ALINE BALY - What country/region do you see as an “up and comer” for botrytised wines?

Let’s leave Germany and Hungary out of this, as they are quite established in the genre. I’d vote NZ, but am curious to hear your thoughts. [cheers.gif]

Actually, I am actually curious to hear everyone’s suggestions of what I should try! What should I be tasting to open my horizon?

I’ve been working at Coutet for almost 3 years and feel like I could spend the next gazillion years on the road and not taste everything I should taste! I try to bring back sweet wines from other regions but its not a very comprehensive library: Germany, Austria, Australia and California. I admit that our cellar is predominantly filled with our neighbors wines… One obstacle is finding an opportunity to drink these wines. We host a lot of lunches and dinners at home but we find ourselves drinking a lot of Coutet at those…

Check back with me in a couple of years – I still need more time to see what is out there.

I completely agree with NZ. For some reason their great sweet wines don’t seem to make it out of NZ (i recall there used to be an issue exporting them to Europe because of rules around potential alcohol).

NZ makes great sweet wines up and down the country, but especially from Hawkes Bay (typically more Sauternes in style), Gisborne, Marlborough and Martinborough (with the later typically more BA and TBA).

The best remind me of Kracher. I particularly like some of the Botrytised Chardonnays.

Recioto di Soave baby!!! Amazing (and there are even sparkling versions).