Visiting Kosovo 🇽🇰, Europe’s youngest country (status questioned by some). It shares the rough edges & the restless drive with Albania where I went in 2023. Some impressive investments next to classic Balkan dilapidation.

Ever tasted a wine from Kosovo 🇽🇰? I have a look at the indigenous Vranç grape (aka Vranec/Vranac) from Labi Wines. It’s quite a beast! 🐎 With thanks to LABI WINE & Flori UKA.

Authors of the 🇲🇰 Skopje 2014 city redesign surely had no fear of the ridicule. 200 statues were erected and the Ministry of Electricity made look like the Parthenon. Maybe public spaces looked vaguely like this in the time of Alexander the Great, minus Burger King & beer ads…

Snapshots of Sofia, the high-energy capital of Bulgaria 🇧🇬

Brothers Vladu & Georgi Vankov established the Odessos urban winery in Varna from scratch, with no vineyards, buying fruit from plots across NE Bulgaria 🇧🇬 Top-class Cabernet Franc Reserve & one of the best white Dimyat too. An estate to watch. Georgi Vankov

For the 1st time since I can remember I’ve heard people speak very highly of their prime minister. That’s in Albania 🇦🇱

Santorini 🇬🇷 is in trouble. 3y of drought has brought yields less than 1000 kg/ha. Vines die of drought and neglect. 1st 📷 is the entire crop a grower brought to Gaia, maybe 100 kg where they used to contribute 1 ton. Will Santorini wine disappear altogether in 10 years?

Irakliá is the 1st of the minor Cyclades off Naxos 🇬🇷 (coming from the S). It’s pleasantly low-key, with a small port, a deserted Chora, a few beaches and sunset spots. But some sophisticated dining too. I saw a vineyard and a homemade wine in the grocery, but didn't try it.

Schinoussa 🇬🇷 has a premium image, for no apparent reason. Yes, a nice serrated coastline with views of nearby islets, sandy beaches, outnumbered though by million-$ yachts. Elsewhere the island is dusty and shabby. Still, we managed to find a fine restaurant with good wine…

Ano Koufonissi 🇬🇷 Lesser Cyclades If paradise exists in Greece in August, this island is up there the shortlist. From the moment you disembark in its pretty port, everything is perfectly gauged: authentic not rustic, comfy not glitzy. Tiny sand coves & a 💯 bar scene.

Two days is hardly much on Naxos, the largest of the Cyclades 🇬🇷, but great to scratch the surface. The highlight was climbing Mount Zas, the highest of the archipelago at 1,003 metres. The views were worth the 5am alarm clock.

Thumbs up to L’Heritage Korres Yastra, a new winery on Naxos 🇬🇷 set up by four siblings: Manolis, Marcos, Sofia and Giorgos. The 1st vintage from their diminutive plots makes a fine impression. The Potamisi white blend has salty power and the Rosé is from popular Fokianó.

Brunello di Montalcino is refreshing its narrative with a new sense of terroir, innovation and tradition. Out goes the 5-star annual rating for each vintage while Rosso di Montalcino is starting to vie with it quality-wise. We went there to discover more. the-buyer.net/people/produce…

Hear, hear.

Deservedly happy! Kudos & 🙏 to the ÖTW Traditionsweingüter Österreich association, who delivered a spotless edition of my fav wine event anywhere, the Austrian Single Vineyard Summit. 6 days of immersion & tasting 500 top labels from across Europe’s reliably exciting® country.

Great visit at Esterházy for complete tasting of the family’s Austrian wines (they also have a winery in 🇭🇺). The Sekts, based on Blaufränkisch, are impressive and there are fun Projekt bottlings incl Furmint, Chenin, & Grüner Veltliner aged in an egg made of their own granite.

Against the odds in a Weinvertel village that mostly makes simple wine, Marion & Manfred Ebner-Ebenauer have built one of Austria’s most impressive brand. Ambitious sparkling wines but I love the single-vineyard Grüners too. Beautiful place and amazing people.