When Johannes Gebeshuber purchased a failing cooperative winery in the heart of Austria’s Thermenregion, his spoils didn’t just include 25 hectares of old vines and a beautiful vaulted cellar. He also became the guardian of an extraordinary wine library, with bottles produced by the Gumpoldskirchenergenossenschaft going back to 1948. Johannes is a generous sort of
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A tale of two Georgias: Nine Oaks Estate
Nine oaks is a newly created vineyard and winery in Kakheti Georgia. Despite not having any qvevris when they made their first vintage in 2016, the results are authentic and impressive.
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The full story behind Aldi’s six quid orange wine
Simon analyses Aldi’s decision to list an orange wine for only six pounds, and probes into its production methods and the thoughts of its producer
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Celebrating The Amber Revolution with a Gravner vertical
Simon is lucky enough to taste an incredible vertical of Gravner’s wines, during a celebratory weekend as his book Amber Revolution launches in Europe
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Vodopivec, a perfect expression of Vitovska
“The first problem for wine producers is not oedium, it’s ego”, states Paolo Vodopivec disarmingly. He concludes “I don’t want my ego in my wines”. Simon discoves what this means, and why Vodopivec hates being associated with the orange wine scene.
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Herrgott’s orange beauty – Sofrei Gelb
Every week, Simon selects an orange wine (a white wine made with extended skin contact) that grabbed his attention. View the whole series here. Christian Strohmeier isn’t directly related to the rather more well known Franz Strohmeier but just to add to the confusion, the two winemakers live not only in the same Austrian wine region (Western Styria) but
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Ceci n’est pas un orange – La Biancara Pico
Simon tries to understand what Angiolino Maule means when he says he doesn’t like orange wine.
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Lip-smacking macerated frizzante from Croci
Massimiliano Croci’s lip-smacking frizzante wines have a hidden tannic kick which really works well – a tasty tradition from Emilia-Romagna. Simon reviews their 2016 Campedello.
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Earth, grapes and maceration – Claus Preisinger’s Edelgraben GV
Claus Preisinger shows that Burgenland’s Grüner Veltliner can really deliver, if it’s macerated for five months in a Georgia qvevri.
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A perfect blend of old and new – Vinarija Križ
Every week, Simon selects an orange wine (a white wine made with extended skin contact) that grabbed his attention. View the whole series here. Denis Bogoević Marušić and his father Mile are an impressive 42 years apart (Mile is 85 and Denis is 43). But as Denis’s wife Maja remarks, “Both are well preserved with natural wine” –