Archive for June, 2011:
Pantelleria rejuvenated
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Pantelleria’s main claim to fame is as an historic producer of fine sweet wine. Along with other celebrated sweet wines of the 19th century, passito di Pantelleria has a distinguished heritage, and after a period of decline, one that has been revived in the modern era, almost single-handedly, by Donnafugata.
Steinertal vineyard, Wachau, Austria
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Steinertal is one of the first vineyards encountered at the eastern end of the Wachau. Two wines by Alzinger and FX Pichler highlight its favour.
The Etna crescent
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Mount Etna is a rather unique place in Sicily’s, let alone Italy’s viticultural heritage. Often referred to as an island within an island, its grape varieties are indigenous, its rainfall is prodigious, (relatively, around 1,000mm), and it’s an active volcano, the highest volcano in Europe, peaking at 3,323 metres.
Is Soave’s garganega gauche or great?
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The mainstay of Soave is garganega and the purpose of the tasting was to look at this grape variety to judge whether it deserves the bad press, or if it’s an interesting or even more than interesting grape variety.
Lower Austria 2010, vintage and wine highlights
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Austria 2010 was pretty tough going, though there are plenty of lovely wines.
Bodegas Valdesil, Godello 2009, Valdeorras, Spain
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This was the outstanding wine from Waitrose’s recent press tasting. It’s a real stunner, complex, sophisticated, layered with freshness running through its veins.
Luxembourg wines
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Landlocked Luxembourg’s 1,300 hectares vineyards lie along a 42 kilometre stretch of the country’s south east border with Germany. Both still and sparkling wines are emerging from a period of evolution.