Northern Italy
Displaying items by tag: Other European Wines
The Wines of Bulgaria: From Antiquity till Modern Times
Summary:
Join us for an introduction to the wines of Bulgaria, with its over 6000 years of wine making history. We will start at the beginning with the rich ancient wine heritage and move towards the modern day, touching on topics such as the main wine regions, the most widely planted grapes, and interesting indigenous varieties. Once a country associated with cheap bulk-wine production for the export market, Bulgaria has carefully transitioned towards quality and (once again) established itself as a key player in quality wine production.
Part 2 : “Bulgarian Wine Today: Current Trends and Challenges" will be scheduled shortly.
Presenter: Nicoletta Dicova
Born in Bulgaria and educated in Italy, Nicoletta holds a Master's degree in winemaking and wine marketing from the University of Piacenza, Italy. She is also currently enrolled in the Master of Wine Program as a stage 2 student. Deeply passionate about wine, in particular artisan and natural wines, she has travelled extensively to wine regions, especially in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus area. Nicoletta works as an independent wine educator and communicator, is a guest professor at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, a Cava Certified Educator and a VDP Ambassador.
She lives on a permaculture farm in Tuscany (San Donato in Bellaria, Chianni) together with her husband and 2 children, expecting that the vineyard they planted together will bear its first fruits. Nicoletta is currently busy with work on the Balkan Wine Academy project, a platform aimed in providing education and wine tours to the Balkans. It is expected to be launched in the Fall of 2022. She is also studying to get French Wine Scholar credentials.
Wines of the Dão – a land of ancient vineyards, mountains and classical reds by Simon Woolf
Summary:
Portugal’s more northerly Douro region tends to hog the limelight, but the wilder and more barren Dão has many vinuous secrets to offer wine lovers.
Once lumped together with Bairrada (the Portuguese still refer to both together as “Beira”), the Dão has its own unique signature. Home to Portugal’s highest mountain, the Serra da Estrela, it’s a mountainous and depopulated region filled with granite outcrops, vast boulders that look like they were hurled by giants and quartz-rich soils that glint in the morning sunlight. It’s also the probable origin of Touriga Nacional.
Almost a century ago, the Dão was famed for its structured and classic red blends, which were often compared to those of Bordeaux. But 50 years of being dominated by huge cooperative wineries destroyed its reputation. Now, thanks to a growing band of passionate winemakers, quality is firmly back on the menu. So too are projects to rejuvenate and value its incredible ancient vineyards – some of the oldest in Portugal, with many plots of vines over 100 years old.
Old vines and complex field blends are the perfect recipe for not just some of Portugal’s most exquisite red wines, but also equally over-achieving whites that can have an almost Burgundy level of depth and nuance.
his session will explore the Dão’s path from ruin to reincarnation, via examples from many of the region’s leading wineries and winemakers.
Presenter: Simon J. Woolf
Simon J Woolf is an award-winning English author and wine writer, currently based in The Netherlands.
An acknowledged expert on the developing niche of natural wine, he's written for Decanter magazine, Meininger’s Wine Business International, World of Fine Wine and Noble Rot, and many other publications. Simon is the editor of The Morning Claret, an online wine magazine which specialises in natural, biodynamic, organic and orange wine.
Simon's first book "Amber Revolution - How the world learned to love orange wine" was published in 2018, and won the Roederer Wine book of the year award in 2019. Simon has also won numerous awards for his magazine features and online columns.
Simon travels regularly to countries such as Georgia, Slovenia, Italy and Portugal, where he continues to research the stories and traditions behind artisan winemaking. His second book, Foot Trodden, a collaboration with photographer and wine communicator Ryan Opaz, was published in October 2021. It is described as a journey deep into the soul of Portuguese wine.
Simon is also active as a presenter, editor, wine judge and translator.
On the Crossroad Between East and West; The wines of the Balkans, Part 2 with Nicoletta Dicova
Summary:
In this second part of the webinar dedicated to the wines of the Balkans, we are going to cover the countries which we couldn’t cover in part 1: Croatia, Slovenia, Greece and European Turkey. A fascinating journey in one of the last zones in Europe still partly undiscovered and unveiled where ancient traditions and deep-rooted wine culture melt with modern, terroir-driven winemaking.
Presenter: Nicolettta Dicova
Born in Bulgaria and educated in Italy, Nicoletta holds a Master's degree in winemaking and wine marketing from the University of Piacenza, Italy. She is also currently enrolled in the Master of Wine Program as a stage 2 student. Deeply passionate about wine, in particular artisan and natural wines, she has travelled extensively to wine regions, especially in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus area. Nicoletta works as an independent wine educator and communicator, is a guest professor at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, a Cava Certified Educator and a VDP Ambassador.
She lives on a permaculture farm in Tuscany (San Donato in Bellaria, Chianni) together with her husband and 2 children, expecting that the vineyard they planted together will bear its first fruits. Nicoletta is currently busy with work on the Balkan Wine Academy project, a platform aimed in providing education and wine tours to the Balkans. It is expected to be launched in the Fall of 2022. She is also studying to get French Wine Scholar credentials.
Madeira – A Sub-Tropical Idyll That Harbours The World’s Most Versatile Fortified Wine with Simon J Woolf
Summary:
Fortified wines such as port, sherry or marsala are slipping out of fashion. It’s no different with Madeira, but this highly food-friendly beverage deserves your attention.
Madeira is unique in its exceptional acidity and freshness, and also in its ability to age. No other wine has the ability to start showing its fruit at its best when 100 years old.
We’ll talk about this Portuguese island – where it is, and why the terrain and climate are different compared to the Azores or the Canary islands. How did vines come to be planted here, and what are the conditions for grape growing?
We’ll cover the winemaking, how madeira is made and what you can expect from the various styles and single varietals. Get to grips with 10-year-olds, colheita, frasquiera, garrafeira and more. Understand why Sercial, Verdelho, Bual and Malmsey are so revered, and why Tinta Negra Mole was always regarded as second best. And what about
Learn the difference between madeira’s two key ageing techniques: estufagem and canteiro.
There will also be a brief mention of the developing sector of Madeiran still (unfortified) wines, and how this compares with the traditional and hard-to-find vino seco.
Presenter: Simon J. Woolf
Simon J Woolf is an award-winning English author and wine writer, currently based in The Netherlands.
An acknowledged expert on the developing niche of natural wine, he's written for Decanter magazine, Meininger’s Wine Business International, World of Fine Wine and Noble Rot, and many other publications. Simon is the editor of The Morning Claret, an online wine magazine which specialises in natural, biodynamic, organic and orange wine.
Simon's first book "Amber Revolution - How the world learned to love orange wine" was published in 2018, and won the Roederer Wine book of the year award in 2019. Simon has also won numerous awards for his magazine features and online columns.
Simon travels regularly to countries such as Georgia, Slovenia, Italy and Portugal, where he continues to research the stories and traditions behind artisan winemaking. His second book, Foot Trodden, a collaboration with photographer and wine communicator Ryan Opaz, was published in October 2021. It is described as a journey deep into the soul of Portuguese wine.
Simon is also active as a presenter, editor, wine judge and translator.
WSG members still enjoy a discount on Simon's book "Food Trodden" ! Get your discount HERE
On the Crossroad Between East and West: the Balkans with Nicoletta Dicova
Summary:
Join us in this introductory WSG Live on the wines from the Balkans providing an overview of the different countries and wine regions, the main indigenous varieties and wine styles.
Presenter: Nicoletta Dicova
She is also currently enrolled in the Master of Wine Program as a stage 2 student. Deeply passionate about wine, in particular artisan and natural wines, she has travelled extensively to wine regions, especially in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus area. Nicoletta works as an independent wine educator and communicator, is a guest professor at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, a Cava Certified Educator and a VDP Ambassador.
She lives on a permaculture farm in Tuscany (San Donato in Bellaria, Chianni) together with her husband and 2 children, expecting that the vineyard they planted together will bear its first fruits. Nicoletta is currently busy with work on the Balkan Wine Academy project, a platform aimed at providing education and wine tours to the Balkans. It is expected to be launched in the Fall of 2022. She is also studying to get French Wine Scholar credentials.
Riesling: Germany’s Global Grape with Valerie Kathawala
Summary:
Riesling isn’t the first grape we think of when considering “international varieties.” Yet it thrives from the suntraps of Napa Valley to the cool valleys of the Antipodes.
In this WSG Live, we will briefly examine the origins of Riesling, trace its early spread through Germany, and then zero in on the surprising range of regions where it thrives today: Alsace, Austria, Luxembourg, Northern Italy, the U.S. West Coast, Michigan, and New York, as well as Australia and New Zealand.
With a focus on the terroir, traditions, and innovations that affect the style in each place, we will uncover what makes Riesling so well-suited to such a wild array of climates, soil types, trellising styles, and winemaking approaches.
Presenter: Valerie Kathawala
Valerie Kathawala is a New York City-based writer specializing in the wines of Austria, Germany, South Tyrol, and Switzerland.
She is a lifelong student of German culture and language and has lived, studied, and worked in both Germany and Austria. Valerie holds a WSET advanced certification and has hands-on harvest and cellar experience in two of Riesling’s spiritual homelands: the Mosel and the Finger Lakes.
Valerie’s work appears in SevenFifty Daily, Pipette, Glug, Meininger’s Wine Business International, Pellicle, WineFolly, The Vintner Project, and more. She is co-founder and co-editor of the wine magazine Trink.
Of Dusty Plains, Mountains and the Atlantic: the wines of Alentejo, Portugal with Simon J. Woolf
Summary:
The Alentejo is a massive, sprawling wine region to the south of Portugal. It often has a reputation for mass produced wines produced from international grape varieties, and you’ll find cheap Alentejo wines sold in every corner of Portugal, and even on the islands of Madeira and the Azores.
But Alentejo holds a great deal more interest than just budget priced Syrah or Chardonnay. It’s just that it kept one of its most important winemaking techniques a secret for half a century.
Talha is a Portuguese word meaning clay pot, and Alentejo is home to a 2,000-year-old tradition of making wine in these large stone vessels. Although the talha tradition has some similarities to the Georgian qvevri winemaking method, it arguably has more differences. But talha winemaking in the traditional way is in the middle of a massive resurgence. There are villages where it’s said there’s a talha behind every door. Is this true? You’ll find out as part of this seminar.
We’ll go through the specifics of how talhas are made – and by whom – and how the wines are produced in this age-old tradition. Yet more importantly, we’ll talk about the culture that surrounds talha wine, and why it can be hard to find it in a bottle.
Alentejo is a diverse region climatically, and although much of it is hot, dusty plains, we’ll also cover the fashionable Porte Alegre sub-region, and the south-western tip of Alentejo, where it meets the Atlantic Ocean and conjoins the Sétubal region.
We’ll mention a number of key wineries, large and small, and some recommended wines to seek out and taste. They’ll range from the giant Esporão, to more boutique operations such as Cabeças do Reguengo or Herdade do Cebolal.
Presenter: Simon J Woolf
Simon J Woolf is an award-winning English author and wine writer, currently based in The Netherlands.
An acknowledged expert on the developing niche of natural wine, he's written for Decanter magazine, Meininger’s Wine Business International, World of Fine Wine and Noble Rot, and many other publications. Simon is the editor of The Morning Claret, an online wine magazine which specialises in natural, biodynamic, organic and orange wine.
Simon's first book "Amber Revolution - How the world learned to love orange wine" was published in 2018, and won the Roederer Wine book of the year award in 2019. Simon has also won numerous awards for his magazine features and online columns.
Simon travels regularly to countries such as Georgia, Slovenia, Italy and Portugal, where he continues to research the stories and traditions behind artisan winemaking. His second book, Foot Trodden, a collaboration with photographer and wine communicator Ryan Opaz, was published in October 2021. It is described as a journey deep into the soul of Portuguese wine.
Simon is also active as a presenter, editor, wine judge and translator.
WSG members still enjoy a discount on Simon's book "Food Trodden" ! Get your discount HERE
Tokaj Masterclass: Past and present, grape varieties and wine styles, trends and tendencies in Hungary’s most famed wine region with Gergely Somogyi
Summary:
Tokaj is no longer a ‘one-trick pony’ of the wine world, producing botrytised sweet wines that everybody respects for their balance and complexity – and hardly ever drinks. While such wines are still made and represent most of the value Tokaj creates, the past decades have seen some unprecedented changes and the rise of terroir-driven dry varietals that are becoming the growth driver in the region as Tokaj enters a new golden era of its long history.
This WSG Live will begin with an overview of the region’s distant past and the most recent developments, and then provide a thorough insight into local grape varieties, historical and modern wine styles, special methods of vinification, as well as the characteristics of the local terroir and the Tokaj vineyard classification system.
You will also learn about some key current trends relating to styling wines, planting new sites and sparkling wines before a Q&A session at the end.
Presenter: Gergely Somogyi
Gergely Somogyi is a ‘Tokaj allrounder’, based in the region and involved in multiple different Tokaj-related projects since around 2011. Apart from working as a contract wine steward for multiple regional wineries, he runs Tokaj Today, an independent news and information website about Tokaj, as well as organising and hosting small-group wine trips (including press and trade) to the region. He is also the Tokaj guide for the British wine travel website Winerist.com, as well as British wine tour operator SmoothRed. He regularly works as a regional expert, guide and translator for journalists coming to Tokaj to write wine and travel articles for international media such as Decanter, Vinum and Lonely Planet, as well as doing location scouting and guidance for foreign documentary photographers and film crews shooting in the region. He regularly gives masterclasses, lectures and talks on Tokaj and Hungarian wine-related topics in Hungary and abroad.
He has worked as a mentor, on behalf of ICOMOS Hungary, for the Tokaj World Heritage Site Management Organisation in a UNESCO periodic reporting process, and he is also a former admin officer for the Confrérie de Tokaj and current admin officer of Vindependent, the Hungarian Association of Independent Winegrowers, as well as of Mádi Kör, a local winemakers' association.
You can find him online here:
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