The Morning Claret

Simon J Woolf & Friends on Wild and Wonderful Wines

austria

System of a Dão - illustration by Dennis Eriksson. (C) Noble Rot
11 minute read

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.

Drinking Against Sinking
8 minute read

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!

Gernot Heinrich - Graue Freyheit 2016
4 minute read

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.

Gumpoldskirchenergenossenschaft Zierfandler Grimling Auslese 1984
6 minute read

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