Falstaff International 01/2021

DEAR READERS! It is with real pleasure and quite some excitement that we present the very first edition of Falstaff International Magazine to you. We believe there is nothing quite like it in the world of publishing: an accessible yet luxurious magazine founded entirely on the joyful trinity of wine, food and travel. Our inaugural cover, quite fittingly, is titled A New Beginning. When we first defined the overarching theme for this first issue, way back in spring, still locked down, it came naturally. For us, of course, it is the start of a new publishing venture, but our main stories also revolve around fresh starts, new directions or alternative perspectives. Our project is unusual: we are new but by no means a start-up. Founded in 1980 as a wine…

Considered one of Australia’s most iconic wines, Hill of Grace Shiraz was made from 161-year-old vines, planted in 1860 on Gnadenberg, a single vineyard in South Australia’s Eden Valley, named after a Lutheran church. Henschke Cellars released it alongside Mount Edel-stone Shiraz, also from a single site, planted in 1912. “The 2016 vintage will be recognised for deeply coloured, plush, dark-fruited wines, which are concentrated, complex, vibrant and energetic,” Stephen Henschke said who runs the estate with his wife Prue and son Johann. henschke.com.au ! More news Get news directly into your inbox with our newsletter. Sign up at falstaff.com/newsletter/…

Two Port houses have released ready-to-drink cocktails in 250 ml cans. Both use tonic water as a mixer: Croft presents its Pink Port & Tonic, while Taylor‘s Port offers Chip Dry & Tonic, one of Portugal‘s most popular aperitifs made with white Port. Adrian Bridge, CEO of the Fladgate Partnership which owns both brands, hopes that the cans “will help to bring more consumers to appreciate Port wine.“ Considered a world-first, the cans will be available in the UK, the US and Portugal and, said Bridge, “demonstrate the versatility and range of Port wine.“ fladgatepartnership.com…

Étoile 2020 is the second release of this prestige Provençal rosé. Partially matured in ceramic vats to aid the “precise definition of fruit,“ the wine was crafted to express the essence of each of the three estates that make up Domaines Ott in the south of France: “The elegance of Château de Selle, the salinity and crisp fruit of Clos Mireille and the structure and the body of Château Romassan,” explained winemaker Jean-Francois Ott. The wine retails at EUR 110/£100. domaines-ott.com…

After years of discussions, the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium has approved smaller geographic denominations (UGAs). The move will allow the names of 16 villages within the Chianti Classico production zone to be named on the label. The villages which have been defined as Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive, or UGAs, are Castellina, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Gaiole, Greve, Lamole, Montefioralle, Panzano, Radda, San Casciano, San Donato in Poggio (including the territories of Barberino Tavarnelle and Poggibonsi) and Vagliagli. According to the Consortium, they are “distinguishable on the basis of specific criteria such as oenological recognisability, historical authenticity, renown and significance in terms of volumes produced.” The move is designed to “stimulate demand by differentiating supply.“ Initially these villages can only be named on wines that meet the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione standards, a superior…

The island nation reported a 19% drop in harvest volume compared to 2020. “While the quality is exceptional, the overall smaller harvest means many of our wineries will face tough decisions over who they can supply in their key markets. There is going to be some supply and demand tension because of this,” said Philip Gregan, CEO of New Zealand Winegrowers. nzwine.com…