PIWI Portugal
PIWI International has kindly invited me to represent them in Portugal to help inform wine growers and winemakers here about PIWI grape varieties, with the aim to increase confidence leading to planting and producing portuguese wines made from these vines.
In addition Portugal has one of the largest numbers of native varieties and research into breeding PIWI vines using these Autoctone varieties as part of a successful PIWI variety would be very important not only for Portugal.
I am an engineer by training having worked in heavy industry, but moving to film and television in the 70s as a sound engineer and later developing products for this industry in my company in Munich.
I and my wife Helga moved to Portugal and started an organic winery in 2001 called Vinhos Cortém. We were certified organic in 2010 and with 4.5 Ha. of vines and 16 different international and portuguese grape varieties, made organic wine until 2019 when we sold the winery. But we are continuing making wine on a small scale with about 2 Ha. In this way, we can continue our passion making wine in our terroir and remain in the wine community here. We welcome all Piwistas to visit us if they are in Portugal!
See details on www.wineeccentrics.com
ChristopherPrice
Rua João Alves 37-39
Cortem
2500-741 VIDAIS
Telemove: +351 912288586
E-mail: c.price@gmx.de
Internet: www.wineeccentrics.com
Latest News
I don't want to spray my vines! Interview with agronomist and organic pioneer Fredi Strasser
Fredi Strasser is considered a pioneer in PIWI viticulture and from an early age was inspired by the idea of not having to spray his vines. Following this ideal, he devoted his life to researching and cultivating fungus-resistant grape varieties and recorded his experiences and findings in the book Fungus-Resistant Grape Varieties.
Listen to the podcast with Daniel Bayer on Youtube
You can find more podcasts on the topic of PIWI at Daniel's www.wein-verhaben.de
The wine that nobody knows ...
REBAU. Organic quality is also becoming more and more popular with wine. But of all things the grape variety that is best suited struggles.
TEXT: SELIM JUNG | PHOTOS: DANIEL AMMANN
Edy Geiger is honest, but this morning he is deliberately breaking the law. It's still early, foggy and pretty quiet. Dew lies on the vineyard in the St. Gallic valley. Normally at this time the vintner sits in the office with a shirt and tie, now he's out and about with new seedlings in his vineyard. An environmentally friendly variety: Maréchal Foch. What he's doing is good for nature, but unfortunately illegal.
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Source: Observer 8/2021 - CH
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PIWI WEIN - Departure for new wine times PIWI CH January 2021
Dear readers
Dear Piwians and connoisseurs
"It is not the strongest species that survives, nor the most intelligent, it is the one that is most likely to adapt to change." Charles Darwin
Yes, the year 2020 is really tough. These days, the positive and negative are often not far apart. The everyday is questioned, the unusual suddenly becomes normal. 2020 is pure change!
Reflection is once again the order of the day. Unfortunately, this is linked to the realization that we can only change and influence the world positively on a small scale. But at least we should enjoy that to the full!
It is unbelievably positive that we are allowed to make our life worth living in democratic Switzerland! A huge privilege!
Shift down a gear, give yourself and your loved ones more time, create something special in everyday life and consciously treat yourself to something good every now and then ...
This is what Marc Almert, Sommelier World Champion 2019/2020 said to himself. Since his place of work, the Hotel Baur au Lac in Zurich, was not exactly busy at the beginning of July due to Covid 19, he took a little PIWI break. After an extensive tour through our vineyards and winery, the focus was on tasting various PIWI wines: a real wow experience for Marc! But read his tasting notes for yourself right away!
The implementation of the first general meeting of PIWI CH on June 30, 2020 can really be described as successful. 60 people took part in the informative rebuild tour. Around 50 members and guests stayed for the meeting, followed by a tasting. We will therefore also plan the practical linking of technical PIWI cultivation topics and the general meeting next year. Unfortunately, the pandemic thwarted the rest of the annual planning: we were unable to carry out the wine trip to Poland or the W&D in Hiltl in Zurich. But, as is well known, postponed is not canceled!
Social change, global warming, the pandemic and other changes will continue to concern us in 2021. Flexibility and a spirit of innovation are required more than ever, which is nothing new for us Piwians!
Have fun reading and "stay healthy!"
Roland Lenz / President of the PIWI CH association
Is the market ready?
NEW GRAPE VARIETIES
The marketing of PIWI wine is characterized by various challenges.
Text: Christoph Kiefer, M.Sc. and Prof. Dr. Gergely Szolnoki, Hochschule Geisenheim University
Mushroom-resistant (PIWI) grape varieties are the next logical step towards sustainable cultivation within organic viticulture. Although PIWI grape varieties achieve economic and ecological advantages for winegrowers, fewer than three percent of German vineyards are planted with them. Other wine-growing countries such as France and Italy are registering increasing breeding successes, but the proportion of PIWIs in these countries is also at a low level. This mainly results from the lack of market acceptance by the consumer. Customer acceptance of these innovative grape varieties remains low despite the increased demand for sustainable food.
Within the VitiFIT, the team from Geisenheim examines the complete value chain of PIWI wines in order to better understand the attitudes and needs of producers, marketers and consumers. Based on this, a communication strategy is to be developed at the end of the project in order to establish PIWIs on the market in the long term.
This article analyzes the current market acceptance.
Source: Deutscher Weinbau 25-26 / 2020
Pesticide cocktails in Swiss wine
Half of the 15 Swiss wines in the “Kassensturz” test contain five or more pesticides.
Author: Adrian Zehnder
The sample includes popular Swiss wines from the retail trade: five whites, one rosé and, above all, red wines from the major Swiss growing areas, made with the typical grape varieties Pinot Noir (Blauburgunder) or Merlot. Chasselas dominates the white wine. These varieties are considered pesticide intensive. The wines cost between 7.50 and 22 francs.
Source: Kassensturz
Fungus-resistant grape varieties - the new PIWI book
- Big on the rise: ecological viticulture with fungus-resistant grape varieties (PIWI varieties).
- The book by PIWI pioneers Fredi Strasser and Franziska Löpfke, Willimann Jürg (photographer)
ISBN: 978-3-258-08187-8
(more…)
Biodiversity hike and 1st general meeting PIWI CH
The PIWIs are coming ...
On Tuesday, June 30, 2020, almost 60 people met at the Roland organic wine estate and Karin Lenz on the Iselisberg in Uesslingen. The PIWI CH association, founded in December 19, invited to the first general meeting.
In beautiful summer weather, those present set off on a hike through the vineyards of Uesslingen in the lower Thur Valley (TG). Various stops were made on the way. The enthusiastic organic and PIWI winemaker Roland Lenz (two-time organic winemaker in Switzerland) drew attention to the different vineyards and types of viticulture. In an organic farm, a lot of flowers and herbs, sometimes shrubs, grow between the rows to offer beneficial species a home. FIBL's Bea Steinemann reports on the latest attempts to optimize the seed mix between the rows of vines. The hikers also become aware of the differences between European vines and the newly cultivated PIWI varieties (PIWI stands for fungus-resistant and means “robust in cultivation”, ie little to no spraying against pests and diseases has to be carried out). Of particular interest were the references to missing rows of vines in favor of shrubs, the distance to the next trees or the additional insect hotels, all to promote biodiversity.
Back at the Lenz winery, the hikers were happy about the water break before the actual general meeting began. The PIWI CH association was founded last December as a regional section of the PIWI International umbrella organization. The association's goal is to promote PIWI grape varieties in breeding, cultivation, marketing and enjoyment. The association's activities such as participation in the Agrovina or a planned wine and dine in the well-known Hiltl restaurant in Zurich serve exclusively with PIWI wines with certain new taste experiences. The association also publishes the "PIWI WEIN ZEIT" brochure. The readers are connoisseurs and interested individuals, restaurateurs, traders, winegrowers, breeders and journalists. The first edition of March this year was one of the highlights in President Roland Lenz's activity report for the first half of the year. The meeting was characterized by many votes from the members who participate with commitment in the association.
After the official part, the attendees were able to taste and discuss over 40 different pure PIWI wines. These include various new varieties that only have breeding names, such as VB CAL 1-28 or VB CAL 32-7.
Media contact:
President Roland Lenz
Organic winery Roland and Karin Lenz, Iselisberg, Uesslingen
info@weingut-lenz.ch / +41 52 746 13 86
actuary
Daniel Schwarz
info@piwi-ch.ch
Homepage: https://piwi-international.org/piwi-regional/schweiz/
General Meeting June 30, 2020 - Program
The first general meeting of PIWI CH will take place on June 30, 2020 at the organic wine estate Roland and Karin Lenz in Uesslingen (TG).
Are planned:
13.30: Biodiversity and new varieties (public event)
4:00 pm: Start of the general assembly
Finally: snack and wine tasting on the subject of new varieties
The agenda of the meeting is:
- Greeting
- Choice of 1 vote counter
- Activity report of the President
- Annual program and activities
- Budget 2020: Membership fee budget 2020
- Elections: Board of Directors, Auditors, President
- Miscellaneous and discussion
Registration requested at:
Organic winery Roland and Karin Lenz
info@weingut-lenz.ch
0041 52 746 13 86
First edition of PIWI Wein Zeit
Our first newspaper is ready!
Have fun while reading!
