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Recent Articles
Thinking of visiting Burgundy?
A Boot-full of Wine
Tasting notes from Italy (and beyond)
2 May 2011
While I do not claim to be an expert on Burgundy or its wines, I can say that I have had a long-held passion for Burgundian pinot noir. After my recent and only visit to Burgundy, I can now say my passion extends to the place also.
Beaune almost bisects the Cote d’Or, with the line separating the Cote de Beaune from the Cote de Nuits a little north of it, and is a great base from which to explore the area. A small town, well set up for wine enthusiasts, it has a myriad of boutique wine shops, traditional restaurants and accommodation options. Beaune itself is a short train ride from Dijon, in turn accessible from Paris (about 2 hours by train). Full Report...
Nebbiolo
A boot-full of wine
Nebbiolo is a grape variety that has begun to have New World manifestations, but it is really the noble variety of Piedmont (even though much more Dolcetto and Barbera is grown there). Very smart examples indeed are also made in the Valtellina region north of Milan, but Piedmont is its spiritual home.
Nebbiolo is a late ripening variety, and has, surprisingly, thin, though very tough, skin. It grows best in calcerous rather than sandy soils. Its first two or so buds are infertile, so it is not a candidate for spur pruning – cane pruning (and thus hand harvesting) is the rule. Read More...
Nerello Mascalese
The wines of Mt Etna in Sicily
One of the joys of the last few months here in Italy has been to try new grape varieties from local areas, hitherto not known to me. A case in point has been the discovery of the wines from Etna in Sicily, made predominantly from the Nerello Mascalese grape. Nerello Cappuccio is a close relative and is sometimes blended in smaller quantities, but Nerello Mascalese is the varietal with real class.
An autochthonous* grape variety, and almost forgotten till found and nurtured by a group of dedicated individuals, most vines are pre phylloxera entities on their own rootstocks, some over 100 years old. Grown mainly as bush-vines, each plant yields only a small amount of grapes (yields about 30hl/ha). Though the grape is named after the nearby town of Mascali, it is most likely that it was imported through the town’s port rather than having originated there. Full report...
Pugnitello
30 December 2009
Dr Brendan Jansen
Does the name Pugnitello mean anything to You?
I would be surprised if it did. It is the name of an indigenous or authoctonous grape variety from here in Tuscany, Italy. In ancient times, the Etruscans were the inhabitants of this area, before they were overrun by the Romans a couple of centuries BC. They were early cultivars of the vine – though they usually let the vines climb along trees in trails the vines set themselves.
In recent years, scientists, winemakers and vignerons have been concerned by the attrition of grape vine varieties – in what they call the “genetic erosion” of Vitis vinifera – due to, among other reasons, the phylloxera blight and selection of specific varieties to the exclusion of others. Full Report...
Il Palazzone
A Scotswoman in Montalcino!
30th December 2009
What is a Scotswoman doing in Montalcino, and one that has been there for 15 years at that? Well may you ask. Laura Gray, however, is no ordinary Scot. With both her parents having hailed from the world of academia, she had spent time growing up in places as antipodean as Australia, and Italy was a common destination for the family. Indeed by the time she was in her later school years, summer visits to Camigliano were the norm.
Laura confessed that she always knew she would return to Montalcino to live – or at least that was her dream. She is living the reality! Full Text...
Uccelliera - Andrea Cortonesi in Montalcino
Dr Brendan Jansen
It was a mild autumn day as my companion and I drove to Montacino from Florence. As we approached the hills around Montalcino, Mauro, my friend, remarked that the heavy fog which surrounded the low hills would not be present when we reached the top of the hill upon which Montalcino lies.
He was right. We reached the summit of this medieval town, replete with its own fortress, 500 metres above sea level, to a clear vista. The peaks of the neighbouring hills looked like boats, bobbing on a vast cloudy ocean. We picked up Laura, our host, from Il Palazzone (about which I have already written) and made the short trip to Uccelliera, about ten kilometres away, and at an altitude of about 350 metres. Full Text...
Chianti Classico
By Dr Brendan Jansen
This week’s article is on Chianti Classico. The name refers to a largish zone in Tuscany, within which, if certain standards are met, a wine may be given the same name. The main grape in Chianti Classico is Sangiovese (70-100%), but other varieties such as Canaiolo, Colorino, Malvasia Nera (up to 10%) are also used. Small amounts of other varieties such as Cabernet, Merlot, and even Shiraz may be added (up to 20% only), but since 2006, no white grape varieties are permitted in Chianti Classico. Read More...
Carmignano
A Boot - Full of Wine: Tasting Notes From Italy
by
Dr Brendan Jansen
I will devote this column to the small appellation of Carmignano. Carmignano is the Tuscan appellation closest to where we are living in Prato. This is a small appellation and it had to fight for its inclusion in the DOCG scheme of things. The fight was won in 1975. Before that, Carmignano was subsumed under the Chianti Montalbano region.
The wines in the Carmignano area had a reputation for depth and longevity dating back 7 centuries (at that time, 100% Sangiovese). Carmignano is unique in that its wines are now a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon. The French varietals have been used in Carmignano blends long before the advent of the so-called “Super Tuscans” (which probably began with Tignanello, of the Antinori stable, in 1971). Read More...
The Wine Glass - What Glass Should You Use?
We spend a lot of time deciding on what wines to buy, when to drink them, who to drink them with and what food to have with them. How much time and consideration do we give when deciding what to drink our special wines out of? Many times I have opened a decent wine, and consumed it out of an ordinary glass. But does this show off the best characters of the wine? Read More
Cullen's - A Recipe for Success
When it comes to great wine, there are many factors that influence the outcome. The location and aspect of the vineyard, soils, variety of grape planted, weather conditions, as well as the numerous winemaking decisions about when to pick the grapes and how the wine is made.
Great wines do not happen by accident. They are the result of years of work and dedication. Recently, new ingredients have been made available to winemakers – organic and biodynamic viticulture. Read More
Cork
Cork has attracted significant attention over the years, mainly for the wrong reasons. Whilst cork is quite efficient at keeping (most) of your wine in the bottle, it has a few problems.
Cork is a natural product. It is harvested by hand from an oak tree (Quercus suber) and production is centred in Portugal. After harvesting, the cork bark is air dried before being sorted. The cork is then boiled to remove impurities. After stabilisation, the cork is trimmed to length and punched to produce the basic shape. The corks are then polished to the final shape, washed/sterilized in hydrogen peroxide and dried. Amorin then sorts the corks, coats them in paraffin wax or silicone and packs them in bags filled with sulphur dioxide. Read More
See also Cork, ProCork, Diam, Screw Cap, Vinlock, Zork, Technical Corks, Synthetic Corks, Crown Seal