The flavor of wheat grass in wine of Crete

I first contributed to Decanter back in November 1988; the hundreds of columns and articles I’ve written since constitute a journey of discovery. I squirm, though, if I’m described as a ‘wine expert’. Whatever wine knowledge we acquire quickly cools, congeals and crusts over, like custard or gravy, as the years pass. The wine world expands at a clip. Every vintage rewrites history. It’s the chance to share discoveries – not just about wines, but about people, places and the act of drinking itsel ...

Rosa Kruger, a self-styled ‘farm manager’ who is a leading figure in world viticulture and has played a major role in the development of South Africa’s modern-day wine scene, has been announced as recipient of the Decanter Hall of Fame prize for 2022. She is also the first South African to join this exclusive group of wine world stars. This year marks the 39th edition of the award, previously known as Man or Woman of the Year and launched in 1984. Chris Maillard, Decanter’s Edi ...

Growers in the village of Melambes in Crete saw devastating wildfires cause ‘complete damage to 300 acres (121.4 hectares) of old pre-phylloxera vines’ in July, according to an online crowdfunding page created to support viticulture in the area and help those affected. Although fire burned 90% of the vineyard, it’s hoped some damaged vines can be rescued, said winemaker Iliana Malihin, of her namesake winery and who has spearheaded a community project to revive the site in recent years. Ye ...