Wine for Normal People: Recent Episodes
Wine for Normal People
A podcast for people who like wine but not the snobbery that goes with it. We talk about wine in a fun, straightforward, normal way to get you excited about it and help you drink better, more interesting stuff. The Wine For Normal People book is available on Amazon! Back catalog available at http://winefornormalpeople.libsyn.com.
Felicity Carter a journalist, researcher, and analyst who's spent more than 20 years covering the global drinks industry. Not one to shy away from controversy, Felicity covers some of the thorniest issues in wine: health and alcohol policy, alcohol research and bias, the mainstream media and alcohol, the effect of GLP-1s on drinking, and global wine industry trends overall.
She is the best writer in wine – well researched, truthful, credible and very balanced. Felicity was on Ep 509 in 2024 discussing these issues and revealing the link between the World Health Organization and the temperance group, Movendi. She is on the forefront of investigative journalism for wine and health and she is a persistent and thorough researcher who looks at all sides of the story before writing up what she finds.
She's also awesome. And we're friends. So, you know how the intro says that we're wine friends and this is a conversation and we'll interrupt each other and stuff? That's what you're going to hear. We are both excited, passionate and both kind of forgot we were recording because when we catch up with each other, we have these conversations.
Take it for what it's worth – a little insight into what two very honest people, each with two decades in wine, have to say about various issues from the WHO to the UN and EU policies, to junk science, and the economics of wine.
I loved recording this and listening to it! Hope you do too!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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CHECK OUT MY NEW SPONSOR!!!
This show is brought to you by my NEW exclusive sponsor, Grapes the Wine Company – an actual brick and mortar store located in White Plains, New York that has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal as one of the most influential wine retailers in America. It is a store owned by my friend Daniel Posner, who has been on the show! When I was looking for a new sponsor, I wanted a small retailer who had the flexibility, contacts, and know-how to get us the wines that we really want. I'm so thrilled that Daniel is now a part of our Wine For Normal People community and I hope you will support him by going to https://www.grapesthewineco.com/
Although the best-known wines of Piemonte are in the south — in Alba, Roero, Cuneo, and Asti – there is a treasure trove of excellent Nebbiolo and Nebbiolo blends northeast of the famed Barolo and Barbaresco in the Langhe. These are small DOCGs and DOCs in the foothills of the Italian Alps that are collectively called Alto Piemonte – "higher (or upper) Piemonte."
Greatly reduced in status and size, Alto Piemonte today is a collection of small appellations across the foothills of the Alps, in and around the Sesia River and a swath of forests. The region sits in the shadow of Monte Rosa, which at 4,634 meters/15200 ft is the second-highest peak in the Alps.
Map: Alto Piemonte. Credit: Skurnik Wines
Because of the cooling breezes and lower nighttime temperatures, Alto Piemonte is cooler than the Langhe and Roero. That means that some Nebbiolo producers are starting to look northeast for new frontiers for growing grapes. Changes are afoot, which make this region worth knowing about now, whereas before it was more of a novelty! In this show I cover it all.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
CHECK OUT MY NEW SPONSOR!!!
This show is brought to you by my NEW exclusive sponsor, Grapes the Wine Company – an actual brick and mortar store located in White Plains, New York that has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal as one of the most influential wine retailers in America. It is a store owned by my friend Daniel Posner, who has been on the show! When I was looking for a new sponsor, I wanted a small retailer who had the flexibility, contacts, and know-how to get us the wines that we really want. I'm so thrilled that Daniel is now a part of our Wine For Normal People community and I hope you will support him by going to https://www.grapesthewineco.com/
Nebbiolo is one of the oldest and finest red grapes of Italy. Native to Piemonte (Piedmont) in the northwest of the country, it was first mentioned and described by (my boyfriend) Pliny the Elder in the first century AD. After a time of being known exclusively on its home turf, starting in the 1700s, Nebbiolo began to gain status as a wine of Piemontese royalty. When a dry version was made in the mid-1800s, the wine's place as a great of the wine world was cemented.
Nebbiolo sparkles in the epic wines of Barolo and Barbaresco, along with other neighboring areas. But it's not a good traveler. Others have tried to grow it and make wine from it, but the magic of Nebbiolo is often elusive. So it remains small. With less than 15,000 acres/ 6,070 ha of Nebbiolo planted globally, this is a rare grape and we are lucky to have access to it!
Photo: Nebbiolo grape in the Langhe. Source: https://www.langhevini.it/en/i-vitigni-del-territorio/nebbiolo/
In this show, as in all grape miniseries, I talk about the history of the grape, how it behaves in the vineyard and winery, there terroir that best suits it, and the places it is grown. I also talk about climate change and what that will mean for Nebbiolo in the future (I'm hopeful. There are lots of options in Barolo and Barbaresco, so don't get all gloom and doom!).
If you've never had a Nebbiolo from Piedmont, please do yourself a favor and get one. It's unlike anything else in this world – pure magic in a glass when it's from a good producer.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
CHECK OUT MY NEW SPONSOR!!!
This show is brought to you by my NEW exclusive sponsor, Grapes the Wine Company – an actual brick and mortar store located in White Plains, New York that has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal as one of the most influential wine retailers in America. It is a store owned by my friend Daniel Posner, who has been on the show! When I was looking for a new sponsor, I wanted a small retailer who had the flexibility, contacts, and know-how to get us the wines that we really want. I'm so thrilled that Daniel is now a part of our Wine For Normal People community and I hope you will support him by going to https://www.grapesthewineco.com/
André Tchelistcheff is a wine legend, especially in American wine. A winemaker, viticulturist and teacher, Tchelistcheff raised the standards for California wine, making it possible for it to become a force in the modern wine world.
André Tchelistcheff. Photo: UC Davis Library
A lifetime learner, Tchelistcheff said his highest and best title would be "permanent student of the university of California" because he never thought he knew everything about wine and always wanted to discover new ways of doing things. Tchelistcheff's philosophy on wine aligns with that of most of the listeners in this community...
"Wine is an intellectual beverage. It does not have the toxicity of liquor. Taken in moderation, it opens the mind. I have seen an introvert, after two glasses of wine, open like a flower." Source:https://byrdvineyard.com/andre-the-voice-of-wine/
In the show, I go over André Tchelistcheff's life and all the contributions he made to first Napa, then wider California, and then to Washington State wine and beyond. A gentle, funny, kind, and giving mentor and teacher, the Maestro is definitely someone you should know about in the wine world.
Enjoy the wonderful story of this great man's life!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
CHECK OUT MY NEW SPONSOR!!!
This show is brought to you by my NEW exclusive sponsor, Grapes the Wine Company – an actual brick and mortar store located in White Plains, New York that has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal as one of the most influential wine retailers in America. It is a store owned by my friend Daniel Posner, who has been on the show! When I was looking for a new sponsor, I wanted a small retailer who had the flexibility, contacts, and know-how to get us the wines that we really want. I'm so thrilled that Daniel is now a part of our Wine For Normal People community and I hope you will support him by going to https://www.grapesthewineco.com/
I said in episode 604 that if you wanted my other 6 suggestions, I would do a follow up show! You told me this is what you wanted, so this time I give you six MORE wine regions that make very expensive wines and then provide ideas of less expensive bottles that you could sub in when you don't want to splurge. From Châteauneuf to Brunello I give you some ideas that hopefully you hadn't considered!
The wines I find alternatives for (you'll have to listen to hear the wines I recommend as "dupes"):
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape
- Grosses Gewachs Riesling (I tell you what it is 🤣)
- Hermitage (Northern Rhône Syrah AOC)
- Condrieu (Northern Rhône Viognier AOC)
- Brunello di Montalcino
- Margaux (Bordeaux)
Enjoy it! And go to Grapes the Wine Company to shop for all of these!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
CHECK OUT MY NEW SPONSOR!!!
This show is brought to you by my NEW exclusive sponsor, Grapes the Wine Company – an actual brick and mortar store located in White Plains, New York that has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal as one of the most influential wine retailers in America. It is a store owned by my friend Daniel Posner, who has been on the show! When I was looking for a new sponsor, I wanted a small retailer who had the flexibility, contacts, and know-how to get us the wines that we really want. I'm so thrilled that Daniel is now a part of our Wine For Normal People community and I hope you will support him by going to https://www.grapesthewineco.com/
This is part two (Ep 609 is Part 1)of a two-part series on the history of Champagne, which tells the story of how Champagne became Champagne!
Photo: Champagne Vineyards Credit: WFNP
I fell down a bit of a rabbit hole when I discovered an entire encyclopedia of the history of Champagne on the Union des Maisons de Champagne site. It was the equivalent of 200 pages of information on Champagne from its origins up until the 1980s and was detailed and fascinating.
In this show I cover:
- The innovations of the 1800s that made Champagne sparkle on purpose with consistency and the contributions of the Veuve (widow) Clicquot
- The effects of phylloxera on Champagne
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The Champagne Riots
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World War I and German occupation part 1
- The Roaring 20s, the Great Depression, and the effect of Prohibition
- World War II and German occupation part 2
- Post war, rebuilding, UNESCO status, and a commitment to the environment
Enjoy!
Source of all this fascinating info is...
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can't go wrong with Wine Access! Go to wineaccess.com
This is part of a two-part series on the history of Champagne, which tells the story of how Champagne became Champagne!
Photo: Champagne vineyards before mechanization. Source: Union des Maisons de Champagne
I fell down a bit of a rabbit hole when I discovered an entire encyclopedia of the history of Champagne on the Union des Maisons de Champagne site. It was the equivalent of 200 pages of information on Champagne from its origins up until the 1980s and was detailed and fascinating.
I tried to cull it down, but the information was just too vast and too interesting not to share! So this will be a two-parter. In this show I cover:
- The origins of the Champagne vineyard with the Romans in the late 400s through the Middle Ages
- The 13th Century when Champagne was used in the coronation of the French kings and began its life as a wine for royalty
- The changes from feudalism to sharecropping through the 1500s, with all the ups and downs in the fortunes of the region
- The grapes of the time and the first major innovation for Champagne – Vin gris – making white(ish) wine from red grapes
- The contributions of Dom Perignon to Champagne
Photo: Statue of Dom Perignon Source: Victor Grigas, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
- The role of the English in making a market for sparkling wine, and making the necessary accoutrements to hold a sparkling wine, as well
- The effects of the French Revolution on Champagne that still exist today
- The grapes and how they evolved over the centuries in Champagne
I take you up to the 1800s, when the real Champagne innovations start to happen. That will be in Part 2, along with details on how Champagne took over the world in the 19th and 20th centuries!
Enjoy and Part 2 will be here before you know it!
Source of all this fascinating info is...
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can't go wrong with Wine Access! Go to wineaccess.com/wfnp to sign up!
Barbera is one of Italy's most widely planted red grapes and an essential part of Piemontese wine culture. It is native to the Monferrato hills, where it has been grown for centuries and important to the overall wine landscape of the region. Adaptable, drought-resistant, and capable of producing everything from bright, food-friendly, everyday wines to serious oak-aged bottles, Barbera has spread beyond its homeland — to California, Argentina, Australia and more.
A grower's and winemaker's favorite grape for its easygoing nature in the vineyard and the winery, in the glass, Barbera takes many forms. From acidic and fruity to oaked with darker fruit and spice, it is food-friendly, pairing with everything from braised meat to pizza.
As in all the grape miniseries, I cover the DNA of the grape (a fairly recent discovery and kind of a funny story), its history, its behavior in the vineyard and winery, aromas and flavors of the grape and regions in Italy and abroad that make Barbera.
Much has happened with Barbera since I last discussed it in 2018 -- take a listen and hear the latest!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. To celebrate the impending end of our partnership, Go to wineaccess.com/wfnp and use coupon code WFNP26 to get a discount of 10% if you've never ordered before!
In this show rather than one wine legend, I talk about a team of people who saved the wine world from The Great French Wine Blight of the 1860s – 1890s, which turned out to be caused a destructive, insect called phylloxera that came to Europe on American grapevines. I discuss the contributions of eight people who worked together and across continents to collectively save the European grapevine, Vitis vinifera, from extinction. Today, we drink Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Syrah all because of the efforts of these people. This podcast is the story of what they did and how they did it.
I discuss the contributions of:
- Jules-Émile Planchon
- Gaston Bazille
- CV Riley
- Hermann Jaeger
- George Hussman
- TV Munson
- Leo Laliman
- Pierra Viala
All played key roles in identifying the cause of vine death in France, and finding the solutions that would work best.
This is an important story of wine legends all wine lovers should know about! Enjoy!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
I couldn't get a new podcast out with my travels from Alto Adige with the patrons, but I thought it was timely I re-released this show since I was just there. It's not ALL old hat -- I did a light edit, improved the sound quality, and recorded a quick intro to this re-release of Ep 310: Elena Walch - The Quality Revolutionary of Alto Adige, Italy.
Elena Walch is a winery with an essential role in the quality revolution of Alto Adige, Italy. Alto Adige is in the northeast corner of Italy and although it is one of the smallest Italian regions (0.7% of wine production) it has a nearly unlimited variety of wines that offer delicate, unique flavor profiles.
Photo: A view of Alto Adige from my travels
Located south of the Alps, in the foothills of the Dolomite Mountains (where the ice mummy was found!), vineyards here are planted steep slopes, river valleys, and some warmer plains. The vast differences in microclimates and soils in this sloping terrain make wines that have ample fruit but beautiful acidity that keep them crisp and bright.
In this show I talk to Karoline Walch, the head of the winery and daughter of founder Elena Walch. She teaches us about Alto Adige, and then discusses the amazing story of her mother and how she changed the orientation of the region from bulk to quality.
Photo: Julia, Elena, and Karoline Walch from www.elenawalch.com
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can't go wrong with Wine Access! wineaccess.com/normal to check them out!
After a career in global consulting and raising a family, Sally Evans decided to pursue a dream of owning a winery. She took WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) wine courses and traveled to Bordeaux to explore the city and its appellations and discovered Fronsac (on the right bank, Episode 593 is on Fronsac!), which captured her heart.
Photo: Sally Evans. Courtesy of Ch George7
She went for it – she bought a small plot in 2015 and decided to build a new château from scratch. She found the right plot, and the right people and that château today is the award-winning Château George7. She makes two other reds besides her main wine and a white Bordeaux.
Sally has offered us a discount if you order 12 bottles of wine to be shipped to you from www.chateaugeorge7.com -- you get 15% off and the price on the site includes everything -- wine, shipping, taxes, etc.
Code WFNP is good no matter what country you order the wine from! Chip in with a friend or buy a case for yourself! Support the work of this wonderful person (Sally) making wonderful wines (Château George7)!
Because she is so smart and ambitious, Sally didn't stop there, she wrote a best-selling book to help other people who are questioning what to do in midlife, called "Make The Midlife Move: A Practical Guide to Flourish after Fifty".We also discuss her book -- a must read, especially for women making a midlife change. It's a practical guide to help people reimagine their lives. Here's the blurb from Sally on what it covers:
"I lead you through:
- the process of defining your dream,
- dealing with those inevitable fears then
- building the confidence to take the leap, and
- flourish in the new chapter, no matter what your midlife move entails.
It shares the realities of a major midlife change - my journey from corporate life and Mum, to creating a wine château in Bordeaux from scratch. I hope my story and the practical guidance in this book inspire you and other women (and why not men?) to embrace your midlife transformations with confidence and passion."
Sally was on the podcast previously discussing her project with Wendy Narby, Wineand2Veg, about how to pair Bordeaux with vegetarian food. In this show Sally returns to share her story with us and talk about Fronsac, one of the most underrated appellations in Bordeaux.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This episode is part of "The Greats" series, in which I discuss the greatest wines in the world and what makes them great. This time, I explore the top white Burgundies of Corton-Charlemagne, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, and Chassagne-Montrachet. I address what makes these wines Greats and go into detail on the regions, the vineyards, and the wines.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can't go wrong with Wine Access! Go to wineaccess.com/wfnp to sign up!
This time I give you six wine regions that make very expensive wines and then provide ideas of less expensive bottles that you could sub in when you don't want to splurge. From Champagne to Barolo, I give you some ideas that hopefully you hadn't considered!
The wines I find alternatives for (you'll have to listen to hear the wines I recommend as "dupes"):
- Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
- Champagne
- Pomerol (Bordeaux)
- Barolo/Barbaresco (Piedmont, Italy)
- Red Bourgogne/Burgundy (Pinot Noir)
- Chablis
I promise -- I came up with some unusual and cool wines for this! Enjoy it! And go to Grapes the Wine Company to shop for all of these!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
I haven't given an update to the Veneto region in more than a decade. With an upcoming Patron trip to the region, I think it's high time!
Veneto is in northeastern Italy and is famed for wines like Prosecco, Valpolicella (including Amarone), Soave, and Bardolino. With 14 DOCGs, 29 DOCs, and 10 IGPs, covering about 104,400 ha (258,000 acres) of vineyards, the province makes every style of wine imaginable. Approximately 75% of plantings are white varieties—dominated by Glera at around 39% (this is the main Prosecco grape)—while 25% of plantings are red, led by Corvina with Corvinone, Rondinella, and Molinara.
In this show, I discuss the history of Veneto, and then break the province down into three distinct regions, with some star DOCs and DOCGs:
- Eastern part: Prosecco/ Treviso Province Wine Zones: Valdobiaddene, Conegliano, Asolo, Cartizze
- Central part of Veneto: Around Vicenza/Padova - Breganze, Gambellara, Colli Berici, Colli Euganei
- Western Part: In the Hills of Verona: Valpolicella, Bardolino, Custoza, Lugana, Soave, Garda
I address some of the unfair criticisms levied against Veneto by certain wine writers, talk about how to find the best of the best wines from this region, and suggest some top producers.
A great show and a fun update after all these years! So much has changed and improved!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This is the start of a new series, suggested by Patron Keith S.! Thank you, Keith! I'll cover people who have made a huge difference in the wine world —figures whose contributions have shaped how wine is made, understood, and appreciated.
I felt the best place to kick this off was with a man who ratcheted up the quality of wine in Bordeaux and then around the world. Through his great scientific brain and his quiet and kind yet convincing style of plain-spoken communication Bordeaux-based oenologist, Dr. Peynaud had an enormous global influence on winemaking and wine appreciation in the second half of the 20th century, earning him the title "father of modern enology." Through both his research writing, and consulting work, he helped set new technology and quality standards across the industry, and through his teaching and generosity in sharing knowledge, he educated generations of winemakers to focus on quality.
In this show I discuss the early life of the man who would bring winemaking into the modern era and then I talk about the three Peynaud principles:
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Grapes must arrive at the winery in a healthy and mature condition
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Tannins must be extracted gently but sufficiently through maceration
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Fermentation temperatures must be controlled throughout and malolactic fermentation should be understood and welcomed in red wines.
Photo: Émile Peynaud, the Father of Modern Enology
Without Dr. Peynaud, we could not enjoy the clean, consistent wines that come from care in the vineyard, sanitation in the winery, and increased understanding of basic principles of fermentation.
We should all raise a glass to Dr. Émile Peynaud and his life's work, which has made wine so much more enjoyable! Santé!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Pollak Vineyards is a small family-owned winery founded in 2003 when Margo and David Pollak bought a farm west of Charlottesville, Virginia. David's experience in wine was pretty extensive – he worked in the 1970s in Sonoma's Russian River Valley and was a founding partner and investor in one of Napa Valley's first Carneros wineries, Bouchaine Vineyards. Years later, when he thought about retirement from the corporate world, he saw huge potential in Virginia and he and Margo took the chance to help shape this emerging region.
Photo: Pollak Vineyards. Credit: https://www.pollakvineyards.com
In this show, I host Ryan Pollak Gardner, Dave and Margo's daughter and their successor, and Benoit Pineau, the long time winemaker. We discuss the story of Pollak, the terroir of their site, and what makes their wine so much better than so many others in Virginia.
For me, Pollak is among the Grand Cru of Virginia – the top of the top. Their wines are stunning, their property is beautiful, and they are doing all the right things to showcase how incredible the wines of VA can be. And I'm not alone: in 2025, Pollak won five gold medals in the VA Governor's Cup Competition, more than any other winery.
A great show on what it takes to run a winery of this caliber in a challenging climate and terroir, and how far Virginia has come, due to places like Pollak.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. Go to wineaccess.com/wfnp to sign up!
600 episodes of WFNP! I am grateful to you for listening, for reading the book, for learning with me and gracefully accepting the changes over the years, and I'm especially grateful to my sponsors, guests, and travel partners. (thanks Heather and Beppe!) over the last 15 years who have supported this show.
But most of all, as I say every week, I'm grateful to the Patrons – the people who directly support the work that I do week after week and who have become my friends, and who have allowed me to join them on their journeys into wine.
I'm boring and you all know about me so for this episode, I asked the Patrons if anyone wanted to share their story on how they got their start in wine. I culled it down to nine!
Each story is so unique and fun. Please make sure you listen to them all. The last story is with one of my very first listeners and we discuss some of the more philosophical things about wine and the show to wrap it up.
I owe a debt of gratitude to all these brave people (who I definitely did not compensate for doing this NOR for saying all the nice things they said – I had no idea they were going to say this stuff!):
- Greg from Colorado
- Alissa from Los Angeles, California
- Tim from New Jersey
- Linda from Maryland
- Elizabeth from NYC
- Tina from Massachusetts
- Lyle from Silicon Valley, California
- Shana from Pennsylvania
- Claudette from Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Just as a heads up: You'll hear a brief pause between each vignette, and each varies in length. I hope you'll laugh, nod your head, and enjoy this wonderful celebration of wine and the WFNP community.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
This show is brought to you by Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can't go wrong with Wine Access! Go to wineaccess.com/wfnp to sign up!
In honor of Women's History Month, I'm rereleasing a show with one of the most dynamic, intelligent, and all around fantastic women in wine: Laura Catena of Bodegas Catena Zapata in Mendoza, Argentina.
Photo from Laura's website: https://indefenseofwine.com
We discuss her life as a doctor, a mom, and the head of a wine empire. We cover the history of Malbec and how her family aided the meteoric rise of Argentine wine and of the comeback of the Malbec grape around the world.
A fun, sharp-as-a-tack woman, you'll learn a ton about Malbec, Mendoza, and a few life lessons (it's all about the B+!) from this fascinating podcast!
I've edited it to take out some outdated information and for conciseness, but it is well worth the listen -- still a great, educational, and fun show after all these years! Please look at Laura's web site on wine and health for the most accurate, up to date, and factual information on wine and health: In Defense of Wine
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week I cover Malbec, or Côt as it's known in its native home of Southwest France. This old red grape variety has long history in France and was once one of its most planted grapes. But due to pickiness in the vineyard and harshness in the bottle, Malbec fell out of favor in its native country. Despite being a big component in the Bordeaux blend, the grape remained in relative obscurity until it hit South America, particularly Argentina. Although it wasn't an overnight success, Malbec hung around Argentina for about 150 years and then got its moment in the sun (literally). Today 75% of the world's Malbec grows in Argentina.
Photo: Malbec grape. Source: Getty Images via Canva
From a combination of factors and circumstances that worked perfectly for Malbec, the grape took on premium status in the 1990s in Argentina and rocketed into fame through the 2000s. It was then that Cahors, the native home of the grape changed some of its techniques to make its native grape shine in a different style. Others followed, but these two titans of the grape remain the best.
In the show I discuss the history of the grape, it's not so cooperative nature in the vineyard, the key to making good Malbec in the winery, and then I talk about the regions where it is grown, in detail. As always, I end with food pairings and producers.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week I cover the regional AOCs of Medoc and Haut-Medoc, which wraps up our exploration of the Left Bank of Bordeaux. These two areas can cover a lot of ground, but they are usually used for discreet geographies in the north and south of the Médoc Peninsula.
Because each AOC is so large and varied, I do a deep dive into the whole of the region and then into the particularities of the smaller Médoc AOC in the northwest of the Médoc and the Haut-Médoc in the south, around the city of Bordeaux and to the west of the communal appellations (Margaux, St. Julien, Pauillac, and Saint Éstephe).
I review the history, geology, terroir, grapes (including the new grapes for exploration and the new WHITE Médoc AOC as of 2025), wines, and recommended châteaux.
Photo: The 1855 Classification, 5th Growth. The Cantemerle write in!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you quarterly
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week I cover Lodi, California, an historic wine region in the Central Valley of California that has been growing grapes since the 1850s.
Located 40 miles /64 km south of Sacramento and 90 miles/ 145 km east of San Francisco, Lodi is an often overlooked wine region, despite the fact that it has been recognized as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) since 1986.
Lodi AVAs. Source: Lodi Winegrape Commission
Lodi doesn't lack for vineyard land --today the region has 100,000 acres/ 40,500 ha planted to wine grapes, with 750 growers, 80 wineries, and about 65 tasting rooms. 20% of California's total wine is made from Lodi grapes. The AVA also has the highest concentration of old vines in California.
Photo: Bechthold Vineyard planted 1886. Credit: Randy Caparoso, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Although Lodi is known for big, juicy, high alcohol Zinfandel Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and red blends, the real secret is that with a library of 125+ different grapes, Lodi is doing a lot of experimentation with alternative varietals and some of it is pretty cool: it has a few tricks up its sleeve.
In this show, I cover all of the details of Lodi - from the history, to the climate and land, to the AVAs, and the wine styles. I mention some key producers, and then I wrap with some of the challenges that Lodi faces and the opportunities it has in front of it.
Source for this show was primarily the excellent site of the Lodi Winegrape Commission:
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
In this show I go back to basics (the last time I covered this topic was in 2011 -- episode 7!!) and discuss the differences between the terms New World and Old World.
Although it seems totally basic, there has been controversy over using these terms, with some writers saying they are antiquated, non specific, and need to be replaced. I disagree. I discuss the usefulness of the terms and why they should still exist as terms in wine from three main perspectives:
- Geographical and historical perspectives
- REAL terroir differences that make the wines different
- Differences in regulation make Old World wines very consistent (and they conform to stereotypes!)
Here are links to the articles that I mention:
- Climate, Grapes, and Wine: Terroir and the Importance of Climate to Winegrape Production
- A New Reason to Embrace the "Old World / New World" Explanation of Wine by Tom Wark
- The anti-flavor wine elite, WineLovers Page
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This show is a refresh of Episode 371 with a new take!
In October of 2025, I visited Croatia on a scouting trip with my friend Brett from Walk & Wine Croatia (check them out and take a trip with them! Marija and Barişa are the best guides!) to see if there was a possibility of me hosting a patron trip there! It was a fantastic trip and I learned so much about the country and the wines.
Photo: View from Rizman Winery. Credit: WFNP
Just two weeks before I went, Patron, listener, wine educator, previous pod guest cohost (Ep 522 -- the Wine Movie Podcast), Bevis Sydney, visited to Croatia on a family holiday. He and I compared notes and they were nearly identical. I enlisted his help to do this show as a look into our shared perceptions -- great and less great.
I cover all the basics in a brief review on the country and then Bevis and I do a deep dive into the main grapes of Dalmatia and beyond. We come to the conclusion that the whites Grk and Poşip are the best wines we tasted, and the red Babiç has some potential.
Photo: Kastel Sikuli is a great winery in Dalmatia. Credit: WFNP
Here are the links to things we reference:
Walk & Wine Croatia (check them out and take a trip with them!)
Stockists:
- Croatian Premium Wine Imports (US)
- Vinum USA
- Danch & Granger (formerly Blue Danube, US)
- 8 wines (UK and US)
- Wine & More (UK and US)
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
If you haven't seen the Apple TV Series "Drops of God", you must change that quickly. This is, in my opinion, the single best wine show/movie ever done. It's not hokey, it shows wine in a realistic and good light, and it's a cool story.
The show, whose first season dropped in 2023, won the International Emmy Awards for Best Drama Series and has been praised for its beautiful cinematography, skilled acting, and accurate portrayal of certain elements of the wine world. It's actually based on a Japanese manga series of the same name that was wildly popular.
Season one was so successful that Drops of God was renewed for a second season, which is currently unfolding week after week on Apple TV. Season one is still available for you to watch if you missed it.
In this show, I sit down with Sebastien "Seb" Pradal, who was the man behind all the wine knowledge in this show. He worked with the writers and actors to get all the facts and details of the wines right.
Although he won the very prestigious Best Young Sommelier of France in 1997, Seb took the entrepreneurial route instead of working as a somm. He leads a wine distribution and consulting agency, owns the fine dining restaurant La Petite Régalade in Paris, where he showcases French gastronomy and highlights independent producers and cool wines, and he imports French wines into Mexico and Colombia.
He was selected by the writers working on "Drops of God" to help them make the series true to the wine world in a non-snobby way. He was charged with making all wine-related activities authentic, and we worked closely with the actors to teach them about wine, wine tasting, and the wine world (he told me offline that the actors now order and drink wine regularly and know their way around a list!).
This podcast will give you a rare glimpse into why this show is so successful in portraying the wine world when many others have fallen short. And that glimpse really is all about Seb Pradal and his contributions to the show. He is a delightful person and shares some fun insider information about the inner workings of how a production of this caliber gets made.
As promised, here are the links we mention in the show:
- Seb's Paris restaurant: La Petite Régalade
- Georgian wine Seb calls his "Grail": Marani Ruispiri, Giorgi Aladashvini
- Information on Lignage grape: Lignage and Clos du Tue-Boeuf
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can't go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!
In the show I discuss these two outstanding appellations that once were Greats in Bordeaux and should be once again -- these are wines we should all be drinking more often, especially at the price we pay (you can get a great bottle for US$30).
Located at 44.5°N, northwest of the city of Libourne, Fronsac and Canon Fronsac sit on Bordeaux's Right Bank, overlooking the Dordogne River. These two red-wine-only appellations share some of the best limestone terroir in Bordeaux. And despite the beauty and high quality of the vineyards that cover rolling hills and plateaus, AOC Fronsac and the much smaller AOC Canon Fronsac to the south, are praised by critics but virtually unknown by wine lovers these days.
This is even more surprising when we consider that historically, Fronsac was every bit, if not more respected than its way more famous neighbors, Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. But after losing most of the top vineyards to the phylloxera epidemic/French wine blight in the late 1800s neither appellation regained the status they once had. That means today they have enormous untapped potential: savory and high-quality wines that aren't sold at prices they merit, and a lack of investment to help the region shine, despite it having all the ingredients to do so.
Despite the prime location and the ideal terroir and historic legacy, the wines remain one of Bordeaux's best secrets: fruity, complex, and full of bright acidity that, thanks to the cooler limestone soils and long growing season. With climate change, these wines are poised to be successful – they hold up beautifully even in hot years – but will we give them the chance?
Here links to the Expression de Fronsac list of producers and Château George 7, my friend Sally Evan's winery that you should visit!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can't go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!
This week I discuss the current challenges facing wine due to climate change.
I cover some strategies the industry is undertaking to address the major issues -- from vineyard and tech solutions to new varieties (Pilzwiderstandsfahige Reben or PiWi grapes!). Then I cover emerging regions that are doing a surprisingly great job making innovative wines! From Normandy, France to the UK, Tasmania, and countries in Scandinavia, you will get a great idea of what is happening on the cutting edge of wine!
As promised, here are some names of Danish and Swedish Vineyards:
Denmark:
- Skærsøgaard Dons Cuvée Brut is award winning
- Dansk Vincenter
- Frederiksborg Vin
- Vinperlen
- Domain Aalsgaard
- Lille Gadegaard
- Dyrehøj Vingaard
- Nygårdsminde Vingård (northernmost commercial wine production)
Sweden:
- Kullabergs vingård
- Arilds Vingård
- Thora Vingård
- Vejby Vingård
- Lottenlund Estate
- Flyinge Vingård
- Flädie Mat & Vingård
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
After 14 years, I felt like it was probably time to do another show on Zinfandel! Known as America's heritage grape, the story of the quest for its European origins is like a mystery novel with an interesting end. It is a great grape and so historic!
Photo: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
In this show I cover the massive history of the grape and the unbelievable decades-long search for its origins, which were finally discovered after a dogged group of researchers did a painstaking investigation.
I move on to discuss the vineyard and winemaking. Much of the information I got was from one of the kings of Zinfandel in the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma, Fred Peterson of Peterson Winery. Fred started his career in wine working under the very famed Paul Draper at Ridge, before starting his own winery. Fred has been making Zinfandel for more than 50 years. His estate vineyard is outside his front door and has Zin in it. He sources from other vineyards, and makes low intervention, excellent Zinfandel in different styles. I share all the wisdom I got from my conversation with him, including the stylistic differences in winemaking and vineyard management and how that shows up in the wine.
Check out Peterson Winery!
After discussing the grape and cellar, I talk about flavors, styles and where the grape is grown. I end with a disucssion of serving temperatures, aging, and food pairing (Zin is so versatile!).
You can call it Zinfandel, Primitivo, Tribidrag, Pribidrag, or Crjenak Kaštelanski, but whatever the name, I wish more people were into Zinfandel. It's such a storied and truly great grape.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Many, many years ago (like 15 years ago when I started the pod! ) I did a bunch of shows to define terroir. This was when there was a lot of controversy over whether or not terroir was "real", with people lining up on various sides – terroir is a bunch of bunk made up by snobby French people, wine from anywhere can be made to taste the same regardless of place, the winemaker is more important than the land, and on the other side – terroir is magic that can't be explained, only European wines have a sense of place, etc., etc.
In this show I discuss some of the newer definitions of terroir that most of the world has settled on, as well as the finer points that are still argued. I address how the concept of a sense of place came to be, and specifics of what's included in the definition, and then wrap with my views on terroir.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
This show is brought to you by my sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can't go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!
Located about 2.5-3 hours southwest of Washington DC, in the southeast of the United States, the Monticello AVA is making world class wines that you need to know about!
Photo: Afton Mountain Vineyards. Credit: WFNP
Although California is the state for which American wine is known, the first place to tirelessly attempt to make premium wine was, in fact, Virginia. In the land Thomas Jefferson, the greatest wine advocate in American history, called home, the third president never realized his dream of making great wine. But in 1976 a couple of prominent Italians made a go of it and since then, the wine of the Monticello AVA, located In the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia, has gone from strength to strength.
In this show I discuss the history of how the Monticello AVA of Virginia finally was able to make good wine on a difficult terroir. I talk about the particulars of the climate and (very diverse) soils, the grapes that grow here (yes, it's mostly Vitis vinifera), the challenges of the business of wine in the Monticello AVA, and then I give my list of top wineries and go into some detail about what makes them great.
Monticello is an evolving story, but it only has upside. If you haven't had the wines from here or visited and you get an opportunity to do one or both, I really recommend it! It's beautiful and the wines are world class (if you stick to my recommendations, there are still people learning here…😂).
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
As our last in the series of the Greats of Bordeaux, I tackle Pomerol -- land of the hedonistic, silky, velvety, complex wines. The name of the game in Pomerol is terroir, and what the excellent, dedicated producers do to express it in the glass.
I cover the history of Pomerol, its variable terroir and what that means for the wines, discuss the main grapes in the blend, viticulture and winemaking and then go over some of the top châteaux: Petrus, Le Pin, Château Lafleur, Château La Conseillante, Château Trotanoy, and more!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Thanksgiving is one of the most difficult meals to pair with, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try!
Source: Canva
This year, for one of our weekly discussion questions I asked the Patrons how many wines they would be serving with their Thanksgiving/holiday feasts and the answer was overwhelmingly 2-3.
Given that, in this show I talk about combinations of two wines you can purchase for your table that will pair with many types of Thankgsivings. Some examples:
If your dishes tend to be on the sweet side… honey glazes, marshmallow sweet potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, etc 1. Off-dry Riesling or Vouvray (although butternut squash soup with a kick could do well with a regular Gewurztraminer) 2. Reds: Grenache, GSM blends from Rhône, California, Australia, etc., Garnacha from Spain, Zinfandel
Asian-influenced Thanksgiving 1. Aromatic whites: Alsace Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Torrontés, or Viognier 2. Fruity reds with low tannin: For smokey or braised meat: New World Pinot Noir, Côtes du Rhône, Garnacha. For something especially smoky: Saumur-Champigny from Loire
Desserts....Pecan Pie: Tawny Port, Madeira, Pedro Ximenez Sherry
From Getty Images via Canva
There are these ideas explained and so much more packed into the episode. Listen, take what you want leave the rest! Please know that I'm grateful to you for listening and your loyalty to me and the show!!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Just in time for the holiday season, I review the five ways to get fizz in a wine (on purpose) -- and the wines that result. I discuss regions and styles of different wines in each of the three major categories: Ancestral Method/Pétillant Naturel, Méthode Champenoise/ Metodo Classico, and the Martinotti/Charmat/Tank Method.
From Col Fondo to Method Cap Classique to German Sekt, I offer you new possibilities and sparkling wine types you may not know or think of off the top of your head, but which are all great in their own right and many which are ridiculously affordable (and yes, it's way more than just Prosecco and Cava!).
Photo: The "Underground Cathedrals" in Canelli, a UNESCO site Source: Alta Langa DOCG
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
At the suggestion of Patron John D., in this show I give you a list of 10 great winter whites and review each in detail! I discuss the varied styles, since most regions have multiple versions of these wines, and how to get the bone warmers, not the light sippers. I offer food pairing ideas to boot!
From white Burgundy to Poşip to Savienníeres and Fiano, I've suggested a great white bottle for almost every week of winter! I hope you find the list useful.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This time in the grape miniseries -- a refresh on one of my all time favorite grapes -- Riesling. This versatile grape has a long history of quality, and is highly misunderstood by most people.
I review the long and noble history of the grape, starting in 1435 and talk about how it wound up in places like the US and Australia, where it makes world class examples. I cover Riesling in the vineyard, in the cellar, and what makes a wine sweet or dry. I even explain a bit about the International Riesling Foundation scale!
I hope this overview gives you a new apprecaition for this grape that can be dry, sparkling, off-dry, sweet, and everything in between.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can't go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!
Lying just south of the city of Bordeaux is one of the oldest winemaking regions in the Bordeaux AOC -- Graves. Graves, along with it sub appellation of Pessac-Leognan are covered in this show as two of the great of Bordeaux.
Graves has a wine history stretching back to 100 BCE when the Romans first settled this area and realized that its gravelly (graves=gravel) soil was excellent for viticulture. That was the start and Graves has been continuously making wine for more than 2000 years. I discuss this wonderfully historic area, some of the challenges that it has faced, and the things that make it so special.
Map: Vins de Bordeaux
After discussing Graves, I take on Pessac-Léognan, the northern area of Graves, just south of the city of Bordeaux. It is the home of the most famous châteaux of the southern Left Bank including Haut Brion, the first growth in the 1855 classification.
As with all "The Greats" shows, I cover the history, terroir, grapes and winemaking, and then discuss key châteaux but after this show I encourage you to seek out a bottle of the larger Graves AOC and Pessac-Léognan to see the similarities and differences between each of these regions. I think you will then understand why Pessac-Léognan is so different, in spite of the fact that it is part of Graves!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
I happen to be in Sicily with a group of Patrons (this could be you if you join Patreon!).
While I was in Verona at Wine2Wine, in 2019, I had the honor to speak with Alessio Planeta, President at Assovini Sicilia and Owner at Planeta Winery
For five centuries and through seventeen generations, Planeta has been active in changing and improving agriculture in Sicily. Alessio Planeta has spent his life dedicated to the study of Sicily and figuring out how to make it a significant force in world wine. With his family, Alessio now has six wineries around Sicily, and they have almost single-handedly put Sicily on the map as a quality player.
Planeta continues its mission to show what Sicily can do and what it's forgotten varietals can bring to the world of wine. They are one of the big reasons we have access to excellent Sicilian wine today. Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This time I revisit a show from long ago on Wine Etiquette. In this Back-to-Basics episode, I cover the three main places you would use etiquette - a dinner party, a restaurant, and a tasting room.
I address:
The Dinner Party: What to bring a host, a good welcome drink, whether or not to open a bottle that a guest brings, the etiquette of what to do with the last glass in the bottle, and the point in the night to serve your best wine. I also talk about the proper way to pour, how high to fill a wine red or white wine glass, and whether or not to display a bottle you have decanted.
Source: Des Moines Register
The Restaurant: I review every step of wine ordering from perusing the menu to looking at the cork to approving the wine. I discuss the interaction with a sommelier and what to do with large groups, and how to handle a restaurant that serves less than fresh wine by the glass. I touch on giving the waiter a taste of a special wine and some ideas of what to do at a BYO restaurant.
Tasting rooms: When to make a reservation, what to wear, tasting room fees, spitting, commenting/ask questions, and the most pressing question people have: what to tip tasting room staff.
I tried to cover everything, but if you still have questions, feel free to reach out!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
You will get no better primer on Santa Barbara wine country than in the show. Wes Hagen comes on to school us on his region.
Ask anyone in Santa Barbara wine about Wes Hagen and they'll tell you he is a legend. He has worked in Santa Barbara wine for 30+ years as a vineyard manager, winemaker, hospitality specialist, wine educator, and sommelier. He has run prestigious vineyards , made wine in amazing wineries (Clos Pepe, J. Wilkes Wines, Miller Family Wines), and then became the go-to guy for creating American Viticultural Areas in Santa Barbara, writing and getting four AVAs approved between 1997-2019. He is also a noted educator, having lectured at many of the top viticulture and enology schools in the US and he is known for his famed TED talk on the History of Wine.
Image: Wes Hagen. Credit: Wes Hagen
Wes is currently the brand ambassador for Native9 wines, a brand representing the Ontiveros family’s 9th generation of California farmers.
In the show Wes educates us on Santa Barbara geology and climate, the various Santa Barbara County AVAs and what each grows, the process of petitioning for an AVA, the Santa Barbara wine country culture and how the movie "Sideways" affected it, and his reasons for believing that a downturn in the wine industry is "doom and room", rather than "doom and gloom"! You are guaranteed to learn a ton about Santa Barbara in this show!
Info on how to contact Wes:
Wes Hagen is available through to help guide you through planning a Santa Barbara Wine Adventure: wes@native9.com or text him at 805-450-2324. Wes's web site: www.weshagen.com Learn more about Native9 Wines at www.native9.com Vineyard Tours and 'Deep Dive' tastings with Wes are available at Native9 by appointment: BOOK A TOUR - https://www.exploretock.com/native9 Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can’t go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!
It’s been 13 years since I’ve done a grape miniseries on Tempranillo, so it was high time! This grape has come a long way in a decade +, proving that it has more nuance, terroir driven finesse, and versatility than it gets credit for.
Tempranillo is now the third most widely planted wine grape in the world, at 231,000 ha/570,000 acres. It is not widely grown outside of Spain but there are growers in 17 countries making a go of it. That said, 88% of Tempranillo’s vineyard area is in Spain and most of it is in the northern central parts, with Rioja and Ribera del Duero as the shining stars.
Photo: Getty Images via Canva
In this show, I go over the DNA and history of the grape and I discuss the many, many names it has. I talk about how it reacts to terroir and its behavior in the vineyard, and why it is so uniquely suited to the special areas in Spain where it thrives. I talk about winemaking and its effect on the grape and then I dive into the aging criteria of Spain (Generico, Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva) before going over the specific regions in Spain, Portugal, and the New World in which this grape does amazing things.
This is one of the most important grapes in the world, and the mini-series is packed with info! Enjoy and go try some different wines, you will be surprised at how different they are based on all the factors I mention in the show. You can test yourself to see if you can figure out if it’s the land or the hand of man that has an effect!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week I finish up the communal appellations of the Médoc for our "Greats of Bordeaux" series with Moulis!
Map: Wines of the Médoc
Although the communes of Moulis and Listrac are often seen as one in the same because both are inland and neither is adjacent to the Gironde River/Estuary, this grouping is a mistake.
The wines of Moulis, especially from the Grand Poujeaux plateau next to Margaux, can rival or exceed the quality of the wines from the big name communes on the river -- Margaux, St-Julien, Pauillac, and Saint-Estèphe. Moulis is varied and not all the wines grow on the top terroir, but those that do make exquisite, ageworthy wines that are undervalued. Châteaux like Poujeaux, Chasse Spleen, and Maucaillou make top wines for relatively low prices.
I spend most of the show on Moulis but also cover Listrac. Listrac, in my mind is not one of "The Greats" but it is historic and important. I review the commune and try to point out some of the main reasons I think Moulis and Listrac are so very different, with Moulis earning top billing over Listrac.
This is the final in the Médoc Greats! We have covered Margaux, Saint Julien, Pauillac, Saint Estèphe, and now Moulis. We will move to Graves and Pessac-Leognan next, before ending where we began this series, on the Right Bank!
Enjoy!!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week I return to The Greats series in which I explore the greatest wines in the world and how they became such big deals.
Photo: Vineyards in Chianti Classico. Credit: Unsplash
Chianti Classico, with its 700+ years of history and ideal terroir, is indisputably one of the great wines in the world. In this episode, I cover the long history of Chianti Classico, its ebbs and flows, and its current leaps in quality. I talk about the terroir of the region and why wines here are different from any other in the world and the best pairing with food you could ask for. I address the new Gran Selezione and Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive (UGA) systems, which are signs that Chianti Classico is ever improving.
Several times in the show I make the distinction between Chianti Classico DOCG and Chianti DOCG, so I'll reiterate here -- there is a big difference and it definitely is worth your time to listen and figure out why looking for the Gallo Nero/black rooster on a bottle of Chianti Classico will pay off in the glass!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can’t go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!
This week’s show is on South Africa, a much more historic region than many realize, it has been making wine for more than 350 years. Although considered a 'New World' wine region, winemaking and ethos are often more oriented towards the Old World. Its style often straddles the line between New and Old World, offering fruit-driven wines with minerality, earthiness, restraint, and higher acidity.
In this show, I talk about the unique conditions of this country, located between latitudes 27° and 34° south. I discuss the lengthy winemaking history, and how the Mediterranean climate, old soils, and a unique topography create world class wines of mainly Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, and Merlot.
Photo: South African Winelands/Stellenbosch. Source: Canva/Getty Images
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
In this ENCORE presentation, Dr. Kevin Pogue, PhD, professor and geologist educates us on terroir. This podcast is like taking a terroir class: it debunks so many things that people spout in reference books, at wineries, and in mainstream press about the topic! He explains things brilliantly and he is one of the first people I've ever met who actually has answers to my really dorky questions about terroir.
Photo: Kevin Pogue. From Vinterra.net
Kevin is one of the most famous people in the field of terroir. He's considered the foremost terroir expert on Washington State wine and he’s known around the world - his work has been featured in both national and international journals. He's a licensed geologist and professor of geology at Whitman College in Walla Walla. Kevin has a doctorate in geology from Oregon State University, and decades of college teaching and research experience. He has authored books, articles, and done extensive research on the terroir of the Pacific northwest, with a good portion of this time spent on investigating the deposits of the Missoula floods, which were the pivotal event that formed the geological base of the region.
Kevin’s research today focuses on terroir. He owns a consulting company, Vinterra, through which he assists wineries in choosing the best vineyard sites, matching grape to site, and educating winery owners and winemakers and their customers on why their specific terroir leads to the style in their wine.
This is a great show and well worth a listen -- whether it's your first time or it's an encore for you, you will definitely learn something (again!).
Remember that this and ALL back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today and help the show continue! I can't do it without your support!
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www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Saint Estèphe is the northernmost of the six communal appellations of the Médoc. 50 kilometers/30 miles north of the city of Bordeaux, this red wine only appellation borders Pauillac to the south and a part of the Haut-Médoc in the north. This commune is very different from the others I’ve covered and the wines are amazing, but of a completely different ilk (they are also much more affordable!).
Photo: Château Cos d'Estournel. Credit: Cos d'Estournel photo library
The largest of all the major, prestigious Médoc communes, Saint Estèphe is varied but its diversity, which has been a hinderance in the past, has become a great asset with climate change and better viticulture. Today the wines have gone from tough wines requiring long aging to softer, tasty wines that are approachable earlier. This is not the most prestigious commune (it has no first growths) but it is unique and probably the one which I have the most of in my cellar! I love these wines and the people who make them.
In this show, I cover what makes Saint Estèphe so unique. As in the other Greats of Bordeaux shows, I review the history, terroir, climate, and then discuss the top Châteaux.
For reference, Here is a link to the 1855 Classification
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week I cover Lombardy/Lombardia, one of the smaller wine production areas of Italy. Lombardy, home to the cities of Milan, Bergamo and Brescia is known far more for its fashion, its industry, and osso bucco and risotto alla Milanese than it is for its wines, but there are some gems to be discovered.
Photo: Lugana Credit: Consorzio Lugana
Because there is limited availability of these wines, I only cover the major regions that you may encounter and discuss the terrain of Lombardy and the terroir of each of the fine wine regions.
Lombardy is known in the wine world primarily for Franciacorta, the sparkling wine made in the Champagne method, which has been called the best sparkling wine of Italy. But Lombardy is is more than just Franciacorta. There are exceptional sparkling, sweet, and still wines of Oltrepò Pavese in the southwest of the region, complex reds from the Alpine area of Valtellina on the Swiss border, tasty, refreshing whites from Lugana near Lake Garda, and other interesting regions that have significant production.
Photo: Valtellina. Credit: Consorzio Valtellina
I hope you enjoy this look at one of the smaller wine producing areas of Italy and, more importantly, that you can use this info if you ever see these wines on the shelf or (more fun!) find yourself in Lake Garda or Lake Como or Milano with some time and desire to explore the wines of this beautiful place!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can’t go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!
In this week's show, I cover Pinot Blanc as part of the grape miniseries.
Pinot Blanc is a white color mutation of Pinot Noir, native to Burgundy/Bourgogne. It creates refreshing light- to medium-bodied wines that run the gamut from simple sippers to much more complex, oak-aged versions, to excellent sweet and sparkling wines.
Photo: Pinot Blanc. Credit: Wines of Austria
This lovely grape is often described as a “workhorse” and not treated with much reverence, partially because it is often seen as inferior to its cousin Chardonnay. But a handful of producers these days are showing that Pinot Blanc can be a lot more than a light sipper. When grown on the right sites and treated well, this grape can create beautiful, complex wines. With its high acidity and medium sugars, it is also extremely versatile -- making great still, sparkling, dry, or sweet wines.
In the show, as I always do with the grape miniseries, I cover the history of the grape, how it behaves in the vineyard, the aroma and flavors and how it changes with winemaking. I end with where it is grown and food pairing ideas.
This show has a lot of producer names in it because I know that it is hard to find good versions of Pinot Blanc, so I’m trying to steer you in the right direction.
Full show notes with producer names and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with me or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
In this unique episode, Kerith Overstreet of Bruliam Wines in Sonoma returns to give us an update (she was on Ep 269 in 2019). Kerith/Bruliam is a boutique producer of vineyard-designated wines, mainly of Pinot Noir and she gives us a full education on the differences between some of the main Pinot regions of California.
The cool thing about this show? The last third of the podcast is a business discussion about something she and I are always discussing – how to get our kids’ generation – Gen Z – to appreciate wine. Kerith’s daughter Amelia (the AM in BruliAM), a 21-year-old Gen Z’er, joins to help us analyze the situation and give some advice (she’s a smart cookie and has some great insight!). For anyone who has young people in their lives and is wondering how to turn them on to wine, this should be an interesting perspective.
Photo: Kerith Overstreet in her vineyard. Courtesy of Bruliam Wines
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
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www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
In this episode I'm joined by author and American wine icon, Karen MacNeil. We discuss her amazing career trajectory in wine from food stamps to international fame, and her new initiative, Come Over October, which is having enormous success in encouraging people to get together over a bottle of wine!
Karen is one of the foremost wine experts in the United States. She's the author of the award-winning book, "The Wine Bible," which has been recognized as "the most comprehensive and authoritative book on wine written by an American author."
Karen is the only American to have won every major wine award given in the English language -- the James Beard award for Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year, the Louis Roederer award for Best Consumer Wine Writing, and the International Wine and Spirits award as the Global Wine Communicator of the Year.
Recently, Karen teamed up with public relations and communications veterans Gino Colangelo and Kimberly Charles (the three are pictured above) to begin a program called Come Over October. Troubled by the disconnect in society due to the faster pace of life and the dominance of technology, these three saw a role for wine. They created Come Over October to encourage friends, family, and colleagues to “come over” during the month of October and share some wine and a personal connection.
The show is mainly about Karen's road to success, and then we wrap with the concept of Come Over October , which I fully support!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Sandwiched between the famed Médoc AOCs of Margaux in the south and Pauillac in the north, Saint Julien has one of the highest concentrations of classified growths from the 1855 Classification in Bordeaux. This red wine only AOC is just 910 ha/2,250acres, which is 6% of the Médoc vineyard. It is one-sixth the size of Pauillac. It makes an average of about 6 million bottles a year.
Image courtesy of Château Léoville Barton
But this densely planted appellation may be small but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in quality. Saint Julien is considered the most consistent of the Médoc communes and it is known for Cabernet Sauvignon dominant wines with the perfect balance of tannin, flavor, and acidity year after year.
In this show, I cover what makes Saint Julien so unique. As in the other Greats of Bordeaux shows, I review the history, terroir, climate, and then discuss the top Châteaux.
For reference, Here is a link to the 1855 Classification
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
In this episode, I discuss eight refreshing red wines that are lighter, fresher, and perfect for sipping on a warm day. I give you ideas for wines that go easy on the oak, tannin, and alcohol, and focus instead on the freshness and lightness. These wines have a multitude of flavors and are from around the world but all of them go beyond the bold and heavy.
The wines pair well with light meals, can take a chill, and are perfect for when you want something easy-drinking.
Think all red wines are bold, heavy, and best served with steak? Nope! From Frappato to Listán Negro, these wines are something totally different.
Image: Pixabay
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Last fall, I met Francesco Galgani and tried his wines and I was completely blown away. I always think of Vernaccia as a more historical Pinot Grigio -- light on flavor, boring, and not anything to get excited about. But then I visited Cappella Sant'Andrea.
HOLY CRAP!! This is the BEST Vernaccia on earth. Francesco and Flavia, the owners and winemakers, are truly the Masters of Vernaccia di San Gimignano. You will never taste Vernaccia like this.
In the show Francesco and I discuss the long history of Vernaccia, wine in San Gimignano, why there is so much crappy Vernaccia, and how they do it right. Their Rialto and Prima Luce, especially are stunning. I can't sing their praises more.
Two things mentioned in the show:
- Follow Francesco on IG, he's a brilliant artist: @francescogalgani
- If you want to order directly from Francesco, and have the wine shipped from Italy, please visit their website: https://www.cappellasantandrea.it/chi-siamo1 and you can contact them for orders and pricing!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can’t go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!
It's another edition of the "Alternatives to a Fave" series! This time: Sauvignon blanc.
As an extension of the Grape Mini-series, for this series I come up with lists of wines that lovers of a specific grape can try as alternatives.
Sauvignon blanc is not a one note! It has so many different styles -- from the acidic, minerally, citrus and flinty notes of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé to the tropical fruit, peach, grass, green pepper, and sauteed herb aromas in New Zealand and the blends with Semillon in Bordeaux, there are many, many iterations of this very popular grape.
Photo: Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa. Credit: Getty Images from Canva
After a brief refresh on the Sauvignon blanc grape, in this show I come up with a list of eight wines that are alternatives -- things like Chablis for the more minerally, flinty substitutes for Sancerre, and then fruity alternatives like Vermentino to stand in for Chilean or New Zealand Sauvignon.
I hope, as usual, that this show opens some new doors and gives you new ideas of wines to add to your repertoire!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can’t go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!
Stephanie Duboudin, CEO of Wine Victoria, joins to educate us on this state at the southern end of Australia that has a ton of diversity and makes all styles of wine. A boutique winery heaven, Victoria is something you need to know about!
Wineries mentioned:
- Tahbilk
- Seppelt
- Mount Langhi
- Wild Duck Creek
- Yeringberg
- Yarra Yering
- Brown Brothers
- Pizzini
- Campbells
- Chalmers
- Chambers Rosewood
- Stanton & Killeen
- Giant Steps
- Bindi Wines
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Located the middle of the Médoc, 50 km/31 miles northwest of Bordeaux, Pauillac is home to 18 of the 61 châteaux classified 1855, just under a third of the list. There are three first growths, two second growths, one fourth growth, and twelve 5th growths. The first growths are Château Latour, Château Lafite-Rothschild, and Château Mouton-Rothschild.
Pauillac is north of St-Julien and south of St-Estèphe with the manmade Landes Forest to the west, sheltering the vines from Atlantic winds.
The commune has 1,213 ha/3,000 acres of vines (7.5% of the Medoc) and makes about 7 million bottles a year. The AOC Pauillac is only for still red wines, famous for their balance of power and elegance that is rare in Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blends. These wines have strong aromas and flavors but with great acidity and tannin – the best are not overripe or overly tannic -- and are balanced.
In this show, I cover everything about Pauillac -- history, terroir, climate, sustainability, and then the top Châteaux. I break it down by terroir, location, and some details on top chateaux and then tell you to save your pennies to get these wines!
Here is a link to the 1855 Classification
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
As part of the Back to Basics series, in which I update previous podcasts on practical topics that can be helpful to everyone, I update podcast Episode 28 from September 2011! Rick was the co-host then and it was a much shorter, less detailed show.
Image: Assembled on Canva by WFNP
Some of the suggestions from those many years ago were great, and some have changed or I’ve augmented them.
The goal of this show: to give you some ideas to motivate you to try new wines and new ways to explore. Ideas include: exploring different grapes from the same regions you like, joining a wine club (hint hint: the Wine Access/WFNP Wine Club, going to tasting events, and more! It's a short and sweet re-do of a show from long ago. I hope you get some ideas from it!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can’t go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!
On the heels of my trip with a group of Patrons to Campania, I wanted to do a show on Taurasi while it was still fresh in my mind.
Taurasi, a small (472 ha / 1,166 acres) DOCG region, is indisputably one of Italy’s greatest red wines along with Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello, Chianti, Vino Nobile, and Montefalco Sagrantino. Taurasi, made of the ancient Aglianico grape, is in Campania, more specifically in hills northeast of Irpinia/Avellino and is centered around the town of Taurasi, a small town with a 10th-century castle that was rebuilt by the Normans.
Over the 17 towns within the denomination soils and altitudes range dramatically. Higher altitudes create complex, more acidic styles due to a longer growing season with great diurnal swings. Towns with more clay create extremely tannic wines, while those with sand have certain warmth and fruitiness that makes them easy to drink in their youth. There are a multitude of styles and, with soils in the region layered like a lasagna, the flavors you get from the Aglianico grape depend largely on the site on which it grows.
Aglianico is a misunderstood grape, as is Taurasi as a wine. Aglianico is a red with complex, terroir driven flavors of dark fruit, red fruit, spice, black pepper notes, and excellent acidity and tannin. Taurasi, made from a biotype of Aglianico that is particularly dark-skinned, small berried and flavorful makes exquisite wines that have the aging capability of a Barolo or Bordeaux.
The grape translates the terroir into the bottle and both where the grapes grow and who makes the wine determines the style – it’s an area you could explore for ages and keep discovering new expressions of Aglianico. In fact, Taurasi is called the “Barolo of the South” for nuance and depth of flavor, and variation of its terroir.
In this show I cover the extensive history of the region, with all its ups and downs, the climate, altitudes, and land and then discuss the expression of the Aglianico grape and why it makes such fascinating wines.
If you haven’t had a Taurasi, get on it. Vis a vis other top wines, it is insanely affordable (top wines are less than US$100) and it is a wine that will hold your interest with every sip!
Certainly for its history and for its quality, Taurasi is one of the great wines of the world.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can’t go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!
This week I go in depth on one of the best value regions of Portugal -- Alentejo. These wines are mainly blends and they are as easy on the palate as they are on the wallet -- a perfect combo!
Photo: Vineyards in Alentejo outside of Évora. Credit: WFNP
Located in southern Portugal, a two hour drive east of Lisbon, Alentejo is huge -- representing almost one-third of the Iberian nation. Although in the past the region was known only as the breadbasket of Portugal and as the world's largest supplier of cork (nearly half of the world’s corks come from Alentejo's cork trees), today the region is experiencing a wine renaissance. After a rocky history, Alentejo has grown and its reputation has expanded with it.
Known for fruity, lush and plush red blends (about 75% of the wine) of grapes like Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez (Tempranillo), Trincadeira, Alfrochero, and Castelão, there are some higher end versions that sometimes contain Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Syrah as well. The whites are in the minority and are fruity, soft, yet balanced blends as well. The tropical, tangerine noted and soft Antão Vaz is Alentejo’s most important white with Arinto used for acidity, Fernão Pires for aroma and soft textures and Roupeiro for aroma as well.
Map: Rota dos Vinhos, from the Wines of Alentejo
This show covers all the bases on this fascinating region -- from its turbulent history to the climate, terroir, and the many DOPs that each have a distinct identiy.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can’t go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!
This is the second in the Greats series on Bordeaux. This time, the first, most southerly, and most famed commune of the Médoc, Margaux. Surely this is one of the world’s greatest regions, with the only major appellation with a château named after the region, Château Margaux.
Margaux is a 1,500 ha/3,700 acre communal appellation on the Left Bank of Bordeaux, 25 km/15 miles north of the city of Bordeaux in the Médoc. Margaux is the largest Médoc AOC, representing 9% of Medoc vineyards and an average of 6.5 million bottles yearly, depending on vintage. Due to its size, the region has varied soils, and that means that as much as people like to generalize about Margaux being elegant and pretty, it’s not as simple as that.
In this show, I cover everything about Margaux -- history, terroir, climate, sustainability, and then the top Châteaux. I break it down into digestible bites and try to convince you that these wines are certainly something that you must try!
Here is a link to the 1855 Classification
Here are the Châteaux that are open to the public
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can’t go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!
Fred Peterson has been making wines in Sonoma County for more than 40 years. While attending UC Santa Cruz, he took a job in a classmate’s family vineyard in Mendocino County and he found his passion. He left Santa Cruz, and used the rest of his GI Education benefits to attend UC Davis.
Photo: Peterson Winery. Credit: Wine for Normal People
Fred got his bachelor’s degree in Viticulture and Enology in 1978. And after managing vineyards for a large winery in the Central Coast, he moved to the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma in 1983. That same year, he planted a vineyard and built his house on Bradford Mountain.
In 1987, Fred hung a shingle on a red barn off of Lytton Springs Road and Peterson was born. The winery is no longer in the red barn, but it remains an important part of their history and is represented on every wine label with a back drop of Bradford Mountain, where the Peterson Estate Vineyard is located.
Photo: Fred Peterson. Courtesy of Peterson Winery
In this (super dorky) show Fred takes us through some of the fascinating history of how philosophies about terroir and soil have changed since he started as a grower and winemaker in the early 1980s and how he has managed to be a leader in sustainable, but not dogmatic sustainable farming and winemaking. Fred was one of the first voices in Sonoma to promote low intervention farming and winemaking. It shows in the wines!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can’t go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!
On the heels of the tariff show last week, and news that wine consumption is at its lowest point in 60 years, I thought it may be interesting to revisit the US industry structure in more depth.
As I say in the freshly recorded intro (the show is edited for relevancy too, so it's not a straight re-release) I wanted to carve out the issues for small wineries that are every bit as relevant today as they were when I launched this show in 2018 with Oded Shakked of Longboard and Jim Morris, the Sonoma Wine Guy and frequent pod guest.
Oded Shakked (left) and Jim Morris (right)
As I point out in the intro, the biggest change since 2018? The environment around wine has gotten gloomier: Wineries are closing and being bought up, and small family wineries that aren’t financially viable are done – there are tons of wineries for sale or that are just going out of business. It’s hard to compete in this environment.
After the tariff show, this show offers another perspective on the wine business – fake brands, ego brands, how the three tier system and score system fails the small producers, and how big wine is trying to take wine to the lowest common denominator – take wine to the lowest level they can get away with to save money. Ultimately, consolidation in American wine is squeezing the producers who built it and who are the backbone of it. Not everyone will make it, and not everyone should make it, but hopefully this show will remind you why we need small producers who are financially viable, and who make unique, great wine.
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Tariffs have been a hot topic in recent weeks, but this issue has been ongoing. During President Trump’s first term, the wine industry was caught flat-footed when, in 2019, the administration put a 25% tariff on still wines from France, Germany, Spain, and the UK (notably, Italy and Portugal were not included) as part of a trade dispute with the EU over subsidies given to Airbus. It was then that my guests – Ben Aneff and Daniel Posner started to organize and get industry leaders together to lobby Congress and try to explain why these tariffs were so harmful to wine. Those tariffs remained in place through 2021, and although there was relief for the last few years, the US Wine Trade Alliance, which was the body that formed out of the initial tariff crisis, continued to exist with Ben at the helm.
In this show, I am honored to have the very busy and very awesome Ben Aneff, a native Texan who now lives in NYC and is the Managing Partner of Tribeca Wine Merchants in New York City, named one of “America’s Best Wine Shops” by Food & Wine Magazine, and an “Editor’s Favorite” by Wine Spectator. Ben has been actively involved in the fight against wine tariffs – working with all parts of the industry and Congress, and testifying about tariffs’ effects at the International Trade Commission. He is the president of the US Wine Trade Alliance
Ben Aneff, President of the U.S. Wine Trade Alliance (USWTA) & Managing Partner of Tribeca Wine Merchants
I also have previous guest and Patron Daniel Posner, owner of Grapes the Wine Company in White Plains, NY. Daniel serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Wine Retailers, a national trade organization founded in 2006, for which he served as President from 2011 to 2019. He helped form the USWTA.
Daniel Posner of Grapes, the Wine Company & Industry Insider
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can’t go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!
I think people are feeling a bit of a worry about the economy worldwide, so I thought I’d make some suggestions for inexpensive wines that taste like expensive ones! Almost every wine is below $18, although I put under $20 in the title because it seemed punchier!
I did lots of research to make sure these were way below US$20 in markets across the US and around the world. For inclusion in the list they had to be great wines that I would buy even if they weren’t such great values (and with tariffs, they will be less good values, but still inexpensive). These are wines I drink regularly. Even though there are inexpensive versions of some wines (Fiano, Chianti, etc), I did not include them because I don’t think the inexpensive versions of those are good enough. This list is the cream of the crop below $20.
For each wine I discuss the background, the flavors, and why they are inexpensive (in case you are suspicious!). Some wines included: Picpoul, Crémant de Loire, Côtes de Bordeaux and Argentinean Malbec from Cafayate (different from Mendoza)
Enjoy the list!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
In this grape miniseries, I cover one of the greatest yet little known red grapes of Italy: Sagrantino.
Photo: Sagrantino. Source: Arnaldo Caprai
This grape is likely native to Umbria in Central Italy, although there is speculation that it is from more far-flung parts of the globe. Nevertheless, most of the world’s plantings are in Montefalco and the surrounding areas and it is firmly rooted (literally and figuratively) there.
With outrageously high polyphenols, Sagrantino is dark in color, high in tannin, and needs lots of heat to ripen. Its brambly berry notes contrast with savory herb, smoke, tobacco, and baking spice aromas and flavors to give this wine a sweet yet savory profile that you’d be hard pressed to find in any other bottle.
In the show I review the history of the grape, its behavior in the vineyard, its flavors and aromas, and the various regions in which it is grown, including Australia, warmer parts of the US, Argentina, and Brazil.
Although it requires age to live up to its true potential, Sagrantino is a grape you should try – it is truly one of the great reds of the world and as winemakers learn more about making dry wine from it, it’s only getting better every year.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Join the community today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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This show is brought to you by my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access – THE place to discover your next favorite bottle. Wine Access has highly allocated wines and incredible values, plus free shipping on orders of $150 or more. You can’t go wrong with Wine Access! Join the WFNP/Wine Access wine club and get 6 awesome bottles for just $150 four times a year. That includes shipping! When you become a member, you also get 10% all your purchases on the site. Go to wineaccess.com/normal to sign up!
As part of the series on the greatest wines in the world, I cover Saint-Émilion on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. With its legacy of winemaking, its unique terroir, and its small producers who are constantly innovating and improving, this region is indisputably one of the top in the wine world.
As with all the regions in "The Greats" series, I go in depth on the fascinating history of Saint-Émilion, the complex terroir, the (convoluted) classification, and the grapes and flavors that are possible from this outstanding "Great."
As promised, here are the Premiers Grands Crus Classes A & B from the 2022 Classification...
PREMIERS GRANDS CRUS CLASSES AChâteau Figeac Château Pavie
PREMIERS GRANDS CRUS CLASSES B
Château Beau-Sejour Becot Château Beausejour Heritiers Duffau Lagarrosse Château Belair Monange Château Canon Château Canon la Gaffeliere Château Larcis Ducasse Château Pavie Macquin Château Troplong Mondot Château Trottevieille Château Valandraud Clos Fourtet La Mondotte
Sources used:
"Inside Bordeaux", Jane Anson
Les Vins de Saint-Émilion
The Wine Cellar Insider
"St Emilion: True grit", James Lawther, MW Decanter
"Ian D’Agata on the Great Wines of Saint-Emilion: Terroir and Grand Vins, to Be or Not to Be…" TerroirSense
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week I take a fresh look at European Classification Systems, going into detail on the history of how and why they evolved, what the current EU scheme is based on, and what the major wine nations’ systems are structured (and how they differ from what the EU would like them to look like!).
I discuss:
- How Europe classified its wines to protect the names of specific products and link them to their place of origin, to the benefit of consumers and producers.
- A history of wine classifications from the monks in medieval Burgundy to the winemakers of Tokaj in the 1600s to Chianti, Port, and Bordeaux in the 1700s and 1800s.
- A detailed look at the evolution of the French classification system. I go through the steps that the French took to prevent fraud, protect the origin of their wines, and ultimately create the system off which the EU system is based.
I address the EU system with its two main categories:
-Wine without a geographic origin (table wine)
-Wine with a geographic origin:
Protected Geographical Indication (PGI): At least 85% of the grapes used have to come exclusively from the geographical area where the wine is actually made. These wines cover large areas, and a lot of grapes and winemaking methods are permitted. There is only a minor influence of place of origin
Protected Designation of Origin (PDO): Every part of the production, processing and preparation process must take place in the specific region. Grapes have to come exclusively from the geographical area where the wine is made. Origin and terroir are essential to the identity of the wine.
Then I review the major countries’ classification categories
France:
- Vin de France=Table wine
- IGP, indication géographique protégée (PGI)
- AOP=appellation d’origine protégée, often called AOC (contrôlée) (PDO)
Italy:
- Vino=Table Wine
- IGP=indicazione geografica protetta, producers frequently use the old IGT = indicazione geografica tipica (PGI)
- DOC = denominazione di origine controllata (PDO)
- DOCG = denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (PDO)
- DOP = denominazione di origine protetta, the new name, conforming to the EU standard that includes DOC and DOCG. DOP is rarely used (PDO)
Spain:
- Vino de España=Table wine
- IGP / VT = indicación geográfica protegida, usually called vino de la tierra (VT) (PGI)
- VC = vino de calidad con indicación geográfica (PDO)
- DO (DOP) = denominación de origen, sometimes called DOP (PDO)
- DOCa = denominación de origen calificada (PDO)
- VP = vino de pago (PDO)
Germany
- Deutscher Wein =Table wine
- Landwein =PGI
- Qualitätswein (also called Qba from the 13 regions, PDO)
- Prädikatswein – Prädikat means special attribute and refers to the ripeness of the grapes and the type of harvest. Pradikat levels:
- Dry or sweet: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese
- Sweet (expensive and rare): Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, Eiswein
Other terms: Trocken is dry, Halbtrocken is “Half Dry” or “Off-Dry, “Feinherb” is an unofficial term for off-dry wine
The VDP is a German marketing organization that includes many of the country’s top producers. Producers can use the VDP eagle and the VDP classifications WITH “Qualitätswein” or “Prädikatswein”
- · Gutswein: First wines of a wine year to be bottled and sold, Estate-grown grapes
- · Ortsweine: Village wines
- · Erste Lage: Premier Cru wine from first-class vineyards
- · Grosse Lage: Grand cru or highest quality German vineyards. Dry wines within this category are called Grosse Gewächs or GG
Portugal (I don’t discuss in the show because it follows the French/EU model)
- Vinho=Table Wine
- IGP = indicação geográfica protegida, often called vinho regional (PGI)
- DOP = denominação de origem protegida, still sometimes called DOC, denominação de origem controlada (PDO)
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Château Talbot is a 4th Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Julien in the Médoc of Left Bank of Bordeaux. It’s an historic and large property – its vineyards extend over 110 hectares/272 acres in a single block. The story of Talbot is a long and interesting one, but the chapter being written by the current family and management of the Château may be the best yet. With extreme dedication to quality, an eye towards the environment and careful winemaking, Talbot has a focus on making unbelievable wine that overdelivers for the price, vintage after vintage.
In this show, General Manager of Château Talbot, Jean-Michel Laporte, joins to discuss Saint-Julien and Talbot.
Photo: Jean-Michel Laporte. From Château Talbot.
We discuss:
- Saint-Julien and it's terroir. We talk about how it stacks up to the other communes on the Left Bank and even discuss comparisons with the Right Bank, where Jean-Michel got his start
- The history and terroir of Talbot. The château is hundreds of years old, but got it's name from an English general who won Bordeaux back from the French in the 1400s!
Photo: The Chai of Château Talbot. From the Château site.
- Winemaking, aging, their amazing chai (barrel room, pic above), spectacular vintages and how long to hold both the Grand Vin -- Chateau Talbot and the second wine, Connetable de Talbot. We also discuss Caillou Blanc, their fascinating white wine!
Château Talbot makes excellent wines. They are around US $70 and although that will set you back, it is so high quality and over delivers for the price. If you have some extra money at some point, and want to invest in a wine to age, this is one to seek. I love the floral and dark fruit aromatics, the complexity, the medieval church notes, the earth, and the perfect tannin and acidity. Saint-Julien is indeed, incredibly balanced, and Château Talbot is a great example of the AOC.
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Alto Adige, in the far northeast of Italy, is a small wine region that makes incredibly high quality reds and whites. In this episode I discuss the unique terroir, grapes, and mixed culture of this region, with its heavy Germanic and Austrian influences.
I cover:
- The long history of Alto Adige wine
- The varied soil types and geology
- The range of climates and growing conditions
- The unique grapes (including Kerner, Schiava and Lagrein)
- The DOCs and subzones of Alto Adige
A truly beautiful and unique Italian wine region, and one I hope I've convinced you to explore!
Copyright: Wines of Alto Adige
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This is a grape mini-series like no other! This time I untangle Malvasia, which I share is not a single grape at all, nor is it even a family of grapes. This ancient grape has unknown origins and, in many respects, is more of a brand name than a grape.
I cover the history of how the many Malvasias got their single name, discuss some commonalities in growing conditions (they are at least all Mediterranean!), and then call out the specific Malvasias of quality from Friuli, Tuscany, and Sicily in Italy; in Madeira, Douro, Dão and Colares in Portugal, and in the Canary Islands and Rioja in Spain.
Photo: Malvasía de Rioja. Credit: Rioja DOCa
I wish I could say this was a straightforward grape mini-series, but this will take many twists and turns -- hopefully I served as good enough navigator to help the ride be a little less bumpy!
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with me or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Napa Valley is unquestionably one of the great wine regions of the world. Located about 50 mi/80 km north of San Francisco, Napa is renowned for its decadent Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay and its glamourous, fancy and expensive tasting rooms. Napa only represents 4% of California’s wine grape harvest, but it holds the highest reputation among all US regions.
But the region isn’t all show – it has excellent terroir to make world class wines.
Photo: Napa Valley Vineyard. Source: Pixabay
Napa Valley stretches southeast to northwest for approximately 35 miles (60 km) from just north of the San Pablo Bay to the northern reaches of Calistoga. Nestled between the Vaca and Mayacamas mountain ranges, the Valley is about 4 miles wide at its widest point. It contains half the soil types in the world and its mountains, benchlands, and valleys have so much diversity that each wine made here reflects a different character.
In this show I go over the history, the geology and terroir, the main grapes and wine styles, and then I go into detail on the 16 American Viticultural Areas in Napa and what to expect from each.
This is a comprehensive look at this great wine region of the world that made the reputation of American wine as we know it today.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week, I'm joined by Patron and friend Steve Tocco is the wine buyer and manager of a fine wine store near Boulder, Colorado -- Atlas Valley Purveyors (yes, I've been there!). He is great at what he does -- creative, community oriented, great palate -- basically he is the wine guy we all want!
I asked him to come on the show to share tips on how to best work with a local wine retailer to create great relationships that lead to better wines.
We discuss:
- How to figure out your shopping style
- How create a relationship with your wine shop person
- How to glean what someone knows so you can decide if you want to go back to the store
- Corporate buying v. small retail
- Important questions to answer before you go into a shop (and if you don't ask those quesitons, what the wine shop person should ask you!)
- How to take advantage of discounts and special things the store may offer
It's a fun show and a great checklist of things to look for to make sure you find the right local shop for you!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This show features an overview of an essential place in the wine world: South Australia. There is much to learn here but I try to break it down into what is important to know. The show is somewhat heavy on history, since that is an essential part of why South Australia is important today.
South Australia is an Australian state located in the central south of the continent that refers to itself as Australia’s “Wine State”, and rightfully so: it produces 50% of all bottled wine and about 80% of the country’s premium wine. Most large wine companies (8 of the 13 continuously operating wine companies in Australia are here), many small wineries and almost all the official wine trade organizations, including Wine Australia, the government body responsible for regulating and promoting Australian wine, and the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), which plays a crucial role in wine research, are based in South Australia.
South Australia consists of 18 regions, and although I address most of them, I also point out that there are a handful that are essential to truly knowing about South Australia: Barossa, Eden Valley, Clare Valley, Adelaide Hills, Coonawarra, and McLaren Vale.
Map: Wine Australia
This is a bit of a whirlwind show, but hopefully it gives you a flavor for this famed, and essential corner of the wine world. My hope is that heard one or two things I said that you may not have known and that you seek out those wines. Australia is under appreciated in the US, especially, and when you get a good one, it is usually unbelievably good!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Touriga Nacional is, beyond a doubt, the most important, praised, and discussed red grape in Portugal. An essential part of Port and the dry wines of the regions of Dão and Douro, this powerful grape has spread throughout Portugal and has captured the imagination of winemakers from Australia to South Africa to California and more.
Photo: Touriga Nacional. Credit: Unsplash
In this show, I go through the highlights of this beautiful grape and talk about how it went from near extinction to the Queen grape of Portugal.
I review the origins, vineyard habits, aromas and flavors, and then discuss the specific places the grape grows and why it thrives where it does.
Touriga is not just a fantastic grape, it will be an important factor in dealing with our changing climate. Take a listen to the show and see why this grape is so outstanding.
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Bandol is arguably the most important appellation in Provence at the southeastern tip of France. Although it makes white, this very small region is known for its ageworthy reds and rosés made mainly of Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Cinsault.
In this show I review the long history of Bandol from the Greeks to the real estate agents of today, and talk about the various terroirs in this appellation. I talk about the grapes, why Mourvedre makes such a big difference in allowing the reds and rosés to age, and some ideas of flavors, producers, and how long to age these wines.
From the Rosés of Southern France by Liz Gabay, MW and Ben Bernheim
Since these are rosés that can age and ones that have more robust flavors, I wanted to do this show in the winter. I think it’s good for us to think about different ways to look at pink wine, especially high-quality pink wine! And considering Bandol a multi-season wine is a great step in that direction!
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
I start by asking for a big favor!! I haven’t asked in about 10 years – but if you get a moment, could you drop a positive review for WFNP on iTunes, or a good rating on Spotify, or tell a friend who you think would like the show? Thank you in advance!
This show is part of the effort to refresh the WFNP catalog, based on the ideas of Patron Chris C, who did a ton of work to help me come up with a list of things he thought I could re-do, given that it’s been 14 years since I covered some of this stuff. If you have any ideas, please drop a DM on Patreon or send me ideas through the site!
This show has my recommendations for filling a case of wine with classics from around the world. These wines will give you a great idea of what these regions represent and why they are so famed. Even for experienced wine drinkers, I think it’s good to go back to the basics and try stuff you haven’t had in a while to remind ourselves why they are so good!
The list contains 12 still wines (no sparkling or fortified this time!), whites, reds, and one rosé. The wines are:
Whites:
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White Burgundy, which is Chardonnay. I recommend the wine especially from the Hautes Côtes de Beaune or Hautes Côtes de Nuits, Côte d’Or Blanc, or Chablis
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New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc – with a twist. Look for wines from the Awatere or Wairau Valleys.
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German Riesling from the Mosel (for off-dry wines) or Rheingau. I also mention Pfalz for great dry wines.
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Portuguese Alvarinho – Vinho Verde, specifically from sub-regions of Monção and Melgaço
Rosé
- Tavel from the Rhône
Reds
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Bordeaux – especially from the Médoc or Côtes de Bordeaux for Merlot-driven wines (Pomerol and St. Émilion) and for bolder, more ageworthy wines with more Cabernet -- Haut-Médoc or Saint-Estèphe or for spendier versions – Graves, Margaux, Saint Julien, Pauillac
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Rioja from Spain
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Italian reds either Chianti Classico (have food with it!) or Roero/Langhe Nebbiolo/Nebbiolo d’Alba/Barbaresco
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California – Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir (or more specifically Santa Maria Valley or Sta. Rita Hills)
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Barossa Valley Shiraz (take another look if you haven’t in a while!). For more restraint, you can look for Shiraz from Eden Valley, a sub region of the Barossa Valley
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Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, especially Maipo Andes/ Alto Maipo is best, due to the higher altitude in this area
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Argentinean Malbec, more specifically from Gualtallary, Tupungato, Altamira or, more generally the Uco Valley and Lujan de Cuyo
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This show is the final in a multi-part, in-depth series on the Rioja DOCa in which we have looked at the three major zones of Rioja through the eyes of top producers to tell us about their areas and the challenges they face.
Photo: Raquel Perez Cuevas. Credit: Bodegas Ontañón Facebook Page
This time, Raquel Pérez Cuevas, 4th generation family member of Bodegas Ontañón joins to tell us about Rioja Oriental (formerly Rioja Baja). Raquel is an agricultural engineer and oenologist, and has traveled the world presenting the beautiful wines of Ontañón.
Ontañón is one of the most highly regarded and best wineries in Rioja. The family started as growers that sold to large companies but in the 1980s, they started making their own wines, breaking with tradition and most of their neighbors in Oriental at the time. The Perez Cuevas family are unique in that they 250ha of vineyards, in around the village of Quel (which Raquel discusses a lot in the show). Their vineyards are also unique because they sit very high in the mountains, even higher than the vineyards of Alta in Alavesa.
In this show, Raquel tells us about Oriental, the differences between the region and Alta and Alavesa, the grapes that grow here (they are different from the other regions – there is much more diversity), and her perspective on what is happening in the region right now.
This series has been so eye opening and this show shines yet another light on this very complex region, which is undergoing a major transition right now.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This is the second installment of an in-depth series on the Rioja DOCa, where I do a close look at the three major zones of Rioja. I host top producers in each show to tell us about their areas and the challenges they face.
In Episode 544, we heard about the Rioja Alta zone and this week we hear from Tao Platón of Rioja Alavesa, who presents a completely different perspective on the region.
Tao Platón graduated in Enology from the University of Valladolid, holds a WSET Diploma and is an Master of Wine (MW) candidate. He has made wine in Bordeaux, Burgundy, New Zealand, and Rioja and in 2016 he joined Península Vinicultores as head winemaker and technical director.
Photo: Tao Platón. Credit: Península Vinicultores
He leads the production of a new generation of terroir-driven wines from Rioja Alavesa at Bodega Bideona. Bideona cultivates hundreds of individual parcels and makes wine in the Burgundian model – terroir-driven, vineyard specific wines. He joins us as a representative of the zone of Alavesa and as a passionate advocate for the system of terroir-driven, single vineyard wines, a system which Rioja approved in 2018.
We discuss:
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The Rioja Alavesa overview -- terroir, the history of the region, and how Alavesa is made up of many small, family owned wineries.
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The strengths of Alavesa, which are old vines, mainly of Tempranillo. Wineries of Alavesa don’t blend grapes from elsewhere so the wines are very terroir-driven and local in Alavesa. We discuss the various styles of wines, including the production of whites in the region.
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We get to some of the very hard questions regarding Alavesa and its Basque identity. We fill you in on the political independent movement in the Basque Country, the various ideologies and how those are playing out in the politics of the Rioja DOCa.
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The differences between business models (traditional model versus newer, terroir driven producers) in the Rioja DOCa, as well as the tension is between quality producers and those who look to make cheap wine that they can sell quickly, regardless of quality.
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The potential future for Rioja and the DOCa and various scenarios that could exist for Alavesa in the future.
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This show represents a totally different perspective from Rioja Alavesa versus Rioja Alta! Just wait until the next show with Raquel of Bodegas Ontañón from Rioja Oriental!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today! Gifting subscriptions is now available as well!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access for your holiday shopping.They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This show kicks off a multi-part, in-depth series on the Rioja DOCa. We will look at the three major zones of Rioja in the podcasts that follow. In each, I host top producers to tell us their perspectives on their zones and on Rioja at large.
To get you up to speed before my conversation with Guillermo de Aranzabal Bittner, the Deputy General Director and Director of Public Relations for La Rioja Alta S.A., I start out the show with a quick primer on Rioja. I cover everything from climate and terroir, the grapes, the aging criteria, and the terroir driven designations that were introduced in 2017-2018.
Then I get to my lively conversation with Guillermo de Aranzabal Bittner. Guillermo is a descendent of one of the founding families of La Rioja Alta and is part of the 6th generation in the business. He educates us on the Rioja Alta zone - its terroir, history, and the grapes in which it specializes.
Guillermo then tells us about La Rioja Alta, which was formed in 1890 as a partnership of 5 quality-conscious growers focused on getting the wines of their remote region to the masses. They achieved this by supporting the construction of a rail link from Haro to Bilbao and thus, opened the world to these marvelous wines. They have a laser focus on quality and on maintaining tradition -- the dedication is admirable!
The brands of La Rioja Alta S.A. that Guillermo discusses are:
- La Rioja Alta: Gran reserva 890, Gran Reserva 904 Seleccion Especial, Viña Arana, Viña Ardanza, Viña Alberdi
- Torre de Oña (Rioja Alavesa): Finca Martelo, Finca San Martin Crianza
Guillermo and I then discuss some of the challenges currently facing Rioja, and we get deep into the analysis of what is working and what isn't. It's a great discussion!
As promised, here is the list of producers in the Asociación de Bodegas por la Calidad (ABC) that we mention.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
I wasn't sure I was going to do a Thanksgiving episode this year, but last minute, I felt inspired (and was encouraged by some of you -- thanks especially to my dear friends and your fellow patrons Claudette C and Tina K) so I decided to make it happen.
This one is short, sweet, and to the point! I offer seven main wine types and give examples of each. I hope at least one of these ideas will work for your table!
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This year, I'm sticking with the theme I did for the Wine Access Club and recommending blends for your meal. The list:
Photo: Getty Images via Canva
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Sparkling -- whether you pick Champagne, Crémant, Cava, Cap Classique, Franciacorta, American sparkling wine, or anything else, you will likely have a mix of grapes. A great blend for the whole meal.
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Acidic white blends are fantastic pairings. White Bordeaux blends are my top choice.
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Full, white Rhône blends, especially with a big Viognier component are always on my Thanksgiving table. Blends like Côtes du Rhône blanc, Châteauneuf du Pape blanc, Laudun, Lirac, and Rhône blends from California and Australia work well.
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Fruity red blends have softer tannins but good acidity. Côtes du Rhône, Châteauneuf du Pape, and Valpolicella are some examples
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Flavorful red blends with a fuller body are a fantastic alternative to varietal Cabernet or Zinfandel, which are often recommended. Rioja, Bordeaux (with more Merlot than Cabernet), and Cerasuolo di Vittoria are my suggested blends.
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Rosés like Tavel, Bandol rosé, Côtes du Rhône rosé, and heavier styles of Rioja rosado.
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Finally, SAUTERNES is great with grilled food or anything with a char. It can also handle the sweet foods on your table, including dessert.
I hope you this was helpful and gave you a new idea or two! Happy Thanksgiving -- I'm grateful to you for listening!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
With the holidays coming, I thought it would be a good time to do a show on a different kind of sparkling wine, so this time I cover Italy’s premier traditional method sparkling wine, Franciacorta.
Map: Consorzio per la tutela del Franciacorta
Franciacorta is a high quality Italian sparkling wine made in the area of Brescia in Lombardy (the Italian region where Milan is located). Franciacorta, as a sparkling wine, came into being in the 1960s but it didn’t take long for it to gain a favorable reputation, which still holds today. With very distinctive geographical features and a unique microclimate, the wines here are marked by a balance of excellent acidity and lovely aromas of fruit, flowers, nuts and more.
The thing that makes Franciacorta stand out among other sparklers from Italy is that wines from this region can only be produced using the traditional method (like Champagne, unlike Prosecco) and must be made primarily from the French grapes – Chardonnay, Pinot nero (Pinot noir), and Pinot bianco (Pinot blanc).
Photo: Consorzio per la tutela del Franciacorta
Despite the similarities with their French counterpart, the terroir in Franciacorta presents weather patterns that include a lake effect, Alpine breezes, and ample wind. The entire area was formed by glacial movement – no by a small sea receding and leaving a bed of chalky limestone as was the case in Champagne.
Priced at a premium, these wines are ideal if you love Champagne or sparkling wine but want something fruitier, fuller, and with less piercing acidity.
Photo: Consorzio per la tutela del Franciacorta
In this show I cover the history, terroir, grapes, winemaking, and the three types of Franciacorta: nonvintage, rosé, and saten and the overlying classifications of millesimato and riserva.
Photo: Colline della Stella
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Main information sources: https://franciacorta.wine/en/
Franciacorta DOCG Regulatory document
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
In this show we answer a question I get asked all the time: how do I even begin to approach a wine event with dozens of producers? Patron Monica G. from @wineshenanigans and @wineopardy (and the Celebrity Wines podcast!) joins to help me break it down!
We cover:
- Finding a worthwhile event to attend
- Preparing for the event -- both from a logistics and research standpoint
- What to do at the event
- Post-event items
And we add a bonus section for professionals attending trade events!
We hope this is a fun and useful show for anyone interested in going to a wine event.
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have just what you need for holiday shopping -- gift cards and gift subscriptions (for one or many shipments) of the WFNP wine club! And for you? Join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
From the archives, I am relaunching the funniest show I've ever done: Ep 396 -Halloween Candy Pairings with Patrons Kelsey and Colby Eliades.
We scoured the internet to find commonly recommended pairings, so we could actually try them and tell you if any of these things actually work. The news isn’t great (candy and wine are HORRIBLE together), but we did find a few diamonds in the rough, including an extremely surprising combo that I thought could be lethal!
Here are the combos we tested…
- Pop rocks with Prosecco
- Candy corn with Prosecco and Moscato d’Asti
- Gummy worms with Rosé
- Sour Patch Kids with off-dry Riesling
- Starburst and Moscato d’Asti
- Twizzlers, and Swedish Fish with Beaujolais
- Kit Kat with Pinot Noir
- Peppermint Patties with Syrah
- Reese’s Peanut Butter cups and Reese’s Pieces with Lambrusco
- Hershey's bars and Whoppers with Zinfandel
- Port-style Zinfandel with M&Ms, Snickers, Twix, Heath bar
And, so concludes my attempt at pairing wine with Halloween candy. We did the encore, I am so thankful for Kelsey and Colby for participating, and now I'm never doing this again 😂😂😂!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
I haven't done an overview show on Chile in more than a decade so this show is an update on the unbelievable wines of Chile -- I cover new regions, new viticulture and styles, and all the wonderful things this South American gem has to offer. If you haven't had Chilean wine in a while, it's time to take another look. Especially in the last decade, the wines and vines have matured and the diversity, quality, and breadth of what this country has to offer has improved by leaps and bounds.
In the show cover:
- A history of Chilean wine
- Climate and the east-to-west climate zones
- Grapes and new viticultural techniques
- The DO system
- Regions and Subregions
- Atacama: Huasco
- Coquimbo: Elqui, Limarí, Choapa
- Aconcagua with the Costa areas of Casablanca and San Antonio (with sub region Leyda)
- Valle Central: Maipo, Rapel (with sub regions Cachapoal and Colchagua), Curicó, Maule
- Sur: Itata, Bio Bio, Malleco
- Austral region
After the whirlwind wine grand tour of the country, I discuss a few reasons why Chilean wine should absolutely be on our radars and in our cellars (and it's not just for value!).
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This is the third in the series of Grape Miniseries Refreshes to complete the trifecta of Cabernet Sauvignon and parents – Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.
The short of it: Sauvignon blanc has character!! Love it or hate it, you know what you’re getting when you have a wine made from this grape. Whether it be citrusy, acidic, and minerally from Loire, fruitier and sometimes oak aged from Bordeaux, or pungent, spicy, and grapefruit-noted from New Zealand, this grape makes and impact wherever it goes.
Photo: Sauvignon Blanc. Credit: Austrian Wine
Grown in more than 30 countries, Sauvignon blanc is the 11th most planted wine grape in the world. (OIV, 2017). One third of Sauvignon blanc is in France, with New Zealand a close second.
As with every grape, Sauvignon blanc has its quirks, but the grape is all about purity, rather than winemaking magic. With specific soils and sites this grape’s beauty shines through in its crystal-clear flavors. Sauvignon is appreciated for its simplicity, its ease of drinking and its versatility – the grape makes dry whites, oaky whites, simple whites, more complex ones, Sauternes and other botrytis affected wines. Whatever it’s used it, it makes a mark with great acidity and strong flavor.
In this show I cover:
- The origins and DNA of the grape
- Sauvignon Blanc in the vineyard
- Aromas and flavors
- Main Regions:
- France: Loire (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé), Bordeaux
- Spain, especially Rueda
- Italy: Piedmont, Friuli, Alto Adige
- Austria, especially Styria
- New Zealand!!! Synonymous with Sauvignon Blanc
- Chile
- South Africa
- United States: Especially California's North Coast -- Napa, Sonoma, and Washington
I cover food pairings and serving temperatures too.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
The Cabernet Sauvignon refresh was episode 535, so I thought that on the heels of that it was time to do a refresh Cab Sauv's parents. This week is the Cabernet Franc refresh and next week will be Sauvignon Blanc, so you can have the full picture of the parents and the offspring.
Cabernet Franc is an underrated grape and things seem to be changing rapidly with it these days. In the past, it has often been used purely as a blending grape, except in the Loire Valley, but today it’s taking center stage. Producers and wine drinkers have realized that if the best wines of Château Cheval Blanc on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, have a higher proportion of Cabernet Franc, maybe there is something to this grape that should be explored.
Although Cab Franc still doesn’t have widespread popular acclaim, it is extremely important in the wine world. Today –it grows everywhere from France, Italy, the United States, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Hungary, Washington State, Croatia, Israel, South Africa, Turkey, Slovenia, Uruguay, and more. Plantings are growing and I see a bigger future for this grape.
In this show I cover:
- The origins and DNA of the grape
- Cab Franc in the vineyard
- Aromas and flavors
- Regions:
- France: Loire, Bordeaux, Southwest France
- Italy: Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Bolgheri
- Hungary: Villány
- Canada
- United States: Finger Lakes, Long Island, Virginia, and a little bit on Napa, Sonoma, and Washington
- South America: Argentina, Chile
I cover food pairings and serving temperatures too.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
According to all the data – both anecdotal and industry –white wines have staged a huge comeback and are on the way to becoming more popular than red wines. The good news is that there are so many underrated, undiscovered white wines that you can enjoy year-round. Many of us drink seasonally, and when the weather cools down, we shift right to reds. It’s hard to get into the idea that there are also whites for cooler weather.
In this show I give you a list of 10 white wines that are great for autumn. They are slightly more robust, are medium to full bodied, and are flavorful and totally satisfying.
At the excellent suggestion of the Patrons, I categorized the show by wines that are easy to find, wines for which you may have to go to specialty shop, and those you probably are going to need to order online.
Special thanks to Trish Riggs at Allegria Wine Room in Logan, Ohio – friend and Patron, for okaying the list!
Pairings and some producers are mentioned in the show.
I got through three categories for your shopping convenience!
- Easy to find: Among the list is Chardonnay (new and improved!), Portuguese white, and Gewürztraminer
- Harder to find: I include white Rioja, Austrian Riesling, and more
- Really hard to find (you probably need to order online): Condrieu and aged Hunter Valley Semillon from Australia make the list.
There are so many more but I mention…Soave, Amontillado Sherry, Sauternes and more
Happy Autumn! Enjoy these whites and I hope you find new favorites!
In this show I host Alex Milner from Natte Valleij. He is my first South African guest and the first Cinsault-focused producer I've had on the show. Photo: Alex Milner. Credit: Natte Valleij Instagram
I first learned about Natte Valleij from a local importer who presented the wine as an option for a wine dinner I put together with a restaurant partner. Among all the wines I tasted that day, the Cinsault from this South African producer stood out and it performed beautifully with the food at the dinner, as well.
The wine inspired me to do a Grape Miniseries show on Cinsault (episode 525), and the interest among the Patrons in this grape was very high, so I knew I had to have Alex Milner on the show to discuss his wines and his Cinsault passion.
Alex is doing something unusual in South Africa and he is a bit of a wine adventurer, finding old vineyards through is other passion -- cycling! He is energetic, funny, cool, smart, and determined. By pursuing this unsung hero of a grape, Alex has created a small movement of Cinsault rediscovery in South Africa. To use cycling parlance, he has staged the winning breakaway in South African wines: Cinsault!
We discuss the importance of Stellenbosch University in the South African wine industry, the history of Cinsault, the differences between the vineyards Alex sources from, and his beautiful Natte Valleij wines.
Photo: Natte Valleij Wines Credit: Natte Valleij Instagram
Seek out these wines! They are terrific, as is Alex!! (PS -- the show is marked explicit because Alex drops an F bomb, but it's necessary to his point...)
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most planted wine grape in the world. Loved by winemakers and wine drinkers alike, this grape has the potential to make wines with excellent fruit, power, complexity, and structure with outstanding aging ability. In this show, I do a refresh of a show I did 11 years ago (!), discussing Cabernet in all its glory – from the history, to the vineyard, to the winemaking and regions, it’s a deep dive into this beloved grape.
In this show I review:
- The (relatively recent) history of Cabernet
- How the grape acts in the vineyard and what growers need to do to get great grapes
- Winemaking and what Cabernet requires in the cellar
- The grape’s flavors, depending on where it’s grown and how it has been made
- The main regions where the grape is grown and the differences between the wines from the major areas
I wrap up with food pairing ideas and a promise not to wait another 11 years to take a look at Cab in depth again!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
In this show, I continue to take a page out of my own book -- literally! In this back to basics show, I return to review basic wine vocabulary from chapter 1 of the "Wine For Normal People" book and introduce a new series that I'll be doing now that I'm hosting the show alone...
This Back to Basics series is my updated take on some basics, without distraction or interruption, and with the perspective of 20 years in the wine industry and 16 years of teaching others about wine.
In Part 2, I cover "taste" and "structure" words, which are some of the most misunderstood and incorrectly used terms in wine. I try to explain them in a detailed way, so we are all on the same page when we talk about wine, since descriptions are our best form of communication to get more of the wines we want in our lives.
I cover terms for acidity, tannin, alcohol, and sugar/dryness levels. Then I define balance, complexity, extracted, flabby, typicity, and classic.
I hope this review of the basics is helpful! I think it's always great to review the fundamentals of communication about wine so we can get the bottles that will make us happy!
Enjoy this one!
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
In this show, I take a page out of my own book -- literally! In this back to basics show, I review some basic wine vocabulary from chapter 1 of the Wine For Normal People book and introduce a new series that I'll be doing now that I'm hosting the show alone...
Taylor Swift has "Taylor's version" of her songs, and similarly, this Back to Basics series is my updated take on some basics, without distraction or interruption, and with the perspective of 20 years in the wine industry and 16 years of teaching others about wine.
This time, I am tackling some essential wine tasting terms that will help you describe what you see and smell in a glass of wine. From science=y to very general, this show covers a lot of ground and will either teach you or remind you of important concepts in wine tasting.
In Part 2, I will be covering "taste" and "Structure" words, which are some of the most mis-understood and incorrectly used terms in wine! I try to explain them in a detailed way, so we are all on the same page when we talk about wine, since descriptions are our best form of communication to get more of the wines we want in our lives!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week friend, listener, Patron, and wine diva @wineshenanigans and the wine game show @Wineopardy Monica G. joins to talk with me about wines made by celebrities, aka Celebrity Wines. We run through what they are, how many of them are made and then we discuss specifics. We wrap with our analysis of whether or not we would recommend buying these wines.
We make two caveats:
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These are our opinions about these wines – don’t sue me!
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Some of these brands are impossible to obtain, so we haven’t had many of them – distribution is spotty
Then we define, explain, and then categorize these wines -- those that are legit and those that are not.
Some of the legit celeb wine brands we discuss are: Francis Ford Coppola, Fess Parker, Brad Pitt/Miraval, Dave Matthews with Blenheim and Dreaming Tree, Pink's Two Wolves, Drew Bledsoe's Doubleback wines, Kyle MacLachlan's Pursued by Bear wines, Kylie Minogue's wines, and Mary J. Blige's Sun Goddess wines.
A fun show! Don't forget to follow Monica on Instagram @wineshenanigans!
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Ok, I know this is an obscure show and I promise we’ll get back to mainstream stuff next week, but there is a reason for doing this show now. PLUS, it's super dorky stuff and that's awesome!
I was putting together the Wine Access shipment with Serge Doré that is going out soon and one of the wines was from the small appellation of Saint Mont. I pride myself on having an awareness of most appellations in France, but I didn’t have a clue where or what Saint Mont was, so this show is as much for me as it is for you!
In the show, I do an overview of the regions, which have a lot in common, so it won't overwhelm you to listen to (I hope!).
Source: https://www.vignobles-sudouest.fr/us/appellations/
_________________________________________________________The foothills or the Pyrénées have six wine regions, all with some similarities. All are in Gascony, a vast area in southwest France that stretches from the Pyrénées Mountains along the French-Spanish border.
The regions I discuss in the show are: Béarn, Madiran and Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh, Jurançon, Saint Mont, and Irouléguy. They are linked by common terroir, common history, and common wines. The grapes are mostly all native, unique, and obscure (albeit often they make really tasty wine!)
Here are what they share:
- A mild, consistent maritime climate with a regular foehn wind – a dry, warm southern wind that prolongs the growing season.
- Varied soil types, but many of the vineyards have some pebbles and stones from colluvial wash of the Pyrénées.
- Grapes: Reds: Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc (Bouchy, here), and some Pinenc (commonly known as Fer Servadou) Whites: The main whites are Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng. Other grapes used are Petit Courbu (lower alcohol and acidity tames the Mansengs), Courbu (for sweet wines) and grapes like Lauzet and Camarlet.
In the rest of the show I get into the details of the regions -- from history to terroir to the interesting wines available. If you are looking to dork out and just learn about something new, this is the show for you. I know it's off the beaten path but there is a lot of history and a lot of great wine.
I wanted to learn about this region and I brought you along for the ride -- thank you for indulging me!
Full show notes (with producers!) and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
For more than 30 years, dei Principi di Spadafora has been quietly churning out some of Sicily’s best wines in a tiny enclave of Virzì, about 35 miles southwest of Palermo, on Sicily’s west coast.
Photo: Francesco and Enrica Spadafora. Courtesy of dei Principi di Spadafora
The Spadafora family has been in Sicily since 1230, and their family came from noble roots but dei Principi di Spadafora (Princes of Spadafora) vineyards and winery didn’t really start until the late 1980s, when Francesco Spadafora decided to concentrate full time on growing grapes and making wine from a family property that had previously been designated only for bulk production. Since then, the organically farmed property and minimalist winemaking facilities have churned out spectacular, estate-grown wine, with Francesco at the helm. His daughter, Enrica, joined her father several years ago, doing the hard work of selling and marketing these very special wines from a remote part of Sicily.
Photo: The glorious Principe G Grillo with Francesco's gourmet creation. Credit: Wine For Normal People
I had the opportunity to meet Enrica and Francesco when I was with the Patron group in Sicily in May. I welcome Enrica (her father does not speak enough English to do a podcast!) to discuss the storied history, how her father left the life of an aristocrat to become a farmer and winemaker, and how they are able to make such outstanding wines (the Grillo and Nero d'Avola especially are magic!)
Check them out at spadafora.com
Enjoy!
If you are an avid follower of the show you know that my friend Jim Morris, hospitality guru, and wine industry veteran has been on the show many, many times. His first appearance was on Episode 30 and he has appeared on Episodes 130, 230, and now 530 – as I say, he is the man of the 30s!
Photo: Courtesy of Jim Morris
This time Jim joins to pull the curtain back on how Napa and Sonoma tasting rooms, the original model for all others in the world, have evolved over the last 40 years. We discuss how tasting fees started and how they have mushroomed out of control, and the tough times tasting rooms, tourism, and wineries in general, have fallen on in the most prestigious wine regions of the US. We touch on the rise of other US industries, and why we don’t include Europe in the equation as well.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week I welcome Patron Robin Rigby Fisher, a Certified Master Kitchen and Bath Designer and Certified Aging in Place Specialist. Robin has a kitchen design firm in the Portland, Oregon metro area (called Robin Rigby Fisher Design). She has been creating award winning kitchen and baths for more than 28 years and she comes to tell us about the various ways we organize our wine storage and her preferred solutions.
Once again, this amazing community provides us with fantastic expertise and a woman with a great personality who is willing to help us out with her deep knowledge on a subject!
Here are the show notes:
We first discuss the most important starting point: the top considerations when thinking about wine storage: Budget, number of bottles, how much space you have, and possible locations are some important items!
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Photo: private wine cellar. Credit: Pixabay
We give a run-down of different storage options and locations. We cover:
- Wine fridges. Here is the fridge that Robin mentions in the show that is US$499
- Basement storage and how to do it right
- Small apartment storage ideas (don't forget about your fridge!)
- What to do with bigger spaces and what to think about when you are building out a space for wine storage (don't forget the outlets! And the humidity and temperature control!
We talk about the biggest no-nos for storage...listen to find out what they are!!
I hope you enjoy this one! Thanks so much to Robin for sharing her knowledge!! This community is amazing! If you want to hire her to get some help, I'm giving her a plug because I believe in her: http://www.robinrigbyfisher.com -- She does virtual consultations too!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. If you want to fill your brand new wine storage solution with amazing wines, join today! And if you want me to help you with that process, join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I personally select (no joke -- I really do it!) delivered to you four times a year! You also get 10% off all other purchases when you join the club!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Washington State is the second-largest wine producing state in the US with about 1,050 wineries making over 17 million cases of wine. In this show I cover the largest sub region of the Columbia Valley AVA, Yakima Valley AVA (and its sub-AVAs).
Map: Yakima Valley Tourism
Yakima is in south-central Washington, at 46˚ N latitude. In 1983 it became Washington State’s first federally-recognized AVA. Responsible for nearly 1/3 of Washington’s total planted land, the major grapes in Yakima Valley are the American standards: Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, plus Riesling and Syrah.
Photo: Vineyard in Rattlesnake Hills AVA Source: Washington Wine Commission
Yakima is on what locals call the ‘dry side’ of Washington state, the high desert east of the Cascade Mountains, which consists of irrigated farmland and sagebrush-covered wild land. The area is known for a handful of very large wineries but is dominated by small family run operations.
Photo: Snipes Mountain AVA Source: Washington Wine Commission
The podcast includes a review of the region's history, the fascinating geology and climate of this area and then the sub-appellations of this relatively new and somewhat underrated Washington powerhouse region.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Wait, I thought you only covered wine in this podcast? I do! And guess what? Vermouth is wine.
Vermouth is an aromatized, fortified wine flavored with botanicals like roots, herbs, barks, flowers, seeds, and spices. Although aromatized beverages have been around for millennia, vermouth's origins lie in the Kingdom of Savoie in the 1700s, first in Torino, Italy and then in Chambéry, France.
Photo: Botanicals. Credit: Unsplash
First offered in apothecaries for the healing properties of wormwood, the main botanical in Italian vermouth, royal courts and then high society took a shine to vermouth in Torino, and its medicinal image was shed and it the wine was served as an aperitif in cafés. Simultaneously, in France, dry vermouth took off and cafes from Lyon to Paris.
Although served neat or on ice in Europe, vermouth took off in the Americas and found a place in the bars of the US as a major ingredient in cocktails like the Manhattan, the Americano, the Rob Roy, Negroni, and, of course, the Martini.
After some ups and downs, vermouth is trendy again and more producers from around the world -- from Canada to Australia to South Africa, as well as the traditional regions in Italy, France, and Spain are experiencing a revival.
Even though it's treated like a spirit more than a wine, I think it's time to cover this historic, interesting beverage. I cover the history of vermouth, how and where it's made, the different types of vermouth, and some of the cocktails that made it famous.
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Right now, it’s so hot in much of the country, it’s hard to get creative about anything, let alone a new wine that may provide some refreshment. That’s what I’m here for! Ok, maybe not just me…this is a list that comes from the Patrons in answer to our weekly discussion question about what they drink when the weather gets hot.
I added a few in for good measure, but this is the list of what the best and smartest community in wine has in their glasses when the sun beats down!
In order of popularity…
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Rosé: Provence, New World, Tavel, Bandol, Rhône, and everything in between
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Sparkling wine in many forms: Cava, Crémant, sparkling rosé
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Albariño/Alvarinho -- and the comparison between the Spanish and Portuguese versions
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Vinho Verde: Look for something beyond just the $8 bottle and you will be surprised at how much this region has to offer – Quinta da Raza, Soahleiro, Quinta da Lixa
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Riesling – off-dry, dry from Finger Lakes, Australia, Mosel, Rheingau, Alsace and Austria
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Sauvignon Blanc of all types -- from Marlborough, New Zealand, Loire Versions, Bordeaux Blanc
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Txakolina
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Chablis or Unoaked Chardonnay (Especially Oregon Chardonnay, with- herbal and floral notes)
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Frappato from Sicily
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Chilled Beaujolais -- especially things like Fleurie, Chiroubles, and Regnie
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Vermentino- from Tuscany, Liguria, Piedmont, but especially Sardinia
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Cabernet Franc (just watch the weight and ABV! Loire is best!)
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Cinsault or Cinsaut is a grape you’ve probably rarely heard of, but if you drink Provence or southern French rosé you have it all the time! The grape is planted widely in the south of France, but the grape’s biggest champions are in the New World, where Cinsault is getting new attention for making light, acidic, refreshing reds.
This is a warm-climate grape, that actually thrives in dry and hot places. This grape is essential to our changing climate -- it retains acidity with low sugars even in the hottest conditions, providing a lifted, bright note to reds and rosés.
Photo: Carignan. Source: Vins-Rhone
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With typical aromas of ripe red berry fruit, like raspberry, strawberry and cherry, warm spice, and violet or dark flower notes and floral, strawberry, peach, and tea leaf notes in rosé, this is a lovely grape if made well.
Where can you find Cinsault as a varietal wine or a big player in a blend?
- France: Southern Rhône, Provence and the Languedoc have big plantings of Cinsault
- Other Countries: Italy, Spain, North Africa, Chile, Australia
Then we get to the most impassioned fans of Cinsault…
Lebanon: In the mountainous region of the Bekaa Valley, Cinsault has thrived for decades. The famed Chateau Musar red relies on Cinsault in its most prestigious blend
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California, USA: California has the oldest Cinsault vines in the world in Lodi, California at the Bechthold Vineyard which was planted in 1886.
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South Africa saw growth in Cinsault in the mid 1800s because growers knew it could handle the hot, arid climate around Cape Town. It is a parent of Pilotage. I mention is Natte Valleij as a great Cinsault producer. Other producers from many regions in South Africa are also doing great things with Cinsault.
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
There are a seemingly endless number of wines made from grapes from all over. But, surprisingly, what remains in the world is just a fraction of what once existed. Before downy mildew, powdery mildew, phylloxera, and the World Wars of the 20th century hit the shores of Europe, destroying vineyards of native vines, there were likely hundreds of thousands of grape varieties with millions of clones. The biodiversity and possibilities for great wine were even greater than they are today.
But there is a movement afoot to revive grape varieties that are nearly extinct. It started in Portugal, spread to Spain and Italy, and now is a badge of pride for regions that are able to bring these grapes back from the brink.
In this show I cover 12 grapes with interesting stories of near extinction and revival:
Italy
Whites: Arneis - (Bianchetta), Timorasso, Nascetta, Fiano
Red: Schioppettino
Greece: Malagousia
Spain
Whites: Godello, Verdejo
Red: Graciano
Photo: Godello Source: Food and Wine From Spain
France
White: Viognier
Reds: Carménère, Tibouren
This show chronicles my recent trip with a group of Patrons to Sicily with my travel partner tour with Tourissimo. I take you through our odyssey, which had us traversing the entire island from west in Palermo to the center of the island to the southeast in Vittoria to Mount Etna.
I discuss the themes I noticed throughout like interesting climatic quirks that the quality regions share, the amazing culture and hospitality, and the uniqueness of the wines on this beautiful island and more.
I hope you enjoy this recap and it gives you a flavor for what Sicily is like and how awesome it is from a wine, people and place perspective!
A special thanks to the Patrons who went on this trip, and to my amazing travel partners, Heather and Beppe, the owners of Tourissimo for making this journey so special!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week I welcome long-time Patron and listener, Bevis Sydney, who is not only a wine educator in the UK, but also a movie buff. He and I give our views on the top 8 wine movies, according to a poll of the Patron community and general consensus from the press on the top wine movies.
We discuss:
· Sideways (2004)
· A Good Year (2006)
· Wine Country (2019)
· Bottle Shock (2008)
· Somm (2012)
· A Year in Burgundy (2013)
· Sour Grapes (2016)
· Mondovino (2004)
Remember – movies, like wine, are subjective. You don’t have to agree with us, but you do have to be respectful in your comments! You can always skip to the next movie if you don’t like what we’re saying. It’s just wine and it’s just a movie.
Here are some links that we discuss in the show:
Smithsonian video on the Judgement of Paris from 2016
Somm:
Elite Wine Group Suspends Master Sommeliers
Six Master Sommeliers Can Be Terminated After Sexual Assault
The Wine World’s Most Elite Circle Has a Sexual Harassment Problem
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
As part of the series on the The Greats (the great wines of the world), I cover the complex world of Hungarian Tokaji. As with all dives into “The Greats,” I spend the first half of the show delving into the history of Tokaj and then discuss winemaking, the grapes, and the complex way in which this wine is made.
Some notes that may be hard to understand (since I obviously know no Hungarian!):
The main grapes in the wine are:
- Furmint (Foor-mint) 60-70% of Tokaj plantings
- Hárslevelű (Harsh-level-loo) -- 19% of plantings
- Sárgamuskotály (Sharga-moose-kah-tie) - 9% of plantings (Muscat Lunel, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains)
Secondary grapes are: Zéta (Oremus), Kabar and Kövérszőlő (Koo-ver-sue-loo)
And just a few words on the wines:
Tokaji Szamorodni (sam-or-od-nee) can be dry or sweet. It is made from bunches of grapes with a high proportion of botrytized grapes. These are bunches, not individual berries.
Tokaji Aszú is the world-famous sweet wine. Aszu contains exclusively all botrytized grapes, individually hand picked, trampled, and then turned into a paste/dough. The wine is then macerated in must, wine, or partly fermented must, still fermenting must or wine from the same vintage. Aszú ranges from 3 to 6 puttonyos, which indicates sweetness levels
Tokaji Eszencia: Is one of the most exclusive wines there is. Eszencia means nectar. It is the free run juice of botrytized aszú berries. It is so sweet that the alcohol doesn’t usually exceed 5-6%.
I hope you enjoy this overview of the Great that has one of the longest recorded histories of winemaking!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
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Wine Access has an amazing selection — once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the next shipment. As a limited time offer, get $25 off your first TWO shipments of our club!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: http://www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
As part of the series on the The Greats (the great wines of the world), I cover the complex world of Hungarian Tokaji. As with all dives into “The Greats,” I spend the first half of the show delving into the history of Tokaj and then discuss winemaking, the grapes, and the complex way in which this wine is made.
Some notes that may be hard to understand (since I obviously know no Hungarian!):
The main grapes in the wine are:
- Furmint (Foor-mint) 60-70% of Tokaj plantings
- Hárslevelű (Harsh-level-loo) -- 19% of plantings
- Sárgamuskotály (Sharga-moose-kah-tie) - 9% of plantings (Muscat Lunel, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains)
Secondary grapes are: Zéta (Oremus), Kabar and Kövérszőlő (Koo-ver-sue-loo)
And just a few words on the wines:
Tokaji Szamorodni (sam-or-od-nee) can be dry or sweet. It is made from bunches of grapes with a high proportion of botrytized grapes. These are bunches, not individual berries.
Tokaji Aszú is the world-famous sweet wine. Aszu contains exclusively all botrytized grapes, individually hand picked, trampled, and then turned into a paste/dough. The wine is then macerated in must, wine, or partly fermented must, still fermenting must or wine from the same vintage. Aszú ranges from 3 to 6 puttonyos, which indicates sweetness levels
Tokaji Eszencia: Is one of the most exclusive wines there is. Eszencia means nectar. It is the free run juice of botrytized aszú berries. It is so sweet that the alcohol doesn’t usually exceed 5-6%.
I hope you enjoy this overview of the Great that has one of the longest recorded histories of winemaking!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
_______________________________________________________________
Wine Access has an amazing selection — once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the next shipment. As a limited time offer, get $25 off your first TWO shipments of our club!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: http://www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
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Here’s something you probably didn’t know: Vienna is the only major city in the world where serious wine grown, with its own appellation, DAC Wien. In the green belt surrounding this very green city, wine grapes grow as they have since at least the Middle Ages. And it’s not negligible -- 582 ha/1438 acres. It’s also not crappy, tourist wine. It’s high quality, interesting wine that’s tasty and different. It’s become such a priority for Vienna and Austria that Viennese state law states that all existing vineyards must remain vineyards protecting valuable viticultural land from real estate speculation!
Standing side by side with the wine and with the Gemischter Satz blend is the unique tradition of the Heurige wine taverns. These are such an important part of Austria’s list of UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in 2019.
To discuss this amazing tradition that I bet you had little idea even existed, Alex Zahel joins. He's the 4th generation of the Zahel family and is the GM and winemaker of Zahel.
A great, eye opening show!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
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For this show I ask my friend with Brian Callahan, small vineyard farmer and co-owner of Crux Winery in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma (the Middle Reach though – the warmer part, so they do Rhône varietals) to tell us what a year in a Sonoma vineyard looks like. He takes us through what he has been doing for the last 18 years in his vineyard, a three acre plot that produces the beautiful fruit that turns into Crux wine.
This is a real look at what happens in the vineyard over the year to ensure a healthy harvest. We discuss what he can do and what Mother Nature gives or takes away that he may have to deal with!
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
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Wine Access has an amazing selection — once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the next shipment. As a limited time offer, get $25 off your first TWO shipments of our club!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: http://www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
These categories of "better for the earth" wines are technical, tricky, and ever-evolving, so I it was time to do an update!
In this show, I do best to break it all down in as simple a way as possible…I cover:
- Biodynamics
- Organics
- Sustainable farming
- Regenerative agriculture
- And quickly, the loose ends – vegan wine, natural wine
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BiodynamicI discuss the main principles of biodynamic agriculture – that the farm is a single, self-sustaining organism and the farmer must encourage and guide the vines, as well as protect the soil so provides nourishment for the vines. The main certification for biodynamics is DEMETER.
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OrganicOrganic farming is how farming was always done until the industrial revolution. The new iteration grew out of the biodynamic movement in the 1920s. This method took off in the 1970s and 80s, especially in Europe.
Different countries have different definitions of organic…
- European Union Organic Products/”Bio” in France: Organic wine prohibits most synthetic chemicals or GMOs and uses only certified organic oenological products in the cellar, including organic yeast. Sulfites are regulated.
- United States. This is aprogram developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). There are prohibitions on the vineyard and the winery, and added sulfites are prohibited.Because of this last prohibition, certified organic vineyards go in and out of the organic certificatio
- To make it more flexible, they added the “Made with Organic Grapes” stipulation, which is looser
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Regenerative Organic Agriculture
Although relatively new, this is likely the future of better for the earth initiatives. Regenerative starts out with the principles of organic but then adds a few other things. Watch this space…
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Sustainable Winegrowing
This is the most popular way to do better for the earth viticulture but it’s squishy. Sustainable is a catchall term that has MANY definitions. Examples of certifications:
France…
HVE: The French Ministry of Agriculture developed the Haute Valeur Environementale
Others...
Vignerons Engages
Viticulture Durable en Champagne
Terra Vitis
California: Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing
I end with a quick tour of Natural wine and Vegan wines
Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
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Wine Access has an amazing selection — once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the next shipment. As a limited time offer, get $25 off your first TWO shipments of our club!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: http://www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This is a special re-release of this very relevant and important show on Earth Day. Jason Haas, perhaps the greenest guy in in wine, joins to discuss the challenges the wine industry faces in becoming gentler on the earth. From regenerative agriculture (which is way less woo woo than biodynamics!) to sustainable transport and packaging, we cover the latest thinking of how to make the wine industry greener and better.
Happy Earth Day all!
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
http://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Wine Access has an amazing selection — once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the next shipment. As a limited time offer, get $25 off your first TWO shipments of our club! That's $125 for 6 bottles -- an unbelievable deal when go to www.wineaccess.com/normal
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: http://www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tax Day in the US has come and gone. Many of us are getting a refund, so if you have a little extra change, here are some great wines to consider.
A few on the list are...
- Burgundy in red and white:Pinot and Chard
- Pomerol in Bordeaux
- Syrah from The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater in Walla Walla Washington
- Old Vine Zinfandel from Sonoma, Napa, and Amador County
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape BLANC
I offer descriptions and explanations of each wine in the show. I hope you enjoy and find a way to spend your tax money!
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
http://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: http://www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
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Wine Access has an amazing selection — once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the next shipment (it’s shaping up to be outstanding).
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week friend, listener, Patron, and wine diva @wineshenanigans and the wine game show @Wineopardy Monica G. joins to talk with me about wines made by celebrities, aka Celebrity Wines. We run through what they are, how many of them are made and then we discuss specifics. We wrap with our analysis of whether or not we would recommend buying these wines.
We make two caveats:
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These are our opinions about these wines – don’t sue me!
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Some of these brands are impossible to obtain, so we haven’t had many of them – distribution is spotty
Then we define, explain, and then categorize these wines -- those that are legit and those that are not.
Some of the legit celeb wine brands we discuss are: Francis Ford Coppola, Fess Parker, Brad Pitt/Miraval, Dave Matthews with Blenheim and Dreaming Tree, Pink's Two Wolves, Drew Bledsoe's Doubleback wines, Kyle MacLachlan's Pursued by Bear wines, Kylie Minogue's wines, and Mary J. Blige's Sun Goddess wines.
A fun show! Don't forget to follow Monica on Instagram @wineshenanigans!
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
http://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: http://www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
_______________________________________________________________
Wine Access has an amazing selection — once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the next shipment (it’s shaping up to be outstanding).
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Inspired by a question from friend and Patron Amy Payton, this week I cover the history of oak barrels. I go from animal skins in Mesopatamia to modern day barrels, talking about how winemakers decided that oak was the best vessel for wine. I answer her follow up questions too -- How are barrels obtained by winemakers? What happens to them after they are used and are oak barrels sustainable? I learned so much in this show and I thank Amy for the idea.
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
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This week I explore one of my favorite grapes of all time, Fiano! The grape makes some of the most exquisite wines you could imagine -- whites with layered complexity, age-ability, and unadulterated deliciousness. I discuss all aspects of the grape:
- The historical overview of the grape and how Mastroberardino saved it from obscurity (Check out my podcast with Piero Mastroberardino here)
- A discussion of Fiano in the vineyard and how adaptable it is
- Some thoughts about winemaking and its effect on the grape
- The aromas and flavors of the grape
- Where it grows:
- Italy: Campania (65%), specifically Irpinia, and within that area the Fiano di Avellino DOCG, with sizable quantities in Sicily and Puglia as well. Listen to my show on my trip to Campania here...
- New World places: Australia, Argentina, the US
I hope I convince you to try the grape if you haven't had it before. It is truly one of my "desert island wines" -- it's very hard not to love it!
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
Wine Access has an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
I welcome to the show my friend Giulio Abrigo of Abrigo Giovanni Azienda Agricola, who focuses on the exquisite Dolcetto in Diano d'Alba in the Barolo zone of Piemonte. Abrigo Giovanni is a small family operation, operating on just 13 ha or 32 acres mainly in Diano d’Alba -- the site of the winery and the family home. Dolcetto Diano d’Alba is one of a handful of DOCG zones for the grape – stricter controls and the top Dolcetto wines are made in this area. Here, the elevation, the soils, and the exposition are ideal for this highly underrated grape.
Abrigo Giovanni focuses on Dolcetto but for the past 11 years they also make a highly rated and awarded Barolo from the site of “Ravello” which has caught the attention of many wine critics, and, although not available in the US, they make the single best nocciole (hazelnut spread) I have ever had in my life.
This is a fascinating look at the passion behind making a wine that is part of a long legacy and tradition, but frequently flies under the radar...for no apparent reason. After this show, you will want to run out and get Giulio's Abrigo Giovanni Dolcetto wines, and maybe even move to Diano d'Alba (his descriptions of it sound like paradise to me!).
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
Wine Access has an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In recent years, there has been a lot of buzz around “volcanic wines.” The term makes it sound as if these are wines that are spawned from a volcano, but in reality these are wines that many people believe have special qualities because they grow on volcanic soils.
In this show, I define the types of volcanoes before discussing the ecosystems they form. I then talk about the specific regions known to have volcanic wines, but I also point out that these areas have other factors that may create similarities in the wine – proximity to oceans, old vines (unaffected by phylloxera), and high elevations and cooling breezes. These must be considered, despite the fact that many of the volcanic wine groupies say flavor is purely from the soils. Here is the list of wines/places I discuss in the show:
Italy
Mount Etna, Sicily: Reds (Rosso of the Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio grapes), whites (Bianco, mainly of the Carricante grape)
Soave, Veneto: Whites grown on specific hillsides (Garganega, Trebbiano di Soave grapes)
Campania
Vesuvius: Whites of Coda di Volpe, Caprettone, Falanghina, Greco. Rosés and reds of Piedirosso, Aglianico, Sciacinoso
Irpinia:
- Taurasi DOCG and Aglianico del Taburno DOCG: Reds of the Aglianico grape. I mention Feudi di San Gregorio
- Fiano di Avellino: May or may not be affected by the volcanic soil
- Greco di Tufo DOCG: White of the Greco grape, the sulfur and compressed volcanic ash (tufo),and volcanic sand and clay, give the wines an acidity, minerality & flintiness that has clear volcanic influence
Basilicata: Aglianico del Vulture. Reds of Aglianico
Piedmont: Alto Piemonte. Red blends in Gattinara, Boca, Bramaterra
Umbria/Lazio: Orvieto. Whites of Grechetto, Trebbiano Toscano
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Greece: Santorini -White ofAssyrtiko. Lemnos -Red of Limnio
Spain: The Canary Islands/Las Canarias - Whites of Malvasîa Volcánica, Malvasîa Aromática, Listán Blanco. Reds of Listán Negro
Portugal: Açores islands (the Azores).Whites: Arinto, Verdelho, Fernão Pires, Terrantez
Hungary:
- North of Lake Balaton in Somló, whites of the Juhfark grape
- Tokaji – sweet and dry whites of mainly the Furmint grape
US:
- Oregon's Willamette Valley
- Some parts of Napa, Lake County in California
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!Wine Access has an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Get 10% your first order with my special URL. To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Hunter Valley is the OG -- the first place where Australian grape growing took place. For 200 years there has been continuous winegrowing and winemaking among the rolling hills and green valleys, which are peppered with iconic wineries, many of which have been around for more than 100 years. Although other types of wines are made, the Hunter has one crown jewel -- Semillon. In this show I give detail on the history, background and terroir of the Hunter before discussing the Semillon and why it is so special and is truly a GREAT!!
I give an overview of the Hunter Valley, which is one of Australia’s most popular wine destinations.
- It is just over a two hours' drive north from Sydney in New South Wales – about 160 km/100 mi north. It is very near UNESCO World Heritage National Parks, which are popular tourist destinations.
- With its low latitude (32°S), viticulture would not be possible without some mitigating factors
- The Hunter Valley is SMALL - it's 2% of Australian vineyard area. The region focuses on quality, premium wines, not bulk
- Plantings are 47% red (mostly Shiraz), 53% white (mostly Chardonnay and Semillon, with Verdelho of Portugal. This white-heavy mix is unusual for Australia!
The I discuss the subtropical climate, the varied land and what works best for Semillon, and the GIs
I spend the rest of the time talking about the alchemy involved in making a living wine like Hunter Valley Semillon -- truly one of "the greats" of the wine world!
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Wine Access has an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment (it's shaping up to be outstanding). Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This is a quick special announcement show with two news items:
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After many years of being on the show, MC Ice has left the building! This was not his main business and he has chosen to focus on his work and other pursuits! We thank him for his contributions. Going forward, educational shows will be with Elizabeth only, with occasional guest appearances from Patrons to mix things up!
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Probably more important is the answer to the question many of you have been asking: Where do I get the old episodes of the podcast?Many of you have noticed that the back catalog of the podcast is no longer available on public podcast feed. It’s not gone but the access is restricted. You can still access the past 13 years ofepisodes by joining Patreon. As soon as you sign up, you will receive instructions on how to access the back episodes. It’s a very simple process and you can sign up at patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
The decision to do this was based on the fact that the podcast takes 20 hours or more a week to produce. Although content seems free because it just pops up in your player, there is a big cost to produce it. Research, writing, editing, scheduling guests, etc. – all of which I do myself – takes a lot of time and effort. Those who provide financial support to the show through Patreon, the most committed listeners, have kept the podcast going since 2018 and now they will have exclusive rights to the previous shows. I would love for you to join that group, or you can access the current year’s shows, which are made free by my parternship with Wine Access, whom I hope you will support at wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks for understanding and I'll see you on the next show!!
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
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I welcome to the show, again, and this time for a much longer and more thorough conversation, Luca Paschina, the head winemaker and GM of Barboursville, the historic property in the Monticello AVA of Virginia. Luca was on the show in 2016, originally on episode 162.
Barboursville has a long history, which starts around the same time as its current owners’ wine history -- the Zonin family of Veneto (found 1821). We discuss Thomas Jefferson and his role in trying to get Virginia wine started. Luca tells us about Gianni Zonin, who purchased Barboursville in 1976 and created the first world class winery in Virginia. He is still the owner today.
Luca has been the head winemaker of Barboursville since 1990. He gives us an excellent retrospective on what he has learned in these decades and the key terroir points about the Monticello AVA. tell us the . We also touch on some of the challenges and the advantages of the region and we are pretty honest about separating the wheat from the chaff.
This is a very honest look at Virginia, and frankly a great way to tell if a winery you visit knows what they are talking about. If they don’t follow Luca’s advice, likely the wine isn’t going to be very good! This is a great show and I hope it motivates you to look more into the excellent wines of Virginia!
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Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Wine Access has an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment (it's shaping up to be outstanding). Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As a follow up to Felicity Carter's show last week, in which we mentioned referenced the work of Christopher Snowdon often, I am re-releasing Episode 274 to give another perspective. This was originally released April 29, 2019. We raised all sorts of red flags in this show and Christopher has been consistent on his blog about how moderate drinking is still good for you and why wine is NOT the new tobacco...This is a great supplement and another viewpoint on this subject and dovetails perfectly with last week's show.
The show notes are simple this week: his two articles --
- “The campaign to make alcohol ‘the new tobacco’” March 28, 2019 (Scroll down to see the article on this page)
- "A glass of wine won't shorten your life -- moderate drinking is still good for you" April 17, 2018
More on Chris:
Snowdon is author of five books: 'Polemics' (2020) 'Killjoys' (2017), 'Selfishness, Greed and Capitalism' (2015), 'The Art of Suppression' (2011), 'The Spirit Level Delusion' (2010) and 'Velvet Glove, Iron Fist' (2009). He has also written more than a dozen reports for the Institute of Economic Affairs including ‘Drinking, Fast and Slow’, ‘and ‘Closing Time: Who’s killing the British pub?’. He blogs at The Snowdon Substack
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!!
Wine Accesshas an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment. Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
My guest, Felicity Carter, is probably the most brilliant journalist in wine, and certainly one of the only ones doing vital investigative work in the field of wine, health, and the neo prohibitionist movement. From 2008 to 2021, she was editor-in-chief of Meininger’s Wine Business International, a global, English-language magazine, one of Germany’s oldest publishing houses. She reported from 22 countries in that position. She writes for Decanter, The Guardian, and pretty much every major prestigious wine publication out there.
Felicity is the foremost authority on wine and health and has information about what is ACTUALLY going on with the “new” data on wine and health…talk about a malevolent hand. HOLY SH&T when you find out what is behind the WHO’s recommendation. Your jaw will drop when she reveals what is actually happening...mine did.
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Wine Access has Armenian wines before they even made a splash in the wine magazines! They have their finger on the pulse and connect with wineries and regions you need to know about! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment (it's shaping up to be outstanding AND one of the shipments is likely to have an Armenian wine...hint, hint! ). Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this show we explore the world of Armenian wine, which has roots in the ancient world and may be the oldest winemaking region in Europe.
To tell us about these wines, the terroir, and the regions, I welcome Keush Managing Director & Zulal Founder, Aimee Keushguerian. Aimee educates us on Armenian wine and tells us about the projects she and her family are undertaking to shape the modern Armenian wine industry, which is definitely getting noticed for its high quality and interesting grape varieties.
Armenia is located in the Caucasus region bordering Georgia, Iran, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. Vineyards are in the mountains with very high elevations -- some of the highest in Europe. For a map see: https://www.britannica.com/place/Armenia#/media/1/35178/208378
As a guide, here are some of the grapes we mention:
- Areni is the spicy, medium bodied, lovely main red grape. Vayots Dzor is the main quality region for Areni.
- Tozot from Vayots Dzor is like a Grenache and has great potential
- Voskehat is Armenia’s most promising white grape. Producers can make sparkling, still, and dessert wine all from Voskehat. It is non aromatic.
- Chilar: is another promising white grape with great structure that does well with oak
From geopolitical concerns to terroir studies, this podcast has it all! Take a listen -- you will learn a TON!
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
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Wine Access has Armenian wines before they even made a splash in the wine magazines! They have their finger on the pulse and connect with wineries and regions you need to know about! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment (it's shaping up to be outstanding AND one of the shipments is likely to have an Armenian wine...hint, hint! ). Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Food and wine pairing is complex. But as many of us are trying to eat healthier, more plant-based diets it becomes an exercise in frustration. Traditional outlets barely ever talk about how to pair red wine with vegetarian dishes, beyond eggplant and mushrooms.
Wendy Narby, a wine educator and writer in Bordeaux and Sally Evans, a winemaker and owner of Château George 7 (sette) aim to change that. This week they talk about their new site, which helps us learn to pair the wines of Bordeaux and wines like them with vegetarian dishes. This podcast and their site, Wineand2veg.com, gives great ideas for pairings that prove you don't have to give up bold wine if you decide to eat a plant-based meal.
Knowing you can have a meatless day and still have a great wine pairing makes it a little more appealing to try it, no?
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Wine Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment (it's shaping up to be outstanding!). Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This time we explore the hidden gems of Bordeaux -- the Côtes de Bordeaux -- which make superb wines that few people know about. With an easy-drinking style, the Côtes de Bordeaux are the hidden, affordable wines of Bordeaux. These historic vineyards are a collection of AOCs around eastern Bordeaux on sunny hillside slopes that grow a majority of Merlot and have similar soil types. These are not second or bulk wines – rather family-owned, often sustainable wines that are always a good value for money.
This group of appellations under the marketing umbrella of Côtes de Bordeaux covers 9 - 10% of the total production of Bordeaux.
Faced with lots of competition from the named communes of Bordeaux (Pomerol, Saint-Émilion, etc), and the Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur AOCs, efforts started in 2004 to create the Union des Côtes de Bordeaux (UCB) to create a collective “brand” of recognition: the AOC Côtes de Bordeaux with 6 terroir:
- Côtes de Bordeaux - umbrella appellation
- Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux
- Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
- Francs Côtes de Bordeaux
- Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux·
- Sainte-Foy Côtes de Bordeaux (joined in 2016)
Map: Côtes de Bordeaux
In 2009, the AOC “Côtes de Bordeaux” went into effect. They must all use the logo below on the bottle to reinforce the association:
This is the wine we were drinking...
I hope this opens your eyes to some new, fantastic, affordable Bordeaux wines! Take a listen and put this to use -- there is a lot of goodness to discover here (and it won't hurt your wallet)!
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Wine Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment (it's shaping up to be outstanding!). Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Sources:
- http://www.bordeaux-cotes.com/en/home/
- https://www.vin-blaye.com
- https://www.cadillaccotesdebordeaux.com
- http://www.castillon-cotesdebordeaux.com/en/
- "Inside Bordeaux" Jane Anson,
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
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It's another edition of the "Alternatives to a Fave" series! This time: Grenache/Garnacha.
As an extension of the Grape Mini-series, we come up with lists of wines that lovers of a specific grape can try as alternatives. Grenache/Garnacha comes in many different forms -- as a juicy, cherry-berry standalone grape in Spain, as lighter blender in the Rhône and Rioja, in rosé and fortified wines, and as full, serious wine in places like Priorat (Spain), Châteauneuf-du-Pape (France), and Australia, where old vines make very intense wines.
Photo: Grenache grapes in California. Credit: Getty Images via Canva
This one was a challenge, but we came up with a good list of ideas and most won't burn a hole in your wallet! This show focuses only on the red wines (not rosé or sweet wines) and our list includes everything from Zinfandel to Nero d'Avola, to Valpolicella and Alentejo blends (Portugal), on the lighter side to Syrah, Amarone, and Aglianico on the heavy side.
We hope, as usual, that this show opens some new doors and gives you new ideas of wines to add to your repertoire!
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Wine Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment (it's shaping up to be outstanding!). Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For the first time, we have a Wine For Normal People Patron on the show to share her passion and expertise!
This week is a follow-up to last week’s weedier podcast on Greece. This time, long time listener and friend, Lindsey Miller, joins as our first Patron guest, to talk about her passion for and knowledge of Greek wine. She helps bring this topic to life, giving us background on how she fell in love with Greece, got to know its wines, and developed some expertise on the subject. Lindsey shares tips and tricks on how to get the best Greek wine, talks about the challenges for the country’s wines in English-speaking markets, and makes helpful suggestions on where to start – from a grape AND region perspective – with Greece. I had so much fun with Lindsey and she did a great job “humanizing” the topic and getting me motivated to explore even more of Greece! Let’s raise a glass (of Greek wine) to her for being the first brave soul to come on the show and share her passion and smarts with us! Lindsey Miller in Pylos. Credit: Lindsey Miller
As we mentioned in the last show, here is a list of places and grapes we mention:
Notable Appellations and Grapes we cover...
Xinomavro PDO appellations: Naoussa, Amyndeo
Agiorgitiko appellation: Nemea PDO
Moschofilero: Mantinia PDO/Peloponnese
Assyrtiko appellation: Santorini
Liatiko, Vidiano, Vilana, Kotsifali: Crete
Store shelf Lindsey mentions in the show. Greek wines with Hungarian wines thrown in. Credit: Lindsey Miller
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Wine Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment (it's shaping up to be outstanding!). Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This show is an update to our previous shows on Greece. We hope to get you (re)started on your exploration of this ancient winemaking nation that has been reborn in recent years. Greek wines are unique, terroir-driven, and they harken back to the nation's ancient past and the very foundations of wine as a major part of the history in western civilization.
With recent investments and modernization, the wines are better than ever and are worth exploring.
Map from the Wines of Greece
Although the places and grapes can be hard to pronounce (we did our best 🤷🏻♀️), they are easy to love. Take a listen and then seek these out -- you won't regret it!
Here is a list of places and grapes we mention:
Notable Appellations
Xinomavro PDO appellations: Naoussa, Amynteo, Rapsani, Goumenissa
Agiorgitiko appellation: Nemea PDO
Mavrodaphne appellation: Patras/Peloponnese
Moschofilero: Mantinia PDO/Peloponnese
Assyrtiko appellation: Santorini
Liatiko, Vidiano, Vilana, Kotsifali: Crete
White grapes: Assyrtiko, Aidani, Moschofilero, Vidinao, Villana, Malagouzia, Roditis, Debina, Malvasia, Muscat of Alexandria, Savatiano, Sauvignon Blanc
Red grapes: Xinomavro, Agiorgitko (St. George), Mavrodaphne, Stavroto, Krasato, Limnio, Liatiko, Kotsifali, Mandelaria, Negoska, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc
Xinomavro. Credit: Wines of Greece
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Wine Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment (it's shaping up to be outstanding!). Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
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Main Sources:
"The Wines of Greece", Konstantinos Lazarakis. Infinite Ideas; January 22, 2018.
https://winesofgreece.org/
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This is a baffling story that includes a Napa history lesson, an idea of how the Valley has grown and then a jaunt into intrigue, sting operations, and what appears to be an effort to kill the goose that laid the golden egg by the Napa County government. It seems that the County is going after small wineries in an attempt to bankrupt them out of business.
Friend of the pod, Stu Smith of Smith-Madrone joins to discuss and explain the situation -- at least the parts that have an explanation!
If you want background on Smith-Madrone, check out...
Ep 253: Stu Smith of Smith-Madrone Vineyards Talks About 48 Years in Napa Valley Please support small wineries! Now, more than ever they need our help!!
Stu Smith, Smith-Madrone Vineyard
Lindsay Hoopes, Hoopes Vineyard
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Wine Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment. Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thomas Bianciardi is the winemaker for the exceptional Azienda Agricola San Filippo in Montalcino, the famed enclave of Tuscany. I had the honor of meeting him while on the Patron trip to Tuscany this spring and loved the philosophy, the wines, and the way that Thomas explained the region.
Photo: Thomas Bianciardi Credit: Wine For Normal People
Thomas joins to discuss Montalcino, educate us about the region and tell us about how he and owner Roberto Gianneli make these exceptional wines that recently made #3 on Wine Spectators 2020 list of top wines. These wines are a great reflection of the terroir and the people who make them.
Photo: Roberto Gianneli, Owner of San Filippo. Credit: San Filippo
For info on the Agriturissmo, where you can stay on the property, click here!
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
Wine Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the first quarter shipment. Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This show is listener driven, which makes sense since we have always had a listener focus at Wine For Normal People! We take some amazing questions about the podcast from listeners and reveal some fun facts about the show that you may not know.
We cover things like:
- What experience did we have going into the podcast?
- How do we select guests and plan shows?
- How should a first-time listener approach 500 episodes?
- What regions do we like now that we didn't at the outset?
- What has changed with the show over the years?
And much more. Lots of laughs and good fun, with some wine education and entrepreneurial advice to boot!
Thank you to all listeners for being so loyal, kind, and all around awesome over the years -- especially the Patrons! And thank you to Wine Access for its continued support of the show!!
Here’s to 500 more episodes!
Episodes referenced:
- Ep 149: Wine Gifts So Bad They're Great!
- Ep 396: Halloween Candy and Wine Pairings Revisited with Kelsey and Colby
- Ep 353: Women in Wine and the Subtle Symphony of Quiet Misogyny
- Ep 158: Did I drink wine when I was pregnant? Our story
- Ep 391: Édouard Miailhe - Dynamic leader of the Margaux AOC & 5th Generation Owner of Château Siran AND Ep 447: Édouard Miailhe from Château Siran Returns
- Ep 434: The World's Foremost Authorities on Rosé -- Elizabeth Gabay, Master of Wine, & Ben Bernheim, Co-Author
- Jim Morris Episodes (just click here for a list! )
- Ep 478: Piero Mastroberardino -- the Soul of the Wines & Vines of Campania
- Antonio Capaldo: Ep 337: Feudi di San Gregorio and the Unrivaled Wines of Campania, Italy AND Ep 482: Antonio Capaldo of Feudi San Gregorio Returns
- Ep 333: Richard Betts, Former Master Somm, Shows What Moral Fortitude REALLY Looks Like
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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We couldn't have gotten to 500 episodes without my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. The holidays are almost upon us -- don't forget to stock up for your holiday feasts and get a Wine Access gift card for everyone in your life! Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Professor Thomas Collins (yes, his name is Tom Collins) is a foremost authority in the US on smoke in the vineyards. After a long career in research and enology at large wineries in New York and California, and a Ph.D. at UC-Davis, Dr. Collins became an assistant professor of grape and wine chemistry in the Viticulture and Enology Program at Washington State University in 2015.
Photo: Dr. Tom Collins, Credit: WSU
He manages a research program in grape, wine and spirits aroma and flavor chemistry, and teaches courses in grape and wine chemistry and winery operations. In this show we talk all about wine and fire -- topics like:
- Why are there so many fires and will this trend continue in the future?
- Who is studying fire and what has been discovered so far?
- What parts of the vine are affected by fire and what actually damages the grapes?
- What are the remedies and what can we expect to happen in the future with fire research?
A great show with a really smart and easy to understand guest -- important when it's such a complex topic!
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. The holidays are almost upon us -- don't forget to stock up for your holiday feasts and get a Wine Access gift card for everyone in your life! Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This is a special update and recap of Episode 327 with Barnaby Eales on Wine ingredient & nutrition labeling. I refreshed and edited that (very short) episode and then MC Ice and I added the details of the new law.
We did the original episode in 2020 and at that time it was unclear whether or not Europe would go through with the plan, but they executed it and now we may be seeing back labels with a WHOLE lot more info about the wine! Listen to the update to learn what you NEED to know!
This new system goes live on December 8, 2023. There are still a lot of uncertainties, but all European wine lovers should know what the changes are so this is a must listen!
Here are a few useful links for further reading...
https://wineinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Wine-Institute-EU-Nutrition-Ingredient-Labeling-FAQ.pdf
https://www.decanter.com/learn/eu-wine-labelling-the-changes-explained-507553/
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. The holidays are almost upon us -- don't forget to stock up for your holiday feasts and get a Wine Access gift card for everyone in your life! Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thanksgiving is a hard meal to pair wine with but we've got you covered. After a little bit of wine advice about glassware, serving temps, and my annual "Aunt Gertrude" warning, we get into the pairings for traditional (and some variations on traditional) Thanksgiving fare.
We begin with suggestions for wines to welcome your guests, and then move on to:
- Wine and food pairings for Thanksgiving appetizers/ hors-d'œuvre
- Wine and food pairings for the meats and main courses of Thanksgiving
- (my favorite part) Wine pairings for traditional Thanksgiving side dishes
From the traditional suggestions of rosé and Riesling to more adventurous things like Amontillado Sherry and Xinomavro, we give you plenty to think about when picking wines for your holiday gathering!
Photo credit: Unsplash
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. The holidays are almost upon us -- don't forget to stock up for your holiday feasts and get a Wine Access gift card for everyone in your life! Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week we cover the unsung red of Central European wine – Blaufränkisch. This Central European red grape was planted widely in throughout the Habsburg Empire, and today the biggest plantings aren’t too far from its birthplace – right on the Austria-Hungary border.
Photo: Blaufränkisch. Credit: Austrian Wine
Blaufränkisch translates to ‘blue wine of the Franks’, and it is known as Lemberger in Germany and the US, Kékrankos in Hungary, Franconia in Italy, and various Burgundy-related names elsewhere in Central Europe. We discuss the origins of all these names, how the grape performs in the vineyard, its flavors, food pairings, and more. Whether it’s from Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Finger Lakes of New York, Washington State, Italy or Spain, this grape is versatile, multifacted and a perfect medium bodied red that’s perfect for many foods and all sorts of weather -- it can be chilled in the summer in one version and warm your bones by a fire in another.
*Note, we mentioned the Austrian anti-freeze scandal. For more on that and Austria in general, check out an old but still accurate show: Ep 051: Austria
© Austrian Wine / Austrian Wine
Go get yourself a bottle and you’ll see what we mean!
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Most information for the show from Austrian Wine, Wines of Germany, Wines of Hungary, Wine Grapes (Book, Jancis Robinson)
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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. The holidays are almost here -- don't forget to stock up for your holiday feasts and get a Wine Access gift card for everyone in your life! Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sherry is a complex wine with lots of terroir, tradition, and winemaking possibilities. In episode 495, we go over the stats on the region, the history, the terroir, and details on winemaking, including the solera system. We then describe the biologically aged wines – Fino and Manzanilla.
This show is a continuation of episode 495 but after listening to the show I did with MC Ice, I realized it was too meandering, so I recorded this version on my own.
This second part of the Sherry refresh has many aspects to it, and I do my best to be as clear as possible with it all. Here are the topics we cover:
- First, I give a 5 minute review of Sherry winemaking.
- I explain, anew, the biological aging process and then explain the Oxidative aging process of Olorosos and other wines
- I explain, in greater detail, the “in between” styles – Amontillado and Palo Cortado, which have been made by a combination of biological and oxidative aging but are slightly different
Photo: Different types of Sherry. Source: Vinos de Jerez
I talk about the three categories of Sherry styles:
- Vinos Generosos: the dry styles of Sherry – Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Oloroso
- Vino dolces Naturales: Pedro Ximénez, Moscatel
- Vinos Generosos de Licor: Pale Cream, Medium, Cream Sherries
I discuss the aging categories, which have been effect since 2000:
- VOS: Vinum Optimum Signatum or Very Old Sherry that has been in a solera for 20 years
- VORS: Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum or Very Old Rare Sherry that has been in a solera for 30+ years
Photo: Legal age statements in sticker format from the Consejo Regulador
I wrap with some small changes to the DO that happened this year, sent to me by Patron Chaim G (thanks to Chaim!).
I give a thanks to the mixologists for keeping Sherry alive and then sign off!
Here is the show with Tio Pepe I mentioned...
Ep 249: Revisiting Sherry with Andrew Sinclair of Tio Pepe Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Most information for the show from the Jerez DO
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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. The holidays are almost upon us -- don't forget to stock up for your holiday feasts and get a Wine Access gift card for everyone in your life! Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It's been 11 years since we discussed Sherry, so it's time to do a refreshed show. This time, Sherry is much more mainstream and we're revisiting this fascinating wine that has so much history, and has experienced a renaissance in recent times.
We discuss:
- Where Sherry is and its defining terroir, including the terroir of the bodegas
- The grapes of Sherry
- The 3000 year history of the region
- Winemaking and the complex system of criaderas, soleras, and fractional blending
- The biologically aged wines (under flor): Fino and Manzanilla
Part 2 will include all the other types of Sherries from sweet to the numerous oxidative styles.
Here's a link to the show with Grammar Girl we referenced...
Map: Sherry Wines DO
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Most information for the show from the Jerez DO
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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. You HAVE to check out our Halloween pack at https://wineaccess.com/wfnp-halloween/ -- Spooky wines for my favorite holiday! GREAT Wines and a ton of fun. Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After a very, very hot summer where we live, the weather has broken and we are ready for wines that can warm us up and pair with the smells of crisp fall air and falling leaves, as well as heartier food. In this show, we talk about wines for fall from around the world and why they are going on our wine shopping list this season.
We break it down country by country (and give some special attention to Piedmont and Champagne, where I just visited) and hopefully give you some great ideas of new wines you can try out this fall to enjoy the season.
Photo: Old Champagne. Credit: Wine For Normal People
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. You HAVE to check out our Halloween pack at https://wineaccess.com/wfnp-halloween/ -- Spooky wines for my favorite holiday! GREAT Wines and a ton of fun. Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
I first spoke to Marina Marcarino of Punset in 2017 and I was fascinated by her story and loved her wines. We became friends and I’ve visited her over the years and keep in touch with her for a pulse on what is happening in the vineyards and wineries of Barbaresco, where Punset is located.
Marina Marcarino of Punset Wines in Barbaresco
As a recap of the first show, when Marina Marcarino was in her early 20s, she took over the family vineyard in Neive, Barbaresco (Piedmont, Italy) and named it Punset. She had a revolutionary idea for the 1980s: to turn the vineyard organic. Marina became the first organic producer in Barbaresco. Her vineyards look different, her practices were strange to most back then and when she started using biodynamic in the 1990s, her reputation as “la pazza” – the crazy, was cemented.
Fast forward to today, and everyone has followed Marina and she has become one of the thought leaders in environmental stewardship of vineyards in Barbaresco. Those who once mocked her, now use the very same practices she pioneered and she has gained the respect of them all.
Photo: The Amazing Punset wines
When I was visiting Piedmont recently, I was able to catch up with Marina and ask her for an update about the region and about Punset. She is such a forward looking person -- this is a real opportunity to hear about what will likely be happening in wine and in Piedmont in the future.
We discuss controversial topics and general ones, and her insightful answers will have you thinking more deeply about the entire region and about farming, winemaking, and a little of life philosophy thrown in. She is the president of Albeisa, a consortium of quality producers who seek to educate and properly market the wines of the Langhe, and she shares some of the things she's done and is doing in that role as well.
I hope you find her passion and intelligence as awesome as I do! Enjoy this one – you’ll learn so much!
Don't forget to listen to Ep 182, the OG with Marina that goes over her story...LINK
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. You HAVE to check out our Halloween pack at https://wineaccess.com/wfnp-halloween/ -- Spooky wines for my favorite holiday! GREAT Wines and a ton of fun. Get 10% your first order with my special URL.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, my close friend, web guru, and the best digital marketer in the wine biz -- Polly Hammond of 5Forests -- discusses some fascinating topics in wine. We have a great conversation about the state of wine marketing, it's disconnection with normal people (and reasons for it), and how there is more to some trends than clickbait would have you believe!
Polly is very different in the world of wine. She is actually a regular person, who understands how normal people think about and drink wine. She is the Founder and CEO of 5forests, where she works with wineries around the world to help them understand how to reach normal people, and bridge the gap between the wine industry and the people it’s supposed to serve.
If you love winefornormalpeople.com, it’s Polly’s work (and if you need help with a company web site, she doesn’t just do wine stuff, so contact her to help you).
She is launching “Head Training” this month, her third podcast/web series on wine to help educate winery owners and others in the wine business on good marketing practices. It’s a weekly YouTube Series that is focusing on in depth topics, some are interviews, and some are recaps. Check it out on the 5Forests YouTube channel!
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally.
Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order with my special URL. The holidays will be here before you know it -- plan ahead and order great wines for the season today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Pinot Noir is a challenging grape. It’s hard to grow, hard to work with in the cellar, and the style varies drastically based on where it’s made, who is making it, and when it was grown (vintage).
We haven’t covered Pinot in a decade, so we decided to do a reboot on the grape mini-series and add all the new information and insights I’ve gathered over the last 10+ years since the last one. From clones to climate change, we give the full story on Pinot and talk about how no two wines are alike and the many reasons they differ.
We cover the main growing regions in the Old World – Burgundy, Germany, Italy, etc – and the New World – California, Oregon, New Zealand, Chile, Australia and more – and discuss the style differences between the major regions.
This show is packed with information (and it’s got my opinions too, which may not be yours…don’t be offended!). If you love Pinot, check regularly on winefornormalpeople.com/classes for the Pinot Noir Around the World class, taught twice a year, and the Wines of Burgundy class, which is an intensive look at the birthplace of Pinot. Enjoy!
Podcasts Referenced:
Ep 296: Boundary Breaks of the Finger Lakes, Where Terroir Reigns Supreme Ep 269: From Doctor to One Woman Winery--Kerith Overstreet of Bruliam Ep 464: The Côte de Nuits of Bourgogne (Burgundy), Part 1 Ep 465: The Côte de Nuits of Bourgogne (Burgundy) Part 2 Ep 445: Côte de Beaune of Bourgogne (Burgundy), Part 1 Ep 446: Côte de Beaune of Bourgogne (Burgundy), Part 2 Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally.
Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order with my special URL. The holidays will be here before you know it -- plan ahead and order great wines for the season today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week we cover Australia’s coolest and most southerly region, Tasmania. This island, which is 240 km/150 off the mainland has had some starts and stops in wine, but the recent past has seen it on an upward trajectory for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, sparkling made of those grapes, plus Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Syrah, and Pinot Gris, among others. We give an overview of this very distinct Australian region, discuss terroir and climate, the sub areas, and then talk about the bright future of these high-acidity, elegant wines.
Photo: Vineyards in Tasmania. Credit: Getty Images/Canva
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally.
Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order with my special URL. The holidays will be here before you know it -- plan ahead and order great wines for the season today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Main Sources:
https://winetasmania.com.au
https://winecompanion.com.au/wineries/tasmania#:~:text=Tasmania%27s%20sparkling%20wines%20are%20globally,make%20it%20across%20the%20strait.
https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/wine/australia-tasmanian-wine/
https://www.wineaustralia.com/getmedia/c5183d77-1006-4028-9744-9d6dbd99e2a1/AWD_Tasmania_FacilitatorGuide.pdf?ext=.pdf
Get the back catalog on Patreon!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As suggested by patron Keith S, this week we take a detailed look at Madeira, the Portuguese island that makes a unique and delicious fortified wine! We discuss the very important history (it’s why the wine is made the way it is, so even if you hate history, don’t skip that part!), the geography and climate of this far-flung island, the grapes that thrive here, and the unbelievable way this fortified wine has been made for centuries.
Photo: Frasqueira Madeira, Boal 1977. Source: Getty Images (canva)
From the single varieties, to dryness levels, to aging levels, we give a broad overview of this complex wine. We share the facts about the wine and sprinkle in commentary about why we love it so much. There is always a bottle around here for a reason (and part of that reason: you can open it and it won’t spoil for months and months…!).
Ditch your idea of cheap cooking versions, this is the real Madeira and we hope this inspires you to try it!
As promised here is a list of the Madeira brands:
- HM Borges, Henriques & Henriques, J. Faria & Filhos, Justinos, Don Pablo, Pereira d’Oliveira, Barbeito, Broadbent, Madeira Vintners, and Madeira Wine Company (owns Blandy’s, Cossart Gordon, Miles Madeira, Atlantis)
Photo: The HM Borges Sercial and the Caracol from FitaPreta, DOC Madeirense.
Credit: WfNP
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally.
Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order with my special URL. The holidays will be here before you know it -- plan ahead and order great wines for the season today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
In this show, we share our best tips for traveling to wine regions. We cover planning and research, the best time of year to visit, and important factors once you’re on the ground. From getting a shipper so your wine is ready to check or ship, to stocking up on gas and provisions, to traveling with kids, we’ve got you covered.
Photo: Château Phelan-Segur. Credit: Wine For Normal People
Some key resources we mention: The WFNP podcast catalog is a great resource for finding wineries I recommend: www.winefornormalpeople.libysyn.com
The information on getting wine home, as published on the US Customs & Border Site: https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-212?language=en_US
I hope you enjoy this show and it makes wine travel more fun and relaxing! Happy trails!
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally.
Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order with my special URL. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
How can it be that we have never done an overview on New Zealand? We decided to remedy that this week. This is a sweeping look at the two-island nation that has a huge wine reputation, even though it only accounts for 1% of the wine made in the world.
In this show, we give an overview of the wine history of New Zealand, which is probably longer than you think, and then go through the regions to tell you how they differ from one another, why they are unique and the top wines you should look for. Although Marlborough represents 70% of wine made, we encourage you to look beyond it and try some of the other regions, which may just revive your love for the place with the most southerly wine regions in the world!
Check out the show notes for the podcasts that we've done that focus on specific areas of New Zealand with Happy Wine Woman , Simone Madden-Gray and Jeff Clarke of O:TU
Here are the podcasts we reference in the show:
- Ep 192: Hawke's Bay, NZ with Correspondent Simone Madden-Grey
- Ep 212: Central Otago, NZ with Simone Madden-Grey
Ep 223: North Canterbury, New Zealand's Hidden Gem with Simone Madden-Grey - Ep 235: The Rebirth of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with Simone Madden-Grey
- Ep 288: Martinborough, NZ and the Glory of Wellington Wine Country with Simone Madden-Grey
- Ep 475: Jeff Clarke of O:TU Wines - The Evolution of Marlborough, New Zealand Wines
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally.
Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order with my special URL. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
In this show, I welcome my friend and wine industry guru Daniel Posner, the owner of the prestigious New York retailer, Grapes, The Wine Company.
Daniel joined Grapes, The Wine Company in 2000 and was the managing partner by 2004. For the past 23 years, he has been a wine consultant, with clients from all over the globe. He travels to wine regions to meet with producers, winemakers, winery owners, especially in his favorite areas of Burgundy, Piedmont, Tuscany, and California. He knows the ins and outs of the New York wine scene, and the inside dirt that is pretty fascinating to those of us on the outside.
Daniel also serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Wine Retailers, a national trade organization founded in 2006, for which he served as President from 2011 to 2019. I met him at the NAWR conference, where he and frequent podcast guest Tom Wark were gracious enough to have me.
Daniel has been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wine Spectator, Food & Wine Magazine, Forbes Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal referred to him one of the most influential wine retailers in the United States.
From how companies in Europe get their wine to the us, to pricing and how the producers and consumers lose out through layers upon layers of markups, to the murky politics of wine and international wine scandals, in the last 20+ years, Daniel has seen it all and he shares it in this show. This podcast will teach you more about the business of wine than almost any other I’ve done. I often talk about the shady underbelly of wine – here it is, exposed in all its glory!
Check out Daniel's amazing, curated selection and order wine for shipping (where legal!).
https://www.grapesthewineco.com/
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally.
Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order with my special URL. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This time we dive into one of the three main grapes of the Northern Rhône: Marsanne. Related to Roussanne, the grape with which it is almost always blended, this grape reaches its heights in the wines of Hermitage in northern Rhône and does exceptional things around the world from Victoria and South Australia, to the US, to New Zealand and South Africa.
Photo: Chante-Alouette from Chapoutier, the wine we mention in the show.
Credit: Wine For Normal People
Although not a grape you will encounter as a standalone varietal that often, its contribution to the great whites of the Rhone can’t be underestimated. This grape is vital to understand if you are interested in diving deeper into the world of Rhône whites (which you definitely should do!).
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally.
Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order with my special URL. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Sources used in the show:
- Wines of the Rhone, Matt Walls (also listen to Episode 458 with Matt Walls)
- Wine Grapes, Dr. José Vouillamoz, Jancis Robinson, and Julia Harding
- Grapes & Wines, Oz Clarke and Margaret Rand
- Tablas Creek Blog (Also, episodes 162, 281, 440 with Jason Haas of Tablas Creek)
- Tahbilk Winery Site
- The Wine Cellar Insider
After reviewing some of the basics about Riesling (possibly my favorite white grape!), we talk about some other wines that may be interesting to try.
Photo: The Riesling grape. Credit: Getty Images, Canva
We start out with the ones on everyone’s list – Chenin Blanc, Torrontés, Albariño, Gewürztraminer, and Grüner Veltliner – but then venture deep into other territory, giving you some very different wines to consider!
From Pecorino to Malagouzia, this show will give you some great ideas for wines to try if you love Riesling but want to change it up a bit!
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally.
Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order with my special URL. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This show is a recap of the wine experiences that we had while spending three weeks in Portugal and tasting through as much of the wines from that country as we could!
Our itinerary included:
The Algarve in the southern part of the country – a beautiful, dramatic seaside area with sandstone and limestone cliffs, which drop into the sea. There, we stayed in Lagos, a lovely town with excellent food and some fantastic wine bars including Mosto (the best!), Taninos (also quite good), and Barbosa restaurant.
Other great restaurants were Pomo Italian and La Piazzetta Pizzeria Italiana in Odiaxére near Lagos (both run by real Italians with good Italian wine!), and Saffron Indian Restaurant.
Mosto Wine Shop in Lagos
Although we found that the native wines of the Algarve weren’t for us, we did have great bottles from Peninsula de Sétubal, Dão, and Douro, and some great Madeira and Port.
Then we spent a week in Cascais, outside of Lisbon. We visited the wine regions of Colares and Évora, a sub region of the Alentejo region.
I loved the wines of the oldest co-op in Europe in Colares – Adega Regional de Colares, which has helped keep winemaking alive in this small region and in Évora/Alentejo, the magical wines of Fitapreta.
This pod is full of travel tips and our recommendations of specific wines if you happen to be heading to central and southern Portugal. Enjoy!
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
While I was in Irpinia, Campania (southern Italy) earlier this year, I got to spend an afternoon and dinner with Antonio Capaldo, Chairman and mastermind behind Feudi di San Gregorio, the largest and one of the highest quality producers in the region. This episode recaps a lot of the really interesting conversations we had about the steady traction the region has gained in terms of reputation, the culture of art and how it connects with the wine, the bond of this region to its incredible past, and the challenges of being in a region that not enough people know about.
We discuss the potential for Irpinia to be known as a top white wine region in the world and how it will get there.
Photo: Antonio Capaldo, Feudi di San Gregorio
For all the background on Antonio and Feudi, please listen to Episode 337 and then come back to this show to dig into some of the fascinating issues producers face when they have everything going for them, and yet still have a hard time getting their wines to us. This should be an eye-opener!
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Eva Martinelli is a young, innovative, and experienced winemaker from Tuscany. She has a degree in oenology, a deep understanding of terroir of Chianti Classico, and an unrivaled passion for the region. She has worked harvests in New and Old World countries, after which she returned home to follow her dream of being a winemaker in the region she loves most.
Photo: Eva Martinelli, Credit:Wine For Normal People
I met Eva in May 2023, while on the tour of Tuscany with a group of Patrons. She works for a very historic winery in Chianti Classico, giving tours and managing the sales and tourism for that winery. The Patrons and I loved her and learned so many new things about Chianti Classico from her.
In this show we discuss the terroir of Chianti Classico from a more geological standpoint, the history of the region, and the honest truth about the struggle of young, talented winemakers in Chianti Classico and other parts of Italy.
Here is her list of her three favorite wineries in Radda in Chianti (Patreon show notes have an expanded list):
-Fattoria di Montemaggio -Podere Capaccia -Il Barlettaio This is an eye-opening show and a great one to learn general info about Chianti from an objective expert who has no brand agenda or marketing angle to put forward!
Cheers to Eva and all the young winemakers of Chianti Classico!
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Big news! Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, just gave a haircut to the price of my wine club with them! Now it's juts $150 for 6 bottles of amazing wines that I select, write about, and record videos on! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my wine club with Wine Access and get 10% your first order.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This episode is all about the Leelanau Peninsula AVA of Michigan (a state in the midwestern US, on the Canadian border). Drew Perry, head of Production for Simpson Family Estates, a family business located on the peninsula, joins to educate us about this very unique area, which has been making wine since the 1970s. We discuss the land, the climate, and the history of this region, which is an essential part of the terroir here.
Photo: Drew Perry of Good Harbor Vineyards & Aurora Cellars. Credit: Simpson Family Estates
Drew tells us about his time in the industry and about being head of Production at Simpson Family Estates, which owns the award-winning brands Good Harbor Vineyards and Aurora Cellars. They make delicious sparkling, whites and reds from this unique terroir. These are great wines and definitely worth checking out (they ship!). I mention my favorites in the show!
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Agathe Bellanger from Le Brun de Neuville Champagne joins to discuss the Chardonnay-centric Côte de Sézanne, the role of growers and smaller co-ops, the terroir of this small sub-region, and the beautiful wines her group makes. I LOVE these wines, which focus on longer lees aging.
Agathe Bellanger, Champagne Le Brun de Neuville.
Here are the lines of wines from Le Brun de Neuville:
The Côte : This is their house style, representing 80% of production. The goal of these wines is to express the terroir and the essence of Chardonnay. They are aged 3 to 4 years on the lees (the mandatory minimum is 15 months, and they go above and beyond). There are several wines in this line including a Demi-sec.
Les Chamins: Three wines in this line -- a blanc de blancs, rosé, and a Chardonnay and Pinot Noir blend -- are all single vineyard wines that represent specific plots and villages. In a nod to the historic methods, this wine is aged under cork instead of a crown cap. This method allows more oxygen transfer, and produces more complex flavors. Aged 4-5 years on the lees, this wine is excellent with food -- it is more gastronomic.
Autolyse: Made only in best years, these wines show what the top wines that have excellent aging potential can offer. These wines are aged 10-14 years on the lees. The blanc de blancs, rosé, a cuvee with 86% Pinot Noir (their only wine with a Pinot lead) are wines of terroir but also exhibit Champagne's characteristic breadiness from long aging. These wines are dedicated to people who like older wines
Vintage – MILLÉSIME. These wines are only released in top years. Right now 2008 and 2009 are available in the market with 2012 for rose. These wines age for a long time and show the best of the best years.
Seek these out! They are unbelievably delicious!
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Campania was one of the most famous wine regions of antiquity. The pedigree of Fiano, Greco, and Aglianico are well documented in literature of the time (including Pliny the Elder’s Naturalis Historius)! These wines have a legacy of cultivation for more than 2000 years on this land, and since the 1700s, the Mastroberardino family have taken the lead in protecting and elevating the region and its wines. This family kept these ancient grapes alive when all others abandoned them, and have been tireless champions of the grapes, the wines, and the region for centuries.
Mastroberardino has been called the “guardian” of the wine history of Campania and they are the most historically significant winery in southern Italy.
Photo: Piero Mastroberardino. Credit: Kellogg Wine Selections
This show features the brilliant Piero Mastroberardino, whom I had the honor and pleasure of meeting when I was in Campania. He makes one of the single best wines I have ever had (Stilèma Taurasi) and all of these wines are fantastic.
Here's a link to the wines of Mastroberardino, most of which we discuss in the show!
Photo: The vines of Taurasi. Credit: Wine For Normal People
Full show notes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
When we were on our last day of the Patron trip in Tuscany, we had our final dinner in Bolgheri at a fairly new winery, Le Vigne di Silvia. This farm is owned by a family that was as kind as they could be. It was everything you could hope for when visiting an Italian family -- great food, welcoming hospitality, homey vibe, and great wine!
Photo: Stefania Fuselli, left. Silvia Fuselli, right. Credit: Le Vigne di Silvia
Le Vigne di Silvia was started by Silvia Fuselli, famed former pro footballer (soccer player), her brilliant sister Stefania, the star of this podcast, and her parents.
Photo: From left to right Silvia Fuselli, Carlo Fuselli, Stefania Fuselli, Lavinia Fuselli. Credit: Le Vigne di Silvia
There's nothing better than finding a family-owned winery where the wines are great and the people making them as wonderful. The Vermentino (Giochessa) was outstanding, the Artemio (Cab/Cab Franc blend) silky and lovely, and the Itinerante (all Cabernet Franc) nuanced and layered.
Stefania shares her family's story, how the winery got started, and shares great information about Bolgheri.
The show is such a great look at what it takes to start a winery (and about the history of immigration in Italy too!). This upstart has a huge future. The only downside --as of the release of this show, they aren't imported into the US yet, so if you know anyone, contact me or them! I know many people who will pre-order -- me included!
For details and full show notes go to Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. If you want to find small, family-owned brands, this is the site for you! They scour the globe looking for awesome wines you can't get anywhere else. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine.
Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order.
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
First, if you haven’t checked out my new site – shout out to Polly Hammond, my dear friend and a complete rockstar at www.5forests.com!
This time, we decided to do this show as a good set up for next week’s show with Stefania Fuselli, one of the sisters who runs Le Vigne di Silvia, an outstanding family winery that the Patrons and I visited while in Bolgheri. I am so excited to share that winery with you, but I felt it would be a better experience if we first explained what Bolgheri is, since as MC Ice points out, it’s still a little obscure to many people.
Map: Wikipedia
The bottom line: Bolgheri is the birthplace of the ‘Super Tuscan’ movement
Bolgheri is a small DOC on the Tuscan coast in the province of Livorno, where the hills taper off to the sea. Bolgheri itself is a tiny village (blink and you may miss it!), famed for a cypress-lined avenue that is one of the most photographed sites in Italy! Bolgheri is home to the OG “Super Tuscan” wine – Sassicaia (Tenuta San Guido), which now has its own DOC – Bolgheri Sassicaia (the only monopole in Italy).
Photo: Bolgheri Mountains. Credit: Wine For Normal People
For details and full show notes go to Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Jeff Clarke has been a winemaker in Marlborough New Zealand for decades, starting at one of the companies that pioneered the Sauvignon Blanc of the region, Montana Wines. Jeff is an award-winning, world famous winemaker who is now at OTU Wine Estate in the Awatere Valley and I discovered his wines through Wine Access — his Sauvignon Blanc was unlike any other Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc I’ve had! I had to have him on to discuss this unique style and what is going on in the region.
Jeff Clarke, head winemkaer at O:TU Wines. Credit: O:TU Wines
Jeff is an expert in the wine of Marlborough and at OTU, he makes very terroir specific wines, which represent the evolution of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and the other wines of this region.
If you like the general style of these Sauvignon Blancs but you want to taste a more refined, elegant, herbal, and nuanced version — here is your shot! After you hear the show, you'll want to seek O:TU wines immediately.
Credit: O:TU Wines
Full show notes and all trip details are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. I found O:TU Wines on Wine Access and even included them in my co-branded wine club with Wine Access www.wineaccess.com/normal
If you want to find other wines like O:TU go to my page at www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
You’ll be able to tell how much I loved Campania/Irpinia by how enthusiastic I am in the show. If you don’t know the wines of this underrated region, you need to begin your exploration immediately. Fiano, Greco, and Aglianico make some of the best wines in the world, and yet for various reasons, they don’t get the credit they deserve. Maybe if we, as wine lovers, show more interest, the mainstream and retailers will get the idea that these are significant wines that need more attention. Grass roots wine love! Let’s change things for Campania!
Here is a list of the producers I visited:
- DiMeo
- Petilia
- Feudi di San Gregorio
- Mastroberardino
Full show notes and all trip details are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This show is a recap of a the recent trip through Tuscany that my travel partner, Tourissimo, and I organized for a group of 19 Patrons (join Patreon so you can make the next one!). We go through the major DOCGs/DOCs we visited and I share some interesting things I learned and observed. A great one for armchair travel!
Here are the DOCGs we explored:
- Vernaccia di San Gimignano
- Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
- Chianti Classico
- Brunello di Montalcino
- Morellino di Scansano
And the DOCs Maremma and Bolgheri
My big takeaway from the trip: I am more optimistic than ever about Tuscan wines, which just keep getting better and better. If you don’t have experience with these wines, I would recommend checking them out (especially if you like Italian food since what grows together, goes together!).
Chianti Classico, view from Castello Brolio, Ricasoli 1141. Credit: Wine For Normal People
A few shout outs!
- To Heather, Beppe, and Silvia from Tourissimo, for being the best partners ever!
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To Wine Access for hooking us up with some great visits to Castello Romitorio and San Filippo
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Hotel della Fortezza and Fidalma -- go see them in Sorano for a great stay and a great meal!
Full show notes and all trip details are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Alert: David is so awesome that he has offered us a discount on your purchase of GlasVin! Use code: WINEFORNORMALPEOPLE for 10% off (Patrons, please see Patreon for a deeper discount!)
We have never before had on a glassware producer because, in the past, it has been a very limited field. One company dominated and sometimes their products made no sense because, like many things in wine, there were too many options and not enough differentiation for normal wine drinkers.
https://glas.vin/
But in recent years new glassware companies have burst onto the scene. I’ve tried many, many of those glasses, but the only one that actually captured my attention and that I decided to use as more than a sample was GlasVin. They are very light, very thin, and yet more durable than some of their competitors.
GlasVin was founded in 2020 by David Kong, who left his job at a hedge fund to start the company and today, his mission is to deliver handcrafted glasses at affordable prices. He was a Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient in 2022 and today he joins to tell us about the glassware industry and how he created what I think are the best new glasses to hit the market.
David Kong, CEO of GlasVin
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I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week we see if there are any wines that can stand up to Mexican food. As with all our episodes like this, we ordered a lot of traditional Mexican and TexMex dishes that included common ingredients. Then we paired up wines that are most commonly recommended, plus a few that I think may be good options that most people don't talk about.
Photo credit: Canva
As we always do, we went through lots of wine and food combos and some really nasty pairings to get the results. True to form, conventional wisdom mostly failed us and what worked really well sort of surprised us.
Although we all have different preferences and palates, this show may give you an idea of what works with Mexican and the reasons why. I always find it particularly interesting to sit down and test these recommended pairings because often I think the people recommending them are pairing based on theory, rather than on reality. Take a listen, test it out, see for yourself.
Full show notes are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!
_______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
One of the confusing things about wine is that often we can identify a wine and the basic facts about it -- we may have even tasted it -- but because it’s not obvious, we don’t know the grapes behind the wine. Although I bet you've heard of Tokaji, the great sweet wine of Hungary, you may not be familiar with Furmint, the main white grape that makes the wine sing and that usually makes up 85-90% of the blend of Tokaji.
What you also may not know is that this grape is not just for sweet wines. Starting around the year 2000, ambitious, creative producers began a quest to make quality dry wine from the grape and have had a quite a lot of success over the last 20+ years.
In this show we discuss Furmint, the white grape native to Tokaj-Hegyalia wine region of northeastern Hungary, that makes everything from simple bone-dry wine to complex oak-aged versions, to sparkling wine, to the classic botrytized sweet wines, Tokaji.
Full show notes are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!
Photo: The Furmint grape. Credit: Wines of Hungary
Podcast Sources:
https://winesofhungary.hu https://tastehungary.com/journal/furmint-forever/ http://furmintusa.com https://www.austrianwine.com/our-wine/grape-varieties/white-wine/furmint https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/furmint-grape-february https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/feb/15/wine-is-furmint-the-tastiest-grape-youve-never-heard-of https://fps.ucdavis.edu/fgrdetails.cfm?varietyid=682 https://www.decanter.com/sponsored/furmint-the-journey-continues-474688/ _______________________________________________________________
I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
ontent, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Bruno Corneaux is the proprietor at Domaine Divio in the heart of the Ribbon Ridge AVA in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.
Bruno Corneaux of Domaine Divio. Photo credit: Domaine Divio
As it is in his native home outside of Beaune in Burgundy, Bruno is a true vigneron at the Domaine– caring for both the vineyards and the cellar. His wines are among the best I have tasted from Willamette, with a combination of elegance, fruit, and earthy, spicy notes in both the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The wines are distinctly Oregon in character, but with a nod to the acidity and structure of the wines of Burgundy.
We discuss his history, his philosophy, Oregon, and his lovely wines. A great show, pretty dorky, with some good controversial topics (you may know my feelings on Oregon...) Domaine Divio is not distributed in the US, so you can get the wines at domainedivio.com and you won’t regret it!
Photo: The sign of Domaine Divio outside the tasting room. Credit: Wine For Normal People
Full show notes are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!
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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. The best, wine the best selection – this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access – their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Comté is an ancient cooked and pressed cheese made from raw milk. It's made using special breeds of cows, and in designated places with historic and cultural significance. The high quality is well regarded, as evidenced by the fact that Comté is the most consumed AOC/PDO cheese in France.
I welcome communications director for Comté, Aurélia Chimier, and Jean-Louis Carbonnier of Carbonnier Communications who does communications for Comté in the US, along with other clients – he has been on the show before talking about (Chateau Palmer).
We dig into this wonderful cheese that has striking similarities to wine in terroir, craftsmanship, and cultural significance. This was a nice stroll into another, related part of the culinary world. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Please visit https://comte-usa.com/ for more information
Here is a link to the podcast I did with the cheese master that I mention in the show.
Full show notes are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!
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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. The best, wine the best selection – this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access – their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Hailing from the southern Côtes du Rhône, Tavel is a 100% rosé AOC and is one of the only rosé only AOCs in France. It is the darkest rosé made and it is in a different class of wine, more similar to the clairets of old (light reds) than the rosés of the modern day.
Photo: Chateau de Trinquevedel, Credit Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Importer
Located across the Rhône from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, just north of Avignon this small region makes what many writers have called a fourth type of still wine. These wines are dark in color, and bold in flavor with bright minerality, a touch of tannin, a round body, and intense fruit and herbal notes. Using a blend of uniquely Rhône grapes, it relies not just on reds but on whites, which are co-fermented to generate complexity and maintain acidity. Unlike many rosés, these wines can age for years or decades and improve with time.
With multiple soil types, and a legacy that dates back to the Avignon Popes, this wine is no ordinary rosé. It deserves its place among the greatest wines in the world, and after you hear this (and taste the wine) you’ll be sure to agree!
Photo: Vins-Rhone
Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!
Sources used:
Rosés of Southern France by Elizabeth Gabay and Ben Bernheim
Vins-Rhone
Syndicat Viticole de l’Appellation Tavel Elizabeth Gabay MW on what makes Tavel rosé so different, The Buyer Wines of the Rhône by Matt Walls
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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. The best, wine the best selection – this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access – their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week we explore the Mencía grape of northwestern Spain, and northern Portugal, where it is called Jaen. This is a grape variety that hasn’t strayed far from home, as almost all plantings of it are in this corner of the Iberian Peninsula.
Although it is likely native to Portugal, Spain grows more than three times what Portugal grows and the grape has become the flagship of a number of revived regions that are building back their international reputations for exceptional wine from this singular grape that tastes a little like a lot of things but nothing like anything you’ve ever had 🤣.
Silky, fruity, earthy, refreshing, yet perfumed and elegant, Mencía is an unbelievable grape and one that you will have you clamoring for more once you give it a try!
Photo credit SanchoPanzaXXI - CC BY-SA 3.0 Mencia in Ribeira Sacra, Spain
Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!
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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. The best, wine the best selection – this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access – their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week’s show covers the southern part of the Côte de Nuits, south of Gevrey-Chambertin. In this part of the Côte de Nuits you will find some of the most famed, expensive and coveted Pinot Noir on earth. We start with a recap of episode 464 to tie these two shows together. Then we work our way through the southern half of the Côte de Nuits. Like the first show, this is quite a download and we try to provide a structure for understanding this study in terroir, and what matters most when thinking about Burgundy's Pinot Noir.
The Côte de Nuits lies between the city of Dijon in the north and hamlet of Nuits-Saint-Georges in the south (from which the Côte takes its name). In this small area, you will find most famed, expensive, and best Pinot Noir on earth. Most producers make less than 1,000 cases of wine a year and the prices boggle the mind.
Map: Vins-Bourgogne
This time we jump right in and cover the communes south of Gevrey-Chambertin. These regions include vineyards that produce some of the most famed and expensive wines in the world. We cover:
- Morey-Saint-Denis and its Grands Crus
- Chambolle-Musigny and its Grands Crus
- Vougeot and its Grand Cru
- Flagey-Échezeaux and its Grands Crus
- Vosne-Romanée and its Grand Crus
- Nuits-Saint-Georges
We reference these podcasts in the show:
- Ep 464: The Côte de Nuits of Bourgogne (Burgundy), Part 1
- Ep 445: Côte de Beaune, Part 1
- Ep 446: Côte de Beaune, Part 2
Here's a map of the Côte de Nuits to reference during the show
Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!
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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. The best, wine the best selection – this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access – their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Sources:
- The Vins de Bourgogne site
- The Oxford Encyclopedia of Wine, Jancis Robinson, et al
- The World Atlas of Wine, Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson
- The Wines of Burgundy, Clive Coates, MW
This week’s show covers the Côte de Nuits: the northern part of Côte d’Or, the famed ‘golden slope’ of Burgundy.
Map: Vins de Bourgogne
The Côte de Nuits lies between the city of Dijon in the north and hamlet of Nuits-Saint-Georges in the south (from which the Côte takes its name). In this small area, you will find most famed, expensive, and best Pinot Noir on earth. Most producers make less than 1,000 cases of wine a year and the prices boggle the mind.
Like the Côte de Beaune, this is a big topic with so much nuance. Because you can never be reminded enough times, we review the history, geography, and climate of the Côte d’Or, with an emphasis on the Côte de Nuits. After this, we start our way down the Côte de Nuits (and don’t make it too far!) we cover:
- Haute Côte de Nuits
- Côte de Nuits-Village
- Marsannay
- Fixin
- Gevrey-Chambertin and its Grand Crus
- Link to a map of the Grands Crus of Gevrey Chambertin
We reference these podcasts in the show:
- Ep 445: Côte de Beaune, Part 1
- Ep 446: Côte de Beaune, Part 2
- Ep 227: Derek Van Dam, CNN Weatherman on Weather and Wine
- Ep 424: David Morrison, PhD, of the Wine Gourd (wine and health
Here's a map of the Côte de Nuits to reference during the show
Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!
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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. And join my wine club. Click here to sign up!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Sources:
- The Vins de Bourgogne site
- The Oxford Encyclopedia of Wine, Jancis Robinson, et al
- The Wines of Burgundy, Clive Coates, MW
Our antipodean correspondent, Simone Madden-Grey joins the podcast again (man, scheduling over the last few years has been hard!)! She gets us up to speed on one of the exciting trends in Australian wine right now: alternative varieties (like Fiano, Vermentino, Tempranillo, and more!)
We define alternative varieties, discuss the impetus for this movement, and the proof points for the movement being more than a fad. We discuss the importance of the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show.
We cover:
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Current forces challenging Australian wine in general – China, difficulties in the US market, and some challenges with alternative varieties with Italy, specifically
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Key regions (GIs – geographical indications) that are making great alternative varieties – Riverland, Murray-Darling, and Beechworth, among others.
Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!
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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. And join my wine club. Click here to sign up!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This episode presents our first ever producer on from the northern Rhône – Aurelien Chirat from Vignobles Chirat.
Photo: Aurelien Chirat. Credit: WFNP
Located in the steep terraced slopes overlooking the Rhone, in the village of Saint Michel sur Rhône, Vignobles Chirat began in 1925 when Benoit Chirat harvested his first Syrah at the Domaine. In 1948, his son George joined and worked with Benoit until 1970. Viognier was planted on their site in Condrieu in 1980 and the real changes to the domaine happened when, in 1984, Gilbert Chirat took over the domain. Within 6 years of his taking the reins, he stopped all the polyculture on the estate and focused only on Syrah and Viognier.
The family moved from focusing on Condrieu, to the wines of Saint Joseph, and then added Côte Rôtie. Aurelien Chirat joined his father in 2012, after completing his studies and working in New Zealand, Burgundy and the south of France. We welcome Aurelien, who I had the pleasure of meeting and spending a lot of time with last year, at the Domaine, learning, and discovering all sorts of things about the northern Rhone I didn’t know.
As always, we discuss, land, winemaking, history, and tradition. For full show notes, join our membership community, Patreon.
Here are the wines we discuss:
- From Condrieu: Clos Poncin, Les Chays , Sous L'Eglise, Viognier “Or Piste”
- From St. Joseph: Soliste, La Côte, Syrah “Or Piste “
- Côte Rôtie
Photo: Chirat Condrieu. Credit: WFNP
In the US, many of the wines are available in Total Wine because Chirat works with the negociant business of Laurent Delaunay, who has been on the podcast.
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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. This time we have the WFNP/Wine Access Wine Club! Sign up today to get 6 bottles I select once a quarter. Excellent wines that represent classic examples of the wine region from which they hail.
Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. Wine Access is a class act -- check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, full show notes, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Here's the of Alternatives to Chardonnay list from the show!
Photo: Chardonnay grapes. Credit: Getty images via Canva
Chablis-Influenced – other cool climate wines
- Alsace Pinot blanc or Alto Adige Pinot bianco
- Dry Chenin Blanc from Loire – Savennieres (more than Vouvray)
- Sancerre (same soils)
- Muscadet – lees aging
- Godello from Valdeorras or Ribeira Sacra
Bourgogne style –More floral, fuller, neutral to medium oak, malolactic fermentation -- full or part, mineral driven, herbal
- Pecorino – Marche, Abruzzo
- Soave
- Fiano
- Avesso from Vinho Verde
- Lisboa blends – Fernao Pires blends
- White Rhône blends – especially with Roussanne or Marsanne as the lead (viognier is too peachy, Grenache blanc too herbal)
- Gamay – Beaujolais
- New world Chenin Blanc – old vine from CA or South Africa
Heavier – oak, fuller bodied, peachy, tropical, bready (lees influence)
- White Rioja
- White Priorat and CndP – big wines
- Aged Hunter Valley Semillon (Australia, New South Wales)
- Possibly Grüner Veltliner because of the melon, tropical notes, smooth body but a little too “green” for a Chardonnay substitute
Sparkling (hard to find a substitute!) we recommend:
- Crémant de Loire (Chenin)
- Crémant de Alsace (Pinot Blanc)
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Thanks to our sponsors:
I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Wines Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Check out my favorite wines on the page at www.wineaccess.com/normal, sign up for their daily emails, and join one of their wine clubs...AND get 10% your first order!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please consider virtually buying us some bottles by becoming a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Map: Sonoma County AVAs. Sonoma County Winegrowers
Over the last 12 years we’ve done so much on Sonoma but I realized that we’ve never done a podcast outlining the areas of Sonoma to give form to this wine paradise that has 18 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) and covers more than a million acres of land (405,000 ha) of which more than 60,000 acres are planted to grapes.
Sonoma is still full of small, family-owned vineyards. It’s estimated that at least 85% of Sonoma County’s vineyards are family owned and operated and 80% of vineyards are less than 100 acres (40% are less than 20 acres). The Sonoma landscape incorporates coastal ranges, valleys, mountains, flats, benchlands, and innumerable soils and microclimates, including a multitude of producers with different styles and ideas of what to grow.
In this show, we try to compartmentalize the areas of Sonoma, to help you figure out the big areas and their specialties.
Here are the show notes:
We start with generalities…
- Climate: There are sunny days and almost no rain from May through September with most areas cooler near the coast and warmer inland. The Pacific Ocean/Petaluma Gap and San Pablo Bay serve as cooling influences for the western and southern regions of Sonoma County
- Land: Elevations and slopes slow ripening, provide poor soils with excellent drainage, and create complex wines. Wines from valley floors are simpler. Matching grape to site is important given soil, elevation, and climate diversity.
- Grapes: Everyone grows everything! You’ll find dozens of varieties growing in Sonoma.
Moon Mountain AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers
Most of the show is spent detailing the valleys. Here is the quick and dirty on each area:
Sonoma Valley
Sonoma Valley AVA: Centers on the Sonoma Valley in the southeastern part of the county. It gets cool air from the San Pablo Bay in the south, and protection from the cool influence of the Pacific in the west from Sonoma Mountain. There are dozens of different soils from very fertile on the valley floor, to well-drained and poor on the hills and mountains
Sonoma Valley has 4 AVAs within it: Moon Mountain, Sonoma Mountain, Bennett Valley, Carneros
- Moon Mountain District AVA is on the steep western slope of the Mayacamas Mountains. It has the famed Monte Rosso vineyard and specializes in Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.
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Sonoma Mountain AVA is at high altitude, with steep vineyards on eastern exposures. The vineyards rise above the fog line, allowing grapes to ripen more fully in the sunlight. Basalt soils make good Cabernet Sauvignon. Other grapes are: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel
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Bennett Valley AVA is Sonoma Valley’s smallest AVA. It’s a series of small vineyards in the slopes, hills, and ridges between Taylor Mountain, Sonoma Mountain, and Bennett Peak. In the moderately cool climate, with a long hang time, Rhône varieties do well as does Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and grapes like Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier with acidity. Pinot Noir acreage is increasing.
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Los Carneros AVA straddles Napa and Sonoma counties. It hugs the San Pablo Bay, and is one of the coolest AVAs in the area, with moderately cool and windy days and early morning fog. The soil is compressed clay and very consistent, this and the weather limits vigor. Chardonnay is 50%, Pinot 43%. Merlot makes excellent wine on the clay soils.
Bennett Valley AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers
Town to stay in if visiting the area: Sonoma
** Sonoma Valley is a discrete part of the larger Sonoma County. When producers use a general AVA for grapes from a combined region, it’s Sonoma County.
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COASTAL APPELLATIONS (mainly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir areas)
Sonoma Coast AVA: Goes from the San Pablo Bay to the border of Mendocino County in the north. This appellation is too large to have meaning – it can be cold and rugged near the coast or warm and sheltered inland, producing very different styles of wine. The expectation is that the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that have the “Sonoma Coast” label are actually from coastal vineyards, but that’s not true. We tell the story of how this AVA got to be so muddled and then talk about the 3 AVAs that were set up to rectify the issue:
- Petaluma Gap AVA: 25 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, the AVA runs from the Pacific Coast at Bodega Bay, southeast to San Pablo Bay, and has a mild Mediterranean climate. The defining feature is the wind gap in the coastal range, which funnels in cool coastal marine air bringing fog and cool afternoon breezes. The cool climate lower yields and help Pinot Noir (75% of plantings), Chardonnay and Syrah the grapes retain acidity.
- The West Sonoma Coast AVA (got it in 2022): Stretches from the Mendocino County border to the northern coastal border of the Petaluma Gap AVA. The area includes ONLY areas where coastal influence reaches – it is remote with cooler marine temperatures and much fog at elevation. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the main grapes.
- Fort Ross-Seaview AVA: Located on the outskirts of the Pacific Ocean, with major coastal influence, and high elevation, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay have excellent acidity.
Towns to stay in: Petaluma, Jenner, Bodega Bay
West Sonoma Coast AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers
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RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY AVA (Pinot Noir, but Rhône and Italian varietals are great too in certain regions)
Russian River Valley AVA is known for Pinot Noir. The constant cooling fog from the Pacific Ocean, coming from the Petaluma Wind Gap creates big diurnal swings, so grapes have a long growing season to develop flavor in the western part of the AVA.
The reality is that the Russian River Valley encompasses warm and cool areas. There are 5 Neighborhoods within Russian River Valley, which are used to discuss the cooler places that are more suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (Laguna Ridge, Sebastapol Hills, parts of the Middle Reach) and those that are suited to warmer climate grapes like Rhône varieties, Zinfandel, and Italian varieties (parts of the Middle Reach, Santa Rosa Plains, Eastern Hills)
- Green Valley of Russian River Valley SUB AVA of Russian River is in the southwestern part of the Russian River Valley, surrounded by Sebastopol, Forestville and Occidental. It is very cool, foggy, with heavy coastal influences and produces acidic, less extracted Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and sparkling wines on its Goldridge (yellow, sandy) soil
Chalk Hill AVA is in the northeast part of Russian River Valley and has less marine influence and fog. It has rocky, chalk soils so they do grow Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, but they also grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.
Town to stay in: Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, or Windsor
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DRY CREEK VALLEY AVA (Zinfandel central)
Dry Creek is the easiest valley to visit (2 roads, 5 stop signs!) and probably the easiest to understand. It is known for exceptional Zinfandel. It’s in northern Sonoma County, 20 miles/32 km east of the Pacific Ocean. The Coastal Range blocks a lot of the cooler air from flooding the Dry Creek, giving it hotter days and slimmer diurnal swings at night. The vineyards lie on hillsides, benchlands, and the valley floor at different elevations and on different soils – from loam to clay to gravel. Zinfandel is 30% of plantings and is more elegant, and “old school” (especially from producers like Nalle or Peterson – friends of the pod!). The flavors are less like black fruit and more like raspberry, pomegranate with acidity and moderate alcohol. Other varieties grown are: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay very good Italian and Rhone Varieties, Bordeaux varieties grown too
Rockpile (Dry-Creek Adjacent, great Zin!): On the northern part of Dry Creek Valley, at high elevations beyond the fog, the AVA is great for rich, dense reds – Zin especially is famed (Bruliam does a great job and a friend of the show!)
Town to stay in: Healdsburg or Windsor
Dry Creek AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers
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ALEXANDER VALLEY (known for Cabernet Sauvignon)
Alexander Valley AVA: In northeastern Sonoma County, north of Healdsburg, the Russian River flows through h the Alexander Valley. It gets some cool marine air from the Pacific Ocean, and wind can cool mornings and evenings. Daytime heat spikes will ripen the grapes, but the cool wind will preserve the acidity in the classic Cabernet Sauvignon, which is so coveted, that many Napa wineries grow Cab here for top cuvees.
Pine Mountain – Cloverdale Peak (Alexander Valley adjacent) AVA: This small area overlaps the northernmost portions of the Alexander Valley AVA. It is steep with high elevations and grows a number of grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon.
Alexander Valley AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers
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Less visit-able places (yes, I know that’s not a word)…
Knights Valley AVA is right next to Mount St. Helena, and has well-drained soils, but very warm temperatures with no Pacific or San Pablo Bay influence. Elevation is the only cooling factor in this area that has volcanic and alluvial gravel and focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon (2/3 of plantings) and other Bordeaux varietals. Kendall Jackson owns most of Knights Valley.
Northern Sonoma AVA: Too huge for any meaning – most producers use Sonoma County AVA. It includes Chalk Hill, Knights Valley, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, and most of Green Valley.
Fountaingrove AVA (2015) – mostly growers, few wineries. Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals, some Rhône varietals – Syrah, Viognier, Petite Sirah plus smatterings of everything. It’s too hot for Pinot and Chard except in a few key north-facing sites
So much to explore! Sonoma is a place you can need get enough of, but hopefully this episode gives some form to exactly what you want to do when you finally make it out there!
Some of my favorite people mentioned: @sonomawineguy on Twitter and other Social Media, Nalle Winery, Crux Winery, Bruliam Winery, Keller Estate, Inman Family, Kieran Robinson Wines, Truchard Winery, (and I forgot to mention...Longboard Vineyards in Russian River!).
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Thanks to our sponsors:
I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Wines Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Check out my favorite wines on the page at www.wineaccess.com/normal, sign up for their daily emails, and join one of their wine clubs...AND get 10% your first order!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please consider virtually buying us some bottles by becoming a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Sources for this show:
- https://sonomawinegrape.org/scw/sonoma-county-territory/
- www.sonomavalleywine.com
- https://petalumagap.com/
- russianrivervalley.org
- www.wdcv.com
- www.greenvalley-russianriver.com
- www.bvgg.org
- www.carneros.com
- www.alexandervalley.org
Jean Pierre Foubet is the managing director of and chief communicator for Château Chasse-Spleen, the best estate in Moulis appellation of the Médoc. His wife, Celine Villars-Foubet is the owner of the estate, and together they have brought this château to new heights in quality and prestige.
Photo: Jean Pierre Foubet. Credit: ROLAND COIFFE & ASSOCIÉS
According to Jane Anson, in her book “Inside Bordeaux”:
“One of the star estates of Moulis, Chasse-Spleen is one of only two that I can think of that would have a fair chance of being recognized if the 1855 ranking were to be carried out today”
With their modern outlook, but respect for tradition, they have kept the wine on a path of constant improvement. They have transformed their château into a natural and man-made paradise, one that marries tradition with modernity in the form of art. From the barrel room, to the grounds, to the art gallery, and the accommodations for guests, Chasse-Spleen is a model for how to bring a château into the 21st century.
Céline and Jean-Pierre’s personalities, hospitality, and passion show through and it makes the experience of the wines so special, as I found out when I had the pleasure of staying there and spending an evening sipping the unbelievable wine, eating a delicious meal, and having so much fun and many, many laughs with the two of them in 2022.
Jean Pierre joins to tell us about Moulis, Chasse-Spleen, and explains some things to me that I always wanted to ask!
Photo: Jean Pierre Foubet and me, June 2022. Credit: WFNP
Here are some of topics Jean-Pierre and I discuss:
Jean-Pierre talks about the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation, of which he is the head:
- The unique location at “elevation” in Médoc, 17 meters
- The soil diversity with gravel, clay, and composite soils, and how that yields a variety of wine styles
- How practices must be altered in the vineyard, not in the cellar to handle climate change
- How Listrac and Moulis differ, and why it makes sense that they eventually join as one appellation – and how there are three very strong Chateaux (“locomotives” as Jean-Pierre calls them –Chasse-Spleen, Grand Poujeaux, Maucaillou) which are famed all over Europe and carry the reputation for the 34 other châteaux)
Map: AOC Moulis
Then we discuss Chasse-Spleen, an unofficial Grand Cru of the Médoc.
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Jean-Pierre tells us about the early history of Chasse-Spleen, the English origins of its name and its history of women ownership. We discuss some of the harder times in Bordeaux and touch on the difficulties of upkeep of a château.
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We talk about the terroir of Chasse-Spleen – its size (175 ha) and its large percentage of gravel in the vineyard, and how it plants to the soil (it is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon because that reflects how much gravel they have, and 30% Merlot on clay-limestone soils).
Chateau Chasse-Spleen, Credit: Moulis.com
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Jean Pierre tries to explain the difference between second wines and other cuvees to me. He does it successfully for Chasse-Spleen (L’Ermitage de Chasse Spleen is an Haut-Médoc “other” cuvee, and L’Oratoire de Chasse Spleen is a true second wine). We leave with the conclusion that I may never know what is actually a second wine from other chateau because no one really knows!
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In the spirit of asking every question I’ve ever had about how Bordeaux works 🤣🤣, I ask about Chasse-Spleen’s consultant, Eric Boissenot. He is very well respected and known to be a champion of terroir, but I ask Jean Pierre how difficult it is to make sure that Eric helps them to make wine that represents their land and doesn’t taste like the other properties for which he consults. We also discuss the famed consultant, Michel Rolland, who is famed for helping chateaux and wineries devise wines that would get 100-point scores from Robert Parker.
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We discuss Chasse-Spleen’s wine and why it is so ageworthy. We talk about the 1855 classification, what it represents and what it doesn’t and how Chasse Spleen, despite being out of the ranking, sells far better than 5th growth Château Camensac, which the Villars -Foubet family also own. The conversation incorporates the decision for Chasse-Spleen to leave the Cru Bourgeois classification as well (many top châteaux left after the last round).
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We discuss their refreshing, lively white wine (mostly Sémillon) and Jean Pierre expresses skepticism about a potential Médoc Blanc appellation (I still think it’s a great idea!)
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We end my talking about Céline and Jean Pierre’s love of art and how they have incorporated it into Chasse-Spleen in creative and magical ways – from the life-like 3 meter high boots outside the Château, which help them remember that workers make the Château what it is, to the eclectic art collection, to the 3-D perspective painting in the chai (barrel room). If you are interested in staying at the Château, contact them here.
The Chai (pronounced shay) at Chasse-Spleen. Credit Chasse-Spleen
This was a great conversation with one of the top château of the Médoc. Once you try Chasse-Spleen, you’ll see why it is such a special wine, that rivals top Medoc wines.
A special thanks to Jean Pierre and Céline for their hospitality and again to the Wines of Médoc and Carole Vidal for the trip there last year, where I was able to visit Chasse Spleen.
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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Wines Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Check out my favorite wines on the page at www.wineaccess.com/normal, sign up for their daily emails, and join one of their wine clubs...AND get 10% your first order!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Matt Walls is a freelance wine expert and an award-winning wine writer and consultant. He is a contributing editor to Decanter, and writes regularly for timatkin.com and Club Oenologique. He is also the author of "Drink Me!" Which won the Fortnum & Mason ‘Best Newcomer’ Award, among others, and he wrote an opus on the Rhône Valley, “Wines of the Rhône,”** which is a brilliant book that has everything you want to know about the Rhône.
Buy Matt's Book! Photo: www.mattwalls.co.uk
Matt judges wine competitions, presents amazing master classes, AND he’s probably the nicest person in the entire wine industry and fun too, as I learned when I met him in the Rhone in 2022 at an industry event in the Rhône.
Photo: Credit: Wine For Normal People
Here are the show notes:
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Matt tells us about how meeting a French winemaker with breathtaking passion, and being outstanding at French led him to consider a career in wine.
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We discuss the research that went into “Wines of the Rhône,**"the most comprehensive look at every appellation in the Côtes du Rhône and the larger Rhône Valley.
We get into a lot of dorky details about the Rhône that Matt writes about (beautifully and succinctly) in the book. We cover:
- The complex geological history of the Rhône and all the “ingredients” that make the terroir what it is today
- The biggest differences between the northern and southern Rhône
- How climate change needs more attention from Rhône producers and how winegrowing and winemaking practices (trellising, too much destemming, the fashion of “phenolic ripeness”) have augmented the alcohol and “bigness” in many Rhone wines
- Irrigation and acidification and why each have their positives and negatives
- The grapes of the region, the diversity of those grapes ,and which will be the winners or losers in climate change
We discuss some specifics of the regions:
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape, specifically why there are so many different styles and why some are $20 and some are $500
- Crozes-Hermitage and how to find a good one (hint: Matt’s book is how you find a good one**! Matt mentions the town of Gervans as a granite area. Cave de Tain has good quality wines too)
- We touch on Côte Rôtie, Tavel, and Rhône whites
- Matt gives us a great tip: IGP Collines Rhodaniennes is for Northern Rhône wines that didn't make the cut into Côte Rôtie, Condrieu or other northern appellations because the vines may be young, regulations are odd, or the harvest was plentiful and they had enough grape to be selective and put only the top grapes into the AOP wines.
To end, Matt tells us the areas he finds are highly underrated (Costieres di Nîmes, Luberon, Ventoux, Duché d'Uzès, Vacqueryas for white are mentioned) and he tells us some great tips to consider when traveling to the Rhône.
Matt’s book is a thoughtful and easy to read guide to this magnificent region, so if you want to get great wines from this area, which is packed with outstanding wines, many of them underpriced, his book needs to be on your shelf. I no longer shop for Rhône wines without consulting it.
Plus, he is such an awesome human we should all want to support his work!
Buy Matt's Book! Photo: www.mattwalls.co.uk
**This is an affiliate link and I may earn a small commission if you buy through this link
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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. For 2023, I will be working with this outstanding company, which is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. Wine Access is a class act -- check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Tucked into the middle of the Italian peninsula is the verdant, hilly land of Umbria. This small province is overshadowed by its neighbor, Tuscany, for many things, but Umbria has history, culture, and wine all its own. In this show, we explore the long history of Umbrian wine, what makes the province unique in its grapes and wine styles, and why Umbrian wine is too often unfairly forgotten in the pantheon of great wines of Italy. We review the three major wine regions of Umbria – Orvieto, Torgiano, and Montefalco – and give many reasons to give these wines a try.
Photo: Umbrian countryside. Getty Images
Here are the show notes:
- As of January 2023, Umbria has just 2 DOCGs, 13 DOCs, and 6 IGPs, 48% is DOP wine, 42% IGP, 10% table wine. 12,400 ha (30,600 acres) is 7.2 million cases of wine
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The main grapes of the region are: Sangiovese, Trebbiano Toscano, Grechetto, Sagrantino
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Umbria has had winemaking for more than 3000 years
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Climate: Landlocked Umbria has no sea breeze, although its lakes do help moderate the temperatures. The climate varies, but is mostly Mediterranean with cold, rainy winters and dry summers with abundant sunshine to ripen grapes
Photo: Chiesa in Assisi. Getty Images
Land
- Umbria is 29% Mtns, 71% hills, no plains. Most vineyards are on terraces cut into hillsides. The vineyards have good diurnals, which maintains acidity.
- Umbria is the only Italian region with no coastline nor a common border with another country.
- It is partly hilly and mountainous from the Apennines, and partly flat and fertile from the Tiber River Valley and the Umbrian valley around Perugia
Grapes:
- 53% red/rose, 47% white
- Sangiovese 20% of plantings, Trebbiano Toscano –12%, Grechetto 11%, Sagrantino 7%
Whites:
- Grechetto is two distinct grape varieties, Grechetto di Orvieto and Grechetto di Todi
- Grechetto di Orvieto: is light bodied, high in acidity with apple, pear, citrus, white flower notes
- Grechetto di Todi is Pignoletto (called that in Emilia Romagna). It is very floral with a soft mouthfeel
- Trebbiano Spoletino: Only found in Umbria around Spoleto and Montefalco. This wine is like limes, it can range from light to heavy and high in alcohol and can be barrel aged, or made into orange wine – no set identity
- Reds: Sangiovese and Sagrantino with Colorino, Mammolo, Vernaccia Nera
- International grapes: Cab, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc for, Umbria Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT)
Photo: Sagrantino. Getty Images
Orvieto
- Producing wine since the Middle Ages when it was a famed sweet wine, today this wine is more of a dry white. Despite a long history, Orvieto was the victim of overproduction in the 1960s and its reputation suffered
- There are many styles and it is Umbria’s biggest appellation – 10%+ of all Umbrian wine production
- Known for whites made of mostly Trebbiano and Grechetto, DOC Orvieto and Orvieto Classico. Other grapes include: Malvasia Bianco, Drupeggio, Verdello, Canaiolo bianco
- Styles: very simple and boring from Trebbiano or wines that use more Grechetto
- Red wine and 8 varietal wines sold under Rosso Orvietano DOC—French grapes plust Aleatico, Barbera, Canaiolo, Colorino, Dolcetto, Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Cesanese, Ciliegiolo
Torgiano
- Wine made in hills around Torgiano, southeast of Perugia where a tributary joins Tiber River
- Torgiano DOC is 81 ha/200 acres, 40K cases
- Whites: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Trebbiano, Riesling Italico (Welschriesling) (Labeled by grape, 85%+ of grape in bottle), Torgiano Bianco – 50-70% Trebbiano Toscano with Grechetto
- Reds: Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Nero, Sangiovese (known for elegance, high-quality Sangiovese). Rosso di Torgiano DOC is made with 50–100% Sangiovese
- Rosato of Sangiovese min 50% and other approved native grapes
- Torgiano Rosso Riserva DOCG, can age for decades It must be made with 70–100% Sangiovese with other native grapes. It must age at least three years before release
- The Lungarotti family is famed in Torgiano growing area
Montefalco and Sagrantino
Montefalco Sagrantino – DOCG 1992
- Montefalco is ancient hilltop town and its specialty is Sagrantino – a dry, powerful, complex red grape with herbal notes that is made into the Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG wine, a famed wine that is aged a minimum of 37 months, 12 in barrel, 4 in bottle minimum
- With vines on the slopes of the hills, around the ancient town of Montefalco, and in surrounding villages, this area has a continental, that is warm and dry.
- Montefalco Sagrantino used to be a sweet wine but evolved into the dry version, which is one of the great reds of Italy
- Notable winerw are: Scaccia Diavoli, Fratelli Pardi and Arnaldo Caprai
- Montefalco Sagrantino is on only 990 acres/400 ha, producing just 108,000 case (5 year average)
Montefalco DOC
- Established as a DOC in 1979, and lying on just 524 ha/1294 acres, this DOC Makes:
- Bianco: Grechetto, Trebbiano (Minimum of Trebbiano Spoletino with other native non aromatic whites). There is a varietal Grechetto as well
- Rosso: 60-80% Sangiovese, 10–25% Sagrantino with a maximum 30% with other native reds
Photo: The wine we drank during the show.
Other DOCs: Assisi, Amelia, Colli Altotiberini, Colli Perugini, Lago di Corbara, Spoleto, Todi, Collie Martani, Colli del Trasimeno
All are the same combo of grapes
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Whites: Grechetto and Trebbiano for whites with supporting native and non-native grapes
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Reds: Sangiovese with native and French grapes
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I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. For 2023, I will be working with this outstanding company, which is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order.Wine Access is a class act -- check them out today!
Is the podcast worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year to you? If so, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
__________________________________________
Sources:
https://italianwinecentral.com/
THE GRAPES AND WINES OF ITALY: The definitive compendium region by region, Ian d'Agata, Michelle Longo
Native Grapes of Italy, Ian d'Agata
https://www.consorziomontefalco.it/en/montefalco-sagrantino-docg/
https://sommconusa.com/orvieto-doc-home-to-one-of-the-greatest-white-wines-of-italy/
This podcast is a refresher on Merlot (it’s been 12 years, so it’s time!). It’s one of the titans of the wine grapes, and yet it’s not often that we encounter it as a varietal wine. Because it is frequently blended, Merlot can often be forgotten or not given its due.
But Merlot will not be forgotten! It is the second-most planted grape in the world, the most widely grown grape in Bordeaux, and its pedigree as part of some of the world’s most prestigious and well-known Bordeaux and Bordeaux-style wines makes it royalty in the wine world.
But Merlot is not without challenges. When it’s not grown on the proper soils or managed meticulously, wine made of Merlot bears little resemblance to great wines of Bordeaux or other regions that are famed for blends that use it. The reputation of Merlot as a boring, flabby, dull wine is not the fault of the grape, and although it was a convenient scapegoat, it’s also not the fault of the movie “Sideways.” The fact is that Merlot is not as easy to grow as people thought, and in 1980s and 1990s, opportunistic companies used high-yielding clones on bad rootstock and in bad sites to churn out high alcohol fruit bombs, lacking all the nuance that make the grape esteemed in its homeland.
This says nothing about the grape, but much about the people who defiled it. Although it is entirely capable of making boring, cheap wine, Merlot simultaneously makes up 95% of Château Petrus, Bordeaux’s most expensive wine and is used in fine wines all over the world for its ability to elevate a blend. In this show we pay homage to Merlot, and this time, shed some light on the recent past for Merlot and why, ultimately, it has done little to harm the grape’s reputation among winemakers and those who take the time to know the grape.
DNA and Parentage
- Merlot originates from Gironde or SW France or Basque country. It’s the child of Cabernet Franc and Magdeleine Noire des Charentes from Brittany
- Merlot Gris: Pink color mutation of Merlot
- Merlot Blanc: A cross of Merlot x Folle Blanche created in 1891
- NOT WHITE MERLOT, which is just Merlot made like white Zinfandel
History
We discuss the history of Merlot – from its first mention in Bordeaux, to its more modern history - its rise in the 1990s and its fall in the early 2000s in California, Australia, and the global consumer market.
In the Vineyard
- Merlot is an early budding variety, making it susceptible to spring frost – it needs good weather at flowering or it won’t have a great vintage.
- The grape needs cooler, well-drained soils – cooler limestone and clay soils are best
- Because Merlot is thin skinned with loose to medium density bunches it is also susceptible to disease (downy mildew) and botrytis (bad). It is bad in drought, which raises the question: how will it do with climate change, which we discuss.
- Merlot ripens about 2 weeks earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon and it’s the first red grape picked in Bordeaux. That makes it a great agriculture hedge – if it does well, there is less pressure to have a huge Cabernet Sauvignon harvest.
- The grape has milder tannins, higher sugar, and lower acidity (especially malic) than its relations Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. It can be vigorous, so yields must be managed and picking decision is important, since Merlot loses acidity quickly once ripe.
- Two main styles result from picking decisions (among other factors – terroir!):
- Bordeaux style: Merlot is harvested earlier, leading to a more acidic, medium alcohol wine (Pétrus). These wines tend to have moderate alcohol and show more red fruit flavors (cherry) along with “other” things like: green and black tea, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, earthy, mushrooms, green pepper, green olive
- International style: Concentrates on physiological ripeness, with long hang time to have hardened stems and seeds (wines of Michel Rolland). These wines are often inky, purple, dark wines, with high alcohol, velvety tannins, and dark fruit character (plum, blackberry, blueberry). The wine is smooth and can seem sweet due to the high alcohol, strong fruit, and the oak used that brings flavors like caramel, chocolate, coffee, vanilla, nut, and cigar.
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Regions: the grape is planted everywhere! This is more or less a list…
FranceMerlot is France’s most planted grape
Bordeaux
- Bordeaux is the grape’s native home, and it is the most cultivated grape in the region. It contains half of all the Merlot in France.
- The grape does best on cooler limestone and clay soils of the Right Bank and in pockets of the Left Bank. Climate change is a challenge for Merlot – it will need to be grown exclusively in cooler spots as the climate warms
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Right Bank
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- Pomerol: Can be up to 100% Merlot. Wine is luscious, soft, velvety, plummy, iron or clay-like. Famed châteaux are Pétrus, Le Pin
- Émilion: Usually contains 60-70% Merlot with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon. Flavors are more like balsam, dried fruit, with tea notes, but the wines vary based on limestone, clay or sand content in the soil. Famed châteaux mentioned are Angelus and Pavie
- Other high quality Right Bank AOPs with Merlot based wines: Canon-Fronsac, Fronsac, St-Émilion “satellites” (Lussac St. Emilion, Montagne St. Emilion, Puisseguin St. Emilion and St. Georges St. Emilion)
-
Left Bank
-
- A major blending component of AOPs: Graves, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe, Listrac, Moulis, Pessac-Leognan
Other Bordeaux: all Côtes de Bordeaux (I recommend Francs and Castillon), Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur AOPs
Southwest France: Bergerac where it is blended with Cabernets, Cahors where it is blended with Malbec
Languedoc and Loire grow Merlot
Italy: Merlot is the third most planted red in Italy and is made in a number of styles
- In Northern Italy: Alto-Adige, Friuli, parts of Veneto: the wines often have higher acidity, herbal notes and can be blended with other grapes.
- Tuscany: Super Tuscan blends in Bolgheri/Tuscan coast – producers use Merlot to soften Sangiovese or Cabernet in blends. Masseto by Antinori is 100% Merlot on clay soils (it costs more than US$1000 per bottle). Climate change is worrisome in these areas because it is getting too hot for Merlot.
- Other regions: Umbria, Lazio
Other Western/Central Europe:
- Spain: Catalonia, Castilla-La Mancha, Navarra, Aragón
- Portugal
- Switzerland: In Ticino made as a rosé
- Germany: Pfalz, Rheinhessen
- Austria: grown in all wine-growing regions in Austria, basic wines
Eastern Europe:
- Bulgaria: Significant plantings, varietal wines
- Hungary: In Bull’s Blood (Egri Bikaver) with Kekfrankos, Kardarka
- Romania: Most widely exported red
- Croatia, Slovenia (near Italian border), Ukraine, Moldova, Greece,
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United States
Washington State: Excellent Merlot with strong acidity, dark color, and lots of interesting earthy, fruity flavor. The long growing season with cool nights lends the wine great structure. This is my top pick for US Merlot!
- Producers mentioned: Leonetti, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Andrew Will, Columbia Crest
- Regions mentioned: Walla Walla, Red Mountain
California
- In the early days of California wine, Merlot was a varietal wine. Sterling was the first to make a vintage dated Merlot. Warren Winiarski, a leader in California wine in the 1970s and owner of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, promoted Merlot as part of a Bordeaux blend
- We recap a bit of the story of how it evolved in California that we discussed earlier in the show. Then we talk about some of the styles in various regions
Napa: Producers usually dedicate the best soils and sites to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot is an afterthought. Right now there is a bit of a shortage of Merlot because no one has focused on it but demand is increasing as styles have changed.
- Top Producers: Duckhorn, Pride, La Jota
- Regions mentioned for Merlot: Carneros, Mt Veeder, Rutherford, Oakville
Other California: Monterey (bulk), Sonoma (Alexander Valley, some Sonoma Valley)
Other US:
Oregon (Rogue Valley), Virginia. Long Island (great stuff! Merlot is their best grape), Texas
Mexico, Canada (most prominent in BC for Bordeaux style blends)
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Southern Hemisphere
Chile: Producers mistook Carménère for Merlot in the 1990s but they’ve slowly gotten back to real Merlot. Top areas: Colchagua (Apalta sub AVA), Maule, Curicó. I mention the famed wine writer
Argentina: Merlot is made in a ripe style, often blended in with other grapes
Australia: The grape is often used for blending with Cabernet, but had similar issues to California when demand rose in the 1990s – Merlot was overplanted in warm bulk areas like Murray Darling, Riverina, Riverland. Today, quality Margaret River and Western Australia.
New Zealand: Merlot is the second most planted after Pinot Noir. It does especially well in blends coming out of Hawke’s Bay. Merlot also does well in Auckland, Marlborough, and Martinborough
South Africa: Cooler sites in Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek
Other places: Israel, Lebanon, India, Japan, China
Suggested food pairings
- Cabernet style ("big wines"): Roasted, grilled food, “brown food” – hearty stews, meats, heavy dishes
- Soft, fruity styles with high acidity: Mushroom, salmon, spinach, greens
We end with a warning about serving temperature: NEVER SERVE MERLOT TOO WARM!! 60˚–65°F
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Much has changed since our original 2017 episode (199) on Cava and Spanish sparkling wine. It's time for a refresh and an update!
Photo: Cava cork. Credit: cava.wine
In this episode we fill you in on the roller coaster the DO has been on since 2017 and where it stands today. The story shows how Spain has moved from just being ON the radar of international wine buyers to moving to a level of sophistication that demands its regions have the kind of terroir focus of the other great wine nations of the Old World – France, Italy, Germany, and Austria, to name a few.
We review the regulations, changes, and the strife in the region and discuss what to seek out to get the best of these highly accessible, delicious, and decidedly Spanish wines.
Here are the show notes...
The Basics
- We start with the statistics on Cava -- it encompasses 38,133 ha/94,229 acres and made 253 MM bottles in 2021
- 91% of Cava is white, 9% is rosado (rosé)
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Various zones produce the wine, but Penedés is the heart of Cava production, with more than 95% of total output
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We discuss the early history of the area, beginning with the first sparkling production in 1872 with Josep Raventós to the point where the DO is formed in 1991 – we leave the modern history until later, as complex and muddled as it is!
Map: The overly spread out regions of Cava. Credit: Cava DO
We then get into the grapes and winemaking:
- Whites: Since most Cava is white, the white grapes dominate. Most important are the indigenous grapes, Macabeo (Viura, the white of Rioja), Xarel-lo, and Parellada. Chardonnay is also authorized, as well as Subirat Parent (Malvasia) for semi-sweet and sweet Cava.
Photo: Macabeo. Credit: D.O. Cava
- Reds: Used for rosado (rosé), native grapes are Garnacha (Grenache), Trepat, and Monastrell (Mourvèdre). The Cava DO authorized Pinot Noir for use in rosado in 1998
- Winemaking:
- We discuss the vineyard requirements for the making of quality Cava, including the importance of gentle picking and transport to the winery to prevent oxidation
- We briefly review the Traditional Method (Champagne Method) of winemaking, which is how all Cava is made
Photo: Riddled Cava, ready for disgorgement.. Credit: D.O. Cava
- We discuss the aging qualifications for Cava, Cava Reserva, Cava Gran Reserva, and Cava Paraje Calificada that range from a minimum nine months to several years, and what each style yields
- We review the various dosage levels so you know what to look for:
- “Brut Nature” - no added sugar
- Cava Extra Brut – very little sugar
- Cava Brut: Slightly more added sugar in the dosage, sugar is barely noticeable
- Cava Extra Seco: heavier mouthfeel, noticeable sugar
- Cava Seco: Dessert level, very sweet
- Semi Seco: Even sweeter
- Dulce – Super sweet
We discuss why Cava is such a big mess, with much infighting in its modern history, and why not all sparkling Spanish wine is created the same:
- We talk about the first fissures in Cava, with the 2012 break off of Cava OG producer Raventós i Blanc leaving the Cava DO because the quality standards were too low -Vino de la tierra Conca de l'Anoia (their own site)
Photo: Raventós i Blanc Rosado, Vino de la Tierra
- We discuss the 2015 formation of The Association of Wine Producers and Growers Corpinnat (AVEC) or Corpinnat. We define the group and talk about its requirements for the small member producers:
- Mission: Create a distinguished, excellent quality, terroir-driven sparkling wine based solely on Penedès, rather than far flung regions that make lesser wine. To raise the profile of Cava from cheap shit to good stuff
Photo: Corpinnat corks. Credit: Corpinnat Website
- Corpinnat Requirements
- At least 75% of the grapes must be from vineyards owned by the winery, wine must be made on the premises of the winery
- Minimum price paid for livable wages to the growers
- Certified organic and hand harvested grapes
- 90% of the grapes must be indigenous varieties: Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Parellada for whites, Garnacha, Trepat, Monastrell, for reds.
- 18 months minimum aging
- **By design: Cava’s three biggest producers can’t meet the requirements: Cordoniu, Freixenet and García Carrión – which is why Corpinnat started in the first place, to raise the quality standard and allow smaller producers a voice Corpinnat members (2022): Gramona, Llopart, Recaredo, Sabaté i Coca, Nadal, Torelló, Can Feixas, Júlia Bernet, Mas Candi, Can Descregut, Pardas
- We discuss the qualifications of the Cava Paraje Calificado classification, created by the Cava DO in 2017 for single-estate sparkling wines with a vineyard designation, lower yield, and a longer aging period
- Cava de Paraje Calificado requirements include specifications for: lower yield, manual harvest, minimum fermentation time in the bottle at 36 months. Vines must be at least 10 years old and the wine must be produced locally in the same winery that grows the grapes.
- Issues: Includes the large wineries’ estate vineyards and (originally) some smaller ones but doesn’t address the issue of quality or cohesive terroir/flavor. It’s like a medal system – here are our best wines!
Photo: Paraje Califado Cava -- Can Sala, Freixenet
- Disastrous conclusion: The Cava Paraje Calificada was the solution to the Corpinnat – it was meant to be more inclusive. But Corpinnat was supposed to be a new small producer/ quality designation within Cava. Because it excludes large producers, the DO wouldn’t allow Cava and Corpinnat on the same label, and Corpinnat left the DO. They cannot use Cava, or Gran Reserva on their labels.
Of the 12 wines approved as CPC in 2017, 5 aren’t CPC anymore, only Corpinnat
We address most recent regulations of Cava in 2020
The Cava Regulatory Council approved new zoning of the Cava DO. We review the subzones that are supposed to create a better delimitation for consumers:
Comtats de Barcelona - 95%+ of Cava production
- Includes Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, the "capital of Cava" – where the first bottles of Cava were produced in 1872
- Location: In Catalonia, in northeast Spain. Along the Mediterranean coast near Barcelona
- Climate: Mediterranean climate, slight variations inland versus coast but mostly long summer, lots of sun, hot summer and spring - easy to ripen grapes, lots of different grapes thrive
- Land: Diverse terrain – various exposures, orientation, altitudes, and microclimates
- Five Sub-zones (used for Reserva and Gran Reserva Cava, more limited yields, organic viticulture, vineyards 10+ years old): Valls d'Anoia Foix, Serra de Mar, Conca del Gaià, Serra de Prades and Pla de Ponent
- Each has a slightly different character – some more at elevation, some farther from the sea – slight variations in flavors and what grows where
Map: Detail of the Comtats de Barcelona Cava Zone. Credit: Cava DO
The Ebro Valley area
- Northernmost part of the DO, far in the interior, near and influenced by the river Ebro
- Climate: Temperate, continental climate – summers are hot and dry with cold winters
- Two subzones (used for Reserva and Gran Reserva Cava, more limited yields, organic viticulture, vineyards 10+ years old): the Alto Ebro around Rioja, Navarra, and the Basque area of Álava and the Cierzo Valley Sub Zone. The Cierzo is near the Aragonese city of Zaragoza in the central area of the Ebro River, with strong regional winds (the Cierzo) to dry out the area
Map: Detail of the Ebro River Valley Cava Zone. Credit: Cava DO
Smaller zones:
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Levante: (Eastern Highlands, no official name yet), in interior of Valencia province, with a dry Mediterranean to semi continental climate depending on whether altitude)
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Viñedos de Almendralejo (Almendralejo vineyards): Fairly flat, southwestern-most part of the DO. A very dry, hot climate, with warm wind, known as the solano
We end with an update of where Cava is today (hint: it’s huge and growing, it’s trying to improve by moving towards organics, it’s still fighting against Corpinnat) and what could be the next step for Corpinnat too.
A fascinating show that takes you on the wild ride that the region and wine has been on since we first discussed it those many years ago.
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Sources:
www.cava.wine
https://www.raventos.com
https://www.corpinnat.com
https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2019/02/nine-producers-break-with-cava-to-form-corpinnat/
https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/new-breakaway-sparkling-wine-appellation-to-rival-cava-20501/
In this show, we cover Aglianico - the best red grape you may have never heard of. Widely considered one of Italy’s top three red grapes with Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, many consider the wines of Aglianico some of the world’s top bottles too. That said, because Aglianico is a grape of the more obscure regions in southern Italy (Campania and Basilicata, mainly), the wine hasn’t gotten its due. It is much less expensive than top Barolos and Barbarescos or Chiantis and Brunellos – although it is slowly catching up. It is a grape well-suited to warm Mediterranean climates, and for the changing climates of once cooler growing areas like regions of California and Australia. Aglianico is historic, yet modern and there has never been a better time to get acquainted with the wines of this beautiful grape.
Photo: Aglianico Source: Taub Family Selections, Mastroberardino Page
Here are the show notes:
We cover the history of the grape and discuss possible origins.
- Aglianico is considered to be one of Italy’s oldest grapes and it was always thought to be an import from the Greeks who colonized Campania and other parts of southern Italy. Today, Attilio Scienza, the foremost Italian grape scientist, has changed that theory. He believes the grape is native to southern Italy and the name is related to the Spanish word for plains “llano” (ll=gli, both sounds like y sound in canyon). The grape may have been domesticated from grapes growing on the plains
- We discuss how the grape was nearly extinct after phylloxera, and how Antonio Mastroberardino - preserved and propagated Aglianico to make one of the best red wines in Italian history – the 1968 Mastroberardino Taurasi Riserva.
- The D’Angelo family revived Aglianico around Monte Vulture in Basilicata around the same time.
- The success of these two families on the world stage, encouraged others to start making wines from Aglianico, and today there are many great examples of wines from the grape
Photo: 1968 Mastroberardino Taurasi Riserva, widely considered one of Italy's best wines
Aglianico Viticulture:
- Aglianico produces medium to small, compact bunches. The individual berries are small, round, and dark blue-black with quite thick skins.
- The grape requires a long, warm growing season with a warm fall to fully develop flavors and calm tannins and acidity. It is early budding and late ripening. Overly cool or overly hot conditions don’t do good things for the grape. Aglianico is one of the latest harvests in Italy, with Vulture often starting harvest in mid to late November
- According to Ian d’Agata, the top English-speaking writer on Italian wine, Aglianico has three biotypes (variations of the same grape, but not different enough to be clones):
- Taurasi, with small berries, less vigorous, and sensitivity to spring weather that may reduce the harvest
- Taburno (also called Aglianico Amaro -- but not because it’s amaro /bitter, rather because it’s higher in acidity) is less fertile with big bunches. It is earlier ripening, with higher alcohol and higher acidity
- del Vulture is most intensely flavored biotype, with strong fruit aromas and flavors, and it seems to have fewer viticultural issues
- The grape also has clones, the most popular of which are used to create bolder, darker wines
Terroir
- Aglianico prefers volcanic soils. The Campania DOCGs are on extinct volcanoes or have influence from nearby Vesuvius. The volcanic activity makes these soils rich in nutrients, well-drained, and very complex.
- The grape loves elevation and it thrives in spots where other grapes can’t ripen. Although Aglianico needs dry climates with abundant sun, it must have diurnal temperature swings at night so it can retain its acidity and build flavor slowly
Photo: Mastroberardino's Aglianico vineyards Source: Taub Family Selections, Mastroberardino Page
Styles:
- Generally, Aglianico has the following characteristics:
- Very high acidity and tannin. Floral (red roses), red fruit (sour cherries), plum (esp. from Vulture), leather and herbs (esp. from Taburno), smoke, and mineral notes. The wines are always savory. It is capable of long aging. Regardless of where the grape grows, these characteristics seem to be present.
- Some styles are lighter and more floral with higher acidity, while others are deep, earthy, fuller, and complex with tobacco, licorice, iron ore, and coffee notes.
- Aglianico needs age. It can be tough in its youth, with harsh tannin and acidity, since the grape has naturally high tartaric acid
Other styles:
- IGT wines – blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot or other native grapes
- Passito: Similar to Amarone from Veneto, these wines are made from partially dehydrated grapes. This style is very rare
- Sparkling: Made in the IGP classification. These wines often display red cherry, strawberries, and spice flavors and aromas
Regions
- The grape is almost exclusively in southern Italy, mostly in Campania in the provinces of Avellino, Benevento, Sannio, and Caserta. In Basilicata, wines are mainly made around Potenza and Matera. All these areas are in cool, dry, sunny spots in the mountains
The three main areas for high quality Aglianico in Italy are:
Taurasi (1993 DOCG), which is near Avellino, is mountainous and therefore at altitude, has volcanic soils and has an ideal climate -- hot, sunny days, and cool nights to slow ripening and build flavor.
- Up to 15% other red grapes are permitted in the blend to soften Aglianico (often Piedirosso, the native aromatic grape, which is lighter than Aglianico, is used)
- Flavor profile: Black cherry, raspberry, cigar, coffee, earth, leather. High acidity, high tannin, high alcohol, medium bodied.
- Riserva: has higher alcohol levels is aged longer
- Producers: Mastroberardino, Feudi di San Gregorio, Ponte, Terre degli Svevi, Re Manfredi, Quintodecimo, Donnachiara, Antionio Caggiano, Salvatore Molettieri, Perillo, Luigi Tecce, Terrdora, Urciolo
The wine we were drinking during the show, 2013 Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi. Here is a link to the show I did with owner Antonio Capaldo, ep 337
Aglianico del Taburno (2011 DOCG) is near Benevento. These wines are less famed than Taurasi because the region was used for bulk wine until the 1980s. The region consists of 14 towns on the eastern side of the Taburno mountain.
- Rather than pure volcanic or a volcanic mix, soils are clay -limestone.
- Taburno has bigger diurnals than Taurasi, and is generally cooler than Taurasi leading to higher acidity.
- Flavor profile: Pepper, black fruit, figs, leather, and herbs. High acidity, high tannin, high alcohol, medium body
- Producers: Cantina del Taburno, Cantine Tora, La Rivolta
Other Campania DOCS include: Cilento, Sannio, Gallucio, Irpinia, Falerno del Massico
Aglianico Del Vulture (we did a whole podcast on this) is located in Basilicata, just around the province of Potenza in the north. The wine region borders Campania and Puglia. The wine is required to be 100% Aglianico.
- Aglianico del Vulture DOC and Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCGs are on volcanic, mineral rich, well-drained soils around the extinct volcano. The elevation of Monte Vulture and the rain shadow it creates make perfect conditions for Aglianico – it gets its long, cool growing season, where it can develop flavors and aromas over time
- Flavor profile: black plum, coffee, dried herbs, smoke, dark chocolate. These wines have lower acidity than the wines of Campania. They still have high tannin, and high alcohol
- Producers: Cantine del Notaio, Elena Fucci, Pasternoster, Macarico, Basilisco, Cantina di Venosa, Bisceglia, D’Angelo
Aglianico can also be found in:
- Abruzzo & Molise, where it is blended with Montepulciano
- Lazio, Calabria, Puglia, where it is sometimes blended with Primitivo
New World Regions
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Australia: Adelaide Hills, Barossa, Langhorne Creek, Mudgee, McLaren Vale, Riverina, Northern Tasmania– cool and warmer regions! The wines are apparently less acidic and tannic, and quite high quality
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USA:
California: Many regions grow the grape but Caparone in Paso Robles was the first in 1992. It shows promise as the climate warms.
Other US: Texas, New Mexico
- Argentina and Mexico are also having some success
We end with a discussion of food pairings and encouragement to go out and try this gem!
Main resource: "Native Wine Grapes of Italy" by Ian D'Agata
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
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Bonus: Here's the cat "iron throne" we talked about...
I welcome back Jim Morris, industry veteran, hospitality pro, and hiring manager for major wineries to help me answer the question I get frequently:
“I love wine, how do I get into the industry?”
We address the three main verticals for entry into the biz: the executive/business side, the production side, and the sales/hospitality side. Then we talk briefly about wine education and wine media. Jim’s first tip is a really essential one:
“No matter what you do, do everything in wine”
From production to shipping, learning it all will make you understand the entire business. And that is essential because wine is one huge, long supply chain!
Here are the show notes:
The Management Side/Business Side: This is the executive side, where you can enter into the industry from another professional job with a set of skills.
Our tips:
- Your skills are likely applicable if you are from a related industry (law, logistics, consumer packaged goods marketing or sales, executive management etc.), but go in with eyes wide open — the regulations in wine are a bit crushing. The wine industry is driven by what it CAN’T do - be prepared for a world of regulation and compliance!
- There are many transferable skills and jobs that could fit if you have an area of expertise on the business side. You will have a learning curve but if you are ok with that it can be a great place.
- On the downside: none of it pays particularly well!
Photo credit: Unsplash
The Production Side: Winemaking, vineyard management, cellar work, including bottling, etc.
Our tips:
- This is a very physically demanding part of the business!
- You don’t have to go to school, but you have to work your way up if you don’t.
- Start small, talk to small winery owners and winemakers about what they do. Network with people, get a feel for what is needed in a winery, and what you can or would do if you worked in a winery. Just get out there and talk to people!
- If you are earnest and serious, and network you will get opportunities to work at wineries —whether it be in the US, Germany, Australia, or Mexico.
- Learn and absorb as much as you can and then make a decision about whether production really what you want to do, and then you have to convince someone to invest in you. Remember to have humility — you are asking someone to invest in you to teach you this craft, it’s important it’s a good fit and you go in understanding you are asking someone to take a chance on you.
- Possible career paths: work harvest as and intern for free, become a paid harvest intern, cellar rat, assistant winemaker, winemaker, or vineyard worker/manager, work in logistics, bottling, etc.
Photo credit: Unsplash
Wine Sales and hospitality – retail and restaurant/ Tasting room employee/ Wine club management
Sales is the single most important job in wine. It is the most valued – without the sales, even great wineries fold. Sales is the most common job in wine and the easiest path to get into the industry. We discuss three or four main ways to get into wine sales and hospitality.
Our Tips:
- We frame all of this by saying that sales and hospitality are skills -- hospitality is dealing with the public, we give tips on how to do that well, but if you don’t like dealing with people, these are not jobs for you!
- In sales/hospitality NEVER fake it ‘til you make it, people know when you are wrong and you’re going to get called out on any lies you tell or stuff you make up. Just admit that you are learning – there is a LOT to know!
- If you get into a hospitality or sales job, you are not above doing things they may ask you to do – cleaning dishes and glassware, serving food, setting up events – it’s part of the job.
- All wine positions — tasting room, wine club, hospitality, wine educator for a winery, etc — all are sales positions. If you don’t like selling, this isn’t for you!
We discuss the positions available and the paths they could lead to:
-
Retail: Work in a wine shop. To figure out the best one for you, go to tastings at the shop you’d like to work with. See if you jibe and then express interest in working there with time. Possible career paths: Retail - distributor rep, supplier (large winery) rep, importer, shop owner, work at a tasting room in wine country Photo credit: Unsplash
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Tasting room: Tasting room IS sales and service combined. You must always be mindful that your job is sales of wine club. Boxing wine for shipping, cleaning up after messy guests, setting up tables, talking about the wine
- Possible career paths: Tasting room manager, wine club manager (customer service and marketing), logistics, social media marketing, wine tele-sales, marketing (keeping in mind that it is really hamstrung by regulations!)
- On-premise (restaurants): This is working in a restaurant with a good wine list.
- Possible career paths: Wine buyer for restaurant groups or major retailers, see the paths for retail
Other jobs: We briefly address wine educators, wine writers, and wine influencers too and give some advice for people thinking about those paths
Hopefully this sets you on a good path to success or at least answers the questions of how you could break into the industry if you were interested.
If you have questions, contact Jim on Twitter @sonomawineguy and he’ll get back to you! You never know, he may be hiring in his tasting room or wine club!
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week’s show is about one of the most famous white wines in Italy, the region's/wine's 1000 year history, and its recent comeback in quality and stature. The region? Soave (SWAH-vay) in Veneto, Italy.
Map: Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave
Located just east of the famed city of Verona (Romeo and Juliet, anyone?), in the foothills of the Lessini Mountains, Soave is a tiny region that packs a punch in reputation and in flavor. Made from one of the oldest known grapes in Italy, the Garganega grape, Soave’s cheek coating, almond-flavored, floral, and sometimes waterfall-like notes creates a food friendly, crowd pleasing wine. Although often maligned by the wine trade, who is woefully behind on this trend, Soave is one for us, normal wine lovers. Surely there is garbage to be had when the grapes are grown on the flats of the region, but on the ancient, steep, volcanic hillsides, worked meticulously by hand, the grapes farmed for these wines create outstanding examples of Italian white at its best. If you haven’t had it, go and get an example from the producers we recommend (Gini, Inama, Pra, Pieropan, Suavia – you won’t be sorry!)
Here are the show notes...
- Soave is located east of Verona, at 45.45° N latitude
- It is a small region, with just 6,500 hectares (16,062 acres) planted, but those plantings give a lot of bang for the buck – recent figures show the region makes about 4.4 MM cases
Location, climate, land:
- The DOC is on a border between flat plains of the Po River Valley in the south and Alpine foothills in the north. Its main towns – Soave and Monteforte d’Alpone lie on the flats – but between them and north there is a large volcanic outcropping that rises up in steep slopes
- Climate: Because of its proximity to the river, the region is influenced by the mists of the Po Valleyduring harvest, which can produce conditions for mold and disease. The tough Garganega grape can resist disease, but it is still a threat to the vineyards. It can be hot on valley floors in the summer and quite cold in the spring and fall, so slopes are preferred for viticulture.
- Land: Soave is a series of hills and valleys formed by volcanic activity and the recession of a small sea, along with plate movement. Soils are a mixture but in general:
- WEST and CENTER AREAs: Calcareous, limestone soils
- Central-Eastern Areas: Volcanic/basalt based soils
Soave's rolling hills. Photo: Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave
Grape varieties:
- Garganega is one of oldest white grapes in Italy and represents 88% of plantings. It has grown in the hills of Soave for at least 1,000 years and is one of Italy’s oldest varieties. Garganega can crop to high yields, with large bunches so when growers preferred quantity over quality in the 1960s and 1970s, the vine produced. But like all grapes, when overcropped and grown on fertile valleys, Gargenega has no flavor!
- Characteristics of Garganega: Flavors change based on soil type and winemaking. They range from steely, waterfall-like to peachy with white flowers, citrusy, and like apples. Good Garganega has acidity but a cheek-coating quality and a slightly bitter-almond finish. They are sometimes aged on the lees but not often oak aged, as it kills the freshness/acidity in the wine.
- The better Soaves are mostly 100% Garganega, but by law, the wine must have 70% Garganega with up to 30% of Trebbiano di Soave (Verdicchio, not crappy Trebbiano)) or, Chardonnay (traditionalists don’t approve) with other non-aromatic, local grapes permitted in up to 5% of the blend.
The Garganega Grape.. Photo from Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave
- Trebbiano di Soave. An exception to some of the low quality Trebbiani, this is the same grape Verdicchio (often from Le Marche). It’s a low yielding variety, ripens earlier than Garganega, and it’s acidic, floral, and light. It used to be in more frequent use but its sensitivity to mold and rot, it has slowly been replaced by the more vigorous Garganega.
We go through the history, and over the theories of how Soave got its name:
- The name is from the writings of Dante Alighieri, devised during his exile in Verona.
- The name is from a Nordic tribe (Svevi) that once inhabited the area.
- Or it could be from a Germanic tribe –the Lombards who set up the city of Soave in the 500s
Soave DOCs and their terroir…
The Soave DOC and its two subzones (Soave Classico DOC and Soave Colli Scaligeri DOC) make 99.5% of the wine (the rest is sweet Recioto di Soave DOCG and Soave Superiore DOCG). Most of the wine is dry, still, white wine. A small amount of sparkling is made. There are 33 "Unità Geografica Aggiuntiva” or Additional Geographical Units, similar to the MGA of Barolo and Barbaresco -- single vineyard sites.
Map: https://www.amaronetours.it/wines/soave
There are various terroir in Soave, as we discuss earlier in the podcast:
The Hills
Soave Classico and Soave Colli Scaligeri (KOH-lee ska-LEE-jah-ree) are in the mountains, as just described. The Colli Scaligeri form a horseshoe around Soave Classico and these are higher elevation areas mainly on limestone but with some basalt. The two areas are the high quality, traditional growing regions of Soave.
- Volcanic hillsides are in the central to eastern area of Lessini mountains (near Monteforte d’Alpone). These slopes go up to 500 M /328 feet, but slope can go from 10% to 80% grade! These wines can sometimes show a cinnamon note from the benzonoids in the wine.
- Limestone hillsides in the west (near Soave) have shallow, rocky subsoils. These wines are more variable since the calcareous content varies depending on the place on the hill. Tropical fruit, floral, apple, and citrus flavors are common.
The Plains
The Soave DOC includes the flat floor of the three valleys, where the soils are deeper, rich in clay, and the climate is very hot in summer, and frosty in the “shoulder seasons” of spring (during budbreak) and fall (during harvest). This valley area includes all the expanded are discussed in the history review, and it is the reason why people have a bad idea about Soave, despite the fact that it is so historic and delicious when made in the right regions.
- Volcanic Plains are mainly in the Monteforte Valley, one of the most fertile areas of Soave. These plains are high in clay and volcanic sediment deposited from the hills above. These are simple wines. (Volcanic Park I mentioned is here)
- The limestone plain contains alluvial valley soils deposited from intense rain along Alpone valley and the foothills around Verona. These are rocky, sandy soils and the wines can be floral, simple, and often overcropped.
Soave Soil Map: https://www.amaronetours.it/wines/soave
The two DOCGs: Recioto di Soave, Soave Superiore
These wines are often from the subzones but they are not required to be. They have their own zone of production that overlaps most of the Soave DOC. They must not contain more than 5% Chardonnay and must be at least 70% Garganega and up to 30% Trebbiano di Soave.
-
Recioto di Soave DOCG can be still or sparkling wine. It is made from grapes dried on straw mats outside or in a controlled environment. They must be an minimum of 14% ABV and are an intense golden color, with apricot, floral, and vanilla notes.
-
Soave Superiore DOCG, began with the 2002 vintage. These wines must have lower yields, more alcohol, and undergo longer ageing (they are not released until April versus February for the others). These wines have a darker color, richer flavors, stronger floral notes, and are weightier. The issue: they aren’t representative of the style of Soave, so a lot producers aren’t using the DOCG. It’s possible this will be the first DOCG that is rescinded – but stay tuned!
Soave's hillside vineyards.. Photo from Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave
Food Pairings: Soave is lovely with food because it has acidity and delicate aromas. Perfect pairings are simple risottos with parmesan cheese, seafood and vegetable pastas, and grilled white fish and seafood or chicken in herbal or citrus preparations.
Go out and get some Soave – it is AWESOME!!
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
_______________________________________________________________
Sources: Most of the information for this show comes from Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave,
'Soave at the Crossroads' from Meininger's Wine Business Int'l
Italian Wine Central -- Soave
Happy Thanksgiving/Harvest Meal 2022. For this episode, we’re discussing wines that will give you great bang for your buck, pair perfectly with the meal, and impress your guests.
Photo: Pumpkins & Pais!
(c) Wine For Normal People
These pairings are really for any traditional western meal – Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any sort of food that celebrates autumn flavors.
Here’s the list for 2022...
The Welcome Wine
- Sparkling options: Sekt from Germany (Riesling is best), South African Cap Classique, Lambrusco
- Sherry: Our favorite type of Sherry is Amontillado. It’s great with nuts and generally well liked by people when they try it. Good producers: Hidalgo la Gitana, Valdespino, Lustau, Osbourne, and Bodegas Dios Baco are some great producers.
Dry white wines
-
Wines that complement a buttery, savory meal:
- Grillo from Sicily
- Pinot Blanc from Alsace
- Soave from Italy
- A blend from Lisboa (around Lisbon, Portugal)
- Verdejo from Spain
-
OR More acidic whites -- better with acidic food with a lot of citrus/acidity or for contrast:
- Vernaccia di San Gimignano (Tuscany)
- Australian Riesling from the Clare and Eden Valleys
- Finger Lakes Riesling
Off Dry Whites for dishes with fruit or with sweetness (yams, corn):
- Mosel Riesling from Germany
- Off-dry Finger Lakes Riesling
- Vouvray from the Loire Valley, France
Light Reds and rosé (good with turkey, ham, pork):
- Frappato from Sicily
- País from Chile (similar to Beaujolais)
- Zweigelt from Austria
- Rosé: Tavel from Rhône, Côte de Provence, or something from your local winery
Heavier reds (for non-turkey meals):
- Bordeaux – general Bordeaux or Bordeaux Superieur for MVP, Right Bank (St. Emilion, Fronsac) and Côtes de Bordeaux for meats or heavier vegetables with more delicate, herbal flavors, Médoc for more robust meats with more charred notes
- Primitivo for robust meats
- Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon or Carménere for heavily flavored, braised, charred meat
Dessert:
- Ruby Port for chocolate desserts
- Muscat-based wines – Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, Muscat de Rivesaltes for fruit or custard desserts
- Bring back the off-dry Sekt or Lambrusco from the beginning of the meal to enjoy at the end of the meal. Lambrusco is good with berry or cherry desserts, Sekt with apple and custards
Tips:
- Don’t buy too much wine.
- If you have a limited number of drinkers, limit the choices for the meal. If you plan to serve dessert wine, don’t go overboard with options at the beginning of the meal or you’ll have no takers.
- If your meal has a theme – it’s very savory or is very vegetable focused, stick to the wine that will best suit those dishes and don’t offer too many choices
Check out the Wine For Normal People book for more tips on pairing!
Have a safe, happy, healthy holiday. We are so grateful to you for listening and for your continued support!!
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
For decades, Aldo Vacca has been the Managing Director of the Produttori del Barbaresco, the best and most successful wine co-op in Europe. Through his leadership and guidance, the Produttori has taken its wines, and with it, the wines of Barbaresco beyond Piedmont in northeastern Italy, to world renown. Aldo’s job at the Produttori is not just an occupation, it is his family legacy and a professional choice he made that has benefitted all who love Nebbiolo.
Photo: www.rarewineco.com
Aldo took a degree in Viticulture at the Torino University and worked at the prestigious University of California at Davis, after which he got one of the most coveted jobs in Piedmont – he got a job working for Gaja in 1986. But after 4 years, he realized that rather than fame and modernism, he wanted to do something that celebrated the land of Barbaresco and all it represented. He followed in the footsteps of his great grandfather and used his infinite knowledge of Nebbiolo and his skills at management and hospitality, to transform the Produttori into one of the best-known brands in Italy.
I have spent time with Aldo. He’s brilliant, cheeky, and passionate, and after two years, I’m so happy to have finally gotten him on the show. Aldo speaks to groups about the Produttori all the time, has been in lots of media, and he is absolute pro. This is a great show!
Here is a general outline of what we discuss:
-
We discuss the harvest that just was (2022) – what was hard, what was normal, and the changes that the Barbaresco region has endured as climate change has taken hold here.
-
Aldo discusses his family legacy in Barbaresco and how it ties into the region’s development. He tells us about the hard times in the region and how the Cantine Sociali and then the Produttori were formed to address the social and economic challenges of grape farmers in the 1800s and then again in the mid 1900s.
-
We learn about the structure of the Produttori and how its quality standards, efficiency, and generosity make it so successful. Aldo tells us how the Produttori has managed to hold its members to such high standards.
Photo: Bottling at the Produttori del Barbaresco in May 2022
(c)Wine For Normal People
-
We get into the details on some of the logistics, the management and membership structure, and the winemaking philosophy (to let Barbaresco shine!). We discuss the extras the members get – knowledge sharing, status and prestige by being part of the Produttori, and the incentives to farm for quality not quantity. And why owning great land yields to great results – they own pieces of the best vineyards.
-
Aldo tells us about the Barbaresco DOCG – the land, factors that make it different from Barolo, and the overview of the style of wine here. He talks about the MGA system (he refers to it as single vineyard, which is what they are) and what it means for the area.
-
Aldo and I talk about the wines the Produttori makes, we discuss the flagship Barbaresco and how it is made, and the very affordable and delicious Langhe Nebbiolo, an important product to show people who are just getting into Nebbiolo what it can do and be. Aldo also helps us understand their single vineyard wines and why each expresses something so unique and individual, based on site
Photo: Aldo Vacca educates Wine For Normal People Patrons
(c)Wine For Normal People
- We end with a conversation of why the new generation of winemakers and land owners in Barbaresco is so great and Aldo’s great hope for a bright future for Barbaresco and the Produttori.
Here are links to all the wines the Produttori makes:
NEBBIOLO LANGHE D.O.C.
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G.
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA ASILI
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MONTEFICO
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MONTESTEFANO
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MUNCAGOTA
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA OVELLO
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA PAJÈ
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA PORA
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA RABAJÀ
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA RIO SORDO
Photo: www.rarewineco.com
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
For decades, Aldo Vacca has been the Managing Director of the Produttori del Barbaresco, the best and most successful wine co-op in Europe. Through his leadership and guidance, the Produttori has taken its wines, and with it, the wines of Barbaresco beyond Piedmont in northeastern Italy, to world renown. Aldo’s job at the Produttori is not just an occupation, it is his family legacy and a professional choice he made that has benefitted all who love Nebbiolo.
Photo: www.rarewineco.com
Aldo took a degree in Viticulture at the Torino University and worked at the prestigious University of California at Davis, after which he got one of the most coveted jobs in Piedmont – he got a job working for Gaja in 1986. But after 4 years, he realized that rather than fame and modernism, he wanted to do something that celebrated the land of Barbaresco and all it represented. He followed in the footsteps of his great grandfather and used his infinite knowledge of Nebbiolo and his skills at management and hospitality, to transform the Produttori into one of the best-known brands in Italy.
I have spent time with Aldo. He’s brilliant, cheeky, and passionate, and after two years, I’m so happy to have finally gotten him on the show. Aldo speaks to groups about the Produttori all the time, has been in lots of media, and he is absolute pro. This is a great show!
Here is a general outline of what we discuss:
-
We discuss the harvest that just was (2022) – what was hard, what was normal, and the changes that the Barbaresco region has endured as climate change has taken hold here.
-
Aldo discusses his family legacy in Barbaresco and how it ties into the region’s development. He tells us about the hard times in the region and how the Cantine Sociali and then the Produttori were formed to address the social and economic challenges of grape farmers in the 1800s and then again in the mid 1900s.
-
We learn about the structure of the Produttori and how its quality standards, efficiency, and generosity make it so successful. Aldo tells us how the Produttori has managed to hold its members to such high standards.
Photo: Bottling at the Produttori del Barbaresco in May 2022
(c)Wine For Normal People
-
We get into the details on some of the logistics, the management and membership structure, and the winemaking philosophy (to let Barbaresco shine!). We discuss the extras the members get – knowledge sharing, status and prestige by being part of the Produttori, and the incentives to farm for quality not quantity. And why owning great land yields to great results – they own pieces of the best vineyards.
-
Aldo tells us about the Barbaresco DOCG – the land, factors that make it different from Barolo, and the overview of the style of wine here. He talks about the MGA system (he refers to it as single vineyard, which is what they are) and what it means for the area.
-
Aldo and I talk about the wines the Produttori makes, we discuss the flagship Barbaresco and how it is made, and the very affordable and delicious Langhe Nebbiolo, an important product to show people who are just getting into Nebbiolo what it can do and be. Aldo also helps us understand their single vineyard wines and why each expresses something so unique and individual, based on site
Photo: Aldo Vacca educates Wine For Normal People Patrons
(c)Wine For Normal People
- We end with a conversation of why the new generation of winemakers and land owners in Barbaresco is so great and Aldo’s great hope for a bright future for Barbaresco and the Produttori.
Here are links to all the wines the Produttori makes:
NEBBIOLO LANGHE D.O.C.
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G.
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA ASILI
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MONTEFICO
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MONTESTEFANO
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MUNCAGOTA
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA OVELLO
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA PAJÈ
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA PORA
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA RABAJÀ
BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA RIO SORDO
Photo: www.rarewineco.com
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week's show is about the essential art of cooperage, or barrel making. Aussie winemaker and current US National Sales Manager for Tonnellerie Radoux, Craig Holme, takes us through how barrels are made, from forest to cellar. We discuss sustainability (Hint: the issue isn't the barrels or the trees, it's the fact that they come on container ships fully assembled, as winemakers order. Hello, carbon footprint!), how different regions look at barrels, and how barrels are a very personal thing to a winemaker. A cool look inside of an essential part of wine!
Thanks to the Patrons for their insightful questions that augmented the show! To join Patreon, click here.
Here are the show notes:
-
Craig tells us briefly about his early life in Mount Benson, South Australia where his family farmed Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. He discusses how he worked in the wine industry, working harvests around the world, and then becoming a winemaker himself. For 10 years, Craig and his wife owned a small wine brand, called Holme Estate Cellars, which specialized in Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz sourced from their family vineyards in Australia. They also bought Zinfandel and Chardonnay from California. He moved into barrels about 10 years ago.
-
We discuss the process of barrel making:
-
Forests -- Troncais, Limousin, Atelier, and American and Hungarian wood
- The age and requirements for a tree to make barrels (only 2-3 barrels come out of each tree. You read that right). We discuss the French laws and a bit about forestry management
- Radoux's proprietary tannin scanning method -- Oakscan
- Splitting wood
- Seasoning wood -- what it accomplishes, where it's done, the terroir of seasoning
- Toasting oak -- the process, toast levels available, how toasting is done, and the most popular toasts
Radoux's wood, fresh from the forest
- We discuss the size and shape of the barrel and why it matters (Bordeaux is 225L, Burgundy is 228 L, we explain why they are different and the other common options for barrel size)
One of Radoux's yard for seasoning the staves
-
I become just slightly obsessed with the elephant in the room -- It is completely wasteful for barrels to be assembled in France or Missouri or Eastern Europe and shipped to California, Washington, etc. It's not the fault of the barrel makers, but the expectations of the winemakers. Craig tells us where winemakers are about shipping air thousands of miles, and wasting space in cargo ships, rail and trucks (the coopers are businesses, they are fulfilling orders, it's the winemakers that are mainly at fault here for not demanding assembly close to home).
-
We discuss how winemakers pick barrels and what the choices could lead to in the wine.
Fire shapes and bends the barrels, then toasts them
- Finally we end with some trends and the fact that oak is awesome, and it's an essential part of wine.
Thanks to Radoux and Craig Holme for joining the show!
All photos from https://www.tonnellerieradoux.com/
____________________________________________________________________
This week's show is about the essential art of cooperage, or barrel making. Aussie winemaker and current US National Sales Manager for Tonnellerie Radoux, Craig Holme, takes us through how barrels are made, from forest to cellar. We discuss sustainability (Hint: the issue isn't the barrels or the trees, it's the fact that they come on container ships fully assembled, as winemakers order. Hello, carbon footprint!), how different regions look at barrels, and how barrels are a very personal thing to a winemaker. A cool look inside of an essential part of wine!
Thanks to the Patrons for their insightful questions that augmented the show! To join Patreon, click here.
Here are the show notes:
-
Craig tells us briefly about his early life in Mount Benson, South Australia where his family farmed Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. He discusses how he worked in the wine industry, working harvests around the world, and then becoming a winemaker himself. For 10 years, Craig and his wife owned a small wine brand, called Holme Estate Cellars, which specialized in Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz sourced from their family vineyards in Australia. They also bought Zinfandel and Chardonnay from California. He moved into barrels about 10 years ago.
-
We discuss the process of barrel making:
-
Forests -- Troncais, Limousin, Atelier, and American and Hungarian wood
- The age and requirements for a tree to make barrels (only 2-3 barrels come out of each tree. You read that right). We discuss the French laws and a bit about forestry management
- Radoux's proprietary tannin scanning method -- Oakscan
- Splitting wood
- Seasoning wood -- what it accomplishes, where it's done, the terroir of seasoning
- Toasting oak -- the process, toast levels available, how toasting is done, and the most popular toasts
Radoux's wood, fresh from the forest
- We discuss the size and shape of the barrel and why it matters (Bordeaux is 225L, Burgundy is 228 L, we explain why they are different and the other common options for barrel size)
One of Radoux's yard for seasoning the staves
-
I become just slightly obsessed with the elephant in the room -- It is completely wasteful for barrels to be assembled in France or Missouri or Eastern Europe and shipped to California, Washington, etc. It's not the fault of the barrel makers, but the expectations of the winemakers. Craig tells us where winemakers are about shipping air thousands of miles, and wasting space in cargo ships, rail and trucks (the coopers are businesses, they are fulfilling orders, it's the winemakers that are mainly at fault here for not demanding assembly close to home).
-
We discuss how winemakers pick barrels and what the choices could lead to in the wine.
Fire shapes and bends the barrels, then toasts them
- Finally we end with some trends and the fact that oak is awesome, and it's an essential part of wine.
Thanks to Radoux and Craig Holme for joining the show!
All photos from https://www.tonnellerieradoux.com/
____________________________________________________________________
Dr. Kevin Pogue, PhD, professor, geologist, and terroir expert educates us on terroir. This podcast is like taking a terroir class: it debunks so many things that people spout in reference books, at wineries, and in mainstream press about the topic! He explains things brilliantly and he is one of the first people I've ever met who actually has answers to my really dorky questions about terroir.
Photo: Kevin Pogue. From Vinterra.net
As more detail, Kevin is one of the most famous people in the field of terroir. He's considered the foremost terroir expert on Washington State wine and he’s known around the world - his work has been featured in both national and international journals. He's a licensed geologist and professor of geology at Whitman College in Walla Walla. Kevin has a doctorate in geology from Oregon State University, and decades of college teaching and research experience. He has authored books, articles, and done extensive research on the terroir of the Pacific northwest, with a good portion of this time spent on investigating the deposits of the Missoula floods, which were the pivotal event that formed the geological base of the region.
Kevin’s research today focuses on terroir. He owns a consulting company, Vinterra, through which he assists wineries in choosing the best vineyard sites, matching grape to site, and educating winery owners and winemakers and their customers on why their specific terroir leads to the style in their wine.
Photo: Whitman.edu
I need to thank Eric McKibben from Amavi and Pepper Bridge for the introduction.
Here are the items we discuss:
- Kevin tells us about his past, studying the Himalyan thrust belt, and how he got into wine in Walla Walla
- To set our baseline, Kevin defines terroir, referring to the definition of terroir from the OIV (International Organization of Vine and Wine)
The majority of the show is spent with Kevin clearing up many, many things we hear about terroir, much of which is not exactly correct. We cover...
- Why grapes that grow on slopes are often of higher quality than those on the valley floor.
- Why slopes can be warmer even though altitude makes them cooler (VERY confusing -- temperature drops 1˚C for every 100 meters of altitude yet during the coldest times, the slopes are warmer due to air density!)
-
The benefits of south, southeast, and southwest facing slopes in the northern hemisphere and what actually happens with temperatures of the soil to have this make an appreciable difference.
-
Solar radiation and how it plays a part in ripening and quality of the grapes. We get into whether slope angle actually matters.
-
DIRT! Kevin is a geologist and he rocks my world talking about the two or three REALLY key factors of soil and what you may be tasting in the wine that is reflective of the terroir. We also discuss the role of irrigation and whether that makes wine or a more manipulated beverage.
- Kevin helps me understand the “terroir deniers” and the argument he makes to try to convince them.
- Washington State, discussing the AVA petition for the Rocks of Milton Freewater, which makes some of the most distinctive Syrah in the world. Kevin discusses this unique plot and why some of the wines taste so much of place (“funk”) and some are just ok.
Photo: https://rocksdistrict.com/terroir
- How AVAs are made, what goes into it and whether or not they are meaningful or meaningless. We compare the AVA system in the US to the PDO system in Europe.
To me, this is the most comprehensive look at terroir I have ever received. I hope you learn as much as I did in the show. This is Kevin’s first show with me, but it won’t be his last! I hope you love the super dork out that is this show!!
_________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Dr. Kevin Pogue, PhD, professor, geologist, and terroir expert educates us on terroir. This podcast is like taking a terroir class: it debunks so many things that people spout in reference books, at wineries, and in mainstream press about the topic! He explains things brilliantly and he is one of the first people I've ever met who actually has answers to my really dorky questions about terroir.
Photo: Kevin Pogue. From Vinterra.net
As more detail, Kevin is one of the most famous people in the field of terroir. He's considered the foremost terroir expert on Washington State wine and he’s known around the world - his work has been featured in both national and international journals. He's a licensed geologist and professor of geology at Whitman College in Walla Walla. Kevin has a doctorate in geology from Oregon State University, and decades of college teaching and research experience. He has authored books, articles, and done extensive research on the terroir of the Pacific northwest, with a good portion of this time spent on investigating the deposits of the Missoula floods, which were the pivotal event that formed the geological base of the region.
Kevin’s research today focuses on terroir. He owns a consulting company, Vinterra, through which he assists wineries in choosing the best vineyard sites, matching grape to site, and educating winery owners and winemakers and their customers on why their specific terroir leads to the style in their wine.
Photo: Whitman.edu
I need to thank Eric McKibben from Amavi and Pepper Bridge for the introduction.
Here are the items we discuss:
- Kevin tells us about his past, studying the Himalyan thrust belt, and how he got into wine in Walla Walla
- To set our baseline, Kevin defines terroir, referring to the definition of terroir from the OIV (International Organization of Vine and Wine)
The majority of the show is spent with Kevin clearing up many, many things we hear about terroir, much of which is not exactly correct. We cover...
- Why grapes that grow on slopes are often of higher quality than those on the valley floor.
- Why slopes can be warmer even though altitude makes them cooler (VERY confusing -- temperature drops 1˚C for every 100 meters of altitude yet during the coldest times, the slopes are warmer due to air density!)
-
The benefits of south, southeast, and southwest facing slopes in the northern hemisphere and what actually happens with temperatures of the soil to have this make an appreciable difference.
-
Solar radiation and how it plays a part in ripening and quality of the grapes. We get into whether slope angle actually matters.
-
DIRT! Kevin is a geologist and he rocks my world talking about the two or three REALLY key factors of soil and what you may be tasting in the wine that is reflective of the terroir. We also discuss the role of irrigation and whether that makes wine or a more manipulated beverage.
- Kevin helps me understand the “terroir deniers” and the argument he makes to try to convince them.
- Washington State, discussing the AVA petition for the Rocks of Milton Freewater, which makes some of the most distinctive Syrah in the world. Kevin discusses this unique plot and why some of the wines taste so much of place (“funk”) and some are just ok.
Photo: https://rocksdistrict.com/terroir
- How AVAs are made, what goes into it and whether or not they are meaningful or meaningless. We compare the AVA system in the US to the PDO system in Europe.
To me, this is the most comprehensive look at terroir I have ever received. I hope you learn as much as I did in the show. This is Kevin’s first show with me, but it won’t be his last! I hope you love the super dork out that is this show!!
_________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
In this show we welcome back Édouard Miailhe, proprietor of Château Siran in the Margaux appellation of the Médoc (he was on Episode 391, as part of our Médoc series, discussing his role as the president of the Margaux appellation and a small bit about the Château). He joins to talk about many things that we didn’t cover in the first show, and the exciting things happening now, including the fact that Château Siran’s 2018 vintage was named the #1 wine of 2021 by Wine Enthusiast Magazine!
Édouard Miailhe, owner of Château Siran, photo by Wine For Normal People
After meeting Édouard in person, tasting the wines, and seeing what is happening at Siran, I agree that magazine made the right decision. Siran has some of the most vibrant energy in Bordeaux and some of the best wines. And Édouard is really just getting started.
Château Siran
In addition to this, the show covers something we did not at all address in the first show: the role of the Miailhe family as discussed in the book “Wine and War” by Donald and Petie Kladstrup. The book was written two decades ago but is still a fantastic read. In our first conversation, Édouard never mentioned that his family’s bravery, sacrifice, and dedication to wine and the essence of being a Frenchman during the war makes them some of the bravest, most empathetic, clever, and principled families in the wine world.
Here are some of the things we discuss in the show:
-
Édouard chronicles his family history in the Médoc, and how they came to manage Château Siran through family ties in 1888, with wine broker Fréderic Miailhe.
-
We talk about how his great grandfather Édouard Miailhe and great uncle, Louis Miailhe, saved many prestigious Left Bank properties from bankruptcy and ruin -Pichon Lalande, Coufran, Dauzac, and part of Château Palmer in the early 1900s through investments that others were unwilling to make.
Château Siran
-
I make Édouard discuss his family story in World War II. We discuss weinführers, the invasive and destructive nature of the German troops in Bordeaux, and how his family saved the lives of two Italian Jewish families by sheltering them at Château Palmer, until they were able to get papers to smuggle them out of the country. We discuss how the continued acts of patriotism through investment and saving French wine properties in Bordeaux led to the signed picture of Winston Churchill that is at Château Siran.
-
Édouard discusses his aunt, May-Eliane Miailhe de Lencquesaing, who played a role in helping keep the Jewish family alive, became an icon in Bordeaux wine, and later moved to South Africa and started her own brand. Édouard and I discuss his view on women in wine and his family’s unflagging support of women through the decades.
Marjolaine Defrance, Édouard Miailhe, Charlotte (hospitality manager)
- Édouard talks about how the right investments in the vineyard and winery, and the right enologist (a very young, talented, Marjolaine Defrance) led to Château Siran being the number one wine in the world according to Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
Siran's 160th anniversary bottle
- Édouard talks about the revival of original art on the labels of Château Siran. His parents began the tradition of picking a theme for the label that reflected the events of that particular year. The bottles were pieces of art, but also were easily recognizable because of the moment in time they represented. Édouard has revived the tradition for the 2020 vintage, with Frederica Matta, the French and Chilean artist representing the difficult year of isolation in Covid, but the uplifting part of reconnecting with nature, and being grateful for its sights and smells.
Revival of the artist label with the 2020 vintage. Art by Frederica Matta, photo courtesy of Ch. Siran
- We end by discussing some of Édouard’s worries about climate change but also about his hopefulness about the ever-improving quality of Margaux wines and how the appellation seems to be working together better than ever before, a great thing for them and for those of us who drink their wines.
My opinion: Château Siran is a very unique and delicious bottle of wine and extremely well-priced for what it delivers. The addition of Petit Verdot in the wine makes it unlike other wines you may have tasted and it is well worth it to buy it, hold it and taste the beauty in the bottle!!
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
In this show we welcome back Édouard Miailhe, proprietor of Château Siran in the Margaux appellation of the Médoc (he was on Episode 391, as part of our Médoc series, discussing his role as the president of the Margaux appellation and a small bit about the Château). He joins to talk about many things that we didn’t cover in the first show, and the exciting things happening now, including the fact that Château Siran’s 2018 vintage was named the #1 wine of 2021 by Wine Enthusiast Magazine!
Édouard Miailhe, owner of Château Siran, photo by Wine For Normal People
After meeting Édouard in person, tasting the wines, and seeing what is happening at Siran, I agree that magazine made the right decision. Siran has some of the most vibrant energy in Bordeaux and some of the best wines. And Édouard is really just getting started.
Château Siran
In addition to this, the show covers something we did not at all address in the first show: the role of the Miailhe family as discussed in the book “Wine and War” by Donald and Petie Kladstrup. The book was written two decades ago but is still a fantastic read. In our first conversation, Édouard never mentioned that his family’s bravery, sacrifice, and dedication to wine and the essence of being a Frenchman during the war makes them some of the bravest, most empathetic, clever, and principled families in the wine world.
Here are some of the things we discuss in the show:
-
Édouard chronicles his family history in the Médoc, and how they came to manage Château Siran through family ties in 1888, with wine broker Fréderic Miailhe.
-
We talk about how his great grandfather Édouard Miailhe and great uncle, Louis Miailhe, saved many prestigious Left Bank properties from bankruptcy and ruin -Pichon Lalande, Coufran, Dauzac, and part of Château Palmer in the early 1900s through investments that others were unwilling to make.
Château Siran
-
I make Édouard discuss his family story in World War II. We discuss weinführers, the invasive and destructive nature of the German troops in Bordeaux, and how his family saved the lives of two Italian Jewish families by sheltering them at Château Palmer, until they were able to get papers to smuggle them out of the country. We discuss how the continued acts of patriotism through investment and saving French wine properties in Bordeaux led to the signed picture of Winston Churchill that is at Château Siran.
-
Édouard discusses his aunt, May-Eliane Miailhe de Lencquesaing, who played a role in helping keep the Jewish family alive, became an icon in Bordeaux wine, and later moved to South Africa and started her own brand. Édouard and I discuss his view on women in wine and his family’s unflagging support of women through the decades.
Marjolaine Defrance, Édouard Miailhe, Charlotte (hospitality manager)
- Édouard talks about how the right investments in the vineyard and winery, and the right enologist (a very young, talented, Marjolaine Defrance) led to Château Siran being the number one wine in the world according to Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
Siran's 160th anniversary bottle
- Édouard talks about the revival of original art on the labels of Château Siran. His parents began the tradition of picking a theme for the label that reflected the events of that particular year. The bottles were pieces of art, but also were easily recognizable because of the moment in time they represented. Édouard has revived the tradition for the 2020 vintage, with Frederica Matta, the French and Chilean artist representing the difficult year of isolation in Covid, but the uplifting part of reconnecting with nature, and being grateful for its sights and smells.
Revival of the artist label with the 2020 vintage. Art by Frederica Matta, photo courtesy of Ch. Siran
- We end by discussing some of Édouard’s worries about climate change but also about his hopefulness about the ever-improving quality of Margaux wines and how the appellation seems to be working together better than ever before, a great thing for them and for those of us who drink their wines.
My opinion: Château Siran is a very unique and delicious bottle of wine and extremely well-priced for what it delivers. The addition of Petit Verdot in the wine makes it unlike other wines you may have tasted and it is well worth it to buy it, hold it and taste the beauty in the bottle!!
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week’s show covers the southern part of the Côte de Beaune, south of Meursault. In this part of the Côte de Beaune you will find some of the most famed, stunning Chardonnay on earth. We start with a recap of episode 455 to tie these two shows together. Then we work our way through the southern half of the Côte de Beaune and the most famed Chardonnays in the world from the Montrachet family of vineyards. Like the first show, this is quite a download and we try to provide a structure for understanding this study in terroir, which sets us up well to do deeper dives on other parts of Bourgogne so we can understand the villages even better.
As in the first show, we don't need much in the notes besides this wonderful map from the Vins de Bourgogne site, but I'll throw a few things down here just for recap.
Here are the show notes:
- We discuss the pricing of Burgundy and why wines are so expensive. We talk about the difference between Burgundy and Napa that was sparked by a conversation on Patreon. Here is the podcast I talk about with Laurent Delaunaywhere we address some of the pricing issues. We talk a bit about the negociant system and the secondary market before moving to the communes.
_____________________________
This show covers the southern communes of the Côte de Beaune only, from Blagny to Marange
Blagny (Blaeh-NE -- Pinot Noir)
- Between Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, Blagny is a small village appellation with red wines exclusively of Pinot Noir. The majority of wine is classified as Premier Cru. Whites are permitted to be Meursault or Puligny-Montrachet, but not Blagny – since white is often better here, Blagny is not well-known because the name is only for red
- Blagny has steeper vineyards than most spots in Burgundy and they are at higher altitudes 340- 400 metres/1,116 -1,312 ft vineyards. In the past, vignerons didn’t want to make wine in the village because it was too cool, but with climate change it is becoming more popular
- Blagny’s Pinot is like red fruit, black fruit, sandalwood, and spice. With age which it needs because tannins can be strong, leather, pepper, cocoa, licorice, earthy, gamy notes appear.
St. Aubin: (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- Aubin is between Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet, but it does not lie on the main Côte d’Or escarpment, but rather in a valley west of Chassagne. In warmer years, this cooler climate area does well, especially the top Premier cru En Remilly, Murgers des Dents de Chien (means teeth of the dog -due to the sharp stones there) and La Chatenière
- Aubin grows a majority of white (Chardonnay), and the best sites arecloser to Puligny and Chassagne. Common notes are white flowers, lime, flint, chalk, mineral, almond, hazelnut, orange, mineral, and cinnamon. St. Aubin blanc can be sharp in youth or can be full – depending on vintage, terroir and producer. With age the wine is more like beeswax and honey and marzipan. Whites can age up to 10 years. The Pinot Noir is has black fruit with spice and cocoa notes. The wine can be tannic in youth but becomes softer and more herbal with 5-8 years.
Puligny-Montrachet & Chassagne-Montrachet (with Meursault, termed the "Côte des blancs" or “the slope of the "whites"
Puligny-Montrachet (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir)
- A very small vineyard area (95 ha/235 acres) of nearly all Chardonnay –the terroir is complex in Puligny. The hillside has many different limestone, marl, and alluvial soils. The slopes face east and southeast. Four Grands Crus of Montrachet are located in the borders of Puligny. Top Premiers Crus: Le Cailleret, Les Pucelles, Les Demoiselles, Les Combettes, Folatières
- The Chardonnay is known for floral, mineral, marzipan, hazelnut, lemongrass, croissant, honey, lemon curd, limeade, peach, and green apple aromas and flavors. Producers traditionally use oak fermentation and aging but the flavors are restrained.
- We discuss the Grands Crus, all in the southern part of the appellation:
- Bâtard-Montrachet (10.27 ha/25.38 acres, shared with Chassagne) and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet (3.43 ha/8.48 acres, all in Puligny) are lower down the hill from Montrachet. The wines are honeyed and minerally, but less rich than Le Montrachet and Chevalier-Montrachet
- Le Montrachet (9.59 ha/ 23.7 acres, shared with Chassagne) is considered the best white wine on earth. The Grand Cru is from the ideal mid-slope. The wines are (apparently) elegant with powerful fruit, minerality, smoke, toasty aromas and flavors. Bottles start at about US$600/bottle
- Chevalier-Montrachet (7.48 ha/18.48 acres, only in Puligny) is nearly as good as Le Montrachet, lying at a higher elevation, with less clay
Photo Credit: BIVB
Chassagne (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir)
- Chassagne is one of the largest communes in the Cote d’Or with 761 acres/308 ha – Chardonnay is 70% of production and Pinot Noir is 30%.
- With complex soils, there is a range of quality and flavor in the village wines. The Chardonnay has pronounced mineral, white flower (verbena, honeysuckle), toasted almonds, toast (from oak), and fresh butter. The wine can be like peach in riper years. They are full but always have a backbone of acidity. The Pinots are fruity with black fruit, strawberry briar, and earth notes. It is soft but has tannin and needs time to mellow.
- There are 55 Premier crus of varying quality, since most of the steep slopes are for Premier Crus and Grands Crus of Chardonnay, much of the Village wine on the flatter areas is Pinot Noir
- Grands Crus: Shared with Puligny: Bâtard Montrachet, Le Montrachet
- Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet: 100% in Chassagne -- 1.57 ha/3.88 acres, very small production
From the Bourgogne Website: To remember their names, here is the story they offer:
The Seigneur of Montrachet set off on a crusade, entrusting his virgin daughter to his favorite Chevalier (knight). In his absence, what happened, happened, and a child was born illegitimately. On his return from the Crusades, the Seigneur discovered this Bâtard (bastard), who started to cry when he saw him. The Seigneur then said: “Criots-Bâtard!” (The bastard cries!). But he was a good man, and welcomed the child into the family with these words: “Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet” (Welcome, Bastard of Montrachet).
Santenay (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- This is the last major village of the Côte d’Or and makes nearly all red wine, only 1/8 is Chardonnay. The orientation is still eastern and southern but here there is a shift to more southerly facing vineyards, still with limestone and clay.
- Santenay’s Pinot Noir is earthy, with dark flower notes like rose petals, violet, red fruit and licorice. It can have lighter tannin, is acidic, and is a great intro to Burgundy that we can sort of afford. The Chardonnay is minerally and floral with great acidity, and a trace of nuts and spice.
Maranges MAHR-ohnjhze (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- This is where a total shift takes place and the Côte de Beaune terroir changes. In Maranges, the hills face south and southwest and the slopes become gentler, soils break down and become more of a patchwork. Gentler slopes, more heat and heavy clay lead to dark, rich wines (they were used as vins de médecin, to beef up the wines of the Côte de Nuits in bad years, so they never focused much on their own quality). Maranges is located in a different administrative department, Saône-et-Loire, where the Côte Chalonnaise lies. It’s made up of three villages of Cheilly-lès-Maranges, Dezize lès-Maranges and Sampigny-lès-Maranges
- The Pinot Noir is fuller and darker with red preserves, black cherry, earth, licorice, pepper, and less nuance. The wines have smooth tannin, medium acidity and are similar to those of the Côte Chalonnaise. The Chardonnay is floral with minerals and honey, it is an easy drinking wine.
We hope you enjoyed the two part series on the Côte de Beaune. Lots to learn and this is just the start.
Photo Credit: BIVB
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week’s show covers the southern part of the Côte de Beaune, south of Meursault. In this part of the Côte de Beaune you will find some of the most famed, stunning Chardonnay on earth. We start with a recap of episode 455 to tie these two shows together. Then we work our way through the southern half of the Côte de Beaune and the most famed Chardonnays in the world from the Montrachet family of vineyards. Like the first show, this is quite a download and we try to provide a structure for understanding this study in terroir, which sets us up well to do deeper dives on other parts of Bourgogne so we can understand the villages even better.
As in the first show, we don't need much in the notes besides this wonderful map from the Vins de Bourgogne site, but I'll throw a few things down here just for recap.
Here are the show notes:
- We discuss the pricing of Burgundy and why wines are so expensive. We talk about the difference between Burgundy and Napa that was sparked by a conversation on Patreon. Here is the podcast I talk about with Laurent Delaunaywhere we address some of the pricing issues. We talk a bit about the negociant system and the secondary market before moving to the communes.
_____________________________
This show covers the southern communes of the Côte de Beaune only, from Blagny to Marange
Blagny (Blaeh-NE -- Pinot Noir)
- Between Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, Blagny is a small village appellation with red wines exclusively of Pinot Noir. The majority of wine is classified as Premier Cru. Whites are permitted to be Meursault or Puligny-Montrachet, but not Blagny – since white is often better here, Blagny is not well-known because the name is only for red
- Blagny has steeper vineyards than most spots in Burgundy and they are at higher altitudes 340- 400 metres/1,116 -1,312 ft vineyards. In the past, vignerons didn’t want to make wine in the village because it was too cool, but with climate change it is becoming more popular
- Blagny’s Pinot is like red fruit, black fruit, sandalwood, and spice. With age which it needs because tannins can be strong, leather, pepper, cocoa, licorice, earthy, gamy notes appear.
St. Aubin: (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- Aubin is between Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet, but it does not lie on the main Côte d’Or escarpment, but rather in a valley west of Chassagne. In warmer years, this cooler climate area does well, especially the top Premier cru En Remilly, Murgers des Dents de Chien (means teeth of the dog -due to the sharp stones there) and La Chatenière
- Aubin grows a majority of white (Chardonnay), and the best sites arecloser to Puligny and Chassagne. Common notes are white flowers, lime, flint, chalk, mineral, almond, hazelnut, orange, mineral, and cinnamon. St. Aubin blanc can be sharp in youth or can be full – depending on vintage, terroir and producer. With age the wine is more like beeswax and honey and marzipan. Whites can age up to 10 years. The Pinot Noir is has black fruit with spice and cocoa notes. The wine can be tannic in youth but becomes softer and more herbal with 5-8 years.
Puligny-Montrachet & Chassagne-Montrachet (with Meursault, termed the "Côte des blancs" or “the slope of the "whites"
Puligny-Montrachet (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir)
- A very small vineyard area (95 ha/235 acres) of nearly all Chardonnay –the terroir is complex in Puligny. The hillside has many different limestone, marl, and alluvial soils. The slopes face east and southeast. Four Grands Crus of Montrachet are located in the borders of Puligny. Top Premiers Crus: Le Cailleret, Les Pucelles, Les Demoiselles, Les Combettes, Folatières
- The Chardonnay is known for floral, mineral, marzipan, hazelnut, lemongrass, croissant, honey, lemon curd, limeade, peach, and green apple aromas and flavors. Producers traditionally use oak fermentation and aging but the flavors are restrained.
- We discuss the Grands Crus, all in the southern part of the appellation:
- Bâtard-Montrachet (10.27 ha/25.38 acres, shared with Chassagne) and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet (3.43 ha/8.48 acres, all in Puligny) are lower down the hill from Montrachet. The wines are honeyed and minerally, but less rich than Le Montrachet and Chevalier-Montrachet
- Le Montrachet (9.59 ha/ 23.7 acres, shared with Chassagne) is considered the best white wine on earth. The Grand Cru is from the ideal mid-slope. The wines are (apparently) elegant with powerful fruit, minerality, smoke, toasty aromas and flavors. Bottles start at about US$600/bottle
- Chevalier-Montrachet (7.48 ha/18.48 acres, only in Puligny) is nearly as good as Le Montrachet, lying at a higher elevation, with less clay
Photo Credit: BIVB
Chassagne (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir)
- Chassagne is one of the largest communes in the Cote d’Or with 761 acres/308 ha – Chardonnay is 70% of production and Pinot Noir is 30%.
- With complex soils, there is a range of quality and flavor in the village wines. The Chardonnay has pronounced mineral, white flower (verbena, honeysuckle), toasted almonds, toast (from oak), and fresh butter. The wine can be like peach in riper years. They are full but always have a backbone of acidity. The Pinots are fruity with black fruit, strawberry briar, and earth notes. It is soft but has tannin and needs time to mellow.
- There are 55 Premier crus of varying quality, since most of the steep slopes are for Premier Crus and Grands Crus of Chardonnay, much of the Village wine on the flatter areas is Pinot Noir
- Grands Crus: Shared with Puligny: Bâtard Montrachet, Le Montrachet
- Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet: 100% in Chassagne -- 1.57 ha/3.88 acres, very small production
From the Bourgogne Website: To remember their names, here is the story they offer:
The Seigneur of Montrachet set off on a crusade, entrusting his virgin daughter to his favorite Chevalier (knight). In his absence, what happened, happened, and a child was born illegitimately. On his return from the Crusades, the Seigneur discovered this Bâtard (bastard), who started to cry when he saw him. The Seigneur then said: “Criots-Bâtard!” (The bastard cries!). But he was a good man, and welcomed the child into the family with these words: “Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet” (Welcome, Bastard of Montrachet).
Santenay (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- This is the last major village of the Côte d’Or and makes nearly all red wine, only 1/8 is Chardonnay. The orientation is still eastern and southern but here there is a shift to more southerly facing vineyards, still with limestone and clay.
- Santenay’s Pinot Noir is earthy, with dark flower notes like rose petals, violet, red fruit and licorice. It can have lighter tannin, is acidic, and is a great intro to Burgundy that we can sort of afford. The Chardonnay is minerally and floral with great acidity, and a trace of nuts and spice.
Maranges MAHR-ohnjhze (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- This is where a total shift takes place and the Côte de Beaune terroir changes. In Maranges, the hills face south and southwest and the slopes become gentler, soils break down and become more of a patchwork. Gentler slopes, more heat and heavy clay lead to dark, rich wines (they were used as vins de médecin, to beef up the wines of the Côte de Nuits in bad years, so they never focused much on their own quality). Maranges is located in a different administrative department, Saône-et-Loire, where the Côte Chalonnaise lies. It’s made up of three villages of Cheilly-lès-Maranges, Dezize lès-Maranges and Sampigny-lès-Maranges
- The Pinot Noir is fuller and darker with red preserves, black cherry, earth, licorice, pepper, and less nuance. The wines have smooth tannin, medium acidity and are similar to those of the Côte Chalonnaise. The Chardonnay is floral with minerals and honey, it is an easy drinking wine.
We hope you enjoyed the two part series on the Côte de Beaune. Lots to learn and this is just the start.
Photo Credit: BIVB
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
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To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
We don't need much in the notes besides this wonderful map from the Vins de Bourgogne site, but I'll throw a few things down here just for recap.
This week’s show covers the Côte de Beaune: the southern part of Côte d’Or, the famed ‘golden slope’ of Burgundy. The Côte de Beaune lies between the villages of Ladoix-Serrigny in the north and the Maranges in the south. In the north, there is delicious Pinot Noir but, in the south, you will find some of the most famed, stunning Chardonnay on earth. The topic is so big and a bit daunting so we cover the northern half of the Côte de Beaune in this episode, laying out the details of what is in each commune. We attempt to provide a structure for understanding this very difficult and detailed topic that is really a study in terroir, mostly as a basis for future podcasts that dive deeper into these appellations.
Here are the show notes:
Overview:
- The Côte de Beaune is about 20 – 25 km /12 or 16 miles from north to south. This region is not flat, with most grape growing occurring above 200 meters/650+ feet
- The Côte de Beaune is part of the limestone escarpment that covers the Côte de Nuits but in the Côte de Beaune, the soil is younger and the hillsides gentler. The limestone found in the Côte de Nuits is submerged at the southern tip at Nuits-St. Georges and re-emerges in Meursault
- The Côte de Beaune makes both red of Pinot Noir and white of Chardonnay (occasionally with some other grapes added). Although it produces slightly more red than white, Côte de Beaune is most famed for its Chardonnay from the Montrachet vineyards (covered in the next episode)
- Due to the escarpment, Côte de Beaune, faces east, picking up morning sun, rather than hotter afternoon sun
What is here?
- Around the town of Beaune and north, the vineyards are mainly planted to Pinot Noir with some pockets of stunning Chardonnay. From Meursault south, Chardonnay dominates the wines in most villages
- 20 Villages make up the Côte de Beaune
- Grands Crus vineyards include
- Corton, Corton Charlemagne
- Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet, Bâtard-Montrachet, Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet, Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet (covered in the next episode)
Structure of the AOC:
- Regional appellations of the Côte de Beaune include: Hautes Côtes de Beaune, Côte de Beaune – Villages, and Côte de Beaune
- Village Appellations covered in this episode: Ladoix-Serrigny, Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Chorey-lès-Beaune, Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Monthélie, Meursault, Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses
And then there are…
- Premiers Crus vineyards/ climate (we refer to a few specifically)
- Grands Crus vineyards: Corton, Corton Charlemagne
_____________________________
This show covers the northern communes only, from the Cortons to Meursault in three “clusters”
Cluster 1: The Corton Cluster -- Ladoix-Serrigny, Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton
- These villages make up the hill of Corton and link the Côte de Nuits with the Côte de Beaune
- Corton hill is at altitudes between 200 and 300 m /656-984 ft. The soil is reddish brown with flint and limestone (known as “chaillots”)
- Wines from the northern end are softer, fruity, growing in lighter, pebbly soil
- Wines from the southern end grow in clay and marl soils, and are more tannic, acidic, complex
- Corton is the biggest grand cru in Bourgogne - 1/3 of all grand cru wine is from here
- Corton and Corton-Charlemagne (nested AOC) together make up 150.55 ha/ 372.01 acres
- Corton-Charlemagne is a famed Chardonnay grand cru vineyard
The Village AOCs of the Corton Cluster…
Ladoix-Serrigny (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- Where the Côte de Beaune begins -- Ladoix is the most northerly of the villages of the Côte de Beaune. It has 11 premier cru, plus the grand cru of Corton. Village wine can be good value.
- Ladoix produces mainly Pinot Noir with red berry fruit character, and soft, silky textures. Its Chardonnay is medium-full with acidity and is often like flowers, quince, spicy pear.
Pernand-Vergelesses (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- Located in the northwest corner of the hills of the Côte de Beaune, Pernand has 8 Premier Crus plus the grand cru of Corton. It makes soft, lighter style village wine.
- The appellation makes a bit more red than white. Its Pinot Noir is like red fruit and flowers, becoming spicier and earthier with age. The red can be bold with tannins.
The Chardonnays are reminiscent of white flowers (acacia) and minerals with honey and spice flavors as it ages.
Aloxe-Corton – (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, pronounced “Alosse”)
- Dominated by Corton on the east side of the hill, Aloxe has most of the grand cru of Corton within its boundaries, with 14 premier cru sites under it. Aloxe is considered the best area on the hill of Corton.
- Aloxe makes almost all robust Pinot Noir with peony, jasmine, nut, mushroom, truffle notes in a fuller bodied wine. Whites are quite rare.
Cluster 2: The Beaune Cluster
The Village AOCs of the Beaune Cluster…
Savigny-lès-Beaune (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- Savigny is the third biggest appellation by production in the Côte de Beaune, and lies between the hill of Corton and Beaune. It contains no grand cru vineyards and 22 premiers crus. These wines are often affordable.
- Savigny is a predominantly a Pinot Noir appellation. Blackcurrant, cherry, raspberry, violet aromas and flavors are common. The Chardonnay can be quite unique, as it is sometimes co-planted with Pinot Blanc or Pinot Beurot (like Pinot Gris), giving the wines less acidity but adding a spicy component. They show flowery, citrus, mineral aromas and flavors, and depending on producer -- creamy butter, brioche, good acidity
- There is a split in styles depending on terroir: northern vineyards make more nuanced, spicier, and more acidic wines, and southern vineyards produce more rustic styles, fruity, tannic styles
Chorey-lès-Beaune (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)– appellation 1970, until then used Aloxe Corton or Savigny
- Another satellite of Beaune producing mostly red wine in a similar style to Beaune and Savigny, but lighter. Chorey is on the lower slopes of the Côte de Beaune and plantings lie on both sides of the main highway for village wines. Since most of the commune is on the “wrong” side of the road (according to Clive Coates, not my assessment) it’s more affordable and a good value
- Chorey is nearly all Pinot Noir that shows bright cherry notes, raspberry, some black fruit, with licorice, leather, earth, and ginger with time. The wine has soft tannins and can be very light and fruity. Chorey produces a very small amount of good, floral, nutty Chardonnay
Beaune (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- The commercial center of the Côte d'Or, most big negociants are located here or have big holdings in Beaune. It has a deep history in Bourgogne, including the tradition of the Hospices de Beaune charity wine auction, which was started to support the charity hospital for the poor (it is now a museum at the Hôtel-Dieu). The auction of wines on the third Sunday in November sets a benchmark for prices for that vintage for all of Bourgogne
- Although mainly Pinot Noir, with black and red fruit, earthy, spicy notes, the character of Beaune’s wine is VERY Variable because the village is so large with 42 Premiers Crus and no Grand Crus, but plenty of Village wines. Whites of Chardonnay are less common. They have almond, dried fruits, white flowers and bright acidity. Of note is Clos de Mouches by Domaine Drouhin, a Premier Cru wine that is often consider the best white Beaune
Côte de Beaune Villages (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- Contains Pinot Noir from any one or a combination of 14 villages: Auxey-Duresses, Chassagne-Montrachet, Chorey- lès- Beaune, Ladoix-Serrigny, Meursault, Monthélie, Pernand-Vergelesses, Puligny-Montrachet, Saint-Aubin, Saint-Romain, Santenay, Savigny-lès- Beaune. In the Saône-et-Loire Department:Cheilly-lès-Maranges, Dezize-lès-Maranges, Sampigny-lès-Maranges, Remigny.
- Excluded Villages: Aloxe-Corton, Beaune, Pommard, and Volnay
- Wines from Côtes de Beaune Villages are usually for young vines, wines that aren’t up to the standard of Village, OR for negociants who make blends
Côte de Beaune (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- Is not Côte de Beaune Villages but covers a specific piece of land up on the hill of Mont Batois between Savigny and Beaune
- Grown at higher altitudes, the Pinots are characterized by farmyard, earth, red berries, good acidity, strong tannin and the Chardonnay has marked acidity with citrus, grass, mineral, and occasionally hazelnut notes.
Cluster 3: Super star cluster and some randos
Pommard (Pinot Noir only, pronounced Poe-Marr)
- Pommard makes some of the most tannic and full-bodied wines from the Cote d’Or. With Corton, Pommard’s Pinot is considered the best red of the Cotes de Beaune – rich, chunky, incense-like, spicy with dark fruit, and very complex but fruitier and less complex than the wines from the Côte de Nuits
- The village wines are spectacular, as well as the wines from the 28 premiers crus (the best known of which are Les Rugiens and Les Épenots)
Volnay (Pinot Noir only)
- One of the smaller communes in Côte de Beaune, Volnay is between Pommard and Monthélie and Meursault. It contains no grand cru, only 29 premiers crus vineyards. The soils are lighter, which makes the wines softer and lighter as well.
- The Pinot Noir is aromatic, floral, with cherry and red berry notes. With age it becomes spicy and even animal-like with farmyard notes. Volnay is marked by good acidity with lower tannin, and it can be consumed younger than most other red Burgundies from the Cote de Beaune. Reds grown in Meursault are called Volnay-Santenots to keep Volnay and all red wine appellation and Meursault an all-white wine appellation
Monthélie (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, pronounced Mont’lie)
- Between Volnay and Meursault, Monthélie is a continuation of the Volnay slope. It is a small AOC will 15 premiers crus
- Reds are like black fruits (cherry, blackcurrant), dark flowers with earth and spices as they age. They tend to be light in character with mild tannins and good acidity. The Chardonnay is a very small part of production for this village.
Meursault (Mainly Chardonnay with a small amount of Pinot Noir)
- Meursault is incredibly consistent in quality but styles vary because of the diverse terroir. There are a variety of orientations on the hillsides, from due south through due east. Although many think it shouldn’t be so, there are no grand cru vineyards in Meursault, only 19 premiers crus of which Charmes, Perrières and Genevrières are famed. The village wines can be excellent as well.
- The Chardonnay is rich, ripe and sometimes higher in alcohol with toasted almonds, hazelnuts, mineral (flint), lime and lemon notes. Depending on the winemaker the wines may also show -- butter, honey, and toast.
Auxey-Duresses (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, pronounced “Aussey”)
- West of Monthélie at the opening to a wide valley, this small village makes floral, berry scented Pinot Noir that can be harsh with tannin in its youth but softer with leather, spice, and musk notes with 5+ years of age. The Chardonnay is aromatic with nuts, mineral, and apple notes and strong acidity.
Saint Romain (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, 1947 AOC)
- Known primarily for whites that are citrusy, floral, and mineral-like with good acidity, Saint Romain also makes spicy, smoky (albeit less “pretty” than other, more prestigious areas) Pinot Noir that can age well for 10 years.
So ends our first installment of the Côte de Beaune. It’s a lot of information but it gives a backdrop so that when we do deeper dives into these AOC Villages, there is an overview to rely on!
Stay tuned next week for Part deux!
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
We don't need much in the notes besides this wonderful map from the Vins de Bourgogne site, but I'll throw a few things down here just for recap.
This week’s show covers the Côte de Beaune: the southern part of Côte d’Or, the famed ‘golden slope’ of Burgundy. The Côte de Beaune lies between the villages of Ladoix-Serrigny in the north and the Maranges in the south. In the north, there is delicious Pinot Noir but, in the south, you will find some of the most famed, stunning Chardonnay on earth. The topic is so big and a bit daunting so we cover the northern half of the Côte de Beaune in this episode, laying out the details of what is in each commune. We attempt to provide a structure for understanding this very difficult and detailed topic that is really a study in terroir, mostly as a basis for future podcasts that dive deeper into these appellations.
Here are the show notes:
Overview:
- The Côte de Beaune is about 20 – 25 km /12 or 16 miles from north to south. This region is not flat, with most grape growing occurring above 200 meters/650+ feet
- The Côte de Beaune is part of the limestone escarpment that covers the Côte de Nuits but in the Côte de Beaune, the soil is younger and the hillsides gentler. The limestone found in the Côte de Nuits is submerged at the southern tip at Nuits-St. Georges and re-emerges in Meursault
- The Côte de Beaune makes both red of Pinot Noir and white of Chardonnay (occasionally with some other grapes added). Although it produces slightly more red than white, Côte de Beaune is most famed for its Chardonnay from the Montrachet vineyards (covered in the next episode)
- Due to the escarpment, Côte de Beaune, faces east, picking up morning sun, rather than hotter afternoon sun
What is here?
- Around the town of Beaune and north, the vineyards are mainly planted to Pinot Noir with some pockets of stunning Chardonnay. From Meursault south, Chardonnay dominates the wines in most villages
- 20 Villages make up the Côte de Beaune
- Grands Crus vineyards include
- Corton, Corton Charlemagne
- Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet, Bâtard-Montrachet, Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet, Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet (covered in the next episode)
Structure of the AOC:
- Regional appellations of the Côte de Beaune include: Hautes Côtes de Beaune, Côte de Beaune – Villages, and Côte de Beaune
- Village Appellations covered in this episode: Ladoix-Serrigny, Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Chorey-lès-Beaune, Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Monthélie, Meursault, Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses
And then there are…
- Premiers Crus vineyards/ climate (we refer to a few specifically)
- Grands Crus vineyards: Corton, Corton Charlemagne
_____________________________
This show covers the northern communes only, from the Cortons to Meursault in three “clusters”
Cluster 1: The Corton Cluster -- Ladoix-Serrigny, Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton
- These villages make up the hill of Corton and link the Côte de Nuits with the Côte de Beaune
- Corton hill is at altitudes between 200 and 300 m /656-984 ft. The soil is reddish brown with flint and limestone (known as “chaillots”)
- Wines from the northern end are softer, fruity, growing in lighter, pebbly soil
- Wines from the southern end grow in clay and marl soils, and are more tannic, acidic, complex
- Corton is the biggest grand cru in Bourgogne - 1/3 of all grand cru wine is from here
- Corton and Corton-Charlemagne (nested AOC) together make up 150.55 ha/ 372.01 acres
- Corton-Charlemagne is a famed Chardonnay grand cru vineyard
The Village AOCs of the Corton Cluster…
Ladoix-Serrigny (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- Where the Côte de Beaune begins -- Ladoix is the most northerly of the villages of the Côte de Beaune. It has 11 premier cru, plus the grand cru of Corton. Village wine can be good value.
- Ladoix produces mainly Pinot Noir with red berry fruit character, and soft, silky textures. Its Chardonnay is medium-full with acidity and is often like flowers, quince, spicy pear.
Pernand-Vergelesses (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- Located in the northwest corner of the hills of the Côte de Beaune, Pernand has 8 Premier Crus plus the grand cru of Corton. It makes soft, lighter style village wine.
- The appellation makes a bit more red than white. Its Pinot Noir is like red fruit and flowers, becoming spicier and earthier with age. The red can be bold with tannins.
The Chardonnays are reminiscent of white flowers (acacia) and minerals with honey and spice flavors as it ages.
Aloxe-Corton – (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, pronounced “Alosse”)
- Dominated by Corton on the east side of the hill, Aloxe has most of the grand cru of Corton within its boundaries, with 14 premier cru sites under it. Aloxe is considered the best area on the hill of Corton.
- Aloxe makes almost all robust Pinot Noir with peony, jasmine, nut, mushroom, truffle notes in a fuller bodied wine. Whites are quite rare.
Cluster 2: The Beaune Cluster
The Village AOCs of the Beaune Cluster…
Savigny-lès-Beaune (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- Savigny is the third biggest appellation by production in the Côte de Beaune, and lies between the hill of Corton and Beaune. It contains no grand cru vineyards and 22 premiers crus. These wines are often affordable.
- Savigny is a predominantly a Pinot Noir appellation. Blackcurrant, cherry, raspberry, violet aromas and flavors are common. The Chardonnay can be quite unique, as it is sometimes co-planted with Pinot Blanc or Pinot Beurot (like Pinot Gris), giving the wines less acidity but adding a spicy component. They show flowery, citrus, mineral aromas and flavors, and depending on producer -- creamy butter, brioche, good acidity
- There is a split in styles depending on terroir: northern vineyards make more nuanced, spicier, and more acidic wines, and southern vineyards produce more rustic styles, fruity, tannic styles
Chorey-lès-Beaune (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)– appellation 1970, until then used Aloxe Corton or Savigny
- Another satellite of Beaune producing mostly red wine in a similar style to Beaune and Savigny, but lighter. Chorey is on the lower slopes of the Côte de Beaune and plantings lie on both sides of the main highway for village wines. Since most of the commune is on the “wrong” side of the road (according to Clive Coates, not my assessment) it’s more affordable and a good value
- Chorey is nearly all Pinot Noir that shows bright cherry notes, raspberry, some black fruit, with licorice, leather, earth, and ginger with time. The wine has soft tannins and can be very light and fruity. Chorey produces a very small amount of good, floral, nutty Chardonnay
Beaune (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- The commercial center of the Côte d'Or, most big negociants are located here or have big holdings in Beaune. It has a deep history in Bourgogne, including the tradition of the Hospices de Beaune charity wine auction, which was started to support the charity hospital for the poor (it is now a museum at the Hôtel-Dieu). The auction of wines on the third Sunday in November sets a benchmark for prices for that vintage for all of Bourgogne
- Although mainly Pinot Noir, with black and red fruit, earthy, spicy notes, the character of Beaune’s wine is VERY Variable because the village is so large with 42 Premiers Crus and no Grand Crus, but plenty of Village wines. Whites of Chardonnay are less common. They have almond, dried fruits, white flowers and bright acidity. Of note is Clos de Mouches by Domaine Drouhin, a Premier Cru wine that is often consider the best white Beaune
Côte de Beaune Villages (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- Contains Pinot Noir from any one or a combination of 14 villages: Auxey-Duresses, Chassagne-Montrachet, Chorey- lès- Beaune, Ladoix-Serrigny, Meursault, Monthélie, Pernand-Vergelesses, Puligny-Montrachet, Saint-Aubin, Saint-Romain, Santenay, Savigny-lès- Beaune. In the Saône-et-Loire Department:Cheilly-lès-Maranges, Dezize-lès-Maranges, Sampigny-lès-Maranges, Remigny.
- Excluded Villages: Aloxe-Corton, Beaune, Pommard, and Volnay
- Wines from Côtes de Beaune Villages are usually for young vines, wines that aren’t up to the standard of Village, OR for negociants who make blends
Côte de Beaune (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- Is not Côte de Beaune Villages but covers a specific piece of land up on the hill of Mont Batois between Savigny and Beaune
- Grown at higher altitudes, the Pinots are characterized by farmyard, earth, red berries, good acidity, strong tannin and the Chardonnay has marked acidity with citrus, grass, mineral, and occasionally hazelnut notes.
Cluster 3: Super star cluster and some randos
Pommard (Pinot Noir only, pronounced Poe-Marr)
- Pommard makes some of the most tannic and full-bodied wines from the Cote d’Or. With Corton, Pommard’s Pinot is considered the best red of the Cotes de Beaune – rich, chunky, incense-like, spicy with dark fruit, and very complex but fruitier and less complex than the wines from the Côte de Nuits
- The village wines are spectacular, as well as the wines from the 28 premiers crus (the best known of which are Les Rugiens and Les Épenots)
Volnay (Pinot Noir only)
- One of the smaller communes in Côte de Beaune, Volnay is between Pommard and Monthélie and Meursault. It contains no grand cru, only 29 premiers crus vineyards. The soils are lighter, which makes the wines softer and lighter as well.
- The Pinot Noir is aromatic, floral, with cherry and red berry notes. With age it becomes spicy and even animal-like with farmyard notes. Volnay is marked by good acidity with lower tannin, and it can be consumed younger than most other red Burgundies from the Cote de Beaune. Reds grown in Meursault are called Volnay-Santenots to keep Volnay and all red wine appellation and Meursault an all-white wine appellation
Monthélie (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, pronounced Mont’lie)
- Between Volnay and Meursault, Monthélie is a continuation of the Volnay slope. It is a small AOC will 15 premiers crus
- Reds are like black fruits (cherry, blackcurrant), dark flowers with earth and spices as they age. They tend to be light in character with mild tannins and good acidity. The Chardonnay is a very small part of production for this village.
Meursault (Mainly Chardonnay with a small amount of Pinot Noir)
- Meursault is incredibly consistent in quality but styles vary because of the diverse terroir. There are a variety of orientations on the hillsides, from due south through due east. Although many think it shouldn’t be so, there are no grand cru vineyards in Meursault, only 19 premiers crus of which Charmes, Perrières and Genevrières are famed. The village wines can be excellent as well.
- The Chardonnay is rich, ripe and sometimes higher in alcohol with toasted almonds, hazelnuts, mineral (flint), lime and lemon notes. Depending on the winemaker the wines may also show -- butter, honey, and toast.
Auxey-Duresses (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, pronounced “Aussey”)
- West of Monthélie at the opening to a wide valley, this small village makes floral, berry scented Pinot Noir that can be harsh with tannin in its youth but softer with leather, spice, and musk notes with 5+ years of age. The Chardonnay is aromatic with nuts, mineral, and apple notes and strong acidity.
Saint Romain (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, 1947 AOC)
- Known primarily for whites that are citrusy, floral, and mineral-like with good acidity, Saint Romain also makes spicy, smoky (albeit less “pretty” than other, more prestigious areas) Pinot Noir that can age well for 10 years.
So ends our first installment of the Côte de Beaune. It’s a lot of information but it gives a backdrop so that when we do deeper dives into these AOC Villages, there is an overview to rely on!
Stay tuned next week for Part deux!
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week’s show is short but extremely valuable! We tell you about one of the best value regions in the wine world: Lisboa, the area around Lisbon in Portugal.
Although it has extensive hills and regional variation in climate, the real action is less in the smaller DOCs (Denominacão de Origem Controlada) and more within the larger Lisboa IPR (Indicação de Proveniência Regulamentada or Protected Designation of Origin). Using the freedom of the larger IPR, winemakers are making spectacular blends of native and international grapes for prices that seem too good to be true.
The city of Lisbon. Photo: Pexels
The pressure is off to feel like you have to age these wines, spend a lot of money, or save these bottles for a special occasion. For less than US$10 you can often get a lovely bottle of red or white that drinks above its price point and is great for weeknight drinking.
Here are the show notes:
We give an overview of the Lisboa Region
- Location: It’s the wine region around the capital of Portugal, Lisbon. It extends 150 km/93 miles up the coast, following the Serra de Montejunto, which go north from Lisbon, and divide Lisboa in half. Wines near the Atlantic side in the west are influenced by strong winds, mists, and weather. On the other side of the hills, the climate is warmer and the ripening more predictable (the wines are often better!)
- One of Portugal’s most prolific regions (there are many co-ops here), until recently it was called Estremadura and was relatively unknown until it changed the name of the IPR to Lisboa, making it easier to recognize on the shelf
- Wine has been made in the region since the Phoenicians and regions around Lisbon became famed in England over the centuries but have lost much of their cachet
Map: Wines of Lisboa
Terroir:
- Lisboa is a large, hilly, varied region with two main soil types: clay-limestone and clay-sand
- Due to the mountains and Atlantic influence, there are hundreds of microclimates so wines come in many styles
- The climate is either marked by strong Atlantic influence on the coast with high winds and fall rains OR by a Mediterranean climate, when the vines are protected by the Montejunto
Grapes: More than 30 grape varieties are used, the majority for white wine production. Almost all are blends. The main grapes include:
- Whites: Arinto, Fernão Pires, Malvasia, Seara-Nova, Vital with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and other international whites. They tend to favor the Arinto grape and can have richness but with balanced acidity to go well with seafood.
- Reds: Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Castelão, Tinta Miúda (Graciano), Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and other international reds. Reds are known to be quite fruity but with balanced acidity and tannin and no to low oak treatment
Arinto grape. Photo: Wines of Portugal
Subregions: There are nine DOCS within a short drive of the capital city
- South, very close to Lisbon: Bucelas, Colares and Carcavelos
- Center: Alenquer, Arruda, Lourinhã, Óbidos, Torres Vedras
- North: Encostas d'Aire
Photo: Courtesy of MC Ice
Here is a short summary of the DOCs:
Bucelas: “the prince of Portuguese wine” this is the best of Lisboa’s regions for white wine and as such, it’s delimited only for whites. Arinto dominates and is likely native to here. The wines are like citrus and they have high acidity with salinity, minerality and sparkling Bucelas is also made successfully in the region. This wine was famed during the Age of Exploration, cited by Shakespeare in Henry VI, and a favorite of the royal family in England under King George III
Colares: Very close to Atlantic, northwest of Lisbon, there are only166 acres/67 ha left to this DOC. The area gained fame because it was one of the only places in Europe never touched by phylloxera -- its loose sandy soils allowed ungrafted Ramisco vines to thrive on coastal sand, even while everything else perished. The sandy soils have clay underneath to hold the grapes in the ground. The Malvasia Fina grape makes aromatic whites, and the famed red is the flavorful, tannic Ramisco with Castelão
Photo: Sands of Colares, (c) Wines of Portugal
Carcavelos: A small area of just 47 acres/19 ha, Carcavelos is west of Lisbon and the area is pretty much gone because of urban sprawl, although some producers are reviving the fortified sweet wine of Galego Dourado, Ratinho, Castelão and Arinto. The wine can be vintage or non-vintage, white or red
Center of the Lisboa IPR:
Alenquer: The most esteemed of the sub-regions with Bucelas, Alenquer is an inland region on the southeast side of the Serra de Montejunto. The mountains shield Alenquer from cold, Atlantic winds. The warmer climate ensures good ripening of red grapes, although aromatic whites and rosé are also made in Alenquer. The wines are blends of the main grapes (mentioned above)
Óbidos: Located near the Peniche peninsula, west of the Candeeiros mountains, and an hour north of Lisbon, this very windy and cold area is close to the coast and makes top sparkling wines. Cold, wet winds, and high humidity seep in through breaks in the mountains, making viticulture a challenge. The moisture promotes vigor, so it is very hard to make quality dry wine here, although some producers are trying to make red.
Arruda: Behind hills, protected from storms, Arruda makes red and whites (mainly blends) from indigenous and international grapes. The reds are better known than the whites.
Torres Vedras: A bulk wine region of red and white grapes. Most of the wines are designated Vinho de Mesa even though it is a DOC
Lourinhã: Windy and cold, the grapes don’t ripen so this area is demarcated for Aguardente or Brandy. The sauce is made from the Tália varietal, which is Ugni Blanc (also used to make Cognac and Armagnac)
North
Encostas d’Aire: On limestone slopes and hills in the western Candeiros and Aire Mountiains, this DOC makes full, fruity reds, and acidic but ripe whites from traditional grapes. It’s the largest DOC in Lisboa.
Lisbon, Photo: Pixabay
Bonus: MC Ice was just there so he shares some advice on food and wine pairing!
Lisbon is a great city to visit and it’s easy to get to the wine regions. Better yet, it’s SO affordable that traveling there nightly through your glass is 100% attainable!
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This week’s show is short but extremely valuable! We tell you about one of the best value regions in the wine world: Lisboa, the area around Lisbon in Portugal.
Although it has extensive hills and regional variation in climate, the real action is less in the smaller DOCs (Denominacão de Origem Controlada) and more within the larger Lisboa IPR (Indicação de Proveniência Regulamentada or Protected Designation of Origin). Using the freedom of the larger IPR, winemakers are making spectacular blends of native and international grapes for prices that seem too good to be true.
The city of Lisbon. Photo: Pexels
The pressure is off to feel like you have to age these wines, spend a lot of money, or save these bottles for a special occasion. For less than US$10 you can often get a lovely bottle of red or white that drinks above its price point and is great for weeknight drinking.
Here are the show notes:
We give an overview of the Lisboa Region
- Location: It’s the wine region around the capital of Portugal, Lisbon. It extends 150 km/93 miles up the coast, following the Serra de Montejunto, which go north from Lisbon, and divide Lisboa in half. Wines near the Atlantic side in the west are influenced by strong winds, mists, and weather. On the other side of the hills, the climate is warmer and the ripening more predictable (the wines are often better!)
- One of Portugal’s most prolific regions (there are many co-ops here), until recently it was called Estremadura and was relatively unknown until it changed the name of the IPR to Lisboa, making it easier to recognize on the shelf
- Wine has been made in the region since the Phoenicians and regions around Lisbon became famed in England over the centuries but have lost much of their cachet
Map: Wines of Lisboa
Terroir:
- Lisboa is a large, hilly, varied region with two main soil types: clay-limestone and clay-sand
- Due to the mountains and Atlantic influence, there are hundreds of microclimates so wines come in many styles
- The climate is either marked by strong Atlantic influence on the coast with high winds and fall rains OR by a Mediterranean climate, when the vines are protected by the Montejunto
Grapes: More than 30 grape varieties are used, the majority for white wine production. Almost all are blends. The main grapes include:
- Whites: Arinto, Fernão Pires, Malvasia, Seara-Nova, Vital with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and other international whites. They tend to favor the Arinto grape and can have richness but with balanced acidity to go well with seafood.
- Reds: Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Castelão, Tinta Miúda (Graciano), Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and other international reds. Reds are known to be quite fruity but with balanced acidity and tannin and no to low oak treatment
Arinto grape. Photo: Wines of Portugal
Subregions: There are nine DOCS within a short drive of the capital city
- South, very close to Lisbon: Bucelas, Colares and Carcavelos
- Center: Alenquer, Arruda, Lourinhã, Óbidos, Torres Vedras
- North: Encostas d'Aire
Photo: Courtesy of MC Ice
Here is a short summary of the DOCs:
Bucelas: “the prince of Portuguese wine” this is the best of Lisboa’s regions for white wine and as such, it’s delimited only for whites. Arinto dominates and is likely native to here. The wines are like citrus and they have high acidity with salinity, minerality and sparkling Bucelas is also made successfully in the region. This wine was famed during the Age of Exploration, cited by Shakespeare in Henry VI, and a favorite of the royal family in England under King George III
Colares: Very close to Atlantic, northwest of Lisbon, there are only166 acres/67 ha left to this DOC. The area gained fame because it was one of the only places in Europe never touched by phylloxera -- its loose sandy soils allowed ungrafted Ramisco vines to thrive on coastal sand, even while everything else perished. The sandy soils have clay underneath to hold the grapes in the ground. The Malvasia Fina grape makes aromatic whites, and the famed red is the flavorful, tannic Ramisco with Castelão
Photo: Sands of Colares, (c) Wines of Portugal
Carcavelos: A small area of just 47 acres/19 ha, Carcavelos is west of Lisbon and the area is pretty much gone because of urban sprawl, although some producers are reviving the fortified sweet wine of Galego Dourado, Ratinho, Castelão and Arinto. The wine can be vintage or non-vintage, white or red
Center of the Lisboa IPR:
Alenquer: The most esteemed of the sub-regions with Bucelas, Alenquer is an inland region on the southeast side of the Serra de Montejunto. The mountains shield Alenquer from cold, Atlantic winds. The warmer climate ensures good ripening of red grapes, although aromatic whites and rosé are also made in Alenquer. The wines are blends of the main grapes (mentioned above)
Óbidos: Located near the Peniche peninsula, west of the Candeeiros mountains, and an hour north of Lisbon, this very windy and cold area is close to the coast and makes top sparkling wines. Cold, wet winds, and high humidity seep in through breaks in the mountains, making viticulture a challenge. The moisture promotes vigor, so it is very hard to make quality dry wine here, although some producers are trying to make red.
Arruda: Behind hills, protected from storms, Arruda makes red and whites (mainly blends) from indigenous and international grapes. The reds are better known than the whites.
Torres Vedras: A bulk wine region of red and white grapes. Most of the wines are designated Vinho de Mesa even though it is a DOC
Lourinhã: Windy and cold, the grapes don’t ripen so this area is demarcated for Aguardente or Brandy. The sauce is made from the Tália varietal, which is Ugni Blanc (also used to make Cognac and Armagnac)
North
Encostas d’Aire: On limestone slopes and hills in the western Candeiros and Aire Mountiains, this DOC makes full, fruity reds, and acidic but ripe whites from traditional grapes. It’s the largest DOC in Lisboa.
Lisbon, Photo: Pixabay
Bonus: MC Ice was just there so he shares some advice on food and wine pairing!
Lisbon is a great city to visit and it’s easy to get to the wine regions. Better yet, it’s SO affordable that traveling there nightly through your glass is 100% attainable!
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
There are many parts of European and American cultures that have intermingled, some quite successfully, but the jury is still out on whether the vitis vinifera and the American vitis species have created something truly special and lasting. In this show, we break down European-American grapevine hybrids – what they are, why they are more important to the conversation today, their history, how they are made and what some of the more popular and more successful grapes are. We wrap with a conversation of the challenges these grapes face and I give my view on what I think the role of hybrids will be in the future.
Photo (c) Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Here are the show notes:
What are hybrids?
For wine purposes, hybrids are grapes created by crossing two or more vitis species – the European species of grapevine, Vitis vinifera, with any number of native North American grapes. The goal of hybrids is to select for specific, superior traits in each of the grapes to create something that will yield a great wine that will survive in challenging vineyard conditions. They were specifically created in the 1860s and 1870s to fight the phylloxera epidemic (vine killing root louse that nearly destroyed Europe’s vineyards). French researchers created more than 500 different plants in the 1860s and research continued in the early 1900s. In the end, the preferred solution was using American roots with Vitis vinifera grafts, but the hybrids were quite popular for a few decades.
Photo (c) Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Today, development of hybrids is still quite active at the University of Minnesota and at Cornell University in New York. Hybrdis are planted all over the US East Coast, Midwest, and the Southern part of the country as well.
Some common American Vitis species with which researchers have crossed Vitis vinifera are:
- Vitis labrusca: The grape shows strawberry notes, but it can be challenging because it has a strong musk flavor and aroma that doesn’t work well for most wine drinkers
- Vitis riparia: The grape has more herbal or blackcurrant and is often more subtle than labrusca
- Others like Vitis rupestris, Vitis amurensis from China, or Vitis rotundifolia (muscadine grapes) can be used too
Why are we talking about hybrids?
For a long time, I have resisted doing a show on hybrids. They are not very popular, they are not considered fine wine, and I personally don’t enjoy many of them (with big exceptions for the whites that make ice wine, in particular). But in recent years, these grapes have been making more of a mark in the US and the UK and with the rise of climate change, I think these grapes will have a bigger role to play. In addition, people want to make wine and they want to grow things successfully in many different climates. Often, they try to make wines out of Vitis vinifera and fail because of their climate, local diseases and pests, and a bad fit with the European species. I would rather see better wines made from unknown grapes, than people trying to make a product that won’t work.
The vine matter for hybrids has improved greatly and given their hardiness -- hybrids made from Vitis labrusca and Vitis riparia can grow anywhere - -and our growing problems with climate change, it is time to give these another look. Researchers trying to offset warming temperatures, new threats like wildfires, drought, and humidity will need to look at hybrids rather than more powerful fungicides and sprays whose financial and environmental costs are becoming untenable.
The grapes...
Red Varieties
Chambourcin: Considered one of the best of French-American hybrids, it is a teinturier variety, a red with both dark skin and pulp. It is a dark colored, highly tannic red with dark raspberry, black plum, and cherry notes. It does well with oak aging and is sometimes made in an off-dry style. It is popular in: Ontario (Canada), Missouri, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, New York and New Jersey.
Photo (c) Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Maréchal Foch: Can be a nice spicy wine with a dark berry note and light body. It is grown in the US Midwest and widely in Canada.
Norton (Cynthiana): Can create wines that are full bodied, with red berry and spice notes, and strong tannin and acidity. It is grown in the Midwestern U.S., and Mid-Atlantic states, especially Virigina.
Baco Noir: Created by François Baco in France during the phylloxera epidemic, the wine from Baco noir can show cherry, herbal notes with high acidity, and lower tannin. You can find it in Canada, New York, Oregon, and Nova Scotia, as well as in Gascony, France to make Armagnac
Chancellor: Is known to have a very dark color with prune, raisin, plum, dried fig, and baked apple notes. It has a medium body with medium acidity and some strong tannin. It can be used alone or in blends and is found in cooler regions of Canada and the U.S. (especially in the Finger Lakes) and Michigan.
Frontenac: Was released by the University of Minnesota in 1996. It is reportedly dark in color with cherry, perfumey, candied notes, high acidity and high alcohol. It can survive in temperatures as low as -30˚ F, and is found in Minnesota, and the northeastern part of the U.S. and all over Canada.
White Wine Varieties
Vidal Blanc: Potentially the top white hybrid, Vidal is a cross of Ugni Blanc and the hybrid variety, Rayon d’Or. It can be very acidic, and taste and smell like grapefruit, or be richer with pineapple and white flower notes. It is made in off-dry to dry styles, but the grape shines in ice wine in Ontario, Canada and the Finger Lakes, New York.
Seyval Blanc: An acidic white grape with citrus, melon, peach, grass notes and a very light body, it often benefits from malolactic and/or barrel fermentation and barrel aging. It can be found in Canada, Englan, and in the US in the Finger Lakes and Midwest.
Chardonel: Is a cross of Seyval Blanc x Chardonnay created for its cold hardiness. It has potential as a base for sparkling wine or barrel aged, dry whites in the future. It is grown in Michigan and Arkansas in the US.
Traminette: Is a cross: Gewürztraminer x French-American hybrid, Joannes Seyve 23.416. It shows flowers and spice from Gewürztraminer and when allowed the proper amount of skin contact, it can be a refreshing white with good acidity. It is usually an off dry wine from the East Coast and Midwest of the US.
Vignoles: Is generally an off-dry wine or dessert wine (late harvest) due to its very high acidity, high sugar and susceptibility to botrytis, which can make some very interesting sweet wines. It is found in the Finger Lakes and other parts of eastern North America.
We end with a discussion of the challenges for hybrids:
- Tannins, acidity, and the flavors are very different from Vitis vinifera (can be musky), so wine drinkers who have a lot of experience with European wines find the flavors unappealing.
- Hybrids that grow well in test vineyards in one part of the country may not work well in other parts of the country, even with similar climates.
- A hybrid could be excellent in acidity, but the flavors may not work – where it succeeds in one area, it may fail in another
- They aren’t all better – they still have issues and may not be that much better than the grafted clones of other Vitis vinifera grapes that are easier to sell and sometimes even to manage in the vineyard. They are not a panacea to climate change
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
________________________________________________________
For more information/Sources:
Are Hybrid Grapes the Future of Wine?, Smithsonian Magazine
A Beginner’s Guide to Hybrid Grapes,Wine Enthusiast
The Future of Winemaking Is Hybrid, Wine Industry Advisor
French-American and Other Interspecific Varieties, Cornell University
Here come the Hybrids, The Grapevine Magazine
The Grape Growers Handbook, Ted Goldammer
The Rise and Not Quite Fall of Hybrid Grapes, Ithaca.com
There are many parts of European and American cultures that have intermingled, some quite successfully, but the jury is still out on whether the vitis vinifera and the American vitis species have created something truly special and lasting. In this show, we break down European-American grapevine hybrids – what they are, why they are more important to the conversation today, their history, how they are made and what some of the more popular and more successful grapes are. We wrap with a conversation of the challenges these grapes face and I give my view on what I think the role of hybrids will be in the future.
Photo (c) Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Here are the show notes:
What are hybrids?
For wine purposes, hybrids are grapes created by crossing two or more vitis species – the European species of grapevine, Vitis vinifera, with any number of native North American grapes. The goal of hybrids is to select for specific, superior traits in each of the grapes to create something that will yield a great wine that will survive in challenging vineyard conditions. They were specifically created in the 1860s and 1870s to fight the phylloxera epidemic (vine killing root louse that nearly destroyed Europe’s vineyards). French researchers created more than 500 different plants in the 1860s and research continued in the early 1900s. In the end, the preferred solution was using American roots with Vitis vinifera grafts, but the hybrids were quite popular for a few decades.
Photo (c) Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Today, development of hybrids is still quite active at the University of Minnesota and at Cornell University in New York. Hybrdis are planted all over the US East Coast, Midwest, and the Southern part of the country as well.
Some common American Vitis species with which researchers have crossed Vitis vinifera are:
- Vitis labrusca: The grape shows strawberry notes, but it can be challenging because it has a strong musk flavor and aroma that doesn’t work well for most wine drinkers
- Vitis riparia: The grape has more herbal or blackcurrant and is often more subtle than labrusca
- Others like Vitis rupestris, Vitis amurensis from China, or Vitis rotundifolia (muscadine grapes) can be used too
Why are we talking about hybrids?
For a long time, I have resisted doing a show on hybrids. They are not very popular, they are not considered fine wine, and I personally don’t enjoy many of them (with big exceptions for the whites that make ice wine, in particular). But in recent years, these grapes have been making more of a mark in the US and the UK and with the rise of climate change, I think these grapes will have a bigger role to play. In addition, people want to make wine and they want to grow things successfully in many different climates. Often, they try to make wines out of Vitis vinifera and fail because of their climate, local diseases and pests, and a bad fit with the European species. I would rather see better wines made from unknown grapes, than people trying to make a product that won’t work.
The vine matter for hybrids has improved greatly and given their hardiness -- hybrids made from Vitis labrusca and Vitis riparia can grow anywhere - -and our growing problems with climate change, it is time to give these another look. Researchers trying to offset warming temperatures, new threats like wildfires, drought, and humidity will need to look at hybrids rather than more powerful fungicides and sprays whose financial and environmental costs are becoming untenable.
The grapes...
Red Varieties
Chambourcin: Considered one of the best of French-American hybrids, it is a teinturier variety, a red with both dark skin and pulp. It is a dark colored, highly tannic red with dark raspberry, black plum, and cherry notes. It does well with oak aging and is sometimes made in an off-dry style. It is popular in: Ontario (Canada), Missouri, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, New York and New Jersey.
Photo (c) Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Maréchal Foch: Can be a nice spicy wine with a dark berry note and light body. It is grown in the US Midwest and widely in Canada.
Norton (Cynthiana): Can create wines that are full bodied, with red berry and spice notes, and strong tannin and acidity. It is grown in the Midwestern U.S., and Mid-Atlantic states, especially Virigina.
Baco Noir: Created by François Baco in France during the phylloxera epidemic, the wine from Baco noir can show cherry, herbal notes with high acidity, and lower tannin. You can find it in Canada, New York, Oregon, and Nova Scotia, as well as in Gascony, France to make Armagnac
Chancellor: Is known to have a very dark color with prune, raisin, plum, dried fig, and baked apple notes. It has a medium body with medium acidity and some strong tannin. It can be used alone or in blends and is found in cooler regions of Canada and the U.S. (especially in the Finger Lakes) and Michigan.
Frontenac: Was released by the University of Minnesota in 1996. It is reportedly dark in color with cherry, perfumey, candied notes, high acidity and high alcohol. It can survive in temperatures as low as -30˚ F, and is found in Minnesota, and the northeastern part of the U.S. and all over Canada.
White Wine Varieties
Vidal Blanc: Potentially the top white hybrid, Vidal is a cross of Ugni Blanc and the hybrid variety, Rayon d’Or. It can be very acidic, and taste and smell like grapefruit, or be richer with pineapple and white flower notes. It is made in off-dry to dry styles, but the grape shines in ice wine in Ontario, Canada and the Finger Lakes, New York.
Seyval Blanc: An acidic white grape with citrus, melon, peach, grass notes and a very light body, it often benefits from malolactic and/or barrel fermentation and barrel aging. It can be found in Canada, Englan, and in the US in the Finger Lakes and Midwest.
Chardonel: Is a cross of Seyval Blanc x Chardonnay created for its cold hardiness. It has potential as a base for sparkling wine or barrel aged, dry whites in the future. It is grown in Michigan and Arkansas in the US.
Traminette: Is a cross: Gewürztraminer x French-American hybrid, Joannes Seyve 23.416. It shows flowers and spice from Gewürztraminer and when allowed the proper amount of skin contact, it can be a refreshing white with good acidity. It is usually an off dry wine from the East Coast and Midwest of the US.
Vignoles: Is generally an off-dry wine or dessert wine (late harvest) due to its very high acidity, high sugar and susceptibility to botrytis, which can make some very interesting sweet wines. It is found in the Finger Lakes and other parts of eastern North America.
We end with a discussion of the challenges for hybrids:
- Tannins, acidity, and the flavors are very different from Vitis vinifera (can be musky), so wine drinkers who have a lot of experience with European wines find the flavors unappealing.
- Hybrids that grow well in test vineyards in one part of the country may not work well in other parts of the country, even with similar climates.
- A hybrid could be excellent in acidity, but the flavors may not work – where it succeeds in one area, it may fail in another
- They aren’t all better – they still have issues and may not be that much better than the grafted clones of other Vitis vinifera grapes that are easier to sell and sometimes even to manage in the vineyard. They are not a panacea to climate change
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
________________________________________________________
For more information/Sources:
Are Hybrid Grapes the Future of Wine?, Smithsonian Magazine
A Beginner’s Guide to Hybrid Grapes,Wine Enthusiast
The Future of Winemaking Is Hybrid, Wine Industry Advisor
French-American and Other Interspecific Varieties, Cornell University
Here come the Hybrids, The Grapevine Magazine
The Grape Growers Handbook, Ted Goldammer
The Rise and Not Quite Fall of Hybrid Grapes, Ithaca.com
In Italy’s arsenal of great wines of the world, Brunello di Montalcino may be the most coveted of all. Its small production and terroir-driven style represents the pinnacle of Sangiovese, widely considered Italy’s most famed grape. Made in the small and historic Tuscan hilltop village of Montalcino, just south of Siena, the grapes thrive in the climate and soils of this rugged area. Although the youngest of all the Italian greats, Brunello, with its rich flavors, elegant balance of acidity and tannin, and incredible ability to improve with age, is a wine that everyone should experience even if just once in their wine lives. In this show we delve into the nuances of Brunello and talk about just what makes it so special.
Photo: Montalcino town & Vineyards, from Conzorzio di Brunello di Montalcino
Here are the show notes:
Location:
- The small production zone of Montalcino is centered to the northeast of the namesake village in a wooded, hilly area with the most notable feature being Monte Amiata, the highest peak in Southern Tuscany.
- The village is Iabout 25 miles/40 km south of Siena, about 40 miles 77 km from the sea, and 62 miles/100 km from the Apennine Mountains, which affects the climate
History
- I won’t give all the detail we do in the show, but the summary is that Montalcino has had a reputation for special wines for about 600 years but the wine as we know it today wasn’t created until the late 1800s. This is when first Clemente Santi, and then his grandson Ferruccio Biondi-Santi isolated the clones of Brunello/Sangiovese Grosso at their Il Greppo estate and made a wine of a quality the world had rarely seen from Italy. They began better vineyard work, meticulous cellar work, and extended aging that built the reputation of the area. Despite the accolades, the wine was such small production and Montalcino so obscure, that it wasn’t until the 1970s, when others started to recognize the potential in the area and by 1980 the supply of Brunello was adequate for wine lovers to be able to access this wine, created by one passionate family (who sadly no longer owns Biondi-Santi but whose legacy remains!).
Photo from Biondi-Santi
Climate
- Montalcino is marked by a Mediterranean climate: it is dry with some continental conditions. The area gets influences from both the coast and the mountains. Generally speaking it experiences mild summers, that permits gradual ripening of fruit. Although Central Tuscany can experience bad weather,Montalcino is protected by Mount Amiata to South, which blocks from storms and hail from destroying crops
Although everything in the above bullet is kind of true, it’s important to recognize that it’s a generalization: Microclimates really determine the specific wine’s flavor, as does producer sourcing and style. PLACE is so important…
Land
- Montalcino is unique in that it’s elevations and various soil types produce a range of wines that can stand alone or be blended together to create a harmonious wine.
- The hilly, rugged area is at elevations between 490-1640 ft/150 – 500 m and the slopes have different exposures – south and north facing slopes are used in this area for different styles of wine
- The soils of Montalcino vary and each impart something different – limestone for elegance, calcareous rock for minerality, galestro soils in the north for aromatic, nuanced wines, clay in the south for heavier, denser Brunello.
- The general rule of thumb is
- Northern slopes: fruit ripen more slowly, the wines are more acidic
- Southern and western slopes: have intense sunlight that can be tempered by cool breezes, to make complex, yet often very fruity wines
- Top Brunello producers own vineyards on all of the finest terroirs and blend
Photo: Montalcino town & Vineyards, from Conzorzio di Brunello di Montalcino
-
We discuss the eight sub-zones that have been proposed (but that will be a long time in coming, since it is a political hot potato): Montalcino North, Montalcino South, Castelnuovo dell'Abate, Camigliano, Tavernelle, Bosco, Torrenieri, Sant'Angelo (To see a Subzone Map Click Here)
- Montalcino (north and south): Known for ageable wines with complexity. These areas have the most famed producers (Biondi-Santi, Barbi, Costanti)
- Castelnuovo dell’Abate: Powerful wines with a balance of elegance and fruit
- Bosco: In the northwest is cooler with less tannic, more acidic wines
- Torrenieri: Clay soils make dense, tannic wines but producers are working on clones and rootstock to tame that
- Tavernelle: In the southwest is quite warm but has very even ripening and that means the wines are extremely consistent
- Camigliano: In the south this is the land of fruit bombs – it is hot, dry and wines can have a raisined note if not picked in time
- Sant’Angelo: The hottest driest part of Montalcino’s zones. These are very tannic, very fruity and have much lower acidity. They can have high alcohol and may be accessible sooner because of all the fruit. That said, some producer’s versions have high tannins and can age for decades.
The upshot? Having vineyards in different subzones helps ensure consistent quality
In the vineyard
- Brunello, is the local clone of Sangiovese. It is also known as Sangiovese Grosso
- This clone is extremely site-sensitive, terroir makes a big difference. The DOCG laws require that the grape be planted on hillsides below 600 meters (right now it is believed they cannot achieve ripeness above that height)
- To get the good wines you need excellent sites with enough sun but cooler nighttime temperatures to maintains acidity. Brunello requires low yields, meticulous vineyard work, and discerning sorting so only the best grapes make it to the cellar.
Photo: Brunello, from Conzorzio di Brunello di Montalcino
Winemaking
- Traditional producers do long aging in large vats, from Slavonian oak to get complex, dry, tannic wines with little oak influence
- Modernists, who introduced their take on the wine in the 1980s, prefer fruitier styles with less time in barrel and more use of smaller 225-liter French oak barriques to emphasize vanilla notes, tobacco, and toastiness
- Laws require producers to use 100% Brunello with a minimum age of 2 years in an oak vessel (botte or barrique) and a minimum of 4 months in bottle before release (6 months for the Riserva). Brunello normale cannot be released until the January 5 years after harvest (that allows for 4 full years of aging) and Brunello Riserva cannot be release until the January 6 years after harvest (to allow for 5 full years of aging)
Photo: Botti in a cellar, from Conzorzio di Brunello di Montalcino
What is the wine like? What can you expect?
- After all the build-up, we put some descriptors to this glorious wine. The wine is often described as having flavors and aromas of red and black fruit with underlying spice and earthiness. Depending on the style, it can be more like tea, coffee, earth, and mushrooms, balsamic, violets, and graphite, or more modern versions may show more leather, chocolate, and vanilla. The scents together are like nothing else.
- The key to good Brunello is the blend of fruit, acidity, good tannins (but not over the top). The idea behind Brunello is utterly perfect balance – the acidity and freshness surprise you just as the flavors thrill you. Most Brunellos can be aged for a long time, improving with time – 10 -30 years is not uncommon for these wines.
- Full bodied with alcohol levels around 14% or 15 percent ABV
- Buy wine based off producer to get the best stuff, also watch the vintage. Recent top vintages include: 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016
Food pairings ideas: Grilled and roasted red meats, game, truffles (not truffle oil!), mushroom risotto/pastas, Tuscan pecorino, aged Parmesan
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Main Sources:
- Consorzio Brunello di Montalcino
- https://cluboenologique.com/story/behind-the-bottle-biondi-santi-brunello-di-montalcino-wine/
- https://www.winemag.com/gallery/making-sense-of-montalcino/
- The World Atlas of Wine, 8th Edition
- https://italianwinecentral.com/denomination/brunello-di-montalcino-docg/
- https://wilsondaniels.com/winery/biondi-santi/
In Italy’s arsenal of great wines of the world, Brunello di Montalcino may be the most coveted of all. Its small production and terroir-driven style represents the pinnacle of Sangiovese, widely considered Italy’s most famed grape. Made in the small and historic Tuscan hilltop village of Montalcino, just south of Siena, the grapes thrive in the climate and soils of this rugged area. Although the youngest of all the Italian greats, Brunello, with its rich flavors, elegant balance of acidity and tannin, and incredible ability to improve with age, is a wine that everyone should experience even if just once in their wine lives. In this show we delve into the nuances of Brunello and talk about just what makes it so special.
Photo: Montalcino town & Vineyards, from Conzorzio di Brunello di Montalcino
Here are the show notes:
Location:
- The small production zone of Montalcino is centered to the northeast of the namesake village in a wooded, hilly area with the most notable feature being Monte Amiata, the highest peak in Southern Tuscany.
- The village is Iabout 25 miles/40 km south of Siena, about 40 miles 77 km from the sea, and 62 miles/100 km from the Apennine Mountains, which affects the climate
History
- I won’t give all the detail we do in the show, but the summary is that Montalcino has had a reputation for special wines for about 600 years but the wine as we know it today wasn’t created until the late 1800s. This is when first Clemente Santi, and then his grandson Ferruccio Biondi-Santi isolated the clones of Brunello/Sangiovese Grosso at their Il Greppo estate and made a wine of a quality the world had rarely seen from Italy. They began better vineyard work, meticulous cellar work, and extended aging that built the reputation of the area. Despite the accolades, the wine was such small production and Montalcino so obscure, that it wasn’t until the 1970s, when others started to recognize the potential in the area and by 1980 the supply of Brunello was adequate for wine lovers to be able to access this wine, created by one passionate family (who sadly no longer owns Biondi-Santi but whose legacy remains!).
Photo from Biondi-Santi
Climate
- Montalcino is marked by a Mediterranean climate: it is dry with some continental conditions. The area gets influences from both the coast and the mountains. Generally speaking it experiences mild summers, that permits gradual ripening of fruit. Although Central Tuscany can experience bad weather,Montalcino is protected by Mount Amiata to South, which blocks from storms and hail from destroying crops
Although everything in the above bullet is kind of true, it’s important to recognize that it’s a generalization: Microclimates really determine the specific wine’s flavor, as does producer sourcing and style. PLACE is so important…
Land
- Montalcino is unique in that it’s elevations and various soil types produce a range of wines that can stand alone or be blended together to create a harmonious wine.
- The hilly, rugged area is at elevations between 490-1640 ft/150 – 500 m and the slopes have different exposures – south and north facing slopes are used in this area for different styles of wine
- The soils of Montalcino vary and each impart something different – limestone for elegance, calcareous rock for minerality, galestro soils in the north for aromatic, nuanced wines, clay in the south for heavier, denser Brunello.
- The general rule of thumb is
- Northern slopes: fruit ripen more slowly, the wines are more acidic
- Southern and western slopes: have intense sunlight that can be tempered by cool breezes, to make complex, yet often very fruity wines
- Top Brunello producers own vineyards on all of the finest terroirs and blend
Photo: Montalcino town & Vineyards, from Conzorzio di Brunello di Montalcino
-
We discuss the eight sub-zones that have been proposed (but that will be a long time in coming, since it is a political hot potato): Montalcino North, Montalcino South, Castelnuovo dell'Abate, Camigliano, Tavernelle, Bosco, Torrenieri, Sant'Angelo (To see a Subzone Map Click Here)
- Montalcino (north and south): Known for ageable wines with complexity. These areas have the most famed producers (Biondi-Santi, Barbi, Costanti)
- Castelnuovo dell’Abate: Powerful wines with a balance of elegance and fruit
- Bosco: In the northwest is cooler with less tannic, more acidic wines
- Torrenieri: Clay soils make dense, tannic wines but producers are working on clones and rootstock to tame that
- Tavernelle: In the southwest is quite warm but has very even ripening and that means the wines are extremely consistent
- Camigliano: In the south this is the land of fruit bombs – it is hot, dry and wines can have a raisined note if not picked in time
- Sant’Angelo: The hottest driest part of Montalcino’s zones. These are very tannic, very fruity and have much lower acidity. They can have high alcohol and may be accessible sooner because of all the fruit. That said, some producer’s versions have high tannins and can age for decades.
The upshot? Having vineyards in different subzones helps ensure consistent quality
In the vineyard
- Brunello, is the local clone of Sangiovese. It is also known as Sangiovese Grosso
- This clone is extremely site-sensitive, terroir makes a big difference. The DOCG laws require that the grape be planted on hillsides below 600 meters (right now it is believed they cannot achieve ripeness above that height)
- To get the good wines you need excellent sites with enough sun but cooler nighttime temperatures to maintains acidity. Brunello requires low yields, meticulous vineyard work, and discerning sorting so only the best grapes make it to the cellar.
Photo: Brunello, from Conzorzio di Brunello di Montalcino
Winemaking
- Traditional producers do long aging in large vats, from Slavonian oak to get complex, dry, tannic wines with little oak influence
- Modernists, who introduced their take on the wine in the 1980s, prefer fruitier styles with less time in barrel and more use of smaller 225-liter French oak barriques to emphasize vanilla notes, tobacco, and toastiness
- Laws require producers to use 100% Brunello with a minimum age of 2 years in an oak vessel (botte or barrique) and a minimum of 4 months in bottle before release (6 months for the Riserva). Brunello normale cannot be released until the January 5 years after harvest (that allows for 4 full years of aging) and Brunello Riserva cannot be release until the January 6 years after harvest (to allow for 5 full years of aging)
Photo: Botti in a cellar, from Conzorzio di Brunello di Montalcino
What is the wine like? What can you expect?
- After all the build-up, we put some descriptors to this glorious wine. The wine is often described as having flavors and aromas of red and black fruit with underlying spice and earthiness. Depending on the style, it can be more like tea, coffee, earth, and mushrooms, balsamic, violets, and graphite, or more modern versions may show more leather, chocolate, and vanilla. The scents together are like nothing else.
- The key to good Brunello is the blend of fruit, acidity, good tannins (but not over the top). The idea behind Brunello is utterly perfect balance – the acidity and freshness surprise you just as the flavors thrill you. Most Brunellos can be aged for a long time, improving with time – 10 -30 years is not uncommon for these wines.
- Full bodied with alcohol levels around 14% or 15 percent ABV
- Buy wine based off producer to get the best stuff, also watch the vintage. Recent top vintages include: 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016
Food pairings ideas: Grilled and roasted red meats, game, truffles (not truffle oil!), mushroom risotto/pastas, Tuscan pecorino, aged Parmesan
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Main Sources:
- Consorzio Brunello di Montalcino
- https://cluboenologique.com/story/behind-the-bottle-biondi-santi-brunello-di-montalcino-wine/
- https://www.winemag.com/gallery/making-sense-of-montalcino/
- The World Atlas of Wine, 8th Edition
- https://italianwinecentral.com/denomination/brunello-di-montalcino-docg/
- https://wilsondaniels.com/winery/biondi-santi/
Lumen is farming this vineyard gone wild and it's making the best Pinot Noir there is...
Photo: The Wild King Vineyard, Courtesy of Lumen
Be forewarned! This is a pretty dorky and technical show. Some of you say you would like to hear what wine people talk about when we’re together: here it is!
Will Henry, co-proprietor at Lumen Wines in the cool climate AVAs of Santa Barbara, returns to the show (he was on Ep 259) to tell us a story about a vineyard he happened upon that is changing his ideas about how viticulture should be approached in California.
Photo: Will Henry and Lane Tanner (not married, BTW, just business partners!)
Courtesy of Lumen
Will had recently purchased the Warner Henry Vineyard (named after his late father who founded the Henry Wine Group, introducing people all over the US to small, family-owned) up in the Solomon Hills of the Santa Maria Valley AVA. He was focused on that and one of his vineyard contractors mentioned an unpruned, unirrigated, and unattended vineyard that he kept passing as he drove up to Will’s property. A few months later, Will got curious. He decided to get out of his car and walk the vineyard in August. What he found defied all conventions in California viticulture: in spite of it growing wild, it was some of the best Pinot Noir he had ever seen or tasted.
It led Will down a path that many in Santa Maria Valley are following, and many more should follow, as he tries to answer the questions:
- Have we been doing viticulture all wrong?
- Does nature produce better grapes with less intervention in the vineyard?
- Will the “Wild King” Pinot from this vineyard, with its bright acidity, vibrant flavors and low alcohol be the best wine Lane Tanner, Will’s partner (and acclaimed winemaker) has ever made?
This was not the first time Will had seen this phenomenon – could he be on to the next big trend in wine (which is really the oldest way to farm!).
As promised here are the links to the people we discuss on the show:
- Lumen Wines – Will and Lane’s wine
- Here’s the podcast I did with Lane Tanner
- Storm Wines -- Ernst Storm
- Story of Soil -- Jessica Gasca
- Chanin -- Gavin Chanin
- Seasmoke – Julian Malone
- Chalky Ridge Vineyard Management– Jason Muscio
- Randall Grahm
- Linden Vineyards – Jim Law (Virginia)
- Ep 432: Agroforestry -- An Answer to Wine's Biggest Environmental Challenges with Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier of Château Anthonic in Moulis-en-Médoc
Thanks for listening! Please go see Will at Pico or The Wine Shepherd!
**All Photos used courtesy of Lumen Wines
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Lumen is farming this vineyard gone wild and it's making the best Pinot Noir there is...
Photo: The Wild King Vineyard, Courtesy of Lumen
Be forewarned! This is a pretty dorky and technical show. Some of you say you would like to hear what wine people talk about when we’re together: here it is!
Will Henry, co-proprietor at Lumen Wines in the cool climate AVAs of Santa Barbara, returns to the show (he was on Ep 259) to tell us a story about a vineyard he happened upon that is changing his ideas about how viticulture should be approached in California.
Photo: Will Henry and Lane Tanner (not married, BTW, just business partners!)
Courtesy of Lumen
Will had recently purchased the Warner Henry Vineyard (named after his late father who founded the Henry Wine Group, introducing people all over the US to small, family-owned) up in the Solomon Hills of the Santa Maria Valley AVA. He was focused on that and one of his vineyard contractors mentioned an unpruned, unirrigated, and unattended vineyard that he kept passing as he drove up to Will’s property. A few months later, Will got curious. He decided to get out of his car and walk the vineyard in August. What he found defied all conventions in California viticulture: in spite of it growing wild, it was some of the best Pinot Noir he had ever seen or tasted.
It led Will down a path that many in Santa Maria Valley are following, and many more should follow, as he tries to answer the questions:
- Have we been doing viticulture all wrong?
- Does nature produce better grapes with less intervention in the vineyard?
- Will the “Wild King” Pinot from this vineyard, with its bright acidity, vibrant flavors and low alcohol be the best wine Lane Tanner, Will’s partner (and acclaimed winemaker) has ever made?
This was not the first time Will had seen this phenomenon – could he be on to the next big trend in wine (which is really the oldest way to farm!).
As promised here are the links to the people we discuss on the show:
- Lumen Wines – Will and Lane’s wine
- Here’s the podcast I did with Lane Tanner
- Storm Wines -- Ernst Storm
- Story of Soil -- Jessica Gasca
- Chanin -- Gavin Chanin
- Seasmoke – Julian Malone
- Chalky Ridge Vineyard Management– Jason Muscio
- Randall Grahm
- Linden Vineyards – Jim Law (Virginia)
- Ep 432: Agroforestry -- An Answer to Wine's Biggest Environmental Challenges with Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier of Château Anthonic in Moulis-en-Médoc
Thanks for listening! Please go see Will at Pico or The Wine Shepherd!
**All Photos used courtesy of Lumen Wines
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Jason Haas is a Partner and the General Manager of Tablas Creek Vineyard. His late father, Robert Haas was a renowned importer who partnered with Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape to scout a perfect site to grow Rhône varieties in California. They found it in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles and built one of the best wineries in California.
Jason Haas of Tablas Creek. Photo from Tablas Creek
Jason doesn’t just oversee the business, winemaking, and sales and marketing operations, he also is actively involved in the Rhone Rangers (they promote Rhone varieties in California), the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, Family Winemakers of California, and he is a talented and prolific writer. His clear and educational writing has been published in many wine publications as well as the award-winning Tablas Creek blog.
Jason is a big advocate for Paso Robles but also a passionate champion of more sustainable, earth-friendly solutions in the wine industry. He is a pioneer of the regenerative organic viticulture program in California, which we will discuss, and he is the first premium winery in California to put his wine in the sustainable 3 liter bag in box. This is Jason’s third appearance on the show and this time he updates us on all the work that he and Tablas Creek have done to push forward in making their vineyard and winery ever more gentle on the environment. They are leaders in California and in global thinking in wine and they are forging a path for the others to reduce their impact on the earth in wine. I’m excited to have Jason on the show again and I think you will love this show.
The wines of Tablas Creek. Photo: Tablas Creek Website
Here are the topics we cover:
-
We discuss how Tablas Creek moved from organic, to biodynamic and now to regenerative farming. Jason explains the difference between regenerative farming, biodynamics, and organics so we have it all clear.
-
Jason talks about some of the limitations of organics and biodynamics. He is nice enough to indulge me in a conversation about the famed biodynamic “cow horn” and why the idea behind it and many other biodynamic concepts are great but overshadowed by the more “cosmic” stuff in the philosophy.
-
We discuss dry farming and the conditions for it to work. We talk about how important it will be in the future.
The sheep of Tablas Creek. Photo from Tablas Creek
-
Jason talks about wine’s biggest impact on the environment: Packaging waste and transport. He tells us about his decision to put Patelin de Tablas rosé into box and the positive reception it received. We discuss the many ways packaging and transport can and may evolve to make wine’s impact on the earth minimal. We talk about the possibility of everything from bottle washing (We briefly discuss Caren McNamara from Conscious Container) to wine in bladder transport.
-
Jason shares some other ideas about how we can move to a more sustainable future for wine and some of the important logistical challenges we must face to be successful in the fight against climate change.
Patelin de Tablas Rosé in box Photo from Tablas Creek
Podcasts referenced
Ep 414: The Refillable Wine Bottle Revolution to Combat Climate Change with Caren McNamara of Conscious Container Ep 432: Agroforestry -- An Answer to Wine's Biggest Environmental Challenges with Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier of Château Anthonic in Moulis-en-Médoc Previous shows with Jason Ep 281: 30 Years of Tablas Creek with Jason Haas
Ep 162: Jason Haas of Tablas Creek in Paso Robles, CA Documentary on Fungus: Fantastic Funghi _______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Jason Haas is a Partner and the General Manager of Tablas Creek Vineyard. His late father, Robert Haas was a renowned importer who partnered with Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape to scout a perfect site to grow Rhône varieties in California. They found it in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles and built one of the best wineries in California.
Jason Haas of Tablas Creek. Photo from Tablas Creek
Jason doesn’t just oversee the business, winemaking, and sales and marketing operations, he also is actively involved in the Rhone Rangers (they promote Rhone varieties in California), the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, Family Winemakers of California, and he is a talented and prolific writer. His clear and educational writing has been published in many wine publications as well as the award-winning Tablas Creek blog.
Jason is a big advocate for Paso Robles but also a passionate champion of more sustainable, earth-friendly solutions in the wine industry. He is a pioneer of the regenerative organic viticulture program in California, which we will discuss, and he is the first premium winery in California to put his wine in the sustainable 3 liter bag in box. This is Jason’s third appearance on the show and this time he updates us on all the work that he and Tablas Creek have done to push forward in making their vineyard and winery ever more gentle on the environment. They are leaders in California and in global thinking in wine and they are forging a path for the others to reduce their impact on the earth in wine. I’m excited to have Jason on the show again and I think you will love this show.
The wines of Tablas Creek. Photo: Tablas Creek Website
Here are the topics we cover:
-
We discuss how Tablas Creek moved from organic, to biodynamic and now to regenerative farming. Jason explains the difference between regenerative farming, biodynamics, and organics so we have it all clear.
-
Jason talks about some of the limitations of organics and biodynamics. He is nice enough to indulge me in a conversation about the famed biodynamic “cow horn” and why the idea behind it and many other biodynamic concepts are great but overshadowed by the more “cosmic” stuff in the philosophy.
-
We discuss dry farming and the conditions for it to work. We talk about how important it will be in the future.
The sheep of Tablas Creek. Photo from Tablas Creek
-
Jason talks about wine’s biggest impact on the environment: Packaging waste and transport. He tells us about his decision to put Patelin de Tablas rosé into box and the positive reception it received. We discuss the many ways packaging and transport can and may evolve to make wine’s impact on the earth minimal. We talk about the possibility of everything from bottle washing (We briefly discuss Caren McNamara from Conscious Container) to wine in bladder transport.
-
Jason shares some other ideas about how we can move to a more sustainable future for wine and some of the important logistical challenges we must face to be successful in the fight against climate change.
Patelin de Tablas Rosé in box Photo from Tablas Creek
Podcasts referenced
Ep 414: The Refillable Wine Bottle Revolution to Combat Climate Change with Caren McNamara of Conscious Container Ep 432: Agroforestry -- An Answer to Wine's Biggest Environmental Challenges with Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier of Château Anthonic in Moulis-en-Médoc Previous shows with Jason Ep 281: 30 Years of Tablas Creek with Jason Haas
Ep 162: Jason Haas of Tablas Creek in Paso Robles, CA Documentary on Fungus: Fantastic Funghi _______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Another energetic, entertaining show with Serge!
Serge Doré with his daughter Gabriele. Photo: JoAnn Actis-Grande Portsmouth Herald
Serge Doré, importer of French wine (and American via Quebec…he’s a man of many identities and a worldliness we can only aspire to!) and popular podcast favorite, joins us to talk about Beaujolais, one of his favorite regions.
Like all the French regions with which he works, Serge has seen the ups and downs of Beaujolais and has stuck around through a lot in working with the producers here. In the show, Serge takes us through the evolution of the region. He details the rise and fall of the Beaujolais Nouveau craze, the aftermath, and the outstanding recent history of the region. He shares stories of producers he imports and gives us inside dirt.
Here are the topics we cover:
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Serge began working in Beaujolais in 1979. He tells us about the region then and what it was like to meet the famed Georges Duboeuf and learn about Beaujolais from him. We discuss the phenomenon of Beaujolai Nouveau and how it was the rise and fall of the region (and how the crus are responsible for the rebirth of Beaujolais).
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We discuss the three main areas of Beaujolais: the basic Beaujolais AOP in the south, the Beaujolais-Villages AOP, mainly in the north, and the 10 Beaujolais Crus, all in the north. We discuss why soil and location matters so much in this area of the world and give ideas on the character of some of the crus:
- Regnie, Saint-Amour, Chiroubles, Brouilly, Cote de Brouilly, Fleurie, Chenas, and Julienas, Morgan and Moulin-a-Vent
Older map from Beaujolais.com
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Serge describes the scenery, culture, and people of Beaujolais in a way only he can! It sounds like we all need to get there ASAP!
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Serge opines on how Burgundy and Beaujolais are different and the relationship between them.
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We discuss Serge’s producers in Beaujolais and how they are part of the exclusive Terroirs Originels group (list of producers is here). His portfolio includes: Jean-Michel Dupré, Lucien Lardy, Laurent Gauthier, Pascal Aufranc, and Patrick Tranchand (you can get them in New Hampshire and Massachusetts or order them online)
This is a DELICIOUS wine!!!
- We discuss the dynamic producers of Beaujolais, how they are coping with climate change, and Serge’s advice for enjoying beautiful Beaujolais!
Go to Serge Doré Selections to learn more and find out where you can get these beautiful wines!
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Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
País, known as Criolla Chica in Argentina, and Mission in the US, was brought by the Spanish conquistadores and was South America’s most planted grape for centuries until an economic boom in Chile and waves of migration in Argentina brought new and interesting grapes to these nations. Argentina has plantings of the grape, California now barely any, so Chile is the epicenter of the grape, where it is thought of as the locals’ grape – something low quality and common that has been around forever but has never made more than cheap, bulk wine or wine for local consumption.
País (a.k.a., Criolla Chica or Mission), "Mission Grapes" by Hey Fritters is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
But in 2007, the 200+ year old vines caught the attention of Europeans who were making wine in Chile and they began experimenting. The grape was made into sparkling wine and then into funky natural wines, which gained a following in France and in the capital city of Chile, Santiago. Today, there is revived interest in this grape, and it is making everything from Beaujolais Nouveau-like styles to some more complex, spicy, herbal yet fruit wines with great tannins and acidity. In this episode we explore the origins of this grape and what makes it so fascinating.
Here are the show notes:
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We discuss the overview of the grape – it’s called Criolla Chica in Argentina, Mission in California, and it is grown in Peru where it is distilled into Pisco and makes some natural wine, as well as Bolivia where it is called Missionera. We will refer to the grape only as País because Chile is the epicenter of growing!
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We discuss the styles of wine that País makes: rosé, sparkling, lighter and easy drinking wine, and a fortified wine called Angelica, that can last for decades
The Grape Origins:
- País was probably the first vitis vinifera grape to come from the Old World, we tell the alleged story of Hernán Cortes hating the native grapes and demanding that better grapes be brought. He mandated that sacramental wine be made using grapes grown from cuttings from the Old World, so the high yielding Listán Preto was brought from Castilla-La Mancha and the Canary Islands where it had been growing to make wine to restock ships for the journey across the sea.
In the vineyard
- País is a big cropper with big, irregular berries. It has a lot of water in the grapes which can result in a low concentration of flavor
- The grape is easy to cultivate, is drought resistant, and has very deep roots, especially when grown on well-drained, granite rich slopes. It likes hot, dry climates. For these reasons it deserves our attention – it could have a bright future with climate change, although it needs careful management to be good. There are many 200+ year old vines in Chile, trained in bushes. Many of them have potential to be great.
Winemaking:
- Winemakers must grapple with the fact that the wine lacks concentration of fruit flavor, and that it has a rustic, rough mouthfeel due to the types of tannins in the grape. It can also have low acidity or, if picked too early, too much acidity.
- Techniques to manage the grape include carbonic maceration to increase fruitiness, saignee to increase intensity, and gentle pressing and traditional winemaking to keep the balance in the wines.
- Terms we discuss:
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- Zaranda – a bamboo mat that sits over the fermentation vat. Winemakers apply gentle pressure for less tannic, more acidic wines. Grapes are then crushed by foot and left to ferment in the traditional winemaking method
- Pipas — large pipe-shaped vats made from native beechwood. Used for short-term aging
País Wine/Flavors
- País is very light in color, and light in body. Depending on how the tannins are managed, the wine can be balanced or have really rough tannins
- The aromas and flavors range. The wines can be spicy and complex, with earthy, herbal, black pepper, and red fruit notes. It can also be simple with red fruit notes like pomegranate, and floral notes. It’s often compared to Beaujolais
Food Pairings:
- Mediterranean origin food. Think about Spanish tapas or Greek meze. Lentils, black beans burgers, beans, tacos, Spanish rice
Regions
Chile
- Today, about ~7,250 ha/17,915 acres of País grow all over Chile -- from the Atacama Desert in the north to the southern regions of Maule, Bio Bio, and Itata, where the majority of plantings lie
- Was a much larger part of Chile’s plantings until the mid 1800s when the mining boom made some Chileans very wealthy, and they used that money to set up vineyards and winemaking operations to make French varietal wine – Cabernet usurped País.
- The grape was relegated to poor regions, especially Maule, Bío Bío, and Itata where it was kept alive by the traditional local wine, Pipeño – fizzy, light, often sweet red made of País. The grape was so cheap and undervalued that growers and winemakers have no incentive to work with it
- In 2006-2007, producers like Miguel Torres of Spain and young winemaker, Louis-Antoine Luyt who was trained in Beaujolais and is a natural wine advocate began making impressive sparkling and red of País. As the wine improved in quality, others became interested in making País and blends using the grape – Bouchon, Roberto Henriquez, and Concha y Toro are some examples
One of Luyt's wine labels
Argentina
- According to Amanda Barnes, author of the “Wines of South America”, “Criolla” means a person or thing of Spanish-descent, born or developed in the Americas. Music, food, people, and grapes can be Criolla. Criolla grapes are a family of grape varieties that include the first vines, and part of that is Criolla Chica.
- Producers that are experimenting:
- Cara Sur in Barreal, San Juan
- Rocamadre in Paraje Altamira (Mendoza) from old vines
- Vallisto in Salta
California
- Called Mission grape -- Established in 1769 with the Franciscan missions, Junipero Serra
- Died with Prohibition, today about 400 acres left, some producers in Amador, Calaveras, Santa Barbara, and Lodi still grow the grapes and some make early drinking, natural wine of it
- A traditional wine and the one that was esteemed at the time was Angelica, a sticky sweet wine that apparently tastes like molasses, dried figs, caramel, and nuts.
The Mission Grape, growing in Lodi, CA. Photo: Lodi Growers Assoc
It’s an interesting time for País. I think this is the beginning of a journey with this grape and we’ll keep you posted on new developments!
Maule, Itata and Bío Bío are in southern Chile. Map (C) WFNP
Sources to learn more:
- SouthAmericaWineGuide.com, Criolla Grape Varieties, Amanda Barnes
- País - Decanter China – great article by MW Julien Boulard
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pais
- Quench: The epic tale of País, the people’s grape
- Wines of Chile: País
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Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
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Tom Wark is a wine writer, wine public relations company owner (Wark Communications), and our trusted resource for figuring out what is going on with the US wine industry and how it affects us, as wine drinkers. In his role as the executive director of the National Association of Wine Retailers, he manages and helps direct lobbying, litigation, and membership strategy and management for the retailers in the US and in that role has really helped dissect and expose some of the logistical and really cultural issues around wine in the US. He is the author of “Fermentation: The Daily Wine Blog”.
Photo: Tom Wark.
Source: "Fermentation Blog"
In this show we discuss a variety of topics, including the recent threat to US interstate wine shipping from the Uniform Law Commission. The bulk of our conversation revolves around the historical legacy of alcohol Prohibition in the US and the damage it caused to the way alcohol is sold, marketing and viewed in the United States.
Our main topics for the show:
- The latest news from the Uniform Law Commission, a body of lawyers from all 50 states who try to create laws that states can adopt and adapt based on common principles. We discuss the misguided nature of their proposals, and how it could potentially affect wine shipping in the United States
- The history of Prohibition in the United States – how it came about based on the events and culture of the 1910s and how, during the repeal, systems were set up that are now outdated but have enormous ripple effects in how wine is sold, distributed, and ultimately viewed in the US
The Crusaders were a group that fought to repeal Prohibition in the 1930s.
Photo: Smithsonian Institute
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We touch on the active temperance movement of today and why the temperance lobby has a big problem fighting against wine, in particular. We mention marijuana as well, and the coming reckoning for that new industry. Here is the Washington Post article we reference: “From Dry January to Fake Cocktails, Inside the New Temperance Movement”
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Tom tells us what the US market would look like without a three-tier distribution system (Hint: pretty awesome) and the multitude of choices it would open up for producers and retailers.
I highly recommend that you subscribe to Tom’s very well-written blog, which is full of excellent and novel thinking. Click here to sign up.
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Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Wine is a product of nature, human intervention, chemistry, and it’s subject to many outside influences – storage, transport, handling – that can do a number on what’s inside the bottle. In this episode, we cover the main things that could go wrong with wine, how they got there, and what to do about it (where possible)!
Photo: Pixabay
Shout out to Jamie Goode, the outstanding scientist and wine writer who makes so many complex science concepts so easy to understand. Here is the link to his book, “The Science of Wine from Vine to Glass,” from which some of the reference materials for the pod were taken. Also to “Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia,” who (always with the humor of Tom Stevenson) brings up a number of very real faults that a lot of the mainstream wine press forget to mention (sauerkraut, anyone?). Other sources are below!
Here are the show notes:
We start with defining what a flaw is in a wine, versus a taint, as defined by Jamie Goode. Then we talk about just plain old sucky wine.
Flaw v Taint:
- Flaw is endemic to the wine, it happened in winemaking or vineyard
- Taint is from outside winemaking, like from packaging or from the winery
- We discuss the Japanese concept that talks about how small flaws can accentuate beauty (it is called Wabi-Sabi, the art of imperfection). Not all technical flaws are bad!
NOT FLAWS: Next we tackle things that need to be dealt with, but aren’t flaws or taints:
- Sediment:
- What is it? Tannin chains combining and falling out of solution. Looks like your coffee filter threw up or there are brown flakes in the wine.
- What do you do? Decant, get a filter
Sediment on a glass from Canva Images
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Cork floating in your wine:
- What is it? User error or an old cork. If you break the cork when you take it out, it may drop some flakes into the wine. If it’s an old cork, this is even more likely!
- What do you do? Fish it out with you finger, a spoon, or get a filter
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Film/oily looking stuff on the surface:
- What is it? Most likely it’s dishwashing soap residue from either glasses or decanter
- What do you do? Clean your glasses of the residue, send the glass back if you’re in a restaurant. At home, warm water is often good enough to clean wine glasses as long as you have a good brush
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Bubblegum, pear drop, nail-polish like aromas:
- What is it? These aromas come from carbonic maceration, a red winemaking technique where the winemaker ferments the grapes with no oxygen or yeast. Instead they use carbon dioxide to promote the conversion of sugar and malic acid to alcohol. Byproducts of this process are these aromas, and more to boot. Overly cool fermentations can also cause these types of aromas.
- What do you do? If you hate this, chuck the bottle or give it away and remember you don’t like wines made with carbonic maceration. Never buy Beaujolais Nouveau!
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Tartrate crystals:
- What is it? Crystals appear either on the side of the cork that was in contact with the wine or, often, at the bottom of the glass in white wines. Tartaric acid was not fined, filtered or stabilized out so tartaric acid crystals formed and the wine cleaned itself up naturally!
- What do you do? Dare I say it again? Get a filter and get them out if they are in your wine. If they are on the cork, admire how pretty they are and enjoy the wine.
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Earthiness, green pepper notes:
- What is it? Just normal wine flavors. The earthiness could be from terroir or it could be the grape. Green pepper is from a compound called methoxypyrazine that is common in Cabernet Sauvignon and its parents, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc
- What do you do? If you love it, drink wines with those profiles. If not, there are plenty of wines without these characteristics
Before getting into the major faults, I discuss one that is on the line:
- Cloudy/Hazy wine: If it’s not sediment causing the problem, it could be protein. It may settle out or it may just be part of the wine. Natural wines and unfiltered wines have haze often. Just proceed with caution if you see it. It could be fine or indicate a flaw to come.
Then we hit the hard-core flaws
1. Cork taint
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What is it? It comes across as musty, wet dog, wet wool, cardboard or, at lower levels, as a wine with acidity and bitterness but no fruit flavor. It is caused by a molecule called TCA, which lives in the pockets of corks but also barrels, cardboard, wood cases, and corks (so yes, screw cap wines can have taint!)
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What do you do? About 1-3 bottles in 100 have TCA taint, since cork is better chosen and sanitized now. People also use cork alternatives – plastic corks, screw caps, etc, but event those aren’t foolproof. If you get a corked wine, return it. There’s no fixing it (although occasionally if the wine is just musty, a good swirl and some time will bring it back)
Photo: Pexels
2. Oxidation
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What is it? When too much oxygen enters the wine in production, bottling, or storage (the cork or screw cap wasn’t affixed properly), the wine can be exposed to too much oxygen. Oxygen is important to making a wine taste great when it’s in your glass but if it has too much oxygen before you are ready to drink it, it can make white wines a little brown/tawny, reds a little orange/brown. They will have Sherry-like notes, which shouldn’t be there and they will acquire nutty, smelly caramel notes in reds or, if it occurs with Volatile Acidity – vinegar notes. Oxidized wine can also be flat in flavor and aroma
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What do you do? If it tastes ok to you, drink it! It won’t get better so if you hate it and it’s oxidized, bring it back
3. Volatile acidity (VA)
- What is it? When acetic acid or lactic bacteria is present on the grapes or in the winemaking and has these substances have sufficient oxygen to grow, the wine will taste like vinegar, or nail polish remover. At low levels, VA can present savory and sweet notes that taste good, but at high levels the wine is undrinkable.
- What do you do? Bring it back for an exchange or refund
5. Reduction/sulfur issues
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What is it? If you make wine in a reductive fashion – with very little oxygen and utilize too much sulfur, things can go wrong. Yeast make volatile sulfur compounds and things go bad quickly. Hopefully the winemaker catches it before bottling. If not, your wine will smell like burnt rubber, skunk, onion, garlic, rotten eggs, and smelly drains. These are ethyl mercaptans and they are so gross.
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What do you do? If any of the above listed smells are in your wine, return it. There is one related thing, however, that may be ok: the smell of matchstick or flint. You may find those aromas in wines that have been made in a reductive fashion. If you swirl or aerate the wine, it will blow off. If your wine has a struck match aroma, rather than a burnt one, give it a few minutes before you issue a verdict and return it.
Reductive wines can smell like skunk! Photo: Pixabay
5. Maderized wine
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What is it? The wine has been cooked from poor storage or transport. Often these wines are also oxidized (bonus!). They taste like stewed fruit, burnt caramel, and jam. If you look at cork you may see wine leaking out, and when you remove the cork, there is often wine up and down the sides
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What do you do? The wine is toast. You can’t save it, so return it.
6. Bubbles in a still wine:
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What is it? Carbon dioxide has infiltrated the wine. It could be added for texture and style fizz like in Vinho Verde, some Austrian and German wines. OR, and this is the flaw, the wine was bottles with too much residual sugar after fermentation, and yeast were still alive. That fizz is an unplanned secondary fermentation happening in the bottle: re-fermentation has started
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What do you do? If it’s intentional, it’s great. You can swirl to get the bubbles out and that sometimes works if you don’t like seeing bubbles (or you can just make peace with them)! If it’s frothy from secondary fermentation – it’s spoiled, bring it back to the shop.
7. Lightstrike
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What is it? Ultraviolet (UV) and blue rays from artificial lights and the sun break up amino acids in wine and cause it to stink like cabbage, cauliflower, farmyard/poo skunk, and cardboard. This fault happens most often with whites and wine in clear bottles. According to San Francisco retailer J.J. Buckley, clear bottles block only 10% of light, amber bottles block 90% of light, and green bottles block 50% of light. That means whites and rosés in clear bottles are especially susceptible.
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What do you do? The bottle is ruined, return it
Cabbage smelling wine is often from Lightstrike
Photo: Pixabay
8. Brettanomyces:
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What is it? Metabolites produced by yeast called Brettanomyces bruxellensis – (shortened to brett in wine parlance), wait around until AFTER fermentation, then they consume the residual sugar saccharomyces cerevisiae (normal yeast) have left. The byproducts are flavor chemicals that can lead to manure, horse saddle, band aid, medicinal, and metallic notes. This happens mostly in red wines, as white wines have acidity to protect them.
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What do you do? How you view the wine is really based on taste. Flavors vary based on the strain of brett, and the level of it in the wine. At low levels it adds gaminess, earthiness, spice, and savory notes to the wine. It can be hard to pinpoint in a wine. If you like these types of flavors, you likely enjoy brett. If not, stick with more New World wines from larger wineries, as they really try to eliminate all traces of the metabolite!
9. Mousy
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What is it? In wines without sulfite protection, mainly natural wines these days, the wine has a few molecules that smell like a mouse or mouse pee. The wine can seem fine when you open it but then the aroma and flavor can appear as the wine is in the glass. Often it just stinks right from the get-go
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What do you do? Sensitivity varies. Some people hate it, some are ok with it. Some can really detect it, others don’t notice it. Again, it’s down to personal choice whether or not you return the wine for the flaw or accept and like it.
10. Smoke taint
Fires in California have caused smoke taint. Photo: Unsplash
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What is it? A direct result of nearby wildfires. According to Australian research, grapes are most susceptible to smoke, ash, ashtray, singed, and cured meat notes if fires are near the grapes from the period after veraison (when grapes change color, the last stage of ripening) through harvest. Flavor compounds permeate the skins, especially and the result is red wines that are nearly impossible to save. Whites from wildfire vintages are usually ok, as there is no skin contact necessary and the pulp is protected by the skins, but red wines can’t be fixed without affecting wine quality, for now.
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What do you do? For now, there is no solution to smoke taint. If you see a wine is from a vintage and an area that had wildfires, caveat emptor. Some wineries will release a wine even if it’s like choking on an ashtray. Better to stick with whites from the area, if you can.
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Other stuff not always on the taint list!
Soapiness: Happens when acids produced by yeast are like salts: Caprylic acid salt (decanoic acid), and leave a soapy taste especially in white wines. They smell like soap but are fruitier. This note is common in high-alcohol wines. (Source: the "Le Nez Du Vin" wine faults kit and Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia). Like everything, a small amount is tolerable, a larger amount is a fault (and of course, make sure that soapiness isn’t from actual soap, as previously mentioned)
Soapiness is a fault in a wine!
Cheese: If it’s subtle or in an old Riesling, cheese notes are usually good and integrate with the wine’s flavors. If it’s more like stinky cheese, it’s from ethyl butryrate and the wine is done: Take it back
Geranium notes in sweet wines are from sorbic acid or the degradation of geraniol aromas. It is considered a flaw, as are the phenol off-flavors of Carnation notes. Whether or not you like the wine is a matter of taste, but in high concentrations, it is gross and a flaw.
Sauerkraut notes are a bridge too far beyond sour milk or sour cream and are from too much bacteria in the malolactic fermentation. Yuck! This is a definite return to the shop!
This is by no means a total and complete list, but we did the best we can and hopefully it will help you ID what is a flawed or tainted wine and what is just a wine that is poorly made and bad.
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Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Patron Serl Z asked: What are wines other than Pinot Noir for those for whom that is the only red wine they will drink?
Photo: Pinot Noir grapes, Canva photos
Join the conversation: Become a Patron on Patreon
Pinot has so many different faces depending on where it’s grown – terroir is everything with the grape. But if we’re talking about medium-bodied, more acidic styles that are food-friendly, then this podcast answers that question!
Italy:
- Schiava or Teroldego from Alto Adige
- Bardolino or lighter styles of Valpolicella from Veneto
- Nebbiolo from Piedmont, alternately Grignolino, a light, acidic wine
- The reds of Mount Etna (Etna Rosso), Sicily
- Frappato, Sicily
France:
- Poulsard and Trousseau, the reds of the Jura region (specifically Arbois, which is often blended in with Pinot)
- Gamay from Beaujolais – Beaujolais-Village or lighter to medium styles from the Crus of Saint-Amour, Régnié, and Fleurie
- Reds from the Loire Valley. based on Cabernet Franc, especially St-Nicholas de Bourgeuil
- Côtes du Rhône red and white (yes, this white is big enough to be a red alternative). If you can find a wine with Cinsault in the blend (Rasteau and Cairanne Cru are good bets!), you’ll be in for a light style that will scratch your Pinot itch!
Photo: Jura vineyards in France, Canva photos
Austria:
- Laurent, some Zweigelt (again, watch alcohol levels)
Greece: Agiogitiko and some Xinomavro
The US and Canada:
- Finger Lakes or Virginia: Cabernet Franc in the US
- Eastern Canada: Cabernet Franc
The Iberian Peninsula:
- Spain: Mencía from Bierzo or Ribeira Sacra
- Portugal: Blends of the Dão
Photo: Vineyards in Ribeira Sacra, home of great Mencía. Canva photos.
Most New World countries make excellent Pinot Noir but don’t have a lot of alternative lighter wines, given the climate. Also, as they were starting their industry, winemakers imported grapes they felt would be successful, and Pinot was the winner of the light to medium-bodied category!
So, those are my picks, but you may have others! Feel free to share.
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Elizabeth (Liz) Gabay, Master of Wine, is the world's foremost expert on rosé and a big part of her career has been studying, writing about, and understanding rosé. Ben Bernheim, her son, is now learning from her wisdom and and is a specialist in his own right. The two of them have just completed the excellent book “Rosés of Southern France” (which is now available on Amazon for purchase.
Liz is largely responsible for shifting the tide on rosé and helping people to understand that this wine is its own serious category that deserves thought, study, and consideration. In addition to the new book, Liz is the author of “Rosé: Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution,” and she is also a contributor on rosé in Decanter, The Drinks Business, The Buyer, SevenFiftyDaily, Meiningers, and many more prestigious publications.
Photo: https://www.elizabethgabay.com/about/
The wisdom these Liz and Ben have on the subject of rosé is vast, and they are so fun, engaging, and real, that they make it all so interesting and accessible. This is an incredible education on rosé and will enjoy every minute of listening to these fantastic humans.
Photo: Ben Bernheim, taken by me when we were partners in a Beaumes de Venise mini-class in the Rhone Valley 4/22
Here are the things we discuss in the show:
- Liz talks about her background and how she got into wine. She discusses how, when she took the MW, it was a professional certification, and how it has changed dramatically over time. She discusses how she got into rosé, and how Ben got involved in it as well.
Then we get into the nuts and bolts of rosé
- Liz and Ben define rosé (harder than you think!). We discuss he book’s intro and what rosé is really about:
“We love rosé. We love its diversity, its complexity, and the infinite combinations of terroir, grape variety, vintage variation and winemaking that we find around the world. Many people think we’re crazy. They see rosé as a pale pink lightly alcoholic swimming pool tipple that somehow tastes better if you’re wearing a bikini. That isn’t what this book is about. “
Photo credit: Canva
- Liz and Ben tell us about rosé winegrowing:
- Grapes that are commonly used(red AND white!)
- The role of terroir in rosé
- The picking decisions and harvest parameters that matter in making rosé
- Climate change and how it is affecting grapes for rosé
- We talk next about rosé winemaking
- We discuss the various ways to make rosé – direct press, limited maceration and saignée
- We talk about some of the key factors in rosé winemaking:
- Time on the skin
- Yeast strains
- Co-fermenting with whites
- Fermentation vessel (oak v. stainless)
- Temperature control in fermentation
- Malolactic fermentation vs. no MLF
- Aging/storage vessel and time – oak, cement, glass, amphora, etc
Photo credit: Canva
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Liz and Ben tell us why rosé, can be ageworthy and why most isn’t. We also talk about lightstrike and why clear bottles are the worst thing for rosé.
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We cover the wines of the southern Rhône -- Tavel, Luberon, Ventoux, the rosés of Provence and Bandol and the wines of the Languedoc-Roussillon. We have an interesting conversation about Costieres di Nimes, which really drives home how certain regions can be outstanding but if they don’t send in samples to writers, or market their wines, they remain unknown.
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Liz and Ben help us understand how to buy better rosé.
- They provide some shortcuts for finding better wines – like looking for sub regions in Cotes de Provence such as Ste. Victoire and La Londe.
- We talk about how using Google maps to see where the winery is located can help you get better wines (e.g., If it’s in a cool mountain area, it may be crisp, if it’s nearer the ocean the wine may be fatter).
- They discuss how essential it is to find out about the producer, since often producers want you to see the name “Provence” and buy the bottle…if you poke around a bit you may get a better idea about what you are getting so it’s not a surprise or disappointment
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Liz and Ben tell us about the trends in rosé – why it has become so popular, and what are great regions we should keep an eye on. Liz’s recommendations for countries/regions that have been making intresteing rosé (besides France!): Austria, Greece, Sicily (Etna especially), Spain (Clarete from Sigales, Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Navarra), Portugal (Douro, pink Port), Israel.
We end with a conversation on the future of rosé and what Ben and Liz hope for the category.
This is a fantastic conversation about a category of wine that is experiencing a big paradigm shift. Liz and Ben are some of the most normal, kindest, smartest people I’ve met in wine in a long, long while and the show is sprinkled with a ton of industry information – insider things that can help shed light on what goes on with producers, negociants, and writers. I hope you enjoy and you are motivated to buy their wonderful book! Reach out to them at https://www.elizabethgabay.com/about/
Photo credit: Canva
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Vinho Verde, the DOC (Denomination of Controlled Origin) Region, has made wine since Roman times. This region is one of the largest DOCs in Europe but within its boundaries there are vast differences between the nine sub regions. In this show, Mafalda Teixeira Coelho, co-owner of Quinta da Raza and Pedro Campos, winemaker clear up a lot of the misconceptions about Vinho Verde. We learn about the terroir of this old and complex region, the various subregions, and how serious, and sometimes ageworthy wine is being produced here.
Photo: Mafalda Teixeira Coelho, co-owner of Quinta da Raza and Pedro Campos, winemaker (c)Wine For Normal People
In September 2021, I visited the region and I just loved the wines of Quinta da Raza, I adored Mafalda and Pedro, and I thought they were perfect representatives to tell us about their corner of this big region, in Basto, and what they are capable of making in this unique terroir.
Here’s what we discuss in the show:
- The diversity of Vinho Verde, it’s 9 sub regions and how proximity to the sea, position in the mountains, and soil type make big differences in the grapes you can grow and the resulting wines.
Map: Vinho Verde Commission
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Pedro tells us about the Basto subregion, where Quinta da Raza is located. It is inland, on granite, schist, and clay soils. The location is a bit more continental with warmer summers and cooler winters than places near the coast, meaning grapes can get fully ripe and quite flavorful.
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To understand Vinho Verde, you must understand the nuance between the granite terroir v. the schist terroir. Pedro tells us what the differences are and why they matter.
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Mafalda shares the history of the estate and how it was passed down to her husband Diogo, who she manages things with today.
Mafalda Teixeira Coelho, co-owner of Quinta da Raza and her daughters,
(c)Wine For Normal People
- Pedro tells us about the main grapes of the region: Azal, Alvarinho, Avesso, Arinto, Trajadura, and the reds Padeiro and Vinhão. He tells us about the various brands of Quinta da Raza
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- Dom Diogo is the traditional brand that is sold mainly in the Portuguese market
- Quinta da Raza is a more international style, and where you’ll find those more serious whites like Alvarinho, Avesso, and Gouveio
- Raza is the very traditional, fizzy Vinho Verde of Arinto, Trajadura, and Azal, with the Rosé made of Vinhão, Padeiro and Espadeiro
- Nat their line of Pet Nat (Petillant Naturel), sparkling wine made in the ancestral method with a single fermentation happening in the bottle from which you drink it
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We discuss some of the important techniques they use to get high quality wine – traditional things like hand harvesting grapes and foot treading in stone lagares, and then more modern things like using stainless steel tanks and modern winemaking techniques.
Hand harvest at Quinta da Raza (c)Wine For Normal People
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Pedro tells us Alvarinho and Avesso are good candidates for aging, with Gouveio as a possible third.
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We finish the conversation by talking about Quinta da Raza’s commitment to sustainability and the bright future for the Vinho Verde region and for the winery.
Quinta da Raza’s wines are fantastic. Seek out the basic Raza, but try to find the single varietals, they are inexpensive and drink way above their price point!
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Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier of Château Anthonic in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation on the Left Bank of Bordeaux is revolutionizing the entire Médoc with a novel approach to farming and adapting to climate change: Agroforestry. This show talks about the practice and the unbelievable results that can be achieved by farming in this way. It will inspire hope that there is a future for viticulture, even in areas where there is great climate change.
Photo: Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier Château Anthonic
Château Anthonic is in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation on the Left Bank of Bordeaux. It is owned and operated by Jean-Baptiste and Nathalie Cordonnier. They make very classically styled, delicious (and relatively low alcohol) red wine from mainly Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon and some Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Château Anthonic
Since 2016, Jean-Baptiste and his team have practiced agroforestry –trying to mimic the soils and conditions of the forest to enrich soil health and encourage the vines to return to a state where they are part of an eco-system, with fungi, trees, wildlife, and healthy micro-organisms. Using very specialized cover crops, they have managed to lower soil temperatures and keep sugar levels under control by practicing the tenets he discusses.
May people claim to do great things, but Jean-Baptise is the real deal. If there is anything that will inspire hope that human ingenuity and nature may help us out of bad times to come, this show is it.
Here are the topics we discussed:
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Jean-Baptiste tells us about his very different educational background, which led him to tackle environmental issues in the way he does today. Forestry, not viticulture, was the foundation of his education (and we should all be grateful for that!)
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We get a good background on Moulis-en-Médoc – the terroir, the diversity, and where Château Anthonic is located. We discuss the blue clay, which makes up 70% of his vineyard
Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Blue Clay Château Anthonic
- Then we get into the details of just how we have gotten into the predicament in farming that we have today. Jean-Baptiste explains the phases that humans have gone through to deplete the earth through farming (inadvertently and through a series of bad decisions). He addresses how “the new guest in the dance”, climate change has sped up the need for a solution.
Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Château Anthonic
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We get into the nuts and bolts of agroforestry and how hedges, trees, and grasses in the vineyard are the keys to bringing back fungi and mico-organisms that are vital to making the land healthier and, ultimately, to maintaining the style of Bordeaux that many of us love. He also addresses the economics of the vineyard, and how planting trees has actually given him 2% MORE yield in his vineyard, despite the trees taking out two rows per hectare.
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Jean-Baptiste shares the results of his years of agroforestry practices: lower alcohol and more acidity in his grapes, less water stress, and more balanced wines. He is too modest to really brag, but he has trained first and second growth chateaux on the practices of agroforestry, as well as many other prestigious chateaux in the Médoc and beyond. Many are implementing his methods in their vineyards.
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Jean-Baptiste leaves us with a message of hope – viticulture is not doomed, Bordeaux is a phoenix, and the rapidity with which change has come means the future is bright for this warming and changing climate, regardless of what nonsense naysayers may spout.
Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Château Anthonic
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If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
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Sémillon used to be the most planted white grape in the world. From its native home in France to Australia, Chile, South Africa, Argentina, and beyond, it was planted en masse to pump out large quantities of flavorless bulk white wine. The problem was that Sémillon doesn’t cooperate when it’s forced to high yields. It loses acidity and it lacks flavor unlike some other grapes that can still muster some umph when over-cropped (Chenin blanc, Sauvignon blanc, Colombard, to name three). For this reason, plantings were replaced and the grape became unpopular.
Photo: Sémillon, Bordeaux.com
Today it is grown in limited quantities but two distinct areas– Sauternes/Barsac and Pessac-Leognan in Bordeaux and the Hunter Valley of Australia -- create wines that are incredibly specific and unique. Demand and fascination with these iconic wines means that cultivation of this grape is not doomed!
Here are the show notes:
The origins of the grape
- Although we don’t know the parentage, we do know the grape is from southwestern France. It is likely from Bordeaux
- Until the 1700s, producers were only using the grape in Sauternes (at this point it was already a sweet wine, as records from 1717-1736 at the local abbey show)
- Later, it was found in St-Emilion, from which it derives its name. The name most likely comes from Selejun – the local pronunciation of Saint-Emilion
Sémillon in the vineyard
- A thick-skinned grape, part of the reason it was so widely planted was that this feature makes Sémillon pretty resistant to molds and mildews (although, thankfully not botrytis). This feature of the grape helps make it easy to grow and it can be quite vigorous, which is why it was so used and abused in the past!
- The grape buds later and ripens earlier than its blending partner, Sauvignon blanc, and this short growing window means it is not as susceptible to spring or autumn frosts
- The grape is versatile on soil types – it can thrive on gravel, calcareous clay, sand, and other types making it incredibly adaptable
- Fully ripe Sémillon will have big yellow to nearly copper colored berries
- Low yields are best
- Château d’Yquem, the most famous Sauternes producer in the world, allegedly makes one glass per vine. The rest of Sauternes yields about 24hl/ha, and lower quality regions yield 80 -100 hl/ha. Hunter Valley in Australia – 60 hl/ha
M.C. Ice and I fully acknowledge that we have no idea what a hl/ha looks like but we use the numbers for comparison sake – ratios are still helpful, right?
Photo: Australian Semillon, courtesy Wine Australia
- Climate can vary enormously and the grape can still perform:
- In Sauternes, special climate conditions must exist (we discuss later)
- Top dry white areas of Graves and Pessac-Leognan have warmer sites for Sémillon, which allows it to get fully ripe, adding lushness to the blend with Sauvignon blanc
- In Hunter valley, humidity with tropical storms are best! Because the area has strong cloud cover there is less direct sun so it slows photosynthesis, despite heat. The humid afternoons somehow help build acidity. The light, sandy soils that contain some loam and iron have good drainage, during rain
We discuss the growing regions for most of the remaining part of the show
France: Bordeaux
- France grows more Sémillon than any other country and most of the plantings are in Bordeaux, specifically – Graves, Pessac-Leognan, and Sauternes
- 50 or so years ago, half the production in Bordeaux was white, mostly from Semillon, which traditionally made up 4/5 of any white wine in the area, sweet or white, but now has taken a backseat to Sauvignon Blanc, which offers more acidity to the wine in a warming climate
Photo: Bordeaux vineyard, Getty Images via Canva subscription
Sauternes, Barsac
- In Sauternes, Barsac (please see episode 369 for more info) and the sweet appellations of Cadillac, Ste Croix du Mont, Loupiac, and Cerons Sémillon is always partnered with Sauvignon blanc, which also receives botrytis well but maintains its acidity. Wines are hand harvested, with several passes through the vineyard to get the right level of botrytis, which can be patchy and can be grey rot if it developed poorly on the grapes
- Botrytis is a fungus that affects the grapes right when the fruit forms. It concentrates sugar and creates honeyed, apricot, mango flavors with a viscous mouthfeel from the glycerol it produces. Alcohol levels range in the region -- the minimum in Sauternes is 13% but it can well over 20% ABV
- For botrytis to form, a region needs foggy nights and early morning, followed by warm and sunny days. This is essential in the autumn, and is a very consistent weather pattern in the sweet wine regions of Bordeaux, which botrytized wine can be made nearly every year
- These wines are aged for long periods in oak barrels
- Some, like Chateau Climens in Barsac, are 100% Sémillon
Dry white appellations
- In Graves and the lighter, sandier regions of Pessac-Leognan, Sémillon is often the biggest percentage of the blend. The best versions – Haut-Brion Blanc and La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc (different Châteaux, owned by the same group = confusing, I know) – are hundreds of dollars a bottle and often have Sémillon as the main component, but it’s vintage dependent
- In Pessac-Leognan, 25% of blend must be Sauvignon Blanc, and the trend is to favor that grape over Sémillon both because it’s easier to grow, and because it has acidity. From good producers, these wines can age for decades
- The grape can be in Côtes de Bordeaux blancs and in basic Bordeaux blanc from better producers
- Sémillon adds fullness to the texture and when it is aged in oak (as is the case with Sauternes, Barsac and in Graves and Pessac-Leognan), it can have peach, mango, nuts, and toast flavors, which contrast well with Sauvignon blanc’s more “green” aromas. If Sémillon is not aged in oak, it can have citrus, grass, notes without much flavor. When it is fully ripe and aged in oak, it is fat in texture with lemon and tropical fruit and has lower acidity.
Other places in France Sémillon grows...
- Southwest France has the sweet wine of Monbazillac (like Sauternes) and dry white of Bergerac
- Provence and the Languedoc, but not of any quality
Australia
- Makes the most distinctive dry white in Australia and was first planted in the Hunter Valley where it gained popularity for its ease to grow, high yields, and resistance to disease
- It went from being the workhorse grape in the 1980s, to accounting for only 3.1% of the total Australian crush today
- More than half of Australia’s Semillon comes from the bulk New South Wales region of Riverina
Hunter Valley in New South Wales
- The warm, humid climate of the Hunter Valley isn’t conducive to most grapes but Semillon (no accent on the “e” in Australia!) changes from a grassy, lemony acidic wine into a dark yellow, nutty, honey and straw-scented viscous wine if grown and made under certain conditions
- To achieve this, growers pick early, before the summer rains and the grapes have very high acidity. Alcohol levels are around 10-11% ABV, and most of the wine spends no time in oak for fermentation nor for aging – it is put in stainless, fermented cold, and bottled. Wines in their youth are like Sauvignon blanc – citrus, green herbs, and straw flavors persist, with high acidity. After 5-10 years of storage the wine darkens and tastes like honey, toasted, grilled nuts and seems like it has been in an oak barrel (hasn’t) – a total odd ball. Although the grapes can have some botrytis, this phenomenon is just a result of the rainy, tropical growing conditions
- To learn more about Hunter Valley and the Semillon, listen to ep 309, with the amazing Connie Paur Griffiths of Tranquil Vale, an excellent small producer located there
- Tyrells is the famous producer here (especially Vat 1 Semillon). Also Brokenwood, Silkman, Andrew Thomas
Photo: Hunter Valley Vineyard, credit Wine Australia
Western Australia:
- Margaret River: Popular for blends of Semillon and Sauvignon blanc
- You will see Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon on the bottle, the first name indicates which grape dominates the blend
- These wines can be made in a juicy, fruit style with no oak, or oak fermented and/or oak matured to last longer
- Producers: Vasse Felix, Cullen, Cape Mentelle, Leeuwin
South Australia
- Adelaide Hills: Wines are like white Bordeaux in that they are picked early and blended with Sauvignon Blanc to avoid oiliness, too much ripeness. They sometimes use oak, sometimes not. Charlotte Dalton is the big producer here.
- Barossa: Sometimes makes varietal versions that show the purity of the grape, sometimes use big oak and can be toasty and Chardonnay-esque. Producers: Torbreck, Peter Lehmann, Henschke in Eden Valley
- Clare Valley: Can be more refined than Barossa but still peachy with apple and citrus and fuller body. Oak influence is common. Producers: Mount Harrocks, Pauletts
- Riverina: Is notorious for low quality bulk wine but a pocket of it develops botrytis easily and makes high quality sweet wines: McWilliams, De Bortoli
New Zealand has a small amount of Semillon in Marlborough, Hawkes Bay, and Gisbourne
South Africa
- Semillon was once so important it was called “greengrape” because of its bring green foliage
- By 1822, 93% of the vineyard land planted was Semillon. Then it was commonly just called “wine grape” but by the 1900s it began its sharp decline
- It is grown now in Stellenbosch, Swartland, and Franschhoek. Some areas have older bush vines.
- Producers like: Cederberg, Steenberg, Vergelegen , Mullineux are using more Semillon in blends with Sauvignon Blanc (some sweet, some dry versions)
United States
California
- Barely uses Semillon but vines that were imported in the 1880s to the Livermore Valley in northern California, were allegedly from Château d’Yquem
- Vines that live in the Monte Rosso vineyard in Sonoma date from 1886 and can make excellent wines. Morgon is an example
- Sierra Foothills: Some here, notably my friend Lorenzo Muslia of Andis makes the Bill Dillian Semillon that has great acidity but silkiness and hay, herb, and melon notes (for the podcast with Lorenzo click here)
Photo: Andis Wines
Washington State
- Big decline in plantings and they usually a blend with Sauvignon Blanc
- Popular from Walla Walla producers: L’Ecole 41 – lemon curd, nut and toast notes with a pretty full body, Amavi (episode with Amavi here) – slightly more acidic and less full with more citrus and grass notes but still with a rich body
Others countries that use Sémilllon
- Chile: Because of the Bordeaux link, has Semillon and usually uses it for blends or Sauternes-like sweet wines. Semillon used be 75% of white vines in Chile!
- Argentina, Uruguay have some nice examples
- Canada
Food Pairing Ideas
- Sauternes/dessert styles: blue (Roquefort) cheese, foie gras, scallops, fruit based-dessert
- Lighter styles: Oysters, shellfish, white fish or chicken dishes with citrus or herbal sauces or creamy sauces, salads, goat and sheep’s milk cheeses
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Research Sources:
- “Wine Grapes” by Jancis Robinson, Dr. José Vouillamoz, Julia Harding
- “Grapes & Wines” by Margaret Rand and Oz Clarke
- https://www.bordeaux.com/us/
- https://www.wineaustralia.com/
- Fiona Beckett – Matching Food & Wine
- As always, talking to people about the grape who grow it, and drinking a lot of the wine itself – Sémillon is awesome!
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From our Sponsors...
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
After a recent trip to the Médoc (the left bank of Bordeaux), I came away with a whole new appreciation for the region. In this show, I share what I learned and my main takeaway is simple: when we are thinking about Médoc, never forget that there are real people behind the bottle you drink and they care what you think about the wine! It's a place of wonder, great modesty, kind people, and exceptional wine.
Here is the list of SOME of the things I learned!
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Bordeaux is not “over”, “done”, “hopeless” or “doomed” for wine and we need to stop talking about that possibility (me, included). Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier from Château Anthonic in Moulis, and his ideas around agroforestry is proof of that (the podcast with him is forthcoming). As wine lovers, we need to stop buying into the clickbait and know that the Bordeaux many of us know and love will remain. There are people addressing how to adjust to the environment.
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Real people live and work in the châteaux!
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For many of the smaller or medium chateaux, homes have been passed down over generations. Although these people have generational wealth, the chateau are their homes and they run the business from these houses.
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For Château owned by wealthy people or banks, the homes are more showpieces for the trade or public, but the people who head up the wineries are real people (and they are employees – like working there is their job – so they are regular, working people. Magali Guyon of Château La Cardonne and Anne Lanaour of Château Meyney – are outstanding, fun and very normal people who I thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with and could talk about kids, inflation, and culture with easily).
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There are quite a few families that moved to Bordeaux after Algerian gained its independence from France. You can read more about that time here. The way they were treated when they came back was not great and some of their families had been in Algeria for more than 100 years, so they missed their homeland. That said, the success many had in Bordeaux was a result of hard work and determination that still shows. Château d’Arsac and Château Fonreaud/Lestage are both owned by people who came from French Algeria and both owners are highly engaged
At Château d'Arsac, Phillippe Raoux started over after being raised in Algeria
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There are abandoned Châteaux in the Médoc – even in very nice places! People (generally from outside of France) either invested, thinking growing grapes was easy, or at one point had a family home but could no longer afford the upkeep so they have left the vineyards and the homes to nature.
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What is a technical director? The conductor of the Orchestra (or winery! A technical director is in charge of the vineyards and the cellar. They must know everything that is going on both worlds. There is a cellar master and a vineyard manager, but the technical director is in charge of final product, and must coordinate all parts of making the wine.
Magali Guyon, Technical Director at Château La Cardonne
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The Chateaux owners are frustrated by their image and they care what normal people think about their wines! They want us to connect with the wines and understand that there are people behind the wines. They are not always savvy with marketing, but they want you to feel welcome to come and visit! (it isn’t snooty, at least where I went but still make sure you wear nice clothes and make appointments ahead of time).
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Bordeaux is right near the BEACH! You could easily plan a trip to do wine and beach. Although no one ever discusses it, it’s something to think about. It’s worth visiting! There’s also a forest for hiking.
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The FOOD is amazing, especially the seafood. But the veggies are amazing too. Fresh foods, excellent preparation.
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Every appellation makes a fantastic wine that is unique. Terroir matters a lot and it varies greatly. There were 10 million year old fossils in the vineyard at Chateau st. Come in Saint-Estèphe, which used to be covered by the sea.
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Vintage variation is a real thing – the place has weather and I saw some of it in action.
Related podcasts:
Ep 354: A New Look At Bordeaux's Médoc -- with Château La Cardonne's Magali Guyon Ep 389: Chateau Doyac and the Diversity of Terroir in the Haut-Medoc of Bordeaux Ep 391: Édouard Miailhe - Dynamic leader of the Margaux AOC & 5th Generation Owner of Château Siran Links:
- Margaux visitor site
- Medoc visitor site
My visits:
Château Anthonic, AOC Moulis en Médoc
Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier
Château Siran, AOC Margaux.
With Edouard Miailhe, owner
Podcast:
Château d’Arsac, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Margaux,
Philippe Raoux, owner.
Château Chasse Spleen, AOC Moulis en Médoc.
Jean-Pierre Foubet and Céline Villars Foubet, owners.
Château Fonréaud, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Listrac-Médoc.
Jean and Marie-Hélène Chanfreau
Château Meyney, AOC Saint-Estèphe
With Anne le Naour, Director
Château Livran, AOC Médoc
Edwige and Olivier Michon, owners.
Château La Cardonne, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, AOC Médoc.
With Magali Guyon, technical director
Château Phélan Ségur, AOC Saint-Estèphe
With Véronique Dausse, director
Château Mouton Rothschild, 1er Grand Cru Classé en 1855, Pauillac.
Château Lagrange, 3rd Grand Cru Classé en 1855.
Château de Côme, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, AOC Saint-Estèphe
Guy Velge owner, José Bueno Director, and Maud Essertel commercial director.
Château Doyac, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur Haut-Médoc
Astrid and Max de Pourtalès, owners and Clémence their daughter.
Château Gadet Terrefort, Cru Artisan, AOC Médoc
Anaïs Bernard, owner
Thanks to Carole Vidal and Vins du Médoc for sponsoring my trip and for putting up with me for 5 days!
____________________________________________________
From our Sponsors...
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
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Although much bigger, more well-known, and a bit fancier than the people I usually speak with, I wanted to make an exception and have the family who owns Marchesi di Barolo on the show so they could explain how the modern style of Barolo was created by the winery. It's much more buttoned up, and less of the normal conversation style I usually do, but it's an essential bit of history that will help fill-in some gaps about Barolo!
Marchesi di Barolo in Barolo, photo from Marchesi di Barolo's Facebook page
There are a lot of historic wineries and a lot of people in wine claim to have been the first to create a wine or a technique. But this week, the Cantina that invented Barolo as we know it today - Marchesi di Barolo joins. In the mid- to late- 1800s the Marchesi di Barolo focused on the production of dry, ageworthy, complex Nebbiolo was created from a wine that Thomas Jeffereson described as:
“As silky as Madeira, as astringent as Bordeaux and as brisk as Champagne”
Thankfully for those of us who love Barolo, the Marchesi had a different style in mind and created the wine as we know it today.
The current owners, the Abbona family, purchased Marchesi di Barolo and today the 6th generation is taking over the winery. Valentina Abbona joins the show to talk about the history of Barolo as a wine, and her family’s long history in owning this storied place and making bottles that remain top examples of the wine created here.
Here are the notes:
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Valentina tells us about what it was like in Barolo in the late 1700s and early 1800s from a wine and lifestyle perspective – the polyculture that existed, and the simple, country lifestyle people led.
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Marchese Carlo Tancredi Falletti and his wife, Juliette, who was of French origin, figured out how to make Barolo a dry wine, consistently. Previously, as it sat in barrels that didn’t have temperature control or were placed outdoors, the fermentation did not complete before the weather got cold. The yeast froze and sugar stayed in the wine. When the juice re-commenced fermentation, carbon dioxide stayed in the wine – thus why Thomas Jefferson compared it to Champagne.
The Marquesa di Barolo - Giulia di Barolo, photo from the Wine Museum of Barolo
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We learn about how the Marchesa Giulia (who changed her name from Juliette to the Italian version of the name), specifically, found interest in the Nebbiolo vine and how she realized her vision for what Nebbiolo could be/the wines it could make of dry wines (using her knowledge of French wines and connections to people who could help).
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We discuss how the Marchesa used her contacts to the royal courts of Europe (Piedmont was under the Kingdom of Savoy of France at the time) to popularize the wine, even sending hundreds of barrels to the king in Torino to ensure he could drink the wine daily.
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We then turn to Valentina’s family, the Abbonas, who have been making esteemed wine in Barolo since the late-1800s as well. When the opportunity to buy the Marchesi di Barolo occurred in 1929, Pietro Abbona, his brother, and his sisters bought the winery and began making small improvements.
Davide, Valentina, Ernesto, Anna Abbona, photo from Marchesi di Barolo's Facebook page
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We discuss the Abbona’s tradition of making single vineyard wines since 1973 and a bit about their three properties -- Cannubi, Coste di Rose, and Sarmassa.
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Valentina and I have a small debate about the MGA system, which smaller producers find challenging but that some bigger producers of the area, like Marchesi di Barolo, seem to like and find useful.
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Valentina talks about some of the other properties the Marchesi di Barolo owns in its 430 acre (186 ha) all over the Langhe and how they manage the land.
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After a brief conversation about how long Barolo can age (hint: forever!) we discuss climate change and the future of Barolo and Nebbiolo in light of the challenges the future may bring.
The MGA Barolos of the Marchesi di Barolo
If you are looking for an historic visit in Barolo, you can book a tour and tasting https://marchesibarolo.com !
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Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Catherine & Laurent Delaunay, photo from Badet Clément
Laurent Delaunay of Maison Edouard Delaunay in Bourgogne (Burgundy) as well as Badet Clément and under that many estates and DVP or Domaines et Vins de Propriété joins the show to discuss his amazing story of loss and triumph in Bourgogne (Burgundy).
Laurent’s family wine ties stretch back to 1771 in the Loire, but the Delaunay name was made as one of the historic great houses of Bourgogne. The domaine began in 1893 and by the 1920s, the wines of the Delaunay’s could be found in top restaurants in around France and beyond -- The Ritz in London, Raffles in Singapore – and in the prestigious travel companies of the time -- the French Line, the Orient Express, Wagons-Lits, Cunard, Air France. The Delaunays also distributed the wines for producers like Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and the Liger-Belair family (La Romanée), and helped create the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin in 1934.
But with many twists and turns, in 1989 the family lost control of the Domaine and Laurent Delaunay, fresh out of enology school, was forced to forge his own path with his enologist wife, Catherine. What the two managed to accomplish is mind-boggling and as you will hear, Laurent managed a feat in Burgundy few could.
This show is about Laurent but also some key facts about Burgundy – he is also the President of the BIVB, or the Bourgogne /Burgundy Wine Board. (Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne)
Here are the show notes:
- Laurent gives us details on the remarkable rise of his career after the heartbreaking sale of his family estate, how he and his wife Catherine built Les Jamelles from absolutely nothing to a big, respected brand, and his unbelievably triumphant return to Burgundy and re-purchase of the Edouard Delaunay
estate. - We discuss the DVP - Domaines & Vins de Propriété, a marketing and distribution company for more than 250 small, high quality, family owned brands in Burgundy, Beaujolais, Rhône, Provence, and Languedoc-Roussillon. Here is the link to see which brands Laurent’s group works with. I know I’ll be looking for them – he has great taste!
Edouard Delaunay wines
- We discuss the Edouard Delaunay wines, their young, award winning winemaker, Christophe Briotet, and some of the flagship wines at each level. We discuss Laurent’s relationship with Total Wine in the US (his wines are distributed elsewhere, so if you aren’t in the States you can still get them!)
Christophe Briotet, photo from Maison Edouard Delaunay
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I ask Laurent to switch to his role as the BIVB president: I ask a bunch of questions I've always had about Burgundy...I mean Bourgogne...
- Burgundy or Bourgogne? What should we be calling the region?
- Once and for all, is Beaujolais part of Burgundy?
- What is happening with climate change in Burgundy?
- What does he think about the fact that the top wines are so expensive and the prices for many of the Village wines have gone up dramatically?
- How do we do tourism in Bourgogne? He provided this Wine Tourism Guide published by BIVB that includes much information about visiting Bourgogne including a broad list of participating vignerons who welcome visitors
A fantastic show with one of the most modest, yet dynamic figures in French wine today! Go try Laurent’s wines of Edouard Delaunay—they are fantastic and he is a wonderful person!
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Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
After a week-long trip to Piedmont, Italy with a group of 20 patrons, I give an update on the region and offer some ideas on how to explore the wines on the ground and through the glass.
View from La Morra
Tips and producers mentioned/that we visited or that I recommend visiting:
- To explore Nebbiolo, first hit Roero, then Barbaresco, and finally Barolo (first La Morra and Barolo, then Castiglione Falleto, Serralunga, and Monforte).
Roero producers: Matteo Correggia, Massucco
Barbaresco producers: Produttori del Barbaresco, Punset, Cascina delle Rose, Bruno Giacosa
Barolo producer: Marrone, Marchesi di Barolo
Marina Marcarino of Punset in Barbaresco
- Barbera regions: Nizza, Barbera d'Alba, Barbera d'Asti, Barbera Monferrato
Nizza producer: Erede di Chiappone Armando
Nizza, at Erede di Chiappone Armando
- Dolcetto regions: Dogliani, Ovada, Diano, Dolcetto d'Acqui, Dolcetto d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Asti
Diano producer: Abrigo Giovanni
Abrigo Giovanni, Dolcetto di Diano
- Alta Langa (sparkling wine in the traditional method)
Producers: Contratto, Coppo
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Place to try lots of wines: Banca del Vino
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White grapes mentioned: Arneis, Cortese (Gavi), FAvroita (Vermentino), Timorasso, Nascetta, Erbaluce, Moscato
- Red grapes mentioned: Freisa, Grignolino, Ruché, Brachetto, Albarossa, Pelaverga
- Aromatized wines: Barolo Chianto, Vermouth
There is so much to explore - get out of just Barolo and Barbaresco and you'll open yourself to a totally different side of Piedmont.
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Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Giovanni Correggia of Matteo Correggia. Photo ©Wine For Normal People
This podcast was extra special for me, as I was able to record live with Giovanni Correggia of Matteo Correggia in Roero, a part of the Piedmont in Italy that I love and that I try to champion as much as possible. I met Giovanni several years ago and loved his wines and his family story. This podcast is so many things all at once:
- A great education on the Roero region, by the most famed producer there
- The story of a grape that was reborn in this place
- A lesson in the politics of the Piedmont and how some simple choices have brought fame to Barolo and Barbaresco and kept Roero down
- A fascinating family story that includes a talented champion of Roero, horrible tragedy, triumph of a widow who had nothing to do with wine and her unbelievable strength of character and perseverance for the legacy of her kids, and the current generation (Giovanni) with its shining positivity, great vision and promise of a great future for the Correggia family and its wines.
I truly love the wines of Matteo Correggia and I believe that the Nebbiolos he makes (just called Roero on the bottle) are the exact style of wine so many of us love – elegance, minerality, balance with none of the heaviness or the tannins that we sometimes get from Barolo. The Arneis, it goes without saying, is a white for the ages – a minerally, floral, saline wine with real gravity and the Barbera also has a lighter touch than some of the versions from over the river. Although hard to find, Giovanni’s Brachetto is as tasty as he will describe as well.
I have to say that in interviewing Giovanni and then in editing this show, I laughed and teared up many times. I felt indignant on his behalf, and also triumphant. I hope the conversation we had evokes the same emotions in you. If nothing else, it’s a great story and a great education on an underestimated region.
Here are the show notes:
- We discuss Roero, its location across from Barberesco and Barolo, and what that means for the climate of the area versus the other famed Nebbiolo areas of Piedmont
- Giovanni describes the soil types and how a small sea that once existed here, as well as the changing course of the Tanaro River, created a terroir with seashells, a canyon, and steep slopes covered in sandy soil that imbues the wines with a unique minerality that only exists in Roero
Val dei Preti Vineyard, Matteo Correggia. Photo ©Wine For Normal People 3. Once Roero was criticized for having multiple crops, but Giovanni talks about how this is now a distinct advantage 4. Giovanni gives us a history lesson on Roero through his single vineyards on which he has great records: La Val dei Preti and Roche d’Ampsej and Marun. We discuss some of the modern history of Roero and some of its challenges
Matteo Correggia wines. Photo ©Wine For Normal People 5. We learn about the history of the Correggia family and of his father, Matteo, who started the winery in 1985 at age 23. We talk about Matteo’s early relationship with the founder of Slow Food, Carlo Petrini, and how that led to great opportunities for the winery and the philosophy around organics. Giovanni tells us about his father’s “membership” in the Barolo Boys as the only non-Barolo producer and how those relationships with Elio Altare and Roberto Voerzio were pivotal to early success 6. Giovanni shares with us the tragedy around his father’s death and how his mother Ornella, brought the winery to new heights with great vision and the help of winemaker Luca Rostagno, and the Barolo Boys 7. We talk about the wines and specific vineyards: * Giovanni talks about how different vineyards -- La Val dei Preti, Roche d’Ampsej, make different Nebbiolos and how they make wines that are more elegant, less tannic, and more aromatic and minerally than the Nebbiolo of the Langhe. We discuss the biggest problem for Roero, which is that Barolo and Barbaresco producers make excellent wines from the region and label them Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d’Alba instead of Roero, thus keeping the region from being recognized * We discuss Correggia’s Barbera, and the funny story of the Marun vineyard. Giovanni gives me a great lesson on Barbera and its challenges in the vineyard * We discuss Brachetto, the special clone from Roero, and why it is such a unique grape that, when made dry, is great for summer drinking
Giovanni Correggia with Brachetto. Photo ©Wine For Normal People
- We wrap with a discussion of Matteo Correggia’s leadership on screw cap in the region, and a discussion of the challenges and opportunities for Roero, and how Arneis is just the beginning for this undervalued region
Definitely check out Giovanni’s wines – they are so inexpensive for what they are! Saratoga Wine in the states has almost the entire line, as does Tannico in the UK.
_________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Cairanne is an 877 ha/2,167 acre appellation in the southern Rhône Valley that has been farmed since the time of the Greeks. It is not just a regular appellation, it is a cru of elevated status in the Côtes du Rhône. It doesn’t get the credit it deserves! After tasting much of it at a wine fair in the southern Rhône, I found it unbelievably delicious. A cru with acidity and a lighter profile but still so much character? YES.
And after speaking to a few of the other producers in the appellation, I found Jean-Etienne Alary and his father, Denis. Jean-Etienne has a worldly view, after spending time in Australia and New Zealand, and Domaine Alary's wines are some of the best Cairanne out there. Combining old techniques and newer ideas, Domaine Alary makes spectacular wines, with Jean-Etienne taking over the main winemaking duties from his father, Denis, who helped lead the charge to make Cairanne a Cru.
Photo: Denis and Jean-Etienne Alary. ©Wine For Normal People
Here's a quick look at the topics we discuss in the show:
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Jean-Etienne gives us a full education on Cairanne. We cover:
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Cairanne’s location and its proximity to places like Gigondas, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and Rasteau, as well as the Rhône River
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The main grapes that are grown, typical blends of Cairanne, and how a small percentage of Cinsault, Counoise or Carignan can go a long way. We discuss the whites, which are a small but very important part of the wines of Cairanne
- The three main types of terroir and what grows best on each
- The climate and the strong Mistral effect, which helps keep disease off the grapes. We hit on climate change and drought, and what it means for certain grapes in the appellation
- The elegance that defines Cairanne versus all other Cru of the south
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Then we discuss the 11 generations of the Alary family, their history in Cairanne and their essential role in Cairanne
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The Alarys have been involved in wine in Cairanne since 1692 and have farmed exclusively in this area since, surviving wars, phylloxera, mildews, to be what it is today
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We discuss Denis Alary, Jean-Etienne’s father and how he started to make significant changes when he graduated from oenology school in the 80s. We talk about the age of the big wine critic and how the Rhône bent to the will of certain critics but has come back to its roots. discuss how Denis and the close-knit wine community of Cairanne fought to get the appellation to cru status for decades, finally achieving the goal in 2016. Finally, we cover how Denis moved Alary to a certified organic property in 2009, years before it became trendy!
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We discuss the cru system and how, even though all cru are equal in the eyes of the law, they are not treated the same. Jean-Etienne talks about his aspirations to make Cairanne as well recognized as other cru
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We discuss Jean-Etienne’s experiences in winemaking in Australia at Henschke and New Zealand at Seresin and the differences in how things get done in France vs the New World.
Photo: The Wines of Domaine Alary. ©Wine For Normal People
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We talk about the wines of Alary:
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The Cairanne from Alary, and the role of Carignan and how it can be made in a lighter, elegant style
- The whites, although only 5% of the AOC, are 20% of Alary’s production and based on the Clairette grape, from which Alary makes stunning whites that are reminiscent of Sauvignon blanc.
- Winemaking philosophy and the use of technology versus intuition
- The future for Cairanne and for Alary
If you haven’t had a wine from Cairanne, seek it out, especially the wines of Alary. These wines are elegant, drinkable, and fantastic with food!
____________________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
David Morrison is a wine analyst and writer. He is an Australian living in Sweden. He has a PhD in plant biology, and that expertise led him to explore the wineries throughout Australia, learning about the high quality wines and vineyards there.
Picture: The Wine Gourd
He runs a blog called The Wine Gourd (winegourd.blogspot.com), which looks at wine from a totally different perspective – one that focuses on wine data. He seeks to take a more objective look at data, and he draws logical conclusions without an agenda, which means that most of his work provides new insights in wine that others can’t or won’t provide. Much of his work has to do with finding value for money in wine, the relevance of scores, and other major topics from which faulty conclusions are often drawn from data that is easily accessible.
This is a great show, should be eye opening and if you are a person who likes hard data to back up decisions, you will become an addict to the blog as I have.
Topics we cover are:
- How data is used and abused in the wine industry to forward agendas or opinions couched as fact
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Wine and health – from the article “Why we are never going to know whether wine is good for us or not”
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Whether or not biodynamic wines taste better than organic wines
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Critic scores and whether they have any meaning…
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The fundamental problem with wine scores
- How bad are wine scores, really?
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Do online wine ratings and searches actually mean anything?
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Quantifying QPR (quality to price ratio) for yourself (four-part series)
Photo: Canva Professional
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How Global wine consumption has been declining for a long time
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Wine marketing and the wrong questions asked by the industry
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How Napa grapes are overpriced
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The future: wine recommendation engines
If you really want to go down the rabbit hole on these and many other topics: http://winegourd.blogspot.com Sign up for his email notifications from the blog – you’ll learn more from it about shopping for wine, selecting wine, etc. than from any other source.
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Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
This podcast was recorded after my trip to the Découvertes en Vallée du Rhône, a wine trade fair that I was invited to by Inter-Rhône. It was a wonderful learning experience and I stayed on for a few days afterwards to explore Hermitage, Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, St. Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, and in the south, Beaumes de Venise with Claude Chabran of Rhonéa, Gigondas with Elisa Cheron from Familie Cheron of Domaine du Grand Montmirail, and a self-guided tour of vineyards in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It was a fantastic trip and I am grateful to the people at Inter-Rhone for the opportunity.
Photo: Découvertes en Vallée du Rhône at Palais des Papes in Avignon, Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People
If you are curious about some of the people I mention as partners in crime in the show:
- Matt Walls, Rhône expert, Decanter’s Rhône contributor, author of Wines of the Rhône
- Adam Lechmere, editor of Club Oenologique and prominent wine writer
- Elizabeth “Liz” Gabay, MW – Rosé goddess (and the world’s foremost rosé expert)
- Jamie Goode of Wine Anorak and author or several books
- Also, not mentioned by name (with apologies, but MC Ice had me thinking of Brits – these guys are fantastic), Kurtis Kolt, a great writer and consultant from Vancouver, Canada and Gurvinder Bhatia, Editor-in-Chief of Quench magazine
Photo: The Rhône in Bloom! by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People
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Côtes du Rhône percentages are PLANTINGS, not blend percentages in Côtes du Rhône wines. So if the requirement is 40% Grenache for a Côtes du Rhône, that is how much Grenache must be plantedin a vineyard for Côtes du Rhône, not how much has to be in the blend. Case in point: I had a 99% Syrah that was a Village wine.
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The producer is a big part of whether you like a wine or not, but you should still learn region before you learn producer. Producer can make or break your experience. It’s hard to learn but once you understand what the region has to offer, the next step is finding the producers you like.
Great producers: Familie Cheron of Domaine du Grand Montmirail, Gigondas
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About white grapes in rosé wine…it’s a-ok! I mentioned Elizabeth “Liz” Gabay, MW – goddess of pink wine and her son Ben. Look them up. White wines are allowed to be used in rosé as long as those grapes are fermented with the juice from red grapes. Whites Clairette, Picpoul, and Bouboulenc are used to lighten up one of my absolute favorite rosés, the Rhône cru, Tavel.
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Roussanne grows really well in the southern Rhône and there is more of it than ever before. The is distinctive when you taste it in a blend and there are more whites from Côtes du Rhône and the Villages planting and growing this awesome grape to make it a bigger part of blends. Check out the pod we did on this wonderful grape.
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Clairette is another a grape that no one talks about it but is awesome – acidic, refreshing, can be like Sauvignon Blanc, lighter style Rieslings, zippy, and green fruit notes. It is used in large proportions in Côtes du Rhône blanc from the south.
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Cairanne, the cru of the southern Rhône, is light on its feet and a completely different wine than the rest of the cru. Because of the larger proportion of Cinsault, the lighter soils, the Mistral wind, and the terroir, the wines have a lighter touch than many of the other southern Rhône cru. Cairanne makes pretty and elegant wine still with great fruit.
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An important point from the trip: Please STOP SENDING ME COMMENTS ABOUT MY FRENCH.Even when I tried to say names of regions and wines, I was not understood by folks in the Rhône or other parts of the south. It often took Google translate to communicate. If I tried to pronounce things in French it would have a terrible effect – neither French speakers nor English speakers would understand me and it would be futile. WFNP is an English language podcast and I need to pronounce things so that English language speakers (most of whom speak no French) understand what wines and regions I am saying so they can seek these wines out. After this trip, I will no longer be answering these comments and if you find that offensive, you can feel free to turn off the show. I’m sorry to see you go, but I’m no longer going to be apologetic for anglicizing French.
Photo: Dentelles du Montmirail in Gigondas, by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People
- Gigondas is NOT a baby Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in my opinion. Some is very tannic and harsh, some is just beautiful but it is all about skill and terroir. The best producers aren’t trying to mimic Châteauneuf-du-Pape. They are their own expression of mainly Grenache in a hot, mistral effected areas of the Dentelles du Montmirail. Moulin de la Gardette and Domaine de Longue Toque are exquisite examples of terroir-driven Gigondas wines that are not trying to emulate Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Photo: Condrieu, by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People
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Condrieu has a lot more to it than you may think.
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- First, it has two different parts, In the north where the wines are almost Sauvignon Blanc like – herbal, lime-like, lightly floral (jasmine) with higher acidity and a lighter body. In the south the wines are more like a traditional Viognier – peachy, sweet lemon, apricot notes with a fuller body but still with more acidity than New World Viognier
- Condrieu has some rows of vines that, because of the undulation of the hills, face north or northeast. These north facing rows are not considered Condrieu and are declassified into IGP Viognier, according to Aurelien Chirat from Vignoble Chirat.
- Finally, whole bunch fermentation can be used to add texture to wines but also to dilute or absorb alcohol. The stems have water in them that will dilute alcohol, they also can absorb some of the alcohol into their wood.
Aurelien Chirat of Vignoble Chirat in Condrieu
- Most winemakers use outside labs as required by the AOC laws. There is use of technology as a check on the health of the wine, but analysis is not a decision making tool unless there is a problem. This is a very different philosophical bent than the New World.
Photo, Côte Rôtie, by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People
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Two things on Côte Rôtie…
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- Despite what I have heard and read in recent times, Côte Rôtie has have Viognier in it – I didn’t find a producer who made a wine without at least a little. Most had 3-5% Viognier in their Syrah wine. The only wines that didn’t have Syrah were special old vine plots or from designated vineyards, from which the winemakers wanted to showcase the Syrah for that particular wine.
- The plateau of Côte Rôtie has high quality, even though wine people malign it. I loved some of the wines from there – they are softer and easier to drink younger. Some of the wines smelled like manure and carnations – there are several theories as to why, which we discuss in the show.
Photo: Hermitage, by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People
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A few things on the very small appellation of Hermitage
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- Books say producers are permitted to blend in Marsanne and Roussanne into the Syrah. That is true, but there isn’t one producer who is doing that. The style is 100% Syrah and although that is for flavor, it’s also because producers need white grapes for the white wine of Hermitage, which represents 30% of what is grown and made.
- If you haven’t had a white Hermitage, that should be your next investment! This is rare wine and it’s a bargain for how little there is in the world.
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Crozes-Hermitage has two parts around the base of the hill of Hermitage each makes different wine styles. The northern side is on uniform granite. This is the old part of the appellation before it was expanded many times into southern flatter areas after World War II. Crozes Hermitage makes 50% of all the wine of the northern Rhone and the flat, southern part is less expensive than any other part of the Rhone, so younger producers have a chance to move in and get established. This is a good thing, even if it means the wine can be variable.
Photo: St.Joseph, by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People
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St. Joseph is a tannic wine and it is not similar to Crozes-Hermitage, as many books will tell you.The appellation is varied, with many different types of granite (it really should be broken up into pieces). Although the wines from farther north are a little softer, I found them to be so harsh in tannin I could barely drink them. The verdict is out on if they will mellow with time, but to drink the young wine was nearly impossible for me. If you love harsh tannin, this is your wine.
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Châteauneuf-du-Pape is bigger than the entire northern Rhone combined. It is VERY varied in terroir, farming, and quality, so caveat emptor!
There are a million other little tidbits woven into this show. If you want to explore Rhône beyond study guides and generalizations, this show will get you far in understanding how different reality is from what may be published in books.
I hope you enjoy our “myth-busters, Rhône edition”!
___________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Our sponsor: Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
In this show, we finally define OLD VINES with James Lindner and Leigh Woodrow of Langmeil Vineyards! The background, the history, the viticulture, and the first major definition in form of the Barossa Old Vine Charter are all covered. If you ever wondered what "old vines" really means, we have answers! Langmeil Vineyards has a long and storied history. In 1843, Christian Auricht planted a mixed farm in the heart of the Barossa Valley in Australia. In 1932 Theodor Hanisch, Christian’s grandson established the first winery on the property and after a period of disrepair, in 1996, three men, who had strong roots in the Barossa - Richard Lindner, Carl Lindner and Chris Bitter - rejuvenated the vineyard and winery.
Photo: Langmeil The Freedom 1843 Vineyard, Shiraz
Today that same vineyard from 1843, The Freedom Vineyard, is still producing grapes for wine and Langmeil, although it makes other lovely wines from normal aged vines, has developed a specialty for caring for and making wine from old vine vineyards. Vineyards include the 70-year-old Orphan Block Vineyard These old vines wines are really something spectacular, and like nothing else you can taste.
Photo: James Lindner, co-owner, chief storyteller for Langmeil
In this show, I’m joined by James Lindner, sixth generation Barossan, and son of Richard Lindner, runs the family estate with his parents and brother, while overseeing its sales and distribution both domestically and around the world. He tells us the story of how these old vines got here and the current state of old vines in Barossa.
Photo: Leigh Woodrow, Sales Manager for Langmeil, loyal listener and friend of the pod
Leigh Woodrow, long time podcast listener, WFNP supporter, Patron, and just all around smart and cool guy is the global and national sales manager for Langmeil and he adds color to the story of Langmeil, and its old vines. A Brit who has lived in Australian now for decades and has much experience in the wine industry, Leigh is humble, kind, funny, and such a great contributor to the Patron community so we need to give a big shout to one of our tribe for bringing this great show and topic to us (Patrons, we may get a bonus on a virtual video tour of the old vines, so stay tuned for that!).
The wines are available in the US and they are spectacular. And I learned a lot from this show about what LEGITIMATE old vines are versus what people may tell us they are.
I hope you enjoy the show as much as I did! And hi to Bette in the Cellar door at Langmeil!
Here are some of the topics we discussed:
- We learn about Barossa’s wine history, the history of the Australian wine industry, and how Langmeil’s old vines survived
Map: Barossa Australia
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We discuss the life cycle of a grapevine and how long they can live, along with what happens to vines as they age and how the wines they make taste. We discuss what grape varieties age well and what don’t and the conditions that make good vines
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James and Leigh talk about Langmeil’s Shiraz vineyard, the oldest Shiraz vineyard in the world – the Freedom 1843 vineyard. We discuss how farming and stewardship of it is different from younger vines.
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James talks about a massive project Langmeil undertook to transplant old vines in its Orphan Bank Shiraz Vineyard and how the community pulled together to help make it happen. Although this isn’t an ideal situation, it did help save a 70+ year old vineyard. We mention the old vine properties Langmeil has in Eden Valley, a part of Barossa, as well.
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James and Leigh describe the Old Vine Charter, why Barossa decided to create the Charter, and the definitions of Old Vines (35-plus years old), Survivor Vines (70-plus years old), Centenarian Vines (100-plus years old) and Ancestor Vines (125-plus years old). We discuss other regions in the world who are looking to Barossa as a model to put more definition around the term “Old Vines”
Photo from Cirillo Wine Estates, the oldest Grenache vineyard
- We end with a good discussion of sustainability; how old vines are very sustainable for the environment and how investments in the community and the future of wine in Barossa mean that these old vines will have guardians for many generations to come.
A great show with terrific guests! And we finally get some definition around a very squishy term. Thanks to James and Leigh for sharing the Langmeil story!
_____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Inspired by a question from a Patron, we give you an original list of wines that are true alternatives to Cabernet if you love the OG and you want to branch out. We come up with 7 solid ideas that are similar but different enough to make them interesting.
The original idea for this list was from Patron Serl Z. and Leigh W. gets credit for naming this series. People were so excited for these new ideas, we may just make it into a series!
We begin by discussing the main characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon:
- Flavors: Black fruit –especially blackcurrant, black cherry, black plum, blackberry -- earth in Old World versions, fruit in New World versions. The wine occasionally shows mint, eucalyptus, thyme, or green pepper notes. With oak Cab smells and tastes like tobacco, pencil shavings, cigar box, leather
- Generally tannic with good acidity. Some can be age-worthy if they have good tannin structure and acidity (backbone)
- Flavors depend on terroir, winemaking, oak aging
Alternatives:
- Mourvèdre/Monastrell/Mataro (Bandol in France, Monastrell from southern Spain, and GSM blends from the US and Australia) – dark fruit, intense flavor, long aging
- Douro Tinto/ Touriga Nacional (Portugal)– dusty tannins with sweet fruit, violets, leather, tobacco, big tannins
- Alentejo/Alentejano (Portugal) – for people who like juicy, fruity Cabs with soft tannins. These wines are a blend of Alfrocheiro, Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Castelão, Syrah, Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, and, not surprisingly, Cabernet Sauvignon
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Sagrantino di Montefalco (Umbria, Italy)-- Sagrantino grape is full bodied, tannic with earth, cherry, smoke and sometimes spicy notes that evolve into leather and tobacco with time. Similar to Cabernet, Sagrantino is astringent in youth and mellows with time
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Malbec (Cahors, France, Argentina) -- Not all Malbec is created equal. If you want wines that are similar to Cabernet, choose Cahors, which is earthier, heavier, stronger, more tannic and often more terroir-driven. For Argentina, look for wines from sub-regions of Mendoza with older vines and elevation. These areas make wines with stronger tannin, darker fruit, and more acidity. They aren’t as plush as many Malbec. In the Luján de Cuyo valley of Mendozalook for Vistalba and Las Compuertas. In the Valle de Uco, Tunuyán, which includes Paraje Altamira and
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Petit Verdot (Virginia, Napa, and many other New World regions make varietal Petit Verdot, it’s native home is Bordeaux, where it is part of the Bordeaux blend). Although known for what it brings to the Bordeaux blend, varietal Petit Verdot can be a great Cab alternative. The grapes are thick skinned, and the wines have black fruit, herbs, spice, and dark flower notes. The wine has high acidity and tannins, making it a great sub.
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Tannat (Madiran, Uruguay, Virginia, Texas, Paso Robles and Santa Cruz Mountains in California other parts of the US. Also Argentina, Brazil, Australia). John S. – this one’s for you! Tannat is often blended with with Cabernet Sauvignon to tame its tannins! In Madiran the wine is far harsher than Cab but in Uruguay, it is more like blackberry, plum, dark raspberry, earth, and spice. It has soft tannins, high alcohol, and is pretty delicious. It resembles a lighter style Cabernet from the North Coast of Sonoma
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Cabernet Franc (on the list with lots of caveats so this is like a 7.5!). Cabernet Franc is the parent of Cabernet Sauvignon but it’s much earthier, tea-like, and has a lot of red fruit notes. It is nowhere near as tannic as Cabernet and its flavors are really different. Still, it’s not as soft as Merlot and because it can exhibit the herbs and pyrazine (green pepper) of Cabernet Sauvignon, I’m adding it to the list
At the end of the show I mention some cheat regions – good places to get blends with a healthy hit of Cabernet in them: Bordeaux, South African Bordeaux Blends, Hawkes Bay from New Zealand are three I mention!
Please let me know if you like this theme. If so, we’ll do more shows like this!
_____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Denise Marrone comes from a long line of wine growers and winemakers in Barolo. Starting in 1910 when Pietro Marrone, at age 23, asked his father in if he could improve vineyard practices, the family has had a dedication to producing the highest quality grapes and wines possible from the Langhe, specifically Barolo and Barbaresco. The family’s legacy, dedication to the land, and their unbelievable hospitality at the winery in La Morra (you have to visit), is such a joy to learn about.
Denise Marrone, Courtesy of Marrone
Denise and her sisters run Marrone with their father, Gian, today. Denise is a fireball of energy, and her outlook on wine, her candor, and her genuine kindness make this show one of the best I’ve done! I hope you love her as much as I do!
Here are the show notes:
- Denise tells us about her life in Barolo and a bit about her family’s history in the region, as well as about what life used to be like there, during her grandparents’ time
- We discuss how young Barolo is as a region, and why it’s important to realize that although it has made wine for a long time, really Barolo is at the beginning of its journey versus regions like Chianti
Marrone Barolo Bussia, Courtesy of Marrone * Denise gives us a full education on the terroir of Barolo, the most important thing behind the wine. FINALLY I get an excellent definition of the MGA (menzione geografica aggiuntive) system: a mapping of soil types that give some indication about the types of wines you may expect from that area. It’s very similar to the system in Burgundy, but without the cru classifications. Within this conversation with discuss the importance of things like exposure, altitude, position on a slope, wind, rain, and more
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Denise talks about her various vineyards in Madonna di Como and her family rents land to farm in some of the MGAs to make their Barolo (her family prefers to do this versus buying grapes because then they have total control over the farming, which is mainly organic and all sustainable)
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We hammer out the differences in Nebbiolos – Langhe, Nebbiolo d’Alba, Barolo, and Barbaresco – all of which Marrone makes masterfully. We talk truthfully about how some Langhe Nebbiolo and Nebbiolo d’Alba may be better than Barolo, even if it can’t get the same price for the wine.
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Denise talks about her beautiful Barberas, finnicky Dolcettos (and I confirm, it IS an insider’s wine! I love it, I’m biased!), and Marrone’s expansive white wine selection. Marrone’s production is 40% white – Arneis, Chardonnay, and Favorita (Vermentino) – are excellent and their focus on whites shows in the wines. Denise talks a bit about the history of Arneis, specifically, and how difficult it was to make before there was good technology.
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We discuss the role of women in Barolo, and how normal it has become for women like Denise and her sisters Serena and enologist/vigneron Valentina, to take the reins from their fathers today. Denise makes an incredibly astute point that now that technology has made work in the vineyards easier, men and women are much more on equal footing and it’s more a mind thing than a physical thing (BRILLIANT!!).
Denise Marrone, Courtesy of Marrone
- Denise is the QUEEN of hospitality. Our conversation tries to do justice to how good it really is (but you have to go there to understand). Perhaps her last statement about always striving to do more and better explains it best – the attitude of a winery like that has one way to go – and that’s UP!!
You can find Marrone’s wines in the US, Canada, and the UK! They are wonderful, as is she!
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Although one of the most prestigious white grapes of the Rhône Valley, Roussanne is relatively unknown given its penchant for making aromatic, complex, full yet acidic wines. Often used as a blending partner with Marsanne or even with Syrah in its native northern Rhône, the grape shines alone in certain versions from Châteauneuf du Pape, California, Australia, and a handful of other places around the world. In this show we examine the majesty of this grape, which makes extraordinary wines that you should be drinking!
Photo credit: Roussanne - Geshem winery.jpg, CC BY-SA 4.0
Here are the show notes
- Roussanne was named for “roux”, the French word for “russet” – which describes the grapes’ reddish golden color when they are fully ripe
- Likely native to the northern Rhône, Roussanne is related to Marsanne, its blending partner for the famed northern Rhône whites in Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, and Saint-Joseph
- Although it has verged on extinction a few times because it is so challenging in the vineyard, Roussanne continues to be an important part of whites (and reds) in the northern Rhône and elsewhere because few grapes can rival the combination of structure and aromatics
Roussanne Flavors
- Roussanne has aromas and flavors of pear, honey, and herbal tea (Chamomile or lemon verbena). It can be like jasmine, iris, honeysuckle and other white flowers. The wine is distinctly minerally with green herb notes and some are more like apricot and peach
- Roussanne is distinctive because it has a mouth-filling, oily, fuller body but always exhibits characteristic acidity. With age appears softer and shows nutty, marzipan, and creamy notes. The wine can age 15 or more years and still be excellent
Roussanne in the vineyard and cellar
- Roussanne is a real challenge to grow – the people who make wine from it are often small producters who treat it as a passion project – demand for the wines isn’t high and growing it can be an exercise in frustration
- Yields are irregular, ripening can be uneven, the grape is susceptible to mildew, rot and pests, and according to Tablas Creek in Paso Robles, California, who grows a large proportion of the grape in the United States, the grape can shut down as it is ripening, lose leaves and turn yellow, never to recover from this issue
- The grape does well on poor, stony calcareous-clay soils that are well-drained but it can’t take wind or drought. Too much heat can cause the sugar to spike and make the resulting wine too alcoholic without balanced acidic. On the flip side, picking too early leads to excessively acidic wine that lacks balancing body
- Roussanne needs a long, consistent season – it demands it to make the best wines
- In the cellar, Roussanne is pretty easy going and versatile. It can make great wine when fermented in any type of vessel and with limited oak aging, its textures can be even smoother and the wines can be more complex
Roussanne regions...
France
Northern Rhône:
- The native home of the grape, Roussanne is used as a blending partner with Marsanne in the whites of Hermtiage, Crozes Hermitage, and Saint-Joseph. It can also be blended into the reds (Syrah) of those areas but is usually a small percentage of those wines (no more than 10-15%), if used at all. Roussanne is also used in the still and sparkling wines of Saint-Péray. There is much more Marsanne than Roussanne planted in the northern Rhône because it is so much easier to grow, but Roussanne continues to play a big role in the wines because it is so high quality
Southern Rhône
- Roussanne shines in Châteauneuf du Pape blanc. Marsanne is not permitted in the appellation, so Roussanne shines on its own or when blended with Grenache Blanc, Bourbolenc and other grapes. The most famous example of a pure Roussanne in the region is the white of Château de Beaucastel
- Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages whites, Costières de Nîmes, Luberon, Ventoux and many other appellations use Roussanne in blends
Other French areas
- Roussanne is used in blends in the Languedoc and Roussillon, the Loire, and in Provence
Savoie
- In this Alpine region the grape is called Bergeron and its wines are from the appellation Chignin Bergeron. The wine is peppery with fresh aroma of green mountain herbs, and although it has higher acidity and lower alcohol than other French versions, the wine still has excellent aroma and a soft, cheek-coating texture
Outside of France
- Italy: Liguria, Toscana
- Portugal: Alentejo
- Canada
- Israel
- South Africa
- Australia: Came to the continent in 1882 and is used in blends in both whites and reds
The US
- Growing in Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington state (shows great potential)
- In California: Came in the 1870s but it was hard to grow so acreage declined, and it wasn’t revived until the 1990s when Tablas Creek (a partnership with Château de Beaucastel, so clippings were easy to come by) and Alban propagated new cuttings of Roussanne. Today there are over 300 acres planted in California, mainly in the Central Coast, with some in Napa, Lodi, and some other spots.
- Wineries producing Roussanne in blends or alone are: Alban Vineyards, Anglim Winery, Acquiescece in Lodi, Bonny Doon Winery, Cass Winery, Halter Ranch Vineyard, , JC Cellars, McCrea Cellars, Qupe, Stolpman Vineyards, Tablas Creek, Truchard Vineyard, Zaca Mesa
Credit to Tablas Creek for providing so much information on their blog. Links from their blog:
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Tablas Creek blog: Grapes/Roussanne
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Tablas Creek blog: A Symposium on Roussanne
Other Sources:
- Truchard Vineyards
- Wine Grapes, by Jancis Robinson
- Grapes & Wine, Margaret Rand, Oz Clarke
- The Wine Cellar Insider
_____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get a $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
April Nalle from Nalle Winery, who make brilliant Zinfandel (also great Pinot noir, blends, Cabernet and more) in an old-school style, is a good friend with whom I speak often. April has had some really big moments lately, where she’s gone from just being concerned about climate change to being inspired to be a change agent. She’s at the beginning of her journey and I wanted to get her at this point to tell us how it all starts.
In this show we talk about how to make a vineyard more environmentally friendly, so we are joined by vigneron Whitney Hopkins of Hopkins River Ranch in the Russian River, who farms the land mainly organically . April and her husband Andrew Nalle buy Pinot Noir from Whitney and her father, who farm the ranch together.
Whitney Hopkins of Hopkins River Ranch, Left. April Nalle, of Nalle Winery, Right
This show should give you insight into where the wine industry needs to make improvements in the fight against climate change and where it’s already doing a pretty good job.
Warning: This is a dorky discussion!!!
Here are the notes:
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April discusses a revelation moment she had after reading the book “Under the Sky We Make: How to Be Human in a Warming World” and why she feels it is so important to take bolder action in the wine world to help ameliorate the impacts of climate change. We discuss the lack of water in California and some of the impacts of that in farming.
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We discuss the ways small wineries like Nalle and smaller vineyards like Hopkins River Ranch are already planet friendly:
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April talks about Nalle’s living roof, dry farming, dust mulching, and how living where you farm makes a huge difference in how you treat the land.
- Whitney discusses the use of organic products, using manual labor to avoid the use of pesticides and herbicides, and new innovations like electric mowers/tillers that get under vine rows without gas emissions.
The Nalle Family: 5 Generations of Farming. Photo courtesy of Nalle
- We talk about why a small winery or vineyard often can’t afford the time or money it takes to go through and maintain an organic or biodynamic certification. Hopkins Ranch is farmed almost all organically but Whitney doesn’t have time to add certification paperwork to her workload. In addition, in areas with wet weather, it can be very hard to commit to only organic practices when doing so may mean that you lose an entire crop.
Sustainability is a pyramid – social, economic, and environmental concerns are all part of it. Losing a crop could mean losing a business so flexibility with the goal of being as gentle as possible with your land has to be the way for many small wineries.
- We get to the brass tacks: Whitney and April address the question of how much the vineyard really contributes environmental issues? It turns out that although refinement and changes need to continue – we need to use more electric vehicles in the vineyard and to drive around, to find products that can deal effectively and gently with vineyard hazards (mildew, mold, insects), and to continually adjust – the biggest ecological issues in wine are on the winery and sales side.
Hopkins Ranch, Russian River Valley, Photo courtesy of Nalle
- We talk about the list of things that April wants to do for now (it’s a wish list, again small wineries have fewer resources): use only refillable bottles for Nalle, change the labels, use electric vehicles for transport, do less tilling and more manual work in the vineyard, and add solar panels to the winery. Whitney discusses how water and drought are such issues that the Hopkins are working with the local government to tap into the recycled water program.
Nalle's traditional label may need to change when refillable bottles are the norm
- We wrap with some tips on how tell if a winery is giving you marketing BS about being green or whether they are the real deal.
Thanks to Whitney and April for their candor. I love that I got some answers on the impacts of the vineyard. As we turn our focus to the winery, we’ll make sure to track April’s changes in the winery at Nalle and tracks the outcomes of doing better for the planet.
____________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
After a trip to the Willamette Valley in Oregon, M.C. Ice and I have a casual discussion on "What I learned on my school vacation" 😂 -- a few details of the region, specifics on the wineries and sub-regions, and ultimately (apologies, but Oregon super fans won't want to hear this) my opinions on the challenges I have with the Pinot Noir of the region and how I feel that Chardonnay may be Willamette's best grape.
View from Beaux Frères
Remember -- the show is based on my opinions with some facts (as I have always said, Wine For Normal People is not a study guide for an exam nor is it impartial. I offer facts but always with my spin or interpretation on it. If you don't like it, that's fine, but never has this show pretended to be a journalistic look at regions or a show that doesn't give my spin on things. In a show like this, it's especially important to remember that).
View from a high point of the Dundee Hills
Regions mentioned:
- Dundee Hills
- Yamhill-Carlton
- Chehalem Mountains and Ribbon Ridge
- Eola-Amity Hills
- McMinnville
- Willamette Valley
- Van Duzer Corridor
- The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA (for that epic Syrah)
Wineries mentioned:
- Domaine Divio
- Beaux Frères
- Lenné
- Domaine Drouhin
- Purple Hands
- Le Cadeau (the Syrah I mentioned is their other label, Aubichon)
- Methven Family Vineyards
- Coeur de Terre
The area is gorgeous, the people very kind, but ultimately not much has changed for me from the original Oregon podcast. I remain skeptical of the value for money that Oregon offers and the quality and consistency of the Pinot Noir. I have become a big fan of the Chardonnay of the area, and I think Gamay has a big future here but the region is still young and it has staked its entire reputation on Pinot Noir, so we'll see what happens in the years to come.
One final shoutout to Caravan Coffee, for the best cup I've ever had in the US!!
*All photos (C)Elizabeth Schneider
____________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Sicily has a long history, and all of it is tied up with the evolution of wine and food in the Sicilian culture. In this show, we look at how this huge Mediterranean island played a major role in every major civilization from indigenous tribes to the current generation of young winemakers who seek to carve out a niche for Sicily and its unique wine culture.
Here’s a brief timeline of what we talk about:
Sicilian Wine Timeline...
- 10,000 years ago: Natural grapevines on Etna
- Indigenous groups – Siculi, Socani, Elymi (Greeks who brought wine to Sicily)
Photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art
- 8th – 3rd century BCE: Greeks arrived, introduced grapes and planted a lot of vineyards. They introduced pruning, varietal selection, bush training, and techniques to make great wine. Wine became an economic essential, as Sicily’s strategic position allows Greeks to export wine all over the Mediterranean. Inzolia, Zibibbo, Lucido/Catarratto were brought from Greece.
- 3rd century BCE: Roman Republic wins control of Sicily over the Greeks. The Roman Empire reigns afterwards. During both eras, the Romans planted more grapes, refined viticulture and winemaking techniques and traded Sicilian wine throughout the Roman empire, enriching wine merchants on Sicily. Mamertino, Julius Caesar’s favorite wine was made in Sicily. Wine vessels from Sicily have been found in France and other parts of Europe.
Photo: National Gallery Open Access
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535 AD –826 AD: After the chaos that ensued after the fall of the Roman Empire, Byzantines conquered Sicily and used it as their base in the Mediterranean to take over other parts of Italy. The church revived viticulture and make wine for religious purposes and for trade around the Mediterranean.
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826 AD –1061 AD: Muslim rule -- not great for wine, as it is against the law to consume alcohol. Viticulture did not prosper, but it didn’t die. A few people still drank, and Z'bīb, Muscat of Alexandria, thrived as a table grape. The food and spices introduced during this time had a lasting impact on the cuisine of Sicily.
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1061 AD –1189 AD: The Normans, Christian descendants from Vikings conquered Sicily and brought wine back to the table in full force. The rulers expanded vineyards and wine became an economic mainstay for the Normans – they traded it and it was part of life for the aristocracy so Sicilian wine had status. Rather than throw out the influence, the Normans incorporated Arab spices and cooking in their food. Vermicelli (pasta) likely was made here in 1154 AD, 100 years before Marco Polo was born.
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1189 AD – 1266 AD: Norman rule ends and Henry VI of Swabia claims the throne.
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1266 AD: Pope Clement IV puts Charles, Count of Anjou and Provence, on the throne in Sicily but in 1282 a French soldier insults a Sicilian girl on her way into a church for Vesper services. This sparks the uprising called the Sicilian Vespers, ending French rule.
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1282: Peter II of Aragón (Spain) took control of Sicily. Wine was an important economic commondity as it was traded to northern winemaking areas to beef up their wines with color, flavor, and alcohol.
Photo: Wikipedia
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1400s-1500s: Guilds of wine merchants and growers flourished under the Aragón rule. Tomatoes, chocolate, squash, cactus, and other items were brought on Spanish ships from Mexico, revolutionizing the Sicilian cuisine.
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1700s: The House of Bourbon, a power family from Spain who ruled in Sicily, invested in local wine again.
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1773: John Woodhouse makes Marsala on the western side of the island, ships it out to England and the American colonies. Marsala was the first Italian wine to be exported America. Marsala was a major contributor to the Sicilian economy and to the islands prestige
Photo credit: Dedda71, CC-BY-SA-3.0
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1816: Naples and Sicily were united under the Aragón crown in the Kingdom of two Sicilies.
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1861: Giuseppe Garibaldi claims Sicily as part of the Italian Republic, ending Aragón rule. The Risorgimento, Italian unification, was not beneficial to Sicily. They found it difficult to integrate into continental Italy. The economy suffered, and the first great emigration out of Sicily, occurred, spreading of the cuisine and wine traditions around the world – to America, Australia, the UK, and other places.
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Late 1800s: Mass plantings of vineyards became necessary to supply Europe with wine in the wake of phylloxera. This was a prosperous time for wine in Sicily until phylloxera hit the island. Due to economic restrictions, poverty, and the level of destruction from phylloxera, Sicily took about 60 years to properly recover from the aphid.
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1950s: Sicily finally recovers from phylloxera. Vineyards mechanize, but in the post-World War II – global demand dropped for Sicilian wine.
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1960s and 1970s: Again, Sicilian wines exported to bulk wines up from northern areas. Sicily’s reputation for quality suffered.
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1980s –1990s: Some older families on the island planted international grapes to garner international attention from critics, and build a reputation for good wine. Consultants were hired, and Sicily gained global recognition for its wines made of Syrah, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and other international grapes.
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1990s – Native grapes were introduced to the world to a positive reception.
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Today – the new generation is ready for smaller production and higher quality from native grapes, continuing the 3000+ year legacy of quality wine.
Don’t forget to check out the LIVE class on Thursday or watch it on my YouTube Channel if you can’t catch it live. Thank you to the Wines of Sicily DOC for the opportunity to offer this class for free!
___________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
_______________________________________________________________
Main Sources for the podcast:
https://cantinebarbera.it/en/cookie/47-myblog-marilena-barbera/154-history-of-sicilian-wine-culture.html
https://www.umass.edu/journal/sicilyprogram/sicilianfoodhistory.html
Others:
https://www.myguidesicily.com/usefulinfo/wines-of-sicily-and-their-history
https://www.britannica.com/place/Sicily
https://www.winemag.com/2019/04/16/beginners-guide-to-the-wines-of-sicily/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Sicily
To truly understand Italian wine, you have to understand its integral ties to Italian culture. In Italy, food and wine tell the story of a region’s cultural identity, history, and the character of its people. With my recent seminars on Sicilia (on YouTube if you missed them), and an impending trip to Piedmont with a group of Wine for Normal People listeners, the interplay of Italian wine, food, and culture has been top of mind. It was in this context that I invited the famed New York restaurateur, and Italian cultural advocate, Gianfranco Sorrentino, on the show.
Gianfranco is originally from Naples in southern Italy and after many years of managing restaurants all over Europe and Asia, he settled in New York. He learned the ropes, working for some of the most prestigious restaurants in Manhattan and then opening the first fine dining establishment in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
He opened his first venture, Il Gattopardo, in New York in 2001 (a very difficult time to open!). In 2011, he opened The Leopard at des Artistes, his restaurant in the New York landmark Hotel des Artistes and, in 2014, Mozzarella e Vino opened directly across from MoMA.
Gianfranco is a passionate advocate of Italian food, wine and culture and he is also the founder of Gruppo Italiano (GI), an evolution from the original Gruppo Ristoranti Italiani (GRI), which was established in 1979. The group works to promote awareness of Italian wines, cuisine, and products and to help people in the US understand and appreciate the beauty of the Italian culture and its unbreakable tie to wine and food. Although he is based in the US, Gianfranco has a global view and everyone can learn from the discussion Gianfranco and I have about the landscape of Italian food, wine, and culture, and the special importance of supporting small producers and keeping traditions alive.
All Gianfranco’s restaurants use authentic ingredients to that highlight the traditions of Italian culture and hospitality. The three are in Manhattan:
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Il Gattopardo (ilgattopardonyc.com, 13-15 West 54th Street) serves traditional Southern Italian food with a contemporary twist. It is Gianfranco’s original restaurant and is award winning and a New York institution.
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The Leopard at des Artistes (theleopardnyc.com, 1 West 67th Street) is in the famed Hotel des Artistes. The Leopard emphasizes food from “The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies’-- the regions of Campania, Basilicata, Calabria, Puglia, Sardinia, and Sicily. The dishes are a balance of rural elements from these regions and include pasta, vegetables, cheese, and fresh seafood.
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Mozzarella & Vino (mozzarellaevino.com, 33 West 54th Street) is across from MoMA on 54th Street, is a more casual dining experience and, as the name suggests, ingredients focus on Mozzarella di bufala, and on wines from family estates and independent Italian winemakers.
Also, if you are interested, here is the book we discussed in the show, “The Leopard”
Grapes we discuss: Fiano, Greco di Tufo, Pallagrello Bianco, Piedirosso/Per'e Palummo, Aglianico
I hope the show gives you a new appreciation for how wine and food are more than just nutrition and libation for Italians!
___________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Caren McNamara founded Conscious Container in 2017 to bring the refillable glass bottle marketplace to the wine industry (pre-WWII, we re-used most packaging. Other countries kept doing it, but in the US that stopped). The goal: reduce single use packaging waste and turn glass bottles into multi-use vessels by setting up an infrastructure for collection, cleaning, inspection, and re-use.
Caren was a project and change management manager for a major tech company but she left that behind when she saw a hole in the marketplace for refillable and reusable glass, and the opportunity to make a big impact on the beverage industry.
In the show we talk about we talk about how we wound up throwing away assets like glass, rather than re-using them, and how things like lightweight packages (reduce) and recycling are less effective than the third “r” – reuse - which is usually the most efficient of the three.
Caren discusses the opportunities for Conscious Container to do good, what it will take for her operation to become full-scale, and offers ideas of things we can do to help Conscious Container’s mission, like asking at tasting rooms about refillable bottle programs, requesting that wine clubs look into using refillable bottles, and keeping up to date on new developments which would allow us to participate in the re-use economy.
Shout out to April Nalle of Nalle Winery for being an innovator, using this program and for introducing me to Caren and all the cool stuff she's doing!
Here are some links to things Caren mentions in the show:
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CC Refill-My-Wine website - this link goes directly to the Support Us! page for wineries to work with Conscious Container
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ReLoop 'Reusables vs Single-Use Packaging. A combination of 32 Life Cycle Assessments on the topic with a clear "win" for refillable glass bottles, Caren used these numbers in the podcast
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“The Message in a Reusable Wine Bottle: Combat Climate Change” a New York Times article about refillable bottles and the Gotham Project.
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The Porto Protocol
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Diana Snowden Seysses - who is working on bottle reuse with the Porto Protocol, and who is winemaker at Domaine Dujas- Snowden Winery and Ashes & Diamonds Winery
Go to Conscious Container to learn more.
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
In this episode, Alberto Tasca d'Almerita, part of the 8th generation of the Tasca d’Almerita family, the CEO of Tasca d’Almerita winery, and one of the directors of the Sicilia DOC joins the show.
This is an excellent complement to the Wines of Sicily class (part 1 now on the YouTube Channel!).
Photo: Courtesy of Tasca d'Almerita
The Tasca d’Almerita family got into wine in the 1830s with the purchase of Tenuta Regaleali in the center of Sicily, with a range of altitudes that rise up to nearly 3000 ft/900 m, a variety of exposures, mixed soils, and elevations. The varied terrior and strong diurnals means that so many grapes grow well here – the winery grows 25 red and white varietals and the wines are fresh, fruity and honor the Sicilian tradition.
In the early 2000s, Alberto took over the business side of Tasca d’Almerita. He shook things up and modernized the winery, improving the wines but staying true to tradition. Alberto grew the winery to four other Sicilian winegrowing regions: Tenuta Capofaro on the Aeolian island of Salina; Tenuta Tascante on Mt. Etna; Tenuta Whitaker on the Phoenician island of Mozia; and Tenuta Sallier de La Tour in the DOC Monreale. To say that Alberto understands the ins and outs of Sicily and what it has to give is an understatement.
Photo: Courtesy of Sicilia DOC
I found that one of the most altruistic and interesting things about Alberto Tasca d’Almerita, is that he doesn’t only focus on his own business. He helped create SOStain – a sustainability registry for Sicilian viticulture created in 2010 and in concordance with VIVA (sustainability in Italian viticulture) – which allows measurement and certification of sustainability initiatives through rigorous scientific indicators to protect the land for future generations. He is a director of the Consorzio di Tutela Vini Doc Sicilia, which promotes Sicilian wine, its area of production and takes an active role in the winemaking and growing of its members, sharing best practices and trying to improve Sicilian wine. He gives back to the wine community of Sicily.
He joins the show to talk about his own business but mainly as a director of the Sicilia DOC.
In the show we cover:
- Alberto Tasca d’Almerita's family history in Sicily
- The cultural differences and similarities of Sicily and mainland Italy.
- The close connection between Sicilians and Sicilian Americans
- Alberto gives us an overview of the entire terrain of Sicily – its climate, various terrains, and how incredibly diverse this huge island really is.
- We discuss the variety of grapes here, focusing on the indigenous grapes of Sicily like Lucido, Nero d’Avola, Perricone and others
- Alberto tells us about his role in starting the SOStain Sicilia Foundation and about the importance of real sustainability in wine
- We discuss the Sicilia DOC – why it was formed, the goals of the appellation, and why it is so important to the future of Sicilian wine.
Photo: Courtesy of Tasca d'Almerita
For more information, visit the winesofsicily.com and https://www.tascadalmerita.it/en/ and don't forget to watch the Wines of Sicily Part 1 Class on YouTube!
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Valpolicella is a famed red wine region in the foothills north of the city of Verona. This area has been making wine since the time of the Ancient Greeks, whose legacy is kept alive by the common practice drying grapes to concentrate the flavors in the finished wines.
Photo: Valpolicella, from Unsplash
We covered this with Filippo Bartolotta in episode 317, but after a conversation with M.C. Ice it became clear to me that he needed to hear the info again. It's an important wine region and it's complex, so we decided to do our version and get anyone up to speed who may also still be a little confounded about these wines!
There is much to uncover about this region, the “Valley of Many Cellars”, as it translates. The huge area makes so much wine under so many different sub-regions and areas, but not all are created equally. Even the famed and rather new wine, Amarone della Valpolicella, which has enjoyed enormous popularity in the last 20 years, isn’t all amazing. In this show, we will take you on the full tour of the region – examining what is here, the essential components of terroir, and how to get the wines you like from this multi-faceted, diverse, and very confusing Italian region.
Here are the show notes:
We give an overview of the region:
- Valpolicella borders Lake Garda/Bardolino to the west, abuts the Lessini Mountains (part of Venetian Pre-Alps) in the north, and opens to a wide valley in the east.
- The historical area of Valpolicella winemaking is in the Monti Lessini hills but the area is much bigger due to an enlargement in 1968
Climate
- Because the region spans so much land, the climate varies depending on the valley. In general it is a mild to cool continental or sub-continental region but hillsides are markedly cooler than lowland areas, and valleys, where the air is more stagnant are far hotter than those at elevation that experience breezes from the PreAlps. Lake Garda keeps the western region cool in the summer and warm in the winter, as you move away from the water towards the east, that is not the case. The winds from the southern, humid Sirocco to the Föhn, a dry northern wind, to those from cold humid ones the northeast all affect particular vineyard sites as well.
Geography
- In general, you will find vineyards in three big areas: mountainous limestone foothills, at elevation in the Lessini Mountains (the Classico region), hill areas on gentle slopes (th majority of vines planted) with limestone and volcanic soils, and the fertile, alluvial, eastern valley floor.
Photo: Corvina, from Conzorzio Valpolicella
Grapes
Three main grapes are used with some supporting players
- Corvina Veronese (Corvina, Cruina) is the backbone of the blends, providing structure, aromas of cherry and red berry, with flowers and baking spice, and softness. It must be 45-90% of the blend
- Corvinone an unrelated grape with a similar name, provides black cherry, spice, color, tannin, acidity, and elegance to the blend. Corvinone can replace Corvina up to 50% of the blend
- Rondinella is a vineyard champ – it’s very disease resistant and and its contribution is ripe red fruit, tobacco, and spice notes. It can be 5-30% of the blend
OTHERS…can be 25% of the blend, but no more than 10% per grape variety
- Molinara: Used to be a mandatory part of the blend, but producers often find it too aromatic and savory, and its lack of structure has made it fall out of favor.
- Oseleta: Is the new darling of Amarone especially. It dark skin and strong tannin with blueberry, black cherry, minerals, and herb notes. It is powerful and a little goes a long way. The plantings are small but growing
- Others that are permitted and used for hardiness, color, and body are Croatina, Dindarella, and Spigamonti
Every producer makes the decision about what is best within the allowable parameters
Photo: Valpolicella, from Conzorzio Valpolicella
Valpolicella Production Regions
- The production regulations divide the Valpolicella into three distinct zones. Classico was the OG. In 1968 grew to include Valpantena valley near the river, and Valpolicella Orientale – Eastern Valpolicella.
- The DOCs can have Superiore as a distinction if they age the wine for 1 year and have 1% more alcohol than the normale.
Valpolicella DOC -
- In eastern Valpolicella (Orientale), the area reaches north into the hills above Verona for approximately ten miles, and east to west for 20 miles. The area is varied,so the wines can be simple when grown on fertile soils or interesting at a bit of altitude with cooling breezes, rocky soils.
Valpolicella Subzone 1: Classico
- Located in the west near Lake Garda, Classico consists of five high quality areas that make up the traditional places where grapes had been cultivated for Valpolicella before 1968 enlargement. About 30% of Valpolicella from here and the better terroir yields bolder, riper wines with a fuller body and more tannin. The five areas of Classico are Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella, Negrar Valley, San Pietro in Cariano, Fumane Valley, Marano Valley,
Valpolicella Subzone 2: The Valpantena
- Located in the central part of Valpolicella, halfway between the Valpolicella Classica and the eastern zone, this area is located in a narrow valley that has big diurnal swings leading to long ripening periods and very good wines with lovely acidity. These are considered nearly as good or as good as Classico. 20% of Valpolicella is grown here
Wine Styles: DOC/G
***It’s important to note that all the DOC and DOCG wines can be from the Classico, Valpantena OR standard Valpolicella (indication of the growing ZONE) zones and will indicate that on the label
The DOC/Gs are:
- Valpolicella DOC
- Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
- Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
- Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG
Valpolicella DOC
These wines are dry reds with red berry, sour cherry, cinnamon, and pepper notes. They are unoaked, simple wines with light color and high acidity. They have no aging requirements and are often good with a slight chill in the summer. Other versions:
- Valpolicella Superiore DOC – wine has been aged 1 year, and has 12% v 11% ABV. It has more flavor and body
- Also: Valpolicella Classico, Valpolicella Classico Superiore, Valpolicella Valpantena, Valpolicella Valpantena Superiore are permitted to be used and fall under the DOC.
Photo: Appassimento -- drying grapes, courtesy Conzorzio Valpolicella
Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG
- This is a sweet red wine made from dried (passito) grapes. It is the original, historic wine of the region – the Greeks brought the production method to these parts. The name comes from recie, which in the local dialet means ears – which is what the top of a grape cluster looks like.
- The wines are made in the appassamento method where producers dry grapes in indoor warehouses called Fruttai, and use the half-raisined berries to make high alcohol (14.5% - 15.5% ABV), full bodied sweet wines. These wines are aged for at least 2 years before release. They can be Classico and Valpantena as well
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
- Made just like Recioto, only fermented nearly dry after a very long fermentation, these wines have strong red berry, prune, raisin, cinnamon, chocolate, and tobacco notes. Because the sugar of the dessicated grapes is so high these wines must be at least 14% ABV, can be 15.5% or more. They must age for 2 years in any vessel before release, except in the case of Riserva, where the requirement is 4 years.
- These wines are made in all three zones, although Classico is considered best.
Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
- The ultimate sustainability solution, ripasso means re-passed, and in this case rather than discarding the pomace from Amarone and Recioto, up to 15% Amarone lees and grape skins are added to basic Valpolicella during fermentation. This kicks off a second 10-15 day fermentation that boosts tannin, alcohol, fruit flavor, and glycerine in the wine. It gives more candied, jam notes, a higher alcohol level and if aged in oak, flavors like mocha, spice, and leather.
- These wines can be made in all zones, e.g., Valpolicella Valpantena Ripasso, Valpolicella Ripasso Classico, Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Sources:
- Ian D’Agata, “Italy’s Native Wine Grape Terroirs”
- Conzorzio Valpolicella https://www.consorziovalpolicella.it/en/
- https://italianwinecentral.com/region-province/veneto/
- Independent Wine, Edinburgh, UK: https://www.independent.wine/denominations/guide-to-amarone-and-valpolicella/
This week we explore the "other, other" red grape of the Piedmont (after Nebbiolo and Barbera) -- Dolcetto. This grape can be a challenge in the vineyard and in the cellar, but it is capable of producing some of the most satisfying, tasty, and unique wines you can have.
Photo: Dolcetto, Consorzio Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani
Dark fruit, spice, herbs, flowers, and almond are common in this medium bodied, slightly tannic wine that is a dream with everything from pizza to burgers to mushroom-based dishes. The ability to drink it now, without havng to lay it down is another enormous feather in the cap of this hidden stunner!
Once you try the different styles of Dolcetto, and learn more about the regions that produce it, I have no doubt that you'll be incorporating this lovely and totally underappreciated red into your wine rotation!
Show notes are forthcoming with the region names we referenced.
________________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
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Cahors is the best-known appellation in Southwest France, likely because the wine of the region is based off a grape everyone knows: Malbec.
Source: https://vindecahors.fr/
Made around the town of Cahors, 160km/100 mi east of Bordeaux, this region hugs the river Lot, and stretches over slopes with such varied soil, each wine is a story of terroir in a bottle. The unique land, combined with an ideal climate, and a history of winemaking that goes back to the Romans contributes to the special combination that creates this earthy, dark fruited, herbal, and powerful red. If you haven’t tried this Old World style of Malbec, after this show, you will be excited to see what you may be missing!
Here are the show notes:
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Here Malbec is AKA -- Auxerrois, Côt (COE). It must be 70% of the blend – the balance is made up with Merlot, or less commonly Tannat. Any white or rosé made in the region is categorized IGP Côtes du Lot
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The planted vineyard area is 3,323 ha/8,211 acres but it stretches across 21,700 hectares/53,622 acres over 45 communes along a section of the River Lot around the town of Cahors
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Most of the winemakers here are independent, private wineries (75%) with just 25% members of the co-op, an impressive breakdown in a smaller region! 75% of the winemakers are working sustainably, with 31% converting to organic or already certified organic.
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The climate of Cahors represents a combination of influences, as the region is about the same distance from Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pyrenees Mountains. The summers are hot, the fall is dry, and the lack of rain means the roots dig deep to look for nutrients, giving more character to the wine. The Massif Central to the east occasionally blows cold air in the winter, which can cause deep freezes (we go into the endo and eco dormancy, very dorky!).
Source: Getty Images via Canva
- The terroir of Cahors is, to me, the most interesting thing about the area. Most vineyards lie in terraces that are carved out by the river Lot. We discuss the two main areas – the Lot Valley alluvial terraces and the limestone plateau known as the Causses. The Lot Valley, representing 60% of the wine made, has several terraces with gravelly, sandy deposits that range in age from 20,000 years old to 1 million years old. These wines tend to be fruitier, more floral, and lighter in style. The Causses is at elevation and represents slopes covered in clay, limestone, and marl with red, iron-rich soils in some spots. They represent ~ 40% of the vineyard and these wines are more tannic, complex, and age worthy.
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Styles of Cahors: Given the varied terroir, some styles are fruitier and some are earthier. Many have flavors and aromas of fruits and flowers, spice, herbs, and cedar, with underbrush and licorice. They can be dark in color and higher in alcohol. Some are quite tannic, especially those with Tannat as a component. Softer versions have a bigger component of Merlot.
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We end the podcast with a comparison of Argentinean Malbec, noting that Argentina’s Malbec is fruitier, more plummy with soft tannins, higher alcohol, and fine to drink on its own because of its easy to drink profile. Cahors, on the other hand is more tannic, earthier, with more acidity, and may pair better with food because the tannins are firmer, acidity higher.
Source: Getty Images via Canva
If you’ve never tried Cahors, hopefully this will convince you to get a bottle and see what the Malbec of the Old World has to offer!
Much of the information for this podcast is from: https://vindecahors.fr/
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Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Our new sponsor: Wine Spies!
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Photo: Pixabay
Note: I recorded this right before I got sick so I sound a little 'throaty' but I hope you'll enjoy the show nonetheless!
For the first show of 2022, we start out with a dorky one and answer the question:
Where does aroma come from and are the things people describe in wine like roses, smoke, and pepper real or total BS?
We take the questions head on and give some answers that may surprise you! Enjoy and thanks for your continued support of the show and all we do!
Here are the show notes:
We start with the basic, defining aroma, as I do in the Wine for Normal People book: The smells unique to the grape variety, demonstrated in a varietal wine in its youth.
We discuss perception, wine tasting, and then I review some very cool findings from this article, “Aroma Compounds in Wine” By Fengmei Zhu, Bin Du and Jun Li, Published: October 19th 2016
"File:Head Olfactory Nerve Labeled.png" by Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator is licensed under CC BY 2.5
At a high level we talk about aromas from the grape, from yeast and enzymes, from amino acids, and those from malolactic fermentation. We talk about the effects of weather and soil briefly as well.
Then we go through the laundry list of compounds in wine, and what each brings to the aroma, bouquet, and flavor:
Terpenes: In grape skins also in fruits, flowers, leaves of some plants. Big component of aromatic whites – Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Riesling. Includes:
- Linalool: When in contact with other things in the wine, makes lavender, orange blossom, lily, bay leaf notes
- Geraniol: Rose petal smell
- Nerol and citronellol:Floral, citrus notes, also in flowers and fruit
- Limonene and citral: Found in citrus peel
- Hotrienol: Elderflower, gooseberry
- 1,8-cineole and alpha-pinene:Eucalyptus, garrigue (airborne and can cling to the skin of grapes)
Rotundone: In skins, aroma of peppercorns, particularly white pepper
Photo: Pixabay
Aldehydes:
- Hexanal and hexenal: Fresh cut grass, tomato leaf
- Vanillin:Vanilla beans, vanilla
- Benzaldehyde:Bitter almond or marzipan in Italian white wines
- Furfural: Dried wood, caramel, oak
Pyrazines/ Methoxypyrazines:
- Green bell pepper, herbaceous notes
Esters: Created by reactions between alcohols and acids
- Primary fruit aromas like apple, orange, citrus, banana, pear
Photo: Pixabay
Ketones and diketones:
- Beta-ionone: Violets, dark flowers
- Diacetyl: Butter, creaminess in wine - byproduct of malolactic fermentation. When combined with new American oak with its vanilla- nut notes - like buttered popcorn
Thiols/Mercaptans: Volatile sulfur compounds in grapes, released by fermentation (when bad – like garlic or onion!)
- 3MH (3-mercaptohexan-1-ol):Passion fruit
- 3MHA (3-mercaptohexyl acetate):Guava and gooseberry
- 4MMP (4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one): Blackcurrant (Cab)
Lactones
- Sotolon:Sauternes, Madeira -- either Botrytis or age has an effect here - spice, nuts, maple syrup
- Octalactone: Coconut notes
Phenols are derived from oak aging:
- Guaiacol: Smoke, roasted, toasty notes
- Eugenol: Clove
Other common wine aroma compounds
- TDN (1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene): Petrol or kerosene in Riesling
- Noriosoprenoids: Spice, raspberry, rose, vanilla
Photo: Pixabay
What's the point of this show? Forget all the technical terms and just know: what you are tasting and smelling is based on something REAL -- not some nonsense made up by wine snobs. There is a legitimate reason for why wine smells the way it does!
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If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
___________________________________________________________
Sources:
- Scientific Papers Series Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and Rural Development Vol. 18, Issue 4, 2018 PRINT ISSN 2284-7995, E-ISSN 2285-3952 423 AROMATIC COMPOUNDS IN WINES Luminita VISAN1 , Radiana-Maria TAMBA-BEREHOIU1 , Ciprian Nicolae
- Wine Enthusiast, The Science Behind the Main Wine Aromas, Explained, ANNE KREBIEHL MW -- The source for this article seems to be the article above, which I also used, but it’s a handy, quick summary of the more academic one above!
In educational partnership with
Beaumes de Venise is a small, beautiful village located in the southern Rhône Valley. It has a great history of quality and recognition for both its red wines, which are classified under the Côtes de Rhône Beaumes de Venise Cru, and its famed Muscat de Beaumes de Venise Cru, a vin doux naturel wine which is known for its exquisite flavors, elegance, and unrivaled balance. In this episode, we explore this historic region that has been making wine for more than 2600 years - the terroir, climate, wines, grapes, and where the name comes from as well (hint: not from a place with many waterways in Italy!).
Photo courtesy of Beaumes de Venise
Getting a firsthand account from the experts who work in the region every day is the best way to learn so for this show we have two ambassadors for Beaumes de Venise, Claude Chabran of the high-quality Rhonéa co-operative, and Florence Cartier of the family-owned estate Domaine les Goubert. Each has a unique perspective and shares fascinating information about the realities of making wine – both red and vin doux naturel -- in this marvelous region, which is really unlike any other in the Rhône.
Photo: Claude Chabran of the high-quality Rhonéa co-operative, right
In this show you’ll learn about:
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Where Beaumes de Venise is located within the southern Côtes du Rhône, the size of the region and the importance of the unbelievable geological structures of the Dentelles de Montmirail
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The terroir including the high elevation and steep slopes, the importance of the orientation of the slopes, proximity to other well-known cru, and the distinct soil types that affect the flavor of the grapes and how they are farmed
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The trends toward organic farming in Beaumes de Venise
Photo: Florence Cartier of the family-owned estate Domaine les Goubert
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The historical significance of Beaumes de Venise wine
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The Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre that grow here and how each reacts to different conditions, as well as some of the blending grapes that play a big part here (Florence mentions Cinsault as a favorite!).
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We discuss the flavor profile of red Beaumes de Venise Cru and how its freshness and bright fruit make it stand out among the crus of the Côtes du Rhône
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The Muscat de Beaumes de Venise appellation -- how is it made, what makes it special, and why it continues to have the reputation as the finest Muscat-based vin doux naturel
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Claude Chabran tell us about the collegial structure of the Rhonéa cooperative, how they ensure quality, and the innovations they have pursued for their small growers
We end with information about what food pairings that work well with both the red Beaumes de Venise Cru and the Muscat de Beaumes de Venise appellation (don’t forget spicy food for Muscat!) and how best to visit this lovely, historic region.
Thank you to the appellations of Beaumes de Venise for the educational partnership and financial support for this show and for teaching us about this appellation, full of history, excellent wine, and passionate producers!
For more information please visit the Beaumes de Venise site.
This podcast and post are part of a paid partnership with AOC Beaumes de Venise.
In Educational Partnership with
This show is all about the Beaumes de Venise AOC, which is a double threat, making two distinctly different, yet equally stunning wine types, with a cru for each:
- Beaumes de Venise has been a red-only Cru of the Côtes du Rhône since 2005. It is a blended wine based on Grenache, with Syrah and Mourvèdre. The production area is spread over four communes and stretches 680 ha or 1680 acres. The communes are Beaumes de Venise, Lafare, Suzette, and La Roque-Alric – all located in the Vaucluse Department.
- Muscat de Beaumes de Venise has been a vin doux naturel appellation since 1945 (76 years!). It is smaller, expanding over just 314 ha or 776 acres. The wine has likely been made here since Roman times and it is insanely good!
Climate
Beaumes de Venise has a distinctly Mediterranean climate, and it posts higher temperatures than some surrounding areas because the Dentelles de Montmirail shield the area from the strong, blowing cold of the Mistral wind. But Beaumes de Venise is distinct from other areas in that it has very high elevations -- the vineyard lies on slopes at 200-450 M/656-1,476 ft. The diurnal temperature swings and the breezes at elevation account for the freshness and acidity that is the hallmark of these wines.
Photo: The Dentelles de Montmirail, Getty Images
Soils
There are four main types of soil in Beaumes de Venise – three for the red Cru, and one that is best for Muscat:
- Triassic Earth (Terres du Trias): Triassic soil from 200-250 million years ago normally resides 1,500m/4,900 ft underground, but the Dentelles de Montmirail rose from deep in the earth, and the Triassic deposits came to the surface. These soils are shallow, poor, and orange/yellow (iron-rich soils often have this hue). The high clay content protects vines from drought and humidity.
Photo: A wine made only from the Triassic soils, from Rhonéa
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Cretaceous White Earth (Terres Blanches). Formed 90 million years ago, this gray-colored rock is made of well-drained calcareous clay and marl (limestone). The Grenache and Syrah vines are of especially high quality here, as they dig deep into the soil for nutrients.
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Jurassic Grey Earth (Terres Grises) from 140-150 mm years ago are Oxfordian black marl, made up of silt, clay and sand and are located mainly north of the village of Lafare, on south-eastern slopes of the Dentelles de Montmirail. These soils promote fruity flavors and uniform ripeness.
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Miocene Sandstone a sandy-clay soil produced from the erosion of soft rock from the Miocene Period 15 million years ago. These soils lie close to the town of Beaumes-de-Venise. The soil is credited with giving elegance and subtlety that makes the Muscat here so special.
Grapes and flavor profiles for Beaumes de Venise (red)
The main grapes of the Beaumes de Venise Cru are Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. The red must be at least 50% Grenache Noir, with a minimum of 20% Syrah and Mourvèdre together or separately. A maximum of 20% of all the “accessory grapes” are allowed but whites can be no more than 10% of the mix.
Red accessory grapes are Carignan, Cinsault, Vaccarèse, Counoise, Muscardin, Piquepoul Noir, and Terret Noir. White accessory grapes are: Bourboulenc, Clairette (blanc and rose), Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, Piquepoul blanc, Ugni blanc, and Viognier.
Photo: Grenache, Getty Images
Beaumes de Venise Cru (dry red) is a fruity, ripe red, with a medium body, silky, medium tannins and refreshing acidity. Typical flavors are red berry, blackcurrant, and herbs. Certain versions are peppery with baking spice, garrigue, dried leaf, earth, and licorice. There are some fuller versions with jammy, coffee, dried fruit notes with higher alcohol, more prominent tannins, and a long finish. But even fuller versions have nice acidity and a balance of freshness and fruit. Beaumes de Venise red wines age gracefully and are more mellow and leathery after a few years. Roasted or grilled meats, mushroom tartlets, and Camembert cheese are great pairings for this wine.
Grapes and flavor profiles for Muscat de Beaumes de Venise (vin doux naturel)
The vins doux naturels for Beaumes de Venise are made of the Muscat grape. The Muscat Beaumes de Venise wines are the only Muscat-based wine in the Rhône outside Clairette de Die. They are made only from Muscat blanc a Petit Grains grape, the finest in the Muscat family of grapes. These wines are mostly white (84%) with some red (1%), and rosé (15%), the latter two being from Muscat Noir, a color mutation of Muscat blanc.
Muscat has been grown in Beaumes de Venise since 600 BC and today, the grapes grow on warm, sandy soils on mainly south-facing slopes. Considered the most elegant Muscat Vin Doux Naturel in the world, the wines are made through the process of mutage, fortification with pure grape spirit after the grapes ferment to 5 to 10% alcohol. This process leaves sugar from the grapes in the wine, making them “naturally” sweet.
The style of Muscat de Beaumes de Venise ranges from heavier and higher in alcohol to lighter with more delicate flavors. Muscat de Beaumes de Venise has intoxicating aromas and flavors like white flowers, citrus, pears, peach, tropical fruit like mango or lychee, honey, and even grapey notes. The wines are sweet with acidity and a very long finish, but the exact flavors and combination of acidity, alcohol, and sugar are dependent on site and producer. There is so much to explore!
Muscat de Beaumes de Venise is great with food...
Muscat de Beaumes de Venise is great as an aperitif if it is a lighter style or, with, after or as dessert if it is heavier. The wine goes really well with Asian food –spicy Chinese or Thai and Indian are ideal. It’s a great gift to bring to a host – it will wow the crowd for its delicacy, versatility and unique profile!
Photo: Courtesy of Beaumes de Venise AOC
All the Beaumes de Venise wines are excellent and are fantastic value for money. The reds will become a staple in your weekly drinking and you’ll have so much to choose from as you pick wines from different soils and expressions from different producers. The whites will be your new guilty pleasure.
Thank you again to the appellations of Beaumes de Venise for the educational partnership and financial support for this show! Please visit the AOC's site for more information on Beaumes de Venise!
Photo: Courtesy of Beaumes de Venise AOC
Photo: Dentelles de Montmirail, Getty Images
This podcast and post are part of a paid partnership with Beaumes de Venise.
In light of new research and the Terroir Seminar that I did with Laura Catena, Fernando Buscema, and Jane Anson, I thought it would be really helpful to re-release this show and draw your attention to it. BiomeMakers had answered many the questions that terroir seminar addressed, and that the Catena Institute's paper elaborated upon. I encourage you to listen and see how, even 4.5 years ago, we were on the trail of figuring out some vital things about terroir (and what winemaking can do to it).
Here are the original show notes:
Is terroir a concept concocted by the French to hide flaws, as some suggest? Or is it a real thing that can be tasted and measured? John Dimos from Biome Makers and Wine Seq has a tool that resolves the question. In this nerdy, fascinating podcast we dig into the details and provide solid answers to the questions below! I never thought we'd see this in our lifetimes, but here we are!
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What is it?! John tells us the premise of Biome Makers and how it's an affordable and viable premise now vs 5 years ago
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He answers terroir questions around... * Why people have denied the presence of "terroir" in wine
- How Biome Makers changed the game on the notion of terroir
- How soil variation impacts on grapes
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The effect of the biomes v chemicals from winemaking in the final wine?
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We discuss the WIM (What it Means) and the impact of the tool on wineries... * Who is this tool for and how will they use it?
- Given that terroir is a real thing and that it CAN be detected in many wines, why isn't expressed in all wine (or food for that matter)?
- How is this new tool going to change wine growing going forward?
- Will it empower people to take more "risks" on farming organically?
- Does this steal the "art" from grape growing/winemaking?
I encourage you to check out the site and to follow them on Facebook and Twitter. A company that surely will change the way winemaking happens!
http://www.biomemakers.com
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Thanks for our sponsors this week:
Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
In Partnership with
Rasteau is a cru of the Côtes du Rhône, specifically the southern Rhône. It is an area with a very specific geography, soil type, climate, and wine style that deserves our attention.
In this show we explore this region, discussing the land, the climate, traditions, grapes, and winemaking. The quality and differentiation among the wines of Rasteau and how it stands out as a very special place in the Rhône Valley Vineyards are clear when you taste these wines and when you talk to producers, so for this show we have two ambassadors for Rasteau, Frédéric Lavau of Lavau and Domaine Les Évigneaux and Françoise Joyet Larum of Domaine des Girasols. They join to represent the region and to tell us about this historic, beautiful and high-quality winemaking appellation.
Photo: Frédéric Lavau of Lavau and Domaine Les Évigneaux, courtesy of the Domaines
In this show you’ll learn about:
- Where Rasteau is located, plus its unique terroir, and climate features (including the role of the Mistral wind, climate change, and how winemakers in Rasteau maintain freshness and balance in the wines with warming trends)
- Organic and sustainable farming in Rasteau
- The Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre that grow here and how the flavors change based on where the grapes are planted, how old the vines are, and how the wine is made
- Why Rasteau is a superior appellation (cru) of the southern Rhône and why it is such a diverse, multi-layered region
Photo: Françoise Joyet Larum of Domaine des Girasols, courtesy of the Domaine
- How different producers on different sites can produce varied styles that are food friendly. We discuss the top pairings with Rasteau wines too, because they are so very food friendly. Roasted fish or chicken for lighter styles, ribs, lamb, or barbeques or mushrooms, root vegetable, and hard cheeses for fuller bodied wines. Herbs and spices from the Mediterranean always work well with Rasteau. These wines are so versatile there is so many possibilities!
- Finally we discuss visiting Rasteau, the festivals around wine, and the self-guided wine route you can do while in the town.
Photo courtesy of Rasteau AOC
Thank you to the region of Rasteau for the educational partnership and financial support for this show and for teaching us about this appellation, full of history, excellent wine, and passionate producers!
For more information please visit https://www.vins-rasteau.com/
This podcast and post are part of a paid partnership. All photos courtesy of Rasteau AOC.
Thank you to the region of Rasteau for the educational partnership and financial support for this show and for teaching us about this appellation, full of history, excellent wine, and passionate producers!
Rasteau, a Cru from the southern Côtes du Rhône vineyards, has a unique terroir. Its delicious wines are mainly dry reds made from Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, with a small production of the sweet vins doux naturels. The cru is small with just 940 ha/2,323 acres making about 359,167 cases/yr, 4.31 mm bottles (in 2020). Around 60 producers form a very collegial community of passionate winemakers dedicated to the region.
The Rasteau terroir is varied, with a hot Mediterranean climate and low rainfall. Some parts of Rasteau experience the effects of the Mistral – the strong, local, northern wind – strongly, while others are sheltered from it.
The appellation is on a south-facing hill that faces the Dentelles de Montmirail, the limestone peaks that surround the southern appellations. The area has a diversity of soils – with three distinct areas:
- A plateau, with elevations reaching 360 M/1181 ft. This area has sandy, stony soils, which retain heat well, storing it by day and releasing it to the vines at night.
- A mid-slope area between 160 m- 290 m/525 ft – 951 ft, the main area for vines with variable marl, sand, and clay soils, with some iron-rich and sandstone parcels. Syrah and Mourvèdre are best on sandy, clay, and marl soils, which have excellent water retention. Grenache thrives on the unique blue marl of this area.
- An area that slopes down to the south: the altitude 120-160 m/394 ft-525 ft, which is flatter and a bit warmer
Adhering to the stringent regulations imposed by the AOC, the Rasteau appellation produces dry red wines (96% of production) as well as the sweet vins doux naturels in red, rosé and white (4%). The AOC ensures meticulous care and regulation of things like planting density, spacing, pruning, trellising, height of the canopy, and sorting. Certain clones of Grenache and Syrah are prohibited, as is irrigation. The minimum alcohol for dry wines is 12.5%, and Rasteau Cru must be aged until March 31st of the year after harvest.
The main grapes of Rasteau are Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Red Rasteau is the main product and it must be at least 50% Grenache Noir, with a minimum of 20% Syrah and Mourvèdre together or separately. A maximum of 20% all the “accessory grapes” are allowed but whites can be no more than 10% of the mix.
Accessory grapes are: Carignan, Cinsault with Bourboulenc , Vaccarèse, Clairette (blanc and rose), Counoise, Muscardin, Piquepoul Noir, Terret Noir with whites: Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, Piquepoul blanc, Ugni blanc, Viognier, Grenache Gris
The style of Rasteau ranges from lighter and easy drinking to more serious and full-bodied. The common thread is that the wines are not over the top, they drink nicely when young, but can age in the right vintages. Flavors and aromas include garrigue (the famed herbs of this area – thyme, rosemary, lavender), red berry, black cherry, black fruit, sometimes with leathery, dried fruit/jam, savory spice notes or, in bigger versions, cigar box, leather, earth, incense, and licorice. Generally the wines have fresh acidity and soft tannin. Bigger versions have sweet, juicy fruit sometimes with chewy tannins.
White and rosé wines are made here but they are marketed as Côtes du Rhône-Villages or vins doux naturels.
The vins doux naturels are red, rosé, and white wines made from hand harvested Grenache Noir, Grenache Gris, and Grenache Blanc with any grapes that are allowed in the Côtes du Rhône, but accessory grapes can’t be more than 10% of the blend. Minimum alcohol must be at least 15% and the wines must age until August 31st of the year following that of harvest. The whites show floral and honeyed notes, the rosés are like cherry brandy (kirsch) or jam, and the reds come in many styles from grenat, a tannic, fresh red to oxidatively aged ambré, tuilé, and hors d’age (5+ years aging before release) and rancio (minimum 12 months aging in a barrel).
Food pairings include for Rasteau reds: stews, lentils, hard cheeses, grilled beef or eggplant/mushrooms, leg of lamb, charcuterie, blue cheese, or chocolate fondant.Rasteau vin doux naturel pairs well with a variety of sweet and savory foods. The red is perfect with chocolate desserts, the rosé and ambré with Chinese sweet and sour dishes and the white partners with herbed goat cheese.
These are excellent wines, and represent the passion of the producers whom we will hear from in a separate podcast. The wines represent exciting styles and are insane value for money – grab a few bottles and try all this amazing region has to offer! You’ll never tire of drinking Rasteau.
Thank you again to the region of Rasteau for the educational partnership!
This podcast and post are part of a paid partnership. All photos courtesy of Rasteau AOC.
Anthony Truchard, Truchard Vineyards
Anthony Truchard of Truchard Vineyards in the Los Carneros area of southern Napa is one of my favorite people in Napa, and it was a pleasure to have him on the show.
Truchard Vineyards is a family-owned winery that has been operating for over 40 years. It started when Anthony’s parents Tony and JoAnn were about to head to Korea for a two-year tour with the US Army (of which Tony was part). After Tony completed his medical residency in Texas, where the couple was from JoAnn, who was very pregnant, fortuitously slipped on a grape in a grocery store, broke her knee and the Army sent the family to a base in CA near the Nevada border.
Upon exploring the beauty of California, Tony got a wild hair to buy a vineyard in Napa and the rest is history. Truchard started out as a growing operation in the 1970s but in 1989 they decided to take some of their favorite blocks and start their own winery. Although they are still a major supplier of grapes to very prestigious properties up-valley in Napa, their winery is true to the land of Carneros and one of the purest expressions of this unique area in the North Coast of California.
JoAnn and Tony Truchard
Anthony Truchard was one of six of the Truchard children who grew up commuting between the family vineyard in Carneros and spending his weeks at school in Reno, NV and his weekends in Napa -- he was working in the fields with his father, Tony, by age 12. Anthony has degrees in Philosophy and Biology from UC Santa Barbara and worked in local wine shops and restaurants, learning how normal people interact with and buy wine. He also got a law degree from Cardozo School of Law in New York City and practiced intellectual property law before returning to Napa to become the GM of Truchard Vineyards, where he works hard to maintain the integrity of his family’s wines.
Here are the topics we cover in the show:
- The history of Truchard, starting in France (yes, they owned land and farmed vines there!), moving into the first Truchards’ attempts at viticulture in Texas (right idea, wrong place!), and then discussing the Truchard story in California and how Anthony was involved in the vineyard from the time he was a young boy and his father worked to convert an old prune farm that people thought was too cool for grapes into a thriving vineyard.
Truchard's barn in Texas, still stands today!
Anthony gives us a full education on Carneros. We discuss:
- The unique designation of the appellation – the fact that it was the first in California to transcend municipal lines and be based on terroir
- Why the climate is cool here
- The different parts of Carneros and why some grapes like Roussanne, Syrah and Cabernet can thrive in certain areas
- The topography, soil types, and water challenges of the area
We discuss the main grapes that thrive here – Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Merlot, and how Cabernet Sauvignon is growing in plantings as the climate warms. Anthony also talks about the major cultural differences between Carneros and other parts of the Napa Valley.
The Cave at Truchard Vineyards in Carneros
We cover the viability of organics in a cool climate with major fog, like Carneros and what becoming organic does for the grapes
Anthony talks about the collaboration of Tony Truchard, his dad who still manages is the vineyards, and the winemaker, Sal de Ianni. He discusses the goal of the team at Truchard Vineyards – to express the land and the vintage in each bottle, to stay traditional (not chase trends), and to stay true to the farming roots.
Truchard Winemaker Sal de Ianni
Anthony gives us some thoughts about market trends and what he sees for the future of Carneros and Truchard.
These are spectacular wines and are available in the US and the UK at a reasonable price. They are meant to enjoy and to pair with food.
Photos all from Truchardvineyards.com
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Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean, and lies off the west coast of mainland Italy. Much larger than Corsica, the wines here have a distinctly Spanish influence, with some Italian and French to boot. The wines are unlike any other you’ll encounter (although many you can only encounter them if you visit!). In this show we try try to sort through the grapes and regions of this island to get to the heart of what’s here (Grenache, Vermentino) and what to look for in the future.
Sardinia is 150 miles (240km) off the west coast of mainland Italy. Across the Tyrrhenian Sea from Lazio (the province where Rome is located), Sardegna is sandwiched between French Corsica in the north and Sicily in the south at 38˚N and 41˚N latitude. The island is almost three times the size of Corsica with a population of 1.64 million people, with the largest city of Cagliari in the south. Known by the jet setters for the fancy Costa Smeralda in northeast tip, this big island is making more and better wines every year.
Photo: Getty Images/Canva
Here are the show notes:
After some facts and history, I get the hardest part of Sardegna out of the way: the fact that it feels like there are a million appellations: 1 DOCG, 17 DOCs, 15 IGPs and two-thirds is DOP level. It seems nonsensical – too many “line extensions” of the Sardinia brand!! There are more DOC and IGT titles than Basilicata and Calabria combined but has lowest production per hectare. This is especially confusing when you consider that there are just 25,000 ha/61,776 acres under vine, and 31,000 growers, who own tiny plots (and often form co-ops to economics work). To try to clear up the DOC confusion, I break it down into the three big buckets:
“di Sardegna” Appellations:
- Cannonau di Sardegna
- Monica di Sardegna
- Moscato di Sardegna
- Vermentino di Sardegna
- Sardegna Semidano
Cagliari Appellations
- Malvasia di Cagliari
- Monica di Cagliari
- Moscato di Cagliari
- Nasco di Cagliari
- Nuragus di Cagliari
Other important DOC/Gs:
- Carignano del Sulcis
- Vermentino di Gallura DOCG
- Vernaccia di Oristano
- For Bovale: Mandrolisai, Campidano di Terralba
Then we discuss the basics on this large island…
The climate of Sardinia is dry and hot with some maritime influences to cool down the vineyards. The rolling hills and different elevations mean there are many mesoclimates, so growers have to pay attention to their particular area.
Sardinia is made up of hills, plains, coast, and inland areas with varied soils – granite (Gallura), limestone (Cagliari), sandstone, marl, mineral rich clay, sands, gravel. The land tends to be undulating but there are also very high altitudes at which grapes can be planted.
Grapes… The top five varietals are nearly 70% of land under vine, and the area is home to 120 native grape varieties. Old vines (70+ years) are common in Sardinia
The top 5 grapes are:
- Cannonau/Grenache
- Vermentino
- Carignano
- Monica
- Nuragus
The reds…
Cannonau is about 20% of the output of Sardinia. Although it is identical to Grenache, some natives think the grape originated here, and are trying to prove that. These best wines come from a triangle that covers the eastern interior areas within the Cannonau di Sardegna DOC (these names will be on the label):
- Oliena (Nepente di Oliena)
- Capo Ferrato
- Jerzu
Cannonau is known to have thin skin, medium acidity, a medium body with soft tannins, and high alcohol. It often tastes and smells like peppery spice, red berry, red flowers, and earth and generally has low or no oak aging. Cannonau di Sardegna is required to be 90-100% Cannonau, with other non aromatic, local red grapes permitted. There are a few styles of this wine:
- Rossoor classico(a little higher alcohol, more yield restrictions), which are often in one of two styles…
- Strong and tannic with lower acidity and higher alcohol – a steakhouse wine, as MC Ice called it
- Dry, fewer tannins and slightly fruity, with red berry, cherry, floral, spicy anise/herbal notes, earth, and strong acidity. This is a wine that improves with age
- Riserva is generally made with riper fruit, and is required to age at least two years with time in a barrel and a minimum alcoholic strength of 12.5%
- Rosato is a light to full rosé
- The fortified liquorosowines are made as dolce with a high residual sugar content, or secco, dry with a higher alcohol content.
- Passito styles are made, where grapes are dried on straw mats and then pressed. The resulting wines have similar sweetness toliquoroso dolce.
*Many of the other red grapes are made in all of these styles as well
Photo: Getty Images/Canva
Other reds…
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Carignano del Sulcis DOC is for red and rosato wines made from Carignano in the southwest corner of the island. These vines are quite old, and the flavors are like sweet spice, smoke, and dark fruit. The wines tend to be full bodied with high alcohol. Similar to Cannonau, the are made as rosso, riserva, rosato, and passito. There is also a nouveau, or novello style for this wine.
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Bovale has 24 different names in Sardininan dialects but the idea that it is Bobal from Spain has been debunked. The two common versions of Bovale are Bovale Grande, which is Carignan, and Bovale Sardo, Rioja’s Graciano grape (also called Cagnulari). Mandrolisai and Campidano di Terralba focus on Bovale
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The Monica grape is -- grown almost nowhere else in the world, and is definitely from Spain. It is either light and fruity or more intense. There is potential for the grape but now the yields under the Monica di Sardegna and Monica di Cagliari DOCs are so high that it’s hard to glean the true potential of the wine.
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Pascale di Cagliari is originally from Tuscany and now mostly used to blend with other varieties, like Carignano.
The whites… Vermentino is a sun-loving grape, which works well in Sardinia’s hot, dry climate. The styles range from light and fresh to fuller-bodied, with lower acidity and higher alcohol. Good versions taste and smell either like citrus, white flowers, herbs with salinity/minerality or for the fuller styles, almonds, peach, apricot, ripe tropical fruit, with a fat body. * Vermentino di Sardegna covers the entire island of Sardinia, so quality is highly variable. Often it is dry, slightly bitter, herbal, and light to neutral in flavor. It can be dry, off-dry, slightly sparkling or Spumante (dry or sweet). * Vermentino di Gallura is Sardinia’s only DOCG. Located in the island’s northeastern corner, the area has sharp diurnals, strong winds from the Mistral and vineyards are on weathered granite soil. The result is a wine that is flavorful, with white flowers, lemon, peach, almond, minerals, and especially a salinity to it. The wine is dry with a slight bitterness on the finish, good acidity, and high alcohol (14%+ is common). The wine is made as Superiore (higher alcohol requirement, riper grapes), frizzante, spumante, passito, late harvest, and off-dry versions. Winemakers are experimenting with skin contact, amphora, lees stirring (battonage), oak aging, and other techniques to spice things up for Vermentino.
Photo: Getty Images/Canva
Other white grapes include
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Nuragus, which was planted by the Phoenicians, and is light-bodied, dry, acidic, with citrus, green apple, pear, and melon notes. It can be high in alcohol.
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Nasco is grown around Cagliari, and is used for passito and liquoroso, with some dry styles.
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Torbato is an acidic, minerally white with pear notes that can be creamy with some age. It is also made as a sparkling wine.
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Malvasia, dry or sweet is made here, as is Moscato (Muscat) – both are floral, aromatic, and generally lighter in style, although Moscato is bolder than Malvasia
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Vernaccia di Oristano is made from a grape that is unique to this area, and the wines, which range from dry to sweet, but are most famed when made in a sherry-like fortified wine, are rarely seen outside Sardinia.
Photo: Getty Images/Canva
Here is the list of top producers we mention:
Argiolas, Antonella Corda, Capichera, Contini, Ferruccio Deiana, Cantina Santadi, Sella & Mosca (Campari owns), Siddura, Vigne Surrau, Pietro Mancini
Some sources I used for this show:
- Strictly Sardinia
- Ian D'Agata for Vinous, Sardinia's Wines: High Quality, Low Visibility, March 2018
- Wine-Searcher, Sardinia
- Italian Wine Central:Sardegna
Thanks for our sponsors this week:
Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Corsica is the 4th largest Mediterranean island and the most mountainous. It is a territory of France but is closer to Italy in proximity and, often in wine styles. Corsica is called “Ile de Beauté,” the beautiful island, and its wines, which were once known for quantity rather than quality are making great strides in amazing reds, whites, and rosés, which is the majority of their production.
These off-the-beaten trail wines, made of Nielluccio (Sangiovese), Sciacarello (an elegant, native red), and Vermentino (an aromatic white) with a mix of other grapes represent the unique terroir of this rugged, varied isle. These wines are ones to keep on your radar – they are getting better and should be on your “watch” list!
Map: Vins de Corse
Here are the show notes:
Location, Climate, Geology
- We discuss the location of Corsica -- 90 km/56 mi west of Italy, 170 KM/106 mi SE of France, 11 KM/7 mi north of Sardegna
- Corisca is a big island -- twice the size of Rhode Island, half the area of the country of Wales. Down the center a single chain of mountains takes up 2/3 of the island
- We discuss who actually planted vines here and debate Phoceans v. Phoenicians (the former is from Persia, the latter more from what we know as Greece today)
- In this, the most mountainous island in the Mediterranean, there are many soil combinations, but most contain at least some granite or schist, except on the east coast where there is more alluvial and colluvial soils from mountain runoff
- 20% of island covered by wild scrub known as the maquis -- fig, lavender, wild mint, thyme, rosemary -- Wines are highly aromatic, minerally – especially the reds due to the Granite and the maquis
- The CLIMATE is Mediterranean, with abundant sunshine but also a lot of rain and very strong winds from every direction (the Mistral, the Transmontane, the Liebeccio, and the Gregale are some of those we list). The mountains and the sea are the influences that reduce day-night temperature swings. There are a variety of mesoclimates because of altitude and maritime influence
Grapes: More than 40 grapes that are Italian, Spanish, French and more, are allowed, but most are only allowed in IGP wines. The main grapes are Nielluccio, Sciacarello and Vermentino
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Nielluccio represents 1/3 of plantings and is genetically identical to Sangiovese but tastes totally different because of the terroir in Corsica.
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Sciaccarello is 15% of production and displays high acidity, elegance with smoke, raspberry, licorice, hazelnuts, blackberries, orange notes
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Others: Grenache, Aleatico, Barbarossa, Carcajolo Nero, Minustello (Graciano), Mourvedre, Cinsault, Carignan
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Vermentino was probably brought to the island by the Greeks and, today is 15% of production, created floral, honeyed wines. It’s often blended with Ugni Blanc, Biancu Gentile.
Regions: 9 AOC/AOP regions and the I’lle de Beauté IGP
Ile de Beauté
Representing about 2/3 of production, this IGP allows for all 40+ grape varieties grown on the island – it’s a cross section of all the native grapes of so many countries, from Spain to Italy to France to Greece. These wines aremostly the cheap and cheerful set, but can be really good if the winemakers are like the AOP laws
Patrimonio AOC
Granted Corsica’s first AOC in 1968, Patrimonio is on the northern coast of the island, near the sea. Nielluccio is the lead grape with Grenache and Sciacarello used prominently in reds and rosés, and Vermentino in whites and sometimes rosés. The reds are aromatic, fruity and a bit smoky. The rosé is fuller bodied and the whites, are usually floral and full.
Ajaccio AOC
Granted its AOC in 1971, the AOC is along the west-southwest coast of Corsica. It contains some of the highest vineyards, up to 500 meters (1,600 feet) and has clay-based soils with granite, leading to wines with structure and fullness. Medium bodied, spicy reds and rosés are from the lead grape Sciacarello with Barbarossa, Nielluccio, Vermentino, Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan and others. Aromatic, dry whites are made of Ugni Blanc and Vermentino.
Muscat du Cap Corse AOC
An AOC for Vin Doux Naturel made in the northern peninsula of Corsica from Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains. Vineyards are on steep terraces, grapes are hand-harvested later in the season and the top wines are aromatic with candied fruit, beeswax and apricot. They are sweet but have excellent acidity.
Vin de Corse AOC and its sub regions
Vin de Corse AOC is a region-wide designation and represents 45% of all AOC wines produced in Corsica. This specific AOC is for the eastern seaboard of Corsica and it’s planted in the plain and rolling lands. Reds and rosé wines are at least 50% Nielluccio, Sciacarello, and Grenache with the other grapes like Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault, Aleatico, Barbarossa, Graciano. Reds tend to be rustic, full flavored, higher in alcohol and strong in tannin, the rosés are peppery, and the white is mainly minerally, floral Vermentino.
The 5 Vin de Corse sub-regions are: Coteaux du Cap Corse, Calvi, Figari, Porto Vecchio, Sartène. These sub-regions have lower yields than Vin de Corse and use the same grapes mentioned above.
Map: Vins de Corse
Vin de Corse-Coteaux du Cap Corse is in the northern peninsula of the island, which extends into the Ligurian Sea, which may be why there is salinity in the wines. The area is windy with schist-based soils, and ~ 50% of production is rosé with smaller proportions of red and white. The steeper site made interesting wines.
Vin de Corse-Calvi is in the northwest corner of Corsica with vineyards along the coast and in the foothills of Corsica’s mountains creating many mesoclimates. This area contains some of the oldest vineyards in Corsica and producers are 100% organic or in transition to it. The wines are of a similar breakdown to Coteaux du Corse.
Vin de Corse-Porto Vecchio is on the southeastern coast near the Golfe de Porto-Vecchio, a bay that provides shelter from winds. Porto Vecchio has granite-based soils with some alluvial areas in flatter lands. The wines are similar to others in the Vin de Corse AOCs.
Vin de Corse-Figari is he oldest vineyard area in Corsica, likely cultivated since the 5th century BC. It is on the southern tip of the island and is relatively flat, with granite-based soils sunny but a harsh and very windy climate. It is hard to grow grapes here yet there are many young winegrowers, who are very terroir focused.
Vin de Corse-Sartène is a hilly area northwest of Figari, that experiences strong winds. With granite soils the reds are spicy and rich, the rosés fruity and the whites light.
Producers we mention:
Clos D’Alzeto, Domaine Vico, Clos Venturi, Domaine Comte Abbatucci (known for cultivating native vines), Domaine Antoine Arena (biodynamic), Domaine De Torraccia (advocate for quality Corsican wines), Clos Canarelli
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Thanks for our sponsors this week:
Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Wine is essential to the Thanksgiving meal, and of course we discuss some pairing strategies as we do every year. Our quick “greatest hits” is from the TV spot I did with WWLP in Massachusetts, where I discussed wine pairing – check it out here: https://www.wwlp.com/massappeal/picking-the-perfect-wine-for-thanksgiving/
After we do a review, the focus of this show is how to wow the crowd with easy wine cocktails. You can use what you have on hand or grab a few basic items and you'll become the holiday host of the season. We talk about these marvelous cocktails, with tips on how to make them, but as promised the links to the recipes are below.
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Apple Cider Mimosa: The key to this one is to make sure you rim the glass with sugar and cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. It’s not hard to add sparkling wine to apple cider, but the festive rim with it’s delicious spices will make the drink shine. Here’s the link to the recipe: : https://wine365.com/fall-cocktails/
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Cranberry Mimosa: A variation on a theme, this time you want to use a little less cranberry juice and more sparkling wine to ensure the blend doesn’t taste too tart or bitter. Again, the key to a delicious drink is going to be the sugar-rimmed glass. Recipe: https://stressbaking.com/wprm_print/6796
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Kir/Kir Royale: A classic wine cocktail from Burgundy, this couldn’t be easier to make. No recipe needed – 2 parts Aligoté, Chablis, or an unoaked, fairly neutral wine with excellent acidity, to 1 part Crème de Cassis (dark red liqueur from blackcurrants) and you’re in business. If you want to go nuts, go for the Kir Royale and use Champagne or sparkling wine instead of dry white!
Photo: Kir Royale from Pixabay
- The New York Sour: According to Liquor.com, this drink has been around for at least 140 years (and they claim that despite the name, it originated in Chicago!). It’s a spin on a Whiskey Sour – the classic with rye or bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and, for a touch of salmonella, a raw egg white. This drink is the same ingredients, but after the Whiskey Sour is shaken and poured, you very slowly pour red wine on top and you get a pretty looking red wine float, which also adds some great fruitiness and acidity to the drink. Here are details: https://www.liquor.com/recipes/new-york-sour/
Photo: Unsplash
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Hot Spiced Wine: I love this recipe because it include kirsch/cherry brandy. The base of the drink is red wine and kirsch but the get and go is all about the spices you add – peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and various citrus zest make this wine cocktail really sing. A perfect wine for a cold, fall day. And you can make a huge vat of it ahead of time and reheat it for guests! Check out the recipe here: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/hot-spiced-wine
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Murderer’s Row: I know I should have introduced this one for Halloween, but the fact that this cocktail includes Port, and I really love the idea of serving Port with dessert (but I understand you may not want a lot left over!), makes it an MVP for a big holiday meal. Crush up blackberries, then grab some Port, bourbon, lemon juice, pear juice, and simple syrup, shake it up and you will be the hero of the night…and feel free to rename the cocktail to (YOUR NAME HERE) Row! Recipe: https://wine365.com/fall-cocktails/
Photo: Unsplash
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The Paysan from the now closed restaurant, Poste in Washington, D.C.: As I say in the show, Chambord with anything pretty much wins the day for me. This wine cocktail is like a dream come true – fruity red, cranberry juice, orange juice and Chambord with zests of various citrus fruits and BAM! A delicious wine cocktail is born. Here is the link to the recipe: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/paysan
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The Francophile: I have no idea why the recipe here calls for Rioja when it’s called the Francophile so I’ve changed it to incorporate Bordeaux (Merlot-based, basic Bordeaux is perfect. It should have some tannin and acidity to offset the brandy). This is another variation of mulled wine, this time with Calvados, the apple-brandy that is an AOC and is required to be aged in oak before it’s released. You can go high rent or get another apple brandy, but either way, the combo of Calvados, Bordeaux, cinnamon simple syrup ,and lemon juice heated up will make you the hostess with the mostess/host with the most. Here is the recipe: https://www.liquor.com/recipes/francophile/
Photo: Unsplash
Happy Thanksgiving or happy fall – either way, we are grateful to you for listening and for your support!!
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Thanks for our sponsors this week:
Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Thank you for 10+ years and 400 episodes. We couldn’t do it without you! A VERY special thanks to our Patrons who have kept the show alive since 2018.
In this show we discuss 10 things we've learned over the 400 episodes we've produced over the last 10+ years. Here's a quick summary...
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Climate change is no longer a BS term. People are taking it seriously and being more positive about what to do about it
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Change in the New World – confidence, maturity, and even better wine
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Change in the Old World – a more wine-lover centric attitude
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Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater…wine styles have diversified, so make sure you try many examples before you say you dislike a grape or a region
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The decline of the wine score…we still use them, but they carry a lot less weight and there are many of us who know they are highly biased and don’t give a lot of information to us
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Balance is more important in wine than any one component
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Consistency for WFNP (and for wine) is never going away…but changing your mind with new facts is ok!
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Everything in wine changes, everything in wine stays the same…
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You can get a great bottle for $9, if you know what to look for
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A riff on #4 – sometimes wines that are bad sippers are great with food. It’s sometimes imbalance in a sipper that makes it perfect with food (yes, it contradicts #6 but this is a special circumstance – food changes a lot of things with wine. And that’s wine…full of consistency, full of contradiction!)
Cheers to another 400 episodes -- we'll make them as long as you keep listening!
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Thanks for our sponsors this week:
Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Basilicata is a tiny region that represents the arch of the Italy’s boot -the small area that borders Calabria in the west, Puglia in the east, Campania in the north and the Gulf of Taranto in the south.
In this, Italy’s 3rd least populous region, wine has been made for thousands of years but today, what remains is just 2,006 ha/5,000 acres of vineyards, which is 0.15% of Italy’s total wine production. Of the 2% that is DOC wine, there is a shining star – a wine that can rival the best of the best in all of Italy – Aglianico del Vulture (ahl-LYAh-nee-koh del VOOL-too-ray). In this show we discuss the background of this southern Italian region and discuss the jewel in its crown.
Here are the show notes…
We first discuss the location and land of Basilicata
In the southern Apennines, Basilicata is the most mountainous region in the south of Italy. 47% is covered by mountains, 45% is hilly, and only 8% is plains. The west is the hillier area, the east runs into flatter land into Puglia. There is a small stretch of coastline between Campania and Calabria and a longer one along the Gulf of Taranto, between Puglia and Calabria.
Photo: Getty Images
We do a good look at the history of Basilicata, but the highlights are:
- People (or really ancestors of modern people) have inhabited the area since Paleolithic times. Matera is considered one of the oldest continuous civilizations in the world. Its Sassi district, which has now become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has caves on a rocky hillside that were inhabited by people as far back as the Paleolithic times.
- Greeks settled in Basilicata from at least the 8th c BCE and likely brought Aglianico with them.
- Basilicata has been conquered by nearly everyone who paraded through southern Italy over the centuries.
- In the 1970s and 80s there was a renaissance in wine in Basilicata but it didn’t last. Today, there is renewed hope and investments, as a new generation of winemakers takes over their family domaines, establishes new properties and combines traditional and modern winemaking to make excellent wines.
We mention several DOCs of Basilicata:
Photo of Matera: Getty Images
Matera DOC was granted in 2005
- It is 50 ha / 124 acres, and produces about 11,200 cases per year
- REDS: Matera Primitivo (90%+ Primitivo/Zinfandel grape), Matera Rosso (at least 60% Sangiovese and 30% Primitivo), and Matera Moro, (a minimum of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Primitivo and 10% Merlot). There are basic and Riserva levels
- Whites: Matera Greco (85%+ Greco), Matera Bianco (minimum of 85% Malvasia Bianca di Basilicata)
- There is also spumante (sparkling) made in the Champagne method
Grottino di Roccanova DOC was granted in 2009
- 8 ha / 20 acres, and producers about 3,000 cases per year
- White/Bianco (Minimum of 80% Malvasia Bianca di Basilicata)
- Red/Rosso: Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignino, Malvasia Nera di Basilicata, Montepulciano
Terre dell’Alta Val d’Agri DOC was granted in 2003.
- At 11 ha / 27 acres, the area makes a mere 3,840 cases a year. Vineyards can be no higher than 800 m/ 2,625 ft
- Red/Rosato: Rosso (Minimum 50% Merlot; minimum 30% Cabernet Sauvignon; maximum 20% other red grapes). Riserva and regular versions
Photo: Getty Images, Val d’Agri
We spend the rest of the show discussing Aglianico del Vulture DOC/DOCG, which is 25% of Basilicata’s total production
Vulture’s land…
Vulture is an extinct volcano that was last active about 130,000 years ago. It is 56 km/35 miles north of Potenza at an altitude of 1,326m/4,350 ft, close to borders with Puglia and Campania. Woods surround the area and the top of the slope has more volcanic soils and lower lying vineyards have more mixed, colluvial, and clay soils. The elevations are specified by the DOC – too low or too high and you won’t get great flavor development or quality wine, so the range is 200-700 m/660 -2300 ft. The variety of soils, elevations and exposures mean that there are different styles of Aglianico del Vulture.
Photo: Getty Images
Vulture’s climate…
Vulture is continental in climate and it has lower average daily temperatures than Sicily or Tuscany. There are cool breezes that sweep in from the Adriatic, cooling the area and preventing humidity. Elevation also keeps things cooler, especially at night, which means the grapes experience a long growing season, building flavor in the hot sun during the day, and cooling at night to hoard acidity. The rain shadow of Mount Vulture also keeps the weather cool and dry. That said, in some years the drought is fierce, grapes can get sunburned, the tannins can be tough, and the wine can be overly alcoholic.
Characteristics of Aglianico del Vulture
Aglianico is a thick-skinned grape that needs mineral-rich soils with clay and limestone (like what is on Vulture). It can be overcropped, so careful tending to the grapes leads to better results (this is kind of a dumb thing to say, since that’s the case with all grapes, but I’m putting it out there anyway!).
Flavors range in Aglianico del Vulture. Younger wines are high in tannins and acidity, with black cherry, chocolate, flowers, minerals, dark-fruit, and shrubby, forest notes. With a few years (5 or more), you may get nuances of Earl gray tea, black tea, licorice, earth, tar, spice, and violets. The tannins calm with age, but the acidity remains – with age (7-10 years) these wines are pretty impressive. We discuss the fact that there are some lighter styles and some savory, complex ones, but most are minerally with tannin in some form.
Photo of Aglianico: Getty Images
Aglianico del Vulture was made a DOC in 1971
- It is 520/1,284 acres, and it’s average production is 235,000 cases
- The wine is red or spumante – all is 100% Aglianico (the sparkling must be made in the Champagne method). Reds are required to be aged for 9-10 months in a vessel of the producer’s choice before release (oak isn’t required). Spumante must rest for 9 months on the lees.
Photo: Monte Vulture, Getty Images
Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCG/ Riserva Superiore DOCG was created in 2010.
- It is within the Aglianico del Vulture DOC but is only 89 ha/220 acres
- Production is much smaller, at 6,670 cases.
- The wine is 100% Aglianico.
- Superiore is required to spend 12 months in oak, 12 months in a bottle, cannot be sold until at least three years after harvest.
- Superiore Riserva spends 24 months in oak, 12 in bottle, and cannot be released until at least 5 years after harvest.
- Both categories must reach a minimum of 13.5% ABV (basically a guarantee that the grapes are ripe!)
In the show we discuss the food of Basilicata and mention a few specialties:
M.C. Ice was surprised that in this area, bread crumbs were a cheese substitute, sprinkled over pasta, meat, and vegetables. Horseradish is common here, along with Italian hot peppers, beans, pork sausage, and the famed bread of Matera, which is a Protected Georgraphical Indication and uses wheat grown locally and a yeast infused with fruit.
Producers are vital to getting a quality wine. This is my list…
- D’Angelo (Split into D’Angelo and Donato D’Angelo recently, and each is good)
- Paternoster (recently sold to Veneto’s Tommasi family)
- Cantine del Notaio
- Elena Fucci
- Terre degli Svevi /Re Manfredi
- Grifalco
- Eubea and Basilisco (both small-production bottlings)
- Bisceglia (we were drinking the 2018 Terre di Vulcano, which was about $18)
DOC wines are around US$20/GBP£15, DOCG wines are more like US$45/GBP£43.
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Thanks for our sponsors this week:
Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
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Some interesting sources I used for this show:
- Italian Wine Central (Great for data on DOCs/DOCGs)
- "The Wines of Basilicata Paradise Lost and Found" 4/17, Vinous, by Ian d’Agata
- NY Times Article on Aglianico
Photo: www.medoc-bordeaux.com
10 years after the first show on Merlot (Episode 18!), it was time for a refresh!
Merlot hasn't staged a comeback as a varietal wine, but it shines brightly as a part of a Bordeaux-style blend. It's better than ever in its native home and has seen some real strides in New World regions too.
We discuss characteristics and background of the grape, the very particular conditions that it needs for quality (but often doesn't get), and then the major regions that grow Merlot well!
It's International Merlot Day on November 7, so grab a bottle and celebrate this outstanding grape.
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Thanks for our sponsors this week:
Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
WineBid is the largest online auction site for wine and it's been around for 25 years. Founded in 1996 by a wine collector in Chicago, WineBid has grown over the years to develop the technology, logistics, and customer service to acquire over 100,000 registered bidders.
Russ Mann, CEO WineBid
In this show, Russ Mann, CEO of WineBid, breaks down the entire wine auction market – from live -scratching-your-nose-to-bid events, to charity auctions, to online auctions. I can’t tell you how much I learned from this show and how excited I am to start bidding and buying wine from WineBid. I was hesitant before but I think I can do this -- you should listen and you'll feel the same!
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Registration for the FREE Wines of the Médoc Class is here:
Session 2, October 28, at 8 PM Eastern
Thanks for our sponsors this week:
Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal
To become a member of Patreon go to www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
We scoured the internet to find commonly recommended pairings, so we could actually try them and tell you if any of these things actually work. Much like our prior episode, the news isn’t great, but we did find a few diamonds in the rough, including an extremely surprising combo that I thought could be lethal! Patrons Kelsey and Colby Eliades guest host with me to power through this episode and sum up the things we learned about candy pairings – what works, what doesn’t, and why!
Here are the combos we tested…
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Pop rocks with Prosecco
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Candy corn with Prosecco and Moscato d’Asti
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Gummy worms with Rosé
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Sour Patch Kids with off-dry Riesling
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Starburst and Moscato d’Asti
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Twizzlers, and Swedish Fish with Beaujolais
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Kit Kat with Pinot Noir
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Peppermint Patties with Syrah
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Reese’s Peanut Butter cups and Reese’s Pieces with Lambrusco
- Hershey's bars and Whoppers with Zinfandel
- Port-style Zinfandel with M&Ms, Snickers, Twix, Heath bar
And, so concludes my attempt at pairing wine with Halloween candy. We did the encore, I am so thankful for Kelsey and Colby for participating, and now I'm never doing this again 😂😂😂!
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Registration for the FREE Wines of the Médoc Class is here:
Session 1, October 21 at 8 PM Eastern
Session 2, October 28, at 8 PM Eastern
Thanks for our sponsors this week:
Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal
To become a member of Patreon go to www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Caprio Cellars makes wines from estate vineyards in the Walla Walla viticultural area of eastern Washington. Owner and winemaker, Dennis Murphy crafts wines mainly from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from his three Walla Walla vineyards, one of which is named after his Italian grandmother Eleanor Caprio, and another for his great grandmother Sanitella Caprio.
In the show, Dennis shares some good information about Walla Walla and its climate, soils, and the region’s unique position in the wine world. The bulk of the show is dedicated to my conversation with him, and he gives us a different perspective from others we’ve talked to in Walla Walla, like Sleight of Hand Cellars (who doesn’t love Jerry Solomon and Episode 295) and Amavi/ Pepperbridge (Eric McKibben rocks out Episode 294). But a lot of Dennis's references are to seminal figures in the Walla Walla wine industry.
Photo: Dennis Murphy, Caprio Cellars
Given that, in the first part of the show, I spend a few minutes telling you about the founding figures in the Walla Walla wine industry. Not only does this help in explaining the references, it sets you up to understand all of Walla Walla -- if you ever talk to anyone about the region or go visit, these names will come up over and over again. They are...
- Norm McKibben. A founding father of Walla Walla’s wine industry, and he founded Pepper Bridge Cellars and Amavi. His mentorship, forward thinking attitude (he was an early proponent of sustainability), and openness are a big part of the success of Walla Walla.
- Jean-Francois Pellet is the Director of Winemaking and a partner at Pepper Bridge and Amavi. He was born and raised in Switzerland, and is a third-generation wine grower. After working in vineyards around Europe and for Heitz Cellars in the Napa Valley, he was recruited by Norm to Pepper Bridge and also helped start Amavi. He is an active partner in the businessl and an important force in the Walla Walla wine scene.
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Marty Clubb is Managing Winemaker and co-owner of L’Ecole N° 41 with his wife, Megan, and their children, Riley and Rebecca. Megan’s parents, Jean and Baker Ferguson, founded L’Ecole in 1983. In 1989, Marty and Megan moved to Walla Walla and Marty became manager and winemaker of L’Ecole. Marty, along with Norm McKibben and Gary Figgins (see below) were the three most important figures in starting viticulture in the Walla Walla Valley. Marty is one of the most revered figures in Walla Walla.
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Gary Figgins is the founder of Leonetti Cellar, which was Walla Walla’s first commercial winery. The Figgins family has been in Walla Walla for over a century and Gary learned viticulture from his uncles, who were farmers. He is self-taught and has done miraculous things for Walla Walla – Leonetti’s wines were among the first to gain high scores and national recognition for the valley. Gary and his wife Nancy passed on the winery to their kids, Chris and Amy, but Gary is a major figure in the development of Walla Walla and is still active in vineyard consulting.
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Christophe Baron is a native of Champagne and came to Walla Walla in 1993 while doing an internship at a vineyard in Oregon. He saw the famed “rocks” of the Milton-Freewater district that looked like the puddingstone in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and decided to buy 10 acres for his Cayuse Vineyards. The waitlist for the winery is many years deep, so Cayuse’s wines are only available to us on the secondary market (auctions and stuff – there is a podcast to come on auctions that will make that secondary market easy to understand!). He's essential to helping make Walla Walla wine a coveted, hard to get luxury!
Dennis Murphy mentions other important wineries: Gramercy Cellars, Va Piano, and Hanatoro, to name a few!
Finally, we discuss a few vineyards:
- Seven Hills and Sevein: These are top vineyards of Walla Walla. They have unique soils and are managed by the founding fathers of Walla Walla – Norm McKibben, Marty, Clubb, Gary Figgins, and a few others, with many top wineries sourcing from this land.
Photo: Seven Hills Vineyard
After the intro, Dennis and I discuss Caprio, and its vineyards and its wines, which are quite tasty. Dennis discusses winemaking techniques, viticulture and sustainability, and his unique, very welcoming hospitality model. He has recently purchased a stake in Pepper Bridge and Amavi, so we discuss that briefly as well.
If you haven't been to Walla Walla, put it on the list. In many ways it represents the. best of the American wine industry -- collegial, entrepreneurial, with a focus on hard work and quality. Who could ask for more?
Photo: Caprio Cellars
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Registration for the FREE Wines of the Médoc Class is here:
Session 1, October 21 at 8 PM Eastern
Session 2, October 28, at 8 PM Eastern
Thanks for our sponsors this week:
Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal
To become a member of Patreon go to www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
After 10.5 years of doing the podcast I realized that we have never done an overview of Germany! Details, yes, but never the whole deal. Well, now we have.
Photo credit: Pexels
We discuss an overview of the most important things to know about Germany so you can buy and try the wines more easily. We begin with an overview of the German wine industry, and a reassurance that most of the stuff for export is pretty darn good. Then we tackle the climate and land, both which are completely unlikely places for great viticulture, but for a few dedicated people and a few quirks in geography.
We talk about the major grapes (spoiler alert: Riesling is huge here) and then we discuss various wine styles before giving an overview of the very rich history here, which is meant to give you context for how long Germany has been in the winemaking game and how significant the country has been in wine.
The second half of the show is an overview of the major regions in Germany and then we wrap with a quick discussion of the classification system, which hopefully makes much more sense once you hear about the history, climate, and terroir of Germany.
I love German wine. I think you could too, if you don’t already. I hope that this show (and the Germany section in the WFNP book, which gives a lot of great detail) can convince you to put it in the rotation more often!
Here are the show notes:
- German wine regions are mainly in the southern and southwestern part of Germany, and are quite northerly, many at around 50-51˚N latitude
- There are 103,000ha/252,00 acres of vineyards
- 2/3 of the wine is white, with Germany’s wine reputation pinned to Riesling
- Most people who make wine in Germany are small producers by New World standards. 25,000 cases/300,000 bottles is considered a huge winery, whereas in the US that’s on the small side of medium!
Photo of Riesling: Canva/Getty
Climate and land
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Germany is a cool climate country, grapes can only grow and ripen because of the Gulf stream from western Europe and the warmer air the comes in from Eastern Europe
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Rainfall in Germany’s wine regions occurs DURING the growing season, not during harvest. There is significant disease pressure on the vineyards but irrigation is not an issue and the long, dry fall enables easier harvesting and allows for late harvest wines to flourish
- The very steep slopes face south, southeast, or southwest. The slopes experience intense solar radiation, helping ripen the grapes
Photo (C)Wine For Normal People: Slate in the Mosel
- Slate is a preferred soil in Germany because it retains heat and imparts spicy, minerally notes to the wine
Grapes of Germany
- Riesling is about 23% of production
- Müller-Thurgau is about 12%
- Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) is 11.5%
- Dornfelder (a red) is about 7.6%
- Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) is 6%
- Weisburgunder (Pinot Blanc) is 5%
- Silvaner is 4.8%
- And many other grapes are grown in small percentages all over the country
Wine regions: We review all 13 Anbaugebiete...
Map from the Wine For Normal People Book
- Ahr is the northernmost region. It is small and grows a majority of red wine, mainly spätburgunder
- Baden is Germany’s southernmost region and accordingly it is the warmest, sunniest region. It is close to France, and grows a lot of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc as a result
- Franken is known for its flagon – a flat, round-shaped bottle called a bocksbeutel. The regions specializes in earthy, white Silvaner from the limestone shores of the Main River
- Hessische Bergstrasse is a teeny region with Riesling as the lead. You don’t see these wines outside of Germany
- Mittelrhein is in the middle of the Rhine (fitting name, huh!?). It is dominated by Riesling, which grows on steep slate slopes
- Mosel is the most famed region in Germany and makes what many consider to be the best Riesling in the world. The first winegrowing in Germany was in Mosel and it contains the steepest vineyard: at 65˚ grade, Bremmer Calmont has this distinction. Slate soils are dominant and the wines are known for low alcohol levels, high acidity, pure fruit and floral (jasmine, gardenia) notes, along with strong minerality. They are generally off-dry to sweet, to offset the very powerful acidity the terroir imparts to Riesling.
Photo (C)Wine For Normal People
* Nahe is located around the river Nahe, the volcanic soils create wines with fuller, richer textures than in other parts of Germany. It is a medium-sized area and not all vineyards or wineries are created equal – there are excellent producers and less good ones too!
* Pfalz is the second largest area after Rheinhessen. It is consumed heavily in the domestic market and can make rich, fuller stules of dry Riesling because the climate is slightly warmer. Red wines are growing here as well, given the warm conditions and the ability to fully ripen red grapes.
* Rheingau is the home of Riesling, the creator of Spätlese and Auslese, and highest percentage of Riesling (nearly 80%) and the home of Geisenheim University, one of the best viticulture and oenology schools in the world. The wines range in sweetness and in stule but they are subtler than Mosel wines and tend to develop intricate flavors of petrol, flowers, chamomile tea, and herbs with a few years in the bottle.
Photo (C) Wine For Normal People
* Rheinhessen is the largest production area in Germany. It has the dubious distinction of being nicknamed “Liebfraumilch land” from its mass production of the sweet plonk that kind of tanked Germany’s reputation. Rheinhessen has tried to shirk that image and focus on quality wine made from Riesling. The areas of Nackenheim, Nierstein, and Oppenheim can produce excellent quality wine.
* Wurttemberg specializes in red wines that aren’t grown in other parts of Germany – Trollinger, Lemberger (Blaufränkisch), and Schwarzriesling (Pinot Meunier) are all big here.
* Saale-Unstrut and Sachsen are in the former East Germnay. Both specialize in dry wine and are at 51˚N latitude. The wines are improving with the help of climate changes and better viticultural practices.
Finally we tackle the levels of German Classification:
- Deutscher Tafelwein: German Table Wine, consumed domestically
- Deutscher Landwein: German Country wine like Vins d’Pays in France or IGP in Italy, consumed domestically
- QbA (actually stands for Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete): Wines from a defined region. It can be blended from a few regions but generally it’s from one of the Anbaugebiete, so you’ll see Mosel, Pfalz, Rheingau, etc on the bottle
- Prädikatswein is made from grapes with higher ripeness levels. The levels are:
- Kabinett: Ripe grapes. Can be dry or sweet
- Spätelese: Late Harvest wines. Can be dry or sweet
- Auslese: Select Harvest wines. Can be dry or sweet, very flavorful wines
- Beerenauslese: Berries of the Select Harvest. Always sweet, generally have experienced the effects of botrytis so the wines are honeyed, waxy, and apricot like. Berries are selected off the vines for the best of the bunch
- Trockenbeerenauslese: Dried Berries of Select Harvest. Always sweet, very rare. Grapes are very ripe must have been affected by botrytis. The grapes are raisined with very high concentration of sugar. Very expensive and rare wines
- Eiswein: Grapes are harvested after the first frost. The water in the grapes freezes, the winemakers squeeze out the frozen water and then press the sugar that remains. These wines should not be affected by botrytis
We wrap up with other terms that are good to know:
- Trocken means the wine is dry
- Halbtrocken wines are off-dry and can seem very sweet
- Feinherb wines are sweeter or as sweet as halbtrocken wines
- The VDP: A private marketing organization of about 200 producers around Germany, with its own standards of quality that it expects its members to live up to. Not all great producers are VDP members but it is a safe bet if you know nothing about the wine
VDP Logo * Weingut is a winegrowing and wine-producing estate * Gutsabfüllung refers to a grower/producer wine that is estate bottled
Much of the data for the podcast was sourced from the Wines of Germany
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Thanks for our sponsors this week:
Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal
To become a member of Patreon go to www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
I need to thank the Commission of Vinho Verde for hosting this trip to the region and setting up such wonderful experiences that really gave a 360˚ view of this region.
Photo: ©Wine For Normal People, Vineyards of Aveleda
After talking about a wonderful tasting at Graham’s Port Lodge in Vila Nova di Gaia (across the Douro from Porto) and Quinta do Noval, we discuss some important things about Vinho Verde that augment Episode 291 from my time there. This show is not about the base tier wines – fizzy, cheap and cheerful versions, but about the premium wines that are single grape varieties and made in interesting ways. It’s a look into the diversity that Vinho Verde has to offer, beyond what you may know!
We discuss some key points on Vinho Verde:
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There are nine subregions (see below for more detail). Depending on whether they are in the north or the south, closer to the Atlantic or inland, styles and grapes vary enormously.
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We talk about the thing that wowed me the most: how very different the aromas and flavors of wines of this region are based on the soil they grow on – granite v. schist
We discuss the main grapes and their general flavor profiles:
- Loureiro: A grape with herbal bitterness, that’s floral, and creamy. It’s the top grape of coastal areas.
- Arinto: The MVP that adds acidity and minerality to blends, this is the base of most Vinho Verde sparkling wine.
- Trajadura: Although very light in flavor with low acidity, it adds body to blends. I found it tastes like stems – woody but not oaky. It’s great with Loureiro and Alvarinho.
- Alvarinho: The same grape as Albariño from Rias Baixas on the western coast of Spain. Here the grape seems more tropical, but more acidic because unlike the Spanish, the producers in Vinho Verde do not put the wine through malo-lactic fermentation so the acidity is a bit sharper. The grape is from this region and interesting versions show rosemary and other savory herbal notes with salinity. We discuss the various permutations of the grape – there is experimentation with oak, amphora, eggs (stainless steel and concrete), and extended skin contact and what those versions are like.
- Avesso: An unusual grape, it represents only 2-3% of production because it is so tricky to grow. When it is good it is like pears, red apple, flowers and the texture is creamy, even though it doesn’t undergo malolactic fermentation. It’s a grape/wine worth seeking out.
- Azal: A rare grape grown only in some of the subregions, it is like citrus and herbs. It is usually marked for blending but the varietal wines are high in minerality and acidity and not short on fruit flavor.
Photo: ©Wine For Normal People, Arinto Grape in Sousa
And the reds:
- Vinhão: In its best form smells good – like incense, violets and lilies, but I found it can also smell like goat poop, band-aid, and dirt. It is lower in alcohol and very acidic (some versions are tannic). An inky, light style red with lots of flavor, this is really a local wine, made in a very local style, not for broader consumption. It is used in rosé but often blended with Touriga Nacional, the famed grape of the Douro/Port.
- Espadeiro: Another hard to grow grape, it is late ripening and tastes of strawberry and cherry. It is used for rosé. As well.
- Touriga Nacional: A lighter version of Portugal’s star grape from just over the mountains in the Douro.
Regions and their main grapes:
Lima: Herbal, fresh and grassy Loureiro is their wine. The wines are lovely.
Ave: Both single variety wines and blends of Loureiro, Arinto, Trajadura, Alvarinho. The Alvarinho + Trajadura blend is common and produces green herb, tangerine notes. Producer: Sao Giao
Cavado: Similar to Lima, with fresh Loureiro and some Arinto for very acidic sparkling wine, Alvarinho that is peachy, floral and acidic.
Sousa specializes in floral, talc-like and acidic Loureiro , Arinto for sparkling and for blending to add body to Loureiro, Alvarinho as the more serious wine that has lime and flint notes, and Trajadura, which is light and rounds out blends. Producers: Quinta da Lixa, Quinta das Arcas (Arca Nova)
Photo: ©Wine For Normal People, Quinta das Arcas in Sousa
Amarante is in the southeast. It makes a lot of different grapes but we focused on the Avesso grape, which is floral, like pears and red apples, bready (from lees contact) and creamy, as is the nature of the grape. I love this grape, it belongs in the full whites category with Rhone whites, Priorat whites, Verdejo, and Fiano. Producers: A&B Valley Wines, Curvos
Basto is in the southeast as well, with Douro on the other side of the mountains. Avesso, Arinto, Azal, and Alvarinho are the main grapes. Azal is a rare grape that is acidic with green apple, citrus, herbal, lemon, grass, mineral notes and and acidic yet savory quality. (I mention that only about 10 -15 pure Azals made in the world, Quinta da Razas in one of them). Producer: Quinta da Razas
Photo: ©Wine For Normal People, Harvest team at Quinta da Raza in Basto
Monçao e Melgaço is the home of Alvarinho! There is traditional Alvarinho and then there is so much experimentation with the grape that flaovrs range enormously. The standard bearers show tropical fruit, lime, and floral notes with characteristic strong acidity because the wines don’t go through malolactic fermentation. Granite v schist soils make a difference and any number of styles from sparkling to oak aged, to amphora aged to skin contact wines are being made. Producers: Soalheiro, Adega de Monçao, Quinta da Santiago.
I did not visit the subregions of Paiva and Baiao so we don’t discuss them in the show, but they are in the south and specialize in Arinto, Avesso, Azal, with some Loureiro.
All in all it was a lovely trip! The producers are open to the public, so it’s an easy and fun few days to plan if you love white wines and want to learn something new!
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Thanks for our sponsors this week:
Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal
To become a member of Patreon go to www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
One of the greatest Chardonnays (and actually white wines) in the world comes from Chablis in the northern part of Burgundy. In this show we discuss this historic region and why it is capable of making the most distinctive, minerally, terroir-driven white wines made.
Here are the show notes:
Map: https://www.chablis-wines.com
- Location: At nearly 48˚N latitude in the northern part of the Bourgogne region in the Yonne department between Paris and Beaune, around the village of Chablis, Serein River runs through it, with vineyards on either bank
- Area under vine in 2020: 5,771 hectares/14,260 acres
- 18% of the total volume of wine produced in the Bourgogne region
- Also contains: St-Bris, which makes mineral driven Sauvignon Blanc
Terroir:
- Terroir expressed more clearly in Chablis than almost anywhere else
- Valleys branch from the Serein river – left and right, hills are basis of the vineyards
- Right-bank: softer, bigger wines
- Left-bank: more acidic, less ripe, more like citrus, green apple
- Soils: Subsoil is Kimmeridgean limestone with layers of Marl –limestone and clay turned into rock sometimes with fossils of Exogyra virgula, a small, comma-shaped oyster. Different vineyards have different proportions of limestone, marl, clay, loam,
- Portlandian limestone – younger, harder, no fossils. Sites with this used only forvPetit Chablis
- 47 Defined Climats (can be mentioned on the label) 40 are Premier Cru, 7 are Grand Cru
Photo: Chablis wines
Climate: Maritime and continental
- Maritime influence but kind of a modified oceanic climate with continental influences from Eastern Europe
- Less rainfall and the winters are harsher and summer hotter than maritime
Winemaking
- Fermented in stainless or oak, low temperature, slow fermentation followed by malolactic fermentation
- Neutral oak (already been used) is used in Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru. Very few producers use new oak barrels since the goal is to preserve terroir
Classification:
Petit Chablis (19%): 729 hectares (1750 acres)
- ALL of Chablis wine-growing district (catchall) – AOC 1944, least prestigious – lesser rated vineyards
- Soil is Portlandian limestone – harder, younger soil on a plateau at the top of slopes, above premier and grand crus
- Flavors: citrus, flowers, less minerally, light, acidic, saline, to be consumed within 2 years
- Pairings (goes for Chablis and many Premier Cru too): Oysters, seafood in citrus, salads and acidic vegetables, spicy food, vegetarian pasta
Chablis (66%): 3656 hectares (9,034 acres) of vines
- In the department of Yonne, on the Serein River
- On Kimmeridgean limestone and marl, very large - quality varies
- Flavors: Mineral with flint, green apple, lemon, underbrush, citrus, mint, fresh-cut hay
- Best within 2-3 years
Photo: Chablis wines
Chablis Premier Cru: (14%) - Almost 809 ha/2,000 acres over 40 sites (climat)
- Both sides of the river Serein, with 24 on the left bank and 16 on the right bank
- Mostly on slopes of the Serein, southeast or southwest facing, on Kimmeridgian chalk
- Can just use the phrase "Chablis Premier Cru" if blended across Premier Cru sites
- Right bank: Softer, fuller wines--Mont de Milieu, Montée de Tonnerre, Fourchaume, Vaucoupin
- Left bank: Flinty, acidic. Côté de Léchet, Vaillons, Montmains, Vosgros, Vau de Vey
- Can age 5-10 years
Grand Cru Chablis (1%) - 101 hectares/250 acres
- Contiguous site on the right bank of the Serein, south facing on Kimmeridgian limestone, with fossilized oysters, marl
- Seven vineyards are Grand Cru, which are each part of just one appellation, Grand Cru Chablis.
- The difference in these wines: Better sites, lower yields, higher alcohol, higher planting density, matured until at least March 15 of the year following harvest
- Grand Crus: north to south
- Bougros: Fresh and mineral
- Les Preuses:: elegant, minerally with a long finish
- Vaudésir: Stronger, richer wine – more body
- Grenouilles: Fruity with strong acidity, a fuller body
- Valmur: VERY fruity, balanced with strong minerality
- Les Clos: The most famous site: elegance, minerality, fruit, acidity
- Blanchot: Soft and more like white flowers
- La Moutonne is an unofficial 8th Grand Cru
- Best with 10-15 years of age
- Pairings: Lobster, mushrooms, shrimp, cream sauces
We love this wine. If you haven't had it, definitely get one and discover what makes it a "great!"
Photo: Chablis wines
_____________________________________________________
Thanks for our sponsors this week:
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Château Siran is an historic and innovative estate on the Left Bank of Bordeaux, in the commune of Margaux. Once owned by the painter Toulouse-Lautrec’s great-grandmother, in the mid-1800s Siran was purchased by ancestor of Édouard Miailhe’s family and today he is the 6th generation to run Siran.
Miailhe, like many of the most interesting people in the wine industry, had an entire career doing something other than wine (in his case finance and real estate in the Philippines) until his mother and father retired about 15 years ago and he decided to move back to France to run the Château. He likes to stay busy (and take on challenges) because in addition to being the leader of Château Siran in 2018, he took the difficult job of running the winegrowers association of Margaux, a post that was held by his predecessor for decades!
Photo: Team at Château Siran, Marjolaine Defrance, oenologist on the left, Édourard Miailhe center, Jean-Luc Chevalier, vineyard manager, right.
In this show Édouard does double duty – telling us first about Margaux and then about the spectacular, very classic wines of Château Siran, which are an insane value and should be sitting in your cellar to age right now!
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We discuss the Margaux AOC: the location, the climate, the (slight) elevation, the soil and the typical style of Margaux, plus how it differs from its close neighbors like Pauillac, St-Julien, Listrac, Moulis, and parts of the Haut-Médoc
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Édouard shares a bit of the political landscape of the Margaux appellation, its long history (he is amazingly and refreshingly honest about this – Margaux hasn’t always been fancy, glitzy and glamorous!) and talks about how Bordeaux was a very different place 35 years ago.
- We talk about the grapes in Margaux and what each brings to the blends in the appellation (with special attention given to Petit Verdot).
Then we discuss Château Siran …
- We learn the history of the château and how the property wound up in the Miailhe family’s hands in 1859.
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Édouard tells us about the fine gravels and subsoils of the region, the proximity of Siran to the river and its unique place in the Labade commune.
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The blend and the role of Petit Verdot is featured -- they use up to up to 11% of the grape in some years. We also discuss Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
- We discuss the importance of sustainability – Édouard’s father never sprayed chemicals in the vineyard so it has been free of pesticides for more than 40 years. His vines are old, healthy and full of character.
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We talk about the Grand Vin – Château Siran – the blending, vinification, and aging. Then we discuss the other wines:
- S de Siran, the second wine
- Château Bel Air de Siran (Haut-Médoc)
- Château Saint-Jacques (Bordeaux Superieur)
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We really get into the limitations of classifications and why Siran originally opted out of the 1855 Classification and why they recently decided to opt out of the Cru Bourgeois classification.
- We close talking about how Château Siran is one of the few estates in the Médoc that people can visit. Let’s visit!!!
Photo credit: Château Siran
Other notes...
- Chateaux mentioned: Château Giscours, Château Dauzac, Château Prieure-Lichine, Château Pichon-Lalande, Château Palmer, Château Margaux
- Édouard also mentions Professor Denis Dubourdieu as wine consultant from St.-Émilion
- Here’s a link to the video of Marjolaine Defrance, the enologist at Chateau Siran
_____________________________________________________
Thanks for our sponsors this week:
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Petit Verdot is often the secret weapon in a blend -- providing unique aromas and flavors plus acidity and tannin. In this show, we discuss this essential grape and the vital role it plays in wines around the world.
What is Petit Verdot?
- The name means “little green one”, since it's hard to ripen, the berries remain green when other grapes are ready to harvest
- The grape is used in Bordeaux blends but sometimes made as a varietal wine
- Petit Verdot ripens later than other varieties and is used for tannin, color and flavor, gives structure to mid palate
Photo: Virginia Wine
Origins: Around in Bordeaux before Cabernet Sauvignon
- Could have been brought to Bordeaux by Romans
- Probably from Southwest France around the Pyrénées but gained recognition in the Médoc and Graves (on the Left Bank of Bordeaux)
- Plantings shrunk after phylloxera and the big 1956 frost in Bordeaux
- Petit Verdot was uprooted to be replaced in Bordeaux with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
- Now – more being planted, can withstand heat and drought
The grape:
- Small, thick-skinned berries that look almost black because of high anthocyanins -- lots of color and tannin!
- Early budding, late ripening -sometimes too late for the Bordeaux climate but that is changing (more similar to Cabernet Sauvignon than Merlot in the vineyards
In the vineyard:
- Best on warm, well-drained, gravel-based soils
- Canopy management to maximize sun exposure is important
- If the weather does not cooperate in the spring during flowering, the fruit will not ripen well
- Sensitive to water stress
Winemaking:
- Even in small amounts (0.5%!), Petit Verdot can make a big difference
- Most winemakers will age these wines in oak, fostering undercurrents of vanilla
Aromas/flavors:
- Pencil shavings, violet, black fruit, spice, tannins, acidity
- Very acidic if not fully ripe but can be elegant and refreshing if it’s ripe
- Cool climate: Dried herbs (sage, thyme), blueberry, blackberry with violet, leathery, pencil shavings
- Warm climate: Jammy, spicy, dark fruit, full-bodied, decent acidity, high tannin
Old World
France
- Almost all Petit Verdot in France is in the Médoc of Bordeaux
- Big proportions are in: Chateau Margaux, Chateau Palmer, Chateau Pichon Lalande (Pauillac), Chateau Lagrange in St. Julien, Chateau La Lagune, Chateau Siran in Margaux
Italy
- Primarily in Tuscany in the Maremma Toscana DOC (we mention the PV by Podere San Cristoforo), and in Sicily in the Menfi and Sicilia DOCs. Some in Lazio and Puglia
Other Old World Places: * Spain: Petit Verdot grow in warmer areas like Castilla y Leon, Jumilla, La Mancha, Alicante, Méntrida DO * Portugal: Success in Alentejo * Found in Turkey, Israel
New World
United States
- Virginia: Often blended with Merlot of Cab Franc
- Needs free-draining soils (gravel is best) and high heat
- We get a firsthand account of PV from Elizabeth Smith of Afton Mountain, who makes outstanding wines.
- California: Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Lodi, Central Valley used in Meritage/blends often, with a few boutique standalones
- Washington State: PV is grown and made in Columbia Valley, Walla Walla, Yakima, Red Mountain
- Other Places: Planted in Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Texas, Michigan, PA, Maryland, New York, and more
Canada:
- Okanagan Valley of BC, Niagara Peninsula in Canada
Australia
- Used to make big bodied, lots of floral and dark fruit flavor single varietal wines. The grape has good acidity and tannin that will age for several years
- Ripens very late, often weeks or a month later than Shiraz
- Regions:
- More bulk wine: Riverland, Murray Valley, Riverina, region is home to Australia’s largest plantings of Petit Verdot (which maintains acidity, even in heat)
- Better areas: McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Barossa, Clare Valley, Coonawarra, and the Limestone Coast.
Argentina
- Every region from Patagonia to Calcahquí but mostly in Mendoza -70% or more is there. Verdot has good results in Bordeaux style blends
Other South America: Peru, Chile, Uruguay – in blends and a varietal wine
South Africa:
- Mainly in Bordeaux blends and as a varietal too
Food Pairings with PV:
- Grilled or roasted red meat or hearty vegetables
- Spicy pork and spicy foods in general – Latin American spices
____________________________________________________________
Thanks for our sponsors this week:
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Photo: Château Doyac
In our continued exploration of the Médoc (which will culminate in two free, live, online classes that I hope you'll join or watch on YouTube afterwards), on the Left Bank of Bordeaux, I spoke with Astrid de Pourtalès, co-owner of Château Doyac. This property is a Cru Bourgeois Supérieur located in the northernmost part of the Haut-Médoc appellation that is unlike what you think of when you consider this region. This show presents a high level overview of a different part of the Médoc (versus Château Meyney, where Anne Le Naour gives a very detailed view of St-Estèphe) and a nice view of what a family owned château is like in the region.
Astrid de Pourtalès owns the château with her husband Max and her daughter Clémance. She discusses her experiences in being fairly new to Bordeaux after a career in the New York theater scene (they bought Château Doyac in 1998) and the bold move that Max made to transition Doyac to an ECOCERT certified organic vineyard in 2018 and then a Demeter certified biodynamic vineyard in 2019 (this is no small feat in Bordeaux, which has an erratic climate, we don’t go into extensive detail but it is an interesting contrast to the show with Sofía Araya of Veramonte in Chile who discusses biodynamics in that easier to farm area).
Photo: Château Doyac
Astrid tells us how they came to buy the château, the measures they took to improve it (including hiring famed consultant Eric Boissenot, who consults for the majority of the Grands Crus Classé in the Médoc), and the role her daughter, Clémance, an agronomist, will take in the future to run things for this small, high quality property that makes about 100,000 bottles/8,300 cases.
We discuss a number of high-level topics:
- What it is like in the very northern part of the Haut-Médoc where the effects of the Atlantic and Gironde are stronger and the soil has a big proportion of limestone (Doyac's Sauvignon Blanc is on my list to try – apparently it is reminiscent of Chablis - not a typo she says it's like a minerally Chardonnay!).
Map: Vacances-Location.net
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We talk about the reasons Max pursued the organic and biodynamic paths for Château Doyac and the results: better, easier to work soils, and much improved vines and wines that demonstrate elegance, acidity, and pure fruit character (right now the mix is Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon but in the future about 20% will be Cabernet Franc, with 70% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc is their most recent planting -- it does well on the limestone clay soils here).
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Astrid discusses their second wine, Espirit de Doyac and their newest wines in Le Pelican line.
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Astrid tells us why Doyac uses amphora (you can listen to this podcast to really learn about that topic) and what the benefits of that is versus oak.
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We wrap up with a discussion of the Cru Bourgeois and talk about the bright future for Château Doyac.
Photo from Les Grappes: Astrid and Max de Pourtalès
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Astrid mentions a few chateaux in the conversation. Here are links that will be helpful if you missed anything in the conversation:
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Chateau de Malleret, Haut-Medoc, France – the chateau Max’s father in law owned (Holy COW this is a huge château and gorgeous!)
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Chateau Ferrière in Margaux (very pricey wines, BTW) where a group meets to discuss and mix teas for biodynamics
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We also talk about the Saint-Émilion Classification issues (Article) and the Cru Bourgeois.
____________________________________________________________
Thanks for our sponsors this week:
Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal
To become a member of Patreon go to www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Photo: Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
The Nobile Wine of Montepulciano is a wine based on a clone of Sangiovese and from a small hillside town in Tuscany called Montepulciano. It is, indeed, one of the great wines of the world. Although often overshadowed by its neighbors – Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico – and confused with a grapey, high yielding producer in Abruzzo (the Montepulciano grape), this wine has class, style, and a legacy of greatness to back it up.
After ups and downs over nearly 2000 years of winemaking, Vino Nobile is experiencing a quiet revival and it's one of my favorite wines in Italy. Moderate in body with an interplay of fruit, herb, and brooding tea and forest-y aromas and flavors, this is a wine that those in the know (you!) will immediately fall in love with. With its latest comeback, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is back and better than ever. And who doesn’t love a comeback story?
Photo: Getty Images
Here are the show notes:
- We discuss where exactly this hillside town is: in Tuscany, southeast of Siena, 40 minutes east of Montalcino
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We talk about the specific regulations the region has built into law to try to improve the wines:
- Grapes must grow on the slopes to qualify for the Vino Nobile DOCG
- 70-100% Sangiovese or 30% other red varietals (Colorino, Canaiolo Nero, Mammolo, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, other local grapes) and up to 5% Malvasia and other whites
- You can find all the laws here, as well as the requirements for aging. Here is the official page from the Consorzio del Vino di Montepulciano with the latest rules on aging, yields, etc. They also have proposed Pieve, as of 2021.
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We address the elephant in the room: Montepulciano IS not the grape, this wine is from the PLACE called Montepulciano!!!
- We get you squared away on the difference between these two wines – Montepulciano is a grape that makes an US$8-$10 wine. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is the noble wine made from Sangiovese in the Tuscan town of Montepulciano. It is based on a clone Sangiovese – Prugnolo Gentile
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History
- The wine has been noted since 55 AD.
- Montepulciano has been praised by merchants, authors, Popes, and politicians like Thomas Jefferson
- Phylloxera, mildews, World Wars, the Depression, and then an emphasis on quantity versus quality put the wines of Montepulciano in a real funk. It got lumped in with Chianti, lost its status, and that was a real setback for the region
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In 2017, six like-minded Montepulciano winemakers created a small association called Alliance Vinum to show the purest expression of single-vineyard Sangiovese/Prugnolo Gentile. The group calls these wines Nobile instead of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano to avoid confusion with the southern Italian grape. Here are the wines of this group:
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- Avignonesi: Nobile Poggetto di Sopra
- Boscarelli: Costa Grande
- Cantine Dei: Madonna della Querce
- La Braccesca, an estate of the Antinori family: Podere Maggiarino
- Poliziano: Le Caggiole after a 20-year pause,
- Salcheto: Salco Vecchie Viti
Photo: Getty Images
Other wines we mention…
- Rosso di Montepulciano
- Vin Santo
We review Pairing Suggestions with Vino Nobile di Montepulciano:
- Antipasti --Grilled Vegetables, fresh cheeses, cured meats like prosciutto, salami
- Pasta with tomato, truffle, Bolognese, mushrooms sauces
- Risottos with mushrooms
- Pizza, lasagna, eggplant
- Braised and roasted game, red meats. Stews.
- Portabella mushrooms
- Ribollita
- Hard cheeses
Photo: Getty Images
______________________________________________
Thanks for our sponsors this week:
Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal
To become a member of Patreon go to www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Sofía Araya - head winemaker of Veramonte, Ritual, Primus, and Neyen
Sofía Araya was born and raised in Chile and she has made wine in nearly every high quality valley of the country since she graduated from la Universidad de Chile. After years of working on conventional farms for some big names, she moved to Veramonte. She helped transition the over 500 ha/1,235 acres to 100% ECOCERT certified organic vineyards. Veramonte represents 15% of all organic vineyards in Chile.
Sofía is now the head winemaker and oversees the organic Veramonte and Ritual and the organic and biodynamic properties of Neyen and Primus. All are under the umbrella of Sherry-based Gonzalez Byass.
Although this may seem like a mega-brand because of its excellent distribution, it actually turns out that Veramonte and its sister brands – Ritual, Primus, and Neyen – make just 200,000 cases of wine a year (2.4 million bottles) combined. That’s the size of a medium brand at a big hulking winery!
Two things that are important:
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Sofía and I jump right in on the geography. It may be helpful to follow along with the WFNP map or to listen to this podcast we did on Chile before you listen. (You can listen to this on the Casablanca Valley, this on Maipo, and this on Rapel if you really want extra credit!)
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A summary of the brands to keep it all straight:
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- Veramonte: Cool climate Casablanca and Colchagua wines for everyday consumption. Pop and pour!
- Ritual: Also from Casablanca, and only Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot. These are more food wines, with stronger tannin, and fuller body. They are a bit more terroir driven.
- Primus: The same idea as Ritual but these wines are bolder reds. There is a red blend and a Carménère from Apalta in Colchagua, and a Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipo.
- Neyen: The signature, high-end blend, sourced from their top site in Apalta.
Here are the points we cover:
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Sofia tells us about her life and career. She talks about working for Casa Lapostolle and Luis Felipe Edwards in the Colchagua Valley, and Arestí in Curicó.
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We get the history of Viñedos Veramonte and how Sofía was a major part of its transition to organics. We discuss some of the exciting things about the transition and some of the more difficult ones (including a change in mindset.
**Sofía mentions Flowers and Quintessa as being brands owned by Augustin Hunneus. Flowers is a Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir brand, Quintessa is a Napa-based mainly Cabernet-based brand. Both are biodynamic and both are very pricey). -
We discuss the Casablanca Valley at length – its surprisingly cool climate, how it developed through the 1990s and 2000, and the very pure fruit flavors that she is able to achieve in the wines made here: Ritual and Veramonte. We discuss the reds of the region, the different flavor profiles they can achieve in this area, and why they are successful in Casablanca.
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Sofía discusses Colchagua and why the Carmenére is so good from this area. We discuss the sub areas of Apalta and Marchigue (pronounced mar-Chee-way) from which Primus and Neyen are sourced. We discuss what makes Neyen, their flagship wine, so special.
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Since Primus Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the Maipo Valley, we also discuss this beautiful, famed area. We mention the Maipo Alto, Maipo Medio, and Maipo Bajo as being diverse
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Sofía schools us on why Chilean wine is an incredible value for the money and why price doesn’t always mean quality, especially where Chile is concerned.
____________________________________________________________
Thanks for our sponsors this week:
Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal
To become a member of Patreon go to www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Natalie MacLean is an accredited sommelier who operates one of the largest wine sites on the web at www.nataliemaclean.com.
Natalie's first book Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass and her second book Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World's Best Bargain Wines were each selected as an Amazon “Best Book of the Year.” She is the wine expert on CTV's The Social, Canada's largest daytime television show, CTV News, and Global Television's Morning Show.
She was named the World's Best Drinks Writer at the World Food Media Awards, and has won four James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards. Natalie is an author, online wine course instructor, and wine reviewer. She is a member of the National Capital Sommelier Guild, the Wine Writers Circle, and several French wine societies with complicated and impressive names.
Natalie holds an MBA and is a fellow podcast host, with her excellent podcast “Unreserved Wine Talk” (on which I have also been a guest - Ep 50).
Being two podcasters, we like to talk!! This is more of a conversation than an interview and we had a great time chatting about a variety of subjects. Here are the show notes:
- Natalie talks about her journey into the wine world from a live in tech and an MBA to becoming a wine reviewer and writer. She and I discuss the professional challenges that she faced in 2012 and how she didn’t give up and used her positivity and strength to continue being a powerful voice in wine.
- We chat about the Canadian wine industry
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Then we get to the main event – bantering about the current trends in the wine industry and what we think about them. Here are the main topics we take on:
- The natural wine movement/clean wine/raw wine
- Celebrity wine
- Alcohol free or low alcohol wine
- Wine critics and “influencers”
- Climate change and what it will do to wine
- Wine v. white claw or spirits, which follows nicely into a conversation about canned and boxed wines and alternative packaging, including the environmental impact of shipping in the wine industry and our hopes for change
- Orange wines, blue wines
A very fun conversation about wine and life. Please check out Natalie’s books: Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass and her second book Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World's Best Bargain Wines
_____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal for a special deal on your order!
I’m so excited to work with Wine Access and you should definitely try them out. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- They have REAL brands, REAL people picking the wines, and the deals and service are outstanding. Try their wine club out -- it's one of the best ways to get quality wines you may never have tried!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Anne Le Naour is the technical and managing director for Château Meyney of St-Estèphe in the Médoc of Bordeaux. She also manages the other properties of CA Grands Crus. The company is owned by the top bank that supports wine in France, Crédit Agricole Group (sometimes referred to as "la banque verte" due to its historical connections with farming). Its current portfolio includes Chateaux Meyney, 5th growth Grand Puy Ducasse in Pauillac, and Santenay in Burgundy.
Le Naour is a trained oenologist with global experience and since she began at Meyney in 2016, she has transformed the Château, restructuring vineyards, improving viticulture, and moving towards organics. She has introduced better winemaking – less extraction, less obvious oak, and more care in handling vine and wine. Her deep knowledge of wine and winemaking, plus her unwavering dedication to quality has meant that the wines of Meyney are attracting more attention than ever.
These are exquisite wines, underpriced for what they are (Meyney is right next to second growth, Montrose, incidentally, even though it was unfairly omitted from the 1855 classification) and Anne joins to tell us about her outstanding career, the underappreciated area of St-Estèphe on the Left Bank, and the beautiful wines of the historic Château Meyney. Here's my quick tasting video for a review.
Here are the notes from our conversation:
- We open with a discussion of Meyney and its heritage first an ecclesiastical property, then as a woman-owned property (that was, at that time, conspicuously left out of the 1855 classification), to the more recent family ownership and then to Credit Agricolé, the current owner.
Photo: Château Meyney
- Anne gives an overview of her outstanding career, where she worked at chateaux and domaine in Champagne (Mumm), Burgundy, Loire, Bordeaux (at Château Beychevelle) --some of the biggest names in French wine. She discusses her time in the Yarra Valley of Australia (Yering Station), and the US working with David Abreu. We discuss how her curiosity and a bit of innocence about how hard it would be to break into the industry helped her excel, and how going to Australia gave her an education of a lifetime.
- We discuss what it means to be of Generation X and in a management role in wine, and how our generation differs from others.
We move on to St-Estèphe, and why it is not as esteemed as it should be…
- Anne posits that St. Estèphe’s distance from Bordeaux city – it takes 1.5 hours to travel St-Estèphe vs. 40 mintues to Margaux, may make it less desirable.
- We discuss the terroir – the traditional ability for wines to get riper in Margaux and St-Julien (those wines were known for elegance) vs St-Estèphe (called rustic). With better decisions in the vineyard and with winemaking the wines of St-Estèphe are often full and elegant – the best of all world due to the presence of gravel on the top soils to help ripening and clay beneath to keep soils wet during periods of drought.
Map: Bordeaux.com, Vins de Bordeaux
The we discuss the specifics of what Anne has done to improve the vineyards and wines of Meyney. This is a great education session on what actually matters in the vineyard and why. We discuss some specific improvements that have been made at Meyney to boost wine quality:
- Switching Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon sites to improve quality of the wine dramatically
- Using better grape material – quality over quantity is now the priority
- Improving canopy management and increasing vine density
- Watching extractions and over-use of oak
- Creating a unique style for the second wine, Prieur de Meyney
- Organic and sustainable practices to improve soil health
Photo: Wine.com
We wrap up with a discussion of how we need to keep terroir in mind, but be flexible about our ideas of the appellations.
Here is a link to the video with the soil and plantings map, that is so very well done: Meyney Video
This was an excellent conversation from one of the best people working in wine today! I learned more than I can express, and I think you will too. Take a listen!
_____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal for a special deal on your order!
I’m so excited to work with Wine Access and you should definitely try them out. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- They have REAL brands, REAL people picking the wines, and the deals and service are outstanding. Try their wine club out -- it's one of the best ways to get quality wines you may never have tried!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
The Basque Country in northeastern Spain lies on the Bay of Biscay and abuts the Pyrenees Mountains, a mere 18 mi/30 km from the French border. Until about a decade ago, this area was relatively unknown as a wine region. But with the rise of Basque cuisine, an increased interest from wine buyers in native varietals, and a desire for lower alcohol, thirst-quenching wines, Txakolina (chock-o-LEEN-ah), a white, high acid, spritzy wine started to get attention. The phenom started in places all over the United States (which boasts a Basque population of more than 50,000 people), then the UK and Japan, now small quantities of wine find their way to many other countries around the world.
Map of Basque Country: Vineyards.com
In this show, we discuss this historic region, with its own language, culture, and wine traditions. We talk about how the modern wine industry was renewed, and what you can expect from these delicious, refreshing (mainly white) wines. If you haven’t had these wines or heard of them, this should will give you a good foundation to learn about them and appreciate all that it took for them to make it to your table!
Here the show notes:
- We give an overview of the Basque region (Euskadi), and the language of Euskera, one of the oldest spoken languages with no link to any other known language
- We discuss the quirky naming convention of the wine of this area, the original name of called txakolin and the meaning of txakolina "the txakolin" – a term was used from middle of the 18th century onwards and how Txakoli was a misspelling used after 1985. (Source: Wikipedia, originally from the Academy of Basque Language)
- The wine is called chacolí in Spanish
- We spend time on the history of Basque country, with a focus on the independent spirit of the Basque people. We discuss the political discord in the region, especially the difficulties with the Basque Separatist Movement. We tie in wine—discussing the importance of the rise of Michelin-starred chefs in the Basque region, the interest of importers like Jorge Ordoñez who imported cases of Txomin Etxaniz to the US in the early 1990s, and how sommeliers and others had growing interest in native grapes
Photo: Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao in Basque Country
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Location: We review where Basque Country is…
- Northern Basque Country: The French part in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department of France
- Southern Basque Country/El País Vasco of Spain, Basque Autonomous Community: including Álava, Biscay, and Gipuzkoa
- Other areas that make Chacolí (I’m spelling it this way because they are Spanish areas) are Cantabria and Burgos
-
Land and climate: We mention features like the Cantabrian Mountains, vineyards near the coast surrounding Bilbao, and vineyards toward the Ebro Valley and Rioja. Vineyards are terraced and on hillsides, some quite steep. We talk about the wet Atlantic climate of the reigon and its effect on the grapes.
Photo: Bodega Doniene Gorrondona
- Grapes: The main grapes are Hondarrabi Zuri (Courbu blanc and here is the link to the blog we mention), Hondarrabi Zuri Zerratia, Hondarrabi Beltza (a red grape for reds and rosés), Also allowed: Bordeleza Zuria/ Mune Mahatsa (Folle Blanche), Izkiriota Ttipia (Petit Manseng), Izkiriota (Gros Manseng), Petit Corbu, Txori mahatsa (Sauvignon Blanc), Chardonnay, Riesling
-
Here’s the article I mention in the show about rosé being a creation for the American market…
-
Vineyard and winemaking. We discuss the parras – the high pergolas that help keep the airflow through the canopy. We talk about the mainly modern winemaking facilities and methods, but how some of the producers are working with longer lees aging, aging in wood and concrete, and blending. We explore the technique of making the wine under a blanket of nitrogen to ensure spritz in your glass and how it is pour from shoulder height to enhance the fizz in the glass.
Txakolina Vineyard Photo: Josu Goñi Etxabe, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Finally, we discuss the Denominaciones de Origen:
Getariako Txakolina or Txakoli de Getaria, (Chacolí de Guetaria -Spanish), is the most important, oldest, and most prolific DO, yet the smallest geographically. The wines are softer and riper, with less bitterness and great acidity. They nearly always have spritz.
Bizkaiko Txakolina or Txakoli de Bizkaia - (Spanish is Chacolí de Vizcaya), got its DO in 1994. It is mostly small tracts of land around Bilbao, overlooking the Bay of Biscay. These wines are more herbaceous than other regions and can be less fizzy, fuller, rounder and more textured.
Arabako Txakolina or Txakoli de Álava, achieved DO status in 2001, making it the youngest DO. This area is inland, south of Bilbao. In the south of this province, you'll find Rioja Alavesa. The north makes acidic, dry, fruity, low alcohol wines. These wines are often blended -- Hondarrabi Zuri, Gross Manseng, Petit Manseng and Petit Corbu are commonly mixed together.
Producers we mention:
Getariako:
- Txomin Etxaniz: Largest winery in the Getaria region, makes 18% of the region’s output
- Ameztoi
- Gaintza
Bizkaiko
- Doniene Gorrondona
- Bodegas Itsasmendi
Photo: Bodegas Itsasmendi
Arabako
- Bat Gara
*Outro Snippet from the Song "Mr. Dobalina" is by Del the Funky Homo Sapien, (c)1991 from the "I Wish My Brother George Was Here", Elektra Records.
_____________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal for a special deal on your order!
I’m so excited to work with Wine Access and you should definitely try them out. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- They have REAL brands, REAL people picking the wines, and the deals and service are outstanding. Try their wine club out -- it's one of the best ways to get quality wines you may never have tried!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
In this show I speak with Roman Horvath, a Master of Wine, is the Winery Director of Domaine Wachau, which is among the leading wine producers in Austria. The Domaine is actually a cooperative, meaning it is run by and owned by individual growers, with Roman bringing them all together under his leadership. But whereas most co-ops in Europe produce seas of mediocre to plain BAD wines, Domaine Wachau has been cited as one of the best co-ops in the world and is known for making wines of origin and pure flavor.
Photo: Domaine Wachau
The Domaine has a full range of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling that reflect their unique terroir – from small vineyard plots on steep terraces along the Danube to regional wines. Roman coordinates the vintner families, who work to capture the terroir of the historic wine region of Wachau. These wines are splendid and show how the co-op system can work well when under the right management.
Here are the show notes:
- Roman tells us about his path through the MW and to becoming the managing director of Domaine Wachau. He gives us some great insight into the MW program (spoiler – it’s probably not what you think!)
Photo of Roman Horvath, MW: Domaine Wachau
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We discuss the structure of Domaine Wachau and what makes it such a successful cooperative (along with Produttori del Barbaresco in Piedmont and La Chablisienne in Chablis). We talk about the success of this co-op versus the thousands of others in Europe and the formula for great wine.
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We discuss Wachau, the small (3321 acres/1,344 hectares), narrow valley carved out by the Danube through marble and mineral rich, amphibolite (metamorphic rock), and quartz-based gneiss (said "nice) rock. We talk about the effect of the Danube, climate patterns, and the individual 155 Rieden (single vineyards like the famed Kellerberg, Achleiten and Singerriedel), as well as the vital importance of the stone terraces (terrasen) to mountainside viticulture in Wachau.
Photo: Domaine Wachau
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Roman tells us about the style we can expect from the Grüner Veltliner and the Riesling that grow in Wachau, and factors that make a difference in style – from terroir to aging. We talk about why screw cap is fantastic for young wine but why cork is a better bet for aging wines.
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We discuss the two classification systems that Wachau is part of – the national DAC system, which includes a Burgundy-like place-based classification system (Gebeitsweine for Regional Wine, Ortswein for Village wine, Riedenwein for single vineyard wines) and Wachau’s own classification by ripeness under the Vinea Wachau, which includes wines labeled Steinfeder, Federspiel, and Smargd (in order of lightest to heaviest)
Map: Wine for Normal People book
- We wrap with a conversation about climate change and the future for Wachau. Roman mentions some excellent other Austrian regions: Burgenland for reds, and Kremstal, Kamptal, Wagram, Traisental for whites.
This conversation gave me a new appreciation for Wachau and for successful co-ops. Domaine Wachau is great and I know I will appreciate Grüner Veltliner and Riesling from the majestic area more than I ever have before!
_____________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Don Kavanagh who joined for "Episode 330: Journalistic Integrity in Wine with Don Kavanagh of Wine-Searcher" comes back to talk about wine's next wave and Wine-Searcher's controversial article: "Farewell to the 'Cult of the Somm.'"
Don Kavanagh, Editor of Wine-Searcher
To refresh your memory from Ep 330, Don is the editor of Wine-Searcher's journalistic arm. He has spent the past 25 years either working in the wine trade or writing about it, in his native Ireland, the UK, and New Zealand. He has a dedication to telling things as they are -- as a true observer of situations rather than a judge, jury, or partisan -- and publishes articles on topics that need to be tackled in the wine industry but that others won't touch because of wine politics.
In this show Don and I discuss how the wine world is starting to look in a post-pandemic world where a shift towards stay-at-home drinking and more casual dining will likely be lasting trends. We address the (sort of earth-shattering, in our little world) quote from the head of Penfolds, Peter Gago, which was the highlight of the article in Wine-Searcher:
"The pandemic has probably diminished the 'cult of the sommelier'. Recent events may have also subdued their profile/visibility in the US market. Perhaps we're moving towards a new paradigm: less aspirationally rock star - more humility?"
Photo: Peter Gago, Chief Winemaker, Penfolds.com
Although he said what most of us in the industry were thinking, his articulation of this sentiment (with a hint of hopefulness) really gives permission to others to stop putting sommeliers on a pedestal. With his proclamation, he effectively has made it ok for restaurants and producers to stop treating these people as influencer gods (as Don and I discuss, beyond their bubbles and their restaurants they don’t actually sell wine so this makes sense!). He has sounded the death knell for sommelier culture.
James Lawrence, the author of the piece in Wine-Searcher, contacted other heavy hitters in the industry, including respected importer Thierry Thiese in the US, who concurred that the ego and adulation of sommeliers needed to go away. Others in the restaurant world stated that the role of the sommelier needed to change to something more operational and more guest-focused.
I highly recommend reading the article to see the blunt nature of the comments made and how they represent a true shift in the wine world away from truly, ‘the cult of the somm’ as Peter Gago christened it.
Photo credit: Pixabay
As for our conversation, Don and I discuss the role of critics and sommeliers, the future of the wine industry, non-alcoholic beverage trends, and what we both hope will be a better, more wine-drinker friendly world with the wine industry requiring a total reset of the sommelier role, attitude, and ego.
Some heavy topics but Don is devoid of pretense and so very clear-eyed and articulate about the industry, what is happening, and needs to happen. Don is infinitely entertaining and this podcast is bound to delight (unless you're a snobby sommelier and then you'll really hate us).
Sign up for the Wine-Searcher newsletter to keep up with Don.
_______________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
And get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine club, which is the REAL DEAL!
Barbecues are fun, but having wine at them…not so much! The food at barbecues ranges but the theme is that even though they generally occur in the dead of summer, the food is heavy and served warm so the wines we needed for pairing aren’t necessarily the same ones we’d have for sipping on the porch. In this show, we go over the main foods we eat at BBQs and break down some of their constituent components so we can find the best wines for them.
Photo: Unsplash
It turns out that, as we talked through it all, there are some wines you just can’t do without at a barbecue – we tell you the details of great pairing and hopefully convince you that with just a few key wines, you can have bottles that pair as well with food off the grill and the sides, as a cold, frosty beer.
Condiments we discuss:
- Ketchup (and its ingredients)
- Mustard (and its ingredients)
- Mayo
Photo: Pexels
Sample foods we use to explain pairing and offer some ideas with explanations:
- Hot dogs and popular toppings like sauerkraut, slaw, ketchup, and mustard
- Burgers with popular toppings
- Sausage
- Pork and various preparations
- Steak
- Chicken
- Veggies
- Seafood and fish
- Corn
- Watermelon
- Pasta salad
- Cole Slaw
Photos: Unsplash
Ribs and rubs: ketchup based sauces, sugar and fruit based sauces, smoky flavors, tandoori or hot spice notes, garlic and lemon marinades
MVPs (most valuable players – meaning best wines):
- Rosé: heavier styles from Tavel, Bandol (both in France) or those with higher alcohol levels, therefore a heavier body
Photos: Pixabay
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Whites: Grüner Veltliner, fruity Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling (off dry and dry), Chenin Blanc (off dry and dry), Albariño, Verdejo, Fiano, Etna Bianco
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Reds: Gamay, fruity Pinot Noir (California, New Zealand, Chile), Grenache/Syrah/ Mourvèdre blends (GSM) – either Côtes-du-Rhône or from warmer places in Australia or the US, Shiraz from Australia or earthier Syrah in some cases, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, right bank Bordeaux
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Sparkling – have to have it, even if it’s cheap (Cava. Prosecco)
Don't forget to chill your whites, rosés, and especially your REDS!! Happy grilling!
_____________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
As the climate has changed, winegrowers have initiated the hunt for places where natural acidity and lightness can shine in the glass. Warmer years mean we can't always rely on our standbys -- Sancerre, Chablis, Chinon, and other wines from northern climes -- to have a balance of lighter alcohol and excellent acidity. People are seeking answers in many places -- some add artificial acidity or use technology for balance, some seek higher altitudes, and some higher latitudes. In this show we deal with the latter.
Map: Mikael Bodlore-Penlaez, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
(notice the Pays Nantais, part of Loire Wine Region, in the lower right...)
Following a prologue from me about the wines of Scandinavia, which is, in fact, a thing, journalist Barnaby Eales of show 327 (EU Ingredient Labeling) joins again to discuss his latest article from Meininger's Wine Business International "Cool Breizh", about the new trend towards winegrowing in the northwestern area of Brittany, France.
Frankly, my introduction and our conversation are a bit surreal to think about, but this is the new reality and we need to be open to what is coming next as traditional regions warm and we seek to maintain food friendly, balanced wines in our fridges.
In my intro, I discuss wines mainly of Scania, Sweden and I mention the PDO of Dons, Denmark, the EU's northernmost protected wine region. I discuss the grapes that are popular in both places:
- Reds: Rondo, Regent and Léon Millot (all three are hybrids) with Pinot Noir and others
- Whites: Solaris (a hybrid developed from Riesling) for acidity and sweetness with Pinot Gris and Auxerrois Blanc for sparkling wines
Barnaby and I discuss:
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The background on his story, what is happening in Brittany, and why now
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The terroir and which grapes are best suited to the area (hybrids for organics, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Chenin Blanc for vitis vinifera)
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Some of the arcane laws that stopped Brittany from producing wine, even though it was capable of making great bottles 20 years ago. In addition, we discuss the very odd relationship Brittany has with the Loire (the Pays Nantais is really part of Brittany but was re-allocated under the Vichy fascist regime...it still stands today).
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The people who are trying to develop vineyards in Brittany -- they are from Provence, Bordeaux, and Champagne, among other places, and they are some big names. This is a serious place for wine in the future!
I really encourage you to take a look at Barnaby's article. It's a great read and will really get you thinking about what's next.
If you want to read about Scandinavian wine, here are a few sources I used:
- The Wine Gastronome
- The New York Times: Scandinavian Wine? A Warming Climate Tempts Entrepreneurs
- Wine Enthusiast: Sweden's Growing Wine Scene
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_wine
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_wine
- Visit Denmark
_____________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Oak stabilizes color and smooths tannins, some think of it as a seasoning ingredient. But what about the other vessels that are increasingly popular for fermentation and aging? What do they do and are they really more than hype? We discuss the main alternatives to oak -- concrete and amphora, what each does and the benefits of each.
Photo: Concrete eggs made by Sonoma Cast Stone
The show is a hybrid of discussion and interview, as I welcome Steve Rosenblatt of Sonoma Cast Stone, who manufactures custom concrete eggs and tanks, and Debbie Passin of VinEthos.com who sells custom, next generation amphora.
Photo: Vinethos
We start at the beginning and explain the purpose of all vessels for fermentation and aging.
For winemakers looking for good texture and small transfers of oxygen to smooth the tannins in reds and provide a good medium for sur lie aging in whites, but who don't want the oak flavor, they have a few choices.
- They can use aged, neutral oak barrels. These neutral barrels provide the benefits people seek but they do absorb a lot of wine, are hard to clean, and don't always keep the fresh flavors of the wine.
- They can use stainless steel tanks or smaller stainless steel drums. These are great for wines that don't need any oxygen, as they keep flavors fresh and clean. They are temperature controlled, easy to clean and sanitize, and they allow the wine's flavor to shine. For those who want a more intense flavor, the smaller vessels will allow more contact with the lees (dead yeast cells that break up and give nutty, breads flavors to the wine).
Photo: Quality Stainless Tanks
But what if you want the benefits of oak without the flavor? That's where concrete eggs and amphoras come in.
We first address concrete, which is at this time, a bit more popular than amphora. The main benefits we discuss:
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The shape of the egg allows for continuous flow to the wine as it ferments and matures, creating a more homogenous wine.
- As fermentation creates heat, convection currents move the wine around, as it does in a tank or barrel. The currents are so strong, that the wine barely needs to be punched down or pumped over during fermentation. Battonage (stirring lees for increased flavor) also is barely needed. The lack of corners in the container mean there are no "dead areas" and the wine is more complex and uniform in quality and texture.
- Tannins are softened during maturation: Similar to the benefits during fermentation, the egg shape constantly circulates the lees as the wine matures after malolactic fermentation so the tannins in reds are softer and finer with age in eggs.
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Insulation: Concrete can be up to six inches thick so there is natural insulation from outside temperature swings that stainless steel tanks cannot provide without cooling or heating coils. This allows wine from concrete eggs to maintain freshness.
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Oxygenation (with a caveat): Unlined concrete allows tiny amounts of oxygen to permeate and come into contact with the wine (from inside of the tank when it first is put in the tank). This softens tannins, creates complexity, texture, and a better mouthfeel especially during fermentation. The wine is fruity without any oak flavors.
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Beauty and sustainability: The vessels are beautiful, can be customized, and they last forever if they are taken care of – score for sustainability!
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Ease of cleaning in a fermentation or aging vessel is really essential in wine. Sanitized vessels = clean wine. Concrete is easy to sanitize and clean.
Photo: Steve Rosenblatt, Sonoma Cast Stone
After we set up the history and benefits of concrete, I welcome the wonderful Steve Rosenblatt, founder and owner of Sonoma Cast Stone (and hobbyist winemaker!), the only manufacturer of concrete eggs in the United States, who gives us incredible detail on these benefits and more.
Next, we discuss amphoras. The benefits are largely the same (shape allows convection, clay is great for insulation, they are beautiful and sustainable, and easy to clean) but the real difference is porosity of amphoras, which mimics oak without flavor more than concrete…
- True mico-oxygenation...Amphoras are made of clay and the newest generation have materials that can be fired at very high temperatures (in a kiln). These new amphoras don’t impart flavor, don’t crack or leak, and they have small pores, which allow for slow and steady micro-oxygenation similar to oak. The wine has complex texture, tannins relax over time, and lees are integrated into the wine. The difference: the grape and terroir are preserved with no oaky flavor.
Photo: Deborah Passin of VinEthos.com
Deborah Passin of VinEthos, who sells the top amphora producer, helps explain amphora and, importantly, dispel the myth that somehow amphora are only for natural wine or for funky, oxidized styles. Amphoras are great vessels for all wine.
I learned so much in this show – I hope you will too!
________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
Prosecco is not only Italy’s most popular sparkler, but recently it has surpassed Champagne to become the world’s best-selling sparkling wine. In this show we go over the details of the Prosecco region, the winemaking techniques, and I share the most important thing about the wine and how to get the best: the DOCGs that make way better wine than the cheap and cheerful stuff at the supermarket.
By the end of the show you’ll understand why Prosecco shouldn't be compared to Champagne (spoiler alert – it’s not made the same and that’s on purpose!) and how to get better versions of what you may already be sipping!
Photo Valdobiaddene, Unsplash
Here are the show notes:
Location: The Prosecco DOC is in North East Italy between the Dolomite Mountains and the Adriatic Sea. It spans four provinces of the regions of Friuli Venezia Giulia (Gorizia, Pordenone, Trieste and Udine) and 5 provinces of the region of Veneto (Belluno, Padua, Treviso, Venice, Vicenza). Treviso and Trieste can add the special titles of Prosecco DOC Treviso and Prosecco DOC Trieste given their historic importance. Given the vast area the DOC covers (23,000 ha/56,000 acres) and the diversity of soil – from poor hilltops to fertile, loamy valleys and plains – it is difficult to name a single style of Prosecco. Climates also range –from cooler sites with mountain or marine breezes, to very warm flat areas that produce masses of grapes for industrial wine.
Source: Prosecco DOC
Grape: The Glera grape is the main grape in Prosecco (although it used to be called the Prosecco grape!). It is grape prone to high yields, which must be controlled to get high quality wine. When it is grown on good sites, it has moderately high acidity, a lighter body, and relatively low alcohol levels (the wines are usually not more than 12% alcohol by volume). Flavors range but typically Glera exhibits melon, peach, pear, and white flower notes. Prosecco can also have up to 15% Verdiso, Bianchetta Trevigiana, Perera, Glera lunga, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, and Pinot Nero grapes in the blend.
Source: Prosecco DOC
Prosecco is NOT Champagne and it shouldn’t be compared to it (or any of the other wines made in that method). The key difference in the flavor of Prosecco, apart from the Glera grape, is in the winemaking techniques (again, different from Champagne!!). In this process, you harvest the grape and make wine through a primary fermentation. But whereas in the traditional method of sparkling wine, where secondary fermentation takes place in individual bottles, Prosecco’s secondary fermentation takes place in autoclaves, large steel tanks kept under pressure.
The process takes as little as a month (versus the required 9 months for most sparkling wine in made in the traditional method), and the wines do not rest sur lie for a long period of time, so the fruitiness of the Glera grape is maintained, rather than replaced with the yeasty, bready character from the yeast. Further, the pressure within the bottle is significantly less in Prosecco, making it a much less bubbly wine in most cases (although there are exceptions). The process has several names: the Martinotti Method, the Charmat Method, Cuve Close, Tank Method, or Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Method.
It’s important to recognize that for grapes like Glera (or Riesling in Germany where this method is also used) preserving aroma while getting a fresh effervescence is the goal – they should not be handled like grapes used for the traditional method – the goal of those wines is different. Hence, we should not be comparing Prosecco to Champagne or other sparkling wines – it’s apples and oranges, really.
Source: Prosecco DOC
There are several types of Prosecco, they vary based on how sparkling they are:
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Spumante (sparkling), which is the most common and the most bubbly and has a regular sparkling wine cork
- In 2020, Prosecco DOC Rosé was approved as a new sub-category of Spumante. It must contain at least 85% Glera with 10-15% Pinot Nero. The wine must use the Martinotti/Charmat Method but spend 60 days in autoclave v 30 days for Prosecco DOC. It is vintage dated.
-
Frizzante (semi-sparkling), which has light and less persistent bubbles than Spumante an is more floral than fruity and often bottled with a screw cap.
- Proseccco Col Fondo, is a frizzante, but more specifically a pétillant naturel(pét-nat). That means a single fermentation takes place in the bottle from which you drink the wine. It is cloudy and full of lees, or dead yeast cells, and often a bit bready from years on the lees.
- Tranquillo (still), which is very uncommon and is bottled before the secondary fermentation
Similar to all sparkling wines, there is a sweetness scale for these wines, which you will see on the label:
- Brut Nature (0-3 grams per liter of residual sugar)
- Extra Brut (0-6 g/l of residual sugar)
- Brut (up to 12 grams per liter of residual sugar)
- Extra Dry (12–17 g/l of residual sugar)
- Dry (17–32 g/l of residual sugar)
- Demi-sec (32-50 g/l of residual sugar)
The DOCG
The 20% of high quality Prosecco production happens around the smaller, hilly, historic DOCG towns of Conegliano, Valdobbiadene and Asolo. These areas have strong diurnals, poorer soils (meaning, better for the vines), and the wines are a few steps above general Prosecco. They are more complex, the fruit flavors are purer – lemon, peach, pear notes are strong as well as floral notes, flintiness, chalk, and saline aromas and flavors. The wines tend to have lower levels of sugar and are more terroir driven. They are trying to distance themselves from cheaper big-brand Prosecco DOC, some even have elected to remove the world “Prosecco” from their front labels.
Here are the Prosecco Superiore DOCG to seek out:
- Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG is a cut above and it’s a fairly low risk way to see how better Prosecco tastes.
- Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore “Rive” DOCG is from the steep hills and top vineyards of 43 designated sites – these are outstanding terroir driven wines
- Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG is the top wine of Prosecco. It consists of 107 ha/264 acres of vineyards on the steepest hillsides of San Pietro di Barbozza, Santo Stefano and Saccol, in Valdobbiadene.
- Asolo Prosecco DOCG is outstanding, with great salinity and minerality as well
________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
Beaujolais is a unique, standalone wine region in central eastern France. Sandwiched between southern Burgundy (the Mâconnais) and Lyon (where it is their preferred wine), these wines and this terroir is like no other on earth. With high elevation from the western Massif Central, east and south-facing slopes, these wines get ripe over a long growing season with good diurnals. The unique pink granite and weathered granite sand, along with mineral rich soils of the northern section of Beaujolais, aren’t something you’ll easily find elsewhere in the wine world. In addition, nowhere else in the world specializes in the Gamay grape.
Source: www.beaujolais.com
This grape’s expression in the 10 Crus of Beaujolais – whether it be like iris and violets, tart cherry, blackberry, mineral or intense spice – is always surprising and refreshing due to the high acidity of the wines. The quality for price can’t be beat and as producers embrace traditional vinification rather than carbonic maceration (used in Beaujolais nouveau, which is declining) the wines continue to improve and show what Gamay and the Beaujolais region are capable of. We give you all the details you need to seek out these splendid, undervalued gems.
There are 12 Appellations in Beaujolais: 10 Cru and 2 regional appellations
Beaujolais/Beaujolais Superiéur are regional appellations. These wines are mainly (99%) red of Gamay. They are required to have a minimum of 10% alcohol (not very ripe!) and are generally made via semi-carbonic maceration. These wines can be red or rosé. The reds taste like red grapes, cranberry, cherry, banana, candied pear, and are light in color, light in tannin and high in acidity. 1% of Beaujolais AOC wines are simple whites of Chardonnay.
Added designations:
- Superiéur: The wines have lower yields, and 0.5% more alcohol. You can only use this designation for reds.
- 30 specific village names can be added to the Beaujolais AOC or Beaujolais Superieur
- Nouveau/Primeur: released the third Thursday of November, made through carbonic maceration, these wines represent 2/3 of the Beaujolais AOC. All are hand harvested to keep the whole grapes for carbonic maceration
Beaujolais Villages are from 38 specific villages that are deemed
extremely high quality and can also be red or rosé although they are mainly red. These reds are darker in color and less grapey than basic Beaujolais. They have red and black berry, mineral, and spice notes, with more tannin and strong acidity. Some of these wines are made without carbonic maceration and are more serious wines with complexity, although Villages can be sold as Nouveau as well.
Beaujolais Villages Blanc are 100% Chardonnay and are concentrated in flavor, similar to the wines of Mâconnais.
Crus: The 10 best of Beaujolais
All wine is 100% Gamay. The pruning methods, vine density and yields are specified by commune. All grapes for the Crus are hand-harvested, most of it is hand-sorted. The best of these wines are transitioning from carbonic maceration to traditional red wine fermentation. The minimum required minimum alcohol is 10%. Although “Cru de Beaujolais” must be somewhere on the label, it is generally in very small print, so you need to know the names of the Crus to find them!
The Crus also have special vineyard sites, or climats, which you will see on the bottle and should seek out. Because so few people are familiar with these wines, they are incredibly affordable, with great examples costing less than US$30!
From north to south, as we discuss in the show, the Crus are: Saint-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-á-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régníe, Côte de Brouilly, Brouilly
Source: www.discoverbeaujolais.com
In groups by style, here are the descriptions of each…
Light -Medium Bodied: Chiroubles
These wines are floral, with iris, violet, and peony notes. They also have red berry and baking spice aromas and flavors with a light body and the famed “Glisser en bouche” – glides down the throat – quality. These wines ages 2 to 5 years.
Medium-Bodied
Saint -Amour is made in two styles.
- Style 1: Light, fruity, grapey, peachy, and like violets/flowers. Acidic and should be consumed within a year or two of vintage.
- Style 2: Medium-bodied, slightly tannic, with sour cherry, ginger, baking spice and a savory, earthy quality that is like Pinot Noir with age. The best can age 10 years.
Fleurie is elegant and silky with iris, violet, rose, red fruit, and peach aromas and flavors. Fleurie wines can be soft or more substantial with dark fruit notes. They can age up to 5 years
Source: www.beaujolais.com
Brouilly is fruit-driven with plum, red berry, cherry notes and sometimes mineral notes. They are have softer tannins and can age 3 to 5 years.
Medium- to full-bodied:
Cote de Brouilly is sourced from the high-altitude areas within Brouilly. The wines are more robust in body with blackberry, plum, fresh grape, iris flower, and black pepper notes. They have strong acidity and mild tannin. They taste better after 4 to 6 years.
Juliénas is highly aromatic with sweet and tart red berry, violet/dark flower, cinnamon, peach notes, and a mineral earthiness. They have great acidity and can age 6 to 10 years.
Full-bodied:
Chenás is floral with peony and rose aromas. It has a special spicy, woodsy quality, regardless of whether it has been in a barrel. Chénas has some tannin and is ageworthy – it can age 8 to 10 years.
Moulin-a-Vent is the King of Beaujolais; the pinnacle of the region. When it’s young, it’s like violets, cherries, and plums with a mineral, earth note. With age (the wines improve over 10 or more years), these wines become more like Pinot Noir - Indian spice, sandalwood, and earth. They are balanced with good tannin and acidity.
Source: www.beaujolais.com
Morgon is the longest lived of the Cru, with aging potential of 5 to 20 years. These wines are full-bodied and powerful with black cherry, peach, plum, and violet. Their tannin, flavor, and acidity allow them to evolve and with time, get earthier (like truffles) and spicy (like licorice or mellow spice), and the texture is velvety. “Morgonner”, or to “Morgon” is a local word that describes how these wines evolve.
Régníe is full-bodied but not as ageworthy as the others in this category. The wines taste like tart cherry, raspberry, red currant, plum, blackcurrant, blackberry aromas. Acidic, mineral, spice, some tannin
Food for heavier styles: Steak, mushroom-based dishes, eggplant-based dishes with herbs and pepper, strong cheeses, pizza with meat toppings, tuna, salmon, lentils, black bean burgers, and anything with garlic.
Food for medium to light styles: Brie, anything with garlic, salmon, cod with garlic based sauces, turkey burgers with savory notes, dishes with scallion/onion as a main flavor, Thanksgiving fare, bacon dishes, pork with fruit glazes (fruitier wines).
If you have not tried these splendid Cru, go out and get the one that sounds the best to you immediately. These are wines to discover. Once you do, you’ll drink them forever!
________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
Sources:
- https://cluboenologique.com/story/welcome-to-the-new-burgundy-chablis-out-beaujolais-in/
- https://www.beaujolais.com/en/
- https://www.discoverbeaujolais.com/
First, thanks to listener and Patron Rafael C. for the podcast topic this week!
It is the 45th Anniversary of the Judgment of Paris: a tasting of California and French wines, organized but the late Steve Spurrier, that opened the door for wines from the US and all over the New World to be recognized for their excellence. We should raise a glass to him, his partner Patricia Gallagher, and to journalist and author George Taber, all of whom made this event so very significant.
Here's a quick recap, all of which we cover in the podcast...
In 1976, an English wine shop owner, Steven Spurrier, and the director of his adjacent wine school, Patricia Gallagher, wanted to introduce members of the French culinary elite to the wines of California. The goal was to show them the new developments happening across the world in wine (and to get publicity for Cave de la Madeleine and the Academie du Vin -- genius marketing!).
Photo: Berry Bros & Rudd Wine Blog
In preparation, Spurrier and Gallagher researched, tasted, and carefully selected 6 boutique California Chardonnays and 6 boutique Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines. They brought these wines to France and on May 24, 1976 conducted a three-hour tasting that (unbeknownst to them) would change the wine world forever.
Nine French judges sat at the Intercontinental Hotel in Paris and sipped 6 California Chardonnays with a group of four high end white Burgundies (100% Chardonnay). They followed that up with 6 California Cabernet Sauvignons and four of the best Bordeaux from the Left Bank. The results were as follows:
Chardonnays
- 1973 Chateau Montelena, Napa Valley (family owned)
- 1973 Roulot Meursault Charmes, Premier Cru, Bourgogne
- 1974 Chalone Vineyards, Santa Cruz Mountains (owned by Diageo)
- 1973 Spring Mountain Vineyard, Napa Valley (owned by an investment company)
- 1973 Joseph Drouhin Beaune “Clos des Mouches,” Premier Cru Bourgogne
- 1972 Freemark Abbey, Napa Valley (owned by Jackson Family Wines/Kendall-Jackson)
- 1973 Ramonet-Prudhon, Bâtard-Montrachet, Grand Cru, Bourgogne
- 1972 Domaine Leflaive, Puligny- Montrachet, “Les Pucelles”, Premier Cru, Bourgogne
- 1972 Veedercrest Vineyards, Napa Valley (shut down for 20 years, resurrected in 2005 under a sole proprietor)
- 1972 David Bruce Winery, Santa Cruz Mountains (family owned)
Photo: National Museum of American History -- Smithsonian
The Cabernets/Bordeaux
- 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Napa Valley (owned by Chateau Ste. Michelle/Antinori)
- 1970 Château Mouton-Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux
- 1970 Château Haut-Brion, Graves, Bordeaux
- 1970 Château Montrose, St-Éstephe, Bordeaux
- 1971 Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains (owned since 1987 by a Japanese pharmaceutical company)
- 1971 Château-Leoville-Las-Cases, St. Julien, Bordeaux
- 1971 Mayacamas Vineyards, Napa Valley (family owned)
- 1972 Clos du Val, Napa Valley (family owned)
- 1970 Heitz Cellars, Martha’s Vineyard, Napa Valley (investor owned)
- 1969 Freemark Abbey, Napa Valley (owned by Jackson Family Wines/Kendall-Jackson)
Shocking and unexpected though they were, the results helped land California a seat at the table in the world of serious wine and paved the way for other regions to show that they were also capable of making excellent wines.
Photo: Bella Spurrier
The contest was not without objection. According to George Taber’s book (FYI -this is an affiliate link and I may earn a small commission from your purchase) the major ones were:
- The 20-point system was too limiting (but 20 points was standard at the time, I think any scale would have been criticized)
- For each category there were only four French wines to six California wines, so the odds were statistically in California’s favor (this is a very valid argument but the purpose of the tasting was for fun and learning, so we can’t really fault Spurrier for not knowing!)
- Spurrier didn’t choose the best French vintages (Spurrier picked French wines he thought would win, this was the best available)
- The French wines were too young (the tasting has been replicated and the California wines have aged better than the French wines!)
- Blind tastings suck – (this is very true but there was no "gotcha" here. It was just done to remove judgment, not to make people guess what wine was what Chateau!)
My additional objections:
- It is quite unfair to judge French wine without food. A small roll for palate cleansing isn’t enough. With a meal, the French wines would have been different. Food must be at the table for a fair judgement.
- The order of the wines in a tasting matters. Of course a lighter style wine tried after a heavier one will seem washed out. I don’t know what the case was here, but the “out of the hat” system was probably not the best order for the wines.
- We do need to realize that 1976 was a very difficult time for France. It was still rebuilding after the trauma of two World Wars in very quick succession and it took years to garner investment and get the wineries functioning and modernized. This was likely in the period of transition and that means the wines, made by traditional methods may have tasted less “clean” in comparison to the wines of California, which benefitted from cutting edge technology and scientific know-how, which was part of the culture of the reborn wine culture there.
That said, we all must raise a glass to Steve Spurrier, Patricia Gallagher, and George Taber for holding/covering this event, which improved and globalized wine for the modern times!
Book cover from Amazon.com
I highly recommend George Taber’s book "Judgment of Paris" It’s a great read!
PS-- As we discussed in the show, check out my friend Tanisha Townsend's podcast, "Wine School Dropout" and her site Girl Meets Glass!
________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
Winemaker/Founder Phil Long of Longevity Wines is a true
Garagiste – he began his making wine in the garage with his late wife Debra in the mid-2000s. In 2008, the couple quit their full-time jobs and the couple opened their tasting room and winery in the Livermore Valley near their home.
Livermore Valley is a sub-AVA of the Central Coast with a really unique climate (I lived in Pleasanton, the next town over, so I speak from experience!) – with cool nights and some San Francisco Bay influence bumping up against the heat from the east of the Central Valley. The wines were sourced using local fruit and Longevity grew from a few hundred, to a few thousand cases.
Map from the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association
Phil is revered for his balanced wines from Bordeaux and Rhone varietals. His wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Debruvee (the GSM Rhone Style blend), and Philosophy (Bordeaux style blend). In 2018, the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association voted Longevity Winery of the Year. With their artfully designed labels (done by Phil as a tribute to Debra), Longevity's wines are also a darling of Hollywood, with bottles being featured on tv shows and in movies.
Phil is the President of the Association of African American Vintners (AAAV) and has been a key player in the discussion around the lack of diversity in the wine industry. We discuss his role as the spokesperson for the organization and the importance of making changes to improve the wine industry as a whole.
Phil is a down-to-earth, smart, and talented guy. Despite how big Longevity may be in the future with the Bronco partnership, I don't think that will ever change!
__________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
After a few conversations, it became clear that M.C. Ice has been very confused about the differences between classification systems in France. Isn't Bordeaux the same as Burgundy? What’s the terminology -- it's it Premier Cru? Grand Cru? What exactly is each place ranking? And why do they do it at all?
In this show we get in the weeds on the five classifications of Bordeaux (read the Wine For Normal People book or listen to Ep 59 and 60 to get up to speed on Bordeaux before attempting this!). We talk about their history, what they aimed to achieve and the criteria each use. We try to clear up what each is ranking, how they are ranked and why it all matters. MC Ice was clear by the end, we hope you are too!
Here are the classifications of Bordeaux mentioned in the show:
1855 Classification (with Sauternes and Barsac):
The terminology for each level is “Cru”, there are five levels:
- First-Growths / Premières Crus
- Second-Growths / Deuxièmes Crus
- Third-Growths / Troisièmes Crus
- Fourth-Growths / Quatrièmes Crus
- Fifth-Growths / Cinquièmes Crus
- Sauternes and Barsac have first and second growths, and Château d’Yquem is a Great First-Growth / Grand Premier Cru
And the 1961 Proposed classification
Graves Classification
- Grand Cru Classé de Graves
St Émilion Classification:
- Premier Grand Cru Classé 'A'
- Premier Grand Cru Classé 'B'
- Grand Cru Classé
- St Émilion Grand Cru
Cru Bourgeois
- Crus Bourgeois
- Crus Bourgeois Supérieurs
- Crus Bourgeois Exceptionnels
Cru Artisan Classification (only Médoc)
__________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Krista Simmons is a culinary travel writer and producer who runs the digital media company,Fork in the Road Media. She has been on TV shows like Top Chef Masters, Knife Fight, Hell's Kitchen, The Today Show, and more. She has written for Travel + Leisure, Departures, and the Los Angeles Times.
Krista is the real deal: she has held jobs in the restaurant industry since she was 15. And following that she traveled, went to culinary school, and she's studying for WSET Level 2 Exam. She has lived more in her young life than most of us could hope to in our whole lives!
In the show Krista joins to share her wisdom and advice on wine travel, and specifically on travel in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara, California, which she recently covered for a ridiculously popular piece in Condé Nast Travel: How to Spend a Weekend in California's Santa Ynez Valley
We share several tips, and go through the "personalities" of the major areas of the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County (Solvang, Los Olivos, Los Alamos, Santa Ynez, Buellton). Here are some highlights with links we mention:
Tip 1: Stay close to where you want to go to dinner! That way you can walk home after having some adult beverages. Some hotels we mention:
- The Winston Solvang
- The Santa Ynez Inn
- Fess Parker Inn (very pricey)
The Winston, Solvang
Tip 2: Find great restaurants by following people like Krista and the publications she writes for (like Condé Nast Traveler). Food bloggers are another great source of info for top restaurants you may want to hit while visiting wine country. Also, ask your local chefs if they have ever traveled to the area you are going and if they know any great restaurants.
When on the ground, tasting room staff are a great resource for the best local fare!
Here are some restaurants we mention:
- Breakfast at Bob’s Well Bread in Los Alamos and Ballard
- El Rancho Market (Santa Ynez)
- Industrial Eats (Buellton)
- Coast Range (Solvang)
- Bell's (Los Alamos)
- Pico (Los Alamos): My favorite, because I love Lumen and Will Henry (Episode 259!) who owns it and the restaurant (it is also delicious!)
Pico Restaurant, Los Alamos
Tip 3: Pack well! We spend lots of time talking about packing for comfort (NO HIGH HEELS!). Krista mentions some specific shoe brands:
- https://www.blundstone.com/
- https://www.redwingshoes.com/
- https://www.bornshoes.com/
- https://www.danner.com/
She also recommends bringing a jacket for the cool nights and a hat for the hot daytime!
Tip 4: If you're traveling on a budget, plan trips for the “shoulder season” – the least busy time of the year. In wine country that's December to February. Travel during the week if you can, it will save you a bundle.
We share so many more tips, including the biggest pitfalls you can fall into in travel. This is a great show for all wine country travel and it is a must if you are going to Santa Barbara County wine country!
Make sure to follow Krista and listen to her podcast, Fork in the Road (especially the episode with Wine for Normal People 😉)
__________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Grüner Veltliner (GROOH-ner felt-LEEN-ah) is the main white grape of Austria. In this show we discuss its surprisingly recent rise to fame, its unusual origin, and its important place in wine.
Here are the show notes:
History and Parents of Grüner
- We discuss this beautiful white grape whose name means 'green grape from the village of Veltlin in the Tyrol (Italy)," despite that fact that the grape likely comes from Niederösterreich, Austria
- M.C. Ice becomes baffled by Savagnin v Sauvignon. We settle on calling Savagnin it's other name, Traminer.
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The story of Grüner's other parent, St. Georgener is a marvel.In short, it was discovered as a 100+ year old lone vine growing on a cattle farm in 2000 after a local vintner followed a hunch that it was there. After six years of study, it became clear it was the parent of Grüner. In 2011, vandals chopped this old, lone vine into smithereens -- the ancient trunk and all shoots were hacked to pieces, devastating the Austrian wine industry. The thieves were never caught (although M.C. Ice swears he's on the job) but grapes are hard to keep down -- new shoots from this old vine grew from the ground and now the new growth is a national monument.
-
We discuss how Grüner Veltliner was not much of a revered grape in Austria until the proper trellising system came along and changed the game. In the 1950s, producer Lenz Moser created a new vine training system that changed the way the grape is grown."High culture" or Hochkultur calls for growing the vine trunk to (1.3 m/ 4.3 ft) and reducing vine density by wide row spacing. These changes revolutionized Grüner. By 2002 it gained great critical acclaim and it grew in popularity from there.
Here is a link to the Wall Street Journal article written by Leattie Teague, who I referred to as the "bizarro" me (as Seinfeld reference -- it means it is you, only the exact opposite!). In this case, I don't think Grüner has ever been "out of fashion" but I also don't believe in wines being fashionable, so there's that.
Grüner in the Vineyard
- To get the best wines from this grape, restricting yields is essential
- This mid-ripening grape has very green, yellow toned berries and does well on Loess soils, does not like dry soils
The rest of the show is a quick tour of the regions...
Austria
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Weinviertel DAC : Austria’s largest wine-growing region, this northeast area is home to more than half of all Austrian Grüner Veltliner. The wines from the west are lighter and more minerally. Those in the northeast are spicy. In the southeast the wines are soft, round, and can be at higher levels of ripeness (on the Prädikat scale -- Auslese, Beerenauslause -- fully ripe to botrytized unctuous wines). Weinviertel Grüner is known for “Pfefferl” - white, black, and green pepper notes with fruit and acidity.
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Traisental DAC: Along the Traisen -- a tributary of the Danube -- this is a small area with very long lived Reserve wines and fruity, spicy, acidic, minerally Grüner Veltliner. The single vineyard wines are prized, albeit hard to find outside of Austria.
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Leithaberg DAC : Creates varietally labeled or blended Grüner (often with Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Neuberger)
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Wagram DAC: Known for easy drinking spicy wines but the region does make rich reserve wines as well.
Austrian Grüner's "Big Three" along the Danube: Kamptal, Kremstal, Wachau
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Kamptal DAC: Named for the river Kamp that runs through it, Kamptal is known for mid-weight to very robust, dry wines with tropical, mineral, and peppery notes. In cooler years the wines are lighter and refreshing, in warmer ones it is full bodied and silky with fruit and pepper flavors and aromas.
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Kremstal DAC: Named for the Krems river, Kremstal has three zones that produce different styles. The best generally come from the loess (wind-blown silt soils) terraces along the Danube, which create round, full-bodied, fruity wines with ample acidity for balance. Kremstal is slightly warmer than Kamptal, so especially in cooler vintages, Kremstal will show noticeably silkier textures, more body, and more fruit than the wines of Kamptal
-
Wachau DAC (as of spring 2020): The most famed area for Grüner Velliner in the world, this narrow valley runs from the city of Melk to Krems. Vineyards are on steep, terraced hills, which face south and must be harvested by hand. The climate here represents the meeting of the cooler Atlantic air from the west and the warmer Pannonian air from the east -- the blend is ideal for growing Grüner. Wachau makes some of the best Grüner in the world. When it is made from ideal sites and aged, many compare it to the finest Burgundies, for a fraction of the price. Wachau has its own ripeness classification:
-
- Steinfeder is for lighter wines with up to 11.5% alcohol
- Federspiel is the classic Wachau wines with good ripeness and flavor, and alcohols ranging from 11.5%-12.5% ABV
- Smargd is for full ripe grapes with ABV of more than 12.5% (smargd is a green lizard that runs around the vineyards of Wachau)
(more information on all these spots at the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, from which much of the above info is sourced) Other spots in Europe that grow Grüner: Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Trentino Alto-Adige (Italy), Wurttemberg (Germany), France
Grüner in the New World
In the US:
- The Finger Lakes and Long Island in New York
- Various other east coast states including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Virginia
- California – various places, including ACORN Winery in Sonoma, which will soon have a white field blend featuring Grüner
- Oregon: Both in Willamette Valley and Umpqua Valley
- Washington State
Other spots around the New world...
- Canada: British Columbia is experimenting with Grüner
- Australia: South Australia, specifically Adelaide Hills as well as Canberra
- New Zealand: Gisbourne on the North Island, Marlborough and Central Otago on the South Island (I didn't mention this in the podcast but there is a good amount of loess soil in New Zealand, which is ideal for Grüner. This is especially true in Central Otago, where the climate is similar to that of Wachau).
A final note on Grüner Veltliner styles...
There is a tremendous amount of variety -- some wines are fresh and young wine, some are sparkling, some are very age worthy. Boiling it down to basics, we could put flavors into two buckets:
- Light, fresh, minerally with arugula, pepper, lemon, grapefruit and other citrus character. Some have spritz (small bubbles) to show off the minerality and fruit. The acidity may seem more pronounced in these styles because the fruit is not as ripe and lush
- Heavy, complex, with white pepper spice, tropical fruit or ripe apple notes, can be silky but with balancing acidity. These are the versions you find from warmer sites like Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal regions. Look for "Reserve" on the bottle if you plan to age these wines. And wait a few years before you have them -- many aren't ready for five or more years.
Other style notes:
- Grüner is generally made without oak aging in small or new barriques, as it hides the beautiful natural flavors of the grape.
- The sweet wines of Grüner are full and ripe -- like peaches, pineapple, and nutmeg but their richness is balanced by strong acidic.
Grüner Veltliner Food Pairing Ideas
- Charcuterie, schnitzel, smoked fish
- Salads, asparagus, other green veggies
- Vietnamese or Thai food. Lemongrass or spicy curries, and spring rolls are great pairings
If you haven't had Grüner get some today (I promise it's not a has-been. And if it is, let's snatch up what all the trendy people don't want -- their loss!).
__________________________________________________
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Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
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Croatia is a small country with unlimited wine potential. With a 2,500-year history of winemaking, this beautiful nation has coast, islands, and inland hills, all with unique soil types that make its growing conditions unlike anywhere else in the world. The four main regions make distinctive wines using indigenous grapes and although the industry is just getting back on its feet after a century of war, socialism, and poor viticulture, Croatia is a country on the ascent, and one you should know about!
Dubrovnik in Dalmatia
These show notes really have to be a list of places and grapes, to help you figure out what the heck we were saying on the show. So here it is, as promised:
Source: Croatian Chamber of Economy and Croatian Premium Wine Imports
Continental/Inland areas
Croatian Uplands: The cool, hilly areas around the nation’s capital of Zagreb
- Whites: Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay,
- Furmint (Hungary’s grape used for Tokaji, known as Pušipel or Moslavac),
- Škrlet (like Grüner Veltliner)
- Sparkling wine production using traditional method with long lees aging
- Reds: Pinot Noir, Purtugizec (Blauer Porturgieser)
Slavonia: A flatter area that goes east from Zagreb to where the Danube hits Serbia. It has Gently rolling hills but the area is famed from the Slavonian oak for (especially Italian) barrels.
- Whites:
- Graševina (grah-shay-VEEN-ah) - Croatia’s most planted white variety,
- Traminac (Gewürztraminer) in warmer sites
- Reds:
- Frankovka (Blaufränkisch) for still and sparkling wines
The Dalmatian Coast and Istria
Dalmatia and Croatia’s Islands: The southernmost region of Croatia, the area has a mild Mediterranean climate – with dry, hot summers, mild winters with rain. This is the big tourist area, it lies on the coast and includes Split and the city of Dubrovnik (the city of King’s Landing in the HBO Show “Game of Thrones.” Yes, I did read all 6 books).
There is island viticulture here and we mention some specific places: Brač, Vis, Korčula, Hvar (where the world’s oldest continuously cultivated vineyard can be found at Stari Grad Plain). Also home to the great wines of the Peljesac (pell-yer-shatz) Peninsula
- Whites:
- Pošip (po-SHIP)
- Vuguva (VOO-gah-vah)
- Maraština (mar-ahsh-TEEN-a)
- Debit
- Grk
- Reds:
- Crljenak Kastelnski (serl-YEN-ick casht-el-EN-ski)/Tribidag (regional name for same grape)
- Babić (bab-ICH)
- Plavac Mali (plaa-VAHTZ mah-lee) -- From Postup and Dingač (where Miljenko (Mike) Grgić was born)
Istria is the dynamic, outward looking, northern-most wine region. Throughout history it belonged to Austria, Italy, and Yugoslavia and that means it has a influences in food and wine from these nations. Istria has a Mediterranean climate, like Dalmatia but it is slightly cooler. It has rocky soils, rolling hills, and iron rich red soils (terra rossa like the Coonawarra of South Australia).
- Whites:
- 2/3 production is the Malvazija Istarska grape (Malvasia Istriana in Italy)
- Žlahtina (zh-LACHK-teen-ah): grown only on the island of Krk (KIRK), with citrus and pear notes, soft round textures and low acidity
- Reds:
- Native red variety Teran – acidic, aromatic medium to full bodied reds, best on clay-based terra rossa soils. Also great for Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and the native varieties. Also Refošk.
- Good wine tourism here
Grape Descriptions
Whites
Graševina: Welschriesling, Laški Rizling, Riesling Italico, Olasz Riesling): Croatia’s most planted white and grape variety overall
- Best in continental climate on the plains of Slavonia
- Styles range
- young, fresh, saline, and grassy when aged in neutral vessels
- Oak-aged with floral, peachy, apricot notes and a fuller body.
- Can age well, can be dry or off-dry, sparkling, botrytized, ice wine. Part of Gemišt, a mix of Graševina with sparkling water
Malvazija Istarska: Malvasia grown in Croatia with no relation to the Malvasia from Greece or Italy. Croatia’s second most-planted variety, can reflect terroir well
- Istria’s big grape –representing more than 50% of all their whites
- Styles:
- Fermented and aged in stainless steel – floral, honey, apple, pear notes, with lower acidity, salinity
- With extended skin contact and barrel aging -- full-bodied white or orange wine
- Experimentation with oak, concrete, amphora, skin contact is becoming common
Whites of Dalmatia
Pošip: Originally from the island of Korčula (CORE-chu-lah) where it was shielded form phylloxera as it grew on sandy soils. It also grows on the Pelješac Peninsula and on Brač and Hvar, and other islands
- The wine is aromatic, herbal, grassy, and acidic. Can be oaked, aged on the lees, huge styles, passito for region’s traditional sweet wine Prošek
Debit is like minerally Sauvignon Blanc but with more lime than grapefruit flavor. With oak age this wine can be like a medium bodied Chardonnay.
Maraština is dry and full-bodied with peach, nut, and floral aromas and a full, viscous texture.
Vugava: Mostly found on island of Vis in central Dalmatia, which has steep hillsides.
- The grape is similar to the Rhône Valley’s Viognier –it can get overripe and its lovely notes of apricot, honey, and flowers can verge on excessive, especially when accompanied by high alcohol and low acidity. For this reason, it used to be for blending only but growers are getting better at making varietal versions
Reds
Plavac Mali: The third most planted variety, it is grown mostly in southern Dalmatia, in bush vines on rocky soils and steep south-facing slopes. Dingač and Postup on the Pelješac peninsula are famed.
- Cross between Crlenjak Kaštelanski (Tribidrag or Crljenak Kaštelanski depending on the locality ancestral Zinfandel) and Dobričić (an ancient red wine grape variety from the Dalmatian coast).
- Similarities to Zinfandel: flavors like raisins, plums, and herbs. Both ripen to very high alcohol and have problems with uneven ripening, which makes them difficult to grow.
- Differences with Zinfandel: Plavac Mali is denser and heavier than Zinfandel and can have more black cherry flavors and more tannin. Plavac Mali can have lower acidity and producers sometimes do it no favors by putting it in new oak for too long
Babić: A small percentage is grown but some is imported to the US. It is grown Northern Dalmatia, NE of Split, some on the island of Korčula
- The grape is related to Dobričić so it is also a relative of Plavac Mali
- The wines are full bodied, herbal, acidic, with cherry notes, soft tannins, and lower alcohol levels
Teran: Grown in Istria, this lighter style, thin-skinned grape was grown in Istria for centuries, replaced with French varieties but is making a comeback
- The wines have good acidity and tannin. They look dark but have lighter aromas like red fruit, earthy, herbs, pepper. These wines are good for barrel aging and can age
Sources: Vina Croatia, Wine Anorak, The Buyer, SevenFifty, Wine Enthusiast
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Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
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Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
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For this show, we discuss a list of lovely reds and whites that you won't see on other lists for spring wines. Etna from Sicily? Check. Chignin Bergeron from Savoie in France? Yup. If you're looking for a change from the norm and a great spring list, here it is!
As promised, here is the list...with some example labels to make shopping easy (see the winefornormalpeople.com/blog for label examples)
- With its medium body, excellent acidity, and minerally flavors, Etna Rosso from Sicily is a must have for spring. It can gracefully handle grilled food as well as it does mushroom risottos!
The bonus wine: Etna Bianco, made of the Carricante grape. Similar nature, but with a greater hit of acidity and a cheek coating texture. Taste the volcano!
- As we called it in the Chardonnay episode, Jura is the Bizarro Burgundy. It's just across the Bresse plain and grows similar grapes...except when it doesn't. In the Arbois region, light, spicy, peppery reds of Poulsard and Trousseau can be lovely on a spring evening with salads, morel mushrooms, and flavorful fish like salmon.
The bonus wines: sparkling Crémant from the Jura made of Chardonnay and becoming more widely available OR Chignin Bergeron, aka Roussanne, from the neighboring region, Savoie. That peachy, herbal, fuller body with good acidity is great when there’s still a chill in the air but you still want to stay outside!
- Bordeaux, M.C. Ice’s favorite. For spring, a white Bordeaux with a large proportion of the waxy, peachy, sautéed herb, honeycomb flavored/textured Sémillon is nice as the nights warm up. Sauvignon Blanc gives these blends excellent acidity and herbal aromatics but you just need a touch of that when we’re dealing with spring. The great part about Bordeaux Blanc? You can switch to Sauvignon Blanc heavy blends in the summer for a more refreshing bottle! I recommend steering clear of Bordeaux Blanc and Bordeaux Blanc Superieur (unless you know the producer) and seeking out wines from the Côtes de Bordeaux (label examples below). If you can swing it, get a wine from Pessac-Leognan – the best areas for whites in Bordeaux.
The bonus wines: Merlot heavy red blends from the Côtes de Bordeaux—Castillon and Francs are the more serious areas but Blaye may be the most refreshing for our spring hit list.
- No list of mine is complete without Alsace, France. However, this time I’m switching up my regular Riesling reco and instead recommending Pinot Gris. We’re not in summer yet and the nights can have a nip, so Alsace Pinot Gris, with pear, citrus, white flower, and smoke notes, and a medium body will be a versatile sipper. It goes so well with onion tartlets, mushroom quiche, and chicken in herbal and citrus preparations!
The bonus wine: Yup, I’m doing it. Pinot Grigio. No, not the alcoholic lemon water! The good stuff from Trentino Alto-Adige. If you get a case, try the Pinot Gris and the Pinot Grigio together to see the similarities and differences. Pinot Grigio will be nuttier with higher acidity and more lemon notes, but the similarity will be far greater between these two wines than if you get a cheapy from the bottom shelf of the grocery!
- Rosé. Here’s the one on everyone’s list, but rightfully so. Fresh rosé is released in the springtime and there is nothing better than newly released rosé. Provence is the standard – especially from sub regions like Sainte-Victoire, Frejus, and La Londe. We forgot to mention Tavel and Bandol in the show, which are always homeruns. Rosé is versatile in pairing – fried foods, grilled salmon, strawberry salads with goat cheese, and pasta with pesto (pistou as it’s known in Provence) are some options.
Bonus wines: Other styles of rosé, especially California with its sun kissed styles from Pinot Noir or Spanish rosé from Tempranillo, Garnacha, or Monastrell are outstanding and great for a contrast against the lighter Provence style. Italian rosato can be wonderful as well and is made in most regions from their local grapes.
- The last one was really “Sophie’s Choice” for me. I couldn’t decide between Malbec and Torrontés from high elevation Salta in Argentina or Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from cool climate Casablanca from Chile. Ultimately the floral, peachy yet acidic and slightly bitter Torrontés from Cafayate/Salta and its intense, yet elegant counterpart Malbec from the same region seemed to be best for us. M.C. Ice astutely pointed out that for people living in hotter areas where spring becomes summer-like quickly, the high acidity and refreshing lighter notes in the Chilean wines were the winners. Either way, you can’t go wrong!
Happy Spring! We hope you drink well, and that this list gives you at least one new idea to try as the days heat up slowly over the next few months.
__________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
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Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Of the greatest sweet wines of the world, those of Bordeaux – Sauternes and Barsac – may be the most famed. These small regions (covering just 2,217 ha/5,478 acres) and their 132 producers, make some of the world's most prestigious, long-lived and expensive sweet wines.
Source: https://yquem.fr/int-en/the-miracle-of-yquem
Located just 40 miles/65 km south of Bordeaux city, along the Garonne and Ciron Rivers, the AOC Sauternes includes the communes of Barsac, Sauternes, Bommes, Fargues, and Preignac. These areas are undulating, with a combination of soils and some elevations up to 240 feet. The Barsac AOC, which can also use Sauternes AOC, stands alone as the commune with unique character – it is distinguished by its limestone and sandy soils, which create lighter, more minerally and elegant styles of this beautiful wine. This area is flatter, but the Barsac has limestone soils, which make the wines taste as they do.
Both Sauternes and Barsac are made from a combination of three main grapes -Sémillon for structure, smoothness, and richness, Sauvignon Blanc for herbal aromatics and acidity, and a small proportion of Muscadelle, also for aroma.
The key to Sauternes, the thing that makes it stand apart from other sweet wines is the unique climate conditions that occur here regularly in the autumn most harvests. During Autumn mornings in Sauternes, the cooler Ciron River meets the warmer Garonne and condensation or mist forms, covering certain vineyards. These moist areas could be subject to grey rot (and sometimes are) but if those moist conditions are followed by drier, warmer afternoons, instead of grey rot, Botrytis cinerea forms. This fungus attacks grapes, perforating their skins and allowing moisture trapped inside to evaporate when this happens over a number of weeks, the result is a complex wine, that has aromas and flavors like apricot, mango, tropical fruit, honeycomb/beeswax, honeysuckle, hazelnut, almond, flowers, peaches, nutty, pears, orange, (new oak: vanilla, butterscotch), and has sweetness with strong acidity and a long finish. The best of these can age up to 50 years.
Botrytis on grapes: "File:Botrytis-vigne-grappe.jpg" by Stllchang is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
In terms of pairing, there are so many ideas that many don’t consider when thinking of Sauternes. Although foie gras is classic, the wine goes well with roasted chicken with thyme and herbs, oysters and seafood dishes, especially lobster and crab, spicy food with some sweetness (especially sweet and sour Chinese dishes, Indian dishes with heat and sweet, and Thai curries). Blue cheese and other salty cheeses are great, and Sauternes or Barsac should definitely be on the table for the Thanksgiving turkey – adding moisture, acidity, and sweetness to the mix. Traditionally, Sauternes and Barsac are also served as aperitifs, cold and as a welcome to guests as they come in (similar to Champagne).
Sauternes was part of the 1855 Classification of Bordeaux wines – they were the only whites ranked. There were 27 Cru Classes, 11 First Growths, 15 Second Growths, and Château d’ Yquem at the top of the ranking – a Premier Cru Supérieur.
Among these topics, we discuss the business of Sauternes, the decline in planting and sales, and do an overview of Chåteau d’Yquem, the most famed sweet wine in the world.
Ch d'Yquem, photo credit: Benjamin Zingg, SWZ, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
We mention other top Château:
In Barsac: Château Climens, Château Coutet, Château Doisey Daëne
In Sauternes: Château Guiraud, Clos Haut-Peyraguey, Château Rabaud-Promis (underrated), Château Sigalas-Rabaud, Château Rieussec, and more.
A great deep dive into this interesting, classic region, this podcast gives you another tool to be well-rounded in wine!
HUGE Credit to Jane Anson's spectacular "Inside Bordeaux" book for making the research easy and fun!
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Thanks to our sponsors:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
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Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Michael Dhillon of Bindi Wines is one of the most famous winemakers in Australia. Bindi is a 170 hectare farm of which 7 hectares are planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Michael Dhillon had gained renown through his beautiful wines which show balance and purity in the expression of Bindi's individual vineyard sites.
Famous winemaker and writer James Halliday writes of Michael: “One of the icons of Macedon. The Chardonnay is top-shelf, the Pinot Noir as remarkable (albeit in a very different idiom) as Bass Phillip, Giaconda or any of the other tiny-production, icon wines. The addition of Heathcote- sourced Shiraz under the Pyrette label confirms Bindi as one of the greatest small producers in Australia.”
Image from https://www.visitmacedonranges.com
The area of Macedon Ranges has dramatic mountains and those high elevations translate to cool climates. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz, and sparkling wine are the specialties of the region. Most of the wines are made by family-owned producers who make small amounts of wine. Among them is Bindi
In the show, the articulate, passionate Michael Dhillon joins us to introduce this magical region, and tell us about his wines, which many think are the best of Australia.
Here is a list of Bindi's wines:
- Bindi Block 5 Pinot Noir
- Bindi Kaye Pinot Noir
- Bindi Original Vineyard Pinot Noir
- Bindi Dixon Pinot Noir
- Bindi Quartz Chardonnay
- Bindi Kostas Rind Chardonnay
- Pyrette Heathcote Shiraz
You can get Bindi Wine in the US from www.wineworksonline.com (send them an email if the wines are not up on the site and they can get them for you if you reference the podcast -- I don't make money off the wines, they are helping us out! )
__________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
In this show we take another look at the regal Chardonnay grape and talk about how it has changed over the years. This is a refresh of a previous show done years ago, so we cover everything we do in a normal grape mini-series. Once you get to know Chardonnay, you realize what a chameleon it really is and how important it is to understand place and producer to get the styles that you like.
Here are some brief show notes (with special focus on writing out regions that you may not have caught while listening)!
-
Chardonnay originated in Burgundy, and is a cross of Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc. In the vineyard it is early budding and ripening, so frost can be an issue, however it grows very well on a multitude of soils and growers the world around love it for how it takes to most sites. Powdery mildew, coulure (shatter), and rot can cause a headache in the vineyard but with more than 28 clones to choose from, growers can pick what is best for their site.
-
The variety does different things in different climates – it has lower alcohol and higher acidities with mineral and citrus aromas and flavors in cool climates and is tropical, fruity, and full bodied with low acidity in warmer climates. Soils make a difference too – well drained soils are best. Limestone is generally considered the best type for Chardonnay with bits of clay and marl to give the wines dimension, but there are lots of different soils that yield beautiful wines from Chardonnay. Drainage and low yields make a world of difference with this grape too.
-
Chardonnay is a non-aromatic, generally neutral grape that can take on flavors from the vineyard or be a blank canvas on which winemakers show their skills. The grape can and does express terroir, as we see in places like Burgundy, its homeland, but often it is subjected to full malo-lactic fermentation (yielding buttered popcorn notes), oak aging in a high proportion of new, heavily toasted barrels (vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, smoke/char), and battonnage (stirring of the dead yeast cells or lees, to create bready, toasty, yeasty notes in the wine).
-
Chardonnay is ideal for sparkling wine. In cool climates it is floral with low acidity and brings a lightness and elegance to sparkling wines. Champagne, with its long aging on the lees (sur lie, dead yeast cells – basic Champagne is aged this way for at least 12 months, vintage Champagne 30 months and the Tete de Cuvee, the best Champagnes, even longer), has shown us the changes that can occur with this contact over time –amino acids, peptides, proteins, and fatty acids for to add aromas and flavors like hazelnuts and honey.
Old World
Burgundy
- Chablis: Steely, minerally wines that are a great expression of the grape. Affordable Grand Cru
- Côte de Beaune: The most age worthy and famed Chardonnay in the world.
- Grand cru vineyards that straddle the towns of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet: Le Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet, Bâtard-Montrachet, Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet
- Corton-Charlemagne
- Côte Chalonnaise
- Mâconnais: Pouilly-Fuisse is good and improving
Champagne: Blanc de Blancs is pure Chardonnay
Other France:
- Loire: Used in Crémant and the white blends of Saumur, Anjoy, Touraine
- Jura (as we call it, Bizarro Burgundy)
- Languedoc-Roussillon: most Chardonnay is bulk and is bottled under Vins de Pays d'Oc
- Limoux: Does sparkling Crémant de Limoux, barrel-fermented still wine.
Italy
- Often mixed in with Pinot Bianco in the northeast areas -- Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia-Giulia
- Franciacorta: Used in this fine sparkling wine of Lombardy
- Piedmont: Excellent Chardonnay when it’s not too oaky
Other Old World Spots
- Spain: Used in Cava as a small proportion of the blend, used in some other white blends
- Austria and Switzerland
- Eastern Europe: Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia
- Israel
- England: Excellent in sparkling, more varietal wine being made
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New World
United States
- California: Most important variety
- Napa: Carneros, Russian River
- Sonoma: Sonoma Coast, Petaluma Gap, Russian River
- Central Coast: Santa Barbara (my favorite region), Santa Lucia Highlands,
- Mendocino: Anderson Valley
- Central Valley: BULK
- Washington State: Lots of fruit, maybe less MLF
- Oregon: The one to watch in the U.S.
- NY State: Finger Lakes and Long Island
- Virginia: Linden, Pollak make especially good versions
Canada: Niagara, BC
Australia
- New South Wales: Hunter Valley – tropical, fruity, buttery, opulent
- Victoria: Yarra, Mornington Peninsula, Macedon Ranges – lighter, more acidic wine with good terroir expression
- South Australia: Eden Valley, Adelaide Hills, nice, still oaky sometimes
- Margaret River: Can be complex, fruity, good acidity
- Tasmania: Delicate to complex, good acidity, used in sparkling
New Zealand: Ripeness with Acidity, nice herbal character often, excellent from Hawkes Bay where the styles are fatter, to Martinborough, and to Canterbury where the acidity is pronounced.
Chile
- Casablanca Valley: Ripeness with acidity, not much oak or malolactic fermentation
- Leyda, San Antonio: Similar to Casablanca
- Other cool regions: Limarí, Bío Bío and Itata Valleys
Argentina
- Very much like California Chardonnay. Promising in cooler, higher vineyards - Tupungato.
South Africa – hot, except in Walker Bay
- Walker Bay, Elgin: Soft with mineral and nut notes
- Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl: Fuller, can have a lot of oak
Aging
- Top Chardonnays can age and need the age: 30 years is not unheard of from great producers of Grands Crus. With Premiers Crus – more like 20 years is appropriate. Village – within 8-10 yrs.
- New World wines generally age for less time, but the length of aging depends on the producer and the area
Flavor: We discuss the difference between primary and secondary flavors and how knowing the difference can help point you to styles you prefer:
- Primary flavors from the grape:
- Cooler sites: lemon, chalk, minerals, flint, green apple, citrus, pears, grapefruit (higher acidities, lower alcohols, lighter bodied)
- Warmer sites: baked apple, pineapple, guava, melon (also fuller bodied, lower acidity, higher alcohol)
- Secondary flavors from winemaking:
- Oak notes: Smoke, toast, spice, coconut, vanilla, cinnamon, butterscotch, caramel
- Malolactic fermentation: buttered popcorn, clotted cream
- Sur lie aging: toast, nuttiness, yeasty notes
- Serving temperature effects the flavor. I prefer it a little cooler than is often recommended: 48˚-50˚/9˚-10˚C is what I prefer, although many recommend 55˚F/12.8˚C
___________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors:
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Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
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Riccardo Sobrino, of Cascina delle Rose, runs a small estate in Barbaresco that produces elegant, perfumed and complex wines and has been in his family for more than 70 years. This 5 ha/12 acre vineyard is a family operation – he and his brother inherited the property from their parents, who are still involved in major decisions of the winery.
Cascina delle Rose was started by Riccardo’s mother, Giovanna Rizzolio, in 1992 on this ideal site – steep vineyards with calcareous soils on the Tre Stelle vineyard side and clay soils on the Rio Sordo side to yield two equally wonderful but very different Barbarescos. Since its inception, Giovanna insisted on biodiversity, organic viticulture, and making wines that represent the elegance and grace. Made to highlight terroir, these wines represent the elegance and grace that is inherent to the wines of this region.
Photo: Courtesy Cascina delle Rose, Riccardo is second from the right
The estate is run by Davide, Riccardo’s older brother and Riccardo, who I welcome and who I have had an opportunity to visit and learn from in the vineyards and in the winery.
In the show we cover:
- The history of Barbaresco and of Riccardo’s family in the area
- We discuss his AWESOME mother, Giovanna Rizzolio, who saved up money working at a job she hated in textiles to buy the winery from her family and create outstanding wines that she made working in concert with the land. Riccardo shares her story and what it was like to be a woman in the early 1990s owning a winery on her own (hint: she is amazing)
- Riccardo talks about the roles everyone in his family plays in the business – his brother as head of the vineyards, Riccardo as a co-winemaker and businessman.
Barbaresco
- Riccardo gives us an excellent view into the terroir of Barbaresco, the MGA system and then we go into detail on his beautiful vineyards, Rio Sordo (heavier soils, a bit bolder in flavor) and Tre Stelle (lighter soils, a bit more elegant in style). Riccardo teaches us about the importance of aspect, elevation, slope, and soil – it’s a great dork out and so well explained.
- We discuss, in detail, the differences between Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto. And how Riccardo and Davide work hard in the vineyard to achieve the elegance that typifies Cascina delle Rose.
We wrap with a very useful discussion of how long to age Barbaresco (we both prefer it around 10-15 years, but agree it’s personal preference) and Riccardo gives us his word that tradition at Cascina delle Rose, is sacrosanct, so we can expect these wines to stay in their beautiful style for years to come.
Photo: Courtesy Cascina delle Rose, View of property
___________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
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Vins doux naturels (VDNs), translated to ‘naturally sweet wines’, are some of the most historic yet underestimated wines in France. These wines are made using the process of mutage – adding neutral grape spirit/alcohol – to fermenting wine in order to halt fermentation and leave sugar in the wine (they aren’t REALLY naturally sweet wine, although producers will say you are preserving the natural sweetness of the wine so that’s the counterpoint).
Image of Rivesaltes: WinesoftheRoussillon.com
The technique of mutage was created in Roussillon in 1285 by Arnaud de Villeneuve, physician of the Royal House of Barcelona from 1281 to 1310 and a professor of the University of Montpellier. It is the same process used to make Port. Here the wine must be around 6% alcohol by volume when grape spirit is added to kill the yeast and bring the alcohol in the wine to 15-18% ABV. Wines retain sugar and this base wine can go many different directions depending on what the producer wants to present in the bottle.
Although these wines can be made with more than 20 different grape varieties, two take primacy: Muscat blanc à petit grains for the white and Grenache noir for the red.
- Grenache is great as a young wine but can also be good if aged for years in old oak barrels, sometimes large glass jars (called bonbonnes or demi-johns) developing complexity and tertiary aromas (tobacco, saddle, mocha)
- Muscat has fresh, grapey aromas, and naturally high acidity so the resulting sweet wines are very balanced. These grapes get more flavor and color if the producer wants to put the juice in contact with the skins and, like the reds, they can also be aged oxidatively
Vins Doux Naturels of the Languedoc
We begin the show in the Languedoc, which only produces white vins doux naturels (VDNs) of the Muscat grape. Each of these wines is made from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains and made in a non oxidative style to show the ripe fruit flavors, honeyed notes and richness contrasting with the acidity of the grape. Here are the four VDN appellations of the Languedoc, all of which are fortified with neutral grape spirit to 15% - 18% alcohol and a minimum of 11% residual sugar (Saint Jean de Minervois has a minimum of 12.5% RS). These wines are all golden in color and made of white grapes:
- Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois: Vineyards are at elevation so the wines have a better balance of acidity, more elegance, and are more complex
- Muscat de Frontignan: the biggest area for VdN in the Languedoc, these wines range in quality but Frontignan has great historic importance as it probably contains France’s earliest vineyard sites and was certainly the country’s first VdN appellation
- Muscat de Lunel is small and the local co-op makes many of the wines. The best have floral honeyed notes
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Muscat de Mireval is right next to the coast, immediately northeast of Frontignan and the wines, dominated by co-op production are rarely seen outside of France
Vins Doux Naturels of Roussillon
Roussillon was incorporated into France in 1659, but before that was part of Spain, which it borders. There is a very set Catalan influence in this area, which is a hybrid of Spanish and French culture in many ways. Roussillon is shaped like an amphitheater and borders the Mediterranean Sea, the Pyrenees & the Corbières Mountains. This sunniest region of France has rivers which shape the landscape and the terroir.
Roussillon is the epicenter of vins doux naturels, making 80% of all VDN. It makes white, and more interestingly, reds whose flavors you will not find anywhere else. After mutage, the VdNs are made reductively (like regular wine where you try to avoid contact with oxygen to maintain fresh flavors) or oxidatively, with exposure to air for varying lengths of time. On the wines of the Roussillon you will see the following labels:
- Wines that are aged without oxygen (topped off barrels/reductive) and are fruity and strong:
- Blanc
- Rosé
- Rimage (used for Banyuls)
- Grenat (used for Maury, Rivesaltes)
- If they have a bit of age but are still reductive you will may see recolté or vendange on the bottle
- Wines that are aged oxidatively in barrels that are not topped off, thus concentrating flavors and giving the wines more character (similar to tawny Port, rosé is never aged this way, BTW)
- Ambré: Whites that are oxidatively aged
- Tuilé: Reds that are oxidatively aged
- Rancio: VERY rare category of wine. Either whites or reds aged for so long that they taste almost like Madeira. They are aged in glass bonbonnes/demi-Johns that are kept outside or in attics to gain exposure to the temperature extremes to intensify flavor
- Hors d’Age: Anything aged more than 5 years before release, normally oxidatively aged
Vins Doux Naturel aging in bonbonnes Image Source: Vig'nette
Roussillon Wines/Areas
Muscat de Rivesaltes can be made two Muscat varieties blended in varying ratios:
- Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (blend must be at least 50%) which contributes aromas of tropical, citrus fruits (lemon)
- Muscat of Alexandria which offers aromas and flavors of flowers, herbs (mint) and peaches
- The wine mellows over time to have honeyed, baked fruit flavors
Rivesaltes is France's largest sweet-wine appellation, in terms of area and volume. Rivesaltes wines are blends or single varieties. Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Grenache Noir and Macabeu are the main grapes used
- When made from white varieties they can be Rivesaltes Ambré (nutty and caramelized), rancio (Madeira-like, baked notes) or Hors d’Age (aged 5+ years)
- Rivesaltes Rosé is a fresh, fruity wine made mainly of Grenache Noir. It is aged reductively
- Rivesaltes Rouge is made mainly of Grenache Noir. It can be Grenat (reductive), Tuilé (oxidative) and for rare bottles, rancio and hors d’age when oxidatively aged
Maury Doux is in northern Roussillon on steep limestone cliffs at the beginning of the Pyrenees foothills. Maury's vins doux naturels are produced mainly from the Grenache grape varieties.
- Maury Blanc is made with mainly Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris and aged reductively. There are oxidative versions -- Maury Ambré and Hors d’Age
- Maury Rouge is made with a minimum of 75% Grenache noir with Grenache Blanc, Gris, Carignan, Syrah, Macabeu (max 10%). Similar to Rivesaltes, there are Grenat, Tuilé, hors d’age, and rancio versions. Wines labeled with récolte, vendangeor vintage must have aged a minimum of 12 months in an airtight environment, making them a nonoxidative style of VDN.
Image of Maury: WinesoftheRoussillon.com
Banyuls is one of the world's very few fortified red wines. Its best sites are on steep slopes or narrow terraces facing the sea. All Banyuls are made mainly from Grenache grapes of various colors.
- Banyuls Rouge is required to be at least 50% Grenache Noir. These wines are the best pairings with all manner of chocolate. These classifications are different from Rivesaltes and Maury
- Rimage is aged reductively and bottled early. It has black fruit and chocolate flavors
- Rimage Mis Tardive is Rimage that is aged for 1-3 years
- Banyuls Tuilé, rancio, and hors d’age are aged oxidatively
- Banyuls Blanc is made with Grenache blanc and Grenache Gris. It can be ambré, rancio, and hors d’age
- Banyuls Rosé is young and fresh, made of Grenache Noir and reductive
Banyuls Grand Cru is at least 75% Grenache that is aged for a minimum of 30 months in oak – so all are slightly oxidized. They can be labeled dry/sec/brut (all are ok to use) as long as it has <5% sugar
Vins Doux Naturels of the Rhône
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Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise Vin Doux Naturel is made only of Muscat à Petit Grains Blanc and Muscat Noir. Mutage brings it to a minimum of 15% alcohol. It is sweet, white, rich, but with a floral delicacy.
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Rasteau has become an important dry red wine cru of the southern Rhône but this area also makes VDN in small quantities. The wines must be at least 90% Grenache Noir, Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc. The VDNs are mostly red but some white and rosé also made. All are best consumed young.
- Reds: Grenat, tuilé, hors d’age, rancio
- Whites: Blanc, ambré
Rasteau AOC: Image from Vins-Rhone
At minimum I hope you try Banyuls with some chocolate or the Muscat of your choice with fruit or nut tart or your crème brûlée. They make every meal complete and are such a bargain for what they are!
___________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors:
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Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
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Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
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In this episode I welcome David Parker, CEO and Founder of Benchmark Wine Group , which is the largest online seller of fine and rare wines for wine retailers, restaurants and collectors worldwide. Benchmark does auction, retail, wholesale and import.
Dave is an unusual guest for us in that he specializes in a part of the market that most of us, as normal wine people, know nothing about -- fine and rare (and VERY expensive) wine! He is a great guest and openly shares everything from how Benchmark procures wine to how they ensure the wines are authentic (provenance) to the important things to know about collectible wine, should you decide to dip into this world.
As a bonus, David tells us about the Rudy Kurniawan scandal (he knew Rudy!) and he shares great information about how the market works to keep that kind of fraud out of rare wine.
As an important program note: I do need to thank the Patrons for encouraging me to have Dave on as a guest and for providing some great questions for this interview. If you are interested in becoming a Patron to have opportunities like this and to take part in other exclusive conversations, you can join for as little as US$20 per year!
Here are the show notes:
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Dave tells us how Benchmark sources wine, how the wine is evaluated and what makes it a good candidate for his portfolio.
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We discuss provenance/authenticity guarantees, fraud, and how they ensure the wines are in great condition when Benchmark buys them. We discuss the sources of these wines -- from restaurants to private collectors and how Benchmark knows exactly what will work for them.
"Bordeaux Wines at Fareham Wine Cellar" by Fareham Wine is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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Dave tells us how to begin investing in wine – the types of things people should collect, what you need to start a collection, and how wines become collectible over time. I ask him if these wines are actually worth the money (and he gives a diplomatic answer!)
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Finally, Dave tells us what makes a wine age-worthy and we have a discussion about tariffs and what that may do to the rare wine market.
If you're interested in learning more or starting somewhere, check out Benchmark's site. They have a guarantee of quality, so if you decide to invest it's less risky.
___________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Serge Doré, importer of French wine (and American via Quebec…he’s a man of many identities and a worldliness we can only aspire to!) and popular podcast regular, joins us to talk about the Loire Valley. Serge has been visiting the Loire since 1985 and has seen its evolution over the decades. He joins to give us the world of Loire from his perspective, humanize it with stories of producers he imports and some he has just met, and tell us what we can expect from this sometime confusing but wonderfully beautiful and diverse French wine region (for those of you interested in tariffs and how they are affecting business, the last 5 minutes of the pod is also devoted to that topic!).
Here are the notes:
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Serge takes us through the main Loire regions. We being in Muscadet/the Pay Nantais. We discuss how far the wine has come in the last 20 years, and what good quality it is now. Serge says it reminds him of a ripe honeydew melon, so the grape name is fitting (the grape is called Melon de Bourgogne). He mentions Domaine Bouchaud whose wines he imports. I mention Domaine Louvetrie as an example of a very rocky, flinty Muscadet.
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We talk about Anjou and the lovely Chenin Blanc here. We focus first on Savennières, and then discuss the sweet wines of Quarts de Chaume, Coteaux de Layon, and others in the area. Serge talks about his early experiences with these stunning, yet rare wines.
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We take a side trip to Sancerre. Serge confirms my hypothesis that Sancerre can sell all day long, but that Pouilly-Fumé has no takers! I mention the great Didier Dageneau and his Silex wine.
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We discuss the marketing issue for Loire – namely that they don’t know how to do it! I fell that Anjou blanc and rouge, as well as Saumur blanc and rouge are generally generic and don’t taste great. Serge explains that most growers sell to negociants and co-ops who make seas of blah wines that aren’t from specific areas. The result: Rouge and Blanc from these parts are hard to pin down from a style perspective.
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Serge loves Saumur- Champigny – a Cabernet Franc that is light, fruity, lower in alcohol but has great earthy notes. Thierry Germain is the master and is imported by Kermit Lynch. I say I have found it to be hit or miss. Serge reminds me: it’s all about producer.
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Serge talks about why Touraine is the upcoming region of France and has been for a few years. He cites climate change as making a big difference for the ripeness levels and flavors for Touraine. 2015 was the big shift in the wines.
We mention my new favorite Chinon and St. Nicholas de Bourgueil: Pascal et Alain Lourieux (available on Wine Access). Serge tells us stories about how absolutely focused these brothers are on the vineyard to get the results they do. The story is funny and amazing.
- Ahhh, Vouvray! It’s a frustrating topic. Serge tells us about how hard it is to sell because of its many styles and we return to one of the themes of the Loire: superb wines, no marketing savvy. The wine of Serge’s that I love is Domaine Bourillon Dorléans “La Coulee d’Argent”. It had some age (which I think Vouvray really needs) and was very flinty, with lemon curd and vanilla notes – tasty! Serge tells us stories of Fred Bourillon, his family and his wine. We briefly discuss the top dog of Vouvray, Domain Huet who makes outstanding, consistent Vouvray.
Source: jamesonf- https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesonfink/5147142662/
Vouvray AOC moelleux Domaine Huet 1985
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Serge tells us about the terroir of Sancerre and the three soil types that make it stunning:
-
Les Caillottes
- Flint/Silex
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Terre Blanche – Clay
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We discuss the importance of climate and how the two different climates, which switch off at Amboise from maritime influenced to continental, divide the Loire. Slope, breezes, river effects – all the dorkiness is in this section of the conversation.
-
Serge and I muse about how natural wine may be a bit overhyped by the media where the Loire is concerned. Low intervention/traditional winemaking is the order of the day with the reds and Chenin however, Serge doesn’t hear producers talk about it.
-
Finally, we discuss the issues around tariffs and why they are so destructive for the wine industry in the US.
I love Serge,having him on is such a pleasure. Check out his site to see his selection of wines.
___________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Of the many grapes that we have covered in this series, possibly the hardest to define is the one in this show -- Pinot Gris. It's so complex in part because it goes by many names and can taste neutral and boring to oily, powerful, and bold with notes of smoke, ginger, and spice. It can be bone dry to amazingly sweet and can be powderpuff or very serious in quality.
Whatever the incarnation, wine drinkers lap it up! In the U.S., Pinot Grigio (the Italian style) is the second most-consumed wine behind Chardonnay, according to Impact Databank (the sister publication to Wine Spectator). But it's not just the US that loves this wine, it's growing like mad in Australia too.
In this show, we discuss the many sides of Pinot Gris, or Pinot Grigio, or Grauburgunder or whatever you want to call it! Here are the show notes:
We first discuss the grape itself:
- Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio, Grauburgunder, or Rulander are all the same grape and all are mutations of Pinot Noir, so similar to their parent that the only thing that is different is the color of the grape after veraision
- Pinot Gris is one of the darkest skinned grapes that makes white. It's fruit is gray-blue fruit but can be brown- pink, white or deep purple. As a result, the finished wine can have a copper tinge or be light pink
- The adjective gris is French for "gray" and the grape is named so because it has a grayish look to it. The gray name is used everywhere and has been adapted to local culture: Italian (grigio), German (grauer), Slovenian (sivi) and Czech (sede)
- Pinot Gris is thin skinned and does well in cool to moderate climates with very long growing seasons.
- Picking decision is essential to the wine's character for every wine but with Pinot Gris, it will determine whether it is insipid and neutral (picked early) or rich with higher alcohol, lower acidity and rich, full flavors like pears, apples, apricot, tropical fruit, ginger, spices, smoke, and mineral
"Pinot Grigio prior to harvest, vintage 2012" by stefano lubiana wines
is licensed under CC BY 2.0
We discuss some general ideas about winemaking
- There is a sharp distinction between early picked Pinot Grigio (the Italian style) and full bodied, rich and flavorful Pinot Gris (the Alsace, France style)
- Most cheap Pinot Grigio, in particular, is picked, fermented and brought to market quickly -- it is a cash cow
- Pinot Grigio styles rarely use oak, but Pinot Gris (French style) often use older, neutral barrels for fermentation to give the wines texture. These styles also go through sur lie aging to give more texture to the wine
The Growing regions and their styles:
Pinot Gris/Grigio is grown in: France, Italy, New Zealand, Australia, Austria, Germany, Romania, Canada, the U.S., Hungary, Switzerland, Russia, Moldova, China
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Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio Around the world
Alsace, France
- Pinot Gris is 16 % of production in Alsace
- The grape thrives in the dry, sunny climate, with its long autumns. Yields are kept quite low and the best sites are the Grand Cru sites designated for Pinot Gris
- Alsace Pinot Gris is layered and bold with honey, ginger, spice, and bold apricot and sometimes tropical fruit notes. It can be picked late harvest (Vendanges Tardive) or allowed to develop botrytis (noble rot) that changes the wines into unctuous, full dessert wines.
- Occasionally these wines are oak-aged for texture, some are more medium bodied, many have residual sugar, so you must check the producer's style and web site to see how sweet the wine is
- These wines, in the past, were substitutes for red wines and accordingly, go with fuller food
- Top producers in Alsace: Albrecht, Blanck, Marcel Deiss, Dopff & Irion, Kuentz-Bas, Albert Mann, René Muré, Schlumberger, Trimbach
Italy
- Growing in Veneto, Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, and Trentino Alto Adige, along with a few other northern areas (Valle d'Aosta) the Italian style is always picked a bit early and has an emphasis on dry, mineral flavors
- Unlike Alsace, where grapes develop over a long season, in Italy the goal is to harvest grapes early, and to have high yields. The result of this overcropping is dilution of flavor and a high acid wine that doesn't reflect the true character of the grape. Many experts charge that much of the Pinot Grigio planted in large vineyards is actually Pinot Bianco or even Trebbiano Toscano
- In the winery, stainless steel tanks are used and the wine is fermented and bottled quickly but the better wines can have light oak-ageing or skin contact
- Cheap Pinot Grigio has very little flavor or character. It is cheap and cheerful and nothing else.
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In Alto Adige -world-class Pinot Grigios from estate bottling are expensive but lead to nuttier, fruitier flavors that are recognizable as related to Pinot Gris. Producers include: Elena Walch, Franz Haas, Tiefenbruner, San Michele Appiano, Sanct Valentin Pinot Grigio, Alois Lageder, Cantina Terlano
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In Friuli, Isonzo has full, tropical notes and the cooler areas of Collio and Colli Orientali produce more saline, spicy, and mineral wines that can have a spritz to them. Lis Neris, Vie di Romans, Dessimis, and Marco Felluga are good producers
- In Valle d’Aosta, experts see high potential for these Pinot Gris to be the best in Italy – frequently mentioned by critics is Lo Triolet di Marco Martin, called Pinot Gris rather than Pinot Grigio
Germany
- Germany ranks third in the world for Grauburgunder production. Most of that is in Rheinhessen, the Pfalz, and Baden
- These wines tend to be lower in alcohol, higher in acidity and more mineral-driven that Alsace versions with floral, citrusy notes. All versions are made -- sparkling, dry, off-dry, and late harvest and botrytized sweet wine
- My favorite producer is Müller-Catoir from Pfalz
In Europe, Pinot Gris is made in...
- Burgundy – some people still use it
- Loire, where it's called Malvoisie
- Switzerland, where it has floral notes and a soft texture
- Luxembourg, where the wines are fuller
- Slovenia, which specializes in Pinot Grigio with skin contact These skin contact wines only use a bit of contact (24 – 48 hours of skin contact is common) to give Pinot Grigio flavor without stripping the essence of the grape
- Other places: Austria, Romania, Croatia, Hungary
New World
New Zealand
- Pinot Gris is the more like the Alsace version with a medium body and flavors like apple, pear, honeysuckle, spice, and toast
- On the North Island, especially from Hawkes Bay and Gisbourne, you'll find ripe full, oily styles of Pinot Gris
- On the South Island, the volume is large in Marlborough where the wines have spicy and structure but they shine when from North Canterbury.
- Good producers include: Seresin, Greywacke, Jules Taylor
The United States
- California grows a lot of Pinot Grigio but mostly for use in jug wine or cheap "California" appellate wine. Most grows in the hot Central Valley. it is not a focus for most producers
- Oregon is the real hotspot in the US for Pinot Gris. the area has long, moderate summer days with cooling breezes. It has a longer fall which allows Pinot Gris the space it needs to develop flavor. These wines taste like fresh cut apple, pear, underripe melon, and can be medium bodied, occasionally with oak notes
Bigger Producers include: King Estate (the largest Pinot Gris producer), A to Z, Erath, Adelsheim, Ponzi, and Rainstorm
Canada -- British Columbia
- 21.2% of the white wine crop in 2018, makes Pinot Gris the Queen of the whites in BC. I recall it being very serviceable to good
Australia
- Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris -- the names and styles are used at will is one of the hottest, fastest growing wines
- There are no style rules or naming conventions. The wines vary from acidic and light (Italian style) to bold and full (Alsace style). Producers often call full styles Pinot Grigio and light styles Pinot Gris. There is no convention.
- We mention Kathleen Quealy and Kevin McCarthy of T'Gallant Wines in the Mornington Peninsula of Victoria. Kathleen Quealy was named the ‘Queen of Pinot Grigio’ back then and she still makes wine under her own label today
It's a lot to take in! Who would have thought that something I call alcoholic lemon water (in it's Grigio incarnation) would be so complex!
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- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
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In the tradition of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and fertility, after which aphrodisiacs are named, we give you a list of 12 foods that inspire love and passion, and the wines to match. Date night just got more exciting!! You can let us know if any of these actually work.
William Blake Richmond, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Here's the list of the top 12 aphrodisiac foods and the wines to pair with them:
- Watermelon is rich in L-citrulline, an amino acid that helps improve blood flow. Like Viagra, L-citrulline increases blood flow to the sexual organs but without any negative side effects!
Put it in a salad with feta and arugula (rocket, also and aphrodisiac so you get a double hit of spice in your life).
Wine: Spanish rosé. I like a Monastrell-based wine because it's bolder and fruitier than some other Spanish versions, and you need that fruit to stand up to the flavors in this tasty but sweet, bitter, and salty salad. You can use a California rosé too, but Pinot Noir may be too light so get something a bit bolder and made from a different grape.
- Salmon (and other cold water fish like herring, anchovies, sardines) has lots of omega-3s, which encourage good moods, good skin, good brainpower, and a good sex drive!
Since salmon can be prepared in so many different ways, we give a few wine ideas:
- Raw salmon (sashimi or tartare) goes well with a dry rosé (here you can use a Provence rosé) or Albariño from Rias Baixas, Spain
- Salmon in a butter sauce (beurre blanc): A slightly oaked Chardonnay like a white Burgundy or an Oregon Pinot Gris could work
- Grilled salmon: New Zealand Pinot Noir or St. Amour from Beaujolais would be fantastic
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Blackened salmon: Zinfandel but make sure it's not over-the-top (Here's the wine I said should be the standard for all CA Zin: Nalle Estate Old Vines Zinfandel)
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Oysters. Both because they are thought to resemble certain female body parts and because Romans in the 2nd century AD claimed that women had much prowess after eating them, oysters have become the standard for aphrodisiac food.
Wine: If you like the magnification of salt, go for a Chablis, Muscadet, Albariño, or Champagne. If you dislike that, stick with a Bordeaux Blanc or a Côte du Rhône blanc, both of which have lower acidity so it won't make the oysters seem quite as salty.
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Asparagus. Well M.C. Ice had ALL sorts of issues with this one, but it's on all the lists I've found, so it has to make ours too. Another food that is all about increasing and maintaining sex drive, both its intrinsic properties and its "interesting" shape contribute to its effectiveness. M.C. Ice was grossed out by the smell factor and the shape argument really made him squirm.
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Avocado.
This one comes from the Aztecs. They called the avocado tree "ahuacuatl." That means "testicle tree", because the avocados hang in pairs off the branches, so...yeah.
Wine: Avocado is great alone or in salads, sandwiches, or with Mexican. If you are having Haas avocados, the most popular type in the U.S., you'll notice they are both creamy and nutty. What's a wine that's creamy and nutty? One of my favorite whites: Fiano di Avellino, which has a lovely almond or hazelnut finish. Arneis from Piedmont could work too.
- Carrot and ginger soup. Here we go again with the shape thing... but carrots also have beta carotene and lots of other good-for-you vitamins, which Middle Easterners believed aided in making people more attractive.
Ginger is spicy and it helps get your blood flowing. It also tastes delicious when combined with carrots in a soup!
Wine: If you're having roasted carrots (and other dishes that will fit this) you can easily pair them with a red like Côtes-du-Rhône or another Grenache-based wine that will be moderate enough to stand up to char but let the carroty flavor shine through.
If you take our suggestion of the soup (and add coriander, which we mention is known to increase sexual appetite), you'll have a trifecta of goodness that will pair well with Alsace Riesling or a Viognier from California or from the northern Rhône.
- Truffles. I'm not talking about the chocolate kind. I'm talking about the rare fungi kind found in the Piedmont of Italy. Greeks and Romans both claimed the musky scent of truffles made people's skin more sensitive and that's a good thing for a healthy love life.
Wine: Slightly older Barolo or Barbaresco (also from Piedmont) is a perfect fit for the earthy, barnyard, mushroom note of truffles. Especially if the truffles are with red meat, bolder versions of these Nebbiolo-based wines will be perfect matches.
If you are having risotto or pasta with truffles, have Fiano di Avellino from Campania, or a bold white from the Rhône. I would steer clear of fruity, young wine for this pairing.
- Fennel. The ancient Greeks found this vegetable, which is like a celery, licorice mash-up (both also alleged aphrodisiacs), to be a real libido enhancer. Maybe it's because it has plant estrogen in it!
Wine: If you are have a steak with roasted fennel or a soup or stew with a fennel base, a great Northern Rhône Syrah or a more subtle California Syrah will be an excellent pairing. The flavors of a Syrah -- the rich fruit, the black pepper, and the spice will be great with the fennel notes.
For lighter style fennel dishes like vegetarian soups with a fennel base or chicken with a fennel cream sauce, a white Rioja or a slightly oaky Chardonnay can each hold their flavor and structure against the strong celery/licorice notes well.
- Figs. Like oysters, when cut open, figs allegedly resemble a female body part and for that reason they have always been considered a food for the amorous. Because having them on their own presents a tough wine pairing challenge we recommend having them with a little cheese -- goat, feta or especially blue with counter some of that natural sweetness.
Wine: If you take the idea of having figs with cheese for your date night appetizer or tapas, you are going to need a very fruity, bold red to pair. Zinfandel, or southern Italian wines like Nero d'Avola, Primitivo (Zinfandel), and Negro Amaro can take on both the sweetness of the figs and the salty, penicillin-like note of the blue cheese. A slightly sweet tawny or ruby Port could also do the trick quite well.
- Pesto (the aphrodisiac trifecta). Basil produces a sense of well-being and boosts fertility. Garlic spices up your desires. Pine nuts have zinc, which increases male potency. Put them together and bam! the most love enhancing potion there is.
Wine: Pesto comes from Liguria, right near the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. Cortese di Gavi and Arneis are classic Piedmont whites that have enough flavor to stand up to the garlic, a nuttiness to go well with the pine nuts, and excellent acidity to make them stand out. If you want a light red, stick with Piedmont again -- a simple Barbera, Freisa, or Grignolino will do the trick.
- Dessert of strawberries, raspberries and vanilla cake or whipped cream. Strawberries and raspberries are said to invite love. Latin American legend tells us that the vanilla plant was created when a beautiful young girl fell in love with a boy from the wrong social class, who she couldn't marry. When a god asked for her hand and she said no, the god got so angry he turned her into a vanilla plant.
Wine: The honeyed, apricot flavors and good acidity of Sauternes or Barsac from Bordeaux would be excellent dessert partners. A late harvest (Auslese) Riesling from Mosel would be great or a lighter style fizzy wine like Moscato d'Asti also work wonders with berry vanilla desserts. Each of these ideas would work but my favorite pairing for berry vanilla desserts is demi-sec Champagne
12. Wine! All on its own, is an aphrodisiac in a bottle! Whether it's because your inhibitions go away or because alcohol also increases blood flow, red wine and Champagne, specifically, have been praised for raising the libidos and amorous intentions of those who consume it (in moderation). Apart from Champagne, which is always a great wine to pair with any food, and to liven up any dinner, here are some love inspired wines to consider:
- Romeo and Juliet, the greatest love story of all time, lived in the city of Verona. To pay homage, drink the bold reds of the region: Valpolicella and Amarone
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If you want the more pious route, you could pay homage to St. Valentine, the patron of love, marriage, and relationships. His relics are in a few key spots around Europe and you can choose which you like best for your wine selection!
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St. Valentine's remains lie in Rome. Although Lazio's wines are a bit lacking, you could get a Sagrantino di Montefalco from Umbria (it borders Lazio in the northeast) or a lovely Piedirosso or Aglianico from Campania (borders Lazio to the south). Close enough, and these are great reds!
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Relics of St. Valentine's are also in Madrid. There are some wines coming from Madrid now, but if you can't find those, get the rich reds of Ribera del Duero to inspire love. If you prefer white, get the whites of Rueda, in the same zone as Ribera del Duero, due north of Madrid.
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It's a little unclear whether the relics in Roquemaure in the Rhône are the real deal, but if it justifies drinking Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which is across the river, I'll go with it!
**Note: there are also a ton of St. Valentine stuff in Dublin, so if you want a Guinness, that works too!
Whether it's for Valen-wine, date night, or to test the properties of these aphrodisiac foods, we wish you a fun filled night!
Sources:
- Gourmet Sleuth (this has many more ideas and is a great article!)
- Cosmopolitan
- The Healthy
- The Independent
____________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
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Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
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Touraine is in the Middle Loire Valley, and it has a myriad of pockets with famed and delicious wines. We give an overview of this region and discuss its most famous areas (Vouvray, Chinon, Bourgueil), which make some of the most distinctive, complex red and white wines in the world.
Here are the show notes:
- Touraine is in the heart of the Loire Valley, half-way between Sancerre and Nantes, 225 km/140 mi from the Atlantic Ocean, and from the northern Massif Central
- Touraine follows the Loire River for 100 KM/60 miles, and has 5,000 hectares /12,355 acres of vineyards
- Dry and sweet white, red, rosé, and sparkling wines are all made here
- The soil is varied, containing three main types:
- Tuffeau: calcareous rock that produces wines of great acidity
- Perruche: flint and clay with pockets of gravel, near the river
- Limestone and clay, with pockets of gravel, near the river
- The climate is Atlantic in the west, more continental as you move east.
"Thésée-la-Romaine (Loir-et-Cher)" by sybarite48 is licensed with CC BY 2.0. Click here to view a copy of this license,
Grapes
- White is 59% of production: Sauvignon Blanc (nearly 80% of whites), with Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Arbois and Sauvignon Gris, Pinot Gris
- Red is 22% of production and Rosé is (8%): Gamay makes up more than 60% of harvest, with Cabernet Franc, Malbec (aka Côt), Cabernet Sauvignon, Pineau d’Aunis, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Merlot
- Sparkling -- 11% -- Crémant de Loire
The rest of the show is spent on appellations…
The Famed Red Appellations
Chinon
- Chinon is the biggest red AOC in Loire
- It is on the western edge of the Touraine district, with multiple soil types, a combination of maritime and continental climates and, as a result, different styles of wines depending on site
- Reds are of Cabernet Franc (90% with up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) make up 95% of production, with a small amount of whites of Chenin Blanc and rosé
- Styles: light with red fruit, simple with good acidity or wines with dark black fruit with gamy, campfire, decayed leaf, earth notes and structure, power
- Aging: Most are best young, some 10 and 20 years.
Pascal et Alain Lorieux Chinon, Serge Doré Selections (the best Chinon I've ever had!)
Bourgueil & St. Nicolas de Bourgueil
- North of Chinon, these wines are similar to those of Chinon – some are powerful, some are lighter in style, depending on the soil types and sites
- Nicolas de Bourgueil is within Bourgueil (and can use the Bourgueil appellation) but the soils of this sub AOC are sandy, so the wines are lighter in style with soft tannins, and are meant to be consumed young.
Pascal et Alain Lorieux St. Nicholas de Bourgueil, Serge Doré Selections (the best St. Nicholas de Bourgueil I've ever had!)
The Famed White Appellations
Vouvray: Chenin Blanc
- These Chenin Blanc wines are complex, diverse and varied due to differences in climate (some sites are more maritime influenced, some more continental), soil (some have tuffeau jaune, some tuffeau blanc, some alluvial), and slope direction (depending on tributary)
- The wines can be dark or golden or very pale, have hay-like notes with apple, honey, citrus, wool aromas and flavors. Textures run the gamut – some are big and soft, some are dry and more refreshing.
- Still Wines: Lots of sweetness levels – that are not always used on the labels so you don’t know what you’re going to get! Sec, Sec-Tendre, Demi-Sec, Moelleux (sometimes with botrytis). Top wines can age for decades
- Sparkling: petillant (spritzy) and mousseux (fully sparkling) – neither the fizziness nor the sweetness is always marked clearly
2015 Bourillon Dorléans "La Coulée d'Argent" Vouvray -- what we drank during the podcast, Divine! Also Serge Doré Selections
Montlouis Sur Loire:
- Vouvray’s sister appellation, it is across the river from Vouvray in the commune of Montlouis-sur-Loire, and is based on Chenin. These wines are similar to Vouvray and have the same confusing labelling problems, but also can be long lived, developing honeyed, spicy notes with time (30-40 years)
The other appellations of Touraine with their grapes are:
Northern areas
Coteaux du Loir: Whites of Chenin Blanc, reds with Pineau d’Aunis (min 65%) with Cabernet Franc, Côt, and Gamay. Rosé can be Côt, Gamay, Grolleau with Pineau d’Aunis
Coteaux du Vendomois: Strangely, this appellation’s grapes are dictated by the percentage of the grapes in the vineyards, not by what is in the final blend. Whites are mainly of Chenin Blanc (80% of vineyards) with 20% Chardonnay. Reds are from Pineau d’Aunis, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, with Gamay. Rosés are 100% Pineau d’Aunis.
Jasnières is a small appellation with dry white of 100% Chenin Blanc.
Touraine District level designations
Touraine is a generic regional AOC but within it are 5 designations with unique wines:
- Touraine Amboise is rosé and red of Gamay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Côt with whites of Chenin Blanc
- Touraine Azay-le Rideau is whites and rosés. Rosés are a minimum of 60% Grolleau, with Gamay, Côt or Cabernet Franc. Whites are made from 100% Chenin, and can be sec, demi-sec and sweet
- Touraine-Mesland is reds and rosés that are a blend of Gamay, Cabernet Franc and Côt, Whites are Chenin Blanc but may be blended with Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay.
- Touraine-Oisly (wah-LEE) is mainly white with tropical, fatter Sauvignon Blanc that has less minerality and acidity than Sancerre, for example.
- Touraine Chenonceaux has similar whites to Touraine-Oisly of Sauvignon Blanc and reds of Cabernet Franc (35% – 50%) and Côt ( 50% – 85%)
- Touraine Noble Joué is a Vin Gris (rosé) of Pinot Meunier (main varietal, minimum 40%), Pinot Gris (minimum 20%), Pinot Noir (minimum 10%)
Eastern areas
- Cheverny makes reds, rosé, and whites.
- Reds are light in style, and are made with Gamay and Pinot Noir with some Cabernet France and Côt
- Rosé: must be at least 60% Pinot Noir with Gamay, Cabernet Franc and Côt
- Whites are Sauvignon Blanc with Sauvignon Gris with Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Arbois (spelled Orbois
- The area contains Cour-Cheverny, made from the rare Romorantin grape – which is light and aromatic with citrus and honeyed notes
Valençay makes whites of mainly Sauvignon Blanc, with Chardonnay, Arbois, Sauvignon Gris and reds mainly of Gamay.
____________________________________________________________
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Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
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The Barra Family has been farming grapes since Charlie Barra began in 1945 when he was 19. He bought his own vineyards in 1955 and married Martha Barra in the 1980s. The couple made the business run in earnest, with Martha concentrating on business and Charlie focused on farming.
In 1988, the Barras began farming their land organically and haven’t stopped since. They started their own brand, Barra of Mendocino in 1995, which today includes Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Muscat Canelli. After creating Barra of Mendocino, they created Girasole (sunflower in Italian) Vineyards, a lighter style with no oak.
Charlie passed away in 2019 but Martha and the family carry on with Randy Meyer, Barra's Director of Winemaking and Operations playing a major role in the business. As you’ll hear, Randy is a live wire and as we talk about organics about halfway through the show, he unabashedly shares the secrets of conventional winemaking and how it is in sharp contrast to organics (and he knows, he spent 20+ years at Korbel and other large wineries). And it’s awesome.
Here are the show notes.
- Martha shares the fascinating history of Barra and how Charlie Barra’s dedication to Redwood Valley, to Mendocino and to farming the right way brought about these excellent wines. We hear the family story, a 40+ year legacy
- We delve into the economics of Mendocino fruit and how big Napa and Sonoma County wines couldn’t make their wines at affordable prices without Mendocino (the rule of 75% reigns here – only 75% of grapes need come from an AVA for it to be stated on the label. Where do you think that other 25% comes from?)
Yup, this is what I thought. Taken from an old publication, Courtesy of the Barra family
- Martha and Randy tell us about Mendocino's and Redwood Valley's geographical and weather features – and how diurnals make these wines so special. Randy gives us a great perspective of how Mendocino is different from Sonoma and Napa on temperature, terrain, and culture.
- Martha tells us the basics of organic farming, including the US laws around organic viticulture and wines. In short...
- They use no “cides” (herbicides, pesticides, etc), no chemicals, no fertilizers and use pomace and cover crops to nourish the vines. Martha gives us details on how it all works to get healthy soils and healthy vines
- Martha gives us the tip off for spotting a non-organic vineyard – “spray strips” of pesticides around the vines. It’s her tell-tale for a chemically treated vineyard
To round out the show, Randy gives us the lowdown on organics versus non-organic! We have a good time talking about his journey into the world of organics from large industrial wine (he spills so much for us and he’s hysterical!):
- Randy talks about how organic winemaking is about prevention -- getting it right in the vineyard and during crush so you don't have to fix things later. He talks candidly about the challenge of making wine without sulfites (they help make wine shelf stable and provide longevity).
- Then stuff gets real!! I ask Randy, who is really at the beginning of his organic winemaking career, after years of working at big wineries, to compare and contrast. We bust it all open and Randy tells us all about the “tricks” of big wine. Randy contrasts organic winemaking with other winemaking. You'll never buy big wine again!
Finally, we talk about the Barra of Mendocino's wines and the Girasole wines and how they differ
- Barra of Mendocino are wines selected from the best grapes and aged in about 30% new French oak (We dork out again on barrels, digging into what oak does to a wine and how different toast levels affect the juice)
- Girasole is a fresher style with no oak
__________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
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Just over the county line from Sonoma is the fascinating region of Mendocino. Mendocino is a large county that spans one California’s largest, most diverse, and northernmost wine growing regions. This quiet area, full of farmers who are passionate about the land, has just over 17,000 acres under vine in 12 appellations.
From www.avwines.com, Anderson Valley, Mendocino
As we dig into what is here, you will learn that this region is full of surprises. Not only is Mendocino termed the “organic wine mecca of California” for its meticulous care of the land and focus on organic certification, it's range of terroir means producers can make everything from sophisticated, earthy, cool climate Pinot Noir and Alsace varietals, to elegant sparkling wine, to full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah.
From www.mendowine.com; Shannon Ridge Winery
There is a myriad of climates, soils and elevations in Mendocino, and learning more will make you question why more wineries aren’t based here and why these wines are not more widely available and known to wine lovers.
www.mendowine.com: Gibson Vineyard, Hopland
___________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To sign up for classes (now for UK and Euro time zones!) please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
It’s the first show of our 10th year! WOW! And for our double digit birthday, this time we bring you a super dorky one that is so important to understand in wine. I have already professed it the dorkiest show of 2021, and I’m pretty sure I can’t top this so – Voilà!
First we have some fun, and challenge you to follow the three wine resolutions/challenges I’ve set forth! They are so easy, even I can keep them:
- Have a wine from a region you’ve never heard of or had before! Expand your palate, do a little research, and try something totally new.
- Have wine from a region that you have hated in the past. Wine is constantly changing, especially with climate change so a region you may have thought was yucky in the past, may very well have turned into your next favorite wine hub!
- Drink more of the wine you love but always forget about! We all have one of those. When you get it you say to yourself, “why don’t I drink more of this? It’s so great!”
Here are the show notes on the role of alcohol in wine:
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Alcohol levels are largely determined in the vineyard:
- Sugar is converted to alcohol during fermentation, so sugar levels in a vineyard are essential to determining how much potential alcohol a wine can have. From véraison (when grapes start to get color) to ripening, grapes accumulate glucose and fructose.
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How much sugar depends on the vineyard conditions-- light, water, vineyard management are important
- Cooler climates, elevation, north-facing slopes yield lower potential alcohols
- Irrigation matters in determining sugar levels –some studies show glucose and fructose is higher in irrigated vines than non-irrigated ones (see Beverages Journal below, Imbibe Magazine)
- Vineyard practices like canopy management (chopping off leaves - plant doesn't absorb as much sunlight) or green harvesting (cutting grape bunches before they ripen, can focus on ripening the few that are left) help increase or decrease sugars.
- We discuss the idea of phenolic ripeness and how that quest for flavor has led to higher alcohol levels
- We also discuss how early picking, which seems like a natural solution, can lead to higher acid levels, less complexity, sometimes green notes in the wine – often just LESS GOOD flavor!
Alcohol in winemaking (how it gets into wine):
- Yeast convert fermentable grape sugars to alcohol either from ambient yeast or by inoculated yeast.
Sugar + Yeast = Alcohol +Carbon Dioxide (+heat)
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Potential alcohol (often measured by must weight) is how much sugar is available to the yeast in the grape must.
- if you don’t have enough, you can chaptalize with cane or beet sugar to raise alcohol levels (this has NOTHING to do with sugar in a wine, only with raising alcohol during fermentation)
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During fermentation/maceration: Alcohol produces esters by working with the organic acids in the very acidic fermenting juice.
alcohol + acid = ester
- Yeast play a big role in alcohol production, obviously. When yeast make alcohol, they kill themselves and other strains take over to finish the fermentation
- Wild fermentation can help restrain alcohol levels, but is less predictable
- Alcohol tolerance in yeast has increased, so yeast are more efficient and create higher alcohol levels in wine (discussed in our Underground Wine Event Virtual event by Stu Smith of Smith-Madrone)
Mark Smith, CC BY 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0
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Alcohol is a strong solvent so it can extract stuff out of the grape must (mushed up grape soup after crush)
- Bitter and astringent notes from seeds, skins, stems come out as alcohol levels increase, so winemakers have to be careful not to over-extract bitter compounds when the alcohol levels are high at the end of fermentation.
- Cold Soaking can help: The wine stays at -10˚C for up to one week, so anthocyanins can come out without the bitterness.
- Bitter and astringent notes from seeds, skins, stems come out as alcohol levels increase, so winemakers have to be careful not to over-extract bitter compounds when the alcohol levels are high at the end of fermentation.
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Other benefits of Alcohol in winemaking
- Alcohol is anti-microbial
- Alcohol is a preservative during the wine maturation process.
Alcohol Measurement:
- Alcohol by volume (ABV): milliliters of alcohol present in 100ml of wine expressed as a percentage.
- Wines range from 5% - 25% alcohol. Factors like climate, grape variety, and winemaking play a role
- What’s low, medium and high alcohol levels: My Judgement
- Low Alcohol: Under 11.5%, and are often sweet and light – German Kabinett wines, Moscato d’Asti are examples
- Medium Alcohol: 11.5 -12.5%
- Medium-low: 11.5% - 12% ABV – Lambrusco, some Loire whites, some German and Austrian Whites, some northern Italian
- Medium- 12.5% - 13.5% -- This is about the average for dry wines in Europe. Bordeaux, Bourgogne, Champagne, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Rosé, many Chilean wines are in this range
- High Alcohol—14%+ -- Nearly all New World Wines, many Spanish and Portuguese reds, Argentinean reds, Southern Italian wines, some southern French wines
- Fortified/VERY High Alcohol – 15%+ Usually fortified but can just be really ripe and not de-natured
The Perception of Alcohol:
Alcohol activates smell, taste, and feel (the burn) receptors
- We perceive alcohol as a combo of sweet and bitter taste and the burning sensation (similar to a chili pepper) and some of this is genetic -- some people perceive alcohol as sweetness, some as more bitter (also has to do with concentration of alcohol:
- Body: viscosity, fullness are directly related to alcohol content
- Alcohol amplifies astringency, bitterness and acidity. Higher residual sugar is often used to counter this issue
- there is no predetermined alcohol level that will create balance, this is the ART
- VA: lots of alcohol means it can seem vinegar like
Alcohol Levels and Taxes: * For the wonks among us, we discuss how alcohol is taxed in the US, UK, EU and Canada. You may be surprised at how it’s calculated!
We wrap with some interesting ways winemakers reduce alcohol in wine
- We reiterate the importance of getting it right in the vineyard
- Humidification/ watering back: is a very common practice. You add water and it dilutes alcohol (and flavor)
- Semi-permeable membranes to separate alcohol from wine
- Reverse osmosis: wine passes through a membrane to strip it of ethanol. It is performed at low temperatures and aims to change only the wine alcohol content, and it usually results in 1-2% reduction. It is cheap, but it has been found to reduce complexity, mouthfeel, and affect aging in red wines.
- Spinning cone column: uses centrifugal force and steam, to separate water from alcohol. The water is then recombined with the color, flavor, and tannins and poured back into the wine to dilute the alcohol while keeping flavor. This is very expensive yet effective
Source: Flavourtech
____________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To sign up for classes (now for UK and Euro time zones!) please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
___________________________________________________________
Podcast Sources:
Beverages 2015, 1, 292-310; doi:10.3390/beverages1040292
https://daily.sevenfifty.com/taking-control-of-alcohol-levels-in-wine/
https://imbibemagazine.com/dry-farmed-wine/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinning_cone
https://www.ato.gov.au/Business/Wine-equalisation-tax/
https://www.decanter.com/learn/tax-wine-much-pay-uk-ask-decanter-357119/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/add.14631
https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/business/excise-duties-alcohol-tobacco-energy/excise-duties-alcohol_en
Founded in 1760 as the 4th Champagne house, Champagne Lanson is known for its fresh, acidic style (no malolactic fermentation!). Over its 260 years, it has stayed true to its principles and that original flavor profile.
In this show, Hervé Dantan, cellarmaster and Champagne native, gives us a unique perspective. Hervé is the son of grape growers in Champagne, and after graduating from enology school, he did internships in Bordeaux, Bourgogne, Alsace, and in California to learn about regions around the world.
At 25 years old only he became one of the youngest cellar master in Champagne. He joined Champagne Lanson in 2013 and in 2015, Hervé Dantan became the Chef de Cave of Champagne Lanson.
This podcast is different from others in that Hervé discusses the land and the vineyard. His perspective is so very different from many in the region, who choose instead to focus on the process in the winery. For you as listeners -- meaning dorky normal wine people -- I think you will appreciate the conversation. It's much less marketing and much more meat of how Champagne is truly made.
Here are some of the topics we cover:
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Hervé discusses the origins of Lanson -- how it was the 4th Champagne house founded and how, whereas others have decided to change their styles to something fatter and fuller bodied over time, Lanson has kept it crisp style that forgoes malolactic fermentation for bright, dancing fruit, pure acidity.
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We discuss the importance of relationship with growers, understanding the land in Champagne, and how Lanson sources its grapes. They use fruit from 100 of the 320 Cru villages that make up the Champagne Appellation. More than 50% of all the grapes that Lanson uses come from Grand Cru and Premier Cru villages (30% is normal for Champagne).
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Hervé tells us about the different regions of Champagne and the value each serves in the blend.
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We discuss the organic and biodynamic viticulture projects of Lanson and what Hervé and his team have learned from growing grapes in this manner. We discuss the difficulty of total certification in Champagne, and Hervé discusses the importance of sustainable certification. In this, Hervé also tells us how Lanson is dealing with climate change, mainly by working in the vineyard and with nature to adapt.
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We discuss the most difficult part of Hervé's job -- assembling the blends. He gives great detail into how it's done and what goes into making each type of wine (hint: the non-vintage wine is the hardest to make!)
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We talk process and I ask about two things I've always wondered about:
- Why having the disgorgement date on the bottle is important
- Is there a noticeable difference in quality between using a gyropalette and remuage/riddling by hand
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Hervé, as a native of Champagne, tells us how he pairs the wine with food. Here are some of his ideas:
- Always as an aperitif and with cheese
- Chardonnay-based Champagne with seafood
- Blancs de Noir/Vintage/Rosé Champagne with white meat or with dishes that are both sweet and salty
- Old vintage Champagne with some red meats
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Not surprising, when asked about the future for Lanson and Champagne, Hervé told us it's all about the vineyard! Amen!
___________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more! And get an eGift Card for the holidays and Wine Access will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of my favorite charities: No Kid Hungry. It's a great charity that helps end childhood hunger.
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To sign up for classes (now for UK and Euro time zones!) please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
It's the end of the year and there's still time to get interesting and USEFUL gifts for the wine lovers in your life. We covered basics of glassware and gadgets in Episode 338, but this pod covers some cool gift ideas that aren't essentials but, rather, nice to haves (or just damn funny to know about in the case of the 5 gag gifts!). Here's the run down of our recommendations (in no particular order so don't read into it!)
Disclosure: Some of the products contain affiliate links so I may make a small amount if you buy the products below but no one has paid me or gifted me these products so I'll put them on the list.
The Real Gifts
- Brumate Winesulator and 2 Uncork'd XL wine tumblers with lids, $59.99-$69.99
What is it: If you travel to the beach, go camping, or hang out outdoors in warm weather, you know that glass bottles and drink ware are a no-no. At the beach glass is illegal, for camping and hiking the risk of breakage is high, and in warm weather your wine temperatures rise and can skunk the wine while it sits in glass. Enter the Brumate Winesulator. Pour the wine into this insulated bottle and it will keep it cool for 24 hours (so it claims. Even if it's not that long, it will be long enough for you to down it!).
Why we like it: The cups are akin to the Yeti Tumblers that we recommend in Ep 338 and they will keep the wine at a great temperature too. This is a completely practical gift that the recipient wind up using frequently once they have it.
- Sipski Silicone Wine Glass Holder for the Bath & Shower $14.99
What is it: As I say in the show, I have no idea why I find myself in the shower with a wine glass so often (M.C. Ice blames it on our kids), but I do. This is a wine glass holder that suctions right onto your shower wall.
Why we like it: My main problems with wine in the bathroom are twofold:
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- I worry the glass will break if I perch it on the side of the shower
- Water gets into the glass if I put it on the floor of the shower and dilutes the flavor.
The Sipski seems to solve both problems. Know anyone with these pressing issues? This is a perfect gift.
- The Durand for old bottles and fragile corks $125
What is it: I think their site says it best: The Durand® removes "compromised and fragile corks, whole and intact, from older, valued wines. The Durand has been repeatedly tested on the most challenging corks. It has performed consistently and flawlessly."
Why we like it: I have to admit, I don't drink enough fine, old wine to justify buying this device, but I do know people how own it and they love it. I will admit that I've unwittingly made my own makeshift Durand using a corkscrew and a two-pronged cork puller, but this is far more practical, slicker, and makes more sense! This is perfect for a wine lover who has a big cellar with lots of old bottles
- CORAVIN, Model Three, $149.95
What is it: Coravin is the biggest innovation in wine since the invention of the corkscrew. Coravin was a sponsor of the pod for a brief time and their founder, Greg Lambrecht, came on to talk about this invention process. He's a biotech guy who figured out how to insert a needle into a cork, take out wine and replace it with argon gas, without introducing oxygen to the wine.
Why we like it: It is pricey, but if you know someone who likes to try a lot of different bottles instead of opening one and sticking with it for the night, or if someone is the lone wine drinker in his or her house, this is the best investment going. It works so well and I use it all the time, especially when I teach classes and don't want to open five bottles in a night! It is perfect if you just want a glass of wine on a Tuesday night but don't want the whole bottle. This is the gold standard for any wine lover and you will be much beloved if you gift this!
- A Wine Access Gift Card (you choose the amount)
What is it: Yes, they are my sponsor for the show and they did sponsor this podcast but they didn't put me up to putting them on the list. I could have been more generic about a "wine gift card" but I truly believe that Wine Access has top notch products and that the best gift card for wine you could get someone is an eGift card to their site.
Why we like it: I have worked with them for more than a year and I can tell you that the wines are awesome. They have a great team who only selects 1 in 18 bottles they try. They have excellent customer service, can guarantee that every bottle comes directly from the winery (no weird second-hand stuff), and they have perfect temperature controlled storage so every bottle comes to you in perfect shape. I also love the materials each bottle comes with -- pairings, serving temperatures, educational information -- it's all here. So yes, they are my sponsor, but there's a reason for that. They are top shelf and if you get someone a gift card from them, they will thank you a hundred times over.
Bonus: If you are pressed for time, this is an eGift card -- it gets there within seconds of you registering it!
(Not available in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Utah.)*
- Murray’s Cheese Shop: Red Wine Lover's Collection Basket, $95
What is it: Being a native New Yorker means I'm partial to all things New York, and Murray's Cheese (the original location is on Bleeker Street in the East Village) is one of those things. A going concern for more than 80 years, Murray's has its own cellar where they age their cheeses, trained staff, and all around exceptional cheeses.
Why we like it: This collection has a bunch of great cheeses that will pair with reds (and if you don't want to fork over the $95 plus shipping, you can use their list as a guide and make your own basket!). Another great one for a last minute gift -- it's shipped within two days so it will get to your wine and cheese lover fast!
- The Outdoor Wine Table, $58.00 at Uncommongoods.com
What is it: Another great gift for outdoor wine enjoyment, this is the perfect little table for people who picnic, like hanging out outdoors, or who go to a hell of a lot of sports games to watch their kids play 😂. The collapsible table holds a bottle, two stems and a small cheese plate.
Why we like it: A classy gift at a fair price. The only hitch -- it's on backorder so you'll have to order it, print out a picture, and tell your friend or loved one that the gift is on the way!
8. The Wine For Normal People Book ($22/priceless) and/or a Gift Certificate to take a class ($42 per class) Yes, I wrote a book. I think it's pretty good AND I think you should give it to someone you know and love! If you buy it and send the receipt to hello (at) winefornormalpeople (dot) com, I'll make your gift a one-of-a-kind and send you a customized bookplate that you can stick in the cover. Tell me who you want me to address it to and it's yours.
And the Wine For Normal People Online Wine School starts its 7th year in 2021. I'm not teaching online because of trends, I've been at this a very long time! $42 for two people gets you 1.5-2 hours of high energy, information packed classes that always sell out for a reason -- you won't get this kind of class anywhere else. I'll make you laugh and think, and I may even torture you with some bad food pairings, but all in the service of super wine dorkery.
The Gag Gifts...
These are scattered throughout in the podcast, but here are the links to some of the funniest things we found this year in wine gag gifts (plus a reprisal of an old favorite:
- Primeware Insulated Drink Purse w/ 3L Bladder Bag, $45
- Forum Novelties Smuggle Your Booze Tampon Flask Standard, $11
- The Original WineRack Booze Bra Flask - Adjustable Design - Holds 25oz of Booze (Grey, Medium), $25
- FlaskScarf Women's Jersey Infinity Novelty Flask Scarf (Hidden 8 Ounce Bladder)$27
- Champagne Bottle Straws 12 Pack ($4.48 of everything is wrong with this. The answer to: You know you have a drinking problem when...)
[____________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more! And get an eGift Card for the holidays and Wine Access will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of my favorite charities: No Kid Hungry. It's a great charity that helps end childhood hunger.
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To sign up for classes (now for UK and Euro time zones!) please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Magali Guyon has been the technical director/ winemaker of Château La Cardonne in the Médoc of Bordeaux for more than 20 years. Having worked in Bordeaux for some of the biggest names – she is the former winemaker at Château Lynch-Bages – she represents the best of the best in Bordeaux. Château La Cardonne was recently awarded the prestigious Cru Bourgeois Supérieur title as well.
In this show, we take a different look at the Médoc (the prestigious Left Bank of Bordeaux) and approach it as a proposition of growing and terroir – not of pretty chateaux and expensive wines. Magali helps us reframe the discussion of Bordeaux to show us that the true essence of Bordeaux is the vineyard and the land.
Here are the show notes/discussion topics:
- The location, size, and the major water, soil, climate, and other influences in the Médoc
Map from Vins du Médoc
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The soils and the differences between the various types of gravel, the clay-limestone, and the limestone bedrock that could be particularly suited to white wine in the future (yes, we do discuss the possibility of a Blanc appellation for Médoc)
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The flat aspect of Bordeaux and how diurnals must make up for what it lacks in altitude or slope
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The grapes of the Médoc – mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. We talk about what type of land is well-suited to each grape and what matters when it comes to good viticulture
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The many separate areas/AOCs –Margaux, St. Julien, Pauiilac, Listrac, Moulis, St. Estèphe, and the wider areas of Haut-Médoc and Médoc. We talk about the similarities (the oceanic climate) and the differences (nuances in climate and soil)
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I ask Magali about why there are no wines that tout “old vines” or Vieilles Vignes on their labels in Bordeaux. She explains why that could be.
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Climate change and the challenges of strictly organic or biodynamic viticulture are a big topic. We also talk about the new grape varieties – Touriga Nacional, Marselan, Arinarnoa, and Castets – and the potential for a few of them. We address the importance of tradition and how keeping wines stylistically true to the region is a priority
After an in-depth conversation on Médoc, we discuss Château la Cardonne.
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Magali explains why she vinifies each lot separately – plot by plot. We discuss how important it is for a vigneron to be in charge of both vineyards and winemaking. We talk about the use of oak and how it is viewed in Bordeaux (as a way to provide controlled oxidation and tannin stabilization, NOT as a “spice rack” as it is in the New World) and why many vigneron are trading barrels for amphora
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Château La Cardonne ages the wines before release in their famous “Cathedral” . It is 2020 at the time of the show and they are just releasing their 2010 wine
Photo credit: Vins du Médoc
- We discuss the “caste system” of Bordeaux and how frustrating it is that the classification systems suppress the reputation and excellent wines of places not included in these old rankings. On the positive side, we discuss how that translates to value for us as wine lovers (La Cardonne is a mere US$25)
We wrap with a brief discussion of women in Bordeaux, the benefit of foreign investment in Bordeaux (Château La Cardonne is owned by a Hong Kong-based company), and how the future for Bordeaux is exciting and full of possibilities.
The show is a great new way to look at Bordeaux. Forget chateaux: look at the land!
*Unless specified otherwise all photos from the Instagram feed of Chateau La Cardonne
____________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more! And get an eGift Card for the holidays and Wine Access will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of my favorite charities: No Kid Hungry. It's a great charity that helps end childhood hunger.
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To sign up for classes (now for UK and Euro time zones!) please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
To get a Gift Certificate for a Wine For Normal People class for your loved one go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
And for a customized, signed bookplate for a gift, send your receipt to hello (at) winefornormalpeople (dot) com
This is a transcript of the first part of the podcast. The second part of the show discusses these points in more detail.
Women in Wine and the Subtle Symphony of Quiet Misogyny
After mulling over the various scandals in wine lately, and thinking about my position in the wine world, I have a perspective to add beyond just a social media post to call out the behavior of those in the wine business, those who have minimized the situation, and the hollow calls for change that likely won’t happen.
Part I: What’s in the news, and what I have seen…
If you missed it, in the past few months, a spate of “scandals” has broken out in the wine world regarding women in wine.
First, it was the #winebitch scandal in the United Kingdom. This occurred when a well-known TV wine personality from the “Wine Show” in the UK and his cronies passed around text messages debasing young female and “softer” male wine influencers. I didn’t see these messages before they were removed from the web, but I’ve heard from those who did that the threads were raunchy, rude rants. They were also far-reaching – covering everything from the lack of value of these people’s contributions to the wine world (one could say that topic is at least ok to discuss although not in the manner raised) to criticizing their looks, children, and families (not even remotely ok).
On the heels of this, an exposé in the New York Times revealed that the highest-ranking men of the cult of Master Sommeliers, as I like to call it and have written about before, have been demanding sexual favors and even raping (young) women in exchange for guaranteed career advancement. I have made the argument for a long time that the Court of Master Sommeliers is an exclusive in-crowd of people who know each other and who dictate membership based not only on skill but on favoritism. Apparently, that favoritism stretches far beyond the run of the mill BS that I had speculated about.
Is this surprising? No. When I worked at the big hulking winery in the mid-2000s, executive assistants who had been there for 35 years told me that the senior executives and owners used to say wildly inappropriate things to them, and kiss and grope them while they were trying to work. Although these women tried (literally) to run away from these predators, this mistreatment was acceptable behavior and the women’s silence was the only way to maintain employment.
I’m not excusing the behavior, but maybe this legacy means we need to take a historical view to understand the issues. Wine in the United States is an old school industry. Its very structure is based on something that was set up in 1933 after Congress’s failed attempt to ban alcohol through a constitutional amendment. Doubting the public could handle itself properly, Congress encouraged states to set up roadblocks and a three-tier system that treats adults as children with choices made for them about what, when, and how they can buy wine, gives certain huge producers and distributors power over markets, and in certain states, despite Supreme Court rulings, denies citizens the ability to procure the wines they prefer to drink.
Further, for those in the industry, if you don’t drink copious amounts with your customers and co-workers, and if you are a woman not willing to be a good old boy and listen to piggish talk and smoke cigars, you’re a pariah. It’s an industry based on power in the hands of the few (like many industries).
The deification of sommeliers, who completely disconnect with the very people they are supposed to serve in pursuit of a title that will give them power, is another outgrowth of this. The conclusion: the wine industry is based on other people who apparently know better than you (whomever you are), making decisions for you that you may or may not agree with. The recent scandals prove that little has changed since the incidents of the “Mad Men” era the women at the big winery told me about. And as more women have entered the industry, the opportunities for this kind of behavior have just multiplied. Sexism in the wine industry is a subtle symphony of quiet misogyny.
As for me, I can’t count the number of times I have been ignored when I am in a group of industry men talking about wine. I am usually invisible to them and generally have no value. When I am with MC Ice in a setting that is not for podcast fans and listeners, men ask him the questions about wine even after he tells them what I do. And although I was too old and not cute enough to be a candidate for sexual harassment when I entered wine (I’m not sad about this, don’t worry!), the invisibility factor and belittlement factor was high with my male colleagues and bosses.
Women in high positions in wine are also guilty of this type of behavior – ignoring those they feel are unimportant or who lack status (men and women at conferences will ignore me until someone else tells them my audience is large and then there’s huge interest on their part, huge disgust on mine). Plenty of women in wine are just about self-preservation. In fact, an article by Jancis Robinson is nothing short of a “there’s nothing to see here” rant about how the younger generation has social media to make “a fuss” as she puts it. She argues that change should come for the economic viability of the wine industry, not for the absolute immorality of the acts of misogyny and inequality. I fear that her stance and that of those who support her show us that many women of the old guard are equally at fault for ignoring what goes on in the real world with normal wine people, AKA, the unwashed masses.
Part II: The Solution -- No, it’s not more women’s only groups or women’s scholarships
I don’t really consider myself part of the industry -- I chose to blaze my own path and work with what I consider to be the best sides of wine – producers and wine drinkers – and abandon the business for the very reasons I just described. Because of that I often stay out of these debates. But this is one that I need to discuss. Because like everything else in wine, the issue has been framed in a way that just doesn’t work and won’t bring structural change.
So now I’d like to talk about the fix. Because the fix is not letting the men and women with stale ideas in the wine industry and financial interest steer this ship. And this is what is happening now. The wine industry LOVES to take the issue of the day, elevate it, and sweep it under the rug, or marginalize it so it becomes a splinter group. That’s what I see happening now: women’s initiatives! Let’s create a group to forward the cause of Women in Wine! Let’s make it so that women get promoted and we have our own safe space! Let’s give scholarships to women!
This tack lacks imagination and accomplishes nothing: We’ve already done this and it doesn’t work. The large corporations become sponsors of these “women-first” organizations so the problems they themselves create in the industry can’t be discussed in an open forum. Further, often the events are too costly and in places where the people who would benefit most can’t afford to get to (Napa and New York ain’t cheap). And frankly, once these organizations are off the ground, the women form their own in-crowd and never reach the people who may need the most help; Think of the young woman starting out in wine in Alabama who may be getting harassed but has nowhere to turn, or the sommelier in Omaha who has been told she can’t advance because men won’t take her seriously at a steakhouse. The elite women’s groups and scholarships for the few lucky enough to get them do nothing to help the majority of women.
And while I applaud the people who are trying to lift up other women (unlike many in the old guard who feel they need to keep rising stars down to maintain their own status), we do not and cannot operate in a bubble. These organizations that are supporting women need to take a hard look at how to make change. The only way to make this work is to enlist male allies; not to cloister off in group of women who believe what you believe. Men and women must work together to create a productive solution that doesn’t make this problem a “women’s issue,” thus giving these predators and subtle sexists the power to make the situation an “us” vs. “them” issue.
The organizations for women are already funded and organized, but now it’s time for them to move beyond talk and into action. They should take a page from the LGBTQ community: PFLAG could serve as a great model – chapters exist all over the US to help people work together to understand the issues, foster acceptance, and create safer and more inclusive communities for people of the LGBTQ community. This volunteer chapter structure allows dialog, understanding, and true change and it is not dependent on how much money you have or whether or not you can pay $1,000 for a weekend conference in New York or Napa. With well-known, funded, publicized, and gender inclusive chapters change can happen in any community where women and decent, good men are willing to work to solve the problems in wine.
Women are hurt and outraged but they should heed the warning: it is never right to close ranks and push people to the margins who want to help and who are willing, during our darkest times, to stand up for us and with us to help fight the darker elements of sexism. This is not a “women’s issue.” This is a cultural change that must happen in the wine industry and it can’t be done with scholarships and conferences of women alone. It must be a joint effort from everyone who is willing to be educated and to advocate for fairness.
Until we address the problem and come up with an innovative, inclusive solution, the engine of sexism and discrimination will continue in wine, stifling creativity, destroying the self-esteem of outstanding people, and holding the entire wine industry back from progress it deserves.
_______________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes (now for UK and Euro time zones!) please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
2020 has been unlike any other, so we are recommending some different things for this year’s annual Thanksgiving show. This year has been tough for everyone, but small, family-owned wineries have been hit pretty hard by fires, lack of tourism, and in some cases, rough harvest conditions. Thanksgiving is the quintessential American holiday, so for this year, especially, we’re recommending that we show support for great American, family-owned wineries and their wines that pair perfectly with any kind of Thanksgiving food you decide to eat.
We start out with a few important announcements:
- The Wine Resources section of the WFNP site is now live. Check it out!
- This year I’m running the holiday book offer again! Details here:
Here are the show notes:
- Regardless of where you are or who you are with, our #1 Thanksgiving tip this year (in this kind of sucky and restrictive year without our loved ones in many cases): Drink something really fantastic – haul out the wine that you’ve been saving and have it now. Celebrate that you are here, that you are ok, that you will make it through this tough time.
We then spend the show traveling the country from west to east, recommending wines from all the top quality regions:
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California
- Santa Barbara: The Pinot is perfect for the meal and really goes with anything. Lumen, Holus Bolus, Ampelos, Dragonette, and Marimar are a few I like
- Paso Robles: We’re a broken record on this one – Rhône style red and white blends from Tablas Creek, Italian varietals from Giornata, and for red meat fuller “meaty-style” veggies: Hearst Ranch and Halter Ranchfor hefty red blends.
- Sonoma: The Underground Wine Events Winery list will suffice but we specifically mention excellent rosé of Pinot Noir from Bruliam, tasty sparkling from Keller Estate and Longboard, and, as I mentioned in my piece with the Splendid Table on NPR – ACORN Winery’s Cabernet Franc.
- Napa: Bearing the brunt of the wildfires this year, we recommend supporting producers who have been affected if you can. Here is a list, but we mention Smith-Madrone (their Riesling is perfect for TG), Cain Winery, Chateau Boswell, and Fairwinds Estate – all whose properties were completely destroyed in the fires.
- Sierra Foothills: Andis is always my pick and the Semillon is perfect with the herbs of the Thanksgiving feast. The Zin is powerful but nuanced and would be great if you are grilling
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Oregon
- Also affect by fires this year and chockful of family owned producers (but make sure you check the big, hulking winery list in the Wine Resources part of the site to avoid buying from a conglomerate), Oregon makes great Pinot Noir, unoaked Chardonnay, and Gamay – all great with every part of a traditional, savory Thanksgiving meal. Some favorites: Bergström, Torii Mor, Cristom, Lingua Franca
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Washington
- With more body, power, and alcohol, the wines of Washington are fantastic for grilled foods, beef stews, meatloaf, and hearty food you may decide to have in lieu of traditional TG food. Walla Walla, Yakima, and the larger Columbia Valley AVAs are great. I mention Pepper Bridge, Amavi, Sleight of Hand, Saviah, Hightower, and Delille
-
Texas
- Hands down, the winning wine in Texas right now is Tempranillo. A bolder, higher alcohol version than the original Spanish wine, these wines will be great with Spanish cheeses (Manchego) and the same foods we mention for Washington wines. Spicewood, Perdenales are mentioned.
-
We mention Michigan for its Riesling, New Mexico for its large sparkling brand, Gruet, and Colorado for some of its emerging wineries as well
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Finger Lakes, New York
- Riesling, Riesling and more Riesling is my recommendation. Dry, off-dry, sweet, dessert – all work with herbs, spices, butter and fat. Riesling is an MVP – it can also handle curry, Chinese food, Indian spices, and any food with heat. And Finger Lakes, with the traditional peachy, white flower, mineral bouquet, its stupendous acidity and lower alcohol make it a complete must-have. Anthony Road Wine Company’s Late Harvest Vignoles is the dessert wine of the century – a native/hybrid grape made in a sweet style, also noted in the Splendid Table segment.
-
Long Island, New York
- From my native land, M.C. Ice and I wax poetic on sparkling wine from Lieb and Sparkling Pointe, and then mention great medium bodied Cabernet Franc and Merlot from these gorgeous island wineries. With these kinds of profiles and more moderate alcohol (make sure to check that’s the case before you buy), you will have reds that can weave their way in and out of hard-to-pair dishes – from green beans to creamed spinach to fried turkey. And the sparkling may be an even better match for all that – but you be the judge.
-
Virginia
- It has been a terrible year for the wineries of Virginia. Terrible frost settled at the beginning of the growing season, killing off the vines before they had a chance to form. The tiny harvests were fine but there won’t be much wine to sell from 2020, an unfortunate occurrence in the time of Covid. We mention the fabulous Albariño from Afton Mountain (I mentioned their sparkling, Bollicine, in the Splendid Table segment) and unoaked Chardonnay from Pollak, which are our seafood picks, as well as the versatile whites and reds of Linden and Glen Manor. We highly recommend dessert wine from VA – it’s a perfect end to the meal!
We are so grateful for you and we hope you open something fantabulous to celebrate that you are making it through this year, no matter how hard it has been!
Elizabeth and M.C. Ice
_______________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes (now for UK and Euro time zones!) please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Séverine Schlumberger joins us for the third installment of our mini-tour of Alsace (first installment was Ep 343). To provide a counterpoint to Phillippe Blanck of Domaine Paul Blanck (Ep 250), the Schlumberger family is more devoutly French in attitude and Séverine tells us a different story of her family’s heritage, attitudes, and how Domaine Schlumberger developed and grew to become one of the largest family-owned domaines in Alsace.
Founded by Nicolas Schlumberger in 1810, Domaine Schlumberger produces all estate-bottled wines from southern Alsace. The Schlumberger vineyards are among the largest in Alsace, and one of the largest blocks of contiguous vineyards in all of France. The Schlumberger domains operate and vinify 140 ha/346 acres of vines, half of which are spread over 4 Grands Crus, which have been in the family since 1810 -- Kitterlé, Kessler, Saering and Spiegel. The vineyard is sustainably managed, 30 ha is biodynamically farmed, and the Domaine is working on organic certification for the whole property.
Séverine Schlumberger, co-owner of the Domaine, is part of the 7th generation running the estate. Here are the show notes:
First we tackle history, as it is so essential in Alsace…
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Séverine tells us about her family history in Alsace. She discusses how her family came from Germany to Guebwiller and how their family grew in size and diversified from wine to textiles, finance and oil in a network that stretched from Alsace, to Paris, to the United States. Séverine paints a picture of a family who very much considered themselves French and defied German occupation each time it occurred in the 19th and 20th
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I ask Séverine if she finds that her family was particularly egalitarian because the prestige cuvées are named after the women: Christine, Anne, and Clarisse. In her very matter-of-fact, brass tacks style, Séverine tells us that her family was actually quite sexist, and that the women either needed to die or become very old to even be considered important in the domaine! I love the honesty!
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We speak briefly about Michel Schlumberger in Sonoma, which a distant relative of Séverine’s established and then sold. In case you were wondering, there is no close tie between the wineries and wasn’t even before the sale to a holding company.
Next we address the estate:
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The Domaine is located on steep, dry, infertile hills with slopes of up to 50% gradient and at an altitude ranging from 820- 1280 ft/250 - 390 meters. It’s in the Haut-Rhin area of Alsace (the south), which is dry and considered top quality.
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We discuss the Grand Cru vineyards and what makes each so special, Séverine likens each to her children and makes the analogy crystal clear for us. We also talk about some of the unique features of the vineyards – the use of stone terraces to prevent erosion, and the “franc-comtois” plough horses that the Domaine has used continuously since 1810.
- Cool fact: this is one of the only types of horses that don’t have vertigo, and so they are perfect for steep vineyard work.
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Séverine talks about how much of the Grand Cru grapes go into the basic tier, “Les Princes Abbés” wines. The wines aren’t mature for 15 years and the basic wines are essential for introducing wine drinkers to the world of Alsace, so they get special care.
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We discuss the new classification system that is proposed (it would be like Burgundy’s system) and some of the qualms Séverine has with it. Then we discuss the standardization of a sweetness scale of the wines, tradition styles of Alsace, the use of very limited oak, and how climate change has affected the wines.
Finally, Séverine tells us her wish for the future: that Alsace wines become as popular on wine lists and in shops as Bordeaux or Rhône, and that wine lovers recognize that every white wine style made exists is in Alsace and is readily available.
I’m doing my part in drinking Alsace, I hope you are too!
My favorite quote from the show...
“For me the luxury of a wine producers is not to drive a Ferrari or to dress Chanel, it’s to be able to skip a wine if the vintage is not good enough, and that’s exactly what we’re doing…and the only reason we can do that is because we are family owned. If you belong to a big financial group, it’s over”
(32:15)
*All photos from https://www.domaines-schlumberger.com
________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes (now for UK and Euro time zones!) please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Don't forget the bookplate offer for the book:
Building off Episode 343 on Alsace and the Alsace class I taught, Phillippe Blanck of the famed Domaine Paul Blanck joins to talk about his family’s 420-year history in wine, the uniqueness of Alsace and its sites, and how we need to reorient wine to tasting and sensation versus elitist words. You will learn volumes about Alsace, terroir, history, and taste from this wise, very tuned-in, wonderful man.
The Blanck wine story starts in 1610 when Phillippe’s Austrian relative, Hans Blanck acquired vines in Alsace. 420 years later, Domaine Blanck continues the legacy. Phillippe operates the Domaine with his cousin Frederic. Frederic is the king of the vineyard and cellar and Phillippe is the master communicator and business person. With just 24 ha/59 acres of land, Domaine Paul Blanck makes some of the most distinctive, terroir driven, yet affordable wines in Alsace. And Phillippe tells us all about it.
Here are the show notes:
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Phillippe tells us the story of his family in Alsace. He discusses the character of the people and the wines, and how they evolved with French and German influence over the centuries. He discusses his grandfather, Paul Blanck who (with the help and advice of Burgundy producers) fought for recognition of Grand Cru sites and wines of terroir. They got assistance from Champagne producers to push through the Crémant appellation in the 1970s, and the family was also instrumental in getting distinctions for the late harvest wines – Vendange Tardive and Seleccion de Grains Noble (We also clarify that the Blanck family is large, made up of many, many distant cousins, so many Alsace wines and domaines may bear the name – Paul Blanck is the one we are discussing).
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Phillippe talks about innovation in Alsace and how very important it is to encourage young producers to push the envelope here, even if it defies tradition in some ways.
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We discuss the various Grand Cru of Blanck and how about 1/3 of the vines are moved into the basic AOC Alsace wine because the vines, although growing on ideal sites, are too young for the Grands Crus. This means their base tier wines are rich, and possess more terroir-driven character than many wines of the region.
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Phillippe gives an excellent explanation about the differences between Grand Cru wines and general AOC wines. He talks about the broader picture of Alsace wine– that it is not just orthodoxy of soil, but the unending permutations of styles available that make the wine confounding and exciting. These top tier wines are special because the sensation and precision of each and how they reflect the land and also the skill of the winemaker and what they want to show. A good Grand Cru is “readable”, according to Phillippe, it needs to say something and the winemaker must have a good understanding of the terroir to be the translator. Domaine Blanck’s famed wines are those of Schlossberg and Furstentum with other wines in Sommerbourg and Mambourg.
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I ask about the criticism of the Grand Cru system – many critics complain that there are too many Grand Cru sites without merit in Alsace that are undeserving of their status. Phillippe gives another way to look at this – he feels that there are certain sites that have no lead producer or flagship wine. Without those things the wines can’t achieve status even if the site is great. He uses the example of Andre Ostertag, who brought the Grand Cru Muenchberg to great renown in the last few decades through his innovative wines and labeling.
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We talk shop a bit – Phillippe discusses the sweetness preferences of various countries (the US likes bone dry wines, the Netherlands like wines sweeter), the importance of having an excellent based tier wine to introduce people to your brand, and how wine scores and wine fashion is a bit meaningless. Phillippe gives us a tip: for industrial wine, the lower the price, the lower the quality. This is the opposite for terroir wine.
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Phillippe discusses his other utterly fascinating passion – the Chinese art of Qigong (chi kung), that focuses on meditation, breathing, and calm for self-cultivation and positive energy flow. He has been a teacher of Qigong for 20 years and has applied the ideas to wine – he believes wine should be felt in your soul and described in sensation or “touch” terms, creating a universal language that people can relate to and using terms that evoke emotion rather than staid traditional aromatic terms.
This was a great show. I encourage you to check out the Alsace class that I taught. It’s on YouTube and free for all.
*All photos from the Domaine Blanck website.
________________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes (now for UK and Euro time zones!) please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
There are five founding estates of the Priorat region of Spain. Mas Martinet was the first and in this show, brilliant, philosophical owner Sara Peréz discusses its history, philosophy, and how she sees the land and wines of this magical, mystical region.
This woman is a role model for us all -- she has found true happiness in her part of the world, her work, and her life!
Here are the show notes:
- Mas Martinet, originally owned and run by Josep Lluis Peréz, Sara's father, was one of 'los Closos', the group of five people and families that settled in Priorat and worked together from 1981 to change and revive the Priorat wine region and make it the legendary wine it has become (they are: Clos Mogador, Palacios, Clos Erasmus, Clos de l'Obac, Mas Martinet). Sara runs the winery and has brought Mas Martinet down new and exciting paths that have only made the wines more interesting, modern, and terroir driven.
- Sara tells us about her dad and mom, who moved from teaching into setting up an enology school and then starting Mas Martinet after much study of the terroir by the pupils (as Sara calls them!) to help examine the best soils, slopes, and sun exposures for each grape type.
- We learn about things used to be in Priorat -- abandoned vineyards, Carignan growing on the flats, Garnacha on the slopes, and lots of empty land with few people staying to farm it. We discuss schist and the famed black slate licorella soil (pic here from Mas Martinet):
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Sara and I address tradition versus market appeal and why some French grapes were introduced into Priorat. We discuss the high alcohol levels (she discusses a 2001 trip to visit Didier Dageneau in the Loire and her shock at how high he was allowing his alcohol levels to become. This made her want to make a different kind of wine).
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Sara's commitment to organic viticulture and holistic farming rather than using anything that will harm the land is powerful. She uses herbs as cover crop to stop erosion on steep slopes, she doesn't spray -- even in the worst of years (she lost 86% of her crop this year), and she believes that small changes collectively can stop climate change.
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We discuss the top grapes of Priorat -- Carignan and Garnacha. Sara tells us how she creates Mas Martinet's three flagship wines to pay homage to all styles of Priorat:
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- Clos Martinet is the original wine made my Mas
Martinet. It includes Garnacha, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah and is aged in lightly toasted oak, as it always has been since her father created the wine.
- Clos Martinet is the original wine made my Mas
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- Els Escurçons pays homage to the sharp hillsides
covered in licorella slate that were once abandoned when people left for cities. This wine is their most expensive, aromatic, and is 100% Grenache, and is elegant and light, as only Sara can make it in Priorat. - Cami Pesseroles is Sara's homage to the wines madeby the farmers who stayed in Priorat after the wealthy gentry moved to cities. They grew Carignan lower down on the slopes. This wine has a significant proportion of old vine Carignan, which is heavy and powerful but still has the light touch that Sara is known for.
- We mention the Mas Martinet Bru and Menut -- both which are affordable invitations into the wines of Mas Martinet
- Els Escurçons pays homage to the sharp hillsides
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Sara tells us about her winemaking philosophies -- how oak can mask the essence of a wine, her willingness to experiment with amphora, glass, cement, and to make orange wine.
Sara Peréz's overarching message is that Priorat is a place of mysticism, with elements in the land and the soil that you can't find anywhere else. It is a place that needs to be experienced and that can bring you great peace and calm, as can the wines when they are made in concert with the land.
I can't wait to go visit!
_____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes (now for UK and Euro time zones!) please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
The Mâconnais is the southernmost area of Burgundy, known for excellent Chardonnay. Although it's often overshadowed by the other parts of Burgundy and only given credit for AOC Pouilly-Fuissé, this picturesque and historic Chardonnay-dominated region has some of exciting appellations you should seek out to see what Mâcon is capable of (hint: a lot, at great prices to boot!)
Source: Vins de Bourgogne
Here are the show notes:
Mâcon location:
- The Mâconnais is located between the Côte Chalonnaise and Beaujolais in Burgundy. It is a transitional area between the north and south of France, where the climate starts to warm a bit, and plusher, fuller styles of wine are possible.
- The vineyards are on a long strip between two valleys split by the Saône River in the east as it flows south to meet the Rhône and Grosne River in the west.
- The Mâconnais has 3,345.82 ha/8,268 acres of vineyard over rolling hills that intersperse with pastures, orchards and other agriculture.
- Chardonnay represents 80% of all vines planted in the region. Reds are made of Gamay and Pinot Noir. Mâcon covers wines of white, red, and rosé.
History
- Vines have been here since Gallo-Roman times but viticulture took off with the Abbey of Cluny, a Benedictine monastery founded in AD 910. These monks were dedicated to viticulture and were responsible for spreading it all over Europe: The order of monks from Cluny at its height had 20,000 monks in 2,000 dependent monasteries from Portugal to Poland. In response to the success of Cluny, the Cistercian Abbey of Cîteau, equally influential in wine, began in 1098.The monastic influence lasted through 15th -16th centuries, but as that tradition waned, so did the demand for wines from the homeland at Cluny in the Mâconnais.
- Historically reds were favored for wine (there is a lot of Gamay, since Mâcon was not part of the Duchy of Burgundy and hence it was never outlawed to grow it here as it was farther north), but whites began to increase in popularity after phylloxera in the 1870s. Still, even in 1952, over 60% of the wine was red
Mâcon Location/Land
- The Mâcon is separated by a series of parallel faults, many vineyards like on north/north-westerly or south/south-easterly exposure. To the southwest of the town of Tournus,there are little valleys that are great for vines. To the south the hills open to an area that has two rocky outcrops, the most important being Vergisson and Solutré – the lower slopes of these rocky peaks is the best area in the Mâcon. Soils range from limestone to flinty clay with sandstone pebbles, and schist. This is a sunny area with warm summers and a risk of spring frosts.
Source: *Vins de Bourgogne*
The Appellations
Mâcon Appellation
- This broad appellation makes red, white, and rosé from anywhere in the Mâconnais. The main grapes are Chardonnay for white, and Gamay and Pinot Noir for the reds and rosés, although most of the Pinot Noir is used for general AOC Bourgogne rouge. Lots of other regional wines are sourced from here – Crémant, Bourgogne Passe-tout-grains and Bourgogne Aligoté. Since many wines classify for the higher specificity Mâcon-Villages, the Mâcon appellation is used far less. They are easy drinkers -- the white is Chardonnay, red Gamay and Pinot Noir.
Macon-Villages
- If a wine is harvested within a specific commune, producers can use the word Villages on the label. The best comes from a delimited region of dozens of villages in the southern section of the Mâcon – from the town of Chardonnay down to the border with Beaujolais.
- The limited amount of red is mainly Gamay and is fruity, violet scented, and fill. The reds are simple and easy to drink. The rosés have similar flavors to the reds, but are acidic yet mouth filling. Mâcon Villages Blanc are reliable Chardonnays with good acidity and honeysuckle, apple, and some grassy/shrubby notes. Like everything in the Mâconnais, the flavors will vary based on village/terroir and the winemaker.
- A higher and more reliable version of Mâcon-Villages is Mâcon plus the name of the village. These include:
- Lugny, Mancey, Milly, Lamartine, Péronne, Pierreclos, Prissé, La Roche-Vineuse, Serrières, Saint-Gengoux-le-National, Verzé.
- Best villages are usually Lugny or Prissé
- A lot of wine sold to big merchants. Good producers: Joseph Drouhin, Louis Latour, Verget
Pouilly Fuissé
- AOC Pouilly-Fuissé was created in 1936. It was well known as an excellent collection of sites and regulators chose land for the appellation that was covered in the best soil -- clay with limestone base. It was decided that there would be no Premier Crus and there are none to this day.
- Pouilly-Fuissé is a large appellation: 1,871 acres of vineyard land, which yield about 400,000 cases per year. Located between the cliffs of Solutré and Vergisson lie the villages: Solutré-Pouilly, Fuissé, Vergisson and Chaintré. They vary in rainfall, climate, altitude but the best vines grow on lower slopes of the two cliffs, where sun exposure and diurnals are ideal. Slopes face east and southeast and some are northwest facing and rise to altitudes of 200m/650 ft to 300m/984 ft.
- The wines range greatly in this appellation both because of varied terroir, and because of diverse winemaking techniques. The best is known to be a little smoky not from oak, but from terroir. The Chardonnays can range in flavor – those aged in stainless steel or concrete egg are like apple, citrus, and peach with good acidity. If oak aged and quite ripe, they may be more like honey, pineapple, nuts, and butter. In bad examples, the oak overcomes the fruit. Some are ull and rich in flavor and soft in texture, and can have alcohol levels exceeding 14% ABV.
Top Producers: Olivier Merlin, Jean Rijckaert, Chateau Fuissé, Verget
Source: *Vins de Bourgogne, BIVB / Michel JOLY*
Pouilly-Loché
- One of the smallest of appellations Bourgogne in terms of land, this is an historic area with an east-facing hillside overlooking the Saône. There are some older soils north of the village of Loché with schist and sandstone, and in the south there is heavier, mineral rich soil. Although these Chardonnay-based wines are floral and peachy, and can be acidic and refreshing, the quality and flavor varies because the terroir varies so much.
Pouilly-Vinzelles
- This appellations shares an East-facing slope with Chaintré (in Pouilly-Fuissé appellation) and is near the big rock of Solutré. Much like Pouilly-Loché, soils vary – so the wine will taste different depending on whether the vines are planted on upper or lower slopes. They are similar to those of Pouilly-Loché, but can take on fuller brioche and almond notes if from those heavier soil types and if oak aged. Older wines (5+years) can even gain mushroom and earth notes.
Saint-Véran AOC: A top appellation and a great value
- Gaining its AOC in 1971, Saint-Véran forms a belt around Pouilly-Fuissé. It is 1,590 acres, slightly smaller than Pouilly-Fuissé, which splits Saint-Véran into two areas, both of which lie on the slopes of the rock of Solutré. The old fossilized limestone soils on the west side create lighter wines than those on the eastern slopes, which are made up of marly limestone, clay, and flint. Lower in altitude than others, with some flat areas, parts of Saint-Véran overlap Beaujolais, particularly St. Amour (a cru of Beaujolais), which usually uses the Saint-Véran appellation for its whites.
- These wines are acidic with smoke, white flower, peach, pear, and pineapple aromas and flavors. Oak can make the wine a bit nutty nuttiness. These wines are a bit zippier than those of Pouilly-Fuissé
Top Producers: La Soufrandiere, Domaine Cordier
Source: *Vins de Bourgogne,BIVB / Aurélien IBANEZ*
Viré-Clessé - High quality appellation
- A high-quality appellation formed from the top two of the Mâcon-Villages, Viré and Clessé, this appellation is a baby – it was created in 1999. With limestone hills and chalky clay soils, these vines grow on hills and include white wines of Chardonnay only. The wines range from smoky and balsamic to citrusy, herbal, minty, and acidic. There can be oak treatment on the wines, which can add notes of nuts and butter, but these are generally acidic, great value Chardonnay (good ones start under US$20).
Top Producers: Domaine de la Bongran, Domaine Andre Bonhomme, Domaine des Heritiers, Chanson
Source: *Vins de Bourgogne, BIVB / www.armellephotographe.com*
Here is a great video on the Mâconnais from Vins de Bourgogne
_________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Saved from the brink of extinction just 50 years ago, Viognier (pronounced vee-ohn-yay), is a white grape that's native to the Northern Rhône in France – mainly the areas of Condrieu and Ampuis. The grape produces effusive wines with a strong aromatic character -- peaches, apricots, flowers, herbs, and ginger are common -- and when made well it has a medium body with a touch of acidity and a pleasant bitterness. This week we continue the grape mini-series (maxi series now?) by exploring this comeback kid and the pleasure it can bring when in the right hands.
History
Viognier's parentage is a bit ambiguous, but it is related to Mondeuse Blanche, which makes it either a half sibling or grandparent of Syrah (as MC Ice points out, we could definitely make a word problem out of this – it’s a brain twister to think about, but possible!). The grape is also tied to Freisa and may be related to Nebbiolo, both which are native to the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy.
Viognier was once grown pretty widely in the northern Rhône but the combination of the phylloxera outbreak in the mid- and late-19th century, followed by WWI, the Depression, and WWII drove a lot of growers to cities and left vineyards abandoned. By 1965, only about 30 acres (12 hectares) of Viognier vines remained in France, and the variety was nearly extinct.
In the mid-1980s, interest started to grow both in France and from winegrowers in Australia and California. Growing interest lead to more plantings and today the grape is grown in Condrieu, Chateau Grillet, and Côte Rôtie in the Northern Rhône, all over the southern Rhône for blends, the Languedoc in southern France, as well as in North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Israel, Japan, Switzerland, and Spain.
Climate and Vineyard
- Viognier needs a long, warm growing season to fully ripen, but not so hot it develops excessive levels of sugar before its aromatic notes can develop. Viognier must get ripe to allow flavor to develop and that happens late, often after sugars develop.
- Viognier is a small thick-skinned berry with good resistance to rot. It does well on acidic, granite soils. Older vines – more than 30 or 50 years old are best for the grape.
- There are at least two clones of Viognier. The older, original one from Condrieu is highly aromatic and tight clustered. The other is healthier, higher yielding and looks and tastes different according to some. This clone, likely made at the University of Montpellier, is widespread in Australia.
Winemaking begins in the vineyard – picking decision is vital:
- Pick too early and the grape has no flavor, and makes a flat wine. Pick too late the wine is flabby and oily. Must be ripe but not overripe, with lower yields.
- Although it is likely best to make the wine in stainless or neutral oak with perhaps some skin contact for a few hours before fermenting, the barrel fermentations, malolactic fermentations, and aging on lees can squash the unique flavor and scent of Viognier.
Flavors and Styles
- Viognier is like peach, apricot, clementine, honeysuckle, chamomile, jasmine, thyme, pine, spice, ginger, crème fraiche, and honey with a full body and can be oily, or sometimes a bit bitter. It is low in acidity. When aged in oak it tastes like vanilla bean and with malolactic fermentation it is creamy and custard-like. It is almost always high in alcohol, with 14.5% ABV being common. The best Viognier from France often doesn’t age, and even loses aromas after a few years in the bottle. Some of the styles from Australia and the US, which have been aged in oak, last a few more years.
- The grape is often bottled as a single variety but can be blended with Roussanne, Marsanne, and Grenache Blanc.
- We didn’t mention this in the show, but the wine can be off-dry or even late harvest and sweet. Condrieu and Château-Grillet produce sweet wines in warmer years.
Regions...
France
Northern Rhône: Viognier is grown as single variety in Rhône appellations Condrieu and Château Grillet on right (west) bank of Rhône River. In Côte Rôtie, winemakers can include up to 20% of Viognier though most growers add no more than 5%.
Condrieu
- Includes seven communes along 14 miles, and makes wines that are usually dry, delicious young, and very aromatic wit structure. The area includes steep hillside vineyards, that face south-southeast to maximize morning sun, not hot evening sun. The soils are granite with a deep sandy topsoil called arzelle. This soil makes the best wine. Yields must be low, and picking must be after the grape has full aromatics.
- Top producers: Guigal, Rostaing, Delas, Pierre Gaillard, Vernay, Francois Villard
Chateau Grillet
- This appellation is owned by one producer, it is a monopole. It is just 7.6 acres/3.08 ha on granite soil with mica – making the wines higher in acid. Vines are 80+ years old and although the area seems ideal, there have been problems with wine quality. Recently the owner of Château Latour of Bordeaux acquired the monopole; there’s hope for restoration of its former glory.
Côte Rôtie
- We did a whole podcast on this area, but north of Condrieu is Côte Rôtie, a Syrah appellation that can include up to 20% Viognier in the wine (in reality it’s more like 5%). Viognier helps darken the color of the Syrah in co-pigmentation but it takes up valuable real estate so it’s not used as much as it could be.
Other French areas: The southern Rhône, where it is blended, the Languedoc and Ardeche, where it makes serviceable Vins de Pays varietal or blended wines.
Other Europe: Switzerland, Austria, Italy
New World
Australia
- Yalumba was the pioneer producer in South Australia’s Eden Valley in 1979. The Virgilius is their top wine (aged in oak).
- McLaren Vale, Barossa, Adelaide Hills, Heathcote, Geelong, Central Victoria, and more grow the grape, which is a challenge to growers because it stays flavorless for much of the growing season and then transforms into something delicious – patience is a virtue!
- One of the best uses for Viognier in Australia is its blends with Shiraz:
- Clonakilla (Canberra), Yering Station (Yarra), Torbreck (Barossa)
United States
California
- Viognier came in 1980s to California when John Alban (Alban Vineyards in Edna Valley), Josh Jensen of Calera (Central Coast), and Joseph Phelps (Napa), brought it into the United States in small quantities. The plantings and interest grew as a group of producers dedicated to growing Rhône varieties, called the Rhône Rangers, grew in numbers and popularity. Today California has more than 3,000 acres of Viognier.
- Yields are high compared to France, the wines can often be overblown if grown in too-hot weather but the greatest examples are full-bodied and rich.
- Top Producers: Tablas Creek, Crux, Qupé, Alban, Calera, Kunde
Virginia
- Viognier is a signature grape of Virginia because the thick skins of the grape work well in the humidity and the diurnals of the mountains mean Viognier can ripen but maintain acidity over a long growing season. The typical VA Viognier has great fruit, slight bitterness, medium body and good acidity.
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Top producers: Barboursville, King Family, Horton
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Other US: Oregon, Washington (we mention ABEJA), Texas
- Around the World: New Zealand, South Africa, South America (Argentina has a lot, Chile some – all young plantings)
Food: The wine is great with dishes that have rosemary, thyme, saffron, and creamy sauces.
Expect to spend more than $50 a bottle for good Viognier (we had the 2017 version of the Guigal below. It was US$50).
___________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Port is an historical, complex, and sometimes confusing wine, but it is more than worth your time to learn about. M.C. Ice go over everything from the vineyards of the Douro, to the history of this wine (with geopolitical implications), to how it's made, and the array of styles. There's something for everyone in the world of Port and after this show, you should be able to figure out which is for you!
Here is the written primer to go along with the show...
The Basics: What is Port?
Port is a Portuguese fortified wine, meaning you add distilled grape spirit, or brandy, to the wine at some point during production. A wine is technically only Port if grapes are from the Douro Valley in northeast Portugal and winemaking takes place there or in the area surround the city of Porto on the Atlantic Coast. There are tons of styles and flavors of this wine – there’s something for everyone.
Douro Valley: The Vineyards
The Douro Valley wine region follows the path of the Douro River as it comes out of Spain into Portugal. The region goes west through rugged, remote, steep and terraced granite mountains of northern Portugal, past the city of Porto into Atlantic Ocean. There are three official zones of the Douro Valley: the Baixo (lower) Corgo, the Cima (higher) Corgo and the Douro Superior
- Baixo Corgo is the westernmost zone and is cool, rainy and the sub region with the most vineyards.Often these grapes are for cheap ruby and tawny Port
- Cima Corgo is upstream from the Baixo Corgo and is where the best vineyards for Port are located. Hotter and drier than Baixo, these excellent grapes are used for Vintage, Reserve, aged Tawny, and Late Bottled Vintage Ports
- Douro Superior is the easternmost zone, going right up to the Spanish border. It has a lot of land but is least developed. It is the hottest, driest area, and a bit flatter
Land and Climate
The Douro has hot, dry summers and steep rocky hillsides bordering the Douro River and its tributaries. The thin, poor schist and granite soils force the grapes to dig deep into schist to look for water and force humans to build terraces to do viticulture: 2/3 of vineyard are on slopes with 30%+ grade.
The Grapes
- Reds: Producers are permitted to use more than 80 red varieties but 5 are widely used: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Tinta Cão. The best wines are blended from low yielding vines with grapes that are small with thick skins and good acidity levels. The grapes here, with the exception of Tempranillo, are indigenous and suited to the hot, dry conditions of the Douro. There is nothing else that tastes like these blends
- Whites (30 allowed): Gouveio, Malvasia Fino, Moscatel, Vinosinho, Rabigato, Esgana-Cão (Sercial of Madeira, dog strangler), others
History of Port: Most of the information on Port was on Taylor Fladgate’s excellent site. Winemaking: The Steps
- Grow grapes in Douro. The IVDP (Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto– Port and Douro Wines Institute)uses the beneficio system (similar to the Échelle des Crus in Champagne) to classify vineyards with a grade that will determine the quantity of Port Wine that can be made from each parcel.
- Put the grapes in a vat (different varieties are usually co-fermented). Stomp them by foot or press them and then start fermentation. When you get to the sugar level you want in the finished wine, run the wine out of the lagar into a vat. To that runoff of juice, add aguardente to kill the yeast and stop fermentation, leaving some sweetness. The resulting wine is usually 19% to 20% alcohol
- Let the wine chill out in Douro until spring, evaluate it for what style of Port it will make and then take the wine to lodges at Vila Nova de Gaia near the city of Porto to be blended, aged, bottled and then sold.
- The real magic is in the ageing…
Ageing & Port Styles
Ports differ because of the quality of the vineyards/grapes, the makeup of the blend, and the ageing regimens they go through. Age softens the bitter, astringent tannins and with time older Ports become brownish in color, soft in tannin, and full of interesting aromas and flavors.
Port is classified by how long and WHAT it’s aged in: Wood or bottle
- Wood Aged Port is matured in wooden barrels. They’re permeable to air so this is called oxidative aging. These wines lose color faster than bottle aged Ports.
- Bottle Aged Port is aged in barrel for 2 or fewer years. It then goes into a bottle and the buyer ages it in their own cellar. Vintage Port, the finest of all Ports, is made this way.
Styles of Port Fruity, dark colored Ports: Ruby, LBV
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Ruby Port is, not surprisingly, ruby red in color. Looking to maintain color and its full cherry and black fruit notes, this wine goes through very little oxidation before release. It can age up to 3 years in wood or another vessel that allows small amounts of air in. It is generally sweet, cheap, and is the most widely produced style (because from a cost perspective – it’s as turn-and-burn as it gets in Port – not inventory holding costs). Special Ruby Ports are:
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Reserve: This is where the term reserve actually matters! These wines are better quality, age for slightly longer, and more rounded, full-bodied and complex
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Rosé: Like any rosé, this type of Ruby Port is in contact with the skins for a shor period of time to obtain the pink color. This is a new type of Port and best chilled with ice
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Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Port is always from a single vintage year, always bottled after spending 4 to 6 years in a wood vat of some sort, and is a dark purple-ish color, full-bodied, and is a little like drinking a young Vintage Port but without bottle ageing and from less good vineyards. This is the Port I usually drink – it’s predictable, tasty, and a great value for what it is. There are two subcategories here:
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Bottle Matured Port: Is generally a higher quality LBV that ages in bottle for at least 3 years before release
- These can come filtered and fined, unfiltered and unfined or in a few other variations. Unfiltered and unfined may throw more sediment.
Food Pairings with these fruity Ports: Brie with Ruby, cheddar with Reserve, tangy cheese with LBV (goat). Chocolate desserts for all that have sweetness.
Nutty, dried-fruit, woodsy flavored Port:
- Tawny Port in theory is made from red grapes, for a long amount of time that will cause gradual oxidation and evaporation, changing the color of the wine to a brownish TAWNY color, rather than purple or ruby. These wines are known for more secondary notes of nuts, dried fruit, smoke, and sometimes oak. With lots of age they can be like honey or even maple syrup. Often lots of different wines have aged for different lengths of time in casks or in vats are blended to reach the house style. They can be sweet or medium dry or dry. These wines are ready to drink when they are bottled.
TYPES of Tawny
- Tawny (No age): Basic blend of wood-aged wine that has usually spent 3+ years in a seasoned cask so they don’t taste oak aged. The reality is that cheap versions of these contain unripe grapes that lack color, the addition of White Port to lighten color, or commonly, carmelized grape must that can add desired color and flavor.
- Reserve: From a blend of wines aged 5-7 years. From better vineyards than regular Tawny, these have more nuttiness, vanilla notes, and complex fruit flavor.
- Tawnies with an indication of age – These are blends of several vintages to get target color, flavor, and aroma. The best versions include very old wines but many large brands just aim for a “target age profile.” This is a flavor they aim to get (that yummy old wine flavor, I guess?) and the “target” is stated on the label -- 10, 20, 30 or 40 years. It’s not even an average of the ages of the wines used.
- Colheita is a single-vintage Tawny, aged for at least 7 years and it has the vintage year on the bottle. Although it’s not a Vintage Port, if the idea of uncertainty around “20 year Tawny” bugs you, this is a more regulated wine. Also a more expensive one in many cases.
Food pairing with Tawnies: Cheese wins the day -- hard, aged cheeses like Pecorino or Parmesan and nut or cream-based desserts (Pecan pie, caramel or fruit based desserts,). Older Tawny pairs well with all that stuff, plus crème brulee, and honey- and nut-based desserts. Like most really old wines, really old Tawny should be consumed solo, chilled.
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Garrafeira is a rare vintage-dated Port that first goes through oxidative ageing for 3-6 years in wood and then is moved into huge glass demijohns for reductive aging for 8+ years.
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White Port is made solely from white grapes in very sweet, sweet, dry or extra dry styles (called Extra Seco, Seco, Doce and Lágrima). Reserve is aged slightly longer and is slightly better quality. These wines are great as cocktail mixers!
Bottle Aged Port:
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Vintage Port is one of the greatest wines in the world. Harvested during a single year and bottled two to three years after the vintage, it develops gradually for 10 to 50 years in the bottle. Each Port house decides whether to make a vintage declaration and the IVDP approves the declaration, which only happens 3 in 10 years. These wines are only a small percentage of the total production of Port. They are bottled relatively quickly and sold, for the buyer to hold and wait for the flavors to change in the bottle.
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Great Vintages in the last 20 years: 2018, 2016, 2011, 2007, 2003, 2000, 1997, 1994
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Single-Quinta Vintage Ports come from a single quinta, or estate. It is a very dark, full bodied red wine that becomes softer after ageing in bottle. It is the most terroir-expressive Port.
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Crusted Port is high quality Port that’s a blend of wines from different harvests. Crusted Port is bottled after 2-3 years of ageing in wood. The wine throws a thick sediment deposit (crust) in the bottle so you need skill in decanting to get the wine out without the chunks! Some consider it bottle-aged, some consider it wood-aged but I think since it spends most of its time developing in the bottle, we’ll leave it here.
Food Pairing with Vintage and Crusted Ports: Blue cheese – Stilton or Roquefort are the traditional pairings for Vintage Port, as are nuts and dried fruit. A fine, old Vintage Port should be enjoyed alone.
Serving Tips:
- 59–68 °F /15˚ and 20 °C is the ideal serving range Tawny port may also be served slightly cooler
- Vintage Ports and Unfiltered Ports need to be decanted
- Tawny, ruby, and LBV Ports may keep for several months once opened
- Old Vintage ports are best consumed within several days of opening
Famed shippers (AKA Producers)
- British influence remains: Broadbent, Cockburn, Croft, Dow, Gould Campbell, Graham, Osborne, Offley, Sandeman, Taylor-Fladgate, and Warre
- Dutch: Niepoort
- Portuguese origins: Ferreira and Quinta do Crasto, Quinta do Noval
_____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it!
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon:
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In the show, I welcome Victor Urrutia, the CEO of the Compañia Vinícola del Norte de España (CVNE) one of the most famed bodegas in Rioja, which has been around since 1879. Victor is part of the 5th generation of a family that has run CVNE (said coo-NAY) for 141 years. We discuss the storied history of this classic, traditional, high quality bodega, and probe into a dozen other Rioja-related topics.
Victor and I cover many subjects, and I was thrilled to have him - it’s been really hard for me to find Spanish producers to come on the show and he comes from one of the most historic, classic, and outstanding bodegas in Rioja (I drink A LOT of CVNE!). Here’s a high level of what you’ll find in the show:
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Victor tells us the story of his family in Rioja and in wine, and his circuitous route to becoming a leader that combines a progressive attitude with a strong respect for tradition.
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We dork out on the Rioja region. Victor tells us all about what is important and what is not in the world of Rioja wine. We discuss the three major regions (Alta, Alavesa, Baja/Oriental) and how they differ in geography, grape types, and traditions.
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We hit on climate, climate change, and the land that surrounds Rioja
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Victor compares Rioja to Champagne (at first I was skeptical, but I see his point now and you will too) and the movement towards single vineyard wines to the grower movement. We have a nerdy discussion about Italians in Barolo, the French in Champagne, and the Riojanos and how all these regions share much common ground (I promise, it comes together!).
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Victor tells us about the differences between the four brands under the CVNE umbrella in short:
- CVNE is the flagship brand. Grapes come from both Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, and from warmer and cooler climates to make highly drinkable, tasty wine. CVNE is made every year, and is made in a traditional style. It is a classic Rioja which changes with vintage, but never wavers on quality.
- Imperial is Reserva and Gran Reserva only. These wines are structured, excellent for aging, and only made in the best years from estate grown fruit in Rioja Alta. First made in the 1920s, these wines are the benchmark style of classic Rioja for many familiar with the region.
- Viña Real was also launched in the 1920s, but it is more fruit forward, has a stronger new oak component and a higher percentage of Garnacha to make it more fruit forward and “modern” in style. Grapes come from Rioja Alavesa.
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- Contino is CVNE’s single vineyard brand, established in 1973. These wines are reflective of the site in Rioja Alavesa and are usually more fruit forward and powerful than either Imperial or Viña Real.
- Monopole is the white wine we mention, that has a portion of Sherry blended in, representing the old school style. It’s outstanding.
We end with a few business questions about how Spain invested to become such a force in the modern wine world, the future of Rioja if Alavesa (which is located squarely in Basque country) was to separate from the larger region, and the plans for CVNE, which involve never being satisfied and always doing better (an excellent goal).
This is a lively, unique look at Rioja. Take a listen then try these wines – I have been a pretty loyal drinker for years and I can promise that if you like Rioja, these will wow you!
And register for current classes at: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes _____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it!
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon:
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During transitions to cooler or warmer weather, what should you drink? I am a firm believer that we should drink wines appropriate for the seasons: crisp, acidic wines for warm weather & fuller, more alcoholic ones for cool temps. This show covers both!
And without further ado, here are the "slides" for which M.C. Ice spent the better half of the podcast making fun of me! These will serve as the show notes this week.
Transitional Whites and Rosés:
Transitional Red Wines:
During the show I mention the class I taught on Alsace. You can find it here: The Wine For Normal People YouTube channel
And register for current classes at: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes _____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it!
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
In this show, we welcome Thierry Fritsch, the head oenologist and chief wine educator of the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins d’Alsace (CIVA), the regional wine regulatory and promotional body of the Alsace wine region. Born and raised in Alsace, Thierry is an agricultural engineer and oenologist, and has an MBA from the Business School of Lyon. Prior to joining the CIVA in 1997, he worked as Chef de Cave for Pierre Sparr and Josmeyer in Alsace.
Thierry is a lively and fascinating guest. He shared so much about the region and the innovations in the works! Below are the show notes:
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Thierry tells us about his background and about the history of Alsace. We discuss how his grandfather changed nationalities 5 times in his life (!). We talk about how the epic tennis match, as I call it, between Germany and France (with Alsace as the ball) shaped the region culturally and from a grape and wine standpoint.
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We discuss one of the unique factors about Alsace – that winemaking families here have been involved longer than any other region in France – for 13, 14, or even 15 generations. Thierry tells us about the wine families’ strong passion for the region and how that has led to a focus on quality and sustainability and organic and biodynamics in the vineyard (Alsace is 25% organic, the leader in France)
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Thierry tells us about the climate and land of Alsace – the effect of the Vosges Mountains, how the area is one of the driest and sunniest in France, how climate changed has pushed harvest up by a month and a half, and Alsace’s secret sauce is its 13 different soil types, each yielding different wine types. Thierry tells us of the three main terroir types in Alsace – the slopes of the Vosges, the foothills, and the flats – and how, as with all hillside regions in France, foothills/mid slope are best, followed by slopes and then the flats, which are used for everyday wines.
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The current appellation system in Alsace (AOC Alsace, plus 51 Grand Cru) is quite simple now, but Thierry shares some exciting developments that are in the works and will happen in the next decade (with the INAO, the French regulatory body, it takes a very long time) – new tiers in the AOC that include villages and a premier cru level.
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We end by talking about the beautiful wines. Thierry describes the main wines of Alsace and what makes them so special: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Muscat, Pinot Noir, and the very popular Crémant d’Alsace.
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One of the issues with Alsace in recent years has been producers making sweet wines without indicating it on the bottle. Beginning next year the sweetness scale will be on every bottle, to indicate Sec (dry), demi-sec (off-dry), moelleux (semi-sweet), and doux (sweet).
To learn more about Alsace, visit: https://www.vinsalsace.com/en/
During the show I mention the class I’m teaching on Alsace. You can register for that at www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes if you’re reading this before September 25, 2020 and catch it on my YouTube channel afterwards!
_____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it!
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
In this show award-winning writer, the foremost authority on Bordeaux, and one of the nicest, most talented people in wine, Jane Anson returns to the show (she was also in Ep 155 and Ep 165).
This year she launched her opus, Inside Bordeaux, a must-have book that she took 3 years to research and write. It provides a comprehensive look at the region’s true strengths – it’s terroir, farming, grapes, and land, rather than pretty buildings and rich people.
The book came out in May and was published by UK merchant Berry & Bros & Rudd and you can find it at specialty retailers all over the world (click this link to learn where).
Here are the topics we cover in the show:
- Jane discusses the background of the book, how she did the research, and some of the great stories she uncovered in her time exploring Bordeaux and looking at it through a different lens.
- We have a very honest conversation about how Bordeaux has strayed from its farming and agricultural roots – how this has been good, and less good -- and talk about some ideas on what needs to change to create a shift from glitz to substance and land.
- Jane tells us about some of the best appellations that are less well-known, how to use the book to figure out wines that will overdeliver for the price based on where they are grown, and the regions she thinks are most emblematic of the quality of Bordeaux on both banks (you’ll have to listen for her suggestions!).
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We discuss one of the most amazing features of the book – extensive fold-out soil and land maps created with scientist Cornelis van Leeuwen. We talk about how they were created, and the value of having terroir matched up with chateaux so you can make assessments about what style a place produces based on its soil.
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Jane gets us up to date on the climate challenges in Bordeaux and the innovative ways people are working with the land to overcome what Mother Nature doles out.
If you love Bordeaux and want to learn more this book MUST be on your shelf!
Links to things Jane mentions in the show:
- The story on Namratha Prashanth, the Indian entrepreneur on her new Bordeaux wine Solicantus
- Château de la Vieille Tour is the château with a microbrewery
- A link again to where to get Inside Bordeaux
I hope to see you in my live online wine classes. Register here: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
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Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it!
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
This week we return to our grape miniseries to cover an old Burgundian variety, one of the 20 kids of Gouais Blanc and Pinot, that emerged around the 1300s. We cover its fascinating history; we talk about how it survived defamation by Dukes, centuries later became one of the most popular wines in the world (Beaujolais Nouveau), fell from grace and now is securing its place as a serious, multifaceted grape that makes complex, interesting wines (especially in its ancestral home of Beaujolais, France).
Here are the show notes:
The Gamay grape and its ideal terroir
- Often called Gamay à Jus Blanc (Gamay with white juice) to distinguish it from 2 teinturiers (grapes with red juice) that mutated from it.
- The grape is early budding, ripening, and not vigorous if grown on the right soils and in moderate temps.
- Gamay is predominantly grown in the Beaujolais region, just south of Burgundy. Its highest expression is when it grows on granite soils in the northern area of Beaujolais, in 10 superior communes. These are, listed in order of lightest to heavy: Chiroubles, St. Amour, Fleurie, Régnié, Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, Juliénas, Chénas, Morgon, Moulin à Vent
Source: www.discoverbeaujolais.com
Gamay Wines
- Wines of Gamay are high in acidity, can be light or dark in color, can be rough in tannins or silky (all depends on terroir), have red berry, cherry, blackberry fruit notes, and stronger notes of flowers like violets, roses, and iris. I find they often have a note similar to a graham cracker, and they can show smoke or flint minerals aromas too.
- The wines often are compared to Pinot Noir but they are brighter, a bit less complex and often show a delicate bitter note, which can be very satisfying with the right food.
Winemaking – the problem of carbonic maceration
- Traditional or better quality Beaujolais, in particular, from the Cru or Beaujolais Villages are made in the traditional way wines are made (the quick and dirty: crush, macerate, ferment, oak age if desired, clean up, bottle) but Beaujolais Nouveau gets much of its flavor from a very quick vinification method that allows producers to take wine off the vines and have it be ready to sit on shelves within a few months’ time. This process is called carbonic maceration and it happens in lieu of crushing and macerating in the traditional way. The quick and dirty on it:
- Whole bunches of grapes are put sealed vats that are blanketed with carbon dioxide (manual harvesting to ensure grapes aren’t broken during picking is important here)
- Grapes at the bottom of the vat are crushed by weight of the grapes sitting on to top. The ones at the top aren’t crushed but the ones at the bottom release carbon dioxide
- That carbon dioxide encourages fermentation within the juice that sits inside the skins of the grapes. But without oxygen and time, quick fermentation occurs and creates flavors like bubble gum and bananas.
- And that’s what Beaujolais Nouveau usually tastes like!
Source: www.discoverbeaujolais.com
Most Gamay is grown in France, where it is the 7th most planted red variety
Beaujolais:
- 2/3 of plantings of Gamay are in and around Beaujolais, where it makes up 98% of production
- 12 appellations have Gamay as the primary grape– the 10 crus plus -- Beaujolais AOC Beaujolais Villages AOC
- Again, the Cru are: Chiroubles, St. Amour, Fleurie, Régnié, Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, Juliénas, Chénas, Morgon, Moulin à Vent
Other parts of France:
- Burgundy: Grown mainly in the Mâconnais, just north of Beaujolais. The grape is used for Crémant de Bourgogne and is sometimes blended with Pinot Noir in a wine called Bourgogne Passetoutgrain
- Loire: Gamay can be light, peppery, and aromatic when it ripens well. Most of it is grown around the city of Tours in the Cheverny, Coteaux de Vendômois and other nearby AOCs. The wines are vintage dependent and can be thin in bad years.
- Savoie and the Rhône each have some minor plantings
Other areas with Gamay include:
- Switzerland, where Gamay is mixed with Pinot Noir to create Dôle in Valais (Bourgogne Passetoutgrains in Burgundy)
- Valle d’Aosta of northern Italy (not too far from Switzerland!)
- Eastern Europe
- New Zealand: I mention Te Mata as one I’ve had and loved
- Australia: Some smaller, cooler areas of Victoria
- Canada: Niagara Peninsula, Niagara on the Lake
- The US: Texas, Michigan, New York State (Finger Lakes and Hudson Valley) and…
- California: I tell the story of the original Charles F. Shaw and his love of Gamay (and how his winery failed and he sold his name to Freddie Franzia to become what is now… Two Buck Chuck). I also add that Valdiguié, a French grape so bad it’s not grown in France anymore, was confused with Gamay
- Oregon: At the same latitude of Beaujolais, there is lots of potential with the right soils. The grapes here are, in fact, Gamay à Jus Blanc, and they make lovely examples of the grape.
For more information on Beaujolais, the Beaujolais appellation web site is wonderful (this is not sponsored, I just love the site!)
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Don't forget to sign up for my live online wine classes: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
_____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it!
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Of all the shows in the catalog, one has always stuck out as not really fitting in so this week we’re scrapping the old and we’re replacing it with something that is related but more timely, relevant and just plain better!!
This week we discuss the pros and cons of the seven main types of wine clubs. We list a few specifics, but try hard to concentrate on various types of clubs and what you can expect from each.
Here is the run-down...
Wine clubs claim to do a few things for their customers:
- Give access to exclusive discounts, free delivery, extras
- Save you time by avoiding the wine shop
- Allowing you the chance at discovery, or the removal of decision-making
- Give you options on the way you want the club to work --how often, timing, how much to get
- Many also give loyalty/rewards
We spend the bulk of the podcast going through the categories of wine clubs:
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Profile services ask you questions and claim to hone in on the types of wines you like. After taking a few of these quizzes, I found them to be completely inaccurate. Further, a lot of the stuff is no-name brands, so clearly bulk wine that is of dubious quality.
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Budget/bulk wine of meh wine that is marked up. A lot of this is wine produced in huge quantities that is poor quality and comes up on the bulk market for people to buy, bottle and market. Occasionally the bulk wine can have sugar or other additives put in to adjust the wine’s profile to the target customer.
Other wines are in shiners, finished wines, often made by a decent winemaker who had too much wine or who bottled a lot that they didn’t think was quite up to snuff. Producers sell these bottles and the wine clubs make a one-shot deal brand that you’ll never see again. It can be great, but don’t fall in love – you’ll never see it again (and if you do, it could be different wine in the bottle next time!).
Naked Wines, which is very popular, is a sub category of this – they ask for a monthly donation to keep their wine projects alive, and with that, you can buy bottles with your credits as you see fit (it’s similar to kickstarter but with an actual product you can buy!). In reality, Naked Wines is also mostly a clearing house for second wines/wines that aren’t good enough for the brand that is selling them.
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Media Wine Clubs: Wall Street Journal, New York Times, etc. lend their names to a marketing firm who manages the club and uses the name to get customers. These are often good deals, some of the wine is probably good, but the these wines are from giant distribution clearing houses who are trying to get rid of wines by marking them down. You may get an occasional good one that just didn’t sell in retail, but most is lower quality, bulk wine, or from shiners. The benefit of these – there is a lot of variety and they are CHEAP. The Wall Street Journal is a bit more transparent about its club, the New York Times says it has “experts who travel the world” looking for wines, but never tells us who those experts are, exactly.
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Curated clubs are those selected by real people – people who you could theoretically ask about the wines and talk to about them. Some come from wine shops who taste thousands of wines a year and have a good sense of what are good deals or what is best from their stores (I mention K&L and The Grand Tour from Verve) but they are also things like Plonk Wine Club, which provides exclusive access and carefully selected natural, biodynamic, and organic wines, and my favorite (and my sponsor!) Wine Access, whose team puts together themed wine club shipments of 6 bottles 4 times per year. Wine Access has true experts selecting the wines, and they pick based on quality and value, rather than what’s cheap and available on the wine market.
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Test tubes/wine flights: I should have mentioned the sample bottles, but I focused on the test tubes of Vinebox. It’s a good idea – you try nine wines :4 red, 4 white, 1 rosé. They come in a box with glass-sized pours. The wines are exclusive to the club and every box gives you credits towards buying full bottles, which are theoretically available on their site. There were a lot of complaints from members that they couldn’t get the full bottles. It’s clear to me that the wines are also in bulk – “exclusive” wines that are hard to get and never seen in a bottle – all red flags.
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Flash wine sites: Although not as popular as they used to be, and not exactly a club, these sites (WTSO and Cinderella Wines from Wine Library) sell real brands at low prices but they put you under the gun to buy – once they run out, you can’t get the deal. Fixed quantity, fixed price. They work straight with the importers of the wines or the families that make them, and they buy in enormous quantities so they are able to get great deals and pass them on. Again, not wine clubs, but in the same genre.
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Niche Wine Clubs: Do you like Oregon Pinot Noir? What about Kosher wine? Do you have to have vegan wine? If so, there is probably a club for whatever you desire. I think these are great – it can be hard to find exactly what you’re looking for and these clubs cater to special interests. The only caveat: make sure they are giving you good producers, and not junky bulk wine! It can happen even in niche-y products, you know!
I talk about my experience working as a consultant for a now defunct wine club (that was discussed in the OLD episode 185, so it wasn’t relevant anymore!) and how it has informed my view of clubs, in general.
The bottom line: Make sure you are asking the right questions: Questions to ask:
- Are the wines geared to your taste? After a few shipments are they good or not so much?
- Are you an experimenter or do you want the same wine you always get? That will help determine what kind of club you should join.
- If it’s a curated model, who is the expert selecting the wine and why do you trust them? Also, Have you heard of the wines? Has anyone rated them ANYWHERE?
- Is there a niche that you love but you can’t find the wines? Go for it. As long as the quality is high, this is your best chance of scratching your itch for specialty wine!
- If you’re price sensitive, clubs can be a great value – again, just make sure you get a good one! Make sure to ask: Is shipping included? Taxes? What are the extra fees?
- What do customer say about the customer service: Will they take returns or credit you for a skunked bottle?
As a last note, once you sign up, make sure you stay vigilant – changes can happen and you may not notice!
Lots more detail than just this, but these are the major points!
Don't forget to sign up for my live classes: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
_____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it!
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Although limited in availability, English wine is rising in popularity. Climate change, bedrock soil that's similar to Champagne and Chablis, and growers with know-how have changed England from a producer of mainly plonk wine into a viable wine nation, with sparkling wine leading the charge.
Source: Decanter
Access in the US is limited, so admittedly this is more of an academic exercise, but in the show we discuss the history, as well as the present, and bright future of UK wine.
After discussing the history (details which can be found here), we get into details of climate, regions, and styles of wines. Here are the show notes:
Climate and land
- Most of the wine regions in the UK are at 50˚ latitude and higher, making it hard to ripen grapes. Long daylight hours in the growing season, and temperature diurnals, however, lead to slow ripening and the development of aromatics -- all very positive for UK wine.
- The weather in the UK wine regions, although warmer and drier than all other parts of the UK, and warmer than it used to be, is still erratic -- with winds, rain, and humidity creating issues during flowering and harvest.
- There is limestone chalky soils in Sussex, Kent, Essex, and throughout Southern England – a great foundation on which to grow grapes used to produce sparkling wine
The grape varieties planted:
- Pinot Noir 29.7%
- Chardonnay 28.9%
- Pinot Meunier 11%
- Bacchus 6.9%
- Seyval Blanc 4.2%
Image copyright Chapel Down 2019
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A brief caveat:“British wine” and “English wine” are not the same thing!!!
- A wine can only be called ‘English’ if it is made from grapes grown in England, ‘British’ wine can be made from grapes grown elsewhere, as long as it is fermented and bottled in the UK. Don't call English wine, British wine!
Significant UK Wine Regions:
Sussex
- In the southeastern corner of England, along the English Channel.
- The warmest, driest wine region, Sussex is known for high-quality sparkling and still wines.
- South Downs is especially of note, with limestone chalk soils and lots of calcareous rock.
- Bacchus – the cross of a grape made from Silvaner x Riesling with Müller-Thurgau is showing great promise of having floral, apple notes with good acidity
Kent * With ~50 vineyards, “the Garden of England” in southeast England, is known for growing cereal crops, orchard fruit, and other food. * Here, the White Cliffs of Dover form the coastline and this area shares the same bedrock as that of Champagne, Chablis and Sancerre. * Other unique areas in Kent Greensand Ridge and The Weald between ridges of North and South Downs. * The still wines from Bacchus, and exceptional sparkling from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay caught the eye of Champagne house Taittinger, who in 2015 became the first Champagne producer to invest in the UK * Notable producers: Chapel Down, Biddenden, Gusbourne
Photo: https://www.chapeldownusa.com
Essex * Research published in the Journal of Land Use Science identified 83,000 acres of land in the UK that could be good for vineyards. Essex was cited as the top location. * Notable Producers: Dedham Vale, New Hall Vineyards (been around since the 1960s), West Street Vineyard
Photo: Dedham Vale Vineyard
Surrey * Second Champagne house investment with Pommery and Hattingley Valley in a partnership. * One of England’s largest producers - Denbie’s Estate is here (Elizabeth says it's "meh")
Hampshire * The home of England’s first modern commercial vineyard. Seyval Blanc and sparkling wine shine here.
East Anglia
- Norfolk and Suffolk have more clay so denser wines of Bacchus are showing promise. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are also grown.
South West England
- Camel Valley – Cornwall’s largest vineyard is well esteemed
Photo courtesy of Camel Valley
UK Wine's Future:
- The wines are now exported to more than 40 countries including: USA, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Other Europe, Canada, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, and China
- There is and will continue to be a push for sustainable farming. The Sustainable Wines of Great Britain (SWGB) certification has 40% of the industry pledged to be more sustainable.
Top producers: Nyetimber, Chapel Down, Ridgeview (Sussex), Gusborne, Harrow & Hope, Wiston Estates, Camel Valley Vineyard & Winery, Cornwall
_____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it!
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
In this show we tackle the heel of Italy’s boot (and the area that covers a part of the calf!): Puglia (pool-YA), or as some in the English speaking world call it, Apulia. (BTW -- the show we mention that is hysterical and has a character that says something often that sounds like pool-YA is called "W1A" and is one of our favorite shows!).
Puglia is spans 500 miles/800 km of the southeast coast of Italy. It juts out into the Adriatic and Ionian Seas but despite its proximity to marine air, the viticulture areas are surprisingly dry with little rain or humidity. Warm, sunny summer months have historically meant that Puglia is unencumbered by weather issues faced in more northerly areas.
This could have meant great quality wine, and in Greco-Roman times, that may have been true but in the modern era, not so much. The area became a major source for heavy red and white bulk wines that were shipped to producers in other parts of Italy and in France to beef up their vintages in years where Mother Nature provided less than ideal growing conditions.
Today, Puglia is in a transition from a bulk wine area to a quality wine area, and things are moving quickly. As New World wines rose to popularity and prominence in the 1990s and 2000s, Puglia’s producers realized they had more in common with parts of South Australia than with Veneto or Piedmont. They welcomed help from New World winemakers and since then the area has been modernizing and making better wines – the proof is in the new DOCGs and DOCs (restricted, delimited winegrowing regions) that have been created in the last 10 years.
The geography of Puglia ranges. Here’s the overview with the most important grapes:
- The north is hillier, and more like Central Italy in its wine grapes and styles (Umbria, Tuscany) – Sangiovese and the Montepulciano grape are used more abundantly.
- In central Puglia in on the east coast, near Barletta, Uva di Troia/Nero di Troia is emerging as the top indigenous grape, with Bombino Nero also showing promising signs.
- In Taranto, near the Ionian Sea, Primitivo (Zinfandel) Sangiovese, and Montepulciano are popular.
- In the south, on the Salento Peninsula, Negro Amaro and Malvasia Nera are dominant.
Every grape imaginable is grown in Puglia, but the main ones of interest that are unqiue to the area are:
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Nero di Troia / Uva di Troia (the proper, registered name)
- Traditionally used in blends to add acidity and refinement to wines with bolder flavor
- When made well, wines of this grape taste like: red cherries, currants, violets, black pepper, tobacco, and are medium weight with high acid, and smooth tannin
- We mentioned there are two different types:
- A larger berried version that has been used for bulk wine but also, when grown well, can provide perfume and freshness
- And a smaller berried version that is rarer but considered higher quality and is being used more often now
- DOC appellations with Nero di Troia in the blend are: Rosso Barletta, Rosso Cerignola, Rosso Canosa, Cacc'e Mitte di Lucera, Orta Nova
- DOCG appellations using the grape are: Castel del Monte Rosso Riserva, Castel del Monte Nero di Troia Riserva
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Primitivo (Zinfandel)
- Originally from Croatia, the grape is grown across Puglia and despite a vine pull financed by the EU that resulted in many old vines being destroyed, there remains some very old, high quality vineyards of Primitivo in Puglia
- The Primitivo name signals the early ripening of the grape, which is one of the first varieties to be harvested in Italy.
- The grape can over-ripen quickly, rise to very high sugar levels, and is not a very productive vine. It’s wines can suffer from a lack of pigment, which can be mitigated by oak aging
- When made well, and not permitted to over-ripen wines can have sour and black cherry aromas with spicy, pepper, licorice, and garrigue (rosemary, thyme, lavender). Fresher styles are more like raspberry and can have higher acidity.
- DOCs are: Gioia del Colle, Primitivo di Manduria, Lizzano, Terra d'Otranto, Gravina
- Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale DOCG is for sweet wines made of the grape
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Negro Amaro
- A black grape variety grown all over Puglia, this thrives in the southern part in the Salento. The grape can handle heat, and is thick skinned so it is a very productive and hearty vine.
- The smallish, oval, blue-black berries are packed with polyphenols, making structured, full-bodied wines
- When well made, the wines of Negro Amaro are medium to full bodied with black fruit, tobacco, and sometimes tar notes. There are other versions that are lighter on their feet (especially the rosato made of this grape), and these area often blended with Malvasia Nera to make the wine more multidimensional.
- Rosatos are dark in color with good acidity and flavors and aromas like almonds, strawberries, and oranges
- DOCs using Negro Amaro are: Copertino, Salice Salentino, Squinzano, Leverano, Lizzano
- Bombino Nero:
- This grape is hard to ripen and often high acidity and low sugar levels. It is lighter and becoming popular in Puglia as an alternative to the rich, thick wines of the other red grapes
- Bombino Nero is a preferred grape for rosato, as it bleeds color without excessive tannin. The evidence: there is a DOCG- Castel del Monte Bombino Nero for Rosato only
Producers I like: A Mano, Cantele, Due Palme, Felline, Masseria LiVeli, Masseria Monaci, Taurino, Tormaresca (part of the Antinori family).
Taste some of these wines and let us know what you think!
_____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it!
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
We haven't done a show on this topic for a long time, so here's the 2020 update. We cover what to look for in glassware, decanters, wine fridges, wine openers, preservation systems and more. This is the skinny on what you need and what you don't (and why!).
Our picks are all on the Wine For Normal People store (where I make a tiny bit through affiliate money), but here's the list with some buying tips:
- Glassware picks, well, I'll make you read this article from epicurious.com ( I wrote it so I believe in it!)
- Decanters: they are good for removing sediment, aerating a full bottle, and heating up a too-cold wine. Make sure you get one that is easy to wash (forgot to mention that in the show)
- Aerators: still a no-go for me. If you don't have the time to wait for a wine to unfold, drink something else.
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Wine openers: the WFNP one, the electric one
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Wine ice cubes: We like the thin plastic ones because we are the weight and color of stainless steel or rock can mess with the glass (break it) and the wine (discolor it)
- Wine fridges: The fewer bells and whistles, the better. Make sure you think about how much wine you WILL consume in the future, as opposed to what you drink now. If your wine habit is growing, buy a slightly bigger fridge.
- The Corksicle: This also serves as an aerator, but you would ignore that function if you take our advice. The main purpose of the device is to chill down the wine quickly. You put it in the freezer and the plastic icicle reaches down through the bottle to chill the wine. I'm not sold on it, but this is the only one that at least ONE of us thinks has promise.
- Yeti Wine tumbler: the only stemless that gets my ok, this keeps the wine at a perfect temperature every time. GREAT for the beach or any outdoor drinking!
- Vacu-vin or other vacuum sealer: It will give you a day or three more with fresh wine, so it's a yes!
- Press-n-Seal for sparkling wine -- seriously.
- Coravin: If you live alone or like drinking different things from your partner, or different things every night, this is worth the $200 - $400 plus the $50 refill cost a few times a year. The money you'll save in wine down the drain is well worth it! Make sure you always remove the foil and you don't use it on synthetic cork. Also, let the bottle stand upright for a few hours so it doesn't leak -- the cork will "heal" but it doesn't do so right away and that can leave a mess in your fridge.
www.coravin.com
- Funnel and filter combo: Perfect for getting rid of floating cork, sediment, tartrate crystals -- the filter is a must. I know this may not happen to you, but occasionally you want to go to bed and you didn't finish all the wine in your glass. That's a good time to use the funnel!
Are there other gadgets that are fine? Absolutely, but this is our best of the best -- the ones that we find useful and necessary!
Let us know if you have additions.
_______________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it!
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Feudi di San Gregorio is the largest winery in Campania region of Southern Italy. The winery has fought to bring the region to prominence in the minds of wine drinkers looking for reds and whites unlike any others in the world (that you HAVE to try!).
Campania was the premier winemaking region in Italy in Ancient Roman times, but after the fall of Rome the producers chose to be grape growers/merchants, rather than winemakers. Although some made headway, it was after a large earthquake hit and destroyed much of Campania in 1980, that reinvestment in wine truly began.
To support local industry, along with another family, the Capaldo family began Feudi di San Gregorio in 1986 in the town of Sorbo Serpico in the province of Avellino. One son of the family, Antonio Capaldo grew up around wine but then he pursued business, leaving Campania to obtain a Masters in Management and Economics at the London School of Economics and a PhD in Economics and Finance from a joint program between LSE and University of Rome. By age 32, he was working at McKinsey (a top consulting firm) and made partner. On that very day, he quit consulting and got to work for his family’s winery in Campania, putting his skills and vision to work.
To my great delight, Dr. Antonio Capaldo, with his brilliance and razor-sharp humor, joins me to discuss the beautiful wines of Campania, one of my all-time favorite regions in Italy. He is the Chairman of Feudi di San Gregorio and shares his insights on the region, its appellations, what makes the land and grapes special, and the bright future Campania has ahead of it.
Some of the areas we mention:
- Fiano di Avellino (I love this wine!)
- Greco di Tufo
- Lacryma Christi (white is Coda di Volpe, red is Piedirosso, Aglianico, Scianscinoso)
- Irpinia
- Aglianico – Taurasi, Irpinia, Aglianico del Vulture (in Basilicata)
Check out the beautiful wines (with their beautiful, mosaic labels) of Feudi di San Gregorio. They are everything we describe and more!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it!
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Santorini is one of Greek wine's guiding lights. The wines from this ancient volcanic island are unlike any other – exhibiting fullness, smoky minerality, and acidity that you won’t find elsewhere. The whites of Assyrtiko are among the best Greece has to offer. The fascinating history and legacy of viticulture will transport you to this lovely Mediterranean paradise. In this show, we take you on the ultimate armchair travel destination: the island of Santorini, a Greek paradise!
Here are the show notes:
- Santorini is at 36.4 N latitude, in the Cyclades group of islands.
- The region has 2200-2900 acres/900-1,200 hectares of land are under vine
- Santorini was formed by an enormous volcanic eruption around 2,600 years ago
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Wine has been made since the ancient Greek and Roman times but a Venetian crusader took over in 1336 and made the sweet wines of the Assyrtiko grape, Vinsanto, popular around the Mediterranean
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On the poor, volcanic soil on this hot windy island, the grapes are trained via an ancient pruning system, called “kouloura." The trunk is trained into a basket-like or wreath-like shape so the grapes hang on the of the basket, protected from wind and harsh sun
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Some of these basket trained vines may be over 400 years old; with Assyrtiko making up 70-80% of the plantings.
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In this dry, harsh climate with less than 10 inches of rain per year, grapes struggle. They're well adapted to the heat and wind, and the diurnal temperature swing at night helps them maintain their characteristic acidity.
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Reds: Mandilaria and Mavrotragano represent 20% of Santorini's vineyards.
- Mavrotragano:used to only be for sweet wines. But it does seem to have good potential for dry wines'
- Mandilaria (which M.C. Ice believes is picked by Baby Yoda) is grow around Greece and is tart and tannic, and often better in blends
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White: Assyrtiko with Athiri and Aidani
- Assyrtiko is a tough skinned variety. Drought, wind, and heat resistant. Regardless of heat, it maintains its acidity as it ripens. high acid grape. It makes a dry Wie with citrus, mineral, smoke, pumice, lemon rind, jasmine aromas and a saline, stony, quality when you taste it. The wines are full bodied.
- Athiri is sweet, fruity and aromatic with lower acidity so it's a good blending partner with Assyrtiko. Aidani is similar.
Types of wine
- Santorini PDO: is 75% or more Assyrtiko, 25% Athiri and/or Aidani.
-
Nykteri: the Greek term for 'working all night', the grapes are harvested at night to avoid the hot temperatures. The wine is at least 75% Assyrtiko with Athiri and Aidani. It is aged in oak for a minimum of 3 months, and creates a dry, high acid wine with mineral, citrus, and peach flavors and aromas.
-
Sweet Vinsanto: This dessert wine has great acidity to
- offset the dried orange peel, fig, and apricot aroma always with a salty mineral note, typical of Assyrtiko (the wine must be at least 51% of this grape with Aidani and Athiri).
- Vinsanto as a name, comes from the Venetian era of dominance - wines from the island were labeled, “Santo,” for Santorini -- “vin” or “vino”, the Italian word for wine -- Vinsanto. The EU recognizes this as a separate, distinct, historical product only from Santorini and different from Italy's "Vin Santo"
Producers we mention: Hatzidakis, Estate Argyros, Gaia, J Boutari & Son, Vassaltis, Venetsanos, Domaine Sigalas, Gavalas, Santos
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That's right, no umlaut for my show notes on this grape. I consider Alsace the true home of this grape and the place we should be looking for the most spectacular versions. For that reason, I stick with the French way of spelling it 😉
Gewurztraminer (guh-VERTZ-tra-MEEN-ah)is one of the most distinctive grapes and makes one of the most overtly perfumed, full-bodied whites in existence. The lychee, rose, citrus, incense, and smokey notes can be intoxicatingly fantastic or WAY too much.
Here are some quick show notes on the grape's past and regions where it's grown.
Aromas and Flavors
- "Gewürz" means “spice” or "herb" but the grape was named so because of it's high levels of perfume and aromatics (it can smell like warm spices and pepper, but that's not the origin of the name)
-
The Gewürztraminer grape is actually pink to red in skin color and it generally makes deep gold wines, sometimes with a copper tinge
-
The grape has high natural sugar, so sometimes sweetness remains in the wine and many times the ABV reaches 14%
-
The most distinctive aromas and flavors of Gewürztraminer are: lychee, peach, melon, oranges, tropical fruit, roses, ginger, incense, smoke, pepper and sweeter spices
-
The effect of the aromas and flavors are so strong, they are sometimes too much for people, especially because bad versions of the wine have low acidity and can be flabby. Good versions strike a BALANCE between richness and acid, and avoid the bitterness possible from the phenolics of the darker skins.
DNA/Parentage
- The grape is a derivative of the ancient Traminer grape from the village of Tramin in South Tyrol, which is in Alto-Adige in the northeast of Italy
- Pinot is its parent
- Gewurztraminer is an aromatic (musqué) version of Savagnin
In the vineyard
- Gewürztraminer is extremely picky. It's hard to grow, needing cool sites and limestone, marl, or granite soils to shine.
- If picked too early, the resulting wine will have acidity but be missing the beautiful aromatics we expect from Gewürztraminer. If picked the overripe, the aromas are too strong, the acidity too low, and a bitterness creeps in, that makes the wine completely unpalatable
Regions:
-
Alsace in France makes the best Gewurztraminer. There are only 7,000 acres or so but this is the best there is. The styles range from very dry to very sweet (Vendange Tardive, Selection de Grains Nobles).
- Top Alsace Producers of Gewürztraminer: Léon Beyer, Zind Humbrecht, Muré, Schlumberger, Cattin, Domaine Weinbach
-
Germany makes Gewürztraminer (with the umlaut!) but it is very different from the wines of Alsace. There are about 2,000 acres here and much of it is in a relatively dry style, that seems to unfortunately crush the flamboyant nature of the grape. In a cool country like Germany, the grape needs warm sites to avoid spring frost and assure fruit set, so 2/3 of German "Traminer" is in Baden and Pfalz.
-
Italy is the native home of the grape -- it began on the cool slopes of the Alps in Trentino Alto-Adige and the grape is named after the town of Tramin. Styles run the gamut so it's important to buy from good producers. Elena Walch and Hofstatter are two solid ones.
-
Other places the grape grows in Europe include: Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland, Austria (in Styria, specifically), Hungary, Slovenia, Romania and all over Eastern Europe, although likely it is not the clone of Gewürztraminer we see in Alsace, but some less aromatic version.
New World:
-
Australia has plantings in South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales
-
New Zealand has had success on the North Island, near Gisbourne and Hawkes Bay
-
Chile has some promising spots in the south
-
Canada grows Gewürztraminer in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, and in Ontario, Prince Edward County, the Niagara Peninsula, among other spots
-
In the US: Washington, Oregon, the Finger Lakes of New York, and my favorite spot: Navarro Vineyards in Anderson Valley
To wrap, we discuss good food pairings: spices like ginger, tamarind, coriander, and salty things like soy sauce or tahini are great with Gewurztraminer.
We decide that Gewürztraminer is like our dog, Ellie. Very cute, awesome when awesome, but kind of a diva about everything!
Go and try some great versions of this wine! I promised MC Ice we would get a Grand Cru of Alsace to try so I could prove that there IS a version out there he would like. I will keep you posted!
________________________________________
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Zoltán Heimann of Heimann & Fiai Winery helps present the wines of Hungary.
He keeps me on task with the proper pronunciations (very hard and the reason it’s taken me so long to cover this country, honestly!), and gives us an overview of what we can expect from Hungary and its wines, before focusing in more on his beloved region of Szekszárd (sex-ARD), known mostly for its famous Kadarka red wine. The Heimanns have a long history of farming in Hungary, and Zoltán has a global view from his education at Geisenheim in the Rheingau Region of Germany (one of the best wine schools in the world). He has a lot to teach us about Hungarian wine – its history, its geography, its grapes, its wines, and its future, which he is helping drive.
A few things for clarification:
- When Zoltán refers to small winemakers, he refers to them as a Hobby Industry. Because of the recording, it’s a bit hard to understand. Just remember that as you listen!
- Please don’t make fun of me for having no clue how to pronounce anything right. I told Zoltán before I started that it was going to be rough and he was patient as anything!
These show notes are more about pronunciation and help with the regional names than anything else. If you listen to the show, you’ll need to refer to these (maybe often!).
After a conversation about history, Zoltán talks about how Hungary is in the Carpathian Mountain basin with the Danube River dividing the country and the Tisza River near Tokaj in the east.
- The hills (some quite high, others undulating) make a crescent from the northeast around the north to the southwest
- A large plain, the Hungarian Plain, is in the middle of the country and is where bulk wine, paprika, and lots of food production takes place
- A smaller plain, near Austria is in the northwest of the country
- The climate is continental, with cold winters, hot summers
Image: Topographical map of Hungary
We talk about the main grapes of Hungary:
-
Whites:
- Furmint (FOOR-mint): The main grape in Tokaj, now winemakers are using it for dry wine. It can be like limes and oranges, smoky, even spicy, and quite acidic – the challenge is to tame the acidity through good vineyard practices and proper winemaking that doesn’t cover the essence of the grape (i.e., no oak)
- Hárslevelű (HARSH-levalew): The name means “linden leaf”, a plant that smells like honey, smoke, and pears. Zoltán explains that Hárslevelű is like a smoother, softer version of Furmint
- Juhfark (YOU-fark): A novelty that is made mainly in Somlo (Showm-LO), in the northwestern (ish – kind of central northwestern) area of the country, we’ll see more in export markets than they will in Hungary. The volcanic soil here makes the wines smoky, ash-like, and minerally…with just a little moodiness that only a volcanic soil can express
- Olaszrizling (said how it’s spelled): Also known as Welshriesling, the grape has traditionally been a neutral, workhorse grape for bulk whites. Zoltán says there are more and more producers getting great flavors from this grape, so it’s one to watch.
-
- Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and other international varieties are also cultivated
-
Reds:
- Kékfrankos (cake-FRAHN-kosh): Blaufränkish in Austria, this is the main component in Bull’s Blood of Eger and the grape that Heimann is concentrating on as a uniquely Hungarian expression of the grape – spicy, intense and interesting
- Kadarka (said how it’s spelled): Zoltán explains that this is a very difficult grape to grow. Two in 10 years the harvest will go badly. The grape has big bunches and is prone to rot. It takes so much to grow that most vintners have no use for it. Heimann is one of the premier producers of Kadarka and aim to make an international reputation for this Pinot Noir-like grape
We move to the major wine regions
- In the northeast/Upper Hungary: Tokaj, Eger
- Tokaji: The dry and sweet (Tokaji aszú, Tokaji eszencia) of Furmint, Hárslevelű
- Eger: Basalt/volcanic soil with loess can create excellent wines. The red blends are called Egri Bikavér or Bull’s Blood, the newer white blends (dreamed up in recent years as a marketing idea in the region) made of muscat and native grapes called Egri Csillag (EGG-ree chee-laug), known as “the Star of Eger”
- Near Lake Balaton: Somló, Badacsony
Image: Balaton, the largest lake in Europe
-
- Somló (showm-LOW): Made of the smoky white Juhfark and other native whites
- Badacsony: Known for fuller bodied, minerally whites with good acidity. A combination of Olaszrizling and native grapes. Volcanic soils make these wines unique
- Sopron
- Sopron (SHOW-pron): Located adjacent to Neusiedl (noy-ASEED-el) in Austria and the Burgenland region, these wines are mainly Kékfrankos (Blaufränkisch) and are similar to those of Austria
- Pannon: Villány, Szekszárd
- Villány (ville-AHN-ee): With excellent marketing, a strategic and unified vision, and excellent Cab Franc, this region has succeeded in getting its wines to market
- Szekszárd (sex-ARD): Kardarka, Kékfrankos, and other reds thrive here. Heimann is on the cutting edge of reviving this region
To wrap up, Zoltán and I discuss the potential for Hungary, the new generation, and all we have to look forward to from Hungary.
________________________________________
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After studying geology and gaining a BS, an MS and nearly a JD, Richard Betts discovered a love of wine. He served as the wine director at The Little Nell in Aspen from 2000 to 2008, and while there, in all his spare time, in 2003, Richard was the 9th person to ever pass the Court of Master Sommeliers’ Masters Exam on the first attempt.
Richard co-founded the wine labels Betts & Scholl in 2003 and Scarpetta in 2006 and founded Sombra Mezcal in 2006. Today, Richard runs Komos Tequila and Superbird Paloma (in a beautiful can), My Essential Wines, and the wine from Barossa in South Australia, “An Approach To Relaxation.”
Richard is the New York Times best-selling author of “The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert” and “The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Whiskey Know-It-All.” And after nearly two decades as a Master Sommelier, and feeling disillusioned by the lack of evolution in the organization, Richard has altered the wine world forever, by being the first person to resign as a Master Sommelier. He is here to tell us about his journey and his decision.
Here are the show notes:
- Richard covers his background and his path towards becoming a Master Sommelier. He takes on a journey of what it was like for him in the early 2000s and how the Court of Master Sommeliers of that time fostered his love of learning and wine
- We talk about Richard’s growing concerns about the Court of Master Sommeliers over time and then we delve into the two major issues that made him quit the organization:
- The Cheating Scandal of 2018, in which a Master Sommelier gave away answers to the blind tasting portion of the exam to several people in California, and then the Board revoked all certifications of the credential around the world with no explanation or apology.
- The apathy of the Board of Directors of the Court of Master Sommeliers to the Black Lives Matter Movement, and their veto of a statement of inclusivity to remain “neutral.”
- Richard tells us how he quit the organization and the painful and extensive steps he took to try to fix things before he made this drastic step.
To editorialize: Richard is a hero in the wine world. He has left an indelible mark that screams “I value integrity over status and exclusivity.” His moral compass, intelligence, and down-to-earth style and, ultimately, its lack of fit with the Court should have us all questioning why we give so much deference to those with the credential, when it is a reductive look at one’s ability to take an exam well, not to be the best wine professional s/he can be.
Bravo to Richard. He is a hero and a model for us all.
Here is a link to his resignation letter.
_______________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it!
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon:
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And get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Tahiirah Habibi grew up in north Philadelphia, graduated from Penn State University and began working in hospitality, while taking wine classes at night to begin her journey of becoming a sommelier and pioneer.
In 2012 Tahiirah opened the St.Regis, Bal Harbour. She later moved on to leadership positions at Michael’s Genuine and Baoli. Frustrated with the lack of diversity in the industry she believed her skills could bridge the intersection of wine and culture.
In 2017, she launched The Hue Society as a safe space for the community to learn, commune and find resources in one place. Tahiirah has been featured in Ocean Drive as one of the top 5 female sommeliers, VinePair, Upscale Magazine, David Banner Podcast, and Imbibe Magazine to name a few.
With a decade as a sommelier in some of the top end restaurants in Miami, Tahiirah is an accomplished wine professional yet she has struggled every step of the way to gain recognition, and to cope with the overt and covert racism that exists in the industry. She discusses her difficult experiences, including the incident that prompted her viral video describing how the Court of Master Sommeliers requires all candidates to call them “Master” and what that means to her and other black and brown people who take the exam. Watch Tahiirah's video from Instagram about her experience with the Court of Master Sommeliers here.
After we discuss the issues, Tahiirah uses her never-ending positivity and her penchant for action and problem solving to explain why she founded the Hue Society, which aims to provide a safe space for black wine lovers to come together, learn about wine, and enjoy the process without feeling the need to assimilate. She discusses the Roots Fund, founded this year with Master Sommelier Carlton McCoy, to help fund people of color on their journeys into wine professions and how we can support her mission and vision by being more proactive about forming more multi-racial communities of wine lovers.
Discussing these issues and hearing this perspective is an essential step in changing wine so it reflects more of what the world looks like, not just what wine has traditionally represented. If you listen with an open mind, there are many important ideas Tahiirah shares in this show.
To learn more about The Hue Society and the Roots Fund, please click here.
Tahiirah's article in Wine Folly is here.
_______________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it!
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon:
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And get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Carnuntum is a small wine region in Austria with only 2% of the wine growing area, but it packs a punch in quality. A short drive from Vienna, Carnuntum is an old Roman hub, with a rich history and its wine is only just making an impact on the international wine scene. Christina Netzl, from Weingut Netzl joins – a producer who is largely responsible for putting this region on the map and making its red wines, especially of Zweigelt, so well-known and respected.
Here are the show notes:
- We discuss the location of Carnuntum, its storied Roman history, and its unique position in Austria as an extremely high-quality wine region.
- Christina gives us an idea of what the terroir is like in Carnuntum, the challenges with a windy climate, and the positive effects of the Danube, Lake Neusiedl, and the Pannonian Plain (which was once an old seabed!) on the climate and weather in the region.
- We learn about the differences between the reds of Burgenland to the south, and the small Carnuntum region: the reds in Carnuntum are acidic, fresh, with bright fruit and ample spice. The wines are never overshadowed by the use of oak, which is used to support flavors, not to get “in front of the fruit” (I loved this phrase!).
Christina tells us about the very long, drawn out process of getting a Districtus Austriae Controllus (DAC) designation for Carnuntum.
-
We learn how very collaborative Carnuntum is – all winemakers had to agree to the standards of the DAC before it was finalized (very unusual!)
-
We discuss Carnuntum’s own classification system. Here are the German names:
- Gebietswein (regional wine)
- Ortswein (village wine)
- Riedenwein (single-vineyard wine)
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When wines can’t be classified as Carnuntum, they’re designated “Niederösterreich” which is sort of like Vins de Pays d’Oc (like from all of the Languedoc, for example) in France. The wines can come from a very large area all over the northeastern part of Austria. For smaller producers, it’s usually from their individual area, but the wine doesn’t qualify for the stricter DAC regulation.
- Christina explains "Rubin Carnuntum”, a Zweigelt made in a certain style by a small group of producers (each has one under her own label – e.g., Netzl Rubin Carnuntum)
- We discuss the name Zweigelt, and the link to its creator, an enthusiastic member of the Nazi party.
Christina tells us about the importance of Netzl working the land organically, how she is thrilled when she travels that people even know Austria makes wine, and the challenges she has had both as a woman, a young person, and a daughter taking over a family business.
A really fascinating look at an up and coming, (yet old and well-established) region!
_______________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine site with fantastic, hard to find wines -- you won't regret it!
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon:
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And get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
The question comes up again and again in wine: who can we read that is trustworthy and who reports on the truth? We know it isn't the glossy magazines and many industry wonks are all in the pocket of high end producers and beholden to them so they can stay in the "club" and continue to drink expensive wine in their elite circles.
There is one guy, however, that you can trust. And that is Don Kavanagh the editor of Wine-Searcher's journalistic arm. He has spent the past 25 years either working in the wine trade or writing about it, in his native Ireland, the UK, and New Zealand. He is far from an insider and his dedication to telling things as they are -- as a true observer of situations rather than a judge, jury, or partisan -- is clear in all that he writes and publishes.
Don is a truly normal person. Unlike people who were graced with expensive bottles at his parents' dinner table, he worked his way through the wine trade, working in the UK and learning about wine (while also laying bricks, doing construction and being a bouncer), setting up his own shop in New Zealand, and then attending journalism school before launching a successful career at newspapers, wine trade publications, and now Wine-Searcher. I really relate to his story, having grown up in a home without luxuries myself and having to work many jobs to pay the bills.
Don's commitment to honest representation of facts led him to doggedly pursue the 2018 scandal in the Court of Master Sommeliers in which a board member gave away the answers to portions of the exam. This led to all candidates being de-certified and was a big enough story to hit the international news.
While the Court turned to its friends in the wine trade to quickly sweep the scandal and all of the implications it had under the rug, Don kept asking hard questions. He was the single voice in the wine trade that wouldn't let it go. To date, the Court of Master Sommeliers has still never answered his questions nor have they discussed the changes they would make to the exam that would fix some of the problems Don's stories highlighted.
We discuss the issues with the wine industry at large, the certification culture that has emerged, the elitism, and how advertiser dollars drive what gets published and what stays quiet (we mention this disturbing yet honest article by Richard Hemming, Master of Wine “Why Wine Writers Don't Hold The Trade To Account”?).
We discuss how the industry can be fixed, and come to a few conclusions.
If you ever wanted to hear about the underbelly of the wine industry and how wine writing works when advertisers in the industry are involved, as well as the power structure that prevents more honesty in wine, this is the podcast for you. Sign up for the Wine-Searcher newsletter to keep up with him.
Don is one of the best guests I've ever had and I personally love this show!
_______________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
And get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
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Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine club, which is the REAL DEAL!
The wine world often looks at Muscadet with disdain for its lighter body and subtlety of flavor. But for white wine lovers who care less about showiness and want something with the interplay of acidity with nutty, bread flavors and soft textures, this historic wine is a thrill. There is far more to this wine than there used to be, as it has continued to improve since the 1980s and seems to get better every year.
Source: Vins Val de Loire
This week we discuss this westernmost area of Loire Valley, which lies along the banks of the river and its tributaries. We review Muscadet and the grape Melon -- its storied history – from being a defiled grape in Burgundy (it was outlawed in 1567!), to finding its place in the Loire (albeit with a strange name), to moving from just a grape to be distilled to a legitimate wine that, at the top end, can age more than a decade.
Here are a few of the show notes that you may have missed:
- Muscadet is not the name of the grape (that’s Melon de Bourgogne) or a place (that’s the Pays Nantais) but it is a huge part of the AOC system and there are many appellations named after it.
- The maritime climate in the Muscadet area makes it warmer than other parts of the Loire – the Gulf Stream, the river, and the humidity make for a more consistent temperature. But the perils of this area are many – rain, frost, ice storms, hail are all possible and can be devastating to the vines.
- As we mentioned, Muscadet is scattered across many areas – some of it is gently rolling hills near the river, much is in fertile flats near the estuary. The best areas are on the hills.
- This area was once a hotbed of volcanic activity. Soils vary here – granite and gabbro (a harder form of granite) make up the subsoils in the better regions, yielding complex wines. Gneiss, sand, silt, and gravel provide much-needed drainage – in this are with so much moisture the vines must stay dry!
- Lest you think this area is one-note, there are now producers like Domaine l’Écu, Jo Landron and Pépiere that make wines from multiple terroir to show their differences!
The grape, the wine, the appellations:
- There is only one grape permitted in Muscadet: Melon de Bourgogne
- In the Pays Nantais, other grapes do grow -- Folle Blanche, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Pinot Noir
- The styles of the wines have changed over the years. Producers used to pick early but of late, they prefer to pick later to develop more flavor. This presents a tradeoff between fruit and complexity with higher acidities. Still, the ripeness is limited – there is a maximum alcohol for Muscadet of 12% ABV.
- Muscadet is best described as a wine that is salty, acidic with lemon, lime, chamomile, herb and gunflint aromas and flavors. With techniques like sur lie aging (to promote autolysis), bâtonnage (lies stirring), fermenting in oak barrels, and extended skin contact the wines acquire a soft, bready, creamy texture that is unique to this wine – it’s light yet has subtle dimension when made well.
There are 4 main appellations:
- Muscadet: Light-to-medium-bodied floral, fruity notes and good acidity. It can be very meh, as it’s often not grown on the best sites.
- Muscadet Sèvre et Maine: (sub AOC) 75% of output. This is the largest Muscadet appellation and it’s the home of the top wines. The area is where La Petite Maine and La Sèvre Nantaise rivers meet. It has much more dimension, flavor, and aroma than general Muscadet –there is more elevation, better soil types, and the wines are generally aged sur lie for more interest. We mention special terroirs/CRU
- Muscadet Sevre et Maine Clisson
- Muscadet Sevre et Maine Gorges
- Muscadet Sevre et Maine Le Pallet
- Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire: In the northernmost area, the quality and ripeness of the grapes varies based on vintage. Cooler years don’t bode well for this region!
- Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu: In the southwest around Grandlieu Lake, this wine is rich, full, and flowery with lower acidity but with good balance.
Top Producers: Pierre Luneau-Papin, Domaine de la Pépiere, Jo Landron, Stéphane, Orieux, Domaine du Fief aux Dame, Domaine de l’Ecu
Other areas we mention:
- Coteaux d’Anciens --reds and rosés Gamay, semi-sweet whites of Pinot Gris
- Fiefs Vendeens (+regional designation like Brem, Chantonnay, Mareuil, Pissotte, Vix are communes allowed): Chenin for whites, Pinot Noir or Cab Franc for reds
- Gros Plant du Pays Nantais: Folle Blanche with some Colombard
_______________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
And get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine club, which is the REAL DEAL!
With a history that stretches back perhaps 9,000 years to 7,000 B.C., Lebanon contains some of the original winemaking areas. In spite of political turmoil, violence, and opposition to wine (and all alcohol) and winemaking, this country has always found a way to keep production alive. Its unlikely location and small size may seem, at first glance, to be an impossibility for quality wine but the geography and the fortitude of the people here have created a unique and enduring wine culture.
In the show we discuss the long history of Lebanon in wine -- from the Phoenicians, to the Greeks and Romans, monks, and then to the French, who had such a huge influence in their 30 year tie to this region between World War I and World War II.
Below are some notes on the climate, the spellings of the regions, and the producers we mention:
- Lebanon is only about 150 miles long and 60 wide but it is extremely varied in terms of altitude and topography -- with beaches, hills, and high, snow-capped mountains all contained within.
- It is at 33.5˚N latitude, about the same as Margaret River in Australia, and within the traditional grape growing band of 30˚-50˚ latitude (north or south)
- There are four main geographic regions: the coastal plain, the Mount Lebanon range (altitudes of nearly 10,000 feet), the Bekaa Valley, and the Anti-Lebanon Range
- Most wine producers are in the western Bekaa but some are experimenting with new terroir in Batroun and areas in the Eastern Bekaa
- The key to good wine in Lebanon is altitude: The Bekaa Valley has altitude of around 1,000m/3,820ft. This is a plateau but there is a moderating influence of Mount Lebanon and the area has snowmelt and rain runoff from the mountain to provide ample water for grapes
-
The soils are colluvial (runoff from mountains) so they are divers and contain limestone, clay/loam, stones, gravel and some red terra rossa soil similar to Coonawarra in South Australia
-
Climate is Mediterranean, with long, dry and often very hot summers. The mountains and valley get very cold at night and the diurnal temperature swings are so dramatic that grapes can maintain acidity if grown in the right places
-
The Wines:
- Only about 2,000 ha/4,942 acres are cultivated and yields are extremely low
- The main reds are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault (the grape with the longest heritage), Carignan, Grenache, with Merlot, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Tempranillo and Pinot Noir
- The main whites are: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Viognier, Muscat, Clairette, and Riesling along with indigenous grapes Merwah and Obaideh
-
- The wines have always been known for excellent fragrance, spice, and a sweet aroma (but not flavor)
-
- French influence is everywhere in these wines-- some of the top wine producers from France consult for wineries in Lebanon and help craft the wines of the top producers
Top Producers are:
- Château Ksara
- Château Kefraya
- Domaine des Tourelles
- Château Musar
- Massaya
- Ixsir
- Domaine Wardy
Above: Ixsir
Most of these wines are around USD$20! They are worth a try!
_____________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
And get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). Check out their awesome wine club, which is the REAL DEAL! Wine Access is fantastic and satisfaction is guaranteed! Give them a try -- you won't regret it!
I know this topic may seem wonky, but consider a world where you could look at a wine label and see if there was extra, unwanted sweetness or if the wine was packed with chemicals (actual picture of big hulking winery, below).
Image: pixabay
Barnaby Eales, international wine journalist takes us through the European Union's ultimatum to producers, the machinations they are going through, and the likely outcomes of transparency in wine. From the impact on top conventional producers (it should be great -- they can finally stand up to "natural wine" producers and say their products aren't loaded with chemicals) to the producers that may have to cop to a list of additives a mile long (industrial wine, I'm looking at you!), we go over the ramifications of this initiative, the complications behind it, and the benefits transparency brings to us all.
Barnaby's article is here: The EU Moves on Wine Ingredient Labeling
Above: Barnaby Eales, Journalist
______________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Tucked into a small corner of southeast Spain is one of the greatest sources for delicious, multi-layered, and decadent reds you’ll find. In the province of Murcia, at latitude 39˚N lay two regions of Monastrell (Mourvèdre) production that have quietly churned out wine for more than 3,000 years: Jumilla (joo-ME-yah) and Yecla (YAY-clah).
Today, these regions are magnificent but receive so little press that we can get exquisite bottles that have the fullness, richness and depth for less than US$20.
In the podcast, we take you through the wine history of the region --from the early days with the Phoenicians to the Romans and then the Moors, and then a few strange brushes with the phylloxera root louse that at first propelled the region’s wines, then decimated the land and ultimately saved this area from a fate of nasty bulk production to make it a quiet haven of powerful reds.
We discuss the conditions in Murcia, discuss Bullas, a small Denominacíon de Origen and then we move to the big guns of this area: Jumilla and Yecla.
Jumilla
Jumilla is the best area quality in Murcia and also makes the most wine. Vineyards are spread across a wide valleys and plateaus surrounded by mountains. A few geological and climate facts:
- The high elevation of the vineyards -- between 1,300 -2,600 ft (400 -800 m) make it possible for grapes to cool at night and maintain acidity.
- The soils here are dark and have a high limestone content. They’re permeable but have good moisture retaining properties, allowing the vines during the harsh summer droughts.
- This is a very difficult place to grow things – it’s a harsh, dry, continental climate that is tempered a bit by Mediterranean breezes but is brutal in its dry heat.
Jumilla is one of Spain’s oldest DOs – its historical legacy as a high-quality wine producer is well known in its native land. It now makes whites, reds, and rosés, although the reds are the flagship for the region.
- Red grapes include: Monastrell, Tempranillo (called Cencibel here), Garnacha Tinta, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The French varietals were added to the Monastrell to create more dimension in the finished wine (read: international appeal). This has been critically acclaimed, however some of it muddies the character of the grape.
- White grapes include: Aíren, Macabeo, Pedro Ximenez, Malvasia, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Mosacatel de Grano Menudo
- Although not mentioned in the podcast, the Jumilla DO has several areas it draws from: Jumilla, Montealegre, Fuenteálamo, Tobarra, Hellín, Ontur, and Albatana. 40% of the wine is from Jumilla proper.
Monastrell represents 85% of the vines planted and 80% of any blend must be this grape. The character of the wine is superb: it tastes like dark fruit, earth, and minerals with a brambly, gamy character. With age, these flavors mellow to be more like dark soil, coffee and spice.
Although it isn’t prevalent, Jumilla makes rosé from 80% Monastrell too -- in the best versions it’s similar to the rosé of Bandol, in Provence, France with some acidity and tannin and, from a careful producer, the opportunity to potentially have a longer life than 1 year.
Modern technology, good farming and a consistent climate mean there isn’t a lot of vintage variation here although the region does have aging classifications similar to Rioja:
- Vino joven ("young wine") or Sin crianza: little, if any, wood aging.
- Crianza:
- Reds: aged for 1 year total -- at least 6 months in oak, 6 months in the bottle.
- Whites and rosés: at least 1 year with at least 4 months in oak.
- Reserva:
- Reds: aged for at least 2 years -- at least 12 months in oak, 12 months in the bottle.
- Whites and rosés: aged at least 18 months with at least 6 months in oak.
- Gran Reserva: Made only above average vintages.
- Reds: 4 years aging, 12 months of which in oak and a minimum of 36 months in the bottle.
- Whites and rosés: aged for at least 4 years with at least 6 months in oak
Yecla
Towards the end of the show, we discuss the smallest and northernmost wine zone in Murcia, Yecla. This area is landlocked by other DOs: Jumilla DO to the southwest, Almansa DO to the north, and Alicante DO to the east. It’s 50 miles (80km) inland and represents a transition from more coastal Mediterranean influences to hotter, arid continental conditions.
Yecla is similar to Jumilla in that its altitude allows the grapes to maintain acidity at night, creating balance in the wines.
- White grapes: Airen, Macabeo, Merseguera, Malvasia, Moscatel de Grano Menudo, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay. These wines are usually blended. A small amount of sparkling wine is also made here.
- Red grapes: similar to those of Jumilla, but the blends must have a least 85% Monastrell. The area has transitioned from making a light, very fruity red to making more serious reds with spice mineral and red fruit notes, after seeing the success Jumilla has enjoyed.
If you haven’t tried these wines yet, get on it. They will become your new go-to and a total revelation for your palate (and wallet!).
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Alsace Riesling is, without a doubt, one of the greatest white wines of the world. With its rich body, effusive flavor that ranges from flowers to fruit to nuts and spice, and acidity to keep it in balance, this liquid gold has been famed for centuries. It was the wine that got me into wine, my "aha" wine but even without that, I would still love the wine.
Alsace has a rich history (it's been the ball in a ping pong match between Germany and France for centuries), and a complex geology and climate.
Alsace is a land of paradoxes. It labels wines by grape and bottles in tall German-style but its wines are distinctively French in their elegant, silky, voluptuous style. It is one of the most northerly growing regions in the world at (47˚ - 49˚ north latitude) and yet the summers are hot, dry, and sunny due to its location in the rainshadow of the Vosges Mountains. It is a small area, yet it contains 13 soil types, and more microclimates than can be counted.
There is wonderful wine to be had from Riesling -- from the basic wines of the plains to crémant (sparkling) to unctuous sweet wines (Vendanges Tardives and Selection de Grains Nobles) but the Greats of Alsace are the top wines of the Grands Crus.
These 51 sites are not all exceptional, but those that are make wines of unparalleled aroma, flavor, and texture that still have the pointed acidity you'd expect from Alsace. When you get a great Alsace Grand Cru Riesling, it is a memorable experience that you never forget. Here are a few details that may have been hard to catch from the show:
Geology and Climate deets:
- We discuss the graben (not the mythical creature we posit it could be and for which we provide side effects): a trough formed by two parallel faults that rubbed and broke many geological eras ago.
- We mention the various soil types -- volcanic, gneiss, granite, schist, limestone, marl, sand, loess, loam alone and together
We discuss the classifications of Alsace:
- Alsace AOC
- Alsace Communes:
- Bergheim
- Blienschwiller
- Coteaux du Haut Koenigsbourg
- Cotes de Rouffach
- Cotes de Barr
- Klevner de Heiligenstein
- Ottrott
- Rodern
- Scherwiller
- Hippolyte
- Vallee Noble
- Val St. -Gregoire
- Wolxheim
- Alsace Lieu-Dit: A plot or vineyard with special character – have to meet strict requirements
Alsace Grand Cru examples discussed:
- Schlossberg – 1st Grand cru, 1975
- Hengst
- Brand
- Rangen (challenging vineyard, ages well)
- Schoenenbourg (where Voltaire one owned vines)
Producers mentioned:
- Reliably DRY producers: Trimbach (Clos Sainte Hune Cuvée Frédéric Émile), Ostertag and Kreydenweiss
- Others: Zind-Humbrecht, Josmeyer, Hugel, Domaine Weinbach, Beyer
*All photos courtesy of Vins d'Alsace
__________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Cool climate wines are in high demand, as many of us seek wines that are on the lighter side but still have fruit and ripeness. We usually turn to places of high latitude for that, but on this show we tell you about an unlikely region for some of the best and yet most affordable cool climate wine around: the Casablanca Valley, San Antonio, and Leyda Valley -- all in a small area at 33˚south latitude!
Photo: Kingston Family Vineyards
Here are the show notes:
Both located in the far western coastal areas of the Aconcagua wine region, Casablanca and San Antonio are in mountainous coastal country that experiences cool to cold breezes due to the Humboldt current coming up from Antarctica. There are a handful of producers that make wines from these areas, but thankfully most of them are widely distributed so we have a chance to try these acidic yet fruity wines with little hunting around.
Valle de Casablanca
- Casablanca and Valparaíso are famed (at least in their homeland) and were voted, as a unit, as one of the 10 Great Wine Capitals of the world. The food, wine, and the ease of visiting vineyards make it an ideal destination.
- Until the 1980s, livestock grazed and grain grew where vineyards would soon pop up. It was then that Pablo Morandé, who was working for the giant winery Concha y Toro, realized that the Casablanca Valley had tremendous potential to make cool climate wines like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc.
- Within a few decades the area was thriving. Producers set up shop, including: Montsecano, Kingston Vineyards, Casas del Bosque, Veramonte, Loma Larga, Quintay, Cono Sur – and Pablo Morandé's Bodegas Re
The Geography/Climate
- Casablanca is in the eastern part of Valparaíso province just 30km/20 miles from the Pacific Ocean at its furthest point.
- At 33˚S, the Humboldt Current from the Antarctic is the only reason viticulture can work so well here. The area has cool early morning fog, which both depresses temperature and keeps the air most -- important in this water-deprived area. Cool afternoon breezes and regular cloud cover slow the ripening period of the grapes. It is so cold here that spring frosts can be an issue!
- Similar to Santa Barbara, in California Casablanca is a transverse valley – it runs east to west, funneling in cool ocean air and creating wines that are flavorful yet highly acidic.
- Look for excellent Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Viognier, Gewurztraminer, and Riesling
San Antonio Valley and it's Zone, Leyda Valley
- In province of San Antonio, only 55 miles (90km) west of central Santiago and south of Casablanca is San Antonio, which was planted a decade later than Casablanca, in the late 1990s. It is similar to its neighbor to the north, in that it is also heavily influenced by the effects of the ocean but here the mountains turn north to south again, and the area must rely on a closer proximity to the ocean and wind gaps in the coastal range to provide cool air.
- This is an up-and-coming area with a limited number of producers, many of them small.
- Sauvignon Blanc is the flagship wine but there is some great Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and sparkling wine as well.
The Leyda Valley is sub-region or zone of San Antonio
- The valley is 9 miles from the coast and in some areas the vineyards are on the west (sea-facing) side of the coastal mountain range, so it’s quite a bit cooler than Casablanca, which is on the other side of the hills.
- The sharp diurnals, poor soils, and long growing season make Leyda's wine display fresh fruit flavors, ripe tannins, with high acidity.
- Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and Merlot shine here.
- Unfortunately Leyda's growth is limited because it is so dry here. When winemaking began here, a 5 mile pipeline from the Maipo River in the south was built to irrigate vineyards. Those areas without water rights can't grow grapes, even if the exposures and soils are good. Until that gets resolved, Leyda will be limited to a few players. Viña Leyda and Garcés Silva are two wineries here – but Montes Alpha, Undurraga and others source grapes to make wine from here.
These wines are all worthy of your time and attention! Go and get some!
Photo: Kingston Family Vineyards
___________________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Skylight FrameIf you want the perfect Mother's Day gift, you have to get a Skylight Frame! It's a digital frame that finally works and will keep you connected with your friends and family, with ease. There are three easy steps:
- Connect Skylight to a power source and it powers up.
- Tap our touch screen to connect to Wi-Fi in <60 seconds.
- Send photos to your unique Skylight email, and they arrive in seconds. Your loved one just sits back & enjoys!
I love mine! You will love yours too!
To get $10 off your purchase of a Skylight Frame just
go https://www.skylightframe.com/normal and enter code NORMAL!
Located in north-central Portugal, just a three-hour drive from Lisbon, Dão is a small quiet region with outstanding, elegant, and distinctive wines. Named for the Dão river which carves a path through the rugged, old granite hills here, the region is the original home of Portugal’s top red grape, Touriga Nacional.
Map from the Wine For Normal People Book
Made up of tens of thousands of growers and small plots, just 5% of the land area of this region is planted to vines, 80% of which are red grapes. The hot, dry climate of this distinctive region is made possible by its unique position on a plateau sheltered on 3 sides by granite mountain ranges – the Serra da Estrela, the Serra do Caramulo, and the Serra da Nave.
Mountains protect the area from the capricious Atlantic and continental storms, and the provide altitude which means the grapes can cool down at night, hoarding precious acidity. The granite subsoil also helps boost the acidity of the wines, making them fresh and bright, rather than dark and brooding as is often the case in the Douro wines.
There are seven subregions can be on the bottle: Alva, Besteiros, Castendo, Serra da Estrela, Silgueiros, Terras de Azurara, and Terras de Senhorim, but you will rarely see them (at the time of this show in 2020, at least).
What can you expect from the wines?
Reds produce medium bodied wines with spicey, peppery, and red fruit notes. They can be earthy or even barnyard like with an excellent balance of alcohol and acidity. This is the new style of Dão, for which it has become known, and along with its myriad plots, this lightness and elegance is why some refer to the region as the Burgundy of Portugal. Older styles were harsh, tannic, and lacked both fruit and acidity – rustic to say the least. The grapes used here are:
- Touriga Nacional as the leading red --At least 20% of every blend must be Touriga
- Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo of Spain)
- Jaen (Mencía of Spain)
- Alfrocheiro Preto – a native to this area with dark color, dark fruit character and a good balance of alcohol and acid
- Rufete – a lesser used, fruity red
- And sometimes Baga, Bastardo (usually for lesser wines)
Touriga Nacional
Styles: Whites used to be oxidized and like a day old apple but with better winemaking they are now refreshing with citrus, mineral, and nut notes with great acidity. The best are exclusively made of Encruzado, with its floral notes and oily textures it is a white to seek out. Malvasia Fina, Bical, and Arinto are also used in whites.
Rosé and Sparkling wines can also be found in the Dão.
Great producers to see out are:
- Quinta dos Carvalhais – Sogrape -- (The Oaks Estate)
- Quinta da Pellada/Quinta de Saes
- Casa de Santar
- Quinta do Vale das Escadinhas
- Quinta de Lemos
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Skylight FrameIf you want the perfect Mother's Day gift, you have to get a Skylight Frame! It's a digital frame that finally works and will keep you connected with your friends and family, with ease. There are three easy steps:
- Connect Skylight to a power source and it powers up.
- Tap our touch screen to connect to Wi-Fi in <60 seconds.
- Send photos to your unique Skylight email, and they arrive in seconds. Your loved one just sits back & enjoys!
I love mine! You will love yours too!
To get $10 off your purchase of a Skylight Frame just
go https://www.skylightframe.com/normal and enter code NORMAL!
***StoryWorth*** is a fun and meaningful way to engage with family, especially with relatives you might not get to see often. This online service helps your loved-ones share stories through thought-provoking questions about their memories and personal thoughts. It’s the gift of spending time together, wherever you live.
Give the mom in your life the most meaningful gift this year with StoryWorth. Get started right away without the need for shipping by going to www.StoryWorth.com/normal. You’ll get $10 off your first purchase!
Spanning a large portion of New York, just about an hour north of Manhattan, lies one of the oldest winemaking regions in the US: The Hudson River Region AVA.
This week Casey Erdmann and Matt Spacarelli of Fjord Vineyards join to talk about the Hudson River Region and the innovative things they are doing there.
To start the show, MC Ice and I give a quick overview of the area:
- We go WAY back to the glaciers and talk about how this area came to have so many different soil types, a varied terrain, and the mighty Hudson River.
- We discuss the continental climate, and the challenges that come with heat and humidity (hint: grape vine diseases)
- We talk about how large the region is. It encompasses all or part of big counties: Columbia, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester.
- It is 224,000 acres, but just 450 acres are planted to wine grapes
- We discuss common grapes here:
- Vitis labrusca (native): Concord, Delaware, Niagara
- French-American Hybrids: Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, Baco Noir (among others)
- Vitis vinifera that is cold tolerant: Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc
Then I discuss the region with Casey and Matt. Matt grew up in the region and his family owns the historic Benmarl Winery where he is the head winemaker and GM. He gives us great insight and detail around the region -- its history, its challenges, and its opportunities.
We have a lively discussion around French-American hybrids (we may or may not discuss how they taste like burnt hair), and what their role is for wine regions.
Finally we discuss Fjord Vineyards which was founded in 2013 so the couple to make wines of Vitis vinifera from local parcels that express the terroir of the region. They make balanced, sustainable wines of Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, and Cabernet Franc that reflect where they are grown and are delicious!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Skylight FrameIf you want the perfect Mother's Day gift, you have to get a Skylight Frame! It's a digital frame that finally works and will keep you connected with your friends and family, with ease. There are three easy steps:
- Connect Skylight to a power source and it powers up.
- Tap our touch screen to connect to Wi-Fi in <60 seconds.
- Send photos to your unique Skylight email, and they arrive in seconds. Your loved one just sits back & enjoys!
I love mine! You will love yours too!
To get $10 off your purchase of a Skylight Frame just
go https://www.skylightframe.com/normal and enter code NORMAL!
One of the greatest wines of the world is the Syrah-based Côte Rôtie, from the northernmost appellation in the northern Rhône. Named "roasted slope" after the sun that bathes the south-facing slopes, the region is less than 25 miles south of Lyon near the town of Ampuis, and is at the cool-climate limit for growing Syrah.
On the right bank of the Rhône, across 3 communes of Saint-Cyr sur Rhône, Ampuis, and Tupin-Semons, the vineyards are on extremes slopes at 180m/590 ft and 325m/1070 ft above sea level. This week we explain what makes these wines, from this tiny, historic area, so very fascinating and why they truly are one of the greatest wines in the world.
I think the best thing to do in the show notes this time is to list the things that are hard to catch on the show. Rather than a lengthy recap, this time I'll list the regions and producers mentioned!
Sub areas
Ampuis: The area that lies above Ampuis town contains the best sites. The Reynard River serves as the geological dividing lie between the schist soils of the northern part of the appellation, and the granite soils in the south.
Schist:
- Cote Brune – Schist soils make powerful, tannic, darker
- Chavaroche – Borders Cote Brune. Bernard Levet produces a single vineyard Cote Rotie from here
- La Landonne – Famed for Guigal’s La Landonne but Gerinn, Rene Rostaing, Delas and Xavier Gerard also make wine from here
- Cote Rozier- some of the steepest sites in Cote Rotie. Great wines include Ogier’s Belle Helene, and wines from Jamet, Guigal, Bonnefond and Gangloff
Granite: * Cote blonde – Vastly different soils and more Viognier. The soil is granite and the wines are more aromatic and lighter. The famed La Mouline vineyard is here
The village of Tupin has no single vineyards but makes some great wine
The Village of Verenay is the next village upstream from Ampuis, and producers full, rich, long-lived wines. The vineyards of interest are Grandes Places, and Vialliere (10 hectares makes it quite variable in quality)
St Cyr is in the far north of the AOC, past Verenay. It was added in the 1960s and is on schist but not as good as the wines near Ampuis. Top Producers
TRADITIONAL: Domaine Gilles Barge –most traditional practices,Domaine Bernard Levet MODERN: Guigal, Gerin, Bonnefond Middle ground:
- Domaine Jamet: one of the brothers went off to set up his own domaine, Jean-Luc Jamet, both are very good
- Rene Rostaing: Rene's son Pierre took over a few years ago – wines are amazing. Single vineyards from Cote Blonde and La Landonee, Ampodium blend for early drinking.
- Clusel-Roch from Verenay, single vineyard from Grandes Places
- Stephane Ogier
- Vidal-Fleury (the merchant house for which Marcel Guigal's father once worked as cellarmaster but which now belongs to Guigal).
- Chapoutier
Top Vintages: 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2009-10, 2012, 2015-19 _______________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
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Carignan or Mazuelo, as it's known in its native Spain, is a complicated grape that gets a terrible rap. But the truth is, in the right hands and growing in the right conditions, this grape can fashion powerful wines that are pure hedonistic pleasure!
Photo: Vins-Rhone
Carignan has a long history. The grape is likely from Aragon in northeast Spain, but it spread around the Iberian Peninsula. It’s current Spanish name, Mazuelo comes from Mazuelo de Muñó, a town in Castilla y Leon in northwest Spain. Carignan may have originated in its namesake town of Cariñena, which is a Denomiacíon de Origen (DO) that grows mainly Garnacha Tinta. From these parts of Spain, Mazuelo spread to Catalunya in northeast Spain and then during the reign of the Crown of Aragon to the area it ruled. The grape:
- Was introduced to Sardinia, the Italian island, sometime between 1323-1720
- Moved to Algeria where it became a high yielding grape that was exported to France to bolster French blends in the color, acidity, and tannin department
The grape became commonplace in France after three incidents: phylloxera in the late 1800s, a frost destroyed the other “workhorse” grape, Aramon in 1956 and 1963, and the independence of Algeria of 1962 brought French-Algerian winemakers into the Languedoc-Roussillon region who brought their trusty workhorse grape.
The over vigorous nature of the grape made it produce rustic, flavorless wines with rough tannin and high acid. It contributed majorly to the wine lake of the EU (low quality wine that was subsidized by the EU and then needed to be dealt with because there was no demand for it). Nearly half the Carignan in the Languedoc was grubbed up in the 1990s and today no one is planting it, as the only value in it is in grapes that are more than 50 years old.
When the vines are old, the soil is poor, and the climate is hot, Carignan makes wines that are full of dark cherry fruit, blueberries, violet and other floral notes. It’s full-bodied with (sometimes dusty-feeling) tannins and great acidity, and moderate alcohol. Winemakers have to be careful to ensure the fermentation gets enough oxygen or the wines can take on a burnt match/reductive note.
Where does the grape grow??
Old World:
France: 80% of the Carignan plantings are in the Languedoc-Roussillon – and make ordinary Vins de Pays (countryside) wine. Some appellations: Minervois, Corbières, Faugères, Fitou, Languedoc, and St-Chinian each have a certain amount of Carignan specified in their AOCs and use carbonic maceration to soften the tannin and produce fruitier notes in their Carignan. The best wines come from old vines, as is the case in all areas.
Really the two best places for Carignano/Mazuelo are Italy and Spain...
Italy: The grape here is called Carignano and 97% is planted on the island of Sardegna, where it has been called Bovale Grande or Bovale di Spagna. Because of the name difference, it was only recently discovered that this grape is Carignan. The grape grows well in the hot, dry south-western corner of Sardinia. The best co-op is Santadi, which makes soft, supple, fruity, and rich wine from the Carignano del Sulcis DOC. Rocco Rubine and Terre Brune are great wines from the co-op.
Spain: Mazuelo is found as a dwindling part of the Rioja blend
(although Marquis de Murrieta makes a varietal Mazuelo). The place the grape shines is Catalunya, especially Priorat. Here the vineyard recipe for this grape is perfect: 100+ year old vines, schist slopes (llicorella), poor soils, and a hot, dry climate. The wines it yields are silky, rich, powerful and luscious, especially when blended with Garnacha.
In the old world you can also find the grape in Croatia, Cyprus, Turkey, Malta, Morocco, Tunisia and Israel.
New World
In the New World, the grape is found in Uruguay, Australia (South Australia), Argentina, Mexico, and South Africa.
In the US, in California, the grape is spelled Carignane and has historically been used as a major component in jug and box wines, and was a popular grape home winemaking in the 1970s and 1980s. Like all Carignan, the best in California is found where there is old bush vines – places like Mendocino, Sonoma, Contra Costa County and other areas.
Chile has great promise for the wine as well – especially with the ancient, dry farmed Carignan in Maule Valley.
There seems to be hope for Carignan as younger producers have taken an interest in giving it the attention it needs to make good wine. The grape has great potential!
__________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Serge Doré is a fan favorite and he returns to tell us about the place in France where he feels most at home: the Rhône. He's been in wine for decades, since he got his start in his native Quebec, and has been a wine importer and wholesaler out of Chappaqua, New York for almost as long as he's been in wine. To order any of the wines he mentions or those you find on Serge Dore Selections , go to Grapes The Wine Company
We've learned about life as an importer and about the business of wine in Bordeaux from Serge, and this time he tells us about the Rhône. If you are unfamiliar with the area, I'd check out the Rhône overview show first. This show goes into detail on regions and Serge regals us with stories of meetings with famous producers, and the spectacular wines they make.
The show notes this week are primarily a list of the many producers Serge mentions in the show.
Big Northern Rhône Names:
- E. Guigal (king of Côte Rôtie),
- Domaine Jean Michel Gerin (Côte Rôtie)
- M. Chapoutier (king of Hermitage)
- Domaine Jean-Louis Chave (Hermitage, mainly)
- Cornas: Domaine August Clape, Domaine Alain Voge (the Cornas appellation is much improved, more elegant)
- St. Joseph: J.L. Chave, Domaine Chez, Delas, Anthony Paret (also makes excellent Condrieu, a white-only appellation of Viognier)
- Crozes-Hermitage: Laurent Fayolle, Cave de Tain
It's from the southern Rhône but here we also mention a Roussanne wine in this converasation of whites: Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes
One great nugget Serge shares on Condrieu: It's good the year it is released, not after. Also, don't forget Hermitage Blanc -- it's stunning.
Southern Rhône
- Cotes du Rhone Villages: we discuss Plan de Dieu – and Philippe Cambie
- Gigondas, Vacqueryas: We discuss Domaine du Pradas, Yves/ElisaCheron
We discuss fewer producers and more about the differences in Cru:
- Vinsobres: Higher in altitude, cooler climate, more elegant wine
- Cairanne: Bigger wine, bolder than Vinsobres
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Vacqueryas: Are all bolder styles
- Others mentioned: Lirac, Rasteau, Beaumes de Venise
Serge tells us the trick to getting good Cotes du Rhone: which is buy a brand, not something you’ve never seen unless you know the importer or producer! If you want the Estate Côte du Rhône he imports: Domaine de Dionysos.
Serge tells us the most important thing about the Rhône and maybbe about wine in general these days:
“It depends on who makes the wine and the attention they pay to the wines”
And according to Serge this is getting easier as the younger generation is looking to focus on quality not quantity! Go togo to Grapes The Wine Company to order any of the wines Serge discusses!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
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High altitude wines are often discussed in the wine world, but what REALLY defines high altitude? There are a lot of features that would make a region qualify but the keys to determining “high elevation” are latitude and altitude and their cross section. At lower latitudes, elevations are way higher than at higher latitudes. Places at elevation share characteristics like cool nighttime temperatures, dryness (no mold or disease), later harvest dates, a good amount of wind, and higher levels of UV radiation.
Among other things, we discuss this study (BMC Plant Biol. 2014; 14: 183. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4099137/) which discusses the genetic adaptation and metabolic changes that happen in high altitude grapes.
Source: Catena Zapata, Adrianna Vineyard -- Mendoza, Argentina
The upshot: thicker skins that protect against the heat of the day and the cool of the night produce wines with greater body, flavor and aromatics. Wines can be lower or higher in alcohol depending on the latitude, but the similarity of these grapes is that they taste like fresh, newly picked fruit becuase of the fresh acidity retained because of cooler temperatures at night, wind, and the long growing season.
We mention some examples of these vineyard areas. In Europe, we mention:
- Val d’Aosta in Italy, below Mont Blanc in Alps
- Dolomites in Alto Adige
- Tenerife in the Canary Islands
- Etna in Sicily
- Armenia
- I also refer to Switzerland and Jura and Savoie in France (although these French regions are not quite as high as the other regions we discuss)
In the New World
- In the US, specifically Fox Fire Farms in Ignacio, Colorado (6,500 ft!)
- Some of the world’s highest vineyards in South America:
- Colomé Altura Máxima, in the province of Salta, Argentina at 3,011m/9,878 ft
- In the JuJuy province of Argentina is the Quebrada de Humahuaca GI at 3,329m/ 10,922 feet above sea level, Claudio Zucchino makes his famed Uraqui blend
- We mention Mendoza, Argentina
- In South Africa, Mount Sutherland is at 1,500 m/4,921 ft
After some discussion, we conclude that “higher” does not automatically mean “better” and that although altitude is short hand for a fresh wine, unless it’s on a slope and at elevation, you can’t always rely on that heuristic!
Don't forget to sign up for online classes: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Filippo Bartolotta joins us again to explain the wonders and changing nature of the Valpolicella region in northeast Italy. Filippo tells us about the geological underpinnings of the region, how the winemaking styles developed here, and what's gone on in modern history.
We cover things you many of you have asked about in the past, like...
-
Where and what Valpolicella is
-
The difference between Valpolicella, Valpolicella Classica, Valpolicella Ripasso, and Amarone della Valpolicella
- We discuss Amarone and why it's hard to make, expensive, and HUGE as a wine (hint-dried grapes = intense wines!)
-
We talk about the appassimento technique and how it used to be used to help unripe grapes taste a little better
-
Filippo gives us a summary of the 13 valleys of the "Valley of many cellars" , as Valpolicella translates from Latin. He mentions some of the more awesome one like Fumane, Marano and Negrar(which I think we'll see on labels in the future)
-
We talk about the blend here and how a grape that we didn't even know existed a few decades ago is now a main part of the quality blends (Corvinone).
- Filippo goes over the flavor profiles of (from lightest to heaviest here...) and food that goes with it:
- Valpolicella (lighter pastas)
- Valpolicella Superiore (pastas with meat)
- Valpolicella Classica (depends on the producer's styles)
- Valpolicella Ripasso (bolder, heavier grilled meat and vegetables)
- Amarone della Valpolicella (long, slow-cooked meats with a lot of flavor, game, hard cheeses and grilled vegetables)
And finally, the producer list:
- Cult producers: Quintarelli, Dal Forno Romano
- Others: Roccolo Grassi, Latium Morini, Secondo Marco (especially for Classica), Villa San Carlo, Bocaini Carlo (old school Ripasso), Novaia, Ca dei Maghi, Cà la Bionda, Bertani, Pasqua, Tenute Falezza, and Corte Sant'Alba (for biodynamic wines)
Check out Filippo's website for cooking classes and luxury custom tours of Italy!
Don't forget to sign up for online classes: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
From Eleanor of Acquitane who married Henry Plantagenet of England in 1152, uniting Britain with Bordeaux and kicking off a lifelong relationship between the two nations, to Caroline de Villeneuve, owner of Château Cantemerle who fought tooth and nail to be included in the 1855 Classification, to Madame Labat whose vision and marketing genius gave us Petrus to Baroness Philippine de Rothschild of Château Mouton-Rothschild and Corinne Mentzelopoulos of Château Margaux women have played a role in Bordeaux for centuries. And in this show we have two women of the current generation. They are here to celebrate women in wine.
On this show I talk with Sylvie Coursell of Château Thieuley, whose estate is in the Entre deux Mers and has been in her family since it was acquired in 1950 and who runs the estate with her sister, making lovely red, white, and sparkling wine. And also Caroline Perromat of the historic Graves estate of Château de Cerons. The property has been around since the 18th century, has groundings in the aristocracy of Bordeaux, and is well known for beautiful reds, whites, and especially botrytis affected sweet wines, which rival those of Barsac and Sauternes.
Caroline tells us about the transformation of Bordeaux culture in three generations. Château de Cerons has kept its aristocratic beginnings but with Caroline and her husband Xavier at the helm, changes have been made. What are three ways this historic property has changed?
- Caroline and Xavier have hired people of diverse backgrounds -- women and men from the arts and other industries apart from wine to give the Château a wider, global perspective.
- They work sustainably in their vineyards, so they can maintain the beautiful freshness (acidity, medium body/lower alcohol, mineral character) in the reds, whites and sweet wines.
- They are working to marry tradition with new practices and a new sense of openness to tourists and to wine lovers around the globe to make Bordeaux a more welcoming, warm place where people can have fun.
Cool fact Caroline shares: The famous more tangerine flavored Cerons sweet wines from Château de Cerons is actually grown side by side with the grapes for the fresh whites. The difference between the grapes: picking times only!
Sylvie Courselle of Château Thieuley runs the estate with her sister in Entre-Deux-Mers, the home of excellent, fresh white wines and bright, fruity reds. What are Sylvie's 3 points:
-
There used to be far more white than red in Bordeaux, now there is a mere 9% of whites here.
-
The new grapes that have been introduced for climate reasons (Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa for reds and Alvarinho, Petit Manseng and Liliorila for whites) will give winemakers flexibility that they crave -- she and her sister feel inhibited by the AOC system, so much that they planted Chardonnay and Syrah so they could make wine from them (they are label Vin de France, the general appellation for French wine). Experimetation in anticipation of climate change has been happening for years, so these grapes are the best options based on research.
-
Sylvie believes that in the next generation, the conversation around women and wine will be a non-issue. She feels the playing field has equalized and that we won't be talking about this in 10 years (I gotta disagree with her, but I love the optimism!).
Cool fact from Sylvie: Château Thieuley is named for its soil types of clay "tiles" that surround the estate. Sylvie tells us that many of the Bordeaux chateaux are named in a similar fashion, if they aren't named for the people who founded them.
A great show to salute two fantastic women in wine, this women's history month!
_____________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Get your copy Wine For Normal People Book today!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
The grape miniseries continues! This time we cover the grape known as Monstrell in Spain, Mourvèdre in France, and Mataro in other parts of the world. Difficult to grow and make, when treated well the wines from this grape are unlike any other -- herbal, gamy, powerful.
The key things to know about Monastrell/Mourvèdre:
- The grape originated in Spain, and then moved to the Roussillon, Rhône, and Provence in France. It needs a lot of heat to grow, so it can only thrive in hot locations with lots of sun but ample water.
- Flavors: They vary greatly depending on where the wine is made, but generally it has deep color, full body, is tannic and high in alcohol.
- Spain: can be more like red fruit -- cherries and raspberries with spice and herbs.
- France, especially Bandol: the wines have more dark fruit (if any fruit character at all) with spice, olives, herbs (garrigue as they call it in southern France), and a gamy, barnyard or wild animal smell to the wine. With time (3-5 years) that flavor mellows to something more akin to leather or tobacco and the tannins calm. In the new works styles are less tannic and less gamy.
- In blends: Mourvèdre adds fullness, flavor and structure that complements the more lifted Grenache and the elegant Syrah.
- In rosé: The grape helps these wines have longevity, lending tannin and great flavor to the wine
- Food Pairings: Meats or root/hearty vegetables that are braised, grilled, or in a stew. Hard cheeses work too.
Where can you find it?
France:
- Provence: Especially Bandol, where the finest Mourvèdre is made. Producers we mentioned are Domaine Tempier (reds and rosé), Château de Pibarnon
- Languedoc-Roussillon: one to watch for more varietal Mourvèdre in the future
- Rhône: in blends and especially in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. We mention Beaucastel as having a high percentage of Mourvèdre
Spain (called Monastrell)
- Central and southeast Spain: Murcia, Castilla-La Mancha, Valencia
- Main grape in: Alicante, Almansa, Jumilla, Valencia, Yecla, Bullas
- Producers: Luzon, Juan Gil, Castaño, El Nido, Casa de la Ermita
California
- Northern and Central CA: Contra Costa County (old plantings found here), San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, Sonoma
- Producers:
- Crux,(They are featured in episode 220)
- Tablas Creek (episodes 162 and 281)
- Bonny Doon
- Ridge Vineyards
Other US: Washington State, Oregon, Arizona, TX, Virginia, Chile, South Africa
Australia
- Used as a component in GSMs -- Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre blends
- South Australia: Riverland (bulk wine), Barossa, McLaren Vale
- New South Wales: Riverina (bulk wine area)
-
Producers making single varietal Mourvèdre:
- D’Arenberg
- Torbreck
- Turkey Flat
- Hewitson
A link to where I'll be for upcoming Wine For Normal People book signings: www.winefornormalpeople.com
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
This bonus episode is sponsored by Wine Access.Founded by wine lovers and searchers in 2007, each day, they write stories about wines they discover, taste, and evaluate in the cellars where they were made. They negotiate prices on their membership's behalf, then arrange to have bottles shipped directly from the source — right to your door.
They stake their reputation on every bottle they select, and it shows! Wine Access offers some wines on their site and their email offers are amazing, so sign up today.
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
This episode is with Vanessa Conlin, Master of Wine, and the Head of Wine for Wine Access. She has had a wonderful and unexpected career: While pursuing a career in opera, she discovered a love of food and wine and pursued wine education while continuing her music studies.
Eventually, she chose wine over music working in wine in New York. She has been the head of sales and marketing for several prestigious Napa wineries including Arietta Wines, Dana Estates, and Realm Cellars.
Vanessa holds the WSET Diploma, and was the recipient of the Niki Singer Memorial Scholarship from the International Wine Center. She is a newly minted Master of Wine!!
Some of the topics we cover:
- The career transition Vanessa made from a completely different field into wine
- The connection between wine and music
- Vanessa's path to becoming a Master of Wine and the difference between the MS and MW programs
- The things that make Wine Access so special --
- Meticulous selection and excellent, original notes done by Vanessa and her team
- The guarantee of provenance (where the wine came from -- always directly from the winery)
- A Napa-based service team that can help with shipping and selecting wine, and if any bottle is not to your liking, they'll refund your order.
We wrap up by discussing the changes in the industry and how important direct to consumer channels like Wine Access are!
Check out Vanessa's favorite picks on www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
Ribera del Duero makes some of the most outstanding Tempranillo in the world. Located in the northwest of the Spain, about two hours north of Madrid, Ribera del Duero has been making wine for 2,600 years but its modern story is one of a dynamic, changing region that is improving every year. This is an exciting region and an example of Spain's willingness to change, improve and go the distance to produce excellent quality wine.
Photo: Food & Wines from Spain
Here are the show notes:
- Ribera del Duero is on an elevated northern plateau of the Iberian Peninsula. Altitude of more than 2,000 feet, varied soils that include limestone cliffs, and the Duero river are defining features of the region.
- The region follows the course of the Duero river for approximately 115 km/70mi upstream from the southern plains of Burgos, west to Valladolid and includes parts Segovia and Soria to the south and east. The west has the most aromatic wines, the central has fruitier wines, and the east has big, bold wines.
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The climate of the region has influences of Mediterranean, Atlantic, and continental climates, but is generally pretty extreme (‘three months of winter and nine months of hell’) with hot summers and huge diurnals that result in slow ripening and a long growing season
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The wines are usually 100% Tempranillo but are allowed to include up to 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Malbec with no more than 5% of Garnacha or the white that is native to this area, Albillo Mayor.
- These wines are powerful with a full body, black fruit notes and flavors from oak like smoke, vanilla, and tobacco. The best ones are balanced with acidity and tannin.
- Along with Rioja, Ribera del Duero is the only Spanish wine region that utilizes crianza, reserva and gran reserva for the aging and labeling of its wines.
Top Producers: Aalto, Alión (owned by Vega Sicilia), Alonso del Yerro, Emilio Moro, Pago de Carraovejas, Pesquera, Dominio de Pingus, Vega Sicilia , O Fournier, Hacienda del Monasterio
Photo: Rare Wine Co
Links:
- I mention the podcast We Like Drinking and the pod I was on!
- And a link to where I'll be for the book: www.winefornormalpeople.com
And don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
The famed parts of Burgundy make wine that most of us can only read about in books and articles. But Côte Chalonnaise, just south of those famed parts, is a treasure trove of great whites and reds. Although it has been praised throughout history, in recent times it has been overlooked by Burgundy lovers, despite the fact that in many years it makes wine that isn't so different from its neighbors to the north.
As a quick overview, the region takes its name from the commune of Chalon-sur-Saône, near the Saône River. It is sandwiched between the Côte de Beane and north of the hills of the Maconnais, and here Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and the white Aligoté grape grow on soils strikingly similar to Côte de Beaune, which is a mere 3 miles away.
The Côte Chalonnaise is between the Dheune and Grosne Valleys. With a continental climate, it rolls over gentle hills with many areas that possess the very same limestone prized (and 3-5 times more for) in the Côte de Beaune.
With max’ed out demand for the wines of the Côte d’Or (where the best Pinot is from) and the wines of the Côte de Beaune (the most famed Chardonnay wines, also with excellent Pinot), prices for wines from these areas of Burgundy are simply outrageous. Although the wines of the Côte Chalonnaise are not always as elegant as those from the regions to its north, they are still outstanding wines and better yet, they are wines that we can afford that allow us to taste the land of Burgundy without paying 6 months mortgage for a single bottle.
In the rest of the show, we discuss specific appellations. Here are the notes:
Regional: Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise
- The red of Pinot Noir is dark colored, berry and cherry scented and flavored wines often with a mushroom or earth note. The wine has good tannin, acidity and is lovely to drink.
- The whites of Chardonnay are light colored, with apple, floral, lemon and honey with good acidity. They are often fermented or aged in oak barrels.
- The rosé is made of Gamay or Pinot Noir and can be herbal, spicy, full of red berry notes and have great acidity.
Cremant de Bourgogne: Although not exclusively made in Chalonnaise, this is the area in which the sparkling wine was first made.
Village:
Bouzeron: The only appellation to make wine from the Aligoté grape, which is acidic, aromatic, and silky when made well.
- Top producers: A & P de Villaine, André Delorme, Chanzy Frères
Rully: The whites of Chardonnay are the best in Côte Chalonnaise and are very often better than comparable wines from the Côte de Beaune for a way better price. Rully is adjacent to Bouzeron and makes excellent Pinot Noir too. The whites of Chardonnay are usually fermented or matured in oak. The best Crémant is made here as well
- Top Premiers crus: La Pucelle, Grésigny, Meix Cadot, Montpalais and Champs Cloux.
- Top producers: André Delorme, Domaine de la Folie, P & M Jacqueson; Jean-Baptiste Ponsot
Mercurey: The Côte Chalonnaise was once known as the Région de Mercurey, because the area is so large and important. Divided into two parts, there are lots of sub valleys on either side which make research necessary to get good wines. 25% of vineyards are classified as Premier Cru, but these are more legitimate than other communes, because Mercurey does regular reviews, to make more stringent conditions than the appellation's other wines (the maximum yields are closer to those of the Cote d’Or). 90% of the wine is flavorful, earthy, spicy Pinot Noir with chewy, rich tannins, great acidity, and mineral notes.
- Top Premiers crus: Combins, Champs Martin, Clos des Barraults, Clos l’Eveque, from north of the village, and Clos de Roi and En Sazenay from the other side.
- Top producers: Philippe Garrey; Michel Juillot, Guy Narjoux, Lorenzo, Antonin Rodet
Givry: Similar to Mercurey, Givry’s production is 90% Pinot Noir. Also like Mercurey, the excellent limestone based soils allow the best Givry producers make wines similar in style to Côte d’Or for a fraction of the price. This is a small area but it has 38 Premier Crus and that means the significance of those climats isn’t always earned – do your research before you buy!
- Top Premiers Crus: Cellier Aux Moines, Clos de la Barraude, Clos Salomon, Clos du Vernoy, Servoisine
- Top producers: Jean-Marc Joblot; François Lumpp; Vincent Lumpp; Domaine du Clos Salomon, Domaine du Jardin
Photo: BIVB - Vins de Bourgogne
Montagny: With only whites made from Chardonnay, limestone soils are vital to adding minerality in the wines. The wines are generally barrel fermented for depth and complexity. They are rich and full.
The challenges with Montagny: 2/3 of the production is from the local co-op in Buxy . Although they make quality wine, they have a strangle-hold on producers and there are fewer independent domaines here. The other issue: during World War II the appellation was deemed to be ALL Premier Cru and that isn’t really right. Although some producers volunteered to limit the top sites to the best portion of their climat, many didn’t so the proportion of overpriced, improperly classified Premier Cru wine in Montagny is high.
- Top Premiers Crus: Les Coères, Les Burnins, Les Montcuchots
- Top producers: Stéphane Aladame, Caves du Buxy, Domaine Feuillat-Juillot
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Filippo Bartolotta is a teacher, writer, and a wine storyteller. He has had a long career in wine writing for Decanter magazine, helping launch Vinopolis, the largest wine museum in the world, training journalists, experts, and trade on communication, sensory analysis, wine history and anthropology.
Since 2010 he has held a Road Show entitled "The Amazing Italian Wine Journey" which each year, among other places, sees him in the White House kitchens and in the halls of the Metropolitan Museum in New York. He has worked with celebrities and even hosted Barack and Michelle Obama in Tuscany. Filippo and his wife have a cooking and wine school of cooking, MaMa Florence, in Florence, and he runs and agency that provides premium travel experiences throughout Italy.
Filippo is an excellent communicator and our conversations are always full of ideas that sometimes explain and sometimes question conventional wisdom. Today he joins me to talk about the relatively new movement of Anteprima in Italy, which, as you’ll hear, is a purely Italian take on the famed en Primeur of Bordeaux (which we will also explain).
We discuss the systems of France and Italy, En Primeur and Anteprima respectively and discuss how each country's approach to futures and vintage somewhat mirrors their cultures, and their orientations. We touch on vintage, the importance of small producers in Italy, and offer some golden nuggets on how to take advantage of good and bad vintages.
If you've ever wondered about futures or vintage this is a can't miss show!
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Monty Waldin is a British broadcaster, author, and winemaker with
a special interest in organics and biodynamics. His first book, "The Organic Wine Guide”, published in 1999, was voted Britain’s Wine Guide of the Year. He has also written award winning books “Biodynamic Wines” and “Wines of South America.”
Monty has winemaking experiences in both hemispheres, has had a tv show called “Chateau Monty” (2008) in which he chronicled biodynamic winemaking in the Roussillon of France, he is a contributor to the Grape Collective, Decanter, and contributes the entries on organics, biodynamics and sustainability for the Oxford Companion to Wine. He’s also the host of the Italian Wine Podcast and a pretty awesome dude.
A busy guy!
In this episode Monty takes us through his journey into wine and clarifies for us the differences between organic and biodynamic wine. He chronicles some of the modern history of biodynamics in Europe and talks about why he sees it as a feasible path for many producers.
We then discuss:
- The challenges for biodynamics (is it just a hippie thing or is it useful?)
- The differences between organics, biodynamics, and natural wine and the dogma surrounding each. I ask about whether or not bio wine is a real thing or a marketing ploy for most producers
- We discuss the hard realities of biodynamic and organic farming – the difficulties in marginal climates, the shackles of certification, and the path to better farming and away from “modern” farming
We wrap by discussing Monty’s AWESOME podcast, “The Italian Wine Podcast” in conjunction with VinItaly. He talks about how he got into Italian wine, biodynamics in Italy, and ultimately whether we are in a better place in wine than we were when he first started.
Thanks to Wine2Wine Verona for inviting me to speak and for allowing me the opportunity to speak with the famous Monty Waldin!
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Elena Walch is a winery with an essential role in the quality revolution of Alto Adige, Italy.
Alto Adige is in the northeast corner of Italy and has unlimited variety and wines that offer delicate, unique flavor profiles. Located south of the Alps, in the foothills of the Dolomite Mountains (where the ice mummy was found!), vineyards here are planted on steep slopes, river valleys and some warmer plains. The vast differences in microclimates and soils in this sloping terrain make wines that have ample fruit but beautiful acidity that keep them crisp and bright.
In the 1980s and early 1990s a very important figure emerged in Alto Adige wine: Elena Walch. Her story is unusual – she doesn’t come from a wine family or background, nor did she plan to get into wine. But in her job as an architect, fate brought her together with the Walch family and she quickly became the head of the Alto Adige quality revolution, gaining local and international esteem for her efforts around quality and innovation
Now, her daughters, Julia and Karoline Walch, the fifth generation are taking over and today we have Karoline to tell us this amazing story and talk about Alto Adige, the small, gorgeous region in northeast Italy that makes beautiful cool climate wines.
The estate is dedicated to terroir-driven wines.
In this show, Karoline Walch talks with me about Alto Adige and the
Elena Walch story. We discuss:
- Traditional grapes, the land, and the unique blend of Austrian, Germanic and Italian culture that exists in Alto Adige
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The long history of Walch family and the modern history of Elena, an architect who saw an opportunity to make a big change in the quality and style of Aldo Adige wine, and took it, despite not knowing anything about viticulture or winemaking.
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Karoline's and her sister, Giulia's, path to taking over Elena Walch and how they plan to move forward.
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The wines! We discuss grapes from Gewürztraminer to Pinot Blanc to Pinot Grigio, and then reds like Schiava and Lagrein.
- Karoline gives us detail on Vigna Castel Ringberg in Caldaro and Vigna Kastelaz in Tramin, as well as their Grand Cuvee white, In the Clouds
Thanks to Wine2Wine Verona for inviting me to speak and for allowing me the opportunity to meet Karoline Walch and share this show with all of you!
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Wine Access
Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!
I’m so excited to introduce Wine Access to you. Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range).
- They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops.
- Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps.
- Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed!
Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal
Connie Paur Griffiths is winemaker and vigneron at Tranquil Vale Vineyards in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia joins to educate us about this fascinating region, discuss the bushfires that have threatened it, and to talk about the challenges facing wine and climate in Oz's future.
Connie shares how her parents found Tranquil Vale advertised in an Australian paper, while living in London, and took a chance on a total lifestyle change. From there, they moved their lives and two kids, including then 8 year old Connie to the hot Hunter Valley, 2.5 hours from Sydney to begin their adventure. They learned to make wine and grow grapes and have won multiple awards for their Semillon, Chardonnay, and Shiraz.
Tranquil Vale makes 3,000 cases of wine and is a family-owned and run boutique producer.
Connie tells us about this unlikely place, which is the oldest wine region in Australia. Hunter Valley characteristics include:
- A subtropical climate with maritime breezes in some areas, but also with humidity that can cause rot
- Temps that get above 40˚C/ 100˚F on a regular basis
- Great diurnal temperature swings that allow for the three main grapes to maintain good acidity and keep alcohol levels lower
- Gently sloping hills with lower altitude
- 3 big subregions: Upper Hunter Valley, Broke Fordwich (we discuss how many producers will not harvest in 2020 due to smoke taint), Pokolbin, which has many of the famed wineries and is in foothills of Brokenback Range.
The main grapes of the area are:
- Semillon – which miraculously, with time, turns into something like Oak aged Chardonnay in spite of the fact that there is no oak and no malolactic fermentation ever done in the winemaking process
- Chardonnay -- a lightly oaked, lower alcohol versio
- Shiraz -- which in spite of sometimes punishing heat, still keeps a lighter style, lower alcohol, and a peppery note that is often "baked out" of other styles of Shiraz in regions of Australia
The second half of our conversation focuses on the bushfires of 2019-2020 and the havoc they have wreaked, but also on the endemic climate, infrastructure and land management issues that Australia will likely need to deal with to prevent the kind of historic fires we have seen this year. A fascinating perspective, and a thought-provoking conversation!
Thanks to Connie for reaching out to us and sharing her story!
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
There may be no better representative to speak to us about the devastation of the 2019-2020 bushfires in Australia than Kathy Drogemuller of Paracombe Wines in Adelaide Hills in South Australia.
Started in 1983, Paracombe Wines started after the Ash Wednesday bushfires when Kathy and her husband Paul bought an old dairy farm and began making wine. Today it is truly a family business, making handcrafted wines.
Photo: Kathy and Paul Drogemuller courtesy of Paracombe Wines
Kathy tells us her story, what is special about the high-altitude vineyards of Adelaide Hills and the diversity of grapes that can grow there and then she gives us great perspective on the large-scale fires that destroyed much of her beautiful region. She shares what has happened with the fires, why it has happened, and gives us a perspective on how a region copes with fire we discuss a bit about animal life, and the importance of knowing that there are still people who are open for business.
The show is a great opportunity to discover a quality Australian region and to get an idea of what is really going on in Australian wine regions regarding the most destructive wildfires in Australian history.
Photo: Adelaide Hills, courtesy of Paracombe Wines
Kathy gives us the true, somewhat sad picture but gives us great hope with her optimism, her assurance that the wine community is pulling together, and her genuine belief that something good will come from this tragic situation.
The easiest way to help is to request wines from Adelaide Hills, Australia from your local wine shop or restaurant.
You can also donate to the following causes:
- Adelaide Hills Wine Region Fund
- The Australian Red Cross
Special thanks to Leighton Walker in the UK for helping connect me with Kathy!
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
To kick off 2020, we have the original wine grape, the one from which so many were derived: MUSCAT! In the show we discuss the three main types of Muscat and the wines and regions that you need to seek out to get a taste of this ancient, delicious, complex grape.
As M.C. Ice requests in the middle of the show...here are the notes!
What is Muscat? Overview
- A grape from which derives a complicated family of grapes that includes over 200 varieties of all colors
- It was most likely a Greek grape, brought to the south of France and Sicily by the Phoenicians
- It's known for its floral perfume and grapey flavor. The grape is spicy with orange notes, and has relatively low acidity
- Styles range from dry to late harvest to fortified to sparkling
- Berries are gold, pink, or black and the variation within vines, mean flavors can vary
The main types of Muscat:
1. Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains is the oldest grape
- Needs a long growing season, disease prone, doesn’t like humidity
- The most refined, classic Muscat, it is small berried, with a delicate but layered aroma
- Also known as: Moscato Bianco, came to Italy in the 1300s
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Common grapes derived from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains: Moscato Giallo, Aleatico (red), Mammolo (red)
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Muscat of Alexandria
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Natural cross of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains and Axina de Tres Bias, old black table grape grown on Sardegna, Malta, Greek Islands
- Not from Alexandria in Egypt!
- Mid budding, late ripening, likes heat, big bunches, big berries, great for heat. Susceptible to powdery mildew, bunch rot, bugs, good with drought
- Less refined than Muscat à Petits Grains: sweet but not complex, less subtle – more geranium notes. Makes sticky sweet wines, rose- or orange-like or like geranium and lily of the valley
- Also known as Zibbibo in Sicily.
- Related grapes: Catarratto Bianco (Etna), Grillo (Sicily), Bombino Bianco (Sicily, Southern Italy), Schiava Grossa, Malvasia del Lazio, Cereza (Argentina), Torrontés (both clones)
3. Muscat Ottonel:
- Bred in Loire in 1852, earliest ripener, planted in Alsace often paler, with less aroma than the other varieties -- which can produce a softer wine
4. Muscat of Hamburg
- Black, table grape, low quality in Eastern Europe
Muscat in the Vineyard:
- Hard to grow: Crops erratically, low acidity, can be a tough blender
- Pink, black, red mutations exist around the world
- Early budding, mid ripening, susceptible to powdery mildew, botrytis, mites, small berries
- Climate: Prefers warm Mediterranean climates – south of France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Australia
- Soils: Different types will yield different flavors. Limestone or calcareous rock, along with sand make lighter, fresher versions. Clays, granites, can yield richer versions.
- If the grape is overcropped it loses acidity and aroma and is a boring mess.
Muscat by Place:
France
- 18,829 acres in France/7620 ha
- Almost all Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
- Rhône: Muscat de Beaumes de Venise (fortified)
- Roussillon & Languedoc: Vins doux Naturels of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains in Frontignan, Lunel, Mireval, St. Jean de Minervois
- Rivesaltes: Vin doux Naturel of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains blended with Muscat d'Alexandria in Rivesaltes
- Clairette de Die Sparkling of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
- Corsica: fortified wines
- Alsace: Muscat Ottonel and Muscat à Petits Grains. Wines are floral, fresh, grapey, and herbal with spice. Dry.
Italy
- 32,816 acres/13280 ha – Mostly Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
- Piemonte: sweet, Asti Spumante (sparkling), Moscato d’Asti (semi sparkling, sweet, good dessert or cheese wine)
- Trentino Alto Adige: Use Rosenmuskateller: variation of the Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains -- rose aroma, still wine, Moscato Giallo/Goldmuskateller: orange scented dry or sweet wines
- Valle d’Aosta: Passito style (grapes dried on mats in the sun, raisined and then pressed)
- Montalcino: DOC for dry, sparkling, sweet, late-harvest wines of Muscat
- Sicily: Zibbibo/Muscat of Alexandria for dry wines, Moscato di Pantelleria – passito style from a small historic island.
Spain
- Grown all over Spain as Moscatel –Moscatel d’Alejandria
- Málaga: sweet speciality of the south
- Jerez/Sherry: Moscatel used for color and sweetness, can be made alone as a sweet, passito style wine
Portugal
- Small amount used in white Port and other fortified wines
- Setúbal makes a fortified wine from it, tasty dry wines
Other Old World places: Germany, Austria, Greece
Australia
- Rutherglen and Glenrowan in northeastern Victoria
- Rutherglen Muscat: Four tier quality system -- basic, classic, grand, rare. Like figs, coffee, blackberry, chocolate, delicious, with acidity
South Africa
- Vin de Constance from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains: Late harvest
- Probably the descendents of the famed vines of colonial days in the 1600s
- Worcester, Olifants River: Muscat of Alexandria/ Hanepoot for bulk, used for dry, sweet, fortified, table grapes
US: Central Valley for bulk white. Some Orange Muscat which is a relative of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
While I was in Verona at Wine2Wine, I had the chance to speak with Alessio Planeta, President at Assovini Sicilia and Owner at Planeta Winery.
For five centuries and through seventeen generations, Planeta has been active in changing and improving agriculture in Sicily. Alessio Planeta has spent his life dedicated to the study of Sicily and figuring out how to make it a significant force in world wine. With his family, Alessio now has six wineries around Sicily, and they have almost single-handedly put Sicily on the map as a quality player.
Planeta continues its mission to show what Sicily can do and what it’s forgotten varietals can bring to the world of wine. They are one of the big reasons we have access to excellent Sicilian wine today.
Here are the notes:
- Alessio tells us about Sicily, the history of his family, and how Planeta evolved to become a significant force in the wine world, putting Sicily on the world wine map of quality
- We discuss the quality revolution in Sicily, begun, in part by Diego Planeta, Alessio's uncle
- Alessio tells us about the amazing conditions of Sicily -- the diverse terrain, vast number of native grapes, the skilled workers, the excellent climate, that makes it a garden ideal for viticulture
- We learn about how the innovative nature of the Planeta family. Alessio discusses their desire to find talent from outside the island (including Giacomo Tachis, Carlo Corino, Giampaolo Fabris and Attilio Scienza) the openness to using "international" grapes, and then the slow introduction of the indigenous wines of Sicily created a category for Nero d'Avola, Grillo, Carricante, Nerello Mascalese and others that is booming!
- Alessio addresses the fact that people may still underestimate Sicily and talks about the bright future of Sicilian wine
Thanks to Wine2Wine Verona for inviting me to speak and for allowing me the opportunity to meet Gaia Gaja and share this show with all of you!
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
This week, one of the most famous wine producers in the world joins us -- Gaia Gaja from Gaja in Barbaresco in Piedmont, Italy. We discuss the history of her famed family, why their wines are like liquid velvet, and how climate change is forcing new ways of thinking.
Her philosophy, outlook, and class show why Gaja has earned its place at the top of the wine world.
We discuss:
- The history of the Gaja family and how they became so important in Barbaresco
- We discuss Angelo Gaja, his philosophies and how he wound up changing the face of Italian wine by doubting everything, and always looking forward
- Gaia gives us some insight into how Gaja does things so differently and yield such different, and amazing results
- We talk about Barbaresco and Barolo, the nuances of the land, and how those in Piedmont may be best suited to take on climate change. Gaia tells us a bit about Gaja's philosophy of optimism and change helps them take a different outlook on climate change and why biodiversity may be the key to helping things
Thanks to Wine2Wine Verona for inviting me to speak and for allowing me the opportunity to meet Gaia Gaja and share this show with all of you!
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Tim and Kelly Hightower of Hightower Cellars have been making beautiful wine in Washington State (in the northwest of the US) specifically Red Mountain, for about 2.5 decades. They tell us about the evolution of Washington State wine, their path to owning a boutique winery, and then we discuss some of the reasons Washington wine can and should be so much more popular. This is a real insightful look into the challenges and opportunities of Washington State wine!
Map (C) "Wine for Normal People" book
Here are some of the points we hit:
- Kelly and Tim tell us how they each got into wine at fairly young ages, and what the early years of Washington wine were like
- The Hightowers talk about their drive to relocate to Red Mountain. We talk about the terroir of the area -- climate, soils, and terrain and why they are unique.
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Tim and Kelly tell us the profile of Red Mountain wine and why it is so striking
-
We discuss the business model of many Washington producers and the disconnect between the tasting rooms of the town of Woodinville and the wineries located in the vineyards.
- We discuss the role of small and large wineries in Washington State
- Tim and Kelly tell us how the market for Washington wine has changed and grown, and how they see great things on the horizon for the state.
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
We have much to be grateful for this year – Patrons, the release of the , and all of you listeners! This is our yearly TG episode. This time we take the traditional pairings and offer some alternatives. You can stick with what you know based on our recommendations or go out on a limb. Either way, we are truly grateful for you, for your tolerance of our Beastie Boys and Hobbit references and for your continued support! Thank you!
Clipart from Canva
Traditional Whites:
- Riesling
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Pinot Grigio
- Chardonnay
- Gewurztraminer
Alternative whites:
- Off-dry Riesling or Chenin Blanc
- Grüner Veltliner or Verdejo from Rueda Spain
- Fiano di Avellino, Falanghina, or Soave from Italy
- White Rhône blends with Roussanne, white Priorat (Spain), or pure Roussanne from a winery like Truchard in Napa or from Savoie (Chignin Bergeron)
Image: Unsplash
If you want…
Rosé:
- Go for something New World with more fruit character. The Provence styles are unpredictable so unless you have a producer you love, go New World
Sparkling:
- I prefer Champagne but Crémant (which we don’t mention but is a great option), Cava or American Sparkling will work, as will Cap Classique from South Africa. I’m less of a fan of Prosecco. I’m a big fan of drinking the bubbly with food rather than enjoying it just on its own.
Traditional Reds:
- Pinot Noir
- Zinfandel
- Syrah
- Beaujolais
Alternative Reds:
- Lighter Garnacha, Bobal, or Mencîa from Spain
- Austrian reds: St. Laurent, Zweigelt, Blaüfrankisch (as long as they are lighter and not too spicy)
- Lighter styles of Zinfandel like those from the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma (we mention Nalle and Peterson as favorites) or Primitivo (still Zin!) from Puglia
- Pinot Noir but New World styles from Oregon, Santa Barbara, and New Zealand
- Cabernet Franc from Virginia, New York, and Loire
- Merlot, especially Merlot from the Right Bank of Bordeaux
Image: Unsplash
____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices. They offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Long Island has 3,000 acres planted with grapes and at least 60 wineries. Lieb Cellars has been around for nearly 30 years and this week Russell Hearn, winemaker for Lieb Cellars and Bridge Lane Wines (who has been there since the start), and Ami Opisso, General Manager and Long Island native, tell us about why Long Island is special, why Lieb is different, and how Bridge Lane is the king of quality wine in alternative packaging (yes, we cover this in detail!).
After discussing all the various accents on this show (yeah, I'm from the 'Island so you'll hear me get mine back when Ami and I tawk!), we dig deep into Long Island.
- We discuss the history of the region, beginning in the 1970s
- Russell tells us how bodies of water, well draining soil, and sun exposure create a great environment for grapes
- We discuss the weather and climate. Long Island is not known for stable, easy climate. With humidity, frost, and sometimes ridiculous quantities of rain, it seems like it couldn't work -- Russell gives us insight into drainage, why it is so important here, and Ami tells us about the true meaning of Sustainability on Long Island, where everything you spray goes directly into your drinking water.
- Long Island has received some bad press regarding the local government's inability to provide a good environment for wineries. Ami annd Russell tell us the fascinating, insider deal on all of that.
We move on to wine! We talk about...
- The top reds and top whites of Long Island and what makes them special
- We talk about why Long Island lacks some of the recognition other emerging East Coast regions often get
- Russell talks about the history of Lieb Cellars , since he's been the winemaker since its inception. He tells us why Pinot Blanc is so special to the property
- Ami discusses Bridge Lane and how the idea to become the first winery on Long Island to produce wine in several alternative formats, including bottles, boxes, kegs and cans came about
- Russell and Ami tell us, in detail, about different formats (box, can, keg) and the extensive research they did to ensure that neither corrosion from acid nor corruption of flavor would occur in things other than glass bottles.
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices. They offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
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To start your free wedding website or registry on Zola, go to www.ZOLA.com/wine
Sheldrake Point Winery in the Finger Lakes began in 1997. For most of that time, Dave Wieman, vineyard manager, and Dave Breeden, winemaker, have been with the winery. They dish on what it's really like it is to make wine in this ever-changing, awesome region.
Here are the show notes:
-
After our weekly plug of the Wine For Normal People Book (if you like the podcast, you will love the book and it's a perfect companion guide to the show!) we break the news that the audio got messed up. Aliens took over the audio for the first quarter of the recording and so M.C. Ice and I step in to do the re-cap!
- We talk about the history of Sheldrake Point Winery, it's unique location, the importance of Cornell University, and warn you of the hilarity that ensues in this show
-
The Daves talk about how challenging it can be to manage a vineyard in the Finger Lakes and how moisture, drainage, slope, and microclimate make all the difference in making great wine in the Finger Lakes. Dave Wieman talks about whether he ever thinks about what it would be like to make wine in Napa, where things aren't quite so hard.
-
We discuss the viability of sustainable agriculture in the Finger
Lakes and what that looks like in a climate with humidity and rain -
Dave Breeden, winemaker (and self-proclaimed "inside Dave") talks about his job as the guy whose job it is not to mess up what nature gave him! He serves all his answers straight up -- from talking about why it makes sense to use once used oak (it's better for the wine AND cheaper), to questioning why Gewurztraminer isn't more popular, to why he loves to dance the tango with Pinot Gris each year.
-
We discuss the different styles of Riesling, how they are achieved and how Dave Breeden came around to liking the Gamay he works with.
-
After many laughs, lots of honesty, and some stuff we just had to edit out (sorry), we talk about the bright future of the Finger Lakes and how things are only just beginning.
Sheldrake Point will be at Underground Wine Events on 11/9/19!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
As we always do when we hit a milestone, for episode 300 we reflect on three things we each have learned in the last 8 years.
We talk about the process of planning, writing, and publishing the book and possible future wine trends.
We thank you for all your support over the years!
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Texas is one of the oldest winegrowing states in the US, with vines predating California by 100+ years. The first vineyard in North America was by Franciscan priests circa 1660 in Texas and the industry grew throughout the 1800s. Texas is important in another way, as horticulturist Thomas Munson contributed greatly to finding the solution to the phylloxera epidemic, which effectively saved the European wine industry from total ruin. After Prohibition decimated the industry in the 1920s, Texas jump started it's wine industry in the 1970s and today it's roaring back. Texas has 400 producers and it is growing and growing.
Jennifer McInnis, General Manager of Bending Branch and Ron Yates, the owner and President of Spicewood Vineyards, are part of a marketing consortium representing five of Texas’ most distinguished wineries: Bending Branch Winery, Brennan Vineyards, Duchman Family Winery, Pedernales Cellarsand Spicewood Vineyards. Member wineries produce wines from Texas grapes, that try to express the terroir of Texas Hill County and the Texas High Plains.
Here are the show notes:
We start off talking about Texas, an area I admittedly (used to) know very little about. We cover:
- The breadth and depth of areas. Specifically What are the
different areas/are there discreet AVAs? Where are they vis a vis the cities? We talk specifically about Texas Hill Country and the High Plains, which create premium wine in the state. - We discuss the role of elevation and the similarities to other growing regions around the world (specifically the Duero in Spain, which Texas High Plains resembles).
- We talk extensively about climate – how it’s extremely erratic and how growing conditions here are unlike anywhere else with extreme heat, thunderstorms, hail, and unpredictable weather events that change each vintage and make winemaking a true challenge.
- We talk about the grapes that grow here and how over the last 5-10 years, grapes like Tannat, Tempranillo, and southern Italian varietals that are heat tolerant have thrived. We talk about why many growers in the past bought grapes from Washington State or California.
- We discuss some of the challenges that Texas has faced with the anti-alcohol lobby and how that has been overcome.
Then we discuss the 5 wineries of Texas Fine Wine and their goals of making excellent wine that is known outside of just Texas. Jennifer discusses Bending Branch(if you’re curious, here’s info on cryomaceration (extreme version of cold maceration)and flash détente, that she references!) Ron talks about Spicewoodand then we discuss Duchman,Brennan, and Pedernalesand their styles.
We wrap by talking about the bright future of Texas wine!
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Loudoun County, Virginia is in close proximity to Washington, D.C. -- the farthest vineyards are just over an hour's drive away. But the area has been known more for big, beautiful farms that are good for weddings rather than as a premier wine region of Virginia. Today, this is changing and Lost Creek is part of that change.
About 7 years ago Aimee and Todd Henkle of Lost Creek decided to buy a beautiful property that made mainly sweet wines and change it into a place with elegant, dry reds and whites. Aimee tells her story and that of a region maturing each year.
Here are the show notes:
- Aimee is the Chair of the Loudoun County Wineries Association, so I ask her to tell us about Loudoun County. We review:
- Where is Loudoun County?
- How many wineries there are, the terroir types, and what they specialize in
- We discuss the controversial question of wineries growing grapes v. buying them from the west coast, a challenge that has plagued the legitimacy of Loudoun for years, and how things are changing
- Aimee tells us how she got into wine from her background in electrical engineering
- We learn about how the Vineyard at Lost Creek transitioned from sweet wine to dry wine, and how the quality has been improved greatly through vineyard practices
- We talk about sustainable and organic viticulture and the
challenges of farming in this unique mountain area - Aimee tells us about their elegant Chardonnay, Merlot and Cab Franc based blends, and why Tannat is a rising start
- Aimee tells us what she sees for the future of Loudoun County
Lost Creek will be at the Underground Wine Event on 11/9/19! Get your tickets before we sell out!.
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Anthony Road Wine Company is a legend in the Finger Lakes Region of
New York. It’s one of the pioneering wineries of the area, and it makes wines that reflect the soils and climate of the Finger Lakes. Their wines are made from grapes grown in vineyards owned or managed by the Martini Family and carefully selected by Peter Becraft, the head winemaker. Anthony Road is a family run, family owned, and family operated winery that makes outstanding Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, blends, and a variety of reds and rose, as well as some skin contact wines.
This week I speak with Peter Becraft, a man of many talents. He started out his career as a Fine Arts Masters student, working as a casting director for a famed fashion photographer in Manhattan. As with many of our generation, Peter found himself at a crossroad after September 11, 2001. He realized he needed to do something more fulfilling with his life. Previously finding more common ground and excitement in the folks his pastry chef wife Cary hung out with, he pursued a wine shop job in lower Manhattan and immersed himself in the world of wine. Today, he is the head winemaker at the iconic Anthony Road Wine Company in the Finger Lakes on Seneca Lake.
Here are the show notes:
-
Peter tells us how John and Ann Martini moved from Baltimore in 1973 and set up their farm. He gives us a great lesson on the history of Finger Lakes – what it was like when the Martinis came, and how things have evolved over the last 45 years.
-
We learn about the role of hybrid grapes and why they are different from and similar to the grapes we know and love (vitis vinifera)
-
Peter tells us about the climate and the differences between the Martini Family Vineyard and the Nutt Road Vineyard and why microclimate is so essential to winemaking In the Finger Lakes. Peter gets into really nerdy detail, including glacial movement, silt-loam soils, and how the depth and width of Seneca Lake influences the vineyards
-
Peter then shares his incredible journey from sculptor to winemaker. He tells us how he went from student in Virginia to fine arts Masters student in New York City to winemaker at one of the premier wineries in New York
-
Peter tells us how he learned winemaking, the importance of mentorship from former head winemaker Johannes Reinhardt and how he approaches winemaking
-
We discuss the variety of wines in Anthony Road’s portfolio – Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Vignoles (a hybrid), Lemberger, Pinot Noir, Cab Franc, Merlot
-
We wrap with Peter’s view on what makes the Finger Lakes so special – its unity, vision, and collegiality
Peter and Anthony Road will be at the Underground Wine Event on 11/9/19!
You can meet Peter and try his wines at the Underground Wine Event in Washington, D.C. on November 9, 2019!
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Boundary Breaks is located in the Finger Lakes in Central New York. It's the consummate cool weather growing region, where Riesling and aromatic whites reign supreme. Bruce Murray, the founder and creative force behind Boundary Breaks, tells us how he went from newspaper man, to working with Elon Musk, to running a winery so focused on terroir, they don't even have a dedicated winemaker.
Boundary Breaks was founded in 2007 by Bruce on the East side of Seneca Lake. It focuses on Riesling, which range in style from dry and complex to lightly sweet to a true Riesling Ice Wine. In addition to Riesling, small amounts of Gewurztraminer, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are grown on the estate. The wines are spectacular with a purity of flavor, and excellent terroir expression. Bruce's life is fascinating and Boundary Breaks, indeed, has broken some boundaries in what can be done in the wine world!
Here are the topics we discuss:
- Bruce tells us how his life unfolded to bring him back to the area in which he grew up. He tells me how the Donnhoff Riesling from Nahe, Germany in a Thai restaurant in Vegas changed the course of his life.
-
We talk about the Finger Lakes, how they were formed, why they
are so unique and why the east side of Seneca Lake produces such excellent grapes. We get extra dorky, discussing Boundary Breaks' unique drainage system and why "wet feet" are bad for grapes -
We discuss Riesling and how vineyard management is so pivotal to getting pure flavor. We detail each style Boundary Breaks makes -- dry, off-dry, ice wine plus aromatic whites like Gewurztraminer.
-
We talk extensively about the challenges of growing reds in the climate of the Finger Lakes and how quality has been spotty over the years, but is improving by leaps and bounds.
You can meet Bruce and try his wines at the Underground Wine Event in Washington, D.C. on November 9, 2019!
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today!!
_______________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Sleight of Hand Cellars is the fulfillment of two dreams. Jerry Solomon was a real estate attorney in San Diego who longed for a small town life and wanted wine to be part of it. Trey Busch was a Walla Walla winemaker who had insane talent but needed a partner to make his dream winery a reality.
The two created Sleight of Hand 12 years ago to create exceptional, terroir driven wines that reflect the unique land of Walla Walla and Columbia Valley. Jerry takes us on a journey of the winery, the land, and the beautiful wines they produce!
They will be at Underground Wine Event on November 9, 2019 – don’t miss it! www.undergroundwineevents.com/events
Here are the show notes:
- Jerry tells us how he and his wife Sandy made the move from San Diego Real Estate attorney to Director of Winemaking at the coolest winery in Walla Walla
- He talks about the wonderful friendship and partnership between him and Trey Busch, an Atlantan who became a skilled Walla Walla winemaker after working for several excellent wineries
- We talk about the special role of music at Sleight of Hand and how the winery got its name from a Pearl Jam song
- Jerry explains why the Columbia Valley, and Walla Walla, in particular, are so special for winemaking. We talk soil (loess, which the Walla Walla folks pronounce "luss" and basalt), sun exposure, latitude and why these wines are so different from those from California
- We talk about the variety of Sleight of Hand wines from Riesling, Chardonnay, Syrah, and red blends and what makes each so special
- We discuss why Syrah, in particular, is such a standout in Walla Walla ad why Milton-Freewater Rocks District is so insanely good
- I ask Jerry if he thinks Washington gets the respect it deserves on the world wine scene and why scores work against Washington wines
- We discuss why Sleight of Hand wants to stay small
- We close with how Neil Patrick Harris wound up on the Conjurer label!
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today too!!
____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Coravin
Coravin is the first and only tool in the world that lets you pour wine without removing the cork. You can pour wine in any amount and preserve what’s left of the bottle for weeks, months of even years. Thousands of wine professionals, from sommeliers to winemakers, around the world have tested and trust Coravin with their wines and it will change the way you drink wine too. For a limited time, visit Coravin.com and enter NORMAL at checkout to get $20 off your purchase of $50 of more!
Eric McKibben grew up in Walla Walla, where his dad, Norm, is a founding father of the most important side of Walla Walla – the vineyard side. Norm is known to have helped grow the Walla Walla industry from a few dozen acres in 1989 to 2800 today, around the idea of impeccable quality in the vineyard.
The business is truly a family business. Norm is still involved but Eric is a partner. Eric worked for 11 years in Seattle in the telecom industry, earned an MBA and then returned to Walla Walla in 2003, where he is an active partner at Amavi Cellars and Pepper Bridge Winery. In 2004, he assumed the duty of General Manager at Amavi Cellars.
He also taught me pretty much everything I know about Walla Walla and is one of the best advocates for the region there is! If you get a chance to try these wines, you should do it -- they are pure Walla Walla and purely excellent!
Here are the show notes:
-
Eric tells us about the Missoula Floods and why Walla Walla is such a unique growing region, unlike any other in the world. If you want to see a cool PBS documentary on the Missoula Floods, here it is.
-
We learn about the early days of Walla Walla -- what was here, how grapes supplanted apples, and who the early players were and what they accomplished. We talk about Jean-Francois Pellet, winemaker and partner for both Pepper Bridge and Amavi, and why he was such a believer in this region when he came from Heitz in Napa for a job interview with Amavi and Pepper Bridge.
-
We discuss the "bowl" valley that is Walla Walla, the soil types and and the styles that different parts of Walla Walla yield. We do a bit of compare and contrast on Napa v Walla Walla styles
-
Because it's timely, Eric settles our fears about phylloxera that was recently reported on in the wine pubs
-
Then we spend time dorking out about the flavors that you'll find in Walla Walla -- Syrahs that taste plush, some that taste like licking rocks. Cabernet that expresses terroir without being too full or rich. Semillon that has beautiful acidity. All of these things and how they are achieved.
-
Finally we dip into the thorny question of why so
many wineries are based in Walla Walla that don't make any wines from Walla Walla fruit only (they blend it with things from other part of Columbia Valley) and what that means for the AVA from a marketing and reputational standpoint.
Amavi and Pepper Bridge will be at this year's Underground Wine Event in Washington DC. For tickets, go to www.undergroundwineevents.com
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today too!!
____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Coravin
Coravin is the first and only tool in the world that lets you pour wine without removing the cork. You can pour wine in any amount and preserve what’s left of the bottle for weeks, months of even years. Thousands of wine professionals, from sommeliers to winemakers, around the world have tested and trust Coravin with their wines and it will change the way you drink wine too. For a limited time, visit Coravin.com and enter NORMAL at checkout to get $20 off your purchase of $50 of more!
M.M. LaFleur
If you’ve wondered about these clothes, as I have, I’m here to tell you PULL THE TRIGGER! They are beautiful!! The M.M.LaFleur collection is designed by co-founder Miyako Nakamura, the former head designer of Zac Posen. M.M.LaFleur offers personal styling to help you find the best pieces for your body and lifestyle. Right now, new customers can enjoy $25 towards their first purchase or Bento Box with the code WINE. Visit mmlafleur.com/wine for more details and to redeem this gift.
Virginia, on the east coast of the United States, has much history with grape growing, but not all of it was good. Today, however, exciting producers have mastered their microclimates and are making some of the freshest, most nuanced, terroir-driven wines in the United States.
This week I sit down with Elizabeth Smith of one of the top wineries in this lovely state, Afton Mountain Vineyards. We discuss everything from Virginia history with grape growing, to terroir obsession, to the European flare of the region, and why the wines are so darn good. If you don't know much about VA or you're an obsessive this podcast will be equally fascinating!
Elizabeth and Tony Smith both grew up in Charlottesville and had lifelong ties the Blue Ridge Mountains. After working and raising a family in coastal VA, and even trying their hands at grape growing there (not quite the right terroir!), they decided to move back to their hometown for their second act – winegrowing and making. They bought Afton Mountain Vineyards in 2009 and in this show, Elizabeth shares their story and how they came to make some of the best wine in Virginia.
-
Elizabeth shares her background and how she went from investment management to property management to winery management (and rocked them all!)
-
Elizabeth gives us a true education on the Monticello appellation – what matters to quality wine, what is challenging in growing grapes here, and why she and Tony selected the most westerly site in the Monticello AVA to make their elegant wines
-
We dork out on microclimates, what makes Virginia so unique, and why elevation, and extremely attentive (obsessive) vineyard management is the only way to make great wine in Virginia and why sustainable viticulture is better than organic in a dicey climate like that in the Monticello area.
-
Elizabeth answers the question: Why does Damien Blanchon, their French winemaker, and so many other French winemakers find themselves in Virginia, and decide to stay (hint: challenge without restriction!)
-
We talk about the varietals that do well for Afton Mountain (Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, and Albariño for the whites, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Tannat, and Sangiovese for the reds) and the flavors they yield from this land. We have an interesting side bar about how Petit Verdot can really suck if not handled well!
-
We wrap with Elizabeth talking about how far Virginia wine has come in the last 10 years and a BIG teaser on a project Afton Mountain is starting this fall!
Find out more about Elizabeth and her wines at www.aftonmountainvineyards.com and come to the Underground Wine Event on 11/9/19 in Washington D.C. to meet her and taste her beautiful wines!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Coravin
Coravin is the first and only tool in the world that lets you pour wine without removing the cork. You can pour wine in any amount and preserve what’s left of the bottle for weeks, months of even years. Thousands of wine professionals, from sommeliers to winemakers, around the world have tested and trust Coravin with their wines and it will change the way you drink wine too. For a limited time, visit Coravin.com and enter NORMAL at checkout to get $20 off your purchase of $50 of more!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices. They offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Zola
Zola, the wedding company that will do anything for love, is reinventing the wedding planning and registry experience to make the happiest moment in couples' lives even happier. From engagement to wedding and decorating your first home, Zola is there, combining compassionate customer service with modern tools and technology. All in the service of love.
To start your free wedding website or registry on Zola, go to www.ZOLA.com/wine
Just 40 miles/65 km north of Cape Town lies a large area that makes the most exciting, sought after wines in South Africa. Swartland (Dutch for 'black land') is full of young, passionate winemakers making wines that respect the hot, dry land from which they derive and are able to create wines of such depth, flavor, and nuance that it’s hard to believe so few know about them. In this show, we tell you about the Syrah, Rhône and Mediterranean varietals, the Chenin Blanc and other stunning white blends coming from this area and why you need to seek it out ASAP!
Overview of the region…
- Swartland was oncea rural backwater, better known for wheat fields than vineyards
- Vineyards traditionally grew where wheat couldn’t -- on the northern side of Paardeberge Mountains in the south, the plains of Piketberg in the north, and the smaller Ward of Riebeekberg and Kasteelberg Mountains in the east
- Lots of old vines on slopes where nothing else grows, hand harvested
- The climate ishot and dry with very low summer rainfall but with consistent afternoon and evening breezes off the Atlantic Ocean. Growers have less concern about fungus and other diseases. They use the ecosystem to keep the vineyards healthy with integrated pest management, bush training of vines, and dry farming
We dork out on plate tectonics!
- Swartland has ancient geology. The terroirresulted from a combination of tectonic collisions, ancient volcanic activity and continental separation
- The soils are the oldest in the world and are a mix of shale, arenite sandstone and granite, schist based terroirs. Malmesbury shale on Kasteelberg Mtn is the dominant soil.
- vertical layering structure caused by tectonic shifts. Water drains away and vines dig deeper for liquid nourishment
Grapes/Winemaking
- We talk about the grapes and terroir driven wines of the region
- Red grapes: Syrah/Shiraz, Mourvèdre, Grenache Noir, Carignan, Cinsaut, Tinta Barocca, Pinotage
- White grapes:Chenin blanc, Grenache blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, Clairette, Palomino, Sémillon, Muscat d’Alexandria, Muscat d’Frontignan, Colombard and Verdelho.
- Viticulture:A lot of natural, noninvasive methods of farming
- Winemaking:larger barrels that impart less flavor, less racking and stirring to keep earthy flavors, unfiltered, unfined wines – low input wines
- The Ward of Riebeekbergnear the towns of Riebeek Kasteel and Riebeek West has vineyards on eastern slopes of the Kasteelberg Mountain make big reds of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, and Chardonnay that are complex
We talk about South African and Swartland Wine history
- We discuss how South Africa lies somewhere between the Old World and New World styles.
- We discuss the early history in the 1660s, with the arrival of the French Huguenots who planted vineyards.
- We tell the story of how, in late 1990s, Charles Back of Goats do Roam fame went to Swartland to source grapes and wound up transforming the area by buying land and hiring Eben Sadie to run his “Spice Route” wines in 1998.
- We discuss the modern history of the region and why it takes a special person to make wine in conditions withlow rainfall, un-irrigated vines and paltry yields.
Producers and the Swartland revolution
- We discuss Swartland Independent Producers (SIP), an association that runs the Swartland Revolution celebration every November
- Their goal: Wines that are a true expression of their origin. Like old world AOPs -- distinctive wines but also making them so as to speak about a sense of place
- See the list of requirements and the producers here: https://swartlandindependent.co.za/members/
Top producers
- AA Badenhorst: AA Badenhorst Family White, AA Badenhorst Family Red are flagships; Secateurs produced from purchased fruit
- Lammershoek:Traditional producer
- Testalonga:“naked” style, funky wines
- Lammershoek:Libero No. 5
- Mullineux: Syrahs and white blends; entry level Kloof Street
- Porseleinberg
- Sadie Family: Columella – Syrah-based blend (famous), Palladius – rich style white; cheaper, co-owned Sequillo range
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today too!!
____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Coravin
Coravin is the first and only tool in the world that lets you pour wine without removing the cork. You can pour wine in any amount and preserve what’s left of the bottle for weeks, months of even years. Thousands of wine professionals, from sommeliers to winemakers, around the world have tested and trust Coravin with their wines and it will change the way you drink wine too. For a limited time, visit Coravin.com and enter NORMAL at checkout to get $20 off your purchase of $50 of more!
If you think Vinho Verde (pronounced veeng-yo vaird) is just a fizzy summer sipper, we're about to open up a new world for you in this show. You CAN get the run of the mill stuff but with multiple grapes, regions, and producer styles, if you dig deeper this wine has way more to it than you think!
Overview
- Vinho Verde is not a grape variety, it is a DOC (wine area)
- It literally translates to 'green wine' but means young wine – wine released 3-6 months after the grapes are harvested
- This is one of Portugal’s largest regions:
- 21,000 ha/51,000 acres of vineyards are planted -- 9% of the total in Portugal
- 19,000 growers – like Champagne, 600 bottlers
- 85 million liters of wine each year
- 86% of the wine from Vinho Verde is white
What wine is here?
- Red, white, rosé, or sparkling. Can be late harvest OR brandy!
- If labeled with grape, subregion or quality level (Escolha, Grande Escolha, Superior, Colheita Selectionada
- Top white grapes: Alvarinho, Arinto, Avesso, Azal, Batoca, Loureiro, and Trajadura
- Top red grapes: Amaral, AzalbTinto, Borraçal, Brancelho, Espadeiro, Padeiro, Pedral, Rabo de Ovelha and Vinhão
Winemaking:
- The wine was fizzy because malolactic fermentation took place in the bottle as it sat on the shelf! Today, carbonation is added to finished wine to add sparkle
Wine style:
- Light and fresh whites: high natural acidity, with fruity and floral aromas that depend on the grape variety
- Have slight sparkle with low alcohol
History
- Vinho Verde produced wine for over 2,000 years, one of the oldest regions in Portugal
- Celts and Romas came, then Visigoths and Moors
- During middle Ages: Vinho Verde may have been exported in the 12th century, to England, Germany, and Flanders – especially from top regions of Monção and Melgaço and Ribeira de Lima
- Maize arrived in the 16th century alog with regulations to maximise production of itNew regulations banished vines to the field margins, where they grew up high, forcing the vignerons to pick them from tall ladders
- Today most of Vinho Verde Region is now using modern methods, which give larger and better yield.
- EU in 1986 improved technology – more capital, opened up the markets
Location/Land:
- Vinho Verde is Portugal’s northernmost wine producing region, above 40° latitude
- Series of granite-based plateaus within the valleys of the Minho, Ave, Cávado, and Lima rivers
- Most of the Vinho Verde region is at or near sea level -- highest elevation at 2,300 feet
Climate:
- Temps go between 46°F (8°C) in winter and 68°F (20°C) in the summer – green landscape, temperate climate
- Cooler coastal regions like Lima, Cávado and Ave -- more marine influence with cooler average temperatures and higher rainfall
- inland subregions - Baião and Basto are both warmer
- Annual rainfall is high – 47+ inches (1200 mm) in the winter and spring months
Subregions: 9, can be on the label with the name Vinho Verde
Monção e Melgaço: Best region, but least typical Vinho Verde
- Inland DOP subregion, along the hillsides of the Minho River’s south bank
- White: Alvarinho is best. Fresh but fuller than Rias Baixas, occasionally with some oak
- Reds: Pedral, Alvarelhão
Lima:
- Highest levels of rainfall.
- Granitic soils and a small area with shale-based soil.
- White: Loureiro grape: citrus fruits, rose notes, can be full like Alvarinho
- Use whites Arinto and Trajadura
- Red: Vinhão and Borraçal – crunchy, crisp fruity aroma
3 Similar regions: Cávado, Ave, Sousa -- Mild
- Sea winds, irregular topography, low altitude, mild climate,
- Whites: Arinto, Loureiro and Trajadura with moderate acidity, citrus fruits and ripe apple and pears.
- Reds: Vinhão and Borraçal grapes (not in Ave but in Cávado and Sousa)
- Sousa: Espadeiro is often used to make rosé wines.
Basto: inland – HOT with high rainfall
- High altitude, cold, wet winter, balls hot summer
- White: Azal is lemony with green apple notes
- Reds: Espadeiro, Rabo-de-Anho
Amarante: Inland
- White: Azal, Avesso -- higher alcohol, more body because of heat
- Red: Amarante sub-region is famous for its red wines: especially Vinhão variety
Paiva:
- Red: Vinhão gets great maturity and produce some of the most sought-after red wines
Baião: Inland/continental
- On the border of Douro demarcated region, longer season
- Whites: Azal and Avesso (best ones from Avesso, creamy, fruity, with acidity)
- Red: Amaral
Food Pairing:
- Salads, Asian cuisine, bacalao (cod) and other seafood, in cream sauce or breaded; pork and potato dishes
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today too!!
____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Coravin
Coravin is the first and only tool in the world that lets you pour wine without removing the cork. You can pour wine in any amount and preserve what’s left of the bottle for weeks, months of even years. Thousands of wine professionals, from sommeliers to winemakers, around the world have tested and trust Coravin with their wines and it will change the way you drink wine too. For a limited time, visit Coravin.com and enter NORMAL at checkout to get $20 off your purchase of $50 of more!
M.M. LaFleur
If you’ve wondered about these clothes, as I have, I’m here to tell you PULL THE TRIGGER! They are beautiful!! The M.M.LaFleur collection is designed by co-founder Miyako Nakamura, the former head designer of Zac Posen. M.M.LaFleur offers personal styling to help you find the best pieces for your body and lifestyle. Right now, new customers can enjoy $25 towards their first purchase or Bento Box with the code WINE. Visit mmlafleur.com/wine for more details and to redeem this gift.
If you had no interest in Riesling or in Rheingau previously, this show will change your mind completely and make you jump out of your seat to try Georg Breuer's exquisite wines.
Theresa Breuer is a young woman who found herself (sadly, earlier
than she expected) at the helm of one of the most respected, highest quality Riesling producers in the Rheingau region of Germany. I had the pleasure of spending the day with her a few years back and she is brilliant, poised, kind and a genius vigneron and cellar master, but more than anything, at 30-something, she is one of the best fresh faces and ambassadors for what Rheingau wine is, was, and should be.
This show should give you a perspective on why Rheingau is so special and make you understand why a dork like me loves this place so much!
Here are the show notes:
HISTORY
- Theresa shares Weingut Georg Breuer's nearly 140 years in wine -- from her great grandfather Peter's involvement in the business side of wine, to her grandfather after whom the Weingut is named, to her dad, Bernhard, and then to her.
- We discuss Bernhard Breuer's obsession with quality, bringing the reputation of Rheingau back from a less than stellar period, and her involvement in the business.
- Theresa shares her (beautiful) philosophies about wine and why it means so much to her.
Rheingau Education!
- I have rarely found anyone who can educate on a region as well and succinctly as Theresa Breuer and we are lucky to have her explain stuff like:
- Where is Rheingau and what makes it so unique for wine?
- The parallels with Burgundy in terms of Grand Cru, Premier Cru, Village, Regional sites and why it is so easy in Rheingau
- Why Riesling is so dominant in Rheingau and why it does so well here (hint: reflection from the river, slate/quartzite soils, slopes!)
- How climate change has affected the region, what a hot year like 2019 means for the wine, and what really matters to vintage
- How oak is used in Rheingau (and it is used, a LOT!)
Theresa gives us the deep dive into site specific info. It's fascinating:
- Theresa shares detailed and excellent information about George Breuer's sites and the why and how behind the differences in the wines. We discuss their beautiful Grand Cru sites in Rüdesheim – Berg Schlossberg, Berg Roseneck and Berg Rottland and their wholly owned site, Nonnenberg in Rauenthal (in the eastern part of Rheingau
- Theresa talks about her commitment to organic viticulture and her vision for the wines -- to let the vineyard produce the best wines and to let the Riesling show its home in the glass!
- We talk about what makes Theresa's wines elegant and age worthy.
- We discuss the generational shift in Rheingau and what it does and will mean for wine in the future.
Theresa unveils big news: Weingut Georg Breuer bought some land in the (very different, Mittelrhein-type) wine area of Lorch, to the west of their Grand Cru vineyards. They will be learning more about the sites, and making wine from them soon!
Check out the videos on my YouTube Channel -- you will love Theresa even more!
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today too!!
____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Coravin
Coravin is the first and only tool in the world that lets you pour wine without removing the cork. You can pour wine in any amount and preserve what’s left of the bottle for weeks, months of even years. Thousands of wine professionals, from sommeliers to winemakers, around the world have tested and trust Coravin with their wines and it will change the way you drink wine too. For a limited time, visit Coravin.com and enter NORMAL at checkout to get $20 off your purchase of $50 of more!
We tackle a wine style that is adored in certain hip, wine "in-crowd" circles: "orange" wine, which is actually white wine made like a red -- there is long contact with the skins and seeds that give the wine a darker, orange-ish color, and VERY different flavors.
M.C. Ice and I are not big fans, but we do our best to explain the phenomenon of these whites made with skin contact.
Source: "_IGP1201" by photo by SergioVerzier is marked with CC PDM 1.0
Here are the show notes:
- You know it's time to cover a topic when, in Europe, the supermarket chain Aldi sells a bottle of skin-contact wine for less than $8 US!
WHAT THE HECK IS ORANGE WINE??
-
First and most importantly, it's not from oranges but from grapes!
- Made exactly like a red but with longer maceration (the time during winemakig when the grape skins and seeds stay in contact with the juice)
- Reds with skin contact are red wines, reds with little contact are rosés; whites with skin contact are “orange”, without contact they are whites
- Rosés usually undergo less than 12 hours macerating on their skins before the juice is pressed off
- Orange wine is the opposite of Rosé
- Can make skin-contact wine from any grape – length of time with the skins will matter to flavor and the longer the time the more likely the wine is to mask terroir
- Length of time varies, but maceration is LONG – days, weeks, months
-
Not all are orange so it’s better to call them “skin-contact wines.”
"Skin-Contact Pinot Gris" by jamesfischer licensed under CC BY 2.0
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF MACERATING WHITE JUICE WITH SKINS?
- The wine takes on a darker colored/orange-ish white color, as well as phenols, pigment.
- Aromas: Bolder and more intense same grapes vinified as traditional white – like rose v red
- Flavors: Nutty, oxidized flavor, very sour with a cider note. Can be bold, nutty, like old apples, sourdough bread
- Textures: Dry, tannic, intense (not very pleasurable sometimes)
"2015 Pinot gris" by jamesfischer is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Different styles:
- Lightest ones, are acidic, aromatic wines, with fresh apricot, herbs
- Medium ones – slight oxidation, some acetone notes, old apple
- Then full-bodied, boldly tannic, and often smoky, nutty, lots of VA, off notes
Regions:
- The Republic of Georgia: Qvervi—underground vessels sealed with beeswax or oil soaked clothes. The practice of skin contact whites likely originated here 6,000 or more years ago (the practice still goes on today, although the Greeks and Romans quickly realized the best wines were those from free-run juice/whites not macerated, which is our "traditional" style today). Rkatsiteli is the main grape
- Listen to the Georgia Podcast!
Flag of Georgia: Wikipedia
-
Italy: Most prominent in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, often called ramato “copper-colored” wines from Pinot Grigio but Ribolla Gialla and Tocai Friulano are often used.
- Fruili producers who re-started the orange wine movement: Radikon, Gravner
- Sicilian producers: Cos, I Vigneri
-
Slovenia: Goriska Brda in Slovenia has a long history of skin contact wine
- Listen to the Slovenia show!
Flag of Slovenia: Wikipedia
-
United States
- Long Island: Channing Daughters, Shinn Estate
- California: Some Sonoma
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Others: Australia – Sauvignon Blanc, Greece, South Africa, Croatia, France
Food Pairing: Skin Contact wine is versatile with food pairing but it depends on the weight and the treatment of the wine (length of maceration, barrel v. stainless steel, etc).
- Serving temps – 50 – 55˚F/10˚C- 12.75˚ C -- on the warmer side
Don't forget to order your Wine For Normal People book today too!!
____________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Coravin
Coravin is the first and only tool in the world that lets you pour wine without removing the cork. You can pour wine in any amount and preserve what’s left of the bottle for weeks, months of even years. Thousands of wine professionals, from sommeliers to winemakers, around the world have tested and trust Coravin with their wines and it will change the way you drink wine too. For a limited time, visit Coravin.com and enter NORMAL at checkout to get $20 off your purchase of $50 of more!
M.M. LaFleur
If you’ve wondered about these clothes, as I have, I’m here to tell you PULL THE TRIGGER! They are beautiful!! The M.M.LaFleur collection is designed by co-founder Miyako Nakamura, the former head designer of Zac Posen. M.M.LaFleur offers personal styling to help you find the best pieces for your body and lifestyle. Right now, new customers can enjoy $25 towards their first purchase or Bento Box with the code WINE.
Visit mmlafleur.com/wine for more details and to redeem this gift.
No, it's not a typo: Martinborough is a quality enclave in the larger Wellington Wine Country of New Zealand, which we discuss in depth in this episode. Simone Madden-Grey returns to tell us about the stunning Pinot Noir, citrusy Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling, up and coming Syrah, and other excellent Wellington wines that must be on your radar!
Here are the show notes:
Wellington Wine Country Overview
- In 2016 three wine regions of the Wairarapa Valley in the lower north island formally launched Wellington Wine Country: Masterton, Gladstone, and Martinborough
- The area is small -- just 3% of national plantings and 1% of national production, but represents 10% of producers
Location
- The southern part of New Zealand's North Island
- 35 miles (55km) north-east of Wellington (1 hr drive), New Zealand's capital city, in a wide river valley between Rimutaka mountain range and eastern Wairarapa hills
Climate/Terroir
- Semi-maritime, dry climate – rain shadow of the Tararua Ranges with blustery winds
- Cool spring and autumn seasons, hot summer days with cool nights - long growing season
- Martinborough Terrace: a crescent shaped area on the edge of a river terrace formed by the Ruamahunga and Huangarua rivers with gravel soils that drain well and stress the vines (in a good way)
- Mountain ranges and hills
- Remutaka and Tararua Ranges to the west protect from winds off Tasman Sea
- Aorangi Ranges, western mountain ranges protect area from cold southerly winds coming in off the Cook Strait and together with the western moutnain ranges, also funnel cool breezes up from the Cook Strait
Soil
- River terraces in Martinborough with pockets of clay and quartz-threaded greywacke (type of coloured sedimentary sandstone formed by river deposits) and volcanic basalt.
- Alluvial soils can be up to 15m deep in Martinborough
Climate
- Semi-maritime climate with high sunshine hours, cool Springs and Autumns, warm Summers
- Warm, low rainfall, relatively long, dry growing season, low humidity and low disease pressure
- Diurnal variation: Summer temps during the day 30˚C (86˚F) to 10˚C (50˚F) at night
- Frost is an issue, very windy at times throughout the year, particularly in spring
Sub Regions: North to south
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Masterton: Largest town in Wairarapa,first area grapes were planted in the region. Known for Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir
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Gladstone: Just south of Masterton, free-draining river terraces - Shallower terraces than of Martinborough and nearby. Clay pockets – planted Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc with high aromatics.
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Martinborough – about 30 wineries: Colonial village is surrounded by small vineyards, family-owned producers – highly respected boutique wineries. Lowest rainfall of any area in the North Island and reliably cool climate for Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling and other aromatic whites.
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Te Muna: Southeast of the township with stonier alluvial gravel soils, windier growing conditions and a slightly cooler climate than Martinborough. Escarpment and Craggy Range are here.
Wine Style: Red, white, sparkling (usually Methode Traditionnelle), rosé and sweet wines are all produced in the region
- Pinot Noir: Thicker skins and smaller yields contribute an aromatic, savory, dark fruited profile with good acidity and potential for age.
- Sauvignon Blanc: leading white grape variety, very important for export. More herbaceous and citrus driven, with mineral notes -- less of the big fruit style of Marlborough
- Pinot Gris: Trying to coax a spicier, more complex style with pear and white stone fruit characters
- Chardonnay: For the last decade growers pick earlier to attain lower alcohol, more natural acidity -- lighter less tropical style. Varying degrees of new oak and use of MLF, lees contact and stirring, but the goal is elegance
- Riesling: Good acidity, very lemon-lime in flavor
- Grüner Veltliner, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Syrah and some Bordeaux varieties
The producer list!
- High-profile small producers: Ata Rangi, Margrain, Dry River, Escarpment, Te Kairanga, Martinborough Vineyard
- Paddy Borthwick in Gladstone
- Larger but still good producers: Palliser, Craggy Range
- Second labels:
- Martinborough Vineyard’s "Te Tera" (UK, NZ, Oz only)
- Palliser "Pencarrow" (UK, NZ, Oz only)
- Escarpment "The Edge" (UK, NZ, Oz only)
_________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Coravin
Coravin is the first and only tool in the world that lets you pour wine without removing the cork. You can pour wine in any amount and preserve what’s left of the bottle for weeks, months of even years. Thousands of wine professionals, from sommeliers to winemakers, around the world have tested and trust Coravin with their wines and it will change the way you drink wine too. For a limited time, visit Coravin.com and enter NORMAL at checkout to get $20 off your purchase of $50 of more!
M.M. LaFleur
If you’ve wondered about these clothes, as I have, I’m here to tell you PULL THE TRIGGER! They are beautiful!! The M.M.LaFleur collection is designed by co-founder Miyako Nakamura, the former head designer of Zac Posen. M.M.LaFleur offers personal styling to help you find the best pieces for your body and lifestyle. Right now, new customers can enjoy $25 towards their first purchase or Bento Box with the code WINE. Visit mmlafleur.com/wine for more details and to redeem this gift.
This episode is sponsored byCoravin, the first and only tool in the world that lets you pour wine without removing the cork. You can pour wine in any amount and preserve what’s left of the bottle for weeks, months or even years. Thousands of wine professionals, from sommeliers to winemakers, around the world have tested and trust Coravin with their wines and it will change the way you drink wine too.
Although sponsored by Coravin, this is the same as any other interview show! Don't miss it!
Greg Lambrecht is the inventor, founder and board member of Coravin™ along with a number of other medical device companies. Greg holds a Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He holds numerous patents in the fields of gynecology, general surgery, cardiology, and orthopedics.
Greg is one of those great minds you come across every now and then -- creative, structured, smart, unhindered by things that seem impossible. You'll love learning about Coravin and how he made an enormous difference in the wine industry by taking off the guardrails of staid industry thinking and solved a problem wine drinkers the world around grapple with -- sometimes you just want one darn glass without opening a bottle!
Here are some of the topics we cover:
-
We talk about how a guy like Greg was as a child, and what it really means to be "mission-driven"
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Greg tells us about his journey into wine and how, while the rest of the dads of the world just drank too much or drank skunky wine while their wives were pregnant, he got busy inventing Coravin!
- Greg tells us all about the development process and some awesome stories about stuff that happened as he was developing today's Coravin
- Greg and I talk about the weird quirks of the wine industry and how being outside of it helped inspire his enormous creativity
- We get geeky on the details of how Coravin works. Greg sets me straight on Argon gas and why it doesn't work when I spray the stuff in the bottle but DOES work in Coravin.
- We talk about the next frontier for Coravin: screwcaps and sparkling!
For a limited time, visit Coravin.com and enter NORMAL at checkout to get $20 off your purchase of $50 of more.
In this episode of the Grape Miniseries, we discuss Pineau de la Loire, a.k.a, Chenin Blanc! This white grape is one of the most versatile in terms of wine styles it can make – from floral sparkling, to stunning dry and off dry versions to unctuous dessert wines. Chenin is underrated, not always treated with regard, but it has a pedigree and a class that can’t be doubted. After hearing about all it has to offer, you’ll want to run out and get a bottle ASAP!
Here are the show notes:
What Is Chenin Blanc?
- It’s a high acid, white grape that makes everything from sparkling to dessert wines. When it’s grown poorly, it’s a boring neutral grape that’s used for its acidity but when grown in the right places, it can create a wine with great depth, character
- DNA: Chenin is related to Jura’s Savagnin – parent + unknown grape
- French grape scientist – Pierre Galet – Chenin Blanc started in Anjou in the 9thc, moved to Touraine by the 15thc
- 1520 – 1535 -- Grapes planted at Mount Chenin in Touraine by the Lord of Chateaux de Chenonceau and the Abbot of Cormery
Flavors of Chenin
- Chenin can express terroir, winemaker ideas, vintage but at its core it has a floral, mineral, honey note. Its nuances are determined by terroir, soil type and style
- With botrytis the wine is like peaches, honey, apricots, marzipan, quince
- Dry or off-dry from Loire: apple, chalk that turn into honey and quince – off dry can age
- New World, especially South Africa: tropical fruit notes, good acidity
Viticulture:
- Need ripeness and good control over its vigor to get depth and complexity
- New clonal research is being done to delay budding because the grape is prone to spring frost, increase sugar development
- Vintage variation: growers decide on a day by day basis what style and dryness of Chenin blanc they could make
Winemaking
- New World: Can be blended or do well alone, some skin contact to get different aroma, soften with malolactic, lees contact, tropical notes bc of cooler temps of fermentation
- Old World – fermentation temps – higher (60-68˚f. 16-20˚c) so they won’t get those tropical fruit flavors that come out with cooler temps (50˚/10˚C) – no new oak/toastiness
- Loire:Made like German white wines – low, slow fermentations in large old oak or stainless steel, no malolactic fermentation, no barriques
Wine regions
Loire, France
- Sweet appellations:Coteaux du Layon, Bonnezeaux, Quarts de Chaume, Vouvray
- Dry:Saviennières (Nicolas Joly) – concentration, flavor, longevity, climate change has made dry wine possible in most areas – although some is off-dry, tryig to become a Grand Cru of the Loire
- Range of sweetness levels, from dry to semi-sweet to sweet: Anjou, Crémant de Loire, Coteaux de l'Aubance, Jasnières, Montlouis, Saumur, and Vouvray
- Varied:Saumur, Vouvray, Anjou –Vouvray
- Moelleux wines:Sweet but can be artificially sweetened, so you need a good producer – Vouvray and Quarts de Chaume the best
- Demi sec: great acidity, with a touch of sugar sometimes seem dry b/c of the acidity
Languedoc: Crémant de Limoux, Chenin must account for at least 20% and up to 40% of the blend with Mauzac, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
South Africa
- Most in Western Cape: Stellebosch, Paarl and then Swartland, Olifants River
- Good acidity in a hot climate
- Swartland Top Producers: Badenhorst, Mullineux, Eben Sadie (blends
- Stellebosch Top Producers: Ken Forrester, De Morgenzon
United States
- California: Used it for jug wine because it had acidity, irrigated to the hilt – high yields, 4x as high as in Loire
- Clarksburg AVA plus, Chappellet in Napa, Leo Steen in Sonoma/Santa Ynez, Foxen in Santa Barbara
- Washington: Yakima
- Texas High Plains (a few hundred)
- Long Island, New York: Paumanok
Other wine regions: Australia,New Zealand, Argentina blended with Chardonnay, Mexico and Canada, and India and Thailand grow it too!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Coravin
Coravin is the first and only tool in the world that lets you pour wine without removing the cork. You can pour wine in any amount and preserve what’s left of the bottle for weeks, months of even years. Thousands of wine professionals, from sommeliers to winemakers, around the world have tested and trust Coravin with their wines and it will change the way you drink wine too. For a limited time, visit Coravin.com and enter NORMAL at checkout to get $20 off your purchase of $50 of more!
Halpern Financial
Imagine a path to wealth that just works. A team of experts at your beck and call, technology to keep tabs on your money 24/7, financial education and the personal touch that makes organizing your financial life feel achievable, rather than daunting.Halpern Financial is a fiduciary, fee-only, independent advisor that offers a combination of online tools and personal connection to help clients systematically achieve their goals.
Go to halpernfinancial.com/wine for more information!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices. They offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Salta, Argentina contains the highest altitude vineyards in the world and some of the most unique wines. At these heights, UV radiation changes the grapes so in this tiny, remote area, the wines contain flavors and character you won't find from anywhere else!
Here are the show notes:
______
Overview:
- Salta is at 24˚-26˚S latitude in the northwest of the country, 1500 km/930 miles northwest of Buenos Aires
- Extreme altitude, extreme sunlight makes powerful, structured wines with a savory minerality
- The area has been most famed for Torrontés, which is widely planted across wine regions, beautiful aromatics
- History: Jesuit missionaries first planted grape seeds from Peru in the 1550’s, failed with an earlier attempt near Buenos Aires – first vineyards in Argentina. Today many vineyards over 100 years old, mostly in Calchaquí Valleys in the Andes Mountains
Location
- Salta's home of the wine trade is Cafayate
- The region crosses a bunch of valleys called the Calchaquí Valleys (they span other provinces -- Jujuy, Tucumán, Catamarca)
- Salta is tiny compared to other Argentina wine regions: The region makes 1% of Argentina’s wines from its 5,200 acres (2,000 ha.) of vineyards
- Climate: Harsh daytime heat warm days, cool nights with 45˚ F/7.2˚C temperature swings during the long growing season in the Calchaquí Valleys
- More than 300 days of sunlight a year, wind and ultraviolet radiation – causes mutation inducing properties that magnify color and flavor
Sub areas of Salta
- Cafayate:4 hours south of Salta with alluvial, porous, deep, sandy soils and clay base is similar to the profile of Mendoza.
- Molinos department: More than 100 miles from both Salta and Cafayate 8,000ft/ 2440 M to over 10K feet/3000M
Wine:
- Both whites and reds are fruity with pure flavors, and alcohol is high with excellent acidity and balance
- REDS: Malbec, Tannat, Merlot, Syrah, Cab, Cabernet Franc – all marked by extreme sun – color, flavor
- Tannat is one to watch -- hard to sell internationally but it is a local specialty
- Colomé produces a 100% Tannat under its Lote Especial label from its Finca La Brava vineyards, 1,700m above sea level in Colomé, Salta.
- WHITES: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc,Torrontés
- Torrontés has powerful acidity, floral aromatics – a big, strong white
Wineries Mentioned:
Bodega El Esteco:Altimvs and Chañar Punco are top wines from the Bodega
San Pedro de Yacochuya: Founded in 1988 by Arnaldo Etchart and Michel Rolland. Made an international reputation for the area
Porvenir de Cafayate:Oenologist Mariano Quiroga, with the American consultant Paul Hobbs (we had the Amauta Malbec while we were recording the show!)
José Luis Mounier, Finca Las Nubes: a high-altitude terroir expert, Torrontés, Cabernet Sauvignon
Coloméand Tacuil wineries in Los Molinos: Both growing vines at 2,500 meters/8,200 above sea level. Colomé’s Altura Maxima is at 10,000 feet/3,111 meters
______________________________________
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Coravin
Coravin is the first and only tool in the world that lets you pour wine without removing the cork. You can pour wine in any amount and preserve what’s left of the bottle for weeks, months of even years. Thousands of wine professionals, from sommeliers to winemakers, around the world have tested and trust Coravin with their wines and it will change the way you drink wine too. For a limited time, visit Coravin.com and enter NORMAL at checkout to get $20 off your purchase of $50 of more!
M.M. LaFleur
If you’ve wondered about these clothes, as I have, I’m here to tell you PULL THE TRIGGER! They are beautiful!! The M.M.LaFleur collection is designed by co-founder Miyako Nakamura, the former head designer of Zac Posen. M.M.LaFleur offers personal styling to help you find the best pieces for your body and lifestyle. You can try the collection at home with a stylist-curated Bento Box.
Right now, new customers can enjoy $25 towards their first purchase or Bento Box with the code WINE. Visit mmlafleur.com/wine for more details and to redeem this gift.
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Mendoza is Argentina’s most important and prolific wine region, representing two-thirds of the nation’s wine production. We talk about the effect of altitude and other geographical features that make this area so unique. Then we break down sub regions and discuss the incredible diversity that guarantees there is a wine style for every palate out of this beautiful, mountainous wine region.
Here are the show notes:
First we tackle the stats and some history on the region:
- High altitude vineyards in the Andes Mountains that range from 430-1610 M/ 1,411 – 5,282 feet
- Latitude: 32˚ - 34˚ south
- 151K hectares/373K acres
- 5 large sub-regions: Valle de Uco, Primera Zona, North, East and South Mendoza Zones
- Mendoza wine blossomed with the railroad coming through in 1885 and industrial wine production reigned for many decades. International markets weren’t a priority until the financial crisis of the late 1990s.
Next, we discuss the unique geography and terrain of the region:
- We delve into the intense climate, the desert-like conditions, and how irrigation happens thanks to the inventions of the Huarapes and Incas
- We discuss the altitude for a long time (sorry if it’s too dorky!) – and why it is the most important thing Mendoza has going for it.
- Most vineyards are 3,000 -5,000 feet above sea level – big diurnals mean grapes can maintain acidity despite intense sunlight
- Soils: Alluvial with loose sand over clay – areas differ based on what runs down the mountain…
- Sandy areas – lighter, more aromatic elegance (red fruit)
- Clay-based soils with lime: Dark, powerful Malbec
We chat about grapes and wine colors of Mendoza
- Red: 61.2% with the main grapes:
- Malbec – 40%
- Bonarda – 17%
- Cabernet Sauvignon – 12%
- Syrah – 9%
- Tempranillo – 6%
- White: 15.8%:
- Chardonnay – 21%
- Torrontés Riojano – 15%
- Chenin Blanc – 7%
- Sauvignon Blac 6.5%
- Rose: 23%
Then we riff on sub regions for the rest of the show!
I. South Mendoza:
- San Rafael: Malbec, Bordeaux blends – Cab, Syrah, Bonnarda, Chard, Semillon, Torrontés
II. East Mendoza
- San Martin: Lots of coops, lots of Criolla Grande, Cereza, now moving to better wines
- Lower altitude, a bit warmer, flabbier
III. North Mendoza: also warmer, can be very soft/low tannin and low acid wines
IV. Primera Zona: Maipu and Lujan de Cuyo – 40% of Argentina’s wineries, 881 inn total
Maipu –12 districts, 6% of Argentine wine
- Familia Zuccardi, Rutini and Trapiche have vineyards here
- Maipu is not quite as highly regarded as Lujan de Cuyo or Uco Valley
Important Subareas:
- Lulunta: East of Mendoza city, altitude is around 900-930m/ 3000 ft
- Rich style of Malbec
- Barrancas: 115 miles/185 km south of Mendoza city.Centered around the small township of the same name. Old region – started in 1880s
- Slightly warmer climate here and lower lower altitude – 2500 ft/750 m- softer and riper than those from other parts of Mendoza
- Cab, Syrah, Malbec
Luján de Cuyo –14 districts, 8% of Argentine wine production
- Just south of the city of Mendoza and on higher ground to the west of Maipú
- Vistalba and Compuertas north of the river and Perdriel and Agrelo south of it
- Grapes: Malbec with Cab, Chard, Torrontes
- Hot, dry, desert-like but moderated by high altitude – average is 3300 ft/1000 m
- Alluvial soils are the big thing here – rocky, sandy, poor soils, mountain soils – lots of stress on the vine
- Catena Zapata, Bodega Septima, Cheval des Andes
Important Subareas:
Agrelo
- Complex Malbec – long-lasting, powerful wines
- Also Cab, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc
- In Center of Lujan de Cuyo: Bodega Septima, Pulenta Estate, Catena Zapata, Susana Bilbao
Las Compuertas
- At opening of the Mendoza River as it emerges from the mountains -- Las Compuertasmeans "the floodgates"
- Malbec vines are some of the oldest in Mendoza, up to 100 years old. Other grapes: Cab Franc, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay
- Famous winery: Cheval des Andes
Perdriel
- Small sub-region (20 kilometers/ 13 miles) south of Mendoza
- Some of the oldest vineyardsof Malbec and Cab
- Wines are subtler and more refined, floral notes
Vistalba (means "view of the dawn" in Spanish)
- Southwest of Mendoza
- Malbec, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir Cabernet, Sauv Blanc, Bonarda
- Slightly higher than the surrounding regions -- better air circulation
- Wines are often elegant in style Trapiche. Bodega Vistalba
V. Uco Valley (Valle de Uco)-- 14% of all Argentinean wine
- Hour's drive south from the city of Mendoza, famed wineries
- Since 2006, cultivated area grown by 65%, double the size of Luján de Cuyo
- Grapes: 50% Malbec, Cab Franc has potential, Chard, Torrontés
- Each zone offers a different profile of Malbec and other wines.
- European investment here – from Bordeaux in particular:Lurton, Rothschild and Rolland
- Soils: alluvial and fairly uniform: a clay and rock base with a stony, sandy surface
- Cooler climate, slower ripening, Slightly higher above sea level Maipu and Lujan de Cuyo
Important Sub areas:
Tupungato
- Vineyards planted nearly 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) above sea level – way cooler here than farther north
- Northern end of the Valle de Uco southwest of Mendoza.
- Best -- Gualtallary, a precious corner
- Violet scented Malbec: earthy, herbal and balsamic Cabernet Franc: elegant Pinot Noir
Tunuyán
- All about sub-appellations:
- Chacayes: High vineyards, full but minerally wines
- Los Árboles: Coolest area, borders Tupungato – Chardonnay is best here
- Vista Flores: Prized property – (Clos de los Siete – Michel Rolland’s property is here)
San Carlos
- Tunuyán river helps influence vineyards -- sandy alluvial soils with rocks and calcareous stones are irregular and that gives a lot of diversity in style
- Two important subregions:
- Paraje Altamira: Fruity, earthy reds with minerality, dusty note. Excellent Semillons (Check out Finca Suárez or Mendel)
- La Consulta: Many old vines with intense and concentrated reds
Please shop around, try all the different styles and let us know what you like! I promise we will be doing the same!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Halpern Financial
Imagine a path to wealth that just works. A team of experts at your beck and call, technology to keep tabs on your money 24/7, financial education and the personal touch that makes organizing your financial life feel achievable, rather than daunting.Halpern Financial is a fiduciary, fee-only, independent advisor that offers a combination of online tools and personal connection to help clients systematically achieve their goals.
Go to halpernfinancial.com/wine for more information!
Zola
Zola, the wedding company that will do anything for love, is reinventing the wedding planning and registry experience to make the happiest moment in couples' lives even happier. From engagement to wedding and decorating your first home, Zola is there, combining compassionate customer service with modern tools and technology. All in the service of love.
To start your free wedding website or registry on Zola, go to www.ZOLA.com/wine
This week I speak with Lorenzo Muslija, the co-owner and National Sales Manager for Andis Wines in the Sierra Foothills of California. I had the honor of meeting him and getting to know him when he joined our November 2018 Underground Wine Event and I adore both him and his wines.
Opened in November of 2010, Andis Wines is a boutique winery located in historic Amador County in California's Sierra Foothills. They source from the best vineyards in the Sierra Foothills, hand sort and ferment their wine in small lots and the result is well-balanced, food friendly, terroir-driven wines. Lorenzo recently became a co-owner of the business and we talk about his fascinating personal story, his love of Sierra Foothills, and what makes Andis unique.
Here are the show notes:
- Lorenzo tells us about his early years growing up in Albania and Italy, his university life as a civil engineer, and how became owner and founder of one of the most popular (French-inspired) restaurants in Florence.
- We discuss how his love of his children brought him to California and why he felt it was the right choice to study Wine Business Management rather than enology or some other path in the higher education vis a vis wine.
- We discuss why Lorenzo, the international man of culture, taste, and cuisine, found excitement in working with one of the least developed wine regions of California (Sierra Foothills)
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Lorenzo gives us the dish on the Foothills and why it’s great and not so great, as well as how Andis is able to do things well in their region. We also discuss how Lorenzo’s Italian sensibilities have helped shape Andis Wines.
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We wrap by talking about Lorenzo’s latest venture – how he has become a partner in Andis and what that means for the winery and for this dynamic, wonderful guy!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Patrons on Patreon
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
The Citizenry
The Citizenry is a socially conscious home décor brand bringing time-tested craftsmanship to the modern home. They travel around the globe, partnering with master artisans to create designs with a soul, story, and a purpose. With pieces crafted in over 15 countries, their collections are designed to highlight the unique materials and craft traditions of each destination. And even better -- every dollar you spend supports fair wages, safe working environments, and is a direct investment into artisan entrepreneurs.
For a special offer, go to CitizenryPodcast.com and enter WINE.
Tom Wark, executive director of the National Association of Wine
Retailers (WineFreedom.org) rejoins the podcast to discuss the huge WIN for American wine consumers that has taken place.
The Supreme Court of the US, the highest court of the land, has basically decided that states are not permitted to block interstate commerce -- meaning wine shops anywhere in the US are permitted to ship wine to any consumer in the US, unless there is a health and safety reason for them to forbid it (which is pretty hard to prove!)
Tom and I discuss the finer points of the case (https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/18pdf/18-96_5i36.pdf)
and the next exciting steps for us, as wine drinkers, across the US. Here are some of the high level topics we discuss:
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Tom refreshes us on what was at stake in the Supreme Court case. We get a bit wonky on the details but it's worth it to listen!
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We discuss the ruling and why and how this opens the door for retailers to ship wine legally to all states.
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We talk about the future -- potential challenges to shipping laws and how we, as consumers can help with the process.
Go to https://www.winefreedom.org and sign up to find out how when activity is happening in your state that you can help with. A phone call or email could mean that your ability to order that really rare bottle of orange wine from Greece (or whatever other random stuff you want!) is just a click away!
Canadians -- take note of this show. You're issues are similar and you need to see what happens here to model it so you can open up your wine trade too!
Thank you to our sponsors:
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today:
https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normaland join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Halpern Financial
Imagine a path to wealth that just works. A team of experts at your beck and call, technology to keep tabs on your money 24/7, financial education and the personal touch that makes organizing your financial life feel achievable, rather than daunting.Halpern Financial is a fiduciary, fee-only, independent advisor that offers a combination of online tools and personal connection to help clients systematically achieve their goals.
Go to halpernfinancial.com/wine for more information!
Greece is among both the oldest and among the newest wine nations
in the world. Although it got cooking with winemaking more than 6000 years ago, a huge break in the action took it out of the winemaking game from about the mid 1400s until the 1990s. It's back these days, and as it has always been grapes are grown everywhere in this small but diverse country. With the best wines made from indigenous grapes and select regions, you'll want to listen to this show to know what to seek out. And don't forget to look at a map while or after listening!
Here's a rundown of the topics we covered:
Geography: We go over where the heck Greece is and what’s here that’s good for grapes!
- Greece is in the southern end of Balkan Peninsula between Italy and Turkey
- Climate: Mesoclimates matter to quality wine!
- Mountainous & semi-mountainous vineyards: altitude moderates climate, cools down the temps
- Islands and the coast: Maritime climate/Mediterranean climate but very hot. Growers need cool sites for grapes to thrive
- Volcanic Vineyards:Santorini especially - volcanic soils layers of which are 30 to 50 meters thick, VERY DRY -- high acidity of the grape of Santorini
History
- We discuss the entire deal – from evidence of wine in Greek peninsula since the 4000 B.C. to Ottoman Rule which destroyed much of Greek viticulture until the early 1800s to the rebirth of viticulture of the last few decades.
Classification:Before we launch into the regions and wines, we tell you about the classification
- For PDO (Protected Designation of Origin)wines – higher quality):
- Onomasia Proelefseos Anoteras Piotitos (OPAP) Dry wines
- Onomasia Proelefseos Eleghomeni (OPE) --sweet wines
- For PGI level (Protected Geographical Indication): cover larger areas, more styles and grapes
- Topikos Oinos (local/country wine)
- Epitrapezios Oinos (table wine)
The Regions and Grapes
Northern Greece: Epirus, Macedonia, Thrace
Thrace –isbordered by Turkey and Bulgaria in the North, Aegean in the south, makes mostly international wine varieties
Greek Macedonia– borders the Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria in the north and the Aegean sea in the south. It’s semi-mountainous, and the rocky soils make it great red wine country
- Xinomavro (Kseen-oh-MAHV-roh):RED GRAPE.
- Best when from Naousa in Macedonia
- Firm tannins, bright acidity with flavors like red fruit and flowers, tomatoes, olives, dried prunes, nuts (compared to Nebbiolo)
- Other growing areas: Northern and central Greece, Rapsani in Thessaly
- Malagousia (mala-GOO-zee-ah):WHITE GRAPE.From Macedonia, near Thessaly
- Full bodied wines with strong acidity, peach, lime, lemon, and soft textures. There are sweet or dry versions
- Thought to be extinct -- professors and top growers, brought it back –resurrected by a winery Ktima Gerovassiliou (ktima = “estate”)
Epirus: NW Grecian mainland, mountains are essential to high quality.
- Wines have great acidity – the PDO of Zitsa is making excellent sparkling wines and floral dry whites from Debina (WHITE GRAPE)
Central Greece: Central Greece, Thessalia
Central Greece (this is where Athens is): Hot and dry, more white than red
- Saviatiano (sa-VAH-tee-AH-no) WHITE GRAPE is the most widely planted grape in Greece. It makes dry wines but is known for Retsina, which tastes like the pine resin that’s added to the must before fermentation.
Thessalia (Thessaly): Borders Greek Macedonia, Central Greece, the Aegean Sea – Mediterranean climate with continental influences. Best areas are in the mountains that surround the region
- Rapsani is on south facing slopes on Mt Olympus at altitude and makes Xinomavro and red blends
Southwestern Greece: Ionian Islands, Peloponnese
Peloponnese: Where Sparta and Olympia were this is a peninsula on the southern edge of mainland Greece. Best areas are on the eastern side of the Peloponnese, at altitude
- Roditis (Ro-deet-is) WHITE GRAPE: dry, food-friendly, high-acid with lime, melon, saline, bitter citrus. Grown all over.
- Agiorgitiko (ah-YOUR-yee-TEE-ko) RED GRAPE: Full-bodied with sweet raspberry, black currant, and plum, nutmeg and Italian herbs, smooth tannins. Wines from mountains are best especially Nemea
- Moschofilero (MOSH-ko-fah-LAIR-oh)WHITE GRAPE:Lychee, rose, lemon flavored with good acidity and medium body. Grown inMantinia: One of the coolest growing regions of Greece, specializes in the grape
- Mavrodaphne (MAHV-roh-DAF-nee) RED GRAPE:Sweet, late harvest, red wine that usually tastes of raisins and chocolate with high tannins. Better when blended. Grown in Patras
Ionian Islands: Ruled by Venetians in Middle Ages – today tourism = shrinking vineyards
- Robola, WHITE GRAPE:is Probably Ribolla Gialla from northeastern Italy. Lemon with pineapple, beeswax, quince, tart apple, can be rich and terroir-driven. Grown in Cephalonia
CRETE
Crete: Largest Island (150 miles long), on the southern edge of Aegean. Hottest vineyards in Greece.
- Mandilaria, RED GRAPE: found throughout Greece and Crete in particular. It is too powerful to be made alone. Flavors are like stewed fruit, leather, with VERY powerful tannin
Aegean Islands
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Santorini: Volcanic island, most famous WHITE GRAPE is Assyrtiko (ah-SEER-teek-oh)grown in basket-like vines (see below)
- Dry Assyrtiko: lean, mineral, concentrated whites
- Nykteri (“nith-terry”): oaked with creme brûlée, pineapple, fennel, sugar cookie notes
- Vinsanto: Made with Assyrtiko, Aidani, and Athiri with cherry and raspberry notes. Tannic, high acidity, and can have high VA (‘nail polish’ smell)
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Samos: Muscat of Samos, WHITE GRAPE, possibly homeland of Muscat Blanc
- Límnos: Limnio, RED GRAPE with raspberry fruit and herb notes.
- Paros: Monemvassia, WHITE GRAPE. From Peloponnese but cultivated only on Has mineral, citrus, nectarine flavors with a medium body, refreshing acidity.
To sum up:
- Best whites:Assyrtiko, Malagousia, Moschofilero, Debina, Robola, Muscat of Samos
- Best reds:Xinomavro, blends with Agiorgitiko, sometimes Mandalaria or Limnio
- Best regions:Naousa (Xinomavro), Nemea (Agiorgitiko blends), Mantinia (Moschofilero), Santorini (Assyrtiko), Samos (Muscat)
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Thanks to our sponsor this week:
Halpern Financial
Imagine a path to wealth that just works. A team of experts at your beck and call, technology to keep tabs on your money 24/7, financial education and the personal touch that makes organizing your financial life feel achievable, rather than daunting.Halpern Financial is a fiduciary, fee-only, independent advisor that offers a combination of online tools and personal connection to help clients systematically achieve their goals.
Go to halpernfinancial.com/wine for more information!
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Most of the info for this show came from the Official Wines of Greece Web site: https://winesofgreece.org/
Jason Haas from Tablas Creek returns (he was in Ep 162) to give us his perspective on 30 years of the most innovative winery in California, which runs in partnership with the Perrins of Rhône fame. We take the long view, discussing a retrospective blog post Jason wrote on what they got right and wrong in the last 30 years, and then we chat about what's next.
Here are some of the things we chatted about:
- Based on the blog post: The 30 years of lessons learned at Tablas Creek!
- Wrong #1: Paso Robles is hot and dry, and therefore red wine country (and why whites are so essential to Tablas Creek)
- Right #1: Obscure grapes can be great here. Yes they can!
- Wrong #2: They were going to make just one red wine and one white wine (and why theory was right but practice was wrong!)
- Right #2: Importing new vine material would be worth the costs (and how it made them legendary)
- Wrong #3: Vineyard and winery experience is enough to run a nursery (and how passing the torch to NovaVine was a big relief!)
- Right #3: Organic viticulture works (and a deeper discussion of why and whether it even matter why)
- Wrong #4: Tasting Room? Wine Club? Who needs 'em! From a business perspective, this made perfect sense but we talk about why it didn’t fly in reality and why that's a great thing.
- Wrong #5: People will buy it because Beaucastel --name recognition only gets you so far
- Right #5: Fundamentally, this place is great for these grapes -- We talk about how some people take advantage of this and how some in Paso are still working on it
We wrap with: What’s in the next 30 years?
Please check out Tablas Creek. Many consider them the best winery in America. It's a hard point to argue once you have their wines!
Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Provence, France is a multifaceted wine region. Although it makes mainly rosé, there is much to explore here. To start, not all of that rosé is created equal. And there are whites and reds you may not be aware of, that are just stunning. This podcast is a surprising, dorky, deep look at this beautiful wine region.
Photo: Unsplash
Climate and terroir
- Between Mediterranean and the Alps – southeastern corner of France, covers coastline
- No vineyard is more than 25 miles from the Mediterranean
- Provence is the only French wine region outside of Bordeaux with classified estates
- Climate: Low humidity, Mediterranean climate – sea is its southern border: sunny, dry and warm. Can get overripe grapes b/c of sunshine. Winds prevalent – including the Mistral
- Land: Soil poor, very varied -- limestone, calcareous, volcanic
- Mountains: Sainte-Victoire Mountain, Sainte-Baume Mountains, Massif des Maures
Photo: "Le Jour ni l'Heure 2792 : couvent bénédictin, puis dominicain, de la Sainte-Baume, grotte de sainte Madeleine, Plan-d'Aups, Var, Provence, dimanche 8 mai 2011, 19:22:39" by Renaud Camus is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Blends, not varietal wines:
- Reds: Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Tibouren, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon
- Whites: Rolle/Vermentino, Ugni Blanc/Trebbiano, Sémillon, Clairette,Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc
Provence rosé appellations
- Côtes de Provence
- Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence
- Coteaux Varois en Provence.
Map: Vins de Provence
Côtes de Provence: 90% Rosé, 6.5% red, 3.5% white
- Largest appellation in Provence
- Center to the eastern borders of Provence – eastern portion of Provence in included
- Nearly 75% of all the wine production in Provence
- 90% of production is rosé
- Quality of sites varies wildly, as does the wine quality
- 4 subregions
- Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire: Red and rosé (largest, most common)
- Côtes de Provence Fréjus: 75% rosé, the rest is red
- Côtes de Provence La Londe: 75% Rosé, 25% red
- Côtes de Provence Pierrefeu: Cool climate rosé
Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence: 82.5% Rosé, 5.5% White, 12% Red
- 2nd largest area with various soil types
- High acid, light rosé
- Les Baux de Provence: (baou=rocky spur in Provence dialect) is within Aix
- Tiny hilltop village, mainly organic viticulture – 85% of the farmers do organic or biodynamic
- Makes red and roses (only 25% is rose) of GSM
Coteaux Varois en Provence: 85% Rosé, with red and white
- Western 1/3 of Provence central region of Provence, "calcareous Provence" – gravel, flint, limestone, calcareous soils in narrow valleys
- High altitude, small area
Photo: Pixabay
Bandol: Nearly 70% is red wine with rosé, small amt of white * Bandol is most famous for its red wines, Mourvèdre is at least 50% of the blend, though most producers will use significantly more * Whites: Clairette – 50-90% of Bandol Blanc with Bourboulenc, Ugni Blanc, Marsanne, Rolle, Sauv Blanc, Semillon
Photo: Mourvèdre Pancrat, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Bellet: Equal amounts of white, red, rosé * Near Nice in hills of N, E, W on terraces – very steep, some single vineyard sites * Mostly consumed by tourists in Nice
Palette: Red, white, rosé made east of Aix-en-Provence in hills
- Chateau Simone owns half the vineyards here – Ch Cremade, Ch Henri Bonnaud, Ch de Meyreuil and La Badiane make the rest
Coteaux de Pierrevert: Cool climate red, white and rosé wines are mainly made from Grenache, Syrah, Cinsaut, Clairette and Rolle
Cassis Wine: White is 75% of production, with red and rosé * Full-bodied, lower acid, herbal whites. * Clairette, Marsanne, Bourboulenc, Pascal, Sauvignon Blanc, * Rose and red from Mourvedre, Cinsault, Grenache
Photo: Pixabay
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Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Podcasts referenced:
Ep 160: The Rosé Story with Ian Renwick
Ep 227: Derek Van Dam, CNN Weatherman on Weather and Wine
Ep 277: Bordeaux -- An Insider View with Serge Doré
Greg La Follette is known in the wine world as a founding father of California Pinot Noir. A former seminarian and biochemist with degrees in Plant Biology and Chemistry, he was an early AIDS researcher at the University of California San Francisco before earning his masters degree in Food Science and Technology at the University of California Davis.
Greg has worked for BV, started La Crema and Hartford Court for Jackson Family Wine (Kendall-Jackson), started Sonoma Pinot cult brand Flowers and his own brands LaFollette (which he sold) and now Alquimista. Greg has consulted all over the world – in northern California, Oregon, Europe, South America, and Australia. He is widely considered an expert on Pinot Noir.
Here are a few things we chatted about:
- Greg's early history, including his time with André Tchelistcheff, the father of American Viticulture (also mentioned in Ep 275: http://winefornormalpeople.libsyn.com/webpage/category/ep-275-lane-tanner-the-pinot-czarina-of-santa-barbara-county-california)
- The allure of Pinot Noir and the various styles Greg has made over the years -- from big and brawny at Flowers to elegant and earthy at Alquimista. Greg talks about winegrowing and the challenges of Pinot Noir (and why Chardonnay is important to grow as a sanity check!)
- The influence Burgundy has had on Greg's wine over the years
- The fascinating chronicles of working at La Crema, starting Flowers for someone else, starting and selling Tandem (now La Follette) and then departing to the best stop: Alquimista Cellars!
- We discuss Patrick Dillon, Greg's partner in Alquimista (and a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, writer, editor), and how their styles combine to make a style of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay you won't find elsewhere in California.
Alquimista's wines are spectacular. Check them out!
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Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
At the request of UK listener, Peregrine (great idea, thanks!), we discuss vegetarian food pairing, an art that's just as easy or hard as with any dish. The difference is that in the veg world, we pair with sauce and seasoning and the complexities are many --and we dig into many of them!
Photo: Pexels
We discuss my three step pairing process and how it applies to vegetarian food (also in the Wine For Normal People Book!):
- Pay attention to the weight of the food -- heavy with heavy, light with light.
- Examples: simple salads with dry whites or rosé, Eggplant or heavy saucy dishes with heavier reds, Cream or cream-based dishes – northern European cuisines – best with cooler climate wines
- Figure out what the dominant flavor of the dish is and pair to that.
- Examples: Earthy veggies like mushrooms, root veggies – earthy reds like Burgundy, or Barolo, Chianti
- Mushrooms have umami: Burugndy –white and red are best, but there is nuance
- Creamy dishes – oaked white burgundy
- Mushroom risotto: Arneis, Gavi, Soave, Fiano, Etna Bianco
- Mushrooms with garlic: Pinot noir
- Portabello mushrooms: same as steak: Zin, Malbec, Bordeaux, Cabernet
- Asparagus or bell peppers –whites with higher acidity – Grüner, Sauvignon Blanc
- Tomato-based dishes – reds from Italy
- Pay attention to the texture of the food and make sure it goes with the texture of the wine.
- Structure of the food and the wine matter. Is the food salty? Chewy? Acidic? Pair it with the appropriate wine texture!
Photo: Unsplash
We discuss MC Ice's favorite rule: What grows together, goes together
We talk about the best pairings for spice:
- Sweeter Riesling or Chenin blanc, or fruity rosés (NEW WORLD) work well
- Indian curry: A touch of sweetness helps, so does acid
- Bright Thai curries are better with aromatic whites
- Fruity rosé, off-dry Riesling or Chenin Blanc, Pinot gris, Viognier
- Fruity Merlot or Shiraz, Portuguese reds
- Stir fry with soy: fruity New World Merlot, Pinot, something low in tannin
Photo: Unsplash
We talk TexMex and Mexican:
- Black beans/burritos: Albariño, Beaujolais
- True Mexican food
- Crisp whites: Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, dry Riesling,
- Riojas, Chianti, Pinot noir can for heavier sauces
- Soft juicy wines can work with refried and black beans or adobo sauces –Beaujolais or soft Syrah, Garnacha
- No tannin, no oak– kills the combo with chiles
Photo: Unsplash
Finally we discuss how salad has become so varied it's hard to make a good match. We leave you with some ideas:
- Very fruity wines: Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Rosés
- Grow/goes: Greek salad with Assyrtiko
- Blue cheese dressing: Fruity, soft red – Zin, Beaujolais
- Goat cheese salad: Sancerre
- Caprese: Soave, Fiano, Gavi
Photo: Pexels
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Thanks to our sponsor this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
And to sign up for classes, please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!
Serge Doré has been an importer of small French family made wines for nearly four decades. His story and background is featured in episode 262, and in episode 276, we spoke with the vigneron of one of the small families he represents, Amelie Aubert from Bordeaux. This time he returns to speak with us about what Bordeaux is really like and his perspective on the good and bad of the region, how it compares with others and why it is so magnificent.
Here are some of the things we discuss:
- Serge's first experiences in Bordeaux in the 1980s and what the region was like before it was touched by the influence of Robert Parker
- His take on the cultural and substantive differences between the Right and Left Bank.
- The effect of critics on Bordeaux
- The business structure and climate of Bordeaux -- including the roles of the vigneron, the courtier (broker), and the negociant.
- We discuss the role of technology and how it has helped or harmed wine in Bordeaux
- Serge gives us his view of the best value appellations in Bordeaux now and the best wines for shorter term aging
I had a great time listening to Serge's take on Bordeaux and how it has changed over the years. I hope you love this very lively, honest conversation too!
Learn more about Serge's wines here
Thanks to our sponsor this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
For the latest class schedule, please visit: https://winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Other shows referenced:
Ep 276: Familie Aubert, with Amelie Aubert, the 7th Generation of Bordeaux Winemaking
Ep 262: Serge Doré, Outstanding French Wine Importer
Ep 250: Amazing Innovation in Champagne with Thibaut Le Mailloux of the Champagne Council
The Aubertfamily has lived in Saint-Émilion on the Right Bank of Bordeaux since 1750 and has a long and successful history as producers of some of Bordeaux’s finest wines. Alaine andBernadette Aubert own over 600 acres of vineyard property, making them one of the largest family producers on the Right Bank.
They run the estate with the help of their three daughters Cécile, Amélie and Héloise, with Amélie the 7th generation of the family to take over the reins of the family’s winemaking responsibilities. The estate centers around the old family home of Château de Ribebon, a magnificent 18th century building that was once a hunting lodge for King Louis XIV, beautifully preserved, on a terrace overlooking the Dordogne River.
Thanks to Serge Doré Selections for making this show happen!
Chateaux list: (you can get these at www.winelibrary.com please call them to special order these wines except the Cab Franc!)
- Château Macard (Bordeaux Superieur)
- Château de Ribebon Reserve (Bordeaux SuperieurCabernet Franc)
- Château Hyot (Côtes de Bordeaux -- Castillon)
- Château Haut-Gravet (St-Émilion Grand Cru 'Grand Chemin')
- Château Abelyce (St-Émilion Grand Cru)
Here are the topics we cover:
- We talk about Amélie's family history in Bordeaux and how her mom and dad both came from winemaking families
- Amélie discusses her love of the wine business and her passion for tradition, as she got started with her grandfather in the business
- We talk about the Right Bank -- the grapes (Merlot, Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon), the land, the climate/vintage variation, the culture etc and how it is different from the Left Bank
- Amélie discusses the complication of the classification systems in St. Émilion -- the Grands Crus Classés and the controversy around the classification (Château Abelyce and Haut-Gravet are both classified chateaux)
- We discuss the land and how terroir is so important to quality in Bordeaux. We cover the differences between the limestone plateau that Ch. de Ribebon sits on versus the clay and gravel of the Right Bank
- Amélie shares why the Côtes de Bordeaux are exciting to seek out (Château Hyot is from Côtes de Bordeaux -- Castillon)
- We talk about Bordeaux Superieur and the keys to getting a good one
- Amélie shares the purpose of oak barrels for her (and how it is not considered a flavor component - totally different from New World ideas!)
- We discuss the great benefits of having a strict appellation system and how it helps Amélie make the best wine she can
- Finally, Amélie shares how environmental concerns will likely change how some things are done in Bordeaux, but not the style of the wine
Thanks to our sponsor this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
When I was visiting Santa Barbara County, I got to sit down with the Pinot Czarina herself, Lane Tanner. She is famed for her deep knowledge of Pinot noir winemaking in Santa Barbara, having arrived as only the second woman winemaker in the county in 1981. Since then, Lane has built a reputation as one of the top Pinot specialists in California and she is a pioneer and icon in SB County.
She has had a long career and today, she is the winemaker and partner with Will Hentry Ep 259) in Lumen Wines, making exceptional single vineyard Pinot Noir, with great Chardonnay, Grenache, Grenache blanc and Pinot Gris to boot. Although accomplished, Lane is a total package – confident, strong, but kind and willing to share her story with us. We became fast friends and I can't wait to introduce you to her and her story in this show!
Here are the topics we hit on:
- How Lane got into wine, how she met and was mentored (inadvertently) by the famed Andre Tchelistcheff
- Santa Barbara County in the 1980s -- the culture, the wines, and how it has changed
- Lane's ability to master nearly any task -- her "Inspector Gadget" -like quality to fix anything, and solve any problem (only she does it well and he did it poorly!)
- The importance of geography and geology to Pinot Noir in Santa Barbara. Lane's philosophies, how she came upon them, and why they yield such spectacular wine -- from picking decisions to pruning to clones, we cover it all!
- The trouble with scores and judging (she's been a judge before so we get some inside dirt!)
- How the movies "Sideways" and it's residual effects made Lane retire for a time.
- We talk Santa Barbara wine -- now and then.
- The present and future: Will Henry joins us again to help tell the the Lumen story and where it's going!
We hope to have an Underground Wine Event next year in Santa Barbara! Stay tuned for details!
Thanks to our sponsor this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Christopher Snowdon is the head of lifestyle economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs. His research focuses on social freedoms, prohibition and policy-based evidence. He is a regular columnist for the Spectator Health blog, where his article on March 28, 2019 “The campaign to make alcohol ‘the new tobacco’” caught my eye.
Christopher Snowden, Head of Lifestyle Economics at the IEA
In this show, Chris and I discuss the new narratives that the UK Chief Medical Officers and others in positions of power in public health are pushing out to the public. We dig into the problems with these studies, namely that the claims are relatively baseless and the research is skewed, and we talk about possible trajectories for Neo-temperance and the importance of vigilance and questioning the claims and the motives of these claims.
The show notes are simple this week: his two articles --
- “The campaign to make alcohol ‘the new tobacco’” March 28, 2019
- "A glass of wine won't shorten your life -- moderate drinking is still good for you" April 17, 2018
More on Chris: Snowdon is author of five books: 'Polemics' (2020) 'Killjoys' (2017), 'Selfishness, Greed and Capitalism' (2015), 'The Art of Suppression' (2011), 'The Spirit Level Delusion' (2010) and 'Velvet Glove, Iron Fist' (2009). He has also written more than a dozen reports for the Institute of Economic Affairs including ‘Drinking, Fast and Slow’, ‘and ‘Closing Time: Who’s killing the British pub?’. He blogs at Velvet Glove, Iron Fist.
I made reference to the podcast we did about my experience drinking while pregnant. Here's the link!
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Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Tannat is one of the gems of southwest France – a tannic, acidic, flavorful grape that makes wines packed with complexity (and huge health benefits!). This show takes you from the origins of the grape to the changes it needed to survive in modern times to the glory it’s achieving in Uruguay and its potential in California. A dorky show but a fascinating one, nonetheless!
Overview:
- Mainly grown in Southwest France in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mtns and Uruguay
- Also grown in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Peru, South Africa, Puglia (blending), Siciily, British Columbia and the US
- Tannat is a great value! A great bottle of Tannat will is priced between $15-$30.
Origins:
- First mentioned in Madiran in 1783
- Name from dialect in Béarn, France: means “colored like tan” for dark berries, tannins
- Related to a bunch of grapes that are in the Pyrenees-Atlantique region – Manseng Noir is probably the closest relative
Vineyard/Grape character:
- Vigorous, needs trellising to resist bunch rot (botrytis), mid-ripening and ripens reliably
- Big bunches, small to medium grapes with thick skins
- Many seeds – 2x as many as regular grapes – higher polyphenols in the wine.
- Hard to de-stem because of hard wood
- Recent research makes the case for oligomeric procyanidins (OPCs) as the source of red wine’s health benefits. Tannat is the grape with the greatest concentration
Winemaking/vineyard management to soften:
- Vineyard:low yields, picking later, different soil types, new clones
- In the winery: oak, concrete eggs, micro-oxygenation, extended aging, macerationn
Flavors:
- Tannic, acidic, dark, with either red (raspberry) or black fruit (plum) with black licorice, vanilla, dark chocolate, espresso, and smoke notes and a long finish
French Tannat
- Basque-influenced regions of France near Pyrenees: Madiran, Irouléguy, Tursan, Béarn
- Madiran: 60-80% of the blend, most do 100%. Red fruit, very strong tannin, high acid -- blended with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Fer to soften astringency.
- Saint-Mont (min 60% of blend) – with Cab Franc, Cab Sauv
- Irouléguy: Rosé – not much maceration b/c it will get too tannic
- Béarn: 60% Tannat and a 40% mix Manseng Noir, Courbu Noir
Uruguay
- 4,408 acres/1784 ha, 22% of Uruguay’s vineyards
- Blending with Pinot noir and Merlot for softness and total balance
- We discuss old vines v. newer clones
- Best region: Canelones
- Flavors: Softer tannins, black fruit
California
- Grown in Paso Robles and Santa Cruz Mtns – Bonny Doon Vineyards, Tablas Creek, Joseph Swan sold it as a standalone
- 2002: Tablas Creek petitions TTB to add Tannat to list of varieties for varietal wine
Food: Needs high protein and high fat to the table to soften the high tannins
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make
the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
**Away**
Away creates thoughtful standards for modern travel—universal pieces that reflect your personal travel style and make every trip more seamless. Away has the perfect gift for everyone on your list—and for every destination on theirs.
I really love this suitcase! You need to get one!
For $20 off a suitcase, visit www.awaytravel.com/wine and use PROMO CODE: wine during checkout!
Zola, the wedding company that will do anything for love, is reinventing the wedding planning and registry experience to make the happiest moment in couples' lives even happier. From engagement to wedding and decorating your first home, Zola is there, combining compassionate customer service with modern tools and technology. All in the service of love.
To start your free wedding website or registry on Zola, go to www.ZOLA.com/wine
Another in our series of the greatest wines in the world, this dorky, in-depth show goes over the intricate details of Rioja, Spain. The history is just fascinating(especially the ties to France), and the wines are a marvel. Rioja truly is a GREAT.
If the podcast is too weedy for you, skip to the end. MC Ice asks me a question about traditional practices in Europe and how I feel about it restricting creativity, and I give a staunch defense of the regulations in an answer he didn't expect!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies
in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Here are the show notes:
Overview
- Rio Oja – river oja
- I discuss location: in the Ebro River Valley between Obarees Mountains, Sierra de Cantabria in the North, Sierra de la Demanda in the south
- I mention the great wine houses of Haro: Roda, Muga, CVNE, Ramon Bilbao, López de Heredia to name a few.
- I also mention Logroño, the capital city of the region with producers: Marques de Murrieta and Ontanon
History:
- Yes, it's weedy, but I find it fascinating so I take you through Rioja's history from Phoenician settlers in 11thc BC to Ancient Romans, monks, the importance of El Camino (not the 1970s car, but the religious pilgrimage!), the Reconquista, colonial times to more modern ones.
- We discuss the strong ties between Bordeaux, over the Pyrenees, and Rioja and how phylloxera actually served to cement that tie and help Rioja soar to new heights
Geography:
- We really get dorky here, discussing the River Ebro & its 7 tributaries that create valleys of Rioja
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We talk about the climate, the microclimates and importantly, the sub regions:
- Rioja Alta: Just under 50% of vineyards, premium wine
- Sub valleys: Oja, Najerilla, Iregua
- Rioja Alavesa: 20% of wine, similar to Alta
- Rioja Baja: further south in Ebro Valley, much drier, warmer climate, thanks to the Mediterranean influence 37% of production and growing (young producers)
- Sub valleys: Cidacos (Bodegas Ontañon, one of my favorites is here), Leza, Jubera, Alhama
- Rioja Alta: Just under 50% of vineyards, premium wine
Grapes:
- Reds: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo (Carignan), Maturana Tinta
- Whites: Viura/Macabeo (the Cava grape), Malvasía de Rioja, Garnacha Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco, Maturana Blanca, Turruntés de Rioja
Type of Wine:
- Blends of grape varieties, vineyards and towns.
- Control Board issues to those wines that meet quality and tipicity requirements:
- Joven:Guarantees the origin and vintage of the wine. Fresh, fruity.
- Crianza wines: Minimum of 1 year in casks/oak, 1 year in bottle. For white wines, the minimum cask ageing period is 6 mo
- Reserva wines: Selected wines of the best vintages with an excellent potential. Aged a minimum of 3 years -- 1 in cask, at least 6 months in bottle. For whites, the minimum ageing period is 2 years, with at least 6 months in casks.
- Gran Reserva wines: Selected wines from exceptional vintages. Aged a minimum of 60 months -- 2 years in cask, 2 in bottle. Whites: 4 years, with 1 year in cask
Viticulture:
- We end with a discussion of the restrictions around viticulture and winemaking and how restrictive it is.
- M.C. Ice gets me to wax poetic on whether I think we should restrict producers in this way, and I give an impassioned plea as to why I think it is essential.
I heavily relied on the awesome site: https://us.riojawine.com/en/ for information in this pod!
Also, I mentioned a Spanish language podcast I like. Here's the link to Coffee Break Spanish
Napa and Sonoma are the two most famous places for wine in the United States. On a map, they are right next to each other and they seem really interchangeable. But looks can be deceiving. The truth is, that they are an hour drive apart and worlds away in climate, geography, grapes, cost, marketing, and culture.
This week, Oded Shakked, winemaker and owner of Longboard Vineyards and Jim Morris, the Sonoma Wine Guy, who now works for a Napa winery help me parse the differences. This podcast should help make everything a whole lot clearer when people talk about Napa versus Sonoma!
Here are the show notes:
- Geography:
- The distance between the areas – 45 mi -1 hr, the difficulty in getting between them
- Looking at a map – and the geography of the two areas
- Marketing differences – when and how they diverged: Napa’s 20 year head start and the importance of Robert Mondavi’s marketing efforts to Napa
- Ease of travel in Napa v Sonoma
- The money difference/investement -- small farmers v. outside money
- The competition element – a problem for both Sonoma and Napa
- What’s not different: SKILL!!! Everyone knows what theya re doing for the most part
- Provenance, time, is smaller – Napa – elite
- Experience difference:
- Napa – an elite or aspirational experience, status, expense, trying to weed out people
- Sonoma – more affordable, more relaxed
- Costs differences – and how places used it to weed people out
- Grapes and climate
- Diurals/acid differences – Sonoma is cooler in many spots
- Napa Envy by Sonoma
- Sonoma’s Identity issue
- One common problem: cost of living is going up and it’s harder to find people to work there
- Some travel tips for Northern California wine country and all the other stuff you can do in Sonoma!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies
in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Blinkist:
Blinkist is the only app that takes the best key takeaways, the need-to-know information from thousands of nonfiction books and condenses them down into just 15 minutes so you can read or listen to. 8 Million people are using Blinkist right now and it has a massive and growing library: from self-help, business, health to history books.
Get the main idea of books so you can decide if they are something you want to read more of or if the gist is just enough! Right now, for a limited time Blinkist has a special offer. Go to www.blinkist.com/WINE to start your free 7 day trial.
When Tracy Nielsen -- Co-Founder & Assistant Winemaker of La Pitchoune -- came to Sonoma from Colorado and wanted to break into the wine business, she struggled. Despite her fantastic personality, life experiences in sales, marketing, and customer service (plus she kicks butt because she was a river raft guide in her home state of Colorado), there was little offer of help or employment. So she and her husband, Peter Joachim Nielsen decided to start their own winery.
They hooked up with the Andrew Berge - Master Winemaker, with a degree in agriculture from UC Davis and experience in making wines that express the vineyard in which they grew. The quartet was rounded out by Brett Van Ernst, marketing powerhouse to form La Pitchoune Winery, and they have been wildly successful, making Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Rosé and Chenin Blanc in small lots from excellent vineyards.
La Pitchoune means “the little one” in French and the name speaks to small production, small lots, and their small size. This crew has not been around that long but already they’ve received major recognition from the wine cognoscenti and you can find their wines at Michelin-starred restaurants, including The French Laundry and Auberge du Soleil in Napa.
They will be at www.undergroundwineevents.com on April 6, 2019 (please visit the site for other upcoming events!)
Here are a few notes from the show with Tracy and Andrew:
- We discuss the origins of La Pitchoune and how Tracy and Peter decided to form it.
- We talk about Andrew's journey from Germany to Minnesota, where he grew up, to Sonoma, where he took a degree in agriculture. Andrew tells us how his more practical, mid-western approach to the wine industry has been an asset.
- We drill into terroir and the benefits of a more hands-off winemaking style -- natural yeast fermentation, few additives, letting the land speak through the wine.
- We discuss Sonoma Mountain, the small, varied appellation from which very few people make wine.
- There is a lot of nerding out about the various vineyards and winemaking
- Finally, we talk business -- how La Pitchoune approaches customers and how its partnership helps them to succeed in the very competitive wine industry.
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies
in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Kerith Overstreet is a triple threat: Bruliam Wines co-founder and winemaker, medical doctor, and mom to three teens. After retiring from general surgery to pursue pathology and then medicine to raise a family, she tried her hand at winemaking with one barrel. She quickly found she had the chops for it and her fourth baby, Bruliam Wines was established in 2008.
Since then, Kerith has completed her enology courses at U.C. Davis and she is a one-woman show. She does EVERYTHING herself and the lovely single vineyard Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and chardonnay benefit from it.
www.undergroundwineevents.com for tickets!
Here are some of the things we cover in the show:
- Kerith takes us on her journey from growing up in San Diego, to East Coast college and med school student, to single vineyard, terroir-driven winemaker
- Kerith discusses the interplay between wine and medicine and how it affects her today
- We talk all about site, growers and why this kind of thing is the obsession of small winemakers
- We discuss Pinot Noir and why it's such a fascinating grape
- On a personal note, we discuss family, doing it as a one-woman show, and strange things people have said to Kerith in her time in wine
You can get her wines at www.bruliamwines.com
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies
in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Adam Teeter is Co-Founder of VinePair Inc, the huge online magazine that tells it like it is in the world of wine, spirits, and beer. Adam is a true normal wine person, he is obsessed with wine and trying to remove the elitism often associated with the industry. In this awesome conversation we discuss Adam’s transition from music to wine (and its similarities), and how he built VinePair to truly disrupt wine media.
Show notes:
-
We discuss Adam’s background and how he and Elizabeth are like the same person.
-
Adam talks about the striking similarities between the record industry and wine. He talks about how his first successful venture in joining wine and music springboarded him to build VinePair.
-
We talk nitty-gritty industry stuff – certifications in wine, Millennials and wine, the wine industry and how it’s so bizarre from a business perspective, and the goals of Vinepair to break down alcoholic beverages for normal people.
-
Adam tells us about upcoming trends in the wine industry and media and we discuss how VinePair and WFNP are the beginning of the wine revolution in media.
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies
in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Originally from Denmark where he grew up as the son of a chef and hotelier in the happiest country in the world, Leo Hansen started in the hospitality world at the ripe old age of 12 and hasn’t stopped since.
First he was a certified European sommelier working for a Michelin starred restaurant and that brought him to the US where he immersed himself in the world of New World winemaking. In 2004 he started Leo Steen Wines, which concentrates on divine Chenin Blanc (AKA Steen in South Africa, but ironically a family name as well!) but also makes Cab Franc, Chardonnay, and Grenache.
He has been in California for 20 years but he maintains a European palate and focuses on traditional European winemaking techniques like foot treading, natural yeasts, lower alcohols and less new oak. He’s the perfect balance of professional winemaker and sommelier and a fascinating guy all around.
And a few show notes:
- Leo tells us about his early life as a the son of a chef and hotelier, including some notes about Danish cuisine!
- We learn about Leo\'s career path, especially his time at Kong Hans in Copenhagen, a Michelin Starred Restaurant
- We discuss the difference in sommelier culture in Denmark v. the US
- Leo takes us through his journey from a harvest worker at Clos du Bois to owner of Leo Steen.
- Finally, we discuss his specific philosophies and wines and why site is so important to his wine.
For more info on Underground Wine Events, go to www.undergroundwineevents.com
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU!The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies
in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Blinkist:
Blinkist is the only app that takes the best key takeaways, the need-to-know information from thousands of nonfiction books and condenses them down into just 15 minutes so you can read or listen to. 8 Million people are using Blinkist right now and it has a massive and growing library: from self-help, business, health to history books.
Get the main idea of books so you can decide if they are something you want to read more of or if the gist is just enough! Right now, for a limited time Blinkist has a special offer. Go to www.blinkist.com/WINE to start your free 7 day trial.
Danny Glover has had a fascinating life! He moved from a life in music production and writing to a life in the vineyards and in the cellar. A man with an obsession with terroir and a knack for making low-intervention wines, Dan has worked in huge, medium and small wineries, building his skills and repertoire.
The first thing you should know is that even though that OTHER Danny Glover is also an African American who has a wine brand, this is the REAL DANNY GLOVER. The one who spends his time obsessing about his wines and his brand L’Objet.
Here are the show notes:
-
We discuss Dan's life in music in LA -- how he wound up getting to California and how the wine bug finally bit him!
-
We talk shop about life in a big winery, all of the things Danny learned and how he became an incredibly talented, self-taught winemaker.
-
We discuss L'Objet and the concept behind it. We discuss Dan's approach to winemaking (including natural yeast fermentation) and why site makes a big difference to him.
-
Danny shares why charity is an important part of his career.
-
Finally, Dan discusses what it's like to be black/African-American i the wine industry and the challenges and stereotypes it has presented in his career.
If you want a really honest look at small wineries, at what it's like to move through the ranks and a great conversation about what lack of diversity in wine means, you've got to listen to this show!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU!The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies
in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
This week we discuss Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean that has a wildness, a culture, and a wine portfolio all its own. From the islands that make luscious sweet wines, to the hot interior churning out fruity reds, to the elegant reds and whites of Mount Etna, Sicily has something for everyone and is on the rise.
Sicily Overview
- Largest island in the Mediterranean, volcanic– huge with rough infrastructure
- Harvest lasts for over three months, beginning in the August heat in Trapaniand ending in Mount Etna in mid-November
- As the author Nicolas Belfrage, “Brunello to Zibibbo”, Sicily has the potential to be “California, Australia, Chile, southern France, Jerez and middle Italy all rolled into one”
- Long storied history of winemaking traditions there exist since Greek, Roman and medieval times.
- Number of DOCs: 23: Etna, Marsala, Moscato di Pantelleria (sweet wine), Cerasuolo di Vittoria (DOCG – mostly Nero d’Avola with some Frappato).
- Also: Catch-all IGT Terre Siciliane (25% of the island’s production)
- Main white grapes:Cataratto, Trebbiano, Inzolia, Grecanico, Chardonnay, Grillo, Viognier, Caricante, Zibibbo
- Main red grapes: Nero d’Avola, Syrah, Merlot, Nerello Mascalese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Frappato, Nerello Cappuccio
Leading Sicilian producers:
- Benanti, Ceuso, COS, Corvo (Duca di Salaparuta), Cottanera, Cusumano, De Bartoli, Donnafugata, Feudo Montoni, Firriato, Florio, Frank Cornelissen, Gulfi, Il Cantante, Morgante, Occhipinti, Planeta, Regaleali, Tenuta di Fessina, Terre Nere
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU!The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies
in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Barossa is one of the most historic, fascinating places in the new world. Winemaking started with German immigrants in 1840 and there have been ups and downs in the industry since. What hasn’t changed: there has always been a small cadre of winemakers here that have made outstanding fascinating Shiraz and Riesling. We dig into the history of the region, talk about its wines and give you another region in Australia to seek out.
We start with an overview of the Barossa:
- 56 km/35 miles northeast of Adelaide, 34°S
- Winemaking began in 1842
- 550 grape growing families, many with 6thgeneration still working the land
- Dominated by valley floors and rolling hills, with high altitudes (good for grapes)
- The Barossa Zone is made up of the Barossa Valley and Eden Valleys, warm and cool climate regions respectively
- Known for: Barossa Shiraz and Eden Valley Riesling
- Others: Cabernet Sauvignon, Mataro, Grenache, Semillon and Fortified wines, plus GSM blends, bigger whites (Chardonnay, Sémillon, Viognier), Tempranillo and Zinfandel
- OLD VINES: Many Shiraz vines in the Barossa Valley are several decades old, some 100+ years old
- NO phylloxera (quarantine laws have helped) here ever so you can get old vines
Barossa ZONE
Zone = An area that usually comprises one or more regions.
- Extremely variable landscape -- elevation, inland locations and the coastal influence – lots of mesoclimates
- Valley floor is HOT – 95˚F/35˚C and dry, hillsides are cool with great diurnals
- VERY dry so they irrigate, except old vine vineyards on the slightly cooler western side of the valley –dry farmed
Barossa Valley
- Land:Flat and hilly -- microclimates
- Climate: Mediterranean climate: cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers, drought is an issue
- General style: Very ripe grapes with high alcohol, low acid, short maceration to keep tannins soft extensive oak – usually American with coconut/dill notes
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Shiraz:black fruit, dried fruit (prune) and mocha aromas, tobacco and an earthiness, black pepper aromas. Medium tannin, high alcohol - 14%–15% ABV. Many old, low-yielding vines with great intensity of flavor, and are believed to be among the oldest producing vines in the world.
-
Henschke, Hill of Grace Shiraz, Eden Valley
- Penfolds, Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley
- Chateau Tanunda, 150 Year Old Vine Semillon, Barossa Valley
- Elderton, Command Single Vineyard Shiraz, Barossa Valley
-
Turkey Flat, The Ancestor Shiraz, Barossa Valley
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Other wines: GSM blends and Shiraz-Cabernet, Cabernet, oaky Chardonnay, Semillon
Eden Valley
- Land: In the Barossa Ranges: Best sites on moderate slopes with good sun exposure 380 and 500 meters (1200 and 1640ft) high, MUCH cooler than Barossa Valley – longer growing season, more flavor development
- Climate: Higher altitude: Eden Valley can be 5 – 7°C cooler than the Barossa Valley floor, slows ripening, more acidity. Fall rain and frosts are issues
- Riesling is the big dog here: lime, apple and floral characters, along with refreshing acidity and minerality, developing more complex toasty notes with age. Can age them
- Shiraz: Henschke's single vineyard Hill of Grace, Mount Edenstone
The Future: Studying terroir with Barossa Grounds Project:
- Barossa Grape & Wine Association began in 2008 with annual wine tastings and descriptive analysis of 80 unoaked, single vineyard Shiraz
- Alluvial sands and rich fertile black soils in Southern Barossa, to the infertile slopes overlaying the limestone and ancient sandstone and schist of Eden Valley – to the red clay loams of Northern Barossa – sparking other regions to do more research into land, a new chapter for Australia
Check out https://www.barossawine.com for more info!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU!The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies
in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Blinkist:
Blinkist is the only app that takes the best key takeaways, the need-to-know information from thousands of nonfiction books and condenses them down into just 15 minutes so you can read or listen to. 8 Million people are using Blinkist right now and it has a massive and growing library: from self-help, business, health to history books.
Get the main idea of books so you can decide if they are something you want to read more of or if the gist is just enough! Right now, for a limited time Blinkist has a special offer. Go to www.blinkist.com/WINE to start your free 7 day trial.
We finally cover Oregon State in the United States -- home of much Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and lots of other great emerging varietals. The state has some challenges, but it's a fascinating place and an essential part of the American wine landscape.
Thanks to our sponsors this week (see info below for more on them!)
Here are the show notes:
Oregon Overview:
- 4th in production after, CA, WA, NY. (third if you only consider vitis vinifera!)
- Oregon produces more than 39 different varietals, grows 82
- The number of vineyards in Oregon has nearly doubled since 2005
- 70% of Oregon wineries produce fewer than 5,000 cases a year
Location, Soils:
- Most winegrowing is at 45˚ north latitude – same as Beaujolais, “Burgundy”, Côte d'Or is at 47˚N
- Soil is important:
- Marine Sedimentary: Willakenzie
- Volcanic (Basalt): Jory, Nekia
- Windblown Loess (Silts): Laurelwood
Wine Types:
- Pinot Noir is 58% of all plantings, 59% of production
- Other major varieties: Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon
Regions
Willamette Valley AVA
- 71% of wine production
- Largest AVA, nearly 600 wineries
- Grapes: Pinot, Pinot Gris, Chard, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Cab, Gewurz, etc.
- Sub AVAs: Chehalem Mtns, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Yamhill-Carlton District, Ribbon Ridge (in Chehalem Mtns)
Southern Oregon AVA = Rogue Valley + Umpqua Valley
Umpqua Valley AVA: drainage basin of Umpqua River, not mtns
- Warmer than Willamette, cooler than Rogue
- Tempranillo, Pinot, Pinot Gris, Cab, Chard, Riesling, Gruner
Rogue Valley AVA * Warmest, driest region * Three valleys – different terroir
Columbia Gorge AVA
- Straddles Columbia River of Oregon and Washington
- Wide variety of grapes: Syrah, Pinot, Chard, Gewurz, Zin, Cab, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sangiovese
Columbia Valley AVA
- Portions of northeastern Oregon
- Columbia Valley and Walla Walla Valley AVAs are within Washington state. - The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater is in both states
- Syrah, Merlot, Cab, Sangiovese, some Rhône stuff
Snake River Valley AVA
- Principally located in Idaho, encompasses two large counties Eastern OR
- Different climate – cool, low rainfall, short growing season
- Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU!The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies
in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Serge Doré has been importing high quality, outstanding value wines from small French family wineries for decades. His passion, discerning palate, ethics, and intelligence make him a model for how importing should be done. He shares his story with us!!
First, here's where you can find Serge and his wines:
- Serge's wines: www.sergedoreselections.com
- The store that carries them: www.grapesthewineco.com
- Contact Daniel Posner - daniel@grapesthewineco.com at Grapes, The Wine Company with questions
And here are a few of the many topics Serge and I cover in the show:
-
Serge answers the big question: What exactly does an importer do
-
Serge discusses how he got into the profession and his experiences in building his business -- the joys and struggles (he tells us how importing can be very ugly for some of these small wineries when they hook up with the wrong people).
-
We discuss the wonderful family wineries Serge works with all over France and what it means to have their products sold in international markets, especially the U.S.
-
Serge tells us why French wines are often a better value than US wines
-
We discuss up and coming French regions that we should look out for and Serge offers advice for people who have a palate for New World wines but who would like to expand into French wines
Serge is passionate, kind, smart as a whip, and a fantastic person. I think you'll learn an incredible amount about importing, the wine business, and the struggles of small wineries by listening to this fascinating show. One of my favorite guests of all time!
Thank you to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help!Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Petite Sirah, a red grape that’s a cross of the Rhône varieties Peloursin and Syrah is a plummy, powerful, and tannic grape that provides the vital support function of a blending grape in many wines, especially Zinfandel. This week we discuss the grape as an important blender and what it does as a standalone variety (spoiler alert: it’s not always great!).
Here are the show notes:
- We give an overview of the grape, discussing the dark color, strong acidity and tannin, full bodied nature of the grape and how it makes savory, meaty character, dense blackberry flavored, sometimes chocolaty wines
- We talk about the origin story and get dorky about clones v. hybrids (and M.C. Ice throws in mutants for good measure)
- Then we discuss why Petite Sirah is really not grown in France and why it’s so important in California, its adopted homeland
- We hit on top spots for varietal Petite Sirah – parts of Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, especially
- We briefly cover where else Petite Sirah is grown (the US and its PS… I love you campaign, Australia, Israel, mainly) and the top producers: Turley, Ridge, Robert Foley, Quixote, Robert Biale, Alta Colina, Peterson, Crux
- Finally, we get the inside farmer perspective from Oded Shakked of Longboard Vineyards. I asked Oded for his ideas on Petite Sirah, which are traditional and helpful, and M.C. Ice and I discuss the highlights of my conversation with Oded and why most winemakers like the grape better as a a back-up singer, rather than lead vocals!
Feel free to chime in and give us a black eye if you love P.S. -- we can take it!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU!The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies
in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Last Bottle
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Blinkist:
Blinkist is the only app that takes the best key takeaways, the need-to-know information from thousands of nonfiction books and condenses them down into just 15 minutes so you can read or listen to. 8 Million people are using Blinkist right now and it has a massive and growing library: from self-help, business, health to history books.
Get the main idea of books so you can decide if they are something you want to read more of or if the gist is just enough! Right now, for a limited time Blinkist has a special offer. Go to www.blinkist.com/WINE to start your free 7 day trial.
Located between Burgundy and Switzerland, this tiny wine region has been gathering major attention from wine dorks. From offbeat whites to nice, light reds, we give you the scoop on this obscure region with growing clout!
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Jura Overview
- Between Burgundy in west and Switzerland in east
- Distinct, weird wines but some very drinkable ones too
- 2% of French wine production overall. Only 13% exported but they have a cult following (that's why we’re doing a show on it. It gets mentioned, you should know what it is!)
Geography
- Mountainous, thought of as mirror image to Burgundy, which sits across the Bresse Plain
- Vineyards at altitude: 660-1320 ft/200-400m in south and south-west facing foothills
- Semi-continental climate – similar to Burgundy but colder: frost, hail, rain late in the season are issues
- Soils: Varied – lots of heavy clay in lower areas, higher altitude vineyards have limestone. Top soils are Marl (limestone clay from old sea here)
Grapes and wine styles:
WHITES: often oak aged
- Chardonnay – called Melon d’Arbois, Gamay Blanc
- Can be mixed with Savagnin to give a more distinctive character – rich, full, spicy
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Savagnin – Jura’s shining star variety. High acidity, makes still whites and Vin Jaune – long-aged, long-lived oxidative wine.
- Similar to Sherry, a Flor “veil” – sous voile - develops and protects the wine from spoilage. If flor doesn’t develop it's pulled out and blended with Chardonnay or sold as Savagnin
- Flavors are full, rich, with nutty, fresh floral notes but not as acidic as Sherry. With age – chamomile, tart apple, richer
- Can be left open for a week or two after opening and needs decanting
REDS: light and spicy
- Trousseau
- Fresh, gamy, light
- Poulsard/Ploussard: Pale colored reds, thin-skinned grape.
- Spicy, earthy, fresh
-
Pinot Noir
- Clippings brought from Burgundy with Chardonnay
- Grown in the south, ripens dependably
Another unique wine style:
Vin de Paille – straw wine from all grapes except Pinot Noir
- no botrytis, harvest late, dry for two months in boxes or on straw mats
- Raisined quality, nutty, full rich, sweet, served chilled
- Rare and declining
Appellations
- Arbois: Red, rosé, sparkling, white, vin jaune, vin de paille
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Château-Chalon wines are vin jaune of Savagnin but not always labeled as such
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Crémant du Jura: White and rosé wines from all grapes
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Côtes du Jura: White and crémant most popular, but red and rosé wines from Poulsard, Trousseau, and Pinot noir grapes, and white wines from Chardonnay and Savagnin made
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L'Étoile: Can be bottled too late, sometimes lack freshness, often don’t top off the barrels causing unwanted oxidation
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Macvin du Jura: Vin de liqueur, been in production since the fourteenth century.
Food pairings:
Fondue, Morbier, Emmenthaller, Comté cheeses, smoked hams and pork sausages, fish in cream sauces, lots of stuff cooked in wine
Producers: Domaine Baud, Jacques Puffeney, Domaine Pecheur, Domaine Overnoy-Crinquand, Domaine de Montbourgeau
Will Henry, co-proprietor at Lumen Wines in the cool climate AVAs of Santa Barbara, talks about his life in surfing, environmental activism, photography, and wine. He educates us on Santa Barbara and helps us understand why the region is world class. Will is partners with Lane Tanner, a force in the Santa Barbara wine industry who help jump start the region in the 1980s. Lumen makes wines that are beautiful examples of how the cool climate of Santa Maria Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, and surrounding areas can result in restrained, yet sunkissed wines. Awesome stuff!!
Here are the show notes:
- Will tells us how he made the jump from sociology major to cellar rat, then to surfing photographer and philanthropist, and now to winery owner (he’s been busy).
- We talk about the various appellations of Santa Barbara and why it makes such fantastic wine. We discuss the grapes and wine styles too!
- Will and I debate the effects of the movie 2005 movie Sidewayson Pinot Noir and Santa Barbara as a wine region. We discuss why Paso Robles has, in recent years, been so much more popular than Santa Barbara as a tourist destination and why we should all go visit SB!
- We get a glimpse into Lumen – Will and Lane’s philosophy and why they do what they do. (Spoiler alert: Lane Tanner will be on to give us a more in depth look at the winery next season!).
Thanks for listening! Please go see Will at Pico or The Wine Shepherd!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
M. Gemi is redefining the luxury Italian footwear market by taking all the things we love about the industry—unparalleled quality, family-owned workshops, and personalized, concierge-level service—and leaving behind the luxury price tag. Many brands that once represented the epitome of quality craftsmanship have abandoned Italy in order to maximize profits—all at the expense of quality, their customers’ wallets and the very craftspeople who helped build their businesses. M.Gemi is Italian luxury made the old way, sold the new way. The result is the highest-quality, handcrafted Italian shoes at a price that clients can feel good about.
Go see for yourself how amazing these shoes are at www.mgemi.com/winefor fifty dollars off your first pair.
It's the time of year when we're having people over last minute, meeting clients or friends for a drink, or connecting with old friends who have popped into town. We need wine gifts on hand, in our house! We discuss what to have in a "wine stash"(in all price ranges) so you can grab a bottle and go without going to the shop a million times! One trip to the shop should save you a ton of stress.
Don't forget the bows or the wine bags!!
Here is our list:
Expensive (US$30+)
- Rhône: Châteauneuf-du-Pape (blanc and rouge), Gigondas, Côte Rôtie
- Barbaresco
- Champagne
- Burgundy (whites): Grand Cru Chablis, Meursault
- Bordeaux: 4th or 5th growths from the Left Bank, Pomerol or St-Emilion from the Right Bank
- Sonoma Syrah or Santa Barbara Pinot Noir
Moderate (US$18 -$30)
- Good sparkling Spanish/Cava (brands to look for: Gramona, Raventos i Blanc, Juves & Camps, Recaredo)
- Other Spain: Priorat, Rioja
- Chilean: Cabernet Sauvignon from Rapel Valley and Maipo Valley, Chilean Chardonnay or
- Off-dry: German Riesling from Mosel or Vouvray from Loire Valley
- Late Bottled Vintage Port
- Etna Rosso or Etna Bianco from Sicily
- Fiano di Avellino from Campania, in Italy
- Alsace, France whites
Inexpensive (less than $18)
- Beaujolais-Villages (France)
- New Zealand Pinot Noir
- Jumilla or Yecla (Spain, Mourvèdre-based)
Thank you to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help!Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Audible
* Audible is a leading provider of premium digital spoken audio information and entertainment on the Internet.
- Audible content includes an unmatched selection of audiobooks and other audio products.
- You can sign up as an Audible Listener, which gives them book credits each month for a low monthly fee.
- Download and access books on your iPhone, Android device, Fire tablet, iPod or other mp3 Player. Flip between reading and listening as you like!
- I downloaded Cork Dork! A great book, so check it out! Audible.com/wine or text WINE to 500-500 for a free audiobook with a 30 day free trial! www.audible.com/wine
Wine Scholar Guild
The Wine Scholar Guild offers wine education and certification Wine ScholarTM programs on the wines of France, Italy and Spain (Spanish Wine Scholar Progam launching Summer 2019) as well as in-depth Master-Level certificate programs on specific wine regions such as Bourgogne, Bordeaux or the Rhone.
Their wine study and certification programs are available both online and with approved program providers around the world.
Wine Scholar Guild students range from wine industry professionals to serious wine hobbyists!
Want to master the wines and regions of France or Italy? Embark on one of Wine Scholar Guild's intensive course designed for wine professionals & committed students of wine.
Go to https://www.winescholarguild.org to get more information!
Have questions about the course? Email brooke@winescholarguild.org
This week: a live experiment with Jamie and Emily Peterson of Peterson Winery in Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma, in which we drill down into the effect screw cap and cork have on wine in the long term. We discuss all kinds of bottle closures-- a must listen!
Thanks to our sponsors this week (more below!)
A few brief notes:
-
We discuss screw cap and the developments with it over the last 10 years
-
We do our first experiment with rosé and talk about what oxygen does as we explore screw caps that let in different amounts of oxygen into the bottle!
-
We briefly touch on bag-in-box and the advantages and disadvantages of it
-
We do the screw cap v cork show down with the following wines:
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2010 Peterson Winery Zero Manipulation red
- 2010 Peterson Winery Sangiovese
- 2010 Peterson Winery Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel
All comments, shock, and awe are real! This was recorded as we were tasting the wines, so the reactions and conclusions were made on the fly. Video will be available on YouTube as well!
Thank you to Emily and Jamie Peterson for sharing this amazing experience with us! To buy their wines: www.petersonwinery.com
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
The Great Courses Plus
Who doesn't want to learn!? The Great Courses Plus makes you smarter and more well rounded. With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter!
For a free trial, support the show and go to my special URL
www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
**Away**
Away creates thoughtful standards for modern travel—universal pieces that reflect your personal travel style and make every trip more seamless. Away has the perfect gift for everyone on your list—and for every destination on theirs.
"Because this holiday season, everyone wants to get Away."
I really love this suitcase! You need to get one!
For $20 off a suitcase, visit www.awaytravel.com/wine and use PROMO CODE: wine during checkout!
What happens to wine when it ages? What causes the changes in wine? What can you expect? We use our experience and some dorky science to explain the what and why of aged wine!
Thanks to this week's sponsors for keeping the lights on!
- First we jump into the WHY behind aging wine, getting dorky one recombinations and chemical reactions
- We talk about what we see, taste, texture, and smell in aged wine and what causes the change from young to old
- We've discussed this in other shows but we give a refresher on a few types of wines that age well
- We touch on storage conditions
- We share our experiences with a couple of aged wines to give you a sense of what you can expect if you "lay down" a wine
- Finally, we answer the golden question: How do you determine when a wine is ready to drink!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
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YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Wine Scholar Guild
The Wine Scholar Guild offers wine education and certification Wine ScholarTM programs on the wines of France, Italy and Spain (Spanish Wine Scholar Progam launching Summer 2019) as well as in-depth Master-Level certificate programs on specific wine regions such as Bourgogne, Bordeaux or the Rhone.
Their wine study and certification programs are available both online and with approved program providers around the world.
Wine Scholar Guild students range from wine industry professionals to serious wine hobbyists!
Want to master the wines and regions of France or Italy? Embark on one of Wine Scholar Guild's intensive course designed for wine professionals & committed students of wine.
Go to https://www.winescholarguild.org to get more information!
Have questions about the course? Email brooke@winescholarguild.org
It's the annual Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving/Holiday meal that involves turkey and lots of butter episode! This year we cover the basics, as usual, but come up with one cool idea and offer an etiquette tip on something that users keep bringing up!
Please support our sponsors, who help us keep producing the show!
M. GemiGorgeous Italian luxury shoes at 1/3 of the cost! www.mgemi.com/wine for fifty dollars off your first pair.
Wine Scholar Guild
Would you like the master the wines and regions of France or Italy? Embark on one of Wine Scholar Guild's intensive course designed for wine professionals & committed students of wine.
Here are our picks!
Appetizers:
- From Dan Beatty – Anitpasti platter, stuffed mushrooms, olives, italina style cheeses – Chianti, Greco, Soave
- Cheese platters – sparkling or any budget – Cava, Crémant d’Alsace, Crémant de Bourgogne, Italian sparkling – Ferrari from Trento
- Hummus, Spinach and artichoke dip, black bean dip – Bordeaux Blanc or Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, rosé (MVP), sparkling rosé
Soup: Most of these wines can go from soup to entree
- Butternut squash soup: Sparkling, Alsace Pinot Gris or Riesling
- Lentils: Beaujolais
- Tomato soup: Sangiovese, Beaujolais
- French onion soup: Vouvray, Gewurz, Alsace Riesling, Beaujolais, CdR, Sherry
Holiday meal MVPs:
- Riesling: off-dry or Alsace or Pfalz, Napa, Spätlese or Auslese from Mosel or Rheingau
- Loire: Vouvray – off-dry, dry Chenin Blanc – Saviennieres, dry Chenin
- American Chenin Blanc: Macari on Long Island, Chappellet in Napa
- Others: Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Côte du Rhône Blanc, Priorat Blanc, Rueda from Spain
- Heavy on greens: (brussels sprouts, spinach): Grüner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux Blanc
- Fuller Style Burgundies: Chassagne-Montrachet, Mâconnais, Meursault
Reds: You need a medium-bodied red for the meal so the wine doesn’t overtake the food
- MVP: Cru Beaujolais with a quick side track on Beaujolais Nouveau
- Beef, lamb, and mushroom: Go for higher tannin wine – Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon
- Stuffing: Bordeaux Blanc, Bordeaux Rouge
- Zweigelt, Côte du Rhône
An idea: A 100% Sparkling Meal
- Appetizers: Bold flavored sparkling – Pinot Meunier-based especially grower Champagne. Start with a Cava or an American Sparkling that is bolder and richer, fuller in style. Start white
- Soup: Fuller bodied rosé sparkling – Spanish sparkling wine
- Main course: Rosé sparkling, Blanc de Noir
- Dessert wine: Demi-sec Champagne or Moscato d’Asti for a fizzy wine that’s a little different
Thanksgiving dessert
- The BIG RULE: The wine must be sweeter than the dessert!
- Chocolate: Banyuls or Ruby Port
- Custard or fruit dessert: Moscato d’Asti, demi-sec, Sauternes (Bordeaux), late harvest Riesling
- Dessert idea: Ice cream and Pedro Ximenez Sherry as the topping – amazing!!
Final etiquette note:
- What if you are the only person who drinks good wine at your table? We’ve got the answer!
We are grateful for you! Thank you for listening and supporting us!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
M. Gemi
M.Gemi is redefining the luxury Italian footwear market by taking all the things we love about the industry—unparalleled quality, family-owned workshops, and personalized, concierge-level service—and leaving behind the luxury price tag. Many brands that once represented the epitome of quality craftsmanship have abandoned Italy in order to maximize profits—all at the expense of quality, their customers’ wallets and the very craftspeople who helped build their businesses. M.Gemi is Italian luxury made the old way, sold the new way. The result is the highest-quality, handcrafted Italian shoes at a price that clients can feel good about.
Go see for yourself how amazing these shoes are
at www.mgemi.com/wine for fifty dollars off your first pair.
Wine Scholar Guild
The Wine Scholar Guild offers wine education and certification Wine ScholarTM programs on the wines of France, Italy and Spain (Spanish Wine Scholar Progam launching Summer 2019) as well as in-depth Master-Level certificate programs on specific wine regions such as Bourgogne, Bordeaux or the Rhone.
Their wine study and certification programs are available both online and with approved program providers around the world.
Wine Scholar Guild students range from wine industry professionals to serious wine hobbyists!
Want to master the wines and regions of France or Italy? Embark on one of Wine Scholar Guild's intensive course designed for wine professionals & committed students of wine.
Go to https://www.winescholarguild.org to get more information!
Have questions about the course? Email brooke@winescholarguild.org
My job isn't just to tell you about wines you already know and love, but to put new ones you may not know on your radar. Very few are as worthy as the wines of Savoie, France. Nestled in the Alps, this place makes whites & reds that are improving every year! Will you have to look for these and maybe special order them? YES. But the payoff will be worth it!
Thanks to our sponsors (more info with amazing offers below):
Here are the show notes:
Savoie is pronounced “Sav-wah”
- First we give background on how these wines have gone from ski chalet wines to wines with depth, character and a following outside the slopes!
- We discuss the region’s location in far east of France south of Lac Léman (Lake Geneva), on Swiss border and the fresh, crisp white wines made here
On History…
- Savoie was part of first Roman province north of the Alps in 1st C AD
- Vitis Allobrogica – which was probably Mondeuse—grew here and gave the area status
- The Duchy of Savoie controlled the area, which was annexed by France in 1792, claimed by Piedmont in 1815, and went back to France in 1860
- Savoie's isolated location and the destruction that overcame the vineyards because of phylloxera crisis of the 1870s means very little Savoie wine makes it out of France
Location, soils, climate:
- Savoie is a bunch of isolated sub-regions and plots of vineyards scattered across four French departments: Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Isère, Ain.
- Soils:there is a great diversity: glacial deposits, alluvial soils, river terraces, terraced steep limestone scree slopes
- Climate: Continental climate with alpine and Mediterranean influences, continental climate is moderated by lakes and rivers. It is hot in the summer but cool at night – diurnals!
- Weather: lots of rain in summer, but sunny and dry in autumn – saves the vintage
Grapes
White grapes are 70% of production
23 grape varieties
Main white grape varieties
- Jacquère [jah-kehr]:Most widely planted grape variety.
- Altesse [al-tess] (aka Roussette): Age-worthy wines, Young -- fresh almonds and earl grey tea or tropical, peachy notes
- Roussanne [roo-sahn] AKA Bergeron:Native to Rhône Valley, aromatic with honey, apricot, green apple, and nuts, and wax. Good acid
- Chasselas [shas-suh-lah]:light-bodied, easy-drinking dry wines like Jacquère, with some buttery notes
Main red grape varieties
- Mondeuse [mohn-deuhz]: 12% of area under vine and growing. Native to Savoie, deep purple color, acidity with moderate tannins. Can be red or black fruit, floral, and gamey but the best ones have a prominent pepper note. They can age.
- Persan [per-sahn]:Being revived from the brink of extinction! Deep red color, dense tannins and a firm backbone of acidity with red fruits, violet, pepper and spice.
Other red grape varieties
- Gamay, Pinot Noir, Douce Noire, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Joubertin, and Poulsard
AOC
-
Savoie AOCis the region’s overarching appellation. 16 crus producing white, rosé, red and sparkling wines.
- Crus for White Wines: (Les) Abymes, Apremont, Chignin, Chautagne, Cruet, Jongieux, Montmélian, Saint-Jeoire-Prieuré, Crépy, Marin, Marignan, Ripaille, Chignin-Bergeron, Ayze
- Crus for Red/Rosé Wines: Arbin, Saint-Jean-de-la-Porte, Chautagne, Chignin, Jongieux
-
Roussette de Savoie AOC. “Roussette” is a synonym for the Altesse grape, 100% varietal. Four communes may attach their name to the appellation: Frangy, Marestel, Monterminod, and Monthoux.
-
Seyssel AOC: Dry and off-dry still and mousseux wines. 100% Altesse for dry wines, sparkling wines add Molette and Chasselas to a minimum 10% Altesse.
-
Bugey: upgraded to AOC in May 2009: Still wines of all three colors in addition to the sparkling rosé Bugey-Cerdon. Also a Roussette de Bugey, which is 100% Altesse. Communes Montagnieu and Virieu le Grand may add their names to this appellation.
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Crémant de Savoie AOP: (since 2014) Sparkling wines made in the traditiona method with at least 60% blended with local grapes (Jacquère and Altesse) and 40% of the final blend Jacquère.
Check out our sponsors this week! Support them because they make the podcast possible!
Zola, the wedding company that will do anything for love, is reinventing the wedding planning and registry experience to make the happiest moment in couples' lives even happier. From engagement to wedding and decorating your first home, Zola is there, combining compassionate customer service with modern tools and technology. All in the service of love.
To start your free wedding website or registry on Zola, go to www.ZOLA.com/wine
What is MODCLOTH? At ModCloth, there's no such thing as an ordinary outfit. We're not afraid to wear what we want, to go against the current, and be unapologetically ourselves. Crafted by a team of in-house designers, our signature styles include hand-drawn prints, stand- out silhouettes, and an inclusive size range that celebrates all women.
- To get 15% off your purchase of $100 or more, go to www.modcloth.com and enter code WINE at checkout. This offer is valid for one time use only and expires on February 2, 2019.
The best you can give yourself or someone else is the gift of knowledge! So you’ve got to check out the Great Courses Plus. In time for the holidays, there is an amazing course: The Everyday Gourmet: Baking Pastries and Desserts.
I love to bake and this course hits it out of the park! It’s amazing. Master Pastry Chef Stephen Durfee from The Culinary Institute of America... like how to properly hold a whisk so your arm doesn’t get tired... how to make pie crust that is both flakey and tastes good, great cookie recipes – the list goes on!
Get on it today.Sign up now through my special URL to start your Free Trial! You won’t regret it!
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In May 1971, with a partnership of family and friends, Stuart Smith bought a vineyard on Spring Mountain, which today is Smith-Madrone Vineyards and Winery. He was 22 years old and had just received his B.A. in Economics from UC Berkeley and was taking classes towards his Master's in Viticulture at UC Davis. 48 years later, Smith-Madrone is going strong and Stu is full of ideas, opinions, and perspective!
Here are the notes:
- Stu tells us how a 22 year old viticulture student took a trip to Napa and wound up buying what would become Smith-Madrone
- We discuss what Napa was like in the 1970s v. today
- We chat about what drew Stu to Spring Mountain and the effort it took to restore this pre-phylloxera vineyard area, atop Spring Mountain, to a modern vineyard and winery
- We discuss why Smith-Madrone grows what it does -- including Riesling
- Stu talks about why Smith-Madrone has stayed small
- And finally Stu shares his theories on why organic, biodynamic and conventional farming are all incredibly problematic types of agriculture
Thanks to Smith-Madrone, whose wines I love and who joined us for Underground Wine Events, DC!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
**Last Bottle**
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Kieran Robinson of Kieran Robinson Wine was on the podcast about 18 months ago but much has happened since then. Kieran Robinson and Kristie Sheppard Robinson share the latest -- some sad and some innovative and amazing! They have been through tough times but it sped up an idea that may just be a new model for U.S. winemakers who love both the west and east coast. Here are the show notes: * After Kieran and Kristie share how they met, wound up in the Rhône and then moved to Sonoma, they discuss the harrowing experience of living through the fires that ravaged Sonoma Valley in 2017. Kieran and Kristie share their personal stories and how they lost their entire vintage of reds to fire. * We discuss smoke taint and what it does to grapes * Kieran and Kristie, Pennsylvania natives, reveal their plans to live a bicoastal wine life, living much of the year back home on the East Coast. The idea is innovative, cool and authentic -- they are designing the life they want with the bonus that it brings the wine to those of us on the east coast, and it could be inspiration for others with roots east who still want to make wine in the west.
You can find Kieran and Kristie at Underground Wine Events, D.C. and at https://www.kieranrobinsonwines.com/our-story
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Experience full plates and fuller wallets with America’s Best Value Meal Kit. You can enjoy amazing, chef-designed meals for just $4.99 per serving!! One meal is the same price as one cup of coffee! EveryPlate dinners are the cheaper, healthier alternative to takeout or delivery and recipes come together in about 30 minutes. For 50% off your first box of EveryPlate, go to everyplate.com and enter the PROMO CODE: WINE The Great Courses Plus
Who doesn't want to learn!? The Great Courses Plus makes you smarter and more well rounded. With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter!
For a free trial, support the show and go to my special URL
www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
This is an enormous moment that could improve the lives of wine drinkers in the U.S. and have great effects for importers, distributors, and wine lovers who live in/represent winemaking nations!!
The United States Supreme Court has agreed to take on the question of whether or not citizens can receive shipments of wine from retailers anywhere in the US. Guest Tom Wark, Executive Director of the National Association of Wine Retailers (www.winefreedom.org), tells us the how, why, & the implications for everyone from importers to drinkers.
THIS IS NOT a partisan, political podcast. Sadly, members of all political parties have reasons for denying us the right to have wine shipped to us. We only talk about the ramifications for consumers and retailers, we do not discuss red v. blue.
Don't forget to go to www.winefornormalpeople.com to register for classes and attend the Raleigh event on 10/28!
Here are the show notes:
- We discuss the Graholm case and why it didn’t resolve the question of retailer shipping to consumers in 2005. Then wevdiscuss Tennessee Wine & Spirits Retailers Association v. Byrd and what we hope changes with this decision to be rendered this spring!
- We use Michigan as an example of how the current system of allowing states to block interstate wine shipping has failed wine lovers.
- We talk about the significance of the US Supreme Court taking n wine, again.
- I ask Tom the million dollar question: Does interstate shipping of wine actually harm local retailer business?
- Tom talks about what’s going on behind the scenes. We speculate:
- What is the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) preparing in their fight
- What states are doing to prepare for this case
- We talk about the big question: Are most retailers in favor or against open shipping laws?
- Tom mentions www.winefreedom.org as the single most important vehicle to enact change and help with this case! Sign up today!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
M. Gemi
M.Gemi is redefining the luxury Italian footwear market by taking all the things we love about the industry—unparalleled quality, family-owned workshops, and personalized, concierge-level service—and leaving behind the luxury price tag. Many brands that once represented the epitome of quality craftsmanship have abandoned Italy in order to maximize profits—all at the expense of quality, their customers’ wallets and the very craftspeople who helped build their businesses. M.Gemi is Italian luxury made the old way, sold the new way. The result is the highest-quality, handcrafted Italian shoes at a price that clients can feel good about.
Go see for yourself how amazing these shoes are
at www.mgemi.com/wine for fifty dollars off your first pair.
**Last Bottle**
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
This week I'm joined by Thibaut Le Mailloux, Communications Director for the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) -- the Council that oversees the communications, grower relations and research and development for the Champagne region (www.champagne.com)
Your mind will be blown by some of the new things that are going on in Champagne to challenge climate change, especially. There are things in this podcast that I didn't know were going on, information about business issues and terroir that were fascinating. One of the most interesting conversations I've had the pleasure of having in a while.
Here are the show notes:
- Thibaut discusses the mission of the Champagne Council and how the team works to accomplish it.
- We discuss the various constituencies represented in but the Council and how the CIVC balances the interests to help everyone they represent
Then we talk about the region...
- We address: what is it about the terroir of Champagne– the slopes, the climate, the soil that make it so unique?
-
We discuss sustainability and how climate change is affecting Champagne -- grape varieties, harvest times, etc.
- Thibaut offers some R&D information that I was really surprised by! This was a total scoop in the show on grape varietals!
-
We discuss the amazing 2018 harvest and why it was so important to Champagne
- Thibault talks about how the growers and the big Champagne houses interact and what grower Champagne has done for the region
Then we talk business!
- Thibault talks about how the international market for Champagne has changed over the years, the alternatives to Champagne and what they HAVEN'T done to Champagne's share and the role of China (another surprise!)
- We discuss the "legal fraud" issue perpetrated by the US and the fight that Champagne conducts daily to protect its name
Finally, we discuss the future of the region (beyond the big, surprising ideas of R&D that we cover earlier). A great show! Celebrate #Champagneday on October 19!! Thanks to our sponsors this week! Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
The Great Courses Plus
Who doesn't want to learn!? The Great Courses Plus makes you smarter and more well rounded. With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter!
For a free trial, support the show and go to my special URL
www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
Warby Parker
Warby Parker was founded with a rebellious spirit and a lofty goal: to create boutique-quality eyewear at a revolutionary price point.
A collaboration between four close friends, Warby Parker was conceived as an alternative to the overpriced and blandeyewear available today. Prescription eyewear shouldn’t cost you more than a plane ticket or a new iPhone. Bycircumventing traditional channels and engaging with customers directly through their website and retail stores, Warby Parker is able to provide high-quality, good-looking prescription eyewear at a fraction of the price.
The Warby Parker aesthetic is vintage-inspired with a contemporary twist. Every pair is custom fit with anti-reflective, polycarbonate prescription lenses.
Available exclusively through Warby Parker’s website and retail stores, glasses start at $95 (for real! I have been a customer for years!), including prescription lenses.
**www.warbyparker.com/wine**
In honor of International Sherry Week, we have Andrew Sinclair of the iconic brand of Fino Sherry, Tio Pepe. We discuss the wonders of Sherry, the challenges it faces, and how and why we all need to incorporate this beautiful wine into our rotations!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
**Last Bottle**
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Here are the show notes:
- Andrew Tells us the unbelievably the serendipitous way he came to the Sherry trade
- We discuss the Sherry success in the UK and how the US Market is lagging
- We discuss the vineyards, the beauty of this dry white wine, Spanish culture and how it ties in with Sherry
- We discuss terroir of Sherry and specifically how Albariza soil is so important to making excellent grapes for the wine (and draw lots of crazy parallels to Champagne)
-
We discuss the grapes:
- Palomino (90% of vineyards)
- PX – White grape, for sweet wine
- Moscatel – very small amount, white grape
-
We talk about how Sherry is made
- How the terroir of the bodega is equally as important to land in making Sherry
- How dry Sherry is highly manipulated after fermentation
- The two families of Sherry
- Biological – free run juice, very delicate, light fortification, flor (the yeast blanket, images www.sherry.wine)
- Oxidative – pressed, more structure, take more manipulation
- We discuss Fino flavor descriptors: Umami, deep almond nuttiness, fresh brioche or bread character, all from the yeast. MOST Sherry is bone dry, light wine that is 15% alcohol
- We cover food pairings with Fino/Tío Pepe Sherry:
- Smoked fish, raw oysters, anything with fat, spice or acidity goes well too.
- Tapas and Andulucian cuisine – anchovies with vinegar, calamari, seafood, jamón Iberico, roasted Marcona almonds in olive oil.
- Fish and chips
- Sushi, sashimi, Korean or fermented food –kimchi
- We discuss the elaborate process of making sherry
-
- Mixing wines from different harvests, non-vintage product but dynamic blending in the solera.
- Increcdibly complicated, incredibly consistent
- We wrap with how you should enjoy a Fino:
- Serving temperatures – as cold as you can humanly get it – freezing, on ice, freeze the glassware
- Long stemmed white glasses, frozen glass with Fino served in an ice bucket
- Can remain open for 9-10 days and you can see it oxidize – starts to turn yellow/brown on the rim
To learn more about Tio Pepe and González Byass, go to: http://www.gonzalezbyassusa.com/brand/pepe/
We couldn't hit every food, or every wine, but this sampling was done at our kitchen table -- as an experiment with Chinese, Thai, Japanese, and Indian foods. We had some great pairing moments and some colossally bad ones (I didn't realize things could go SO wrong with wine and Asian food, but here's your warning)! Enjoy!
Use the flavors/pairing ideas to apply pairings to things with similar sauces and wines with similar flavors:
Chinese
Fried rice: Off-Dry German Riesling, Arneis, Pinot Grigio (Fuller style, ours was German but a Pinot Gris from Alsace, France or Alto Adige, Italy will work too)
Spring roll: Absolutely nothing. This was an epic fail.
Lo Mein: MVP was Dry German Riesling , Pinot Grigio (Fuller style) or Pinot Gris was good
Chicken and broccoli in a brown sauce: MVP was DRY German Riesling, also Arneis, off-dry German Riesling
Beef and broccoli in a brown sauce: Pinot Grigio (fuller style) was the only thing that worked ok. You need a heavier white that isn't too aromatic to work here. Pinot Noir was a disaster.
Thai
Eggplant in a basil sauce: MVP was Chablis -- it magnified the basil and made the dish sing, Roero Arneis wasn't bad either
Yellow Curry and Vegetables: MVP was Dry Riesling -- it cut the spice but didn't detract from the flavor. Our full Pinot Grigio was good and made the spice taste smooth too.
Pad Thai: We forgot to mention this in the show because it was forgettable. The off-dry Riesling was just BARELY ok. Nothing goes well with Pad Thai that we had on our table. Let me know if you find something different!
Scallion pancake: Off-dry Riesling, Gewurztraminer
Sushi/Japanese (small sample set here)
Spicy tuna roll: Dry and off-dry Riesling were best
Yellowtail with jalapeño: NOTHING
Avocado/Vegetable roll: Off-dry Riesling
Indian
Masalas: Off-dry Riesling
Curry/Korma: Off-dry Riesling
Lentil dishes (dal): Gewurztraminer
Saag Paneer (Spinach): Off-dry Riesling, some richer dry Rieslings
Pretty much everything: Off-dry Riesling, some dry Rieslings
As I said, this is just a small focus group of two, but we wanted to provide some guardrails on pairing for you. There were some really terrible moments, but the stuff we found was actually delicious!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
**Last Bottle**
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
**The Great Courses Plus**
Who doesn't want to learn!? The Great Courses Plus makes you smarter and more well rounded. With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter!
For a free trial, support the show and go to my special URL
www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
Dry wines of the Douro Valley of Portugal are a fairly new player on the international scene. We discuss the history of the region, the wines, and why you need to drink them if you don't already!
Overview:
- Mostly Port production with great dry table wine
- World’s largest mountain vineyard with 85,000 growers
- Region named after the river that rises as Duero in Spain, turns south to border with Portugal, flows west to the Atlantic
- Demarcated in 1756 – one of the world’s oldest delimited wine regions but only a DOP for dry wine since 1979
Climate/Soil:
- Climate: Continental – hot summers, wet winters
- Steep slopes, elevations, different terroir all over the mountain -- small-scale variations between the different vineyard sites.
- To make viticulture work here – needed to build terraces to hold up schist and plant vines
Three sub-regions:
- Eastern – Baixo or Lower Corgo: 1/3 of the region. Damp, heavily planted, low quality port
- Cima or “Upper Corgo: 45% of the region. Top for Port production, less dry wine here
- Douro Superior/Upper Douro on Spanish Border: Dry, flat, least developed area. No soil! Steep slopes, hot in the summer
Dry Wine History:
- 1940s, when Fernando Nicolau de Almeida, an oenologist with Ferreira, visited Bordeaux during the war and wanted to make dry wine:
- Created Barca Velha 1952 from grapes grown at the Quinta do Vale de Meão in the Douro Superior
- Some oenologists isolated the key grapes: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Tinta Cão and Tinta Barroca.
- Led to the development of Ramos Pinto’s flagship wine, Duas Quintas Reserva.
- Some oenologists isolated the key grapes: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Tinta Cão and Tinta Barroca.
- 1990s- Table wine became popular with entrance into EU
-
- Funds for research, modernization - Temperature control huge, now grapes planted specifically for table wine
- No more port shipper monopoly on exports – estates could make and sell their own wine
- Very good mid-price to entry level reds made by Quintas
- Shippers both are making dry stuff well – Dirk Niepoort, especially
- In 2001 UNESCO recognized this site as World Heritage Site, good for enotourism
The Wine:
- Usually a blend of up to 30 varieties
- Whites: field blends-- minerally, herbal, lemony, acidic
- Reds: Improvement because of earlier picking, use of larger, used oak making better reds –fresher
- Field blends are common but reds usually Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão
Flavors:
- Fruit: Sweet, lush fruit (cherry) to dark fruit – blackcurrant. Spicy berry
- Other notes: Herbs, spice, dusty, smoke, licorice, leather, earthy
- Good tannin, good acidity
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
**Last Bottle**
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
There are so many different wines that are similar to the standbys most people know and love. This time, Ian Renwick, shop owner of www.jadedpalates.com in the U.K. (Devon but he ships all over the U.K.!), talks with me both about ideas for alternatives and vocabulary you can use to get even more alternatives locally. Another riff on vocabulary and expanding your palate, this is a must-listen!
Here are the wines we discuss with some vocabulary and alternatives, but I'd recommend looking at Ian's site: www.jadedpalates.com to get even more ideas of categories and vocabulary!
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Sauvignon Blanc:
-
Terms to describe: acidic, crisp, tart OR herbal and grassy OR tropical, OR minerally and tangy
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Alternatives: Vinho Verde from Portugal, Verdejo from Spain, Rousette from Savoie in France
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Pinot Grigio:
-
Terms to describe: Tart, neutral
-
Alternatives: Pinot Blanc, Vernaccia from Italy, Ugni Blanc, Clairette, Vermentino
-
Chardonnay:
-
Terms to describe: oaky, creamy, buttery, rich OR crisp, minerally, tart, citrus, not aromatic
-
Alternatives: South African or Loire Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc/Garnacha Blanca, Fiano di Avellino, Etna Bianco (Burgundy alternative)
-
Merlot and Malbec:
-
Terms to describe: Full and fruity, easy drinking, soft, unoaked, Malbec -- spicy
-
Alternatives: Primitivo, Nero d'avila, Negroamaro, Valpolicella -- Italian varietals from warmer places, Bobal from La Mancha in Spain
-
Rioja:
-
Terms to describe: Dusty, tannic, medium bodied
-
Alternatives: For Elizabeth -- Bordeaux only, for Ian -- Garnacha, Bordeaux, Ribera del Duero, Toro, Navarra
-
Cabernet Sauvignon:
-
Terms to describe: Dry, tannic, fruity, or earthy and dry
-
Alternatives: For Ian -- other Cabernet, For Elizabeth - Douro, for both -- Uruguayan Tannat
-
Pinot Noir:
-
Terms to describe: Earthy, spicy, acidic, tart, crisp, lightly tannic (Burgundy) OR ripe, red berry notes, full flavored, heavier (most U.S. Styles)
- Alternatives: for light styles: Zweigelt, Sankt Laurent, Blaufrankisch, Loire Cabernet Franc, Arbois, Spätburgunder. For heavier styles: Gamay, Grenache/Garnacha, Syrah
Thank you to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help!Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
**The Great Courses Plus**
Who doesn't want to learn!? The Great Courses Plus makes you smarter and more well rounded. With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter!
For a free trial, support the show and go to my special URL
www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
HelloFresh!
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For $60 off your first three boxes of HelloFresh, visit www.hellofresh.com/wine60 and enter WINE60. You won't regret it!
Acidity is one of the key components of wine, along with tannin, alcohol and sugar/dryness. This is a completely dorky look at acidity -- what it does, why it's important, and then dive into different types of acid and why it matters.
Here are the show notes:
The Basics:
- It’s one of the four elements of a wine’s structure: acidity with tannin, alcohol, sugar/dryness
- It makes wine tart or sour
- All wines are acidic (whites and reds, dry and sweet), but the degree varies from a real and perception perspective
- Acidity is in both grapes and in wine and it changes with winemaking
- Euphemisms: bright, crisp, racy, nervy
What acidity does
- Influences wine color
- Balances sweetness, tannin/bitter sensation, aromas, mouthfeel
- Low acid wines – no body, weak, flabby, brown in color
- Protects the wine from spoilage, helps it age – stabilizes because spoilage bacteria can’t grow in high acid environments
- Food and wine
- Great with acidic food – makes it smoother
- Contrasts/cuts the fat and lightens the dish up
- Sweet wine needs acidity
Climate/place
- Cooler climates have grapes with higher acidity. Slow ripening will preserve acidity
- Warmer climates need to add acid BACK through a winemaking technique – acidification
- Acidity is a HUGE harvest consideration
Dork Out Section
About Acid
- Types of Acid – in grapes: Tartaric (unique to grapes), Malic (fades fast), Citric (in small concentrations). In wine: Succinic, acetic (volatile acidity), lactic (milky acid)
- We discuss pH v Total Acidity and the relationship between them
- Malolactic fermentation: bacteria convert sugar and malic acid into lactic acid. Softer acidity than strong malic, wine is less acidic post MLF
Acidity Measurement
-
pH – Strength of the acid – 0 – 14, water is 7. Wines are usually from 2.9 -4.0. pH scale is logarithmic, meaning a wine with a pH of 3.0 is 10 times more acidic than a wine with a pH of 4.0.
-
Total Acidity/Titratable Acid – total of ALL Acids present, important to look at both
Acid is important -- pay attention and you'll see just how much!
Thanks to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help!Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
**Last Bottle**
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
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The great grape of Piedmont has a lot in common with the great grape of Burgundy, but it may be even more selective about site and growing conditions. In this show, we tell you what to look for in a great Nebbiolo, plus places outside of Piedmont doing a good job with this finicky grape!
Here are more detailed show notes:
Nebbiolo Overview
- Parents of Nebbiolo likely are extinct
- 1268 earliest mention – called Nibiol
- 13th, 14thcenturies – one of the oldest, most widespread grapes in Piedmont
- In the 15th century, the penalties for chopping a Nebbiolo vine were stiff!
- Name – from nebbia or “fog” – thick bloom covering ripe berries, like they are covered in fog. Could also be b/c fog covers piedmont hills
- Four clone types:
- Nebbiolo Lampia – most widespread, more highly valued for the quality
- Nebbiolo Michet –virused form of Lampia
- Nebbiolo Bolla – declining because it’s too productive and dilute in flavor
- Nebbiolo Rosé – has evolved into a different grape, not a clone, but still blended in
Nebbiolo in the Vineyard:
- Early budding, VERY late ripening, can’t plant anywhere spring frosts are an issue
- Always given best hillside sites -- south and southwest facing
- Fussy about soil – really thrives only on calcareous marl north and south of the town of Alba, and on the right bank of Tanaro
- Not adaptable, doesn’t travel well
- Best vintages experiencedry weather during September & October
- Nebbiolo warmth to develop get sugar/alcohol and fruit flavors to balance high acidity and tannins
- Like Pinot Noir in ability to express terroir so differently – cru in Barbaresco/Barolo divided because it can pick up subtleties
Wine Character and Flavors:
- Light color, turns orange very fast
- High in acid and tannin
- PERFUMED!! Aromas – tar, dried cherries, licorice, violets, roses, decaying leaf, woodsmoke, earthy
Oak effect on Nebbiolo
- Small French oak barriques v. traditional large Slovenian oak casks, orbotti
- Small barrels = faster-maturing wines with less character.
- Most producers today use a mixture of the two, depending on the particular vintage, vineyard
Blending
- Can be used to add color and/or soften the grape's harsh tannins.
- Common blenders: Barbera, Bonarda, Croatina, in Roero: Arneis
- DOCG regulations for Barolo and Barbaresco call for the wine to be a 100% Nebbiolo.
Where is Nebbiolo Grown:
Piemonte: Grows 3/4 of all Nebbiolo
Outside of Barolo and Barbaresco:
- Gattinara, Ghemme, Roero: 75-95% of Nebbiolo in Ghemme and Gattinara. Blended with Vespolina, Croatina, and Bonarda
- Other Piedmont DOCs to look for: Carema, Langhe Nebbiolo, Nebbiolo d’Alba – at least 85% Nebbiolo, often 100%
Lombardia – Nebbiolo called Chiavennasca
- Doesn’t ripen well often so the tannin and acidity are too high in these wines – Valtellina/ Valtellina Superiore
Lower part of Valle d’Aosta (a different province) – subalpine and in poor years there is harsh acidity and tannins
Outside Italy:
- Languedoc, France: Mas de Daumas Gassac, some in their top red blend
- Switzerland: 2 producers use it
- United States:
- California – 150 acres/61 ha in Paso Robles, Santa Cruz Mtns, Sierra Foothills, Amador, Moneterey, Santa Ynez, Santa Barbara. Thus far, producers have had a hard time finding the right sites for Nebbiolo
- Other U.S.: Washington State (Yakima), OR, VA, PA, TN, NM, in Canada – BC, Mexico
- Argentina: Mainly in San Juan, Mendoza
- Some in Chile, South Africa, New Zealand, growing in popularity in Australia
And thanks to this week's sponsors!
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help!Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
**Last Bottle**
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Is there still a place where you can get top wines of a region for an affordable price? YES! The Maipo Valley of Chile has some of the best Bordeaux-style reds & Cabernet Sauvignon in the world. You'll learn all about what's here, including top producers.
Show notes...
The overview...
- First we give an overview of the Maipo, also known as the 'Bordeaux of South America', where rich, fruity Cabernet Sauvignon is its most celebrated wine style.
- Maipo's location: just south of the capital of Chile, Santiago
- Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon is king but also some Carménère, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
- Chile's Cabernet Advantages: low costs, lack of vine pests (we mention phylloxera, if you don't know what it is, here's a great link to learn more about this vine-killing pest) and diseases and its dependably dry, warm summers with plentiful and regular supply of water from the melted snow of the Andes.
We dig into climate, soil, and geography...
- Geography: The area is at the northern end of Chile's Central Valley. Sandwiched between the Coastal Range in the west and the Andes Mountains in the east
- Climate: Mediterranean with lots of sub-regions
- Soils: Sandy and gravel to the east, more clay to the west. Colluvial (sedimentary rock from mountains), alluvial (sedimentary rock deposited by rivers)
We talk History...
- First vineyards in 1540s
- In 1800s viticulture expanded as entrepreneurial Chileans, rich from mineral mining traveled to France, returned home and made grand wine estates in the French style: Cousiño Macul, Concha Y Toro and Santa Rita founded then
-
Much for the 20th was a slow down in quality and consumption
- By the mid 1990s: international interest, investment in modern equipment and vineyard techniques has made Maipo's Cabernet, especially, a global superstar
Dork out: Subregions
- There are three: Alto Maipo, Central Maipo and Maipo Bajo. Alto is the most famed.
-
Alto Maipo (or Upper Maipo)
- Most prestigious of Maipo's viticultural areas.
- Sub-areas: Macul, Puente Alto, Pirque, Alto Jahuel and Huelquén -- some of the world's best Cabernet
- Can have a minty or eucalyptus note
- Puente Alto and Pirque are top areas of the Alto Maipo (like Pauillac in Bordeaux).
- Pirque
- South of Puente Alto, and the differences between these two regions is small
- Colluvial, volcanic soils --free-draining, stony nature,
- Dry area -- stresses the vines, more-concentrated berries with good tannin
- Puente Alto -- most expensive Cabernet in Chile
- Alluvial soil means lower vigor, concentrated berries. Tannin with minerality
- Top Wines:
- Concha y Toro Don Melchor ($125); Concha y Toro-Mouton Rothschild joint venture, Almaviva ($140); Santa Rita Casa Real ($85) and Errazuriz’s Viñedo Chadwick ($400, The Berlin Tasting of 2004 put it against Chateaux Lafite, Latour and Margaux of Bordeaux and Italians Sassicaia and Tignanello. 36 European judges voted Vinedo Chadwick as the top wine)
-
Central Maipo (sometimes called Maipo Medio)
- Warmest and driest of the three Maipo Valley sub-regions, requires drip irrigation
- Vineyards along the Maipo River, alluvial soils.
- Soils are more clay-based and fertile -- less-refined wine
- Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon but Carmenere does well with warmer temps
-
Maipo Bajo (or lower Maipo)
- Includes the towns of Isla de Maipo and Talagante
- More winemaking than viticulture: Undurraga, De Martino, Santa Ema wineries make wines with with grapes from all over the country.
- Some viticulture near the river, cool breezes so Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc do well here, some Cabernet
What to expect...Maipo Cab flavors
- Chilean character: blackcurrant, licorice or herbaceousness.
- Maipo specifically: herb, eucalyptus with freshness and good acidity, moderate tannins
- Traditional producers: Carmen, Santa Rita, Concha y Toro and Cousiño Macul.
- Less conventional producers: Viña Antiyal, Haras de Pirque, El Principal, Portal del Alto.
Here's a snap of the bottle I mention in the podcast:
Mine was a 2016!
And thanks to this week's sponsors!
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help!Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
**Last Bottle**
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
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In this podcast I have a fascinating conversation with the head of Global Growth for www.wine-searcher.com, Suzanne Kendrick. The company is based in New Zealand and they are the ultimate intersection between tech and wine -- essentially the Google of wine prices.
From their site,
"The Wine-Searcher database and search engine bring together wines and prices from merchants around the world. It was created in 1999, and is now used by millions to locate, compare and purchase wines. The database grows daily and is constantly monitored for quality. Manual and automated procedures are run daily to remove lists that are out-of-date or incorrect in any way."
If you want to know what the average price/worth of a wine is, look no further than this site. It's revolutionized the industry and added a transparency for us, as buyers, that would be unthinkable before it existed. A fascinating podcast and one that will have you hopping on the site all the time if you've never used it before!!
Here are some of the topics we discussed:
-
Wine-Searcher has over 90,000 listings from all over the world. We talk about how they use technology to get updated pricing from retailers nightly. It's a cool discussion on how the tech works!
-
We talk about the business model for www.wine-searcher.com -- how it makes its money and how it caters to its various audiences, from collectors to retailers to suppliers.
-
Suzanne tells us about how she's used data to see worldwide shifts in buying habits.
-
Wine-Searcher has had an enormous influence on the wine trade -- pricing transparency and democratization of pricing has been a direct result of this tool. We talk about the how and why of this influence.
-
We discuss the future of the company, now that Martin Brown, the founder recently stepped down and Julian Perry took the role of CEO
I've used Wine-searcher.com for over a decade and I find it invaluable. From pricing, to data, to summaries on regions, it's a key part of the wine landscape. Check it out!
And thanks to this week's sponsors!
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help!Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
The Great Courses Plus
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Learn how to add nuance to your cooking and eat healthy with The Everyday Gourmet: The Joy of Mediterranean Cooking
For a free trial, support the show and go to my special URL
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We share the story of Spain's Albariño/ Portugal's Alvarinho. From ancient fame, to near extinction, and then triumphant resurrection, this grape is one of our favorites -- aromatic, acidic, complex yet delicious! It's a must in your wine rotation.
We also discuss Underground Wine Events, Washington D.C. on November 3. Go to www.undergroundwineevents.com to get your tickets before we sell out! $59 per person!
Here are the show notes:
Albariño/Alvarinho
- Spanish/Portuguese name for aromatic, high quality vine
- In Spain considered to be among the oldest varieties of the northwest
History
- The regular: Romans, Cistercian monks, big fame in the 14th and 15th centuries with the discovery of the New World /colonies
- And its own quirks: Trade wars and export bans in the 19thcentury led to overcapacity and vineyard abandonment, and some issues with drugs
- Phylloxera devastated vineyards, during the replanting in the early 20th century, Albariño began to emerge as the region’s star, with new generation of skilled winemakers – many of them women
Spain
- Rías Baixas called “Green Spain”,
- Moderate year-round temperatures, damp Atlantic-influenced climate but lots of sunshine for ripening granite and alluvial soil
- Rías Baixas, “Lower Rivers”—referring to the four estuaries in the region’s southwestern edge. Albariño 96 percent of plantings.
- of Producers: Approx. 180
Portugal – Alvarinho
- Grown in northwest Portugal over the border in Galicia in NW Spain
- Great diversity – probably an old variety
Some in CA, Oregon, Australia thought they were growing it but it was the French grape Savagnin
In the vineyard
- Moderately vigorous, controlling yields is important
- Thick skins so they can withstand damp climate
- Trellising system is important – can reduce or increase yields, help with reducing mildew issues but can encourage overcropping too
- Most all grapes are hand-harvested
Winemaking
- Temperature control in modern, stainless steel tanks
- Wild yeast fermentation is common
- Sometimes oak matured or aged for years on the lees (dead yeast cells) in stainless before release, for texture and increasing the aging potential of Rias Baixas wines.
Wine Flavors:
- Peach, apricot, melon, pineapple, mango and honeysuckle. Sometimes a salty marine note. High in acidity with alcohol levels of 11.5–12.5%.
DO Rías Baixas - five distinct sub-regions:
- Ribeira do Ulla: Inland, newer area
- Condado do Tea: inland, warmer, drier area, less fruity, earthier
- Val do Salnés: on the Atlantic coast, northern half of the region, features the most coastline. crisp, aromatic “melony”, salinity, minerality acidity and freshness
- Soutomaior: Smallest sub-regions
- O Rosal: Peachier, softer style
And thanks to this week's sponsors!
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help!Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
**Last Bottle**
I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
Austria Overview:
- Same latitude as Burgundy – more continental, less Atlantic influence in climate
- Soils: Range of soils
- Lots of different grapes
- Whites: Grüner, Riesling
- Top reds: Blauer zweigelt with St. Laurent, Blaufränkisch, Pinot Noir
- Great value for $ -- not a lot of mass brands=
Austria reds -- growing region overview
- Pannonian Area – southeast of Vienna
- Warmer climate
- Burgenland: in eastern Austria, south of Vienna and along the border with Hungary
- 14 red wine grape varieties for production of quality wine – 1/3 of Austrian vineyard
The Grapes:
Blaufränkisch:
- Origins: Crossing between Blauer Zimmettraube x Gouais Blanc (Weißer Heunisch)
- Often confused with Gamay
- In the vineyard: Vigorous, early budding, late ripening, needs warm climate. Can be inky with no flavor if over-cropped but laws keep yields down
- 6% of total vineyard
- Flavors: Brambly berry or cherry, fresh acidity with some tannin. Spiciness and depth, with good acidity
- Key Areas
- Burgenland:
- Center of red wine culture in Austria
- Südburgenland:majority are hobby winemakers, or supplement their income with another job or profession, wines sold in Buschenschank (local taverns)
- Eisenberg DACis fantastic for lighter style Blaufränkisch with mineral notes
- Leithaberg DAC–cooler sites away from lake. Often blends of Blaufränkisch with up to 15% Zweigelt, St. Laurent. Fuller bodied with mineral notes.
- Neusiedlersee: Near Lake Neusiedl. Styles range from unoaked and fruity to oak aged and big, can be blended
- Niederösterreich, Carnuntum:
- Aromatic, dark berry notes, peppery spice, licorice and tar with bright freshness
- Vineyards in three principal hilltops south of the Danube
- Hot summers and cold winters, an influence that in combination with the moderating effects of the nearby Danube and (Lake Neusiedl) ripen grapes
St. Laurent
- Origin: From Niederösterreich. Name probably refers to St. Lawrence whose Saint’s day falls on 10 August, when variety veraison begins.
- In the vineyard: mid-ripening, needs deep soils or irritgation or at risk from late frosts, can develop rot in the fall – very finicky. Low/erratic yields. Can be delicious, ripens earlier than Pinot Noir, can grow on more diverse sites than Pinot – better grape for growers
- Flavors: Aromatic, velvety/silky, good color, good tannin with sour or dark cherry, blackberry, smoke and black pepper spice. Like a powerful Pinot
- Key Areas:
- Mostly SE of Vienna in Burgenland’s Neusiedlersee
- Thermenregion: Name from thermal, sulphuric water springs. Cistercian monks revitalised viticulture during the Middle Ages
- West of Vienna in Weinvertel – large region
Zweigelt
- Origin: 1922 at the Teaching and Research Centre for Viticulture and Horticulture (LFZ) in Klosterneuburg. Cross of Blaufränkisch x St. Laurent. Grandchild of Gouais Blanc and Pinot (like Burgundy)
- Most widespread red in Austria, in all wine-producing regions
- In the vineyard: Early budding, earlier ripening than Blaufrankisch, yields are high, have to manage vigor. Demands little from the soil
- Flavors: Spiced cherry and raspberry withexotic spice, floral notes, and cinnamon.Can be early-drinking with no oak OR stronger wines from barrel aging
- Can be blended -- with Cabernet and Merlot or with Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent
- Can be like Beaujolais. Style depends on yield and vinification: bigger yields, simple; low yields -- full-bodied, can age
- Key Areas:
- Mostly Niederosterreich -- Kamptal is very good, marketed under the designation of "Niederösterreich".
- In Weinviertel north of Vienna
- Best wines from Neusiedlersee, Burgenland: reflects the region's climate and soil
Pinot Noir
- One to watch. Can range – light and boring to more layered examples
_________________________________________
Thank you to our sponsors this week who make the podcast possible:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help!Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
**The Great Courses Plus**
Who doesn't want to learn!? The Great Courses Plus makes you smarter and more well rounded. With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter!
Challenge yourself! Learn guitar like I'm trying to with Learn How to Play Guitar
For a free trial, support the show and go to my special URL
www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
Blends are growing in popularity and this week we have the master of blends that are made in the vineyard: Bill Nachbur of ACORN Winery in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma, CA. If you are curious about old-school viticulture, this is a must-listen.
Here are some of the topics we address:
- Bill tells us about field blends and the difference between a field blend and a blended wine
- We discuss the costs and benefits of field blends?
- We talk about why ACORN does field blends, even though monoculture is the modern way and how he has sustained the practice through the years
- ACORN farms sustainably. We talk about the environmental/vineyard benefits of field blends
- We chat about the effect of field blends on flavor of finished wine and how it affects winemaking decisions?
- I ask Bill if it's possible to NOT be a farmer (just a winemaker) and still make a successful field blend...
- And we tackle some exciting news: ACORN will soon have a white wine!! We talk about the genesis of field of blended grapes and how challenging it can be!
Visit: https://acornwinery.com/vineyard-map for the stuff we address on the podcast and to order Bill's outstanding wines!
_____________________________________________________
Thank you to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help!Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Last Bottle
Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
**HelloFresh!**
A meal kit delivery service that shops, plans and delivers your favorite step-by-step recipes and pre-measured ingredients so you can just cook, eat and enjoy! Delivered right to your door, with a variety of chef-curated recipes that change weekly, this is a new way to eat and cook! We love it!
For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit www.hellofresh.com/wine30 and enter WINE30. You won't regret it!
After more hairy details on our crazy and delayed move, and a shout out to UNC Business School, our alma mater for helping when things got tough, we discuss the topic: Glass bottles, which are the most common container for finished wine and their evolution is fascinating!
Photo: Pexels
History
- Antiquity – long jars/amphora
- Romans invented blowing glass –maybe used to serve wine
- 1636 – first time glass bottles in post-Roman Britain
- 1690 – 1720 a typical bottle looked like an onion!
- In the 1730s, binning (storage on wine on its side) became popular and that made cork a better closure – kept cork wet and not dried out. The cylindrical shape was popularized!
Glass making and glass size
- Bottle glass is made by heating together sand harvested from dunes, sodium carbonate, and limestone. If recycled bottles are used, they’re crushed, which hastens the melting process. Furnaces get to 2,700˚F temps to heat glass enough so you can shape it!
- Size: Larger bottles = slower aging
- Standard: 750 ml, half/split is 375 ml
- Magnum: 2 bottles (1.5 L)
- Jerobaum: 4 bottles (3 L)
- Rehoboam: 6 bottles (4.5L)
- Methuselah: 8 bottles (6 L)
- Salmanazar: 12 bottles (9 L)
- Balthazar: 16 bottles (12 L)
- Nebuchadnezzar: 20 bottles (15 L)
- (I forgot to mention Melchior! 24 bottles)
The Marketing behind bottles…
- Regions adopt a specific bottle size and shape
- Thicker glass makes a bottle stronger, which is useful for sparkling, and large-format bottles, but for most wines it’s for perception and the extra cost is passed on to you
- Shapes:
- Burgundy bottles – sloping shoulders, long neck
- Bordeaux – big shoulders
- Flutes – no punt
- Champagne bottles – thick because they have to protect 6 atmospheres of pressure
-
Punt: is an inverse indentation. This is important for stability in Champagne bottles, but doesn’t matter for other bottles. A deep punt requires more glass to make, again the cost is passed to us! The flute shape has no punt!
-
We wrap with a discussion of bottle color – from brown, to dark green, to deadleaf to clear, we break it all down!
_____________________________________________________
Thank you to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help!Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
**The Great Courses Plus**
Who doesn't want to learn!? The Great Courses Plus makes you smarter and more well rounded. With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter!
Learn how to be the best griller in your neighborhood with How to Master Outdoor Cooking
For a free trial, support the show and go to my special URL
www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
Last Bottle
Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
This week, we focus on this splendid grape that has come into its own. From obscure blender to a star varietal, Grenache or Garnacha is a total crowd-pleaser and can be a delicious wine in its simplest and most complex formats. We give the lowdown on it -- from red to white to "furry" Grenache, I'm positive you'll hear about some wine in this podcast that will make you want to run out and get it!
Here are the show notes:
Grape Overview
- We cover the origin story -- the wine spread around around Mediterranean and we believe it originated in Spain in Aragón, moved north and south of Pyrenees to France. The Sardinians of Italy would argue this premise...
- It's traditionally been a blender but now great varietal examples are available
Grape character:
- Grenache is fruity, rich, sweet-tasting with red and black berry notes
- Its challenges: it ripens to high sugar levels and it can oxidize – even young wines brown around the rim. It can lack tannin
- The key to great Grenache/Garnacha -- it NEEDS well drained soils and water stress to thrive and yields must be controlled!!
- The vine has strong wood and is heat and wind tolerant -- it grows well in hot, dry climates.
- Makes everything from rosé, to white, to sweet wines and does it well!
We discuss Grenache Blanc (one of my faves!)
- The wines of white Grenache are full bodied – fat and soft or floral, terroir-driven wines
- Usually blended with Grenache Gris, Clairette, Marsanne, Roussane, Viognier, Macabeo, others
- If yileds controlled, great full bodied wines that can be age worthy
- Places: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, California, South Africa, Priorat, CndP, Tarragona, Rioja, Navarra
Other mutations --
- Southern France and Sardinia: Grenache Rosé and Grenache gris make pale rosé and lightly tinted white wines. Pink skinned and more perfumed than Grenache blanc
- Garnacha Peluda: wines lower in alcohol and higher in acidity that show spicy and savory notes
Where do we find Grenache/Garnacha?
France
- Rhone: Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas, Vacqueryas, and all over the southern Rhône - Grenache noir is the most common variety
- The GSM blend: Grenache can have a jam-like consistency when very ripe but usually adds bright fruit and alcohol to the blend. Syrah is typically blended to provide color and spice, while Mourvèdre can add elegance and structure to the wine
- Rosé: Tavel and Lirac roses, Provence, Rousillon for rose,
- Roussillon: dry wines, but also Vins Doux Naturels – Banyuls, Maury
Spain
- Blends with Tempranillo, varietal as Garnacha
- Considered a "workhorse" grape of low quality suitable for blending but Priorat's rise and New World Rhone Rangers sparked a re-evaluation the variety
- North and east: Rioja, Navarra, Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Cariñena, Madrid, La Mancha, Priorat, Penedes
- Dry farmed, concentrated and tannic
- Aragón is the probable origin of the grape and has the largest surface of Garnacha in Spain
Italy
- Cannonau in Sardinia -- high alcohol, can be harsh and green.
Other Old World regions– Other southern Italian places, Algeria, Israel, Morocco, Cyprus, also grown in Croatia
New World: Australia and California
Australia
- Lots of GSM, some varietal wines
- McLaren Vale = luscious richness and spicy notes
- Barossa Valley =jammy, hugely fruity, can be over the top
United States
- Used and abused at first -- grown in the hot central San Joaquin Valley because of its tolerance to heat and drought.
- Made sweet "white Grenache" wines, a la white Zinfandel
- Rhône Rangers movement in the late 20th c helped bring Grenache up in status -- rising in popularity and quality in CA
- In the early 20th century, Grenache was one of the first successful grapes in Washington State.
Garnacha/Grenache is an amazing, do-all grape. There's a style for everyone, so try it if you haven't!
Thank you to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help!Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Last Bottle
Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
**Vivino**
- You can use the Vivino app to scan and keep track of wines
- NOW -- Shop through their web store, which has great prices and a huge inventory! It can give you suggestions based on bottles you’ve liked in the past.
- Use their premium service to get 30 days free shipping
- Visit www.Vivino.com/WineForNormalPeople to stock up
HelloFresh!
A meal kit delivery service that shops, plans and delivers your favorite step-by-step recipes and pre-measured ingredients so you can just cook, eat and enjoy! Delivered right to your door, with a variety of chef-curated recipes that change weekly, this is a new way to eat and cook! We love it!
For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit www.hellofresh.com/wine30 and enter WINE30. You won't regret it!
This week I am joined by João Rui Ferreira, the Chairman of APCOR, the Portuguese Cork Association. Established in 1956, the Portuguese Cork Association (APCOR) exists to promote natural cork and its products. We discuss everything from the environmental impacts of cork to why it's such a great closure for wine. Cork is a vital part of the wine industry and this podcast is a great way to learn about it! João is a fascinating guy!
Here are the show notes. We discuss:
- The tradition and history of cork and how/why it became the preferred closure for wine?
- How to make a wine cork and why corks are so unique
- What makes Portugal so ideal for cork production and some of the economic impacts of cork on Portugal
- The ecosystem for cork, called the montado, and why it is a model for sustainable forestry
- The entire process of cork harvest to cork production!
- Why cork is one of the most sustainable materials around
- The grades or quality of cork
- How cork benefits wine
- TCA/Cork taint and why rates have declined by more than 94% in the last several decades!
- Cork recycling
- Recork in the US and Canada: https://recork.org
- Recorked UK: https://recorkeduk.org
- Not a formal program in Australia, New Zealand, or Brazil! See what you can do by contacting APCOR!
Check out their YouTube Channel for great info: https://www.youtube.com/user/Apcortica
_____________________________________________________
Thank you to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help!Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Vivino
- You can use the Vivino app to scan and keep track of wines
- NOW -- Shop through their web store, which has great prices and a huge inventory! It can give you suggestions based on bottles you’ve liked in the past.
- Use their premium service to get 30 days free shipping
- Visit www.Vivino.com/WineForNormalPeople to stock up
Last Bottle
Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
The Great Courses Plus
Who doesn't want to learn!? The Great Courses Plus makes you smarter and more well rounded. With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter!
Learn how to be the best griller in your neighborhood with How to Master Outdoor Cooking
For a free trial, support the show and go to my special URL
www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
Simone Madden-Grey, the Happy Wine Woman, is our guest host this week on a great topic!
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has become either a staple or a joke (it's often called Mrs. Supermarket wine or Soccer Mom wine). But there is more to this category than just Marlborough's mass brands. It's time to take another look & get excited about this multifaceted wine that New Zealand does better than nearly any country.
Here are the show notes:
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc: the stats:
- 72% of New Zealand’s production
- 86% of NZ wine exported
Where do the stereo types come from -- we debunk the myths:
- Myth 1: It is only an entry to wine product
- New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc put New Zealand on the map as a serious wine producing nation with its accessible and highly drinkable style. BUT there are myriad styles with the full gamut of white wine flavours available - and you can find one you love!
- Myth 2: Cheap and accessible wine is poor quality wine
- New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has done an excellent job of providing a consistent quality product at a reasonable price, successfully challenging the traditional notion that good wine must be expensive.
- Myth 3: It is one dimensional, a “Soccer Mom” or “Mrs Supermarket” wine
- Yes, it's a highly drinkable summer wine, but there are many different options within the category. Producers are experimenting with the use of oak and lees contact to add complexity and texture demonstrating a greater variety of occasions and food pairings it works well with.
- Myth 4: It is too herbaceous
- Regions such as Martinborough in the Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay, Nelson and North Canterbury and the warmer sub-regions of Marlborough all make very distinctive wines that are totally different from one another
Style notes on the wines:
Rule of thumb:
Cooler climates make brisker styles
Warm climate notes: Melon, nectarine, tropical fruit (guava) sweet lemon. Lower acidity. Can be softer or flabby.
North Island:
- Hawkes Bay: grows on cooler sites at altitude. Richer, fuller styles with peach notes and good acidity, but a bigger body
- Wairarapa: Can be cooler but still have abundant sun
- Martinborough: very herbal, acidic SB
- Masterton: Complex wines, more of a mix of herbs and soft fruit
South Island:
- Marlborough– 2/3 of all vines in NZ are here
- Action in Marlborough will be in the sub-regions going forward
- Southern Valleys – Omaka, Fairhall, Brancott, Ben Morvan, Waihopai Valleys – can make heavier styles of SB
- Wairau – intensity and a bigger body
- Awatere – south of Wairau. Lower yields and more minerally, acidic profiles. Not full bodied.
- Nelson: A more elegant, restrained expression with minerality alongside tropical fruit and herbs
- Canterbury: Alpine areas – crisp, acidic, minerally styles but some are heavier
- Central Otago: purity of flavor. Mineral, gunflint, herbaceous, crisp, refreshing, stony
Thank you to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help!Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Vivino
- You can use the Vivino app to scan and keep track of wines
- NOW -- Shop through their web store, which has great prices and a huge inventory! It can give you suggestions based on bottles you’ve liked in the past.
- Use their premium service to get 30 days free shipping
- Visit www.Vivino.com/WineForNormalPeople to stock up
HelloFresh!
A meal kit delivery service that shops, plans and delivers your favorite step-by-step recipes and pre-measured ingredients so you can just cook, eat and enjoy! Delivered right to your door, with a variety of chef-curated recipes that change weekly, this is a new way to eat and cook! We love it!
For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit www.hellofresh.com/wine30 and enter WINE30. You won't regret it!
The Great Courses Plus
Who doesn't want to learn!? The Great Courses Plus makes you smarter and more well rounded. With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter!
Learn Spanish like me!
For a free trial, support the show and go to my special URL www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
This week: The Greats Barolo and Barbaresco of Piedmont, Italy. These two wines are both 100% Nebbiolo, and are fragrant, tannic, acidic, and outstanding. We cover the similarities and key differences between these greats and why each is a force in its own right.
Here are some key show notes:
Barolo
- King of Wines and Wine of Kings
- Production Zone in Province of Cuneo: Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba, parts of Cherasco, Diano d’Alba, Grinzane Cavour, La Morra, Monforte d’Alba, Novello, Roddi, Verduno
- Production must be on hillsides: no valley floors or humid, flat areas nothing with northern exposure – mandated by 2010 law
- The soils and mesoclimates vary slightly, subtle differences but also winemaking plays a big role
- Until mid 19thc Barolo was SWEET -- 1835, Paolo Francesco Staglieno published a winemaking manual about how to make wine stable for transport – fermenting dry was one of the ways.
The Barolo wars: Traditionalist v Modern
-
Modern: “international style” fermentation is 10 days (less tannin), age wine in new French oak barriques (smaller, more oak flavor). Very different flavors – fruitier, more new oak, doesn’t age as well. May illegally put in Barbera, Cab, Syrah… unproven as of yet
-
Modernists producers: Elio Altare, Domenico Clerico, Robero Voerzio, Angelo Gaja, Renato Ratti
-
Traditionalist: Extended maceration, long cask aging, less fruit requires age and patience.
- Traditional producers: Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa, Giuseppe Mascarello, Capellano, Marcarini, and Giuseppe Rinaldi
Barolo wine aromas/flavors:
- Classic: light in color, smells like tar and roses, very aromatic – dried fruit, mint, leather, licorice, plum, tobacco, herbs, truffles
- Standard Barolo must be aged for three years — two in cask and one in bottle.
- Riserva: Aged for five years upon release — three in cask and two in bottle.
- Barolo Chinato -- digestif
BARBARESCO
- Barbaresco -- immediately to the east of Alba – communes of Barbaresco, Trieso, Neive plus part of San Rocco Seno d'Elvio
- Vineyards on Tanaro river, go up northeast of Alba, closer to the river (the Tanaro), with higher fertility in the soil
-
Slight maritime climate – warmer, drier, milder than Barolo
-
Barbaresco Communes:
-
Barbaresco:
- 45% of Barbaresco production, largest wineries
- light in color and body, well structured and aromatic.
- Best cru: Asili, Martinenga, Montefico, Montestefano and Rabajà
-
Neive:
- 31% of Barbaresco's production
- Powerful and tannic expressions of Barbaresco if closer to the commune of Barbaresco, to the east, more sand, lighter wines
- Albesani, Santo Stefano, Bricco di Neive, Gallina
-
Treiso
- South of Barbaresco, highest altitude sites in the area, constant breezes, great diurnals
- lightest in body, perfumed, higher acidity
- Pajorè is best site
-
San Rocco Seno d'Elvio: floral with finesse
Barbaresco History
- Cantina Sociale di Barbaresco was founded in 1896 by Domizio Cavazza: he died early in 1915, not until the late 1950s that Barbaresco was reignited -- with Bruno Giacosa and Angelo Gaja leading the way
- Local parish priest, Don Fiorino Marengo, founded Produttori del Barbaresco cooperative cellar, the best co-op in Europe
Wines
- Grapes ripen earlier, less tannic, need less aging
- Aromatic – spicy, perfumed, floral with rose and violet, cherry, truffles, licorice, fennel, leather tar
- Normale: 2 years of aging, 1 in wood
- Riserva: four years of gaining, two in wood
Best producers and vineyards: Gaja, Bruno Giacosa, Ceretto, Produttori del Barbaresco, Roana, La Spinetta, Rizzi, Marchesi di Gresy, Punset
BAROLO V BARBARESCO:
- Size: Barbaresco is smaller and more consistent
- Altitude: Barolo is higher than Barbaresco
- Weather: Barbaresco gets less rain and bad weather.
- Tannins: Barbaresco is better at an earlier age and lighter body than Barolo. Barolo is a better bet to hold for long periods.
- Soils: in Barbaresco, the roots of the vines do not have to go as deep as with the thinner soils found in many parts of the Barolo zone -- less aggressive tannins for many Barbaresco.
On or the other is NOT BETTER: they are DIFFERENT
Thank you to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help!Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Vivino
- You can use the Vivino app to scan and keep track of wines
- NOW -- Shop through their web store, which has great prices and a huge inventory! It can give you suggestions based on bottles you’ve liked in the past.
- Use their premium service to get 30 days free shipping
- Visit www.Vivino.com/WineForNormalPeople to stock up
Last Bottle.
Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
- Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world to ensure we get the best wines at the best prices when the opportunity arises
- Offer a range of varietals and prices from low end to high end $9 to $99
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
**The Great Courses Plus**
Who doesn't want to learn!? The Great Courses Plus makes you smarter and more well rounded. With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter!
Learn Spanish like me!
For a free trial, support the show and go to my special URL www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
______________________________________________
Addendum: the Cru of the regions
Barolo
Barolo:
- Bricco Viole
- Brunate
- Cannubi
- Cannubi Boschis
- Rue
- San Lorenzo
- Sarmassa
- Via Nuova
La Morra:
- Arborina
- Brunate
- Cereguio
- Gattera
- Giachini
- Marcenasco
- Rocche dell’Annunziata
Castiglione Falletto:
- Bricco Rocche
- Fiasc
- Mariondino
- Monprivato
- Parussi
- Pira
- Rivera
- Villero
Monforte d’Alba
- Bussia
- Cicala
- Colonnello
- Dardi
- Ginestra
- Mosconi
- Munie
- Romirasco
- Santo Stefano
Serralunga d’Alba
- Falletto
- Francia
- La Serra
- Marenca
- Marenca-Rivette
- Margheria
- Ornato
- Parafada
- Vigna Rionda
Barberesco
Barbaresco’s Cru:
- *Asili
- Ca' Grossa
- Cars
- Cavanna
- Cole
- Faset
- *Martinenga
- Montaribaldi
- Montefico
- Montestefano
- Muncagota
- Ovello
- Pajé
- Pora
- *Rabajà
- Rabajà-Bas
- Rio Sordo
- Roccalini
- Roncaglie
- Roncagliette
- Ronchi
- Secondine
- Tre Stelle
- Trifolera
- Vicenziana
Nieve's Cru's
- Albesani
- Balluri
- Basarin
- Bordini
- Bric Micca
- Bricco di Neive
- Canova
- Cottà
- Currà
- Fausoni
- Gaia Principe
- Gallina
- Marcorino
- Rivetti
- San Cristoforo
- San Giuliano
- Serraboella
- Serracapelli
- Serragrilli
- Starderi
Treiso's Best Cru's
- *Pajorè
- Ausario
- Bernadot
- Bricco di Treiso
- Casot
- Castellizzano
- Ferrere
- Garassino
- Giacone
- Giacosa
- Manzola
- Marcarini
- Meruzzano
- Montersino
- Nervo
- Rizzi
- Rocche Massalupo
- Rombone
- San Stunet
- Valeirano
- Vallegrande
The Cru of Barolo...
Barolo:
- Bricco Viole
- Brunate
- Cannubi
- Cannubi Boschis
- Rue
- San Lorenzo
- Sarmassa
- Via Nuova
La Morra:
- Arborina
- Brunate
- Cereguio
- Gattera
- Giachini
- Marcenasco
- Rocche dell’Annunziata
Castiglione Falletto:
- Bricco Rocche
- Fiasc
- Mariondino
- Monprivato
- Parussi
- Pira
- Rivera
- Villero
Monforte d’Alba
- Bussia
- Cicala
- Colonnello
- Dardi
- Ginestra
- Mosconi
- Munie
- Romirasco
- Santo Stefano
Serralunga d’Alba
- Falletto
- Francia
- La Serra
- Marenca
- Marenca-Rivette
- Margheria
- Ornato
- Parafada
- Vigna Rionda
Wine and cheese are perfect partners and knowing more about each will help you go from good to great with pairings! Cheese Master Jill Davis of Murray's Cheese tells us all about cheese and we discuss how best to pair certain types of cheese with wine!
Here are the notes:
- There is an amazing parallel history of fermented stuff -- we discuss the evolution of wine and cheese and how they are so very similar.
- Jill gives us a primer on how to make cheese. We talk cows, sheep, goats, and buffalo and how seasons, geography, and diet all make a huge difference in how our cheese tastes. Little Miss Muffet gets a nod in this part of the show too (curds -n- whey, anyone?)
- We discuss the various categories of cheese --fresh, bloomy rind, washed rind and what fits where.
- We talk about why European cheese is different/better than the cheese available in the US and UK often.
- While still discussing cheese making and types, we weave in lots of info about pairing.
- Bloomy rinds and Champagne
- blue and a great sweet German Auslese
- medium cheeses like wax Gouda with Beaujolais
- washed rind or aged cheese with tannic, barrel aged reds.
- And our favorite adage "what grows together, goes together!"
- Finally, I offer some commentary on how wine may need to become more like cheese to get rid of the snobbery. It's up for debate, but it's food for thought!
Thanks to Jill Davis for her time and deep knowledge and to our sponsors this week!
_____________________________________________________
Thank you to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help!Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Vivino
- You can use the Vivino app to scan and keep track of wines
- NOW -- Shop through their web store, which has great prices and a huge inventory! It can give you suggestions based on bottles you’ve liked in the past.
- Use their premium service to get 30 days free shipping
- Visit www.Vivino.com/WineForNormalPeople to stock up
Audible
* Audible is a leading provider of premium digital spoken audio information and entertainment on the Internet.
- Audible content includes an unmatched selection of audiobooks and other audio products.
- You can sign up as an Audible Listener, which gives them book credits each month for a low monthly fee.
- Download and access books on your iPhone, Android device, Fire tablet, iPod or other mp3 Player. Flip between reading and listening as you like!
-
I downloaded Cork Dork! A great book, so check it out! Audible.com/wine or text WINE to 500-500 for a free audiobook with a 30 day free trial! www.audible.com/wine
Last Bottle
Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines:
-
Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices
- Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines.
- Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.
Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.
It's a small part of the wine world but one you should know: the Central Vineyards of the Loire Valley, which include Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Menetou-Salon & others. Great Sauvignon Blanc, up and coming Pinot Noir, and fantastic rosé. History, soils and dorkiness abound in this podcast, which will make your mouth water and have you running out to get these wines ASAP!
The Central Loire Vineyards: Overview
- In the center of the Loire Valley, in the heart of France.
- All of the Central Vineyard appellations are within 80 kilometres (50 miles) of center of France
- Continental climate with decent rainfall
Appellations
Sancerre
- White, red, and rosé
- 3 main types of soil in the two appellations:
- Limestone (known locally as caillottes) – vines planted on white rock
- Kimmeridgean terres blanches (clay limestone)
- Silex (flint)
- In Sancerre, the caillottes and terres blanches account for 40% each and silex accounts for 20% of vineyard soils
- Often steepest vineyards best: Bué, Chavignol, Champtin
- Producers: Alphonse Mellot, Domaines Fouassier and Vacheron, Lucien Crochet
Pouilly-Fumé and Pouilly-sur-Loire –
- Pouilly-Fumé only Sauvignon Blanc
- Pouilly-sur-Loire only Chasselas
- Soils -- similar to Sancerre
- Producers: Alexandre Bain, Domaine Didier Dagueneau, Ladoucette
Difference between Pouilly and Sancerre:
- Sancerre is a more cohesive appellation, Pouilly has no clear centre – not touristy
- Sancerre has strong leading producers: Alphonse Mellot, Jean-Marie Bourgeois, Denis Vacheron and others, to promote the appellation.
Pouilly – no cohesion: the late Didier Dagueneau attacked lax practices of his fellow producers. Ladoucette is largest producer is Pouilly -- is an international businessman based in Paris - Pouilly has been lower quality than Sancerre in recent years. Shows promise but Sancerre is better quality and reliable
Menetou-Salon
- Southwest of Sancerre: More gently rolling than that of Sancerre
- Vineyards more dispersed than Pouilly and Sancerre, more variable
- Revival going on now
- Producers: Pierre and Isabelle Clément, Domaine du Chatenoy, Domaine Philippe Gilbert
Quincy
- All Sauvignon Blanc
- First appellation created in Loire
- Flattest of the areas, prone to hail
Reuilly
- Dry, crisp Sauv Blanc with some Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris for red and dry rosé
- Slightly better than Quincy
Coteaux du Giennois
- Vines are close to the Loire, mostly on its eastern bank
- Light-bodied, fruity and crisp, dry Sauvignon Blanc
- Reds have to be PN and Gamay blend – not good
- Dry rosé good
- The limestone soil is flinty.
Châteaumeillant – only 1% exported,
- Although included in the Central Loire, Châteaumeillant is apart from the rest - in the northern foothills of the Massif Central
- Granitic soil (Granite)
- Specializes in rosé wine known as vin gris, reds from Gamay and Pinot Noir grapes
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Thank you to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
The Great Courses Plus -- who makes you smarter and more well rounded! With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter! For a free trial, support the show and go to my special URL thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
HelloFresh!
A meal kit delivery service that shops, plans and delivers your favorite step-by-step recipes and pre-measured ingredients so you can just cook, eat and enjoy! Delivered right to your door, with a variety of chef-curated recipes that change weekly, this is a new way to eat and cook! We love it!
For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit www.hellofresh.com and enter WINE30. You won't regret it!
Vivino
- You can use the Vivino app to scan and keep track of wines
- NOW -- Shop through their web store, which has great prices and a huge inventory! It can give you suggestions based on bottles you’ve liked in the past.
- Use their premium service to get 30 days free shipping
- Visit www.Vivino.com/WineForNormalPeople to stock up
Wine notes run the gamut -- from detailed and esoteric (meat blood? Madagascar vanilla?) to cute-sy and dumb (like sunshine and deliciousness!). But are they useful to us as wine drinkers? What's the goal of a note? What SHOULD it say for it to be meaningful?
Ian and I discuss the state of notes and what we think could make them better. You'll let us know if we're on to something...
Here's an outline of what we discuss:
- The purpose of a tasting note 2. Communication in wine and whether it's ok to have a lexicon (we debate -- I'm pro, he's con) 3. How wine pros are told to communicate and how that muddles things. We touch on our "outsider" perceptions of certifications (since we both came from other industries). Here are links to the grids we reference:
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Court of Master Sommeliers
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WSET
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How critics communicate and how THAT muddles things 5. How marketers communicate and how THAT muddles things 6. And finally, getting to a better note -- what is normal and helpful? How do we all communicate better about taste sensation/aroma? Here are some other articles on notes that we considered before we recorded: From Decanter: Jane Anson's article that spurred the discussion Other Decanter articles:
"How to read wine tasting notes" "How to write wine tasting notes" From Wine Anorak "Words for wine: making tasting notes more useful" From National Public Radio:
Oaky, With Notes Of BS: Why Wine Tasting Struggles To Get It On The Nose Thank you to:YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
Why have I devoted so many recent podcasts to interviewing small Sonoma wineries? Why did my partner, Laura, and I do an event featuring them and will do more in the future? And why do I regularly release the Big List: wineries owned by the huge, hulking wineries?
This podcast pulls it all together! After a quick intro from me and Laura, I hold the first roundtable/discussion. Jim, Oded, and I talk about...
- The state of wine in CA/around the world from a consolidation perspective
- What happens when a small winery is taken over by a large winery (personnel, vineyards, style changes, etc)
- What happens for small guys when consolidation rules the day (what does this do to opportunity, to consumer choice, to viability)
- The economics of how the small producer gets no attention/gets squeezed in the sales cycle
- How small wineries stay in business/economically viable in the face of more and more consolidation
- The quality question and big wineries
- What consumers can do to diversify their drinking
We hope you can see why the issue is so dear to our hearts and I hope you can see why I am such a champion of small producers these days!
Thank you to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
The Great Courses Plus -- who makes you smarter and more well rounded! With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter! For a free trial, support the show and go to my special URL thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
A grape that MUST be in your arsenal, especially if you like Italian food, Barbera is diverse, food friendly, and darn tasty. The trick to the grape is to figure out the style you like and the place it's made. In this podcast we cover it all!
Overview:
- Barbera is one of Italy's top 5 most planted grapes, one of the 15 most planted in the world!
- 60%+ is in Piemonte, but it's found in almost every region
- We have no real idea of the parentage, but we know it's not related to the other Piedmont grapes...a strange anomaly that needs more investigation!
About the Grape
- Large bunches, oval, very dark blue berries – darkest of all the reds of Piemonte
- Productive, ripens late, can get out of control quickly so pruning is a must.
- Even at high yields it tastes ok because of its acidity
- Drought resistant, versatile in many soil types, adaptable
The Wine
- The best are bright with good acid, cherry notes, earth, spice, low tannins
- With barrel age the wine can be plummy, round, softer and more complex -- oak can "beef up" the wine
- Barbera is a good blender but on its own can be tasty although it needs food
- There is A LOT of variety in winemaking and character
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Producers: Great producers of Barolo and Barbaresco make good Barbera
- Giacomo Conterno, Braida, Marchesi Gresy, Vietti, Paolo Scavino, Giuseppe Mascarello, La Spinetta, Gaja
- Famed wine: Bricco dell'Uccellone
Appellations
Italy
- Barbera d’Asti and Barbera Monferrato Superiore DOCG, up to 15% Freisa, Grignolino, Dolcetto. Asti – Barbera is queen
- Nizza is the top wine – 100% Barbera, strict rules
- Lighter in color than other appellations in Piedmont
- Unofficial Classico region – between Nizza Monferrato, Vinchio, Castelnuovo Calcea, Agliano, Rocchetta, Belveglio – Barbera’s traditional best zone
- Barbera d’Alba DOC
- Smoother, richer, velvety Barbera – complex, powerful, dark in color
- Alba is popular because good winemkaers are here – best Barolo is made here and those winemakers also make Barbera
- limits the quality and quantities of the wines labeled with the Barbera d'Alba DOC.
- Barbera del Monferrato DOC
- Barbera is blended with up to 15% Freisa, Grignolino, Dolcetto and can be slightly sparkling
- Tart, fruity, light, sharp acidity, can be frizzante , not in the market
- Lombardia: Oltrepo Pavese, some blended with Bonarda. Usually good acidity, good with full food
- Emilia-Romagna: often blended with other stuff
Other regions:
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California
- First planted in 1880s
- Today: Bonny Doon in Central Coast, Peterson in Sonoma, many producers in Sierra foothills/Amador County, Lodi, Napa, Paso, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Central Valley
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Other US: Washington, Arizona, Oregon
- Australia:
- Barossa
- Top producers: Brown Brothers, Crittenden
- Argentina:
- Mendoza makes good Barbera, used for blending
- Greece, Israel, Uruguay
Thank you to our sponsors this week:
YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
The Great Courses Plus -- who makes you smarter and more well rounded! With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter! For a free trial, support the show and go to my special URL thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
The Great Courses Plus has a wonderful National Geographic Live! Series that I recommend checking out: Celebrating Human Cultures! It explores fascinating civilizations around the world like: aboriginal Australia, the women of Afghan, the people of Cuba and it's led by photographers, travel writers, and other experts from National Geographic. It's a great glimpse into how other people live around the world!
HelloFresh!
A meal kit delivery service that shops, plans and delivers your favorite step-by-step recipes and pre-measured ingredients so you can just cook, eat and enjoy! Delivered right to your door, with a variety of chef-curated recipes that change weekly, this is a new way to eat and cook! We love it!
For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit www.hellofresh.com and enter WINE30. You won't regret it!
We begin a new series on the great wines of the world. Every so often we will profile one of the greatest wines on earth, talking about the history, the terroir, and why these wines are so special. We begin with the Southern Rhône gem: Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Here are some of the notes from the show:
The Greats: Chateauneuf du Pape
- Variable Appellation in southern Rhone that makes about 1 MM cases per year
- Expensive and great because: tastes great, limited supply, and expensive winemaking techniques
- Profile: Rich spicy, full-bodied reds – product of Warm-climate viticulture. Can be tannic or jammy, White and (rare) rose are made too
- The new generation in Châteauneuf-du-Pape is ambitious, quality minded and eager to show that their wines are worth the money. They keep some traditional ways of making the wine but are not afraid to use modern techniques as well.
- The wine is consumed relatively young -5-6 years after bottling
Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Location
- In southeastern France/Southern Rhône about 2 miles/3 km east of Rhône river and 12 km/7.5 miles north of Avignon
- Communes: Bedarrides, Courthezon, Orange, Sorgues
History: “Pope’s new castle” is translation
- Pope Clement V Bertrand de Got, was elected pope in 1305. He transferred the papacy to Avignon in 1309.
- Successor John XXII credited with developing papal vineyard in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, also developed Papal palace in Avignon
- Following schism -- CndP and Avignon went back to countryside, wine was not important here until the 18th c (1700s)
- Popes left, castle passed to the archbishop of Avignon, but it was too large and too expensive to maintain
- La Nerthe or La Neste first in 1785 had an estate bottling
- 1787 Thomas Jefferson was in the region and didn’t taste the wines – not relevant at that point
- Phylloxera hit CndP right after it hit Gard in the Languedoc – devastating. Production not up to pre-phylloxera levels until the 1950s
Grapes
- 90% is red wine, used to add white to add freshness to red
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Today typical blend:
- 50-70% Grenache
- 10-30% Mourvedre
- Up to 20% Syrah Cinsault Counoise and Vaccarese
- Up to 10% Clairette, Picpoul, and Bourboulenc (whites)
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Reds: Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Counoise, Muscardin, Vaccarèse, Picpoul noir, Terret noir
- Whites: Roussanne, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Picardin
- Others: Clairette Rosé, white and pink Picpoul and Grenache)
The Land: Variation – soils, mix of grapes, mesoclimates, differences in vinification
- Soils: Some large pebbles – galets –in many vineyards. Retain heat, good for low, bush-trained vineyards (gobelet). Mainly varied soils –some calcareous, some rocky
- Most own parcels in varied areas – blending
- Climate: Hotter sites – tough when young, concentrated. South facing slopes can be too hot, especially with heat retaining pebbles. Blends from different subzones – work best, some single vineyards (can be too big)
Top producers:
- Chateau Rayas
- Chateau de Beaucastel (Hommage à Jacques Perrin, Roussanne Vieilles Vignes
- Domaine Henri Bonneau (Réserve des Célestins and Cuvee Marie Beurrier)
- Domaine de Marcoux – 2 sisters run it (Cuvée Vieilles Vignes), biodynamic
- Clos de Papes
- Domaine de Pegaü – classically styled wines (Cuvee Laurence)
- Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
- Les Cailloux (Cuvee Centenaire)
Recent great vintages: 2005, 2007, 2010, 2015, 2016
Please support our (delicious) sponsor, HelloFresh:
A meal kit delivery service that shops, plans and delivers your favorite step-by-step recipes and pre-measured ingredients so you can just cook, eat and enjoy! Delivered right to your door, with a variety of chef-curated recipes that change weekly, this is a new way to eat and cook! We love it!
For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit www.hellofresh.com and enter WINE30. You won't regret it!
Famous CNN weatherman and meteorologist, Derek Van Dam, comes on to school us about how weather and climate work and we discusstheir effects on vineyards and regions the world 'round. A fun, lively show with a great friend and smart guy!
Follow Derek on Social Media!!!
- Twitter: @VanDamCNN
Here are some of the topics we discuss:
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The difference between weather and climate
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What is climate change? How many years of data do we use to predict or confirm it? What is climate change doing to places that grow wine grapes:
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Australia
- South Africa
- California
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And on the flip side: the UK
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Given that the climate seems to be heating up the world, what new regions of the world could be suitable for agriculture/viticulture that weren’t previously?
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Is there ANY validity to the affect of lunar cycles on the land/agriculture (a la biodynamic philosophy)?
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What do you think about the Farmer’s Almanac and other long-term prediction tools for weather? How far in advance can you actually tell what’s going to happen with weather?
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What is the jet stream?
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What are the effects of fog, wind, ocean currents, hail, La Niña and El Niño?
Thanks to our sponsor this week:
The Great Courses Plus -- who makes you smarter and more well rounded! With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter! For a free trial, support the show and go to my special URL thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
The Great Courses Plus has a wonderful National Geographic Live! Series that I recommend checking out: Celebrating Human Cultures! It explores fascinating civilizations around the world like: aboriginal Australia, the women of Afghan, the people of Cuba and it's led by photographers, travel writers, and other experts from National Geographic. It's a great glimpse into how other people live around the world!
In one of our final in the series spotlighting small Sonoma producers, we meet Diane and John Bucher of Bucher Vineyards and Bucher Farms. This is a podcast truly about terroir and farming, when you get down to it --John Bucher is a fourth generation farmer, and this show is unique because his perspective is so focused on the land and on farming. It's fantastic!
Photo: https://bucher.wine
Bucher Vineyards and Farms is not just a grape growing and winemaking concern. It's an organic dairy farm with over 400 cows AND a premium vineyard that sells to high end wineries that you definitely have heard of if you know Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (Adam Lee of Siduri fame is their winemaker!).
The Buchers own 50+ acres of premium wine grapes, in the north end of the Russian River Valley and make exceptional Pinot Noir, rosé, and Chardonnay all from their own vineyard. Here are some of the topics we cover:
- John's Swiss family history and his true, and unadulterated love of the land, his animals and of farming
- How the Buchers got into wine and how John taught himself about viticulture
- What it takes to be an organic dairy farm, and how that translates to care in the vineyard
- John's love of Pinot Noir and how it can showcase his land better than anything else
- Adam Lee's role in working with the Bucher's to let John's work in the vineyard shine through
- The style of Bucher Vineyards and how their Pinot Noir designates are differentiated
- The benefits of being small, how they get the word out about their wine and what their goals are for the future!
Photo: https://bucher.wine
A fantastic winery, truly happy, delightful people, and great wine! Who could ask for more!?
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And thanks to our sponsor this week:
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- All edibles are made in the USA or Canada and 100% of our products are tested on animals (our own)
- BarkBox is a great way to try a variety of treats and toys from local and small businesses that you may not otherwise be able to find.
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This week, we are honored to have Kathleen Inman – winegrower, winemaker, forklift driver, salesperson – of Inman Family Wines. She started Inman with the 2000 planting of a plot of land - Olivet Grange Vineyard (OGV), on the corner of Piner Road and Olivet Lane in the Russian River valley. A little over 10 acres, it’s mostly Pinot noir with some Pinot gris, but we’ll talk about 3 acres or so for vegetables and herbs, which seems so relevant and important to Kathleen’s story, and all the ways she makes her wine with as little impact as possible to the planet.
Here are the notes:
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- Kathleen talks about what was it was like to grow up in Napa and its influence on her and her wines
- She discusses her “aha!” wine moment with Pinot at UC-Santa Barbara and how it set her on the path to getting into wine
- Kathleen shares how her life as an accountant, consultant, and head hunter helped her in the wine biz
- She shares how her time in the UK taught her about gardening, the land, and wine culture that changes how she thinks about wine now
- Kathleen tells us how and why farming in concert with nature is so important to the quality of wine
- We talk about Inman's delicious Pinot Noir, rosé, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and sparkling and how Kathleen taught herself to make these exceptional wines.
- We discuss what it really means to be a non-interventionist winemaker
- We end with a discussion regarding Kathleen's great advocacy for women in wine.
Kathleen makes outstanding wine, check it out at http://www.inmanfamilywines.com!
And thank you to our sponsor this week!
The Great Courses Plus -- who makes you smarter and more well rounded! With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter! For a free trial, go to thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
Continuing the Women in Wine series for Women's History Month 2018, I speak with Ana Keller of Keller Estate. She helped establish the Petaluma Gap American Viticultural Area (AVA), which is Sonoma's newest cool climate appellation making excellent Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah. Ana is one of the only women of Mexican heritage running a wine estate, and she is simply amazing.
Here are some of the notes from our conversation:
- We talk about how her family got into wine.
- We discuss Ana's educational background -- she attended the University of Mexico and obtained a biopharmaceutical chemistry degree and then to King’s College in London for a Masters in Pharma Development.
- We talk about how Ana got into wine as a consumer and how her dad roped her into the business as Estate Director.
- Ana shares her feelings about mentors in the wine industry and what it was like to be a young woman in wine in the 1990s.
- We dig into the Petaluma Gap AVA -- what makes it different, how the appellation was conceived of, and why the wines are so very different from the rest of Sonoma.
- Finally, we wrap up with a conversation about the current state of women in the wine industry and the role of amazing men in forwarding the careers of women in it.
Please support our (delicious) sponsor, HelloFresh:
A meal kit delivery service that shops, plans and delivers your favorite step-by-step recipes and pre-measured ingredients so you can just cook, eat and enjoy! Delivered right to your door, with a variety of chef-curated recipes that change weekly, this is a new way to eat and cook! We love it!
For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit www.hellofresh.com and enter WINE30. You won't regret it!
Fresh off an amazing trip to the North Canterbury region, just north of Christchurch on the South Island of her homeland, New Zealand, Simone Madden-Grey let's us in on a little known region that we all need to try (and visit): North Canterbury.
Here are some quick notes from the show:
- The Alps are to the west, the Pacific Ocean to the east.
- Cool, dry climate with high sunshine and a long growing season means pure, flavorful wines -- especially aromatic whites like Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer since the climate is similar to Alsace. Pinot Noir is also stunning from here
- 3% of NZ production
- Wines are grown on the valley floor and vineyards (top ones) are being planted on the hillsides and foothills
- The stunning subregions of Waipara and Waitaki Valleys are the hot spots for quality wine in the region.
- Waipara Valley is 40 minutes north of Christchurch
- About 30 wineries in the valley
- We discuss the beautiful produce of the ares and how the food and wine are so fully integrated into the culture here, as it is no where else
- For a list of all the wineries, with links go here: Wineries and Vineyards of North Canterbury and Waipara
- And the list of wines Simone mentions --
Bell Hill Vineyard – http://www.bellhill.co.nz/
Bellbird Spring – http://www.bellbirdspring.co.nz/
Black Estate – http://blackestate.co.nz/
Greystone Wines – http://www.greystonewines.co.nz/
Pegasus Bay – http://www.pegasusbay.com/
Pyramid Valley – http://pyramidvalley.co.nz/
Tongue in Groove – http://tongueingroove.co.nz/
As a wrap up for Women's History Month, we talk about our experiences as women in wine.
Thanks to Simone and to our sponsor this week:
The Great Courses Plus -- who makes you smarter and more well rounded! With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter! For a free trial, go to thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
This week, Lucas Meeker of Meeker Wine -- a Millennial winemaker who has taken the helm of winemaking and operations at this Sonoma favorite. In his philosophical, intellectual way, Lucas recounts stories of the winery's early days and then discusses everything from additives in wine, to how wine is like vocal range.
Lucas graduated magna cum laude from Colgate University with High Honors in English in 2007, but he returned home to the family winery with plans to eventually head to graduate school. But once he started doing marketing, label design, and cellar rat work, he caught the wine "bug." He made wines under his own label, Lucas J. Cellars, for four vintages (2007-2010) and honed the craft of winemaking through hands on experience and a passion for reading and learning from his Dad, other winemakers, books, UC Davis, the internet, and his own mistakes. Eventually, he abandoned his plans for graduate school and further dedicated himself to the craft of winemaking. Lucas took over daily operation of the winery in 2010, and after four years as Co-Winemaker with Charlie, officially became Head Winemaker in 2014.
Here are the show notes:
- We chat about the storied history of Meeker, including Charlie's stories from MGM, how he bought the vineyard and how he uprooted Lucas from his Hollywood life to Sonoma
- We discuss various aspects of the wine industry -- what Custom Crush is and why it's important to wineries like Meeker, the importance of label reading and why some wineries are a sham
- We wax poetic on the virtue of Merlot and Lucas gives thoughts on wine traditions and their importance
- Lucas talks about the "magnitude" of wine and how he parses wine descriptions
- We talk about Zinfandel and changes in the wine industry in the last 10 years -- including how wine can be altered or honest
- We have a great conversation about the Meeker philosophy and Lucas's "end zone"
- We end on a positive note: Lucas's optimism for the next gen of winemakers
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Steve and Sher Bell of Campana Ranch discuss Steve's storied past, which included working for the Mondavis during their family split, early days in Napa, and what brought him and Sher to craft the beautiful wines they make in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma today.
Here are some more detailed notes:
- First we talk about Steve's Story -- which includes the evolution and questions about “Big Wine." We talk about Steve's getting caught in the crosshairs of a Mondavi feud, his time at Freemark Abbey, and the a long career at Beringer
- We hit on the business side of big wine and how it was challenging for Steve.
- Sher tells us about her perspective on Steve's career, and how her pursuing her passion helped Steve pursue his with wine.
- We discuss how Steve and Sher began the winery -- we talk about the best and hardest parts of having their own things
- They make a lot of different types of wine -- we discuss the rationale behind it
A fantastic show. I hope you find it as fascinating as I did!!!
Thanks to this week's sponsor who makes the podcast possible!
The Great Courses Plus -- who makes you smarter and more well rounded! With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter! For a free trial, go to thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
A must listen to anyone interested in learning about California wine history and a great story that moves from corporate to entrepreneurship and always involves a commitment to the vineyard, to doing things ethically, and to making great wine!
Crux Winery owners Brian Callahan and Steven Gower (some of the nicest dudes you ever want to meet) craft small lots of Rhône varietals–Grenache, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache Blanc and Viognier–with some Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc. Their wines capture the unique characteristics of Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley and are rich, complex and balanced, without excessive alcohol levels or overripe fruit flavors.
One amazing thing about these guys (there are a few): This is their other job. They each hold down big corporate jobs in the health sector and have given up all spare time to dedicate their lives to making insanely good wine farmed in a sustainable and earth-friendly manner. Their grapes are sourced from their own vineyards and other select vineyard sites owned by growers with a similar philosophy who have also embraced environmental practices in vineyard management.
Some topics we cover:
- How they wound up finding each other and getting into winemaking
- How they decided to take the business to the next level
- The balancing act of holding down corporate jobs and running a winery -- holding down 2 full time jobs!
- The business of wine versus their corporate jobs
- Terroir, native yeast, and doing Rhône in Russian River Valley
- The grapes and the wine -- how they grow or source the fruit, how they make wine, and why the stuff is so outstanding!
A fantastic look at these guys are hustling, making fantastic wine, and keeping their dream alive to eventually give up their day jobs and be winemakers and winegrowers full time.
They, of course, will be at Sonoma Underground on February 24, 2018 at Longboard Vineyards in Sonoma.
Thanks to our (delicious) sponsor, HelloFresh:
A meal kit delivery service that shops, plans and delivers your favorite step-by-step recipes and pre-measured ingredients so you can just cook, eat and enjoy! Delivered right to your door, with a variety of chef-curated recipes that change weekly, this is a new way to eat and cook! We love it!
For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit www.hellofresh.com and enter WINE30. You won't regret it!
Two pretty new, exciting wineries join me to talk about their wines, experiences in starting up new wine empires, and the past, present, and future of the small guy in Sonoma:
Robert Larsen runs The Larsen Projekt, which specializes in three main things -- public relations, marketing and branding, and making wine. We talk to him about his long career in wine and what spurred him to leap from marketing and talking about it only, to actually making it. Robert makes stunning Grenache and Grenache Rosé.
Alan Campbell and Craig Strehlow are the founders of CamLow Cellars. Craig is the former winegrower/winemaker with Keefer Ranch and Keefer Ranch wines where, for 13 years, he managed the vineyard and created a single vineyard Pinot Noir that was well known and well loved. Alan is a Sonoma County native and local photographer who captures the beauty of wine country and also takes on farming, winemaking, and wine growing -- just for fun.
CamLow makes two Pinot Noirs: one called Magna Porcum (we will discuss his obsession with pig) from the Green Valley of Russian River Valley and another Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, as well as a Rosé of Pinot Noir.
Some of the points we cover in the podcast...
- Why the guys decided to put themselves "out there" and start new wineries, which is really difficult to do.
- We talk with Alan, Craig, and Robert about their history of home winemaking and how it turned into these two cool projects (or Projekt, in Robert's case).
- Alan and Craig talk about their love of pig, food, and the nuance of making and growing Pinot in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma, California.
- We reveal Robert's big secret: He is kind of a Public Relations force in Sonoma who has been in the biz a long time. Then we ask him the big question: why make wine now? Why get out of big wine and make a go of a wine project?
In the latter half of the podcast, we get into a big discussion about the business of being a small wineries -- the fun, the craftsmanship of being a small winery, the hardship of doing everything yourself when you start up, and how the federal government makes it so hard for the small guy to succeed in wine.
This is a lively, quick conversation -- I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Thanks to this week's sponsor who makes the podcast possible!
The Great Courses Plus -- who makes you smarter and more well rounded! With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter! For a free trial, go to thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
In this episode, I talk to the Zinmasters of the Dry Creek Valley, Andrew & April Nalle. Nalle has been making Zinfandel in a milder style than most other wineries -- with balance, acidity, & finesse for nearly 40 years. Andrew recently took over the winery from his dad, Zin legend Doug Nalle. The Nalle story -- it's past and future -- is a family story and one that represents the small producers of Sonoma well.
A few things we discuss...
- Nalle's 100+ year family history in Dry Creek Valley and its history with making wine.
- The power of Zinfandel and how it doesn't have to be what you traditionally think of when you think of the grape.
- April Nalle's fascinating background in grower relations, and how she made it as one of the only women in a male dominated field
- Andrew's winemaking philosophy, what he's learned from his dad and how he will carry forward the Nalle Zin tradition
- We nerd out about Zin, about the land, and about the mother of the Zin vine, Crjlenak Kastelanski, which Andrew has tried!
- Finally we wrap by talking about Andrew and April's thoughts for the future, as they take over from Andrew's folks.
Truly normal people, who make great wine! www.nallewinery.com
I recorded this podcast at the Peterson Winery tasting room while I was visiting Sonoma in support of the Sonoma Underground event I co-founded (www.undergroundwineevents.com).
This is a fascinating conversation with the force and Dry Creek Valley icon that is Fred Peterson, his son and Peterson's winemaker Jamie, and his daughter and head of sales and marketing, Emily.
As Fred discusses, following time in the military, he studied viticulture and winemaking and graduated with honors from UC Davis. After working in and around Santa Cruz for prestigious wineries as a vineyard manager, Fred came to Dry Creek Valley in 1983 to find and develop world-class vineyard properties.
Fred developed vineyards all over the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma County, including on Bradford Mountain, where most of the fruit for Peterson's top wine hails. In 1987, Fred, launched Peterson Winery.
Peterson Winery now makes an average of 8000 cases annually, all in many small lots from estate vineyards and from like-minded growers and friends.
Peterson produces many wines...
- 3V White Blend- Vermentino, Verdelho, Vernaccia
- Agraria — a proprietary Bordeaux/Cabernet Franc varietal blend
- Barbera
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Cabernet Sauvignon Port- dessert wine
- Carignane
- Grenache
- Merlot
- Mendo Blendo – Petite Sirah based blend
- Muscat Blanc — Dessert Wine
- Petite Sirah
- Petit Verdot
- Rosé
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Sangiovese — Dry Creek Valley and Il Granaio
- Syrah
- Vignobles- Red Rhone Style Blend
- Zinfandels — Dry Creek Valley, Tradizionale, Bradford Mountain, Bernier Zinyard, Warren Ranch, & Old School
- Zero Manipulation — an old-fashioned red blend
Please support our sponsor this week, who helps make the podcast possible:
Thanks to this week's sponsor who makes the podcast possible!
The Great Courses Plus -- who makes you smarter and more well rounded! With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter! For a free month trial, go to thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
This week I talk to Jake Bilbro, award-winning winemaker and winegrower of Limerick Lane Cellars in the Russian River of Sonoma. We discuss his family's history in Sonoma, how he came to own Limerick Lane, and his winemaking philosophies. A fascinating look at a young, famed small producer who represents the heart and soul of Sonoma.
Some show notes:
- Limerick Lane is a 30-acre estate in the northeast part of the Russian River valley in Sonoma County, California
- The vineyards were originally planted in 1910. Much of it is old vine Zinfandel and field blends of varietals interspersed with Zin, Syrah, Grenache and other grapes.
- Jake is a 4th generation winemaker and winegrower -- his passion and positivity is contagious!
- He makes outstanding rosé, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Rhône blends.
He's also participating in the Sonoma Underground event of small producers that I've co-founded!
*Note -- the podcast was recorded in the tasting room of Limerick Lane, so there is ambient noise. I apologize for imperfect sound.
Thanks to our (delicious) sponsor, HelloFresh:
A meal kit delivery service that shops, plans and delivers your favorite step-by-step recipes and pre-measured ingredients so you can just cook, eat and enjoy! Delivered right to your door, with a variety of chef-curated recipes that change weekly, this is a new way to eat and cook! We love it!
For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit www.hellofresh.com and enter WINE30. You won't regret it!
First off, we discuss Sonoma Underground, the event I'm co-producing on 24 February 2018 to showcase 15 amazing, "underground" producers in Sonoma that are hard to find, don't get the press they deserve, and make outstanding wines. Limited tickets available to you! Get yours: www.undergroundwineevents.com
Then we talk Syrah!
Syrah is one of tastiest grapes in the world but because it changes based on where it's grown, it can be a bit of a risk to buy. In this episode, we cover the fundamentals of Syrah, why it ranges in flavor and what to expect from the regions that make it.
Here are the show notes:
About the grape:
- Many different styles, many different faces
- Dark skinned, vigorous so have to tame it to get flavor
- Same as Shiraz NOT the same as Petit Sirah (cross of Syrah with Peloursin)
- Flavor depends on climate – you can’t generalize
- Lots of theories about its origins - but the wine is from the Rhône. It's a cross of Dureza in Ardeche and Mondeuse Blanche from Savoie
- Old World – plants based on total site (terroir, esp soil),
New World = climate, soil less important
Top Places that grow Syrah:
- France
- Australia
- Languedoc
- Spain
- Italy
- Argentina
- South Africa
- CA
- Chile
Climate:
- Low tolerance for too much heat and too little heat
- Buds late, ripens early – short growing season
Vinification:
- Co-fermentation – esp with Viognier (Côte Rôtie and Australia) – no more than 5%, with Marsanne and Roussanne in Hermitage (up to 15%)
- Stems and oak play a role
Places:
Rhône
- Northern Rhône:
- General flavors – peppery when less ripe, fruity and perfumed when more ripe
- Côte Rôtie: floral, roasted, bacon, lavender notes
- Hermitage: minerally, tannic, bacon, herbs
- Cornas – fruity, heavier, less nuanced
- Crozes –Hermitage and St-Joseph: flatter areas -- lighter, more peppery, floral, earthy, great values
- Southern Rhône
- Hot and dry, Syrah gets overripe – need cooler, north-facing sites to slow ripening, Grenache gets best sites, Syrah is part of the blend
- Known as an improver variety in Languedoc and Provence with Grenache and Mourvèdre
Australia
- Much hotter than Rhône – heavier styles
- Barossa: Benchmark Shiraz– chocolaty, dark fruit
- Best versions are dry-farmed
- Victoria, Canberra, Western Australia - More Rhône-like versions
- McLaren Vale: Different styles often like milk chocolate
- Clare Valley: dark cherry
- Sometimes blended with Cabernet Sauvignon
- Penfolds Grange is the most famed version
- Check out the podcasts with Simone Madden-Gray for more info!
United States:
- California: Dry Creek Valley, Paso, Central Coast areas, some Napa as GSMs or alone.
- Washington State: Some are big and full of plum, cooler sites in Yakima very nice with bacon. Outstanding in Walla Walla
Chile:
- Colchagua – warm, fruity
- San Antonio Valley – Limari and Elqui – lean with some fruit but not over the top
South Africa
- Swartland is the best – fruity, spicy, but restrained
New Zealand
- Needs hotter sites: Gimlet Gravels in Hawkes Bay, some in Marlborough
Italy
- Sicily, versions from Planeta, Used in Super Tuscans
Thanks to this week's sponsor who makes the podcast possible!
The Great Courses Plus -- who makes you smarter and more well rounded! With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter! For a free trial, go to thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
Of the 20,000 growers in Champagne, only a few make their own wine. In this podcast, fifth generation grower-producer Gaylord Legras of Champagne Legras-Frapart et Fils gives us the lowdown on how the vineyards operate, what's unique about grower Champagne, and how the business of Champagne really works.
Here are the show notes. We discuss:
- Gaylord's family history in Champagne and how they got into the growing business.
- Climate, terrain, soils, and unique advantages that the region has in growing grapes for sparkling wine.
- The different sub regions-- Montagne de Reims, Côtes des Blancs, Valle de la Marne, Aube.
- The importance of vintage Champagne and whether these more expensive bottles are worth the money.
- How grower wines differ from those of large houses (like Moët Chandon, which controls the 5 major wine brands in the area and more than 50% of wine made).
- The business structure of Champagne and its challenges and opportunities -- contracts with the big houses and how they are structured, the difference between the Houses and cooperatives, and more of the business challenges of growers in the region.
- Finally, we talk about how to find grower Champagnes by looking for RM (Recoltant Manipulant) on the bottle.
Champagne Legras-Frapart et Fils isn't available outside of France (unless you want to import it!) but you can see Gaylord and others if you head to Oiry, where his vineyards are located!
Please support our sponsor, who make the podcast possible:
Zola.com is the wedding company that will do anything for love. They are reinventing the wedding planning and registry experience to make the happiest moment in their couples' lives even happier. From engagement to wedding and decorating your first home, Zola is there, combining compassionate customer service with modern tools and technology. All in the service of love.
For a $50 registry credit, use my special URL: https://www.zola.com/wine
Other Champagne podcasts I mentioned...
Ep 167: Champagne -- The Region
Ep 148: Conversation with Champagne Laurent-Perrier President Michelle DeFeo
Ep 066: Sparkling Wine Options
Ep 026 Sparkling Wine - More Than Just Champagne
In this solo podcast, I give you a bunch of ideas to make gift giving and holiday pairing easy!
Here are the show notes:
- First I talk about potential all-purpose wines that will work for a lot of different holiday foods:
The reds:
- Sonoma, California Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon
- Chilean Syrah
- Côtes-du-Rhône (or Gigondas, Châteauneuf-du-Pape)
- Bordeaux -- specifically Merlot-based, and look for the Cru Bourgeois label
The whites:
- Santa Barbara, California Chardonnay
- South African or New Zealand Chardonnay
- Chenin Blanc from South Africa or Loire
- White Rhône blends from California or Rhône
Rhône producers I mentioned: E. Guigal, Chapoutier
-
Then I gift some questions to ask before buying wine as a gift for someone:
-
What do they usually drink?
- What do they eat?
-
What kind of person are they -- adventuresome or less so?
-
Finally I hit on gift ideas:
-
Waiter's corkscrew
- Sparkling wine stopper
- Foil cutter
- Vacuvin or just the stoppers
- Wine accessories gift set
- Jane Anson's "Wine Revolution: The World's Best Organic, Biodynamic, and Craft Wines"
- Oz Clarke books, including: "Grapes and Wines", which I love as an easy reference book
- A Wine for Normal People gift certificate!
- An Amazon gift certificate (where they can buy the stuff above, or starting in January you can send them to my winefornomalpeople.com and link to these and more wine gifts I recommend!)
- Plastic or stainless steel ice cubes
Thank you to our sponsor:
The Great Courses Plus -- who makes you smarter and more well rounded! With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter! For a free month trial, go to thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
Happy Holidays! Thank you for listening and for you being such an awesome audience!
Central Otago is known among wine dorks as a Pinot Noir mecca. We're lucky that regular podcast guest host Simone Madden-Grey is from this region! In this episode, she gives us the skinny on climate, soil, top wines, travel tips, and what's next for the wines of the region.
Here are the show notes:
-
Simone gives us a bit of background on the region and talks about its origins in 1975 – 1980 when pioneersRipon, Chard Farm, Gibbston Valley Wines started
-
We get into detail on geography:
- Southernmost growing region in the world with Patagonia – at 45˚ south latitude
- Climate: Alpine climate, with short and hot summers and really cold winters, great day to night temperature swings
- Southern Alps: Run down middle of South Island. Rain shadow from the wet weather from West.
- Gorges, lakes, rivers mean abundant water for viticulture
- Soils: ancient glaciers, quartz and silica in the soils but when the gold rush happened, the soil was stripped and now producers are trying to restore it
-
We discuss New Zealand's dedication to its Sustainable Winegrowing Program, biodynamics, and organics and the "Clean and Green" mentality of New Zealand
-
We talk about the main grapes and wine profiles of Central Otago – Pinot noir, Chardonnay, Pinot blanc, Tempranillo (Brennan Wines is mentioned)
-
We discuss aromatic whites and their potential in the region: Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris, white field blends
-
We discuss the subregions and how they are new and just starting to define themselves
- Wanaka – arrived, Ripon
- Gibbston, Bannockburn – up and coming
- Bendigo – Prophet’s Rock, Quartz Reef (vineyards)
-
We do a deeper dive into Pinot Noir, discussing it's unique character when it's from Central Otago. Famed Pinot Wineries mentioned: Rippon, Quartz Reef, Chard Farm, Gibbston Valley Felton Road, Mt Difficulty
- We finish up with some travel tips from Simone and a plug for anyone interested in applying for the New Zealand Wine Growers Sommit –a scholarship for those working in the wine industry in the USA!
Please follow Simone:
www.happywinewoman.com
Instagram: Happy Wine Woman
Thanks to this week's sponsor who makes the podcast possible!
The Great Courses Plus -- who makes you smarter and more well rounded! With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter! For a free month trial, go to thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
This week, we revive the Grape Miniseries from podcasts of old to bring you: Sangiovese! The star of Central Italy that does amazing things when taken care of.
Here are the notes:
History of Sangiovese
- Spotty history -- probably has existed a long time but wasn't mentioned until the 1500s.
- The name likely comes from the monks in Santarcangelo di Romagna at foot of Monte Giove, who chose the name of sanguis Jovis when forced to call wine by name other than vino. It could have also come from the ancient language of Etruscans, who used similar to words for an offer to the gods
Grape origins
- Probably from Sicily and Calabria – in 16th century there were grape exchanges between northern and southern Italian regions
- A cross of two reds: Ciliegiolo and Calabrese di Montenuovo
Climate, land, soil
- Needs warmth to ripen, but not too much
- Ripens better in Montalcino than Chianti – nights are warmer, less rainfall in Montalcino
- Chianti – only 10% of the land good for cineyards
- Maremma – rich, broad, hot with short growing season. High alcohol, low aroma
- Autralia – Canberra in NSW, other warm areas show promise
- California – more intense sunlight, different character
-
Soils –Tuscan soil is varied. The best for Sangiovese is galestro and albarese
- Soils are a challenge for New World Sangiovese winemakers
Winemaking
- Important to get ripeness in the vineyard
- Traditional aging in large casks of Slavonian oak or Chestnut
- Modern styles use small French oak barriques
- Sangiovese is often blended – Canaille Nero, Coloring, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah are popular partners
- Sangio needs extra color, richness – low in acylated anthocyanins means light color
Sangiovese Flavors
- Light juicy wine or huge complex ones or harsh
- Traditional wines: cherries, violets, tomatoe, herbs, tea-like notes, high acid, high tannin, not fruity
- International wines: vanilla, spice, oak, dark fruit, higher alcohol
Return of the Clones:
- Clones – color, flavor, concentration of fruity, 102 clones of Sangiovese
- 1988 – Chianti Classico Conzorzio with Universities of Pisa and Florence– launched Chianti Classsico 2000 project to improved quality
Found in:
- Italy: Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Marche, Puglia, Sicily, Umbria
- US: Napa, Sonoma, Santa Barbara. Washington State, New Mexico
- Other North America: Mexico, Ontario, BC
- Australia – growing
- Other New World: NZ, South Africa, Chile, Argentina, Brazil etc
The difference in Tuscan wines using Sangiovese:
- Maremma: dark black fruit, herbal
- Chianti Classico – cooler – sour cherry, red berry, violet, tea leaf
- Brunello di Montalcino – 100% Sangiovese, different depending on where it's grown in the appellation
- Vino Nobile di Montepulciano – earthy, rich, lovely
- Emilia-Romagna – dark, dense, richer than Tuscan versions
- Marche – Rosso Piceno, Rosso Conero – usually blended with Montepulciano – can be gloppy
- Umbria -- fuller, denser than Tuscan versions
Thanks to our sponsors this week!
For a free month of amazing video lectures from The Great Courses Plus, go to my special URL: thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
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Some in the U.S. wine industry say cannabis legalization will create a war between wine& weed for limited resources & consumer interest. But George Christie, from the Wine Industry Network (the leading business resource for the wine industry), thinks collaboration could lead to great things for both parties. After you hear his ideas, you may just agree.
Here are the show notes:
-
We discuss how George acquired expertise on this topic, through a hugely successful "Wine and Weed Symposium" (http://wine-weed.com) that brought wine producers and cannabis professionals together in a room in the North Coast of California.
-
We talk about the wine press and its portrayal of "Cannabis Cannibalization" -- meaning the weed industry is taking essential resources from the wine industry like water, land, and especially labor. We parse what's true and what's not.
-
We talk about the overlap between the wine and weed industries -- the differences, and why wine and weed are being linked rather than beer and weed or cigarettes and weed. We cover:
-
The money involved in both industries
- Distribution challenges
- Lobbying
- Track and trace issues/govt' control
-
Evolution of the industry -- big v small guys
-
We'll hypothesize about some things for the future:
- Potential for import/export and how that will evolve
- The fact that weed has a much more flexible growing season(s) and can be grown indoors (we can cover the indoor v outdoor quality issue/terroir), making it far more profitable and flexible, and harder to regulate!
Thanks to this week's sponsor who makes the podcast possible!
The Great Courses Plus -- who makes you smarter and more well rounded! With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter! For a free month trial, go to thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
This week, regular guest host and UK wine shop owner of Jaded Palates, Ian Renwick, helps us sort out what Brexit is and why it is so important to the wine trade.
Part politics and history lesson, this episode aims to give you context about the EU, it's historical significance with the UK and why Brexit is such a big deal for the wine trade in the UK, Europe, and countries like Australia, the US and Chile too.
Show notes:
-
We give historical background on the political and economic union of 28 member states in Europe that covers 510 MM people and accounts for 22% of global GDP and 7.3% of world’s population
-
We address the question: What is Brexit? More than just the merging of the words "Britain" and "exit" following the vote to leave the EU.
-
We discuss the economic ramifications of the UK leaving the EU and what that will mean for wine -- especially vis a vis currency fluctuation and tariffs.
-
We provide context on why the UK is so important -- including the fact that 71% of UK’s adult population drink wine!
-
We discuss the often cited scenarios for the wine industry in the UK and it's ripple effect on the global market as put forth by Kym Anderson of the University of Adelaide and Glyn Wittwer of Victoria University in their model of global wine markets (http://blogs.sussex.ac.uk/uktpo/files/2016/11/Briefing-Paper-9.pdf)…
-
We both offer our thoughts on what Brexit will probably do to the global wine market (not as bad as you think!).
Thanks to this week's sponsors who make the podcast possible!
-
Lovepop – Who is reimagining cards and how you buy them! Send someone joy in an envelope! Go to lovepop.com/wine for special offers!
-
The Great Courses Plus -- who makes you smarter and more well rounded! With thousands of outstanding video lectures that you can watch or listen to any time and anywhere, The Great Courses Plus is an easy way to stimulate your brain and make you smarter! For a free month trial, go to thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
Our 2017 version of the U.S Thanksgiving podcast was actually done via Facebook live, but we recorded it & edited it down for replay. We tried to limit the options to give you a few wine options, rather than a million! Enjoy! We are thankful for you!
Some of the wines we recommend:
Whites: Off-dry Riesling, off-dry Vouvray/Chenin Blanc, Alsace Riesling, Viognier, Rhône, Torrontés
Reds: Cru Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages, fruity Zinfandel, Merlot, Right Bank (Merlot-based) Bordeaux, New Zealand Pinot Noir
Also mentioned: Online Wine Classes with Elizabeth are at live at www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
We are so grateful for you! Have a happy, safe Thanksgiving!
This week we are honored to have as our guest Jacopo Cossater, wine writer for the biggest wine blog in Italy, Intravino, on the show to discuss the Italian wine region he calls home: Umbria.
Umbria is the 4th smallest wine producing region of Italy, but its wines are exquisite and unlike anything else you'll ever have.
Here are the show notes:
-
First we discuss where Umbria is and what it is:
-
Only Italian region without coastline nor international border –
- Lush, rolling hills, hilltop villages
- Between Tuscany, Marche, and Lazio
-
Whites and reds are important here and quality on the rise
-
We talk about the wines:
Orvieto
- In southern Umbria, 80 miles north of Rome
- Volcanic and tufa soils
- Common Grapes:
- Trebbiano Tocscano (Ugni Blanc)
- Grechetto: Finer wine, good for structure
- Malvasia: Floral, effusive aromatics
- Orvieto DOC: Can be lesser quality, better to seek out Orvieto Classico DOC
- Lago di Corbara DOC
Torgiano
- Located south of Perugia
- Common Grapes: Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo (sometimes bottled as a varietal here)
- Rosso di Torgiano DOC: Sangiovese, Canaiolo
- Torgiano Rosso Riserva DOCG: The first wine to gain DOC (and later DOCG) status in Umbria: 50–70% Sangiovese, 15–30% Canaiolo, up to 15% other grapes like Ciliegiolo or Montepulciano.
- Recommended Producers: Cantine Lungarotti.
- Torgiano is home to Italy’s most important wine museum, Museo del Vino
Montefalco (Sagrantino and Rosso di Montefalco)
- 30 miles southeast of Perugia.
- Set up well for tourism and visiting
Sagrantino
- Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG: ageworthy red wines
- Required to be at least 95% Sagrantino, the wines must be aged for 30 months; at least 12 of those months in oak barrels
- Tannic, big wine. Used to be used for sacramental purposes
- Responsible for the revolution in Umbrian reds
- Pricey, but one worth holding
- Rosso di Montefalco: Sangiovese based red with a touch of Sagrantino
- 60–70% Sangiovese, 10–15% Sagrantino and 15–30% other grapes, often Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Structure, fullness in wine, with lots of flavor
Jacopo's Producer Hit List:
Montefalco Sagrantino (wine): Adanti, Arnaldo Caprai, Antonelli, Paolo Bea, Tabarrini, Fattoria Colleallodole, Scacciadiavoli, Di Filippo, Fratelli Pardi, Romanelli, Tenuta Bellafonte, Raína Orvieto Classico (wine): Palazzone, Barberani, Decugnano dei Barbi, Castello di Corbara Orvieto (area): Castello della Sala (Antinori), Falesco Torgiano Rosso Riserva (wine): Lungarotti, Terre Margaritelli Perugia (area): Conestabile della Staffa, Marco Merli, La Spina, Cantina Margò, Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio, Cantina Cenci Ciliegiolo di Narni (wine): Leonardo Bussoletti Trebbiano Spoletino (wine): Collecapretta Grechetto di Todi (wine): Peppucci, Roccafiore Terni (area): La Palazzola And thanks to our sponsors who make the podcast possible:
The Great Courses Plus:
This week watch "Brain Myths Exploded: Lessons from Neuroscience", specifically the lecture "Can Certain Foods Make You Smarter" to learn about the effects of red wineon the brain!
For a free month of unlimited Great Courses Plus lectures go to: www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
HelloFresh:
A meal kit delivery service that shops, plans and delivers your favorite step-by-step recipes and pre-measured ingredients so you can just cook, eat and enjoy! Delivered right to your door, with a variety of chef-curated recipes that change weekly, this is a new way to eat and cook! We love it!
For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, visit www.hellofresh.com and enter WINE30. You won't regret it!
Tom Wark, executive director of the National Association of Wine Retailers (Winefreedom.org), wine PR guru, and author of Fermentation Wine Blog gives a fascinating look at the history of US wine law, current inane laws (unconstitutional) on interstate wine shipping, and the ripple effects for wine producers, importers, and drinkers.
*Note: This issue is not a democrat v republican issue, so if you fear this will be a partisan conversation, both sides are restricting consumer rights and there is no discussion of party politics in the show.
Even if you are not an American listener, the history and politics of the world's biggest market (by volume) and the restrictive environment in which wine is sold will shock and amaze you.
Here are some of the issues we tackle in the conversation:
1.The issues with retailers shipping between states and why consumers and retailers and hamstrung by regulation 2. The historical background -- from the 1700s to today on how the US became so protectionist about alcohol. Nerdy details include.. * Why the current laws violate the spirit of the Articles of Confederation and then the Constitution of the United States * The Pre- and Post- Prohibition eras, Constitutional Amendments and a violation of the Commerce Clause of the US Constitution * Granholm v. Heald, a 2005 case that should have resolved this and why it didn't * Implications for consumers, retailers, small producers, and importers, and why we need to use our voices to stop the politics
- A discussion of "the money" and why the Wholesalers rule our choice in every state. 4. The New York Times article by Eric Asimov and why New York and New Jersey retailers may soon be suffering. 5. What's next? What can we do to promote free trade and help the mission here? The essential mission American consumers have and the importance of signing up for Winefreedom.org and getting our voices heard! And finally, an invitation from Tom -- if you know any state legislators in the US, contact him!
Halloween is, by far, our favorite holiday so this year we're reviewing fun traditions from around the world and matching wines with them. From the blood of Jupiter to drinking wine from a skull, we've got a spooktacular tradition for you to adopt!
Here are the 7 traditions we cover and the wines to match:
-
SAMHAIN: IRELAND AND SCOTLAND
-
Ireland is the birthplace of modern Halloween.
- Origins were in Celtic and Pagan rituals and a festival called Samhain or Samhuinn (end of the light half of the year)
-
DRINKS: Scotch, Irish whiskey, Chilean wine – the most popular wine type in Ireland
-
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS: MEXICO
-
From November 1 to November 2, Mexico and parts of Latin America celebrate Día de los Muertos, which combines Aztec rituals with Catholic ones.
- Offerings are left for weary ghosts. For the souls of children, families leave out toys and candy, adults get shots of mezcal and cigarettes!
-
DRINKS: Mezcal or Mexican wine from Valle de Guadalupe or Spanish wine to honor the roots of Mexico drunk out of a skull, the symbol of Dia de los Muertos
-
KAWASAKI HALLOWEEN PARADE: JAPAN
-
At the end of every October for the past 21 years, there is the Kawasaki Halloween Parade. It's huge and elaborate:In 2016 more than 130,000 people attended.
-
DRINKS: SAKE, Champagne/Cremant
-
PANGANGALULUWA: THE PHILIPPINES
-
On night of All Saints’ Day – November 1st -- children go door to door, often in costumes, to ask for prayers for those in purgatory.
-
DRINKS: Tropical fruit, rice, sugar cane and coffee make "wine" in the Philippines, so so something with big American oak that has coconut flavors– Rioja or Zin in American oak will do!
-
THE HUNGRY GHOST FESTIVAL: Hong Kong/China
-
The hungry ghost festival is a month or two earlier than Halloween but has similar traditions! Chinese people make efforts to appease restless ghosts, and feed their own ancestors. Food and drink are left out to sate the appetite of the hungry ghosts.
-
DRINKS: French wine, since it’s the most popular wine type imported into China. Either Bordeaux or Burgundy, especially the 2015s which have been exceptional!
-
OGNISSANTI: Italy (called I Santi on 11/1 and I Morti on 11/2)
-
Halloween is becoming more popular in Italy but many still celebrate All Saint’s Day. Italians visit the graves of loved ones who have passed, place a red candle in the window at sunset, and set a place at the table for those spirits they hope will visit.
- Every year the Catholic Church reminds people that Halloween is a “heathen tradition” but it's still becoming more mainstream!
-
Halloween-y wines: Aglianico del Vulture, anything from Sangiovese (blood of Jupiter),
-
ALL SAINTS' DAY AND ALL SOULS' DAY: Germany
-
Similar to all Christians, on this day Germans honor the lives of the saints who died for their Catholic beliefs, as well as the souls of dead family members.
- But they have an added tradition: hiding their kitchen knives so that returning spirits won't be accidentally harmed (or use the knives to harm the living)...Hear M.C. Ice's theory on this one in the 'cast!
- Halloween-y wines: Walk a knife’s edge with high acid Rheingau Riesling or emulate blood with Apätburgunder from Rheinhessen
Happy Halloween!
A stone's throw from Bordeaux are wine regions that have been around longer & make extraordinary wines that taste like nothing else. The whites & reds of SW France will thrill you! Although under the radar,they aren't that obscure & are worth knowing about.
Here are the show notes:
Region Overview:
- Inland and south of Bordeaux
- Goes from Aquitaine (Bordeaux and outskirts) to Midi-Pyrenees
- Regions closer to the Atlantic – on the other side is the Languedoc
-
TWO AREAS:
- Those that are close to and similar to Bordeaux
- closer to the Pyrenees, which use mainly native grapes to create different and sometimes outstanding wines.
- We discuss the relationship between Bordeaux and Southwest France from an historical perspective and then dive into the regions.
- In the Dordogne/Bergerac, subregion we hit on:
- Bergerac: red, dry white, and sweet white wines. Reds are Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Merlot. Whites are Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc.
- Pécharmant: less character and balance than Bordeaux Superieur AOP for the same price
- Monbazillac: sweet botrytized whites of Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle
-
In the Garonne subregion:
-
Buzet: Reds of Merlot, with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Cahors: Malbec: the most well-known region in Southwest France
- Fronton: Red wine appellation uses the Négrette grape: like blackcurrant, blackberry, raspberry, pepper, violets, licorice, and can be rustic or even kind of steak-like in flavor but can also be fruity and light depending on the terroir and the blend. Also uses Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and the spicy, peppery Fer making up the rest of the blend.
- *Gaillac:*
- Gaillac Rouge AOP = At least 40% is the local Duras and Fer (pr. FAIR) red grapes, both are spicy. Also Syrah, Gamay, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon used in lesser proportions.
- Gaillac Blanc AOP - blends of the floral, citrusy, acidic Len de L’El, apple-y Mauzac, floral Muscadelle, and Sauvignon Blanc.
- Gaillac Perlé (pr. guy-AHK pear-LAY): slightly sparkling made of Mauzac.
- Gaillac Doux: Sweet, mainly late harvest wines.
- Gascony subregion
- Madiran: Uses mainly Tannat with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Fer
- Béarn subregion
- Jurançon:
- Jurançon (sec) is dry, with green apple, honey, green herb, and crushed rock notes. Uses the Gros Manseng grape!
- Whites are also made into lightly sparkling (moulleux) wine and Jurançon doux, a sweet wine made mainly of the soft, floral Petit Manseng
- French Basque country:
- Irouléguy: fruity, tannic red wines and full-bodied, tangy whites. Most reds are Tannat/Cab Franc/Cab Sauvignon blends. Whites like Jurançon.
Thanks to this week's sponsor: The Great Courses Plus! Watch thousands of video lectures from your phone, tv, or now stream audio from the courses! Sign up for a free month by going to www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
We discuss the wildfires raging in the North Coast of California and give ideas on what that could mean for the industry. Then we talk about one of the best (maybe unknown) value regions for wine in the world, Rapel Valley in Chile and its sub regions!
Our 2017 list of top 10 wines for fall (or early spring if you're in the southern hemisphere!)! The smell of falling leaves is here & it's time for a change from crisp, refreshing sippers to something heavier, earthier, and better with warm, hearty food.
Here's the list:
-
Malbec from Cahors (France)
-
Cabernet Franc from:
Long Island, New York (US)
Virginia (US)
Chinon or Bourgueil from Loire Valley (France) -
Red Bordeaux (France)
-
Fiano di Avellino, a white from Campania (Italy)
-
Aglianico, a red from Campania (Italy) especially Taurusi
-
Nebbiolo-based wines from Piedmont (Italy) especially Barolo, Barbaresco, Langhe
-
Sangiovese-based wines from Tuscany, Umbria or other parts of Italy especially Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Brunello or Rosso di Montalcino
-
Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc or the WHITE grapes that go into it: Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne, and Marsanne from Paso Robles, California (US)
-
Syrah from the northern Rhône or from Paso Robles, California
-
Rioja (Spain) -- Tempranillo only for M.C. Ice, the traditional Rioja blend for Elizabeth
Enjoy! And a great thanks to our sponsor: The Great Courses Plus
Go to: www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine for a free month!
We received two verysimilar listener questions so it was time to make a podcast of it! They were....
Caryn R: I am trying to learn more about aroma and taste. How does one discern that a wine has notes of pineapple and honeysuckle, for example? Is all of that really true or just marketing? Can i learn to smell and taste with more nuance?
Ted A: I'd like you to discuss palate. Can it be enhanced? How do you improve your palate? Do some people like me just not have a great palate, and it can't be improved?
We address all the questions above:
- First we discuss the biology and building blocks of aroma
- We talk about a number of categories of aromas from a chemical perspective (which, actually, as I look at them, remind me of names from Game of Thrones!): Esters, Pyrazines, Terpenes, and Thiols. Lots of great info on http://winefolly.com/review/where-wine-flavors-come-from/
- We discuss some other broader smell categories and what they manifest as in wine: oak, botrytis, and the yeast brettanomyces too!
- Then we give you some action items:
- How to separate broad categories: fruit v herb v earth v other stuff
- How to become a student of smell and flavor by paying attention
- The importance of slowing down to experience wine and food more fully
- How to learn what certain structure terms mean by tasting certain things
And finally, non-conventional advice like: don't buy aroma kits and stop with the blind tasting, already!
Enjoy!
Special thanks to our sponsors:
www.hellofresh.com - use the code Wine30 to get $30 your first week of meals!
www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine -- don't forget to check out: The Everyday Gourmet: Rediscovering the Lost Art of Cooking for the tasting class we discuss!
After a few listener questions on what WFNP was, is, and will be, we hit restart. We talk about: What if you or a friend were new to wine? How should they approach the subject? Where should they start? We answer & then add a few words from our 1st listener, Douglas Trapasso.
Here are the show notes:
-
We answer:
-
What is Wine for Normal People?
- Who are our listeners?
- How did WFNP get started and where is it going?
-
The climate of wine now v. when we started
-
We then shift gears and address the topic of introducing wine novices to wine appreciation. Phase one of the intro involves:
-
Do a little research before you drink. Mainly on yourself - figure out what kinds of foods you like to eat. NOT For pairing – for finding wines that fit your profile.
- Go by fruit groups, start with wines that taste like fruit, Don't start sweet
- Buy the best version you feel comfortable buying (a tier or two above normal)
- Have them with cheese or food
-
Take note of what you like. Explore that grape from different places. Then find things that are similar
-
Phase 2 involves:
-
Listen to the podcast on topics you like. Read or listen in digestible bits. Do you like history? Do you like food? Do you like travel? Architecture? Science? What do you like to read about or know about? Wine has it all. Start with whatever topic is fascinating vis a vis wine.
- Read Wine Folly or Vine Pair to get digestible bits of info
- Remember: what grows together, goes together
- Be an explorer – keep pushing yourself into new wines, don’t get hung up on 1 wine type because you like it. If you don’t like a wine or a region, keep at it. Try at least 1 a year from various classic regions – BTG or buy a bottle. Just to check in on your palate evolution.
- Keep reading, keep listening, take WFNP classes, which will soon be online
Contest!! If you bring two friends who want to know more about wine, and have them like the page and listen to the podcast. I'll pick one of these groups and reward them with a free online live chat on any wine topics they wish. Post on Social Media with their names and I'll select a winning group!
Named from the stone cellars (cavas) in which the wine is matured, Cava is Spain's premier sparkling wine but it has a lot of quirks and variations, all of which we discuss in the podcast. From unique grapes to diverse sourcing areas to a new top tier classification, we cover it all. Hopefully the show will give you insight into why this wine is so special and why it holds so much potential for becoming even better!
Here are the show notes:
Overview of regions and grapes:
- Cava is from Catalonia and other regions – 95% in Penedes, Sant Sadurni d’Anoia – home of the largest producers like Codorníu and Freixenet, Seguras Viudas
- Other areas – Rioja, Navarra, Valencia, Aragon, Basque Country, Castilla y Leon, and a few more
- Most have Mediterranean climate, moderate rain and vienyards are at altitude
- The wine is made as white or rosado
- White grapes: Macabeo (most used, also called Viura), Parellada, Xarel-lo, Chardonnay
- Red grapes: Garnacha, Monastrell, Pinot Noir
-
Because the grapes are mainly native ones, you can’t compare the flavors to Champagne except in production methods
- Made like Champagne
- Same sweetness levels of Champagne in order of driest to sweetest: Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Seco, Seco, Semiseco, Dulce
History:
- First made in 1851
- Josep Raventos traveled through Europe in 1860s – shilling Cordorniu’s wines (married into the family) but thought Spain could make its own Champagne.Made his own in 1872.
- For the first century of their existence, the wines were called Champaña. 1970s -- international laws,enforced and the wine became Cava.
-
Top brands:
- Raventós i Blanc
- Gramona (organic)
- Recaredo (biodynamic)
- Mestres
- Bohigas
- Castellroig
-
New top classification for the category, the Cava de Paraje Calificado.
- Only vintage dated, only single vineyard – like a burgundy climat
- Other specifications around acidification, aging levels
The first 12 Cava de Parade sites and their owners: * Vinyes de Can Martí – Torelló * Turó d’en Mota – Recaredo * Serral del Vell – Recaredo * Vallcirera – Alta Alella * La Capella – Juvé i Camps * Can Sala – Freixenet * La Pleta – Codorníu * El Tros Nou – Codorníu * La Fideuera – Codorníu * Can Prats – Vins el Cep * Font de Jui – Gramona * Terroja – Castellroig
In a small area of Piedmont is a hidden gem that makes some of the best value Nebbiolo and most unique whites of Italy, Arneis. If you love Italy and want to add to the list of gems, this podcast is a MUST listen!
Show Notes:
-
We give an overview of Piedmont, Italy and where Roero fits in to the mix -- it makes Nebbiolo and a unique white called Arneis
-
We discuss the small size of Roero 1100 ha/2700 acres of which most of it is Arneis with some limited growing of Nebbiolo. We chat about the advantages of Roero and how its polyculture will serve it well in years to come!
-
We do the requisite history dork out (you know I can't help myself!): discussing the long heritage, the Roero family, and how Roero started its rise in the wine pantheon
-
Dorking out further, we cover the geology of Roero:
-
How it was part of the Golfo Padano, a sea that receded
- The relevance of sand soils to the wine
-
The importance of the Tanaro River and its changing course
-
We talk wine styles:
-
Nebbiolo
- Softer, earlier maturing than those wines but can be bold and aromatic that can be bottled under simple Nebbiolo d’Alba or under Roero DOCG
- GREAT VALUE
- Various levels to explore: Romero DOCG, Roero Reserve DOCG, NEW: After 8 years – subzone classification map of top vineyard sites in Roero – “Grand Cru”
-
Arneis
- Roero Arneis is minerally and expressive, mild in acidity, but the soils add complexity and minerality.
- Arenas was planted to get birds and bugs away from Nebbiolo b/c it’s more aromatic
- Various levels to explore: Roero Arneis DOCG, Roero Arneis Riserva DOCG, Roero Arneis Spumante DOCG
Some producers mentioned:
- Vietti
- Bruno Giacosa
- Luciano Sandrone
- Matteo Correggia
Thanks to https://winesofroero.com
AND...
Special thanks to our sponsor this week:
The Great Courses Plus
Go to www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine for a month free trial of over 8,000 lectures!!!
In March 2017, I went to Mosel & spoke with Dr. Dirk Richter, 9th generation owner/operator of Max Ferd. Richter. The wines are stunning and Dr. Richter's explanation of Mosel wine, history, and culture will be the best you'll ever hear.
http://en.maxferdrichter.de/en/
The distinguished Dr. Dirk Richter:
Wines we discussed:
"Zeppelin Label" Mulheimer Sonnenlay Riesling ($14):
Richter Estate Riesling (we discuss '15 and '16), $17
2015 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, $20
2015 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese, $20
Veldenzer Elisenberg Riesling Spätlese ($25) and Auslese ($50)
Ian Renwick, owner of Jaded Palates wine in the UK and occasional co-host returns to talk about a recent trip to Tejo, Portugal. It's a fascinating region experiencing a renaissance and we give you the inside line on the best wines to seek out!
Special thanks to this week's sponsor, The Great Courses Plus! Check out my special URL to get a free month of access to amazing video lectures: thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
This time, an outstanding interview with Oded Shakked of the small Russian River Valley producer, Longboard Vineyards. Although he's been making wine for most of his life in California, Oded is originally from Israel and has a global perspective on wine, winemaking, and wine business that's refreshing and fascinating. He's fantastic and all his wines are delicious, well-balanced, and all are made to accompany food.
Here are the show notes:
- Oded shares his amazing story, from being a kid in Israel to discovering surfing, traveling the world, and then winding up at UC Davis in Sonoma to study winemaking.
- We talk about what things used to be like in Napa and Sonoma, and what a winemaking degree from UC Davis gave to Oded that was so valuable.
- Oded discusses his love of Sonoma and why it's so special to him.
- We discuss the changes that have occurred over the years in Sonoma and what Oded has seen in the food and wine scene -- for good and bad.
- Oded is a deep thinker. We tap into some of that brain power when he discusses his philosophy on food and wine, and how it helps him makes wines of balance
- Since he is one of the few winemakers in California that does a full line of still wine and also makes a Methode Champenoise sparkling wine, he uses this unique experience to tell us the differences in mentality you need to make each type of wine (a very cool discussion).
- We chat about Syrah (Oded's is stunning!) and why it isn't as popular as it should be.
All in all a fascinating conversation with a great winemaker, a guy with great perspective on the last 30 years in Sonoma, and an all around nice person!
Go visit Longboard when you're in Healdsburg: https://www.longboardvineyards.com
Rosé is so popular now that the market is flooded. So the question now is not just do you want rosé, but what kind? How do you figure it out? There are some ways to choose the kind of pink for you! This podcast gives you heuristics to get a perfect bottle!
Here are the show notes:
The four ways to make rosé:
-
LIMITED SKIN MACERATION
-
Crush the grapes
- Leave them in contact with the skins like a red wine
- Soak them for a little while – like 2 hours to 2 days or so (red wines are weeks or months)
-
Longer maceration, the darker the wine, the more tannin, the more red wine character
-
DIRECT PRESSING
-
Similar to limited skin maceration, direct pressing -- contact with the skins for an extremely short period of time.
- No maceration, press and get skins away, make it like a white wine
-
Some color in the juice, lightest rose of all
-
SAIGNÉE METHOD
-
The saignée, or “bleeding,” method makes rosé AND red wine
- Started as a way to concentrate reds.
- Early in the maceration process, remove or “bleed” some of the juice from the tank.
-
Vinified separately as a rosé
-
BLENDING
-
White + red = rosé
- Prohibited for quality wines in Europe except Champagne
- Style varies from light to heavy depending on the amount and type of red wine used in the blend
Grapes/areas and flavors:
French styles:
- Provence – salmon colored, Grenache lead with Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvedre: fruity, berry, cherry, with orange, saline, hay/dried grass or meadow, stony, floral, berry notes, bone dry, acidic, strawberry, fresh-cut watermelon, and rose petal, finishing with a distinctive, salty minerality on the palate
- Rhone: Tavel: only 100% rose appellation. Lots of structure and character – Grenache and Cinsault, 9 grapes authorized, ages well
- Sancerre, Burgundy, Alsace, Germany Pinot Noir: acidity and soft, subtle aromas of watermelon, raspberries, cherry, strawberries, and stream. Earthy, elegant, Bone dry
- Bandog from Provence: Mourvedre. Full bodied, richer, darker
- Loire: Cab Franc/Cab Sauv/Grolleau/Gamay Rose – can be dark red, bone dry, floral, herbal
Spain:
- Tempranillo lead: Savory, heavy color – herbal, peppery, watermelon, strawberry, heavier, earthy, floral
- Basque Txakolina Rosado: berries, spritzy, salinity, low alcohol
Italy:
- Red fruit, flowers/roses, citrus, savory
- AKA – Rosato, Cerasuolo, Ramato
New World:
- Syrah lead: bolder, more like a light red – strawberry, pepper, cherry, peach
- Cab Sauv: deep ruby red color with typical Cab notes: green bell pepper, cherry, black currant and black pepper
- White Zin: 85% of Zin production. Off-dry, sticky sweet.
- Carignan lead – common in CA: red berries, citrus
- Malbec: In Argentina
- Any combo possible, as well as sugar and blending white and red
Remember, it's ok to drink rosé once fall begins!
Thanks to our sponsor The Great Courses! www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
Lambrusco is a family of grapes & a wine made from those grapes that's usually red, fizzy & refreshing! Made in Emilia-Romagna, east of Tuscany, this ancient gem got a bad rep in the 1980s but is making a comeback! We'll tell you how to get the good stuff!
You know Marlborough and its tasty Sauvignon Blanc and you may know New Zealand makes Pinot Noir too, but Bordeaux blends and Syrah? YES! Hawke's Bay is New Zealand's second largest wine district and it rocks. Simone, our Australia and New Zealand correspondent, tells us all about it in this fabulous podcast!
First we give a Hawke's Bay Overview
- It's the 2nd largest industry after Marlborough with about 10% of NZ total production
- It's New Zealand's leading producer of full-bodied reds: 88% of New Zealand's red production of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes in 2016.
- The area makes rich, complex Chardonnays too
- Started in 1851, Hawke's Bay is one of New Zealand's oldest wine regions
Then we talk location and climate:
- The area is on the east coast of the North Island in and around the cities of Napier and Hastings
- The climate is maritime climate at coast and more continental as you move inland
- Hawke's Bay is one of the most versatile wine-producing regions in New Zealand -- with multiple mesoclimates, solis, slopes, etc.
- Sub-regions -- Coast, hillsides, alluvial plains (Gimblett Gravels), river valleys, and continental areas
The grapes of the area:
- Reds: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinot Noir
- Whites: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and other aromatic whites
And finally, the wineries Simone shared in the podcast:
-
Clearview Estate*
-
Greywacke*
-
Elephant Hill*
-
Craggy Range*
-
Stonecroft**
-
Vidal
-
Villa Maria*
-
Bilancia**
-
Trinity Hill**
*= available in the United States
**=limited in the United States
Get on these wines! They are spectacular!
Is terroir a concept concocted by the French to hide flaws, as some suggest? Or is it a real thing that can be tasted and measured? John Dimos from Biome Makers and Wine Seq has a tool that resolves the question. In this nerdy, fascinating podcast we dig into the details and provide solid answers to the questions below! I never thought we'd see this in our lifetimes, but here we are!
-
What is it?! John tells us the premise of Biome Makers and how it's an affordable and viable premise now vs 5 years ago
-
He answers terroir questions around... * Why people have denied the presence of "terroir" in wine
- How Biome Makers changed the game on the notion of terroir
- How soil variation impacts on grapes
-
The effect of the biomes v chemicals from winemaking in the final wine?
-
We discuss the WIM (What it Means) and the impact of the tool on wineries... * Who is this tool for and how will they use it?
- Given that terroir is a real thing and that it CAN be detected in many wines, why isn't expressed in all wine (or food for that matter)?
- How is this new tool going to change wine growing going forward?
- Will it empower people to take more "risks" on farming organically?
- Does this steal the "art" from grape growing/winemaking?
I encourage you to check out the site and to follow them on Facebook and Twitter. A company that surely will change the way winemaking happens!
http://www.biomemakers.com
A thanks to our sponsor: the Great Courses Plus! Sign up for a free trial!
Where did vitis vinifera originate? Where do we think winemaking started? We think it's from the area that is now the Republic of Georgia. Once part of the USSR, this small, beautiful nation is reemerging as a wine power so it's time for an overview!
Here are the show notes:
Top level stuff...
- Georgia is where Eastern Europe meets Asia. Between the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea
- As big as Scotland or Ireland
- 111,000 acres of vines ranging from the coast of the Black Sea to Kakheti, on the other side of the Caucasus mountains
- Outside Tbilisi, they only speak Georgian so when you go, you've gotta hire a guide
Location:
- Russia to the north and Turkey and Armenia to the south
- Primary wine region of Kakheti—according to Georgians, the birthplace of wine itself
- The main wine regions, from Kakheti in the east and Imereti, Racha and Samegrelo in the west, are within a few hours’ drive from Tbilisi, the capital
Climate:
- a diverse climatic landscape that varies from temperate to subtropical
An Historical Relic: Qveri (Kwhere-vree)
- Traditional Georgian fermentation: a clay vessel used for centuries to produce wine in Georgia.
- Qvervi: 1,000-liter beeswax-coated terra-cotta jar buried in the earth
- A qvevri is a thick-walled vessel buried deep in the ground in a marani, or Georgian wine cellar.
- naturally maintains wine at optimal temperature during fermentation and allows it to age for many years without spoilage.
- Once fermentation is complete, the wine can be racked into another qvevri, leaving the heavy sediment behind.
- Qvevri white wine is sharp, strong, amber. or in the case of reds, so dark it’s known as shavi gvino: black wine
Grapes: 500+ indigenous grape varietals found in Georgia,
- Red: Saperavi, Tavkveri and Chkhaveri plus Tavkveri, Shavkapito, Chkhaveri and Ojaleshi.
- White: Rkatsiteli (r-kat-see-telly), Chinuri and Mtsvane (mits-vane)
- méthode Champenoise in Georgia since the late 1800s, with native grape
- Orange wine: Friuli winemaker Josko Gravner makes his sought-after “orange” wines using ancient Georgian techniques/qvervri
History:
- Grapes and traces of wine residue have been found in archaelogical digs from 8,000 years ago.
- Vitis vinifera originated from the Caucasus mountains in GA
- Ottoman rule in west, Christianity in the east made east side of the country the wine powerhouse
- Georgia came under Soviet control a few decades later. Small vineyards merged into huge co-ops =CRAP
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Georgia declared independence in 1991
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- Russia's 2006 embargo on Georgian wine imports, lifted only in June 2013. Forced diversification into other, stronger markets
The wines of Georgia have a little ways to go, but they are a fascinating slice of vinous history and worth seeking out or trying if they are ever right in front of you!
Navarra is in northern Spain and although a prolific, historic region, it's not well-known. Traditionally it's been associated with making fruit-driven rosé, but its reds are starting to come on strong and it's emerging as an excellent, high quality, high value region.
Fast facts on Navarra: * Capital: Pamplona, home of the running of the bulls (Fiesta de San Fermin)! DO is south of the city * Vineyards are around the foothills of the Pyrenees to the Ebro River in Northern Spain * Navarra is part of the historic Basque country – but the Ebro River has the most impact on winemaking here (river valleys are essential to vine growing)
We review the storied history of Navarra: * From Romans to Moors to Catholics, we discuss the winemaking legacy * We talk about the importance of El Camino a Santiago de Compostela -- a 400 mile walk to visit the remains of St. James (Santiago) in Galicia on the western coast + 12th c – wine recommended in a guide book to pilgrims + Reputation for wine formed through El Camino * We discuss the French influence from the 14th century through the 19th c – (1892) when Navarra wines were in high demand post-phylloxera * We talk about the modern efforts of the DO, and EVENA, the Estación de Viticulture y Enología de Navarra (Navarra Viticulture and Oenological Research Station), in the Ribera Alta sub-region and how that added legitimacy AND created some issues for Navarra.
We talk geography and terroir: * Navarra is large and the climate includes areas with Atlantic-influenced, continental, and Mediterranean climates * In the south-east is the Bardenas Reales National Park * The Pyrenees mountains in the northeast w/other mtns in north, just below France * Atlantic is an hour northwest, Ebro Valley in Southern Part Near Bay of Biscayne in Northwest/Atlantic Ocean
We discuss grapes and wines: * Navarra was known only for Garnacha-based rosados * EVENA allowed and encouraged French varieties in the 1980s to compete with Rioja (add diversity and it's own identity) — Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon * 90% red varieties, 10% white grape varieties * 70% of the grapes are native varietals + Tempranillo – 33% + Garnacha – 24% + Graciano – 1.5% + Mazuelo/Cariñena .5% + (WHITE) Viura – 2.25% * 30% of vineyards are planted to international varieties + Cabernet Sauvignon – 15% + Merlot – 14% + Chardonnay – 5.4%
The Sub regions Tierra Estella: Northwest, borders Basque Country and La Rioja. Highest average altitude and notable Atlantic influence. Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay.
Valdizarbe: Northern area with continental and Atlantic climate. Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet and Merlot all occupy similar surface areas, with Chardonnay and Malvasía.
Baja Montaña: In the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains. Continental climate. Garnacha, Tempranillo, with little else grown. Known for rosados.
Ribera Alta: Continental climate transitioning from Atlantic to Mediterranean climate.Cereal plantings here (fertile soils!). Tempranillo, Graciano, Chardonnay, Moscatel de Grano Menudo
Ribera Baja: Mediterranean climate. Tempranillo, Garnacha, Viura, Moscatel.
Finally we hit on identity issues: Too much diversity * We decide that Garnacha expresses place and should be the horse they bet on in Navarra! * We mention the DO de Pago producers: Señorio de Arínzano and Prado Irache in Tierra Estella and Bodegas Otazu in Valdizarbe.
Go get some Navarra! It rocks!!
Kieran Robinson is a small producer of Rhone style wines in Sonoma --and his stuff rocks. A Philadelphia native, after working in the Northern Rhône he moved to Napa & worked for cult wineries going it alone. A great story from a truly talented winemaker!
Here are the show notes:
- Kieran tells us about his early life in Philadelphia, at Ithaca college, and getting his start in wineries in the Finger Lakes.
- He takes us on his journey from Northern Rhône to Napa to Sonoma and details what it was like to work with everyone from Michel Rolland, Aaron Potts, and Paul Hobbs before going out on his own.
- We address Kieran's real passion: making Viognier and Syrah. We talk about the current situation in Sonoma with grapes and more people looking at Rhône varietals as a viable and awesome option.
- Kieran takes us through the differences between his wines, the wines' nod to Philly, and why they are so darn great!
To learn more about Kieran, go to http://www.kieranrobinsonwines.com
And thanks to our sponsor, The Great Courses: https://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
After a trip out to Sonoma and Paso Robles, we have much new information to share! In this podcast we chat quickly about the glammed up version of Sonoma we encountered and then take a detailed look at Paso -- its history, terroir, the 11 appellations, and the wine!
My recent trip to German wine regions included Mosel, which has one enormous advantage over any other place that makes Riesling: terroir. We talk about the geography, the slopes, the land, and the people, and why Mosel is really a wonder of the wine world.
This podcast is based directly off a blog post on my site! So instead of trying to recreate the formatting and pictures, I'll just link to it here since there are no better show notes than this:
https://winefornormalpeople.com/the-9-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-rheingau-region-of-germany/
One of the rising stars of Napa Valley, Jennifer Williams is winemaker for Arrow&Branch in Coombsville, a cooler Napa AVA, as well as for her own brand, Zeitgeist, which she runs with her husband (also a winemaker).
Jennifer shares her story of working with and learning from legendary winemakers such as Rosemary Cakebread and Francoise Peschon and time working at cult wineries Araujo and Spottswoode, where she was head winemaker.
We talk about Napa's future, Cabernet, the importance of vineyard in Napa, and how Jennifer balances her busy life.
Special thanks to this week's sponsor: The Great Courses Plus! Visit
www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine to learn more!
Continuing the Women's History Month winemaker series, I speak with Marina Marcarino of Punset in Barbaresco, Italy. She is one of Italy's most respected and influential female winemakers. In the late 1980's, she ignored the norm and converted her family’s estate into a 100% certified organic vineyard. She is a kind, smart, savvy woman in wine and I learned so much from her about Barbaresco and organic farming -- you will too!
Photo: Punset
Here are the show notes:
- We discuss Marina's childhood in Piemonte, the town of Alba and what it's really known for (hint: NUTELLA!) and why being a "bad baby" led her on a path to making organic wine.
- It's Women's History Month so we spend some time discussing her experiences as a woman in the wine industry and what it's like to raise a child and be a winemaker.
- We learn all about Barbaresco -- the difference with Barolo, the unique geographic features -- the Tanaro River, the consistent breezes, the differences between the diverse winemaking areas, and why the wines are so consistently good.
- We pivot to discuss farming and Marina's passion for organics. We discuss her philosophies, why she must do organic farming (or else no farming at all!) and why, despite being called "The Crazy", she has persevered and now has others following her lead.
- We tackle the importance of certification in organics and the difference between certifying a practice (organic) and a philosophy (biodynamic).
- Finally we discuss winemaking and Marina's goals to make her beautiful, wonderful wine. Marina gives advice to future female winemakers and we agree to meet in Italy someday soon (I love this lady!)!
Here's where you can find the outstanding Punset wines in the US, Canada, and UK markets (use wine-searcher.com to see if it's available near you, if you live outside these countries):
The US: http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/punset/1/usa
Canada: http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/punset/1/canada
The UK: http://www.bbr.com/producer-2695-punset-piedmont
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And thanks to The Great Courses for sponsoring this episode. Get your free trial subscription at https://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine
The first in a series for Women's History Month, I speak to Laura Catena of Bodegas Catena Zapata in Mendoza, Argentina. We discuss her life as a doctor, a mom, and the head of a wine empire, the history of Malbec and how her family aided the meteoric rise of Argentine wine and of the comeback of the Malbec grape around the world.
A fun, sharp-as-a-tack woman, you'll learn a ton about Malbec, Mendoza, and a few life lessons from this fascinating podcast!
Laura’s History and Background on the Catena Family
- Her life as a doctor and the bridge between medicine and wine
- Her career pivot to the wine and becoming “the wine doctor” for her country and family
- Historical perspective
- The Catena family history in wine
- The history with Malbec and history of Catena and Malbec
- Her dad and her homage to him: his pride of country and why he has been so successful
Malbec and it’s Rich History
- Malbec Studies
- Pre-phylloxera clippings
- Flavors based on altitude/studies on altitude
- The sides of Malbec: the agebility factor, and the evolution of the grape
- Old v New vines: the real differences
- Luca: Laura’s own project of all old vine wine, managed separately and small and how it fosters Argentinean pride
Laura’s Advice on Doing it All
- How she handles being a mom, a doctor, and running a major wine company
- The power of the B+
- The balance of kids and work and life advice on spouses, marriage, and kids
Making Wine in Mendoza
- High altitude growing and Catena’s role: Argentina has distinctive regions – b/c of the altitude huge variations in climates, move faster from warmer to colder
- Nicolas’s (her dad’s) altitude bet and its payoff – combination, altitude, latitude, plant material
- Sub-regions:
- Lujan de Cuyo= old vines, clay soils, makes some good stuff
- Uco Valley = Key region for quality
- Sub-regions: Tupungato, Alta Mira, La Consulta, Gualtallary
The Wine Culture of Argentina and the Wines of Catena
- Alamos: Gallo family’s distribution and the benefits of the relationship for the Catenas. The importance of keeping the small producers alive. The paradox of being big and supporting small producers
- Lafite-Rothschild and Catena: Bodegas CARO wines
- Luca: Laura’s project
- Bodega Catena Zapata
- Catena – classic Malbec, $20
- Catena Alta – historic rows of vines
- Catena Zapata/Adrianna Vineyards – small parcels, harvest plant by plant, hand harvested
Red Wine Headaches: Ideas On Causes and Remedies (but sadly not real solutions…)
Nearly every time I do a speaking event, a familiar scenario transpires. After the wine class, a person who seemed very interested in what I had to say approaches me with a sad look on his or her face and says, “I love the taste of wine. I’m so fascinated by the subject but I just can’t drink that often. I get a horrible headache every time I drink, especially with red wine. Is there anything I can do?”
My heart always breaks a little for that person and I hope that despite my obvious lack of expertise in health matters (here’s my caveat, I’m an MBA, not an MD so I am only offering this article second hand) that I can solve the problem and get the person back on track to enjoy wine, headache-free.
Before I go down this path, I want to be really clear about the information that’s widely available and that’s repeated over and over again in major wine outlets and news publications. I scoured scientific journals and I found an even better source – a scientist who scoured scientific journals[1] – to see what conclusive evidence there is on this topic. What I and they found was a lot of half studies without a statistically significant result in most cases. The bottom line is that no one has funded a large-scale study on this topic. (And I get it: really, who is going to fund something like this, which is what it comes down to? Wine companies have other priorities and they would be the most likely cash source…). So as I share this info, I want to tell you now that except for two of these solutions, one which I can vouch for and another which has scientific proof behind it, the rest is pure conjecture.
Still, we’re not operating in the dark. There are some strong contenders for what is causing that nasty pounding after drinking wine or more specifically, red wine. And, better yet, if you’re not averse to taking an over-the-counter medicine, you could solve the problem fairly easily in many cases.
Let’s run through the different potential causes and give ideas on how to tackle them.
The first thing that is killing most heads…
I’m not going to hold you in suspense. I want to tell you the number one thing that is probably causing your headache: alcohol. It dehydrates the body, or to quote the UK National Health Service:
“Dehydration can also occur as a result of drinking too much alcohol. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it makes you wee more.” (insert immature chuckle here).
And what a lot of us fail to realize is that most wine is somewhere between 12.5% and 14.5% alcohol by volume. That means that for a 5 ounce glass of wine, 12.5% to 14.5%, more or less, is made up of alcohol. Contrast that with beer, which is more like 3-4% alcohol by volume and you see that wine is not as innocuous as it seems.
So if you happen to have one or two glasses of wine, especially red, which tends to be higher in alcohol (because the grapes are riper and picked later, thus upping the sugar), AND you have no water in between and no food or nibbles, you are robbing your body of water. Dehydration gives you a headache, so there you go!
The Solution?
First, try wines with lower alcohol content. If you can drink around 10% or 11% ABV versus 14%, that could help. Look on the bottle for the percentage – it’s required by law in most countries. Lower alcohol means more bang for your buck – 1 glass of this stuff won’t wallop you like one glass of a 14%’er will.
Alternately you can take a page out of the professional drinkers’ book people in the wine industry’s book. We’re usually downing water in between glasses or eating food to mitigate the effect of the high alcohol. It seems like our tolerances are off the charts (and they probably are to some extent) but a lot of that comes from experience and lots and lots of water.
Ok, that’s the number one cause of headaches. But there are several others, so don’t think I’m about to dismiss you if you’ve tried to drink water and it doesn’t work!
Next are the mean amines. Wines that go through malolactic fermentation release amines in the process, and have levels that can be 200% higher than in wines that don’t go through malo. There’s been some research done on the effect of the “amines” but nothing super conclusive. [2]
The second thing we’re pretty sure is causing pain: Histamines[3]****
Histamines are compounds that exist in wine at varying levels. Red wine and bubbly tend to be higher in these pesky enzymes. That means if you have a sensitivity, you may have a terrible allergic reaction, e.g., a headache, rash, even sneezing. This is especially true for people with a diamine oxidase deficiency (you can take a probiotic to help that problem, incidentally). The National Institute of Health in the US has shown that high levels of histamine in blood plasma can create bad allergic reactions, including allergy headaches. Since alcohol increases histamine in blood plasma, you could wind up suffering with a headache.
The Solution?
Pop the anti-histamine of your choice about an hour before you drink wine. Still drink the water to prevent dehydration, but see if this helps you out. Again, no conclusive studies on this one, but it has some research behind it, so I’d give it a try (just check the interactions with alcohol before you take anything).
And the less proven amine…
Some doctors posit that high levels of the amino acid tyramine, which can cause migraines, is the main cause of headache pain from wines. If stuff like processed meats (think pepperoni or hot dogs), tofu, soy sauce, miso, and cheeses like blue, brie, cheddar, Swiss, or Roquefort give you a headache, you may have an issue with tyramine. Although the levels are lower in red wine than in these foods, they go hand in hand. You’ll need to skip the wine and cheese pairings and stick to one small glass of wine if you think this may be your issue. That said, apart from a few doctors saying they think this is the problem, I couldn’t find any studies to back it up.
Tannins often take heat for causing headaches. And they do change serotonin levels, which can cause migraines. They ARE more prominent in reds than in whites, so that could explain the issue for people who have problems with red and not white. Tannins also can release fatty acids (prostaglandins) that can cause headaches and pain.
But again, this is all conjecture. We don’t have much to back this up. Still, it’s a theory posited by headache specialists, so if you think this is your problem, take some kind of headache medicine – ibuprofen, Tylenol, aspirin, whatever. Again, watch out for the interaction between the wine and the drug.
What is probably NOT causing your headache? Sulfites
Sulfites/sulfur dioxide/sulphites are a naturally occurring byproduct of fermentation and are added to wine to prevent spoilage and browning. They are also in dried fruit jam, molasses, bottled lime and lemon juice, sauerkraut, lunchmeat, and gravy. Although wine is singled out as a product that has sulfites, plenty of others have equal or higher levels.
Unless you are part of the 1-5% of the population that has a sulfite allergy, this isn’t your problem. If you have severe asthma or allergies, this could be a huge issue and you’ll know it’s a problem because the result is not a headache, but an asthma attack or something worse. If you don’t have these issues, dismiss this one. It’s better you move on and try to find the real cause.
The Wrap
After all this, I will repeat what I said at the beginning: the issue with a red wine headache or any wine headache is most likely dehydration or histamine issues or a combo of a few of these things. Try a few solutions and see if they work. And make sure you chug water. If it’s still an epic fail, I guess you’ll have to wait until I report back with some new, exciting finding that solves this really annoying problem!
[1] http://www.wineinformationcouncil.eu/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1835:can-wine-trigger-migraine-attacks?&Itemid=640
[2] http://www.yalescientific.org/2009/10/everyday-qa-what-causes-the-red-wine-headache/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8005453
Stellenbosch is the most prestigious, oldest wine growing region in South Africa. It's beautiful, diverse, and a bridge between Old World and New World styles. We talk about the details of the region and why it's much more obscure than it should be.
You know I'm a sucker for history, and this was a fascinating one to research. Through Thomas Jefferson's detailed records, we're able to learn so much about wine during the late 1700s and early 1800s in France, Spain, and northern Italy. Turns out, as much as we think things have changed, much of it has stayed the same. We need to thank the folks at Monticello in Virginia for making such awesome records available! Here are some notes:
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Pre-Revolution wine was made up of Madeira, light red Claret, Sherry, and Port. The British dictated tastes and discouraged trade in French wine so Portugal and Spain dominated
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Jefferson began his love of wine while at William & Mary College in Williamsburg, Virginia and developed more of an interest when he interacted with German prisoners during and after the Revolution
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in 1784, Jefferson was newly widowed and moved to France to serve as an ambassador alongside John Adams and Benjamin Franklin.
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Adams loved Bordeaux and helped school Jefferson in wine, but Jefferson took his passion further, combining "public service with private gratification" on a number of long trips through Burgundy, Rhône, Piedmont, Loire, and Bordeaux. He toured Rheingau, Mosel, and Champagne later on. Burgundy was his passion.
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Jefferson didn't want to leave Paris in 1789 but left and became Washington's Secretary of State, and he never returned to the continent. He became an advocate for French and Italian wines in America.
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While president, he drank sherry Hermitage blanc, what appears to be Bandol, and a Roussillon wine that seems like a modern day vin doux natural and racked up personal wine debts that would be several million dollars in today's world.
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Throughout his life, Jefferson kept immaculate records of his drinking, coming up with a tasting lexicon and a method for getting people more interested in trying these fine wines. We know that the best wines of the world remain so -- terroir is terroir -- and that the more things have changed, the more they have stayed the same in many regards. No amount of technology can make a better wine than a Montrachet from Burgundy or a first growth from Bordeaux.
Hope you enjoy this bit of international wine history! Thanks to Monticello, Jane Anson and John Hallman's Thomas Jefferson On Wine for so much great info on which to draw!
Slovenia is small but it's up and coming! It's a fascinating place with a long winemaking tradition that should pique your interest.
Photo: Slovenian Tourist Board
Slovenia's Wine Stats:
- Population of two million people, who drink a LOT: 5th highest wine consumption per capita in the world
- About 75% of the country's production is white wine
- 55K Planted acres makes it the size of Sonoma County, in California
- Small portion of the wine is exported
- 70% of the wine is premium, most is made in the clean modern style
- Some using ancient techniques (clay amphorae) to give the texture a tannic rasp and the wine a rosy, sometimes amber, hue (orange wines)
Slovenia's Wine History
- Of Celts, Romans, Christians, and Napoleon
- By the end of the WWII, co-ops controlled nearly all of the region's wine production: Sucky bulk wine production with a few small private wineries in the Drava Valley region
- In 1967, the government established the PSVVS (Business Association for Viticulture and Wine Production)
- In 1991, Slovenia was the first to declare independence from Yugoslavia
- Dictatorship/Socialism/Communism separated countries from centuries of winemaking traditions but they are catching up now
Photo: Slovenian Tourist Board
Geography
- At crossroad of eastern and central Europe bordered by Hungary, Italy, Croatia, and Austria
- Important Rivers: Drava and Sava connect to the Danube
- Dynamic regions on borders
Map: Think Slovenia
3 Main Regions
- Primorska:
- Near Italian region of Fruili Venezia Giulia, high quality whites and reds
- Sub regions: Vipava Valley, Goriska Brda (gore-ISH-KA BURR-DA), Koper (pr. Coper), Karst plateau district
- Grapes: Ribolla Gialla, Pinot Grigio, other whites, Refosco other reds
- Experimentation and blending of old and new: Orange wines, clay amphora, and long, long aging
Photo: Slovenian Tourist Board
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Drava (Podravje)
- Botrytis affected whites, Welschriesling, Furmin
- Nearly 97% of the wine made in the Drava Valley region is white wine
- Seven sub-regions
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Lower Sava (Posavje)
- Only Slovenian wine region that produces more red wine than white, though not by a large margin
- Three districts, you may see Lower Carniola on a bottle
- Lower Sava Valley region is dominated by bulk wine, rather than premium wine, production
- Use of many native grapes
Photo: Slovenian Tourist Board
Hope you enjoy this off-the-beaten trail podcast.
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A great thanks to our sponsor: The Great Courses Plus!
The Great Courses Plus has over 8,000 lectures on a ton of subjects, taught by experts. Well done and escapism that's addictive! You'll lear so much!
Go to www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/wine to get a free trial (the special URL lets them know you heard about it here!). As I mentioned, The Everyday Gourmet: Rediscovering the Lost Art of Cooking is mandatory for you wine education!!! Watch and get back to me!!
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Ok, we've done it. We did the primary research with unhealthy, kinda nasty bar food. Our findings were pretty simplistic but we figured it out through trial and error.
Here's a hint: our MVP is a wine we don't recommend often: lightly oaked Chardonnay!
When the weather is cold, I often just want to reach for a red. It’s got higher alcohol, is served at a warmer temperature, and it’s great with hearty food.
But I’m here to tell you that there’s this underbelly of whites that few know about that you need to get on right away. They are usually a great price, often as satisfying as a red, and can pair perfectly with rich food (especially spicy food). The common theme is that they feel fuller and softer in your mouth and have good flavor. If you put them in a black glass and you’d swear they were red wines!
In the summer and with summer foods, we all want sippers that are refreshing and bright: Wines that are best colder and have high acidity are best (Sauvignon Blanc, unoaked Chardonnay/Chablis, Albariño or Verdejo from Spain). But as the temps go down, you need a bone-warming white. The three keys to finding one:
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Lower acidity and softer, rounder textures, which mean these wines are from warmer, sunnier climates where the grapes get fully ripe and aren't as tart. 13.5% alcohol is probably the minimum you’d want for the right body.
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Wines that are better served at 50˚F+ -- not ice cold. You'll need to leave these out of the fridge to warm up.
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Fuller flavored wines that have enough umph to stand up to richer foods -- soups and stews, poultry with herbs, pastas with richer sauces.
For me, the genre of grapes and blends that fit the bill are those from Alsace, , the Rhône Valley, and Southern Italy, and places that have similar climates to those areas.
Alsace Whites: Take your pick! Any of the great grapes of Alsace are full, soft, rich, and great for warmer weather.
- The Riesling is opulent and almost oily in texture but still dry with peach, apple, pear, and mineral (think of being near a waterfall) notes. The wine has acidity but it's fuller in body than many dry German versions.
- The Pinot Gris is not so aromatic, but it's spicy -- like coriander or mild ginger -- with smoke, orange, apricot, pear notes and a rich texture. Good stuff and affordable.
- I’ve actually had some awesome Pinot Blanc of late. Although it can be insipid and thin, the right producer in the right year makes it fat, round, and pear-like in flavor.
- Great versions can be had from $18 on up to hundreds of dollars.
Rhône Whites:
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For Southern Rhône, Costieres di Nîmes Blanc, Côtes de Rhône Blanc, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape blanc are my favorites. The main grapes for these wines vary -- some are Grenache Blanc, some Marsanne, some Viognier, some Roussanne or Picpoul, but good versions share the same character: soft, luxurious textures that roll around in your mouth with enough acidity to keep them from feeling heavy or imbalanced. The flavors will range from peachy to honeyed to herbal, but the textures are consistent so they fit the criteria above. Outstanding versions of Costieres de Nîmes and Côtes de Rhône Blanc can be had for US$15 to $20. I’ve even had some great Picpoul for around $15 that has this same quality.
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Châteauneuf-du-Pape will set you back at least $US40, but it’s well worth it, especially with halibut in butter herb sauce (the best pairing I’ve probably ever had!). You'll find similar wines from great producers in Priorat just south of Barcelona, Spain. These wines are often a better value than CdP and have a Grenache Blanc lead (and they are awesome with Spanish tapas!). You can get a great one for around $US25.
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Northern Rhône wines are similar but they are more refined and much more expensive! Viognier from Condrieu is soft, and like a bouquet of flowers or bowl of peaches or apricots, and dry but decadent in texture. The white versions of Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph are made with Marsanne and Roussanne grapes and may be the fullest whites you'll find -- like eating a honey comb, but not sweet, with lots of earthy, waterfall/stream smells and flavors.
Before I go move from the Rhône to Southern Italy, I should point out that California does some great whites with Rhône grapes too. I’ve had some Viognier from Santa Barbara that’s full of fruit flavor but with a touch of acid -- great with food and delicious on its own. Our friends at Tablas Creek in Paso Robles make a few outstanding white Rhône blends in the Rhône style. And one of the tastiest Rhône wines I've had out of Lodi was a Picpoul by Acquiesce Winery -- full, rich, soft, but with enough acidity to keep it from sitting heavy in your mouth. All of these will run you more than $20, not a great value but tasty nonetheless!
And to complete our tour of cold weather whites, on to Southern Italy...
- The two amazing grapes of Southern Italy -- Fiano and Greco -- make rich, full, soft whites. Another warm, Mediterranean climate, these wines share a lot in common from a texture standpoint with the wines of the southern Rhône, especially. The difference is the flavors. Fiano tastes like honey with tangerine, cardamom, and hazelnut notes and floral notes-- like being outside in a garden where the bees can't get enough of the white flowers (gardenia, jasmine -- that kind of stuff). Greco is soft, but the best version is Greco di Tufo from Campania, and it tastes like pears and almonds with a ton of mineral/chalk note and a good acidity.
Don’t worry, as with all audio blogs, all this info is at winefornormalpeople.com. Bookmark the post, make your shopping list, (maybe even get a black glass to fool your buddies) and drop a comment to let me know what you thought!
Simone Madden-Grey, our Down Under co-host, talks about the flavors of Shiraz & how it can't be pigeon-holed into one profile or type of wine. A refreshing look at Australia from an inside view, you'll want to run out to producers she mentions!
We welcome our new Italy co-host, Filippo Bartolotta, a native Florentine, wine expert, writer, and travel company owner. This fabulous normal wine guy tells us about himself, about Italian wine culture, and about how to get the best out of Tuscan wine!
The Show Notes:
- Chianti is hard to recommend by appellation, the producer is more important ("heart and land").
Still, the best areas for Sangiovese are on the northern slopes. Areas between Florence and Siena like: Castelnuovo Berardenga, Castellina, Gaiole, Radda, Barberino Val d'Elsa, San Casciano are great. Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentine, Colli Sienese have good wines as well.
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Classico is a safe bet for an old school Chianti with:
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A light color
- licorice
- orange peel
- violet
- cherry
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terroir!
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Chianti Classics a minimum of 80% Sangiovese but can be 100%. It includes native grapes like Colorino or Canaiolo, and Merlot, Cabernet, and Syrah in small proportions.
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Classico also has a Riserva tier (aged a min of 24 months with a minimum of 12.5% alcohol to guarantee the fruit is ripe), and Gran Selezione (aged 30 months in barrel, 13% alcohol minimum).
Example: Montevertine (especially Le Pergola Torte),
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We talk about how Super Tuscans raised the bar. We discuss Tiganello by Antinomy, Cepparello
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The best producers pay attention to climate, clonal selection and tension between acidity, fruit and terroir.
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Great producers
In Montalcino:
Tenuta di Renieri
Pietroso
Tenuta Le Potazzine
Fuligni
Le Ragnaie
In San Gimignano (Vernaccia):
Sono Montenidoli,
Cesani
Panizzi
Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara
La Lastra
San Quirico
Il Lebbio
I know we promised a list of more Tuscan producers, but it's been hard to get a hold of those names since Filippo is the wineman to the stars : )
For now, we can use this list from an article he penned for Decanter a while back... http://www.decanter.com/wine-travel/italy/top-10-tuscan-wineries-to-visit-13770/2/
An end of year podcast to help you figure out stuff like: What wine to gift if you're on a budget, or not, what defines a "special" occasion, how to get the host to open the wine you bring, plus quick Christmas pairings & options for New Year's bubbles!
Show notes:
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Wine is an ideal last-minute gift -- don't get gadgets unless the person specifies they want them!
- Ways to figure out what someone may want
- Budget and non-budget options
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How to figure out how to make sure the wine you bring to a gathering gets opened and some other etiquette suggestions
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Saving for a “special” occasion – notes on when an occasion is “special” enough
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Sparkling wines for NYE -- different options and ideas on drinking order
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year! Thanks for your support in 2016! Here's to an even better 2017!
Sometimes I need a hearty, fruit filled, bone-warming wine to sip on. And when the weather is cool, that’s often all I’ll grab. But after I’ve downed big reds from warm places around the (mostly NEW) world with higher alcohol that will make me feel warm, I’m left wanting a little something with more complexity. Something that’s less fruity. A wine that seems hearty but has an element of surprise – maybe that hit of terroir or something that keeps on giving me something new with each sip. And that’s when I grab a Bandol (BAHN-dol), a Mourvèdre based red wine from Provence in Southern France.
Amidst the lavender, olives, soaps, and beautifully patterned fabrics oh, and rosé, there’s this small, high quality region.
If you know anything about wine in Provence than you probably associate it with rosé. And rightfully so: 80% of wine produced here is pink. The market demands it and Provence delivers, in spades. But there’s more than just those lovely salmon colored beauties here: 15% of the wine from Provence is red and it isn’t the refreshing, light partner of rosé. This is big, balls-out stuff mainly from three red wine areas: Cassis, Bellet, and Bandol, with the latter being the only one I’ve been able to find often in a wine shop in the US.
Bandol’s wines are mainly made from the very powerful, luscious Mourvèdre (moo-VED-rrr) grape. It’s a plummy, herbal, licorice-flavored, woodsy grape that’s rarely bottled alone because it is so powerful. Mourvèdre is so strong that it can’t be without oak aging to tame its tannins and in the bottle, wines made of it can age for 15 years and may still not be ready!
Growing in tight little bushes that can stand up to the heavy, ferocious gusts of cold wind that come from northern continental Europe (the Mistral) this tough, muscly grape produces a small amount of potent wine. And because of its power, the grape is mainly used in blends to add a kick to wines that otherwise may lack tannins and brawn (Mourvèdre is a big component in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, for example, and many Côtes du Rhône).
But when it’s the star of the show, it needs to be tempered so in Bandol, where wines contain a minimum of 50% Mourvèdre, but can be up to 100%, the grape is usually blended with Grenache and Cinsault, which soften up the bold, tannic, and kind of meaty flavors of the lead grape. Syrah can be used to add depth of flavor (black pepper and other types of herbal notes) and Carignan adds fruit and juiciness and softens the toughness of the Mourvèdre, which in addition to its strong flavor can be tannic and unforgiving. As an aside, if it’s listed, the percentage of Mourvèdre can be a tip off as to how long to hold it before you drink it – more Mourvèdre = more aging.
History
But let’s get off the grapes and onto the region, which I think needs a dork out moment of its own, since we HAVE TO give props to one of the oldest winemaking regions in France.
Winemaking started here about 2,600 years ago, most likely when the Phoenicians sailed from modern-day Lebanon and took over the area we now know as Provence. They saw great potential for one of their cash crops here (wine) and likely brought Monastrell from Spain (which is Mourvedre’s name in the Iberian Peninsula), where their Phoenician brethren had already been making wine for several centuries in a similar climate.
When they arrived in the Gulf of Bandol, we can only guess that they were thrilled. They found the ideal place for vineyards: an area with a natural amphitheater created by mountains on three sides and easy access from the vineyards right out to the Gulf. Cha-ching! They could easily export their wine to far flung places and make cash without much transportation overhead (inland locales like Champagne or Burgundy required a trip down a river or over land— why waste the time when Bordeaux and Bandol were basically on the ocean?)
The Romans agreed with the Phoenician’s assessment of the wine quality and worked on painstakingly building stone terraces into the mountainside (which are called restanques and are still used today) and they further built the reputation of this small enclave.
Things trucked along for Bandol, with Louis XV being a famous fan, until the late 1800s when phylloxera hit and nearly all of the vineyards were destroyed.
But growers in this region weren’t giving up after that vine murderer came to town. The winegrowing areas were too good for that. They’d been extolled for millennia, not just for their warm coastal climates, elevation, and sun exposure but for the outstanding, diverse soils that yielded flavorful, bold but still nuanced wines. They used the phylloxera epidemic as a chance to reshape the vineyards and when they applied for their appellation in 1941, Bandol included an elite set of 8 communes that lie exclusively on hillsides and have limestone rich, low fertility, well-drained soils, creating the best wines. In addition, they went back to basics and replanted with a lot of Mourvedre – the grape that had fared best here, probably since the time of the Phoenicians.
Although you’ll find differences in the wines – depending on the exact terroir, the blend used, and the vintage, one thing is true of Bandol – I’ve never had a stinker. The wines always seem to be earthy, herbal, spicy, rich, and tannic and have a sense of place. They frequently taste like tobacco, licorice, and black fruit and some can verge on rustic, with a dusty note. Regardless or nuance, the producers have a dedication to quality in this small area and take the responsibility seriously.
Bandol is a little pricey – you won’t find one for much less than $25 US. But you get what you pay so if you have a few extra bucks, grab a bottle of Bandol and give it a go. Have food with it – something hearty and rich. You’ll find a new favorite rich red wine that’s unlike anything else you’ve tried.
And don’t forget to report back on this blog post and let me know what you think: winefornormalpeople.com/blog.
Pfalz is the region for you if you have the question: How do I get into German wine If I hate sweet stuff?
Overview:
- Pfalz is an important region in terms of quantity and quality. It's one of the most promising German wine regions for Riesling and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir)
- In Western Germany, Between Rhine and lower lying Haardt mountains – continuation of Vosges, just south is Alsace
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- Warmer climate - Summers are dry, not too hot, winters mild. almost Mediterranean in some sections (almonds grow here) - Excellent viticultural conditions
History:
- Pfalz is from the Latin for for palace and it's named for Palatine Counts of the Holy Roman Empire, who held court in the nearby city of Heidelberg from the 13th to the 18th century.
- Traces of winemaking from 550 BC.
- The region languished for a while after Romans left, viticulture was not a priority for a long time.
- German wine route created in 1935 and is an easy path for tourists, great for Pfalz wine (Deutsche Weinstrasse) -- has helped with revival in modern times
Today:
- Pfalz is one of the most innovative regions in Germany – young winemakers, less expensive land
Grapes
- 60% white, 40% red
- Riesling 25%
- Dornfelder 14%
- Muller-Thurgau 10%
- Blauer Portugieser 9%
- Spatburgunder 7%
- Mittelhaardt – top Rieslings, South – increasing plantings of Riesling but also Spatburgunder, Portugieser, Dornfelder
- Different from many German regions –
- Dry wines, not sweet
- Fuller bodied
- Reds – can reach 13% alcohol (rare in Germany)
Pfalz is the place dry wine lovers should try first in Germany! So go explore!
Thanksgiving is a meal with so much complexity that you may just want to think about streamlining your wine choices. We offer a "one wine" solution -- versatile choices that go with everything -- so you don't have to stress! Here's the shortlist that we mention:
Whites:
Off-dry Vouvray and off-dry Riesling
Premier Cru Chablis
Alsace whites -- especially Riesling, Muscat, and Gewurztraminer
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc or Priorat Blanc
Italian whites
Bubbles! American Sparkling or Prosecco are fruitier and may be best
Rosé
Especially New World rosé that can stand up to the multitude of flavors
Bubbly rosé is a great pick too
Reds
Caveat Emptor, since red is less versatile for Thanksgiving. Pick something low in alcohol, low in tannin, and moderate in acidity
Top picks: Beaujolais, Cabernet Franc
We also welcome our first sponsor -- HelloFresh! HelloFresh is a meal kit delivery service that makes cooking fun and easy. Each week they create awesome recipes with step-by-step instructions that take about 30 minutes to cook. They give you all the ingredients in an awesome package with exact quantities you need. All the food is nutritionally balanced and it is darn tasty, as we will attest in the podcast.
If you want to try this amazing, easy service, you get $35 off when you enter the promo code WINE! Trust us, you won't regret it! We are hooked after trying some of their tasty meals that got us out of our cooking rut.
Every year on the third Thursday in November at midnight, Beaujolais Nouveau hits store shelves, cafés, and restaurants around the world and (a declining number) of people rush out to get this invention of marketing genius.
The celebration of this hastily made wine, for which grapes are picked and then processed in a scant few weeks before you drink it (as opposed to quality wine which is made over several months, if not years) is the creation of producer/negociant Georges Duboeuf. This guy took the Old World idea of festivals that celebrated new/young wine — wine made from grapes fresh off the vines — and put a marketing machine behind it to get the world to support Beaujolais Nouveau.
The problem: young wine is best when it’s fresh and sipped at the winery. When it travels overseas and is stored for a month the wine is terrible. But even then, I bet if we tasted it fresh, Beaujolais Nouveau tastes like bananas, bubble gum, and pear candy, with little acid or tannin. Apart from color, it has more in common with a white than a red. It’s fun, but it doesn’t taste that great and as we’ve become more sophisticated in our wine drinking, Beaujolais Nouveau has become less exciting to most people.
Sadly this increasing sophistication has had terrible repercussions in the region of Beaujolais — forcing some growers out of business and creating tensions among those who depended on this product for their livelihoods. So the question for Beaujolais is: Now that Beaujolais Nouveau is on the rocks, what else is there?
Enter higher quality Beaujolais. This is the stuff wine people go nuts over but that few others know about: the 10 Beaujolais Crus that make distinctive, floral, fresh wine from the Gamay grape. Just south of Burgundy and north of Rhône, on a swath of granite, which is Gamay’s preferred soil, are scattered areas that make outstanding wine. From north to south these are: Saint-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Côte de Brouilly, and Brouilly.
The wines produced in these Cru run the gamut — from floral and fruity to rich, earthy, and complex. Here’s a quick grouping of each type:
- Lighter bodied, more floral, less age worthy: Chiroubles
- Medium bodied, fruity with mineral notes:Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, Fleurie, Régnié, Saint-Amour
- Fuller bodied, spicy, earthy: Chénas, Juliénas
- Even fuller and more age-worthy, spicy, and like a cross between Pinot Noir and more floral Gamay: Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent
Most of these wines are incredibly well priced for what they are — around US $20 or less — and they taste like nothing else you’ve ever tried. I don’t know of other wines that can boast flavors of iris flowers, violets, or lily of the valley and also have raspberry, earth, and spice notes. The combination of freshness and structure — most Cru have excellent acidity but also a round, soft texture — make these wines like nothing else you’ve ever had.
So clearly, I love the stuff. Go get yourself one from an area I just mentioned that sounds best to you and report back on the blog: winefornormalpeople.com/blog and we’ll compare notes.
Ian returns as a co-host, talking about his latest venture -- starting an independent wine shop. We discuss the work that goes into this process, what you should look for in a indie shop, & economics of bottle pricing. Fascinating behind the scenes look!
Visit his site jadedpalates.com to see his selection and, if you're in the UK, to get the free shipping he's offering to WFNP listeners!!
A poem...because Halloween is our favorite holiday!
An Ode To Halloween Candy Pairing…
Halloween was fun, now it’s day of the dead
So don’t make a mistake that will mess with your head
Although some have an empty bowl where once there were sweets
Most of us have tons of left over treats
Whether you’re stealing from your kids or eating from the work trough
We’re here to make sure your wine doesn’t taste off
Because although some wine people recommend Cab
Malbec, Pinot Noir, and Syrah in their gab
We’ll remind you once more as we did in a podcast
That you should reconsider before you reach for a glass
Dry wine is nasty with Halloween candy
Regardless of your palate, it just doesn’t taste dandy
Bitter and gross with a hollow taste,
With delicious candy, it’s such a waste
Better for you is wine that is sweet:
Port, Muscat, Late Harvest anything you really can’t beat
Ruby Port with Snickers? Late Harvest Zin with Kit Kat?
We’ve told you a hundred times, this pairing is where it’s at
Sweet Sherry or sweet Vin Santo is nice
For Starburst and Skittles don’t think twice
Although I’d save the Sauternes and Tokay
With the sweetness of the candy, you could give it a try!
We know that sweet wine may not be in your cellar
But a wine sweeter than the dessert transforms things like Cinderella
So grab a sweet wine, invite some friends by
Choose some of these pairings, just give it a try
‘Cause Halloween comes just once a year
And this volume of candy will soon disappear
Don’t mess it up with a crappy pairing
That will leave you drunk and have you swearing.
Trust us on this one, we’re not trying to be beat
For candy, Post-Halloween, you better go sweet!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
What is natural wine, exactly? Isabelle Legeron, Master of Wine and leader of the natural wine movement & founder of the RAW Wine Natural Wine Festival explains it in great detail & talks about why it's so important for us to consider drinking natural.
There is a lot of buzz about organic and biodynamic farming but what is it? Why does it matter? Does it make sense? You judge after hearing this explanation of both practices.
For the transcript and details, go to http://winefornormalpeople.com/blog
A small production area of Spain, Priorat is one of only two DOCa (highest quality) regions of the country. These wines are expensive, but for good reason - they're in short supply & are outstanding.
We tell you how to get the best of the best of Priorat!
Go to winefornormalpeople.com/blog for more detailed show notes.
Garnacha, or Grenache is known by many but appreciated on its own by few. This time I talk about the grape and where to get the best of it. For the transcript and more detail please go to winefornormalpeople.com/blog
In the shin of Italy's boot, Campania is the province south of Rome. The area encompasses Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii and some of the most unique, tastiest wines in the world. Want to know what regions and grapes are up and coming? Look no further.
The EU classification of wine, based on the French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée system, is a complex system that designates and controls names of wine, and I think it's great, despite what others would say...
For the transcript and more detail please go to winefornormalpeople.com/blog
Verdejo from Rueda, Spain: An Original
I love wines from Spain. For many reasons. They’re often inexpensive yet high quality. When they’re good, they’re fresh, layered, and delicious. And maybe best of all, they’re originals – you don’t see every country growing Spanish grapes. These are one of a kind.
The reds are fabulous and what the country is best known for, but the whites are compelling and outstanding too. Albariño from Rias Baixas and the rare white blends of Priorat are particular standouts, but maybe the best white grape of all is Verdejo, a full, creamy, pear and herbal tasting wine with nut and honey notes and enough acid to keep it fresh and lively. This grape -- possibly native to this area, possibly brought by predecessors of the Moors from North Africa --has settled in well and Rueda, located on a 2,300 foot high plain just northeast of Madrid, is where it shines.
In this dry, boring looking plain of north-central Spain, soils are rocky and well-drained. The vines struggle and if they weren’t so drought resistant they wouldn’t survive. Rueda’s climate is like that of any mid-western area — continental with hot summers and cold winters. The day to night temperature swings (diurnals) are extreme, and that means that the grapes can gather acidity in the cool nights to offset the ripeness they get from sitting in the hot sun all day.
Given the location, weather is erratic. Storms whipping over the Iberian peninsula smack the area and frost, wind, hail, and any number of other natural maladies can maim or kill the crops unexpectedly. And one of those maladies, the killer of all European grapevines in the late 1800s through the early 1900s, the phylloxera root bug, kicked the area in the teeth and put Verdejo at risk of falling into obscurity, if not extinction.
After ripping through the area and killing 2/3 of the vines, growers replanted on American grapevine roots (which are resistant to phylloxera, can anchor the plant, and can take a graft from a different grape species with no noticeable flavor difference). But they picked grapes that produced quantity over quality, and Verdejo, a slower grower, got bumped by Sauvignon Blanc and Viura (also used in Cava and white Rioja). Most of the stuff produced from 1922 through the 1970s was Sherry-like wine of variable quality often sold in bulk.
Help came from an unlikely source in the 1970s: Marquis de Riscal, a Rioja producer, who decided to bring Verdejo into the spotlight and make dry whites from the grape. The Bodega’s dedication to reviving the grape transformed it. Part of the problem for Verdejo-based wines was that they did seem to oxidize (turn into that sherry-like concoction) quickly. With investment and research, Riscal and other producers found that night harvest, cooler fermentations, and a good dose of sulfur dioxide helps preserve the aromas and freshness of the wines and makes them shine.
My opinion: Good call!
Named for the green color of its berries (verde), Verdejo is the 5th most planted white grape in Spain and is popular in its mother country. And it’s clear why: The grape is unlike any other. It’s aromatic with its citrus notes and usually a distinctive earthy, underbrush/shrubby smell. It tastes like bay leaves, almonds, and has a slight bitterness and great mouth-cleansing acidity. Despite its crispness, wines of Verdejo have a full, smooth, silky texture that I love. It’s a complex, food friendly white -- great with everything from sheep’s milk cheese to pasta or fish in lemon or lemon cream sauces. The grape’s acidity makes it refreshing for warm weather but the full nature of the wine makes it a great fall and winter white too.
Through this praise of the grape, I’ve failed to mention one of the coolest things about Verdejo: you can get great stuff for around US $15. That said, not all Rueda or Verdejo is created equal so let me give you some tips for buying before I sign off.
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Wines labeled “Rueda” are only required to be 50% Verdejo — the rest is normally Sauvignon Blanc and Viura, a grape usually used for blending in white Rioja and in Cava, as I already mentioned.
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Wines labeled “Rueda Verdejo” or Rueda Superior are required to be 85% Verdejo, but many are 100% and usually indicate so on the bottle. Rueda Verdejo are the best wines, in my opinion. Look before you buy – the label will usually indicate if the wine is 100% Verdejo and that’s what you need to seek out.
Have you had Rueda Verdejo? What do you think? Please go to winefornormalpeople.com/blog and drop a comment and get a full transcript of this audio blog.
This time we address the fascinating terroir, land, climate, and history of Champagne. This is the less-told story of the region, not the one about how the wine is made or the different types you can buy. We hope to show Champagne in a different light.
*NOTE: We don't discuss the still wine areas of Champagne, Coteaux Champenois and Rosé de Riceys because they are made such limited quantities and are very hard to find.
What is Champagne?
- Sparkling wine exclusively produced from grapes grown, harvested and made into wine within the Champagne delimited region, in France.
Location, climate, terroir
- Northern location – Reims at 49.5 and Epernay around 49˚N (US—Canada border)
- LANDSCAPE:Sloping vineyards good for drainage and intensity of sun exposure
- CLIMATE:
- Cool: average temps of 66˚F/18˚C during growing season – grapes can’t fully ripen (acidic, lower sugar good for Champagne making)
- Wet, frost risk, low sunlight hours
- SOIL: Limestone subsoil – mainly chalk, marl, limestone
- GRAPES: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
- Pinot Noir: palate weight and dark berry aromas.
- Pinot Meunier: acidity, fruitiness. less susceptible to rot
- Chardonnay - creamy roundness, floral aromas
- Also permitted, rarely used: Pinot blanc, Pinot Gris, Petit Meslier, Arbane
- LOCATION/SUB AREAS:
- 84,000 acres/34,000 ha of vineyard
- 150 KM/95 miles east of Paris
- 320 villages, five main growing areas:
- Cote des Blancs– and particularly the Cote de Sezanne– are where the finest Chardonnay sites are found, outcrop of chalk.
- Montagne de Reims (chalk) and the Vallee de la Marne (Marl, sand or clay) are ideally suited to Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
- Aube: Pinot Meunier
History
- Egyptians and Romans and the hatred of bubbles
- Champagne's rise to fame: 987, Hugh Capet was crowned King of France at the cathedral Reims. Association of the region with royalty
- Quality of the wine in the Middle Ages: light red, pale pink or grey, and attempt to use elderberry to darken them
- Dom Perignon and his REAL contribution to Champagne (hint: he neither liked bubbles nor any other grape apart from Pinot Noir), AKA -- why he rolls over in his grave whenever anyone pops open a bottle of Dom...
- How the English invented modern Champagne in the mid 1600s.
- The business of Champagne as it rose in the 1800s, including the story of the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars
- The contributions of Veuve Clicquot—Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin with riddling and dosage (sweetness)
- The Champagne Riots
- World Wars
Interesting Champagne Facts
- Chilling Champagne in the freezer will dumb down the aromas. Chill in an ice bath for 15-20 minutes or refrigerate 3-4 hours before serving
- Younger wine is better colder (8˚ C/46˚F). Older wine is better a little warmer (10˚C /50˚F)
- The shape and condition of the cork indicates how long the wine has spent in the bottle.
- Trapezoid shape: young, newly bottled and the cork is still elastic.
- Tapers at the bottom: cork has been in there longer, older wine.
- Bubbles: Fizz dies with time
I know you were wondering...“What is Côtes-du-Rhône? What's in it? Where is it from?" I've got you covered!
For the transcript and details, go to http://winefornormalpeople.com/blog
Every so often I get a question about the difference between cheap wine and better wine: “What’s the real difference? Why spend $25 when I can spend $2.50? Seriously, it’s just fermented grapes. Isn’t it all the same?”
No. And despite the articles and taste tests of experts where the $2 wine wins a blind tasting, there is a difference between crap wine and good stuff. Let’s remember that those tests are in pressured environments, with artificial conditions (peer pressure, no food around so European wines lose every time).
I’m telling you, even if you don’t know how expensive a wine is, when you taste something that is well made, there’s a big difference between that and plonk.
I’m totally willing to buy that, like everything in wine, tasting quality is something you figure out as you learn more about wine. You may be at a place now where you can’t taste the difference. It will come with time and more tasting.
Regardless of what you can or can’t taste, there are some serious, concrete differences between mass produced wine and wine that may be of interest. These are farming, winemaking, and flavor factors that distinguish wines from each other in both quality and price. So even if you can’t taste the difference today, maybe this will at least provide an explanation of the price difference between good wine and cheap wine and give you an appreciation of why some wineries charge more for their wine.
There are three main factors:
- Since all great wine starts in the vineyard, the best vineyard sites are prized, limited and the grapes from there cost more.
Let’s take wine out of the equation for a second. Let’s bring this to tomatoes.
Ever been to a local farmer’s market? There are usually multiple people selling tomatoes. One week you buy tomatoes from a farmer whose wares look awesome and whose tomatoes are half the price of the vendor next to her. But when you slice the tomatoes open and taste them, they are acidic and too earthy for your liking. They lack sweetness and aren’t so juicy. So when you go back you spring for the more expensive ones. It ticked you off a little to have to pay double for a tomato, but you decide to do it anyway. When you cut open that tomato and taste it, the heavens open and angels sing. This is the best tomato you’ve ever eaten. You would pay 4 times the price of the other tomato for this experience.
What’s going on here? It’s the effect of terrior and the brilliance of the farmer in picking the right fruit for the right place on her farm. Growing on the right spot, the tomatoes are heavenly. Growing on a less good spot, they suck. Grapes are the same way. So expect higher quality, better fruit to go into expensive wine.
If someone grows grapes on crappy sites where grapes don’t gain maximum flavor and structure, the resulting wine is going to suck. If they grow it in a place with the right sun exposure, soil type, drainage, and slope, you get unbelievable grapes. And you can’t have great wine without great grapes. Period. So some of the expense of better wine is from the cost of growing on coveted, often hard to farm sites that make kick ass grapes.
2. Winemaking has another huge effect. If you don’t know what you’re doing and don’t use the right equipment (the right kind of barrels, the right type of maceration, fermentation) the wine isn’t going to be as good.
Never is this more clear than when you’re touring around a wine region trying the wines. The wines of the area are from similar vineyards and sometimes from the exact same ones, but in the hands of different winemakers they taste completely different. The winemaker’s decisions can make or break a wine.
So even if you’ve done a great job in the vineyard and you have beautiful grapes that have outstanding potential, you’re by no means done — it can still all go to pot. Trust me, I’ve seen this happen. In the hands of an overzealous, tech-loving winemaker, beautiful grapes can transform into a wine that tastes like a mouthful of vanilla and butter with no hint of the natural goodness that came from the land.
Top wines have balance between acid, tannin, alcohol, and sugar (or lack thereof) and they are either reminiscent of fruit or of the land in which they grew. They aren’t oak bombs. They don’t taste like butter (although they can have the texture of velvet). They aren’t high alcohol without a balance of tannin or acid. A skilled winemaker understands the grapes s/he has to work with and uses techniques to highlight the deliciousness of the grapes, not to transform the wine into something completely different from the grapes they worked so hard to grow.
Are barrels expensive? Good ones are. Is storing wine and allowing it to mature expensive? HELL YES! I’m a business dork, so I always think about inventory holding costs — not cheap. Do you sometimes have to painstakingly make a bunch of different lots form different areas of the vineyard and then blend them? If you want good wine, you may.
When you pay for good wine, you’re paying for the great judgement of the winemaker.
3. Ultimately the taste, aroma, and texture of the wine are dead giveaways that you have something special.
If you read the blog or listen to the podcast, you know that I’m quick to call BS on stuff in the wine industry that I think is ridiculous. But I promise you that as you have the opportunity to taste better wine, you will taste the differences between cheap and expensive glasses. The velvety feeling of high quality Pinot Noir, with just the right balance of fruit, acid, and light tannin. The ripe fruit flavors combined with a spicy earth and bright acidity of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. The bacon, black pepper, and black plum notes against the bright acid and noticeable but not too rough tannin of a Northern Rhône Syrah. These experiences stand apart from the less expensive wines that are just fine, but not memorable.
The more you drink the more you realize that there is a taste difference. I’ve watched the faces of friends light up when they taste a truly great wine versus the stuff they usually drink and it’s a different animal — they get it. I remember my own experiences of tasting fine wines for the first time and knowing that there was a big difference between what’s possible and what I normally drink on a nightly basis.
You have to know what to look for, but when you do, drinking great wine (on special occasions, because what normal person can afford to every night?) is so rewarding and such a wonderful treat.
What do you think? Agree? Disagree that there’s a difference? Write a comment and let me know!!!
The list of wines that are underrated, overlooked, and great values! Some are mainstream, some less so but all fabulous. From Syrah to Chenin Blanc to Sherry and many in between, this should give you some great ideas of what to buy!
And here's the list!
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Dessert wines of any type:
- Vintage Port, Ruby or Tawny Port, Muscat de Rivesaltes, Banyuls (red), stickies from Australia, sweet Riesling from Germany, Tokaji from Hungary -- all enormous values!
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Chenin Blanc: Aromatic, complex, high in acid, great off dry or dry.
- Vouvray, Saviennieres, and some South African Chenins are outstanding. Napa's Chappellet and Long Island's Paumaunok make great US versions.
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Blaüfrankisch (Austria)/Lemberger (Germany): Spicy with black pepper and cinnamon, it makes your mouth feel alive. Medium bodied, cherry-like, interesting, not the same old same old.
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GERMAN and ALSACE Riesling and all Alsace whites: Well priced versions for under $20 - $25. Thierry Thiese is always a winning importer in the US.
- German Riesling: Range of wines for range of cuisines – off dry, dry, semi-sweet – great with spice, great with cheese, great with fish (fuller styles). Dimension, -- floral to citrusy, peachy to minerally, petrol (gasoline) to fruit-bowl like always balanced with acidity
- ALSACE whites: No secret that I love them. Soft, full, flavorful, great with food. Riesling, Gewurz, Pinot Gris, Muscat – all have an unctuous quality.
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Portuguese reds
- Reds from Douro or Dão: Touriga Nacional is the main grape, they contain the grapes of Port but are dry. Complex, dark and red fruit, earthy, range from medium to full. Versatile and usually CHEAP!
- Bairrada (Baga): is amazing when made well and becoming more available.
An honorable mention for the Mencía grape from Bierzo, which is amazing and usually underpriced
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White Bordeaux
- Best are Semillon majority with Sauv Blanc and Muscadelle. Look for top wines from Graves or Pessac-Leognan.
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Loire Cabernet Franc
- Medium bodied, earthy, tea-like, with red and black fruit. Acidic. Lots of dimension and real depth – even though it’s lighter in style.
- Chinon, Bourgueil, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Touraine are top areas (not mentioned but also one to check out: Saumur-Champigny. It can be overpriced but good versions are pleasant)
Another honorable mention: Loire Muscadet, from a single vineyard or great producer is less than $20 and can be floral with a bready quality (when the bottle says sur lie) and when from a great producer.
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Syrah: Full, spicy, rich, peppery, perfumed, herbal, lavender, savory
- Northern Rhône, South Africa, Central Coast, Washington State, Australia (Shiraz)
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Langhe Nebbiolo: Earthy, tar and roses, can be acidic and tannic, lots of gravitas in the right hands and great with food.
- No one knows WTF it is but it can be like a baby Barbaresco or Barolo. Its unpopular because people are unaware of it. Very well priced.
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Sherry: A perfect aperitif, underpriced for what it is. Another one to surprise guests with – the nutty factor of an Amontillado will win friends and influence people
- The range is incredible (this is just a sample of the types available -- there are many more!)
- Fino: dry and like olives and almonds
- Manzanilla: Nutty and salty -- like a richer Fino
- Amontillado: Aged 8+ years, almond and walnut character. Rich, dry
- Oloroso: Oxidized, richer, complex, like alcohol infused walnuts, dry.
- PX/Pedro Ximenez: sweet, raisined, nutty, full, and amazing on top of vanilla ice cream.
- The range is incredible (this is just a sample of the types available -- there are many more!)
What do you think? Do you like the list? Have you had any of these? Will you try any? Drop a comment and let us know!
Txakolina, also called Txakoli (CHOCK-oh-lee) is an acidic, saline, and floral white from the autonomous Basque region between Spain and France. It's a delicious summer wine that you need to get your hands on and I tell you why.
For the transcript and details, go to http://winefornormalpeople.com/blog
Greece has a long, long history of winemaking, but it's not as popular as some other regions. I explain my theory of why and then talk about grapes to explore.
For the transcript and details, go to http://winefornormalpeople.com/blog
Jane Anson, brilliant contributing editor and Bordeaux correspondent for Decanter Magazine (and nominee for Louis Roederer's 2016 Feature's writer and online communicator of the year) returns! She and I take on geopolitics and wine! If you're confused about why Brexit is such a big deal for Europe and the UK, listen to this podcast.
We explain the politics of this unprecedented move and how it could affect the global landscape for wine. A must listen if you want to get up to speed on this important issue!
Here are the notes. We discuss...
- What exactly IS Brexit? 2. What do we know so far about how it is affecting the market for wine? 3. Why this matters for European wine now and in the future in UK, in the US and in other New World places 4. What are likely outcomes for the UK and the global wine market? 5. Jane's personal perspective and what she thinks is going to happen The link to her piece from Decanter that prompted this podcast: http://www.decanter.com/wine-news/anson-brexit-bordeaux-wine-307599/
This time I take up the issue of wine shipping and U.S. wine law in all its convoluted messiness. For the full transcript and details on Free the Grapes, go to http://winefornormalpeople.com/audio-blog-2-the-problem-with-u-s-shipping-law/
Introducing Simone Madden-Grey, our new "down under" correspondent, who will be helping us explore the world of wines from Australia and New Zealand. After meeting her and learning of her fascinating background we discuss the Yarra Valley, an excellent cool climate region of Australia.
Simone's Web site, Happy Wine Woman: https://happywinewoman.com
And a link to her blog, where she discusses her favorites from Yarra: http://wp.me/p3fxzw-Jt
What did we discuss in this episode?:
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An introduction: Who is Simone? Our new correspondent for Australia and New Zealand and founder of Happy Wine Woman services/writing
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What is going on in Australia at large? An overview and discussion
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What is the Yarra Valley and why did we choose to do the first podcast on it?
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We discuss the high wine quality, its differentiation from traditional Australian styles, and the importance of it in the revival of Australia’s global image
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What is Yarra? Overview
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1 hour from Melbourne
- Some historical details
- The reputation as a large, diverse area with many wine styles, although known mostly for restrained Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, along w sparkling
- 37˚ S latitude -- same as Mendoza in Argentina, southern Bio Bio in Chile. 37˚N -- Santa Cruz, CA, Virginia, Sicily, Peloponnese
- Coolest part of mainland Australia
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Diversity: Valley Floor v Upper Yarra, Mediterranean v continental climate, rainfall levels
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Grapes/Wine:
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Chard and Pinot 60% of production, but Cabernet and Shiraz big players too.
- Simone tells us what to expect from these wines from a flavor perspective.
Here's Simone's full list of Yarra Valley wineries:
Yeringberg http://www.yeringberg.com/
Yering Station http://www.yering.com/
Yarra Yering http://www.yarrayering.com/
Giant Steps http://www.giantstepswine.com.au/
Innocent Bystander http://www.innocentbystander.com.au/
Domaine Chandon http://www.chandon.com.au/
Out of Step http://www.outofstepwineco.com/
Salo http://www.salowines.com.au/
Arfion http://www.arfion.com.au/
Payten and Jones https://paytenandjoneswine.com.au/
Jamsheed http://jamsheed.com.au/
Warramate Wines http://warramatewines.com.au/
De Bortoli http://debortoliyarra.com.au/de-bortoli-yarra-valley.html
This is the first of our new weekly audio blog series: short, informative readings of blog posts from winefornormalpeople.com/blog.
To kick it off, Carmenère, a grape with the most dramatic backstory in the wine world!
Find the full transcript here: http://winefornormalpeople.com/audio-blog-1-car…-story-ever-told/
White wines often get dismissed as being less complex than reds but that's hardly the case. In this episode we review aromatic v non aromatic whites and how to navigate whites to find styles & grapes that will give you a new appreciation for these wines.
Specifically we talk about:
- Aromatic wines -- what aromas they exhibit, regions you'll most likely find them and how they are made.
- We talk about the merits of aromatic v non aromatic wines
- We discuss aromatic grapes: Albariño, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Torrontés, Viognier, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Fiano and more
A good primer on whites and their breadth and depth!
Jason Haas was the 2015 Paso Robles Wine Industry Person of the Year. As the GM and a partner in the Tablas Creek joint venture with the Perrin family of Rhône fame (Château de Beaucastel is one of the most famed properties in Châteauneuf du Pape and the family own several other ventures through out Rhône and Provence), Jason has had an enormous impact on the Paso Robles region and the wine style there. In addition, he is one of the most talented writers in the industry – his Tablas Creek blog has won multiple Wine Blog Awards and is up for another one in 2016.
This conversation was a culmination of years of admiration from afar -- I am a huge fan of the Tablas Creek wines and style. Here are some notes from the show:
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First we talk about the history of Tablas Creek and how the partnership between the Haas and Perrin families happened.
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We talk about the factors involved in finding a perfect site for the project – soil types, microclimates, altitudes, etc. and the process they went through to find it.
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We discuss the process Tablas Creek went through to import the vines from Beaucastel.
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We cover how and when Jason got involved with Tablas Creek and his hand in carving up Paso Robles into 11 appellations which happened in 2015.
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We answer the questions: what did and does make Tablas Creek’s vineyards so unique? and... It is possible anywhere with the right people and the right winemaking and growing, or is this a characteristic unique to certain sites that not all people are cognizant of in CA winemaking?
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We discuss farming: organics, biodynamics, and dry farming and why Tablas Creek uses all three.
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We talk about blends, and about the various tiers of Tablas Creek wine and how Jason and his team benchmark his brands against California and Rhône wines, and how they usually stack up.
A great conversation with a California legend in the making! This is a fascinating look at an up-and-coming area of California, and it's star player.
One of the most common questions I get is about random stuff floating in wine and what to do with it. In this episode we cover it all -- wine diamonds, sediment, spritz, clouds, and cork -- and explain what they are and what to do when you encounter them!
You want to know more about rosé? Ian Renwick, our regular contributor from the Luberon on the border of Rhone and Provence with Domaine de la Citadelle has been studying the ins and outs of rosé for years now. As his apprenticeship comes to a close, his "dissertation" is all about rosé and he shares much of what he knows.
Here are the show notes. We discuss...
- The history of rosé and overcoming the bad reputation of pink
- Rosé's new found Popularity -- Brangelina, seasonality, and trendiness
- How to make rose -- first how to make red and white, then the challenges of rosé
- What grapes go into rose and why a lot of rose is crap
- What people SHOULD do to make great rose -- DORK OUT
- Why rose is the "most technological of wine" -- and whether or not it's drink making or wine making (my new favorite question)
- The importance of maintaining aromatics in rose
- Color differences, flavor differences and what to look for when shopping (hint, why color should NOT be a factor)
- The question of age..
- Food and wine pairing ideas
And then we end of the rosé rant! An excellent podcast that will give you new appreciation for rosé.
A fascinating convo with podcast listener and coffee guru Kendon Shaw of Victrola Coffee in Seattle (victolacoffee.com) . We talk about the similarities between the two -- from an agricultural, business, and enjoyment standpoint -- and how coffee is evolving to become more like wine. Thanks to Kendon and Victrola -- a fascinating look inside the coffee business and a beverage that many of us take for granted, but probably shouldn't.
Kendon offers a coupon code:
www.victrolacoffee.com
Free shipping with this code: normalwine
Valid through 4/17/2017
We go out on a limb this week, sharing a personal story on a controversial topic. But after years of questions from moms and dads to be, it's finally time.
Rarely do women in the wine industry discuss their relationship to alcohol when they're pregnant and the decisions they make about drinking while nursing. But just because it's not discussed widely, doesn't mean it's not on people's minds. This one's for you, moms and dads. It's not advice (I'm no expert or doctor) nor is it meant to persuade you to do anything. It's just our story of what we did and the how and why behind it because someone needs to say it.
So at the risk of everyone thinking I'm a terrible person, I admit that I did, in fact, drink in moderation during pregnancy. I talk about why I made the decision I did and what moderation actually meant to me (I actually tell you what I did in each trimester), M.C. Ice discusses his thoughts on it, and then we debate a bit.
Hope this helpful to some of you, and doesn't alienate others!
Alistair Nesbitt, Ph.D candidate at the Univ of E Anglia, UK discusses his work on climate change & how it affects viticulture & the wine biz. We talk about his fascinating paper: "Climate change drives UK wine production but not without weather shocks".
First we hit on the Background on Roman Empire
- The Roman Empire lasted from around 753 BC until 476 AD and encompassed most of Europe
- The impact was far, wide, long lasting – Romans started the industry all over Europe AND they discovered winemaking practices that are still around today
Expansion of Wine
- We discuss the Greeks and how they got the ball rolling with viticulture in Italy
- Then we go over the conquest of Europe by the Romans vis a vis wine – from the Punic Wars and Carthage on. Spain, Gaul (France), Germany, and Britain
Golden Age of Wine
- We talk about the Golden Age of wine in Rome in the 2nd century BC
- We discuss the medicinal, social, and religious roles of wine -- including how it was used by wealthy people to show their friends how rich they were
- The transformation of wine into a daily necessity where everyone from the rich to slaves drank it
Viticulture in the Roman era
- The concept of terroir is not new – writers from Pliny to Columella discussed the relationship between the land and the vineyard – soil type, slope, proximity to water were all important to viticulture
- Winemaking wasn’t so different from how it is today – the importance of how you press grapes, sur lie aging, the process of making sweet wine, and storage and aging were cited by writers
- Romans differentiated between vineyards and had famed wines: we talk Falernian, Alban, Caecuban and more
- We discuss the importance of place name v grape type and how the tradition continues
All in all, a dork-fest of an episode, but a very fun one indeed!
In Vino Veritas!
In this episode I have a fangirl moment with Jane Anson, one of the top wine writers in the world. She's the contributing editor and Bordeaux correspondent for Decanter Magazine,Decanter.com, and DecanterChina.com, among other publications, and author of the book "Bordeaux Legends," the story of the Premier Cru of Bordeaux.
In the show we talk about:
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Jane's background, how she traveled the world and how she wound up as a journalist for one of the foremost wine magazines in the world.
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The future of wine media
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Jane's book "Bordeaux Legends" and her other books
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Bordeaux -- her impressions of the region, its classification systems and the state of affairs on the left and right banks.
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We wrap with a discussion of Jane's favorite places in Bordeaux (from a wine and non-wine standpoint).
A fantastic conversation and hopefully the first of many (I begged her to come on again and she said yes!)
You can find Jane @newbordeaux on Twitter and on her site www.newbordeaux.com.
Santa Barbara is a cool climate wine region in CA's Central Coast. At 34˚ latitude, it doesn't seem like Pinot & Chardonnay would thrive here, but weird geology, geography, & a big ocean make the area one of CA's best & most unique cool climate hubs.
First we cover the basics on Santa Barbara:
- 5 hours north of LA
- It's separated from the rest of the United States by the San Andreas Fault, giving it different geology from much of inland California – soils here are more marine
- Shallow soils are well suited to viticulture, stress in the vines, low vigor, excellent concentration of flavor.
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34˚N Latitude – should be almost too hot for grapegrowing but valleys are transverse -- they run east-west rather than north-south
- Geologic oddity, the ocean breezes sweep eastward and are funneled in, helped by the hills and mountains that ring the region.
- East into foothills: warm during the day, cool during the night,
- West valley - ocean enjoy a mild and moderate climate.
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Main grapes – Pinot, Chard, Syrah
- The area took off in the 1970s and 1980s, but it's real tipping point was in 2004: the movie Sideways was set and filmed in the AVA
Then we discuss the American Viticultural Areas:
- Santa Maria Valley
- Sta Rita Hills
- Santa Ynez Valley
- Ballard Canyon
- Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara
- Potential new ones coming:
- Los Alamos region
- The Los Olivos District
- The Santa Maria Bench
If you haven't dipped a toe in to Santa Barbara's wines and you have access to them (especially those from the sub-AVAs) this podcast should get you motivated to do it!
After a great trip, compliments of Wines of British Columbia (http://www.winebc.com), I give my impression on what the Okanagan Valley is & what it has to offer. You may not like all I say, but it's an honest look at the good and bad of the region!
- First, we provide a thanks to the great people who were part of the trip: Laura Kittmer of Wines of BC, Lori Pike-Raffan and Blair Baldwin of the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society, Kyle Taylor from Sun Peaks, Arnette Stricker of @RTWGirl and Stefanie Michaels, @AdventureGirl
- We review the brief history of Okanagan wine, which began in earnest in 1990.
- We talk about the grapes available here from Merlot (most widely planted grape), and Pinot Noir to Pinot Gris (second most widely planted grape), Chardonnay, and Riesling
- Climate and geography are next -- we talk about the desert conditions of South Okanagan and why dry conditions, lakes, and latitude make such a difference to the wines here
- We get into the nuts and bolts -- the sub regions and what each grows and specializes in, discussing the importance of exposure and location and what that means for wine styles.
- Osoyoos/Black Sage and Oliver are the regions I mention as being high potential, along with the Similkameen Valley, west of Osoyoos and similar to the area.
After a bunch of facts, I give my opinion on what the region is and where it may be going (which some of you may not like, but those are the breaks!)
Thanks again to all who made the trip possible. I'll be coming again to see the south part of the region, but I appreciate the overview and the amazing hospitality, kindness, and meticulous planning but the Wines of British Columbia and the folks at the Okanagan Winter Wine Festival. Go to http://www.winebc.com for more information!
To follow up on the Virginia wine podcast, conversations with Luca Paschina of Barboursville Vineyards, who has been making wine in Charlottesville for 25 years, and a quick snippet of Kelly White of Glen Manor. Both will highlight why VA wine is so unique.
A few things on the podcast:
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The recordings were in tasting rooms. If you don't like ambient noise, skip this one.
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You'll hear my dad and Frank Morgan of Drink What You Like blog and Virginia wine expert asking questions as well. I travelled heavy this time!
Most of the podcast is a conversation with Luca Paschina of Barboursville Vineyards in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are a standard-bearer for quality in the region, as one of the oldest and finest producers:
- We discuss Luca's background -- his schooling in the Piedmont of Italy, his experiences, and how he wound up in Charlottesville working for the Zonin family at Barboursville in 1990
- Luca explains the improving reputation of Virginia and how Barboursville works to promote the region by making excellent wine
- We get NERDY -- talking about everything from vineyard management, to diseases that California nurseries have been sending their way and the economics of that, to use of oak, yeast, and wine fads.
- Then we talk about grapes, and there is some tasting of the Vermentino and the Bordeaux blend, Octagon (at one point I say "Sauvignon" and I'm talking about Cabernet Sauvignon, BTW).
Next we have a 5 minute snippet of a conversation with Kelly White of Glen Manor.
- Kelly gives us specifics on vintage, how it works for them, and some examples of extreme vineyard management
- Then she discusses how they make wine and their philosophy and work ethic. These wines are top notch, and much of the magic comes from their orientation and ideas about great wine.
Then we wrap! Enjoy!
The state of Virginia in the US has been trying to make great wine since the 1600s. After 350 years, they finally made it work! From great terroir to outstanding talent, this may be the most exciting place for wine in the US today.
After a listener question on the difference between Brouilly and Beaujolais, we talk Virginia wine:
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The place has has 400 year history, but only about the last 30 have been exciting!
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We talk about the challenges of climate, pests, humidity, etc of growing vitis vinifera in Virginia
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We discuss the various regions and grapes of Virginia
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I name names: Linden, Glen Manor, Barboursville, RdV, King Family, Veritas, Early Mountain and Blenheim make the list.
This state has a bright future if they keep churning out wines like they do from the top talent in Virginia. Delicious stuff!
To usher in 2016, we bring you a poem to make you smile and laugh. Thank you for listening in 2015 -- you are truly the best audience in the world!
What are the worst gifts a wine lover can receive? From the wine bra, to the wine stein to gas station wine, we go over the worst of the worst, in hopes that we can prepare you for what may be awaiting you under the tree! You won't believe this stuff! Here's the list with links:
- Wine games: http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=wine-opoly+board+game&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=58419321425&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5763135366991249203&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_8xery7em13_b
- Wine bra: http://www.amazon.com/WineRack-200-008-Wine-Rack-Medium/dp/B001FYZZI2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450844342&sr=8-1&keywords=wine+bra
- Wine shirts: http://www.rhinestonewinedesigns.com/wine-designs-page-2/
- Wine Chillers: http://www.amazon.com/Waring-PC100-Wine-Chiller-Black/dp/B000I14CA0/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1450844853&sr=1-7&keywords=wine+chiller
- Wine napkins: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=wine+napkins
- Chambong: http://gizmodo.com/three-cheers-for-the-chambong-the-worlds-most-unnecess-1736915146?trending_test_five_b&utm_expid=66866090-76.Xf7HV5ZSS3i8CtAkjmzQiA.2&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F
- Chalices: http://www.skymall.com/the-king-s-royal-chalice/21289GRP.html
- 750 ml Wine glass: http://www.amazon.com/Original-Big-Betty-Premium-Jumbo/dp/B0053T01UM/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_sims?ie=UTF8
- Double walled wine stein:http://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2012/08/top-10-totally-pointless-wine-accessories/4/
- Wine bjorn: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002YKE2CQ/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002YKE2CQ&linkCode=as2&tag=webwat05d-20
- Old vintage wine, $2 wine, a magnum of white Zinfandel, Crappy homemade wine given as a gift
There are some bad ones in there! Check it out and never buy these for anyone! Merry Christmas and thanks for listening!
Michelle DeFeo is a rock star of the Champagne world. She's a fabulous businesswoman, a Champagne nerd, and a normal wine person! We discuss everything from Bon Jovi to being a woman in the wine biz to differences in Champagne styles to flutes vs wine glasses.
Here are more detailed show notes:
- We discuss the landscape of the Champagne industry and Laurent-Perrier's place in it
- Then we discuss Michelle's background -- her journey from Jersey girl to Francophile and whether she's on team Springsteen or team Bon Jovi
- We trade war stories about the perils of being a woman in the wine industry and Michelle shares her hopeful outlook on the situation
- Then it's a Champagne dork out -- flutes v. glasses, occasions for Champagne, and sugar levels in the wine (and a little secret about sugar in wine)
- We discuss the storied history of Laurent-Perrier and it's pure, fresh, elegant style plus vintage and multi-vintage Champagnes from the house
- We wrap with some information on what it's like to work for Laurent-Perrier
Finally Michelle tells us what she'll be drinking for the holidays!
A super informative podcast with a great lady. The wine is delicious too -- so put it on the list!
Enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving! We discuss the ideal wines to go with this hard-to-pair meal with specifics down to producers in some cases! We focus on American wines for this very American holiday.
Here is the line up this year (explanations all included in the podcast!):
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American sparkling
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Off-dry Riesling, Chenin Blanc or Gewurztraminer
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Dry rosé
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Oregon Pinot Noir
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Central Coast or Washington State Syrah
From our family to yours -- a happy, safe, fun Thanksgiving! Enjoy!
Entrepreneur Stephen Bolger discusses VINIV, his company that allows people make their own Bordeaux wine using grapes from top vineyards & help from the top winemaking talent in the region. We discuss this cool concept plus how best to explore Bordeaux wine.
Here's an outline of what we talk about:
- First we talk about Stephen's meandering path into wine -- from minerals to tech to grapes!
- Then we talk about how VINIV evolved, from idea to reality and the challenges and opportunities along the way.
- We talk about Stephen's relationship with Lynch-Bages and the Cazes family, who owns Château Lynch-Bages, where VINIV is located.
- Although VINIV is really expensive, participating is a once in a lifetime experience and one that can be shared among lots of people. Stephen talks about what his clients get out of the experience.
- Then we pivot to general discussion on Bordeaux -- we talk about what it's really like in Bordeaux and the politics/structure of the industry. We talk about how people can people get great wine from Bordeaux if they know nothing and how to best explore Bordeaux.
Enjoy! And check out the winefornormalpeople.com/classes link for our live, interactive classes!
It's getting cooler in the northern hemisphere (and it's still not hot in the southern one!) so we thought we'd make some recommendations for what you could get to drink well this fall!
Before we get to it, we announce FALL/WINTER CLASSES! Please head to winefornormalpeople.com/classes to register!
And here are the slots:
- Rhône white blend
- Santa Barbara Chardonnay
- Fiano di Avellino
- Tavel rosé
- A wild card white or sparkling -- Lambrusco (a sparkling red) could be cool, or you could just figure out what strikes your fancy
- A Cru Beaujolais like Morgon or Moulin a Vent
- Spanish Rioja
- Portuguese red -- Douro or Dão or Alentejo
- Langhe Nebbiolo
- Aglianico from southern Italy
- Cahors (Malbec) from France
- Walla Walla Syrah or Merlot
Let us know what you wind up getting or if you have any new favorites from our recommendations!
We talk with Marcello Lunelli, chief winemaker for Ferrari, producer of high end, Metodo Classico sparkling wine in Trentino, Italy. It's great wine. We discuss:
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Trentino -- its unique location and how the terroir, the Dolomite Mountains, and the soil make the area so special and different from other parts of northeast Italy.
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The economic situation of Trentino and how Pinot Grigio has been a curse and a blessing for the area.
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Marcello's background: his education, his experiences abroad, and his philosophies on how to make superb sparkling wine, including the importance of organic viticulture to Ferrari and the difference it makes.
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How sparkling is making headway in Italy and how Ferrari is at the forefront of the movement.
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The difference between Trentino metodo classico and Franciacorta in Lombardy.
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The long history of Ferrari -- they've been around since 1902 -- and how the Lunelli family learned high quality winemaking from the master, Giulio Ferrari.
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The challenge of making high quality sparkling at scale: How to make a large volume of wine while maintaining quality of a small winery.
Marcello's passion comes through in the wine. It's excellent -- a MUST try and a great value for what's in the bottle!
http://www.ferraritrento.it/EN
In this episode we talk about the enormous and growing popularity (in North America) of red blends.We discuss:
- The stats on red blends in the US and their explosive growth, especially at the low end
- The marketing gimmicks around the trends, including the fascinating names the large companies have come up with from "InspiRed" to "The Troublemaker."
- The flavor profile of most blends and the differences between them and varietal wines.
- The benefits of blends and the names of some very famed blends.
- The difference between "intentional blends" and "kitchen sink" blends. Along with the sweetness factor.
- My opinion on the importance of back label copy to help explain the blend better
- A run down of the potential winners and losers of the trend
Thanks for listening! Enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving Canadians! In this mini episode we recommend some wines to have on the table...and a way to serve them! We are thankful for you!
Here are the wines we mention:
Sparkling wine / sparkling rosé Off-dry Riesling or Chenin Blanc (Spätlese or Vouvray) Northern Rhône -- Crozes-Hermitage, St-Joseph Bordeaux Oaked Chardonnay Sweet wines: Vins doux Naturels, Port
Portugal has a rich winemaking tradition, a long history with wine, and lots of great wine regions. With a ton of indigenous grapes and a variety of climates across regions, it's a fascinating wine powerhouse and it's on the rise!
- We discuss the 4000 year history of winemaking in Portugal
- We talk about the challenges Portugal has had in recent decades and how its winemaking is getting back on track
- We talk grapes and how most of them are native to Portugal
- We discuss the classification system: Vinho de Mesa, Vinho Regional, Indicação de Proveniência Regulamenta (IPR), Denominação de Origem Controlada
- And then we hit the regions:
- Vinho Verde
- Tras Os Montes
- Douro
- Dão
- Bairrada
- Beira
- Do Tejo
- Alentejo
- Lisboa
- Península de Setúbal
- Algarve
- Madeira
Portugal is a fascinating place. It's a lot to digest because the grapes, region, and language are unfamiliar to many of us but the wine is worth seeking out. It's only getting better!
This week we talk to Madeline Puckette of Wine Folly, the amazing wine blog that has brought the art of design to the wine world. Wine Folly's information and outstanding graphics have made wine accessible for wine lovers near and far and I was excited to speak to Madeline about how her concept for Wine Folly has evolved and her upcoming book. Most of the podcast is then devoted to a little crystal ball gazing -- we discuss where we see the wine world going in the next few years and why!
Thanks to Madeline and we wish her every success with her book. Visit her here: www.winefolly.com
In this short podcast we bring back Ian Renwick, winemaker and former travel planner to answer one of the top questions I get from you: "I'm going to France. What's the best way to explore the wine regions?"
The options are limited, but we tell you what you can do to get the most out of your trip!
As a follow up to episode 138 on the Finger Lakes wine region, we interview Fred Frank, grandson of the man who made growing premium wine grapes on the East Coast of America possible. Fred tells Konstantin's fascinating, important story & shares the ins & outs of cool climate viticulture. A must listen -- Dr. Frank is the reason viticulture exists in unorthodox regions around the US.
After a trip to this stunning region full of kind people and delicious wines, we can finally report on it!
To understand this region, you've got to get into a serious dork out mode because the story of how vinifera grapes can grow in this cold place goes all the way back to the glaciers! So briefly, in this podcast we cover:
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The importance of the Lake Effect and how depth matters to grape growing
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Weather and what that can do to a vine
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Grapes and how Riesling is a goddess in the Finger Lakes, and unlike Riesling anywhere else
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Glaciers, soils, and other nerdy earth-science stuff that relates to grape growing here.
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History of the region and preview of the soon-to-be-released podcast with Fred Frank, grandson of the pioneer of east coast vinifera winemaking, Dr. Konstantin Frank
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How to get these wines
After you hear this you're definitely going to want to get your hands on these wines or visit the region. A great story, and a fascinating region! Enjoy!
This week we have a complementary podcast to the one we did with Ryan Schmaltz, who did a giant pivot in his career to pursue his winemaking dream. This time we talk to Ian Renwick of Domaine de la Citadelle in the Luberon region of the Rhône Valley. I have "known" Ian virtually for years and have watched his career changes through interactions over email and social media as he moved into wine. Finally, he gives us the whole, fascinating story and then we get into SERIOUS dorkery -- discussing everything from rosé making to the politics of Bordeaux to whether or not ratings matter. Here's a quick outline:
- First we discuss Ian's life as a corporate HR dude and how he happened upon the WSET and Master of Wine program.
- Then we talk about Ian's foray into wine importing in Hong Kong
- We take a side trip to discuss Bordeaux, Southwest France, and the politics of the Bordeaux classification system and the AOP system at large.
- Ian tells me about how he wound up in Luberon and what he's doing there.
- The darker commences with tons of info on what Ian learned from his first harvest at the Domaine -- the good, the bad, and the ugly
- We talk about the Mistral, and what it really feels like
- We discuss Luberon, Provence, the grapes of the Rhône and the benefits of blending versus using single varieties in wine
- Then it's all about the business of wine: the balance between commercial success and individuality, our views on whether or not ratings really matter, how wine PR really works and winemaking versus drink making. We also throw in info on rosé winemaking, the characteristics to look for in a great Rhône wine and Ian's work on how rosé could be improved and made better.
A fascinating podcast full of great dork moments and industry stuff, you'll get a lot out of this.
Saving a wine to enjoy when your kid turns 21 or on your 10th or 20th wedding anniversary is a great idea, but what will last that long? This week we've got a great list of options for you with advice on how to research your best options and storage tips to boot!
Here's the list:
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Vintage Champagne
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Alsatian Riesling from producers like Zind Humbrecht, Marcel Deiss, or Trimbach. Or German Riesling from producers like Donnhoff or JJ Prüm.
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The Italians: Barbaresco and Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino, or Taurasi from Agliancio
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White and red Burgundy
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California Cabernets from specific producers: Ridge, Heitz, Chateau Montelena, Freemark Abbey.
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Heavier Northern Rhônes of Syrah like Cornas or Hermitage or Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the specific producers in Southern Rhône.
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Bordeaux from the best producer you can afford
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High end Rioja
Sweet Wines (my top picks for long aging)
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Sauternes
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Vintage Port
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Tokaji from Hungary
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Madeira
Whatever the occasion you're commemorationg there's a wine for you! Congratulations!
Yes, there is wine made in Uruguay, a small but mighty country that borders Argentina in the east. In this episode you'll learn about a country we should all have on our list to visit and Tannat, the wine we should all have on the list to buy!
Some of the important stuff we discussed:
- Uruguay is between the 30 – 35th parallels, so pockets of coolness are needed to keep structure in the wines
- Most of the wine is made by small producers
- The area has 22,250 acres of vines (Napa alone has 45K) and 200 wineries (Napa has over 400)
- Most of the wine is red, and most of that is Tannat with some Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. The biggest white grapes are Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
- Tannat is a robust, tannic red that has a pivotal role in the country's rising wine status. It's similar to Carmenere in Chile, Malbec in Argentina. Uruguay makes Old World Style Tannat, France makes New World Style Tannat!!! Wines are rich, full-bodied wines with dark fruit and spice aromas and flavors
- Top regions include: Montevideo, Canelones, Colonia, San Jose, Maldonado, and Salto
You may have a hard time finding these wines, but ask your wine shop to bring a bottle in for you. I promise it's worth the hunt! Great stuff!
From hot dogs to burgers to potato salad and corn on the cob, we've got you covered. A mini-cast that you can listen to on the way to the wine store so you make sure you grab the right bottle! Have a safe 4th and drink well!
This week, we have a great story for you! Ryan Schmaltz, podcast listener and chemistry Ph.D turned winemaker at Bella Winery and Wine Caves in the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma shares his fascinating transformation.
Ryan contacted me a few years ago, telling me about his plan to switch careers from the life of a chemist to that of a winemaker. Fast forward a couple of years and he made his dream a reality.
In this podcast, Ryan shares his story of tenacity, hard work, and risk taking, which paid off. You'll love hearing about his path and then the dork outs about working with Zinfandel, Syrah, and Grenache and the challenges of each grape.
A fascinating conversation, we hope you enjoy and learn!
This is a podcast to accompany the 9 wines we have posted on the Vinport.com/WFNP page. It details the wines and wine types and serves as a tasting guide for you to decide what to order and then what to look for when you are drinking the wines. It's a great one to listen to even if you can't order since you can probably find many of the wines types and taste along with the podcast!
Wines are available at www.vinport.com/wfnp
Free shipping on 6 bottles or more!
Enjoy!
This week we have a special guest, Eric S, a wine sales executive in Shanghai, who gives us an overview of what's going on with wine in China. We cover things like:
- What types of wines are people drinking in China?
- Is wine consumption growing or has it hit a wall?
- What's the deal with the gifting culture, anti-corruption, and the crackdown (A.K.A, why the top growth Burgundy and Bordeaux need to pay attention to the UK, US, and Canada again)?
- Has the wine bubble burst?
- Do Chinese drink domestic wine or imported wine most often? Is it any good? What are emerging areas?
- What's the deal with counterfeiting?
- What's the predicted future for China's wine market?
A truly fascinating conversation -- we learned a ton and hope you do too!
After a recent trip to Sonoma, we reflect on how things have improved in the past few years. The maturity of the region, including the quality of the wine and creativity of the producers, the family legacy of farming, & some great travel tips are covered. In more detail...
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First we discuss how Sonoma has entered young adulthood– it’s grown up We saw more maturity in producers, less exhuberence and more balance in both wine and attitude.
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We saw a change in the risks people are willing to take too. There was more creativity, more awareness about the environment and far better articulation around why certain farming practices are used – we heard about concrete benefits, not just marketing BS on biodynamics, organics, and sustainability.
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M.C. Ice observed found there was more under the radar to discover, and liked what he found when he looked a little closer.
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As we've observed before, the family stories of these Sonoma properties are interesting – there seems to be more emphasis on farming and connection to the land, especially now that many smaller properties are getting sucked up by big hulking wineries. We saw strong pride at every small winery we visited, especially at Mayo Family Vineyards, from whom you'll hear a clip near the end of the podcast.
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We discuss our crazy barrel tasting with Bill of ACORN (and promise more to come)
6 We wrap up with some key travel tips, like: keep the itinerary tight by planning well, consider renting an Air BnB, drink plenty of water, and make sure there is food in the car. We covered a bunch more too!
Hope you like this episode. And thanks to our sponsor:
audible.com.
Get a FREE audiobook download at www.audibletrial.com/winefornormalpeople. There are more than 100,000 titles to choose from, including some great wine books, for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player.
In this episode we talk with Jim Morris of MacPhail Family Wines. We discuss a lot of stuff with our old friend and one of the nicest guys in Sonoma. Topics range from:
- The CA wine industry and trends that we are less than excited about (yes, we name names!)
- The history of Sebastapol, Gravenstein apples, and the Barlow -- the latest hotspot in Sonoma where MacPhail's tasting lounge is located
- The world of Pinot-philes: Labeling, wagons, vineyards, and soils
- And most importantly -- Pinot styles and the differences from Oregon down to Santa Barbara
A great enrichment to previous CA podcasts and fun conversation with a great, smart guy!
An impromptu recording with one of the only producers in the Dry Creek that does Mediterranean grapes, not just Zinfandel: Mick Unti of Unti Vineyards.
The conversation is very free form, but we discuss:
- New World v Old World flavors and palates
- The real differences in Old v New World farming and winemaking
- How Unti is leading the evolution of Sonoma (without really knowing it!)
Because this was unexpected, it's a bit more unstructured than some of my other interviews, so I hope you can roll with it and still enjoy!
This week listener Jenn Y and I interview Tomomi Muraki Duquette, a sake sommelier from Niigata City who schools us in everything sake! We cover everything you need to allow you to explore the world of sake! Thanks to Tomomi and Jenn for a great lesson!
We cover things like:
- What is sake? How much like beer is it versus like wine?
- How is sake made?
- What flavors should we expect from different kinds of sake?
- What are the different kinds of sake? What should we look for on the bottle?
As promised, here are the types of sake that Tomomi discussed:
- junmai
- honjozo
- Junmai ginjo, gingo
- Junmai daiginjo, daiginjo
For more good reading on the topic, please visit this site: http://boutiquejapan.com/sake101/
Enjoy this very cool, different WFNP special!
And for more info on Tomomi's group, see her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/niigatasakelovers?fref=ts
This co-podcast with Brian Weber from Bartender Journey will teach you a ton about what goes on behind the bar with wine! From the danger of ordering rosé to how long a wine is left open before chucked, we give it to you straight!
Brian launched our full conversation on his podcast, which includes more basics about wine. I've edited our conversation to focus just on the wine-relevant portions! We talked about...
- How much knowledge do bartenders have about wine?How much training do they receive?
- Is it ok to ask for samples?
- How long does wine stick around before it's chucked if it's sold BTG? Do they ever try it - or just pour and hope it is still good? How many days do you leave a red by the glass compared to a white after opening?
- How does pricing of wine work in a restaurant setting?
- Do you think of us wine folk as silly purists? Meaning, a great cocktail is made from a few, if not many ingredients, and we winos are mostly looking for singularity.
- What do you do when a customer tells you the wine you served is corked?
- Have you ever faked rosé by adding red to white wine?
- Are there any cocktails that do not screw up your palate before the meal?
- What are some new and exciting wine cocktails being offered? How much of a difference does better wine make in these cocktails?
A very fun conversation from which I know you'll learn a ton!
Enjoy!
Forget the scare-mongering media's claims about arsenic in wine! We have the real deal. This week, I was HONORED to host Dr. Carl Winter, PhD, and professor at University of California at Davis. He's a food toxicologist & food safety musician (you must listen to his songs about food hazards, sung to popular music. He is hilarious but brilliant because the stuff is so memorable). He sets us straight and let's us know there is nothing to fear when it comes to arsenic in wine. I'm copying in some points he gave me on arsenic in wine, in case you want to go further in your knowledge on the subject.
AND the bonus. M.C. Ice was so enamored of the concept of food safety music, that he created something in homage to Dr. Winter. I hope you love it (and I hope he does too!).*
MANY thanks to Dr. Winter. A cool dude, an inspiration to us, and an all around nice dude!
Apart from the obvious (which, M.C. Ice states): there's an ocean and a continent separating them, what IS the difference between the Caberet Sauvignon based wines of Napa and those of Bordeaux (Left Bank). Here are the things we address:
- Latitude -- Bordeaux is at 45˚ and Napa is at 38˚ and it makes a difference
- Terrain -- the Left Bank is on a high plateau, near rivers, and is on gravel and clay. Napa is in a valley with big mountains flanking it on each side and Bay and Ocean providing cooling influences
- Soil -- the Left Bank is relatively uniform. Napa contains half of the soil types that exist on earth
- Flavors -- Bordeaux is more earthy, Napa more fruity
- Blends -- Merlot factors into Bordeaux in a more significant way
Enjoy and for more information visit www.winefornormalpeople.com
This huge wine producing region of southwest France is old, varied, and sort of inconsistent. There are a lot of misses here but a few big hits, mostly in the form of bubbles and sweet wines. If you know what you're looking for, you can get great wine.
Good AOPs include:
- Languedoc
- Corbières
- Minervois
- Roussillon
- Saint-Chinian
It's quite possible sparkling wine originated in Limoux -- Blanquette, made in the ancestrale method of the Mauzac grape, and Crémant, made in the Champagne method, are both exceptional here.
Maybe the best stuff the Languedoc-Roussillon is the Vin Doux Naturel, or the sweet wine of the region. From Banyuls (great with chocolate) to Rivesaltes, the sweet wines are not to be missed!
Although from my experience most of the still wines from the Languedoc are lackluster, it's an emerging region and worth a concerted effort to keep trying to see whether it will capture some of its former glory.
It's the Chinese New Year so it's time for a pairing podcast! M.C. Ice is fascinated that you can successfully pair wine with Chinese cuisine, but after serious experimentation I made a believer of him.
A few key notes:
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Slightly sweet Riesling and Vouvray are the MVPs with Chinese. You can't go wrong with these wines because they have full fruit, sugar to counteract the spice, and acidity to keep the flavors lively.
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Sweet and sour dishes are great with rosé or Alsace
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With meat dishes, Beaujolais is the MVP but rosé could work for pork buns
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With seafood, try Muscadet or Albariño
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Fried rice with egg can take Prosecoo, Viognier or a full Chardonnay
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Dim sum is hard, but Riesling is your MVP!
If you're a Chinese food lover, you'll love this podcast! Please let us know what you think about these pairings and add some of your own!
Happy Year of the Goat/Sheep!
You asked for it and we delivered! Per the request of many listeners, we revisit Spain in this episode.
I've said it before and I'll say it again -- you don't have to look hard to find values from Spain. But beyond Rioja and Ribera del Duero, where you should look for great red wines that won't break the bank? Some of the best red wines are from regions you may not know. In this episode we talk about:
- Toro
- Calatayud
- Navarra
- Bierzo
- Jumilla/Yecla and
- Montsant
These are some of the best red wine values in the world! Enjoy and let us know what you think!
It's Groundhog Day in the US, which means, according to the namessake movie, we get a do-over! So we re-do the episode on aging -- we discuss what to hold, why, and the history behind it. We talk about ideal storage conditions & why we don't cellar wine.
We hit on:
- The history of aging wine
- The chemical components that make a wine good for aging
- The role of cork in aging
- Which wines may age best
- The ideal conditions for cellaring and ways to cellar wine -- temperature, humidity, light, vibration
- Bottle types and dumb phases
- Why we don't cellar wine
Hope you enjoy and learn more this time than the last time we covered this!
For Australia Day, we revisit this amazing continent and one of its finest wine gems -- Margaret River. As Australia emerges from its post-critter wine era, the country is in need of a reset. If ever there was a region to rejigger people's perception of Aussie wine, this is it.
Here's the link: MARGARET RIVER
- We first talk about Western Australia -- its size, location, and the other wine regions here.
- We focus in on Margaret River, the area that makes 3% of Australia's wine and 20% of its premium wine.
- Margaret River was founded purely as a science project, and it's worked out pretty well. We hit on climate, terroir, soil, and the most successful grapes.
After you hear our description of the flavor profiles of these wines, you're going to want to run out to get some! And you should. It's great stuff.
Enjoy and happy Australia Day!
After some thanks and two awesome listener questions, we take up Cabernet Franc, the parent of some of the delicious red grapes you know!
From interesting, unexpected origins, to how it spread through France, we cover the early life story of this amazing grape.
Then comes the dork fest, with info on grape DNA, flavors, and the importance of canopy management. We discuss where this old grape grows, and the best emerging areas.
The podcast hopefully will inspire you to seek out wine made from this moderate, flavorful grape.
Hope you enjoy it!
I had the honor of talking with Bill and Betsy Nachbaur of ACORN Winery in Sonoma. From Sonoma history, to grape leaf shape, canopy management, barrel toast, and their specialty -- field blends -- you will learn so much from this podcast. I know I did!
A few more details on the winery we forgot to hit...the significance of the winery and vineyard names...
Vineyard Name
Our Vineyard name, “Alegría”, means happiness and joy in Spanish. Bill chose the name, because he was much happier as a farmer than he’d been as a lawyer (and folks like his products) . He chose a Spanish word to honor California’s Mexican heritage, and to recognize that our ranch was part of the Rancho Sotoyome land grant. Spanish was spoken here before English, and our workers are mostly Mexican. We also use it as a toast. Alegría! We wanted the winery name to be different than the vineyard name, because we wanted out grape buyers (we sell about a third of our grapes to other wineries), to vineyard-designate the wines they made from our Alegría Vineyard grapes. We felt they’d be more likely to do so, if the vineyard name was not also the name of a winery. Also, because Betsy’s Dad (and others) kept mispronouncing Alegría (saying Algeria), we wanted a name that was easily pronounceable and memorable. Winery Name We chose “ACORN” because we are tiny like an acorn; there are oak trees in our vineyards, our wine is aged in oak barrels; and an acorn is a symbol of potential, prosperity, and good fortune. It is also easy to pronounce. A writer once headlined an article about us: “Mighty Wines From Little Acorn Flow.”
For this final mini episode of 2014, I'm solo! M.C. Ice has the flu and can't record so I bring you three tips for New Year's Eve:
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Drink from "fine" to "poor", i.e., don't drink the best stuff last!
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Don't bring great stuff to a party or dinner if it won't be appreciated
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Try lower priced sparklers like Cava, Crémant, American Sparkling wine, Prosecco, Sekt, or for a cool, unusual twist -- Champagne made from one of the 19,000 growers in this region of France who made wine that really reflects the land and is less "homogenized."
And the resolutions:
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More podcasts and online classes in 2015!
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More podcast interviews in 2015
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All internet wine ordering, all (ok, most) of the time!
I hope you've had a wonderful 2014 and that 2015 is full of health, wealth, and happiness!
Thank you for listening and for your support!
Elizabeth
Although we love getting super dorky, sometimes we like to do a super practical podcast that you can take with you to the wine shop!
High alcohol naysayers be contradicted! If it's cold outside, you WANT high alcohol wines. So that's the kinds of wines I'm recommending...with the caveat that they must be balanced and not just heat.
Suggestions include:
Whites: Oaked Chardonnay, Châteauneuf du Pape blanc and other Rhône blends, southern Italian whites, Soave, South African Chardonnay, and a surprising, dark horse Pinot Blanc from Germany.
Reds: Syrah from Swartland, Crozes-Hermitage, or Walla Walla, Washington, Mendocino Zinfandel, Malbec from Cahors, France, Monastrell from Jumilla, Rioja/Tempranillo, Amarone, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Go fill a case and let us know what you think!
Following the journey back to my homeland, we discuss the amazing wines of Long Island and how far they've come. We'll give you the lowdown from climate, to vintage, to the best wineries of the area...and yes, we name names.
After recording the podcast, we had to add a disclaimer because we realized that this was a little insider-y for most people, but we still decided to launch this because there is a big debate raging in the wine world about what grapes and wines should be featured on wine lists. We realize some of you may not like this podcast and may think we've gone off the rails -- be patient! I felt we needed to cover it because it's been a huge debate in 2014 and one that doesn't seem to be going away.
That debate? Robert Parker, esteeemed wine critic, has been coming down hard on what he terms "hipster" sommeliers who are pretentious, only feature natural wines on their lists and eschew common grape varieties and big brands. Others have fired back at him saying that he is fighting for relevance by brining this up with such vitriol.
Here's an few articles on the debate (I can't reference Parker's original article because it requires a subscription but these have excerpts):
From Vinography: http://www.vinography.com/archives/2014/01/debating_robert_parker.html
From The Gray Report:
http://blog.wblakegray.com/2014/06/robert-parker-launches-another-cowardly.html
From Hawk Wakawaka:
http://wakawakawinereviews.com/2014/06/25/getting-to-know-dowell-rh-drexel-talks-with-robert-m-parker-jr/
And a few of the wine lists I'm referencing:
Vinegar Hill House, Brooklyn, NY: http://vinegarhillhouse.com/menus/#winelist
Table, Donkey, and Stick, Chicago, IL : http://tabledonkeystick.com
Camino Restaurant, Oakland, CA: http://www.caminorestaurant.com/wine
We look forward to your comments on this one!
All wine from Europe falls under a classified category. From DOCG to Pradikat to AOP, this week we cover what these categories mean and why they're important. And we give you the best news of all: it's not as hard as you may think and it can help you get better wine!
This week we talk about a wine bucket list experience at Bern's Steakhouse in Tampa, Florida (US), answer a listener question on decanting, and then tackle southern Rhone. We focus on the better regions of the area and tell you the secrets to drinking better than just regular, old Cotes du Rhone.
Using M.C. Ice's experience and his "lightbulb" moment in learning about a wine's potential to age, we discuss a recent tasting of a high end Bordeaux wine and how he was able to identify that this wine was a diamond in the rough (and it's not just because it costs $700 a bottle!).
This week I interview a close friend who happens to be the GM of a few wineries in Napa, the Dentist (he will be on again and if we want his candor, we need to disguise his identity!). He lives and works in Napa and he goes into detail about what the earthquake on August 24, 2014 felt like and what its ramifications are for the wineries and vineyards. The earthquake measured 6.0 on the Richter scale and is now considered a "major disaster" by the US government.
This is a firsthand account of an earthquake and what happens afterwards to the people, the land, and the wine.
Thanks for listening and I hope you enjoy!
In this podcast we review the six selections on the vinport.com/wfnp page. As M.C. Ice says -- these selections just keep getting better. This is an amazing batch and one you'll want to hear about, even if you don't live in a state where you can get delivery. These wines are worth seeking out.
The wines featured:
- A French rosé
- Bardolino
- Ribera del Duero
- Rioja Reserva
- Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
- Vintage Port (great to hold if you had a special occasion in 2011, as we did -- our first daughter was born then!)
Affordable, awesome wines that are easy to order. The podcast is like a tasting guide for you! Thanks for listening and for your support!
This week we cover a bit about the Rhône Valley and then discuss specifics of the 8 communes of the Northern Rhône and what they have to offer.
From north to south, the communes are:
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Côte Rotie
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Condrieu
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Château Grillet
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St. Joseph
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Crozes-Hermitage
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Hermitage
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Cornas
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St-Peray
and we throw in Clairette de Die for good measure! Some of my favorite wines are from here, so I hope you like the podcast!
You don't have to watch the Tour to love this podcast. We use the route of the Tour to cover the wine regions that the 2014 Tour de France pedaled through -- from the UK to Champagne to Languedoc and Southwest France. We provide snippets of info on each region, with commentary on the Tour sprinkled in. And we do it without blood doping or steroid use, thank you very much!
Thanks for listening! Enjoy!
This week we continue our interview (see Ep 104 for Part 1) with George Geris from Villa Maria Winery in New Zealand. We cover, diurnals, screw caps, Australia, New Zealand's marketing conundrum, and then M.C. Ice asserts his Fabio-sity (listen and you'll understand...)
Thanks for listening!
I had the opportunity to ask great questions of George Geris, winemaker for the large New Zealand winery, Villa Maria. He has been all over the world learning his craft but has been a winemaker in New Zealand for 17 years, making Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. He's laid back, smart, cool and full of important info about New Zealand.
In Part 1 of 2, we discuss George's background, what makes New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc so special, and a ton of other topics about this dual island wine hit parade.
Photo: George Geris from twitter
Thanks to Audible, our sponsor: Get a FREE audiobook download at www.audibletrial.com/winefornormalpeople. There are more than 100,000 titles to choose from, including some great wine books, for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player.
And thanks for listening! We can’t wait to hear from you! If you’ve got a question you want us to answer, post it we’ll include it on the show!
Podcast music: “Café connection” by morgantj / CC BY 3.0, ©2009 – Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)
This week Rick makes a comeback! We get a little industry insider-y, discussing the irritating practices and dumbed down way wine is marketed to women and, specifically, to moms.
I have to admit, this holds a special place for me since I was a wine marketer but always found the generalizations made so demeaning. This one's a little nerdy, but I hope you enjoy it!
Oh, and it features a clip from "A Beautiful Mine" by RJD2 in the intro.
Download it here:
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/beautiful-mine-theme-from/id327091770
We return from our baby and massive home renovation hiatus with a hugely important region in the wine world -- Piedmont, Italy.
We cover the major reds and whites, including Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera, Dolcetto, Arneis, Gavi, and Moscato. This should give you a good base for exploring this region that has a ton of great wines to offer but may be a little daunting to figure out!
This week we discuss three recently published books by noted wine authors. We talk about the basic premise of each book and then give our take on whether or not they're worth reading in our opinions.
The three books are:
"How to Love Wine: A Memoir and Manifesto," by Eric Asimov, Chief Wine Critic of The New York Times.
"The New California Wine: A Guide to the Producers and Wines Behind a Revolution in Taste" by Jon Bonné, the wine editor of the San Francisco Chronicle.
"Buy the Right Wine Every Time: The No-Fuss, No-Vintage Wine Guide" by Tom Stevenson, noted wine writer.
For our 100th episode we share some details about us -- both personal and wine-related. From talking about our childhood experiences with wine to M.C. Ice's passion and how he used to mow the lawn to my revelation of a type of wine I really hate and a cameo from the podcast founder, we use this time to share some good stuff about us!
We raise a glass to you, our loyal listeners, for being such a great community. Here's to 100 more!
You may think you know everything you need to know about tannin but in what could be our dorkiest podcast yet, we share a bunch of nerdy facts about tannin. And the show outline:
What are tannins?
- They're the stuff that makes your mouth feel dry or pucker after you drink a red wine or a white that’s been aged in oak.
- They are polyphenols – Chemical compounds in reds that easily bind to stuff, change often
- They affect color, flavor, and structure of the wine and act as a preservative – tannic wines can be cellared for a long time
- They are Important in food and wine pairing – protein helps minimize tannins
Where do tannins come from?:
- Found in skin, stems, seeds or from barrels or wood chips (tannin powder in the cheap wine)
- Some words on tanning leather and how tannins impact animal skins
- Vineyard management and winemaking
We then cover tannic food and high tannin wines including the big four:
- Nebbiolo
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Tannat
- Syrah
Enjoy and please drop any comments or questions here or on Facebook or Twitter!
After a few great questions from listeners, we have a celebrity guest: Grammar Girl, the best selling author, award-winning podcaster, and brain behind Quickanddirtytips.com. She answers dorky questions about wine grammar in her fun, brilliant style!
Listener questions were:
- What does it mean exactly when someone says a wine is rustic?
- Have you found wine shopping to be like fashion i.e.; certain items are a better bargain at certain times of the year?
- Unless I have a specific meal I am planning I tend to buy the same wine to drink and I go through stages. Am I messing up my palate by having a standard that I always go to?
- I sought out a Blaufränkisch and I was really surprised by how sweet it was. Is this typical of all Blaufränkisch , a Hungarian style, or just that vinter?
And then we get to the famous Mignon Fogarty, AKA Grammar Girl! She answers three questions for me:
- Should wine types (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, etc) be capitalized in writing?
- Why are some wine types not capitalized (champagne, sherry) by some wine writers?
- What's the deal with variety v. varietal?
Mignon is a great person, brilliant, fun, and I'm thrilled we connected. Find her at: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl
And more about her new project, Peeve Wars here: http://FundAnything.com/peevewars
Want a wine that will last from salad to entree to cheese course? This week we discuss 8 versatile wines that will carry you through your Valentine's meal (except dessert -- you need a sweet wine for that). Choose a wine using our ideas and you'll be set for the night!
The Whites: Albariño, Riesling, unoaked Chardonnay from the New World
The "Others": Rosé, Sparkling wine
The Reds: Beaujolais, Pinot Noir (but be careful which one!), Barbera
Happy Valentine's Day!
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Thanks to our sponsor, audible.com.
Get a FREE audiobook download at www.audibletrial.com/winefornormalpeople. There are more than 100,000 titles to choose from, including some great wine books, for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player.
And thanks for listening! We can't wait to hear from you! If you've got a question you want us to answer, post it we'll include it on the show!
____________________________________________________________________
Podcast music: "Café connection" by morgantj / CC BY 3.0, ©2009 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)Map: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license
Based on a blog post I wrote on the same subject, in this episode we talk abut the three important things that distinguish cheap plonk from well made wine.
Here are a few links of stuff we mention on the show:
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Tugboat Yards to support us or sign up for an online class (thank you!).
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Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
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The blog post that details the important stuff in this post. Read now.
Enjoy!
In honor of Australia Day, this week's podcast is on the Land Down Under. From climate, to grapes, to regions, and a precautionary marketing tale, we give a high level overview of the basics of the oldest, driest inhabited continent that makes some pretty excellent wine!
Check out the blog post on the 5 Things To Know About Australia too!
Links we mention:
- Link to the podcast
- To book classes or support the podcast
Enjoy!
A little out of the ordinary for us, this week we have a short interview with filmmaker Sarah Knight, who directed Vino Veritas, a dark comedy in which wine features prominently. The movie stars Carrie Preston (Emmy winner - CBS's The Good Wife, HBO's Tru Blood). The story revolves around two couples and the night they have once a rare Peruvian "wine" serves as a truth serum for each character. Although wine isn't the subject of the movie like in Somm, Mondovino, or even Sideways, it does have a big role, so this movie is great for people who like character development and wine!
The interview focuses on wine's role in the movie, stereotypes of wine drinkers, and whether alcohol, in general is a truth serum.
Take a listen but for you production junkies, please be forewarned...we were constrained in our technology so it was recorded over the phone. The interview sounds like it's on AM radio, so don't be a hater!
The movie can be downloaded from iTunes and Vudu or Amazon, and the trailer is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i-W_OpKNZQ&feature=youtu.be
Residual sugar is a term that wine people love to throw around. Although you may have a vague idea of what it is, this podcast will clear it all up. We'll talk about this term, why RS exists in wine, what it can taste like, and why it all matters so the next time someone spouts things about this term, you can explain a thing or two to them!
Temperature can help make or break a wine's flavors and aromas. In this episode we cover the right temps for certain wines and then tell you what to do to fix the temperature of a wine if you need to serve it and it's not quite right!
Are you at a loss for what to get a wine lover for the holidays? Have some etiquette questions on sharing your good stuff for Festivus? Look no further, we've got fun ideas for these holidays or any gift giving occasions!
From Rosé Champagne to Beaujolais-Villages, we've got a range to recommend to our American friends. Part shameless commerce division (the wines are available on http://vinport.com/wfnp), part food pairing bonanza we've got wines to make your TG more delicious!
Here is a list of the wines we mention:
Grüner Veltliner
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
Alsace Riesling
Rosé Champagne
Super Tuscan Syrah
Beaujolais-Villages
Cahors (mostly Malbec)
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and please let us know how the wines were, especially if you ordered them from Vinport!
Thanks for listening!
After shameless plugs for our nomination for the Best Food & Drink Podcast Award (such an honor to be nominated!), and a reminder about the wines I selected for you to check out and buy on Vinport.com, this week we delve into a thorny issue in the wine world.
Which has a bigger influence on wine: terroir or the winemaker?
We bring up arguments for both, go in circles and then ask you to send us your conclusion!
Find us on Facebook: Wine for Normal People
Twitter: @normalwine
We reference an article by Jamie Goode, an excellent and noted wine writer in which you may be interested:
Terroir: muddy thinking about the soil?
Thanks for listening! Please send us your thoughts on this topic!
This week is a continuation of Episode 87, but this time it's all about the most confusing but rewarding aspect of Riesling: German Riesling. Expert Stuart Piggott and I discuss the highest quality regions, sweetness and dryness scales, and how to shop to get what you want. Another don't miss episode!
Thanks for listening! Enjoy! \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Thanks to our sponsor, audible.com. Get a FREE audiobook download at www.audibletrial.com/winefornormalpeople. There are more than 100,000 titles to choose from, including some great wine books, for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player. And thanks for listening! We can't wait to hear from you! If you've got a question you want us to answer, post it we'll include it on the show! \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Podcast music: "Café connection" by morgantj / CC BY 3.0, ©2009 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)Map: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license Direct download: Ep\_087\_Discovering\_Riesling\_w\_Expert\_Stuart\_Piggott\_FINAL.mp3
Category:Riesling -- posted at: 5:39 AM
The Grape Miniseries returns with a very special edition! Riesling expert Stuart Piggott joins us to give the low down on this exquisite but often misunderstood grape. This is a not-to-miss conversation with an entertaining, funny, NORMAL Riesling guru!
After gossiping about why a lot of wine experts are disconnected from normal people we cover stuff like: * The origins of the grape * Terroir's effect on Riesling * Style variation by place (Alsace,Australia, Austria, the US, Canada and more) * Growing Riesling and making it * The "petrol" note and spritz in the wine -- WHAT are they? * The sweetness factor * How to tell if something is sweet or dry by looking at the bottle and how to find a dry wine * Food pairings with Riesling * How to shop for Riesling to get the style you want
Next time we focus on Germany, the home and holy land of the grape! Thanks for listening! Enjoy! \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Thanks to our sponsor, audible.com. Get a FREE audiobook download at www.audibletrial.com/winefornormalpeople. There are more than 100,000 titles to choose from, including some great wine books, for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player. And thanks for listening! We can't wait to hear from you! If you've got a question you want us to answer, post it we'll include it on the show! \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Podcast music: "Café connection" by morgantj / CC BY 3.0, ©2009 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)Map: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license
In a continuation of my amazing interview with Jean-Louis Carbonnier of the prestigious Bordeaux property Château Palmer, this week we talk more about the wines of the Château and what makes them so good.
Photo: Chateau Palmer
(WARNING: You may want to brush up on the Bordeaux podcasts before listening -- we get into some nerdy details!)
We weave through a bunch of sub-topics, but here are the main points:
- The 1855 Classification of Left Bank Bordeaux Chateaux, where Palmer got the shaft
- Is Bordeaux pricing fair? Do the wines measure up?
- Palmer: its history, the blend, the terroir, the winemaking, and how it comes to taste that great.
- Alter Ego, Palmer's lower cost wine with a slighlty different blend
- Then we wrap up with Jean-Louis's takeaways about Palmer & Bordeaux
Photo: Chateau Palmer
Thanks again to Jean-Louis and Château Palmer for their time and for educating us on this historic, classic, and unbelievably delicious wine!
For this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jean-Louis Carbonnier, the Director of the Americas for one of the most esteemed Bordeaux château, Château Palmer and the owner of the communications firm Carbonnier Communications.
Photo: Chateau Palmer
This is the first part of a two part conversation that you won’t want to miss. You may learn more about how Bordeaux really works from this conversation than from any book you can read, I know I did. In this installment, we talk about:
- The differences and dynamics between French winemaking regions, especially Bordeaux and Champagne, since Jean-Louis has worked in both
- Jean-Louis’s perceptions of how business gets done in Bordeaux
- His thoughts on global climate change in Bordeaux
- How the critics, especially certain American ones, have had a hand in shaping styles in Bordeaux
- The all important French concept of terroir and why it lays at the heart of French winemaking
Photo: Chateau Palmer
Stay tuned for next week’s episode when we discuss the 1855 Classification, it’s relevance today, and the nuts of bolt of how to make a wine as outstanding as Château Palmer.
Photo: Chateau Palmer
Thanks to Jean-Louis! I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this conversation!
After last episode's overview, we left you hanging! From Super Tuscans to Brunello di Montalcino to Chianti and Vino Nobile and a bunch in between, this week we cover the main wines of Tuscany and give our 2 cents on what's worth seeking out!
We tackle one of the most important and diverse regions in Italy, Tuscany. This is the first part of a two part series and lays the groundwork for the next episode, in which we detail the wines and the sub regions. In this episode -- the long, rich history of wine in Tuscany and the geography and climate of the place. Hopefully you find the background as complex and relevant to the wine scene today as we do!
Thanks for listening! Enjoy!
By request from normal wine people who have ordered wines from Vinport/WFNP, we did a podcast on the six wines offered in September through our partnership (full disclosure: I get a small cut of the profit).
Even if you can't get these wines shipped to you, you'll still learn a ton about grapes, regions, and flavors since we talk both generally and specifically about the wines offered. Each are classic examples from their regions. Here is the lineup that we talk about:
NV Serre Colsenta Prosecco Superiore di Valdobbiadene DOCG, Italy $18
2012 Domaine Masson-Blondelet, Pouilly-Fumé, $25
2009 Bodega de Los Clop Reserva, Malbec, $18
2008 Leone d'Oro Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Italy, $20
2009 Chateau Haut Beyzac, Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux, France, $38
2009 Domaine de Nalys, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Le Châtaignier, $55
A big thanks to Tony H for this topic. Here was his question:
- Could you one day explore the issue of wine lists?
- Where do restaurant wine lists come from? I would like to think that someone sits down with the menu and thinks through what wines might go well with the dishes, but that’s probably naïve. I suspect most restaurants buy a package deal from a distributor to supply a standardized list and the wines?
- If you were going to design a wine list, how would you go about doing it?
- What is it about a wine list that tips you off as to whether it has been put together by people who know what they’re doing?
- Where do wine list prices come from?
I use my experience as a restaurant marketer for the big hulking winery to shed some light on the inside industry dirt. We talk about what to look for in a list and in a good restaurant (via wine) and then I give you some great tips from the book (almost done!).
Hope you enjoy this one! Look forward to the feedback (and other great service stories if you have them).
And from the Shameless Commerce Division: If you are a restaurateur and need some help with your wine list, email me at info@winefornormalpeople.com to see how we can work together to get you a balanced list!
Thanks to listener Kristaps for this week's topic!
After a great listener question on how drinking windows are determined, we give you a few steps you can follow to start exploring a new wine region. In short:
- Get a map
- Read and research
- Narrow down to what sounds good
- Figure out how to get the wines you want
- Evaluate them, fairly
Enjoy!
_____________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsor, audible.com.
Get a FREE audiobook download at www.audibletrial.com/winefornormalpeople. There are more than 100,000 titles to choose from, including some great wine books, for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player.
And thanks for listening! We can't wait to hear from you! If you've got a question you want us to answer, post it we'll include it on the show!
______________________________________________
Podcast music: "Café connection" by morgantj / CC BY 3.0, ©2009 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)Map: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license
If you're going to tackle sub-regions of Italy, you probably should do the biggest volume producer of the country first, right? And that would be Veneto.
Home of Verona, Venice, and Vicenza this area is a juggernaut in winemaking.
In this episode we cover the good, the bad, and the flavorless lemon water. We talk about the split between varietal-producing areas and blend-producing areas.
Download us on iTunes or click to listen here.
As promised, here's a list in case you didn't get it on the podcast:
- Bardolino
- Bianco di Custoza
- Valpolicella
- Valpantena
- Soave
- Gambellara
- Valpolicella and Amarone
- Breganze
- Colli Berici
- Colli Euganei
- Lessini Durello
- Piave
- Lison-Pramaggiore
- Montello e Colli Asolani
- Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobiaddene
Enjoy!
_________________________________________________________________
Thanks to our sponsor, audible.com.
Get a FREE audiobook download at www.audibletrial.com/winefornormalpeople. There are more than 100,000 titles to choose from, including some great wine books, for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player.
And thanks for listening! We can't wait to hear from you! If you've got a question you want us to answer, post it we'll include it on the show!
____________________________________________________________________
Podcast music: "Café connection" by morgantj / CC BY 3.0, ©2009 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)Map: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license
We couldn't help but review the wine movie of the day: SOMM.
We liked it, mostly. Here are the highlights:
- The cinematography was outstanding -- this guy (Jason Wise) can make a movie!
- Wise presented the rigor of the exam well
- The characters were interesting
BUT, we felt that, knowing what we know, there were some holes in the presentation. We raise things like the intensity of the service exam (nearly invisible in the movie), the financial hit people have to take to be successful, and what it actually gets you once you achieve this level (be careful what you wish for)...
Enjoy and PLEASE take it for what it's worth. We are reviewing from the wine perspective -- we're by no means pro reviewers. We'd love to hear your opinions on it all!
We released Loire Part 1 but it was so dense we needed a breather!
This week, we return with a short overview of the region, covering the eastern areas, including Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, the most famous of the modern Loire regions. Enjoy!!
As the Tour 2013 snakes through the Languedoc-Roussillon and the Midi-Pyrenees/South West France they are riding through major wine country.
We give you a quick summary of the best and brightest wines of these beautiful places!
We start parallel coverage of the Tour de France 2013. This time we cover Corsica and Provence, with mini overviews of the wines available in the regions through which the Tour is cycling!
Phill and Paul -- watch out! M.C. Ice and I have our own Tour commentary (does wine count as "doping?")!!
Stay tuned, we'll cover any regions where good wine is made!
We’re on a roll — hitting the big regions of France. This week, we cover half the Loire. It’s the largest region in France, so we had to break it in two.
But first, we remind everyone of our amazing partnership with Vinport.com, for which I am selecting wines that I think are great examples of their regions. Free shipping on 6 or more bottles, great prices, and descriptions of six kick ass wines that will let you taste exactly the attributes M.C. Ice and discuss on the podcast (and as I say on the podcast, I get a small portion of the proceeds, but I selected Vinport as a partner because they let me pick what I wanted to present to you, not what was on their agenda). LINK to my page on Vinport (which features two awesome Alsace wines this month!): LINK TO WFNP PAGE with Alsace wines for purchase!
First a Loire overview, including Cremant (sparkling wine), the “branding” issue the region has, and two of the main areas:
- Pays Nantais/Muscadet
Feat [...]
In this mini-review we discover a sub-region that used to be part of the larger Côtes-du-Rhône region: Rasteau. Our foray into this new appellation was nothing short of a rollicking success!
2010 Cave de Rasteau La Domeliere Price: $15 Grapes: 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre Alcohol: 14.5%
Color: A rich plum color with thick legs
Smell: Shrubs and underbrush (garrigue, as we state), herbal, a horsetail (yeah, as in the animal), leather, with an undertone of cherry but fruit is definitely secondary. It was a bit of a cilia singer — a little hot from the alcohol
Taste: Just like it smells — cherry, earth, medium tannin, nice round, full texture from the alcohol. Rich, full, earthy, and not too heavy.
Drink or sink?: Drink! Great structure, great flavor, rich and drinks well above its price! Hope you enjoy the review! Drop a comment here, on Facebook or on Twitter and let us know what you think! [...]
In this episode we cover a lot of ground and hit on one of my personal favorite wine regions: Alsace, France.
And the show notes:
We introduce our amazing partnership with Vinport.com, for which I am selecting wines that I think are great examples of their regions. Vinport has access to some amazing regions and producers that aren’t always widely available. If you live in state where you can have wine shipped to you, check out my page. Free shipping on 6 or more bottles, great prices, and descriptions of six kick ass wines that will let you taste exactly the attributes M.C. Ice and discuss on the podcast (and as I say on the podcast, I get a small portionof the proceeds, but I selected Vinport as a partner because they let me pick what I wanted to present to you, not what was on their agenda).
LINK to my page on Vinport (which features two awesome Alsace wines this month!): LINK TO WFNP PAGE with Alsace wines for purchase!
We do some listener thanks and s [...]
I love a crisp Chardonnay and Carneros, in southern Napa, usually delivers! This is a great wine, as you’ll hear us describe…
The Wine: 2011 Truchard Chardonnay Where it’s from: Carneros, a cool climate area that straddles southern Napa and Sonoma. Price: $30 Alcohol: 13.9% Color: A pale straw, not to much color from the oak or over-ripe grapes! Smell: Very floral, like nightshade jasmine flowers and a mouthwatering lemon and green apple scent that made it seem lively.
Taste: Much fuller and richer than we expected, with honeysuckle, jasmine, and then tropical fruits. Tons of pineapple and then vanilla from the oak but the acidity keeps the wine feeling fresh and light. As M.C. Ice says “I like how the oak is a side dish, not an entree. It balances the other flavors, doesn’t overpower them.” Great minerality too.
Drink or sink?: Drink. An well-balanced, excellent and tasty Chardonnay. Very close to a European style but with great Cal [...]
Based on a popular article that circulated in a tech mag, proclaiming that “Wine Reviews are BS” and a bunch of listener questions we’ve received, we tackle the article and other critiques of the wine review world head-on. Are wine reviews really BS? We let you know what we think!
In the podcast we detail the “Exhibits” from the article, debunking or agreeing with each, and using each as a basis for discussion about the world of wine reviews and whether or not the criticism is justified, in our opinions (which is all wine reviews really are anyway).
Thanks for listening! We can’t wait to hear from you! If you’ve got a question you want us to answer, post it here or on Facebook or Twitter we’ll include it on the show! [...]
For this mini review, we break it down on a hybrid grape that has crazy descriptions. The review is solid but this is a “must listen” because M.C. Ice created a musical masterpiece at the end!
Click here to listen.
A weird grape, called either Scheurebe or Sämling 88 (”Seedling 88,” the name of the vine), it’s a cross between Riesling and a wild German grape. It was created by Dr. Scheu (rebe means vine in German), hence the name. It’s supposed to have crazy flavors — some that you taste in red wines like black currant. We sussed it out to figure out what was going on. Not sure we got the best version though…
The Wine: 2008 K& G Strauss Sämling 88 Where it’s from: Steiermark, Austria Price: $15 Alcohol: 11.5% Color: Green, kind of clear with a little spritz Smell: Not so fresh (it smelled like sea water). A touch of grapefruit, but very light. Taste: Very light, with almost no flavor. Drink or sink?: Sink! Too [...]
This week we’ve got a different kind of show for you! No M.C. Ice, but instead a terrific interview with winemaker David “Merf” Merfeld from Northstar Winery in Walla Walla, Washington.
This 43 minutes will give you a great perspective on the region through the eyes of a winemaker. Merf tells us all about the differences between the appellations, the grapes that thrive in the region, and why Washington is so unique.
We hit on everything from soil, to wildlife, to distribution of Washington wines. A great perspective that we hope you enjoy! Thanks for listening! We can’t wait to hear from you!
If you’ve got a question you want us to answer, post it here or on Facebook or Twitter we’ll include it on the show!
____________________________________________________________________ Podcast music: “Café connection” by morgantj / CC BY 3.0, ©2009 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)Map: Licensed under the Creativ [...]
You know, if we can get to it relatively easily (i.e., it’s in the U.S.), we’ve got to visit a place before we do a podcast on it.
You asked, and we went!
This week: Washington State in the northeastern part of the United States. Damn! They are making great wine there, and it’s worth seeking out. We get dorky about rocks, soil, and sunlight in this episode.
Download us on iTunes or click here for the link to the podcast (and click on the arrow under the “listen now” to hear it)
Here are the notes:
Stats that you may find hard to believe, given Washington’s relatively low profile Geography and geology, including M.C. Ice’s nerdy turn as an (almost) geology minor We go MISSOULA on you! A bit more modern history The American Viticultural Areas — with a special focus on Yakima, Rattlesnake Hills, Red Mountain, Snipes Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills, and Walla Walla Our best explanation of what the wines taste like
There are a fe [...]
This week we have a hit parade of secret gems: the 9 wines you could sort of substitute for super expensive ones. A great topic provided by a listener!
Since we hit the list pretty quickly, here are the wines and their analogues…
Expensive Wine
Less Expensive Analogue
Brunello di Montalcino
Rosso di Montalcino
Oregon Pinot Noir, fruitier Burgundy
New Zealand Pinot Noir
CA Cabernet Sauvignon
Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, Argentinean Malbec
Fine Bordeaux
Rioja, Cahors, less fine Bordeaux
Barolo
Ghemme, Gattinara, Nebbiolo
Hermitage
Crozes-Hermitage, St-Joseph
Dry German Riesling
Australian Riesling from Clare, Eden Valleys, Austrian Riesling
Champagne
Cremant, Cava, Sparkling wine from anywhere else – not Prosecco or Sekt
Priorat
Spanish Garnacha from Calatayud, Montsant or Monastrell from Yecla
Enjoy it and make sure to post the expensive wines you love so we can offer some advice on less expensive alternativ [...]
As we’re making our way through edits for this week’s podcast, we did a Wine Chat/Mini-cast to fill in. This is on a very important issue that I think is going to shake up the wine critic world permanently. Kind of a big deal.
Here’s a link to the Decanter.com story that covered this: Parker v. Galloni If you don’t want to read it, here’s the short of the story:
Famed American critic Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate, who single-handedly sets prices and makes reputations for wines and who has arguably changed the way winemakers make wine so they can garner high scores, sold a large portion of his brand to a group of Singapore investors and shook up the structure of the subscription-only newsletter.
His named successor for evaluating California wine, Antonio Galloni, stepped down after the move and started his own Web site. He decided to withhold all the scores for Sonoma wines he had conducted prior to the sale, stating that he would publish [...]
We have a lot of regions and countries to cover in the future, but since the concept of terroir began with and is defined by Burgundy, we really needed to get on it!
Since this podcast is 100% based on the “A Primer on Burgundy: The 5 Things You Need To Know” I’m not going to do show notes…It’s all there.
The only thing I’ll add is that this episode is dedicated to the Sammarco family who suffered a great loss in Hurricane Sandy, and to whom we send our prayers, thoughts, and deepest sympathies.
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Thanks to our sponsor, audible.com. Get a FREE audiobook download at www.audibletrial.com/winefornormalpeople. There are more than 100,000 titles to choose from, including some great wine books, for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player.
And thanks for listening! We can’t wait to hear from you! If you’ve got a question you want us to answer, post it we& [...]
I recently did a review of the wines from Smith-Madrone, a small winery located on Spring Mountain in the Napa Valley. If you read it you know I loved the Cabernet and thought the Riesling was good but I hated the Chardonnay. Well, the winery contacted me and said they thought the bottle I reviewed didn’t sound like their wine. They sent a new one and sure enough, it was true. So we did an audio review of the wine with NEW tasting notes that can be found on the blog. We hope to do these on a regular basis, just to give you a little geekery between podcasts!!! Enjoy!
[...]
I love a good scandal. So this week’s podcast covers the best of the last 30 years.
From Champagne to a corrupt Canadian wine critic to Austria’s downfall in the 80s, we discuss the wrongdoing of some big time players in the industry.
Then we move on to the fun stories of a world of which we’ll never be a part: the wealthy, elite collectors of rare, old (and appallingly expensive) wines and how a few cunning dudes defrauded collectors and duped critics. We cover Hardy Rodenstock, the subject of The Billlionaire’s Vinegar (a great book! Shameless plug: Go to www.audibletrial.com/winefornormalpeople to get a FREE audiobook download) and Rudy Kurniawan, whose story is even crazier and more recent.
The Grape of the Week is Melon de Bourgogne/Muscadet. Per our recommendation: make sure to look for Muscadet Sevre et Maine and sur lie on the labels for quality.
Enjoy!
Thanks to audible.com - our sponsor!
Get a FREE audiobook download at www [...]
In this podcast we cover Chile, a country with some really great wines and some very interesting history behind it in the wine world.
After a retraction and re-giving of thanks to a listener we cover the main topic. We discuss how this long, narrow country’s isolation has led to a bunch of developments — great for wine, less good for politics We talk about the climate, geography, and main grapes
- We review the long history of winemaking, starting with the Conquistadores and hitting on some of the key developments (including the influence of Bordeaux) that made the Chilean wine industry what it is today
- The grape confusion and the rebirth of Sauvignon Blanc and Carmenere in Chile
- Finally, we hit on regions and what to expect from the wines of this long, skinny country.
And thanks for listening! We can’t wait to hear from you! If you’ve got a question you want us to answer, post it we’ll include it on the show! Thanks to audible.com - our new sponsor! Get [...]
This week’s podcast features some new stuff. A listener question for M.C. Ice challenges him about why he bothers to shop for wine. Then we get into the business of wine in business.
In the corporate events and speaking engagements I do, I always address wine business etiquette and this podcast is a compilation of the tips I give and questions I’ve answered.
The tips include:
Don’t be tempted to play the know-it-all game How to pick or be a host in wine ordering — sharing, gathering ideas, not making assumptions, and using the sommelier to break tension Watch the budget, it’s not hard to do! How to choose wine as a gift Know when to abstain Dealing with colleagues who have different financial situations Handling colleagues or associates who treat the staff like crap
At the end of the podcast, a new feature! A listener call in. We have a quick conversation with Barbie, a listener from New York, about blind tasting and what we think about it. Thanks to Ba [...]
California is a huge state and makes up 90% of wine production in the United States. This week we tackle this great state that put U.S. winemaking on the map. A special thanks to Magnus, a listener from Sweden, who brought it to my attention that we had to get on it and tackle California. Here’s the show summary:
We start with a story about a corked wine we had and M.C. Ice explains his experience of it. We tackle an excellent listener question about why high alcohol wines don’t age well. Then we hit the major quality winemaking areas of California from north to south, giving an overview (or maybe a little more than an overview) of each:
Mendocino Sonoma Napa The Central Coast And then we touch on the Sierra Foothills, the Central Valley, Southern California, and a mention a few others.
We’ll hit each of the four big areas in detail in future podcasts, but this should give you some idea of how much more California has going on than meets the eye.
I [...]
Facebook friends voted and the Grape Miniseries won for the topic this week! So for the first podcast of 2013 we tackle the King of the Spanish reds: Tempranillo. It has more…and less… to it than meets the eye. After lots of wonderful thanks and fun comments, we get to this fascinating, native Spanish grape. A few notes on it…
The grape is from northern Spanish and gets its name from “Temprano” which means early, since it ripens 2 weeks before Rioja’s other important grape – Garnacha
The wine is deep-colored, lower in acid and alcohol, and has amazing ageability but a lot of times it’s kind of bland on flavor. If it’s got any flavor it’s kind of like berries, plum, tobacco, vanilla, leather, and herbs. It can be a lot better in a blend, as the folks in Rioja can tell you.
Climate and elevation is everything for Tempranillo — it does best in cool climates and at elevation. Yields HAVE to be controlled to produce a good wi [...]
We’re getting in under the wire for New Year’s Eve (and we’ve missed some of you abroad) but this episode is a must listen before you make a last run to the wine shop. Here are the notes:
Different sytle types of Champagne/Sparkling to consider: Traditional method, Brut, Prestige Cuvee (for lots of $$!!), Vintage dated and what it means. Blanc de Blanc, Blanc de Noir, Rosé. We cover the major differences between each and what to expect. More affordable alternatives to Champagne that are made like Champagne: Cremant, Cava, Franciacorta, US, Australian, and South African Sparkling wine. More affordable alternatives to Champagne that are much fruitier and made differently: Prosecco, Sekt Big brands v. small guys (Recoltant Manipulant) Some stuff on etiquette: how to open a bottle, pour it, and the all important toast superstition that you can’t miss!
Enjoy! Happy New Year. Be safe, have fun, and thanks for listening and supporting us this year! If you like the [...]
This week we return to the Grape Miniseries…finally! It’s Malbec and I think we have a few surprises to share about this grape.
After lots of wonderful thanks and fun comments, we hit three excellent listener questions:
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What’s the etiquette of sharing good wine with people who may not appreciate it? GREAT question and we have an answer that should provide a sigh of relief for you.
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What exactly is minerality in normal people terms? We hit on some ideas, and suggest licking rocks…
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And very importantly, when is “Wine for Normal People” the book coming out? Yes, Virginia, you can put it on your Christmas wish-list next year!
Then we get to the matter at hand!
And a few summary points:
We talk about the grape and its many challenges in the vineyard. We discuss the main styles of Malbec (’cause it isn’t just Argentina) Then we hit on history and the regions where the grape grows or has grown in the past:
France: [...]
A bonus Wine Chat with Rick on Amazon.com’s announcement that they’re now selling wine.
Now Amazon really does sell everything! Go to http://www.amazon.com/wine to see for yourself! We discuss the implications of this move and whether or not we think it will work..this time around (three’s a charm, or three strikes and you’re out?).
Here’s the link to the Press Democrat article that Rick referenced: “Amazon gets back in the wine business”
Enjoy and let us know if you’ll be shopping on Amazon by writing a comment below or on Facebook or Twitter.
Can’t wait to hear from you! [...]
When we first started the podcast, we didn’t know what the appetite for dorkiness was. After almost 2 years of doing this, we’ve realized it’s VORACIOUS!! Yay! That means I can go hog-wild in a crazy oak-a-palooza. After our newly revamped “Listener Feedback” segment, where we ask you if you want to chat and be on the podcast (we want to hear from you!), we hit the main event. This week we’re feeding the beast with 48 minutes of dork-dom. M.C. Ice and I hit one of the most important topics in wine, in detail. Here are the high level points:
Philosophies on the use of oak
Flavors from oak
Some important factors that go into barrel making/oak selection by winemakers — location of the forest, new v. used, size, wood drying methods, and why M.C. Ice only wants wine from “split” wood barrels…
After this total nerd-fest, we just keep it going with a fabulous Grape of the Week (yes, we’ve been slacking!): Blaufränkisch [...]
Last year we covered so much in last year’s Thanksgiving episode that we barely left anything for this year.
We didn’t just want to do a recap or recite the same old wines that everyone else recommends. So for this Winter Solstice Plus (for our international listeners)/Thanksgiving edition, we talk about how to incorporate your original heritage into the feast this year.
After we give thanks to some folks for comments, we address:
The basics of food and wine pairing The largest ethnic groups from which most people in the US derive — German, English, Italian, French, Hungarian, Portuguese, and Austrian — and which wines associated with these countries will pair with the big day. More detail on food and wine pairing.
As promised, here are a few of the wines we mentioned:
German Riesling (Spätlese, Auslese, Spätburgunder/Pinot Noir) White Bordeaux Fiano d’Avellino, Falanghina, Barbera The white wines of Alsace and Rhône, Rosé (not more tha [...]
This week we cover lots of ground but the main topic is from listener, Tony Jacobson. Thanks so much for the suggestion! Here are the show notes:
First, a special word on our sympathies for the victims of Hurricane Sandy, which demolished parts of the Northeast of the U.S. We are praying for you! (If you are interested in donating to the ASPCA or the Humane Society, or learning more about how you can help the animals displaced by the storm, Ellie thanks you).
And then to the big 8 (they say everything should always be in odd numbers when you’re describing something or writing about it. I say I don’t care because I think these are worthwhile!):
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We start with the moment that got me into wine: A white tasting at the Boston Center for Adult Education. Life-changing. See my sister’s notes (right).
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A few classic Bordeaux that M.C. Ice and I won’t ever forget: Chateau Palmer and Cos d’Estournel.
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Next, a food and wine pairing experience that [...]
This week we bring you a fun episode! It’s super US-Centric (sorry to our international listeners) but hopefully we did a good enough job of describing things so you get the gist. In this short episode, we explore the world of left over Halloween candy and which wines will be ideal matches for what may be laying around after the costumes are hung up and the trick-or-treaters are gone (or in bed and you can raid their stash!). * *Keep in mind, we did not talk about pairings with dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate. Why? ‘Cause that’s not what you get in a bag of candy for trick-or-treat! This is all about realistic scenarios.
How was this “scientific experiment” conducted?
Step 1: We got candies: The fruity kind, like gummies, Skittles, and Starburst and the chocolate kind — everything from Kit Kat, Hershey’s, and Mounds to Reeses P-nut Butter Cups and Snickers.
Step 2: We got wine, some based on recommendations that we researched i [...]
I feel like I‘m writing a script for Masterpiece Theater (a Public Broadcasting show in the US with high quality yet very dorky programming usually based on literature)…
“And in this installment, we find our hero, Bordeaux, only half explained. A general overview was given last week, but we were left hanging. Only understanding very basic things about the region…” Ok, enough of that. Last week gave a very general overview but this week, we get TO IT! We go into good detail about what you need to know at a fundamental level to understand Bordeaux and the things that make is so unique.
I’m not doing show notes this week (and this is not a ploy to get you to go to the blog) because I think it’s important to supplement your listening with reading the Bordeaux primer, which goes over similar information. Seeing it written will burn it into your brain and you’ll be on your way to being a Bordeaux dork!
So here are links to the Bordeau [...]
After catching up on shoutouts, talking about my debut on national TV (see this clip from The Weather Channel!), and doing our regular banter, this week we get started on the huge topic of Bordeaux. We just scratch the surface of why Bordeaux is such a big deal, talking about:
Stats that will explain why the area is so significant in the wine world The history of Bordeaux and how it became so important in wine The basics on geography — the differences between the left and right banks A near end to Bordeaux: phylloxera and a dorky discussion of clones, grafting, and grape species
This is just the beginning. Next week we continue on Bordeaux, discussing the four most important things you need to know to get up to speed.
If you like the podcast, please pass it on to your friends, review it on iTunes, drop a comment below, or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine! And if you’ve got a question you want us t [...]
And this week we complete the duo with the list of benchmark wines from the New World.
After shout outs and a great listener question from Facebook on how to live as an ABC (that’s Anything But Chardonnay) guy? We discuss the alternatives to oaky Chardonnay that still have the umph with food.
True to the naming structure, and following M.C. Ice’s smart advice, we’ve organized this one by grape…Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, and Cabernet Sauvignon are covered…with a few more thrown in.
Now that you know them, why should you listen? Because we talk through each and why they’re benchmarks… important stuff to know!
Thanks again to Paula Kidwell for the podcast idea.
If you like the podcast, please pass it on to your friends, review it on iTunes, drop a comment below, or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine!
And if you’ve got [...]
Following a catch up on shout-outs (thank you so much for the comments!) and a listener question about “bottleshock” and transport of wine, we hit the main topic, given to us by Paula Kidwell, a great podcast fan! Her question: What are the wines that I need to seek out to get an idea of the 10 classic, benchmark styles of major grapes? We’re a listener-driven show, so you’re comments are our bidding! I hit a few more than 10, but the main ones were:
Champagne Bordeaux — red, white, and sweet Sancerre Vouvray Syrah from the Northern Rhône Burgundy — White and Red German Riesling Rioja Chianti Classico Barolo
Now that you know them, why should you listen? Because we talk through each and why they’re benchmarks…important stuff to know!
If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes, drop a comment below, or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine!
And if y [...]
This week on the podcast front…a new format. A quickie with a surprise guest who I hope to bring back on a regular basis.
Wine Chats are meant to be abbreviated podcasts that cover a focused topic. They’re not as broad or detailed as full episodes — they’re quick hits on topics that may be of interest. These are not in lieu of full episodes, but supplements!
This time: Flash Sales Sites.
These are sites that send emails with limited time offers that you can order for delivery. We address what they are, name a few to check out, and talk about how to make sure you’re getting a good deal!
Enjoy and let me know how you like the new format below or on Facebook or Twitter. Be honest. We can take it. [...]
I’m totally torn about this week’s podcast. I almost gave up and decided not to launch it, but M.C. Ice and some Facebook friends encouraged me to go for it. What’s wrong with the Italy Overview? I think it was such a big topic that I lost steam. I thought it was a little low energy this week and I apologize. That said, I’m launching it anyway. If it’s your first podcast…PLEASE give us another listen. Not our best work.
Click here to take a listen: Here are the notes:
We hit on some stats about Italy and how I think it’s amazing that people feel any level of comfort with Italian wine, when it’s such a complex, confusing, and inconsistent product.
I explain why wine is like breathing in Italy and how it’s viewed differently there than in most other countries.
We discuss the staggering number of grapes, a rough overview of geography, and then we DORK out on history — we throw in a little Latin, talk about [...]
This week we talk about some tactics for improving and understanding your tasting skills and palate. I’ve been doing a ton of classes lately and have realized that so many people are spooked by describing wine and think they have poor senses of taste. Nah! We tackle four tips that can help you improve or at least understand your palate!
- Build your “taste pantry” — including a story about me licking a golf club
- The importance of state of mind when tasting wine (and why not to taste with jerks)
- Figuring out how to define what standard BS wine terms mean to you
- M.C. Ice and I do a little battle over nature v. nurture on the palate…you’ll be surprised at who takes what side.
And the Grape of the Week: Norton, an American original!
As a bonus, here is the picture we mentioned at the end of the podcast.
If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes, drop a comment below, or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine F [...]
We haven’t done a grape mini-series in a while so for all those GMS, here you go! This week, after so fabulous shoutouts (thank you so much for the feedback!) we do the “American” grape, Zinfandel. This podcast is FULL of wine dorkery, for those of you who love that stuff.
A link to the podcast…HERE
Here are some notes:
First we talk about what Zin is and the differences in flavor profiles, depending on where the grape is grown Then we hit the history books…and what a storied history this grape has. We reach back 6,000 years and talk about how this grape evolved, where it came from, and how it wound up in California (and my link to its path) We discuss some parental issues with Zin — and legal names it shares with some cousins and possible twins (If you’re looking for the spelling of the crazy grapes we mentioned: Crljenak Kastelansk, Plavac Mali, Primativo) The ZAP event — Zinfandel Advocates and Pro [...]
This week we tackle the pink…a wine you need to be drinking.
After a great listener question on whether or not lots of bubbles in a sparkling wine indicate quality (listen to find out!), we give a run down on Rosé.
Here are the notes:
How Rosé is made: a little mixology, skin contact, and bleeding…that’s right, it gets gory. Which grapes are commonly used and where What exactly is Blush and what’s the difference between blush and Rosé How do you know if you are getting a sweet, white Zinfandel type wine or a dry Rosé? Regions that make pink wine: Rosé Champagne, Rosado, pink from the US, other regions around the world Other variations of Rosé: Vin Gris, orange wine Why vintage matters Serving temperatures and ideas on food pairings
And the Grape of the Week (I know we’ve been slacking…): Mourvédre! ______________________________________________
If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes, drop a comment below, or joi [...]
Ever wonder what those little tags with numbers on them in the wine shop actually mean? Who determines the difference between an 89 and a 90? What’s the scale like? How do they conduct these tastings? In this episode we critique the critics, talking about the various scoring systems — what they mean, what to look for, and why, ultimately, they are kind of like noise to your decision-making process. After shout-outs and a listener question on punts (in which M.C. Ice gives a crazy explanation that you can’t miss), the indentation at the bottom of a wine bottle, we get to the main topic:
We cover the various systems of Robert Parker/the Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Decanter, Jancis Robinson, and the New York Times and San Francisco Chronicle. We quote from their websites about their scoring methodologies and then give our impressions of them. We talk about alternate methods of evaluating a wine and a way to revolt against the system…although w [...]
This week, it’s an episode near to my heart, since allegedly 25% of my family is from here: Austria. I tell an anecdote about traveling there as a dumb college student and “translating” some German. Then, after some great shoutouts (thank you for writing in and reviewing us on iTunes), we move on to the main topic.
Since 70% of production is white, we first discuss the main grapes of Austria: Grüner Veltliner (Grooner Felt-LEAN-ah) and Riesling. We chat a bit about the reds of Austria: Zweigelt (SFY-Gelt), Blaufrankish, and St. Laurent. Then we cover the regions. We talk about Vienna and the three super high quality regions of Kremstal, Kamptal, and Wachau (along with it’s classifications of dry whites: Steinfeder, Federspiel, Smargd) We touch on the classification system of wines and what it means — Landwein, Tafelwein, Qualitatswein, and Pradikat. Then we touch on the slightly scandalous, tabloid history of Austria. From the Romans, to Charl [...]
YAY! Episode 50! Thanks to everyone for listening. Very cool milestone! We banter a bit about our experience opening an old bottle of wine (we’ll do a bonus clip of the experience soon), do shoutouts, and then we have a fabulous listener question: If you have a vegetarian diet, what types of wines should you think about? As a preview — vegetarian or no, you follow the flavor of the food! The options are much more varied than most people think.
Then it’s on to the main topic: Summer Sippers. Here’s a link to the podcast:
Here’s a quick rundown:
Reds: We have some specific ideas for grilling out. Then we discuss wines that can “take a chill” and be sipped. High on the top of the list: Beaujolais (NOT Nouveau). Here’s a link to the cool new Beaujolais web site that I love and that will help you figure out which area’s wines will work best for you (look under regions): Discover Beaujolais Rosé: Love it. Nothing el [...]
We had so many topics to banter about before we got to the meat of the show — we talked about some wine flicks we recently saw, how Mad Menmay have stepped on Wine For Normal People’s toes, and my stance on the recent CostCo wine buyer interview with MSNBC that caused a little stir among blog readers/Facebook followers.
After shoutouts (with a very special birthday wish for Scott Hoynoski — a fabulous listener), we get to the main topic — what is my definition of “sink” when I do the “Drink or Sink?” portion of my wine reviews…aka, what makes a wine bad.
And by bad, we’re talking about wines that are not made well, not ones we don’t like because of personal preferences. We talk about the concept of balance and the three main tenets: tannin, acid, and alcohol and how each can affect the mix. Oak, fruit, and sugar are covered and how they can mess up balance or contribute to it.
The grape of the week is… [...]
This week we hit the virtual road again with a trip to Argentina. A bunch of awesome shout outs (you guys are the best!) and a quick story of my childhood trauma of always being the male characters while belting out the libretto of Evita (so my sister could be La Reina!) and we’re off to the Southern Hemisphere!
Source: Palm Bay International
Here are the notes:
We start with a review of the history of Argentinean wine and how it got to be the 5th largest wine producer in the world. Then we talk about the unique climate of the main growing regions, and I dork out on a few wine terms We take a jaunt around the wine regions of Argentina, focusing on Mendoza (because it’s 70% of production! We talk about the sub-areas of Lujan de Cuyo, Maipu and the Uco Valley) and the region of Salta (home of the highest vineyards in the world and some of the best Torrontés). Then we give an overview of La Rioja (different from the historic region in Spain), San Juan, [...]
After a bunch of awesome shout outs, we get to the main event — your questions! We answer 7 questions and then have a segment on wines from Virginia (on the Central East Coast of the US if you aren’t familiar).
Here are the questions:
Trader Joe’s has a lot of variety in it’s wine section. Are Trader Joe’s wines good? Should I buy them? Can you please give some hints and tips on how to figure out if you live in a place where there are restrictions on shipping? Link to www.freethegrapes.org. We’re part of a wine club and we’re bored with the same old wine tasting themes. Do you have any ideas? What magazines, web sites, and wine blogs do you read with regularity? Links: Decanter, Wine Business, Wine Doctor, Vinography, Wine Anorak, Jancis Robinson What is a good Web site for keeping track of my wine drinking? Link: Cellar Tracker Is it easier to tell the differences between different whites or different reds? What’s the deal with tip [...]
This week, it’s another crack at food and wine pairing. But this isn’t just an overview, we get kind of dorky, talking about chemical reactions and shifts in your perception based on certain combinations. Here’s the outline:
We do a quick review of basic pairing rules — heavy with heavy, light with light, follow the flavor Then America’s Wine Test Kitchen strikes again — we talk about the experiment we did with Sancerre (acidic Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley in France), lemons, and sugar. MC Ice was blown away! We address great pairings with acidic wines and the flavors you can expect from pairing Then we hit on tannin, alcohol, and sweet wines and why you have to take these factors into consideration when you’re pairing.
If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes, drop on the blog, or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine!
If you’ve got a question you want [...]
Sorry to be so late with this one — a death in the family has taken us off schedule with lots of things, including the podcast. But we’re back on track this week! And I think this one will be useful. This week MC Ice and I give some suggestions on what to buy if you’re shopping for a case of wine (which makes sense because you usually get a discount for doing that!) Since I know you’re not going to be able to take notes on everything, here’s the rundown of our recommendations:
Sippers Cava, Albariño, and French Rosé (dry, not sweet blush wine!)
Versatile/Food Wines
Whites: Sauvignon Blanc, lightly oaked Chardonnay, dry Riesling
Reds: Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Chianti or Barbera, Malbec or Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon or a red blend that contains it
The Wild Card/Something New Sky’s the limit but we mention…Grüner Veltliner, Monastrell, Torrontes, and Nero d’Avola
The grape of the week is Petit Sirah…and we ex [...]
This week we take a departure from our normal format and MC Ice gets a break! I was so excited to have the chance to host the folks from Chateau Montelena, one of the wineries that helped put Napa on the world wine map as serious winemaking region, capable of rivaling Burgundy and Bordeaux.This podcast isn’t about free marketing for Chateau Montelena. It’s about the historical significance of the place, and about how they do things so differently from a lot of other Napa wineries. We were lucky to have head winemaker Cameron Parry, assistant winemaker Matt Crafton, and marketing diva (and one of the coolest ladies in Napa) Jamie Rothberg around to break it all down for us.If you want some more background on the winery (since we don’t go into detail on some things) please read these two posts (2010, 2011) to learn more!Full of funny, surprising (there is a HUGE wine celebrity cameo in the middle) and dorky moments, here’s a quick rundown of what we t [...]
This week we do a 10,000 foot overview of the motherland of winemaking: France. Here are the notes: First we cover a little about the French wine industry and why it’s so important (big $$ here!) After covering major grapes grown in France, we talk about the history of the country and how it got its start as a wine juggernaut. We re-address the concept of terroir and then get into the major regions and what you’ll find in each. The regions we covered are:
Alsace on the German border, which mainly makes whites of Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat, and Silvaner. Then we hop to Champagne — we all know what’s there! We take a jog over to the Loire, covering the Sauvignon Blanc in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, the Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc in Touraine and Anjou-Saumur, and then talk about Muscadet, the strange name that’s neither a region nor a grape (more on that in this post). Next, we head to Burgundy and talk about three gr [...]
Based on two blog posts, this week we talk about how to travel in wine country and our grape of the week is one of the best stories in the wine world! Here’s a quick summary and the links to the posts: 1. Plan or plan to explore — pick a discreet area so you’re not wasting time driving around. 2. Hit the big names if it’s your first time in the area — the properties are worth the visit! 3. Research and make appointments if you have to. Don’t miss out because you didn’t make appointments ahead of time. 4. Plan no more than 5 wineries for your trip. 5. Eat! 6. Be nice to the tasting room staff! Here’s a link to the post on which the podcast is based: LINK The grape of the week is Carmenere — one of the best stories in the wine world. Here’s a link to the post on Carmenere: LINK. If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes, drop a comment below, or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) a [...]
This week we talk about South Africa, one of my favorite countries. After going there in 2005, I became enamored of the wine and the country. Since then, I’ve been a big fan! In this episode we hit on:
The history of South African wine and why it’s a good bridge between the Old and New World How South Africa’s Price to Value ratio measures up The climate, geography, and varietals of the main growing regions The Wine of Origin or regional specificity pyramid Some detail on the most important wine regions: Stellenbosch, Paarl/Franschoek, Overberg, Robertson, and more…and why I love Swartland and think it has major potential!
I love South Africa and its wines. If you ever get a chance to visit or even look at pictures, check it out. It’s a really special place!
If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes, drop a comment below, or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine! If you̵ [...]
M.C. Ice and I are so grateful for all the wonderful feedback! As usual, we celebrate and thank you for your support by going through shout outs from iTunes, Facebook, and Twitter — all amazing! We appreciate you all so much. Then, we address a question that I’ve been hearing a ton lately: What kind of additives are in wine? (As a preview, they’re not related to Velveeta or Cheese Whiz, even though the name “additive” evokes those highly-processed foods!). For the main topic, this week we take a practical look at how to taste wine to get more out of your experience.
We get down & dirty, giving you new ideas on how to evaluate what you’re tasting. Why it’s important to look at the wine, swirl it, smell it, and what to look for while tasting. Our goal: have you slow down the process of tasting so you can figure out what you like and don’t like, so you can get more of the former and avoid the latter!
If you lik [...]
After some fabulous shout outs (thank you so much!) and a great listener question on “why do wines go on sale? (a little inside the industry on this one!), this week we cover Spain.
First we brush up on history, covering how the Phoenicians, Moors, and a Facist dictator affected Spain’s wine industry Then we talk about the different quality levels — we explain the differences from table wines to the top quality designation, all of which will appear on the bottle Finally, we do an overview of what you can get expect from some of the top regions.
If you are interested in Spain, but don’t know where to start, this podcast is for you! If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes, drop a comment on the Wine For Normal People blog, or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine! Also, if you’ve got a question you want us to answer, post it on any of those places and we’ll include it on the show [...]
This week we go inside the wine industry again! We start with some amazing shout outs from iTunes, Twitter, and Facebook. Thanks for all the positive feedback! Then we tackle a robust listener question that pulls the curtain back on the wine industry. Elizabeth shares firsthand information about big conglomerates’ wines that she learned while working for one of these companies! We address the quality, the marketing, & how to figure out what they own. Then we cover the certifications that people in the wine industry love to tout, what they really mean, and our take on the pyramid schemes of these certification groups:
The certifications that Pliny the Elder, Ausonius, Thomas Jefferson, and other wine experts throughout history earned/certifications’ place in wine history. The wine-service-oriented Court of Master Sommeliers and the different levels they offer The Society of Wine Educators and the Certified Specialist of Wine and Certified Wine Educator The Wine and Spi [...]
After a bunch of awesome shout outs (thank you all so much) and a listener question about Viognier “blooming” in the glass, we get to it. In this episode we talk about Sherry — and let you in on something you need to go out and get, before everyone else figures out how great it is and the prices go up! Here’s a top level summary:
We’re on a sherry kick – MC Ice explains why he’s a convert We answer the question — Sherry: What the hell is it? and discuss how it’s not just for bad 70s TV stars We talk about the “Sherry Triangle” in Southern Spain and how the stuff is made, including the different types and what they go with, food-wise. We top it off with a note on the best darn dessert combination out there — Pedro Ximenez Sherry and ice cream (divine!) and wrap it up!
If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes, drop a comment below or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People [...]
To start 2012, we’ve got new music and some great news! We were chosen as “Best New Arts Podcast” in Apple’s 2011 Rewind! Thanks to everyone for loyal listening in 2011 and we look forward to a great 2012. After some shout outs and great reviews, we tackle common winemaking terms and define them. A dorky, but fun episode! Here are some quick notes on the show:
If you ever wondered exactly what stuff like residual sugar, malolactic fermentation, sur lie aging, maceration, natural yeast fermentation, disgorgement and riddling, and bottle shock are, you are in luck! We address listener questions on aging Champagne and on sur lie. The Grape of the Week is Chenin Blanc.
The new music is “Café connection” by morgantj / CC BY 3.0, ©2009 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0).
Let us know if you like it, and if you’re a mixmaster and want us to use your bumper music instead, send it over and we’ll give it a listen! If you l [...]
Wine Traditions around the world are pretty interesting. In this episode we discuss the coolest ones. First we take a listener question from @mjgraves on Twitter about when to drink Cabernet Sauvignon. (Write in or call us and you’ll be on the show!!! Anything goes! Call 800-599-8478 (in the U.S.) or 1-415-226-9105 and dial extension 5 to leave your question for the Wine For Normal People Podcast, and they’ll answer it in an upcoming episode!) Spanish Traditions and Cava Italian Traditions and Prosecco/Franciacorta Chilean Traditions and gold rings in the bubbles, Portuguese Traditions and Vinho Verde, Germany and Sekt, French Champagne, English speaking countries = boozing it up and fireworks. Grape of the week: Pinot Meunier Listen and you’ll get why I’ll be lugging a suitcase around my block at midnight, while shoving some grapes in my mouth! If you like the podcast, please review it on iTunes, drop a comment on the Wine For Normal People blog, or join [...]
Just in time for the holidays: Wine Gift Ideas!!! This week, Elizabeth and MC Ice talk about 4 kinds of gifts to get for the wine lover/liker/drinker in your life… Gadgets: The most useful, must-haves (not just random crap you buy just to buy!). Credit to listener Sayle Milne who provided the suggestion on wine charms! Glassware: The three kinds someone really needs and a few recommendations on what to look for and what to avoid. Books. From Facebook friend Brandon Robinson, they cover books: Elizabeth’s aversion to “Fun” wine books, three reference books for real wine dorks, and a shameless plug for the upcoming “Wine For Normal People” book (and shout to Elizabeth’s fabulous agent Myrsini!). And, drum roll…you didn’t think they’d cover all this stuff and forget the WINE, did you? They discuss strategies for shopping for wine as a gift — from in-store selections to wine clubs to the horror of wine shipping law [...]
They’re back at it — the Grape Miniseries makes a triumphant return! While drinking a rather skunked and old Napa version, MC Ice and Elizabeth tackle the King of the Reds: Cabernet Sauvignon. If you like Elizabeth’s dork out moments… get ready. Here are a few summary points: Elizabeth geeks out on the grape, talking about the history and the viticulture of Cabernet Sauvignon (everything from torrid vineyard love affairs to Pliny the Elder to methoxypyrazines). Elizabeth and MC Ice try to cover everything you ever wanted to know about Cabernet from the most famous regions around the world: - Old World: Bordeaux, Italy, Spain, and other parts of Europe - New World: California (Napa, Sonoma), Washington, Oregon, Long Island, South America (Chile, Argentina), Australia, South Africa They cover food and wine pairing and MC Ice gets really excited about the marriage of Cabernet and food. (the chemical reaction of tannin and filet fascinates him) And here&# [...]
Yep, we’re throwing it down with the rest of the wine world…but doing it the normal way. It’s a family time, so MC Ice and Elizabeth huddle ’round the mic to share some ideas about Thanksgiving wine. Shout outs from Facebook, iTunes, and email (elizabeth(at)winefornormalpeople(dot)com) It’s a tough holiday for wine, but great to be with Urban Tribe or family (Elizabeth explains the Urban Tribe, and how it differs from being a Member of the Tribe) MC Ice talks about a dessert that he’ll never eat again Wine Pairing Horses of the Apocalypse: Why food and wine pairing is tough for Thanksgiving Elizabeth waxes poetic on pairing philosophy — it’s not just about the meat! The Brass Tacks: Elizabeth and MC Ice discuss pairings for Thanksgiving — why the standard recommendations work, and why some other wines should be on the menu. They discuss everything from traditional Thanksgiving food to smoked and fried turkey, to spicy glazed ham. Eli [...]
Elizabeth and MC Ice are back from hiatus this week. We start with a thanks to everyone for their hospitality on our Napa/Sonoma Harvest trip! Elizabeth is chronicling it on the blog, so check it out for details! Shout outs from iTunes — amazing new reviews! And a shout out from a listener to Ellie, the dog! Main Topic: Bargain Wines Thanks to Leslie Strolla for the topic! Defining what we mean: Cheap v. Bargain The top bargains from Europe: places where people speak Spanish, Bordeaux (yup, that’s right), some Southern Italian gems BAD values…you’ll have to tune in to find out what Elizabeth says aren’t great for your wallet The top bargains from English speaking countries: 1 part of California, and down under… White v. red — which is a better bargain? Elizabeth gives her take Some info on the sausage factory (or the bait and switch business that happens in the world of cheap wine…) Write to Elizabeth if you know of a great bargain: e [...]
This week Elizabeth takes advantage of her time in Sonoma and sits down with Jim Morris of Michel-Schlumberger in the Dry Creek Valley. They have an awesome time together, discussing tons of great stuff…including some good gossip about how NOT to behave in a tasting room. Here are the high level show notes: Jim gives some background on Michel-Schlumberger — its European roots, its winemaking philosophy, and why it’s such a unique place (hint: they are really normal and focus on education — totally up Elizabeth’s alley!). Jim posits it’s his lederhosen that make the wine so great. Elizabeth and Jim drill down on organic farming in practice. They get their hands dirty, dishing on honey bees, cover crops, and dog on the big wineries, talking about why sustainability should be called sustain-BULL-ity. Elizabeth puts Jim on the spot and gets him to tell a wild story about a cross-dresser, and what NOT to do in a tasting room. They discuss the ins and [...]
This week, Elizabeth and Rick explore the sweeter side of wine, talking about some of the major dessert wines you may be wondering about. They discuss everything from the NASCAR grape to why rot is so awesome in dessert wine… Here are the show notes: Port: The big daddy of dessert wine A shout out to sweet Champagne…en vogue again Madeira: Thomas Jefferson’s favorite Sherry: Not an old-lady drink Vin doux Naturel – not really naturally sweet, but tasty nonetheless Why moldy grapes make kick-ass wine everywhere from Germany to Hungary A word on late harvest wines Please drop a comment on the Wine For Normal People Blog or Facebook Page. Dig the podcast? Please review us on iTunes and we’ll give you a shout out! Sponsored by the free Hello Vino app (wine recommendations on the iPhone or Android) [...]
If you’re interested in discovering some new wines based on your taste preferences, and you’re not afraid to break the habit of “going with what you know”, then Elizabeth and Rick have five easy ways for you to discover some new favorites. Show Notes: Some fun shout-outs from our friends who left reviews on iTunes and comments on the Facebook page Main Topic - How to experiment with new wines: Follow the grape (the “you might also like” method) Regional similarities and differences Discovering similar wines from different blends Using food & wine pairing suggestions from apps and web sites Your local wine shop (but beware of bad advice!!) Listener Question - Sayle Milne calls in with a question about “corkage” fees Grape of the Week - Muscat (and Moscato is one of the most popular wines this year!) Call us and you will be on the show!!! Do you have a wine-related question for Elizabeth? Anything goes! Call 800-599-8478 (in the U. [...]
Quick Wine Review - Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 This is a two-minute profile of an individual wine, where Elizabeth breaks down how the wine smells, tastes, feels, and which foods would pair well. The goal is to provide you with the information necessary to make an educated selection in the wine aisle - way beyond what the back label can tell you. If you like this format, PLEASE LET US KNOW! We have plans to publish these quick wine reviews for nearly every wine you can find in your local stores. We will still be publishing the long-form podcast on fun topics like the Top 10 Snobby Wine Terms and How to Speak to a Sommelier, but we will also publish these “Quick Wine Reviews” if you’d like to hear more. Like this? Then, tell the world: Please drop a comment on the Wine For Normal People Blog or Facebook Page. Dig the podcast? Please review us on iTunes and we’ll give you a shout out! Find more wine reviews in the free Hello Vino app (f [...]
This week Rick and Elizabeth give you some awesome and random facts about wine that you can pull out at a party, family function, or anywhere else you need to make small talk! Elizabeth dorks out on wine history and stumps Rick on the Latin name for the Grape of the Week. Here are the show notes: We start with a few shoutouts to awesome reviews on iTunes and fun comments on Facebook And we answer another listener question! We want you to Call us!!! Do you have a wine-related question for Elizabeth? Anything goes! Call 800-599-8478 (in the U.S.) or 1-415-226-9105 and dial extension 5 to leave your question for the Wine For Normal People Podcast, and we will play it on the show! Listener Question - from Scott of MA (Rick’s home state!) Main Topic - Fun Facts About Wine (or, Wine Trivia) Aroma v. Bouquet: What are they…really? Wine History: Paranoia about poisoning — the origins of “drinking to your health” — and, the potential origins of the word &# [...]
This week, Rick and Elizabeth dive into sparkling wine, and explain why bringing on the Bub is always a good idea. We start with a few shoutouts to awesome reviews on iTunes and fun comments on Facebook. And we answer another listener question! We want you to Call us!!! Do you have a wine-related question for Elizabeth? Anything goes! Call 800-599-8478 (in the U.S.) or 1-415-226-9105 and dial extension 5 to leave your question for the Wine For Normal People Podcast, and we will play it on the show! Listener Question - from Saul (NY, USA) Main Topic - Sparkling Wine Quick Hit on How Sparkling Wine is Made (very brief) The Big One: Champagne Cremant (from Loire, Limoux, Alsace) Cava (Spanish Sparkler) Prosecco, Franciacorta Sparkling Wine from USA Rosé Champagne and Sweetness Levels Please drop a comment on the Wine For Normal People Blog or Facebook Page. Dig the podcast? Please review us on iTunes and we’ll give you a shout out! Sponsored by the free Hello Vino app (wine [...]
This week, Elizabeth and Rick play the ‘Wine Mythbusters’ and debunk the top 7 myths of the wine world. Expensive wines, France, and cigars are just a few of the topics covered in this episode. We start with a few shoutouts to awesome reviews on iTunes for the show! Amazing stuff! A new and fabulous piece of “old school” technology for the Wine For Normal People Podcast… Call us!!! Do you have a wine-related question for Elizabeth? Anything goes! Call 800-599-8478 (in the U.S.) or 1-415-226-9105 and dial extension 5 to leave your question for the Wine For Normal People Podcast, and we will play it on the show! Listener Question - from Brandy in the UK Main Topic - Top 7 Wine Myths DEBUNKED! We cover these topics: Flavors in Wine Aging Wines Expensive Wines French Wine Cigars & Wine High Scoring Wines (and Wine Critics) Screw Caps (vs. Corks) Grape of the Week - Tempranillo And a special and amazing thanks to Sean Amann for creating an awesome intr [...]
And finally, we tackle the big dog of the whites: Chardonnay. So many styles, so little time. MC Ice steps in while Rick is on summer break! Here are the show notes… Some fun facts about the Chardonnay grape (the real dorky stuff and some surprising things about how boring the grape is on its own…) Typical profiles of the Old World v. New World Styles Major (and not so major) growing regions in the Old World: Burgundy, Champagne, Northern Italy, Austria, Germany, Eastern Europe Major growing regions in the New World: South America, South Africa, Australia, California A word on food and Chardonnay pairing… Chardonnay is such a huge topic that we couldn’t do anything but brush the surface. If you’ve got questions post them on Facebook or Tweet us @Normalwine Like this? Then, tell the world: Please drop a comment on the Wine For Normal People Blog or Facebook Page. Dig the podcast? Please review us on iTunes and we’ll give you a shout out! Sponsore [...]
Introducing: The Quick Wine Review! A two-minute profile of an individual wine, where Elizabeth breaks down how the wine smells, tastes, feels, and which foods would pair well. The goal is to provide you with the information necessary to make an educated selection in the wine aisle - way beyond what the back label can tell you. This week: Oyster Bay Pinot Noir 2010 If you like this format, PLEASE LET US KNOW! We have plans to publish these quick wine reviews for nearly every wine you can find in your local stores. We will still be publishing the long-form podcast on fun topics like the Top 10 Snobby Wine Terms and How to Speak to a Sommelier, but we will also publish these “Quick Wine Reviews” if you’d like to hear more. Like this? Then, tell the world: Please drop a comment on the Wine For Normal People Blog or Facebook Page. Dig the podcast? Please review us on iTunes and we’ll give you a shout out! Sponsored by the free Hello Vino app (wine recommendations [...]
Not only do “Old World” (Europe) and the “New World” (everywhere else) have different approaches to making wine, it carries through right to the way they name stuff. This week, Rick and Elizabeth help explain the reason for this and cover some major European wine names and what’s actually in them… All are grapes you know and love, just masquerading as some other name. Here are the show notes: Shout-Outs -Amazing reviews on iTunes, posts on the Facebook page, comments on the blog, and replies on Twitter Main topic: A quick explanation of why Europeans name wines by place… it’s all about the Romans The whites: Chablis, Condrieu, Vouvray, Sancerre and more The reds: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Cote Rotie, Barolo, Rioja, and more And grape of the week: Torrontes - the floral, peachy, yet acidic white of Argentina Please drop a comment on the Wine For Normal People Blog or Facebook Page. Dig the podcast? Please review us on iTunes and we’ll gi [...]
Have you ever stared blankly at a wine label and wondered what the wine was in the bottle? Elizabeth and Rick take you through an easy-to-understand approach to reading a wine label when making your next purchase. Show Notes: Shout-Outs -Awesome reviews on iTunes, posts on the Facebook page, comments on the blog, and replies on Twitter Main Topic - How to Read a Wine Label A cameo from Ellie the dog Information on the Label: Vintage Alcohol Content Warnings Country of Origin Producer/Importer Regions & Appellations “New World” Wine Labels (U.S., Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, etc.) European Wine Labels & How to Decipher Them German Wine Labels (Always a Challenge) How a Wine Label Reads Like a Beauty Product Back Labels: Beware of the B.S. Coming Soon - The Q&A Show: Ask your questions on Facebook or the blog Send us questions, comments, and some love on Twitter @NormalWine Drop a comment on the Wine for Normal People blog Dig the podcast? Pleas [...]
Do you love Pinot Noir? Then, this episode is for you! Elizabeth and Rick chat about the different styles of Pinot Noir from all over the world, and help point out which Pinot Noir may be perfect for you. Show Notes: Shout-outs - Fun comments on the Facebook page, Wine for Normal People Blog, and on Twitter How to pick the perfect Pinot Noir when shopping for wine Different flavor profiles/styles of Pinot Noir Popular regions that grow Pinot Noir: Burgundy Carneros (Napa & Sonoma) Russian River Valley (Sonoma) Central Coast New Zealand Oregon (Ora-gone / Or-again, depending on how you pronounce it) Germany (where it’s called Spätburgunder) Australia Champagne (typically blush/rosé sparkling wine from this region) And a special invitation to an online wine tasting with Elizabeth & Rick Send us questions, comments, and some love on Twitter @NormalWine Drop a comment on the Wine for Normal People blog Dig the podcast? Please review us on iTunes and we’ll give y [...]
Need some wine recommendations for your 4th of July and Summer outings? Elizabeth and Rick suggest some red, white, and rose wines along with some food pairings and gift ideas. Show Notes: A new, shorter intro to get right into the good stuff Main Topic - Wines for 4th of July festivities and other Summer sippers Red Wines - Pairing suggestions for grilled foods, light reds for sipping, and which red wines to bring as gifts White Wines - Refreshing choices for the Summer heat, some food pairing ideas, and which white wines would go over well at a party Rosé Wines - Not all are created equal… We provide some tips on picking the best rosé wines Grape of the Week - Grenache (or Garnacha): The flavor profiles and a little history on the grape Have you tried a Grenache/Garnacha? If so, join the conversation on the Facebook page Send us questions, comments, and some love on Twitter @NormalWine Drop a comment on the Wine for Normal People blog Dig the podcast? Please review us on [...]
Shoutouts to friends on Twitter, Facebook, iTunes, and commenters on email and on the blog Main Topic: How a Grape Becomes a Wine The Goal: to talk about the important factors in winemaking without getting too technical! We focus more about where flavor comes from in the process. It all starts in the vineyard: the importance of terroir Grape flavors Destemming and crushing and what they do to flavor Fermentation and how yeast can change the taste of wine Malolactic fermentation: What it is and why it matters Aging, another word on oak, and the tale of dead yeast Blending and why the winemaker is an artist Hope this one is helpful without being too dorky! Please leave us your feedback at the Wine for Normal People blog, on the Wine For Normal People Facebook Page, and on Twitter @normalwine Sponsored by the free Hello Vino mobile app (iPhone & Android) Tweet This [...]
Show notes: Shoutouts to friends on Twitter, Facebook, iTunes, and commenters on email and on the blog Merlot (yes, the “t” is silent) Merlot: The Goldilocks wine — medium and great because of it! Descriptions of different styles of Merlot and why some of it is kind of bad and some is outstanding Merlot’s relationship with Cabernet Sauvignon A bit of background on this lovely grape — where it came from Growing regions and styles: France (Bordeaux), Italy, the Baltic states, New Zealand, Australia, and US (Washington State and CA) A little on food pairing Prestigious producers of Merlot Please leave us your feedback at the Wine for Normal People blog, on the Wine For Normal People Facebook Page, and on Twitter @normalwine Sponsored by the free Hello Vino mobile app (iPhone & Android) Program note/Correction: In this episode, Elizabeth mistakenly says Merlot is grown in the “Baltic states” when s [...]
In homage to the great TV trend of the 1980s, we begin a mini-series on the big grapes from around the world. We’re moving beyond Grape of the Week to go in depth on the wine major league that you ask the most questions about. This week’s episode is on Sauvignon Blanc, just in time for the warm summer weather!! Show Notes: Main Topic -Sauvignon Blanc The Sauvignon Blanc grape, its origins, flavor profile, and why methoxypyrazines and cat pee aren’t such bad things in this grape. We then drilled down into the main regions that produce Sauvignon Blanc and talk about differences in styles: Sancerre/Pouilly- Fume for minerally wines that strip the enamel off your teeth (but are delicious) Napa, California for a softer, floral style, sometimes with an oaky twist Marlborough, New Zealand, for excellent grapefruit flavors, acid, and even a jalapeno kick Bordeaux for a softer blend with Semillon and Muscade [...]
Another great podcast with Elizabeth and guest host M.C. Ice!
- Shoutouts to friends on Twitter, Facebook, and commenters the blog
Main topic: Inside the Wine Industry
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How does the wine industry work?
- Regulation, the three tier system, and how it functions
- A few ways you can get into the industry if you want to pursue it as a career
- The real scoop — Elizabeth’s opinions on how it’s far from glitz and glamour.
- Elizabeth and M.C. Ice share some personal experiences and tell it how it really is
- Personalities in the wine industry — from the veteran to the lifestyle junkie, to the snobs, you’ll find it all in this biz
- To sum it all up: think long and hard before diving into the wine industry…it’s not too much different from any other business, despite what it looks like from the outside!
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And…The Grape of the Week is Cabernet Franc
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Join the conversation on Facebook or on the Wine For Normal People's site
Rick takes a week off, so Elizabeth and special guest M.C. Ice discuss how to shop for wine so you walk out of the store with what you need and want. Show Notes: Shout-outs - Some great Twitter replies and Facebook posts Main Topic M.C. Ice confronts his fear of the Wall of Wine (WoW) and admits that he shops by label This time it’s personal: Elizabeth takes the bull by the horns and tries to teach M.C. Ice how to break down the store so he starts bringing home some better wines! Elizabeth and M.C. Ice talk about the key questions to ask yourself before you even get in the store? “Why am I here?” is a good place to start. Shopping with a purpose is essential. They then get into the importance of deciding on the type of wine you want — from color, to sweetness level, to weight, to style by wine producing country. Grape of the Week: Verdejo from Rueda in North Central Spain — a great alternative white, kind of like Sauvignon Blanc, but with a bite. Shar [...]
You may have seen the terms “organic”, “biodynamic”, or “sustainable” on the wine label, and wondered what they actually mean. Elizabeth and Rick define these terms and explain the differences, and also call out some winemakers.
Show Notes:
- Shout-outs - Some great Twitter replies, comments on the blog, iTunes reviews, and Facebook posts
- Main Topic - Organic, Biodynamic, and Sustainable Wines
- Sustainable - Not certified… but maybe it should be
- Organic - A certification for certain winegrowing practices
- Biodynamic - Definitely some weird science going on - a must listen!
- Let Us Know (on Facebook) - Does “organic”, “biodynamic”, or “sustainable” matter to you?
Grape of the Week - Grüner Veltliner (GROO-nah velt-LEE-nah)
Next Week - A special spotlight on Pinot Noir
Sponsored by the free Hello Vino mobile app (iPhone & Android) More at the Wine for Normal People blog
The mystical subject of food and wine pairing… Is it an art form? Is it chemistry? Is it all nonsense? Elizabeth and Rick answer these questions, spark some controversy, and provide some guidance to help make sure your next meal and wine selection are perfect. Show Notes: Shout-outs - Some really funny Twitter replies, comments on the blog, and Facebook posts Main Topic - Food and Wine Pairing The great controversy - should we drink what we like? Elizabeth’s metaphor for food and wine matching Some basic rules to remember The regional influence on food and wine pairing Dessert!! Should you drink wine with sweets? Grape (or Wine Style) of the Week - Rosé (roh-ZAY) How rosé wines are made Grapes from which rosé is made Well-known regions for producing rosé wines Typical flavor profiles of rosé Sponsored by the free Hello Vino mobile app (iPhone & Android) More at the Wine for Normal People blog Tweet This [...]
Building on last week's episode of "How to Speak to a Sommelier," we get into it on wine etiquette basics. Believe it or not, there are some unwritten rules about tasting wine in a formal setting. Whether you’re at a winery, wine bar, or a fancy dinner, Elizabeth and Rick help by explaining ‘wine etiquette’.
Thanks to Matt M. and Brandy for leaving comments on the blog and giving us the idea for this show topic! We love when you suggest stuff for us to talk about!
- Shout-outs - Awesome reviews on iTunes, the blog, and the Facebook page. Thank you so much for engaging with us and for giving us great feedback. The motivation is huge for us to keep doing cool stuff and making the 'cast better and better! You are awesome!
- Huge props to Steve Paulo at Notes from the Cellar - a wine blog that previously covered 8 Rules for Visiting Tasting Rooms, some of which we covered and some that we didn't!
- Main Topic - Wine Etiquette
- We go through the whole presentation schtik in a restaurant -- and tell you what to do with the cork (don't bite it PLEASE!).
- I don't mention my pet peeve about fingerprints on the bowl of glass, but instead we tell you the real reason why you should hold a glass by the stem or the base.
- We discuss the spit or swallow controversy...in a tasting of course (you didn't think we were going X-rated on you, did you?)
- I can't help myself and discuss the dos and don'ts when you attend a wine class with an expert (I may sound rude, but from my angle, if you don't want to learn, don't go!).
- Rick and I explore the etiquette of wine tasting rooms and what you can expect when visiting...including the burning question: When visiting a tasting room, are you obligated to buy a bottle of wine?
- And lots more!
- Grape of the Week - Merlot (I don't know if we did a great job explaining this one, to be honest so if you have questions, pop 'em over. At least I admit it...)
- We didn't say it, but next week is Food & Wine Pairing...it's my take on it, so a little different than the usual spiel. Tune in for more!
Credit: Flickr In addition to going over the correct pronunciation of sum-muhl-YAY (and sharing a few fun mispronunciations), Elizabeth and Rick provide some tips to help you have a productive conversation with the sommelier at a restaurant. We hope to make your wine ordering experience much more enjoyable and less intimidating. Show Notes: Shout-outs - Some awesome comments posted on the blog, Facebook page, Twitter, and also iTunes News - We’re number one! We’re number one! The U.S. ramps up their wine consumption. Main Topic - How to speak to a sommelier The correct pronunciation of sum-muhl-YAY (thanks to forvo.com) Different levels of wine expertise The surprising etymology of the word “sommelier” Ordering from the wine list, and what to ask the sommelier How ordering wine is like choosing kitchen cabinets What to do if your sommelier is a jerk Grape of the Week - Sauvignon Blanc Next Week - It’s a surprise!! Sponsored by the free Hello Vino m [...]
Back for part two on the topic of terroir (teh-RWAH), but this time Elizabeth and Rick talk about the different aspects of terroir and why they make a difference in wines produced from different regions.
Show Notes:
- Thank you’s - Please keep posting your comments on the Facebook page
-
Main Topic - Aspects of terroir:
- Location
- Climate
- Weather
- Soil …and other nuances
-
Grape of the Week - Cabernet Sauvignon (again, but this time influenced by the terroir of Bordeaux)
Next Week -How to talk to a sommelier (that wine expert at the restaurant)
Sponsored by the free Hello Vino mobile app (iPhone & Android) More at Wine for Normal People
Terroir (teh-RWAH) - It’s a HUGE topic in the wine world, and not without controversy. In this first segment, Elizabeth and Rick define terroir and its effect on wine.
Show Notes:
- Shout-outs - More awesome feedback from our friends on Facebook, the blog, and on iTunes!
- Wine News - We skipped this week’s news to make room for the big main topic…
- Main Topic -
- What is Terroir? - A loaded question
- How to pronounce it correctly
- What does it mean (translation)?
- Its effect on wine (can you actually taste terroir?!)
- The big controversy - Is terroir a bunch of hooey?
- The origins of terroir (a bit of history)
Grape of the Week - Cabernet Sauvignon (and its differences in terroir)
Next Week - Terroir Part 2: Its different aspects and why terroir matters Sponsored by the free Hello Vino mobile app (iPhone & Android) More at the Wine for Normal People blog.
With no shortage of wine-related gadgets, not to mention all the different shapes and sizes of wine glasses, there can be some confusion as to which products actually make a difference when enjoying wine. Elizabeth and Rick debunk some myths and share their experiences with wine gadgetry.
Show Notes:
- Shout-outs - Some excellent emails, blog comments, and posts on the Facebook page
- Wine News - A headache-free wine?! Could this be true?
- Main Topic - Gadgets & Glassware (Do they make a difference?)
- Wine Glasses - White, Red, and Sparkling Aerators & Decanters - such as the Wine Soiree Preservers - keep your wine from turning into vinegar
- Openers - which work best?
- Chillers - In case you don’t have a fridge in your home Wine Stain Remover - an absolute must-have!
- Grape of the Week - Albariño (also, Alvarinho) Next Week - We tackle “terroir” (and how to pronounce it)
Sponsored by the free Hello Vino mobile app (iPhone & Android) More at the Wine for Normal People web site.
You may have heard people reference ‘Old World’ and ‘New World’ when talking about wine. In this episode, Elizabeth and Rick define all of the characteristics to help you figure out which of these wine styles you may like.
Show Notes:
- Shout-outs - Some excellent comments on the blog, Twitter friends, and Facebook
- Show Topic Ideas - Make sure to post your ideas to the Facebook page
- Wine News - Younger wine drinkers (and their tastes) are influencing winemakers
- Main Topic - Old World vs. New World (broken down with a normal explanation) How ‘terroir’ helps define old world vs. new world (and what ‘terroir’ means)
- Differences in weather between the old world and new world, and its impact on wine
Grape of the Week - Riesling (an incredibly versatile white wine grape)
- Riesling growing in popularity; which regions are most popular
- The common flavor profiles for Riesling (Dry, Demi-Dry, Semi-Sweet, Sweet)
- Regions of the world that grow Riesling
Confused by wine terminology? Elizabeth and Rick define some of the most common terms and descriptors thrown around at wine tastings and dinner parties.
Show Notes:
News - Robert Parker no longer reviewing California wines (and why this matters)
- Top 10 Snobby Wine Terms & Their Meanings (listen for Elizabeth’s colorful definitions):
- Dusty
- Minerality
- Gamey
- Tannic
- Acidic
- Dry (and the opposite: Sweet)
- Sweet
- Finish
- Bouquet
- Tight
- Did we miss any snobby wine terms? Tell us in the comments
- Grape of the Week - Chardonnay (and all its flavor variations) Take the Wine Sisterhood survey about wine-related mobile apps Next week’s topic: It’s up to you!
Drop a comment on the Wine for Normal People Blog with your questions or show ideas
Sponsored by the free Hello Vino mobile app (iPhone & Android) More at the Wine for Normal People blog.
So, you just bought an incredibly expensive bottle of wine. Do you let it age, or drink it now? Elizabeth and Rick help explain what characteristics allow for a wine to be aged, the ideal storage conditions, and name some wines that will age well.
Show Notes:
- Shout-outs - iTunes reviewers and comments on the blog
- News - Wine “Flash Sale” sites and which are best
- Aging wine - Which wines can age, how to age them, and for how long? Should you age wine, or should you drink when you’re thirsty?
- Grape of the Week: Zinfandel (and its unique origin) Flavor profiles for Zinfandel - both red and white zin (ok, pink)
- Next week - Wine terminology and definitions (understanding the snobs)
Sponsored by the free Hello Vino mobile app (iPhone & Android) More at the Wine for Normal People blog Tweet This [...]
Just like fashion, wines can be trendy. Elizabeth and Rick discuss the most popular wines of 2010 and which wine trends will be popular in the coming year.
Show Notes:
- News - Americans are drinking more wine!
- Consumers - baby boomers and their millennial children
- Wine trends - which wines are people drinking? Wine pronunciation and ordering from the wine list
- Most popular wines searches in the Hello Vino app
- Grape of the Week: Pinot Noir (also known as the “heartbreak grape”)
- Trends in flavor profiles (earthy vs. jammy wines, lower alcohol) The ‘Sideways’ movie and its influence
Next week: Aging - how long to hold onto a wine before drinking
Sponsored by the free Hello Vino mobile app (iPhone & Android) More at the Wine for Normal People blog Tweet This [...]
Elizabeth and Rick cover everything you ever wanted to know about oak and its influence on wine, and then some. Plus, we define a few fancy wine terms to throw around at your next dinner party.
Show Notes:
- News - New Zealand sets a lofty goal
- Shout out to Bosman van der Merwe
- Oak - The what, why, and how
- Flavor profiles, aging, and the good vs. bad uses of oak Some fun wine terminology
- Grape of the Week: Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio Elizabeth’s radical proposition for Pinot Gris Differences in flavor profiles for Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio (lemon water, anyone?)
- Next week: Trendy wines
Sponsored by the free Hello Vino mobile app (iPhone & Android) More at the Wine for Normal People blog
This week's Wine For Normal People podcast is in response to a Tweet received by Hello Vino that asks for a recommendation for a "good red wine that's not too expensive."
We break it down for you, here are this week's big topics:
- Which wine is best? - A loaded question
- News - The iPhone is (finally) coming to Verizon
- Wine apps that help you pick a wine
- Wine is subjective - we like different wines for different reasons
- Breaking down the process - Color, Texture, Flavors, & types of wine
- Red wine vs. white wine
- Grape Spotlight: Syrah (or Shiraz, depending on a few things)
Listen below, or get the ep anywhere you get your podcasts. Listen on your mobile device while you're driving somewhere, at the DMV, or just hanging around somewhere not near your computer! Thanks for listening!
Elizabeth and Rick discuss some confusing wine terminology and set the record straight.
Show Notes:
A new podcast!
- What’s it all about?
- Which term is correct?
- Varietal or variety (of wine) It’s all about the grapes Naming conventions for wines across the world
- Difference between New World and Old World wines
- Blending wines and grape characteristics
- Making fun of confusing wine pronunciations It’s mer-a-TIJ not mer-a-TAHJ
Sponsored by the free Hello Vino mobile app (iPhone & Android) More at the Wine for Normal People blog.