The flavor of wood smoke in wine of Lower Volga

I’d visited Kakheti, Kartli and Imereti before – Georgia’s dominant central wine-producing zones; but never the wild exterior. From the ice-crisped cemetery grass of the 11th-century church of St George, dominating the mountaintop village of Mravaldzali, we looked north across the mountains of the Greater Caucasus, Europe’s highest. The silence, and the vista, was daunting. Hundreds of dry, drab valleys lost themselves in as many snowy peaks. Russia lay beyond. There was, apparently, a way over: ...

Eugene Shneyderis, founder of Beykush winery on the Black Sea coast in southern Ukraine, said he was keen to reach out to vineyard estate owners who may have the space to host refugees. More than three million people have fled the war in Ukraine since Russia began its invasion on 24 February, according to the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR. Shneyderis, 49, lives in Spain with his family and said he was inspired by the story of a nearby wine company in Penedes, which was using accommodation ...

There are going to be some utterly splendid wines to taste at our New York Fine Wine Encounter – many of the world’s grandest winemakers have brought some of their very best bottles to our event, knowing their hard work and talent will be appreciated by a discerning audience.  My team of experts have picked out a great selection of their personal favourites from the wines on offer, and for their superbly detailed analysis and opinion, you should read the pieces and the picks from Georgie Hindle, ...