Discovery

Anyone with even a scant knowledge of the world and is familiar with the Valencia region in Spain, knows that it faces the Mediterranean Sea. Its main defining features are the ‘Fallas’ celebration and paella. But perhaps many who know or have visited the region, heavily influenced by ‘Riojitis’ or ‘Riberitis’, may be unaware of the grape variety native to this eastern Levante region with which many of its wines are made. Read on to find out more about Bobal.

Boasting a 350-year history of brandy production and a wealth of award-winning brands, South Africa’s premium distillers are confident that Cape Brandy can finally emerge from the shadow of Cognac.

Patricia is Portuguese and now lives in Geneva, but her Don Rodrigo brand is named after her Spanish great-great-grandfather. We met an artist and entrepreneur with a love for life and people.

Ciders are the perfect match for current drinking trends. Great for socialising, relatively low in alcohol, inexpensive and less mired in the pomp and circumstance that accompany wine tasting, they attract a wider clientele. Nine prominent French cider firms explain why.

We often wrongly refer to ‘Champagne’. With a history spanning over 300 years, the wines currently come from 34,300 hectares of vines, spread over 5 French departments. It follows that, although they share common character traits, styles should differ significantly. Before we meet an exciting line-up of winegrowers, merchants and co-operative producers who will share their viewpoints with us, let’s quickly go back over some of the basic tenets of Champagne.