Author: Jacky I.F. Cheong
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The Temple of Kamptal
Niederösterreich is Austria’s largest wine region, comprising a total of eight subregions, namely Carnuntum, Kamptal, Kremstal, Thermenregion, Traisental, Wachau, Wagram and Weinviertel. Of the octet, Wachau, ... -
The Alpine Bastion
Switzerland is a distinct anomaly in numerous regards: situated in the heart of Western Europe and the only country that borders the three largest countries on ... -
The New Pinnacle of Spain
Possessing the most vines and vineyards amongst all wine-producing countries in the world, Spain is, somewhat counter-intuitively, just the third largest by volume. This curious discrepancy ... -
The Ceylonese Palm
Strategically located in the central-north Indian Ocean, the Island of Sri Lanka has perfect access to the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea – ... -
The Ebullient North II
(Continued from “The Ebullient North” on 21 July 2017: https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/the-ebullient-north.html) The northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna is in fact an amalgamation of two historical regions, namely ... -
The Standard-Bearers of Württemberg VII
In comparison with other major wine-producing countries in Europe, Germany possesses a notably high number and indeed proportion of aristocratic and ecclesiastical estates. Somewhat unsurprisingly, Rheingau ... -
The Palatine Idyll II
(Continued from “The Palatine Idyll” on 29 December 2017) German wine laws are notoriously complicated, and those governing the VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikats- und Qualitätsweingüter) estates ... -
The Standard-Bearers of Württemberg VI
(Continued from “The Standard-Bearers of Württemberg V” on 8 December 2017) Amongst Germany’s 13 wine regions, Württemberg stands out as an anomaly on two counts. First, ... -
The Tropical Spirit
Covering some 28,000 sqkm and with a population of 1.4 million, the Great State of Hawai‘i is the 50th and youngest one of the US of ... -
The Palatine Idyll
With some 23,000ha of vineyards, Pfalz is Germany’s second largest wine region, marginally smaller than Rheinhessen, which has approximately 26,000ha. Formerly known as Rheinpfalz (or Rhine ... -
The Port Side
Before its reputation as a wine-producing country was recognised, Portugal used to be first and foremost a Port-producing country. Port was the first Portuguese wine to ... -
The Saxon Renaissance
On 3 October 1990, the Free State of Saxony (Freistaat Sachsen) formally became part of the reunified Germany. East Germany, for the most part of its ... -
The Alchemist’s Magic
Legally defined by Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 s.3(2) as “a blend of one or more Single Malt Scotch Whiskies with one or more Single Grain Scotch ... -
F3 racers say circuit remains a challenge
The SJM Theodore Racing Team presented its line-up of four young drivers who will be racing in its ninth Macau GP Title campaign yesterday at Grand ... -
The German Connection
That Alentejo has been one of the spearheads of Portugal’s vinous renaissance over the past 40 years is not without good reasons. Covering nearly one third ... -
The Eclectic Malt
Whisky laws and regulations differ from country to country, but patterns and trends can be observed, e.g. barley and extended maturation are held in high regard ... -
The Patriarch of Germany II
(Continued from “The Patriarch of Germany” on 18 August 2017) Steeped in history and tradition, Rheingau possesses arguably the highest concentration of aristocratic and monastic wine ... -
The Spanish Principality
Covering just over 10,000 sqkm and with just over 1 million people, Asturias – officially the Principality of Asturias (Principado de Asturias) – is one of ... -
The Patriarch of Germany
With 3,200ha under vine, Rheingau constitutes merely 3 percent of all vineyards in Germany, but reputation-wise, it is arguably primus inter pares (first amongst equals) and ... -
The Confidante of Cognac
Cognac is to brandy what Champagne is to sparkling wine, and its prominence is as such that it often overshadows other worthy spirits, e.g. Armagnac from ... -
The Standard-Bearers of Württemberg III
(Continued from “The Standard-Bearers of Württemberg II” on 7 July 2017) By the 2nd half of the 20th century, Baden-Württemberg has developed into one of the ... -
The Ebullient North
For its fame, price, stature and ceremony, Champagne can be overbearing at times, overshadowing other worthy sparkling wines not just in France, e.g. various blanquettes, clairettes, ... -
The Standard-Bearers of Württemberg II
(Continued from “The Standard- Bearers of Württemberg” on June 9 2017) Affectionately referred to by locals as the Ländle (literally: Little Land), Swabia (Schwaben) is a ... -
The Southwestern Sweetie
Named after the eponymous commune, Monbazillac was amongst the very first batch of appellations to be granted AOC status by INAO (Institut National de l’Origine et ... -
The Standard-Bearers of Württemberg
One of Germany’s 16 Federal States, Baden-Württemberg covers some 35,750 sqkm and has a total population of just under 11 million. If Baden-Württemberg were an independent ... -
The Gentry of Rheinhessen
Demarcated clockwise by the Rhine in the north and east, the Haardt Mountains in the south and the Nahe in the west, Rheinhessen is situated on ... -
The Austrian Hotsprings II
(Continued from “The Austrian Hotsprings” on April 7 2017) The viticultural and winemaking history of Thermenregion can be traced back to more than 2,000 years ago, ... -
The Garden of France
Meandering some 1,000km from source (Massif Central) to mouth (Saint-Nazaire), the Loire is the longest river in France, and possibly its sweetest and most pedestrian, punctuated ... -
MDT Concert Review | Absolute Love in Absolute Music
Part of Macao Orchestra’s Concert Season 2016-17, “Chamber Voyage – Loving Words from Brahms” offered a rare glimpse into Johannes Brahms’s well-guarded, hence little-know, world of ... -
The Austrian Hotsprings
One of the nine Bundesländer (Federal States) of Austria, Niederösterreich – or Lower Austria – completely envelops the capital Vienna, and is administratively subdivided into four ... -
The Hollow of Broadbay
In the ever-expanding universe of alcoholic beverage, Ileach single malt is no doubt one of the most peculiar and instantly recognisable, on a par with Tokaji ... -
The Pride of Peru III
(Continued from “The Pride of Peru II” on 10 March 2017) Pisco is, in a nutshell, a double-distilled grape must-based aguardiente, i.e. brandy. The term Pisco ... -
The Valley of Green Grass
Of the 100 or so operating single malt distilleries in Scotland, Glenfarclas stands out as a little rarity. In a world increasingly inundated with NAS (no ... -
The Pride of Peru II
(Continued from “The Pride of Peru” on February 17, 2017) The jewel in the Spanish crown, the Viceroyalty of Peru used to be amongst the most ... -
The Ampelographic Paradox
On a per capita basis, Portugal is probably the most ampelographically diverse wine-producing country in the world. Home to numerous indigenous varieties, each going by various ...
