Sitting in a hotel room in Sierre, with the sun shining and the Mémoire des Vins Suisses annual presentation of its treasure chest of aging wines about to begin – and I’m reminded what a lovely place this is for anyone who likes good wine. Sierre, in the middle of canton Valais, boasts more sunshine […]
Archives for March 2018
Wines from Spain, mulled pleasures
I spent a happy Saturday in February tasting some very good Spanish wines in Zurich, at the Robert Parker Matter of Taste – the wines at the public tasting are all rated 90 or above, so it was a powerhouse kind of day. Most were from the north of Spain, with an exciting dash over […]
European wine imports: “European importance diminishing”
It’s just one more industry report, but a fairly influential one, and the International Wine & Spirits Report (IWSR, subscription) March issue says that Europe’s importance to wine exporters is waning. The main reason is the continuing fall, now several years old, of wine consumption in Europe, even though it appears the decline is bottoming […]
Spain’s “The New Vignerons”: book review
Luis Gutiérraz makes you want to catch the next plane to Spain to explore the country’s exciting wine developments. He’s the author of a 2016 book in Spanish (English version recently out, e-book available), The New Vignerons, A new generation of Spanish wine growers, that forces you to question all the marketing bumpf you’ve happily […]
Making sense of Swiss wine sales
The supermarkets If you shop for wine in Swiss supermarkets regularly, you’ll have noticed that the best wines are rarely found there. Take note: the situation is changing, albeit slowly. Supermarkets and other large retailers sold more Swiss AOC wines in 2017 (after falling for four years), and less lower-end wine, a study released 1 […]