Wines made from Pinot noir grapes of North East Victoria

Vanilla was ranked as the most pleasant smell in a study involving 235 people and conducted by an international network of researchers, including those from the University of Oxford and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. This was closely followed by ethyl butyrate, ‘which smells like peaches’, said the researchers, who published their findings in the Current Biology journal. Vanilla notes can be found in several wine styles, such as some iterations of Chardonnay or Rioja, largely resulting from ...

In the same way that a private domaine can support a family, a co-operative winery can support an entire village. So when the Cave de Cairanne was effectively declared bankrupt in 2014, a whole community of growers was left hanging from a thread. ‘Closing a co-op is like closing a church. It supports businesses, families, generations,’ says Denis Crespo. He’s an unlikely saviour, as his roots are in natural winemaking. But he provided the necessary electric shock to get the co-op’s heart pumping ...

Not so long ago, most Hermitage was a blend of different vineyards from across the hill. However, since the 1990s we’ve seen an increasing range of single-vineyard wines being made. Getting a handle on the most important sites will help guide you to a style you enjoy, and even if you prefer blended wines, becoming familiar with the individual Hermitage lieux-dits will enrich your drinking experience. Scroll down to see Matt Walls’ tasting notes and scores for seven wines from Hermitage lie ...