Simon reminisces about a special visit to Alaverdi Monastery, and how he finally proved just how well Alaverdi Monastery Kisi 2010 can age.
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Ploder-Rosenberg – Aero 2015
This really smells like a Georgian qvevri Rkatsiteli – and that isn’t a total surprise, as the blend was fermented on its skins in qvevris. The blend has always focused on aromatic and semi-aromatic varieties including Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc, but in recent vintages also includes Muscaris, one of the disease resistant Hybrids that Freddie
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Earthly pleasures of Soellner Irden Roter Veltliner
Simon reviews Soellner Irden Roter Veltliner, a charming and deft orange wine from Wagram, Austria. And we introduce a special offer for Morning Claret readers!
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Delinquente Wine Co – Screaming Betty 2018
Freshly sliced pear and almond, bone dry, light and slightly saltty. Subtle vegetal note on the finish. A fresh style with just enough ripeness to make it work – and obviously super smashable given the modest 10.5% alcohol. Vermentino was top-grafted onto Chardonnay root stocks in 2009
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New faces at Raw Fair London
Simon reports back from a typically exciting Raw fair London, full of new discoveries.
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Amsterdam goes natty, without the geeks
A slightly shorter, amended version of this article appeared last year in Meininger’s Wine Business International, issue 2. It’s neither a hotel, nor is there a golden pheasant on the premises. But those are the least baffling facets of Amsterdam’s Hotel de Goudfazant. Located on a scruffy industrial estate in trendy “Noord” (across the river
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Roberto Henriquez revives Chile’s pipeño tradition
Simon discovers Chile’s ancient pipeño tradition – a South American orange wine style – and one of its modern-day champions, Roberto Henriquez
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The emperor’s nearly new clothes – Vipava’s Rebula
A decade ago, if you could point to the Vipava valley on a map you were probably a paragliding fan. Or you lived there. That’s changing fast though, as the spectacular (and spectacularly windy) valley that runs east-west across western Slovenia becomes increasingly recognised for its over-performing wines. Hitherto, its neighbour to the northwest, Goriška
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Artisan winemakers of Slovenia and Friuli
A brief report on 2018’s Artisan winemakers of Slovenia and Friuli, and details of how to book for the 2019 tour.
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Freedom at scale – Heinrich Graue Freyheit
Anyone who thinks that larger wineries can’t do quality, or show a serious commitment to sustainable, minimal-intervention production methods, should check out the wines from Gernot and Heike Heinrich in Burgenland, Austria. Simon takes a spin through their skin contact range.