Vintage Wine & Port Blog
Learn About Italian Wines
Posted 25 September 2023
by Vintage Wine and Port
Italy is a country that has a formidable tradition and history of winemaking. Indeed, it is known that vines used for Italian wine production have been growing in this region for over 4000 years. The constant influx of conquerors and travellers over the centuries constantly added to the existing base of knowledge and allowed Italian wine growing to develop into the highly regarded craft that it is today. The Ancient Greeks referred to southern Italy as Enotria, meaning “land of the vine”, and with the tremendous quality and variety of Italian wines on call today, Italy remains one of the most exciting wine regions of the world.
2019 Vintage Port Declaration
Posted 3 June 2021
by Dia Grigoriou
2019 harvest at Sogevinus vineyards in the Douro
Although 2019 was a good vintage in the Douro, not all shippers declared a classic vintage. Those whose vineyards are situated in favourable aspect sites opted for a classic declaration whilst others focused their potential releases on ports from terroir driven plots. With no general vintage declaration, several major producers have announced single quinta vintage releases instead.
The Taste Of An Older Wine
Posted 22 July 2020
by Dia Grigoriou
Tasting an older wine is indeed a rare occasion. Those who are lucky to try older examples regularly, have developed a code of conduct, a generosity of spirit or a resilience and an understanding that these wines are vastly different than their counterparts from more recent vintages.
However, here is a question, do all wines age gracefully?
2018 Vintage Port Declaration
Posted 18 May 2020
by Dia Grigoriou and Tony Carter
Harvest at the Quinta do Noval winery. Credit: David Silverman/Getty Images
Shippers in the Douro announced that 2018 was another fabulous year for port wines. A few port shippers declared a classic vintage whilst others opted to declare their best single vineyard ports instead.
The declaration occurred in line with the tradition of declaring a vintage port on or after St. Gorges Day, 23rd April each year.
The 2018s are showing things are heating up in the Douro. Proof is that some shippers offered a rare third consecutive year declaration for their Vintage Port, following the exceptional 2016 & 2017 vintages.
The Regions of Bordeaux
Posted 2 March 2020
by Jamie Ashcroft
France is known as a powerhouse for expensive and high-quality wines, with Bordeaux at the heart of its reputation. But while many know where the Bordeaux area is in the country, not many know of its various sub-regions, appellations and communes or the little differences between them which can create very different wines. Read on for a quick overview of the most important areas to learn about.