The Wisdom of Old Vines
With great age comes character, wisdom, maybe the odd creak and groan. Age brings many things to old vines, too. But what do we mean by ‘old’? Well, the oldest living grape vine in the world is, according to the Guinness Book of Records, to be found in Slovenia, at over 400 years old. That may be an extreme case. But when we talk about vines in general, ‘adulthood’ comes around 7/8 years after planting. ‘Maturity’ happens from 12-25 years, roughly speaking. And vines aren’t usually considered ‘old’ until they’ve got at least a quarter of a century of age (25-50 years or more). Continue »
Oct 26, 2021 at 11:21 AM
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Harvest 2021 – reaping mixed rewards from a difficult year
The winds of change are blowing once more through Burgundy’s rolling countryside. At this time of year—summed up by the poet John Keats as being one of ‘mists and mellow fruitfulness’—thoughts turn from the bright colors and heat of summer to the more subdued hues of Fall and a return indoors. Here, by roaring fireside we contemplate the year just gone, and begin to look to the one ahead. Change is the only constant in nature, and for the winemakers of this region it means harvesting those precious grapes that they have worked so hard to protect, over what has been one of the toughest years ever for Burgundy producers. Continue »
Oct 19, 2021 at 11:31 AM
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On Terroir Firma – the Secret of Successful Soil
There are many things that go into making a great wine. Many oenophiles can argue well into the night about the relative merits of each, but it usually comes down to the same factors; the climate and conditions the year the grapes were harvested (otherwise known as the vintage); the type of grapes grown; the wine producer and their skill and techniques; and the elevation and soil type the grapes were grown in. It’s this last one that we’re interested in here – the soils and rock in the ground where the vines are planted, also known as terroir. Continue »
Oct 12, 2021 at 1:57 PM
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