A Wider Look at the Wine Industry
In The Vineyards With…
Our first and (probably) last visit to Domaine Labet in the Jura
Picture this: a puppy in heat, two soaked tourists, and a runaway dog adventure that would make even the most laid-back Frenchman break a sweat. On a long weekend in the Jura, chaos ensues as puppies flee, leads vanish, and wine flows — all while trying to avoid a surprise litter! Ah, vacation!
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Gossip in Gambellara / Zonin in crisis
In Gambellara, Italy, gossip swirls around Zonin, the dominant winemaking family, now facing serious financial issues, including up to 83 million euros in debt and a projected turnover drop to 183 million euros in 2025. Community concerns grow over possible liquidation, recalling past scandals that devastated local investors.
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An Ode to Japanese Toilet Culture
During my recent 10-day trip to Japan, I was amazed by the prevalence of heated seats in various facilities, from transportation to toilets. While in Tottori, I very randomly re-connected with Mees List via an Instagram story from a Chinese restaurant, highlighting the interconnectedness of the wine world and the charm of Japan’s unique, err,…
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What’s hot? What’s not? And what’s next?” with Jeff Porter
Today I was at a networking event organised by Studio Cru, a communications and PR agency based in Vicenza and the final speaker of the day was a somm-journalist-wineconsultant called Jeff Porter (you may have heard of him already…) and I got the chance to ask him these three quick questions about the United States…
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Natural Wine Fairs in Italy 2026 (Jan-Jun)
I was reading Aaron Ayscough’s round-up of natural wine fairs when I realised that there were many natural wine fairs in Italy which weren’t getting through to him. Given how many fairs there are in France that he has to keep the pulse of, it can’t be easy. So, with his blessing, I decided to…
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Preparing for Vinitaly 2025 and the natural wine fairs
As Vinitaly approaches, with the influx of 30,000 foreign buyers in Verona, preparation is key. Strategies include avoiding crowded venues, considering alternate accommodations outside the city, and attending natural wine fairs like VinNatur and Vini Veri. Traffic issues may arise, so anticipate challenges when navigating the city. New developments for 2025 include changes in fair…
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The Moment When This Wine Girl Met That Wine Girl
This past weekend I was in NYC for the first VinNatur fair outside Europe. I had pretty much single-handedly organised the event (everything from signing up the exhibitors, finding the venue, shipping the samples, renting spittoons, to promoting the event locally…) all from the “comfort” of my computer in Europe, 6 hours behind. It was…
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When it comes to mouse, you can’t call a cat a cat.
“Still only half the room raised their hand to say that they tasted mouse. Half?! And let me tell you, this was a mouse bomb!”
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In The Vineyards With…
Finding inspiration at the Sommerfascht in Alsace and an update on Jean-Pierre Frick.
This weekend (9-10 May 2026) is the Sommerfascht wine fair, organised by AVLA, in Sélestat, Alsace. If you have the chance to go, I strongly encourage you: click here for the details. I went last year (with VinNatur, as an exhibitor) and I wrote a few lines that subsequently never got published (I can’t be…
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If you love natural wine but struggle to enjoy rosé, here are two wines for you (from La Torre Alle Tolfe, Tuscany)
Forget everything you know about rosé. This summer’s hot pink picks are no ordinary sips! The La Torre alle Tolfe rosé wines, a blend of sass and soil, will truly surprise your taste buds. Who knew sipping pink could taste this good?
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Yann Durrmann (Alsace) Rabbari “Cuvée Nature” 2024
“Oh man, this is so good.” During the VinNatur wine fair last weekend, I organised a masterclass with Samuel Cogliati on the diversity of Alsace. As you may already know, Alsace is the region in France where I return to most often (sometimes even twice or three times a year) and where the natural wine…
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Two delicious, food-friendly wines from Bosco Falconeria (NW Sicily)
It had been a grey and wet day; one of those days that feels particularly gloomy when it comes after a week of beautiful spring weather. For the first time in six months, I’d been able to go outside wearing a just t-shirt without a jumper or a jacket so to go back to grey…
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My 5 Favourite Italian Wines at Vino Indipendente (Calvisano, BS)
Earlier this month, we kicked off wine fair season with Stefano Belli’s Vino Indipendente in Calvisano, a small, rather nondescript town south of Brescia, but where, for one day in mid-January, it becomes a hub for natural wine lovers, gathering to taste the wines of the 65 exhibitors and catch up after the holidays. CASTELLO…
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