Topics:

- Legend of Andrea Franchetti

- The Beginnings on Sicily

- Momentum of Etna & Contradas

- Nerello Mascalese & wine profile

- Etna as a brand and even investment in the future?

- Passopisciaro Contradas in detail

- Visions for the future

Guest: Benjamin Franchetti / Passopisciaro, Sicily

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The Castello di Ama wine ghosts are some of the most elegant bottlings of Tuscany, thanks to their location in one of the highest parts of Chianti Classico. The estate was leading the way in the creation of the ‘Gran Selezione’ and in the single vineyard wines in the area. Oh, and they were also the first ones to bottle single-varietal Merlot in the region! You could also hear Lars Granat Jensen, the CEO of Rare Wine Invest, praising the estate in our last episode, which might leave you with an extra incentive to look into the Castello di Ama wines more intensely.

1:27 - Intro & Terroir & History

11:52 - Gran Selezione

14:27 - Sangiovese and its clones

23:23 - Warming Climate & New Varieties?!

26:54 - Single Vineyards Characters

31:35 - Elevage

35:30 - Who is the typical Castello di Ama drinker?

Guest: Lapo De Santi / Winery Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/castellodiama/ Follow the Wine Ghosts Instagram page for more content here: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wineghosts/⁠ 

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There are about 2 weeks till the next D3 exams in the WSET Diploma Program. On this occasion, I invited Alex Tsui as my next guest to the podcast to give tips and last minute encouragement for those who sit the exam on 25th of October. Alex has passed the diploma with distinction recently and won the SOGRAPE prize for his extraordinary achievement, plus he is the moderator of the most popular and active WSET Study Group on Facebook, and the creator of many helpful study guides. On the side, he is a PhD student at Oxford, so wine is basically just a hobby. I think it tells a lot about this humble man who I enjoyed talking to very much. You can also find some helpful links in the description that might ease some burden on your shoulders and help you get the most out of your preparation.

Please vote on the question asked in the show notes and share this piece with anyone who might get something out of it. 

4:45 – Why does Alex help others pass the Diploma?

8:45 – How to approach the study material?

16:15 – Flash Cards and other methods to learn

24:45 – Chat GPT and other resources

41:20 – Frameworks and structuring

46:30 – What to do 2-3 weeks before the exam?!

53:40 - Predictions

More info: www.wineghosts.com

Diploma Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/5186994742/

Amble Wine Maps:https://amblewine.com/

This episode is one that I’ve been waiting for in the last couple years already. If you want to become a better blind taster, Nick Jackson’s book: Beyond Flavour is a must have in your library. Nick is a young British Master of Wine who studied Theology in Cambridge and now lives in the sunny Florida, where he imports artisanal European wines, helps private wine collectors and much more. In many ways, his approach to tasting is a rather unique, but most certainly a helpful one. But I let him explain the origin story and methodology of the ‘Tasting by Structure’ approach. We talked about the major updates in the second edition of his book, about minerality, sapidity and the two-texture situation. You hear his criteria for selecting recommended producers, his take on the Florida wine market and of course: how to understand varieties. It was a great experience to look behind the curtains and pick Nick’s brain a bit on how to structure something that probably never meant to be structured, but rather enjoyed.

Buy the book here: https://amzn.to/41PL5v3

2:10 - Starting with wine, Theology, Evolving Palate and wine world

10:24 - The 2nd edition of the book, Tasting for structure

18:26 - Concept of Acid Shape

22:45 - ‘Confusions’ section - One major update

28:10 - ‘Two-texture’ situation

32:37 - Oak Tannin

36:15 - Structure & Skeleton

41:00 - Minerality & Sapidity

52:26 - Producer Recommendations & Nick’s Criteria

54:34 - What Nick is doing nowadays?

58:40 - Florida Wine Market

1:02:00 - Nick’s emerging wine countries

1:05:00 - Is blind tasting getting more difficult?

1:08:25 - How do you take blind tasting skills to the next level?

Guest: Nick Jackson MW | @nickjacksn

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A couple of weeks ago, dear friends of mine brought a particularly inspiring bottle to our usual blind tasting session: the first Welschriesling from the new venture of Christoph Polz. This wine simply blew me away. So, I was eager to talk to the man behind this magnificent wine and hear his thoughts on Hochgrassnitzberg, this is the vineyard where he works on in Styria, but of course also about the variety and his approach to winemaking. Christoph made the impression of a sincere, modest guy who admires fine details, heritage and exceptional quality overall. If you want to enjoy his wines, then hurry up, he didn’t make one for everyone.

1:00 - The Polz Story and How it All Began

4:28 - How Christoph acquired his special plot

10:35 - Styria and its sub-regions

13:33 - Ehrenhausen Terroir

19:42 - Morillon

26:40 - How do the wines actually taste?!

31:37 - The origin story of the label

35:15 - Welschriesling and its vineyards

44:10 - Plan for new wines, additional varieties

51:14 - Welschriesling vs Morillon Taste

Guest: Christoph Polz | Styria, Austria

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Today’s episode is particularly close to my heart. About 4 months ago, I was lucky enough to visit the mesmerising Tenerife, the biggest of the Canary Islands. That’s when I met Roberto Santos, the native Canary winemaker from the Envinate winery. The dreamy weather, warm winds and anywhere you are, you can either see the towering Teida volcano or the vast blueness of the ocean. Hell of a terroir, I would say. I’ve also wrote about my experiences on my new website, you can find the link to the article in the description. Back then, I’ve already decided that I want to interview Roberto on the show and spread the word about the magical wines of Tenerife and the honest Envinate bottlings. This time, Roberto was also joined by Alfonso Torrente, a fellow winemaker at Envinate. In this episode, you’ll learn about the centenarian ungrafted vineyards, the indigenous varieties of the island, the story of Envinate, why the Canary wines didn’t reach more fame yet, and which 3 driving forces are the 4 winemakers thrive in a wine for.

My experiences on the island: https://www.wineghosts.com/somm-on-tour/tenerife

Timeline:

1:40 - Story of Envinate and its values

7:30 – History and wine culture on Tenerife

18:15 – How come Tenerife is not full of excellent winemakers?

25:00 – Envinate Wine Style & different Approaches in different Envinate Terroirs

30:40 – Native Varieties

Guest: Roberto Santos & Alfonso Torrente | Envinate Winery

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In this episode you can hear my conversation with Jorge Nunes, who had become the most successful WSET Diploma graduate (winner of the Vintners' Cup) in the 2021 calendar year. As a diploma student myself, I wanted to pick Jorge’s brain about how he got to achieve this honourable title. Most helpful techniques, tasting tips, surprising challenges and the power of motivation are all parts of this episode. Other than that, Jorge is currently working as the Asia Pacific Market Manager at great Symington Family Estates in Singapur, so you can also hear his perspective about the current state of the Asian and sweet wine market in the beginning of our conversation. I’ve learned a lot from Jorge during this hour-long talk and I hope you’ll do the same as well.

Please get in contact if you have any questions or comments about the episode.

Timeline:
1:07 - Personal story, Asian market nowadays, Sweet Wine Market

8:20 - Most Helpful Study Techniques, Power of Tasting Groups, Know Your Bankers

18:55 - Wine Description Advice & Best Sources for Study

35:47 - Revision & Practice

37:03 - What happens when you finish and the road to MW

Guest: Jorge Nunes | Symington Family Estates

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As I’m writing my essay for my WSET diploma about sustainable Bordeaux, I wanted to hear and share with you some insider knowledge from a prestigious chateau in the area. Château Lagrange is a classified Third Growth estate with the largest single vineyard among classified estates in the Médoc. My guest was Matthieu Bordes, general manager and winemaker at the estate since 2006. In this episode, you’ll hear why organic farming might not be sustainable, which are the biggest most surprising contributors to the environmental pollution by a winery, why and which environmental certifications would be beneficial for further development, whether or not the 2030 Bordeaux plan can be achieved, how the appellation evolved in the last decades and how the typical Bordeaux might change in the future, and why you might be the reason that the estate isn’t 100% organic yet. Enjoy!

Timeline:

3:50 - Lagrange’s approach to a sustainable winemaking 

26:43 - How the Lagrange Portfolio Changed in the recent decades 

35:12 - What is happening to the Bordeaux Blend in the future?! 

40:31 - Collection Remarquable - a unique wine box 

45:25 - What about white wine? 

Guest: Matthieu Bordes | Château Lagrange 

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Santa brought a hell of christmas present recently, the wine workbook from Amble Wine. A paramount help for wine students that I certainly wanted to spread the word about on the channel. The founder, Lea Gatinois has missed a comprehensive workbook to practice her knowledge during her WSET Diploma studies, so she created her own. And thanks God she did, because these maps, infographics, varietal descriptions and alike, are great helping hands preparing for the scary D3 exam this year. We’ve talked about the motivations behind starting the company, the product portfolio, future projects, life as young wine entrepreneur and other silly things. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Lea and don’t forget to order your workbooks on amblewine.com. 

1:30 - Origins, motivations and business model

7:00 - Product portfolio and their making

27:35 - Future Products

29:45 - Wine-Entrepreneur Life

Guest: Lea Gatinois | Amble Wine

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My first encounter with the Donatsch wines was in April 2022 in a masterclass, and I was deeply touched. Martin is a truly honest guy who makes mesmerising Pinots, Chardonnays and Completer in Mali s, Graubünden, Switzerland. He not only wants his own wines to be enjoyed by people who can appreciate great wine made in his exceptional region, but he is also eager to make Swiss wines more known and recognised all around the world. Martin talked about the history of their 125 years old winery, his beautiful terroir, why almost no Swiss wines leave the country and his philosophy behind the (self-made) labels.

CONTENT:

0:55 - Swiss market and why you can’t find any Swiss wine in your country?

6:55 - How Burgundy influenced the modern Donatsch craze

16:40 - Mood of Graubünden

30:35 - Completer for the future!

44:00 - Martin’s idea of a great wine

53:15 - Introduction to Swiss wine country

Guest: Martin Donatsch | Donatsch Winery

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Anton Longo is a motivated young man who took over historic vineyards to produce world class wines in Alto Adige. During our hours long visit I´ve had the impression that this gentleman has well-defined goals with his wines, with his line-up and he wants his Baron Longo label to be among the bests in the world.

In my humble opinion, he deserves our attention as he is on a good path to leave a mark on his region. We've talked about his favourite variety, we drank his flagship and painfully limited wines. At the end of the tasting, I even started to like Lagrein…

Unfortunately, you can hear my mechanical watch ticking in the background (till 3:46), which I’ve tried to cover with some pleasant tones probably with only mild success. I promise that I won’t wear it again for a recording.

at 12:03 - I've said Chardonnay for the cuvée Liebenstein (Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc), I'm sorry for the possible confusion. (and for the swearing, but it is REALLY TASTY!) 

CONTENT:

11:48 - Liebenstein

15:47 - Father’s conditions, the BIG START

18:29 - Alto Adige terroir & Climate change & PIWI

22:48 - Varietal focus & Favourite wines

32:50 - Biodynamics

36:26 - Chardonnay Langenstein and cellar work

44:05 - Label design & the walk in the darkness

46:01 - Future plans

48:16 - Sauvignon Urgestein

54:30 - If not Südtirol, where then?

1:00:38 - More Lagrein like this, please!

Guest: Anton Longo | Baron Longo Winery

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As I've already had some guests on the show, who had a strong opinion about different approaches to farming and certifications, I've decided to highlight the topic of sustainability in this episode. Although sustainable certifications don't enjoy the glorious reputation of the biodynamic or even organic ones, I think it deserves our attention and understanding. For this reason, I invited Mr. Franz Rosner, research coordinator at the Federal Institute of Viticulture and Fruit Production in the Austrian Klosterneuburg.

He spoke on behalf of the 'Sustainable Austria' label, which is a national certification, specializing in viticulture. He told me how sustainability is a more holistic approach, not only focusing on agriculture, and how this approach is considering for example CO2 emissions or energy usage as well. He elaborated on why winemakers should go for both sustainable and organic certification at the same time, and how growers could use their set of numerous criteria for self-development year by year. Fascinating topic and an eye-opening conversation.

And I can certainly recommend this episode to fellow WSET Diploma students who might write their D6 assignment about the topic of sustainability. Thanks for listening and leave your feedback via Instagram or E-mail, enjoy!

1:42- Introduction to Sustainability

3:24 - 3 pillars and criteria for Sustainability

10:25 - The final goal of the certification and the sustainable effort

13:04 - Organic VS Sustainable Certification

16:29 - The future of Certifications and criteria

22:35 - How are the criteria created?

23:26 - What is 'Integrated Pest Management'?

27:38 - Green House Gas Importance

32:17 - Final Message

Guest: Franz Rosner | Sustainable Austria |

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I've been thinking about properly investing in wine for years now. So I thought, I should ask someone who is really on the top of this game. The Danish company, RareWine Invest, is one of the largest and most trusted name in the industry. Mr. Jensen, the CMO of the company, has been delving deep into the topic with me and covered the ABC of wine investing in this hour-long episode. You can learn which allocation they recommend for a well-balanced portfolio, what makes a region or a winery eligible for investment, how it might change in the future, and of course: how you can start to invest. Fascinating insights, I learned a lot.

Topics in chronological order:

- Why and who should invest in wine?

- What are the criteria for investing in certain wines?

- Regions to invest

- Climate Change and what does it change for investment?

- Biggest surprises on the wine market

- How could one start with wine investment?

- Italy as the potential for growth

Guest: LARS GRANAT JENSEN / RAREWINE INVEST

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Get 20% off your one-time-purchase by using the code 'WINEGHOST20' at the checkout on the ⁠Magic Mind website⁠ here: ⁠⁠https://magicmind.com/

After a long break, the 60th episode will feature one of my favourite wineries: Pfitscher out of Montagna, Alto Adige. All of the Pfitscher wines carry a fresh Alpine DNA with a perfect ripeness, finesse and precision. My guest was Daniel Pfitscher, the main face of the estate, whose family started making wines in the middle of the 19th century in the leading white wine region of Italy. He will introduce us to his homeland, how his team achieves crispiness together with excellent ripeness at the same time in their vineyards and cellar, you can also learn the secret of the 92 years old grandpa who still an active member of the team, you'll get to hear THE RED VARIETY of the region with some food-pairing tips. And as always, much more! Unfortunately, the sound quality is not the best, but I hope it doesn't get in the way of hearing the essence of the exceptional Pfitscher wine ghosts, so enjoy!

Timeline:
2:06 - The Essence of the Alto-Adige Region

6:17 - USP of Alto-Adige

9:24 - Soil in Alto-Adige

12:09 - Montagna and the Pfitscher areas

16:04 - The Pfitscher winemaking family

18:58 - Structure of the winery, flagship wines and grape varieties

21:54 - Winemaking and élevage for different wines

26:21 - Organics and Casa Clima for sustainability

31:40 - Lagrein and Vernatsch

34:42 - Lighter Red wine trends

37:21 - Wine pairings tips for the portfolio

41:34 - Look into the future

43:04 - Marvellous Architecture of the winery and reasons for a visit!

Guest: Daniel Pfitscher | Pfitscher Winery |

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In this episode, you can learn about the wine ghosts of a volcanic island: Lanzarote. I got the chance to taste Puro Rofe's white cuvée from the island: Rofe. Since I'm a big fan of volcanic wines, I was utterly excited to get my hands on this exciting wine ghost made by those young, venturesome winemakers. 

Let me know what you think of the episode and the wine via e-mail or Instagram!

Terroir: Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain

Wine: Puro Rofe Rofe 2018

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Chianti is probably known to everybody who shows a healthy interest in Italian wines. This time, we stay in Tuscany, and go to the Maremma region to taste the Amphiarao cuvée from Castello Vicchiomaggio.

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The winery came into my radar in the fall of 2021, as I got to taste their two mesmerizing wines: the 2015 vintage of the G, the current vintage of the estate's top wine, and its little brother: the 2013 Echo of G. Well, they took my breath away! Not only the bewitching taste of the juice but the alluring presentation of the wines as well. You can read my tasting notes under my Instagram post from last September. After that, I was keen to talk to the masterminds behind this captivating venture, and so we could finally schedule this episode this January. So please enjoy our conversation with Vanessa and Philipp from the 4G Wines! 0:00 - Introduction 3:32 - The idea of the winery and what makes South Africa special 10:09 - Starting with the winery and how the best vineyards were chosen? 14:47 - Meticulous Precision & Wine Style 18:16 - Where are the parcels located & specific terroir 21:25 - Playing with Gs 24:11 - Describing the portfolio & Special Marketing Tactics 28:43 - Gesamtkunstwerk & Absolut Perfection in Packaging 34:35 - Vinification & Wine Making Techniques 40:45 - Future Plans & Distribution | Guest: Vanessa & Philipp Axt | 4G Wines | Wine Ghosts Instagram: @wineghosts | Support & Get Exclusive on the Wine Ghosts Patreon Site: https://www.patreon.com/wineghosts | Join the Wine Ghosts Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/wineghosts/ | Wine Ghosts' Channels (Instagram, Podcast etc.): https://linktr.ee/wineghosts

This episode will take you to the wine region of Madrid, Spain as I've tasted an inspiring Albillo, the Cantocuerdas from the Bodegas Bernabeleva. You can learn about the Madrid wine region, about its typical varieties, and hear out my tasting notes about this fantastic wine. | Wine Ghosts Instagram: @wineghosts | Support & Get Exclusive on the Wine Ghosts Patreon Site: https://www.patreon.com/wineghosts | Join the Wine Ghosts Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/wineghosts/ | Wine Ghosts' Channels (Instagram, Podcast etc.): https://linktr.ee/wineghosts

How can a city have a winery and top it all an outstanding one? Well this time, I sat down with Peter Mandl from the winery Stadt Krems from the Kremstal region in Lower Austria. Stadt means city in German, so this winery word for word bears the name of this artistic town on the shore of the River Danube, just on the edge of the Wachau region. In this episode, you can hear vintage recommendations from the area, learn about the steepest and most cherished cultivated vineyards in Krems and how do they taste like, and of course, how does a quite small city manage to administer such a top-notch winery that the entire city can be proud of. Enjoy!

Timeline:

1:13 - Small talk & Introduction

3:35 - How can a city have a winery? & History of the winery

10:38 - Specific Terroir of Stadt Krems & Viticultural Practices

17:08 - Main Export Markets & Demand

21:23 - Signature Wine Style of Stadt Krems & Ageability

30:16 - Best Crus & Recommended Wines & Wachtberg & Grillenparz

38:21 - Steepest Vineyard in Krems & the oldest planting

42:13 - Peter's Favorite Stadt Krems Wine

43:46 - Best Vintages & Benefits of Colder Vintages

48:03 - Which wines does Peter enjoy the most?

50:53 - Organic Viticulture & Plans for the Future

59:07 - Final Words

| Guest: Peter Mandl | Stadt Krems

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This time, I'd love to go back in time a little bit when we were still allowed to travel, and so I want to focus on a marvelous wine I've purchased on our last Italian holiday. This is one of my favorite Sauvignon Blancs, the Sanct Valentin from St. Michael-Eppan. First, I'd like to talk about the variety and its role in the region, then I'll reward my body with the last drops of this beautiful wine and share my tasting notes with you.

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This podcast focuses on a prestigious winery that has played a major role in bringing Amarone onto the world-class quality and status level that it's now enjoying. I've sat down with Giacomo Boscaini, brand ambassador and export manager at the Masi winery, to talk about his family's contribution to Amarone's fame, to hear the specific characteristics of the typical varieties and the reason for still using Molinara and the myth of the Oseleta grape. You will also hear why the winery still prefers bamboo racks for the drying process, some wine pairing tips for Recioto, the evolution of the Ripasso method and the importance of single vineyard Amarones. Amarone is the only dry wine in the world produced with completely dried grapes, thereby reaching fantastic aromatic and structural depth, yet also a vital freshness under the Masi labels. Christmas is approaching, so if you're still looking for a Christmas present or just a festive wine for the dinner table, you can't go wrong with an Amarone, or even with an Osar, a captivating 100% Oseleta.

 

Buy the Masi wines here: https://www.enotecamasi.it/at/eur/en/

 

1:40 - Introdution to the origin story of Masi

6:15 - Terroir in Valpolicella Classica

8:10 - Masi Amarone Crus

13:30 - Typical Amarone varieties

18:00 - Myth of Oseleta

19:47 - Who is Mr. Amarone?

22:07 - Appassimento and the myth of Amarone & Ripasso

32:16 - Recioto & its relevance & Food Pairing

36:10 - Importance of Organics & Sustainability

38:20 - Other Masi Projects & Connected Wineries

44:00 - Where to learn more and why to visit?

46:45 - Appassimento Rosé & Whites?

 

| Guest: Giacomo Boscaini | Masi Winery | @masiwines

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This episode virtually goes to the Wachau region of Austria again! My guest is the honorable Roman Horvath, Master of Wine and CEO of the Domäne Wachau winery. In my eyes, the Domäne has been a fantastic example of a respectable and innovative cooperative not only in Austria, but in the vast wine world as well. Hundreds of local vintners families thrive for excellent wines with around 80 labels under the guidance of Mr. Horvath and Mr. Frischengruber, the chief winemaker and oenologist at the estate.

We've talked about the Wachau terroir and history in great detail, tasted 3 tasty wine ghosts together, touched upon sustainable and organic viticulture, discussed the ideal way to show the individuality of the many Wachau micro terroirs, and highlighted why Wachau should be your next holiday destination. It was a very educational and compact episode, and of course, a great honor to have Mr. Horvath on the show. Enjoy, and please leave a rating on iTunes if you've liked it, or just send me feedback on social media or via mail. And visit the Wine Ghosts' Youtube or Instagram channel for short segments cut out from the podcast, like the explanation of the wine-growing conditions in the region on detailed maps by my guest.

 

Timeline:

1:51 - Introduction

3:18 - Wachau as a Wine Region

10:59 - differences between Southern and Northern Bank & Principal Soil Types

13:33 - Vineau Wachau Classification

19:15 - Wachau as a DAC

26:14 - Tasting Riesling Federspiel Bruck 2020

32:11 - Ideal Glassware for the Wachau Styles

34:00 - Structure of the Domäne Wachau

42:01 - Sustainable Certification and way towards organic

47:08 - Tasting MTX 2020 - Müller-Thurgau 2020

52:26 - Backstage Portfolio Wines

55:39 - Wachau History & Old Vines

57:51 - Recipe to show the individuality of the Wachau Terroir

1:04:31 - Tasting Kirnberg Smaragd Veltliner 2020

1:10:21 - Grapes for the Future?!

1:13:16 - What keeps Mr. Horvath at the Domäne?

 

| Guest: Roman Horvath MW | Domäne Wachau | @domaenewachau

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I come back with one of my favourite Austrian red wine cuvées, the "Weite Welt" or in English: "wide world or vast world" from Regina and Günter Triebaumer. Enjoy, write me, leave a feedback, rate and the usual jazz. Cheers, Máté

 

Link to the Pap Wine Cellar Sagas Image Film: https://vimeo.com/610541475

 

| G&R Triebaumer Instagram: @weingut_triebaumer

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The 'von der Vogelwaide' winery counts almost as a rebellion in almost every sense in the region of Wachau. They only use native yeast, planted Syrah, make cuvées instead of single varietal wines, don’t show the vineyard or the ripeness level on the label, vinify in small oak, not afraid of malolactic fermentation, you get the point. They are also one of the few gay vintner couples in the country and they built up their successful winery like a true start-up in the last couple of years by recultivating steep vineyards in often abandoned territories. I love to see more diversity in the Wachau as much as I admire the courage and perseverance of these two guys to bring a new taste to this wonderful region. Enjoy!

Guest: Daniel Vogelwaid & Michael Donabaum / Winery: von der Vogelwaide Winemaker's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vondervogelwaide Follow the Wine Ghosts Instagram page for more content here: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wineghosts/ Or write me a mail to info@wineghosts.com Get 20% off your one-time-purchase by using the code 'WINEGHOST20' at the checkout on the ⁠Magic Mind website⁠ here: https://magicmind.com/

After a long break, I proudly present you a podcast that is certainly something else. This time you hear Aron and Karina from the Pap Wines winery that makes biodynamic, low intervention "garage wines" on the Northern side of the Lake Balaton in Hungary. We've recorded this episode on an ancient volcano, the Szent György hill. I've already visited three outstanding vintners on this magical hill in 2019: the Bencze, Gilvesy and Szászi winery. At Pap wines, we've recorded these sequences almost during a whole day at the end of May this year, when we were finally allowed to travel back home again. You will hear that the recordings take place in the vineyards, in the tiny garage-like cellar as well in the artistic kitchen after a fabulous vegetarian dinner cooked by Aron. My friend, an utterly talented photographer and video creator, Kornél Simon, also accompanied us on this journey and filmed the dreamy landscape around the vineyards and the unique surroundings in and around the house, so expect some memorable image video coming out on our channels soon. Simply follow the Wine Ghosts Youtube and Instagram channel to keep posted, and also to get a glimpse into my Südtirol trip, where I've visited 5 outstanding wineries in two unforgettable days. Cheers and please listen to Aron as he introduces his vineyards and farming philosophy from the Eastern side of the hill.

 

Timeline:

2:13 - Vineyards, Burgundy clones, bush vines

7:43 - Volcanic origins, Balaton Uplands

10:25 - Working on volcanic terroir, Olaszrizling plantations, ides for vinification

14:54 - Road from Copenhagen to the Hungarian vineyards

20:30 - New plantations: old Hungarian Variety: Laska

23:35 - Interest for Hungarian wines & Indian food

26:53 - Religion and Faith

28:13 - Label Design

29:38 - Tasting the ghosts

34:23 - Bazanit Cuvée & Vinification

41:41 - Hárslevelű on the skin

45:21 - Out of the RATRACE? & Vin de Garage

 

 

| Guest: Karina Vissonova & Áron Molnár | Pap Wines | @papwines

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My first Serbian guest on the podcast this time! Bojan Basa makes seductive amber wines in the Froska Gora region of Serbia, relying on biodynamic practices in his vineyards, careful Élevage, acacia and mulberry barrels, traditional native varieties and on his own experinces that he gained during his enlightening trips to some of the best vignerons of the natural and amber wine world. In this episode, you can learn about the Serbian wine terroir and its interesting history, you can hear our hopes for the Eastern European wine regions, our tasting notes about three exceptionally rich amber wines, and as always: much more! If you want to see Bojan's enthusiastic face when he is talking about his homeland and see the mesmerizing color of the Basa wines, look for the videos on the Wine Ghosts Youtube or Instagram channel.

 

Timeline:

1:25 - Serbian Terroir History / Fruska Gora

10:25 - Serbia after communism

14:32 - Serbian Wine World now

17:55 - Élevage & biodynamic vineyard practices

22:42 - Motivation to start a Serbian winery

26:18 - Tasting: Tamjanika Prva

28:10 - Magic of Acacia and Mulberry Barrels?

36:00 - Tasting Pinot Grigio Jantar 2016

47:52 - Comparing Jantar 2016 to 2017

52:20 - Serbian food pairing

58:36 - Future plans and how to get the wines?!

 

| Guest: Bojan Basa | Basha Vino | @bashavino

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Barrels are inevitable components of modern winemaking, and this episode will feature Hungary's best barrel maker, the world-class Kádár. In this episode, you can learn from András Kalydy how intricate, terroir-driven and specific barrel production actually is! He argued why oak has become the most popular wood source for wine barrels, explained the different species used in the construction, illustrated the terroir differences in the different growing regions, described the importance of seasoning and bending techniques. You can also learn why Kádár recommends a  longer seasoning period for low pH wines, and which barrel would be the best for spirits. This episode is a must for every sommelier and vintner who wants to expand his or her technical knowledge about this often oversimplified topic. Please enjoy, and let me know if you have any further questions, we might do a second round with András if needed! Look for extra videos on the Wine Ghosts Youtube channel with explanatory graphs and maps to understand some of the more complicated arguments more easily.

1:38 - History of the Kádár Company

6:46 - Terroir importance for oak & main parameters of barrel quality

10:28 - Evolution of barrel-usage

13:18 - Misconception of identifying oak by its origin country

16:20 - Main elements of the wood defining the flavour

31:05 - Excellent Hungarian oak material and selection of the oak material

48:39 - Seasoning & Drying

55:18 - Bending techniques and Toasting

1:03:38 - Why oak?

1:07:49 - How long does an oak tree have to grow?

1:10:38 - Which forests do you work with and how many trees do you need for one barrel?

1:19:58- Summoning up the barrel-making process

1:24:03 - How specific is an order actually can be?

 

| Guest: András Kalydy | Kádár | @kadarhungary

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The bottle that made me fell in love with Hungarian Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch/Lemberger again! Learn more about the Szekszárd terroir and of course the wine ghost in my hand by catching the 3rd Wine Against Hangover podcast with voiceovers from the young winemaker himself! Feel free to learn more about the @heimann.fiai wines in the 52nd Wine Ghosts podcast wherever you get your podcast, or via the link here:

https://www.wineghosts.com/heimann/

 

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This episode will feature a young Hungarian winemaker who made me proud of Kékfrankos again. Zoltán Heimann Jr., after perfecting his winemaker toolset in Geisenheim as well as at some of the most reputable estates in Europe (for example Clemens Busch and Franz Weninger), returned to his homeland, Szekszárd Hungary, to kickstart a new project on his already well-established family estate. Although he is only in the beginnings of his 30s, Zoltán already has a clear and tasty idea of what the Southern Hungarian Szekszárd terroir is capable of with the help of two historical al Carpathian Basin red grapes: Kadarka and Kékfrankos. We’ve tasted three brilliant Heimann&Fiai wine ghosts (2 Kékfrankos & 1 Kadarka) together, while talking about the potential and likings of these varieties, the Southern Hungarian wine landscape, biodynamic viticulture, Hungarian kitchen, low-intervention winemaking and what the future holds for him. A particularly encouraging and delightful conversation with someone to watch out for!

 

2:15 – Personal Story & Family Heritage

11:02 – Szekszárd Terroir

16:45 – Villány vs Szekszárd Terroir

19:58 - Growing up in a winemaking family in Hungary from the 90s on

25:46 – Differences between Heimann and Heimann&Fiai

31:33 – 1st Patreon Question

35:46 - Kadarka Porkoláb-Völgy

43:17 – How does Kadarka like to be handled in the cellar?

52:19 – Thoughts behind the excellent design

55:06 – Tasting Kékfrankos Bati Kereszt

1:07:30 – Drinking Window of the Heimann Wines

1:08:36 – Steps towards a Biodynamic Future? (2nd Patreon Question)

1:13:05 – Tasting Kékfrankos Szivem

1:26:18 - Wines for artists as connections to the World

1:29:40 – Swabian Heritage & Mercedes S-Class

1:40:40 – Hungarian Kitchen & Wine pairing

1:43:00 – What are we gonna talk about in 5 years?

 

| Guest: Zoltán Heimann Jr. | Heiamnn & Fiai | @heimann.fiai

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The second 'Wine Against Hangover' is red, elegant, French and unforgettable. In this episode, you'll learn about the Cahors terroir, the grape variety Malbec, natural wine, and hear my tasting notes about this "liberated" wine that changed my view on Malbec forever! 

Wine: Château du Cèdre Cahors Rouge 'Extra Libre 2019

Wine Ghosts Instagram: @wineghosts

Wine Ghosts Podcast with Lorenz Allram: https://www.wineghosts.com/allram/

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Michael and Maria Gross dared to go across the Austrian-Slovenian border and establish their own wine paradise in Slovenian Styria. Michael tells their motivations and experiences in the Slovenian wine world, how colourful Slovenia really is and the subtle differences inside these terroirs.  Michael justifies their bet on Furmint for the future and the potentials of their new plantings in the ‘Hojnik’ vineyard. We also tasted four lively, pungent, stimulating wines that proved originality and character. In addition to that, you can learn about the 'Opok' soil, Blaufränkisch history and future, winemaking techniques, and different potentials of Furmint clones. Cheers and enjoy!

 

2:22 – Slovenian Terroir & Introduction

7:56 – Austria vs Slovenian Styria Differences

12:00 – Story behind going over the border

15:46 – Austrian vs Slovenian wine culture

18:52 – Haloze Blanc & Natural Wine ?!

25:54 – Michael & My wine description

30:38 – Sauvignon Blanc & Furmint Together

31:30 – Why Furmint? & New Plantings “Hojnik”

36:10 – Tasting Gorca Furmint

43:31 – Ageing Potential

46:21 – Tasting Korze

48:22 – What makes Furmint and Sauvignon Blanc a great pairing?

55:35 – How does the Styrian landscape come through?!

55:07 – Questions from Patreon Supporters

57:12 – Wines to drink in the free time

59:17 – Tasting Iglic

1:04:57 – Blaufränkisch for the future?! & Problems with current wine drinking habits

1:11:06 – What are we gonna talk about in 5 years?

 

| Guest: Michael Gross | Vino Gross, Slovenia | @vinogross

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The first 'Wine Against Hangover' episode features an exceptional Allram bottle of Austria's flagship variety: Grüner Veltliner from Kamptal. Let me know what you think of the wine, and feel free to recommend me wines on the Wine Ghosts Instagram site (@wineghosts) or send me a mail to info@wineghosts.com /

 

Wine: Allram Grüner Veltliner Ried Rosengartl 2019

Youtube Link to my previous Allram Tasting Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU0jTnnitFQ&t=192s&ab_channel=WineGhosts

Wine Ghosts Podcast with Lorenz Allram: https://www.wineghosts.com/allram/

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'Wine Against Hangover' is a new podcast series on the Wine Ghosts channel highlighting one special wine and its birth story under 10 minutes every second Sunday. The first episode will air on the 18th of April! 

/ Feel free to recommend me wines on the Wine Ghosts Instagram site (@wineghosts) or send me a mail to info@wineghosts.com /

 

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The 50th is always something remarkable, especially with refreshing vibrations. And that’s also the case with the celebratory 50th Wine Ghosts podcast at Domaine Lassak. We’ve visited Steffi and Fabian Lassak in their Hessigheim wine castle to indulge in marvelous Riesling, Lemberger and Pinot Noir barrel samples. First, they’ve shown us their gorgeous vineyard sites hallmarked by shell limestone underbelly. Their organic sites are low-yielding with great air flows, varying exposures and party planted with Massale Selections from Burgundy. What can I say?! The Lassak wines amazed me even if their “unmatured” phase, already bursting from spice, individuality, and density. It was always harder to spit.. Wise and attentive winemaking with extended lees ageing, spontaneous fermentation, seasoned oak casks, parcel-selected batches in its toolbox. That was the first podcast scenery, where I almost had to beg to get my hands on some wines for my cherished collection as they’ve sold out well in advance (and for a good reason).

You can find selected clips on the Wine Ghosts Youtube channel where Steffi and Fabian are describing three of their vineyard sites on-the-spot under the Hessigheim Sun as well as some tasting moments in their 500-years-old cellar.

The podcast starts without any official introduction after returning from the vineyards, already slurping on the first Riesling.

 

Guests: Stefanie & Fabian Lassak | Domaine Lassak | Germany

 

Timeline:

2:45 – Podcast Start | Hessigheimer Riesling 2020

6:11 – Riesling from a true limestone soil

10:56 – Cellar Explanation & Barrel Usage & Technical Staff

13:09 – Hessigheimer Riesling

18:54 – Riesling from the 1964’s Vineyard

24:31 – Lemberger Gutswein

32:05 - Pinot Noir "Younger Steige"

35:51 - Pinot Noir “Old Steige”

41:59 – Freetime drinking habits

44:22 – Pinot Noir - Hornberg

48:00 – Pinot Noir Hörnle & Future Plans, what is on their vision board as taste?!

 

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Réka Koncz dared to make natural wines where no professional winemakers labelled wine ever before. In this episode, she tells us her story how working in a Danish natural wine bar changed her approach towards wine and winemaking. I also tasted 3 of her vivid wines during the conversation and we talked Kékfrankos, Furmint, PIWI varieties, oak usage and so much more. I really enjoyed our dialogue and the way how her free spirit unfolded in these 50 minutes. Enjoy!

1:25 - How did Réka get into winemaking? 6:40 - The impact of Denmark on Réka 10:30 - Barabás, the terroir and the beginnings 19:36 - Varieties, and a case for PIWI 28:35 - Eastern Accents - White Cuvée 35:16 - Psychedelic labels 38:42 - Furmint Disorder 44:40 - Kékfrankos 50:00 - Who enjoys Réka’s wines? Guest: Annamária Réka Koncz Winemaker's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nussancs/ Follow the Wine Ghosts Instagram page for more content here: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wineghosts/⁠ Or write me a mail to info@wineghosts.com Get 56% off your first Magic Mind subscription here: ⁠https://www.magicmind.com/wineghost⁠ Or get 20% off your one-time-purchase by using the code 'WINEGHOST20' at the checkout on the ⁠Magic Mind website⁠.

2021’s first Remstal visit led me to Strümpfelbach, to Andi Knauß. He is also one of those young vintners in this sub-region of Württemberg who represents this wonderful terroir to the World with memorable and distinctive wines. After taking a picturesque vineyard tour, Andi welcomed us in his idyllic home below nearby vineyards, surrounded by newborn sheeps and orchard trees. He told us how working with Austrian Blaufränkisch influenced his Lemberger making, or which grape variety will play a bigger role in his vineyards in the future. Among others, we’ve also tasted his stunning village level Riesling, his elegant Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder), exciting-spicy Chardonnay and two characterful, single-vineyard Lembergers. Organic farming, low-intervention winemaking, lees ageing, restrained oak usage. I love that. Additionally, we talk about my fetish for native yeast and how Andi’s spontaneous fermentation takes a mark on all his wines, and which wine styles tend to give me the most inspiration. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I have.

 

Guest: Andi Knauß | Winery Knauß | Germany

 

Timeline:

2:20 – Introduction to the winery

5:32 – Vintage 2020 & Global Warming

2:39 – Vineyards & Trollinger

7:48 – Motivations & Winemaker Stories

10:24 – Riesling Schnait 2019

14:53 – Altenberg Schnait Riesling 2019

15:13 – Soil Types

21:30 – Chardonnay Beutelsbach Sonnenberg

24:12 – Sparkling & International Dreams

25:10 – Lemberger as the region’s postcard

28:50 – Spätburgunder Nonnenberg (Strümpfelbach) 2018

33:04 – Freetime-drinks?

34:03 – What do I drink for my inspiration?

37:26 – Lemberger Wohlfahrtsberg 2018 (Löwenstein)

39:00 – Changing to Organic & Spontaneous Fermentation

42:00 – Tasting Lemberger Wohlfahrtsberg 2018 (Löwenstein)

43:30 – Lemberger Altenberg 2018

47:04 – ‘Signature’ Wines & Zweigelt

48:50 – Lemberger for the Future

 

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The first podcast that focuses on one of my favourite regions: Priorat. I had the great chance to connect with the Perinet winery, one of the shining stars in the area, to give insights in their terroir and magical cellar work. Perinet is located in the North-Eastern part of the Priorat region, in the village zone of Poboleda. Perinet’s knowledgeable winemaker Antoni Sánchez-Ortiz, together with Carlota, literally gave a profound masterclass on the region, its characteristic Llicorella soil, microclimatic differences, the two key varieties, namely Garnatxa and Carinyena, and why these grapes are handled differently in the winemaking process. Every Perinet bottle amazed us, my girlfriend was actually weeping for joy when trying one of these wines, you can find out in the podcast which one.

Feel free to watch shorter, thematic clips cut out of the podcast on the Wine Ghosts Youtube channel, or watch the entire conversation via the Wine Ghosts Patreon channel in return for a small monthly contribution, where you can also download my PDF summary about the podcast, respectively. You can find all the links below. Enjoy!

 

Timeline:

3:11 – Perinet & Priorat History

04:25 – Priorat Terroir

10:02 – History & Origions

13:27 – Soil in Priorat & Montsant

18:56 – Monstant vs Priorat | DO vs DOQ

26:30 – Garnatxa vs Carinena

32:10 – Garnatxas and Carinena tasted side by side

46:58 – Benefits of Spontaneous fermentation

1:01:42 – Perinet Cuvee

1:06:55 – Their Favourite wines

1:09:36 – Plans for the future

1:11:12 – 1194 Wine

 

Guest: Antoni Sánchez-Ortiz & Carlota Palau Parisi

Winery: Perinet, Priorat, Spain

 

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This episode will take you to the sunny Serralada de Marina Natural Park just 20 minutes North of Barcelona, and your tour guide will be Mireia Pujol-Busquets Guillén from the Alta Alella winery. This family-owned winery has been cultivating this picturesque land organically for about 30 years now, and concentrates on Cavas, natural wines, local grape varieties, in addition to conserving the natural habitat around the avant-garde facilities. We’ve started our virtual tasting with the newest vintage of ‘Bruant’ which was the first-ever Cava made without any added sulphur 15 years ago. Mireia also explained the brand new regulations and classification for Cava before tasting two other wonderful naturals: a lively Monastrell/Mataró/Mourvèdre (a whole new face of the variety here) and a single varietal Pansa Blanca/Xarel.lo natural which was partially fermented in ‘Sauló’ amphoras, as an homage to the distinct granitic soil composition found beneath the vines themselves. These wines bring a dreamy terroir and a fantastic family project to anyone’s table who appreciates tradition, nature, health and utterly delicious wine.

As always, you can also watch some of the tasting parts on the Wine Ghosts Youtube channel, so feel free to wonder at our joyful faces while tasting these beauties.

2:39 – Introduction to DO Alella

5:30 – Family’s involvement in the winemaking

10:32 - Alella Terroir

14:13 – Tasting Bruant (Natural Cava)

19:26 – New Cava Regulations

24:25 – Xarello / Pansa Blanca

25:56 – Tasting Tallarol

36:10 – Other Varieties: Mataró/Monastrell –

44:53 – Project Celler de Les Aus / Natural Wines

50:17 – Meaning of the Birds-Labels

51:36 – Mireia’s Favourite Wines & Alella Petnat

55:26 – Views on Native & Tradition Varieties for the Future

1:03:34 – Alta Alella’s Future Plans

 

Guest: Mireia Pujol-Busquets Guillén

Winery: Alta Alella, Spain / @altaalella

 

| Support & Get Exclusive on the Wine Ghosts Patreon Site: https://www.patreon.com/wineghosts

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As I can’t travel back to my homeland, Hungary, I chose to bring all of you along virtually to the most famous Hungarian terroir: Tokaj. Dorka Homoky is a young vigneron working organically on less than 3 ha that she inherited from her parents near Tállya, in the Western part of the Tokaj region. You can learn about why „every great Furmint has a little Hárslevelű” in it, how Sauternes diverges from Tokaj, why sweet wines become untrendy and how to possibly reverse that, different bedrocks in the region and how Tállya stands out in relief. I can’t wait to try her wines, because spontaneously fermented rich whites from volcanic terroir have always been my “blood type”, and I hope that I could convince you to desire the same.   

2:03 – Growing up in a Tokaj Winemaking Family & Beginning

9:13 – Winemaking in Socialism

10:39 – Tokaj Terroir & Tállya

18:50 – Homoky Vineyard Sites

23:43 – Typical Tokaj Varieties

32:18 – Sauternes vs Tokaj

34:53 – Why sweet wines become untrendy?

40:26 – Szamorodni & Aszú & Puttony

45:28 – Homoky Dorka Portfolio - Hetény

48:23 – Cellar work & Barrels

53:28 – Görbe Sárga Muskotály with Skin Contact

57:21 – Dorka’s Favourite Wines

58:46 – Sas Alja & Hárslevelű

52:10 – Typical Hárslevelű

1:01:53 – Future Plans & Love for French Wines (also reds)

1:06:16 – “Cedar Red Petnat”

 

Guest: Dorka Homoky / @dorkahomoky

Winery: Homoky Dorka Winery, Hungary / @homokydorkawines

 

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The 45th episode is about a winemaker, whose unforgettable hospitality has started the sparkle in me for the entire Wine Ghosts podcast. But more about that in the podcast. Ivano Cobelli creates memorable wines with his two older brothers about 15 minutes away from Trento, Northern Italy. The organic Cobelli vineyards are less than 5 hectares in size and located on a chalk plain, which is actually very untypical to the region, so it imparts an unmatchable character to their wines. Ivano explained the Pergola system and its relevance to the region, described local native varieties like the Nosiola and Teroldego, which we also tasted together during the podcast. Besides, you can learn how to vineyard-select your indigenous yeast with a bucket, how the Cobelli Gewürztraminer shines with its dryness, and the story of how he inspired me to look for the ghosts in the wine world for truly memorable wine experiences.

 

Guest: Ivano Cobelli / @ivanocobell1

Winery: Eredi Cobelli Aldo, Italy / @eredicobellialdo

 

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This is the second part of our conversation with Rainer Schnaitmann in his wine castle in Fellbach, Germany. In the first episode, he showed me his world-class Lembergers (aka Blaufränkisch) and Spätburgunders, alongside with some mystical Frühburgunder. This part is designated to his terrific Rieslings, a Loire-like Sauvignon, a stimulating Grauburgunder (what a controversy as a general rule), a PIWI wine, and a serious "funwine" a dry Muskat Trollinger Rosé.

As always, you can also watch the episode on the Wine Ghosts Youtube channel, this time without the contribution of Zoom, like in the good old days. Oh and you can also find an extra material on Youtube as well, where Rainer grabs a giant map and explains his vineyards in great detail.

I hope you'll get the chance to savor these wines soon, too! But till then please enjoy!

 

| Guest: Rainer Schnaitmann | Instagram: @rainerderschnaitmann

| Winery: Schnaitmann, Fellbach, Baden Württemberg, Germany

 

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Since the second lockdown has hit Austria, I’ve been staying in Baden Württemberg again, till the Austrian gastronomy is allowed to serve guests again. But that also means, that I’ve had the great fortune to personally visit another iconic producer of the Rems Valley: Rainer Schnaitmann. So I highly recommend to check out our conversation in its entirety on the Wine Ghosts Youtube channel. Rainer is located in Fellbach, on the Eastern side of the Rems Valley, closer to Stuttgart, thereby cultivates his vineyards organically under slightly warmer climatic conditions than my previous guests from the valley. Above all, Rainer is most famous for his Lembergers and Spätburgunders, that are dreamy juices with freshness, playfulness, grace and a hint of “dirtiness”. Since we’ve talked for about two hours at his wine castle, I’ve decided to cover the reds in this first part, while the whites in another episode. However, this episode features the terroir in great detail, the natural winemaking approach behind the Schnaitmann wines, our tasting notes, and much more. Enjoy.

 

Guest: Rainer Schnaitmann | Instagram: @rainerderschnaitmann |

Winery: Schnaitmann, Fellbach, Baden Württemberg, Germany |

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There is a winery in the tiny village of Pünderich in Germany, at the fringe of the Middle Mosel and the steeper Terassen Mosel, bearing the name of an experienced, benevolent winemaker: Clemens Busch. Mr. Busch started to work organically more than 40 years ago and was one of the founding fathers of the ’first group of organic producers in Germany’, which was the requisite step towards the biodynamic revolution seen amongst some of the best producers in the country these days. The majority of his wines are still ungrafted, terraced and a number of them have even heard the cannons fired during the First World War. The Busch wines don’t follow the anticipated Mosel taste, but rather expresses the unmatchable “Busch-style” from all three major slate profiles found in the Mosel region. I’ve had one of the best Rieslings in my life during this conversation, so I urge you to find yours in the Clemens Busch portfolio and stock up on them for your grandchildren. Enjoy.

 

Guest: Clemens Busch | Clemens Busch Winery | Mosel | Germany

 

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After getting through only half of our Christmas wine list in the first part of the podcast with Sebastian, we've decided to cover the red wines in this second part. You'll get an idea of what to pair with a lighter red wine like a Lemberger, and how does it differ from pairing a dish with a bold and tannic red ghost like a Priorat or a Barbaresco. As you see on the thumbnail, our beloved ladies also joined us for the last part of the video to share their "sufferings" while living with wine geeks like us. Of course, we’ve also talked about dessert wines and possible dessert options, memorable wines of the year and a lot more. It was a fun talk full of laughter and wine. Please enjoy and I wish you all a happy Christmas with memorable wine ghosts! You can also check out my entire Christmas wine list on the Wine Ghosts’s Instagram, hopefully together with some tasting notes and edible courses to enjoy.

 

Guest: Sebastian Giraldo | Instagram: @setigiraldo

 

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The (first) universal Lockdown-Christmas is coming soon. Therefore, not only tasty and professional restaurant dinners are out of the question now, but some isolated souls (including me) left to cook their first Christmas without true chefs this year. To stand a chance of matching something tasty with my wine list for the holidays, I've asked for professional help from my friend Sebastian Giraldo. You will get an idea which wine is the best option to bring to your (allowed) extended family dinner, how to pay attention to sauces, acidity, bitterness, and so on. Besides being a force of nature, Sebastian is also a professional cook and hell of a sommelier from Columbia, living in Hungary. A life story that probably worth writing a book about, but you can also get the shorter version with some extra knowledge drops in the 3rd Wine Ghosts episode wherever you get your podcast.

 

Guest: Sebastian Giraldo | Instagram: @setigiraldo

 

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In this 2nd episode with Emma Symington, we are solely focusing on Australia’s flagship grape: Syrah. The Master of Wine gives her insides in the evolution of the Shiraz plantings Australia, covers specific regions with particular styles, then highlights market trends on domestic and international markets. You can also get Emma’s personal tips if you are planning to throw a surprising blind tasting on Australian Shiraz! Please enjoy this deep dive into the topic, subscribe to the show if you haven’t done already and share this episode if you want to help others to learn about Australian Shiraz from Ms. Symington! 0:45 - Evolution of Australian Shiraz 5:30 - Phylloxera 6:48 - GSM blend & different methods 11:00 - Specific regions 13:45 - Classics and examples for surprises 19:25 - Market trends & Future of Shiraz 25:50 - Clones and Bush Vines Guest: Emma Symington MW Follow the Wine Ghosts Instagram page for more content here: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wineghosts/⁠ Or write me a mail to info@wineghosts.com Get 56% off your first Magic Mind subscription here: ⁠https://www.magicmind.com/wineghost⁠ Or get 20% off your one-time-purchase by using the code 'WINEGHOST20' at the checkout on the ⁠Magic Mind website⁠.

Get to know Josef Mantler, a young descendant of a historic winemaking family from the Kremstal region of Austria. In this episode, you’ll get to learn about the loess ruled Kremstal region that flourishes at the meeting point of three other wine regions. Moreover, Josef tells us which varieties thrive on their mostly terraced vineyards, and shares the true legend of the indigenous Neuburger grape. The organic Mantlerhof winery has the oldest records of Roter Veltliner cultivation in the world, so Josef is a genuine source for diving deep into what this grape prefers and why it hasn’t reached the same fame as Grüner. Furthermore in discussion: the 2020 vintage, challenges of organic viticulture in Kremstal and in general, the evolution of the Austrian single vineyard system, and what the future holds for the Mantlerhof estate. Young winemaker speaking with a wisdom belying his age but underlying his authentic wines. Please enjoy.

 

Guest: Josef Mantler | Mantlerhof Winery | Austria

 

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Stefan Wellanschitz is a true 'Kolfok' in the wine world. Which means that he doesn't want to chase the prescribed conventional tasting profiles, but rather seeks after the authentic taste of his Mittelburgenland (Austria) terroir as well as the vintage. Stefan is based around the historic wine-growing village of Neckenmarkt, which he describes in the podcast in great detail. He also has at least 50-year-old Veltliner vines, helps Welschriesling shine in his vineyards, creates world-class Blaufränkisch on his Bodigraben single vineyard site, while working very minimalistically in the cellar. Honest wines, fantastic terroir, authentic grapes. What else do you want?

 

Guest: Stefan Wellanschitz | Kolfok Winery | Austria

 

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The first Master Sommelier with a Hungarian passport! And my little home country owes this pride to Tamás Czinki, who certainly made history this autumn after 5 years of preparation. In this episode, you can hear Tamás talking about the assiduous road to this great achievement, different study techniques, how to get better at blind tasting, food-wine pairing and much more. Finally, he reveals his future plans after moving back to Hungary, and which bottles would he order before the world ends. It was a pleasure talking to Tamás and uncover some professional details behind his great success.

 

Guest: Tamás Czinki MS

 

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This time, I had the great fortune to finally talk to Eric Danch, wine importer from the U.S. I first got in contact with Eric when he wrote me a kind e-mail encouraging me to keep up with the podcast. After telling us his colorful way of getting into Eastern European wine importing, he shares valuable insights about his way of looking for authentic producers in places where basically no one speaks English. He also explains how educating buyers could help the cause of elevating lesser-known wine regions, and how wineries could help themselves looking more attractive. By the way, some pretty unique Eastern European terroirs are mentioned in the show, so stay tuned for some special tips, too. Enjoy.

 

Guest: Eric Danch

Company: Danch & Granger | http://danchandgranger.com/ | Instagram: @danchandgrangerselections

 

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