The Swisstory of Absinthe
Banned and beloved, feared and revered, one would assume the birth story of absinthe to be as spirited as its character. Yet its quite conventional…
In the Sign of Subtlety
Pinot Blanc is neither a distinctive cépage nor a particular grape variety – at least, not from the viewpoint of ampelography or genetics. And what there is of pure Pinot Blanc worldwide is nearly all rendered in German-speaking growing regions where it is typically known as Weissburgunder.
Germany · Austria · Rheingau · Rheinhessen
What is the Role of “Heimat” in Terroir?
For over a year, we’ve been living with a pandemic that has shut down more than just our senses of taste and smell. It has…
Germany · Franken · Pfalz · Rheinhessen
Drink More Scheu!
If there is an underdog in Germany’s largest winegrowing region, Rheinhessen, it is Scheurebe. Vinified sweet for many years, Scheurebe — pronounced SHOY-ray-beh — largely…
Konni + Evi: Rewriting Possibility in Saale-Unstrut
It’s hard to believe now, but Germany was once a divided country, and the East was a strange microcosm of icons of that era: Sandmännchen, Jungpioniere, and FKK-Kultur….
Scellebelle and Zweigelt
When Westphalia and Württemberg meet on the table good tastes are bound to happen.
Pfalz comes into its own
The Pfalz is Germany’s second-largest wine region (by volume) — and perhaps its biggest surprise. The south-of-the-Alps feel of abundance and harmony stems from geographic…
Ten Questions for Germany’s Newest Master of Wine
A fresh crop of Masters of Wine was announced late last month: Ten individuals who have grasped the holy grail of wine education. Among them is Moritz Nikolaus…
In Alto Adige Cooperation is Key and Character
Trink Magazine | The 12 winegrower cooperatives of Alto Adige produce some of the finest wines in Italy, if not the world. it’s a part not only of the region’s history but also its DNA, Susan gordon reveals why.
3 Can’t-Miss Wines from Austria’s Thermenregion
With its nearly ideal set of conditions — location, climate, indigenous varieties —Austria’s Thermenregion curiously remains an insider secret. In addition to a colorful mix…
Once and Future St. Laurent
St. Lawrence, the man, was born in Valencia, Spain, sometime around 225 CE. He moved to Rome to work with Pope Sixtus II, became a…
Canton of Zürich: Tiny Wine World, Top Pinot Noirs
Pinot Noir from Switzerland? Gantenbein! Donatsch! Hardly another country exists whose reputation among international wine lovers for producing quality wines from this variety boils down…