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The Differences Between New and Old Oak, Explained

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 18:42:54 GMT

The Differences Between New And Old Oak, explained
article written by Jill Barth for WE magazine

A cellar filled with rows of barrels is an iconic image, popular on winery websites and travelers’ Instagram feeds . The worlds inside these wooden vessels are hardly homogenous, though. Each barrel has a life of its own, chosen to develop and contribute certain qualities to the final wine.

One key factor is the age of the wood. Winemakers often refer to new oak , old oak or neutral oak. What are the differences?

How Oak Impacts Wine

The origins of wood barrels are clay amphora and other “various ancient wine storage and transport containers,” says André Serret, chief executive officer of Vignobles Dom Brial , a cooperative winery in France’s Roussillon region.

But barrels have evolved into more than simple storage vessels. When wine maintains contact with wood during the fermentation and aging process, it undergoes profound modifications thanks to extractable organic compounds, Serret says.

That’s technical biochemistry, but it translates to our most primitive experiences with wine: smell and taste.

“New oak brings an aromatic and gustatory complexity,” says Ludovic Tremeaux, barrel craftsman and proprietor of Tonnellerie Tremeaux in Beaune, France, “while old oak, depending on its age, tends to become more neutral year after year.”

New barrels, fresh from the cooperage , have been “toasted,” or exposed to a flame for a certain time and temperature depending on the style of the barrel or cooperage.

“The toasting of the inside of the barrel causes compounds in the wood to degrade into a volatile form that can influence the wine,” says Matt Shown, winemaker and vineyard manager at Brigadoon Wine Co. in Junction City, Oregon. As the level of toasting changes, so too do the volatile compounds and thus the influence.”

New Oak Versus Old Oak
The impact of the toasting process declines as barrels age with use, and they edge toward a neutral state.

“Neutral barrels can still play a big part in a wine,” says Shown. “I like to think of the barrel as a vessel that ‘breathes’ as it meters slow amounts of oxygen into the wine, which has the effect of softening tannins and improving weight or texture.”

Some winemakers use a mix of new and old oak throughout the cellar, even in the making of a single cuvée. Tremeaux says that new oak influences red wines differently than white wines. “New oak will open the aromatics of the white wines, while it will sublimate the tannic structure on red wines,” he says.

Karoline Walch, coproprietor of Elena Walch in Alto Adige, Italy, says that new oak is often used on more structured , premium wines.

“However, most of the time it is still a mix of new oak and older oak, in order to not have the oak flavor cover too much of the delicate primary aromas of the variety,” she says.

The Lifespan Of Wine Barrel Oak
The typical winemaking lifespan of a properly maintained barrel is around five years, Tremeux says. Elena Walch sells its barrels to distilleries after four or five years. “After five years, the barrel is no longer of any real interest to the wine, and above all serves only as a container,” Serret says.

But this timeframe can vary depending on the appellation, the type of wine and whether the winemaker is using the barrel for profile influence, oxygenation or storage. Brigadoon Wine Co. has kept neutral barrels for white wine for 20-plus years, and Shown says he’s aware of other wineries that retain barrels even longer.

At Dom Brial, barrels are often kept “for life” for the aging of Rivesaltes , Rousillion’s signature fortified wine for which barrels do serve as containers, not as contributors of aroma or flavor.

Shown says that his use of new oak feels like a “moving target” because he can only purchase a limited number of barrels each year. New barrels can be expensive, worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Much like the barrels themselves, a winemaker’s approach to new and old oak is constantly evolving. “Our barrel program is different from where it was five years ago, and I’m comfortable if it continues to evolve and change over time,” Shown says.

Thank you, Jill Barth, for this interesting insight.

Sonoma Wine Region

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 14:25:57 GMT

Sonoma Wine Region

Even though it is located next door to the Napa Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA), the Sonoma County AVA is in no way overshadowed by its neighbor. With a bigger geographical footprint, more subregions and vineyards scattered over ocean fronts, through valleys and up the sides of mountains, Sonoma offers wine lovers a diverse array of flavor profiles and spectacular views. More than 425 wineries are spread throughout the county’s 19 distinct AVAs.

History of the Sonoma Wine Region

The history of grape growing and wine production in Sonoma goes back to 1812. That’s when Russian immigrants are said to have begun planting vineyards at Fort Ross. About a decade later, in 1823, Jose Altamira, a Franciscan missionary from Spain, planted a vineyard at the Sonoma Mission. Cuttings from those vines became the source for plantings across northern California. Another early vintner, Cyrus Alexander, came to Sonoma from Pennsylvania in the 1840s and began to plant grapes in 1856. Now one of Sonoma’s AVAs, Alexander Valley , is named for him.

Another key figure in Sonoma’s early history was born in Hungary . Agoston Haraszthy, who referred to himself as the “Count of Buena Vista,” founded the Buena Vista Winery in 1857. Not only is Buena Vista Winery still operating, it is recognized as a California Historical Landmark. According to the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Association , Haraszthy created “the first gravity-flow winery in California; excavated the first wine caves in California; and was the first to experiment with California’s Redwood trees for wine barrels.” He also founded the Buena Vista Vinicultural Society (BVVS) in 1863.

By 1920, Sonoma had overtaken Los Angeles as the top wine region in the state, with 256 wineries calling the region home and 22,000 acres planted. By the end of Prohibition, however, the number of wineries dwindled down to fewer than 50.

Between 1953 and 1954, James Zellerback began planting vines of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in Hanzell Vineyards, introducing the two most important varieties produced in the AVA.

Two decades later, two wines from Napa Valley earned top status in the Tasting of Paris 1976 competition, which made the neighboring wine region world famous. But as an area of commercial production, Sonoma had a role in those victories. Roughly half of the grapes used to make the winning white, the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, were grown in Sonoma’s Bacigalupi Vineyard.

Sonoma County was declared as the area’s first AVA in 1981. Two years later, it was followed by smaller subregions in Los Carneros , Chalk Hill , Dry Creek Valley , Knights Valley and the Russian River Valley . Today, it boasts 19 nested AVAs.

Geography and Climate of the Sonoma Wine Region

Located about a one- to two-hour drive across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, Sonoma County has two natural boundaries: the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Mayacamas Mountains to the east. Both geographical features play a role in creating the grape-growing climate of the AVA, but they aren’t the only natural elements that shape Sonoma’s climate.

As the association for the Sonoma County Vintners explains, a wide range of soil types—more than are found in all of France —including marine sediment-, ash- and lava-based soils. Altogether, they form a multitude of terroirs. In addition to the influence of 50-plus miles of oceanic coastline, Sonoma’s climate also benefits from having the Russian River flow through it, helping to moderate temperatures and pull coastal fog further into the county.

Sonoma County’s mild climate keeps temperatures from reaching extremes and gives the grapes consistent growing conditions. Daytime highs typically average from 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the growing season. Nights are typically cool, usually falling into the 40s to mid-50s through the warmer months. The temperatures rarely dip below freezing in the winter, so hard frosts and snow are rare. A typical year sees 25 to 30 inches of total rainfall, generally in the winter months, but coastal fog rolling in from the ocean tends to keep everything cool and moisturized throughout the warmer seasons.

Grapes of the Sonoma Wine Region
Sonoma County produces a lot of grapes. Just 6% of the county’s one million-plus acres of landscape are planted with vineyards. Still, in 2021, 202,304 tons of grapes were harvested. That means the average yield was 1.5 to 1.7 tons per acre.

Eighty percent of the vineyards in Sonoma County are small operations of 100 acres or less and 85% of them are family-owned and run. Nearly all of the vineyards—99%—are certified as sustainable by third-party programs.

Sonoma produces the most Pinot Noir in California and is the number two producer of Chardonnay. Over 60 varieties of grapes are grown in Sonoma’s soils, but the most common ones are Cabernet Sauvignon , Zinfandel and Merlot . Sauvignon Blanc , Syrah , Pinot Gris , Viognier , Pinot Blanc , Cabernet Franc , Sangiovese , Chenin Black and Petite Syrah are also popular plantings.

Wine Production in the Sonoma Wine Region
The retail value of wines produced in Sonoma County is $8 billion. The area produces the most wine in northern California. In 2021, 66,265 tons of Chardonnay were crushed in Sonoma, followed by 47,768 tons of Pinot Noir, 40,438 tons of Cabernet Sauvignon, 13, 452 tons of Sauvignon Blanc, 11,102 tons of Zinfandel and 7,627 tons of Merlot.

Classification of Wine in Sonoma County
A bit of confusion can set in when talking about Sonoma, as that name can refer to the town of Sonoma, the larger geographical area Sonoma County and the largest (and oldest) AVA in the area: Sonoma Valley. To make things even more complicated, there are three more nested AVAs with Sonoma in their names: Sonoma Coast, West Sonoma Coast and Sonoma Mountain.

In alphabetical order, the 19 AVAs in Sonoma Valley include Alexander Valley, Bennett Valley, Carneros (which straddles both Sonoma and Napa Counties), Chalk Hill, Dry Creek Valley, Fort Ross–Seaview, Fountaingrove District, Green Valley, Knights Valley, Moon Mountain, Northern Sonoma, Petaluma Gap, Pine Mountain–Cloverdale Peak, Rockpile, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma Mountain, Sonoma Valley and West Sonoma Coast.

Fun Facts About the Sonoma Wine Region
Sonoma is the location where California declared its independence from Mexico during the Bear Flag Revolt. After the capture of General Vallejo, the California Bear Flag was hoisted for the first time. Less than a month later, California officially became the 31st state.

Though there are tons of wineries worth visiting around the county, downtown Sonoma Plaza is one of the best places to taste. It is surrounded by more than two dozen tasting rooms and numerous wine bars, as well as historic buildings, great restaurants and more.

Thanks to Wine Enthusiast for this inspiring insight. Our partner winery in Sonoma County is

Chateau Diana Winery in Healdsburg, CA Homepage - Chateau Diana
Worth a visit!!

Cabernet Franc Is in Its ‘It’ Grape Era

Tue, 13 May 2025 13:34:30 GMT

Cabernet Franc Is in Its ‘It’ Grape Era
Article written by Oset Babür-Winter for Wine Enthusiast

Until recently, Cabernet Franc was reliably the bridesmaid, rarely the bride. Best known as a blending grape for better-loved varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon , this early ripening grape is finally getting its due thanks to a growing number of supportive winemakers from the Finger Lakes to Napa , as well as (perhaps more importantly) drinkers.

“Cabernet Franc is emblematic of a number of shifts in our industry,” says John Jansma, head sommelier at Per Se . While older generations helped bring bold reds like Cab Sauv to fame, younger drinkers are looking for more balanced and food-friendly wines , he adds, noting that the popularity of “ natty ” Chinon and Pritchard Hill Cabernet Franc among younger drinkers shows that the business is dynamic.

A unified style of wine enjoyment is not the future of the industry. “Cabernet Franc celebrates diversity, and we should, too,” he says.

The perfect storm behind Cab Franc's ascent

In 2025, it’s nearly impossible to talk to a winemaker without getting into the topic of climate change . Rising temperatures around the world mean earlier harvest times, droughts, wildfires and higher alcohol wines. The result? A shift in vineyard management to favor varietals that can handle all the drama.

“In the past, Cabernet Franc was criticized for being under-ripe in certain regions, leading to pronounced green, bell pepper-like notes, known as pyrazines ,” explains Claire Paparazzo, wine director at the Hotel Chelsea in New York City. “However, with warmer growing conditions, we’re now seeing riper expressions of the grape, resulting in more balanced and approachable wines.”

Taylor Boydstun, owner and winemaker of T. Berkeley Wines in Napa, notes that Cabernet Franc is proving resilient in spite of the extreme temperature spikes the region has endured over the last few harvests.

“Despite multiple 100 to 110-plus degree days in a row over Labor Day weekend during both the 2022 and 2023 growing season, [it] fared significantly better overall than many other red grapes, showing some potential for its ability to withstand a warming climate,” he says.

With the ability to thrive in hot growing regions like Napa and Stellenbosch as well as in cooler climates like the Loire Valley , Cabernet Franc’s surprising versatility makes its appeal impossible to deny. But in one particular region, the fervor is growing extra loud.

New York, Franc

In February 2024, representatives from 35 New York wineries came together in Manhattan for Cab Franc Forward , an event designed to celebrate Cabernet Franc’s past, present and future in the state.

Through tastings, seminars and a masterclass led by master sommelier Yannick Benjamin , the event drew over 500 consumers and trade professionals. It’s a relatively strong show of support for a single grape in a single region that Max Rohn, CEO of Wölffer Estate and one of the initiative’s founders, says is indicative of a broader groundswell.

“Over the past 10 to 15 years, the quality [of the wine] has just gone up and up, and the consistency you find in New York Cabernet Franc is amazing,” says Rohn “It’s this style that you can depend on to deliver a pairing for anything from fish to chicken to heavier meats. It’s the kind of wine you have open on your counter when you don’t know what you’re drinking.”

Part of the grape’s success is owed to the extended growing season across the state (due to rising temperatures), leading to higher sugar content in grapes and added time to leave clusters on the vine to mature and develop superior flavor.

“Long harvests in cool-climate regions produce exceptional vintages,” says Fred Cullin, bar manager at Gramercy Tavern . Cullin’s family owns Hermann J. Wiemer Wines , which produces two different expressions of Cabernet Franc from the Finger Lakes .

“These grapes reach maturity early but do not attain undesirable levels of sweetness due to the cooler temperatures seen late in the season, which preserve their state of maturity,” he says. “The signature ‘bell pepper’ note of Cab Franc is more subdued when produced in the Finger Lakes; instead, dried cherry and raspberry are dominant, supplemented by vivid lavender and tobacco notes.”

Gabriela Macari, director of operations of Macari Vineyards on Long Island ’s North Fork and another organizer of Cab Franc Forward, notes that when they first started the initiative, there was some concern in the New York wine community that producers of Merlot , which has long been the calling card for red wine in the region, would feel alienated or even threatened.

“Merlots are beautiful, and the rise of Cabernet Franc doesn’t take away from that,” Macari says. “We believe that every region can have a primary grape, but it doesn’t take away from secondary grapes.”

While supporting the varietal’s adoption across New York remains Macari and Rohn’s primary focus, Macari excitedly notes that New York is ultimately a small piece of Cab Franc’s path to popularity. “It’s buzzy in Tuscany , South African producers are leaning on it, the Livermore Valley just came out pushing it, and in New York, prices of Cab Franc are skyrocketing,” she says. “As soon as people taste it, they get it.”

We are proud carrying exclusively a Washington State Cabernet Franc from Maryhill Winery , Goldendale. You can't go wrong with giving it a chance to be your new favorite red wine!

Thanks to Oset Babür-Winter for this insightful article.

Learn more about the culture that informs Maryhill Winery's involvement with the Spokane community

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:19:14 GMT

Learn more about the culture that informs Maryhill Winery's
involvement with the Spokane community

Jlona Dobler by INLANDER

Vicki & Craig Leuthold with Henri

Craig and Vicki Leuthold's wine journey began back in 1985.

It was then the young couple first visited California's Napa Valley where, Craig says, "We lost our taste for lambrusco." The sweet rendition that Italian wineries shipped to the United States at the time was popular, in part, due to its low price point.

As the Leutholds pursued their careers, their interest in wine did not wane. Just the opposite. Later they spent time as members of the North Idaho Enological Society, which helped them expand and refine their palates. And in 1999, they pooled their resources to found Maryhill Winery in Goldendale, Washington, opening to the public on Memorial Day weekend of 2001.

While that initial Napa trip included visits to celebrated estates like Grgich Hills, it was a stop at V. Sattui Winery that "planted the seed for doing something ourselves," Craig Leuthold recalls. "They had a big self-service deli and a huge outdoor lawn with lots of picnic tables. Their license was grandfathered, so it was the only place in the valley where you could buy a bottle of wine and consume it on the grounds. And they had so many different types of wine. When we decided to go forward, Vicki reached out to Daryl Sattui (grandson of the estate's namesake) to pick his brain."

What emerged was a vision to create a destination winery, something rare then in Washington state and nonexistent in far southern Washington.

"The first growth spurt of wineries in Washington took place around Walla Walla and Yakima," Leuthold says. "We wanted to build our winery in a place where people could access it from a major metro area and make a day trip out of it. Goldendale seemed perfect because of its proximity to Portland," about 90 minutes west. "We thought it would be nice to give the people some alternatives to pinot noir," the variety most widely planted in Oregon.

Maryhill Winery started small with a handful of releases and expanded gradually as the Leutholds developed relationships with grape growers. The winery certainly doesn't make every type of wine possible, but it does offer 60 distinct bottlings, a mix of blends and 100% varietal wines, including a number rarely seen in Washington.

When the Leuthold's decided to open satellite tasting rooms in urban areas — including Spokane in November of 2017 — they knew that simply pouring samples of their wines would not suffice.

"A carefully curated food-and-wine experience is necessary, especially with the younger generations," Leuthold explains. "That's why each tasting room [Spokane, Vancouver and Woodinville] has a full-service kitchen. We have about 25 selections on the menu. About 12 are core items at all the tasting rooms, and the rest are up to the culinary teams to decide what's appropriate for their market. On the menu, we always suggest a wine pairing for each item."

Music is another staple at Maryhill, with each tasting room hosting live performances two or three times per week. There's also a 4,000-seat bowl at the Goldendale estate, which has hosted national touring acts like Santana, Counting Crows, Train, and Earth, Wind & Fire through the years.

"Wine is one thing," Leuthold says. "Music is something else. Combining them creates a whole new genre of an experience."

Today, the Leutholds spend a good chunk of time each year in Spokane.

"I first came to Spokane after graduating from Washington State," Leuthold says. "It's where I fell in love with the four seasons and fell in love with my wife."

It's also where their love of animals has prompted them more recently to help fund the Spokane Humane Society's animal transport van. Proceeds from the sale of two private-label wines, Rescue Red and Rescue White, go toward Humane Society pursuits.

Supporting Inlander Restaurant Week as the event's Drink Local sponsor is another way the Leutholds give back to the Spokane community. Watch for Maryhill offerings on menus throughout this Guide.

"This place is important to us," Leuthold says. "We have roots and memories here. That's why we want to help create memories for everyone who visits our tasting room. We want to create close relationships."

Not to mention help others move on from lambrusco.

The winemaker's favorites

Maryhill Winery makes 60 distinct bottlings each year. Here are three of winemaker Richard Batchelor's current favorites:

2021 PROPRIETOR'S RESERVE CHENIN BLANC, ROZA HILLS. "This full-bodied white is a versatile favorite, with vibrant fruit flavors," Batchelor says. "It's great on its own or with food (scallops, trout, salmon). It is really the perfect wine for any occasion." ($34)
2020 CARMÉNÈRE, ELEPHANT MOUNTAIN. "Carménère delivers a twist with its silky, round tannins and plenty of rich, ripe fruit. A wine that stands out." (Club exclusive)
2019 CABERNET SAUVIGNON, ELEPHANT MOUNTAIN. "Bold, this cabernet sauvignon is perfect for the colder months. With robust tannins and a hearty profile, it carries well with many dishes." ($57)

Many thanks, Vicki and Craig, Mark and the whole Maryhill team , for this exclusive, exciting, honored, and precious partnership we do have to represent and sell Maryhill wines in whole State of Florida. It's not difficult selling wines; we do love ourselves! Each one of them.

A Premium Solution

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 16:07:39 GMT

A Premium Solution - Article written by Katelyn Stecz, January 14, 2025

Left to right: Gino Santos and Henry Santos

How two Cuban immigrants crafted wine-based liquors with imports from Mexico, Spain, and Italy

In 1989, brothers Gino and Henry Santos set out to solve a challenge facing many small restaurants: the high cost and complexity of obtaining a liquor license. Drawing inspiration from their father, Cuban musician and Miami club owner Orestes Santos (who faced similar struggles after immigrating to the U.S. with his family in 1965) they created Premium Blend . Their mission: to craft wine-based spirits that would allow restaurants to serve cocktails without navigating the hurdles of traditional liquor licensing.

From Miami to the world: Premium Blend's wine-based spirits

Miami-based Premium Blend operates in the niche of wine-based liquors, a category they have helped popularize. Unlike distilled spirits, their products are fermented and maintain an alcohol content of 24 percent or less, classifying them legally as wine rather than liquor. This distinction offers restaurants a cost-effective way to expand their cocktail menus.

“The reality is that our product presents an opportunity for a small business to be able to make cocktails. Before we came along, people would try to use some Chablis, Mad Dog 20/20, or some high-alcohol wine, and they would blend it with juices and mixes to be able to duplicate, let’s say, a margarita,” says Gino. “But it still had the funk of the wine.”

The Santos brothers began by using filtered, clarified orange wine as a base, flavoring it with liquor extracts to create a product that closely mimicked the taste of spirits rather than fortified wine. When developing a tequila substitute, they improved the formula by fermenting agave and blending it with distilled agave spirits, resulting in an agave-based wine with the characteristic bite of tequila. Today, Premium Blend’s agave collection is its best-seller.

The company produces around a quarter of a million cases annually and has seen significant growth in recent years; Gino says its first 35 years were focused on education, as consumers and businesses were largely unfamiliar with the wine-based category. “Our best partner is the law,” Gino remarks. “The stronger the liquor laws, the better we do.” Premium Blend thrives in nearly 30 states, particularly in areas with stricter liquor regulations.

Offering alternatives across nearly every major liquor category, Premium Blend’s portfolio includes wine-based options such as limoncello-style aperitifs and specialty spirits like a Fireball Whiskey-inspired cinnamon spirit. The company has also expanded into the ready-to-drink (RTD) market with Aperol Spritz and margarita options, providing convenient solutions for both consumers and restaurants. Its ingredients reflect global sourcing: agave from Mexico, sangria from Spain, and its Aperol Spritz RTD from Italy.

While the company’s sales are heavily concentrated in the U.S., Gino says international interest in low-alcohol-by-volume (low-ABV) beverages is beginning to grow, “There are very smart businessmen around the world who see the interest in low-alcohol options in [the United States]. And they’ll bring some of our products into their markets and try to get it going because we’re basically a low-alcohol version of liquor. But, you know, things tend to happen here in the U.S. first and then spread to the rest of the world. The rest of the world hasn’t caught on to this craze yet, but as soon as they do, we’ll be ready to supply them.”

Vine Importers LLC, alongside RNDC, takes great pride in being a distribution partner of Premium Blend for Central and North Florida. We truly value this exceptional partnership.

How a Creative Cocktail Program with a Beer and Wine License Can Help Your New Restaurant Succeed

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 17:02:35 GMT

How a Creative Cocktail Program with a Beer and Wine License Can Help Your
New Restaurant Succeed
(Article by Gino and Henry Santos, founders & owners from Premium Blend®

Opening a restaurant is tough, with nearly 49% closing within five years. In Modern Restaurant Management, Gino and Henry Santos, founders of Premium Blend, share how wine-based cocktails can boost restaurant success and offer practical strategies for thriving in a competitive market.

The Hidden Costs of a Full Liquor License and a Cost-Effective Solution

Across the U.S., obtaining a full-service liquor license can vary significantly in cost, but Florida's process is especially challenging due to a county-based quota system that limits the number of licenses available. Restaurant owners looking to purchase an existing license can face prices up to $1 million depending on demand.

This financial burden is not unique to Florida. In California, annual fees for a liquor license can also reach up to $1M, depending on factors like operating hours, customer policies, and whether the establishment offers on-site brewing. Renewals, inspections, and compliance costs add even more overhead, making it difficult for new restaurants to manage these expenses. Beer and wine licenses, however, provide a sustainable, cost-effective alternative, allowing restaurants to invest resources elsewhere.

On the other hand, beer and wine licenses are more affordable and easier to obtain, often costing one-third to half as much as a full liquor license. These licenses allow restaurants to serve beer, wine, and wine-based liquors, offering opportunities for innovation without the financial burden of full-service licenses.

Innovation Through Wine-Based Cocktails

Although not having a full liquor license may seem restrictive, it actually creates opportunities for innovation. A beer and wine license allows restaurants to craft a unique cocktail menu featuring wine-based liquors without the need for liquor insurance or the extensive paperwork associated with a full liquor license.

Wine-based spirits can be used to create popular cocktails like margaritas, daiquiris, and mojitos, allowing smaller restaurants to compete with larger chains that can afford full liquor licenses.

The Broader Impact of Creative Licensing Solutions

The benefits of using a beer and wine license extend beyond cost savings and creative drink options. According to the National Restaurant Association, 70% of beer drinkers, 69% of wine drinkers, and 67% of cocktail enthusiasts are more likely to choose a restaurant that offers their preferred drinks. This trend highlights a shift in consumer behavior, with dining places increasingly seeking unique experiences rather than just a meal. By curating a distinctive cocktail program, restaurants can tap into this demand, attract a broader audience, and encourage repeat business.

Strategies for Restaurant Success

Here are key strategies to help restaurants succeed:

Know Your Market : Understand your audience and tailor offerings to their tastes. A well-crafted menu and unique ambiance can encourage customer loyalty.

Stay Cost-Effective : By using a beer and wine license, you avoid the high costs of a full liquor license and still deliver creative cocktails.

Build Community Connections : Engage your local community through events and partnerships that build customer loyalty.

Adapt and Prepare : The restaurant industry is unpredictable. Keep your operations flexible and plan for challenges by managing costs wisely.

The Future of the Restaurant Industry

With restaurant sales projected to exceed $1 trillion in 2024, the competition is fierce. Differentiating your restaurant through a creative cocktail program using a beer and wine license can set you apart. This strategy offers a lower-cost way to serve innovative drinks, attract a wider audience, and control overhead—ultimately helping restaurants survive and thrive in today’s market.

Gino and Henry Santos

Gino and Henry Santos, brothers and founders of Premium Blend®, have been transforming the beverage industry for over 35 years by offering wine-based liquors that empower restaurants with only beer and wine licenses to serve high-quality cocktails. Inspired by their father, Cuban singer-songwriter Orestes Santos, and their experience growing up in a family-owned nightclub, the brothers founded Premium Blend® in 1989 to help restaurants overcome the challenges of costly liquor licenses. Today, Premium Blend® provides not only innovative products but also mixology training, creative recipes, and marketing support, helping local establishments thrive.

Vine Importers LLC is proud, as a small, and family-owned business, to partnership with this family-owned business, who is a door opener, and game changer for so many venues.

Don't hesitate to contact us for getting our comprehensive portfolio with wine-based liquors, and mixers, and we love to come by with a recipe booklet to tell you all about your opportunities when adding cocktails to your menu.

Many thanks to our appreciated partner, Premium Blend®, their founders, and their whole team, for your trust in us, and this amazing opportunity representing their unique wine-based portfolio. Cheers to that!

From Temperatures To Glassware. Here's a Cheat Sheet To Serving Wine

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 22:00:00 GMT

From Temperatures To Glassware. Here's A Cheat Sheet To Serving Wine
(Article by Wine Enthusiast & Dakota Kim)

Throwing a successful dinner party is as much about how you serve your wine as what you serve. Too many people pour wine at the wrong temperature and, even worse, into plastic cups, destroying its decadent flavors and aromas (forget the stemless wine glasses , too).

It’s time to step up your entertaining game. From serving your bottles at perfect temperature to picking the proper stemware, here’s your cheat sheet to serving wine flawlessly.

Sparkling Wine Serving Temperatures and More

Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, Sekt, etc.

Bubblies benefit from chilling. Keeping them at 41–45°F helps preserve the bottle’s effervescence, bringing out its fresh citrus notes and acidity . With vintage Champagnes , serve a bit warmer, 45–50°F, to enhance those toast and biscuit notes.

Time in Fridge: Up to two hours before serving

Stemware Tip: The best wine glasses for sparkling wine may surprise you. The tall, thin flute is designed to highlight Champagne ’s fine, yeasty bouquet, concentrate its creamy textures and preserve its effervescence, but the wine experts we spoke to saw them as mostly for showing off beautiful bubbles.

Instead, Tim Malone, head of winemaking and viticulture at Appassionata Estate , recommends a white wine glass —stemmed with a bowl—to allow the sparkling to breathe, magnifying its rich aromas.

“The white wine glass offers more surface area, and you can get your nose in there and sense more of the aromatics as it’s warming up, whereas the flute is a pocket of gas that can make you cough as you’re inhaling all that carbon dioxide,” Malone says.

For a vintage look, Salomé Dussán, sommelier at Santa Barbara Wine Collective , likes throwing it back to the ’60s and ’70s by serving Champagne in a coupe glass , especially a vintage one. “The coupe is just perfect in my opinion, because the aromas are just going to blast you in your face,” Dussán says.

David Osenbach, sommelier and wine director at Providence , which has two Michelin stars, notes that it’s much harder to swan about a party while carrying a shallow coupe than a flute , though. “If I’m at a party, I want to drink out of a flute because it looks fun, but if I have a prized bottle of older Champagne I want to cherish, I put it in a bigger glass like a white wine glass, for sure,” Osenbach says. “I’ll even decant Champagne to give it more air.”

Light, Dry White Serving Temperatures and More

Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Riesling, etc.

There’s some debate as to the best temperature to serve white light, dry white wines. Malone believes 55°F is ideal, while Osenbach starts a bit colder, around 45–49°F, to give the glass room to warm up. Understanding the wine glass and specific varietal, however, can help to determine the proper temperature. The lighter the wine is in color and style, the colder it should be served to maintain its acidity and freshness.

Time in Fridge: 1½ hours

Stemware Tip: A stemmed wine glass with a U-shaped bowl captures and distributes the wine’s floral and fruity aromas. The rim directs the wine to the front of the palate, balancing acidity and fruit, and the small opening keeps the wine cooler. Don’t use a red wine glass for a light white, since the best wine glass for white wines boast a longer stem. “The reason for this is because the farther away you put your hand from the wine, the longer that wine is going to be cold,” Dussán says.

Rosé Serving Temperatures and More

Rosés are best served slightly warmer than light whites, between 48–53°F, because of their complex fruit flavors and mild tannins. Since rosés can be produced from a number of varieties with different characteristics, the same rule as light, dry whites applies: the lighter in color and style it is, the cooler the serving temperature.

Time in Fridge: Up to 1½ hours

Stemware Tip: A stemmed glass with a bowl that’s slightly tapered at the top works best for mature, full-bodied rosés. A slightly flared lip benefits younger, crisper and sweeter rosés. The lip directs sweetness to the tip of the tongue, where taste buds are most sensitive.

Full-bodied White Serving Temperatures and More

Chardonnay, Albariño, Trebbiano, Viognier, etc.

Serving these complex whites at 50–55°F enhances their layered aromatic characteristics and rich flavors. Tip: The less oaky the wine, the closer to 50°F it should be served. White Burgundy and well-oaked Viognier should be served closer to 55°F.

Time in Fridge: 1 hour

Stemware Tip: The classic Chardonnay glass —stemmed, with a rounded bowl and wide rim—dispenses the acidity and bold flavors evenly to the back and sides of the tongue. This wider-bowled wine glass , similar to a red wine glass, can also be used for older vintage or well-oaked whites.

Skin-Contact White Wine, a.k.a. Orange, Serving Temperatures and More

Wine experts advise you not to serve skin-contact white wines, also known as orange wines, too cold , or you’ll miss out on their fragrant aromas. Osenbach pulls his skin-contact wines from the Providence cellar at 55°F, and allows them to rise to the low 60s by the time they’re poured. “I feel like the texture, the way they’re made, is more like a red wine, even though they’re a white grape, because you’re getting tannins from the skins,” he says.

Time in Fridge: 1 hour

Stemware Tip: A traditional white wine glass is the best wine glass for orange wines, because it allows you to keep a skin-contact white suitably chilled, while enjoying the herbaceous scent and juicy freshness.

Light- to Medium-Bodied Red Serving Temperatures and More

Beaujolais, Valpolicella, Chianti, Dolcetto, Pinot Noir, Nero d'Avola, etc.

The vibrant aromas and flavors of these reds are best highlighted at 54–60°F. If poured too warm, their luscious fruit flavors will taste tart and acidic, ultimately overpowering.

Time in Fridge: 45–60 minutes

Stemware Tip: A Chianti-style wine glass , stemmed with a slightly tapered rim, best accentuates light-bodied wines that are fruit and mineral forward with buoyant acidity. A wider-bowled Pinot Noir wine glass is perfect for more complex, medium-bodied wines with delicate qualities.

Full-bodied Red Serving Temperatures and More

Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah/Shiraz, Merlot, Tempranillo, Malbec, etc.

There’s a misconception that big reds should be served at around 70°F, a temperature that allows the alcohol to dominate flavor. When served at the proper temperature, 60–65°F, full-bodied wines reflect a lush mouthfeel, rounded tannins and well-balanced acidity.

Time in Fridge: 25 minutes

Stemware Tip: Big, bold wines need wide-bowled glasses with greater surface area. It allows the wines’ high acidity, rich fruit and oak characteristics, and alcohol to breathe and sit in proper balance.

Fortified Wine Serving Temperatures and More

Port, Sherry, Madeira, etc.

Again, the lighter in color and style, the cooler these fortified wines should be served. Delicate tawny Ports and fino Sherries are best enjoyed at 57–60°F, while Madeiras and vintage Ports express their dark, complex characteristic best at about 66°F.

Time in Fridge: 20 minutes for the bolder selections; up to 45 minutes for the lighter styles.

Stemware Tip: Because fortified wines have higher alcohol levels than still or sparkling wines, the best wine glasses have short stems and small bowls . The narrow, short opening dulls the alcohol while enhancing the sweetness and subtle nuances on the nose and palate.

But, Wait, There's Even More

Time in Fridge reflects a starting temperature of about 72°F, or room temperature. If your bottles are stored in a cellar or wine refrigerator, chill your whites and reds for 30 minutes. Serve white wines immediately. Let your reds sit at room temperature for another 30 minutes before serving.

Opting for a wine refrigerator is a wise choice, because they help you keep wines at consistent temperatures and closer to serving temperature. Some models offer varied cooling zones, so you can have red wines, white wines and Champagne ready to serve more quickly. If you don’t have a cellar or wine fridge, look for the darkest, coolest spot in your house with a consistent temperature, says Osenbach, even if it’s a touch warmer than you’d like.

Use a bucket filled with equal amounts ice and water to chill wines that were resting on a rack. White wines should be chilled for 20 minutes and red wines should be chilled for 10 minutes before serving. If you don’t have ice, you can wrap the wine bottle in a damp paper towel and put it in the freezer for 20 minutes, but don’t forget to set a timer, or the bottle may shatter. Take it out by the 20-minute mark, uncork it and let it breathe for five to eight minutes before serving, says Dussán.

Use common sense when selecting your wine chilling temperature. If you’re serving a multicourse meal or guests are slow drinkers who tend to linger over a wine glass, chill your wines to the colder range of the appropriate temperature, says Osenbach. “Err on the side of colder, because you can’t make the wine colder once it’s been served, but it will get warmer,” he says.

However, chill it too cold, and “you can mute everything you want to know about the wine: the aromas, as well as your palate,” Dussán says. “Too cold, and the aroma doesn’t tell you anything about the wine. We need to apply the correct temperature.”

A Bit About Decanting and Aerating
Decant young, tannic reds and old-vintage wines for about 30 minutes. The young wines’ tannins will soften, and secondary characteristics will shine through. Aged wines with loads of fruit character and heavy oak treatment will open up and express a well-balanced mouthfeel.

When should you aerate rather than decant your wine? The main advantage of aeration devices is speed, since an aerator can provide results in minutes rather than half an hour.

Aerate only bold, young wines. Never aerate a delicate aged wine . “For decanting versus aeration, it depends on the age of the wine, more than the type,” says Dussán. “The aerator will help a little to open the wine to the air, but if I have wines that are older than five years old, I definitely want to decant them.”

Aerating wine is controversial with wine experts. “Aeration to me is like using a baseball bat on a bottle of wine,” says Malone. “Decanting is so much more delicate. I see people take aged wines and put them through an aerator. What are you doing? It’s already aged; use the aerator on a young wine.”

According to Malone, you don’t even need a fancy decanter. “People talk about more surface space, but get the wine into a vessel—I use juice carafes at home—and it’ll decant.”
If you do opt for a wine decanter, Osenbach recommends a generously-sized decanter that can accommodate more than 750 milliliters, with a simple design that’s easy to clean, and a wide base to expose more surface area of the wine to the air.

Thanks so much for this thrilling article.

From Vine to Vision: Insights from the Washington State Wine Commission

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 21:02:19 GMT

From Wine to Vision: Insights from the Washington State Wine Commission
Conversation with Malvika Patel, Editor and VP, Beverage Trade Network

A conversation on terroir, trends, and tomorrow for Washington Wine

This blog is dedicated to our appreciated partner Maryhill Winery in Goldendale, WA

We have the honor to act as their exclusive distributor in State of Florida.

Washington State has become a renowned name in the world of wine, celebrated not only for the quality of its wines but also for the unique geography and climate that shape its signature styles. Led by the Washington State Wine Commission, the industry is gaining international attention for its bold and balanced expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot. With Executive Director Kristina Kelley at the helm, the Commission is sharpening its focus on what makes Washington distinct: a combination of high diurnal shifts, volcanic soils, and rain-shadowed valleys that yield wines of exceptional complexity and depth. In this interview, Kelley shares how the Commission leverages these assets to tell Washington’s wine story worldwide, navigates market challenges, and champions sustainability. Her insights reveal a strategic, resilient approach that ensures Washington’s wines reach tables across the globe.

Washington’s unique climate—with high diurnal shifts and minimal rainfall in key AVAs—has become central to its signature grape profiles. Could you share how the Commission is leveraging this distinctiveness in its marketing and branding efforts, especially for varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot, which have put Washington on the map?

Washington’s climate and geology are everything! Put simply, long days, cool nights, rain shadow effects, and diurnal shifts, along with our volcanic soils and the mighty Columbia River, are why we can grow world-class grapes and produce world-class wine. This is the beginning of the very distinctive Washington story and the foundation on which every supporting story sits.

Washington’s most recent harvest showed a marked reduction in tonnage compared to the 2016 record. How is the Commission addressing the challenges or opportunities presented by fluctuating harvest yields, and what impact do these shifts have on long-term strategies for Washington’s wine reputation?

The global wine industry is experiencing an oversupply situation, and Washington is no exception. Our industry is working to balance supply.

The Washington State Wine Commission is funded through grape and wine assessments, and therefore, our budget changes alongside industry and market shifts every year. We have experience adjusting our budget and will remain agile to prioritize work that drives the growth of Washington wine.

Washington Wine's reputation isn't based on production numbers but on the quality we offer across the board at every price point. We recently ran an analysis that found that 80% of Washington wines rated by top wine publications in the past year scored 90+ points.

The Washington wine industry has a long history of being creative, collaborative, and resilient, and we will continue to work together to find new ways to reach the next generation of consumers.

With 90% of Washington wineries producing under 5,000 cases, boutique operations are vital to Washington’s wine identity. How does the Commission balance promoting smaller wineries while supporting the scalability of the state’s larger producers, especially when marketing to national and international audiences?

The Washington State Wine Commission represents all wineries and growers in the state. Our events and programs are typically open to everybody, and we encourage wide participation. Our largest consumer event, Taste Washington, is open for winery registration on a first-come, first-served basis, regardless of size. During our two wine months, we send out toolkits that wineries can utilize in many different ways depending on their size, scope, and customer base—everything from social messaging to point-of-sale collateral to activation examples and more.

When we activate outside of the Pacific Northwest, we generally partner with wineries that have distribution nationally or are looking to gain distribution internationally.

All of our wineries and vineyards are part of the WA Wine story, and we work to find a balance depending on the program and audience.

Sustainability has become a key part of Washington wine’s appeal, especially with programs like Sustainable WA. Can you discuss the impact and growth of these initiatives, and how the Commission is helping growers and producers integrate sustainable practices to enhance both environmental responsibility and wine quality?

Sustainable farming has long been part of our DNA here in Washington. In 2022, our industry collectively took a huge step forward with the launch of our statewide certification program, Sustainable WA. This rigorous, third-party certification ensures the industry will be environmentally sound, socially equitable, and economically viable for generations to come.

Certified sustainability is vital to the health and vitality of our industry, especially as younger consumers gravitate toward sustainable products. We're very proud that a third of our vineyard acreage is in the Sustainable WA program, and we look forward to seeing more Sustainable WA-labeled wines out in the world.

Washington’s diurnal temperature variation contributes significantly to the balance and complexity of its wines. Are there specific AVAs or varieties where you’re seeing particularly exciting results from this climate characteristic?

Washington has some of the most dramatic daily temperature fluctuations of any wine region worldwide. During the growing season, this diurnal shift ranges from 35 to as much as 47 degrees between daytime high and nighttime low temperatures. The warm temperatures ripen the fruit, and then the rapid cooling helps to preserve natural acidity, creating near-perfect conditions for growing wine grapes.

This diurnal shift is a hallmark of the Columbia Valley, which encompasses 99% of the winegrape acreage in Washington. Though we are home to 21 distinct growing areas, the majority of our fruit is grown within the Columbia Valley and its sub-AVAs, and the diurnal shift is common across these vineyards.

Washington is home to over 80 grape varieties, reflecting a growing diversity beyond its core red and white staples. How is the Commission promoting this varietal expansion—such as Albariño, Grenache, and Petit Verdot—to differentiate Washington wines in competitive markets?

Washington is home to more than 80 grape varieties, but the top seven varieties make up nearly 90 percent of the wine produced in the state each year. We focus on our driver varieties in messaging and outreach efforts but view our diversity as a strength and a way to show off the range of what we can produce. We love showing small-lot wines to trade and media to reinforce our culture of innovation and experimentation.

With such a strong in-state presence and economic impact, what are the Commission’s top priorities for expanding Washington’s recognition in markets like Europe and Asia? Are there specific campaigns or partnerships in place to grow the international profile of Washington wines?

Washington wines have a strong domestic reputation; expanding globally is essential to establishing Washington as a world-class wine region. Our top priority is educating international trade and consumers about Washington's unique terroir, varietals, and sustainable practices—key elements that set our wines apart.

We work with local partners in our selected target markets to create tailored strategies. These include planning inbound trade missions that give international wine professionals a firsthand experience of Washington and build lifelong ambassadors for our wines. We also collaborate with the Oregon Wine Board to host in-market international events celebrating the unique culture of the Pacific Northwest.

Finally, we highlight Washington’s commitment to sustainability and innovation, appealing to eco-conscious consumers in markets like Japan and the Nordics, which helps us stand out on the global stage.

Contributing over $9.5 billion annually to the state’s economy, Washington wine clearly plays a pivotal economic role. Beyond marketing, how does the Commission envision further integrating wine into Washington’s cultural fabric, perhaps by collaborating with tourism or culinary sectors?

We believe wine is an integral part of Washington's culture, and we regularly collaborate with tourism partners, including State of Washington Tourism and Destination Marketing organizations around the state, to weave wine into the greater Washington story.

One of our key initiatives is hosting inbound tours, as we know that the best way to promote our beautiful state is to show it off in person. In September, we hosted 57 influential members of the wine trade from 23 states for a Washington Wine Road Trip, an immersive experience through our wine country. We host trade and media groups for highly individualized trips throughout the year showcasing our vineyards, wineries, and the larger community.

The WSU Wine Science Center has positioned Washington as a hub for viticulture research. What recent research initiatives have you found especially impactful, and how does the Commission leverage this knowledge to support the industry’s evolution and resilience?

The WSU Wine Science Center, a state-of-the-art viticulture and enology teaching and research facility, allows research to be conducted from berry to bottle. A major thrust of current research is to develop tools for the industry to help mitigate any impact from smoke exposure. Another area we focus on is sustainability. We are collaborating on research to develop new tools for growers in the areas of pest management, weed control, and a better understanding of soil health. Two examples include studying a sex pheromone to control grape mealybug, a small insect that can spread a debilitating virus through the vineyard, and using ultra-violet C rays on grapevines to control powdery mildew. These research projects also support the industry's new sustainable certification program. The WSWC works closely with Washington State University scientists to share new learnings with the industry through various venues, from research-focused newsletters, seminars, webinars, and workshops to help growers and winemakers implement research outcomes.

As the Commission works toward its vision of “Washington Wine on every table,” what milestones or benchmarks are you aiming to achieve over the next five years? How do you foresee shifts in consumer preferences—such as sustainability and premiumization—impacting this vision?

Overall, we will focus on growing dollar share rather than volume share. We'll also tell stories about our community and create connections for the next generation of consumers.

Above all else, we will continue to make data-driven decisions to inform our work. We understand that benchmarks may continue to evolve, and we will remain nimble to evolve our initiatives and tactics to best support our industry. A big part of this is continuing to work with partners to help us understand changing consumer preferences. Given our overall diversity and quality at every price point, we are well-poised to deliver here. We’re optimistic about the future!

Conclusion:

The Washington State Wine Commission continues to celebrate Washington’s distinctive terroir while embracing a vision for broader recognition. By driving sustainability, supporting both boutique wineries and large-scale producers, and staying agile in a shifting global market, Washington Wine is well-prepared to meet the evolving preferences of consumers. With Washington's wines already recognized for quality and diversity, the Commission's commitment to growth signals a promising future. As Kelley and her team work towards realizing their vision of “Washington Wine on every table,” they remain rooted in the strength of their terroir and the collaborative spirit that defines Washington’s wine community.

Autumnal pumpkin cream soup with Rimuss Sparkling White

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 15:05:41 GMT

Autumnal pumpkin cream soup with non-alcoholic Rimuss Sparkling White

Autumnal pumpkin cream soup with Rimuss Sparkling White n/a

Autumn time is pumpkin time - Cozy games spend evenings with friends in the warm living room. We have put together the ideal recipe for you with our n/a Sparkling White.

1.54 lbs pumpkin flesh

some butter

1 onion (large, cut into cubes)

1 garlic clove (pressed)

0.44 lbs cream (liquid)

16.90 oz White Sparkling Rimuss

8.45 oz chicken broth

1 tsp curry powder

some nutmeg

some pepper

salt

Steam the onion and garlic cloves in the butter. Add finely chopped pumpkin flesh. Sprinkle the curry over it and deglaze with the liquid (broth and wine). Add the cream at the end. Cook until soft (about 20 minutes), then puree everything with a blender. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. ENJOY!

Create your creamy, spicy Autumn cocktail

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 13:55:00 GMT

Create your creamy, slightly spicy, and autumnal cocktail

This creamy, slightly spicy, and autumnal cocktail stands out with the crunch of pumpkin seeds and the balanced flavors of vanilla, cinnamon, and maple syrup.

Ingredients:

5 cl Vodka (distilled Vodka, or wine-based, fermented Vodka, KLIR RED, available with us)
2 cl vanilla liqueur (or vanilla syrup)
3 cl almond milk (or coconut milk for a creamier version)
1 tablespoon ground pumpkin seeds
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 pinch of nutmeg
1 cl maple syrup (or honey)
Ice cubes
Whole and ground pumpkin seeds for garnish

Steps (preparing the ground pumpkin seeds):

Lightly toast a handful of pumpkin seeds
Grind them finely with a coffee grinder or blender

In a shaker:

Add the vodka, vanilla liqueur, almond milk, ground pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup.
Fill with ice cubes.

Shake vigorously:

Shake for 15-20 seconds to mix well and chill the cocktail.

Strain and serve:

Strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice or serve without ice according to your preference.

Garnish:

Sprinkle with ground pumpkin seeds
Add a few whole seeds for decoration.
Option: Serve in a hollowed-out small pumpkin for a festive visual effect.

CHEERS TO AUTUMN, AND HOLIDAY SEASON!

How To Pair Wine With Pie

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 20:33:53 GMT

How To Pair Wine With Pie Article written by Lauren Dana Ellman for Wine Enthusiast

Fall is in full swing , and with that, pie season is, too. We’re excited to tuck into everything from all-American classics like apple and pumpkin pie to citrus-forward varieties like Key lime and lemon meringue pie. That’s not to mention underrated offerings like creamy peanut butter and chess pies. Being who we are, of course, we’ll be pairing every slice with a glass of wine.

To help uncover the best wine and pie pairings, we asked several sommeliers from across the globe to weigh in. They had a lot of thoughts on what makes a great one.

“Pie is all about generosity, creaminess and smoothness,” says Philippe Marques, chef sommelier at the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa in Champagne . “These are the characteristics you will look for in your wines, [choosing a] level of sweetness [to balance] the sweetness of the dessert.”

Wine should be sweeter than the pie with which it’s paired, but there are some exceptions. “Pies like chess pie, which are very sweet, are sometimes better balanced with spice and acidity to not over sweeten your palate,” stresses Sara Jimenez of Somm In The City .

Additionally, when it comes to any fruit-flavored pie, Jimenez says it “helps to match the flavors of the fruit with the fruit flavors in the wine.” However, as with anything else, “don’t be afraid to try new things.” You may be pleasantly surprised by unexpected flavor and texture combinations.

Pumpkin Pie

With its smooth and creamy texture and a sweet-savory flavor profile dominated by warm spices, pumpkin pie is a time-honored classic. With this in mind, it only makes sense to pair it with one of the world’s most beloved wine varietals: Chardonnay .

“Chardonnay tends to see new oak and malolactic fermentation during the winemaking process, which imparts notes of baking spices and a velvet-like texture,” says Sean Haarberg, VIP hospitality and account manager at Trinitas Cellars at The Meritage Resort & Spa in Napa Valley. “The pairing accentuates each item’s savory decadence while expanding the flavor spectrum with notes of orchard and citrus fruits.”

You May Also Like: Whiskey Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Key Lime Pie

Haarberg recommends pairing your Key lime pie—famous for its tangy flavor and creamy texture—with a sparkling brut rosé .

The result? “A refreshing citrus and red berry explosion framed by confectionery pastry notes,” he explains. “The term ‘brut’ denotes a dry wine, which is key, as the accompanying acidity will cut through and provide lift to the sweetness and fat of the Key lime pie.”

Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon meringue pie has a light and airy texture courtesy of silky and citrusy custard and ultra-fluffy meringue. According to Bella Babbit, wine director at the NoMad London , nothing pairs better with it than “a richer style of Champagne —especially a Blanc de Noir .”

Per the pro, the creaminess of the Blanc de Noir—a white wine made with dark-skinned grapes—“really balances the tart flavors of the pie while still being able to stand up to the richness.”

Blueberry Pie

With its sugary, juicy filling, blueberry pie requires a wine capable of balancing its ample sweetness.

“Choosing a wine with body and structure along with red fruit and just the right amount of tannins is essential,” says Jimenez. She recommends pairing the pie with a Cabernet Sauvignon with “dark currant and cherry tones.”

Pecan Pie

Crunchy and creamy, sweet and nutty, pecan pie features a unique combination of flavors and textures. According to Jimenez, it’s best enjoyed with a tall glass of Oloroso Sherry .

This dry wine, produced in Andalucia in southern Spain, has a nutty, spicy aroma and complex flavor profile, which includes notes of caramel and dried fruit. “The acidity in the Oloroso will help balance that true pecan pie sugary-sweetness,” she says. In addition, the pecans “pair nice[ly] with the wood, tobacco and balsamic notes in the wine.”

You May Also Like: Bourbon, Almond and Pecan Pie

Apple Pie

Apple pie, with its sweet-tart filling amped up with cinnamon and other aromatic spices, is a match for Sauternes . This sweet, full-bodied white wine, named for the French region in which it’s produced, is made with grapes with an ultra-concentrated flavor due to Botrytis (a fungus affectionately known as “noble rot”).

The combo is especially effective with apple pies made with tart Granny Smith apples. “The sweetness of the wine balances the acidity and then is complemented by the spice and buttery pie crust,” says Jimenez.

You May Also Like: Whiskey Old Fashioned Apple Pie Recipe

Peanut Butter Pie

Rich, creamy, and silky smooth, this pie features a decadent combination of peanut butter, cream cheese, sugar and, depending on the recipe, either a whipped topping or heavy cream.

When it comes to a just-right wine pairing, Marques can “only think of Madeira .” The wine has a rich, caramelized flavor that offers a unique combination of “sweetness, saltiness from the sea and a subtle bitterness [that] create[s] a great match with peanut butter.”

Cherry Pie

Most cherry pie recipes call for the addition of lemon juice, which confers a subtle tartness To cut through it, Jimenez recommends enjoying cherry pie alongside a glass of Beaujolais .

“You want to consider weight and mouthfeel—cherry pie is heavier with sweet and tart notes,” she says. In contrast, Beaujolais offers lightness along with fruity and floral notes.

Chess Pie

A quintessential Southern dessert, ooey-gooey chess pie has a sweet, custardy filling made with sugar, butter and eggs. Pair it with Gewürztraminer , a pink-skinned, slightly spicy white wine grape that’s produced all over the world, including Alsace (France), Pfalz (Germany), Yakima Valley (Washington State) and the Finger Lakes (New York).

“Its acidity will really help cut through those heavy, sweet, delicious pie layers,” says Jimenez. She’s especially partial to examples from the Finger Lakes, which offer a “balance of stone fruit and spice.”

Many thanks for this Autumn-inspired article, written by Lauren Dana Ellman .

What’s Causing Your Wine Headache? It Might Not Be Sulfites

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 19:09:33 GMT

What’s Causing Your Wine Headache? It Might Not Be Sulfites Article written by Jamie Goode for WE

Sulfites have been said to cause adverse reactions in some wine drinkers, but a recent research paper by Sophie Parker-Thomson argues that bottlings made without added sulfites might be more apt to generate symptoms like headaches or watery eyes.

Instead of sulfites, Parker-Thomson writes, the culprit is more likely to be a group of compounds called biogenic amines (BA).

Present in all fermented food and drink, biogenic amines increase with food spoilage. They’re produced from amino acids via enzymic activity in living organisms like microbes, most often a subset of bacteria. The best-known biogenic amine, histamine, is produced when microbes remove carbon dioxide from the amino acid histidine.

Histamine is produced by the body and is involved in immune and allergic responses. If you experience hay fever, you might pop an antihistamine pill to decrease your body’s production of this biogenic amine.

Other biogenic amines found in food and wine include tyramine, putrescine and phenylethylamine. In large amounts, all can cause unpleasant side effects. It would be wrong to think of them as toxins, however, because each performs essential physiological roles.

Normally, dietary biogenic amines aren’t a problem because enzymes called monoamine oxidases (MAO) and diamine oxidases (DAO) metabolize them. But if these enzymes are inhibited, or if the compounds are present in excessive levels in food or drink, then they can cause responses like headaches, breathing difficulties, hypertension or hypotension, allergic reactions and palpitations.

Almost all wines have some sulfites added because they can ward off bad microbes and protect from oxidation. But at higher levels, some asthmatics experience adverse reactions. A wine with more than 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of sulfur dioxide must declare it “contains sulfites” on the label. Because of this, people who suffer adverse effects to some wines may blame it on the sulfites.

Fortunately, it’s simple to make wines with low biogenic amines by controlling microbial growth. A blast of sulfur dioxide at grape reception or crushing will eliminate bacteria and many wild yeasts from developing during the early stages of fermentation.

“Higher pH and minimum SO2 addition certainly favor biogenic amine production, even at an early stage of reception of grapes,” says Dr. Sibylle Krieger, head of research on wine bacteria at Lallemand Oenoloy .

A dose of sulfur dioxide also clears the path for winemakers to add a selected strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for fermentation. When finished, winemakers might choose to inoculate malolactic fermentation through a specific strain of lactic acid bacteria that has low biogenic amine production. Finally, the wine receives another substantial dose of sulfur dioxide to further protect against biogenic amines.

If you want to achieve low sulfite levels, Krieger says, it’s best to inoculate the wine to inhibit biogenic amine production. This prevents the bad microbes from taking residence.

Many commercial wines are made with these biogenic-amine-safe methods, but in recent years, premium wine producers have moved away from microbial control. And many natural wine proponents either avoid sulfites completely or add them only at bottling, resulting in wines that can have ample biogenic amines.

And so, the question for all winemakers to consider is: How much is too much BA? There are no legal limits in food, apart from fish. Will biogenic amines in wines, even those made without added sulfites, ever be problematic for the vast majority of consumers?

In her research paper, Parker-Thomson implies that wines made no added sulfites should have a warning label.

“There is also a strong argument that wines with very high BA levels should carry a warning, as these toxic levels pose a risk even to healthy individuals when moderate amounts of these wines are consumed,” she writes. “The results of this study show that wines made with no-low-SO2 are most likely to have the highest BA levels.

“If SO2 additions are unconscionable for the natural wine movement perhaps zero-added- SO2 wines should carry a mandatory high-BA warning unless they can prove otherwise,” she writes.

Doug Wregg, who works for Les Caves de Pyrene , a UK-based import agency that specializes in natural wine, takes issue with this.

“This smacks of bureaucratic meddling, but it is based on a weird inversion of the truth,” says Wregg. “Wine contains a myriad of substances, which may only be injurious to health when consumed in very high quantities. When you look at the lab results, there are traces of mercury in many wines. Would you put ‘contains mercury’ on the label?”

He compares BA to sulfites, which are present in an array of foods. He mentions a recent, potentially allergic reaction he had to sulfites in mortadella.

“Sulfite in itself is not toxic, but our diet, our lifestyle, can create intolerances and allergic reactions which are triggered by high sulfite levels,” he says. “At least, according to my experience.

“Finally, there is the thin-end-of-the-wedge argument,” he says. “Labeling a wine as having high biogenic amines, which is a feature, rather than additive, you might as well add every single addition and process, in case one or other, singly or in combination, has a health implication for a particular individual. Most histamine-intolerant individuals know not to drink wine, red wine in particular.”

Wine isn’t particularly high in BA when compared to published levels found in other foods. Red wine contains 19.6 mg/L of histamine, while white wine has just 1.1 mg/L. Two-day old fish contains 209 mg/L, while canned tuna (60 mg/L), fermented soy (46.2 mg/L) and fresh fish (23 mg/L) all contain more histamines than wine.

BA content is difficult to legislate because we don’t know what levels are dangerous to most people. And individual reactions can vary dramatically. Some antidepressants can inhibit enzymes and cause amine sensitivity. Smokers reportedly show a 30% reduction in the activity of these enzymes. Alcohol can also suppress their activity.

If authorities insist on a low-BA winemaking protocol, this would effectively kill the natural wine movement. To analyze wines for biogenic amines would place a significant cost and administrative burden on winegrowers.

Not everyone is convinced that biogenic amines are a problem in wine.

“There has always been some confusion between allergic responses to certain wines, and the first jump is usually that it is due to one of the biogenic amines,” says wine scientist Roger Boulton, professor emeritus of enology at University of California, Davis. “I have never been convinced… that there is a link or an issue.”

Others point out that alcohol itself is a toxin.

“Given that wine has typically 12–14% ethanol, a known carcinogen, I personally choose not to worry about these small concentrations of biogenic amines,” says Marcus Herderich of the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), an industry group.

The AWRI surveyed mean histamine concentrations in Australian red and white wines from 2003–2009 and found they contained 1.75 and 0.59 mg/L, respectively. Its study claims that the levels of histamine needed to cause physiological responses would need to be much larger.

“Adding unnecessary and unwarranted health warnings doesn’t help anyone in the sector,” says Herderich. “The principle of labeling for any potential problem compound in wine is complete nonsense.”

For wine lovers who are sensitive to biogenic amines, it might be best to avoid those that have been through malolactic fermentation. This information can be hard to find, though it includes some Chardonnays and Viogniers , and most red wines.

If reds are desired, seek those from a big brand that’s likely to include hefty doses of sulfur dioxide from the start.

But it’s too soon, and perhaps counterproductive, to start flagging biogenic amines in wine as a health hazard.

Thanks to Jamie Goode for this interesting article.

What’s the Difference Between Organic and Biodynamic Wine?

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 12:13:39 GMT

What’s the Difference Between Organic and Biodynamic Wine? Article written by Hannah Selinger for WE

Organic. Biodynamic. Natural. What does it all mean? As the wine world marches toward eco-consciousness and sustainability, consumers are left with more buzzwords, and more questions.

The distinction between organic, biodynamic and natural is sometimes murky. The terms often describe overlapping, but not interchangeable qualities. Technically, what is a certified organic wine? What does it mean to adopt biodynamic practices in the vineyard? How does “natural winemaking” come into play? Let’s break the terminology down into its component parts.

What is organic wine?

So, what does “organic” mean when it comes to wine? In the U.S., organic wine falls into two categories: wine that’s organic, and wine made with organically grown grapes.

Organic wines certified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have stricter regulations. The grapes are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, and all ingredients going into these wines, which includes yeast, must be certified organic. No sulfites may be added to these wines, although some that occur naturally are permitted. Only these wines may display the USDA organic seal.

Jonathan and Katrina Frey were the first winemakers in California to embrace organic winemaking at Frey Vineyards , 39 years ago. Since then, the movement has taken off.

“We started on a period of experimentation in the ’80s to make additive-free wines, which is what we still do,” says Jonathan. “We just make wine in a pure style. We don’t use additives, but we do use modern winemaking equipment… We were there early, but I think it’s just a trend that’s growing.”

“Made with organically grown grapes” means the wine must be made entirely from certified organic grapes. Additional ingredients used in the winemaking process need not be organic, but they cannot be produced with the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.

Wines must be produced and bottled in an organic facility, and sulfites must be limited to 100 parts per million or less. Although these wines can state on their labels to have been made with organic grapes, they cannot use the USDA’s organic seal.

In 2012, the European Union began to allow winemakers to use “organic wine” on their labels. Prior to that, wines were labeled as “made from organic grapes.”

The most notable difference between organic American and organic European wines is the amount of sulfites permitted in the final product. While USDA-certified organic wines can contain virtually no sulfites at all, their EU counterparts can contain up to 100 parts per million of sulfites like non-USDA-certified organic wines in the U.S.

Canada’s top organic standard is closer to the USDA. In Canada, a wine labeled “100% organic” must be produced using certified organic grapes and contain no added sulfites.

Canadian winemakers also have the option to designate their wines as “organic” if they were made with a minimum of 95% certified organic grapes and contain very low levels of sulfites. Wines in Canada can be labeled as “made with organic grapes,” which is an unofficial distinction for bottlings made with a minimum of 70% organic grapes and added sulfites.

What is biodynamic wine?

Biodynamic winemaking is a governing practice that goes back nearly a century. Unlike organic winemaking, the distinction of biodynamic does not change between countries.

Started in the 1920s by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner , biodynamics represent a method of farming based around a specific astronomic calendar. Each day coincides with one of the elements: earth, fire, air and water. Days are organized by fruit days (preferable for grape harvesting), root days (pruning), leaf days (watering) and flower days, where the vineyard should be untouched.

Biodynamic practices don’t go solely by this calendar, however. Steiner also instructed followers to use fertilization preparations. One technique used in biodynamic farming involves cow horns filled with compost that are buried in the vineyards, only to be dug up later.

If you’ve seen “biodynamic” and “organic” grouped together, there’s a reason for that. Biodynamic wines employ organic practices, as they avoid pesticides and depend on compost, rather than chemical fertilizer. The majority of these wines are, therefore, also organic in practice.

Certified biodynamic wines, however, are permitted to contain up to 100 parts per million of sulfites, far more than the USDA or top Canadian standard for certified organic wines. In short, a wine that’s organic is not necessarily biodynamic, even if a wine that is biodynamic is often organic.

In 1985, Demeter USA was founded, a nonprofit organization dedicated to biodynamic practices in wine. Demeter International represents 45 countries.

What is natural wine?

The commonly agreed definition of low-intervention or natural wine is one that is fermented spontaneously with native yeast. These wines are largely unmanipulated and contain only trace amounts of added sulfites.

Such wines are neither filtered nor fined, which means they may contain particulates or appear cloudy, since there may be dissolved solids that remain in suspension. The steps involved in filtering and fining require additional products like collagen and egg whites, which are not commonly accepted for use in natural wines.

This category is meant to define wines that have gone through the bare minimum in terms of chemical or winemaker intervention. These wines are often not aged in oak. With their lack of sulfites and other non-interventionist factors, these wines may have limited stability and are typically produced in smaller quantities.

Can a natural wine be certified organic? If the grape growing adheres to organic standards, then yes. Can they also be biodynamic? So long as the winemaker employs the biodynamic requirements like the calendar and composting, they can be that, too. Because it’s more rigorous to have a wine labeled organic than natural, many winemakers prefer to skip this regulatory distinction altogether.

Here are some winemakers who have pushed the boundaries in each of these categories.

Thanks so much to Hannah Selinger for this interesting article.

What Does a Wine Consultant Do (And How Can You Become One)?

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 15:26:15 GMT

What Does a Wine Consultant Do (And How Can You Become One)? Article written by Kelsey Ogletree

The vague job title of “consultant” often begs the question: What does this person actually do? As in other industries, wine consultants can work in a vast array of different capacities, from production to service or retail . Regardless of their personal niche, they generally provide professional advice or service to various players in the wine industry.

If your vision of a wine consultant is someone who sits around and sips wine all day, you may be partially correct. But it’s not all glamor and takes much more skill and experience than just an appreciation for good Pinot. Here’s what to know if you’re thinking of becoming one.

What is a wine consultant?

While the role of a wine consultant is largely shaped by the individual and may include different areas of specialization, most tend to fall into one (or more) of four categories within the industry: restaurants, private collectors, vineyards and wineries.

Restaurant wine consultants

Wine consultants in this space advise bars and restaurants on everything from designing and diversifying wine programs to hiring sommeliers and wine directors. They may also help with operations and creating sales programs for restaurant and hotel clients.

After he worked as a sommelier in restaurants for years, New York-based Jeff Porter left his role in 2019 to pursue a career as an independent consultant.

“[Creating] the wine list is the sexy part—the human parts are always the hardest,” says Porter. Some weeks, he’s dressed to the nines helping set up a wine program at a luxury hotel in Piedmont, Italy, while others he’s sweating through a T-shirt unpacking 150 cases of wine at Barclays Center, a sport and entertainment complex in Brooklyn, New York.

Private Collector Wine Consultants

This type of wine consultant helps private collectors build and manage their wine collections and procure rare vintages. They often travel to wine regions throughout the world, with or without the collector, to handle sourcing and logistics for their collection.

Thatcher Baker-Briggs in San Francisco launched his wine consulting business in 2019 after 16 years working in restaurants. Today, his global clientele ranges from professional athletes to venture capitalists. He’s constantly on the move, often traveling three weeks out of the month. A day’s work may be spent in transit, or with clients on their private planes or yachts, wine tasting from 9am until well past midnight.

“It’s incredible, but you need to remain in control and also [remember] that there’s a whole business that still needs to be run,” says Baker-Briggs.

Vineyard Consultants

Wine consultants for vineyards focus on the grape growing process from an agricultural perspective . This often means being familiar with the fruit down to a molecular level, with a goal of maximizing a terroir’s presence in the wine’s flavor profile. This kind of consultant may also work with individuals planting a new vineyard.

California-based Prudy Foxx earned her degree in environmental science before working as a vineyard manager, then as a researcher, biologist and practicing viticulturist. These experiences paved the way for her to found Foxx Viticulture 25 years ago.

“I make wine looking at the chemistry and what it is that brings wine to its full potential,” she says. Foxx uses the winter months to attend seminars, tasting panels and wine education classes. The rest of the year is spent visiting vineyards and talking with growers about how to improve their processes.

Winery Consultants

This type of wine consultant may be involved in the day-to-day operations in the vineyards and at production facilities. They can oversee vineyard relationships, monitoring and taking samples from vines to inform picking and fermentation decisions, and supervising a vintage’s production up through bottling.

Marketing responsibilities are also frequently involved. This can include meeting with media outlets for wine tastings and reviews, hosting release parties or planning events.

Sonoma, California-based Katy Wilson of LaRue Wines earned a degree in viticulture and agricultural business, and made her own wine before branching out to consulting in 2012. She focuses on small, family-owned wineries who hire her for her hands-on winemaking approach, as well as her business and accounting knowledge.

“During harvest, I do not take a day off for about three months,” says Wilson. “I believe that you have one chance each year to get it right and I do not want to be away from my wines during fermentation.”

How to break into wine consulting

Paths to the many different roles in wine consulting are varied, but here’s what experts say make a good foundation.

Walk vineyards. Good wine starts in the vineyard. To really know what good wine is, Foxx says it means knowing the vines . If you want to become a wine consultant, you need to be able to appreciate the entire process from vine to glass.

“Go in and taste the fresh grapes even before they’re ripe,” she says. It will help you connect viticulture to wine.

Taste a lot of wine. Perhaps the most fun part of the job, Baker-Briggs stresses that the only way to truly understand the countless wine regions, vintages and producers of the world is to always be tasting. “You need to put yourself in positions where you can learn to taste, to the point where [you’re not] consulting based on what books say, but based on your own experience,” he says.

Though you can further your knowledge by frequenting events, winery tastings or building a personal collection, often the best way to amass broad wine experience is to work in high-end restaurants or wine retail shops.

Get (a lot of) restaurant experience. You can’t become a wine consultant overnight. Restaurants are where many of the best consultants start out, earning years of practical experience in buying, tasting and serving a large variety of wines in a professional context.

You don’t have to work your way up to a wine director title, but the more years you have under your belt, the easier the transition to independent wine consultant will be. “[More experience] will allow you to be great at service and talking to people when you’re under pressure about understanding variation in bottles,” says Baker-Briggs.

Take a few wine courses. A sommelier certification can be nice to have, though it’s not a requirement. Fox says it’s beneficial to take wine sensory classes, such as those offered at UC Davis or the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) , that teach you how to identify tasting notes in wines.

“You have to know what’s wrong with wine to be able to tell what’s right,” says Foxx. Once you’ve honed this skill, get involved in tasting panels to put your palate to work while meeting more people in the wine industry.

Develop strong networking skills. While it’s possible to make a living consulting for a few large clients, you never know when one might say, “my wine cellar’s full, I don’t need you anymore,” says Baker-Briggs. You need to constantly develop a network of new client leads to grow your business and have stability as a freelance consultant.

Have some foundational business knowledge. You don’t need an MBA to start wine consulting, but it’s helpful to seek out information on running a business , whether that’s through online training, research or college courses.

Develop a basic business plan before negotiating with potential clients. Make sure this includes an outline for how and what you’re going to charge. Porter says he prefers working on a project rate rather than hourly, and to base rates on your experience and the value you can show you’ll provide to a client.

Establish a personal brand. Working as a wine consultant gives you the freedom to put your hard-earned wine knowledge to work by being of service to others while building a sustainable business out of a personal passion. Even if your wine knowledge is supreme, though, you can’t skip basics like creating a website that clearly explains what you do, what you expect to offer clients, and a professional email address.

“Those little details are the things that take it to the next level, and they’re important if you’re going to grow your business,” says Baker-Briggs.

You’ll need a healthy drive to succeed, too. “There is no one telling you where to be or what to do,” says Wilson. “If you are not a self-motivator, then it is very hard to be a wine consultant.”

Many thanks to Kelsey for this very interesting article, written for Wine Enthusiast in September 2022.

What is a Cru?

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 15:17:11 GMT

What is a Cru? Article written by Lauren Mowery for Wine Enthusiast

French wine labels can be incredibly confusing. The labels indicate the region a wine was produced, but not always the grapes used. For instance, the words “Grand” and “Premier” are used a lot, but even though premier means first in French, grand usually appears on the better wine. And then there’s the word “cru” which takes on different meanings across various French wine regions.

Cru translates to “growth.” More precisely, it references a great or superior growing site or vineyard, a concept linked to the French notion of terroir. Soil, climate, altitude, aspect and the right variety create a synergy recognized as a cru. Though the term is used throughout France, it’s not always applied in the same manner. The concept is also employed in countries like Germany and Italy, though with subtle differences and implications.

Here’s a look how the word cru is used around France, Germany and Italy.

Crus in France

Burgundy

Burgundy can be a complex region to understand. Yet, its classification system is relatively simple. Grand Cru is the top dog, while the tier just below it is named Premier Cru.

A cru in Burgundy designates a high-quality vineyard. Often, they’re split into parcels owned by different wineries or estates. These classifications are based on observation that began with 12th-century Cistercian and Benedictine monks in the Côte d’Or. Every vineyard in Burgundy is classified into this hierarchy. Grand Cru is at the top of the pyramid, followed by Premier Cru, the “village” wines, with the generic Bourgogne category at the bottom.

Burgundy’s Cru Hierarchy
• Grand Cru
• Premier Cru
• “Village” wines
• Bourgogne

Each of the 33 Grand Crus is its own appellation, and only Pinot Noir or Chardonnay are grown within their boundaries. Very few appellations allow both. Premier Cru wines are less expensive and often a better value, though their long-term aging potential is typically less.

Chablis, uniquely, has one Grand Cru appellation that encompasses seven vineyards. The seven sites have favorable southwest exposure that helps ripen the grapes and overlooks the town of Chablis. Premier Cru is the category just below it.

Bordeaux

In Bordeaux , cru is applied much differently. Grand Cru Classé is the best-known quality classification system, and it’s tied to a specific chateau or estate, rather than a contiguous vineyard. Created in 1855, it comprises only left bank chateaus in Médoc, Graves and Sauternes, ranked from first to fifth growths, based on their value at that time. The first growths are called premiers crus, while second through fifth growth crus are called crus classés.

On the right bank. Pomerol isn’t classified. But Saint-Émilion provides enough confusion for both.

St.-Émilion has two chateau-based quality classifications, though it adds a separate third category. At the top of the quality-pyramid is Premier Grands Crus Classés, of which there are 18, followed by Grands Crus Classés which contains 64 chateaus. The appellation’s third category is not tied to a specific ‘classed’ chateau or geographical subzone. Wines labeled “St.-Émilion Grand Cru” merely have more stringent production rules.

The Crus in the rest of France

Alsace applies the term Grand Cru in similar fashion to Burgundy. Fifty-one vineyards have been designated superior, or Grand Cru, and wine from those sites can use the term on its label. There’s incredible diversity in Alsatian Grand Cru wines, with four grapes approved for use, as well as varied soils and aspects.

Not far from Burgundy sits Beaujolais , France’s Gamay headquarters. There, cru is applied not to vineyards, but villages. There are 10 villages, like well-known Morgon and Fleurie. Wines produced from these villages are called Cru Beaujolais.

Similar to Beaujolais, Champagne classifies whole villages as Grand Cru or Premier Cru sources for fruit. Called échelle des crus, or “ladder of the growths,” the Champenois established the system in the early 20th century to fix grape prices for both farmers and buyers at Champagne houses.

Each harvest, a price is set. A grower with land in one of Champagne’s grand cru village receives 100% of the price. Fruit from premier cru villages earns from 90% to 99%, while the rest receive from 80% to 89%. Today, there are 17 grand cru villages that include Aÿ, Bouzy, Cramant and Oger.

Crus in Germany and Italy

The notion of a special site that’s superior to those around it reaches to Roman times. Wine presses found on recovered archaeological sites in the Mosel Valley align with plots deemed superior today.

In Germany , the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP) , an association of elite German wine estates, has its own vineyard classification system similar to Burgundy. The top tier is VDP.Grosse Lage (grand cru), then VDP. Erste Lage (premier cru), VDP.Ortswein (village) and VDP.Gutswein (regional).

In Italy, a few regions aspire to define crus, but Piedmont and Sicily are better-known examples. In Piedmont, Barolo and Barbaresco have mapped out their grand crus by geography, and those vineyard delineations are part of the bylaws of their Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCGs).

Producers in Sicily’s Etna DOC are mapping crus that follow old lava flows, and their resulting soil and elevation changes, along Mount Etna. The region has been revitalized for fine winemaking only recently, so it may be some time before any official delineation.

Many thanks to Lauren for this interesting article.

When Should You Decant Wine?

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 21:35:43 GMT

When Should You Decant Wine? Article written by BY TAMMIE TECLEMARIAM for Wine Enthusiast

Often an object of intimidation, a decanter is an important and rewarding tool. When done correctly, decanting a wine can elevate even the most average wine experience.

However, it’s not always easy to know whether or not to decant. You need consider the changes being triggered by the process, along with keeping a few guidelines in mind.

There are two main reasons for decanting wine. The first is physical—to separate clarified wine from solids that have formed during aging. The second is the effect of oxygen, which releases certain compounds bound within the bottle. Both have an effect on our perception of flavor, texture and aroma.

Contrary to popular belief, decanting older wines is far from an ironclad rule.

Decanting for sediment

Dr. Gavin Sacks, an associate professor at Cornell University’s school of Department of Food Science , notes that separating clarified wine from the solids suspended in the bottle was the original motivation behind decanting wine.

“Decanting goes back to alchemy, where it was used to describe the process of removing the liquid part of a mixture from the solids,” says Sacks.

Wine today is more reliable than ever. We have the ability to filter with precision and prevent certain solids from forming at all, but getting rid of sediment will always be a concern.

Sediment can be very fine and has a tendency to deaden flavor and expression. Sometimes a winemaker will choose to bottle something with residual sediment, but most traditionalists balk at any kind of haze or cloudiness. In the holistic act of appreciating wine, visual irregularities are bound to make a mark on how we first perceive a wine.

But before you can even make the call to decant, you need to prepare the wine itself.

If you’re pulling a wine from horizontal cellar storage, you ideally want to give the bottle a couple days to sit vertically so the sediment has time to shift to the bottom without being incorporated into the wine.

“The important thing with a red wine is to make sure that the sediment stays at the bottom of the bottle, so you can stop decanting when you get sediment coming into the neck,” says Mannie Berk, founder of The Rare Wine Co. , an importer and merchant based in California that specializes in old vintages.

If you’re pulling a wine from horizontal cellar storage, you ideally want to give the bottle a couple days to sit vertically so the sediment has time to shift to the bottom without being incorporated into the wine. Even just a couple of hours is better than nothing.

This also makes it unwise to serve an aged wine that was recently transported. Motion disrupts the solids in a way that can’t be corrected without an adequate resting period.

If you’re going straight from cellar to table, be conscious of how the sediment shifts in the process. Berk says to “tilt it to vertical, stand it up in your hands very slowly so that whatever sediment is resting on that side basically slides to the bottom, and then [carry] the bottle standing up.”

Hold a light under the neck of the bottle where it meets the shoulder so you can pay attention to the clarity of the wine. Stop pouring the moment you notice sediment clouding up the wine. The amount of wine you leave in the bottle will vary depending on the amount of sediment. Preparing your bottle ahead of time will allow for the least amount of waste.

Decanting for oxygen

When you pour wine from bottle to decanter, air makes its way into the wine. But if your goal is to encourage the wine to “open up,” allowing it to rest after pouring can cause certain additional changes to take place.

As explained by Dr. Sacks, there are a few processes happening simultaneously when wine is in the presence of air for over an hour.

If you notice an aroma of rotten eggs or struck match upon opening, it's generally a sign of hydrogen sulfide. Thirty minutes to an hour in a decanter can help release those compounds, allowing you to reassess the wine for its other qualities.

First is the escape of volatile compounds. The two main culprits in wine are carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. Obviously recognizable in sparkling wine, carbon dioxide is also present in still whites, where unnoticed doses of the prickly, acidic gas provide extra lift to the flavor of certain white wines while bringing preservative qualities.

This is one reason we often don’t decant white wine. But in most still reds the presence of CO2 can make the wine more tannic and is usually considered a fault.

H2S, or hydrogen sulfide, is referred to as a “reduced aroma.” It pops up sometimes in red wines that have been produced under hermetic conditions and sealed with very tight closures. This is especially common with Syrah .

If you notice an aroma of rotten eggs or struck match upon opening, it’s generally a sign of hydrogen sulfide. Thirty minutes to an hour in a decanter can help release those compounds, allowing you to reassess the wine for its other qualities. Further agitation, like swirling, or pouring the wine back and forth, can help if you are in a rush, though this is only recommended for sturdy wines.

Exposure to oxygen leads to reactions in the wine, both good and bad, many of which will take several hours (or days) to fully develop. It’s why a wine will initially open up pleasantly before an eventual deadening of flavor after being exposed for too long.

Among the first things that react with oxygen are sulfur-based compounds. However, sometimes those are aromas we don’t want to lose. For example, sulfuric compounds give Sauvignon Blanc its citrusy, tropical aromas, and are easily lost to oxidative reactions. Thankfully, this isn’t as much of a concern with red wines, as many of their compounds are not as sensitive to air.

Should all old wines be decanted? Do older wines need more time to decant?

Contrary to popular belief, decanting older wines is far from an ironclad rule. Burgundy , for example, is known for its delicacy and the question of whether or not to decant is often hotly debated between experts. However, older vintages of Nebbiolo -based wines, like Barolo and Barbaresco , along with Rioja and other full-bodied wines, are generally strong candidates for decanting.

If the initial taste of a wine is promising, decanting may not be necessary. Carefully pour the wine directly from the bottle into the glass. If you do choose to decant, use a carafe with a narrow base that offers less opportunity for air to integrate and alter the wine further.

One common belief is that the older a wine is, the longer it can take to open up. But Mannie Berk posits something a little more specific.

“Wines that are subjected to a lot of oxygen before they’re bottled tend to respond well to oxygen once the bottle is opened,” says Berk.

For Madeira, decant a minimum of one day for every decade of bottle age.

Those Barolos, Barbarescos and Riojas that respond well to decanting? For the most part, they’re vinified in a way that involves heavier exposure to oxygen.

The most extreme example Berk offers is Madeira , a wine that sees both oxygen and heat in production, and is famously said to last indefinitely after the bottle is opened.

“If Madeira’s been in bottle for a long time, you want to decant it possibly for a few days to a few weeks before you drink it, because it needs to go from being in an oxygen deprived environment to one where it’s back to enjoying oxygen…that’s what it really likes,” he says.

Berk’s rule for Madeira? Decant a minimum of one day for every decade of bottle age.

How do you know when a wine is done decanting?

Lebanon’s Château Musar winery is known for releasing wines at peak maturity, having maintained an extensive library of bottles going back decades, with offerings from the 1940s and ‘50s still for sale.

Marc Hochar, whose family founded Musar in 1930, says that decanting is critical to their wines reaching full expression. He recommends decanting a minimum of 30 minutes, but warns that the process of finding a wine’s best moment isn’t as easy as setting a timer.

“In order to enjoy the peak of the wine after you have opened a bottle, you have to [taste] its evolution from the moment you open it. [You need] to understand where it started and where it finished… It is like watching an athlete at the top of his career,” says Hochar. “If you were to understand where and when he started his training as a child, how difficult was the path to get to the top, you would respect his achievement even more and see it in a different light.”

Decanting isn’t just the act of pouring a wine into a fancy vessel. It’s a powerful tool to keep in your arsenal, one that can vastly expand what you get out of this living beverage. Although there are effects and reactions we can identify, there’s not always one answer to whether a particular bottle should be decanted.

All you can do is taste and ask yourself if there’s something else to be gained from the process.

Thanks to Tam mie for this very interesting article!

Why Does Some Wine Get Better with Age?

Tue, 28 May 2024 15:36:30 GMT

Why Does Some Wine Get Better with Age? Article by David W. Brown for Wine Enthusiast

Few wines are ageworthy. Most—even very good ones—are made to be uncorked within the first year after bottling. Their tasting characteristics reflect this. In the case of reds, tannins — the compounds astringent on the palate— are usually lower, and acidity as well, but red fruits are pronounced. Whites, meanwhile, might have high acidity and simple notes of citrus and green apple.

But what wines are made for the long haul? And how do you know?

The drivers sustaining these wines that can improve over a decade or more are acidity, alcohol, and for reds, tannin and for sweet wines , sugar. Every bottle of quality wine is a self-contained world where time moves slowly (larger formats, such as magnums, slow the process due to the ratio of air-to-wine in a given bottle). They should be cellared in darkness at temperatures between 50–59°F.

This allows the chemical reactions to proceed naturally. The interplay of those structural components, flavors and microbes will yield new aromas and tastes possible only with time—like tobacco, petrol and dried fruits may reveal themselves eventually. You don’t get those notes every day.

But you need not wait years to enjoy that expensive bottle. Many winemakers work to ensure a wine can be enjoyed now, or 30 years from now.

“If you get the structure right, the ageability will fall in line, and the approachability will fall in line,” Jeff Smith, the owner of Hourglass Wines , a cult Napa Valley winery, tells me. Certain winemaking techniques can bond abrasive tannins with color compounds, allowing uncorking in youth or longevity in the cellar. Hourglass uses precise manipulation of temperatures during fermentation in order to release color compounds—monomeric anthocyanins, specifically—that bond with tannins.

“If you understand organic chemistry and how to translate that into the actual winemaking discipline, you can have your cake and eat it, too.”

You can also age Champagnes —and not just vintage ones. “Even nonvintage champagnes can age beautifully,” says Émilien Boutillat, the chef-de-cave of Piper-Heidsieck , founded in 1785.

To prove it, we taste several nonvintage Champagnes in their Essentiel collection, as well as older Brut bottles, whose base wines go back decades. If you were to buy a bottle on store shelves today, you would be drinking a nonvintage wine, the foundation of which was grown and pressed in 2018. It possesses the signature characteristics of Piper-Heidsieck: a notable vibrancy and fresh fruits. When we dug further back, to a nonvintage bottle with a 2012 base, however, we found shyer fruit, but honeyed notes and more pronounced toast.

“It is still fresh,” he says, “but it is on the line in-between of a wine you enjoy for its youth, and maturity. It still has bite.”

Backward in time we go—trying wines with bases from 2010, 1995, 1985—and the notes change markedly: coffee beans, dry apricots, and lemon pie. Consistent throughout is a lovely line of acidity, vibrancy and freshness.

“It’s really a matter of taste,” Boutillat says. “Each one of us is different. It’s up to you to keep your wine as long as you’d like.”

Thank you, David, for this head up!

A New Generation of Sommeliers Is Rewriting the Language of Wine

Sat, 25 May 2024 18:38:56 GMT

A New Generation of Sommeliers Article written by Kate Dingwall for Wine Enthusiast, May 2024

Alice Achayo, who is originally from East Africa and immigrated to the United States with her family, grew up eating mangoes, papaya, jackfruit, guava and passionfruit. Her meals often included meat that was smoked or dried, or sauteed in onions and fragrant oils, accented with ground sesame and peanuts. When Achayo started in wine in 2015, she was surprised to learn that her sensory memories didn’t fit into industry boxes: There weren’t established pairings for the foods and flavors she grew up with. Meanwhile, in tastings, jackfruit was simply described as an “exotic fruit.” Achayo wondered, “Who are these fruits exotic to?” If someone mentioned gooseberry as a flavor note, she’d laugh and think, “Who has actually eaten a gooseberry?”

Achayo is not alone in her experience. She is part of a new wave of forward-thinking sommeliers who recognize that changing the language around tasting and pairing is an essential part of decolonizing wine and making the industry more inclusive.

Now, more than ever, this work is crucial. According to the Wine Marketing Council , 66% of wine drinkers are white; 11% identify as Black; 15% identify as Hispanic and 5% identify as Asian. Meanwhile, Gen Z —which is more racially and ethnically diverse than previous generations—has yet to embrace wine, a major cause for concern. As it reckons with slowing sales , the industry is eager to bring more people into the fold. “Every news article says that Gen Z isn’t drinking wine,” Achayo says. “But maybe we aren’t using language that engages with them.”

REBUILDING THE FOUNDATION OF WINE

Also known as the Wine Linguist , Achayo believes that the way industry insiders talk about wine—everything from the vocabulary around flavors to the way bottles are marketed and how wine is discussed culturally—needs to evolve. She takes a layered approach, teaching wine professionals how to adopt language that considers diverse listeners, consulting with restaurants who focus on foods of the global south as well as centering winemakers and their agricultural work to help showcase other facets of production to people who feel shut out from the industry.

To reconsider the future of wine language, Achayo is interrogating its roots starting with the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET ), which has long been the gold standard of wine instruction. She notes it was established in the United Kingdom for British importers, distributors and retailers. Eighty years after its formation, the WSET is studied in over 70 countries and has been translated into 15 languages but hasn’t been adapted to each market. “It’s a colonial mentality,” Achayo says. “It’s the same all over the world.”

Certifications help standardize wine language, but Achayo says the execution is problematic. “There’s no acknowledgement of the sensory and cultural references of a place—the fruits, flowers and plants that grow there.” It’s like a bad translation of a book of poetry; you lose nuance and subtlety. She views certifications as important for establishing baseline knowledge before branching out into more approachable language.

Part of the issue surrounding language is that it is deliberately difficult for most people to understand. When prohibition ended in the United States, and producers were struggling to get back on their feet, American marketers positioned wine as a symbol of prosperity and aspiration. “Wine quickly became something for the white elite,” Achayo says.

The ethos has endured, making wine unapproachable and intimidating for newcomers. When Achayo started working at a Willamette Valley winery, she noticed that guests apologized when they didn’t like a specific wine. They assumed their taste was the problem. “They’d say, ‘My palate is bad, so I guess I don’t understand this wine,’” Achayo says. “It discourages me when people devalue their own experiences, palate and vocabularies. Are we, as an industry, taking the fun out of wine? ”

WORDS MATTER

For some progressive sommeliers, the heart of inclusivity is meeting people where they are. The people behind Grape Witches , a wine club and shop in Toronto, pulls people in by speaking colloquially and evocatively about wine. “There are moments we talk to guests in very classic wine terms, then we take a step back,” explains their general manager, Lorein Codiamat. One way they do this is labeling bottles with badges that have easy-to-understand identifiers like “Crisp and Mineral” and “Weekday Banger.” They also draw in drinkers with casual education hours named “In Defense of Sweet Wine” and “Debunking Funk.”

The Grape Witches are also looking outside of their business to help diversify the industry. Three years ago, they started a scholarship program to help welcome more underrepresented people into the world of wine. Funds support the high cost of wine education, but also help budding sommeliers pay for childcare or transportation. “There are so many intersectional barriers for people to succeed and gain opportunities within the industry,” Codiamat says.

These initiatives are working. When the Grape Witches opened nine years ago, its audience was primarily industry types. Now, their customers are more representative of Toronto as a whole. The same goes for their staff, too, who have led to less conventional pairings. When a shopper asks for food pairing suggestions, the shop’s team will put forward palak paneer or lumpia. “It’s not just white ladies partying with other white ladies,” says co-founder Krysta Oben.

Minimo , a bottle shop in Oakland, California, does away with signage all together. Owner Erin Coburn prefers to have conversations with customers, so she can highlight what makes each bottle exciting. This method helps connect small producers—the store focuses on sustainable wines and bottles by queer and BIPOC producers—with customers, which in turn helps promote diversity, access and sustainability.

Paula De Pano, a former senior sommelier at Eleven Madison Park, also posts no signs at Rocks & Acid, a shop in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She recognizes that a wall of bottles is intimidating and the world of wine is so large that shoppers would need to be experts to understand the nuances of each one. “California Chardonnay” could mean opulent and buttery or steely and fresh. Instead, she plays translator, talking with customers to help them find a bottle suited to their wants.

CHANGING THE CONTEXT OF WINE

Colonialism isn’t just in the way wine is described: it’s also embedded in how wine is contextualized, especially through pairings. The flavors and foodways of global cuisines are largely ignored or oversimplified. If a dish is spicy, most pairing roads tend to lead to Riesling or beer.

In Toronto, Sommelier Beverly Crandon hosts an annual festival, Spring into Spice , dedicated to pairing wine and global cuisines. It’s packed and joyous—diverse crowds of revelers snack on food from Guyana, Jamaica and Thailand, while sipping on glasses of bubbles, orange wines and deep Cabernets . Hot sauce is poured abundantly. To Crandon, events like her festival and pairing dinners show diverse crowds of people that their food is also part of the discussion about wine.

De Pano, who is Filipino, also treads carefully around the foods and flavors that are typically associated with wine. “Depending on where you grew up and what your palate understands, wine can taste different or mean different things,” she says. “I didn’t grow up in the United States, so I have different flavor profiles in my head.” She avoids referencing specific fruits and words like “exotic,” which is a colonial term. “It technically means something you’re unfamiliar with, but it’s often used as a synonym for tropical fruit,” she adds. “But these flavors are not exotic, they’re exotic to you.”

For other industry professionals, language is just one component of decolonizing wine. For Kiki Austin, a sommelier at the one-Michelin-star sushi bar Mujō, in Atlanta, it is about simply showing up to work. “I’m never the person guests are expecting when they ask for the sommelier,” says Austin, who is Black. “Decolonizing wine language is about people like me taking up space and showing up every day. I do it by being me.”

Austin extends this atmosphere of openness when she suggests pairings, which she does by leading with experiences over tasting notes. She’ll often ask where diners grew up. One of her regular customers is from the Saga prefecture in Japan, so Austin always opens bottles from that region when she comes in. “In that exchange, I also gain a sense of place and culture,” she says. For a couple who were new to the sake world, she poured them the less conventional Rose Clouds, a sparkling sake infused with rose hips and hibiscus. “It’s so good, it put an immediate smile on their face,” Austin says. “I’ve learned that to create space for community means allowing someone to be who they are when they walk through the door,” she says.

Thanks so much, Kate, for this inspiring article!

What Does "Opulence" mean in Wine?

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 16:37:19 GMT

What does "Opulence" mean in wine? Article written by Marshall Tilden III for WE

The word “opulence,” a common wine descriptor, encompasses more than just aromas and flavors. It describes a lavishness, more vibe than quantifiable quality, that delivers an extravagant sensory experience. These wines evoke a warm and fuzzy feeling of richness and luxury. Imagine a big, plush velvety jacket—but in wine form—that coats your entire mouth with decadent flavors and textures.

Opulence in wine is often associated with a profound depth of flavor. A wine’s opulence often will derive from the combination of a rich, creamy texture with concentrated fruit flavor and balanced notes of toasty oak and spice. Then, a lingering finish kicks in that can go on for minutes.The word “opulence,” a common wine descriptor, encompasses more than just aromas and flavors. It describes a lavishness, more vibe than quantifiable quality, that delivers an extravagant sensory experience. These wines evoke a warm and fuzzy feeling of richness and luxury. Imagine a big, plush velvety jacket—but in wine form—that coats your entire mouth with decadent flavors and textures.

The term certainly evokes sumptuous language from those familiar with it. “Opulence reflects on an ample spectrum of quality factors, [including] terroir expression,” says Fernando Silva, advanced sommelier and wine director for the Glen Arbor Golf Club in Bedford Hills, New York. “The balance of aromas or bouquet, oak usage and [more] are amplified by the grace of the winemaker’s gentle touch.”

These wines are often crafted from grapes of the highest quality, sourced from vineyards with optimal terroir. The vast majority of opulent wines hail from the world’s warmest wine regions, as heat is required to bring out robust fruit notes, higher levels of alcohol and firm yet velvety tannins.

Most opulent wines are described as such in their youth. But they are well-suited for oak aging, too, as they have higher levels of fruit concentration, tannin and alcohol. This further contributes to the feeling of richness on the palate. As long as acidity—another component that contributes to an opulent mouthfeel—is there to provide balance, these bottles can evolve and improve in the cellar for years.

The bottom line? If you have ever been floored by the plush feel of a young, powerful, tannic Napa Cab or an expressive, luxurious, dense and full-bodied Amarone, then chances are you have experienced opulence in wine. Consider this your signal to start using the word “opulent” at the wine bar.

Article w ritten by Marshall Tilden III for Wine Enthusiast, March 2024

Red Wine Hot Chocolate? Trust us, it works!

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 17:38:27 GMT

Red Wine Hot Chocolate ? Trust Us, It Works! Article and recipe from Wine Enthusiast, written by Ali Rosen

When it’s cold outside and you want to feel cozy, nothing does the trick like a hot spiked beverage. But instead of forcing a decision between what are arguably the most popular winter options—creamy hot chocolate or spiced mulled wine —why not combine them? Case in point: red wine hot chocolate.

It may sound odd, but this crowd-pleaser has been making the rounds on social media for good reason. The hashtag has racked up 1.5 million views on Tiktok; one video posted last month by @nicoleleeanne6 currently has 52K likes and close to 800 comments. The user, a self-proclaimed weird snack expert, was skeptical of the combo at first. “I’m back to disrespecting my wines,” she says in the video. But after taking a sip proclaims, “10 out of 10 will make this again.”

Given the strange-sounding drink’s virality, we decided to whip up an elevated take worthy of a Wine Enthusiast-approved holiday gathering. From how to pick the right wine and chocolate to what makes the combo work so well, here is everything you need to know.

Why it works

Social media trends aside, this seasonally appropriate beverage is an ideal middle ground between mulled wine (which can be too boozy for some) and hot chocolate (which some find too rich). Plus, the bitter, tannic flavors in both wine and chocolate complement one together.

Our version relies on two types of chocolate—semisweet chocolate chips and cocoa powder—and amps up the sweetness with earthy, complex brown sugar. Whole milk lends a creamy mouthfeel and melds the flavors together.

How to choose your wine and chocolate

Start with a quality bottle of red wine—one you’d actually want to drink solo. For this libation, we gravitate toward fruit-forward bottlings with a bit of body, like New World Shiraz or Zinfandel . These offer a lifting contrast to the bitterness of the chocolate and the drink’s additional brown sugar.

For the chocolate chips, you can go as dark or light as you want, but semisweet chocolate (typically around 50% to 65% cocoa solids) tends to strike the best balance between bitter and sweet. When it comes to cocoa powder, you can go with natural cocoa powder, or if you’d like an earthier, deeper chocolate flavor, Dutch-process cocoa powder. Whatever you do, though, don’t pick up a sweetened cocoa powder—it’ll make the final drink too saccharin.

Pro top: Pay attention to the ingredient list and select products with as few items listed as possible. This is the best indicator of a quality product. Skip the products with additives or stabilizers.

Pick your milk

Whether you’re lactose-intolerant or not, you should consider playing around with different milks to test different flavors. Regular whole milk provides the richest texture and body, which is why we’ve selected it for our version.

But oat milk is a solid, neutral dairy-free pick. If you go this route, add an extra dash of sugar to make up for being slightly less rich than its dairy-based cousin. Alternatively, almond milk lends a layer of nutty flavor. For a rounder mouthfeel, try coconut milk, although you may want to dilute it with water in equal parts so it doesn’t overwhelm the drink’s other flavors.

How to make Red Wine Hot Chocolate (makes 10 servings)

2 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tablespoons brown sugar

5 cups whole milk (or whatever dairy-free alternative you prefer)

Pinch of salt

1 (750 ml) bottle red wine

Step 1:

Combine the chocolate chips, cocoa powder, brown sugar, milk and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk occasionally for about 5 minutes, or until the sugar and cocoa powder are completely combined. (Do not skimp on this step or the hot chocolate will be grainy.)

Step 2:
Add the wine and cook for another minute or two until the mixture has come up to a very low simmer. You do not want it to boil.

Step 3:
Remove from the heat and serve hot. Enjoy!

What Is Acidity In Wine?

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 18:29:53 GMT

What Is Acidity In Wine? Article written by Noelle Hale for Wine Enthusiast

Ever pull a bottle of wine out of the refrigerator and notice what look like little glass shards swirling around the bottom or stuck to the underside of the cork? It’s freaky, yes, but they’re actually harmless tartaric acid crystals. Welcome to the strange world of acidity in wine. These acidic components can be complex, but they’re fundamental to determine how a wine looks, tastes and is made.

According to Denise M. Gardner, a winemaking consultant based in Pennsylvania, our mouths react instinctively to acidity levels. Want to see how acidic a wine is? Hold your mouth open after you sip. If you begin salivating, your mouth is reacting to the acid. The more saliva, the more acid.

The pH scale

Wine contains many acids, but the two main ones found naturally in grapes are tartaric and malic acids. What we usually refer to as acidity is technically called total acidity or titratable acidity.

“Titratable acidity correlates to how our mouths work,” says Gardner. “The more saliva you need to interact with a liquid, the more sour it tastes,” she says.

Titratable acidity is related to pH, but they measure different things. While titratable acidity measures amounts of acid, pH measures the strength of those acids. The pH scale is measured from 0–14, with the ends of the spectrum being the strongest.

Usually, if a wine has a high acid level, it will have a low pH. High acid/low pH wines are stable because their environment discourages the growth of bacteria and other microbes.

The other important thing to remember is that the numbers on the scale are logarithmic, not linear, so instead of pH 5 being twice as acidic as pH 6, it’s actually 10 times as acidic.

“I think of pH as more on the chemical side, and [titratable acidity] is more about the flavor profile of those acids,” says Alison Thomson, owner/winemaker of L.A. Lepiane Wines in Santa Barbara, California. “A higher acid wine is more lemony, and it makes your mouth water and pucker up a bit. It makes you want to drink more. Then, I think of pH as a reflection of the stability of the wine.”

How acid and pH affect your wine

How does acid affect the way that a wine looks and tastes in your glass? Acidity is measured on the pH scale, with a lower pH number indicating higher acid levels, while a high pH means lower acidity. For comparison, acidic white vinegar tends to have a pH level of 2.5, while milk registers at around 6.5, and water clocks in at a neutral 7. Typically, the pH level of a wine ranges from 3 to 4.

Red wines with higher acidity are more likely to be a bright ruby color, as the lower pH gives them a red hue. Higher pH, less-acidic red wines can take on a blue or purple hue. Wines with lower acidity can also take on a brown color because they’re more prone to oxidation. It may not be as noticeable in red wines, but can be off-putting in young white wines.

“Oxidation can become a problem regardless of your pH, but the reaction occurs quicker at a higher pH,” says Gardner.

A wine with high acid will usually taste crisper and more tart on the palate. A low-acid wine will feel smoother and rounder on the palate. When done carefully, it can be a lovely, lush sensation, but when low acid is combined with high pH, a flabby or almost soapy feeling can develop.

A wine with high acid will usually taste crisper and more tart on the palate. A low-acid wine will feel smoother and rounder on the palate.

Acidity provides some of the backbone needed for long-term aging, so high acid wines are more likely to improve with time than those with lesser amounts. The stability of high acid/low pH wines helps during aging. Conversely, high pH wines are more prone to contamination. Microbes or other unstable components can make high pH wines appear hazy.

Normally, these problems are corrected in the winery with addition of sulfur dioxide, which helps absorb some of the oxidation that would feed microbial growth. But it takes a lot more sulfur dioxide to get the same effect in a wine at pH level of 4 as one with 10 times more acidity at pH level of 3.

Wines with higher pH require more sulfites to protect them from oxidation because it decreases the sulfites’ effectiveness. In addition to following legal limits on sulfur additions, winemakers need to ensure that their wines don’t take on unpleasant sulfurous flavors like rotten eggs or overcooked cabbage.

It’s all about balance.

“With higher pH wines, there’s a recommended amount of sulfur you can add to make a wine microbiologically stable,” says Thompson. “But if you actually follow that, your wine is just going to taste like sulfur. You have to take into account a lot of different factors. Looking at acid is one component, but tannin and alcohol preserve wine as well. All of that goes into those final decisions.”

Where wine gets its acidity

A wine’s acidity starts in the vineyard. Potassium found in soil can make its way into the grapes and increase alkalinity, which helps neutralize acidity and raises the pH.

Unripe grapes have high acid levels, but that drops as they ripen. Grapes grown in cooler climates usually contain higher acidity because there’s less warmth and sunshine available to increase grapes’ sugar and pH levels. A winemaker can increase acidity by adding tartaric acid to the grape juice before fermentation. The process is common in warmer climates where the grapes can become overripe and pH can rise too high.

Sometimes a winemaker can be confronted by the opposite problem: acidity that’s too high. If a wine seems too acidic and sour, malolactic fermentation can be encouraged. It converts harsh malic acid, the kind found in green apples, into softer lactic acid, which you may know best in milk.

"Malolatic fermentation is an example of a winemaker manipulating the acid profile of a wine." Denise M. Gardner, winemaking consultant

Almost all red wines go through malolactic fermentation, but it’s more of a stylistic choice in white wines. Many people familiar with this process know of its role in creating buttery styles of Chardonnay, but that flavor can be prevented if it’s not desired. The main point is to lower acidity.

“Malolactic fermentation is an example of a winemaker manipulating the acid profile of a wine,” says Gardner. “The acid concentration doesn’t necessarily change, but you’re changing the identity of the acid from malic to lactic acid. So, there will probably be a pH change, but there will also be a change in [acid levels]. You can taste that change…because lactic acid makes a wine softer and less acidic.”

Remember those tartaric acid crystals? If a wine contains a lot of tartaric acid when bottled, the acid can clump together into crystals when chilled. The crystals, sometimes called tartrates or wine diamonds , will dissolve back into the wine as it warms up.

A Ph.D. in Sensory Science Explains How to Improve Your Tasting Abilities

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 13:08:45 GMT

A Ph.D. in Sensory Science Explains How to Improve Your Tasting Abilities

Article written by Monica Cardoza for Wine Enthusiast

Wine tasting is a sensory experience. You hear the pop of a cork, see the color and viscosity in the glass and feel the sensation of the liquid in your mouth. But arguably the most important senses are taste and smell. These senses vary from person to person, with some people identifying as super-tasters.

Once we understand our ability to taste and hone in on our sense of smell, it can create a platform to take tasting to a new level.

How to know if you are a super-taster
When it comes to how we taste, around 45-50% of people fall into the category of “average” taster—someone who senses the flavors of bitter, sweet, salty, sour and umami but isn’t overwhelmed or underwhelmed by them, according to the Harvard School of Public Health . But 25–30% of the population are non-tasters, those who taste very little extreme flavors, and the remaining 25–30% are what is deemed as a super-taster, those who are extremely sensitive to strong flavors. This is especially true when it comes to tasting bitterness in foods and drinks.

Your sense of taste is something that is passed down through genetics. When it comes to super-tasters, their taste receptor gene (TAS2R38), which increases bitterness perception, is extra sensitive, explains Beverly Tepper, Ph.D. a professor of sensory science at Rutgers University. Additionally, super-tasters can be genetically predisposed to have more taste buds than average and non-tasters. These taste buds provide additional receptors for pain and irritation, which is why super-tasters tend to dislike spicy and astringent food and drinks.

One of the easiest ways to determine taster status is with a PROP test—a strip of paper containing a compound that, when placed on the tongue, can taste bland (non-taster), bitter (medium-taster or average) or extremely bitter (super-taster). You can easily find these strips online for a safe, at-home test.

Beyond her expertise in sensory science, Tepper happens to also be a vineyard owner and a super-taster. For a wine lover, being a super-taster can make tasting a radically unique experience.

Tepper uses her super-taster status to help her partner, Mark Pausch, create wines on their eight-acre vineyard in Allentown, New Jersey . “He’s the viticulturist and the winemaker,” she says. “He depends on me for the sensory part.”

This is because Pausch happens to be a non-taster. “He’s not sensitive to bitter or astringency,” Tepper says. “I can taste something that we’ve made and say, ‘Oh, this is pretty bitter,’ or ‘this is pretty astringent.’ So we kind of move to the middle when we’re trying to finish our wines.”

Well before they started making wine together, the pair recognized differences in their food and drink preferences. A PROP test confirmed their taster status. “He likes bitter things like Guinness beer and broccoli rabe, and hot condiments like wasabi,” she says. “I can pass on any of those items.”

The connection between taste and smell
Tepper admits that flavor isn’t all about taste. “When I talk to my classes about what is flavor, I say it’s about 90% aroma, about 5% basic tastes and about 5% trigeminal sensations.” Trigeminal sensations refer to the feelings foods give you, like a cooling sensation from menthol or the feeling associated with red wine’s astringency.

We smell wine via our noses in a process called orthonasal olfaction. What is less well-known is that we also experience wine aroma from inside our mouths, which is referred to as retronasal olfaction.

“When we take something into our mouths, and we’re manipulating it and swallowing it, those aroma compounds are making their way up through our nasal passages to the olfactory or smell area,” says Tepper, who last year created the grape and wine science certificate program for Rutgers, a four-week program that touches on sensory perception.

That’s why some experts believe your ability to smell may be more important than taste. “Having a more accurate sense of our olfaction will help you improve your ability to discern the nuances of wine,” says Isabelle Lesschaeve, Ph.D., an Atlanta-based wine sensory expert and founder of InnoVinum Academy , an online platform for wine drinkers to improve their tasting skills through sensory education.

We smell through our noses, but we also smell via our mouths. Some wine aromas get released when they activate with saliva, while others are only released after you swallow. These are different aromas from the ones you smell via your nose. Understanding how to differentiate these aromas can help you improve your sense of smell, she says.

How a super-taster tastes wine
Because of the sensitivity to tannins , someone who is a super-taster may have specific wines they gravitate toward. “If you’re a super-taster, you may experience a red wine as being more sour, bitter and astringent,” says Tepper.

She suggests super-tasters may prefer a Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah allowed to age, which breaks down the tannins and decreases astringency and bitterness. They may also like young, light and fruity reds, such as Dolcetto and Beaujolais , because of their low tannin qualities. Or white wines with sweeter or fruitier flavors such as Riesling and Gewurztraminer can be good choices because of their low levels or lack of tannin.

In comparison, non-tasters may prefer high-tannin wines, like a young Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah or Barolo , as they taste much of the flavor, but not all of the bitterness.

That said, the likes and dislikes of a super-taster and non-taster aren’t black and white. Other factors influence preferences, such as age, culture and familiarity with specific wine styles. “I like to think of our taste genetics as the foundation or scaffolding on which preferences are built,” says Tepper. “They are malleable, within limits and beverages that perhaps a super-taster rejected when they were young may not reflect how he or she responds now. Just being willing to try a wine several times may be enough for some people to develop a preference.”

How you improve your wine tasting through senses
Because taste and smell play a large part in wine tasting, it’s important to make the most of both. You can practice capturing wine aroma in the mouth by pinching the nose while sipping some wine. You’ll perceive flavors (bitter, sweet, salty, acidic and umami), but no aroma until you release your nose and inhale. “The volatile compounds will reach the olfactory receptors, and that’s how you perceive the mouth aroma,” says Lesschaeve. “It’s an ‘aha’ moment.” She notes that with practice, you can develop the skills to describe aromas and flavors better.

Lesschaeve teaches students how to describe wine aromas using the Wine Aroma Wheel . Created by Ann Noble, Ph.D., who handed the business to Lesschaeve in 2019, the wheel is a handheld circular disc printed with common wine aroma terms. It starts with a category, then narrows it down to two subcategories. For example, a fruity aroma may contain citrus aromas that can be described more specifically as pineapple.

She recommends practicing by smelling what you have access to, such as the spices in your cabinet. “Be mindful in your day-to-day about what you smell and try to identify the aromas around you. By repeated exposure and memorization, then when you have a glass of wine, those words will come to you.”

Though taste is a relatively small portion of wine tasting, knowing your taster status can also help you understand why you’re drawn to certain wines. From there, you can experiment with others outside your comfort zone. By working on your sense of smell, you can actually improve your overall ability to taste whether you’re a super-taster, average taster or non-taster.

Thanks to Monica, for this excellent article!

Portugal, New York and Beyond: 8 Of the Coolest Places To Study Wine

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 12:22:50 GMT

Portugal, New York and Beyond: 8 Of the Coolest Places To Study Wine

Article by Jillian Dara, written for Wine Enthusiast

Anyone who has ever studied wine will tell you that there is almost always something new to learn. So, why not take your studies on the road? From educational opportunities in New York’s Finger Lakes , to Scotland, Portugal and beyond, there is no shortage of courses you can take and regions to explore.

And there are so many types of learning opportunities when it comes to wine education. Whether you’re looking to achieve your Wine & Spirit Education Trust diploma (WSET) or take classes in everything from the basics of viticulture to grape varieties, here are the coolest places to study wine all over the world.

8 Wine courses around the world
The Wine School at WOW, Porto Portugal - Europe
In the heart of Portugal’s new cultural district, the World of Wine (WOW) offers plenty of opportunities to learn about vino, Portuguese culture and beyond. Aside from the seven wine museums and 12 food and beverage stops for guests to learn and enjoy at their leisure, WOW has its own wine school.

Not sure where to start? The two-hour Demystifying Wine workshop covers the fundamentals of wine, like the basic principles of how it’s produced, important terminology and how to taste and analyze wine for around $32. And if you’re happy with level one, you can sign up for level two, three or four to expand your knowledge to include chocolate and wine, Portuguese wine regions and worldwide grape varieties.

If you’re looking for something a little more intensive, WOW offers WSET I or II courses in both English and Portuguese. The WSET courses require advance sign-up and dates fluctuate so visit their website for the next available session. Additionally, WOW offers walk-in, private and personalized tastings and masterclasses through their wine school.

Vernaccia Di San Gimignano Wine Experience La Rocca

San Gimignano, Italy - Europe

A stroll to the top of this medieval Tuscan hill town is worth it for aficionados ready to immerse themselves in Italian wine, specifically San Gimignano’s Vernaccia —the region’s most popular white wine.

The Wine Experience is a two-hour masterclass that explores this white Tuscan variety. The class starts with an overview of Vernaccia’s wine production, history and vineyards. From there, students will learn about the grape’s aromas in a perfume and spice room. Afterward, there’s a tasting of six wines and a gastronomic pairing lesson, which will show students how to pair Vernaccia with everything from bruschetta to pecorino cheese. The masterclass can be held in Italian, English and French.

Chêne Bleu Extreme Wine
Provence, France - Europe

For a longer, fully immersive course, oenophiles will want to check out Chêne Bleu’s Extreme Wine or Beyond Extreme courses for WSET II and WSET III, respectively. The week-long programs are about $8,500 and include full room and board at the Chêne Bleu estate, gourmet meals and top-rated wines, chosen WSET level certification (of which they have a 100% pass rate since the class’s 2008 inception) and the property’s own wine knowledge certificate.

The courses are taught by experts in the field, like Clive Barlow, Rod Smith and Nick Dumergue. There are also special guests, such as Adrianna Catena, fourth-generation winemaker at Catena Zapata in Argentina . And in the past, classes have taken trips to Château La Nerthe, Maison Gabriel Meffre, Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas .

Rack and Return

Barcelone, Spain - Europe
Rack and Return was founded by three friends with a shared love for wine and dedication to teaching WSET I through WSET III courses. But this version is slightly different. If you’ve taken a WSET course, you know tasting is a critical component. However, Rack and Return students will not only be tasting wines typically found in a WSET classroom but also experience wines with minimal intervention and other selections that are gaining more popularity.

Another unique factor is that all Rack and Return’s teachers either make wines themselves or are ambassadors for Cava , Canary wines , Sherry and Alicante . Courses are available in English and Spanish.

Once Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes - New York

For a tranquil opportunity to learn more about one of the United States’ largest wine regions, and to attend in-person WSET courses (levels I through III), try the Cultivate FLX program offered at Once Finger Lakes tasting room. The WSET classes are held weekly, for no more than two hours at a time, with dates varying throughout the year and taught by international wine experts.

For a less intensive course, take advantage of one of the tasting room’s flight options to learn more about the Finger Lakes. The Discovery FLX Flight showcases four of the region’s wines centered around a certain theme. Whereas the Flights & Bites option helps educate students on the region’s wine and food pairing options.

Lothian Wine School

Edinburg, Scotland - Europe

This independent wine education company offers a variety of courses in Edinburgh. Beginners can sign up for their two-hour introduction to wine courses or a four-week starter course. These classes have a wine range of topics including wines from Burgundy , Loire and Rhône to Spanish tapas and wine pairings.

Perhaps one of the more informal and relevant ones for visitors to Edinburgh is their Scottish Food and Wine pairing course, highlighting seven culinary pairings. Past combinations have included Highland game terrine with New Zealand Pinot Noir and Loch Rannoch smoked duck with Valpolicella .

Those looking to learn more about a specific wine region (from France to Australia ), should look at their specialized two-hour World of Wine programs. Lothian also offers WSET courses .

Bob Campbell's Wine Certificate Course
Auckland, New Zealand
Designed explicitly for consumers, this full-day course is held at the wine shop, Caro’s , and is led by Master of Wine Bob Campbell.

The day consists of food and wine pairing as well as teachings on the characteristics of major wine types, how to store wine , how to determine serving temperatures and more. The course is about $160, which includes a notebook, a certificate and the dozens of wines tasted throughout the day.

Burgundy, Wine School

Beaune, France - Europe
Cristina Otel founded Burgundy Wine School in 2009 after graduating with various degrees in viticulture and oenology in Burgundy. The wine courses aptly focus on the eponymous variety of the region with courses for both beginners and advanced students.

Otel’s introductory class on Burgundy wines is a two-hour opportunity for students to learn the overview of the region and wine, including her depiction of the landscape composing Burgundy, the notions of taste and the history of the place. (She even starts the class with a blank piece of paper on which she draws this landscape). The second hour is all about tasting, including handpicked wines from five subregions of Burgundy that average a total value of about $971 (she uses a Coravin so the class is not this pricey). The class runs for about $248.

For the advanced, Otel offers two-day classes which showcase Burgundy in even more detail, with the first day focused on Burgundy whites. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to visit every single village of Côte de Beaune and compare tasting of 15 to 20 labels. The second day covers red Burgundy, a visit to the entire area of the Côte de Nuits and a similar tasting comparison. The class is about $1,550.

Cheers to a lot of knowledge, learning, and fun!

What is carbonic maceration?

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 11:51:11 GMT

What is carbonic maceration? Article written by Christina Pickard for Wine Enthusiast

Few terms in the wine world will get you labeled a geek more swiftly than “carbonic maceration.” Just the sound of it conjures images of mad scientists and sci-fi superheroes.

Despite its high-tech name, carbonic maceration, or simply “carbonic” (carbo if you’re French, or cab mac if you’re Australian), is an important winemaking technique. It’s worth learning about, not just because it’ll make you sound like a smarty pants, but because the method is more widespread than ever thanks a growing trend toward lighter, fresher reds.

Carbonic maceration can completely change a wine’s style and flavor profile. If you’ve ever tried a red wine that bounced brightly out of the glass with an ultra-fruity bubble-gum aroma or crunched lightly with cinnamon, vanilla and earthy, stemmy flavors, it’s likely you’ve encountered carbonic maceration.

Carbonic maceration is a winemaking technique that’s applied primarily to light- to medium-bodied red wines to make them fruitier and to soften their tannins.

Most wine transforms from grape juice into alcohol via a yeast fermentation. Bunches of grapes are picked, destemmed and crushed. The yeast, whether naturally present on the grape skins or added by winemakers, “eat” the natural sugars in the grape juice and converts them into alcohol.

In carbonic maceration, however, the initial fermentation is not caused by yeast, but instead occurs intracellularly, or from the inside out. This method involves filling a sealed vessel with carbon dioxide and then adding whole, intact bunches of grapes.

Grape that has experienced carbonic maceration (left) showcasing darker flesh than normal grape (right) / Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee, courtesy Martha Stoumen

In this oxygen-free environment, the berries begin to ferment from the inside. They use the available CO2 to break down sugars and malic acid (one of the main acids in grapes) and produces alcohol along with a range of compounds that affect the wine’s final flavor.

At the same time, polyphenols, known to most as tannins and anthocyanins, make their way from the grapes’ skin to the pulp, which turn the white flesh to a pink color. Once the alcohol reaches 2%, the berries burst, releasing their juice naturally. A normal yeast fermentation will then finish the job.

Add all this together and the result is a wine that’s light in color with low levels of acidity and tannins, and highly fruity aromatics, intended generally to drink young.

Who's behind it?

Carbonic maceration, at least in partial form, occurs naturally in any vessel where oxygen is limited, carbon dioxide is rich, and a percentage of berries are intact. The science is as ancient as winemaking itself.

But modern, controlled maceration carbonique was invented in the Beaujolais region of France, just south of Burgundy, where the light- to medium-bodied Gamay grape rules. In the mid-to-late 20th century, Beaujolais’s reputation was elevated thanks to carbonic macerated wines, particularly Beaujolais Nouveau , an early-drinking wine released just weeks after fermentation is complete.

The man credited with the discovery of carbonic maceration is French scientist Michel Flanzy who used carbon dioxide as a grape preservation technique in 1934. It didn’t gain speed until the 1960s, however.

Around the same time, Jules Chauvet, a négociant and chemist from Beaujolais widely considered the godfather of natural wine, also made great strides with his studies in semi-carbonic maceration of Gamay grown on Beaujolais’s granite soils. The technique is used widely by natural winemakers today.

In 1986, Australian winemaker Stephen Hickinbotham patented a method that involved using a sealed plastic bag to contain the juice and dry ice to create carbon dioxide.

Thanks, Christina Pickard, for this interesting learning. Cheers to a new week and to more knowledge!

The World's Oldest Grape

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 13:21:25 GMT

The World's Oldest Grape-Bearing Vine Has Seen Centuries Of Empires And Invasion

Article written by Rebecca Toy for the magazine Wine Enthusiast

In the northeastern corner of Slovenia , you’ll find the oldest grape-bearing vine in the world, which has grown for over 400 years on the side of a house in Maribor, some 15 miles from the Austrian border.

The vine was planted sometime in the late 16th century during the turmoil of recurring invasions from the Ottoman Empire. An exact date is not certain due to a few centimeters of rot in the vine’s core sample. But, in 1972, dendrologist Dr. Rihard Erker determined the vine was between 350–400 years old. Genetic experts in Paris confirmed the findings.

A Story Of Survival

To Slovenians, the old vine is a symbol of survival.

For instance, in 1870, the phylloxera parasite decimated European vineyards by attacking and killing vines at the roots. In France alone, phylloxera killed a quarter of the vineyards, reduced wine production by half and created widespread panic and hopelessness. Yet, the old vine’s ancient roots were deep within the watery banks of the nearby Drava River, drowning pests and protecting it from phylloxera.

The vine even survived bombings during World War II (1939–1945) that partially destroyed the home on which it grows.

Later, in 1963, the Drava River that once saved the vine from phylloxera became a threat. A new dam caused the river to rise more than nine feet, changing the Drava’s banks where the vine had rooted for centuries. Lack of maintenance on the changing river was slowly killing the vine. By the 1970s, the house in Maribor and the vine itself suffered significant neglect.

Thankfully, in 1980, a group of experts from Slovenia’s Institute of Agriculture noticed the historic plant’s situation and prevented the demolition of the house. In 1981, viticulturists Tone Zafošnik and Anton Vodovnik stabilized and pruned the vine while the house was restored. In 1982 it had new growth.

Zafošnik became the old vine’s first vinedresser and had the plant thriving and in the Guinness World of Records by his retirement in 2010.

Today's Harvest

Every year, the old vine yields 77–121 pounds of Žametovka, a red grape that’s one of the region’s oldest varieties. Only 100 eight-ounce bottles, designed by Oskar Kogoj, are produced each year. The spiral on the bottle’s neck represents the vine’s “ infinite longevity .” Royalty, presidents, popes and celebrities are the lucky recipients.

While the wine itself is limited, Maribor has gifted grafts to other cities and oenology programs around the world. By the end of 2020, there were 228 certified grafts in 29 countries across four continents.

Grafts are presented at the Pruning of the Old Vine , one of the vine’s main two annual ceremonies open to the public on the last Friday in February or the first Friday in March. Stane Kocutar, chosen by Zafošnik, has tended the vine since 2010. In late February, Kocutar prepares the cuts and cultivates the grafts for the residents and guests.

He finishes the year with the harvest and old vine Festival events that begin on the first Sunday in October and end on November 11 (St. Martin’s Day). The entire city joins in with international visitors for culinary events, music, dancing and the ceremonial tasting of the harvest. Every two years, the Maribor Wine Queen is selected from the applicants representing local vineyard families to represent the region’s wine and history.

The Old Vine House is now a museum, featuring artifacts and heritage displays. Guided tours and a tasting room are available.

In the last 40 years, the old vine went from near destruction to a celebrated record-holder with a museum, a Maribor Wine Queen, festivals, an anthem , a dedicated vinedresser and fans worldwide.

Kocutar writes , “How could a city vinedresser wish for anything more?”

Non-Alcoholic Bars Offer Essential Social Spaces

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 22:56:38 GMT

As More Drinkers Ditch Booze, Non-Alcoholic Bars Offer Essential Social Spaces

Article by Sophia Gottfried for Wine Enthusiast

What makes a bar, well, a bar? For Chris Marshall, founder and owner of booze-free Sans Bar in Austin, Texas , it’s more than just the drinks. For him and others, atmosphere, service and community play just as big a role as booze.

That’s not to say that zero-proof cocktails are an afterthought. At Sans Bar, the menu is peppered with complex concoctions, from the Longhorn cocktail, a zingy blend of mango, habanero and a lemon-cucumber-serrano non-alcoholic (NA) spirit, to the herbaceous Sage and Sound, which features NA gin, sage, aromatic bitters and tonic. These drinks and others like them have proven so popular that since the first Sans Bar opened in 2017, Marshall has added several other locations throughout Texas .

Additional NA watering holes have sprouted up since. According to Zero Proof Nation , a platform that highlights bars and bottle shops specializing in NA options, there are currently more than 25 NA-dedicated bars in the U.S. , with that number steadily growing. What’s more, consumers spent $3.3 billion on no- and low-alcohol products in 2021 alone, according to Nielsen data . Zero-proof tasting rooms and pop-up events across the country are on the rise, too.

All of these things suggest that the popularity of NA products and spaces may extend well-beyond trends like Dry January or Sober October. The age of mainstream sobriety may very well be upon us.

But without alcohol, can these establishments credibly call themselves bars? Many of the beverage pros we interviewed certainly think so. Here’s how establishments and pop-up events around the country are creating top-notch bar experiences—minus the hangover.

Crafting a Sense of Community

You can have a drink alcoholic or otherwise anywhere you please, be it your home, the park or a restaurant, Marshall explains. But bars are about more than imbibing.

“A bar is a place where people gather in community,” he says. While non-alcoholic bottle shops are also booming , they’re not always communal spaces.

“The bar in our culture provides a social space that’s needed to facilitate interactions you wouldn’t have in, say, a restaurant or coffee shop,” notes Justin Mendoza, a health and wellness coach and psychotherapist who frequents Volstead by Unity , Philadelphia’s first zero-proof bar. “For someone who, for whatever reason, doesn’t drink, is shifting their relationship with alcohol or supports someone who’s made that choice, having the ‘bar’ space but knowing it’s free of any alcohol can be liberating.”

Compared to regular bars or nightclubs, non-alcoholic nightlife can for some be a more welcoming community, notes Elizabeth Gascoigne, founder & CEO of New York City-based Absence of Proof . When she stopped drinking in 2022, “there was a huge adjustment in my social life,” she recalls. Finding ways to enjoy the Big Apple’s vibrant nightlife scene sans-alcohol was an uphill battle, Gascoigne found. So she created her own space.

“At first, I was all about the drinks, but what’s more important to us now is the community we’re building,” she explains. “We don’t want it to be a cool-kid place, we want people to leave with friends they might not have had before they came.”

That said, Absence of Proof’s spaces are pretty cool. From speakeasies to clubs, the operation’s NA pop-up events feature all the trappings of scene-y bars, including mood lighting, loud music, a well-heeled crowd and bartenders mixing up beverages like NA lychee martinis or spicy NA margaritas . Clearly she’s doing something right: In less than a year, Gascoigne has expanded Absence of Proof to Los Angeles , Seattle and Detroit .

The clientele at NA spaces can be varied, which helps further cement a bar vibe. Hekate in New York City’s East Village, for example, attracts an especially wide range of customers, from curious out-of-towners to people who don’t drink for religious reasons. Among the standard clientele are people on first dates, teenagers, NYU students and more, says head bartender Nette Moreno.

“It really feels like a bar,” she explains, especially when patrons are shifting tables and making friends. “I know it’s a successful night if people played musical chairs.”

Creating Atmosphere Through Design and Décor

The fact that many zero-proof bars look like regular bars is not an accident. At Volstead, which is also a vegan restaurant, there’s a custom-made, live-edge wood bar top with shelves of glistening bottles behind it. Having this traditional set-up is both a familiar sight and enables customers to easily see the rapidly growing number of non-alcoholic spirits, wines, beers and bitters on offer.

“The decor is very much like a traditional bar, but also what you would expect in an upscale vegan restaurant in a hip urban neighborhood,” says Mendoza. At Volstead, that translates to moody dark green walls and black and gold accents, plus a greenery-covered accent wall. “In my view, it helps make being sober or sober curious more appealing and accessible.”

A similar sentiment is behind the design of Sans Bar, explains Aranzasu De La Mora, founder of Aranzasu Design + Build , which designed the space. “The bar is meant to look and feel like a regular bar, only with the subtle twist of removing the option [or] pressure to have alcohol,” says De La Mora, who’s also designed drinking spots, clubs and restaurants in Austin, San Antonio and Tulum.

“I wanted the space to be inclusive [and] inviting to the customer that had typically spent time in traditional bars” he says.

To that end, De La Mora kept all but one of the original brick walls in the 150-year-old building that Sans occupies, adding a mural by a local artist to give the space an authentic Austin vibe. The décor also features intimate lighting and a bar accentuated with emerald tiles. This focus on traditional bar-like aesthetics applies to the drinks themselves, too.

“There’s a big difference between having a Coca-Cola and having an NA cocktail,” notes Gascoigne. When creating her pop-ups, small details like glassware and garnishes make a difference.

Making It the ‘Real Thing’

Expert staff also contribute to giving NA bars more legitimacy. “I believe in hiring bartenders who still drink alcohol because it’s been 16 years since my last drink,” Marshall divulges. A bartender with the palate of a traditional mixologist helps ensure that Sans Bar’s offerings are on par with alcoholic offerings at respected mainstream cocktail dens.

In fact, all of the bars mentioned in this story employ bartenders with traditional bar backgrounds. (Volstead also employs those in recovery and returning from incarceration).

“I feel really lucky [that] I have an awesome team of bartenders,” says Gascoigne. “A lot of bartenders, this is their craft and they’re not interested in the NA space. We want people who are passionate about mixology, but open to and excited about NA.”

At the end of the day, the most successful NA establishments deliver a traditional bar experience. “Sans Bar feels like a bar because it is one,” says Allison Cole, a regular patron. “There are bartenders, a curated menu, music [and] people out enjoying themselves—it’s a bar. People going out to bars are seeking to fulfill a need, at least I know I am. At Sans, beyond the drinks and music, I find connection and community.”

Of course, one key difference remains. “We aren’t seeking to go out and lose ourselves,” Cole says. “We are instead present.”

Discover the secret of wine serving temperature

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 19:42:16 GMT

Serving Temperature of White Wines: A Key Element to Enjoy Them

An interesting information from Naviganti Wine, Pescara, Italy, about
"Serving temperature of white wine - a key element to enjoy them."

Summer is the perfect season to enjoy relaxing moments outdoors, accompanied by a good glass of white wine. The demand for these wines is felt particularly during the warmer months, as their freshness and lightness make them perfect to combat temperatures and complete summer dishes. However, a frequently overlooked but fundamental element to enhance the characteristics of a white wine is the serving temperature. Let’s see why it is important and how to get the most out of wines like Pecorino, Passerina and Traminer. In our example, we present the result for Traminer.

The serving temperature greatly affects the tasting experience of a white wine. Serving it at the right temperature enhances the aromas and flavors, while a wrong service could frustrate the efforts of producers and compromise the pleasantness of the drink.
At too cold temperatures, the aromas and flavors can be blocked, making it difficult to grasp all the nuances. On the other hand, if the wine is served too hot, it could be too flat or too alcoholic.

Traminer: Spicy and aromatic
Traminer, is an aromatic white wine, rich in floral and spicy notes. In order to allow these aromas to fully express themselves, it is advisable to serve Traminer at a temperature between 50 ºC and 54 ºC. However, in order to experience a less lacking acidity even one degree less could make the difference, while to enhance the aromas of a more acidic wine at this point is fine a few degrees more. This wine pairs beautifully with slightly spicy dishes, Sushi and Asian cuisine.

Cheers to you with a correctly cooled down white wine!
Btw: We do carry a lot of excellent whites as well as an amazing German Gewurztraminer. Worth to give it a try!

Low-alcohol wines - more asked than ever!

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 21:14:37 GMT

Future of drinking - low calorie - low alcohol - full taste!

Low alcohol does not mean, low taste or no taste!

Big benefit: You can drink 1-2 glasses more before feeling buzzed or drink just 1 glass and feel good and well and ready for the next day. Also, they have to be affordable, announced in social media as well as we have to disclose nutritional information.

All these asked facts, we can represent to the younger generation with our low calorie, low alcohol-wine line from CHATEAU DIANA WINERY, Healdsburg, CA .

Read below some thoughts from young wine drinkers, which are very relevant for the wine market:

Erik Muntean (Millennial): Love the Lower ABV

Sommelier and Restaurant Manager at Sierra Nevada Resort in Mammoth, CA

“Millennials/Gen Z are responsive to lower alcohol in wine and the ability to have more than a glass or two before feeling buzzed,” notes Muntean. “The U.S. wine scene needs to broaden from the trend of higher and higher alcohol and take a page from storied, but less well-known wines and fresher styles of winemaking.”

Jamie Harrison Rubin (Millennial): Make Wine Affordable

Consulting sommelier for Southwark and Ambra in Philadelphia

“Cost is a huge issue for younger drinkers,” notes Rubin. “Global benchmark wines are no longer attainable for anyone on a reasonable budget.”

What does that mean for the average young wine drinkers? “It means we have to stop using these wines as reference points,” Rubin says. “It means that we need to focus on wines that are obtainable. We need to center local producers when we can and try to find new and creative ways to describe a wine that doesn’t call back to a time when Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was the hot new thing. It isn’t anymore.”

Maggie Kruse (Millennial): Embrace Social Media

Head Winemaker at Jordan Winery in Sonoma, CA

“I believe these generations are much more interested in discovery, engagement and shop-ability via social media, specifically Instagram and TikTok , when it comes to buying wine,” says Kruse. “We often see millennial and Gen Z consumers make purchasing decisions based on the creators they follow and the experiences and/or products they recommend.”

Jessica Blumenthal (Millennial): Disclose Nutritional Information

Founding VP of Brand & Innovation at Avaline

“Wine brands should start disclosing their nutritional information and ingredients,” says Blumenthal. “There’s a misconception among consumers that wine is high in sugar because the industry doesn’t talk about it, and I really believe it puts the category at a disadvantage when compared to other alcoholic beverages.”

As for low-alcohol wines, we can offer you: 2 whites, 1 rosé, 1 red, Sangria, 2 infused whites and a sparkling Moscato. Taste and feel convinced: Pleasure does not necessarily need a high ABV.

Cheers to that!

5 Foods That Beg for Rosé

Wed, 17 May 2023 14:39:24 GMT

5 Foods That Beg for Rosé (Article from Wine Spectator, by Kristen Bieler)

Some spring faves can be tricky to match. The answer is rosé, a most versatile companion

Ah, rosé season . For many wine lovers, the arrival of the new vintage of pink wine heralds the return of spring.

One of rosé’s many charms is the crisp, perfumed refreshment it delivers on its own, making it a perfect apéritif. But many rosés also deserve a seat at the table, as these dry, vibrant wines are especially versatile with food. With the racy acidity of white wine and the fruit character and subtle bitterness of a red, rosé can complement an impressively wide range of flavors and dishes. In fact, rosé can be a pairing problem-solver: It’s one of the few wines that works with notoriously difficult-to-pair foods such as artichokes and asparagus.

Not all rosés are up to the challenge, of course. Seek out top producers from Spain, Italy and France to discover a stylistically diverse collection of gastronomic wines that are ideally suited to enhancing many classic springtime bites.

ARTICHOKES

A spicier rosé cut through the meatiness of artichokes

Artichokes have gotten a bad rap for being difficult to pair with wine, but they are more flexible than most people realize. They do contain an ester called cynarine, which can amplify the impression of sweetness in anything consumed alongside them, so the key is choosing a wine that is bone-dry with high acidity and no oak. The answer? Rosé. Because artichokes have a meaty texture, and can develop a nutty richness when fried, roasted, braised or grilled, they can stand up to a more flavorful, spicier rosé.

ASPARAGUS

With high levels of sulfur, asparagus is tamed by citrusy, unoaked rosé

Like rosé, asparagus is synonymous with the spring season. It’s a versatile ingredient in the kitchen—in pastas, salads, soups and with anything grilled. But asparagus is famously difficult with wine.

A member of the lily family, asparagus contains high levels of sulfurous acids, which can cause many wines to taste funky, vegetal, harsh or even spoiled. The same compounds are found in Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli and garlic, yet asparagus holds the title as wine’s toughest challenger.

By cooking asparagus longer or adding creamy cheese sauces or butter, it’s possible to mitigate this clash. But the best solution for wine lovers who want to appreciate the vegetable in a fresher, less adulterated form is to choose a friendly wine companion. Sauvignon Blanc is a frequent suggestion, but grassy versions can be overkill with green asparagus. Instead, try a citrusy, herbal, unoaked rosé.

“Asparagus can overpower a delicate white wine and clash with the tannins in a red, so rosé is an excellent choice,” says Kelly Booth, head sommelier at chef Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Napa Valley . Choose a rosé that is crisp and vibrant and low in tannins, she advises, which will complement, rather than conflict with, the distinctive and pronounced vegetable flavor.

EGGS

Given their high sulfur content, eggs call for wines without too much tannin or oak
Sparkling wine and drinks featuring bubbly lay claim to the brunch throne, but rosé may be even more deserving of the crown. That’s largely because of its ability to complement eggs. Like other foods tricky to pair with wine, eggs contain sulfurous compounds, which can make wines taste funky or metallic, so you want to avoid tannins or anything with noticeable oak. But eggs are also rich, and in brunch dishes often combined with cheese, cured meat or smoked salmon—strong flavors that could mask a delicate white. Rosé has the flexibility to bridge this gap, says Cory Holt, beverage director at Maialino, a brunch destination restaurant in New York: “Cacio e Pepe Eggs, one of our most popular breakfast dishes, features scrambled eggs with plenty of salty pecorino and fresh-cracked black pepper. Going for a rosé that is bright, fresh, but not too light in texture is the move.”

A big fan of Italy’s Rosato's, he stocks his list with crisp versions that “inherently do much of what white wine does yet have the textural oomph and chewiness of a light red. Rosé is the Swiss Army Knife wine.”

JAMÓN

Nothing pairs with well-aged ham quite like a floral, slightly bitter Rosé

For a truly divine—and incredibly simple—wine and food experience, serve slices of jamón, the renowned salt-cured ham of Spain, with chilled glasses of rosé. “The fruit and acidity in rosé provide an ideal balance for the nuttiness and salinity of the pork,” says Danny Lledó, chef and owner of Xiquet in Washington, D.C.

This goes for the standard jamón serrano, served at nearly every bar in Spain, as well as the elite jamón Ibérico, made from the prized black pig and featuring a higher fat content and a more complex and nutty flavor. Bright and zesty, rosé harmonizes beautifully with the meat’s flavorful fat and intense saltiness.

The same formula applies to the sweeter, slightly more delicate Italian prosciutto—and really all charcuterie, says Alex Raij, chef and owner of Saint Julivert in Brooklyn, N.Y.

“Rosé has the freshness to cut through any salted, well-marbled meat with a bit of spice, such as salami rosso, but with the body, structure and finish of a red wine,” she says. Raij finds versions that feature white pepper and grapefruit pith bitterness to be especially suited for uplifting cured and dried meats.

BOUILLABAISSE
The saffron, garlic and punchy seafood in bouillabaisse meet their match with fuller-bodied roses

The theory that foods and wines from a particular region have evolved over time to naturally complement one another is borne out in the chemistry between rosé and this famous French fish stew.

Bouillabaisse originated in the coastal village of Marseille in the 19th century. A poor man’s soup made with unsold fish and bones and flavored with lots of spices, it was washed down with the local rosé. Liberal pinches of saffron impart that spice’s signature yellow-orange color, which evokes the Mediterranean sunshine. And the (mandatory) liberal dollop of spicy, garlicky rouille on top packs an especially robust flavor punch.

At chef Thomas Keller’s Bouchon, in Napa, sommelier Kelly Booth turns to the Bandol appellation in Provence for slightly denser, fuller-bodied rosés to pair with the bistro’s bouillabaisse and other brothy, spicy seafood dishes, like its Moules au Safran. “Rosé works really well with the pronounced flavors of saffron and fennel,” she notes.

So, after all this important knowledge we say "Cheers" to Summertime and to Rosé!

How Red Wine Is Made

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 19:32:12 GMT

How Red Wine Is Made / Article written by Jim Gordon for Wine Enthusiast

Wineries make red wine today much the same way they did 6,000 years ago in Greece and Persia. Dark-colored grapes are harvested, crushed, fermented, stirred and separated from the skins by a press. Voila! Red wine.

Better containers, presses and cellars have increased quality and efficiency of red wine production many times over, but it’s still essentially a simple process. Red wine production requires no cooking or ingredients besides grapes, yeast and, usually, sulfur dioxide as a preservative.

Red wine is made on the skins.

Red wine is made like white wine , but with one major difference. Generally, it ferments with the grape skins and juice combined in a tank or vat. White wines are pressed before fermentation, separating the juice from the skins.

The skin contact in red wine production allows color, flavor and textural compounds to be integrated into the juice, while the yeast converts sugar to alcohol. The skins contain most of the good stuff that gives red wine its color, while the pulp mostly provides the juice.

Harvesting red-wine grapes and the crush

Red wine grapes are ready to harvest in late summer to early fall, several weeks after the initial green color of the grapes has turned to dark red or blue-black, a period called veraison.

Vineyard crews cut the grape bunches or clusters from the vines. That’s either done by hand or a self-propelled machine that shakes or slaps the grapes off their stems and collects the individual berries and juice.

Delivered to the winery, winemakers can also sort out mildewed grapes, unwanted raisins, leaves and debris. Clusters then go through a destemmer/crusher that removes the whole grape berries from the stems and may squeeze them slightly to get the juice flowing. Any juice created at these stages prior to pressing is known as free run. Machine-harvested grapes are already ready to ferment.

Routinely, many add a measured dose of sulfur dioxide at this stage, and also later, to kill unwanted microbes and minimize oxidation.

Red wine fermentation and pressing

The combined juice, skins and seeds is known as must. Some winemakers cool the must for a day or two, a process called cold soaking, to extract color and flavor compounds from the skins before any alcohol is created.

After this, some winemakers add commercial yeast to begin fermentation while others let the native yeast that clings to the grapes or exists in the cellar’s atmosphere start the fermentation. Either way, yeast cells come to life in the sweet solution and begin to convert the sugar into alcohol, heat and carbon dioxide.

A cap of skins forms atop the must. This cap needs to be blended back into the juice at least once per day but often more during the fermentation process to keep it moist.

This process releases carbon dioxide, allows oxygen uptake, speeds extraction from the skins and manages the heat, which can exceed 100ºF if not monitored.

Winemakers stir the must or wet the cap by different methods. The juice can be pumped over the cap, the cap can be punched down, or the juice can be drawn off the solids and used to re-soak them (rack-and-return).

Winemakers transfer the must into wine presses, which separate the skins and seeds from the wine and squeezes the skins to coax out what is known as pressed wine.

How hard to press the must is a key winemaking decision. Too hard, and it brings out harsh tannins. Too soft, it might leave the wine lighter in color and texture.

Red wines typically mature in oak barrels

Almost all red wines need to age before being bottled and sold. The process can take from a few months to a few years in big tanks, but oak barrels and vats are preferred for high-quality, traditional-style red wines.

Usually, malolactic fermentation occurs during maturation, a process that converts the wine’s tart malic acid to softer lactic acid. It can occur naturally, however the winemaker can also encourage it by adding a malolactic culture.

Winemakers use barrels to impart aromas, flavors and texture to the wine. New barrels give more intense spicy aromas and enhanced flavors, while neutral vessels like barrels that were used previously or containers made from concrete or clay, are valued mostly to smooth a wine’s texture.

French oak barrels are about twice as expensive than American barrels, and they’re thought to lend a more complex and subtle array of spices. American white oak barrels are favored for many wines, however, for their generous vanilla and coconut nuances.

Red wine is clarified during the maturation period by racking, fining and filtering. Sediments like dead yeast cells and tiny bits of grape skins settle out of red wine while it ages. These form a mucky layer at the bottom of barrels and tanks. Racking is the process of pumping or siphoning the now-clear wine off the sediment, which can be discarded.

Winemakers may adjust red wines that taste too tannic or appear hazy with a process called fining that utilizes the binding abilities of egg whites, isinglass or bentonite clay. These agents gather unwanted substances and then fall to the bottom of the tank or barrel.

Blending is an important step to make red wine. The winemaker can add complexity and perfect balance by blending together wine from different barrels and tanks.

Filtration and bottling

When a red wine is mature enough to be bottled, many winemakers choose to filter it first. A coarse filtration removes extra sediment. A sterile filtration removes virtually all remaining yeast as well as microbes that might later spoil the wine.

A final adjustment of sulfur dioxide is often made just before a wine is bottled. This is the process that’s changed the most since ancient times, when gourds, goatskins and clay jars were the most advanced packaging materials. Oxygen is removed from the empty bottles before they’re filled with wine, corked and labeled.

Today’s winemakers have many more options, techniques and technologies than their ancient predecessors. But the object is still the same: to take sweet grapes and allow yeast to transform them into an enjoyable red wine.

Article written by Jim Gordon for Wine Enthusiast, published on October 8, 2019

Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Aromas in Wine

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 12:05:14 GMT

How to Understand the Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Aromas in Wine
Article written by Marshall Tilden III for Wine Enthusiast

Wine has three levels of flavors and aromas that evolve over the course of its life: primary, secondary and tertiary.

Younger wines display primary fruit flavors and aromas . These include black, red and dried fruit in red wines. For white wines, they can offer scents and flavors of green apples, plus citrus, tropical and stone fruits, and underripe fruits of all kinds. Primary aromas are the most obvious to detect in young wines, and they’re often what sparks interest in wine drinkers. Herbs and spices, like mint, pepper or licorice, are also part of the primary category.

Secondary aromas and flavors derive from winemaking processes like fermentation and aging. These can include the biscuit and yeasty notes that appear from lees stirring and autolysis (the effect when yeast dies off), or the very distinct buttery popcorn aroma that’s a byproduct of malolactic fermentation in many Chardonnays . It also encapsulates the wonderful characteristics that are imparted by oak aging, like vanilla, clove, smoke, coconut or even coffee.

The last of the three levels of aromas and flavors is tertiary . These complex components occur when wine is aged in an ideal environment.

In red wines, fresh ripe fruit starts to transform into stewed or dried fruit, like raisin or fig. Tertiary aromas of tobacco, earth and mushroom will come about, too.

White wines start to develop dried apricot, orange marmalade and sometimes even maderized qualities, or Sherry-like notes of almonds and candied fruit. Other tertiary characteristics include nutty aromas as well as complex spice components like nutmeg, ginger and petrol.

It’s important to note that wines with tertiary aromas and flavors are not “better” than those with primary and secondary ones. Around 90% of wines are meant to be consumed young and fresh, while a small percentage of wines improve with three to 10 years in the bottle. Only a tiny number of wines (some estimate as low as 1%) are meant to age 10 years or more.

If you are drawn to wines with fresh fruit, powerful tannins and a mouth filling finish, you might generally prefer primary and secondary flavors and aromas.
Be honest about your palate and preferences and be confident to drink whatever and whenever you like.

Article written by Marshall Tilden III, written for Wine Enthusiast, July, 2020

Passion-Vanilla-Love Mocktail

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 16:42:39 GMT

Passion-Vanilla-Love Mocktail with our exclusive n/a line from Switzerland - RIMUSS

Easy - fruity - sweet - Sparkling Rosé - non-alcoholic - Mocktail

The delicious mocktail recipe for the Spring aperitif by Meta Hiltebrand.

Preparation for 1 glass:

4cl Passion fruit vanilla syrup*

Some ice cubes

Top: Sparkling Rosé Rimuss

Decoration: Fresh passion fruit

*Passion fruit vanilla syrup

6 passion fruits

150g sugar

100g Sparkling Rosé

100g water

1/2 vanilla pod

Accessories:

Wine glass, measuring cup, bar spoon.

Preparation:

Add ice cubes and syrup to the glass. Top up with Rimuss Rosato Dry. Garnish with fresh passion fruit.

For the syrup: Scrape out the passion fruit and vanilla. Bring to the boil briefly with water, sugar and Rimuss Rosato Dry. Then fill into a syrup bottle and chill. (Keeps for approx. 3 months in the refrigerator).

ENJOY!!

How do you taste wine like a Pro?

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 21:38:33 GMT

How do you taste wine like a Pro?

Article from Food & Wine by Brian Freedman

The most important aspect of tasting wine like a professional? Don't ever stick out your pinkie finger, take a sip, and then begin speaking poetically about all of the obscure nuances you perceive in the liquid. Seriously. You'll look and sound ridiculous, and even worse, pretentious. And despite that old-school reputation for snobbery and judginess that sommeliers and wine pros have historically had, that's just not how the vast majority roll anymore.

Now that we can proceed with our collective pinkie fingers and pretensions safely tucked away, the question remains: How do you taste wine like a pro? Also: Why would you want to? After all, there's no formalized routine that most people go through when drinking most other beverages, so why is there so much swirling and sniffing and spitting when it comes to fermented grape juice?

The answer is relatively simple: Because wine possesses such a wide range of flavor and aroma compounds that you want to do everything in your power to maximize your perception of the broadest possible swath of them. And that means –– you guessed it –– swirling, sniffing, and the rest.

Here's how it works. Once the wine is poured , you'll want to swirl it in your glass , tracing small circles with the base in order to create a little wine whirlpool in the bowl. This accomplishes two main things. First, it brings oxygen into the wine, which will help open it up, allowing it to more fully express itself. Think of it as the wine equivalent of stretching before a run. You don't technically have to do it, but the experience is a whole lot more pleasant if you do. The second benefit is creating a fine layer of wine around the inside of the bowl, which gives your nose more surface area from which to perceive aroma. And since the majority of what we taste is actually a consequence of what we smell — thanks, olfactory bulb! — then everything we can do to maximize aroma is a good thing.

Once you've sniffed the wine (combining a mix of short, sharp sniffs and deep inhales), then it's time to slurp. Technique is key here: You don't want to do your finest impression of the guy in the old Listerine commercial, swishing it all around your mouth. First, that looks ridiculous, and second, because it'll overwhelm your palate with tannin (if any), acid , and the rest. Instead, take a small sip, make a face like you're going to whistle (in other words, purse your lips), and draw air in over the wine on your tongue, so that it flutters between it and your soft palate. This will throw the layers of the wine's flavors into even sharper relief, allowing you to see if it's flawed in any way, and also to more fully appreciate the nuances it offers.

The final step is generally only reserved for professionals who are tasting many wines side by side, which is spitting. There are days when I start tasting before nine in the morning, and if I didn't spit, I'd be a blithering mess by lunchtime. Spitting, in other words, is a key to both my professional success, and to my ability to function past noon. But if you're tasting a reasonable number of wines, and you have nowhere to go afterward, there's really no need to spit.

It's the one aspect of my job that I don't love: Spitting out car payments' worth of wine every week.

How does climate impact wine?

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 02:04:55 GMT

How does climate impact wine?

Climate — and climate change — have a huge effect on the character of the wine in your glass.

An interesting article in Food & Wine (October 2022), written by Brian Freedman

One of the most frequently asked and difficult to answer questions about wine is seemingly straightforward: "Was this a good year or a bad year in California, France, Italy, Argentina, or anywhere else?"

Whether or not any particular vintage is good or bad or somewhere in between is a product of countless natural phenomena, most of them tied to the climate. These days, past assumptions about the climate in any particular place are no longer as reliable as they once were given the effects of climate change. It's become so dramatic that I recently wrote a book about how climate change is altering the way we drink.

Climate is at the root, so to speak, of not just the character of any given vintage, but also of the nature of every wine region on the planet. Here's how it affects what ends up in your glass.

What Grapes Are Planted Where

Different grape varieties respond in unique ways to warm and cool climate conditions. Cabernet Sauvignon , for example, expresses itself far differently in the more maritime climate of Bordeaux than it does in the dry, sunny Napa Valley. The varieties in climate largely account for the typical overall character of Cab (or Merlot or Chardonnay or any other wine) from different regions. Terroir–soil type, underlying geology, and more–also play significant roles.

Climate also affects which grapes should be planted at all in any particular place. Riesling , for example, thrives in relatively cooler climates, where its acidity lends an almost electric sense of energy to the best wines. Hot-climate Riesling, on the other hand, tends to be flatter and lacking in the verve that its cooler-climate cousins possess. The impact temperature has on wine is challenging to overstate.

When the Grapes Are Picked

As grapes develop and ripen throughout the growing season, their sugars climb as their acids fall. Deciding when to harvest any particular vineyard or block of vines is generally based on when a perceived balance is struck between the energy of the acids and ripeness of the fruit. In hotter climates and vintages, ripeness tends to be achieved earlier than it is in cooler ones. Grapes in cooler regions often need more hang time (that is, time on the vine), developing sugars and reducing acidity, than their hot-climate counterparts do.

Unsurprisingly, climate change is affecting harvest times, too. Unusual heat spikes or the threat of wildfires are more frequently necessitating earlier picking in order to guarantee that there's usable fruit to work with. This puts more pressure on the winemaker and their team as they go about the process of selecting usable grapes, crushing them, fermenting the juice, and determining how to age it.

In response to this, some growers are experimenting with grape varieties that bud and ripen at different times from what they already have planted. This often allows them to mitigate the threat of spring frosts, hail, summertime heat spikes, and more. On top of this, growers around the world are also working with varieties that are more well-suited to the effects of climate change in their specific location. In practice, this often means planting varieties that are more heat-resistant and better able to withstand the conditions brought on by our changing climate.

Location, Location, Location

Catastrophic events like wildfires and smoke taint, torrential and extended rains just before harvest, and freak frost and freeze events are becoming more common with each passing year thanks to climate change. To paraphrase one wine professional I spoke with as I was researching my book, climate change isn't just about global warming, it's about global weirding. The climate is just plain weird these days, and doesn't show signs of correcting itself.

Yet barring extreme scenarios like those, the inherent nature of the climate in one particular region or appellation leaves its proverbial fingerprint on the wines that are grown there in predictable ways. Hotter climates tend to produce riper, more effusively fruit-driven wines, whereas cooler climates generally are home to more brisk, occasionally savory ones. Then again, there's more than climate that affects the nature of wine. In hotter regions, for example, vineyards planted at greater altitude can benefit from cooler conditions.

Your best bet, then, is not to ask about the nature of a particular vintage over an entire country or region, but to focus on a smaller appellation, look at the overall climate in general and how it manifested itself that year, and go from there. And remember: These days, past assumptions about climate are becoming increasingly more difficult to rely on.

Countdown to a New Year - 2023

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 22:50:52 GMT

Countdown to a New Year - Thanks goes to our family and friends, to all our loyal customers and partners

At this time, we would like to thank our family and friends, and all our loyal customers and partners.

Thank you for your belief in us, your loyalty, your support even during the low season and the everlasting willingness to try new products and give our imported products a chance.

We end our first year as new owners of Vine Importers LLC with pride, joy and confidence.

We have learned a lot, gained new knowledge, had experiences, good and not so good experiences, but have learned from them to take necessary, next steps. Our family always had a sympathetic ear during hours of phone calls to Europe to share experiences and feelings across the Atlantic. As a European, it is not easy to take this giant step into another world and to enter another continent in order to live up to different customs there. But we have experienced many wonderful encounters and met many lovely people who have grown close to our hearts in a short time.

The everlasting support of our family and friends, the (mostly) very pleasant climate in Florida and our curiosity to always be able to reach new goals motivate us every day not to give up even during challenging and more difficult times, but to follow the motto: "Now more than ever!"

We will not stand still but continue to learn in order to be able to support our customers and offer them the highest quality at fair prices.

Currently, we are enjoying quality time with our family and thank you for understanding that we do not make deliveries during the Christmas holiday. - We are back for all from January 2, 2023.

We wish you all only the very best for the New Year, good and lasting health, happiness, mutual support.

Cheers to all of you!

Jlona & Stefan Dobler, Owners of Vine Importers LLC with team

NEW and EXCLUSIVE in Florida: Bordeaux wine line from Vignobles Bayle-Carreau, Bordeaux, France (Europe)

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 14:18:35 GMT

Excluisve in Florida: Bordeaux wine line from
Vignobles Bayle-Carreau, Bordeaux, France

SEVEN GENERATIONS OF WINEMAKING EXPERIENCE

The story of the Bayle-Carreau vineyards is the story of two families.
The Carreau family and the Bayle family, who share the same passion for wine and excellence.
Year after year, the Carreau family has developed a profound knowledge of the vine. Passed down from generation to generation, this expertise is the basis for a range of unique and aromatic wines.
The Bayle family represents the winemaking side of things, with a clear focus on wine production, marketing and sales.
The two families perfectly complement each other and manage a remarkable combined estate, whose beginnings take us back to the 1850s.

The origins

In 1852 Antoine Carreau acquires Château Barbé. This south-facing ten-hectare estate provides ideal sun exposure, which allows the grapes to ripen early.

A few years later, Antoine’s son François Carreau takes over the estate. After the Phyloxera crisis from 1875 to 1880, the entire vineyard is completely replanted to revitalise the business.

Following in François Carreau’s footsteps, his successors Ernest and Paul Carreau takes the helm and Château Barbé grows from 10 to 20 hectares. The estate is then handed over to Claude Carreau, Paul’s son.

In 1910, the Bayle family buys Château la Carelle. This 15-hectare estate located in the heart of the Blayais region is operated by Émile Bayle, assisted by his son from 1922.

From 1922 to 1956, André Bayle focuses on building a strong portfolio of clients around Normandy.

The birth of the Bayle-Carreau estate

In 1952, Jeanne-Marie, daughter of André Bayle, marries Claude Carreau.
The union of these two families also entails the merger of their respective vineyards’ know-how and a significant improvement in both production and sales.
In the following years, each estate also increases its scope. Château Barbé expands from 20 to 28 hectares and Château la Carelle grows from 15 to 25 hectares.

In 1971, Château Pardaillan’s 12 hectares are added to the thriving estate. The entire vineyard is completely remodelled to optimise resources and enhance quality.

Jeanne-Marie and Claude’s son Xavier joins the team to support his parents and leads a new sales push in Normandy.

Their daughter Chantal marries Alain Jourdan, a young agricultural engineer whose expertise becomes yet another asset for the vineyard’s wine production.

1976 is another milestone. It is the founding year of the Bayle-Carreau vineyards. Claude Carreau, Xavier Carreau and Alain Jourdan start a joint venture to integrate the Barbé, Carelle and Pardaillan estates.

This is the start of a completely new dynamic. Xavier focuses on sales development, Alain is in charge of production, and Claude continues to smoothly run day to day operations.

In 1977, success is in sight. The combined production of the vineyards is no longer enough to supply the ever-increasing demand in Normandy.

That same year, Bayle-Carreau becomes the proud owner of Château Eyquem. With its magnificent location overlooking the Gironde, this south-facing estate enjoys a beautiful sun exposure.

The vineyard includes newly planted vines, the winery features modern facilities, and the main building is fully renovated. At the beginning of the 1980s, the estate gets a complete makeover and becomes a reference point for customers from Normandy coming to visit the Bordeaux region.

A new generation

In the 1990s, the Bayle-Careau vineyards continue to expand with the acquisition of Château Landreau in 1995, a 15-hectare estate in the Côtes de Bourg appellation.

8 hectares belonging to the Calet estate are added to the growing vineyard in 1997.

1998 is a record year for Bordeaux wine sales worldwide, but the early 2000s see a sharp drop in numbers. In order to keep growing, Bayle-Carreau vineyards export some of their production abroad. The first objectives are the Netherlands and Belgium, followed by China, which becomes the main focus from 2004 on, with the creation of a local sales office.

Around the same time, Alain Jourdan’s son Cyril Jourdan, who graduated in Oenology, joins the business as Viticulture Manager.

In 2010, Château Gontier, a 20-hectare estate, becomes the newest addition to the Balye-Carreau vineyards.

In 2014, Charlotte Carreau, daughter of Xavier Carreau, takes on a new position as export manager.

In 2019, Aurélien Broly joins the team and brings his valuable experience to the estate’s solid organisation.

Their commitments

WORKING THE LAND AND PROTECTING ITS NATURE

Our land and our nature are precious gifts we need to protect.

For the Bayle, Carreau and Jourdan families, this principle has long been the driving force of the vineyards’ success. Sustainability is at the centre of all operational decisions.

Thanks to these efforts, we have received two certifications: High Environmental Value (HVE) and Terra Vitis. These certifications guarantee that our processes follow best practices, and our wines are made in the best conditions to safeguard the balance between Man and nature.

Preserving natural resources, as well as protecting our health, is the main goal of the Terra Vitis certification. THIS COMMITMENT IS BASED ON 6 PRINCIPLES

1 – RESPECT OUR ENVIRONMENT

We respect our water resources and the biodiversity of our soil in order to grow vines that will yield good and healthy grapes.

2 – PROTECT OUR VINES AND GRAPES

We observe and study the vines carefully to help their natural defences. We only step in when there is no other way to ensure a successful crop.

3 – RESPECT PEOPLE

We strive to provide our employees, farm neighbours and all people with a good environment to protect their health.
We also provide training for all the people working in our vineyards.

4 – INNOVATE AND CHANGE

Year after year, we try to stay ahead of future environmental and health requirements. To do this, we develop and test new techniques with the help of all of our vineyards’ highly qualified staff.

5 – RESPECT OUR COMMUNITY

Because we are environmentally conscious, we make sure all the waste from our estate is reused or recycled.

6 – RESPECT THE CONSUMER

Each stage of production is audited by an independent organisation. The auditor certifies each vintage. This certification gives our consumer full transparency on our winemaking process from the vine to the glass.

THE HVE label is regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture. This label aims to define and promote environmentally friendly farming practices.

IT FOCUSES ON FOUR MAIN AREAS

BIODIVERSITY

Biodiversity and agriculture must go hand in hand, because working the land means interacting with nature constantly.

This is why integrating biodiversity into our production techniques is so important when it comes to mitigating the negative impact some farming practices can have on the environment (fertilisation, tillage, crop protection products, mono-cropping, etc.) and maximising biodiversity’s benefits (regulate water, filter pollutants, prevent erosion, pollinate, etc.).

To enhance functional biodiversity, is it crucial to preserve and integrate areas of the farm dedicated to cover crops in order to ensure the survival and reproduction of beneficial insects.

PLANT PROTECTION STRATEGY

Throughout the year, crops are exposed to pests and disease, as well as weeds that can deprive the vines of the nutrients they need. To reduce the impact of these threats on the vines, every vineyard needs to have a clearly defined strategy. The first course of action is the use of plant protection products.

In viticulture, these products usually fall into two categories: herbicides, which will be used to manage weeds, and non-herbicides, which will treat pests and disease problems.

While these plant protection products can help, it is important to use them with caution so as to preserve the environmental balance, and to use natural techniques where possible.

FERTILISER MANAGEMENT

Fertilisation is an essential part of growing vines, as it not only provides essential nutrients for the vines, but also ensures the soil is healthy.
Organic matter plays a key role, particularly in the storage and regulation of the vine’s nutrients, the quality and stability of soil structure, the soil’s ability to retain water and its biological properties. Fertilisation must therefore be treated with utmost care and dedication.

The environmental challenge of fertilisation lies not so much in limiting the inputs, but rather in enhancing the quality of those inputs and limiting the use of synthetic products.

IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT

Water management is a key element in the day-to-day of most vineyards. As droughts become more common, crops are more frequently subject to water deficit. Although more and more water is needed every year, it is crucial to address how we use this resource.

To optimize water use and conservation, there are three components to take into account: the plant, the soil and the climate. The plant must be watered according to its specific needs, which will vary depending on the climate, the type of soil, the anticipated yield and other aspects such as soil management. The real challenge is to develop practices that optimize the use of the water that is naturally retained in the soil and to limit additional watering (irrigation).

Read more under: Vineyard - www.bayle-carreau.com

All information above in this text are allowed and copied from the original website above.

Non-alcoholic market: New Brand - Exclusive in United States

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 16:38:18 GMT

NEW and EXCLUSIVE available in Florida, United States - Famous Swiss Non-Alcoholic Brand of four different Sparkling wines: Sparkling Rosé & White, Lychee Perl and Champion Organic Sparkling

Rimuss – a traditional Swiss brand that connects people. Since 1954.

For generations, Rimuss has accompanied families in Switzerland, creating shared moments of joy at festive occasions such as birthdays, Christmas and Easter. From its origins as a family-made champagne, the brand has developed into a popular aperitif drink for every generation and every occasion .

The Rimuss story continues, with their brand values of ‘COURAGE, STYLE, ENJOYMENT OF LIFE and RESPECT’ playing a central role. One thing is certain: Rimuss belongs at every aperitif and connects people with non-alcoholic "Joy of Living".

“Rimuss & Strada Wein AG is one of the leading producers of grape juice and wine specialties in Switzerland. Their mission is to give consumers pleasure and enjoyment at different stages of their life and to connect generations by sharing a toast.”

Those who want to enjoy, celebrate and toast in style can also do so alcohol-free thanks to Rimuss. They are constantly developing their grape juice creations, cultivating their image and confidently remaining true to their promise: Rimuss is a high-quality non-alcoholic alternative and an enrichment for every occasion.

Mindfulness: Rimuss stands for conscious enjoyment and an honest, sparkling taste experience. They use only the best ingredients and process them exclusively in Switzerland under the highest quality criteria. The basis for every Rimuss is natural grape juice.

Grape-juice: The true allrounder

Indulgence
Grape juice is pure nature: pure fruit juice with no added sugar, colourings or preservatives. Hardly any other drink has as much richness and harmony of taste as grape juice.

Fountain of youth
Grape juice protects and strengthens the digestive organs, especially the liver, kidneys and glands. The many trace elements trigger important chemical reactions in the body, which in turn strengthen the immune system.

Minerals and vitamins
In addition to vitamins B and C, grape juice also contains numerous minerals such as sodium, potassium and magnesium, as well as valuable polyphenols. Grape juice thus provides the body with antioxidant support, improves blood circulation, protects the blood vessels and keeps them elastic.

Excellent quality as standard.

Rimuss & Strada Wein AG pursues a strategy that focuses on enjoyment, quality and the customer experience. With clearly defined quality standards, the company produces the finest products, and does so at attractive prices.

Rimuss & Strada has decided to introduce a quality management system according to IFS requirements. IFS stands for International Featured Standards and is one of the most important certification systems in the food industry.

The standard primarily aims to guarantee food safety and quality, but also helps to optimize their own processes. In this way, the standard helps them to keep their promise of quality and to achieve the best possible price-performance ratio.

Naturally sustainable.

Climate protection is very close to their hearts at Rimuss & Strada Wein AG. For this reason, the company has been committed to sustainable climate protection since the 1980’s.

As early as 1985, a hot water solar system was installed on the roof of the production facility to use solar energy and save heating oil.

Since 2016, the company has participated in a voluntary climate protection and energy efficiency programme run by the Swiss government.

Hello from Hallau.

Hallau is a picturesque village surrounded by vineyards in Schaffhausen’s Blauburgunderland. This is also where their work originated from 1945 onwards.

Founder Jakob Rahm-Huber, a true pioneer, laid the foundation of the business as early as 1928 by planting Hallau vineyards with hardy vines. Over the decades, this developed into a production company for wine and grape juice of national importance.

The exchange and relationship with local grape growers and the surrounding Blauburgunderland has always been important to them. They supply them with high-quality grape juices, just like their colleagues in the Zürcher Weinland and Bündner Herrschaft.

The best raw materials enable them to keep their promise of quality.

Rimuss – where the name comes from.

At the OLMA in 1954 (famous exhibition in Switzerland), the winery introduced a new, alcohol-free, sparkling product under the name ‘Ramouss’ (‘cream mousseux’). Before Christmas, however, the name had to be replaced because of the risk of confusion with a similar-sounding brand.

The search for a new name led to ‘Rimouss’, with ‘Ri’ referring to the grape varieties originally used (Riesling and Silvaner) and ‘mouss’ representing the pleasantly tingling bubbles.

Finally, the catchier and now widely known brand name ‘Rimuss’ emerged.

New owners, traditional quality principles.

“At the End of 2017, the Davaz family took over the Rimuss- und Weinkellerei Rahm AG. They come from Fläsch and are winemakers with heart and soul. Since the beginning of 2019, the traditional winery has been operating under the new name ‘Rimuss & Strada Wein AG’.

For them as a winegrowing family, the wine experience (with and without alcohol) is at the center of their work. Since 1972, they have developed from a winery into a specialist in wine, sparkling wine and grape juice.
With pleasure in their craft, a lot of passion and a spirit of innovation, they consistently focus on the highest quality, from their own viticulture to vinification and the wine trade.”

THeir principles – as a family and as a company

Focus
They concentrate on the essentials: on their strengths. They deliberately leave out the less important things.

Flexibility

They think in variations. Criticism moves them forward and leads to good solutions.

Reliability
They work thoroughly, precisely, concretely and reliably.

Solution orientation
They promote an open, partnership-based and solution-oriented cooperation and leadership culture.

Is this wine any good? The five most important structural components to know

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 13:41:58 GMT

Is this wine any good? Article BY MARSHALL TILDEN III (Wine enthusiast)

How do you determine whether a wine is” good”?

The first rule of thumb is to drink what you like. If you enjoy it, then it must be good!

However, if you want to gauge the technical quality of wine, there are five major structural components to assess. After you examine those levels, you can determine if and how they balance each other and lead to an intense or expressive wine with complexity on the nose, palate and finish.

Here are the five most important structural components of wine and how to understand them in the glass.

Sweetness

Just because a wine is fruity doesn’t mean it’s sweet .

Sweetness indicates the amount of residual sugar in wine. So, when people say they prefer a “dry wine,” it’s not to say they don’t enjoy fruity wines, just wines without any real sugar content.

There’s no direct correlation between sweetness or dryness and quality. Sure, you would be hard-pressed to find a 100-point White Zinfandel on Wine Enthusiast, but there are plenty of 100-point sweet wines , like Port and Tokaji , that are some of the most sought-after wines in the world.

Acidity

You know that mouthwatering feeling you get when you bite into a fresh pineapple or sip freshly squeezed lemonade? That’s acidity , and it’s one of the most important components of wine.

Derived from grape pulp, acidity accounts for less than 1% of the composition of wine. (Water comprises 80–86%, and alcohol typically 11–16%.) Acidity helps to make cool-climate white wines zippy and refreshing and helps rich reds, like Saint-Estèphe in Bordeaux or Rioja Gran Reserva, to age gracefully for decades.

While acidity will tend to be lower in red grapes than white, without medium to high acidity in a wine, it will appear as flabby or flat and it will be nearly impossible for it to exhibit balance or harmony.

Tannin

A great exercise to understand tannin is to peel the skin off a red grape and eat it by itself. That drying feeling in your mouth that sucks your cheeks in is from the tannin .

Extended maceration, in which winemakers press the grapes with their skins intact, is one way to impart tannins to wine. Since most white wines are produced without skin contact , the vast majority has little to no tannins.

However, tannins can also come from oak aging, so you will notice a bit of tannin in those big, buttery Napa Chardonnays and gloriously complex Sauternes.

Tannins are more prevalent in red wines because there is more skin contact with the juice during fermentation and when the juice is pressed, or when liquid is separated from solids. The more contact the juice has with the skins, and possibly stems, the more the tannins can be detected in a wine.

Without a healthy dose of tannins, it’s very difficult for a wine to improve and evolve over time. Conversely, a wine that is oversaturated with tannins, and that doesn’t possess enough fruit or acidity to balance it out, will feel astringent and come across as particularly bitter on the finish.

Alcohol

The cat’s out of the bag: Wine has alcohol , and it’s a critical component of the body and weight of your pour.

Alcohol is a byproduct of the fermentation process. The more sugar in whatever grapes are fermented, the higher the wine’s potential alcohol. Grapes develop sugar as they ripen, which explains why high-alcohol wines can come from generally warmer regions like Barossa in Australia, Priorat in Spain and many regions in California, while cool-climate white wines from Vinho Verde in Portugal or the Loire Valley in France tend to have lower alcohol levels.

Lower or higher levels of alcohol are not surefire signs of quality in wine, though. There must be a minimum level of around 8% alcohol by volume (abv) for even the lightest of white wines. And, for those big, high-alcohol reds that exceed 15% abv, there should be a hefty dose of fruit, ample tannins and at least moderate acidity to keep everything balanced.

Body

Residual sugar, tannin and alcohol work in tandem with fruit concentration to determine the body or weight of a wine. The denser the fruit and higher the alcohol, the heavier and fuller-bodied a wine will feel on the palate.

A great way to judge body is to think about water and milk. A light-bodied wine like a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc will have a consistency similar to water, whereas a full-bodied wine like an Argentine Malbec will be closer to heavy cream. The collaborative effort of all these structural components leads you to determine whether you’re drinking a light-, medium- or full-bodied wine.

So, What Makes a ‘Good’ Wine?

Once you have made your assessments of all these structural components, you can then determine how they complement one another. Does the acidity balance out potentially high tannins?

Does the alcohol complement the high fruit concentration, leading to a long and pleasing finish? Does the combination of these components then culminate in an intense, expressive and potentially complex wine?

If the answer to all these questions is yes, you probably have a good, or possibly outstanding, wine on your hands.

This danger threatens wine in the trunk

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 22:39:54 GMT

Even a little heat can spoil a wine

Storing or transporting wine in the trunk of a car can have fatal consequences. In the worst case, the wine spoils within a short time.

Many people buy their wine together with the weekly groceries or in a wine store. During the drive home, the bottles are then usually in the trunk.

Maybe you stop in between to do another errand - now it may be dangerous for the wine.

Even at an outside temperature of 20 degrees, the interior temperature in the car or trunk rises to 24 degrees within five minutes in bright sunshine. After one hour, the temperature in the car is already 46 degrees.

For wines, the 70-degree fahrenheit mark is a dangerous threshold. If a wine is kept in the car or at home for a longer period of time at such a temperature or higher, the taste of the wine will change for the worse.

At temperatures of 78 degrees fahrenheit and above, which can be quickly reached in the trunk, the deterioration process takes only a few minutes. Wines with heat damage will taste unpleasantly sour and jammy, similar to plums from a can. Heat can also damage the seal of the bottle and cause oxidation problems. Such wines are just suitable for cooking.

Treat wine in the car like glacé.

If you don't have a station wagon, better put your wine in the back seat and make sure the air conditioning cools the interior sufficiently. Or if you are transporting wine on cool, rainy days, you can leave it in the trunk for a while.

By the way, wines are not only sensitive to heat, but also to light. UV light can cause chemical reactions, which can have a negative effect on the taste of the wine. This is also the reason why the vast majority of wine bottles are made of green or brown glass.

We Need to Talk About the Important Role of Sugar in Wine

Wed, 04 May 2022 21:53:16 GMT

The important role of sugar in wine - Article in Wine Enthusiast

Low- and no-sugar wines, often marketed with a “better for you” positioning, aim to appeal to health-conscious wine lovers. Consumption of these wines can be tied to other movements, too, including keto, low-carb, organic and vegan diets .

While almost every dry wine on the market is low in residual sugar, the wines that are labeled and marketed as low- or no-sugar are deliberately produced from vineyard to bottle with the aim of lowering the amount of sugar, carbohydrates and alcohol in each serving.

The number of brands devoted to this mission seems to increase exponentially with each passing month, but it wasn’t always this way. Whether the trend was forecast by a savvy marketing team or developed in response to an observed need, low-sugar wines took time to bring to market.

“We started to hear about a trend towards lower alcohol when we were attending ProWein in 2019,” says Heidi Scheid , executive vice president of Scheid Family Wines , which produces Sunny With a Chance of Flowers . The brand offers five varieties, with no sugar and 85 calories per glass.

“Personally, I was invested because I was always on the hunt for lower alcohol wines,” she says. “I needed a weekday wine that I could drink a few glasses of and still get up at the crack of dawn for a run. So it became a topic at our internal product innovation meetings at first. The zero-sugar part of Sunny was actually more of a hunch.”

And yet, sugar plays a significant role in wine production, regardless of whether the finished pour is sweet or dry or somewhere in between. To understand low-sugar wines, then, you have to dig into how they’re made and what actually ends up in your glass.

Sugar's Important Role In Wine
Without sugar, there would be no wine.

It’s often stated that all wine begins in the vineyard, and so is the case for sugar in wine. As grapes ripen, photosynthesis breaks down sucrose in leaves into glucose and fructose, and transfers it to the berries. While sugar is rising within the grapes, acids and pH levels also change. The more sunlight and daytime heat grapes receive, the faster they will ripen.

The fermentation process entails yeast consuming the naturally occurring sugar in grapes and producing ethanol and carbon dioxide as a result. Yeast will continue to transform sugar into this type of alcohol until the sugar is completely digested or the yeast is destroyed or removed—the latter results in wine with residual sugar.

Simply put, the more sugar present in the grape, the higher potential for sugar or alcohol in the finished wine.

Residual sugar (RS) refers to the amount of sugar left in wine after fermentation. Measured in grams per liter (g/L), it is an indication of a wine’s sweetness. While European Union regulations stipulate that dry wine contains less than 4 g/L RS, there are no such requirements in the United States.

Sometimes, RS is linked to alcohol level. This is largely the case in wines that are produced using traditional methods. Based on the principle of fermentation, it should hold true that a wine high in residual sugar will have lower alcohol and vice versa.

For example, German Riesling Kabinett with 45 g/L RS may have 8% alcohol by volume (abv), and a Moscato d’Asti with 120 g/L RS may have only 5% abv. But, a higher alcohol wine, such as Napa Cab , can have 14.5% abv and just 1.5 g/L RS.

To minimize naturally occurring sugars for low- and no-sugar wines, winemakers use viticultural techniques such as canopy management , or the placement or trimming of leaves to shade or expose the grapes to sun. Daytime shade and cooler nighttime temperatures help to preserve acidity in grapes and keep sugar levels from getting too high.

“We carefully prune the vines to maximize leaf protection from the hot summer sun,” says David Joeky, senior winemaker for Casella Family Brands who oversees production on Yellow Tail Pure Bright . “This protects the grapes and slows [sugar] development while promoting fruit flavor and intensity. We pick the grapes at precisely the right time to maximize brightness and acidity, and they are harvested in the cool of the night.”

Clarifying The Claims
Many brands in the “better for you” space make questionable marketing claims. One of the most significant of these statements is “no added sugar,” which implies that wine is, in general, made with additional sugar.

This is largely not the case for most dry wines, though there are exceptions. Some mass-produced wines may have added sugar to make the wine sweeter, and sugar can also be introduced before or during fermentation to reach a higher alcohol level in a process called chaptalization. This technique can be utilized in some cool-weather wine regions in which grapes ripen at a slower pace and winemakers need to supplement the natural sugar present.

Additionally, wine labels may not always inform consumers if the wine is sweet.

“There are a lot of consumers who partake in low-sugar diets or limit sugar intake due to health issues,” says Scheid. “Of course, there are many wines that are zero sugar, but nowhere does it say that on the label, so consumers don’t know.”

The new low- and no-sugar brands proudly wear their numbers on their labels.

“Crafting Yellow Tail Pure Bright took time and effort as we experimented with different winemaking techniques to perfect the alcohol reduction process,” says Joeky. “A key aspect of the winemaking process is a specific type of filtration that protects and concentrates all the flavors and aromas in the wine. We utilize specific filtration and other similar techniques incorporated with blending to deliver vibrant and full-flavored wines, with the added benefit of reduced calories.”

Sunny With a Chance of Flowers uses precise harvesting and vinification techniques to produce its zero sugar wines, coupled with advanced winemaking techniques to lower total alcohol.

“We harvest the fruit for Sunny at peak maturity and full phenolic ripeness from our estate vineyards just as we would a regular alcohol wine,” says Scheid. “The grapes are brought to our estate winery, crushed and fermented to dryness. That’s how we get to zero sugar—we continue fermentation until there is no residual sugar remaining. For the alcohol removal, we use a proprietary process based on reverse osmosis. During this process, alcohol is gently and gradually pulled from the wine, leaving behind a reduced-alcohol product.”

Supermodel Christie Brinkley , coproprietor of Bellissima , produces Zero Sugar Sparkling White and Zero Sugar Sparkling Rosé from Northern Italy in addition to the brand’s traditional Prosecco . The wines are also certified organic and vegan.

“I wanted to make sure that my line of Bellissima wines included an option for everyone,” says Brinkley.

“There are so many people out there that are following a low-sugar or low-carb diet, such as the keto diet. Having zero-sugar options allows anyone to enjoy my wine… All of our zero-sugar wines are premium quality with no compromises on taste.”

Another brand offering low-sugar selections is Kind of Wild , a direct-to-consumer line of organic and vegan wines.

“Feedback showed that organic and vegan were higher priority to our customers than sugar and alcohol levels,” says cofounder Jordan Sager. “So, for our brand, we see sugar and alcohol as important, but perhaps secondary benefits while our organic and vegan certifications are primary.”

“We also believe the wines should align with one’s lifestyle of moderation,” he adds. “That is why we want our wines to be in the 11–13% abv range instead of 14% plus, and why we look for balanced wines that have less than 0.5 grams of sugar per 5-ounce glass.”

As in all wines, balance is key, and so is alignment with your personal palate. If lower sugar is important, try some options and find the wine you like best. After all, enjoying wine is one of life’s sweetest pleasures.

You Should be Making Red Wine Brownies Right Now

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 18:35:19 GMT

All Hail, Red Wine Brownies!

Article from Wine Enthusiast by Emily Saladino

An easy dessert with sophisticated flavors, these red wine brownies are unapologetically rich. The wine acts in a subtle supporting role, providing fruity tartness to complement the dark chocolate.

As with author Jesse Szewyck’s stellar wine cookies recipe, you can use any dry red wine here, though fruit-forward Merlot , Gamay or California red blends are especially welcome. That said, if all you have on hand is Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon, your brownies will still be delicious. More important is to reach for an inexpensive or unsentimental bottle, since you’ll sweeten and reduce the wine before stirring it into the batter.

You’re better off saving your brownie budget for quality dark chocolate . Opt for a bar that has at least 72% cacao content to keep flavors balanced and sweetness in check.

Ingredients

1 cup dry red wine
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
5 ounces dark chocolate (at least 72% cocoa)
½ cup (1 stick) butter
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter or grease a 9×9-inch baking pan, line with parchment paper, and then butter or grease the parchment. Set aside.

Combine red wine and two tablespoons of sugar in a small pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to ¼ cup. Set aside to cool.

Melt butter and chocolate in a large, heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally with a spatula. When melted and fully combined, set aside to cool.

Whisk brown sugar, remaining cup of white sugar and eggs in a large bowl until sugar granules dissolve, about 1 minute. Whisk in cooled chocolate-butter mixture, then the red wine reduction and vanilla until the mixture is fully combined and has a glossy sheen.

Add flour, cocoa powder and salt all at once, and stir until just combined.

Pour into prepared pan and tap on your countertop so it spreads evenly into all four corners. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until middle is set. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting into 16 squares.

Enjoy!!

How anyone can become a sommelier

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 11:17:08 GMT

How Anyone Can Become a Sommelier - Article from Wine Enthusiast by Kelsey Ogletree

Article written by Kelsey Ogletree

If you’ve ever gotten fed up with your job and thought, “I wish I could quit and just taste wine and tell people what to drink all day,” this one’s for you.

The idea of becoming a sommelier is romantic to many, even if you’ve watched the documentary Somm series and know how hard it is to become a certified master. But whether you want to make the leap to professional wine taster or just expand your knowledge, many of the same tricks and tips that pros use can help you on your journey, and not all involve expensive wine classes.

Before you immerse yourself in the world of wine, it’s important to know how the process works. The Court of Master Sommeliers , established as one of the foremost bodies for the profession, conducts four levels of tests: introductory sommelier, certified sommelier, advanced sommelier and master sommelier. Only 269 professionals have earned the Level Four distinction since the Court’s inception in 1969.

Some sommeliers pass the first level (a two-day process with required education, followed by the examination) and stop there. Tests become more intense as levels increase. The Level Two certified sommelier examination involves a blind tasting, a written theory test and a live service demonstration of knowledge and tasks for the judges like flawlessly opening and pouring a bottle of wine.

Levels Three and Four are amplified versions of that test. They go into far greater depth on grape varieties and overall wine knowledge, as well as other spirits and cigars.

Sounds a bit overwhelming, right? The good news is, there are many ways to learn about wine that don’t involve a huge financial investment. You can make progress before ever taking an introductory sommelier course and open yourself to a new world of wine appreciation (though maybe don’t quit your day job, just yet). Here’s how.

Get a job in a restaurant industry

“The best way to learn about wine is from inside the industry,” says Dylan Melvin, a Level One sommelier and beverage director at Foxtrot Market , an all-day café company with eight locations between Chicago and Dallas.

If you have zero restaurant experience, don’t expect your first job to be a fancy one. Even working as a cellar rat, where duties might entail sweeping the floor and running food, can pay off. You might get the chance to assist the restaurant sommelier on the floor, for example. “If you work hard and make your intentions known, things can certainly happen,” says Melvin.

Malek Amrani, a New York City-based advanced sommelier and founder/CEO of The Vice Wine, echoes that sentiment. He started in restaurants at age 17 and worked his way up to beverage director, where he would eventually taste 30 to 40 wines a day.

“Most restaurants want their staff to know what the wine tastes like,” says Amrani. “The more knowledge they have, the easier they will sell, so traditionally, restaurants will have you taste wine.”

Buy a case of wine a week

To learn about wine, you need to buy, taste and be willing to spit a lot of it, says Amrani. He recommends finding a local wine shop and tell the owner your goals.

“You might say, ‘Hey, for the next three months, I’m picking up this hobby and I’m really serious about it. I really want to learn about wine, would you be able to suggest what to buy, and why?’ ” he says. Most wine shops will help, and you can provide a price cap to stay within your budget while tasting a wide variety of wines.

Hit the books

The Court of Master Sommeliers offers courses throughout the country, but you don’t need to spend hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars on these experiences as a newbie.

Amrani says to start at the beginning with a Wine 101-type book that covers its history and why we taste what we taste in wine, like Wine Folly’s The Essential Guide to Wine ($25). When you’re ready to move on to the next level, graduate to Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine ($30).

Rachel Candelaria, an certified sommelier at the Michelin-starred The Village Pub in Woodside, California, recommends a subscription to the online learning tool, GuildSomm . For $100 a year, it grants you access to the information you need to study for the tests.

You can also start your education for free with Wine Enthusiast’s Wine Basics section, which features new wine lessons every Tuesday.

Form local study groups

If you know of other people interested to learn about wine, form a weekly study group, says Candelaria, who started her own group in the San Francisco area.

“We choose a [wine] region and each come up with a set of questions so we can see how others word them,” she says. “It also ends up being a good way to ask peers questions. They end up being friends you’ll stay with for a lifetime in the industry.”

If your network doesn’t live in the same city, Candelaria suggests trying a Skype study group.

Make friends at a wine bar

Wine bars are great spots to taste a wide variety of offerings, as they typically have more by-the-glass options than a traditional bar. Tell the bartender you’re trying to learn about wine by tasting it, not just drinking it. See if they’d be open to letting you taste a certain number of wines per week for a pre-arranged flight fee.

“I think most [wine bars] would welcome this because for people who sell wine, that’s their passion,” says Amrani. “We go to sleep thinking of wine and wake up thinking of wine.”

Follow wine vendors in your city

Once you find some good wine shops, wine bars, vendors and/or people in the industry that you respect, do a little detective work on their websites and social media channels, says Melvin. Sign up for their newsletters and subscribe to their updates. From there, you can find ways to participate in wine tastings that could otherwise cost a lot of money, get invited to wine dinners with suppliers or producers, and investigate wine events in your area that could be learning opportunities.

“Getting face time with experts in the field is second to none,” adds Melvin.

Travel to wine regions

This may not be for beginners, as it can be harder on the wallet than other options. However, if you’re serious about becoming a sommelier, a trip to wine-producing regions in California , France , Spain , Chile and Argentina can be a huge eye-opener, says Amrani.

“When you see the grapes and see the vines, your knowledge starts increasing very quickly,” he says. “You start asking questions you never thought to ask before.” A visit to France before the first two sommelier exam levels isn’t necessary, says Melvin, but it’s fundamental to understanding winemaking. From a practical standpoint, France makes up about half of the Court of Master Sommelier’s written test, he says.

Volunteer at a conference

One of the best learning experiences can be as a volunteer at a major wine conference like TEXSOM , one of the largest such events in the country, says Candelaria.

“It’s not glamorous at all,” she says. “You’re polishing more glassware than you ever thought possible, setting up classrooms and hauling bottles around to seminars, but you get to talk with wine professionals and taste wines from around the world.”

A week or so in the trenches, covered in wine stains, can also help you build up your network and maybe even some lifelong friends.

No matter how far you progress in your wine knowledge or what level of certification you reach, remember that the wine business is all about hospitality. “[We] want to take care of our guests and find them a wine at any price point that they will enjoy,” says Candelaria.

As you build your network in the wine community, mentor others as you’ve been mentored. “When you remember how hard it was, you do it for other people,” says Candelaria.

Article in Wine Enthusiast

Civilized Caveman receipe - Avocado stuffed Burger

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 10:25:40 GMT

Recipe Paleo - Civilized Caveman - Avocado Stuffed Burger

Follow them @civilizedcaveman on Instagram to get new recipes right when they’re posted!

Enjoy!

Does swirling wine do anything?

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 07:27:45 GMT

Article from Wine Enthusiast by Marshall Tilden

There are few things more mesmerizing than watching a deep, ruby colored wine skillfully swirled around a large-bowled glass. Conversely, watching an “over-swirler” throw the wine around like a ride at an amusement park can seem quite pompous.

Regardless of style and technique, there’s a tremendous amount of value and purpose to the wine swirl. Most of it has to do with oxygen and aeration, but there are other reasons why the swirl is a key component in the 5 Ss of wine tasting .

It Opens the Wine

As soon as wine is exposed to oxygen, its aroma compounds become more detectable as they attach themselves to evaporating alcohol as it lifts from the glass. Oxygen also can help to soften harsh tannins on bigger wines, allowing them to become smoother and silkier.

Just about every wine will benefit from swirling to some extent, though younger, bolder wines may require more. But be cautious about overswirling an older vintage wine—oxygen can turn from friend to foe, and it’s easy to overoxidize a delicate, aged wine with too much swirling.

It Removes Off-Putting Odors

Oxygen will also help “blow off” a wine’s unwanted aromas . Sulfites, which may be added during the winemaking process or occur naturally as a biproduct of fermentation, can create an odor of burnt match or rotten eggs upon initially opening a bottle. With several seconds of swirling, those malodors often dissipate, leaving behind the aromas intended by the winemaker.

A Better Visual

By swirling wine higher up in the bowl, you can better analyze its color and viscosity. A given wine may seem medium ruby in color when resting at the bottom of the glass. But give it a few laps around the track, and its hue may appear lighter than originally detected.

Moreover, swirling leaves behind legs , also called tears, on the glass. They can indicate a wine’s viscosity and signify higher alcohol levels. The more legs that streak down the glass, the more you may want to watch how much you consume in one sitting.

How to Swirl Wine Correctly

There can be a fine line between executing an impressive swirl and potentially ruining everyone’s clothes with flying wine. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when perfecting your swirl.

Start small and keep the base of the glass on the table. Imagine there’s a small bead or pebble floating atop your wine, touching the side of the glass. See if you can envision moving that bead around the edge of the glass, without it off the table. Once the flow looks good, try to keep that same rolling motion as you raise the glass a few inches off the table.

Use a big-bowled glass. When it comes to wine glasses and swirling, size matters . Wider bowls create a lower center of gravity and better momentum for the liquid inside, allowing for a more stable experience. Start with one of these and save yourself the hassle of learning to swirl in a tiny tumbler—a recipe for disaster and nearly guaranteed to cause a spill.

Avoid the overswirl. Several seconds, or even a minute of swirling, does wonders for most wines (though again, be careful of those older vintages). But a glass of wine doesn’t need to be swirled constantly. After the initial swirl to kickstart oxygenation, the wine will continue to breathe and develop in the glass by itself. Also, all it takes is one overpowering flick of the wrist to send a nice Bordeaux sloshing out of the glass, left only to be enjoyed as a permanent stain on your favorite rug.

Article from Wine Enthusiast by Marshall Tilden III

Dream team: Sparkling and appetizers

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 07:44:39 GMT

Let it crackle!

https://www.vineimporters.com/sparkling

When it crunches on the plate it may crackle in the glass!

Honestly, there's nothing better with fried appetizers than sparkling wine.

Better than sparkling wine. Why?

Fried food is very tasty, but also slightly greasy matter.

A sparkling wine cleans up the palate after every bite - especially if it comes across as crisp as one of our Sparklings.

As example: Filare, Veneto Italy - Prosecco Extra Dry

Straw yellow with golden reflections, fine and persistent perlage. The nose is expressed with notes of pear and apple, accompanied by hints of acacia flowers. On the palate it is fresh, sapid and pleasantly harmonious. Excellent accompaniment for happy hour, or perfectly paired with appetizers and raw fish.

Bonus: Sparkling and mozzarella are a dream team anyway! Cheers!

Sulfites, legs and other misinformation campaigns in wine

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 10:04:29 GMT

Article in Wine Enthusiast by Caroline Hatchett

As with diet advice and vaccine science, wine professionals aren’t immune to the human tendency to cling to misinformation. Myths abound. Bad information is passed from consumer to consumer, restaurant manager to fledgling wine pro, and marketing companies to the masses. They stick, because it’s often easier to remember bad information than investigate everything. It’s a situation complicated by the intimidating and esoteric nature of wine.

“We often assume sources are reliable,” says Northwestern University psychology professor David Rapp in a study of why people rely on inaccurate information . “It’s not that people are lazy, though that could certainly contribute to the problem. It’s the computational task of evaluating everything that is arduous and difficult, as we attempt to preserve resources for when we really need them.”

Wine myths are often born when everyday drinking experiences are hard, or require an expert level of knowledge to explain.

Wine legs, decanting and lunar cycles

“One claim I’m wary of is the idea that certain wines taste better on certain days based on the lunar calendar,” says Drew Brady, wine director of New York City’s Overthrow Hospitality . This refers to the belief among biodynamic practitioners that the lunar cycle and its elemental signs (earth, air, water and fire) influence how a wine tastes on corresponding days (deemed root, flower, leaf or fruit days).

“There is no shortage of passionate arguments on both sides, but I’m really hard-pressed to believe that a red wine tastes better on a ‘fruit day’ than it does on ‘root day,’ ” he says. “I’m all in on low-intervention winemaking and biodynamic farming, but once it’s in the bottle, I’m settled…unless I’m missing something.”

While at least one study has debunked the lunar cycle’s influence on taste , many Demeter-certified wineries won’t host tastings on certain days, and apps instruct users when to enjoy or avoid certain wines.

Most misconceptions in wine, though, are a lot less mystical and much easier to refute.

In the tasting room of Frichette Winery in Benton City, Washington, co-owner and co-winemaker Shae Frichette observes guests swirling glasses of Petite Verdot and Malbec, saying “Ooooh, look at the legs. This is a good wine.”

Legs , the rivulets that run down the sides of a glass, indicate a wine’s alcohol level and, sometimes, its sugar content. ( To truly understand the phenomenon, a general understanding of fluid dynamics is helpful. ) Legs have no bearing on a wine’s quality, yet Frichette hears the same story again and again.

Many of Frichette’s customers also are convinced that wine, regardless of its age or how it was made, needs to be decanted.

Conversely, Jonathan Pullis, a Master Sommelier and wine director at 7908 Aspen , finds guests reluctant to decant Pinot Noirs, especially aged red Burgundies.

“Guests think it’s too delicate, that the wine will fall apart,” he says. “But these wines are alive, and they need oxygen to wake up.”

Whether to a decant wine, and for how long, depends on a host of factors . The best way to determine what to do is to taste the wine.

If a wine is tight, reticent and not forthcoming, Pullis recommends decanting it for a few hours, and letting the wine slowly warm up to 68°F. However, the process requires familiarity with the wine, an understanding of what makes it “tight” and the right storage conditions.

Color, sulfites and other (un)natural flavorings

In nearly every class he teaches, Erik Segelbaum , founder of wine consultancy Somlyay , listens to stories about sulfite allergies or headaches attributed to their presence in red wine .

“It’s nails on a chalkboard to me,” he says. “People misunderstand what sulfites really are. It’s an organic compound, a natural chemical, that forms naturally during fermentation. All wines have sulfites. Sulfites prevent bacteriological spoilage, kill active yeast and prevent rot.”

While an estimated 1% of people have sulfite sensitivity, the vast majority of folks that feel like crap after they drink wine probably just consumed too much without hydrating.

All kinds of food and drink contain sulfites: dried fruit, charcuterie, beer, soda and French fries. Still, there are very few reports of headaches from sausage or dried apricots. Also, contrary to popular belief, producers tend to add more sulfites to white wines than red, whose tannins work as a preservative. Also, sulfite levels in European wines are just as high as those in U.S. bottlings.

Producers outside the U.S. aren’t often required to slap the disclaimer “contains sulfites” on their labels.

Overindulgence aside, Pullis says wine headaches can stem from any number of things present in wine. “It’s about what’s going on in wine in totality, not just sulfites.”

When Joe Catalino came up in the industry, he was taught one of the biggest myths of all: that wine was made simply from grapes.

“Unfortunately, that isn’t the case when it comes to many wines produced in America,” says Catalino, a Bay Area sommelier and owner of What To Drink . “There are often over 70 additives and chemicals added to wine all the time, including good, old-fashioned white sugar.”

Industrial wineries add flavoring agents, yeast-killing chemicals, acids, saw dust and other ingredients to keep wines consistent from year to year. They also blend in coloring agents. A preference for deep, ruby red hues may play a part in guests who think erroneously that saturated color correlates to quality.

“When I moved to Aspen in 1998, people were holding up red wine glasses and saying in these deep, impressive voices, ‘Look at the color of that wine,’ ” says Pullis.

Cork, bottles and cost

Color is far from the only faux signifier of a wine’s integrity.

Nicolette Diodati, a Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level III sommelier and digital marketer for Pernod Ricard, was taught that sniffing a cork would reveal something about a wine’s aroma and caliber, “rather than for cork taint , which is what it can be useful for,” she says.

Diodati was also taught that “the deeper the punt, the better the quality,” referring to the indentation at the bottom of most wine bottles. Though there are several theories, no one really knows why glassblowers began to add punts to wine bottles.

Chad Michael George, founder and bartender of Proof Productions in Denver, wants everyone to know: “The punt on a wine or Champagne bottle should absolutely NOT be used to hold the bottle while pouring. It’s a pointless method and an easy way to drop a bottle on your table.”

Tara Simmons, a fine wine manager at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, says that many consumers think wines are worth more if they come in heavy bottles, or that there are no good canned wines.

“Heavy bottles are often a marketing decision to make a wine look more expensive,” says Simmons. “And it’s not that the canned wine is secretly good. It’s that a lot of wine that comes in bottles isn’t good. Canned wine is at least honest that it’s an inexpensive, fresh, drink-young option.”

For Segelbaum, the misunderstanding between cost and quality is one of the most frustrating myths in wine. It’s also rampant in the pro community, says Diodati. “Everyone will tell you that price doesn’t equal quality to be [politically correct], but [they] will secretly believe it does.”

While the cost of rare and allocated wines is driven by scarcity, the price of the vast majority of wines is determined by the cost of “input,” which includes land use, oak barrels, labor, labels, bottling, marketing, web hosting, temperature control, shipping and more.

“One acre of plantable land in subprime Napa costs north of $1 million,” says Segelbaum. “A perfect location in Robertson, South Africa, costs $20,000. Every wine is dramatically different.”

Genetics, vineyard sites and AOC's

In wine, there are no hard rules other than those imposed by governing bodies and professional guilds, whose aim is to uphold traditions and standards. But those rules can also create myths.

Diodati says that “a nice man” told her that if she weren’t blessed with a special olfactory system, she’d never be able to smell, taste or understand wine, let alone make it through WSET curriculum.

“Who has a perfect olfactory system?” says Pullis. “The vast majority of people have an average olfactory system, and there are people who can’t taste or smell. Anyone in the normal range can train themselves to be a great taster.”

Frichette gets miffed when she hears, “You can’t grow this here,” especially in Washington, a relatively young wine-growing region still trying to define its terroir. The idea of regional monoculture was the norm in America in the 1970s and ’80s, according to Catalino, but “younger winemakers, as well as legends like Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon , are now experimenting with planting all sorts of cool varieties all over the place.”

Legendary rules and concepts of style, even in the strictest of French Appellations d’Origine Contrôlée (AOCs), are due for questioning. Vin de France, a category once considered near-swill, has been embraced by exceptional producers who, like Frichette, don’t want regulators and tradition to dictate the fruit they grow.

Climate change also is making myths of firmly held notions about where varieties should be grown.

“What worked in the past doesn’t mean it will work in the future,” says Pullis. He cites England’s sparkling wines, whose quality has increased over the last few decades, as well as cooler emerging regions on “the knife’s edge” of achieving ripeness, and recent riper vintages of Burgundy and Sancerre.

“I don’t like to tell people they don’t know things,” says Segelbaum. But sometimes it’s his job to deliver the truth. One of his favorite opening lines for Wine 101 classes is, “I bet you don’t know what taste is.”

Attendees, when goaded, begin to talk about the tongue and taste buds, he says. They throw out words like “sweet,” “sour,” “bitter” and “salty.”

Eventually, he clarifies that 80% of taste is smell. Radicchio, endive and escarole all activate bitter receptors on the tongue. White sugar, turbinado and Splenda light up sweet. But it’s the olfactory system that helps us distinguish one from the other.

“I’m talking to 50 people and telling them, ‘What you know to be true, isn’t true,’ ” says Segelbaum.

6 tips to get the most out of a wine tasting room visit

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 09:16:16 GMT

Article from Wine Enthusiast by Rebecca Toy, published on February 8, 2022

Going to your first wine tasting at a winery can be both exciting and intimidating. For those new to the industry, it can seem like expertise or even pretension is required to enter the world of wine.

But knowledge can calm any pre-tasting jitters. And tasting rooms have common etiquette that you can follow. Here, experts share tips and important aspects to keep in mind to help you step boldly up to the counter.

1. Choose the Right Location for Your Tasting Goals

Matching the right setting to your group’s expectations is one of the most important and overlooked factors to a successful tasting. Elizabeth Schneider, podcast creator and author of Wine For Normal People , encourages you to plan.

“If you’re with people who are there to slam down glasses of wine, or people who just want to sit and drink, then there are places more amenable to that,” she says. “They will be large places, massive tasting rooms where people won’t even notice.”

However, large tasting halls might not be ideal if you really want to learn about what’s in your glass.

“If you’re truly interested in learning, peel off from those people and go find one or two small producers,” says Schneider.

2. You should be invited to ask questions

The wine industry is full of professionals passionate about their craft. The majority are hoping to introduce you to the product they’ve poured effort into, and they understand that wine comes with a language you may not know.

“You should be able to walk into a place and ask questions and not feel intimidated,” says Nicki McTague, president of The Infinite Monkey Theorem , an urban winery in Denver . “You can ask our bartenders any question. Wine was meant to be enjoyed and we want to find what tastes good to you.”

Schneider encourages you to push past the nervousness while knowing your boundary. “Don’t get discouraged; it’s uncomfortable not to know things. But it is not okay to feel like you can’t ask. So, if a tasting room feels like that, just walk out. There are usually 20 others down the road.”

3. What to expect in the tasting room

A tasting consists of paying for a set number of samples. The tasting room staff will walk you through the options, introducing you to the different grape varieties and their characteristics. You’ll try each in a suggested order, with more information at each pour. Some tastings can include tours of a vineyard, cellars or production areas.

Schneider reminds those going to tastings to avoid the “guilt buys” at the end. “I tell everyone this—you’ve already paid. You’re under no obligation if you don’t like it.”

4. Know some basic wine language

Entire courses and books cover the language that comes with tasting wine. For your first tasting, know the basic phrases that describe what you see, smell and taste.

“We want to help you with the tasting notes, why you’re smelling certain things, why you’re taking certain things in. But at the end of the day we want you to love what you’re drinking,” says McTague.

Taste buds pick up sweet, savory, salty , sour and bitter . These and other already familiar words used with wine are good starting points for beginners. Others include acidic , dry , creamy , light, medium and heavy.

Look for colors and clarity. Then swirl your glass and sniff. The range of aromas is wide—fruity, earthy , spicy and more. People notice different smells and tend to grow their range as they practice.

“All you have to do is get more tastes and aromas in your memory bank. Go to the grocery store and smell the fruit, vegetables and spices,” says Catherine Bugue, director of education at the Napa Valley Wine Academy .

5. How to spit and swirl confidently

Bugue says that after the lingo, swirling and spitting cause beginners the most angst. Her top tip for both—practice at home.

“Swirling does help the aromas rise. If you’re not comfortable, swirl it lightly on the table instead of in the air where you may not be able to control the liquid. If it spills a little, embrace it. You’re learning!”

Spitting wine is important because you can’t have a nuanced tasting if intoxicated. It’s also an acceptable way to move on from something you’re not loving.

Bugue advises you not to hesitate, avoid backsplash and keep a tissue handy.

6. Remember, wine is fun

Ultimately, while there is so much to learn about wine, you don’t have to be an expert. “I don’t want everybody to think that to appreciate wine is to have to deep dive into it,” says Bugue.

And you don’t need to be posh. “Remember the producers are down-to-earth farmer types,” says Schneider. “I think it always pays to remind a [new wine drinker] that wine is farming. Would you be afraid if you went to a strawberry farm to talk to the farmer about their strawberries? It’s a New World concept to separate the farmer from the winemaker.”

All of the experts encourage you to trust yourself.

“Forget everything else that comes with it [and] find what you like,” says McTague. “It doesn’t have to have a score associated with it or be something you’d heard of or can even pronounce. And it’s not going to happen in the first step. And that’s okay. Enjoy it.”

Article from Wine Enthusiast, published on February 8, 2022

New forklift in action

Sat, 05 Feb 2022 02:46:17 GMT

The wait was worth it!

The long waiting was definitely worth it!

We present you: our new machine helper in warehouse: Toyota forklift model 8BWS13, Electric walkie adjustable straddle stacker, quality engineered with electric battery powered - UL compliant.

This Toyota Walkie Straddle Stacker is designed with a range of performance and productivity features to provide the perfect solution to our everyday material handling duties.

OPERABILITY / PERFORMANCE The AC drive motor offers excellent acceleration and top travel speed loaded or unloaded, while improving battery efficiency through regenerative braking. Toyota's Transistor Control System provides infinitely variable speed contr ol that delivers smooth, precise performance and operation for enhanced operator efficiency. It includes an electronic touch pad with a keyless entry system. Password protected performance parameters for up to ten operators may also be customized through the digital display to meet a wide range of job applications and operator skill levels. The controller also features a programmable service indicator and self-diagnostics with error code memory. Information is provided through the digital display to allow easy troubleshooting. A programmable auto power off system is standard to conserve battery power, and the display shows state of battery charge with lift circuit interrupt to protect over-discharging the battery.

RELIABILITY/ DURABILITY To give the reliability and durability you expect from a Toyota, this product is built with the following features: • Heavy Gauge All Steel Frame Construction Photo may portray optional equipment not included in your quotation. • Heavy Duty Interlocking Mast Channel Construction with Ball Bearing Roller Design • High Durometer Polyurethane Drive Tire & Load Wheels • No-Tools-Required High Strength Service Access Cover

Wine & Dine

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 01:14:06 GMT

Wine & Dine

Looking forward to several Wine Dinners and Wine Tastings with unpayable Rich Hartenberger from Paso Robles, CA, Midnight Cellars Winery.

All Dinners are sold out this time! Rich will be in his element when telling his guests about his several wines and their histories. Enjoy!

Our new location

Sat, 22 Jan 2022 18:40:14 GMT

New location - Bradenton FL

We are happy to welcome you in our new office and warehouse in Bradenton, Sarasota FL.

C urrently , we are setting up the office and a showroom and look forward to welcoming you then.

In the meantime, we wish you all a wonderful and relaxing weekend. Enjoy a good glass of wine and be curious about any news this Spring. New and interesting products are following to our assortment.

LIFE'S TOO SHORT TO DRINK BAD WINE!

We move from Groveland to Bradenton FL

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 09:05:07 GMT

We assure you, that the move will not disrupt our service and our deliveries

We are moving from Groveland to Bradenton FL on Tuesday, 941-900-1285.

We assure you that the move will NOT DISRUPT our service or your deliveries.

You can place your orders with us at info@vineimporters.com.

We are happy to meet you soon in our new warehouse and offices with showroom in Bradenton FL.

Your team from Vine Importers LLC

Happy Weekend

Sat, 08 Jan 2022 08:06:37 GMT

Sun, Fun and Bubbles

Do you know already the Sparkling from UNA Bubbly Rosé and Bubbly Riesling?

Method Charmat!

A hint of ripe peach, smell of ripe strawberries! Fruity and refreshing with a delicate finish. Made from Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent, enjoy as an aperitif, for dessert or at the bar, the Bubbly Rose is always a highlight and fits perfectly for the start of the weekend.

If you like a different one:

A Riesling sparkling wine from Burgenland – atypical? No, just different!
Aromas of fresh apple and pears, a fruity sparkling wine with a refreshing acidity and hints of lemon and oranges on the finish.

Pack the picnic basket, the sunscreen and visit one of the attractive beaches on the gulf of mexico.

Bubbles of the two sparklings will accompany you all weekend long, along with the bubbles in the sea.

Have fun and enjoy!

Welcome on our new Website

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 07:19:28 GMT

Re-start with a new team, a new location, new products and a new Website

We wanna say BIG THANK YOU! - Celebrating the 10th Anniversary in 2022 with a new Website

We are happy to present you our new Website from Vine Importers LLC in time
for the start of the New Year! We hope you enjoy browsing the site and discover
our news. Your feedback is welcome.

Do not hesitate to contact us for further information about products and contact us in
our new location in Bradenton FL.

Best wishes, Jlona, Stefan, Franz, Paula

Vine Importers LLC, Bradenton, FL

Happy New Year!

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 09:21:38 GMT

Welcome 2022!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

We wanna say BIG THANK YOU - 10th Anniversary in 2022!

A challenging year has ended.
Thank you for your help, your loyalty and your support.

May the new year bring you joy, happiness and health...

Thanks to family Widmer, Franz and Paula, for her efforts and passion up from 2012, when Vine Importers was founded. - You have given us the chance, to make a re-start with this amazing company, so this year, 2022, we can celebrate the 10th anniversary of the company and present you our new team:

New owners Jlona and Stefan Dobler work together hand-in-hand with Paula and Franz Schöpfer as the new team from Vine Importers LLC.

In our larger warehouse in Bradenton, FL, we have a bright office room also than in near future, a showroom for meetings and tastings. Herewith we are more central and gain speed for deliveries and contact making.

Do not hesitate to contact us with questions, suggestions, requests, orders, cooperation and regarding product inquiries.

We are happy to welcome you at the new location in Bradenton FL and start a promising new year in a new constellation.

Stay tuned for new products in the non-alcoholic segment as well as spirits. We are always trying to meet your wishes and demands.

Your team from Vine Importers

Best wishes, Jlona, Stefan, Franz, Paula

What is a Wine Importer and what do they do?

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 17:46:30 GMT

Article from Wine Enthusiast/LinkedIn

If you're an inquisitive wine drinker, you might want to know what village the wine came from, what soil type the vine grew on and how long the wine was aged. But few think about how the bottle got to the wine shop from the producer's winery in a faraway land.

What is a Wine Importer?
The role of a wine importer can be thankless and rather invisible to most consumers. Wine often must be transported from its place of origin to another location, say, from Champagne to the U.S. Simply put, importers procure goods from another country with intent to sell in their own country. They often work together with government organizations and distributors to make these goods available in their own country.

Wine Importers to Know
"The name of the importer, in a lot of cases, is a reflection of that person's palate", says Kermit Lynch, founder of Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant and author of Adventures on the Wine Route: a wine buyer's tour of France (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1990), a book that documented his food- and wine-soaked journeys throughout Old World vineyards now considered hallowed grounds by many U.S. wine lovers.

"My book inspired people to become importers, and I don't blame them", says Lynch. "What an incredible job! I can't think of anything more fun - eating and drinking well every day. Reading that book inspired lots of Americans to become competitors with me."

Each importer had their own unique take on a region, much like a food critic or wine reviewer has a specific style they like and review better than others. You have to learn what those styles are and align yourself with those that have similar tastes to yours. Garth Hodgdon, formerly the U.S. brand ambassador and founder of Champagne import company, believes that "getting to know the importers and the types of wines they represented were almost as important as getting to know the individual producers themselves".

Importers in Retail and Restaurants

Consumers aren't the only ones who benefit from importers' expertise. Retailers also develop relationships with importers and study their portfolios to decide which one best suit their interests and clientele. Subsequently, the stoch of imports bearing the stamp of certain importers can inadvertently turn the retailer into an arbiter of taste, too.

"Smaller importers often mean smaller producers." We are constantly striving to bring in newer, smaller producers that are exciting and new to the U.S. market. We find these producers often have a higher quality-to-price ratio because they are lesser known in this market, and it feels good to support a small producer.

Sommeliers and restaurant beverage directors also develop relationships with importers to help them choose what wines can be served at their restaurants. This daunting task is made significantly easier if the sommelier understands who imports what and the importer's approach. The importer is the direct line between the buyer and the winemaker.

"Today, an importer's signature on a bottle adds value because the more experience the consumer has with a portfolio, the greater confidence there is in a wine selection."
Rocco Lombardo, president, Wilson Daniels

www-vineimporters-com-all-access

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