.g. Bacillus Subtilis, talcum or clay powders have been done.
- Insects: the insect that spreads flavesence doree can since 2009 be fought with “Pyrevert”, a product made from Dalmatian Pyrethrum. This replaced a product called Rotenon which was not very effective. Against the grape worm trials are done with an extract of bacteria (e.g. Bacillus Thuringensis).
At last! La Vigne launches web site
Very, very old vines
Spain’s most grown grape varieties
>> Sunday, February 13, 2011
It is a common question in wine quizzes, since few have heard about the obscure grape. It is a Spanish white grape variety (unless it has changed recently, plantings have decreased): airen. It produces large quantities of anonymous wine in central Spain. More interesting and noteworthy are the wines from the biggest red grape variety, tempranillo.
Here are the most grown Spanish grape varieties:
Red grapes:
- tempranillo, 207 000 ha
- garnacha tinta, 75 000
- [update] monastrel/mourvedre, this was missing in the original post. According to OWC it has 63 000 ha and to another source 43 000 ha. (Thanks Vincent!)
- cabernet sauvignon, 19 000
- merlot, 13 000
- graciano, 1 500
White grapes:
- airen, 284 000 ha
- verdejo blanco, 11 000
- pedro ximenes, 9 600
- xarel-lo, 8 000
- chardonnay, 5 400
- albarino, 5 300
- trexadura, 840
(Source: Observatoria Espanol del Mercado de Vin, Drinks Business) Read more...
”Methode provençale” to make sparkling wines?
In the Provence method you start the winemaking by removing part of the must before fermentation. It is put in cold storage to avoid fermentation. When the wine has finished the fermentation that must is added back in, instead of adding sugar as you would traditionally. The result is that after the second fermentation the wine has the “normal” alcohol level, just like the still wine. In traditional sparkling wine making the sparkling wine will have a higher alcohol contents than the still wine due to the added sugar. The Provence method is still at an experimental stage and the wines do not have an AOC/AOP. They are simply called “vin mousseux de qualité”. In the future they hope for an appellation “rosé effervescent de Provence”. Around 70 wine producers are taking part in the experiment.
Wine technology: wine with gum Arabic
>> Saturday, February 12, 2011
So what is it good for? It has two primary effects in wine: The first is to stabilise the colour, i.e. to avoid unwanted colour changes of the wine. Generally, it is to keep a darker colour of the wine. the other effect is to give the wine somewhat softer tannins and a rounder mouth-feel. It is normally only used in the making of simpler red wines made to be drunk young.
South Africa’s grape varieties: chenin blanc still in the lead
These are the most grown grape varieties (2009, % of surface):
South Africa’s wine country is organised in three levels
>> Thursday, February 10, 2011
- regions,
- districts, and
- wards.
Districts in Coastal Region
- Swartland
- Stellenbosch
- Tygerberg
- Cape Point
- Constantia (ward)
- Tulbagh
- Paarl
- Darling
Klein Karoo region:
- Kalitzdorp
- Langeberg-Garcia
Olifant River region:
- Lutzville Valley
- Citrusdal Valley
- Citrusdal Mountain
Breede River Valley region
- Breedekof
- Worcester
- Robertson
- Swellendam
Districts that don't belong to a region: Overberg, Walker Bay, Douglas, Cape Agulhas, Plettenberg Bay
Wards that don't belong to a region: Ceres, Cederberg, Prince Albert Valley, Swartberg, Lambert's Bay, Lower Orange
However, this listing should be read with a certain caution. The WO system seems not yet quite stable and different (official) documents have different listings. Here are e.g. two sources with different details: www.wine.co.za (pdf) and www.wosa.co.za. Read more...
South African wines' biggest export markets
– Great Britain: 126 million litres (up from 111 Ml in 2008)
– Germany: 71 Ml (67 Ml 2008)
– Sweden: 37 Ml (28,7 Ml)
– the Netherlands: 27 Ml (29,3 Ml)
– Denmark: 16 Ml (16 Ml)
– USA: 14 Ml (17 Ml)
– Canada: 12 Ml (14 Ml)
– Belgium: 8,8 Ml (8.8 Ml)
– France: 8,7 Ml (8.4 Ml)
– New Zealand: 7,1 Ml (11 Ml)
– Total top-10: 329 Ml (311 Ml)
(Source: South Africa Wine Industry Statistics and Drink Business)
Wine tourism conference in the Languedoc
BKWine Pick: Quinta do Vale Dona Maria, Douro-dalen, Portugal
>> Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Quinta do Vale Dona Maria, Douro-dalen, Portugal
The road up to the quinta is narrow and steep. But once you are up there the reward is an amazing view of the valley and the river. And of course, some very good wines. The estate is about to get its organic certification. ”It’s import for me”, says Cristiano, ”even if the market doesn’t care.” Quinta de Vale Dona Maria 2008 is one of his best wines. The grapes come from the oldest vines. It is 13 different varieties which are foot trodden in traditional lagars. The wine has complex aromas, soft tannins and an incredibly intense fruit. The wine radiates elegance and power at the same time. The elegance is important to Cristiano. “The oak should never overpower the fruit. “
Click here for address and more recommendations.
BKWine Pick: Château Lagrange, Saint Julien, Bordeaux
Château Lagrange, Saint Julien, Bordeaux
Click here for address and more recommendations.
Welcome to the BKWine Brief nr 90, January 2011
(Written at the end of January...)
We are soon on our way to Millésime Bio, the organic wine fair in Montpellier. It is the 18th vintage of this wine show. From a very humble start it has now grown into a quite big (but not huge) show with an important number of visitors – more and more people seem to be interested in organically grown wine (we can say that, can’t we? Even if we’re not allowed to say “organic wine” in the EU). There will be 560 winemakers at the show. Most of them are French, naturally, but several other countries are also represented. Even Egypt! But it is not just the fact that the wines are organic that makes it an interesting fair. It is also a comparatively “democratic” event. Every exhibitor has the same space, each one is provided half a table by the organisers, two chairs and tasting glasses. Nothing more than that. Here it is the winemaker that is the important item. No big booths with bouncers (or pretty girls) for those with big marketing budgets. So there will be an interesting mix of big and many very small producers. We hope to make several new discoveries. And we promise not to taste all the wines.
And next week we will (or at least Britt will) be in Sweden. There is the Swedish sommelier championship (yes there is such a thing!). they have a whole day of events and BKWine is one of the invited speakers and tasting tutors. Fun.
Britt & Per
PS: Recommend to your friends to read the Brief or forward it to them !
More on wine:
Read the whole BKWine Brief here!
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