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South Africa's independent wine viewpoint |
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From the coalface Archives: articles from before December 2007 Click here to go to the index of more recent articles
From September 2005 to December 2007 October thoughts Martin Moore likes his vines suckered, his brand protected and sometimes his pinotage chilled Hard work in America Chris Williams pounds the pavements of the world. selling his wine (and discovering Big Ass Zin) Promises of a good year Martin Moore looks with satisfaction at his budding vines, and at (most of) the returning birds Brett, clean cellars and terroir James Farqueharson, red winemaker at Boschendal, tosses some more thoughts into the Great Brettanomyces Debate Empty bottles full of memories Chris Mullineux is moving house, undergoing stress, and wondering what to do with precious empties
Time to go east instead of north?Trizanne
Pansegrouw, Anwilka winemaker, goes to an important Winter, wine, corks and food Martin Moore's thoughts in a Durbanville midwinter Getting your passport dirty Go and talk to the Americans, is Chris Mullineux's advice to producers Cricket in England, croquettes in Brussels Chris Williams travels the world, and is pleased at frosty weather in Stellenbosch
There's enough sauvignon but should we really be ripping out the reds? After
a digression on Benching 300+ Francois Haasbroek works out in London Winter, moose-braai and yeast cells Martin Moore takes his wines to the world and reflects further on 'wild yeast' in winemaking Rejected and praised (in different quarters) Chris Mullineux tells the harrowing but ultimately happy tale of a wine that officialdom didnt like Season's end Bottlings not much fun, says Francois Haasbroek, but the time of year does have its good points Baboons and cover crops, food and wine Chris Mullineux prepares for winter at home and goes to Mauritius to train sommeliers
Post-harvest predictions and ponderings Martin Moore
talks of a possible shortage of sauvignon blanc, After the partys over Harvest and fermentation done now the real work starts, says Francois Haasbroek Sticky with chardonnay, mauve from merlot: reality bites Chris Williams rests from harvest strains with dirty cookbooks On heat and rain, harvest rush, and the nature of fermentation Martin Moore reflects on vintage 2007 and particularly on the use of 'natural yeasts' Winegrowing cycles and cement eggs Chris Mullineux loks forward to a quieter time and seeing the results of an experiment Confessions of a man faithful to terroir Martin Moore meets a wine writer who thinks it is dead
Trucking on down
Chris Mullineux talks of a vital tool for the
obsessive winemaker, and on the interesting The harvest rush begins Martin Moore is concerned at the danger of rot and also wondering whether to bottle more wine under screwcap Is it getting warm in here? Chris Williams is taking climate change seriously Grape lunacy A sleepless night has Chris Mullineux wondering about the effect of the moon on his grapes in Tulbagh Wine, beer, Mike & Jacques Chris Mullineux listens to some good stories after a long hard day When white wine blushes Martin Moore looks at the phenomenon of 'pinking' and the history of toasting Talk of time and tannins Martin Moore takes pleasure in the seasons and also gets a bit technical about phenols The wine-farm community A dreadful accident prompts Chris Williams to some sombre thoughts Unexpected twists in sauvignon blanc Martin Moore finds significant differences as well as pleasure in Durbanville' signature variety Tragedy and relief in early spring Chris Williams comes full circle, and puts his beloved wines into bottle A change of season, a change of laws Martin Moore welcomes a hint of spring as well as regulations allowing for alcohol reduction Confusing snobs and tastebud-clogging cheese Martin Moore considers two wine-related problems Getting to meet wine geeks and rock stars Chris Williams takes time off (and the boss also has fun) The winemakers calendar Chris Williams talks of the rhythms of life in a vineyard Headaches Martin Moore talks of winter cellar work and hangovers Clutching at straws Making wine from air-dried grapes and perhaps a disturbing additive Clucking among the vines Chris Mullineux welcomes both winter rain and a new idea for his organic farming A silly question, travelling, Spartacus and the vine Martin Moore after the harvest Fundamental things Some questioning of the situation of vineyard care in the Cape, from Kobus van Ierop So, its all over! Martin Moore finishes his harvest and thinks of Europe and Noah Life is beautiful! A good vintage past, a lovely day: winemaker Chris Williams is content Bad journalism, lack of rain and outsprinting the enemy Martin Moore is surviving the harvest Gary Jordan's 2006 harvest diary The calm before the storm Chris Williams tastes riesling and shiraz while he waits for ripeness The frenzy of a wild fire A tired Kobus von Ierop scarcely has time to notice the new year In and out of love with chardonnay Chris Williams talks about an enduring but problematic relationship The haunting rustle of scorched wine leaves Fire is one of the challenges of summer but its mostly hard work, reports Chris Mullineux Preservation versus the morning after Sulphur dioxides role in wine expounded by Martin Moore Thomas Madikwa leaves for home After 58 years' service, Robertson worker retires Too much growth, too many insects.... Kobus van Ierop copes with early summer problems in the vineyards Getting about Chris Mullineux finds some interesting life in and around his sleepy farming village Summer heat is upon us How different it is from the gentler conditions of France, muses Kobus von Ierop Supersize my wine! Chris Mullineux looks at what's behind today's monster blockbuster wines, and argues for a gentler. more elegant alternative With a spring in his step It's a busy and crucial time in the greening vineyards, as Kobus van Ierop describes Technology and nature Beware of interfering too much in the vineyards, says an apprehensive Kobus van Ierop Fresh fields and vintages new Chris Mullineux leaves to work a harvest in the south of France Never too old Martin Moore learns about the winds of cool Durbanville
From January to
September 2005
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