New AVA for Oregon
Elkton has been approved as the latest American Viticultural Area in the US. The new designation in southern Oregon’s Umpqua Valley will take effect from 7 March. Elkton AVA will encompass an area of 74,900 acres (30,351ha) currently within the northern zone of the larger Umpqua Valley AVA. Currently, the new AVA will compose of […]
New Denomination For Côtes de Provence in 2013
The INAO have recently validated a new geographical denomination to be used in the Côtes de Provence Appellation. 12 Communes will be entitled to use the denomination “Côtes de Provence Pierrefeu”. This will be the fourth denomination approved within the Appellation and will join the three others- St. Victoire, Frejus, & La Londe in producing […]
First Scholarship from Traditionsweingüter Österreich awarded
Twenty five candidates from around the world attended the Introductory course and Certified Sommeliers examination held at the Restaurant Brunnauer im Magazin, Salzburg from 14 – 16th November. Steve Breitzke, Sommelier at the Sofitel in Vienna was awarded the Traditionsweingüter scholarship for achieving the highest overall score in the combined examinations. The award was presented […]
New Sonoma AVA
A new AVA in Sonoma has been approved. Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA overlaps portions of Alexander Valley, Northern Sonoma, and the southern portions of Mendocino County. The original name for the AVA, Pine Mountain-Mayacamas, was changed after protests from the Napa Valley Vintners.
Proposals to create Sub districts within Penedes DO
The Penedes region of Spain is preparing for changes to its appellation system. A campaign by the producers to demarcate the region into five or six sub-zones, with emphasis on promoting some superior sub-regions within the generic appellation. There are two chains of mountains and a valley in the middle of Penedès, resulting in different […]
Grand Cru status for Quarts de Chaume
Quarts de Chaume is to become the Loire Valley’s first Grand Cru. The proposal has recently been approved by the INAO. Also approved was the creation of Coteaux du Layon Premiere Cru Chaume. The regulations will require Quarts de Chaume to limit yields to 20hl / ha with a minimum potential alcohol level of 18.5%. […]
New AOC regulations for Beaujolais
Although Beaujolais producers have had the right label their wines Bourgogne since 1937, it has been a source of dispute between the two regions. 43 communes have lost the right to call their white wines AOC Bourgogne Blanc and will instead have to label whites AOC Beaujolais Blanc,. (42 communes have retained the right to […]
Pommard producers apply to create Grand Crus
The union of producers in Pommard will apply to the French appellation authority INAO to promote the premier cru Rugiens and Epenots appellations to grand cru. Since April this year, a geography and viticulture specialist has been working with Pommard vintners to produce a report to show how both Rugiens (just under 13 hectares) and […]
Machine Harvesting ban in Burgundy Grand Cru Monopoles
Machine harvesting will be banned in Burgundy’s five grands crus monopoles from the 2011 vintage, with a complete ban across all grand cru vineyards expected by 2014. The change will come into effect during the upcoming harvest. While the law change only concerns the five grands crus monopoles, which already hand harvest 100% of their […]