Are we reaching closure on the closure debate?
Does a declining prevalence of media critical of TCA/TBA levels and of reduction and oxidation issues suggest that we’re nearly there on the closure debate? Or maybe that we’re more accepting of, or even inured to, complacent about, the levels of these faults? Has industry become complacent?
Climate change winners and losers
It’s easy to forget that wine is an agricultural product. A changing climate is affecting us all, though humans probably have more adaptability than plants. And grapevines producing high quality fruit for wine are especially sensitive to climate change.
Minerality quote, unquote 7
I’m still getting interesting views from producers about minerality. Here are some quotes from the Loire and New Zealand, not all in relation to sauvignon blanc!
The pendulum of Champagne and Prosecco
One from a couple of years ago, looking at the rise of Prosecco and not-quite-fall of Champagne. Connected?
Minerality quote, unquote 6
I did the first one of these five and half years ago. Are any patterns emerging? Has there been an evolution in thought on a definition over time? This one is playing a bit of catch up. I’ve been pre-occupied writing a book, which, inevitably with hindsight, turned into an even bigger project than I […]
Minerality quote, unquote 5
If anywhere can lay claim to being the originator of mineral expression in wine, Chablis has to be in with the strongest claim. You can’t visit the region and not get some interesting and possibly insightful views on the subject.
Bollinger reserve wines
One of the added quirks of making non-vintage Champagne is the use of reserve wines saved from previous years. Here’s what Bolly does with its reserve wines.
Muscadet vats
The typical, underground, glass-lined vats used in the Nantais.
Describing minerality
Since the first Drinks Business piece on minerality was published in 2009, research into the subject has been gathering pace, with new findings emerging.
Reduction – winemaker or closure?
It’s been a long time since the original 1999 AWRI study started identifying reduced (volatile sulphur) notes of rubber, flint, struck match under bottles closed with screwcap. Understanding of sulphide chemistry has come a way since then, so can we really justify the perpetuation of the idea that screwcaps cause reduction?
