Patrick Schmitt

1 week ago | news.wine.co.za | Patrick Schmitt

Called ‘The 150 Year Old Vines 1858 Field Blend’, the wine is made by Château Tanunda, and comprises 86% Grenache complemented by Mourvedre and Malbec. All the vines are of course ungrafted – such a vineyard pre-dates the practice of grafting vines onto American rootstocks to resist phylloxera, which is a disease that is not present in the Barossa, explaining the vineyard’s survival.

2 weeks ago | thedrinksbusiness.com | Patrick Schmitt

Following a ceremony yesterday afternoon at the London Wine Fair, we can now reveal the winners in this year’s Drinks Business Awards, which saw us celebrate a series of inspirational figures, from entrepreneurs to young achievers, along with a remarkable Brooklyn-based brewer.

1 month ago | thedrinksbusiness.com | Patrick Schmitt

A new research centre is being planned for Provence that will see €5.5 million invested in a place dedicated to rosé, featuring an experimental winery and vineyard. Called Centre du Rosé, it will replace an existing building and research centre by the same name, that was built in 1999 to focus on ways to improve pink wine production.

1 month ago | thedrinksbusiness.com | Patrick Schmitt

Although more than 80% of Rioja’s wine production is red, with global demand favouring whites, should this Spanish region shift its focus? We consider the pros and cons. It’s a hot topic among wine producers right now, particularly those anchored in red wine producing regions. I’m referring to a preference for white wines*, especially among younger consumers, who, we are told, find red wine’s combination of dry tannins and relatively high alcohol unappealing.

2 months ago | news.wine.co.za | Patrick Schmitt

That place is Rioja, Spain’s flagship wine region, which last year sold 328.5 million bottles annually (equivalent to 240m litres), with 83.5% of it being red wine. And last year, despite falling global wine consumption worldwide according to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), Rioja saw a small rise in sales, even if it was only 0.6% in volume.