Magazine

Bordeaux experienced a host of weather events which had a negative impact on the development of the growing season, ripening and yields. They ranged from severe spring frosts to horrendous outbreaks of mildew and a cool summer with little sunshine, but ended with a mild autumn. A lot of hard work in the vineyards produced decent wines, some of them stellar even, but with significant inconsistencies from one appellation, or even property, to another. The following is an excerpt from our tastings, solely focused on the Crus Classés.

More often than not, only seasoned connoisseurs are familiar with Graves, despite the fact that the area produces very affordable, signature Bordeaux wines in a complete range of styles. Alain Echalier gives us a run-down of the appellation and offers a detailed visit to a selection of wineries.

Greece has, arguably, one of the longest wine histories in the world. Wine has been an integral part of Greek culture since Antiquity. In the last four decades, a wind of change has been blowing through the Greek wine world. Today, Greece produces wine for wine connoisseurs, traditional wine enthusiasts, New World aficionados… pretty much for everyone. It is worthwhile getting to know the wines, and enjoying them this summer.

For years, the rosé wine category in Italy was the underdog, considered a marginal genre, almost as if it were a 'non-wine'. In recent years however, global growth of rosés, and in particular still rosés, has allowed Italian wineries to free themselves of the shackles of cultural legacies that did not value the perception and positioning of pink wines. The undeserved victim of prejudices and absurd confusions, rosé is in fact one of the most cross-functional, versatile wines, both for its potential for expression and pairing possibilities.

The spirit of Provence lies in its wealth of culture, its distinctively French lifestyle and its incredibly varied, stunning scenery. Its pale-hued rosés have taken the world by storm but it is also replete with less publicised treasures and singular vineyard sites and wines which have forged a strong identity for the region, and made it a prime location for wine.

Savoy is France’s smallest wine region and has made a name for itself as a fount of zippy white wines, whose light, fresh characters have made them undeniable crowd-pleasers. Altesse and Jacquère are the star performers in the region’s mountain vineyards, and here’s what to expect from them.