The Wine World

Gian Luca Colombo is a winemaking consultant turned winemaker at his small artesan winery Segni di Langa. In this episode he talks to Heine Johansen about how he came into wine, his ideas about winemaking and how he sees the future of winemaking in the Piedmont region. He is also one of few producers making pinot noir in Italy, and doing so in a very high level. Segni di Langa wines reviewVerduno Pelaverga 2021Medium+ intensity nose. Red berries, spice, green bell peppers. Medium+ intensity mouthfeel. Light body, high- acidity, light+ tannin. Black and red cherries, cherry pit, green herbs, blackcurrant leaf. Fresh glou glou wine. Fruitdriven throughout. 88p Langhe Pinot Nero 2021Medium intensity nose. Red cherries, raspberries, lavender, almonds, herbs. Medium+ intensity mouthfeel. Medium bodied, light+ tannin, high- acidity. Very well balanced and linear. Fruitdriven throughout. Fresh aftertaste. 93pBarbera d'Alba Superiore 2021Medium+ intensity nose. Black cherries, almonds, cured meat, herbs. Elegant. Medium+ intensity mouthfeel. Medium bodied, high acidity, light+ tannin. Finely grained tannins, long fresh ending. Young. 92p Barolo 2017Medium intensity nose. Candied cherries, pine seeds, menthol, dried wood, herbs, unripe blackcurrant. High intensity mouthfeel. Medium bodied, high- acidity, medium tannin. Red berries, red flowers, red apple peel. Very balanced and linear. Fresh throughout the taste curve. 92p. Barolo 2018Low intensity nose. Red fruit, violet, red cherries, herbs. A bit "green". High intensity mouthfeel. Medium bodied, medium tannin medium+ acidity. Fruity throughout the taste curve. Straightforward and easy drinking for a Barolo. 89pBarolo 2019Medium+ intensity nose. Ripe black cherries, red flowers, red plum, almonds, herbs. High intensity mouthfeel. Medium bodied. Medium+ tannin, high acidity. Slightly young and attacking tannins. Very well consentrated with alot of depth. Will mature well. Elegant and fresh throughout the taste curve. 93p.

Simone Vizzari of Bellavista takes us through some of the Franciacorta area history and tells us the story about how sparkling wine production started there. You also get to hear about some of the different styles of Franciacorta and of the Bellavista house styles.

Massolino is one of the most renowned wine producers in Barolo. Franco talks about the history of the family, of the finesse of the nebbiolo grape and of the different characteristics of their four single vineyards: Margheria, Vigna Rionda, Parafada and Paroussi. He also talks about their new project in Barbaresco and about some of the differences between Barolo and Barbaresco. 

Having been responsible for the winemaking of Adams Wein since 2010, Simone has really lifted their wines to a top class level. In this interview she talks about some of the challenges, both of climate, market and confidence that german winemakers meet in producing and celling pinot and chardonnay. Not producing any riesling at their farm in Rheinhessen, Simone focuses on the burgundian grape varieties, but with a distinct german personality. She uses local clones and believes in finding a true German identity for her wines. 

"THE HOBO WINE COMPANY IS THE BRAINCHILD, SIDE JOB, MENACE TO THE WINE INDUSTRY, HEDGED BET, CASH STRAIN, MENTAL ANGUISH, LATE NIGHT MUSING, BRUISED HANDS, DIRTY T-SHIRTS, AND CONSTANT COMPANION OF KENNY LIKITPRAKONG. DESPITE KNOWING BETTER, HE STARTED HIS OWN LABEL IN 2002 WITH THE SIMPLE IDEA TO HAVE SOME GOOD FUN." That's how Kenny Likitprakong likes to describe his wine venture. For almost 20 years, he's still going strong in California!In this episode Kenny talks about the americana culture that has inspired him, and in wanting to make wines at a price point that he could afford to drink himself. He talks about many of the lesser known grapes that they use in their production, and about some of the challenges that California winemakers will face in the years to come. He also let's on a political stance in taking about the background for the name of the 2017 "Batten down the hatches, the storm is coming" Pinot Noir. Music mention: Woodie Guthrie

We talk about the differences in how they came to wine, about their views on winemaking and a bit about their market position - and also about they came to know each other.  We also talk about the threat of imposing an import tax on European wines in the US and how it will effect the American market. Chanin and Parr also share some of their view on what they think the future will hold share some of their favourite wine areas. 

Dominik Sona took over as winemaker for Koehler-Ruprecht inn 2008. Before starting at Koehler-Ruprecht, he's worked at Neiss, Kuhn, Van Volxem, Flowers, Littorai and as estate manager for J.L. Wolf. He says one of the most important parts of his job is upholding tradition. They use very old wooden vats, some of them well over a hundred years old. This is one of the things that sets them aside from most other riesling producers. The estate consists of 10.5 hectares of vines, principally in Riesling (50%) but also in Pinot Noir (20%), Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Scheurebe on three separate terroirs: Saumagen, Steinacker and Annaberg. Recorded at Don Pippo, Bergen, NorwayA part of the nattverden.com collective. 

Andreas Adam has just gone into his 21st year of winemaking, starting out as a young man. Keeping 5 HA of vineyards of historical reknown around the village of Piesport, he says he wants to make the wines so that it is the expression of the soil, not the man. We talk about some of his ideas on winemaking, on working the immensely steep hills of the Mosel and a bit about the history of the region. We get into wether it will have any effect that Klaus Petter Keller, the famous vintner in Rheinhessen, has just bought one of the premier sites in the area - and a bit about how there is a real tradition for quality distinctions of the vineyards in the Mosel, dating back from prussian times. We also talk a bit about how it is working closely with family and some of Andreas'es plans for the future.