In 1991, Fred Loimer, the Langenlois winemaker experimented with bottle fermentation to produce Sekt for the first time. Three years later, he launched his first Winzersekt (grower sparkling wine) on the market. Since then he simply cannot resist his fascination with bubbles. He is now set to launch the Langenlois Blanc de Blancs Grosse Reserve, his best yet. It will be released to the market in mid-October 2018 and will be available at the winery (Haindorfer Vögerlweg 23, 3550 Langenlois, weingut@loimer.at) and in the onlineshop (www.loimer-shop.at) or at selected retailers for around 30 euros. A lot has happened since 1991. Loimer set up a winery to give his wines time and space. Then he converted the entire estate to biodynamic farming so that the wines would achieve even more liveliness and authentic expression. And he continued to advance the process of sparkling wine production even further. His two Sekt wines, Extra Brut Reserve and Brut Rosé Reserve, have been on the … [Read more...]
Earliest harvest in decades for 2018 Austrian wine vintage
Extreme heat and lack of rain and moisture has characterised the 2018 Austrian wine harvest but for the most part, Austria's grapevines were able to withstand the heat. "We had an early and very ripe vintage on our hands, one in which persistent high temperatures led to consistently higher levels of alcohol and lower levels of acidity. Volume will be just above average: we are looking forward to a harvest in the magnitude of some 2.6 million hectolitres," said Johannes Schmuckenschlager, president of the Viticultural Association. The 2018 vintage will be one of the earliest harvests in decades. The vines budded later than usual this year, which in comparison to the previous two years provided the advantage that they suffered no damage from frost. The heat wave that set in just after budding in April and May led to one of the earliest flowerings since records have been kept. In most winegrowing regions, flowering was finished in May, which amounted to an enormous head start in the … [Read more...]
Finger Lakes wine region named best wine region by USA Today
The Finger Lakes wine region has been named the “Best Wine Region” by voters in the USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice 2018 Contest. Regions were selected by a panel of wine industry experts with the Finger Lakes topping a list of 20 regions including the Willamette Valley, Santa Barbara County, and Walla, Walla Valley. “We were thrilled to be nominated and would like to thank everyone who voted for the Finger Lakes region in the contest” stated Tracey Dello Stritto, Executive Director of the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance. “To top this list of excellent wine regions is an honour. We would also like to recognize the local wineries, restaurants and hotels who received nominations in many other categories. These nominations show the depth of our region. Our committed growers, talented winemakers and passionate hospitality personnel have shared their excitement for the region for decades so receiving the ‘best wine region’ accolade is very rewarding.” With its glacier-sculpted … [Read more...]
Good 2017 for Austrian wine despite problematic weather
2017 was not easy for Austria's wine growers who had to do their utmost to cope with capricious weather during the year. And while the end result for the wine has been positive, it was not a sure thing.The coldest January in the last thirty years was followed by the warmest March since meteorological records have been kept, resulting in a very early bud-break. With the devastating frosts of 2016 still fresh in memory, a spate of winter weather caused substantial anxiety in April and parts of May. Fortunately, this cold snap did not persist for long. In addition, Austria’s growers were able to employ all imaginable means at the right time, so that there was hardly any frost damage reported. The precipitation in September and the relatively dramatic temperature swings between day and night in the autumn had an appreciably positive influence on the development of aromas. Even from the initial tastings, it could be established with satisfaction that the heat-stress of the summer had … [Read more...]
Michelin and Robert Parker join forces but it is still unclear how collaboration will work
The Michelin guide and Robert Parker, one of the most influential wine guides if not the most influential over the past years have announced that they have joined forces. It is still unclear what the collaboration will mean though Michelin and Robert Parker have been collaborating since 2016 in Singapore and Hong Kong Macau to offer unique dining experiences based on pairing fine cuisine and wine. Michelin has announced that initially they will be focusing on markets in Asia and North America before pursuing their deployment in Europe and others regions of the world. "We are very excited to inform our readers that Michelin, the globally renowned tire company and name behind the world’s leading guide to quality restaurants, MICHELIN guide, announced today its acquisition of a 40% stake in Robert Parker Wine Advocate and RobertParker.com, the world’s most widely read independent consumers’ guide to fine wine," said Lisa Perrotti-Brown, editor in Chief of Robert Parker's wine … [Read more...]
10 wineries from Idaho, United States you should know
Idaho is an unlikely suspect when it comes to wine. Compared to its more prominent neighbors, Washington, Oregon, and California, Idaho may be a surprising addition to the list of high quality North West coast producers. This isn’t stopping the Gem State from making a name for itself as a growing figure in American wine. Idaho’s isolation does it a favour however, producing huge tracts of land surrounded by clean air and fresh mountain water. In particular, the Snake River Valley, home to many of Idaho’s most prominent vineyards, has the perfect climate for grapes. Cold winters encourage the vines to conserve carbohydrates, and the desert air allows viticulturists to carefully control the amount of water their vines receive. The result is a number of fresh wineries that are producing some incredible award-winning wines. Out of all the great things happening here, these are my top 10 Idaho wineries. 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards Located in the rolling hills to the north of Boise, … [Read more...]
Sting and Trudie Styler’s winery Il Palagio launch European tasting tour to coincide with Sting’s concerts
Il Palagio, the winery owned by world renowned singer Sting and his wife Trudie Styler, a film producer, director and human rights activist is launching a tasting tour that is aimed at meeting citizens of the world who enjoy food, wine and culture. 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 will be in Dusseldorf, Germany from March 19 to March 21 for the world's leading trade fair for wines and spirits ProWein. The traveling caravan is aimed to create an atmosphere that welcomes wine lovers from all over the world as they stop by to taste Il Palagio wines and learn more about the Tuscan estate and winery. The tour coincides with Sting's European tour of 57th and 9th World Tour which will be held in cities like Hamburg, Zurich, Luxembourg, Brussels, London and Paris. Ralf Hoegger, Il Palagio's Sales and Distribution Manager (and Knower of All … [Read more...]
Ichiyo Terauchi: From Japan to New Zealand with focus and determination
In the last in a series of interviews with new New Zealanders involved in the wine scene in New Zealand, Isabel Gilbert Palmer interviews Ichiyo Terauchi, sales and marketing executive of Te Mata Estate, New Zealand's oldest wineries Ichiyo, you are the last person I have chosen to interview in my series about new New Zealanders living and working in the Wine Industry in Hawkes Bay but you are working in a different but important area and are passionate member of the New Guard Group there. What is your interest and involvement in the industry? I am in Sales and Marketing Executive for Te Mata Estate. Its a family owned winery which was established in 1896 where the three original vineyards planted then are still in use and one of New Zealand's oldest like Mission Estate. What led you to come here? I first came to New Zealand when I was 17 years old on a school exchange program to learn English because I was fascinated by it as a language. At the time we could chose to study … [Read more...]
Living in the Antipodes: New world wines, new New Zealanders and the new guard
History tells us that in the early 1800’s, French Missionaries, Brothers from the Order of Saint Mary, at the direction of France’s Pope Gregory XV1 in Lyon set sail for Nouvelle Zealandia, or Aotearoa (Land of the Long White Cloud) armed with their bibles, sacramental robes, rituals and seedling grape vines. Their destination, a collection of sparsely inhabited islands, (except for its indigenous race who named them) in the South Pacific. Here, these pioneering Marist Brothers chose Hawkes Bay, a Province in the North Island of their adopted country consisting of 1.4 million hectares on 350km of Pacific Ocean coastline, to settle. An eastern sea board and famous for being the first country in the world to see the sun rise on every new day, it climbs from sea level to several hundred metres inland to the Southern Hemisphere. Warm north-facing hillsides, its natural river valleys and terraces, offered them then and winemakers now a diversity of low vigour vineyard sites … [Read more...]
10 Chianti Classico producers you should know
There is no question that when it comes to Italian wines, Tuscany and Piedmont are among the favourite regions of wine connoisseurs. The wines of Tuscany like the region are special and there is a lot to write about but in this post we would like to place the spotlight on the Chianti Classico, which is a region within the Chianti region between the Tuscan cities of Florence and Siena. Most wine lovers will know a Chianti wine but few will actually be able to name producers from the Chianti region. Older consumers might also remember a squat bottle which used to be enclosed in a straw basket but this is only used by very few producers now. For many years, Chianti had a bad name and was associated with cheap Italian wine but when made by great producers this is a wine that has character and is exceptionally good value for money especially when compared to the pricier Super Tuscans, Brunello di Montalcino or the Nobile di Montepulciano. It was Baron Bettino Ricasoli who … [Read more...]