• PORTUGAL WINE EXPORTS AT THE ‘MOMENT DE VÉRITÉ’

    par | Mai 2, 2011

    By PATRICK DU GENESTOUX

    The Portuguese wine industry has undertaken a powerful communications effort in Europe to explain that their rise in the world ranking is key to an increase in importance of of Portuguese wines, even if costly during the crisis years in 2008 and 2009. At last in 2010 their exports increased of more than 16% in value and 9% in volume with an average price increase of 7%.
    The media were invited to international meetings in Porto last December when the Portuguese wine industry strategies was becoming to be beneficial, and also in March in Celorico da Beira, to be briefed on Portuguese wine export and individual region potential.  We attended both.

    MY LOOK AT PORTUGUESE WINE EXPORT STATISTICS

    The opening session of the 1rst International Wine Meeting and Tasting Event held in Northern Portugal on the 17th of March was introduced by an interesting presentation of Doctora Edite Azenha, Chairperson of the Portuguese Vine and Wine Institute, commenting on the performance of their wine trade balance in 2010.

    Dra Edite’s presentation was full of optimism. According to her Portuguese wines and wine firms are increasingly recognized worldwide on the quality aspects, some of them among the “ World’s best 100” or 200 of various classifications, with notes frequently above 90.  Then she came to an in deep discussion of the Portuguese foreign trade figures for 2010, providing material for stimulating thoughts on the wine market segmentation.

    In 2010, Portugese wine exports grew 9% in volume (2,6 million hectolitres) and 16 % in value  (€650 million). The increase was good with PDO wines (Protected Designation of Origin, the equivalent of the French AOP, Appellation d’Origine Protégée) which grew 12 % in unit value, reaching a “psychological gate » of €3.00 per liter (€2.25 per bottle).

    Port Wine Institute Inspectors on the Porto waterfronts during the forties.

    (suite…)

  • US APPROVES IMPORT OF 2006 BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO

    par | Mar 22, 2011

    From REUTERS

    NEW YORK | Mon Mar 14, 2011 4:49pm EDT —  The U.S. has given approval for the iconic Italian wine Brunello di Montalcino, which had been involved in a quality scandal, to be imported into the country.
    The U.S. Department of Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), in a statement released last week, said that since Italy had certified the 2006 vintage it would allow the vintage to be sold in the U.S.
    U.S. collectors represent roughly 25% of the market for the storied Tuscan red, which fetches hundreds of dollars a bottle at auction.
    «     TTB announces that the Government of Italy has certified that the 2006 vintage … meets all the requirements for the denomination,«  the statement said. Read More

  • THE BANGALORE WINE FESTIVAL BECKONS

    par | Fév 28, 2011

    From the INDIAN WINE ACADEMY  Newsletter, 28 February 2011 11:07

    Following the success of the maiden edition of the 2-day festival held in April 2010, the second edition of the Bangalore International Wine Festival is being organised at Palace Grounds in Bangalore from March 11 for 3 days with around 30 wine companies expected to be present for tasting by the general public along with several wine related programmes.
    The event includes the staple activities such events, namely wine appreciation seminars and guided tasting sessions, grape stomping, fashion shows, music bands and seminars on wine tasting.

    B. N. Nanjundaiah, Managing Director of Naka wines, one of the promoters of the Festival, claims that in the previous edition in 2010, more than 25,000 people had visited the festival held at White Petals.  This time, the event is expected to attract around 45,000 visitors, which would make it the most popular and attended wine festival in India. (suite…)

  • LETTRES DE TOSCANE (6) : MONTEPO

    par | Fév 22, 2011

    DANIEL J BERGER

    La forteresse est assise sur le haut d’une colline mais en contre-bas d’une autre, on la voit de loin, bloc de pierres aveugle au toit presque plat, un peu asiatique, socle silencieux dominant la vallée et les 500 hectares de forêt, d’oliviers et de vignes du domaine.
    Nous sommes au coeur de l’appellation Morellino di Scansano (Grosseto), au château de Monte Pò, propriété depuis toujours de la famille de Jacopo Biondi Santi (photo ci-dessous), qui nous accueille avec chaleur, en tenue de chasse, les autres chasseurs vont arriver et se préparer pendant qu’il va nous présenter l’histoire du lieu et de sa famille, allons là-bas à droite sur le promontoire aux petits chênes.

    « Nous faisons du vin ici depuis 1300 et quelques. C’est mon grand oncle Feruccio Biondi Santi qui a « créé » le Brunello à la fin du XIXème : il a réussi à sélectionner le clône de sangiovese grosso BBS 11, toujours en place aujourd’hui et qui reste notre marque de fabrique. Mon père, Tancredi Biondi Santi, a continué avec la sélection massale (*), et moi j’ai mis en œuvre une sélection clonale plus poussée, pour mieux prendre en compte le niveau qualitatif du vin et j’ai généralisé la sélection parcellaire. »
    (suite…)

  • AMENAZA NUEVA SOBRE EL PAISAJE DE LA RIOJA ALTA

    par | Fév 10, 2011

    LUIS VICENTE ELIAS PASTOR

    luisviEl impacto de una línea de alta tensión en la zona norte de la ciudad de Haro en La Rioja aparece en la prensa y ha motivado una gran participación en las redes sociales.

    La zona norte de la ciudad está separada de la provincia de Burgos por el bello conjunto de los Montes Obarenes y de la de Álava por la Sierra de Toloño, teniendo el paso natural del río Ebro por un enclave de extraordinaria belleza, como son las Conchas de Haro.

     

    Este espacio posee tanto valor paisajístico que está catalogado con las más altas clasificaciones medioambientales al ser una Zona de Alta Protección para las Aves y ese espacio atravesado por las infraestructuras cobija a dos de las seis Zonas de Especial Conservación de Importancia Comunitaria, como son el conjunto de Obarenes-Sierra de Cantabria, y el de Sotos y Riberas del río Ebro, en la zona de Haro, Briñas y San Vicente. (suite…)