Highlights Archives - Page 4 of 26 - Circle of Wine Writers

Golden Slavonia and its gorgeous Graševina

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Dijana Grgić

Dijana Grgić calls in on Kutjevo, the Croatian heartland of the grape variety that has nothing to do with Riesling, as well as the neighbouring strongholds of Pakrac and Požega-Pleternica, and also takes the Rose and Wine Road. Požega-Slavonia County is home to three notable sub-regions and is the home of Croatia's most important white wine variety, Graševina. The vineyards of Kutjevo, Po...

Down dramatic Dalmatia way

Posted on October 1, 2024October 1, 2024 by Jolanta Smičienė

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From the Chair: What’s in a name?

Posted on August 28, 2024February 5, 2025 by Meg Maker

Circle Chair Meg Maker explores the extremely diverse composition of the Circle of Wine Writers' membership base, which has reached far beyond the realms of both wine and writing, as well as geographically, from its initial UK base. In 1960, journalist, social historian, and wine commentator Cyril Ray convened a handful of British wine writing colleagues to form a new association. At the time, t...

Quality perception concerns from the Cape

Posted on August 28, 2024 by Michael Fridjhon

Komarna breaks through

Posted on August 28, 2024 by Dijana Grgić

Dijana Grgić reports from the sun- and sea-kissed, rocky region that represents a remarkable coming together of man and machine, and is the only exclusively organic growing area in Croatia. Komarna is the youngest wine growing area in Croatia, located in an extremely rocky area, with a plethora of sunny days in the year. It was here, in the early 2000s, that machines ground down through the ston...

Leonardslee Family Estates launch and Defined Wine tasting

Posted on July 30, 2024 by Liz Sagues

Liz Sagues tells the rags-to-riches tale of Penny Streeter, whose English venture has just released its first wines, and catches up with a contract winemaking company and some of its clients. The story is a PR dream: rags-to-riches South Africa-based woman entrepreneur buys crumbling English country house with totally neglected Grade I-listed gardens, plus nearby golf course with hotel, spends h...

Hybrid grapes take Taiwanese wine to the world

Posted on July 30, 2024July 31, 2024 by Leona De Pasquale

From the Chair: Wine writing reimagined

Posted on July 30, 2024February 5, 2025 by Meg Maker

Circle Chair Meg Maker reflects on the changing world of wine writing in her inaugural column for The Circular. Wine and spirits writers are a creative lot. We’re cultural commentators, observers who tap into the shape-shifting zeitgeist, so we can frame the product in ways that connect. We imagine new words to meet the moment, modifying or inventing language to say what we mean. All languages...

The soaring story of Etna and Contrade dell’Etna

Posted on June 27, 2024 by Michèle Shah

Michèle Shah attends the 15th edition of the Contrade dell'Etna, which has developed exponentially since it started as a convivial gathering of local winemakers. In tandem, she describes the remarkable re-emergence of Etna’s elegantly energetic wines. In 2008, Andrea Franchetti, a visionary and eclectic wine pioneer — owner of the Passopisciaro estate on Etna and Tenuta di Trinoro in Tuscany — ig...

Cherishing a Cape classic and more

Posted on May 28, 2024May 31, 2024 by Colin Harkness

Colin Harkness calls in on Klien Constantia, meets winemaker Matt Day, himself fresh from fixing the date for the start of the harvest, and savours the sumptuously sweet Vin de Constance, dry Sauvignon Blancs and a red from Stellenbosch. Jane Austen is in some rather A-List company when she mentions the luscious dessert wine, Vin de Constance, from Klien Constantia Wine Farm, near Cape Town, Sout...