vigneron

The importance of learning from each other

The importance of learning from each other

By Dirk Niepoort I love true vignerons - they are rare but they still exist - mostly in France, though there are a few in Germany and other places in the world. True vignerons believe in terroir, they have usually learnt from the previous generation, they probably have not travelled much and they are not specialists in anything because they do everything:        they tend the vineyards during the year,       they make the wines at harvest time,       they oversee the ageing of the wines,      …Read more
The fall and rise of Garnacha in Aragon?

The fall and rise of Garnacha in Aragon?

By Norrel Robertson  As I write the 2014 harvest in Aragon is drawing to a close for what has been an up and down vintage where we have seen possibly the largest quantity of Garnacha in Spain since the 2004 vintage. Quality is likely to be determined by those who were brave enough to drop crops before veraison and to avoid the risk of disease, especially botrytis, which attacks over cropped, tight and compact bunches that Garnacha produces when intervention is eschewed in favour of kilos. For many producers, growers and wineries this has…Read more