Weather, poor harvest lead to sharp drop BERN, SWITZERLAND – Swiss production of eaux-de-vie fell sharply in 2013, thanks to “capricious weather and a poor fruit harvest” that was due only in part to the cyclical nature of fruit, the federal Alcohol Office said Monday. Overall, 11,583 hectolitres of pure alcohol (100%) were distilled, well […]
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Burgundy winemaker taken to court over insecticide refusal
Republished from Ellen’s Wine World GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Wine producers in Switzerland are carefully watching a courthouse in Burgundy, just a small mountain range (Jura) away, where French winemaker Emmanuel Giboulot appeared before a Dijon judge Monday 24 February. Giboulet is accused of not following an agriculture department order issued to all wine grape growers […]
Burgundy winemaker in court Monday over pesticide refusal
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Wine producers in Switzerland are carefully watching a courthouse in Burgundy, just a small mountain range (Jura) away, where French winemaker Emmanuel Giboulot appeared before a Dijon judge Monday 24 February. Giboulot is accused of not following an agriculture department order issued to all wine grape growers in Burgundy to use […]
The good, the bad and the real saffron
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – ISO standards for saffron! I wasn’t expecting this in my mailbox. Did you know (I’m reading their press release) that one kilo costs about €30,000 on the market and about 250,000 flowers are needed for 1 kg of saffron? I’m waiting for spring to come so friends in Venthône in Valais can […]
Poor Basel, no grapes for wine
Just ask this pair, Spider monkey and her offspring at Basel Zoo, what happened to all the grapes. Photo republished with permission from Emmanuel Keller on Flickr.