With vineyard holdings dating back to the 1890s, the Spalletti family has a long history of grape growing and winemaking in Chianti’s Rufina sub-zone. By the middle of the 20th century this included the production of a highly respected brand that was subsequently sold in the 1960s. And though they have continuously produced wine from their traditional holdings, in 1990 Contessa Gabriella Spalletti reinvigorated the family business under the name Colognole. Today, the estate is run by her sons, Mario …

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Bruno Lafon (from Domaine des Comtes Lafon) came to the Languedoc in 1999, leaving his native Burgundy behind, in search of new promising terroirs. He was able to acquire a number of superb vineyards from a large existing operation, and the new Domaine Magellan was born. The stony vineyards that produce the grapes for the classic French blend being offered this week clearly demonstrate why the land he chose is so productive. The rocky soil drains easily thus avoiding water stagnation …

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Many of the best made wines in the world come from the northern Rhône Valley of France, particularly from appellations like Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage and Cornas. The finest of these wines are produced from vineyards that are precariously perched on cliffs overlooking the Rhône River below. These vineyards are very labour intensive which partly accounts for their elevated prices. More importantly perhaps is the fact that these wines are made in minute quantities, making them rare and expensive.  Furthermore, these wines …

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Costers del Segre is located in the province of Lleida, just west of Barcelona. The area is diverse with varying geological and climatic characteristics.  The climate is continental (hot summers and cold winters) influenced by the proximity of the Pyrenees.  Low rainfall, extreme temperatures, hail and spring frosts are regular risks for the vineyards. Despite its somewhat inconvenient location (in terms of trade routes), winemaking has flourished in Costers del Segre for many centuries.  It continued uninterupted until the devastating …

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The McLaren Vale wine region, in the north-west of Fleurieu Peninsula, is located approximately 35km south of Adelaide. It is by far the most important wine-producing area in the Fleurieu zone and is also regarded very highly throughout Australia and the world.  Grapes have been grown in this region since the arrival of the first settlers.  Pioneers such as Thomas Hardy and John Reynella, both iconic names in the Australian wine industry, are credited with  having realized the region’s potential in …

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Sauvignon Blanc is a widely planted, prolific, aromatic, white wine variety grown in many regions of the world.  It is thought to have originated in Bordeaux where it is usually blended with Semillion.  The Loire Valley in France, home to Sancerre, is probably the most well-known region for the grape in France.  In Italy, the best examples of Sauvignon Blanc are found in the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region in the northeast part of the country, particularly in Collio and Grave.  In the new-world, it …

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One of the reasons Chardonnay is grown so widely around the world is its versatility. When grown in a cool climate with no oak aging, the resulting wine is crisp and light, with aromas of green apple and white flowers. On the other hand, growing Chardonnay in a warm climate and aging in oak gives a full-bodied, rich texture with spices and tropical fruit aromas and flavours. Depending on where it is grown and how it is handled in the …

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The western coast of Australia boasts that they make 2% of Australia’s wine, but win 90% of the medals in competition. It’s not hard to see why this is. While South Eastern Australia has a hot dry climate that makes it easy to ripen grapes year in and year out, winemakers know that the best wine is not just made from ripe grapes. The best wines generally comes from more moderate climates, where the temperatures fluctuate throughout the day. These …

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