Albanian wines + 'Affordable' Burgundy

Year 13, No. 07

Jun 6, 2023

Warmest of greetings,

We pick up with our regularly-scheduled episode of, “Rain? Um, rain….?” here in Spain as while there have been some splatters here and there, nothing sizable has really reached most of the country. Winemakers are definitely nervous as since the end of last harvest we’ve only had 90mm (3.5in) of precipitation.

Some are getting in front of this like the owner of an exalted vineyard in Spain who’s installed an entire irrigation system for the first time since the vineyard was planted 80 years ago. Yikes.

Meanwhile, the Catalan authorities have released a ‘Foc Off’ campaign that has fun with the Catalan word for ‘fire’ while trying to get the message out to prevent stupid fires for what will undoubtedly be a dry-as-a-bone summer.

Despite the desert conditions for water, we’ve slipped into the rather cool, “normal” kind of early June that I remember when first visiting Spain over a decade and a half ago. Have the mild temperatures stopped visitors from heading to the sea? Not in the slightest! It seems the concept of “beach” is similar to that of pizza now as I’d even seen people in the water in February when I was working the Mallorca report. Madness.

Beyond Spanish drought news, I’m very happy to be sharing my lengthy, 5,000 word report on the wines of Albania that arrives with what is the most extensive international tasting of Albanian wines to date. Wineries are still in early days there, but it’s a unique country with the potential to offer up some very different wines (as well as good beach and pizza).

Drink well, be well.

-Miquel

(*) Free to read

The Featured Report

The wines of Albania

There’s a lot happening quite fast in this country and is covered by this massive report that also delves into the native Albanian grapes and arriving with the most extensive tasting report on the wines.

If you’re looking to start out your wine studies then have a look at this review of “Leary’s Global Wineology” (*) It’s the first edition of this unique guide to various wine education programs around the world.

For tastings, we take a look at a fine group of diverse Portuguese wines as well as the constantly-evolving Garnacha wines from Bodega Sommos which was previously profiled in the DO Somontano report.

Lastly, there are notes from the third-annual Symposium on Regenerative Viticulture (*) This is a space that’s sure to grow in coming years and has a great many smart people encouraging these practices for a better farming future.

The Featured Wine

Here we have a look at what’s become “affordable” Burgundy these days. While this Faiveley Bourgogne 2020 scores 89pts, there are several others covered that easily show that one can still find quality for price… if one has the time to look for it. Regardless of that, even the most mild-mannered of these wines pleases in a way that Burgundy can only do and the winemakers are damned-well aware of.