The wine industry focuses a lot of attention on the way wine performs in blind tastings and less on the way it is perceived by the people who actually drink it - and why. Top researchers are conducting studies but Robert Joseph impudently wonders if they are asking the right questions.
For many visitors, the day spent manning stands or visiting them and taking part in the actual events at the fair is only half the attraction of ProWein. There is plenty on offer in Düsseldorf in the evenings - from French fries with cool wines to Korean-inspired dishes with Champagne and Altbier. Wolfgang Fassbender has put together exciting evening events.
The format is familiar: A group of contestants face specific challenges in front of a jury until one remains at the end. In the Netflix series "Drink Masters," there are twelve bartenders mixing for a $100,000 prize. Will Sommeliers be next? Commentary by Stefan Adrian of our sister publication Mixology.
In recent years, traditional wine critics have been increasingly supplanted by young influencers on Instagram and YouTube. Freshly returned from a 'Sommelier Bootcamp' Robert Joseph wonders if that new breed of communicators might be about to face a challenge of their own.
As diners flock back to restaurants in the U.S., wine by-the-glass service has been invigorated by changes brought on my new technology and those wrought by Covid lockdowns. Roger Morris reports.
From hip wine bars to authentic Japanese and creative modern gastronomy, it's all on offer in Dusseldorf. You just have to know where to look. Wolfgang Fassbender offers an insider's handy ProWein guide.
Austria was the first country in the world to cultivate a farm according to organic principles. In the century since, the commitment to nature has only become stronger.
