Category Archives: Wine Education

Turf War over To-Kalon

To-Kalon (pronounced toe-kah-lon) is one of the most historic, famous and disputed names in Napa Valley history. Is it a vineyard? Is it a brand? Some of the Valley’s most prestigious personalities – Robert Mondavi and Andy Beckstoffer – have been battling each other over these questions for decades.

Why is this specific piece of land in Napa Valley’s Oakville AVA so special? Here the soils have a high portion of gravel, which makes them free-draining, forcing vines to root deeply in search of water. When vines struggle, they become healthier, more resistant to drought and disease, and produce lower yields of better quality fruit.

Some of the best, most prestigious wines in Napa Valley come from the To-Kalon vineyard, which is reflected in very high price tags. Today, there are eight owners of the parceled off vineyard – Mondavi, Opus One, MacDonald, Detert, Andy Beckstoffer, U.C. Davis, Wilsey/Traina and the Napa Valley Grape Growers. Opus One sells $300/bottle, Schrader’s Beckstoffer To-Kalon sells for $400, and MacDonald sells for $700.

In the beginning…

It all began in 1868 when Hamilton Walker Crabb purchased 240 acres of farmland in Oakville. He planted the land with a wide variety of experimental grape vines and named it Hermosa Vineyards. In 1881 he purchased an adjoining 119 acre parcel of land and renamed the business To-Kalon, meaning “the place of highest beauty” in Greek. In 1891, he expanded for a third time, adding on another 135 acres. He became the third largest winemaking in Napa at the time and garnered both domestic and international claim for his wines.

In 1899 Crabb died and his land was fragmented and sub-parcels changed hands a number of times until Robert Mondavi began purchasing plots of To-Kalon in 1966. He started with a 12-acre parcel and by 1978 was the majority owner of Crabb’s original 1881 plot. In 1988, Mondavi trademarked the name “To-Kalon” and in 1994 trademarked “To-Kalon Vineyard”. Today, the majority of the vineyard as well as the trademarks are owned by the behemoth, Constellation Brands, due to its purchase of Robert Mondavi in 2004.

The battle ensues…

The second largest holder was Beaulieu Vineyards with 89 acres. This parcel was purchased by famous Napa grapegrower, Andy Beckstoffer, in 1993 who sold grapes from this parcel to other winemakers. Beckstoffer convinced Schrader Cellars to label their wine “Beckstoffer Original To-Kalon Vineyard.” Mondavi then sued Schrader for use of the To-Kalon name.

Both Schrader and Beckstoffer filed separate counter suits on the basis that To-Kalon is a place, not a marketing concept. Beckstoffer argued that Mondavi was misleading consumers by labeling their wines “To-Kalon” when the grapes being used were not from the original Crabb vineyard.

The conclusion…

The suit was settled in 2003 under undisclosed terms, but Beckstoffer reserved the right to allow his clients to use the To-Kalon name. The result has led to labeling confusion. Wines made from Beckstoffer’s grapes using the To-Kalon label are subject to labeling laws based on geographic location, meaning 95% of the grapes in such a bottle must be from the To-Kalon vineyard.

However, since Mondavi’s claim to the name is based on a marketing trademark, it is not subject to the same rules. So Mondavi may use the To-Kalon name on any bottle it desires, regardless of where those grapes come from! Constellation’s position is that To-Kalon is not a place, regardless of the historical records that suggest otherwise.

There are two other owners of smaller parcels of Crabb’s original To-Kalon vineyard – MacDonald and Detert – highly acclaimed, family-owned wineries that are not allowed to use the To-Kalon name on their wines.

But wait, there’s more!

In 2017, Constellation started a new wine brand called To-Kalon Vineyard. They attempted to file further trademarks on the To-Kalon name, but Beckstoffer put up firm opposition in court and Constellation abandoned the effort.

MacDonald has also filed a petition to have the To-Kalon vineyard added to the National Registry of Historic Places, which is being fought by Constellation. At the same time, a suit was filed against Constellation by The Vineyard House (owned by Far Niente and Nickel and Nickel proprietor, Jeremy Nickel) claiming that Robert Mondavi’s To-Kalon trademark was obtained fraudulently and deceptively. The suit was dismissed by a federal judge, but Constellation in turn sued The Vineyard House for their use of To-Kalon on one of their wine labels.

Constellation continues to adamantly support the position that To-Kalon is a brand, not a place. While defenders of the vineyard, MacDonald and Beckstoffer, are concerned the original vineyard and its special terroir will be forgotten someday due to these trademarks being used on wines that can originate anywhere.

 

The Scandalous Wine Classifications of Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux

When you see “Grand Cru” on the label of a bottle of Saint-Émilion wine, what does that really mean? I’ll give you a hint – it’s not the same as the Cru system used in Burgundy. The classification system in Saint-Émilion can not only be confusing to consumers, but it has been fraught with controversy, scandal, legal battles, and criminal convictions!

For those unfamiliar with the nuances of this case, let’s dive a little deeper into Saint-Émilion, its wines, and its controversial classification system.

The Wines of Saint-Emilion

Bordeaux is split in two by the Gironde Estuary, which then splits into the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. To the right of the Gironde is the Right Bank and to the left of the Gironde is the Left Bank.

Saint-Émilion is located on the Right Bank of Bordeaux where clay and limestone soils are found in abundance. This soil type does a good job of retaining moisture while also draining excess water. Due to that water content, it also stays cooler, which means it is best planted with grape varieties that don’t need a ton of heat. As a result, Cabernet Sauvignon, which needs long periods of warm temperatures to ripen, doesn’t do quite as well here. Merlot, on the other hand, thrives on these cooler, wetter soils, as does Cabernet Franc.

These clay soils, along with the varietal character of Merlot, result in wines that are softer and fruitier with lower tannin and acidity than the Cabernet-driven blends of the Left Bank. They tend to be more approachable when young, although the better wines can certainly be cellared.

Saint-Émilion Classification System

So now that we’ve established that Saint-Émilion is on the Right Bank and produces softer, fruitier Merlot-driven wines, how do you know what bottle to buy when you walk into your local wine shop? Saint-Émilion’s wine council tried to help consumers with this question by establishing a classification system for wine quality.

The Saint-Émilion Classification system was established in 1955 with four increasing quality levels:

  1. Grand Cru (hundreds of estates)
  2. Grand Cru Classé (63 estates)
  3. Premiere Grand Cru Classé B (15 estates)
  4. Premiere Grand Cru Classé A (4 estates)

Quality Criteria

A number of different criteria are used to evaluate the quality of an estate (called a Chateau in Bordeaux). These criteria are then weighted and scored, with those weightings varying based on the classification level being sought. An example of some of the assessment criteria includes:

  • Sampling of an estate’s wines from the previous 10-20 vintages
  • Terroir (location, soil, geography, topography, etc.)
  • Estate reputation
  • Promotional activities including social media
  • Presence of public tasting rooms and involvement in wine tourism
  • How the wines are distributed and priced
  • Technical production of the wines for quality production

Pros and Cons

The benefits of having a classification system are primarily:

  1. To help consumers make better purchasing choices and give them confidence about the quality of the wine on which they spend their hard-earned money.
  2. To contribute to the reputation of an estate, and allow producers at the upper classification levels to charge higher prices for their wines.

However, not all classification systems are created equal, and not all meet these goals. Sometimes these systems end up creating even more confusion. For example, in Saint-Émilion, Premiere Grand Cru Classé estates are essentially the First Growths of Saint-Émilion. However, in contrast to Burgundy, which places “Grand Cru” at the top level, Saint-Émilion places “Premiere Cru” at the top level and Grand Cru as their lowest level, causing a fair amount of consumer confusion.

Also, there has been some debate as to why things like social media presence and the existence of a tasting room are used to assess the quality level of an estate’s wines, which has only led to the ongoing dispute over this classification system.

Further, unlike the Left Bank’s 1855 Classification system, which was established 150 years ago and is pretty much etched in stone, the Saint-Émilion classification was meant to re-evaluate estates every 10 years. As a result, it was updated in 1969, 1986, 1996, 2006, 2012 and 2022. However, it has been fraught with controversy and scandal for the past several decades, mainly driven by producers who have been unhappy with how they have been classified.

Let’s take a look at the timeline of controversy, where the classification system stands today, and whether consumers can actually trust this classification when buying a bottle of wine from Saint-Émilion.

Timeline of a Controversial Classification System

Sept 2006: The 2006 Saint-Émilion classification was challenged in court by four producers who had been demoted in quality level. The legal dispute claimed several members of the assessment panel had conflicts of interests (e.g. were involved in business dealings with some of the estates), and thus could not be impartial.

March 2007: A tribunal suspended the 2006 classification indefinitely due to the court case.

Nov 2007: The French supreme court overturned the suspension, reinstating the 2006 classification. However, this ruling essentially only determined that the case brought by the four estates should not void the entire classification. A hearing was still to proceed on the suit brought by the four estates.

July 2008: The court ruled that the wine tasting process used in the 2006 classification was not impartial, again invalidating the entire classification. It was determined that appealing this ruling to try to reinstate the 2006 classification would take about two years with an uncertain conclusion. Therefore, upon request by the French regulatory body for wine, INAO, the French Government used emergency powers to reinstate the classification by extending the validity of the 1996 classification. As a result, the four demoted estates that brought the suit were able to keep their classification, but other estates that had been promoted in 2006 were not. This created not just ill will with those producers, but potentially hurt them financially and damaged their reputation.

Dec 2008: The French senate allowed the total of eight estates that had been demoted or had their promotions retracted to regain their promotions.

Jan 2009: The French government constitutional council overruled the judgment to promote the eight estates and demoted them once again.

March 2009: The French Court of Appeal made a final ruling that the 2006 Saint-Émilion classification will not stand and voided it.

May 2009: A law was passed clarifying that the estates promoted to Grand Cru Classé in 2006 would be able to keep their status and back date it to the date of the classification. As a result, the status of the classified estates of 1996, plus the eight chateaux promoted in 2006, was mandated by law until 2011.

June 2011: The Saint-Émilion classification was given permission to move ahead with the 2012 evaluation. The 2012 classification was conducted differently by outsourcing tastings and inspections to independent groups (e.g., wine professionals from Burgundy, Rhône, Champagne, Loire and Provence). There was also no longer a fixed number of estates that could be classified.

January 2013: Three estates that had been demoted or not promoted in the 2012 classification filed complaints, claiming there were procedural errors in the selection process.

April 2013: Those same three estates filed a criminal complaint of ‘illegal interference’ due to members of the assessment panel also being owners of estates that benefitted from the new classification.

Dec 2015: A tribunal upheld the 2012 classification as legal. The three complaining estates appealed the ruling.

Aug 2019: The owners of Château Angélus and Château Trotte Vieille were ordered to stand trial on criminal charges of having an illegal conflict of interest in the reclassification that saw Angélus elevated to Grand Cru Classé A and Trotte Vieille retain its Grand Cru Classé B, while both owners were in positions of influence in the organization that oversaw the classification system.

Oct 2021: The owner of the very prestigious Château Angélus, was found guilty of influencing the 2012 Saint-Émilion classification to benefit wineries in which he had financial interest or acted as an advisor. He was fined €40,000. The second defendant in the case, who owned Chateau Trottevieille and was a member of the assessment panel, was acquitted.

March 2022: A Bordeaux court of appeal dismissed the civil lawsuits brought by the three estates, re-establishing the legitimacy of Saint-Émilion’s 2012 Classification.

Jan 2022: The upcoming Saint-Émilion 2022 Classification process is currently underway, but has already taken an enormous hit to its reputation and potentially to its future. Three of the four ‘Premier Grand Cru Classé A’ estates from 2012 – Châteaux Angélus, Cheval Blanc and Ausone – have all independently said that they do not want to be part of the 2022 ranking process.

June 2022: The fourth ‘Premier Grand Cru Classé A’ estate, Chateau La Gaffelière, also announced their withdrawal from the Saint-Émilion classification.

So where does that leave Saint-Émilion’s 2022 classification? Saint-Émilion’s wine council said they are proceeding with the 2022 Classification, despite the high-profile withdrawals of the region’s top four estates. The final classification is slated to be released in September 2022.

What to Buy?

So as a wine consumer, where does this leave you? Should you even still buy wines from Saint-Émilion? Can you put any faith in the wine’s classification? The short answer is yes! Regardless of the politics involved in the classification process, many Saint-Émilion wines are delicious and worth seeking out.

The wines classified as Premiere Grand Cru A and B are reliably stunning, ageworthy and of the highest quality. They are, however, very expensive. For example, a bottle of Cheval Blanc will set you back at least $500.

Although there are definitely excellent wines that are in the Grand Cru category, there is a significant difference between Grand Cru and Grand Cru Classé. To achieve Grand Cru status, a vineyard just needs to be located in an area that has been classified as Grand Cru, and the producer must also meet some local rules and regulations. Over 200 vineyards are classified as Grand Cru, and estates using these vineyards are automatically granted this status without needing to apply for it.

Grand Cru Classé wines are from better vineyard sites, the estates must apply for this designation, and a committee assesses the quality of the wines via a blind tasting. In 2012, 63 estates met the established criteria for Grand Cru Classé. However, they are still going to set you back $40-$100+.

There are always exceptions to the rules and there are some excellent Grand Cru wines that meet or exceed the quality of some Grand Cru Classé wines. As with all wines, the safest option is to get to know producers and buy the ones that you’ve had a good experience with. Here are some that I have enjoyed:

  • Château Barde-Haut St.-Emilion Grand Cru ($35)
  • Chateau Troplong Mondot St.-Emilion Grand Cru ($45)
  • Clos de l’Oratoire Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé ($50)
  • Château Canon-La Gaffelière – St.-Emilion Grand Cru Classé ($90)
  • Chateaux Garcia Saint-Émilion Grand Cru ($125)
  • Clos Fourtet -Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé ($125)

WINE SPOTLIGHT: Swartland, South Africa Chenin Blanc

A few weeks ago I Coravined a glass of the 2019 Mullineaux Quartz Chenin Blanc ‘Leliefontein’ from Swartland, South Africa in preparation for my WSET Diploma tasting exam to meet the “high quality Chenin Blanc” recommended tasting. It was so amazing that a few days ago I popped the cork and finished off the bottle, by myself! Then I bought a few more bottles from my fave wine shop.

So let’s talk Chenin and Swartland. Chenin Blanc is a grape that makes it primary home in The Loire Valley of France where it can be found in dry versions (Savennieres), off-dry to sweet versions (Vouvray), and even sparkling. However, its second home is in South Africa, which produces more Chenin than any place else in the world.

In South Africa, Chenin will always be dry and typically riper and fuller than in Loire (which will have more minerality and higher acidity) due to the warmer climate and different soil types. Chenin Blanc has a wide range of flavors, but generally tastes like yellow apples, pear, peach, ginger and passionfruit.

South African Chenin can vary in price and quality, with uninteresting, one-dimensional versions as low as $10/bottle, all the way through beautifully complex and rich versions, such as this Mullineaux in the $60/bottle range. The best Chenin Blanc in South Africa comes from Swartland, an area I am kind of obsessed with due to its new generation of young winemakers that have revived very old abandoned vines, and are producing wines with minimal intervention that reflect a true sense of place.

Swartland is located about an hour northeast of Cape Town. It is hot and dry, with infertile granite and shale soil, making any form of agriculture challenging. It was mainly a region for bulk wine, dominated by low quality co-operatives that essentially neglected the existing vines. Then, in the late 1990s, some young winemakers, led by Charles Back of Spice Route, purchased old vineyards in the area and started something amazing.

These winemakers saw the incredible value in these old, bush trained vines (grown into low bushes rather than upright on trellises) that were decades old and producing very low yields. These vines had learned to survive in a dry, hostile environment, completely neglected and without any irrigation. To find water, the vines had to develop deep rooting systems to seek out meager water being held deep in the soil. The result are vines that are hardy, drought resistant, dry farmed and producing very low yields of deeply concentrated fruit.

These winemakers wanted to express the uniqueness of Swartland and started an organization called “The Swartland Independent Producers Association”, made up of a small group of like-minded producers. They adhere to the following standards:

  • The wines must grown, vinified, matured and bottled in Swartland
  • At least 80% of a producer’s entire wine production must be under his/her own label, meaning no selling grapes to co-ops or large companies
  • The wine must be naturally produced with minimal intervention: only wild yeasts, no added acid, no added tannin, no chemical fining, no technological processing (such as reverse osmosis)
  • Only specific grape varieties are permitted, such as Syrah, Cinsault and Chenin Blanc – Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are not allowed!
  • No more than 25% new oak barrels are permitted, so the new oak flavors don’t mask the character of the grapes and the land

The result are wines of intense concentration and complexity that are produced with tremendous care and respect for the land. Some excellent producers to look for from Swartland are Spice Route, Mullineaux, The Sadie Family and A.A. Badenhorst.

South Africa’s wine industry has been devastated by Covid-19, since they were restricted from selling wine five different times throughout the pandemic. Many wineries did not survive, and there is a glut of wine that has remained unsold. There is no better time to support South Africa’s wine industry than now. The export situation is getting better and we are starting to see better quality South African wines on the store shelves in the U.S.

If you do decide to purchase a wine from South Africa, spend the money on a better bottle. There aren’t a lot of “value wines” (meaning low priced, good quality). For South African wines, you get what you pay for, so if you can spend a little more, you won’t regret it. I am a huge fan of South African wines. Cheers!

What Can Winemakers Do When Impacted by Wildfires?

It’s like deja vu all over again. In October 2017 we all watched in helpless horror as wildfires tore through northern California’s wine country, threatening lives, property and vineyards. In total, the fires killed 44 people that year. Then in 2018, California experienced the deadliest and most destructive wildfires on record, killing 85 people. Only two short years later, we are witnessing the same thing happening again.

Few industries have been as susceptible to the impacts of climate change as the wine industry. If you ask any grape grower they will tell you without hesitation that climate change is real and is having a substantial impact on their vineyards. For some, climate change may be positive. Vineyards in historically cooler areas are now warming up, allowing grapes to ripen more fully and consistently, leading to increasingly concentrated wines and more high quality vintages. It also means areas of the world that were once too cold for grape growing are now able to produce wine. Take a look at the delicious sparkling wines coming out of the UK.

However, many warm grape growing regions are now getting hotter and drier. You only have to look at the past three years to find raging wildfires in California and Australia, an intense multi-year drought in South Africa, and severe temperature spikes in Spain. These changes result in sunburned, damaged or destroyed fruit. Fruit that does survive can contain such high sugar levels that resulting alcohol can easily reach above 16% ABV, causing wines to taste jammy and flabby with an obvious alcohol burn and little nuance or flavor complexity.

Then there is the issue of smoke taint in regions that experience fire. The previous California wildfires occurred in the Fall after much of the grape harvest had already taken place, with wines safely stored away in barrels in cellars where they were protected from smoke. Not so this year. The current wildfires in California could not have occurred at a worse time for winemakers – right before harvest when the grapes are most susceptible to environmental influences.

It is obvious from the photos coming out of California of Mars-like orange skies and air thick with smoke, that some vineyards will have to deal with grapes infected by smoke taint. Smoke does not damage a vine in the long term as it doesn’t get into the roots or the soil. Rather, it is absorbed into the skins of ripening grapes, so it can’t simply be washed off. Smoke taint results in flavors in the wine described as burnt, ashy and medicinal. So what are wineries to do?

  1. The first thing is to assess the damage by conducting laboratory analyses on the grapes to determine the level of smoke taint in the fruit.
  2. If the smoke taint isn’t excessive, there are several options available to the winemaker:
    1. They can choose to produce white, rose or sparkling wines from the grapes. These wine styles are produced by quickly draining the juice off the grape skins prior to fermentation. By limiting contact with the skins, the juice will pick up fewer of those smokey volatile compounds.
    2. They can blend smoke-tainted batches of wine with batches that are not tainted. They can also over-oak the wine by adding oak flavoring. The idea is to dilute or mask the off-flavors in the tainted wine with the unaffected wine or oak flavoring.
    3. They can process the wine using reverse osmosis or similar methods. Reverse osmosis separates the components of the wine – water, ethanol, flavor, color, tannins, etc. Once separated, the tainted components of the wine can be removed and the remainder blended back together. This is not only an expensive process, but it’s also not always very effective.
  3. If smoke taint levels are too high, the above methods won’t work effectively. In that case, the producer may have no choice but to dump their entire vintage of wine. It may also be possible to sell the wine (usually at a financial loss) to be used in other products such as hand sanitizer. In some cases, the wine may be potentially sold to distilleries to produce spirits.

It is too soon to tell how affected West Coast vineyards will be due to the still raging wildfires, although many producers remain optimistic. Harvest is just beginning and it will take time to assess the damage and determine steps forward.

Happy Prosecco Week!

This week – July 20-26, 2020 – we are celebrating the 3rd annual National Prosecco Week! So pop a cork on your favorite bottle of Prosecco, pour yourself a glass of that cold, refreshing, crisp bubbly, and read on to learn all about this super popular sparkling wine.

What is Prosecco?

Prosecco is Italy’s most popular sparkling wine, made from the Glera grape in the northeastern part of the country. It is produced in a large area covering the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions, and is named after the village of Prosecco.

What does Prosecco taste like?

Prosecco is a dry style sparkling wine that is light bodied, fresh and crisp with fruity flavors of green apple, honeydew melon, pear, and honeysuckle. Prosecco bubbles measure in at approximately 3 atmospheres of pressure, while Champagne in comparison has stronger bubbles at approximately 6 atmospheres.

Although it is fruity, Prosecco is not sweet. It contains only small amounts of residual sugar to balance out the high acidity, but this sugar is generally not detectable on the palate. The levels of sweetness in these wines are labeled as follows:

  • Brut: 0-12 grams of residual sugar per litre.
  • Extra-Dry: 12-17 grams of residual sugar per litre.
  • Dry: 17-32 grams of residual sugar per litre.

How is Prosecco made?

Prosecco is made using the Charmat, or Tank, method. This is a different manner of producing sparkling wine from the Traditional method, which is used to make Champagne.

The Charmat method was invented in 1895 and enabled large volumes of sparkling wine to be made inexpensively and quickly, so they could be released for sale faster. By comparison, the Traditional method is longer, more labor intensive, imparts deeper flavors of yeast and bread into the finished wine, and results in a more complex, yet more expensive bottle of wine.

Prosecco’s Charmat method is an expedited production process ideal for fruity wines. These wines are produced using the following steps:

  1. Fruit for sparkling wine is often harvested early while the grapes contain higher levels of acidity and lower levels of sugar. The fruit must be in perfect, healthy condition when picked, as any bad flavors from rotten fruit will be enhanced by effervescence. Therefore, the grapes are usually hand harvested and sorted.
  2. The grapes are gently pressed to extract clean juice while minimizing skin contact to avoid bitter tannins (tannins are contained in grape skins).
  3. The juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks by adding yeast, which converts sugars into alcohol. This creates a base dry white wine. Since the grapes are picked early with low levels of sugar, the resulting base wine has a low level of alcohol.
  4. The base wine is then transferred to autoclaves, which are sealed and pressurized tanks. A mixture of sugar and yeast is added to trigger a second alcoholic fermentation. The CO2 produced during this stage of fermentation is trapped in the wine because the tanks are sealed, resulting in bubbles! This secondary fermentation also increases the level of the alcohol in the final wine.
  5. The wine is then brought to the desired sweetness level either by adding “dosage” (a sugar and wine mixture), or by stopping fermentation by cooling the wine when the desired pressure and sugar level is achieved.
  6. Occasionally, higher quality and more expensive Prosecco’s will be aged for several months before release, but the majority of wines are bottled immediately and sent off to the marketplace!

How do I choose the highest quality Prosecco?

Italy has wine laws that designate a quality hierarchy as follows:

  • Vino de Tavola (VDT) – simple table wines
  • Indicazione Geographica Tipica (IGT) – Upgraded table wines with higher quality standards.
  • Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) – indicates superior quality wines in Italy.
  • Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Guarantita (DOCG) – identifies Italy’s highest quality wines, and the most stringent rules apply. These wines must pass an in-depth laboratory analysis and tasting panel to guarantee their merit.

Most of the growing region for Prosecco is a DOC zone. However, within the larger Prosecco geographical area is a smaller, more prestigious DOCG area called Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco in the hills between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene.

This area produces the most elegant expressions of Prosecco due to its steep hillsides, stony soils, and cooling breezes from the Adriatic Sea, all creating a moderate climate with ideal growing conditions. These Prosecco Superior DOCG wines must follow stricter rules including lower grape yields, hand harvesting, higher minimum alcohol levels, and vintage dating.

To find these wines, look for “Valdobbiadene Prosecco” or “Prosecco Superior DOCG” on the label, along with a DOCG sticker usually placed around the neck of the bottle.

How popular is Prosecco?

Prosecco is the best-selling sparkling wine in the world by volume, taking away from the market share of Champagne in recent years. Prosecco’s success is attributed to its lower price, its greater approachability of fruity flavor, and its profile as a sparkling wine that can be drunk anytime, and not just for special occasions. With an average production cost of $4.20 per bottle, a fraction of Champagne’s average $11.63, Prosecco can be purchased at a price that makes it easier to buy for more casual settings.

Pet Nat: The Next Big Bubbly

You might think that all bubbles are created equal, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. There are actually six different ways of producing sparkling wines that result in wines with different characters, textures, flavors and price ranges. However, have you ever thought about how sparkling wine first came to be?

You might be surprised to know that Champagne was not the world’s first sparkling wine. In fact, Champagne’s “Traditional Method” of making sparkling wine came along 200 years after sparkling wine was first developed. The very first manner of producing sparkling wine is called the “Ancestral Method” and the first recorded reference to it was in 1531 in Languedoc in southern France.

This ancient method of making sparkling wine is now experiencing a big resurgence in popularity, and these wines are definitely worth seeking out, so let’s delve a little deeper and learn more about wines made using the Ancestral Method.

Names on the label:

  • Pét-nat (Pétillant Naturel)
  • Col Fondo
  • Methode Ancestral
  • Bottle Fermented

How its made:

  • Not only is this the oldest way of making sparkling wine, it is also the simplest method – so simple, in fact, that it probably first happened by accident!
  • A still wine is bottled before alcoholic fermentation is completed, leaving some residual sugar and yeast left in the wine.
  • The fermentation continues in the bottle, with the yeast converting the remaining sugar into alcohol and releasing carbon dioxide (CO2) as a by-product of fermentation. The CO2 bubbles are absorbed into the wine, creating a sparkling wine.
  • Some Pét-nats are left unfined and unfiltered, meaning they can have a hazy or cloudy appearance due to yeast cells left in the wine.
  • These wines are often closed with a crown cap (beer-bottle cap) rather than a cork, reflecting the informal style of these wines.

What it tastes like:

  • The fun thing about Pét-nats is they can be made from any grape variety and are produced all over the world. The small producers who are making these wines today love to experiment with unusual, little known varietals. Because of this, there is no typical flavor profile for Pét-nats, but its a great way to explore grapes you have never heard of before!
  • Pét-nats displays calmer foam, typically with larger bubbles on the palate. The lower pressure of pét-nats allows for a more generous aroma upon opening the bottle.
  • A pét-nat’s bubbles often become softer and smaller as it ages so are meant to be drunk young and not cellared for a long period of time.
  • Those that are hazy and unfiltered can have a creamier texture, as well as biscuity, bready flavors imparted by the yeast cells remaining in the wine.
  • Most pét-nats tend to be fairly low in alcohol—often under 13% ABV— and so they’re usually refreshing and easy drinking.

Where to find them

  • Pét-nats tend to cost in the range of $18-$35.
  • They can be difficult to find in supermarkets and big chain wine stores. You will have better luck finding them in Natural Wine shops and boutique wine shops.
  • Many small, local wineries are now producing Pét-nats because they are easy and cost-effective to produce, so take a look at the wineries in your home state as they may be producing some excellent Pét-nats. In fact, the best one I’ve ever had was made in my home state of New Jersey with chenin blanc grapes. This is also a great way to support a local business!

 

Blue Wine?! Yes, It Really Does Exist

A few days ago, I posted about orange wines, which are produced using a natural, ancestral process, and have gained significantly in popularity. Yet, did you know that blue wine is now one of the new hot trends in the wine industry?

Blue wine is made by fermenting red grapes and white grapes together, and adding sweeteners and coloring agents. Producers of these wines claim that they are “natural” because the additives are produced from plant-derived materials. That said, please don’t mistake these wines as being “natural” in the same way that orange wines are natural.

Orange wines are natural because the vineyards are often farmed organically or biodynamically (with no chemical treatments), they use very little, if any, sulfur dioxide, and they use no additives or manipulations during winemaking. The orange color comes as a result of extended skin contact and oxygen exposure.

Blue wines, on the other hand, are created as a direct result of additives and manipulations, even if those additives are plant-derived. However, researchers have found that some producers of blue wines have attained the color not from plant-derived materials, but from a synthetic food coloring called Brilliant Blue that is also used in Blue Curacao and blue Jolly Ranchers.

Blue wines were created in 2016 by a Spanish company called Gik. All of the creators of blue wine were under 30 years old and looking to create a distinctive, innovative product that would shake up the wine industry. They were inspired by a marketing theory called the Blue Ocean Strategy, which provided tools for exploring and capturing “blue oceans”, their term for unexplored new market areas.

So what does blue wine taste like? These wines have added sweeteners, so they have a lightly sweet taste with berry, cherry and passionfruit flavors. However, some people say these wines have an artificial sugar aftertaste. Those who enjoy them appreciate that these wines generally have low alcohol levels (around 11%), making it easy and refreshing to enjoy several glasses.

So, do you think you’ll give blue wine a try? As for me, I won’t drink anything with a color that doesn’t exist in nature. I don’t even drink Blue Curacao-based cocktails for that reason. I’ll leave this one for the more adventurous younger drinkers.

 

Red, White, Rosé and…Orange?!

Orange wine has generated a lot of buzz in the last few years and is very popular with the natural wine community, but what is it and is it any good? Well, that all depends on your how adventurous your palate is.

Let’s start with what it is and how it’s made. Although you might think it is a new style of wine, it is actually very old. In fact, its origins date back to antiquity, having originated in the areas of Georgia (the country, not the state), Slovenia and the Fruili region of Northern Italy. The style was lost from the winemaking world through decades of wars, political instability, Communist blocks, and shifting borders. In the 1990s, Georgia and Solvenia gained independence from the Soviet Union and opened their borders to the West. It was then that winemakers in Italy, Slovenia and Georgia started rediscovering this ancient wine style and bringing it to the rest of the world.orange,

Orange wine is essentially made using white wine grapes that are produced like a red wine.

White wine is generally made by crushing white grapes, then draining the juice off the grape skins almost immediately. Since the skins contain tannins, color and other compounds, winemakers want to minimize skin contact so those bitter tannic flavors don’t mask the fruitiness of the wine. Fermentation usually takes place in closed stainless steel or concrete tanks, which impart no flavors into the wine, and the juice is often blanketed with sulfur dioxide to protect it from oxygen. This results in a lemon-colored white wine that is fresh and fruity (think Sauvignon Blanc).

In orange wines, the white grapes are crushed, but rather than immediately draining off the juice, the juice remains in contact with the skins for an extended period of time – a week or even up to a year. Since orange winemakers often do not use sulfur dioxide, the wines may be exposed to some amount of oxygen, which further changes the flavor and color of the wine.

The ancient method of orange winemaking is to bury a terracotta vessel, called a qvevri, in the ground up to its neck, and leave the crushed grapes and skins inside to ferment naturally. This process is still used in some places today, but today’s orange wines are also fermented in stainless steel tanks, oak, concrete or clay vessels called amphorae.

Qvevri winemaking

This “skin-contact” process of winemaking not only turns the wine a color ranging from pink to amber to bright orange, but also results in a wine that can be surprisingly tannic, nutty and savory along with some sour or fruit flavors.

It can be difficult to find orange wines at any local wine shop outside of a major metropolitan area. These types of wines are still a niche market, even if they are growing in popularity amongst the younger drinkers who are more adventurous and have palates attuned to sour beer and kombucha flavors. If you’re interested in tasting a orange wine, you may have to resort to visiting a natural wine bar the next time you’re in a city, or ordering a bottle online at natural wine shops like Chambers Street and Thirst Wine Merchants in Brooklyn, NY.

Grape of the Week: Malbec

In a nutshell:

  • Fruity and smooth, not heavily oaked, with flavors of plum, blackberry and a chocolatey finish.

Where it is primarily grown:

  • Argentina
  • Cahors, France

Also Known As:

  • Cahors (in France)

Fun Facts:

  • Malbec is a highly drought-tolerant grape that loves the sun, so does very well in Argentina’s warm, dry climate
  • Argentina saved Malbec. The grape was mostly abandoned in France because it was prone to mildew in France’s cooler, wetter climate. It has thrived in Argentina where it now makes up 70% of the country’s vineyard plantings.
  • Mendoza is called “Land of mountains and Malbec”.
  • Malbec originated in France, where it was used mainly as a blending grape in Bordeaux. It is a single varietal wine in Cahors.
  • One of Malbec’s signature characteristics is its bright magenta rim in the glass and purple color.

Wine Texture:

  • Body: Full
  • Acidity: Medium
  • Alcohol: Medium
  • Tannins: Medium

Flavor and aroma profile:

  • Argentina Malbecs are fruit forward
  • Cahors Malbecs are more leathery, savory and spicy
  • Black cherry, plum, raspberry, blueberry, chocolate, coffee, leather, black pepper

You might like this grape if you like…:

  • Syrah
  • Merlot

Food Pairings:

  • Lean meats: bison, pork tenderloin, etc.
  • Blue cheese

Recommendations:

Bodega Catena Zapata 2017 – $16

Achaval Ferrer Malbec 2017 – $20

Luca Malbec 2016 – $25

 

Grape of the Week: Chenin Blanc

In a nutshell:

  • An incredibly versatile grape that can produce delicious white wines in a wide range of styles – dry and lean, rich and aromatic, sweet and luscious, and bubbly sparklers.

Where it is primarily grown:

  • Loire Valley, France
  • South Africa

Wine Styles:

  • Dry
  • Off-dry
  • Sweet
  • Sparkling

Also Known As:

  • Vouvray
  • Savennieres
  • Steen

Fun Facts:

  • Chenin Blanc is the most widely planted white grape variety in South Africa.
  • South African chenin blanc is almost always dry.
  • Savennieres (France) is almost always dry.
  • Vouvray (France) is almost always off-dry. If it’s labeled “Sec” it means it is dry. If it labeled “Demi-Sec” it is medium sweet. If it the label doesn’t specify, assume it is off dry.
  • French sparkling wines made with chenin blanc are called “Cremant de Loire”.

Wine Texture:

  • Body: Medium to Full
  • Acidity: High
  • Alcohol: Medium
  • Sugar: Dry to sweet

Flavor and aroma profile:

  • Dry: lean style with flavors of pear, quince, apples, ginger, and chamomile
  • Off-dry: ripe pear, ginger, jasmine, passion fruit, and honeycomb
  • Sweet: baked apple, honey, toasted almond, mango, ginger, and orange
  • Sparkling: quince, yellow apple, plum, ginger, and floral

You might like this grape if you like…:

  • Riesling (look for Vouvray and demi-sec styles)
  • Chardonnay (look for dry South African styles)
  • Champagne (look for sparkling Cremant de Loire)

Food Pairings:

  • Salads
  • Fish and shellfish
  • Chicken
  • Cream sauces
  • Spicy Asian cuisine (sweeter styles)
  • Lemon desserts

Recommendations:

Reyneke Chenin Blanc 2017 (Dry Style) – $26

Champalou Vouvray La Cuvée des Fondraux 2016 (Off Dry Style) – $22

Domaine Huet Vouvray Haut Lieu Demi-Sec 2018 (Medium Sweet) – $38

Domaine Huet – Huet Vouvray Haut Lieu Moulleux 2018 (Sweet/Dessert) – $42

Domaine Huet Huet Vouvray Petillant Brut 2014 (Sparkling) – $27