What is reconversion?

This is the process of converting from a conventionally-maintained vineyard to one that is fully organic. Reconversion for vineyards takes three years because the grapevine is a perennial plant, whereas only two years are required for annual crops like wheat or vegetables. Right from the start of reconversion, the vineyard must be cared for 100% organically. Any non-organic treatments are strictly prohibited.

How to choose a glass

	Marilyn in a glass Glasses must have their curves in all the right places. The bowl must be round to help aerate the wine and let its aroma develop. It must also taper inwards towards the top, to stop its precious essence escaping. Crystal clear Keep glasses plain, simple and colourless you don't want to hide a prized claret, you want to enjoy it in every sense. A slight pattern or fluting can make Champagne more intriguing, but leave it at that. Easily lead The brilliance of a wine is further highlighted by good quality lead crystal. You can tell the quality by the number of facets that are reflected and how thin the glass is. Upholding standards One size can fit all when it comes to wine tasting and smaller glasses are usually favoured. There is one style of glass recognised as the benchmark, the ISO (international Standards Organisation) glass. The stem is about 5cm tall and the bowl 10cm (at its broadest 6.5cm wide).
	One size does not fit all Austrian glassmakers Riedel would agree. They live to reinvent the glass. They maintain that you need a different glass for every grape, style and, even region. Form most definitely follows function, and their glasses are also very pretty. Living it large The larger the glass, the more exposure the wine has to air, thus awakening the hidden aromatic depths and balancing the tannic power and the fruit. The younger (and more closed) the wine, the bigger the bowl that is required. Tongue service First impressions are lasting especially where wine is concerned. Give your wine a head start by putting it in the right receptacle the distinctive curve on the lip of a Riedel Riesling or Pinot Noir glass guides the wine to the tip of the tongue, where fruit and sweetness is picked up, balancing the varieties' naturally crisp acidity.
	Central administration Again from the gospel according to Riedel, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon glasses should encourage the flow of the wine to the centre of the tongue, to balance the fruit and acidity. Magic flutes Chuck out your Champagne coupes: they make wine lose its fizz and let the aromas wane. The flute a tall bowl, tapered in at the top is the only way to drink fizz. And lead crystal glass not only looks good but encourages bubbles a wide, tapered bowl keeps them small and in several streams, released slowly. Plastic fantastic Principles can be relaxed when the setting calls for it. Let the glass match the occasion: plastic flutes at Henley and Badminton will do nicely. Just get the wine right: persistent aromas and some sweetness help keep the character from fading as the wine warms and aromas are lost from outsized cups.

Wine styles

Macedonia produces all styles of wine - dry and sweet, still and sparkling, red, white and rosé. Well-known international varieties such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as indigenous grapes like Vranec, are used to produce wines that are always uniquely Macedonian. When experts are asked to describe the wine style nurtured by Macedonian winemakers from their specific terroir, the most frequent answer received is ‘fruit-forward style'. Macedonian wines are inviting, pleasant and delicate, with a flavour that lingers on the palate. They are a living proof of our winemakers' progress towards balance and a sense of moderation. Macedonian wines abound in concentrated fruit and aroma. The wonderful climate of warm weather and sunny days, and the excellent harvest conditions, allow us year after year to have ripe and healthy grapes to make our wines from.

Macedonia in particular has a long tradition of wine production.Grape seeds have been found dating fromNeolithic period (about 4000 BC). Moreover, grape seeds more or less resembling the varieties suitable for wine production have been found in the same region in an area where artificial irrigation was in use. These seeds date from 3000 BC. It is generally believed that the first area of vineyards in Macedonia were cultivated as early as 2800–2200 BC.The rich Macedonian wine tradition began already at the time of Philip II and Alexander the Great of the Macedonian royal family who appreciated good wine. During the Roman Empire this tradition continued, and Macedonia - part of the Eastern Roman Empire until the seventh century - was one of the most important regions for grape cultivation in the Empire. Grape growing continued after the arrival of the Slavs and was freely developed until the fourteenth century. During the period of the Ottoman Empire (1350-1918), winemaking was kept alive in Macedonia's abundant monasteries.

In the Christian religion God is presented as the keeper of a vineyard and the church as his vine. In the rite of the Holy Communion the faithful drink wine in representation of the blood of the Lord. The Orthodox Church has made St. Tryphon guardian saint of vines and vineyard workers, thereby assimilating extremely ancient beliefs concerning vegetation and fertility. This saint had for centuries been extremely well-known and venerated in the vine-growing regions of Macedonia.

Italian wine-Marchesi di Grésy

The 2001 Langhe Nebbiolo Martinenga does not come in contact with oak. It presents very good value (at Euro 10.5 at the estate): a nose of strawberry and cherry, with a hint of flower; a palate of cherry and fur, balanced.

The 2001 Merlot is a new product. It tastes of the international style as you would guess: very well made, technological; a nose with much burnt oak, lead pencil, fruit; the burnt flavour encumbers the silky mouthfeel.

Barrels at Marchesi di Grésy

1999 Barbaresco Martinenga is very nice (even when I came back to it at the end of the tasting): a nose with mint, rose, plum; the palate is harmonious, with fruit, prune pit, and balance

1997 Barbaresco Camp Gros Martinenga smells of peat and kirsch; the palate is Barbaresco-typical, tannic and yet harmonious

1996 Barbaresco Cayun Martinenga smells of liquorice, fruit brandy, kirsch; the palate is evolved, fine, fresh, with a strange note on the finish; the aftertaste is a bit hard

1986 Barbaresco Cayun Martinenga is splendid - it smells of rose, leather, mushroom, toffee, rhubarb tart; tannins are velvety, the mouthfeel is fine, the alcohol is much less felt than in the younger Barbarescos

charming wine bottle holders