There wasn’t an empty seat in the private room of San Francisco restaurant La Connessa when Cossart Gordon CEO Chris Blandy took the floor to present “A Toast to Independence with Cossart Gordon & Miles Madeira.” It was just one of many stops on a weeklong U.S. tour Blandy undertook to celebrate Madeira’s role in the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
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Acquerello’s Gianpaolo Paterlini finding joy one glass at a time.
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Wines made from old vines have a more powerful phenolic structure, greater aromatic complexity, and more intensity with respect to expressing the characteristics of the vineyards they were sourced from.
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Professionals who consider detecting and identifying aromas part of their stock in trade would be far more confident about their abilities if they had a better understanding of how the senses work together to interpret aromas.
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San Francisco native Justin Chin possesses an almost stubborn optimism
about the future of hospitality. As general manager and wine director of The Happy Crane in his hometown’s Hayes Valley neighborhood, he’s quietly shaping one of the city’s most innovative dining experiences.
Thanks to new research about quercetin, the list of culprits in wine falls into three primary categories: tannins, biogenic amines (BAs), and alcohol.
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Humans may use their sense of sight more,
but through smell, we can determine such things as the quality and consistency of foods and beverages.
French wines takes center stage in season two.
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Calls for optimism are the theme of new year missives from wine industry colleagues near and far. One in particular came from a Northern California winemaker who is puzzling over the lack of adoption by Gen Z consumers, an increasingly fragmented and dispirite domestic market and included a request for insights that might inspire hope.
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The message my students are sending to the makers of the world’s historic sweet wines amounts to a love letter. My passion for these historic wines can only be described as a love affair.
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The University of California, Davis, has a long history of groundbreaking research that has significantly impacted the global wine industry.[…]
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Anywhere from 1% to 4% of the population is affected by aphantasia, meaning their mind’s eye is effectively blind.
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In 2021, The prestigious Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB) wine competition began using artificial intelligence (AI) developed by Winespace, a Bordeaux-based firm founded by Sylvain Thibaud and Julian Laithier in 2015, as part of its judging protocol as a valueadded feedback mechanism for producers.
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Paul Carayas, GM/Wine Director of San Francisco’s Saison Cellar & Wine Bar, is an arbiter of affordable luxury With close[…]
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Bubbles are the hallmark of all sparkling wines, and they play a significant role in the cachet that surrounds this category. Even the terms “bubbles,” “mousse,” and “Champagne” elicit a pleasurable response in expert and novice consumers alike.
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For years, I thought there was a secret club of “math people.” They just got it, as if the ability to comprehend complex formulas came baked into their DNA. The textbooks seemed pretty impenetrable, especially for higher-level math and statistics.
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A guide to the producers of the North Adriatic region.
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According to neuroscientist Camilla Arndal Andersen, how consumers describe the taste of food can be misleading largely due to inherent biases. Among the most problematic is the “courtesy bias,” which comes into play when people respond with what they see as a socially acceptable opinion that doesn’t accurately reflect how they feel. There’s also the “bias blind spot,” in which we think we’re less biased than others. In short, we’re biased about our biases.
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Fog over the Pelletti Vineyard in Laguna Hills, Russian River Valley.
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New metrics shed light on scores and medals in wine competitions
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Of the more than 1,000 compounds that make up wine’s aromatic profile, desirable aromas are represented by a combination of 82 different volatile compounds, only some of which are detectable when present above threshold.
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If studying Chianti Classico has not made your list of New Year’s resolutions, the Consorzi Vini e Olio Classico has just handed you an incentive; a free, online training program – Mooc Chianti Classico.
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Morrow, who received MICHELIN’s California Sommelier Award in 2022, oversees the wine cellar at PRESS, which houses the largest collection of Napa Valley wines in the world and is focused on library wines. When adding a new bottling to the list, he looks for winemakers who have worked their way up at acclaimed producers and then started their own labels.
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There’s no question the pandemic has amplified the influence of the experience economy, which gives businesses a potentially lucrative channel for success in an unpredictable market while enhancing their level of direct engagement with consumers.
Read moreAI-generated podcast summarizes four recent articles With advances in artificial intelligence (AI) making huge strides, podcasters look to be on[…]
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Beyond the soleras and the enviable Montagne de Reims terroir, the wines of Champagne Palmer’s Vintage Collection reveal a third strength: The cooperative of seven producers has not altered its vineyard sourcing since its founding in 1947, forming what Vervier calls the “DNA of the brand.”
Read moreA group of professional palates recently gathered for dinner at Auro, the one-Michelin-starred restaurant at the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley in Calistoga, California, for a tasting hosted by Clos de los Siete founder Michel Rolland and managing director Ramiro Barrios to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the estate, located in Argentina’s Uco Valley.
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As the labyrinth of wine industry certifications continues to expand, consumers often find themselves without a compass.
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Gigondas joins Languedoc’s oldest white-wine AOP, Clairette du Languedoc, established in 1948, and Clairette de Bellegarde, a tiny Southern Rhône AOP in the Costières de Nîmes, in showcasing
Clairette, which often serves as the base in Southern Rhône and Languedoc blends.
A wine’s scent is one of the best indications of its quality. The hedonic effects of wine are influenced by hundreds of volatile aroma compounds, making it one of the most complex of food and
beverage products.
Interest in lower-acohol wines is growing among consumers putting producers like Jordan back in the limelight. “Our Bordeaux-style Cabernet and Burgundy-style Chardonnay wines . . . range between 12.6% and 13.8% [alcohol], compared to the California average of 14.5%,” says Jordan winemaker Maggie Kruse. “This represents far more than numbers; lower-alcohol wines have a more balanced flavor profile.”
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Elizabeth Spencer’s Sarah Vandendriessche guides the Napa Valley Vintners’ environmental stewardship committee.
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Let’s introduce novice wine consumers to the sweet wines of the world first and bridge them to dry styles made from the same grape varieties.
Read moreWith the creation of a new Tawny Port and White Port categories in March 2022, bottles sporting a 50-year age[…]
Read moreVisit Sacramento and Slow Food International will host Terra Madre Americas, the American version of the internationally acclaimed Terra Madre Salone del Gusto[…]
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Biodiversity equals stability was the key message at Siclia’s second international SOStain symposium.
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Wine aromas are t work when we pour a glass of grassy Sauvignon Blanc and feel a deep sense of relief.
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Last December, a like-minded group of winemakers and winegrowers gathered to share the fruits of the labor and celebrate being part of the Slow Wine USA community to mark the release of the seventh edition of the Slow Wine Guide USA.
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Sustainability is a catch-all term that’s tossed around casually to refer to just about anything even remotely related to climate action, resource conservation, and land stewardship. But for Martin Reyes, MW, and the panel of winemakers that joined him for the “Napa Valley’s Green Scene” session at SommCon in San Diego in September, achieving sustainability requires taking concrete steps with the intention of ensuring the viability of the planet, the broader community, and the wines that are grown and produced in Napa Valley well into the future.
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Due to their reputation as vectors for Brettanomyces and their unwelcome presence when discovered swimming in one’s glass, fruit flies have long been viewed as annoying pests by wine drinkers. But as research subjects, they’re surprisingly beneficial: Their brains are teaching us more about how we humans learn to differentiate aromas.
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In May, Cyril Delarue, a sixth-generation pro- prietor of Champagne Bollinger who oversees the producer’s U.S. interests, celebrated the release[…]
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I spoke with Émilien Boutillat, chef de cave at Champagne Piper Heidsieck, this week from New York for an update[…]
Read moreResearchers have identified compounds responsible for coconut and dried fruit aromas in red grape must and new wine.
Read moreCalifornia State University Fresno’s Dr. Miguel Pedroza talks with Matthew Malcom from California Ag Network about his smoke taint research.[…]
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There’s more to wine grape stems than tannin. The discovery of new stem compounds has prompted researchers at the Laboratoire Excell biochemistry lab in Bordeaux to re-evaluate the benefits of including stems during this crucial stage of production.
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No matter one’s knowledge of wine, there is simply no substitute for tasting. For those of us who keep an eye on the world’s ever-evolving wine regions, that means seizing an opportunity to taste as well as to meet the makers.
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Where so many fictional movies that explore wine have failed, Drops of God which is an eight-part series inspired by[…]
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For Lonardi, the drying process known as appassimento that’s used to make Amarone produces wines that are expressive of terroir. Researchers studying
the compounds found in Corvina—the indigenous grape that is the foundation of the wine’s blend—agree. Typical markers for Corvina include balsamic and tobacco notes that increase during appassimento, and the presence of these markers in aged wines points to specific vintage conditions.
An abundance of beauty ushered in the new year in Northern California.
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The winning wines at this year’s competition are memorable for several reasons: The whites were fresher, the rosés crisper, and the red wines seemingly more elegant than I recall them being in 2015.
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In her role as head winemaker at Markham, Kimberlee Nicholls directs an all-female team that includes assistant winemaker Abigail Horstman, enologist Patricia Sciacca and viticulturist Taylor Abudi. The collaborative culture that thrives at Markham is a direct result of how she prioritizes the professional growth of her team.
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Red-wine drinkers gravitate to the robust flavors and wine-like tannins of rich, intense pu-erh teas. They exhibit aromas and flavors that are found in wines like Pinot Noir: earth, forest floor, mushroom and even barnyard.”
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Wine culture in Itata Valley, the northernmost of Chile’s three southern wine regions, exemplifies what is known as “evolution in isolation.” Experiencing no phylloxera and only a modest incursion of international grape varieties, this isolated region has held on to its heritage grapes and ancestral winemaking practices seldom found beyond its borders.
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Of the California wineries celebrating their 50th birth year in 2022, six gathered to mark the occasion with a retrospective tasting at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena. Each dazzled us with three wines while reflecting on five decades of harvests and providing a snapshot of their current vintages.
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In an effort to expand my perception beyond my daily work with beverage alcohol, I tackle the evaluation of chocolate and fragrance a few times each year by judging hundreds of products as part of an unpaid panel.
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The San Francisco Bay Area has long been a destination for the wine world’s movers and shakers; you can read about those I meet in my new column, Date by the Gate. This cycle, winemakers and authors made their way to the the area with tastings and book signings that were nothing less than awe-inspiring.
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By now, most informed wine consumers have accepted the fact that sulfur isn’t the root cause of wine-derived headaches and instead place most of the blame on alcohol. Meanwhile, what has been identified as a source of adverse reactions to no- and low-sulfur red wines, particularly by histamine-sensitive consumers, are biogenic amines. What are they and why can they be a problem?
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As a species, we’ve been eating and drinking to intentionally alter our states of perception ever since. For generations, the indigenous peoples of the Congo, Nigeria, and Ghana have used the fruit (and leaves) of Synsepalum dulcificum, a shrub indigenous to West
and Central Africa, in ethnomedicine. The taste-altering properties of this flavorless, bright-red berry—dubbed “the miracle fruit,” it’s about the size of a coffee bean—make for a fascinating sensory experience.
While perceptual learning plays an important role in evaluating wine, there’s another phenomenon related to perception that arises from the wine itself: perceptual interaction. When our olfactory system
is confronted with complex aromas, we often perceive them as a single aroma due to odor blending in a process known as
configural perception (our perception of the smell of coffee as a single aroma is just one of many examples).
After tasting the Piper-Heidsieck Hors-Série 1971 ($499), a rare, late disgorged Champagne that spent 49 years resting peacefully on its lees, I was inspired to delve deeper into the role yeast autolysis plays in the flavor development of sparkling wine.
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Our sense of smell is based on two delivery pathways, orthonasal and retronasal; that makes it the only “dual sense modality” we possess, one that provides information about things both external and internal to the body.
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Now the days of comparing a
glass of Northern Rhône Syrah to
a strip of peppered bacon appear
to be coming to an end.
Get US Market Ready host Steve Raye talks with Slow Wine Guide USA National Editor Deborah Parker Wong about her journey and work as an educator, journalist and much more. The 2021 Slow Wine Guide USA is available on Amazon.com.
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Alvarinho produced in its native terroir is incomparable to expressions of the variety grown elsewhere. But it may ultimately prove to be on a trajectory similar to that of Pinot Gris, which is renowned for producing light, delicately floral wines in Italy’s Collio region and wines of great mineral intensity and fruit purity in Alsace. Time will tell.
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While saké is a fixture at all of life’s important moments in Japan, the similarly lengthy history and traditions of shochu have made it the nation’s distilled spirit of choice.
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The discovery of more naturally-occurring compounds found both in soil and in wine prompts the winegrowers of Sancerre to abandon their geologic metaphor and take credit for winemaking choices that reflect their terroir.
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Bringing together like-minded stakeholders for its second global conference addressing sustainability, Sustainable Wine UK will host the Future of Wine Americas Conference, 1 – 3 June. This no-cost, online conference will connect peers for information sharing, debate and best practices aimed at tackling pressing topics such as water conservation, the benefits of organic versus low-intervention wine, sustainable management of pest and disease outbreaks, and the role of social fairness in the green movement.
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Walter Schug departed this world in 2015 but his passion for Pinot Noir lives on at Schug Carneros Estate which is celebrating 41 years of devotion to the variety. Axel and Claudia Schug, third generation winegrowers, were joined by chef Kristine Schug and winemaker Johannes Scheid as they presented a retrospective tasting that spanned the past, present and future of the Carneros estate winery.
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Slow Wine debuts its first stand-alone guide which has been expanded to cover the wineries and wines from the United States’ major wine growing regions of California, Oregon and Washington and New York states.
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What Argentina’s savvy winemakers have known for many decades—that certain vineyards reliably produce superlative wines despite vintage variations—is now scientific fact.
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An infamous rooster named Maurice and a gaggle of contented geese have helped ensure biodiversity in France. In the face of complaints about the noises and smells typical of the countryside, the French Parliament passed a law on January 21, 2021, protecting what it calls the “sensory heritage” of its rural areas.
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As beverage companies experiment with new ways to improve water’s hydrating ability while incorporating additional health benefits, they’ve embraced the use of CBD derived from hemp. Its biphasic properties are similar to those of alcohol in that small doses are uplifting, while larger doses suppress mood and energy.
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The sequence of 400 or so genes that control human olfaction is considered
by geneticists to be unusually diverse among animal species. Until recently,
researchers thought that any deviations resulting from that diversity led to a reduction in perception, but the results of a new sensory study have revealed otherwise.
The Cava wine category is evolving from its origins as a Denominación de Origen (DO) to the inception of five sparkling wine designations that are in use today: Conca del Riu Anoia, Clàssic Penedès, Corpinnat, Cava de Paraje Calificado, and Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja. These designations seek to improve the overall quality and global image of Spanish sparkling wine by focusing more on terroir and establishing higher standards—for aging, for production, for winegrowing, and more—than the original Cava DO traditionally has.
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Deborahparkerwong.com contributor Rex Ting-chia has translated The Multitasking Tongue for our Chinese language readers. You can find the pdf here[…]
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A compact, smart, electric tractor has been on the wish list of sustainably-minded winegrowers the world over. With no significant advances in tractor technology for more than a decade, the arrival of the Monarch tractor represents the missing link needed to fast track the integration of precision agriculture and address the growing labor challenges confronting the wine industry.
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Producers in the Portuguese winegrowing region of Alentejo— whose vineyards encompass about 18,000 hectares, or almost a third of the country—have made significant gains in sustainability under the guidance of the Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Program (WASP).
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Studying wine without the experience of tasting it in real-world settings such as trade events and seminars is frustrating at best. One elegant solution,
developed by author and educator Evan Goldstein, MS, and his business partner, Full Circle Wine Solutions CEO Limeng Stroh, has quickly become the gold standard of study tools for professionals and consumer enthusiasts.
Rex Ting-chia Ting DipWSET has translated Taint or Terroir for our Chinese readers.
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Chinese translation by Rex Ting-chia Ting, DipWSET Rex Ting-chia Ting, DipWSET has translated Bobal: Past, Present and Future for those[…]
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No one needs a reason to drink Champagne but ringing out 2020 is certainly a good opportunity to reach for something beyond your sentimental favorite. In an effort to learn more about Billecart-Salmon’s Brut Sous Bois, I asked Mathieu Roland-Billecart for the inside scoop on this particular cuvée.
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A hearty welcome to the site for Rex Ting-chia Ting, DipWSET who has translated Five Reasons to Love Grenache Garnacha Blanc and Gris for those who read Chinese.
Read moreThere is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
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What can we expect as winegrowers in Australia, Chile, France, and the United
States are increasingly forced to adapt their winemaking practices and styles to account for devastating fire seasons?
Vodcasting is where podcasting is headed. Superb vodcasting relies on the format you use and the quality and reliability of your recording software and internet connection.
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In the search for alternative ways to control grape vine diseases while reducing the use of synthetic herbicides and pesticides, a cadre of modern hybrids—second- and third-generation interspecific varieties— are demonstrating considerable promise in both the vineyard and the glass.
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When I first tasted the Valpolicella wines produced by Valentina Cubi in January of 2011, I was captivated. After visiting the organic estate a few times over the last decade and tasting the wines during the annual Amarone Anteprima events that are held every February in Verona, my appreciation has only deepened. This year the winery which is located in the Valpolicella Classico region of Fumane marks a key milestone celebrating a decade of organic certification.
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It’s Sauvignon Blanc—not Grüner Veltliner—that’s the star of the show in Austria’s Südsteiermark DAC, a historic winegrowing region in the country’s southern state of Styria that has evolved rapidly over the last thirty years. The variety is grown at high elevation in all five of Südsteiermark’s sub regions and on steep slopes that rival those of the Mosel.
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In the United Kingdom, anosmia and ageuisa have been stronger predictors
of COVID-19 than fever. As of April 1 out of 400,000 people reporting one or
more symptoms on a mobile tracking app developed at King’s College London, 18% had lost their sense of smell or taste and 10.5% were experiencing fever.
Inspired by its striking maritime climate—attributable to the juxtaposition of the San Rafael Mountain and Transverse Ranges to the Pacific coast as well as to its chalky, sandy loam soils—the Miller Family named the site Bien Nacido, which means “well born” in Spanish, and planted it in 1973.
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California Chardonnay has had its ups and downs over the last 60 years but it had clearly been a cash cow for many producers whose styles have evolved while remaining a hallmark for others whose style hasn’t changed significantly for decades.
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In keeping with Gago’s practice of tasting verticals of older Penfolds vintages alongside panels of expert tasters, I’ve amended my tasting notes to include the historical perspective documented in Penfolds: The Rewards of Patience. This consummate guide to all things Penfolds provides invaluable hindsight through the lens of the world’s most highly-regarded palates.
Read moreIron Age wineries tamed the ancestor of the indigenous Bobal vines of Utiel-Requena.
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There is no better time to gauge the quality and stylistic range of Sauvignon Blanc than during the only international wine competition devoted solely to the variety: the 2020 Concours Mondial du Sauvignon, which unfolded in Touraine, France, in early March.
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In early February an unprecedented gathering of approximately 200 producers of Barolo and Barbaresco arrived in New York City to present their 2016 and 2017 vintages to the trade. They gathered at Center415 in midtown Manhattan for a walk around-tasting that ran for five hours; a boon for tasters who for once had time on our side.
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In northeastern Spain, Garnacha Blanca can predominately be found in the regions of Calatayud, Campo de Borja, Cariñena and Somontano but the Terra Alta PDO has the treasure trove with 1400 hectares of old vine Garnacha Blanca under vine. That amounts to one-third of the vines grown worldwide and growing as new plantings are on the rise.
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The Roussillon region of Southern France is home to five AOPS that produce fortified vins doux naturel wines.
Read moreThe oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of a wine closure is just one of several factors that contribute to the total package oxygen (TPO) in a bottle of wine.
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Enjoy your free digital edition of the 2020 Slow Wine Guide.
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When Sonoma’s La Crema Winery turned 40 last year, it celebrated the milestone with a unique exercise: Led by Dr. Henry “Hoby” Wedler, it was easily one of my top sensory experiences of 2019.
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Watch highlights from the 2019 World Bulk Wine Exposition.
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Prolific video blogger and wine writer James Melendez tells me that this insightful interview is one of his most popular to date. Read it on his James the Wine Guy site – https://jamesthewineguy.wordpress.com/2019/08/20/james-the-wine-guy-interview-series-deborah-parker-wong-wine-opinion-leading-communicator-journalist-and-author/#comment-12859
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As grape varieties go, it’s fair to say that Alicante Bouschet (Ahlee-KANT Boo-SHAY) is flashy in the vineyard. It’s one of the few—along with Chile’s Carménère and Campania’s Piedirosso— whose leaves turn a deep, brilliant shade as the growing cycle winds down.
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The SOMM Journal’s Global Wine Editor, Deborah Parker Wong, DWSET (’09), recently hosted three professional mixers marking the 50th anniversary of the London-based Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET).
Parker Wong teamed up with three Sonoma wineries—Balletto
Vineyards, Sangiacomo Wines, and McEvoy Ranch—in welcoming WSET
alumni and students as well as members of the trade to taste and network
during Wine Education Week, held September 9–15. Three lucky attendees were awarded access to a Level 2 online certification course.
The term petrichor was derived from the Greek words petra (stone) and ichor (the blood of the gods) by researchers Isabel Joy Bear and Richard Thomas in their 1964 paper “Nature of Argillaceous Odour” to describe the scent of rain.
Read moreI’ll be teaching Wine 123: Causation and Detection of Wine Defects at Santa Rosa JC next semester (Spring 2020). Check out our video courtesy of the Distance Learning department’s Emily Hansen –
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It’s not common knowledge that rye whiskey production originated in Pennsylvania and Maryland, where it reached its zenith in the late 19th century. Historically, each state produced a different style: Pennsylvania rye was spicy and bold, while Maryland rye traditionally presented more well balanced flavors.
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Imitation is called the sincerest form of flattery; in the case of Sydney, Australia-based company Lyre’s, which makes a range of alcohol alternative
products that mimic classic spirits, it’s an artful homage.
Of the five senses, smell in Western culture has gotten a bad rap. In the English language there are fewer positive equivalents for the sense of smell than there are for the other four senses. You might sniff out a deal or smell a rat but the terms for nose in our vocabulary particularly as they relate to wine are more often than not derogatory (snobby, snooty, snotty, etc.).
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There’s little doubt this disruptive reinvention of the beverage category will impact wine and beverage alcohol consumption for a host of reasons. Among them is alcohol moderation or abstinence by younger consumers whose lifestyles already include frequent consumption of functional products. While beer and spirits producers have already found purchase in the category through brand extensions and acquisitions, wine producers don’t seem in any hurry to participate.
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Although we understand the physiology of the olfactory epithelium, the organ where volatile aroma compounds are converted in to the electrochemical signals that we perceive as aromas, smell or olfaction is still largely a mystery. For example, we have 400 types of olfactory receptors but we don’t know which volatile aroma compounds activate the majority of them.
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Ask Jack Daniel’s enthusiasts what they like most about their preferred whiskey and the term “consistency” comes up time and[…]
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When winegrowers in Burgundy found kindred spirits among the winegrowers of Central Otago the resulting collaboration now in its twelfth year has everyone who loves Pinot Noir cheering.
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The three-day 2019 Pinot Noir Celebration held in Queenstown, Central Otago delivered on Chairman Paul Pujol’s welcome promise of examining the region, its producers and their wines with a perspective as fresh as a stiff breeze off Queenstown Bay.
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The flight of 16 vintage ports produced by the Symington Family Estates, The Fladgate Partnership and Quinta do Noval were presented to the trade during the tasting hosted on May 9th at the Nikko Hotel.
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Vineyards and apple orchards lie under the soaring peaks that surround Bolzano, the bustling center of Alto Adige, a pristine and autonomous region in northeastern Italy. Less than a two-hour drive from Innsbruck over the dizzying Brenner Pass, Bolzano is a study in contrasts; a place where Austrian and Italian cultures merge and Old and New World lifestyles converge.
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It seems a Ph.D. in organic chemistry is necessary to fully understand the
issue, but wine science educator Deborah Parker Wong can provide some insight into what happens when certain vegetables meet the palate.
San Francisco restaurateur Francesco Corvucci, a Calabrian native whose gift for the cuisines of Southern Italy has brought life to several once-iconic North Beach locations, is a proponent of both wines. “My lists are devoted solely to Italian wines and my cuisine to Italian ingredients and dishes. In practice, the success of this wine style is undeniable; it more than satisfies a traditionalist like me and is very accessible for consumers.”
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A recent study conducted at jointly at Penn State University and the University of California Davis illustrates significant differences in what consumers and self-described wine experts find likeable in wine.
The wines in question were six pairs of unoaked Chardonnay that had been doctored with increasing amounts of the compound – methyl anthralinate (MA) – that gives some native American vitis labruscana grape varieties their “grapey-ness.”
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Gone are the days when wine tasting was synonymous with standing at a bar. Wineries are now offering tasting experiences that include such activities as hiking with your dog, appreciating a world-class sculpture garden and breathing through a yoga class. If you think a standard wine tasting at a bar sounds more like drudgery than a dream day, these four non-traditional wine tasting experiences are for you.
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The 2019 Slow Wine Guide (free download) arrived in San Francisco on Monday, March 4th, for the Guide’s first stop on a tour of the US that included Portland, Denver, New York and Boston. With more than 100 wineries from Italy and California participating, the tour drew a record number of tasters reflecting the growing interest in wineries whose values and practices are aligned with Slow Wine.
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Best known by Americans for its iconic food products—namely prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Balsamic vinegar, and its effervescent Lambrusco wines—there’s far more to Emilia-Romagna than these familiar tastes.
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The recuperation of New Mexico’s wine industry began in earnest when Italian, German, and French viticulturists brought their expertise to the state in the 1980s. Winegrowing in New Mexico continues to be influenced by these modern-day founding fathers, their families and a host of young winegrowers who are quickly elevating the quality and style of the region’s wines.
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The odor of wet dog isn’t exactly something we want to detect in wine, but
experiencing this scent after a communal hike at Kunde Family Winery in Sonoma Valley could actually prove enjoyable.
Young winemakers in New Mexico are leveraging the wisdom of the region’s winegrowing founding fathers and creating some buzz for[…]
Read moreFirst-ever Slow Wine Guide to Oregon and second California edition coming online… First-ever Slow Wine Guide to Oregon and second[…]
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Save the date. On September 9th WSET alumni and anyone interested in learning more about WSET certification courses are invited to join Deborah Parker Wong, DWSET and host John Balletto for a professional mixer celebrating WSET’s 50th anniversary at Balletto Vineyards.
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Save the date. On September 15th WSET alumni and anyone interested in learning more about WSET certification courses are invited[…]
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Among our many activities, wine professionals devote a considerable amount of time to perception, the state of being where we become aware of something through the senses.
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From the moment its first 385-case lot was labeled, The Prisoner has been an outlier in the California wine industry.
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There are two basic, intentional approaches to food and wine pairing: mirroring the flavors and weight of a wine with similar foods resulting in what I like to call “a sublime experience” and contrasting pairings, a “high-risk, high-reward approach” that works the opposite ends of the flavor spectrum for maximum impact.
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There’s a yin and yang to winegrowing in the Americas. As the vines in North America are stirring to life, the vineyards in South America are ready for harvest.
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When winemaker Andrea Lonardi took the stage at September’s Full Circle Beverage Conference in San Francisco to present a tasting[…]
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It was an oxygen epiphany. Could oxygen be the key to making wines that shimmer with life? I, for one, have now added it to the long list of factors that may determine whether a wine seems dead or alive.
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Vinexpo Explorer presented the gathering of wine buyers and press from 27 countries with an opportunity to take a deep dive into the region and its terroir, personality, and the myriad wine styles produced in Sonoma County. Spirited interviewed some of these buyers, most of whom were first-time visitors to the region, to gather their firsthand impressions of Sonoma County wines.
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The practice of finishing whiskey in wine barrels has been around since the 1860s, when scotch producers first utilized Sherry[…]
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In the course of developing software for predicting consumer wine preferences, a Houston-based start up, VineSleuth, shed new light on[…]
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In a rare tête-a-tête, The SOMM Journal joined Didier Depond, President of the Champagne houses Salon and Delamotte, for an[…]
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When wine professionals encounter a sensory deviation in wine and the offending molecule isn’t obvious, cork often takes the blame by default.
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Cobbles reminiscent of the kind you find in the Southern Rhône aren’t the first thing you typically encounter in a Napa Valley vineyard. At Game Farm vineyard, owned and managed by Alex Vyborny and son Ben, it’s what differentiates their site from many others in Oakville. That cobbled terroir drew Goosecross Cellars winemaker Bill Nancarrow who sources fruit for the independent C. Elizabeth brand to the site like a bee to honey.
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Collier Creek 2016 Front Coach Chardonnay is, by all accounts, a first class
ticket for the price of coach. With a retail price of $9.99, you might assume that massive amounts of this wine are being produced but winemaker Susana Rodriguez Vasquez made just 5,000 cases.
At first glance, this ethereal Sauvignon Blanc which is described by Mike Bruzus, associate winemaker at Picchetti Winery, as “almost color less, the palest straw” could be mistaken for water. But from the moment your nose comes within a few inches of the glass, there’s a rush of aromas, a jumble of fragrance that includes pink grapefruit, pineapple, gooseberry, honeydew melon, guava, lychee and mineral notes of wet rocks and saline. A precursor of what’s to come when you taste it and a certain indicator that this isn’t a “simple” wine.
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If you enjoy port, the rich, fortified wine of Portugal’s Douro Valley, you’re already a
fan of Touriga. Touriga Nacional as it is known in Portugal is one of the five classic grape varieties that are blended to make Port wines. The Touriga variety that won this year’s Best of Show Red made its way from Portugal to UC Davis where it was selected by St. Amant Winery’s late Tim Spencer and planted at an estate vineyard in Amador County in 1980.
In a repeat performance, Imagery Estate Winery founded by Joe Benziger in 1985 has been honored for the second year running by the California State Fair as the 2018 Golden State Winery of the Year. Benziger, who was at the helm for the 2017 award, has now retired but serves as guide and mentor for his second daughter Jamie Benziger, 31, who stepped up as winemaker in 2018.
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Spanish missionaries at Mission Soledad first planted vineyards in the region now known as the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA in the late 18th century. But winegrowing on the windswept terraces of the Santa Lucia mountain range began in earnest in 1973 when Rich and Claudia Smith established the Paraiso Vineyard. Parasio is the tenth iconic vineyard to be acknowledged by the California State Fair as Vineyard of the Year.
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The Wine Economist Mike Veseth on Fred Franzia’s latest Trader Joe’s brand Shaw Organic: Is This the Next Miracle from Bronco[…]
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In 2013, a hemp strain known as Charlotte’s Web drew national attention to the therapeutic benefits of cannabidiol (CBD), especially[…]
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While the level of residual sugar plays a role in the finished style of a wine, the color of all[…]
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Seventy eight lots of barrel-selected 2016 Pinot Noir and three collaborative lots of Chardonnay were auctioned by the Willamette Valley[…]
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This year the Consorzio Tutela Vini Valpolicella marks its 50th anniversary, a milestone that coincides with the release of the[…]
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Considering the benefits of spending more on wine. Luxury wine brands rank among a handful of product categories that are[…]
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From grapes desiccated by noble rot in the Tokaj wine region of Hungary burst forth a plethora of traditional and[…]
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When it comes to wine storage, old habits are hard to break. But Dr. Paulo Lopes, Research and Development Manager[…]
Read moreFrom Asti to Champagne, bubbles were a bright spot in 2017. While sparkling wine is no longer confined to special[…]
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The Gifts of Bacchus: Gilding the lily with Bordeaux Gold
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With millions of unknown species existing in a ton of soil, biologist Edward Osborne Wilson has called bacteria “the dark[…]
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It’s estimated that roughly 25 percent of the world’s wine production is sold as bulk wine, a segment that’s described[…]
Read more14 Michael David Earthquake Lodi Wine Fresh, ferrous mineral nose, deep boysenberry, cinnamon, black tea, licorice and plum tracing a[…]
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While researching the current popularity of blended wines in preparation for a talk at the 2017 International Bulk Wine and Spirits[…]
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Terra Alta is the most westerly of Catalonia’s DOs which are clustered around Barcelona and include Alella, Conca de Barberá, Costers del Segre, Empordà (on the border of France), Montsant, Penedés, Plà de Bagés, Priorat (DOPQ) and Tarragona. Both Cataluña and Cava are broader designations that also apply to the Catalonia region.
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Sicily’s native grapes and the dawn of Italian wine culture.
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Interested in exploring the Spanish wine region of Rioja? I’ve got some firsthand, no-fail recommendations for tasting, dining, accommodations and[…]
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The IBWSS was the first-ever bulk and private label wine and spirits event in California Close to 1500 wineries, distilleries,[…]
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Primary wine flavors (the combination of aromas and tastes) come from the grape variety itself and are almost always fruity except when they’re not. Secondary aromas are those associated with post-fermentation winemaking and include yeast, lees, yogurt, cream, butter or cheese and a full spectrum of flavors derived from oak. Tertiary flavors are defined as deliberate oxidation, fruit development, bottle age or any combination thereof.
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If you’re keeping tabs on wine quality in Southern Italy with its myriad indigenous grape varieties and oftentimes limited access to distribution, this update on the Sannio DOC should prove to be useful. Through a combination of research trips to Campania and the opportunity to judge the Radici del Sud “Roots of the South” wine competition which has been held in different venues in the town of Bari, Puglia since 2006, it provides a look at the key factors for the region and a snapshot of wine quality.
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The International Bulk Wine & Spirits Show (IBWSS) kicked off in San Francisco on July 26 with a packed exhibition hall and a keynote address from Bobby Koch, President and CEO of the Wine Institute. That led to a full day of presentations, workshops and master classes from some of the top names in the bulk wine and spirits industry.
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Brandon Staglin, recipient of the Mental Health Association’s 2017 Clifford W. Beers Award, has been recognized as the nation’s leading[…]
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San Francisco continues to be one of the world’s most important destinations for leading players in the wine industry, so it’s no surprise that a major conference dedicated to the private label and bulk trade is making its way to the city on July 26-27.
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In more ways than one, Champagne has begun infiltrating wineries in Sonoma and Napa counties. With several unprecedented examples that include Napa cult wine producer Sinegal launching its brand in conjunction with a prestige Champagne house, Sonoma’s Buena Vista Winery–branded Champagne and the unique partnership between Jordan Winery and the grower Champagne house of AR Lenoble, there’s a trend in the making.
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Pyrazines—too much of a good thing and they’re a fault; absent in varieties like Sauvignon Blanc and they leave something[…]
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Microbial fingerprints leave their mark on winery and vineyard sites — and on finished wine.
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Many who consider the sensory evaluation of wine to be a purely subjective exercise cite our differences in perception as[…]
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What are your beliefs about terroir? Researchers across multiple disciplines find some common ground at the 2016 Terroir Congress XI.
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To filter or not to filter? You’ll find winemakers in both camps. But when filtration is called for, cross flow[…]
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Minerality — Without question the most controversial and elusive of wine descriptors. This comes as no surprise given that the[…]
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Just a few short years ago, integration was one of the biggest hurdles facing wineries of all sizes as they[…]
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The Los Carneros was pioneered twenty five years ago by sparkling wine producers who brought cache and joie de vivre[…]
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The Prosecco wines of Italy’s Veneto region, home to the country’s greatest concentration of winegrowing areas designated as DOC and[…]
Read moreThanks for the summary, Kristy DeVaney! Wee you in Lodi!
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Agricultural drones may be creating plenty of buzz, but their terrestrial cousins — the robots — are poised to make[…]
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There’s no question that glassware can alter our perceptions of wine. It’s a phenomenon experienced by every resourceful consumer who[…]
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Within the last decade, scientists have discovered hundreds of biologically active nutrients called phytochemicals, which are found in whole, unprocessed foods. There’s pterostilbene, a[…]
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Humans are particularly sensitive to bitterness. Thanks to a small but novel family of 30 genes, we can perceive thousands[…]
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A focus on sustainability
drives progress as Bronco
Wine Company hits a
1 billion bottle milestone.
Visits by two winemakers who work on either side of the Andes provided some perspective on the terroirs being targeted in Chile and Argentina for ultra-premium Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and cooler-climate varieties, including Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
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Wine is, for the most part, water and ethanol which in turn become vehicles for the minor components that are[…]
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Source: What’s next for Australian vineyard machinery?
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In a rare and much anticipated public address, Bronco CEO Fred Franzia delivered the January 26 keynote speech and, with[…]
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As anyone who has held their nose in an effort to swallow something unpleasant is aware, our ability to taste is inextricably linked to our sense of smell.
Read more. 40 years of dedication to a craft is a life’s work and a milestone that demands to be celebrated. That’s exactly how[…]
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The gentle, rolling terrain and southern shores of Italy’s Lake Garda are home to a unique indigenous white grape variety—Turbiana. Mistakenly referred to as Trebbiano di Lugana, the Turbiana grape is a relative of both Verdicchio and Trebbiano, but it’s genetically different from both, and the wines
produced from it differ as well.
A new method for sanitizing stainless steel tanks and barrels using ultraviolet light is finding a receptive audience in California. The BlueMorph technology has been in development for four years and is coming to market at an opportune time. According to founding partner Alex Farren, a biochemist and toxicologist, the method known as Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) uses little or no water, no chemicals and only takes 30 seconds to install. Depending upon size, tanks can be sanitized in less than 30 minutes.
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Enjoy Alicia Cuarda-Cutler’s recap of the tasting I hosted for the producers of Lugana DOC. Alicia is a sommelier and[…]
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In 1997 ozone was approved by the EPA as a safe and effective method of general sanitation for wineries. With[…]
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A prima vista [at first sight] is an Italian saying that typically applies to love, or—in our case—a first encounter[…]
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Many advances pioneered by the dairy industry have improved winemaking in the cellar, but when it comes to using flash[…]
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San Francisco has long been a destination for travelers. Some, like Miljenko “Mike” Grgich, arrive and spend a lifetime realizing[…]
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Lodi has long been synonymous with Zinfandel. The region which is defined by seven sub-regions produces 40 percent of the[…]
Read moreThe dust has settled after a flurry of restaurant openings in San Francisco last fall. Taking stock at the[…]
Read moreWhen producers from both sides of the Napa/Sonoma county line that bisects the Los Carneros AVA gathered at Cuvaison[…]
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A rising tide lifts all boats is an aphorism that neatly applies to the winegrow- ing economy of Provence. The[…]
Read moreFor the maker, wine requires patience; it seems to mark time at a different pace than much of the[…]
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When applied to wine grapes and to beef, the artisanal process of drying to concentrate and increase the complexity of[…]
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Both the French and the Brits are drinking less Champagne, but America’s obsession with bubbles is growing. Sales of Champagne in[…]
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“We’re in pop-up mode,” said vintner Christi Coors Ficeli who purchased Goosecross Cellars in 2013 and broke ground on a[…]
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If everyone on your winegrowing and winemaking teams shares a common language, there’s less risk involved when it comes to[…]
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Brand creator David Ravandi, founder of 123 Organic Tequila, found success by staying one step ahead of the premiumization curve.[…]
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A Cornell University study suggests that including sensory descriptors on tasting sheets can reduce sales in the tasting room. Contrary[…]
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New technique promises to speed sparkling wine production. There’s no mistaking a gyropalette at work, its top-heavy robotic arm twirling[…]
Read moreStory and photos by Deborah Parker Wong
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Pursuing a four-year degree in enology or viticulture has been, for many students, the most direct way to gain entry[…]
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For wine, as with most consumer goods, packaging is an obsession, and rightly so; its role in the commercial success[…]
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Consumer acceptance of wine packaging other than glass is growing, but fine glassware remains the undisputed tool of choice for[…]
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Many Anderson Valley Pinot Noir producers time the commercial release of their wines around the annual Pinot Noir Festival and[…]
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We’re kicking up the dust once again with the 2010 vintage presented by the Rutherford Dust Society at a blind[…]
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It’s alive! Unlike its Left Bank counterpart, the Saint Émilion classification is indeed a living thing. The promotion of 17[…]
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Early responses to the California Farm Bureau Federation’s 2013 agricultural workforce survey point to labor shortages in excess of 30%[…]
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A virtual tidal wave of data is fueling the race toward accurately predicting consumer preferences and buying behavior. With intelligent[…]
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On the first day of spring in the Southern Hemisphere, a cold, dry Zonda or rain shadow wind swept down[…]
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Dirt. It’s the first thing that comes to mind when I think about the influence of terroir and its contribution[…]
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Wine quality has been on the rise in Lake County and winegrowers there have their sights set determinedly on the[…]
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It’s a common sight in any grocery store, perplexed shoppers surveying a wall of wine labels looking for visual clues[…]
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While it’s possible to barrel taste recent vintages at many of the preview parties that take place around Premiere, the[…]
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For this inaugural Blind Tasting, I delved into my notebook for highlights of ten wines that came out on top[…]
Read moreDeborah Parker Wong’s photostream on Flickr.
Read moreOnce you’ve made the decision to pursue a professional certification, there’s more to making the grade than meets the eye.[…]
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Visually, Burgundy isn’t a particularly mysterious place; the low-growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines hunker over the earth in their[…]
Read moreIf you’re a regular at the annual Family Winemakers of California tasting being held on September 9th from 3:00 to[…]
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Wine labels work overtime on brand protection As the prestige sector of the wine industry scrambles to exercise more control[…]
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Large or small, via négociant or sold direct, Right Bank producers continue to make quality a priority. With the purchase and renovation of[…]
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Deborah Parker Wong, AIWS presents four to six wines from the DO Ribera del Duero in a free tasting designed to engage and educate wine[…]
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Sommeliers the world over prize Riesling for its broad range of styles and trocken, or dry, Riesling is no exception.[…]
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It can be said that each wine region of France has a personality, one dictated as much by the winegrowers[…]
Read moreWinegowers the world over are motivated to plant tightly-spaced vineyards for a variety of reasons but, the driving factors in[…]
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During a research trip to the Languedoc region of southern France, AOC winegrowers there were quick to point out the[…]
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The AOC winegrowers of the Languedoc are an eclectic group: genteel local families, pioneers from France’s most prestigious wine regions[…]
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Napa Valley WinegrowersTheft of solar panels from wineries in Northern California has been on the wane since the height of[…]
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For a host of reasons, including the simple truth that sorting is a winemaker’s last opportunity to improve quality, optical[…]
Read moreWith the steady proliferation of domestic wine brands, label design can be a competitive advantage that helps speed the adoption[…]
Read moreCalifornia grapegrowers are continuing to take on the role of vintner at what seems to be a steady pace. The[…]
Read moreThe Quality Threshold The world’s most prolific wine growing regions produce a considerable amount of what can be deemed to[…]
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Beyond what a beverage director personally determines to be quality, there are few remaining tangible ways to determine the value[…]
Read moreWine bars aren’t new to the metropolis of Hong Kong but the concept behind California Vintage, a California-themed chain of[…]
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