My top 10 natural wine discoveries in 2022
Simon chooses 10 wines that surprised and delighted him in 2022.
I Come from Nowhere (Wine Classification is an Ass)
Wine classifications guarantee provenance, but why have many of their controlling institutions become de facto style police?
Originally published as “System of a Dão” in Noble Rot issue 28.
Grafenegg single vineyard summit 2021 – Part 1: Lower Austria
Simon reports back from this year’s Austrian single vineyard summit – a massive tasting at Grafenegg castle which provides a unique opportunity to survey the current vintage and many of the region’s top wineries.
Do ÖTW Erste Lage single-vineyard wines lack variety?
The Grafenegg tasting of the Danube’s top wines is one of the highlights of the tasting year. Yet sometimes the wines can show a frustrating uniformity. Simon investigates why this is.
Is Zweigelt really supposed to be a serious wine?
Winemakers in Carnuntum have a point to prove when it comes to their single vineyard Zweigelt. Simon asks, is this really the style we want from this grape variety?
Why you should support Drinking-Against-Sinking
What would you do if the entire economic backbone that supports your business looked like it could collapse? Some might throw in the towel, but not Florian Schuhmann-Irshik (Quantum winery). A young winemaker based in Austria’s Weinviertel, Schuhmann watched as the Covid-19 pandemic unfolded around him, and then decided to act. He’s come up with a simple, flexible scheme that supports the wine ecosystem. It’s called Drinking-Against-Sinking and you should support it today!
Earthly pleasures of Soellner Irden Roter Veltliner
Simon reviews Soellner Irden Roter Veltliner, a charming and deft orange wine from Wagram, Austria. And we introduce a special offer for Morning Claret readers!
Freedom at scale – Heinrich Graue Freyheit
Anyone who thinks that larger wineries can’t do quality, or show a serious commitment to sustainable, minimal-intervention production methods, should check out the wines from Gernot and Heike Heinrich in Burgenland, Austria. Simon takes a spin through their skin contact range.
Gebeshuber Zierfandler – best at 70 years old?
When Johannes Gebeshuber purchased a failing cooperative winery in the heart of Austria’s Thermenregion, his spoils didn’t just include 25 hectares of old vines and a beautiful vaulted cellar. He also became the guardian of an extraordinary wine library, with Read more
Earth, grapes and maceration – Claus Preisinger’s Edelgraben GV
Claus Preisinger shows that Burgenland’s Grüner Veltliner can really deliver, if it’s macerated for five months in a Georgia qvevri.