The flavor of stone fruit in wine of Palestine

Guigal has acquired Château d’Aqueria for an undisclosed fee in a deal that adds to a sense of fresh dynamism in the historic vineyards of Tavel, a rosé-only appellation that lies on the west bank of the Rhône river in southern France. Marcel Guigal, son of Guigal domaine founder Etienne, said, ‘Our family is delighted to join the Tavel appellation and to participate in the promotion of this great gastronomic rosé.’ Château d’Aqueria. Photo credit: Courtesy of E. Guigal. The purchase puts ...

The ‘Spinning Around’ singer launched the wines on her birthday in 2020 as part of a collaboration with London-based Benchmark Drinks. The firm, founded by former Accolade Wines chief executive Paul Schaafsma, specialises in celebrity partnerships. It has also launched wines in tandem with Sarah Jessica Parker, Ian Botham and Graham Norton. Yet the Kylie Minogue range has been one of the star performers, selling 3.5 million bottles in the UK and a further 1.5 million bottles in 15 international ...

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 ...