The art of wine tasting and eating in the Napa Valley
By Wink Lorch The Napa Valley has been renowned for its wine tourism offering for several decades. Even if for years many European wine producers have provided a welcoming caveau or weinstube where customers could taste their latest wines, it could be said justifiably that Napa invented wine tourism as an industry. According to Wikipedia the...
A few highlights from our 2011 European wine travel experiences
The pleasures of travelling in wine regions never cease, and there were some stand-out experiences in 2011 that were unexpected, wholly satisfying or simply joyful. Below are a few highlights of our travels last year that have not been covered on this blog elsewhere. With more than a month gone in 2012 already, here is...
Tasting the stars in Champagne
By Wink Lorch We all love myths and star appeal – the Champagne region provides plenty of both. Take Dom Pérignon, the monk, rather than the wine… not only is his alleged ‘invention’ of Champagne discredited, but his lovely quote “Come quickly Brothers, I am drinking the stars” appears apocryphal too. No matter, a pilgrimage...
The history, art, food and wine of Chianti
Tuscany is known to be one of the most beautiful places in Italy. Many a writer, film maker and tourist passing through the region have been charmed by the countryside where cute villages, monasteries and castles blend in perfectly in the rolling hills. At its heart is the beautiful Chianti Classico district, home to red...
Original wine touring experiences and great food in South Africa
Words by Wink Lorch, Pictures by Brett Jones For anyone who is used only to travelling in European wine regions, a visit to the winelands of South Africa is simply a revelation. Increasingly the country offers an example to other wine producing wine countries as to how comprehensive and varied, and frankly downright welcoming and...
Beaune in the heart of Burgundy
Not all wine regions have a clear focal point, but in Burgundy, there is no doubt that all roads lead to Beaune, the historic capital of the region and today a vibrant small town devoted to wine and gastronomy. Buzzing under the summer sun, or silent under winter snows, at any season for many wine lovers...
Revisiting Hungary’s southern red star
By Wink Lorch Once upon a time, all most of us knew of Hungary’s wines was the legendary sweet wine Tokaj, said to revive monarchs on their death beds, and Bull’s Blood, the red wine reputed to put hairs on everyone’s chest. Today, Tokaj and Bull’s Blood still exist, if somewhat battered, but the country...
Authentic wines and hearty cooking in Bucelas outside Lisbon
Portugal is a major wine producing country with a growing number of quality wineries who are opening their doors to visitors. With amazing scenery, a range of wine styles, often made from indigenous grape varieties, and proud winegrowers, always keen to share their inside knowledge of their region, now is the time to discover the...
The River of Riesling, Grüner and Apricots
By Wink Lorch It was the apricots, appearing in a multitude of different forms, that surprised me. I had long been wanting to explore the Wachau, in a gorgeous situation on the Danube river, and Austria’s finest wine region for high quality dry, white wines from Riesling and Grüner Veltliner. Yet as ever, when you...
High time to visit an English Vineyard
Whether you are British or a visitor, if ever there was a time to visit an English or Welsh vineyard, it should be now. English Wine Week runs from Saturday May 28 – Sunday June 5 2011, with a host of events and activities, but if you can’t make that there’s a long summer ahead...
Rediscovering the Anjou wine region
By Wink Lorch Not long after I first started working with wine, I spent a few weeks during harvest in a small, sleepy wine town named Martigné-Briand in the Loire Valley, south of Angers. Just a few miles east of the now famous sweet wine district of Layon, the Layon wines hardly registered with me...
Visiting the vineyards of Central Otago way down south
Although there are knock-on effects, thankfully the wine regions of New Zealand were left unscathed by the Christchurch earthquake on 22nd February, which caused so much destruction and sad loss of life in and around the city. One month later, Christchurch, the South Island and indeed the country are recovering fast and very much...
