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.
OpenAI's artificial intelligence bot, ChatGPT has been the centre of global discussion since its launch at the end of last year. Anja Zimmer wonders how far this technology could change the wine industry.
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.
The Italian Wine Crypto Bank (IWCB) has developed a digital sommelier. The system - dubbed ‘Personal GPT Sommelier’ - will be used in the ‘hybrid wine bar’ BG3.0 Winebank in Bergamo.
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.
From velvety and juicy to fascinatingly complex: Thanks to a predominantly cool climate and many autochthonous grape varieties, red wines from Burgenland and Lower Austria are increasingly moving into the international spotlight.
