Koshu started being used in the production of wine only in 1870, up until then it was mainly grown for food. As a grape it has thick skins that can withstand heat and humidity which is why it thrives in the Yamanashi region where it primarily grown today. 

The grapes have a very nice cherry pink hue and are normally grown on pergolas in order to let the air travel throughout so the bunches don’t get too humid. Japan also uses special wax paper “umbrellas” around the bunches which protects them from the heat and the rain, a technology that is quite expensive. 

Wines made from Koshu are usually delicate and light with only around 11% abv that go very well with Japanese cuisine like raw fish and sushi. The wines can be compared to for example Melon de Bourgogne, Chenin blanc, Albarino. 

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On this year’s list we have 2 wines from Sicily, one from South Africa and one from well..many places.  

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Today there are around 300 wineries in Japan which are all small to medium sized. When it comes to climate, Japan has a very wide range of temperatures from very hot and humid weather to cold and frosty temperatures which creates very different wines depending on the region.

Japan’s grape varieties can be split into: 

• Asian wild grapes (Vitis coignetiae etc.) – Koshu, Muscat Bailey A
• European grapes (Vitis vinifera) – Merlot, Chardonnay
• American wild grapes (Vitis labrusca etc.) – Concord, Niagara

The main wine regions are:

• Yamanashi
• Hokkaido
• Nagano
• Yamagata

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Most of the wine production takes place in the Western Cape where the wine is classified based on its Wine of Origin (WO) designations.

The WO classification is made up of geographical units (eg. Western Cape), regions (eg. Breede River Valley), districts (eg. Darling) and then wards (eg. Constantia).

The 3 main wine regions with some of their best known districts:

• Coastal Region – Franschhoek, Stellenbosch, Swartland, Paarl, Walker Bay
• Breede River Valley – Robertson
• Cape South Coast – Elgin

Some of the most common grapes

White grapes (55%)

• Chenin Blanc
• Colombard
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Chardonnay

Red grapes (45%)

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Shiraz
• Pinotage – specific to South Africa
• Merlot 

Let’s not forget about Cap Classique, which is South Africa’s take on Champagne. It is made in the same way as Champagne (traditional method) however the blend can be any South African grapes and when it comes to aging, Cap Classique will age up to 7 years, unlike 3 for Champagne.

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White Beaujolais is made from Chardonnay, it’s produced only in Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages AOCs (no crus) and mainly for local consumption. Only 35% of the wines are exported mainly to USA, UK, Japan and Canada.

Beaujolais whites are full bodied, characterised by notes of citrus, while the Beaujolais Villages whites are more aromatic, floral and mineral.

Keep reading about how red Beaujolais here.

The bladder press has an inflatable rubber bladder inside which expands depending on the amount of pressure you want to apply, pushing the grapes to the side and gently extracting the juice. The bladder press is a cylinder which will sometimes rotate in order to mix all the remaining wine in the press.

When the wine is pumped into the wine press, before any pressure is applied, there will be juice that will freely start running through the press which is called free run juice.

As the pressing of the remaining mass of skins and grapes continues, the winemakers will usually decide how firmly they want to press. The higher the pressure, the higher the amount of phenolics are extracted which may result in a harsher wine. Winemakers will often keep the juices they obtain from each press separately and test them first before deciding to blend them since free run wine is usually not as tannic and intense as the press wine.

Keep reading about how red wine made here.

Beaujolais consists of:

• 12 appellations: 10 crus, Beaujolais – Villages and Beaujolais
• 2 grapes: Gamay (98%) and Chardonnay (2%)
• Wines: red wine (95%), rose and white wines. Beaujolais Blanc is not very common but in recent years has gained a bit more popularity.

White Beaujolais is produced only in Beaujolais – Villages and Beaujolais AOC, made from Chardonnay, it tends to be full bodied, quite aromatic and floral with mineral notes. 

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Corks are very Old world and let’s face it we’ve all raised an eyebrow at some point at the sight of a bottle of red with a screw cap. Having said that, quality wise – a cork does not necessarily mean better wine.

There are a lot of great quality wines with a screw cap, this is very common in the New world (New Zealand, Australia).

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With its moderate Mediterranean climate, it’s a great place for grapes such as:

• Red varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Carignan

• White varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Muscat

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Its origins are not 100% known but it most likely comes from Niederosterreich (lower Austria), Austria where it is still primarily grown today though other countries like Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and some New world countries such as Australia, New Zealand have also started to grow small quantities. 

Grüner Veltliner is relatively easy to grow and it’s high yielding which is why it was mainly used in everyday wines that were consumed young up until the 80s when the attention shifted towards quality wines made from Grüner Veltliner  and then later in the 90s when it gained fame outside of Austria as well.

Because it’s such a high yielding grape, for quality wines it is prone to yield regulations, however too low yields can result in high sugar, low acidity, high alcohol level and wine that is not well balanced. When done right, Grüner Veltliner ages really well, it’s rich, complex with notes of nuts and lemon. Some of the best wines come from Kremstal and Kamptal labeled as ‘Reserve’ (meaning min 13% abs) and Wachau, labeled as ’Smaragd’ (min 12,5% abs).

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In 2019, Bordeaux has decided to add Touriga Nacional together with 6 other grapes to the official list of grapes allowed in Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur wines. For now these are allowed only in entry level Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur labelled wines. The new grapes are allowed to be maximum 10% of the blend. Even so, this is a big step for an old region like Bordeaux and good news for Touriga Nacional. 

Touriga Nacional is one of Portugal’s most popular grapes and is used to produce Port and dry red wine.

It is predominantly grown in Dão, where it also comes from, and the Duoro Valley. Touriga Nacional produces wines that are tannic, rich, mineral and have a dark color. These wines have a lot of floral aroma but at the same time can be very complex and have a good ageing potential.

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Today it is planted in France, Spain, Portugal, Australia, Greece, Chile, Peru. Zibibbo (means dry grape) as it is called in Italy, is used a lot in sweet wines such as the famous Passito di Pantelleria in Pantelleria where most of the Italian Zibibbo is produced, but also blended with other grapes or produced as varietal white wines and orange wines.

Zibibbo has a lot of aroma with notes of peach, orange, citrus, apricot. I had a Zibibbo orange wine a week ago and it was divine, full of aroma but also complexity. Try it if you can!

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In France it is mainly grown in Libournais (Bordeaux’s Right Bank) and is blended with Merlot in well known villages like Pomerol and Saint-Emilion. As a varietal wine it is primarily produced in the Loire Valley in Chinon and Bourgueil.

Outside of France, Cabernet Franc is also found in Italy especially in Friuli, Veneto and Tuscany.

In Tuscany it is part of the “Super Tuscan” blend in one of the best wines in the world – Sassicaia – which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Sassicaia is an estate with history and one of the first one to produce “Super Tuscans”. It is located around the region of Bolgheri and has only recently gained its DOC name. 

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There are 2 famous underground cellars in Moldova – Cricova and Milestii Mici. Milestii Mici holds the Guinness world record for the largest wine collection in the world. 

Moldova is divided into 4 PGIs:

• Value lui Traian
  • 60% of the wines produced here are red
  • Sweet fortified wines
  • Region with the driest and warmest climate in Moldova
• Stefan Voda
  • Indigenous grape – Rară neagră
  • The famous Negru de Purcari is produced here
  • Grape varieties: Merlot, Fetească Neagră, Saperavi, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Griș

• Codru
  • Region with the coolest climate
  • White grapes are mainly grown here: Feteasca negara, Muscat Ottonel, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay
  • Sparkling wines are produced here as well
  • Red varieties: Codru blend
  • The famous underground cellars are located here: Cricova and Milestii Mici
• Divin
  • Covers all of Moldova
  • Produces spirits distilled from wine 

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It is a grape that produces full bodied red wines with a deep inky color that are high in tannins but with a pleasant acidity.

Since the Alto Adige region is so close to Austria, Lagrein wines can often have Italian and German labels. As a red wine you can find it under the name of Lagrein Scuro in Italian and Lagrein Dunkel in German. The grape can also produce a great rosé which in Italian will be called Lagrein Rosato while in German Lagrein Kretzer.

Lagrein is often produced as a varietal wine but can also be used in blends especially with Syrah and sometimes Dolcetto. The latter blend can be found in some Australian producers. A younger Lagrein will be aromatic with notes of plum and berries.

Keep reading about Lagrein here.

Verdicchio produces wines that are mostly light and fresh, consumed young although it can also produce some more complex wines that can age up to 10 years. Its naturally high acidity levels means that it can produce some very crisp white wines but also sparkling wines.

The notes that are typical for these wines are: citrus, lemon, pear, (almond for aged wines).

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Nebbiolo loves sunlight which is why it is planted on slopes so it gets enough sun which helps it develop higher sugar levels. Without enough sun and warmth, there is a risk for the grape remaining too acidic and unripe.

Nebbiolo produces wines that are high in acidity and tannin which are both qualities that give it great aging potential. The wine usually has a brick-like color and is translucent.

Keep reading about Nebbiolo here.