Eric Boissenot is the “Grape Descendant” of Bordeaux’s most illustrious legacy of wine consultants. It began with Emile Peynaud (1912-2004), aided by his student Jacques Boissenot (1938-2014). When the good professor retired, Boissenot set up his own laboratory and their clients followed him. Jacques Boissenot (a black belt judoka) chose his son Eric – who […]

Marselan was born in 1961 when grape scientist Paul Truel (1924-2014) successfully crossed Cabernet Sauvignon with Grenache in the south of France. In spite of its dual parentage, Marselan exhibits more the DNA of Grenache rather than Cabernet (like some children who resemble more of one, rather than a combination of both, parents). A tell-tale […]

The Yanjing region – including Zuogong, Basu and Zayu – has nurtured grapevines since the Tubo period (618–842 AD), when local wines were prized as tribute. By the mid‑19th century, French missionaries brought their own varieties and techniques, merging with indigenous practices to create a unique winemaking heritage. In 2009, Tibetan LUOSONG Ciren established Tibet […]

Is China an Old or New World wine producer? China is both! China has been growing grapes and making wine for more than 2,000 years. Chinese envoys brought back grape seeds from Ferghana in modern day Uzbekistan to the capital Xi’an during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). The vines were, however, grown on imperial […]

Petit Manseng The most exciting dry white wine of China – for the moment anyway – is not Chardonnay but Petit Manseng. Previously all made sweet, some producers have pivoted to a dry version.  One of the first, and best, is Longting Reserve Sea Breeze Dry Petit Manseng. First produced in 2020 (Longting has been producing a sweet version […]