Videos
Meet the Winemaker (Episode 76): David Ventura, Ventura
As a boy growing up in France, David Ventura could not have imagined where watching his grandfather make wine would take him… Years later, his dream was to start a family boutique winery in Israel, in keeping with French winemaking standards. Today, located in the Judean Hills in Israel, Domaine Ventura produces around 4,000 bottles of high quality Bordeaux style wines every year.
Being 900 meters above sea level with stony soil and great weather, the Ventura vineyards benefit from the ideal location and conditions for producing good quality grapes. Influenced by the French style of winemaking and by Bordeaux, Ventura wines are aged in old French oak barrels, which give them their unique flavour and aroma. Ventura confesses that his business really is about the love of the wine and despite the hard work, which includes picking grapes by hand, it is clearly something he is deeply passionate about.
( 2 Comments ) - Leave a CommentMeet the Winemaker (Episode 75): Johann Krige, Kanonkop
Nestled in the slopes of the Simonsberg mountains in Stellenbosch, South Africa, is Kanonkop Winery. The winery is a fourth generation family business started by Johann Krige’s great grandfather.
While Stellenbosch is known as the leading red wine region of South Africa, the region is extremely diverse with different soils and microclimates. The higher slopes are said to be better suited to the production of white wines and the lower slopes to red wines.
Johann Krige explains that in the past, Kanonkop produced a great range of wines but that today they focus on red wines since the microclimate of their location lends itself better to these. Their wines of choice are Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage, a South African wine which Johann describes as similar to Pinot Noir but with earthy and farmyard tones.
What makes Kanonkop’s award-winning wines uniquely South African? According to Johann Krige, it’s the taste of the sun in the smoky, warmer feel they give off.
( 0 Comments ) - Leave a CommentMeet the Winemaker (Episode 74): Kobus du Toit, Waverly Hills
Set in the beautiful countryside in the foothills of South Africa’s Witzenberg Mountain Range is Waverly Hills Vineyards. The vineyards and olive groves, which total 30 hectares, are run and owned by the Du Toit family with over 40 years of experience in the business of winemaking.
Named as 2011 ‘Best of Wine Tourism winner for Sustainability’, Waverly Hills has a unique green approach to winemaking. They produce a range of smooth organic wines with soft ripe tannins accented by the robust aromatics of the fynbos, the indigenous flora.
Organic farming, explains director and owner, Kobus du Toit, requires a great deal of extra effort and cost but the family is dedicated to preserving the land for generations to come. This means dealing with natural predators, introduced to combat unfriendly insects and pests rather than conventional pesticides or fertilizers. At Waverly Hills you will find a family of wild ducks roaming among the vines eating the snails and grape-thieving baboons roaming the vineyards – only in South Africa!
( 0 Comments ) - Leave a CommentMeet the Winemaker (Episode 73): Korbin Ming, Korbin Cameron
Started in 1999, Korbin Kameron Vineyards is a true family endeavour with owner, Mitchell Ming, having named the vineyard after his twins, Korbin and Kameron.
Located on a 180-acre property on Mount Veeder in Sonoma County, the vineyard enjoys sunny afternoons and cool evenings, which allow for a prolonged growing season making the wines deeper and more complex. Focusing on quality, Korbin Kameron produces limited production estate Merlot, Cabernet and Bordeaux blends.
Recently given the trophy of ‘Best Merlot’ at the HK International Wine and
Spirit Competition, Korbin Kameron Merlot is receiving rave reviews in Asia which the Ming family are very proud of.
Meet the Winemaker (Episode 72): Jasper Morris MW
Jasper Morris MW talks to Debra about his latest offering, a comprehensive book on the wine region of Burgundy, one of the most complex and revered wine growing areas in the world.
Morris’s book, ‘Inside Burgundy’ certainly is thorough. A good variety of 1,000 or so vineyards from Chablis to Pouilly Fuissé are covered in the book which also features thumbnails of 450 producers, vintage reports, and solid background information.
While the book has taken Morris two years to write, it is in fact the culmination of his life’s work and experience and is sure to become one of the definitive guides on the Region.
( 2 Comments ) - Leave a CommentMeet the Winemaker (Episode 71): Bruno Eynard, Chateau Lagrange
Head winemaker at the historic Grand Cru winery, Chateau Lagrange in Bordeaux is Bruno Eynard. After 20 years working at Lagrange, Eynard is now at the helm of the business. Chateau Lagrange is the largest of all Grands Crus Classés with 157 hectares, of which there are 117 (290 acres) under vine and was one of the first chateaux to use new technology.
For Eynard, while classification is important, quality is paramount and it is this that the company intends to focus its future efforts on. Eynard explains how Chateau Lagrange has recently invested in new equipment and optical sorting technology to allow for greater precision. Looking into the future, Eynard hopes that they will find the necessary synergy between the terroir and vinification to continue to make good quality wines.
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