Articles

The Grand Carignan Tasting

by  |  08-01-2018

There existed a time when I was daft to the wiles and wonders of the grape, Carignan. Despite pockets of old vines in California it was essentially a lost variety. Little thought and even less... more »

Tasting four decades

by  |  21-01-2017

It’s a fun stunt to try and taste the decades of your life via bottles of wine. As one gets older, it becomes ever more difficult as the older wines get more scarce, somewhat giving... more »

Catalan Carignan & The “Best” Catalan Wine

by  |  10-10-2016

Last Friday the winners were announced for the 4th edition of the Vinari Awards. This is the main wine award for all of Catalonia and this year I participated as one of the judges. So,... more »

Like water through a stone: Anna Espelt

by  |  01-03-2016

This is part one a four-part series on “rebellious” winemakers in Catalunya. Please read Part Two, Part Three, and Part Four Catalonia of 2017 has no discernible appearance to the ruined post-Spanish Civil War Catalonia... more »

Catalan wines in 2016

by  |  04-01-2016

With the start of January comes that typical moment in the wine world of retrospection, reflection, and prediction. I think that most of this due to winemakers not having much to do in the cellars... more »

The evolution of Espelt

by  |  02-10-2015

In 2007, Espelt was one of the first wineries I got to know well in the northern DO Empordà region that borders France. Wine has been made there since the Greeks but the 20th century... more »

A taste of Lledoner Roig

by  |  28-07-2015

As is the case with many old European wine grapes, Grenache Gris has a number of synonyms but one of the names you very rarely hear is “Lledoner Roig”. By no means is this due... more »

And of rosé…

by  |  02-06-2015

Normally I wait until August to take on the topic of rosé as it seems to be the case that people only want to drink this lighter version of red wine when the heat arrives.... more »

A meeting of Grenaches, Les Printemps de Châteauneuf 2015

by  |  20-04-2015

This past 11-13th of April was the sixth edition of Les Printemps de Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Organized by the association of young winegrowers, this year it showcased 86 of the local domaines. The atmosphere is overall quite... more »