Gastronomy and Wine Portal

French designer Pierre Yovanovitch has created a bottle for a rosé.

The Commanderie de Peyrassol winery in Provence has invited renowned architect, designer and decorator Pierre Yovanovitch to create a new bottle for their rosé, La Bastide Peyrassol Côtes de Provence 2020.

The Commanderie de Peyrassol was founded by the Knights Templar in the 13th century and has long served as a resting place for pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land. The medieval tower located in the central part of the vineyard inspired the designer to create a bottle of such an unusual shape: the elegant flowing lines of the bottle follow the contours of the ancient structure, and the bright pitchy pink capsule resembles its glazed tile.

The top of the bottle is engraved with a Templar cross, harmoniously integrated into the asymmetrical label created by Yovanovitch.

“The bottle design reflects the architecture of the Commanderie de Peyrassol estate and serves as a homage to the natural tones and colours of the South of France. Light and airy both in aesthetic and taste, this rosé emulates its origins, and my own hometown, of Provence,” notes Yovanovitch.

The grapes to create the rose were harvested according to the lunar phases. According to winemakers, the wine “explodes with all the sweetness of red fruits at the first sip and leaves a velvety light aftertaste.”

Based on the materials of techfan.info

French designer Pierre Yovanovitch has created a bottle for a rosé.

On August 12-15, Poznań hosted the First National Craft Spirits Festival within the framework of the National Festival of Good Taste (Ogólnopolski Festiwal Alkoholi Rzemieślniczych).

The craft segment of Polish spirits has started to develop dynamically in recent years. Following Polish winemakers and brewers, distilleries also began to show activity: their products can increasingly be found both in HoReCa establishments and in specialized stores and even in some retail chains.

Polish craft alcohol brands Destyl, Herbarius Gin, Jonston Gin, Manufaktura Cieleśnica, OVII Spirits, Podole Wielkie, Smarduch Family Distillery and Wolf & Oak are already known throughout the country and are attracting more and more fans of high-quality domestic alcohol.

Young creative people who launched and, despite the difficulties, successfully develop brands of craft spirits, decided to present their products to the general public and for this purpose founded the Festival of Craft Spirits.

A bright event, held in Poznań, brought together producers and connoisseurs of high-quality alcoholic beverages. Within the framework of the festival, master classes, revealing the secrets of the production of craft alcohol, as well as tastings with comments from recognized experts in this field were held. After tasting several dozen alcoholic beverages – vodka, distillates, gin and liqueurs – authoritative experts chose the best drinks of the festival.

On August 12-15, Poznań hosted the First National Craft Spirits Festival within the framework of the National Festival of Good Taste.

The interprofessional organization provides amateurs with an online training module consisting of films, 360° photos, testimonials, and a quiz on the Burgundy vineyard.

In collaboration with winegrowers and merchants, the Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB) has developed a completely free e-learning module.

In 90 minutes, everyone can discover the specificities of the vineyard. In addition, this is an interesting tool for restaurateurs or wine merchants wishing to train their staff.

Fun and interactive

The BIVB wanted to make this module fun and interactive. It consists of videos, 360° photos, testimonials, files which you can download, and quizzes grouped under four themes.

“Meet the wines of Burgundy” allows you to consolidate your knowledge of the region and its history; “365 days in Burgundy” introduces you to the main stages of production and delves into the heart of the development of Burgundy wines; “Taste the wines of Burgundy”, allows you to learn the vocabulary and a better expression of the sensations felt during the tastings; and “Advise and support your clients” helps in particular to create your own wine cellar.

The module can be followed online or downloaded to occupy one’s journeys by train or plane. It is available in four languages: French, English, Chinese, or Japanese.

Photo: BIVB

The interprofessional organization provides amateurs with an online training module consisting of films, 360° photos, testimonials, and a quiz on the Burgundy vineyard.

The largest American producer Delicato Family Wines became the buyer of the Coppola winery.

In addition, Delicato also acquires the Virginia Dare winery in Geyserville, including the Archimedes vineyard, as part of the deal.

Following the merger, Delicato will become the fifth largest producer in the United States and the third largest exporter of Californian wines.

Chris Indelicato, Chief Executive Officer, noted, “Today marks a historical milestone for the company as we welcome the Francis Ford Coppola Winery and their brands under the Delicato portfolio. As the winery has accelerated growth over the last five years, today earmarks the continuation of our family’s work and the culmination of a shared vision to lead the industry.”

Founded in 1924, Delicato Family Wines is one of the ten fastest growing wine companies in the United States. Its portfolio includes the brands Diamond Collection, Noble Vines, Gnarly Head, Z. Black Stallion and Three Finger Jack.

Francis Ford Coppola Winery produces over 40 wine brands, and the average price ranges from $ 10 to $ 30 per bottle. Vineyards occupy 2 thousand hectares of the surrounding area. One of the most significant Coppola brands that Delicato will add to its portfolio will be Coppola Diamond, the No. 3 US super premium wine brand, with the Classic Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon and the bestselling Diamond Claret in the Coppola family.

The largest American producer Delicato Family Wines became the buyer of the Coppola winery.

The four producers of crème de cassis from Dijon (Côte d´Or) won their case against Chinese manufacturers who wanted to usurp this geographical origin yet protected by an appellation.

In Dijon (Côte d´Or), regional specialties can be bought at the market: old-fashioned mustard, Burgundy snail, not to mention crème de cassis. This liqueur created in 1941 is known throughout France. Despite the protected designation of origin, Chinese manufacturers have sought to usurp the name of this product made in the heart of Dijon. This blackcurrant, produced in Burgundy, is macerated for several weeks using a traditional technique. “We’ve been doing this for 180 years now, so obviously we want to protect our blackcurrant,” says Claire Briottet, producer.

Know-how to protect

The four producing houses of crème de cassis fought for two years to prevent these manufacturers from appropriating their know-how and especially the geographical indication of Dijon. On a Chinese bottle, however, we see that it is written “Crème de Cassis Dijon”. “Who prevented them from doing that with the aroma? We put water with sugar in the aroma and poof, we write ‘crème de cassis’,” insists Claire Briottet. More than 8 million bottles are produced each year in the region, and a third is exported to Asia, in particular.

Crème de cassis is a sweet, dark red liqueur made from blackcurrants. In Burgundy, it is usually added to crémant de bourgogne or Aligoté. Several cocktails are made with crème de cassis, including the very popular wine cocktail, kir. It may also be served as an after-dinner liqueur or as a frappé.

The four producers of crème de cassis from Dijon (Côte d´Or) won their case against Chinese manufacturers who wanted to usurp this geographical origin yet protected by an appellation.

The Montgras winery has released a new collection, with the help of which it intends to bring the forgotten craft of ampelography back to life.

Nowadays, the ancient art of ampelography, thanks to which it is possible to identify various grape varieties by the color and shape of their leaves, has receded into the shadows due to the development of modern technologies. Today all ampelographic information about genotypes (varieties, forms, and clones) necessary for variety study, introduction, and selection, are accumulated in the data banks of the grape gene pool.

To pique the interest of young wine lovers in the arts, Montgras has launched the De Vine collection of 11 wines, each labeled with a matching grape leaf. The QR code on the back of the bottle allows consumers to learn more about each variety and the visuals of its grape leaves.

“There are over 14,000 different grape varieties and they all look a little different, so we decided to include a real photo of the corresponding grape leaf on the label of each wine to give consumers an idea of what it looks like,” says Adolfo Hurtado Cerda, Managing Director of Montgras.

To work on the collection, the winery hired the famous designer Ximena Ureta, who has worked with Chilean wineries for 25 years. “Today, wine label design has become very important to the success of new collections, as labels can attract consumers and contribute to brand awareness in the market. It is important that the quality of the packaging matches the quality of its contents. I will celebrate the new dawn of ampelography by raising my glass of wine,” said Ureta.

Photo: montgras.cl

The Montgras winery has released a new collection, with the help of which it intends to bring the forgotten craft of ampelography back to life.

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, the world-famous brand Riedel has released a limited model of decanters for wine with Ukrainian symbols.

For all wine connoisseurs, the brand Riedel is considered the undisputed expert in the field of crystal and glassware. For 265 years it has been producing glasses and decanters which are highly valued on the market. Riedel’s production facilities are located in Austria and Germany, but the brand has always respected the culture and history of the countries to which it exports its products.

Maximilian Riedel, President of Riedel, with a limited decanter Ukraine and a varietal glass Riedel Wine Wings

At the end of last year, Riedel’s official distributor in Ukraine, MIRS Corporation, invited the producer to congratulate Ukrainian wine fans on Ukraine’s 30th anniversary of independence. This is how the decanter Ukraine appeared, issued in a limited edition of 150 units. They can be purchased only in Ukraine and only during 2021.

The decanter is handcrafted according to the ancient Venetian technology. Two colored glasses – yellow and blue – are melted into the dish, they symbolize the flag of Ukraine. In the center of the bowl is a Ukrainian Tryzub.Decanter Ukraine is not just an element of decor, functional inventory for wine or an object of serving. First and foremost, it is a unique piece with its soul, a memorable artifact and decoration of the collection.

Kostiantyn Vidoborenko, Riedel brand ambassador to Ukraine, shares his impressions:

“This year Ukraine celebrates 30 years since Independence Day – a great holiday for Ukrainians. Riedel joined the greeting by releasing a decanter with Ukrainian symbols. Behind the laconic design solution is the painstaking work of masters. It is technologically difficult to melt two colors into clear glass. This is an ancient craft that has been honed for centuries by glassblowers on the island of Murano. Today, single workshops in the world work on Venetian technology, and Riedel is one of them.”

Oleh Mykhaylenko, Chairman of MIRS Corporation, adds:

“This is not the first Riedel project for the local market of Ukraine. In May of this year, MIRS Corporation together with Riedel Vice President Oleksandr Zorin, Ukrainian and French wine experts were looking for the optimal glass for the autochthonous Odessa red grape variety and the wine of the same name. We are pleased with the European brand’s attention to Ukraine. Our market is developing rapidly and opens new prospects for Western partners. MIRS Corporation, in its turn, is pleased to continue to acquaint Ukrainian consumers with wine culture and prepare special gifts for them.”

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, the world-famous brand Riedel has released a limited model of decanters for wine with Ukrainian symbols.

The world’s four largest spirits producers ended the first half with revenue growth.

The four major global alcohol producers – Diageo, LVMH, Campari and Becle – have announced their results for the first half of 2021. The data released shows that the giants of the alcoholic market not only improved their performance this year compared to the same period last year but were also able to surpass the success of before-Covid 2019.

For example, the 53% revenue growth in the first half of 2021 for the French luxury goods multinational company LVMH is largely driven by the fashion and leather business. However, Moët Hennessy – part of the company which is responsible for the production of high-quality wines and spirits – increased its sales by 56% compared to the same period in 2020, when the coronavirus raged. Moreover, the company improved its performance by 14% compared to the first six months of 2019 – before the pandemic swept our planet.

Diageo also showed excellent results: the British premium spirits company announced sales growth of 16%, which exceeded experts’ expectations by 13.7%, and 6% above the level reached by Diageo in the same period in 2019.

Campari also finished the first half of 2021 with record results: Italians increased sales by 37.1% in the six months of this year and exceeded financial achievements of the before-Covid period by 22.3%.

Mexican tequila company Becle showed 9.7% higher results than last year.

Despite the fact that the story of the coronavirus has not yet been completed, and the world may face the next waves of a pandemic, the published data indicate that the main players in the alcoholic beverages sector are dealing with difficult conditions much better than they were a year ago.

Photo: drughelpline.org

The world’s four largest spirits producers ended the first half with revenue growth.

French wine production is expected to drop from 24% to 30% in 2021 and be at a “historically low” level in cause of spring frost and summer late mildew attacks, the Ministry of Agriculture said.

Earlier we reported that almost all of the French wine-growing areas had suffered several consecutive nights of frost in the first half of April, when the vines had already started to bud due to a mild winter. Farmers had tried to save their vines with braziers, candles, or other techniques, often in vain. The “biggest agronomic disaster of the beginning of the century”, announced the French Minister of Agriculture.

Climate change

To make things worse, the wine harvest was also affected by vine diseases such as powdery mildew and mildew, favoured by the rainy summer weather. It compiles between 32.6 million and 35.6 million hectolitres, according to the statistics service of the ministry, Agreste. This is in line with the estimates put forward in April by the wine industry. “Wine production in 2021 is forecast to be historically low, lower than those of 1991 and 2017, also affected by a severe frost in spring,” notes Agreste. “For now, the yield would be close to that of 1977, the year when the wine harvest was reduced by a destructive frost and summer precipitation,” it added.

The vagaries of the weather have revived discussions on the overhaul of crop insurance, considered more and more urgent in the face of the multiplication of extreme weather phenomena. A reform will be presented “at the start of the school year”, recently indicated the Ministry of Agriculture. The April frosts followed a period of great mildness that favoured the budding of crops, and the question of a possible link with climate change was quickly raised. Prime Minister Jean Castex announced in the wake of the freeze a cumulative total of one billion euros in aid for affected winegrowers. For scientists at the international World Weather Attribution network, there is little doubt that the likelihood of a late frost has been significantly increased by climate change and will be even more so in the future.

Second wine producing country in the world after Italy and leading exporting country, France intends to defend its market shares despite this drop in production in 2021. Especially since in 2020, its wine was not very well sold due to health restrictions linked to the pandemic, but also American surcharges decided by Donald Trump (they were suspended in June for five years by the administration of Joe Biden).

“The wine can be stored. The previous harvests will allow us to respond to our customers. We will be able to support our markets”, underlines Jérôme Despey, a winegrower in the Hérault.

Based on the materials of larvf.com

French wine production is expected to drop from 24% to 30% in 2021 and be at a “historically low” level in cause of spring frost and summer late mildew attacks, the Ministry of Agriculture said.

The wreckage of an ancient Roman ship carrying wine was found off the coast of Sicily.

More recently, we talked about a unique treasure of wine and spirits discovered in the summer residence of the Greek royal family, located near Athens. And today, information about a new find came from Italy: researchers discovered the wreckage of a ship that, according to assumptions, could transport wine and olive oil in the Mediterranean Sea more than 2,000 years ago.

Ceramic amphorae, which were used in ancient Roman times to store and transport wine, were found on the seabed near the wreck of an ancient ship off the north-western coast of Sicily. Scientists date the find to the second century BC.

Experts used a remote-controlled robot to examine the shipwreck at a depth of 92 meters, near the coastal town of Isola delle Femmine and near Palermo.

The amphorae found on the seabed are of the Dressel 1 A type, thick-walled vessels that appeared in ancient Rome at the end of the 2nd century BC and were used to store and transport liquids.

“The Mediterranean Sea has consistently provided us with valuable insights into our history and finds at the bottom of the sea will help to better reconstruct the details and characteristics of the maritime trade of ancient Rome,” said Valeria La Vigni, Sicily’s naval superintendent who leads the project.

Photo: ARPA Sicilia/Soprintendenza del Mare della Regione Siciliana

The wreckage of an ancient Roman ship carrying wine was found off the coast of Sicily.