Sauvignon Blanc: Noble White Variety 
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the oldest cultivated grape varieties, and today it is the world’s second most popular white grape variety, after Chardonnay. The wine it produces is light, refreshing, and naturally high in acidity, with a distinctive and instantly recognizable aroma: a whole bouquet of green notes—green bell pepper, gooseberry, blackcurrant leaves, freshly cut grass—along with tropical fruit and white flowers. Sauvignon Blanc is generally meant to be drunk young, and with relatively few exceptions, aging does it no favors. The wines are usually dry, although Sauvignon Blanc is also an important component of the famous sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac.
Continue reading Sauvignon Blanc: Noble White Variety
Mourvèdre, Monastrell, Mataro — a grape of many names 
If you enjoy powerful, full-bodied, high-tannin red wines, Mourvèdre is a grape well worth your attention. You may already know it, though perhaps under a different name. Mourvèdre is the French name for this variety, and in France it is best known as a component of the famous southern Rhône blends, commonly referred to as GSM blends—after the first letters of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. It is also the backbone of the powerful red wines of Bandol in Provence. Under this same name, the variety is now known in the United States, South Africa, and several other countries. In Spain, the grape’s homeland, it is called Monastrell. In Portugal and Australia, it goes by the name Mataro. And these are only the three most widely used names—this variety has an astonishing number of synonyms, as if it were deliberately hiding that it is the same grape. Indeed, for centuries Mourvèdre / Monastrell / Mataro lived in the deep shadow of other, more fashionable varieties. Only now is it gradually stepping into the light.
Continue reading Mourvèdre, Monastrell, Mataro — a grape of many names
Viognier 
Viognier is a unique white grape variety that produces wines unlike any other. It demands great care from the winemaker and came close to extinction in the 1970s before experiencing a revival and gaining popularity worldwide.
Continue reading Viognier
Riesling 
Riesling is one of the noble grape varieties growing worldwide. It was highly favored by wine lovers until the mid-20th century. Germany became a renowned wine-producing country largely because of Riesling, which is, in fact, native to Germany. Riesling accounts for the largest share of grape plantings in the country, making the classic Riesling unmistakably German.
Continue reading Riesling
World of Magic Bubbles 
In the article about Champagne I talk in detail about the history of the foremother of all sparkling wines, about Champagne’s styles and technology. However, the world of magic bubbles doesn’t restrict to Champagne; it is wide, deep, diverse, and very interesting.
Continue reading World of Magic Bubbles
Pinot Noir. Red grape – red, white, and rose wine 
Pinot Noir is one of the most popular red grape varieties in the world. Pinot Noir is a delicate and finicky grape, requiring special care and attention from winemakers. However, the effort pays off a hundredfold, as it produces remarkable wines. Pinot Noir is also unique in that it can yield red, white, or even rosé wine with equal distinction.
Continue reading Pinot Noir. Red grape – red, white, and rose wine
Chardonnay: the taste of climate and oak 
If you drink white wine in general, you almost surely drank Chardonnay. More than likely you drank it many times, even sometimes you probably didn’t know that it was Chardonnay in your glass. This is a very popular grape variety. Nowadays every wine-producing country makes Chardonnay. Every wine store, every restaurant has a multiple choice of Chardonnay. Its popularity keeps first place among white wines (or shares it with Sauvignon blanc that is more probable).
Continue reading Chardonnay: the taste of climate and oak
|
