What is a Qvevri and how is it made? Georgian wine is well known for the ancient heritage of making wine in qvevri pots. Simply put, qvevri are Georgian amphoras — made from local clay and used to vinify and store wine before consumption or bottling. The Georgians have been making wine in qvevri for 8,000 years, so it is nothing new. But there has been a recent revival in qvevri winemaking, not only in Georgia but also beyond. The qvevri-makers of Georgia are now sold out with pre-orders years in advance and shipping qvevri to other orange wine hotspots including Italy and Slovenia.   Wha ..read more

Have you ever considered the grape pip? And its significance in history? Well, that little pip is incredibly important to the country of Georgia. Because it is the discovery of cultivated grape pips that prove that Georgian wine has been made for 8,000 years — making it what we consider the world’s first known wine-producing country.  These pips prove that people were intentionally selecting wild grape varieties for their winemaking potential and cultivating them for that purpose. Add the winemaking artefacts from the IV century and the puzzle pieces come together to paint the fascinating ..read more

The practical part of the Master of Wine exam is one of the hardest undertakings I have ever experienced. It is not only an intense academic experience, but a physical one too. In just over two hours you have to correctly identify (or get within a whisker of correctly identifying) 12 wines, and answer rather extensive questions about their origin, variety, quality, winemaking, style and market positioning. With the amount you are expected to write, you really only have 60 seconds or so to identify each wine. Combined with the nerves and adrenaline of exam pressure, it is a rather exhausting tw ..read more

La Pousse d’Or has an interesting story of reconstructing an identity. “La Pousse d’Or was one of the great estates of Burgundy and part of the same domaine as Romanée-Conti,” explained Hospitality Manager Marleen Nicot on my arrival, as we stepped into the cellar. I was expecting her to continue with a marketing talk about its legacy, but instead she was rather frank about overcoming challenges in recent years. The property had fallen into disrepair and was splintered through being passed down through generations of families. It was only in 1964 that it began to have energy poured back into i ..read more

From motor racing and lime production to making red wine in the Rhone valley, Vincent Moreau is clearly a man with a vision. At the age of 37, after selling his successful family business, Vincent headed back to school to retrain as a vigneron. Within 18 years he has gone on to own one of the largest private estates in the Cotes du Rhône, Chateau de Ruth, and is lending his vision to revitalising this ancient estate in a new village appellation. Ancient roots, new vision: Chateau du Ruth “This is one of the oldest sites in the region — it was founded over 2,000 years ago as a Roman settlement ..read more

I imagine, a long time ago, that Knights were celebrities. Gladiators too probably. Today out celebrities are pop stars, movie stars and people who appear on TV. And their weapon of choice? Rosé as it seems. Over the last year it’s been pretty impossible not to read about a new rosé wine being launched by a celebrity every month. It was probably Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie who started the trend, when they bought Chateau Miraval in Provence in 2008. And now celebrities all over the world are getting into the ‘winemaking’ trend — some more involved than others. Snoop Dogg has one, Jon Bon Jovi ..read more

Visiting Artemis Karamolegos winery What Artemis Karamolegos has achieved in just 17 years is impressive! Opening in 2004, this passion project has developed into not only an excellent quality wine production but also a popular wine tasting bar, restaurant and cooking school. In fact, Artemis is going to be opening a new tasting room later this year due to the high demand. The wines are renowned for offering great quality across the board and a modern and innovative approach, including Santorini’s first contemporary orange wine made from Assyrtiko and developing their own custom-made cement ta ..read more

Visiting Gavalas Winery This beautiful family winery, just a cobblestone walk away from Megalochori village, is now being tended by the fifth generation. With a wine history of over 300 years, Gavalas is one of Santorini’s longest-standing wineries which has been protecting and guarding traditional native varieties and viticultural traditions as well as making premium wines with artisanal traditions. In this interview, fifth generation vigneron of the family Vagelis Gavalas tells us all about the tradition of kouloura vines, or basket vines, in Santorini and explores the terroir of this islan ..read more

The sensations of Santorini are all-encompassing: the intense heat of the midday sun beating down on the black volcanic rocks; the bracing, omnipresent winds whistling, howling and dancing around you; and the lingering sea salt spray that leaves a crust on your skin and a tang on your lips… Santorini, may be a haven of holiday homes, but it’s also an extreme terroir with an irrepressible identity. It is indeed remarkable that any vine can survive, let alone thrive, on this wild, windswept island. But the vines of Santorini are remarkable, and I think that if any wine can be described as a ‘ter ..read more

Vermouth is stepping forward in the drinks scene, from the back of the top shelf to becoming a best seller. Impressive considering that bars have barely been open this past year. But as more and more people have turned to making their own cocktails during lockdown, vermouth has been one of the winners of the pandemic drinks trolley. “I’ve seen our vermouth sales in terms of value and volume increase over 130% in the past year!” says Dawn Davies MW, buyer for The Whisky Exchange (an online specialist drinks retailer with over 9,000 spirits on the books). “I do really believe that vermouth is on ..read more