«The world of wine is endlessly exciting. Even after decades of intensive study, you can still encounter new tastes, regions, varieties or stories. In this issue of Flaschenpost magazine, the 'galactic' wines from Domaine du Météore even take us into space! So then: 3, 2, 1, 0... Ignition! Have fun discovering new wines!»
Dominic: When, amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday family life, you take time to cook something mindfully, in order to enjoy an uncomplicated evening, where the wine should be more than just a food companion and offer a little fun.
Renzo: The Cair Selección Familia is the ideal wine for a special occasion in a larger group, e.g. a family celebration or a birthday party with friends who appreciate a good wine. I associate it with stylish yet relaxed and cheerful ambiences.
«I associate it with stylish yet relaxed and cheerful ambiences.»
Dominic: I can't think of a specific film, but something classic with a bit of romance. It has to be long, it could have a bit of drama - but the important thing would be that everything turns out well in the end.
Renzo: I hardly watch any TV and don't go to the cinema, so unfortunately I don't have a suitable answer here.
Dominic: The actor Matt Damon - mature and youthful at the same time, popular, but still with depth, versatile, interesting, light and complex at the same time.
Renzo: The coaching legend Jürgen Klopp - family-orientated, passionate, exceptionally high quality.
Dominic: With Büne Huber.
Renzo: One day with my children...
With these three wines, Puglia Pop has succeeded in creating a fusion of emotions, culture and flavour that we have never experienced before. For Hugo Rojo de Castro, his project is about more than just wine: "When a bottle of Puglia Pop is served anywhere in the world, people should taste Puglia and hear its unique 'sound'. But that's not all! I want them to be filled with a desire to travel here and visit us. So that they can experience the emotions that our region radiates."
Clearly visible impact craters from meteorites are extremely rare on Earth. The traces disappear over time due to erosion. The crater on the Domaine du Météore property in Cabrerolles in the south of France fell into oblivion after a renowned scientist rejected the idea (in 1964) that the round depression with a diameter of around 220 metres and a depth of 50 metres could have come from a celestial body.
It was only by a lucky coincidence that the crater was scientifically re-examined in 2023, after the geologist and cosmochemist Prof. Dr Frank Brenker (from Goethe University Frankfurt) came across a bottle of Domaine du Météore during his holiday and became curious. He returned with a research team and was able to confirm through rock and soil analyses that the crater was indeed formed by the impact of an iron-nickel meteorite. Among other things, he discovered numerous microdiamonds, which must have been created by the high pressure of the meteorite impact. As every wine enthusiast knows, soil conditions have a decisive influence on the flavour of a wine. Does the stardust have an influence on the wine? Oenologist Simon Frech confirms: "Our wines actually have a significantly higher nickel and cobalt content." In terms of flavour, we were particularly struck by the multi-layered, delicate aromas of the wines - like looking into a clear starry sky, where many small lights merge into an overwhelming whole that you cannot get enough of.
James Suckling: 93/100, Robert Parker: 92/100
Barone Ricasoli can boast of being the oldest winery in Italy - as well as one of the most influential. Anyone browsing through the winery's ancestral history will quickly become acquainted with Baron Bettino Ricasoli. He was a formative figure in Italian history, playing a decisive role in the unification of the country. He later served twice as prime minister and brought about important reforms in the young state. Apart from his political career, Ricasoli was a pioneer in the field of viticulture. At the family estate Castello di Brolio, he experimented with different grape varieties and blends in order to develop the ideal wine for the region. In 1872, Bettino Ricasoli stipulated that Chianti should consist of at least 70 per cent Sangiovese. With this decision, he created the fruity, slightly spicy style of Chianti as we know it today. In doing so, he made the Sangiovese grape variety the queen of Tuscan viticulture and one of the most respected varieties in the world. For this reason, Francesco Ricasoli - the 32nd Baron of Brolio and head of the estate since 1993 - dedicated a very special wine to his ancestor, namely a single-varietal Sangiovese. The Brolio Bettino shows the variety at its best: lively, fruity and with spicy aromas of pepper, juniper and dried herbs.
James Suckling: 93/100, Robert Parker: 92/100
Nostalgic trams, golden pastéis de nata, selfies from atmospheric wine bars... On social media, one cannot help but wonder whether half the world has been drawn to Lisbon? The answer is clear: yes! The Portuguese capital attracts visitors with its irresistible specialities and its unique, melancholy atmosphere.
Anyone who has ever rattled up the picturesque alleyways on the famous "28", enjoyed the views over the city from the Castelo São Jorge, and then listened to fado in a rustic bar will be drawn back to Lisbon again and again. Fortunately, there are more and more Portuguese restaurants in this country to satisfy our cravings a little. Because piripiri, bacalhau and cozido are just a few of the magic words with which Portuguese cuisine seduces us. A lot has happened in Portugal's vineyards over the last twenty years. Today, Portuguese wine offers top quality at great prices and is becoming increasingly popular. Luã is a prime example of this: a top seller for years, its berry notes and fine roasted flavours transport us straight to a Lisbon wine bar. The wine has a dark warmth and catchy elegance reminiscent of the voice of fado singer Ana Moura. Here and there, liveliness and melancholy are beautifully combined.
We typically know Apulian wines as heavy, dark bottles with golden labelling. The Puglia Pop wine house deliberately breaks with this norm. Their bottles are colourful, cheerful and unconventional. "We want to change the way people think about the world of Apulian wine," says Hugo Rojo de Castro, the brains behind the fledgling project. The Spaniard has lived in Puglia for 20 years: "For me, Puglia is a feeling, it's the expression of a mood, it's joy, it's light-heartedness, it's warmth and colour, it's the Mediterranean soul of us people of Latin origin." Local, traditional varieties and a modern bottle design inspired by popular culture characterise the wines of Puglia Pop.
But what is this typical Apulian attitude to life? It's a fine meal during a day at the beach, in a restaurant with a view of the turquoise blue sea, frutti di mare and a cool white wine. It is also the scorching sun, the red earth, lined with dry stone walls. Where ancient olive trees, century-old vines and fig trees are cultivated on simple, picturesque country estates. Puglia is passion and joie de vivre, like an energetic dance to the rhythms of the pizzica. It is the shimmer of the slightly kitschy luminaria, the typical festive lighting with colourful lights on white frames. And Puglia is Verdeca, Susumaniello and Primitivo!
