FROM BKWINE MAGAZINE is short editorial teasers and links to full-length articles published by Britt and Per Karlsson in BKWine Magazine and sometimes external news outlets. It is all about expert commentary, and in-depth reading on the wine regions, vineyards, and winemakers featured on our tours. You will gain valuable background knowledge and insight before your next wine tour so that it will become even more exciting and rewarding.
Franschhoek in South Africa is famous, both for its wines and for its spectacularly beautiful location. A visit to the Holden Manz Wine Estate confirms that Franschhoek is well deserving of this fame. The wines
There are different philosophies. Some say that to use the “natural” yeast, i.e. the one found “naturally” on the grapes and in the wine cellar, is the only way to bring out the genuine character
Many wine producers struggle to make both ends meet these days. Not so Bernard Arnault, a French businessman, who controls an empire that dominates both champagne and cognac. He is now the world’s richest person
It certainly looks festive with bubbles in the glass of a sparkling wine. It is also beautiful. And then it adds some atmosphere. Small, fine bubbles and lots of bubbles are a sign that it
The Michelangelo International Wine and Spirits Awards is one of the big wine competitions in South Africa with a few thousand entries. I was part of the jury, the people tasting and judging the wines,
“If they can do it, perhaps I can too,” she thought at an African Women’s Entrepreneurship Conference in 2014. That was the spark that made Ntsiki Biyela decide to launch her own winery, called Aslina
The harvest in Champagne started early this year; the earliest villages already on August 20. I went to Champagne Chassenay d’Arce in the Côte des Bar, the southernmost part of Champagne, on the first of
Do we always have to compare any high-quality cabernet sauvignon to a Bordeaux? Maybe not, but sometimes it makes it easier to describe the wine. Per and I tasted one of Australia’s top cabernet sauvignon
“Of Swedish wine book authors today, they must be the best bet”… We decided to make a book that could serve as a textbook for Munskänkarna’s advanced level wine courses (similar to WSET advanced courses),
“The wonderful world of wine” is a book for those who want to learn more about wine. If you are simply curious about wine and want to know more, with an easy-to-read fact-filled book. Or
Champagne had a successful year – commercially – in 2021, with a record turnover and excellent sales also in volume, a stark contrast from the meagre 2020. From a grower’s perspective, it was a more
The country exporting the biggest part of its production is New Zealand; 88% goes to another country. It is, of course, regrettable that the New Zealanders are not that keen on their own wine, but
Malbec is a French grape variety, although people might be forgiven for thinking it is Argentinean. France has 6,000 hectares, Argentina 40,000 ha. Just like many of the other Bordeaux grapes, malbec has been adopted
In today’s tough competition, a little help from friends and colleagues doesn’t hurt. Therefore, wine producers sometimes form associations or clubs with like-minded people. Vignobles & Signatures was created in 1984 after an impromptu meeting
Everyone who tastes wine knows that you learn more if you compare two, or more, wines at the same time. You will often discover things you wouldn’t find if you taste the wines separately. It
Julien and Sarah Launois are champagne producers in the small village of Mesnil-sur-Oger. They started only six years ago but they already export most of their production. We visited Julien and Sarah during the very
“We are still in the peak of summer, even though the calendar says September 4th. Bandol, a small appellation in Provence, shows itself from its most magnificent side. The grapes are ripe. The harvest has
The Rhône Valley is one of France’s great wine regions. The red wines dominate, but the white ones should not be ignored. There are many small growers in the Rhone region. But the Rhône Valley
How much output you get from a certain input is what we usually call productivity. In the wine industry we usually talk about yields, often in hectolitres per hectare. This article explores the productivity/yields in
Don’t be fooled by “grand cru” on a champagne bottle. Grand cru and premier cru are famous words. You see them on many champagne bottles. Probably, most people take it as a sign that the
In 2020 the world’s wine production increased a little to reach 260 million hectolitres. This is slightly below the long term average. Italy is still the biggest wine producing country, followed by France and Spain.
The biggest vine-growing countries in the world. The world’s vineyard acreage (the planted surface area) has been slowly declining for several years. 2020 was no different; the vineyard plantings declined, but only slightly. There are
Champagne Palmer is a fairly small cooperative, counted in champagne dimensions. They have around 400 hectares of vineyards. They are known for the long ageing of the wines and their fondness for magnum bottles. Amazone
Chenin blanc is one of the world’s top white grape varieties. Yet, sometimes chenin wine producers in Vouvray are frustrated. Selling a chenin blanc is not as easy as selling a sauvignon blanc, they say.
Meeting the winemakers adds an extra dimension to the wine and the experience. It makes you better understand what they want to achieve. It gives you even more enjoyment from what you have in your
