The Simonit & Sirch Pruning Festival 2024 - Festival del Potatore Jamie Goode 2024-03-17 | I’m just back from the Festival del Potatare, the second edition of the pruning festival organized by industry leading pruning consultancy Simonit & Sirch. Held at San Felice in Chianti Classico, it was a two-day event. The first day was a technical conference looking at the role of water in viticulture and how this has become a major issue in many of the world’s wine regions. The second day saw the pruning competition, and an excuse to have some fun in the vineyard. As well as a single and group pruning competition, there were demonstrations of vineyard equipment (including horse plouging and drone spraying) and lumberjack and street dance displays. Here’s a brief film of the day, which was really fun.
Reviving a tradition: making wine in large clay amphorae in Portugals Alentejo region Jamie Goode 2024-01-18 | The south of the Alentejo wine region has a tradition of making wine in large clay amphorae known as talhas. Often people would have their own talha and the wine would supply the family. And restaurants frequently had many talha, serving people directly from these vessels.The tradition was to make the wine after harvest in August or September, and then the rule was it had to stay in amphora until St Martin's Day in mid-November, when the talhas were tapped. These wines would be natural, in the sense that they had no additions (such as sulfites), and were unfined and unfiltered: the mass of skins and stems that fell to the bottom of the talha would naturally filter the wine as it was drawn from a tap at the bottom. In danger of dying out, this tradition has been revived. I head to the region to visit three producers championing talha wine (Herdade do Rocim, XXVI Talhas and Honrado), and to attend the Amphora Wine Day at Rocim where producers from the Alentejo and elsewhere in the world in wine were showing their wines made in clay.
La Colline Vineyard, Franschhoek, South Africa Jamie Goode 2024-01-11 | Old Road Wine Co winemaker Ryan Puttick introduces the La Colline Vineyard in Franschhoek, South Africa. Planted in 1936 by Antonie Roux, the grandfather of the current owner Anton Roux, this is bush vine Semillon. Unusually for a South African old vine vineyard it's planted at high density, with 7000 vines per hectare. The Old Road Wine Co take most, but grapes are also sold to Chris Alheit, Boekenhoutskloof, Adam Mason (Raised by Wolves) and Ian Naudé. It's at 310-360 m a southern slope, and there's around 10% of Semillon Gris here (pink-skinned Semillon that's a skin-colour mutation, and thus a clone, of Semillon). Old Road Wine Co use this to make their excellent Grand-Mère Semillon.
Visiting Constantino Ramos, one of the most exciting producers in the Vinho Verde wine region Jamie Goode 2024-01-08 | Constantino Ramos came from the pharmaceutical industry, where he was running clinical trials, and shifted to his passion, wine. He worked alongside famed consultant winemaker Anselmo Mendes for 9 years, and this is when he started making his own wines. Vinho Verde is famous for lighter white wines, but in the past the region of Monção and Melgaço used to make more reds. Constantino found an old red vineyard owned by a cousin of his wife, and made his first wine from it in 2016: a lighter red made by cold soaking crushed grapes and then fermenting the wine like a white after pressing. It was well received, and now he makes a mix of reds and whites from promising vineyards at 200-300 m in Riba de Mouro. Here we visit some of the vineyards, as well as taking a trip to Branda de Santo António at the top of the mountain. This is owned by Riba de Mouro and in the past the villagers moved up to the mountain for summer grazing of their cows.
Hospiz Alm Big Bottle Collection Jamie Goode 2023-12-13 | The remarkable big bottle cellars at the Hospiz Alm in St. Christoph am Arlberg, AustriaThe Hospiz Alm restaurant is based in the small hamlet St. Christoph am Arlberg, which is the highest habitation in this major ski area, at 1850 m. Hidden under the attractive but otherwise unremarkable alpine-style restaurant is one of the world’s most remarkable cellars.We met with Karl-Heinz Pale, sommelier, who has been working here since the collection of some 3000 extremely large wine bottles (ranging from double magnum to the 27 litre primat size, and there are plenty of these) began in 1988.Adi Werner's Weinwelt began in 1988. He fell in love with Bordeaux and, as a merchant, visited for the first time in 1978. Despite not being able to get into many of the top Châteaux, he was entertained by Marie-France Manoncourt from Château Figeac. In 1980 he managed to get six Balthazars from Château Haut Marbuzet, and the following year Château Figeac supplied their first large formats. Most of these wines have been bottled in these large formats especially for Adi Werner. As well as the main collection in the Hospiz Weinkeller, a second cellar called the Wine Dome was opened in 2022. This is somewhat grander and more architectural, but its walls are also adorned with lots of very large bottles of Bordeaux. It as designed by Viennese architect Gregor Eichinger.Many chateau are not happy to fill big bottles. In the past, Cheval Blanc did 15 litre bottles but now the largest they will do is 12 litres. Karl-Heinz says that it’s a sign of trust on the part of the vigneron that they will fill bottles of these sizes. These bottles are highly collectable, but the rule is that customers who buy them must drink them here. He has sold 450 of them in last 110 days. A few years ago a 15 litre Cheval Blanc was was corked! They took it back to the Château, and although they couldn’t give the same vintage, they replaced it with the current one plus three double magnums.
Visiting the Chianti Classico Wine Region, Episode 3 Jamie Goode 2023-12-10 | Four wine friends - John Szabo, Michael Godel, Jamie Goode and Emily Harman - visit the Chianti Classico wine region. This series of short films aims to capture the essence about what makes this region in Tuscany such a dynamic and interesting place for wine production, centred on the Sangiovese grape. We begin at Castello di Querceto, and then head to Rocca di Montegrossi with Marco Ricasoli. Then a great visit at Badia a Coltibuono with Roberto Stucchi Prinetti. We see all the art installations at Castello di Ama and then finish with a visit to Le Masse, with Robin Mugnaini, and his artist friend Lorenzo Vignoli who is making some interesting terracotta for wine ageing.
Visiting the Chianti Classico Wine Region, Episdode 4 Jamie Goode 2023-12-10 | Four wine friends - John Szabo, Micheal Godel, Jamie Goode and Emily Harman - visit the Chianti Classico wine region. This series of short films aims to capture the essence about what makes this region in Tuscany such a dynamic and interesting place for wine production, centred on the Sangiovese grape. This film begins at Villa Pomona with Monica Raspi, and then we head to Istine with Angela Fronti. Next it’s a trip to Rignana with Cosimo Gericke, followed by an evening in Firenze. The next visit is with Filippo, Gioia and Sara Cresti at Carpineta Fontalpino, before the final visit of the trip at Principe Corsini (Villa Le Corti) with Duccio Corsini.
Visiting the Chianti Classico wine region, episode 2 Jamie Goode 2023-11-15 | Four wine friends - John Szabo, Micheal Godel, Jamie Goode and Emily Harman - visit the Chianti Classico wine region. This series of short films aims to capture the essence about what makes this region in Tuscany such a dynamic and interesting place for wine production, centred on the Sangiovese grape. In episode 2, we visit the high-altitude Lamole sub-region (UGA), then Castello di Volpaia, with Giovanna Stianti. The map dude Alessandro Masnaghetti takes us on a tour of the different Chianti Classico UGAs, and then we visit an exciting new producer: Cigliano di Sopra, with Maddalena Fucile and Matteo Vaccari.
Visiting the Chianti Classico wine region, episode 1 Jamie Goode 2023-11-06 | Four wine friends - John Szabo, Micheal Godel, Jamie Goode and Emily Harman - visit the Chianti Classico wine region. This series of short films aims to capture the essence about what makes this region in Tuscany such a dynamic and interesting place for wine production, centred on the Sangiovese grape. In Part 1, we visit Bindi Sergardi, Fontodi, Felsina and San Felice, before heading to Siena
Jamie and Lars do Alsace, final day Jamie Goode 2023-10-30 | The last day in Alsace contained some real highlights. Lars Daniel and Jamie Goode began at Domaine Weinbach, then Justin Boxler, and finished off at Albert Mann. A day of amazing scenery and great wines.
Jamie and Lars do Alsace, day 2 Jamie Goode 2023-10-30 | Jamie Goode and Lars Daniels vist the Alsace wine region, and this is day 2. We begin in the north with three producers: Domaine Frederic Mochel, Etienne Loew and Melanie Pfister. Then we head to the Kastelberg vineyard in Andlau, to see this distinctive Grand Cru and taste the wines that come from it.
Jamie and Lars do Alsace, day one Jamie Goode 2023-10-26 | Jamie Goode and Lars Daniels visit the Alsace wine region. This is the first day, with visits to Emile Beyer in Eguisheim, Barmès-Buecher in Wettolsheim and then dinner with Felix Meyer of Meyer-Fonné
Introducing The New Viticulture, part 1 (of 3) Jamie Goode 2023-10-26 | Jamie Goode introduces the content of his new book, titled The New Viticulture: the science of growing grapes for wine
Introduducing The New Viticulture, part 2 (of 3) Jamie Goode 2023-10-26 | Jamie Goode introduces the content of his new book, titled The New Viticulture: the science of growing grapes for wine
The New Viticulture: introducing my new book, part 3 (of 3) Jamie Goode 2023-10-26 | Jamie Goode introduces the content of his new book, titled The New Viticulture: the science of growing grapes for wine
Visiting the Itata wine region in Chile Jamie Goode 2023-10-19 | Jamie Goode heads down south in Chile to the Itata wine region, which was historically very important and which is undergoing a revival. There are interviews with Nicolás Pérez (De Martino winemaker), the De Martino brothers Marco and Sebastian, and leading winegrower Leo Erazo - as well as visits to vineyards and a stop along the coast.
Curetage: vine surgery for Esca in action with François Dal Jamie Goode 2023-10-13 | Curetage is the name for a special sort of vine surgery that was invented in the Centre Loire of France as a way of dealing with the trunk disease Esca, which has been a big problem in the region. It involves identifying a vine with symptoms (the distinctive tiger stripes on the leaves) which, if left untreated will die. François Dal, a researcher at SICAVAC, the research body funded by the Centre Loire region, read about this technique which had been practised a long time ago, and tried implementing it with a hammer and chisel. It worked, but he could only do three or four vines a day. Joel Cirotte, a grower in Sancerre, decided to try it with a chainsaw. This worked, but because it was a big chainsaw it was hazardous. So François managed to get a small electric chainsaw, making the process more precise and accurate. It’s like dentistry: you try to remove infected wood (amadou, which is yellow), leaving just healthy wood. If you get rid of it all, the vine recovers. Here François demonstrates the technique (although normally this would be done during June or July). Five years after treatment, 75% of these vines survive, and he thinks that 70% of the growers in the region are now using this technique to save old vines.
Jamie Goode talking about natural wine Jamie Goode 2023-09-18 | Wine journalist Jamie Goode gives an introduction to natural wine. This was originally recorded for the 43rd SASEV (South African Society for Enology and Viticulture) Conference Workshop in September 2023.
Visiting the Wagram wine region in Austria by tractor Jamie Goode 2023-09-06 | Jamie Goode heads from Graffneg to the Wagram wine region in Austria on tractor. As part of the OTW tastings in 2023, the six OTW member wineries brought participants into the vineyards for a tasting, on the back of some lovely old tractors. This is a really interesting wine region specialising in Grüner Veltliner, Roter Veltliner and Riesling, with a little bit of Pinot Noir. The soils are almost all deep wind-blown loess, but this has some calcium carbonate content.
Visiting Restless River, a leading wine producer from Hemel-en-Aarde, South Africa Jamie Goode 2023-09-01 | Jamie Goode visits Craig and Anne Wessels in Hemel-en-Aarde, South Africa. They have a remarkable wine project here, called Restless River, with 20 hectares of vines, focusing on Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, plus a creative wine each year called Wanderlust.
Visiting Bodegas Tamerán, Gran Canaria, Spain Jamie Goode 2023-08-28 | David Silva established his reputation as one of the world's leading football players, including international recognition with Spain and a 10 year spell at Manchester City. But he's also a proper wine geek, and as his career began to tail off he took the opportunity to start a winery on his own island of Gran Canaria in Spain, where he has been assisted by Jonatan Garcia of Suertes del Marques in Tenerife. Jamie Goode visits in June 2022 for the inauguration party for the winery.
The Niagara wine region, Canada Jamie Goode 2023-08-07 | Jamie Goode visits the Niagara Wine region in Canada, and interviews some of the leading producers, finding out what makes the region so special, what the key varieties are, and how the place affects the flavour of the wines. Featured winegrowers:Harald Thiel of Hidden BenchThomas Bachelder, Bachelder WinesKelly Mason and Brooke Husband of Domaine QueylusAdam Pearce of Two SistersShiraz Mottiar of Malivoire Gabe Demarco of Cave Spring Vineyard
Baga and Bairrada Jamie Goode 2023-08-02 | Jamie Goode heads to the Portuguese wine region of Bairrada, on the trail of the region's star red grape variety, Baga. It's a grape that has a reputation for being hard to handle, but when it's handled well, it's capable of expressing the greatness of the limestone terroirs and moderate climate of the Bairrada region. It also has a talent for sparkling wines. Interviews with some of the region's stars form the core of this film: Luis Pato (who first made wine here in 1980), Luis Patrao (Vadio), Filipa Pato and Miguel Silva (who makes wine at Niepoort's Quinta de Baixo).
Hambledon Première Cuvée Rosé NV - a new wine from this Hampshire winery Jamie Goode 2023-07-23 | Tasting this impressive rose from one of the UK's leading sparkling wine producers.
Visiting the Rioja wine region with Worlds Best Vineyards Jamie Goode 2023-07-16 | In July 2023 Jamie Goode joined a trip with World's Best Vineyards competition to Rioja, visiting 10 leading wineries in this well known Spanish wine region, all of who excel at wine tourism.
Ted Lemon, Littorai, talking about his farming Jamie Goode 2023-06-29 | Jamie Goode heads to California’s Anderson Valley to meet Ted Lemon of Littorai, who has a beautiful way of farming - biodynamics plus!
FLXcursion 2023 in the Finger Lakes, New York State Jamie Goode 2023-06-21 | Geneva, in the Finger Lakes wine region of New York State was the home to the 2023 FLXcursion, which brought together wineries from around the world with an interest in Riesling - although the conference wasn't exclusively Riesling focused. Jamie Goode visited and reports on an excellent four days. This short film intends to give a flavour of the event.
Anna Jorgensen of Cortes de Cima Jamie Goode 2023-05-24 | Anna Jorgensen is the second generation of Cortes de Cima - here she describes how she is in the process of transforming a large, already successful Alentejo winery.
Greg Lambrecht demonstrates the new Coravin Vinitas system: create 100 ml sample bottles in seconds Jamie Goode 2023-05-15 | ...
Marlborough wine region at 50: tasting three of the best known Sauvignon Blancs Jamie Goode 2023-05-13 | Jamie Goode tastes three of the best-known Sauvignon Blancs from the Marlborough wine region, which is 50 this year: Brancott Estate, Villa Maria and Oyster Bay
Dry Grown Chile (1) Visiting the Maule Wine Region Jamie Goode 2023-04-26 | Jamie Goode heads down south in Chile to visit the Maule wine region, one of the historically important wine-growing regions in the country. The trip begins at Bouchon Family Wines, and then we visit the vineyards and taste the wines of the Vigno wine-growing collaboration focusing on old, unirrigated Carignan.
Simplesmente Vinho 2023 Porto, Portugal Jamie Goode 2023-04-20 | A short film of this year's Simplesmente Vinho wine festival, held in Porto. This is devoted to artisanal, low intervention wines from around Portugal, with a few international guests. Wines without make-up!
Lunch on the river in Porto with interesting wine Jamie Goode 2023-02-28 | On the Sunday of Simplesmente Vinho in Porto, a few of us had lunch on the river on a gorgeous February day. Here's a short film of what the Porto and Gaia from the water.
Tasting Cap Classique: South Africas sparkling wines are an exciting category Jamie Goode 2023-01-24 | Jamie Goode and Treve Ring meet with some of South Africa's top winemakers to taste through 53 Cap Classiques. These are the traditional-method sparkling wines of the Cape, and this session includes an introduction from Pieter Ferreira of Graham Beck, and interviews with Paul Gerber (Colmant), Morne Vrey (Delaire Graff) and Jacques Wentzel (Black Elephant).
Adega do Vulcão Ameixâmbar Arinto de Açores 2018 Portugal Jamie Goode 2023-01-12 | Adega do Vulcão Ameixâmbar Arinto de Açores 2018 Portugal13% alcohol. This is the special Azores variety named Arinto that’s different from the mainland Portuguese one, and it is from two vineyards. One is on volcanic ash of Capelinhos, and the other is an Atlantic-influenced site on the basaltic mantle of Criação Velha. The resulting wine is precise and pure with good concentration of taut citrus fruit, with lovely minerality and transparency. It’s saline and focused with just a hint of nectarine and pear. Very fine with a great acid line.
Visiting Clos du Temple, home to the worlds most expensive rosé wine Jamie Goode 2022-12-04 | Back in 2016 Gerard Bertrand purchased a beautiful estate in the rolling hills of the Haut Cabrières, and from the 12 best hectares of vines on the property, decided to focus on making the best rosé possible. Soils here are a mix of friable schist and also some limestone from the surrounding hills, and farming is biodynamic. After two years of experiments, the first vintage released was 2018. Cinsault and Grenache form the basis of the wine, along with Syrah and Mourvèdre, as well as a touch of Viognier. A new cellar was built for the 2021 vintage, designed by Gerard working with Montpellier architect François Fontès, and it’s quite remarkable. With a living roof, it is built into the side of the hill, and the fermenters are enclosed in pyramids. With group technical director Guillaume Barraud and Clos du Temple winemaker Benjamin Gadois, we tasted through the four vintages released so far. This is the world’s most expensive rosé, but it’s not just a gimmick: this is a serious, ageworthy wine with real texture and depth. The 2021 is my favourite, just, but Benjamin is very excited by the as-yet unblended 2022.
Visiting Hidalgo La Gitana in Sanlucar de Barremeda, one of the top bodegas in the Sherry triangle Jamie Goode 2022-10-17 | It's harvest time in Sherry country, and Jamie Goode visits Hidalgo La Gitana in the coastal town of Sanlucar de Barremeda. In the vineyards, the Palomino grapes are in perfect condition, and picking begins - the earliest harvest in memory after a hot 2022 growing season. Then it's time to accompany Fernan Hidalgo into the cellars, to taste wines and also look at the cooperage where they repair and reconstruct their barrels. Finally, it's time for a night out in town.
Tasting old South African wine: raiding the Winshaw cellar back to the 1950s Jamie Goode 2022-10-10 | Bill Winshaw had a collection of South African wine from his time running the Stellenbosch Farmer's Winery. His grandsons, JP and Pierre, are making wine again from the Winshaw vineyards, and are part of the Whole Bunch alliance of producers. At the Cape Wine event in October 2022 the Whole Bunch put on a tasting of these old wines from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Jamie Goode reports.
School of Cool at i4C 2022 Jamie Goode 2022-09-02 | Part of the cool climate Chardonnay celebration is an educational session: a day looking at the more technical aspects of Chardonnay. This year, Andrew Jefford delivered the keynote, and then we had two sessions: one comparing the same Chardonnay grapes from Niagara made by different winemakers (the great Chardo swap), and then second looking at diverse Chardonnays introduced by local and international winemakers.
i4C2022 - international cool climate Chardonnay celebration 2022 Jamie Goode 2022-09-01 | I head to Canada's Niagara wine region for the International Cool Climate Chardonnnay Celebration 2022, known simply as i4C
Tasting with Thomas Bachelder, exploring the terroirs of Niagara Jamie Goode 2022-08-29 | Jamie Goode tastes with Thomas Bachelder, a winemaker who has explored the various terroirs of Canada's Niagara wine region and is making some compelling Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gamay from some of the best sites.
What is regenerative viticulture? A quick introduction Jamie Goode 2022-08-16 | Jamie Goode introduces the topic of regenerative viticulture, which he's recently written a book on.
Charlie Herring, a remarkable walled vineyard in Hampshire, England, with Tim Phillips Jamie Goode 2022-08-15 | Tim Phillips was an accountant working in the oil industry. He got posted to Italy and fell in love with wine - it ran in the family, as his father had been a musician, then a wine merchant, and then a priest. He went to train in South Africa then returned to the UK, and found a fabulous but derelict walled garden for sale in Lymington, Hampshire. He managed to buy it for less than a tenth of the asking price and turned it into a vineyard. He now makes some of the UK's most sought after wines and ciders (which are typically wine-cider hybrids) in a very natural way.
Adventures in Newfoundland Jamie Goode 2022-08-03 | Jamie Goode visits St John's in Newfoundland, and goes fishing, hiking, sightseeing and gigging
Pearl Morissette: visiting the winery, kitchen garden and restaurant Jamie Goode 2022-07-26 | Jamie Goode visits Pearl Morissette, one of Canada's top wineries and also one of the country's top restaurants. This includes a tour of the amazing kitchen garden which supplies the restaurant 52 weeks a year, with farmer Shane Harper.
Chapoutier Saint-Pierre Cornas 2019 Jamie Goode 2022-07-19 | Chapoutier Saint-Pierre Cornas 2019 Northern Rhône, France14% alcohol. This is a new Lieu Dit from Chapoutier, and just 460 bottles were made. It’s 100% Syrah from a cool, south-east facing hilly terroir at 400m. Soils are rankosol over relatively unweathered white granite. Grapes were destemmed and fermented in concrete vats with a post ferment maceration, and then malolactic was in barrel (20% new), with an 18 month elevage. It’s a vivid, intensely coloured expression of Syrah with brooding black cherry and raspberry fruit, as well as some sweet blackberry notes. There’s a freshness here, with some peppery hints, but also a depth and lushness to the fruit. It’s a dense, slightly meaty (cured meats and a touch of olive) wine backed by substantial structure, and a really distinctive crushed rock texture. I like the texture here, and I reckon that while it’s approachable now, it has an upside of at least a decade. Very fine
Château Galoupet Rosé 2021 Côtes de Provence Jamie Goode 2022-07-18 | Tasting the excellent Galoupet rosé on camera @chateaudugaloupet6714
Making sparkling wine: disgorging and bottling Pet Nat Jamie Goode 2022-07-07 | The last stage of sparkling wine production often involves a process called disgorgement. The second fermentation has happened in bottle, creating the bubbles. This leaves a lot of dead yeast, and these are collected in the neck of the bottle where they form a plug. This is then frozen, and the crown cap is removed. The pressure expels the frozen plug, and then the wine is topped up and bottled. This is at the Folias do Baco winery in Portugal's Douro wine region.
Simplesmente Vinho 2022 Jamie Goode 2022-07-04 | Jamie Goode visits Simplesmente Vinho, an authentic and natural wine fair held in Porto, Portugal, July 1-3 2022
