By Luisa Welch, AWE Argentina’s winemaking history Argentina is famed for its bold and fruity reds, and rightly so. With its sunny summers and the snow-capped Andes mountains providing not just a stunning backdrop, but also natural irrigation, Argentina has become one of the most dynamic winemaking countries. Today, Argentina produces some of the best…
By Luisa Welch, AWE The picturesque Loire Valley region is not only known for its historical castles and abbeys, delicious food and gastronomical specialities, but also for its excellent wines. Located in a special corner of France along the country’s longest river, and part of the UNESCO World Heritage, the Loire Valley is overflowing with…
By Nick Adams As part of the series of looking at the people behind the wines I come to an example which could be argued to be the one of the most enduring and profound of all – Henschke, based in the Barossa South Australia. I also had the privilege to work with Henschke for…
By Nick Adams, Master of Wine What are International Varietals? It is estimated that there are potentially up to 10,000 different grape varieties in the world which technically can make wine. Of these the Grape & Wine Research Development Corporation records a database of 1,271 being actively used in creating and blending different styles of…
By Nick Adams, Master of Wine. As part of the occasional series of Blogs under the banner “Off The Beaten Track” I come to one which might just be about in the deepest elephant grass for many wine drinkers – Madeira. And what makes this such a paradox is that – pre Covid – nearly 500,000…
By Nick Adams, Master of Wine Alsace might be off the beaten track in more than one connotation. Tucked away in the north east corner of France it has been under German ownership or occupation through several periods in its history. The Germanic influence is only too clear in the architecture and place names –…
By Nick Adams, Master of Wine The modern wine industry in Chile is 200 years old, but it is in the post Pinochet era (from 1998) that this amazing country has really taken off. Already the 7th largest wine producer in the world, today Chile is only just starting to realise its potential – and…
By Nick Adams, Master of Wine. From its source in Switzerland to its exit into the Mediterranean this monumental river is intertwined with both the physical vineyards and historical importance of not only the wines of The Rhône, but most of France. Although it is not the longest river in France it is arguably the…
By Nick Adams, Master of Wine. “When I drink a great Rhône, it is as if my heart and palate have traded places” Robert Parker As part of the ongoing look at France’s classical wine regions we look at the largest of all – The Southern Rhône. The Rhône Valley is split into 2 regions…
By Nick Adams, Master of Wine. In what is a relatively plain part of France, the area of Bordeaux – end especially the Médoc “left bank” – is decorated with a series of sumptuous mansions or “Châteaux”, the very epitome of the image of this classic wine region. Over the centuries certain delimited areas became…
By Nick Adams, Master of wine INTRODUCTION The wines of Bordeaux have held a special place in the hearts of many generations of British wine drinkers – generating some remarkable levels of loyalty and imagery. For many this region is seen as the epitome of fine wine drinking, but these days the top wines that…
Nick Adams November 2020 We reach the end of the Italy trilogy with a look at the South and Islands. Areas of great history and spectacular scenery – truly agricultural – and amazingly atmospheric. Three memories stand out for me: sitting in the Roman amphitheatre at Lecce where the stone seats had been smoothed out…
