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Published: 04 October, 2022
In 2021, the German wine culture garnered newfound global attention after it was declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. The Committee of Experts at UNESCO cited German wine culture as welcoming and vibrant, an adaptable tradition “firmly anchored in German society”, while highlighting its positive social and cultural aspects. In Germany, as elsewhere, wine culture has determined the rhythm of life of people in winegrowing regions for centuries. This gave rise to numerous customs, seasonal festivals and a vocabulary of its own, as well as familiar phrases such as “pouring pure wine”, which means to tell the truth.
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Published: 23 September, 2022
Just 10 years ago Chile was still talking about emerging regions in its push to communicate diversity and move on from its somewhat ‘safe and reliable’ image. This has fast changed, with a steady drip feed of generic-backed tastings focusing on ancestral and alternative varieties, from resurgent País to a host of contenders as varied as Semillon and Cinsault, Moscatel, Mourvèdre and Riesling, plus much else besides.
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Published: 25 August, 2022
The theme of today is adaptation. The collapse of Australia’s trading relationship with China has left many casualties in its wake, forcing brands to look to new markets and consumers. According to Wine Australia, “exports to mainland China declined by 97% in value and 93% in volume to 6.4 million litres in 2021, a loss of nearly $1bn (£574m) in value when compared with 2020”. Ironically, China was once touted as Australia’s salvation, when demand in Western Europe and the US started to slump in the mid-2000s. Everyone anticipated that Asia’s biggest country would plug the gap.
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The 2022 Australian winegrape crush is estimated to be 1.73 million tonnes, 2% below the 10-year average and 13.5% below the 2021 record crush of 2.01 million tonnes, according to the National Vintage Report 2022 released today by Wine Australia.
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Leading UK wine writer and Master of Wine Tim Atkin has released his latest in-depth overview of the Argentinian wine scene. His annual report, now in its tenth edition and available through timatkin.com, is regarded as one of the most authoritative reviews of this major wine-producing nation.
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Published: 30 March, 2022
Buyers and critics alike share a snapshot of what currently excites them about South America with Sonya Hook.
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Published: 28 March, 2022
Both as wine producers and countries, Argentina and Chile offer very different profiles. The former has its hugely successful hero variety in Malbec, while the latter, having driven its reputation on affordable and accessible international varieties, is gaining ground as a producer of genuine interest and value in the mid-price range. Argentina too, with Malbec having secured a strong foothold at a more premium ‘entry’ price level, has been pushing its diversity, while climbing its flagship variety higher up the price ladder in independents and the on-trade.
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Published: 28 February, 2022
From Wachau to Neusiedlersee, David Kermode takes a trip through Austria’s must-know regions.
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Published: 07 February, 2022
It’s difficult to gauge how much is known in the UK about the white wine grape Koshu. Hailing almost exclusively from Yamanashi prefecture’s Katsunuma region – the ‘birthplace’ of Japanese viticulture – the wine remains largely shrouded in mystery to the UK trade, despite Koshu of Japan’s faithful annual tastings.
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Published: 01 February, 2022
With export markets yo-yoing in the wake of China’s trade tariffs, Australia is once again reassessing its place in the wine world. Andrew Catchpole reports.
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Published: 28 January, 2022
Late frost wreaked havoc in the Loire, the ‘Garden of France’, in 2021. Jo Gilbert looks at how the region is looking to mitigate growing climate issues while keeping up momentum for its plethora of popular styles.
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Published: 25 January, 2022
With much of its current viticultural activity already adjusting to a changing climate, Australia’s wine industry is fast progressing with its sustainability programmes.
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Published: 12 January, 2022
David Kermode delves into the world of Italian sparklers as the category covers new ground, from the march of rosé Prosecco to the increasingly popular high-quality fizzes of Franciacorta and Trento.
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Published: 03 December, 2021
An explosion of on-trend Port products with instant drinkability is providing a fillip to a previously flatlining category, finds Jo Gilbert.
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Published: 01 December, 2021
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Published: 10 November, 2021
How new wave Spain is building a repertoire of modern, terroir-driven classics. By Ines Salpico.
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Published: 09 November, 2021
As world leaders in sustainable and organic practices, Spanish winemakers are also discovering the benefits in the bottle, as Andrew Catchpole reports.
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Published: 04 November, 2021
Ambitious producers are relying on forgotten grape varieties and modern techniques to add new dimensions to Spain’s best-known wine region, as Justin Keay reports.
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Published: 02 November, 2021
Spanish wines appear to be holding ground against the broader UK wine market, with signs of uplift at the mid-to-high end. Andrew Catchpole sizes up the stats.
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Published: 28 October, 2021
Argentina’s flagship grape continues to evolve, with renewed emphasis on vineyard sites and terroir. Amanda Barnes, author of The South America Wine Guide, reports.
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