Magazine

Wine Territories

22 Mar 2022

Bordeaux devises ingenious ways to cope with a string of crises
Over the past few years, Bordeaux has had to contend with numerous challenges, ranging from ‘Bordeaux bashing’ in France to climate change, Brexit, the political crisis in Hong Kong, Trump taxes and the global pandemic. More than any other wine region, Bordeaux is France’s vinous showcase around the world, so how are markets performing in 2021 and what solutions have been devised to cope with these issues? To find out the real consequences of this string of crises, we interviewed a number of industry players. Here’s what they told us.

Discovery

22 Mar 2022

The Spirit of Cape Wine
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.

Discovery

03 Feb 2022

Understanding the complexity of the Mâconnais
In the far South of Burgundy, between the Chalonnais and Beaujolais, is an area home to 43 appellations, including 5 Crus and 1er Crus. Renowned for offering the best value for money among Burgundy whites, there is an endless range of styles, extending to reds and Crémants. Alain Echalier explains more.

Wine Territories

03 Feb 2022

Languedoc weathers the (climate) storm
Preserving biodiversity, saving water resources, prioritising agro-forestry, choosing un-cloned vines and resistant varieties are all avenues being explored for countering weather hazards and safeguarding the environment. Winegrowers in Languedoc are experimenting with them all.

Wine Territories

03 Feb 2022

Jura, an incredible fusion of vineyard sites and grape varieties
Jura is one of only a handful of French wine regions where virtually all the grape varieties are native, except for Pinot noir and Chardonnay from its prestigious neighbour Burgundy. This perfect match between vineyard sites and grape varieties is the region’s trump card for consumers looking for quality, naturalness and subtle authenticity…

Portraits

03 Feb 2022

Mogens Olesen, owner of Château Lecusse, and a serial entrepreneur
The 72-year-old Dane answers our questions in impeccable French, in the car driven by his wife.

Discovery

03 Feb 2022

No-low wines: a full-fledged market category
In its definition of wine, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine specifies that it must have a minimum ABV of 8.5%, with regional exceptions of 7%. Many countries have used this as a model for their own regulations, compelling them to find another term for these uber-trendy drinks. We interviewed producers in France, Italy and South Africa to find out more.