The flavor of lilac in wine of Palestine

It’s easy to forget that the southern Rhône’s four most prevalent red varieties aren’t indigenous. Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre all appear to originate from Spain; Syrah made its way down the river from the northern Rhône. Of the long tail of other grapes, most have their roots closer to home. Plantings have dwindled in recent years, but today local varieties are experiencing renewed interest. One that’s finding a lot of fans – both in the Rhône and further afield – is Counoise. Scroll down ...

I haplessly strayed into this controversial territory last summer during a debate at the Paulée d’Anjou event, having noted a significant minority of VSIG producers (Vin Sans Indication Géographique, the customary French abbreviation for this category) in the Loire. It seemed a shame, I burbled innocently, not to make use of local appellations to build understanding of their unique character, as well as show solidarity with fellow growers. The room quietened a little; glances were exchanged. C ...

Sotheby’s said wine and spirits auction sales rose by around 44% to $132m (£99.6m) in 2021, boosted by record prices, fresh partnerships and a wave of new buyers. Its figures also offered more evidence of a strong fine wine market this year. Wine represented $111m of Sotheby’s 2021 auction sales, with famous Burgundy labels dominating a list of best-selling lots. Other highlights included a recent sale of Châteaux Rauzan-Ségla and Canon wines, sourced direct from the Chanel-owned estates in Bord ...