The Morning Claret

Simon J Woolf & Friends on Wild and Wonderful Wines

pinot gris

Craven Wines - Clairette Blanche 2016
3 minute read

Craven prove that Clairette needs skin

Mick & Jeanine Craven are leading the charge for experimentation in Stellenbosch, and their efforts are paying off with some superb skin fermented Clairette and Pinot Gris.

Andert Pamhogna 2012
3 minute read

Burgenland’s burgeoning orange scene: Andert Pamhogna

Some interesting Austria producers are well nigh invisible to the English speaking world, and at a guess this is why I’d never heard of Michael Andert (Andert Wein) until late last year. His tiny estate (4ha) in Burgenland (Easterly Austria, near the Hungarian border) has been certified biodynamic since 2003, and the white wines are all fermented on their skins.

Dario Prinčič - Photo courtesy Associazione Produttori Ribolla di Oslavia
3 minute read

Dario Prinčič – no ordinary Pinot Grigio

Think Pinot Grigio, think insipid, water white cheap glugging plonk? Think again. Here is a 100% Pinot Grigio from Friuli Collio which confounds everything you ever knew about the variety.Dario Prinčič’s version macerates on its skins for around eight days during fermentation.

Apostelhoeve Cuvée XII
3 minute read

Going Dutch – Apostelhoeve Cuvée XII

There isn’t much that the Dutch don’t grow – a glance at my weekly vegetable box reveals a predominance of homegrown produce. And no, I don’t mean something you can smoke. In the five months since I moved to Amsterdam, I’ve Read more

7 minute read

Permaculture in Slovenia: Visiting Miha and Ivan Batic

There’s an almost reactionary view that winemakers who practice organic or biodynamic viticulture end up having to be more, rather than less interventionist in the vineyard. The theory goes that instead of a single (noxious) spraying to knock out mildew/pests/anything Read more

Jelena opening the Cabernet
13 minute read

Fulvio Bressan – Taking the long-term view

Winemaking has developed significantly in the last few decades. Winemakers now routinely draw on a vast canon of research, learning and technology to help ensure that they produce consistent wines and harvest fruit in prime condition, year in, year out. Read more