old world wine | Colonial Spirits

Unappreciated South Africa

Posted on October 28, 2011March 20, 2016 by Nicolas Haegeli — Leave a comment

South African wines have been on my mind lately, although this isn’t the first time. Last year I wrote about the subject while the World Cup was going on there. At the time I focused on the impact of French Huguenot immigrants to the young and immature Dutch Cape Colony wine industry. I didn’t really write that much about the wines, except to point out that, “I’ve always enjoyed them because I believe that they consistently offer an intriguing blend of new world fruit with just enough old world earthiness, structure (think acidity, tannin, etc…), and complexity.” I still stand by that statement. I also stand by another I read recently, “A sense of place is more important now…supermarkets are full of ‘factory’ wines with made-up names.” Thanks Gary Jordan, I agree with you. Continue reading Unappreciated South Africa

Challenge accepted!

Posted on September 16, 2011January 10, 2016 by Nicolas Haegeli — 2 Comments

I have been taunting my hoppy colleague, Tim for quite some time about the ‘overuse’ of hops (particularly in American brews). Playing devil’s advocate, I’ve compared their use with the excessive use of oak in the wine world. My suggestion wasn’t merely a simple taunt. I was (and remain) curious over the role of hops in brew, particularly in American ones and how they compare with the use of oak in wine. Some may find it silly to compare the two, but I really don’t think so.

Now just a little about myself for you brew folks… Continue reading Challenge accepted!

Bittersweet Emotion

Posted on August 8, 2011March 20, 2016 by Nicolas Haegeli — Leave a comment

Wine is personal. I’ve always maintained this, and, despite what we wine professionals tell you, wine is often more subjective than objective. Much of this has to do with how we relate to wine.

Some of my fondest wine memories are inextricably linked to people and places that I care deeply about. It’s amazing how a glass (or bottle) can transport you to a moment in your past were your mind’s eye allows you to experience all your senses and memories as if you were really there. These memories are powerful, and they often come back to us when we least expect them and need them most.

Let me share with you some of my moments… Continue reading Bittersweet Emotion

Wine Existentialism

Posted on July 8, 2011January 10, 2016 by Nicolas Haegeli — Leave a comment

My fellow colleagues-in-wine and I are always discussing, debating, and arguing about hot wine topics. Sometimes it’s about oak, over-extraction of fruit, old world v. new world, and of course…terroir. We also discuss what makes a wine good and what sells, and we often find that the good wines don’t sell.

A couple weeks ago, Patrick wrote about Malbec and it’s rise and fall. Weeks before, Nic wrote about the concept of terroir. These blogs are the result of our on-going conversations. Both blogs got my attention. Continue reading Wine Existentialism

Le Coin du Vin : Surprised by Spain…Again

Posted on May 25, 2011April 28, 2021 by Nicolas Haegeli — Leave a comment

I have been surprised by Spain once again. When it comes to Old World wines, Spanish wines often take a back seat to those of France and Italy. That is changing as more and more consumers realize what Spain has to offer. Most are familiar with Rioja and they may have heard of or tasted Ribera del Duero. But how about the wines of Catalunya like Cava (I’m talking about the stuff not named Cordoniu or Freixenet), Penedes, Priorat, or Montsant? Did you know that Cava is originally from the hills of Penedes south of Barcelona? Do you really know what Priorat is? Or Penedes? Don’t worry, like most consumers, I have been relatively ignorant about these wines and what they’re all about for far too long until recently. Since returning from Spain last year I have been very enthusiastic about Spanish wines. I’ve made every effort to learn about them in any way possible through tasting, reading and talking with others knowledgable on the subject. Continue reading Le Coin du Vin : Surprised by Spain…Again

Old World… New World… Newer World?

Posted on February 22, 2011January 10, 2016 by Nicolay Castro — Leave a comment

The world is always shifting, always changing, this is no different when it comes to wine. In the last year there had been talks of Champagne estates buying land in the U.K.; if global warming is true the U.K. will have the proper terroir for champagne varietals. What has really caught my attention isn’t what will happen to vineyards and wineries when global warming does become an issue (which I do think about, but with a few areas like Bordeaux basking in the limelight because of it, I tend to forget.), but the growth of vineyards and wineries in China. Continue reading Old World… New World… Newer World?