Wine Behind The Label 11th Edition - The Award Winning Wine Guide

It is English Wine week so we bring you some English news!   In May the Langham Wine Estate released the first kegs of a Col Fondo wine. “In a bid to encourage more people to drink English sparkling wine at an affordable price, the innovative Dorset wine estate is producing a unique Col Fondo wine where the second fermentation has taken place in the keg as opposed to the tank or bottle. Made to the same exacting standards of Langham’s other award-winning English sparkling wines, Zig Zag is a

Climate change continues to cause extreme weather conditions across the globe and in April widespread frost wreaked havoc across Europe. In France winegrowers in Champagne, Burgundy, the Rhône Valley, Languedoc-Roussillon experienced sub-zero temperatures during April which are expected to impact on yields across France.   Photo supplied by Katie Jones, owner of Domaine Jones, showing frost burn to her husband, Jean Marc’s vines. He has lost up to 70% potential crop. Luckily, so far, the small old vine parcels at Dom. Jones remain unaffected. You can find the profile in

The Bollinger family, who own Champagne Bollinger and four other French estates, has recently announced it is acquiring Oregon’s Ponzi Vineyards. This acquisition marks Bollinger’s first winery in the US which includes the Ponzi winery and hospitality facilities 40 minutes from Portland, Oregon, in addition to 35 acres of vineyard land in the newly established Laurelwood District AVA which is nested within the boundaries of the Chehalem Mountains AVA. There are three newly established AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) within the Willamette Valley AVA. As well as the Laurelwood District (established

TANT PIS! This unique wine was made in 1995 by a collaboration of two of California’s great winemakers and winegrowers, John Alban of Alban Vineyards and Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non. This is a very rare opportunity to acquire a magnum of this wine. It is also an opportunity to find the wine away from the auction houses and without the auction sale commission having to be paid.    Personally signed wooden case   My late friend and colleague Neville Blech was the original UK importer for both wineries.

Wines of Germany have brought early news of what looks like it could be a very good vintage. This is their harvest roundup and you can download region details in the pdf download link at the bottom of the article. 2019 Harvest Report by Winegrowing Regions 12/06/2019 – Germany’s 2019 vintage will be remembered for its very high quality. “The young 2019 white wines are already showing intense aromas and good balance, with an attractive and refreshing acidity. The reds are currently resting in the cellars, but all indications suggest rich

The very well established Pahlmeyer winery based in the southern stretches of the Napa Valley has been acquired by E & J Gallo who are adding to their premium winery holdings. Included in the purchase was the winery portfolio of brands and a lease of the Atlas Peak Waters Ranch vineyard. Gallo will also continue to maintain the winery tasting room. Not included in the deal, which was undisclosed, was the Wayfarer brand and vineyard.    To get a solid idea of the quality Gallo will be acquiring check out

A Couple of News Snippets from the 2019 Vintage  It’s harvest time in Montalcino. Bindocci: “It will be a great vintage” The harvest is in full swing in Montalcino and grape growers are hard at work picking, which as far as Sangiovese destined for Brunello is concerned, will continue throughout the first ten days of October. There is great cause for satisfaction among the rows in the vineyards because 2019 could turn out to be similar to some of recent great vintages. “In analytical terms I would venture a comparison