Easter Witches and Port
Text Ilkka Sirén
Easter time is upon us. We Finns are quite talented in taking any religious holiday, remove anything vaguely religious about it and turn it into a big eating and drinking fest.
Ilkka Sirén
Wine Writer
Ilkka Sirén
Wine Writer
Ilkka Sirén is a wine communicator from Helsinki, Finland. His passion for wine started in Brazil, believe it or not, where he lived as a teenager.
Ilkka did his first harvest in the Douro Valley and since then he has been working with some of the most well-known winemakers in Portugal, South Africa and Spain.
After returning to Finland he founded a video blog called ViiniTV (2009-2013) which was voted the best wine blog in Finland. Additionally, Ilkka was shortlisted in the first ever IWSC Blogger of the Year competition in 2012.
Ilkka spends much of his time traveling around the world constantly learning about wine and communicating to his followers the stories behind this great beverage.
He is a passionate communicator but most of all a wine drinker and an aficionado of all things tasty. He is also an Official Sherry Educator certified by the Consejo Regulador de Jerez de la Frontera.
All articles
The Holy Alliance of Cheeseburgers and Port Wine
Text Ilkka Síren
Now before you go all “oh no he didn’t”, consider this for a second. Pairing food and wine was never meant to be an impossible task. If we start breaking things into molecular level we risk being bored to death by our own curiosity.
Red Bubbles Pushing the Envelope
Text Ilkka Síren
Sparkling wine has a unique place in our society. It is treated, talked about and consumed quite differently than any other beverage.
Small World of Grapes
Text Ilkka Sirén
Portugal’s varietal diversity is definitely one of its key strengths. It’s like a giant treasure chest full of possibilities.
MAPA Swimming Upstream Like a Burbot
Text Ilkka Sirén
Seasons provide a wide range of opportunities to drink different kinds of wines. Here in Finland you can see what time of the year it is from what people are drinking.
Against the Odds
Text Ilkka Síren
Finding a decent bottle of Portuguese wine in Finland is easier said than done.
Best of 2014
Text Ilkka Sirén
It’s been quite a year. It was supposed to be a fairly relaxed one but turned out to be one of the busiest. I visited Portugal 7 times last year!
Wizards of Madeira
Text Ilkka Sirén
The wine industry is well-known for its hospitality. In general people are very welcoming and friendly.
The Biolovable Wines Of Quinta da Serradinha
Text Ilkka Sirén
It’s all about character. Unique wines with tons of personality, right? It’s not good enough to make just technically solid wines, you have to have something that sets you apart.
Colares – The Most "Ridiculous" Wine Region in the World
Text Ilkka Sirén
Ridiculously awesome that is! I’ve been curious about this little wine region in Lisbon ever since I tasted one bottle during harvest in Douro back in 2008.
Colares – The Most “Ridiculous” Wine Region in the World
Text Ilkka Sirén
Ridiculously awesome that is! I’ve been curious about this little wine region in Lisbon ever since I tasted one bottle during harvest in Douro back in 2008.
The Life Aquatic With Monte d’Oiro
Text Ilkka Sirén
Traveling up and down Portugal is an experience. Driving through the little villages, endless number of roundabouts and beautiful landscapes is part of the fun when hopping from wine region to wine region.