Austin is the centre of government for the state of Texas and home to one of the nation’s largest universities, but it wasn’t until the technology boom of the ‘90s that this once semi-sleepy capital transformed into the bustling cultural epicentre that it is now. Austin is one of the fastest-growing cities in the US, and firms such as Dell, IBM, Apple and others ensure this population boom is intelligent, creative and well-moneyed — qualities that do wonders for a city’s culinary scene. Wine is along for the ride, of course, and the evidence is everywhere. City wine lists eschew old standards and instead present the interesting and unknown, and Texas’s own wine-production industry is rejuvenated and refocused. Here, three of Austin’s finest share what’s going on with Scott Saunders.
Moldova, a country with Romania on one side and Ukraine on the other, is caught between the politics of east and west. Robert Joseph was there when some of the pressure began to show.
South Africa’s wines have been winning rave reviews from top critics recently. Yet the wine trade’s success is partly because the government pays it no attention, suggests Michael Fridjhon.
Recent critical reaction to the new wave of South African wines has been extremely positive. Leslie Gevirtz visits Cape Wine 2015 to find out more about what’s happening.
Seattle, in the state of Washington, is the fastest-growing city in the US. Situated close to the Canadian border, the city has become a magnet for startups, particularly in areas like software, biotechnology and the Internet. A thriving arts scene has sprung up alongside these new industries, making the city a magnet for young, urban professionals. Given its excellent food and craft beer culture, it’s no surprise that wine is also flourishing here. Scott Saunders interviewed four notable professionals for their take on what’s happening in Seattle’s wine scene.
Wineries are beginning to take advantage of solar energy, to do more than power their wineries. Leslie Gevirtz reports on solar arrays that can help protect vines.
Niederösterreich, Austria’s largest wine-growing area, consists of eight independent quality regions designated as DACs, or Districtus Austriae Controllatus. They stretch in close proximity to one another, often taking their names from their own distinctive landscapes.
