Meet the Board: Madison Kreamer CSS, CSW, CWE

Madison Kreamer CSS, CSW, CWE

Madison Kreamer CSS, CSW, CWE

Welcome back to our series where we highlight our newest members of SWE’s Board of Directors. Today, we’re happy to introduce you to Madison Kreamer. Madison is currently the Senior Wine & Spirits Education Manager for Trinchero Family Estates and lives in Napa Valley, CA. Originally from Leawood, Kansas, Madison has worked in a wide variety of positions in the wine and hospitality industries.

“My first job was at a frozen custard shop in Kansas. I was an expert at making concretes (those from the Midwest know what I’m talking about),” she told us. “I always thought I would work in restaurants or events before I found my way into the wine industry.” Along the way from her start at the custard shop, she graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Hospitality Management and spent time working for an events company in New York City and restaurants in Florida.

Madison was first introduced to the SWE when she was hired at Trinchero over three years ago. “Since my first day with Trinchero, I dove headfirst into wine and spirits education. I have had the opportunity to earn the CSW, CSS, and CWE. The SWE has been a tremendous organization for me to build my wine and spirits knowledge,” she says. When asked to give a piece of advice to those just starting in the industry Madison told us: “One thing that I learned very quickly in this industry is that there you will never know everything within the world of wine. While you can come close, there is always a new regulation, growing region or style of wine that has just passed. While it may seem daunting, this is a reason why I think the world of wine is so intriguing and exciting.”

When Madison isn’t at Trinchero Family Estates hosting trade professionals from around the world and teaching about wine and spirits, she enjoys cooking, gardening, and baking bread. We’re absolutely thrilled to have her join the SWE in a leadership role. Welcome to the board, Madison!

Post authored by Ben Coffelt, CSS, CSW

Meet the Board: George Blanckensee

George Blackensee, CSW

George Blanckensee, CSW

Our Meet the Board series is our way to introduce the newest members of SWE’s Board of Directors to our members. Today, we’re delighted to highlight George Blanckensee. George is currently the Estate Director of Chateau Montelena, a position he has held for three years, and he has been with the winery for over eleven years.

While he has spent a long time working in Napa Valley, George is originally from San Francisco and spent twenty years in Southern California. He went to University of California, Irvine, where he majored in Political Science. While in college, he worked at a hotel and had his first experience working with wine: “My first job in the industry was working in room service at a four-star hotel. I learned about the wines the hotel had, by selling them to guests over the phone when they placed their orders.”

One of George’s favorite aspects of the wine and spirits industry is the hospitality side. He loves hosting guests and visitors at the winery which is also one of his key responsibilities. “Hosting people is always fun. Sometimes, you can’t be sure if they’re learning or fully enjoying their experience at the winery. But then they go away and post something on social media or send an actual note to me on how amazing their time was. That’s very rewarding,” George told us.

George first heard about the SWE while working at Chateau Montelena. They’ve held an Industry Membership, which George has used to enroll many team members in the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) program. He understands the importance or education and professional development. “It brought me to where I am,” he said, “I immersed myself in all the wine education related opportunities, from trade tastings, attending events and seminars. I was a sponge taking in as much as I could.” For those just beginning in the wine and spirits industry, his advice is to jump into the deep end. “Go out and learn as much as you can! When you think you know everything, start over because you don’t. There’s always something new to learn.”

When not working, George enjoys traveling, cooking, and sports. We’re delighted to have him join the SWE Board of Directors. Welcome to the Board, George!

Post authored by Ben Coffelt, CSS, CSW

Meet the Board: Lisa Kozloff, CSS

Lisa Kozloff, CSS

Lisa Kozloff, CSS

Lisa Kozloff, CSS, is a newly elected member of the Board of Directors of the Society of Wine Educators (SWE) and has also been elected to the position of Secretary. Her introduction to SWE came while a candidate for the Hospitality/Beverage Specialist Certificate (HBSC) which she earned in 2012. She’s seen the benefit of wine and spirits education in building a career and opportunities in the industry.

Lisa began her career in hospitality in college, working as a server and then bartender. She earned a degree in journalism from UNC Chapel Hill, but she chose to continue working in restaurants. “Years later and I have still never worked with my degree which makes my mother very unhappy. She brings it up every Thanksgiving,” she told us.

Lisa currently serves as the Director of Beverage for Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, a national chain of 51 upscale casual restaurants. She has been with Firebirds since they opened their first restaurant in 2000; she began her career with the company as the Bar Manager and later moved up to become the General Manager at their second location. In a typical day, Lisa maintains working relationships with beverage and alcohol vendors, oversees on the beverage menus for the chain, helps design and test new menu items, and sample new products such as wine, spirits, beer, and other beverages.

When asked what she loved most about working in the hospitality industry, she told us, “It’s never the ‘same old thing.’ You are constantly meeting new people. Interacting with folks all over the country. When you’re in the restaurants there is always such a hum of energy working the floor. We are hosting a party every day!” We also asked what advice she would give to someone starting out with a career in wine and spirits. “Be more empathetic, especially when people are in a tough situation. Years ago, managers and chefs could be very inflexible with their staff. The job is much more fulfilling when you treat people the way you would want to be treated.”

When she isn’t working, Lisa enjoys cooking and traveling with her husband and her 14-year-old daughter, Rory. Her hobbies include spending time with her six-year old boxer Coco and collecting tiki mugs.

Welcome to the board, Lisa!

Post authored by Ben Coffelt, CSS, CSW

At Long Last: The Pouilly-Fuissé AOC has 22 official Premier Crus!

Photo via: https://www.pouilly-fuisse.net/en/

Photo via: https://www.pouilly-fuisse.net/en/

More than 12 years after the beginning of the process, the Pouilly-Fuissé AOC has 22 official premier crus!

As reported by Frédéric-Marc Burrier, president of the Union des Producteurs de Pouilly-Fuissé, the application process for France’s newest premier cru appellations began with an in-depth study of the soil, topography, and history of the Pouilly-Fuissé area. This part of the project included creating a detailed map of the appellation’s 217 lieux-dits and the painstaking delineation of the 22 plots that would hold the area’s highest classification (all of which had to be approved by the organization’s 250 member-producers).

The application was approved by France’s Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité (INAO) on September 3, 2020. The newly-approved premier crus represent 194 hectares—24% of the total area of the Pouilly-Fuissé AOC—and are spread over the four communes of the appellation: Chaintré, Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly and Vergisson.

The Pouilly-Fuissé AOC, famous for white wines made using 100% Chardonnay, is located in Burgundy’s Mâconnais region. Pouilly-Fuissé is one of the five well-known, white-wine producing communal AOCs of the Mâconnais.  (For the wine students: the others include the Viré-Clessé, Saint-Véran, Pouilly-Vinzelles, and Pouilly-Loché AOCs.)

Pouilly-Fuissé is the first appellation of the Mâconnais to officially recognize specific climats as premier crus. The list is as follows:

  • Commune de Chaintré
    • Le Clos de Monsieur Noly
    • Les Chevrières
    • Aux Quarts
    • Le Clos Reyssier
  • Commune de Fuissé
    • Le Clos
    • Les Brulés
    • Les Ménétrières
    • Les Reisses
    • Les Vignes Blanches
    • Les Perrières
    • Vers Cras (shared with Solutré-Pouilly)
  • Commune de Solutré-Pouilly
    • La Frérie
    • Le Clos de Solutré
    • Au Vignerais
    • En Servy
    • Aux Bouthières
    • Aux Chailloux
    • Pouilly
    • Vers Cras (shared with Fuissé)
  • Commune de Vergisson
    • Les Crays
    • La Maréchaude
    • Sur la Roche
    • En France

Update: As of April of 2021, this amendment was approved by the EU.

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Welcome to the World, Royal Slope AVA!

Photo of Royal Slope Vineyards, courtesy of Stillwater Creek Vineyard (via https://www.washingtonwine.org/)

Photo of Royal Slope Vineyards, courtesy of Stillwater Creek Vineyard (via https://www.washingtonwine.org/)

As for today (September 2, 2020) the world is poised to receive another American Viticulture Area: The Royal Slope AVA! When this new AVA comes into force—on October 2, 2020— total number of AVAs in the United States will be 250, of which 15 will be in Washington State.

The Royal Slope AVA—located in Washington State, entirely within the larger Columbia Valley AVA— is tucked between the Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley AVA (to the north), and Wahluke Slope AVA (to the south). The Royal Slope area is somewhat cooler than the Wahluke Slope, but considerably warmer than the Ancient Lakes region.

Royal Slope MapThe area is almost entirely located on a series of gently rolling, south-facing slopes with elevations ranging from 610 feet (186 m) to 1,756 feet (535 m) above sea level.  One corner of the area—known as the Frenchman Hills—was high enough to be unaffected by the Missoula Floods.

There are currently just over 1,900 acres/768 hectares planted to vines in the Royal Slope AVA. Over 20 different varieties of grapes are grown in the area, which currently contains 13 commercial vineyards and one bonded winery (Foxy Roxy Wines).

The Royal Slope area is famous for having produced Washington State’s first-ever 100-point Syrah (Wine Enthusiast): Charles Smith’s Royal City Syrah 2006, crafted using grapes sourced from Stoneridge Vineyard.

Welcome to the world, Royal Slope AVA!

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

On the Radar: Jan Crocker, CSW

Jan Crocker, CSW

Jan Crocker, CSW

I am still surprised that wine found me, despite my best-laid plans to find other career paths and interests. With a bachelor’s degree in communications/newspaper journalism from California State University at Fullerton and two postgraduate teaching credentials, I had zero interest in Vitis vinifera until my late 30s.

While living in Orange County, California in the late ‘90s, my husband David and I were fans of Rembrandt’s Beautiful Food, a long-time fine-dining spot in Placentia still missed by locals. When owner Bernie Gordon offered my husband David and I a bottle of Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc at cost price – a princely $12 – to share with our Thanksgiving dinner in 1998, he checked back with us as we tasted the fresh, zesty white with the brined and roasted turkey breast. “What do you think of it?” he asked with gentle but intense interest. “It goes perfectly with the turkey and the veggies,” I replied. “And it’s perfect for an 85-degree day.” Bernie beamed, delighted that two of his regulars were ready for their own wine journey.

That journey led us along different paths over the next several years: visiting Inniskillin Winery in Ontario’s Niagara-on-the-Lake and returning home with a bottle of its luscious Vidal ice wine, joining a neighborhood wine group for weekly tasting events, and later organizing a Syrah/Shiraz tasting event at Rembrandt’s for the group’s 22 members. By 2003, I’d been chosen to select wine for my husband’s business dinners.

By fall 2003, David and I moved to downtown Long Beach. A few weeks after we had finished settling into our new place, I made my first of many visits to Vin de Pays, a tiny, quirky specialty wine shop—with all selections $15 and under—a mere three blocks from home. After I’d browsed the store for a few moments, owner Tom Keim gave me the cook’s tour of his site, excitedly pointing out his favorite new additions. I’d planned to buy only one bottle, but his enthusiasm for introducing then-obscure varietals and regions won me over. I brought home five bottles for barely $32.

Soon, David and I were regulars at Vin de Pays’ weekly tasting events. We both took notes of each wine in every week’s tasting lineup—eight wines, for $8—as I pored through the wine books in the tasting room, including Jancis Robinson’s Oxford Companion of Wine and Vines, Grapes & Wines, as well as Karen MacNeil’s The Wine Bible. By the end of 2005, we’d sampled about 700 wines.

2006 was the year we’d decided to open our own Vin de Pays in Yorba Linda, a city in northeastern Orange County. With nearly all of the same domestic and imported selections available at the Long Beach location, as well as the same $15-and-under pricing format, we opened our brick-and-mortar shop in early April 2007.

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A year later, I’d moved into the next phase of my wine career: working for a number of small wine brokers with portfolios of limited-production offerings from nearly every region from Europe, South Africa, South America, and more. Since few of my customers—owners of restaurants and wine bars around Orange County—were familiar with Mendoza Malbec or Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc a decade ago, it was up to me to offer information about the terroirs of the grapes’ regions, and explain why those regions’ weather or elevation levels gave those wines their character. By 2011, I moved into the business-to-consumer area of wine, working with Constellation Wines U.S. by promoting Kim Crawford, Robert Mondavi, and Wild Horse in at Costco stores throughout the area, and later a variety of wines and spirits in both “wet” and dry demos for Advantage Solutions at several local supermarkets.

In 2014, I’d become a beverage steward for Vons Grocery Stores, at a location with long-time customers who were equally long-time fans of Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay and Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon. A year later, I joined the Society of Wine Educators, and plunged into the CSW program. Thanks to the informative yet readable study guide, workbook, and engaging webinars by SWE Director of Education Jane Nickles, I earned my CSW in late October 2016.

Finally, I’ve had the opportunity to become familiar with the Ramona Valley AVA over the last five years. This region, about 30 miles south of Temecula, continues to emerge as a compelling site for sun-loving reds and whites, and it’s been a pleasure to get to know the winemakers and winery owners of most of Ramona’s wineries. Our nine visits Ramona since 2015 provided the material for my two articles for Wine, Wit, & Wisdom in September 2016 and December 2019.

Since late 2018, I’ve been a private wine consultant for local wine fans. I’m also a current Certified Specialist of Spirits candidate, eager to expand my long-time interest in vodka, gin, and other wonders of the world of distillation.

-Jan Crocker, CSW

If you are a SWE certificate holder and would like to be featured in our “On the Radar” series, please contact our Director of Education and Certification, Jane A. Nickles: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Welcome to the World, Alisos Canyon AVA (and the Goldilocks Rhône Zone)!

Map via: ttb.gov/wine/ava-map-explorer

Map via: ttb.gov/wine/ava-map-explorer

Santa Barbara County (located within California’s Central Coast AVA) has a new appellation: the Alisos Canyon AVA! The new AVA is located north of Highway 101, filling the gap between the Santa Maria Valley (to the north) and the Santa Ynez Valley AVA (to the south and east). With this new addition, Santa Barbara County will have a total of seven AVAs.

The new AVA will be effective as of September 24, 2020, at which time the total number of AVAs in the United States will be 249, of which 140 are in California.

The petition for the new AVA highlighted the following as some of the unique characteristics of the region:

  • Sandstone and shale-based soils, including a good deal of viticulturally significant Paso Robles formation soils (gravel [shale pebbles] combined with sand, clay, and limestone)
  • A consistent and unique climate (as compared to the areas that surround it); specifically, warmer (and with less fog) than the areas to the west and north, but cooler than those to the east.
  • Cooling maritime influence funneled into the region along the San Antonio Creek Drainage basin
  • Elevations ranging from 673 feet/205 meters to 1412 feet/430 meters
Geologic map of the Alisios Canyon AVA, via the original petition as submitted to the TTB

Geologic map of the Alisios Canyon AVA, via the original petition as submitted to the TTB

The area has been praised as being ideal for Rhône varieties, and has even earned the nickname “Goldilocks Rhône Zone” for its perfect balance of not-too-hot and not-too-cold.

The name of the AVA is derived from the traditional name of the eponymous canyon, “Cañada de los Alisos,” which translates to Canyon of the White Alder Trees.

To date, there are close to 240 acres of vines and nine commercially-producing vineyards, as well as one bonded winery—Martian Ranch and Vineyard—within the Alisos Canyon AVA.

Welcome to the world, Alisos Canyon AVA!

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

SWE Virtual Conference: that’s a wrap!

Thats a wrap

Looks like we made it! SWE’s first-ever virtual conference (held August 12–14, 2020) was a success!

We welcomed nine speakers and covered a diversity of topics ranging from the Pyramid Schemes of Germany and Austria to climate change and the best of rosé. We even tackled Tuscany vs. Piedmont under the guidance of Sharron McCarthy! Check out the conference agenda here.

The conference sessions have all been archived and are now available for viewing. Session handouts and review quizzes are also available on the Conference Attendee Portal.

If you are a current member of SWE and would like to access our archived 2020 Virtual Conference, please contact Danielle LaRosa, SWE’s Meetings and Events Coordinator at dlarosa@societyofwineeducators.org.

Note: the conference archive will remain available indefinitely and is available free-of-charge to current members of SWE.

 

Dispatch from the Muscadet AOC

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The Muscadet AOC—known for crisp, dry, white wines based on the Melon (Melon de Bourgogne) grape variety—is located on the western edge of the Pays Nantais. While several appellations bear the name Muscadet, the over-arching Muscadet AOC encompasses the others—Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine AOC, Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOC, and Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu AOC. The Muscadet AOC contains 20,840 acres/8,430 ha of vines—including 3,950 acres/1,600 ha of vines approved just for the general appellation.

Recently, the Cahier de Charges for the Muscadet AOC has been revised (approved by the INAO as of April 28, 2020) and there are a few minor changes to report. Note that these changes apply only to the Muscadet AOC and for the time being, the rules and regulations for the other three Muscadets remain unchanged.

Here are the major updates:

  • Chardonnay is now listed as an accessory variety and up to 10% can be included in the blend. (Previously, Muscadet was required to be 100% Melon de Bourgogne with no other varieties allowed).
  • The amount of time that the wine is aged on the lees will be limited; the wines must be separated from the lees no later than July 31 of the year following harvest. (“Les vins sont séparés de leurs lies fines de vinification au plus tard le 31 juillet de l’année qui suit celle de la récolte”.) In practice, this limits the potential amount of sur lie aging to about ten months.
  • The term “sur lie” will not be allowed to be part of the wine’s name nor identification for products of the Muscadet AOC. It’s interesting to note that the term “sur lie” is conspicuously absent from the entire document, while the rules of the other three Muscadets specifically state that the wine’s name (the AOC) may be supplemented by the mention “sur lie” as long as the wine meets the defined production standards for use of the term.
Map of the Muscadet AOC via the INAO

Map of the Muscadet AOC via the INAO

In the  fine print of the new regulations (the section labeled as description des facteurs humains contribuant au lien/contributing human factors), it is explained that the producers of Muscadet AOC are moving away from the practice of sur lie aging in order to differentiate their wines from those of the other three Muscadets (Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine AOC, Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOC, and Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu AOC).

It looks like we can expect the Muscadet AOC of the future to be delicate, crisp, and dry with aromas of citrus (lemon, lime), green fruit (green apple, green pear), stone fruit (nectarine), fresh herbs, and white flowers. Sounds delicious!

Note: As with all such updates, this change will need to wind its way through EU approval; but (with the approval of the INAO) the changes can be implemented in the meantime. (Most likely this will apply as of the release of the wines of the 2020 vintage.) If the EU fails to approve the amendment, the regulation will be rescinded (although this seems unlikely to happen).

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Vlottenburg: An Eighth Ward for Stellenbosch

Photo of the Eerste River after heavy rains by Helononline via Wikimedia Commons

Photo of the Eerste River after heavy rains by Helononline via Wikimedia Commons

And then there were eight (wards of Stellenbosch): welcome to the world, Vlottenburg Ward!

A few weeks ago, the Wine and Spirit Board of South Africa announced the registration of the Vlottenburg Ward as part of the Stellenbosch Wine District. Stellenbosch—located in the Coastal Region of the Western Cape—is one of the best-known wine production areas of South Africa, as well as the educational and research center of the Cape Winelands.

The Vlottenburg Ward is located somewhat in the north central portion of Stellenbosch, between the southeastern edge of the Polkadraai Hills Ward and the Eerste River. The Eerste River arises in the Jonkershoek Mountains and flows west—directly through the Spier Estate—on its short (25-mile/40-km) journey to the Cape Flats and out to the Atlantic Ocean at False Bay.

WOSA Map of Stellenbosch with the previous seven wards highlighted; the red outline is the (unofficial) outline of the Vlottenburg Ward.

WOSA Map of Stellenbosch with the previous seven wards highlighted; the red outline is the (unofficial) outline of the Vlottenburg Ward.

The Vlottenburg Ward consists mainly of one southeast-facing hillside that slopes towards the Eerste River. As this is the Southern Hemisphere, the south-facing slopes create a cooler microclimate compared to the flat lands and northern-facing slopes that surround the area. The soils are primarily well-weathered granite, sand, and Table Mountain sandstone.

Some very well-known wineries are located within the boundaries of the Vlottenburg Ward. These include Spier Estate, Stellendrift, Boschkloof, and Skilpadvlei. This is a beautiful area and a wonderful home base for wine tourism in South Africa (once we are all able to travel safely).

With the approval of Vlottenburg, the Stellenbosch District now contains eight specific viticultural areas referred to as wards. Advanced students of wine might want to be able to recite the new list of the eight wards of Stellenbosch (in alphabetical order): Banghoek, Bottelary, Devon Valley, Jonkershoek Valley, Papegaaiberg, Polkadraai Hills, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, and Vlottenburg.

Welcome to the world, Vlottenburg Ward!

Many thanks to Jim Clarke for his help in researching the Vlottenburg Ward. Check out Jim’s new book on South African wines here.

P.S. The wine industry of South Africa is struggling to stay alive during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are able, you can help out by buying and drinking South African wine!

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org