The flavor of bruised apple in wine

Springtime brings the so-called ‘Caldaia di Maggio’ to Barolo, a noise similar to a kettle simmering that is caused by evaporating water in the soils. This year, however, it’s unlikely that this phenomenon will occur. Drought is affecting the entire north of Italy; predominantly the Langhe but also Valpolicella and Franciacorta. Not even Tuscany is spared. The vineyards are lacking the reserves of water that their soils usually contain at this time of year. Winter passed without snow in almost a ...

Michaela Morris tasted 130 wines for her latest reports on the wines of Brunello: Brunello di Montalcino 2017 and Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016. While Brunello is dominated by well-established families and star winemakers, there is still room for up-and-coming producers to make a name for themselves in this prestigious denomination. Scroll down to see a selection of eight wines from these five under-the-radar Brunello producers This is especially true now that the available vineyard area h ...

Treasury Wine Estates has expanded its footprint in the Yarra Valley in Australia by purchasing the 55-hectare Beenak Vineyard from Accolade in a deal worth AU$7 million. The land is planted with 45ha of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, suited for both still and sparkling wine production. Tim Ford, chief executive at Treasury Wine Estates (TWE), said the company was keen to bolster its cool climate winemaking capabilities. ‘Vineyards producing Pinot Noir are of particular interest as we respond ...