Category: Wine Trade

Nebbiolo Prima 2023: Wines of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero and amazing wine destinations – Filippo Magnani

Each year the prominent arrival of Nebbiolo Prima has grown in importance and now represents the first opportunity to assess the new vintages of the champions of Piedmont: Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. The Albesia consortium (Unione Produttori Vini Albesi) has been organizing this event for 26 years now. Founded to promote the great wines of the Alba region to the world, Albesia has given its name to the uniquely shaped and marked bottle that dates back to the 18th century Piedmontese master glassmakers. The Unione Produttori Vini Albesi remains today the entity that regulates and promotes the usage of the bottle. Albeisa represents 301 members who produced 21 million bottles in 2020.

This year, Nebbiolo Prima has organized an exclusive tasting with four days dedicated to the noblest of Italian native grape varieties: Nebbiolo, and its expression in the Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero territories. The name Nebbiolo comes from the Italian word “nebbia” which means fog or mist. A demanding yet sensitive grape that can truly express its originality and complexity when grown on the right south-facing slope in a rich, calcareous tufa-based soil such as those found in Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero.

This year participants had the chance to review and taste 311 wines produced by the 180 wineries represented at the event. At the tasting, all denominations and sub-zones were presented blind: DOCG Barolo 2019 and Riserva 2017, DOCG Barbaresco 2020 and Riserva 2018, and DOCG Roero 2020 and Riserva 2019, all the wines were a revealing testimony to the multitude of features that make up our incredible terroir.

Roero 

Roero is that section of land located to the north of Alba town, in the province of Cuneo, on the left bank of the river Tanaro, between the plain of Carmagnola and the low hills of Asti. Compared to neighboring wine-growing areas it has a remarkable variety of landscapes with woods and orchards bordering the vineyards. Another unique characteristic of the Roero landscape is the Rocche, steep slopes dividing the territory from southwest to northeast, from Pocapaglia to Montà, separating the continental gravel and fluvial clay-based soils from those of marine origin, where the vine finds its ideal conditions.

wine denomination DOCG

(controlled and guaranteed designation of origin)

grape minimum ageing 

released 

on the market 

Roero Docg95% Nebbiolo

5% other

non-aromatic red grape

20 months, of which 6 in woodfrom the 1st July  of second year after the harvest
Roero Docg Reserve95% Nebbiolo

5% other

non-aromatic red grape

32 months, of which in 6 woodfrom the 1st July  of third year after the harvest

Barbaresco 

One of the first Italian Doc wines in 1966 and, in 1980, one of the first Docg wines. The area of production includes the entire territory of the villages of Barbaresco, Treiso and Neive, plus part of the territory of the Alba municipality.

wine denomination DOCG

(controlled and guaranteed designation of origin)

 

grape 

 

minimum ageing 

released 

on the market 

Barbaresco Docg100% Nebbiolo26 months, of which 9 in woodfrom the 1st January of third year after the harvest
Barbaresco Docg Reserve100% Nebbiolo50 months, of which 9 in woodfrom the 1st January of fifth year after the harvest

 

Barolo 

The Grand Italian wine by definition, Barolo is made in eleven ‘communes’ or village territories: Barolo itself, La Morra, Monforte, Serralunga d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto, Novello, Grinzane Cavour, Verduno, Diano d’Alba, Cherasco, Roddi. Unlike Barolo, these communes are only permitted to cultivate Nebbiolo for Barolo on a part of their territory.

wine denomination DOCG

(controlled and guaranteed designation of origin)

 

grape 

 

minimum ageing 

released 

on the market 

Barolo Docg100% Nebbiolo38 months, of which 18 in woodfrom the 1st January of fourth year after the harvest
Barolo Docg Reserve100% Nebbiolo62 months, of which 18 in woodfrom the 1st January of sixth year after the harvest

I really wish to thank  Liz Palmer, who kindly proposed for me to participate and report on the Nebbiolo Prima 2023, representing her website and blog together with Riccardo Margheri.

See you in Piedmont!

#wine #winelovers #wineevent #italy #italianwinelovers #nebbiolo #barolo #barbaresco #langhe #roero #nebbioloprima2023 #italianwine #Piedmont #albeisawines #winetasting #winetourismm#winejournalist #wineinfluencer

The Comité Champagne Announces 10 Year Investment Plan

The Comité Champagne today lifts the veil on the sector’s plan for the next decade, defining a global trajectory to face the challenges of the next 10 years. The main objective of this plan is that Champagne is always available, always desirable and always exemplary. In addition, the Comité Champagne will increase its annual budget by an additional €10 million ($10.72 million), which will be invested in areas including R&D, the sustainable development of the Champagne industry and strengthening its foundational missions.

Champagne Remains the Standard

The results for 2022 confirm the overall dynamism of the Champagne market, with 326 million bottles shipped globally in 2022 (up 1.6% from 2021). Champagne has quickly recovered from the shock of the 2020 health crisis and unquestionably retains the unique place that it holds in the hearts and minds of consumers.

An Interprofessional Committee that Meets the Challenges of Tomorrow

However, the vineyards are fragile; they suffer from unpredictable weather patterns and the development of diseases that cause the vines to wither, such as flavescence dorée, which has been referred to as the 21st-century phylloxera. Faced with these new challenges, and because the power of Champagne is based on the collective efforts of the industry as a whole, the Champagne winegrowers and houses once again take their destiny into their own hands.

A Revamped Research, Development and Innovation Center

To meet the challenges of production and quality, the Champagne sector will be equipped with a new center of research, development and innovation. This new site, which will be launched by 2025, will increase the surface area of the existing laboratory by 40%. It will also contain state-of-the-art equipment, including a new resized fermentation room/experimental cellar, a new tasting room twice as large as the existing room, and a new one-hectare experimental platform.

Preparing the Viticulture of Tomorrow While Preserving the Character of Wines in a Changing Climate

Grape varietal research is a strong tool for adapting to climate change and a response to societal expectations for the reduction of phytopharmaceutical products. In response, Champagne joined the INRAE varietal innovation program in 2010 and created its own regional program in 2014.

To sustain the availability and quality of its wines, Champagne is experimenting with new varietals, researching new techniques to combat the various forms of decline in the vineyard, defining new soil maintenance protocols, and implementing new oenological strategies to anticipate the effects of climate change while also meeting the requirements of the agroecological transition.

An Ambitious New Sustainable Development Plan Towards “Net-Zero Carbon” by 2050

Champagne has been at the forefront of sustainable development in the wine industry. In the 1980s, the Comité Champagne began work on wastewater treatment, biological control in the vines and vineyard zoning. The Champagne sector has fought against a changing climate and adapting to new conditions is a key priority. As such, the sector is particularly proud of its results to date: 100% treatment of wine effluents and more than 90% of industrial waste, a 20% reduction in the carbon footprint per bottle since 2003 and 63% of the vineyard areas receiving environmental certification (with a target of 100% certified by 2030).

That said, this plan must also reinforce the economic and social ambitions of Champagne. These ambitions go through improving the resilience of the sector, its workforce and the attractiveness of the region.

“It’s not just about responding to changing consumer demands, it’s about ensuring the productivity and sustainability of the Champagne vineyards, designing and promoting a viticulture in balance with the ecosystem and producing a sufficient quantity of quality grapes” said Maxime Toubart, President of the Syndicat Général des Vignerons and co-president of the Comité Champagne. “This is the goal of our industry plan and the course which we are setting for ourselves.”

The plan also aims to strengthen the training mission with the establishment of a large, coherent and impactful education ecosystem, with the goal of being recognized as the gateway and key player in Champagne training and education.

Today, Champagne has offices in 10 of its largest export markets, including the United States, which are responsible for promoting the appellation in their respective countries. This network of Champagne embassies will expand to make Champagne stronger globally.

“The investment we make embodies the social responsibility of our sector,” said David Chatillon, president of the Union des Maisons de Champagne and co-president of the Comité Champagne. “It is an absolute priority that Champagne remains an exceptional wine supported by a united, responsible and committed industry. It is a new goal at the service of new ambitions for our appellation and our terroir.”

#champagne #champagnelovers #wine #winelovers #comitechampagne #vin #champagnecellars#champagnemoments #winenews #winebusiness #wineeconomics #terrior #winemarkets

Women for WineSense Host “Connect Symposium”

This Thursday, February 9, 2023 between 4:00 – 6:00 p.m, the Napa/Sonoma chapter of Women for WineSense will host a “Connect Symposium” at Charles Krug Winery [with online members-only additional livestream.]

The event will include attendees from wineries, vineyards, and other industry members.  The reception will be followed by a presentation featuring proprietary consumer research insights and commentary from the Wine Market Council (WMC) President, Dale Stratton, about “Understanding the Ever-Evolving Wine Consumer.”

The proliferation of choice across the Beverage Alcohol category and the changing demographics of the American consumer has created new challenges for the wine industry. The conversation will focus on how the industry can collectively adapt to better communicate with future high-value consumers with added insight to the local luxury wine tiers.

“I’m honored to present to WWS Napa/Sonoma chapter members. Research clearly shows that the demographics of our country are changing, and it’s important for the wine industry to understand and adjust to those changes,” said Mr. Stratton.

This event is open to active WWS members and non-members that are pre-registered by 5 p.m., February 8, 2023 at www.womenforwinesense.org

 

#womenforwinesense #womeninwine #womeninwinebusiness #wineevent #onlinewineevent #WineMarketCouncil #americanconsumer #winemarketing #wine #winelovers #napawine #sonomawine #wineindustry

New Direct Line from London to Bordeaux to Launch in 2026

The “wine train” a new direct train line launching in 2026 will transport you from London to Bordeaux in just five hours!

Currently, anyone making the journey will need to get a flight or two trains: the Eurostar from St Pancras to Paris’ Gare du Nord and a TGV service from Paris’ Montparnasse station to Bordeaux.

A spokesman for HSI, which operates the UK Eurostar route, said there was a “clear demand” for a direct train route from London to Bordeaux, and said they were aiming to begin in 2026.

The direct train is still in the planning stages. The new direct train line is also expected to pave the way for future wine trains. This is the ultimate aim from HSI chief exec Dyan Crowther (behind the UK leg of the Channel Tunnel railway line), is hoping to open a series of new routes from 2026 in a bid to offer lower carbon emission alternatives.

#winetrain #winetourism #wine #winetravels #winelovers #travelling #London #Bordeaux #Bordeauxwinelvoers #Bordeauxwine #Eurostar #instagood #trains #winenews #winetrends

Rioja to host the 2023 World’s Best Vineyards

“The World’s Best Vineyards” list is back in 2023 and will be hosted by Rioja, Spain.  Showcasing the best of wine tourism across the globe, the annual “World’s Best Vineyards” list will be revealed at a special live event in July.

As well as its celebrated wineries, charming towns and quaint villages, Rioja is home to Mediterranean forests full of wildlife with high mountain areas to explore and stunning lunar landscapes to discover. The region offers a vast range of fun and memorable outdoor activities for all, including mountain horseback riding, 4×4 driving routes and hot-air ballooning across and over the rolling hills. Known as the gastronomic heartland of Spain, Rioja offers guests delicious culinary experiences from pincho tours to haute cuisine, fine dining and everything in between.

Situated in the north of Spain on the banks of the River Ebro, Rioja is surrounded by the majestic Sierra de Cantabria and Sierra de la Demanda Mountain ranges resulting in a breath-taking and picturesque landscape. It is most well-known for its wide variety of grapes, rich soils, climates, and stunning wineries that never cease to amaze visitors. The region spans 65,000 hectares and is home to more than 600 wineries from world-famous, award-winning destinations with avant-garde architecture to small family-run historical establishments. Preserved generation after generation, each one has something unique to offer guests making it the perfect destination to celebrate this year’s World’s Best Vineyards.

The World’s Best Vineyards annual list highlights the top vineyards to visit globally and aims to promote wine tourism around the world. Each year the list showcases unique vineyards with unrivalled visitor experiences, from modern architectural wonders, UNESCO-protected ancient cellars, and Michelin-starred restaurants to family-run wineries with intimate tours. The Voting Academy consists of over 500 leading wine experts, sommeliers and travel experts and they submit their nominations based on the different criteria that make the best destination vineyard, including quality of the overall experience, ambiance, cuisine, activities, views, staff, and value for money. The results are then collated and converted into the annual World’s Best Vineyards list.

Fernando Ezquerro, President of Denominacion de  stats: “It is an honour to host the prestigious World’s Best Vineyards 2023 event and a great opportunity to show the world why Rioja is Spain’s finest wine region. Rioja’s history and traditions have led it to establish itself not only as the leading winemaking region in Spain, but also as the country’s go-to destination for wine tourism, which has had a driving effect on the recovery and diversification of tourism in Spain. Our passion for hospitality and wine making makes Rioja such a special place to visit.”

#WorldsBestVineyards #WorldsBestVineyards2023 #wbv #Riojawine #travelling #wine #vineyards #winelovers #winenews #vino #spanishwine #spanishwinelovers #winetourism #SoakUpTheView #BottleList #VinoVisa #WineTraveller #WineTravel #spainsfinest #RiojaEsElOrigen @WorldsBestVineyards @rioja