Coravin Test Round Two – Three Reds For Round Two of the Coravin Test, I chose three fairly different red wines: a beautifully clean, organic Swiss wine from the Lavaux region at Lake Geneva, made with a relatively new hybrid called Diolinoir; an unusual, non-vintage, multi-state American blend; and a raspy, biodynamic Monastrell from the…Continue reading Coravin Test Round Two – Three Reds
Category: Issues
The Coravin Test Round One – a Couple of Whites
Coravin Test Round One – a Couple of Whites So I started things off with a challenge! I wanted to see how the Coravin would perform in real-world white wine conditions. I chose two reasonably different white wines, both sealed under one-piece natural corks. Both of high quality and semi-aromatic profile. They will be accessed…Continue reading The Coravin Test Round One – a Couple of Whites
The Coravin Test
Ah, Coravin. I want to believe, I really do. Convince me. A wonderful opportunity arose here in Germany a month ago: to become an independent tester for Coravin. From all the applicants (a detailed application was required, including how the successful applicant would increase awareness of the Coravin sytem) 32 would be selected. These 32…Continue reading The Coravin Test
Steel – Stone – Wood, Tasting Notes Round Two
Steel – Stone – Wood, Round Two! And finally, Round 2 of the tastings of Steel, Stone and Wood from the “Sixpack” from Weingut Andreas Schmitges. If you do not yet know what these wines are all about – or need to refresh your memory – please check out my post on the experiment here, as well…Continue reading Steel – Stone – Wood, Tasting Notes Round Two
Wine Myths #2: Smelling the Cork
Wine Myths, Misconceptions and Misinformation #2: Smelling the Cork Have you been out with friends at a restaurant or a wine bar, ordered a wine and the server – or even the sommelier – has pulled the cork and then paused briefly to take a whiff of its corky majesty before pouring the wine? Did…Continue reading Wine Myths #2: Smelling the Cork
The Wine Saver – Does It Work?
Wine Saver – Round One: Competing with the Screwcap Of the diverse methods available intended to preserve an unfinished bottle of wine after opening, the vacuum pump is probably the most popular, is certainly one of the most practical and is also one of the cheaper alternatives. But does it work? Well I can give…Continue reading The Wine Saver – Does It Work?
Wine Myths #1: Decanting
Myths, Misconceptions and Misinformation #1: Decanters and Wine Aerators Almost everybody who drinks wine ends up with a decanter or two in their cupboard. Increasingly, it is also fashionable (certainly the manufacturers would have you think so) to have a “wine aerator” in your arsenal of wine paraphernalia. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, the point of…Continue reading Wine Myths #1: Decanting
Qvevri Pinot Gris 2012 – Domaine Laurent Bannwarth
Why Would Anyone Want to Taste a Wine After Four Weeks? I visited Stéphane Bannwarth of Domaine Laurent Bannwarth in Alsace a while back to find out how Qvevri wines are made – and how they taste when they are made from the local grapes. It was a fascinating and instructive visit, which you can…Continue reading Qvevri Pinot Gris 2012 – Domaine Laurent Bannwarth
Steel – Stone – Wood, Tasting Notes Round One
Steel – Stone – Wood, Round One! Okay, so here is the first round of tastings of Steel, Stone and Wood from the “Sixpack” from Weingut Andreas Schmitges. If you do not yet know what these wines are all about – or need to refresh your memory – please check out my post on the experiment here.…Continue reading Steel – Stone – Wood, Tasting Notes Round One
Steel – Stone – Wood; an Experiment in Fermentation at Weingut Andreas Schmitges
The Sixpack: Two Bottles Each of Steel, Stone, and Wood Have you ever thought about what affects the taste of the wine you drink? Have you ever considered what influence is exerted by the soils in which the vines grow? Have you pondered the changes effected in a wine by the sulphur that has been used (or not…Continue reading Steel – Stone – Wood; an Experiment in Fermentation at Weingut Andreas Schmitges