Heidi Mäkinen talks to Robert Joseph about the unique aspects of the Nordic monopolies and the way tenders work. She also explains the differences between Finland, Sweden, and Norway, as well as varying consumer preferences in these markets.
Fresh from his experience at the 2023 ASI Meilleur Sommelier du Monde, Robert Joseph suggests that wine service professionals now know more about the drinks industry as a whole than almost anybody else.
First woman to win the prize, the first from China, or the first from the former Soviet bloc? In Raimond Tomsons' case, it was the latter. Robert Joseph reports on a fiercely contested competition where the price of a Chinese baijiu can be crucial.
This week, while partnering with the ASI – Association de la Sommellerie Internationale, Moldova’s winemakers also lent a helping hand to their neighbours in Ukraine, justifying the description 'Small Country; Big Heart' by which this country is becoming known.
Recently-created resistant PIWI – ‘pioneering wine’ – grape varieties that take their name from the German term pilzwiderstandsfähig (fungus-resistant), are increasingly seen by viticulturists as a viable solution to emerging environmental and climatic challenges.
