Oenologist The People of Wine

The winemaker with a passion for architecture
At the winery Hansruedi Adank you’ll find both fine wines and architectural beauty. The Weingut family has owned and operated Adank since 1984. Adank is a modern vineyard located in the tranquil village of Fläsch, which received the Wakker Award 2010 for innovative village planning. Designed by architect Kurt Hauenstein, the modern parts of the building perfectuly blend with the thick century old walls of the main building. The building has had the attention of various architecture connoisseurs (for example Andreas Gottlieb Hempel in his book “Architecture & Wine”). Hans Ruedi Adank seems to have success with the wine production and the architecture of his cellar. He and his family are proud to make a wine that is stamped by its location, unlike any other, due to its independence and character.
Articles and photos by, Gian Carlo Casparis, Wine Tours Switzerland, the … [Full Article]

By, Gian Carlo Casparis, Wine Tours Switzerland
 Last week I had an opportunity to talk with two third-generation winemakers – Matthias Gubler and his wife, Sina Moehr, at the Moehr-Niggli Winery in Maienfeld, Graubunden, Switzerland.
Over a glass of Mattias’ flagship Pinot Noir called “Pilgrim,” we discussed the special qualities of Swiss wines, and especially the story of Pilgrim.  This is the wine that unites his experiences living and working in wineries around the world, especially in Italy, France, Chile, and California.
Here is the story of this unique and wine full of character:  “Pilgrim” is the English and old German word for “Pilger”.  When Mattias heard the name for the first time, he was immediately fascinated .  “Our work with wine is an actual pilgrimage; constantly in search of the best wine.”
The grapes for Pilgrim come from their family vineyards.  They are carefully harvested and sorted by hand. The … [Full Article]

Elizabeth Candelario is the Co-Director of Demeter USA, the non-profit certifier of Biodynamic® farms and products in the United States. She also serves as Board President for NOP accredited organic certifier Stellar Certification Services. Elizabeth joined Demeter in 2008 following a 25-year career in marketing, business development, and non-profit management. Elizabeth first became interested in Biodynamic agriculture while Marketing Director at Quivira Vineyards, when the wine estate transitioned from conventional to Biodynamic farming. Her exposure to Biodynamic farming through the wine industry is not unique: Demeter’s certified membership has been growing every year, largely due to the tremendous growth in winery certification.
In addition to her work at Quivira, Elizabeth held winery management positions including Director of Consumer Sales and Marketing for Chateau Montelena and V.P. Sales and Marketing for Pezzi King Vineyards. Her brand marketing and sales strategies included environmental, cause marketing and cultural campaigns.
Demeter USA is … [Full Article]

With an annual production over 30 million bottles, Georges Duboeuf is an international phenomenon. Controlling more than 20% of the region’s production, Georges Duboeuf put this appellation on the map long ago. His wines are distributed in more than 120 countries, and his company, Les Vins Georges Duboeuf, had total sales of more than 80 million Euros in 2007, 75% of it achieved in foreign markets. Georges Duboeuf is the number one French wine brand in the U.S.
Born on April 14, 1933, in Chaintré (France) and raised on a small farm where his family worked a few acres of vines in Pouilly-Fuissé for four centuries, Georges’ passion for winemaking was born at a young age, when he started working in the family vineyards and learned winemaking from his uncle and brother.
After a short stint in Paris to study physical education, he went back to his roots at 18 years … [Full Article]

Armed with a PhD in viticulture from the University of Odessa, Dr. Konstantin Frank came to New York State in 1951 ready to teach winemakers about a flaw in their growing techniques. Working in the Geneva Experiment Station at Cornell University, Frank tested his methods based on his thesis on growing in cold climates. He suggested to New York winemakers that they plant traditional European grapes (Vitas Vinifera) rather than Euro-American hybrid grapes… this idea was scoffed at and dismissed. Frank went at it alone starting Vinifera Wine Cellars on Keuka Lake in the heart of Finger Lakes.
Sixty years later, many wineries in the region have adopted his growing techniques, while his wines continue to earn great successes. In 2001 Vinifera Cellars won New York’s first “Winery of the Year Award” under the direction of his son, Willie Frank. Konstantin Frank passed away in 1985, but his cool climate … [Full Article]