“It takes a ton of water to produce a bottle of wine,” says Xavier Vignon. The word is out. The new battleground is no longer oil. The fuel of the future and the present is water. The beverage is not only used for watering young plants (irrigation is...
It’s often thought that if a wine is highly acidic when young, it will age well and last longer. However, this idea is only sometimes accurate. Acidity isn’t the only factor that determines how well a wine ages. Even though a wine is less acidic, it will...
By turning our attention to the climate, it’s easy to see how today’s dramatic shifts are changing the status quo, leading us to say that the terroir is either altering or redefining itself. Just as centuries of dynamic geology have crafted the soils and...
Vines, being at the mercy of nature, are inherently sensitive to its most prominent elements: wind and sunlight. Both can be significant assets for the vine’s vitality, but they can also be its greatest adversaries. As with many things in viticulture, it’s...
Once the grapes are transformed into wine, the crucial stage of aging begins. This phase allows the wine to mature, enhancing its flavors and complexities for eventual consumption and appreciation. The duration of aging varies widely – from just a few weeks for...
Starting in 1863, European vineyards faced an unparalleled crisis that lasted over 30 years, caused by a tiny but devastating pest: the phylloxera. Originating from the United States, this minuscule aphid attacked the wood and roots of grapevines. A vine infected with...
