Dominio de ES is a hidden gem in the Ribera del Duero region. With its small production and uncompromising quality philosophy, the winery stands for ancient vineyards, biodynamic practices and a deep understanding of terroir. The wines are produced in the remote village of Atauta in the far east of the appellation, near Rioja – one of the coolest and most unspoilt parts of the Ribera.
Bertrand Sourdais, a winemaker from Chinon on the Loire, is responsible for this, together with his partner Olga Escudero. During his time in Atauta, originally to set up Bodegas Antidoto, Sourdais discovered the exceptional old plots that …
The first Pingus was bottled in 1995. This limited production wine from Ribera del Duero made history with a legendary rating from Robert Parker Junior (1998): "One of the greatest young red wines I have ever tasted." The vintage is also at the centre of a somewhat mythical-sounding story – the freighter carrying a quarter of the limited production sank off the Azores, with the wine ending up in Davy Jones's locker at the bottom of the sea.
Peter Sisseck, alias Pingus
Peter Sisseck, alias Pingus, was born in Copenhagen in 1962. His uncle, oenologist Peter Vinding-Diers who managed Château Rahoul in Bordeaux, awakened Peter's interest in wine at an early age. The 21-…
Premières Côtes de Bordeaux: Upswing in the province
Even far from the classified crus, Bordeaux today has more to offer than ever before in its history. The nobly composed Premières Côtes de Bordeaux appellation sits on the right bank of the Garonne River, almost across from its…
The trademark of the Alicante Bouschet is its rich, dark colour. Like the Cinsault or Regent, it is one of the teinturier varieties. These are grapes with red flesh and red juice – for all other varieties, the pigments rest in the ski…
In 1933, the winegrowers and wine merchants of Châteauneuf-du-Pape were the first to impose quality rules relating to the cultivation and production of wines that would bear the name Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The geographic definition of the cultivation area, along with the other regulations, is still in force today, in order to guarantee the wine quality for connoisseurs. The Gradassi family of the Domaine des Pères de l’Église is following the tradition, but with the fresh impetus provided by the young fourth generation.
The fourth generation is represented by Laetitia, who after completing a course in business studies spent two years in Australia and New Zealand, in order to gather experience in wineries there. In 2014, she joined her father and uncle in t…
The city of Beaune is the cultural and economic centre of Burgundy. The prestigious vineyard sites, stretching in a band from Santenay (located about 20 kilometres south of Beaune) to the village of Aloxe-Corton (five kilometres north of Be…
The northernmost tip of Burgundy (only Chablis is located further north) is the area where the Pinot noir grape yields a whole range of rare crus that are unsurpassed in their synthesis of fullness and elegance. No wonder the names of villa…
Just 50 years ago, the Lalande-de-Pomerol wine growing region was scarcely known. Only a few wine travellers found their way to this quiet, distinctly rural view of Bordeaux. That changed with the fabulous rise of the neighbouring Pomerol a…
The name (port.: sheep's tail) of the white, Portuguese grape variety is derived from the shape of the grapes. The vigorous white wine variety is mainly cultivated in the regions of Douro, Dão, Alentejo and Ribatejo. The aromatic…
Philippe Bravay represents the fourth generation of the family that owns Domaine de Ferrand. The winery can be traced back to the 17th century. Philippe’s parents sold the grapes to wine merchants. But he decided to press and bottle his own wine.
7.5 hectares lie in the north of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, 10 hectares in the Côte-du-Rhône appellation. These include very old vineyards planted by his great-grandfather in 1904, 1910 and 1920; as usual in the …