Go West
When the dark days of January finally show some signs of brightening into spring, and a month of prayer and fasting draws to a close, it is time to go west for some much needed indulgence… Read More...
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Grüner Veltliner
27 June 2011 Filed in: Tastings Cellar Notes
After a troubled childhood and adolescence, marked by temper tantrums and some impressively deep sulks, it can be reliably reported that Grüner Veltliner has now come of age. Only a fading echo remains of the querulous individual upon whom graciousness had to be forced and now we can rejoice in a well-rounded personality, which includes a welcome ‘edge’ where once it was completely dominated by it. A host of winemakers can take credit for the transformation but none more so than Laurenz Maria Moser, on whose shoulders the title ‘Grüner King’ would sit easily. Read More...
Austrian Wine Marketing
31 March 2011 Filed in: News & Views
The-scandal-that-dare-not-speak-its-name has mercifully faded from memory and wine drinkers are finally beginning to assess Austrian wine on its manifold merits. Not before time. Much of the credit for this can be laid at the door of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, of whom I wrote recently: “Their methods can hardly be faulted and are sound rather than suave, based on solid facts and figures and not vacuous waffle or vague assertions of quality.” Read More...
Austria Moves Forward
01 November 2010 Filed in: Food & Wine
Austria is on a roll. In 2009, as the world economy tumbled into the abyss, her wine exports reported a healthy increase of 16%, achieved at a time when all other Austrian exports declined by 20%. Leading the charge were traditional markets such as Germany and Switzerland, while relative newcomers like the Netherlands, Sweden and Japan all posted healthy increases. Read More...
Future Gazing - Wine to 2020
01 March 2010 Filed in: Food & Wine News & Views
I tend to bristle when people tell me that studying history is a waste of time: “All those dates and battles that you have to memorise – what’s the use of that?” I try to explain that it is much more than that, pointing out that the proper study of history enables us to see forward by looking back. Read More...
