Coming soon – a new, semi-regular addition to our blog.Have you ever wondered what the descriptions on the back of a wine bottle, or the tasting notes in your local wine shop actually mean? Then the Wine Decoder is for you.Using real examples, we’ll help you get the most out of picking and understanding wine. Learn why some wines smell like green apples, others like bubblegum, and others like bacon. Learn why some tannins...
Read MoreWe have a guest post over at the Future of Food / Oxford Food Forum: http://www.futureoffood.ox.ac.uk/food-security-forum/blog/market-sustainable-wine Or: http://bit.ly/1xs4mng
Read MoreWhile not as radical as natural wine in its impact on taste, biodynamic wine-making is more likely to be encountered by most wine-drinkers, even if they are not aware of it. Further, even people sceptical of the philosophy and ideas behind the biodynamic approach often will admit it makes interesting wines. So what is biodynamics? In short, and not completely inaccurately, biodynamic farming is like organic farming with a spiritual...
Read MoreOne topic that merits further attention is the question of who decides to seek certification for their set of practices, and why. By certification I mean the process whereby a given organisation, such as Demeter for biodynamics, recognises that you are operating in accordance with their principles. There are different organisation who will certify someone is operating within organic, biodynamic, or a defined ‘sustainable’ framework....
Read More‘Natural wine’ is a category almost guaranteed to catch the attention of an anthropologist. It is a type of wine that many, if not most, people in the ‘wine world’ agree exists, but they don’t agree on what it is. Some think it pushes boundaries, others think it invokes traditions now sadly lost to modernity, and yet others think it means pretty much nothing. Or pick any combination of the above. To an anthropologist, it is an...
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