Articles
The sweet, irrational fear
by Miquel Hudin | 30-10-2012
We came across this article the other day and were dismayed by its opening lines: Who’s afraid of sweet wine? Nearly everyone — except, perhaps, the people who make it. It's a rather unworldly thing... more »
When the cork fails
by Miquel Hudin | 08-10-2012
With all of the Tumblrs out there like Rich Cats of Instagram, Stuff on my dog's head, or belated "dear leader" Kim Jong Il Looking at Things, I can't believe that there isn't "Cork Fail"... more »
A 20th century tasting of Vinya Selva de Mar
by Miquel Hudin | 30-08-2012 ~ 2 Comments
Wine shops are funny in Catalonia and Spain. In the wine world at large, vintages are quite important as (at least prior to the Michel Rolland, laboratory wine state of things) there would be good... more »
Tasting what is yet to come at Vinyes dels Aspres
by Miquel Hudin | 18-08-2012
Recently, we were up at Vinyes dels Aspres to drop off some copies of the Empordà guide and given the time of year, we found David Molas and his assistant down in the cellar bottling.... more »
The dogs of wine
by Miquel Hudin | 15-08-2012
Once you go around to enough wineries (anywhere in the world), you start realizing that dogs are a common element. Sure, the winery cat may pop up here and there, but for some reason, when... more »
Wines from the wind
by Miquel Hudin | 13-08-2012
It's not terribly easy to explain the Tramuntana, this northern wind that blows heavily across the Empordà counties in Catalonia, the northeast corner of Spain. Sure, it's a wind, but it's not just any wind.... more »
Sereno Sidecar: The cocktail is real
by Miquel Hudin | 03-08-2012
It really wasn't meant to be originally. While ensconced in the "Fortress of Solitude" (a rather isolated 11th century Catalan farmhouse) working on the Empordà guide we'd take a break here and there to do... more »
The Alt Empordà fires and vineyards
by Editorial | 25-07-2012 ~ 1 Comment
It's been a rather terrifying couple of days in Northeastern Catalonia. On Sunday afternoon fires broke out at the top of Alt Empordà which moved at great speed due to strong Tramuntana winds. Alt Empordà... more »
Wanna buy a castle?
by Miquel Hudin | 16-07-2012 ~ 1 Comment
You would think that, given the wide availability of Castell de Biart wines around Empordà that this winery, built upon the ruins of a 12th century castle that Napoleon destroyed while running back to France... more »
An end to Californian Chardonnay
by Miquel Hudin | 09-07-2012
It usually starts off innocently enough at a California winery tasting room, "Here, try our Chardonnay." I shake my head in a vigorous, whiplash-inducing "no" to which the tasting room employee invariably says, "It's good,... more »