Shuswap, Lillooet, Thompson Valley, and Kootenays (What’s new in British Columbia)

  By admin | October 4, 2018 - 12:21 am | ,
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Photo via wines of British Columbia: http://winebc.com/

Photo via wines of British Columbia: http://winebc.com/

Shuswap, Lillooet, Thompson Valley, and Kootenays…what do these four things have in common?

They are newly-approved geographical indications (GIs) for quality wine in British Columbia (Canada)!  These four areas are all located just north of Washington State,  inland from British Columbia’s coastal wine-producing regions—Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, and Fraser Valley—and somewhat to the north and east of the well-established Okanagan Valley and Similkameen Valley GIs.

Here’s a quick look at these four new regions:

Shuswap: Located in and around the shores of Shuswap Lake, the Shuswap GI is located just to the north of the Okanagan Valley in the mountains of the Coast Range (on the map, it’s located to the west of the city of Kamloops). At 50°59´N latitude, it is among the northern-most fine wine producing regions in the world.  This area has been producing wine since the late 1990s, focusing on cool-climate varietals. There are currently about 85 acres of commercial vineyards and ten licensed wineries in the area, including Larch Hills Winery, Baccarta Ridge Winery, Ovino Winery, and the irresistibly-named Edge of the Earth Vineyards. The name Shuswap is derived from the Shuswap (Secwepemc) First Nations people.

Map via Wines of British Columbia: http://winebc.com/

Map via Wines of British Columbia: http://winebc.com/

Lillooet: The Lillooet GI is located to the north of both the Fraser Valley and the Okanagan Valley, at just above 50°N in latitude. Despite this fact, however, the area can experience very warm days during the summer—as a matter of fact, this area sometimes clocks some of Canada’s highest temperatures during the summer days. The area is also dry, some years receiving as little as 13 inches (33 m) of rain. This is all due to the rain shadow and impressive gorges of the Coast Mountain Range. However, the high temperatures of the summer days drop steeply down at night, making this area slightly cooler overall than surrounding regions—considered the overall average temperature (hot days + cool nights). Commercial viticulture arrived in Lillooet in 2004, and there are currently 54 acres of vines, as well as one winery, Fort Berens Estate Winery in the area. The name is derived from the St’at’imc First Nations People, also known as the Lillooet Nation.

Thompson Valley: The Thompson Valley GI is located near the town of Kamloops—in and around the spot where the North Thompson River flows into the South Thompson River. Similar to the climate of Lillooet, the area is affected by the rain shadow of the Coast Mountains, and experiences some hot temperatures during the summer (accompanied by a nice diurnal swing). The area’s first commercial winery, Harper’s Trail Estate Winery, opened in 2012. The area boasts over 95 acres of vineyards and a handful of wineries—including Sagewood Winery and Privato Winery. The Thompson River and the Thompson Valley are named for David Thompson, an explorer and surveyor who mapped the entire length of the Columbia River in the early 1800s.

Photo via Wines of British Columbia: http://winebc.com/

Photo via Wines of British Columbia: http://winebc.com/

Kootenays: The Kootenays area, located along the southern border of British Columbia just to the east of the Okanagan Valley, is sometimes referred to as the “first shores” due to the fact that, according to geologists, the area was the original west coast of North America. The region has long been planted with apple orchards and is known for its many cider, cyser, and mead producers. Grapes have also been planted here, among the rivers, lakes, and waterfalls, since 1995. The Kootenays GI currently has just over 68 acres planted to vines and a handful of wineries, including Ballie-Grohman Estate Winery, Wynnwood Cellars, and Skimmerhorn Winery.   The area is named for the Kootenay River (and Kootenay Mountain), which are themselves named for the Kutenai First Nations people.

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For those of you studying for advanced wine certifications, it might be noted that that British Columba now has a total of 12 GIs (10 GIs and two sub-GIs).   The entire list (as of October 1, 2018) is as follows:

  • British Columbia GI
  • Fraser Valley GI
  • Gulf Islands GI
  • Kootenays GI
  • Lillooet GI
  • Okanagan Valley GI (contains two sub-appellations: Golden Mile Bench GI and Okanagan Falls GI)
  • Shuswap GI
  • Similkameen Valley GI
  • Thomson Valley GI
  • Vancouver Island GI

*Keep those flashcards handy, however. There are two more sub-GIs in the pipeline: Skaha Bench and Naramata Bench (both of which are pending sub-GIs of the Okanagan Valley).

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles – SWE’s Director of Education and Certification –  jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Introducing Burbujas Riojanas—Rioja Bubbles

  By admin | October 1, 2018 - 1:22 am | ,
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Enquiring wine students most likely know that Cava—Spain’s well-known and widely-popular traditional method sparkling wines—can be produced in various parts of Spain. While the majority of Cava DO is produced in Catalonia, in reality the geographical indication for Cava spreads across eight regions of Spain, including La Rioja (and overlapping portions of the Rioja DOCa). While somewhat of a rarity, there are about five wineries that produce Cava within the confines of the Rioja DOCa. They have, in the past, been bottled under the Cava DO (and may continue to be).

However….as of 2019, consumers will be able to drink sparkling wines produced under the Rioja DOCa. That’s right…sparkling Rioja—known as Vino Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja DOCa—is now a thing. This is a big change in the rules and regulations concerning the wines of the Rioja DOCa; part of a wave of modernization and re-organization of the Rioja DOCa that has been brewing for the last few years. You may recall that last year (in 2017), single-village designations and single-vineyard designations were approved for wines produced under the Rioja DOCa.

Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja DOCa may be produced in white (blanco) and rosé (rosado/rosat) styles, and must be produced using the traditional method of sparkling wine production with the second fermentation occurring in the bottle. Any of the grape varieties approved for use in the still wines of the Rioja DOCa may be used in the production of these sparkling wines. The approved grapes include the following white varieties: Viura, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo, Malvasía, Garnacha Blanca, Tempranillo Blanca, Maturana Blanca, and Turruntés—and these red varieties: Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Mazuelo, Graciano, and Maturana Tinta.

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Further rules and regulations concerning Vino Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja DOCa include the following:

  • The finished wines must contain between 11% and 13% alcohol by volume.
  • All wines using the Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja DOCa must be sur lie aged (in the bottle, following the second fermentation) for a minimum of 15 months.
  • Those wines labeled as “reserva” must be sur lie aged in the bottle for a minimum of 24 months
  • Those wines labeled as “gran reserva” must be sur lie aged in the bottle for a minimum of 36 months
  • These wines may only have a limited amount of sugar, and may only be produced in the following styles: Brut (less than 12 g/L of residual sugar), Extra Brut (less than 6 g/L of residual sugar), and Brut Nature (less than 3 g/L of sugar, no dosage allowed).
  • Sparkling rosés must contain a minimum of 25% red grapes
  • The term “Vino Espumoso Gran Añada” may be used for vintage wines with the vintage date stated on the label.

I am looking forward to trying a sparkling wine from the Rioja DOCa and will be on the lookout for one beginning in 2019. Let us know if you find one!

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles – SWE’s Director of Education and Certification –  jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Guest Post: Lugana—Liquid Gold from Lake Garda

  By admin | September 27, 2018 - 4:47 pm | ,
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The harbor of Desenzano del Garda (on the southwestern edge of Lake Garda)

The harbor of Desenzano del Garda (on the southwestern edge of Lake Garda)

Today we have a guest post authored by Susannah Gold, DipWSET, CSS, CSW. Susannah tells us about the “liquid gold” wines of the Lugana DOC!

Lugana is a name to know. A white wine from the Lake Garda region of Italy made with the Turbiana grape, Lugana is a wine that can be drunk both in the young, fresh style as well as with some age on it.

Lying on the border between the two provinces of Brescia and Verona, the Lugana denomination stretches along the plains of morainic origin to the south of Lake Garda, within the communes of Sirmione, Pozzolengo, Desenzano and Lonato (in Lombardy) and Peschiera del Garda in the Veneto. The denomination is in both Lombardy and the Veneto. One of the only inter-regional DOC wines, some 90% of the vineyard holdings are located in Lombardy.

The “Lugana” Controlled Denomination of Origin (DOC), was instituted in 1967 as the first to be awarded this status in Lombardy as well as one of the very first in Italy as a whole.

Claysoils

Clay soils

The Lugana denomination can essentially be divided up into two zones.  The first—and larger—area is that with firmer clay soils. It is fairly flat and stretches along the hinterland of the lake, including Desenzano, Sirmione, part of the commune of Pozzolengo, and Peschiera. This is the heart of the denomination which produces the most “lacustrine” and mineral style of Lugana.

In the Veneto part of Lugana, there is just one commune, Peschiera del Garda. However, this includes one of the most interesting subzones, that of San Benedetto di Lugana, one of the denomination’s real “crus”.

The second, hillier zone stretches from the famous Monumental Tower of San Martino della Battaglia in two different directions: towards Pozzolengo and towards Lonato. Here the clays are sandier; the hills are more undulating and gentle, with altitudes of no more than 130 meters; the soils are more morainic (especially towards Lonato), with a considerable presence of gravel; the wines are less mineral-drivenl, more acidulous and voluminous.

In Lugana, the microclimate—influenced positively by the temperate breezes from Lake Garda—is mild and fairly constant, with little difference between day- and night-time temperatures. This is a “climatic cradle” that is perfect for highlighting the peculiarities of a special grape like Turbiana

Luca Formentini of Podere Selva Capuzza

Luca Formentini of Podere Selva Capuzza

Never heard of Turbiana? Not a surprise. It only grows in this area. Related to Trebbiano di Soave—a variety that is quite close geographically speaking, but whose vineyards lie on a different type of soil, of volcanic rather than morainic origin—the Turbiana grape was considered for a long time to be related to (if not actually confused with) the Verdicchio grape variety from Castelli di Jesi in the Marche Region. However, recent studies have shown that it is different from that cultivar in its aromatic characteristics, as well as from a phenological, agronomical, and oenological point of view.

Less high-yielding than most of the other Trebbianos of Italy, Turbiana is a grape that has a medium-sized, compact bunch, with a long, pyramidal shape; the pulp is juicy and loose, slightly acidulous, and neutral in flavor. It is sensitive to rot, oidium and peronospora. When vinified on its own, it shows great versatility both in the classic still versions and in sparkling ones.

Even if the production regulations allow for the presence of up to 10% of complementary white varieties (as long as they are non-aromatic), nowadays the zone’s producers tend to make their Luganas exclusively from Turbiana. Five different styles are permitted: standard Lugana, Superiore, Riserva, Vendemmia Tardiva (Late Harvest) and Spumante (Sparkling).

Susannah Gold

Susannah Gold

The Lugana production is limited, only about 16 million bottles per year. Much of it is exported to Germany and the U.K but a fair portion arrives in the U.S. as well. See if your local retailer carries some, you will be richly rewarded with this versatile and easy to pronounce wine.

Susannah Gold is the founder of Vigneto Communications, a New York City-based marketing and communications agency focusing on the food & wine industry.

Susannah is one of only a handful of non-Italians in the Associazione Italiana Sommeliers (AIS) and has received her Diploma of Wine & Spirits (DWS) from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a prestigious British program. She has also completed the Certified Specialist in Wine (CSW) and Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS) exams at the Society of Wine Educators, a school in the United States and has completed her certification as a Spanish Wine Educator at the Wine Academy of Spain. Susannah is also a highly-rated, frequent speaker at SWE Conferences and we look forward to having her present a webinar on the wines of Lugana for SWE sometime very soon!

 

 

Attitude Adjustment: Worthy-Cause Wine

  By admin | September 23, 2018 - 12:41 pm |
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Table set for an event party or wedding reception

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Today we have a guest post from a frequent contributor that we know as Candi, CSW. Read on to see how Candi experienced an attitude-adjusting evening (all with the wine in mind, of course).

Recently I had some exposure to the not-for-profit benefit sphere. My prior experience was confined to what I saw in the back of “brain vacation” magazines. I admit to mostly negative, preconceived notions about benefits. Garden clubs, lawn clubs, sororities, any organization for those with too much time on their hands.

No one has ever accused me of the glamour often associated with such events. I’m a former Midwesterner whose wine acquisition strategy is frugal, sometimes even cheap. But what happens when a wine geek finds a benefit-related attraction for a worthy cause or two?

I learned about a benefit event a few months ago from a fellow wine geek. The event was only about an hour from our home, has a 10+ year track record, and the cause is related to my volunteer work. There is significant overlap between “my” charity and the “benefit” charity. There was an attraction…and I felt strangely drawn to attend.

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As in many benefits, there was a silent auction. Never been there, never done that. More than 100 “lots”, which I learned are items or a group of items. In this situation, about 90% of the lots were wine. Other lots were wine-related.

The event sponsor demonstrated a strong sense of commitment to the cause and ethics in the preceding months. Admission tickets were obtained via payment directly to the charity. All auction lots were donated. All auction proceeds would go directly to the charity. I searched appropriate charity-screening websites. The cause and organization passed all tests.

I was hooked. My husband graciously agreed to go, and to be my trusty designated driver. Did I mention that donated wine and food would be served during the event? And that some of the vintners who donated would attend? Sounded even better!

Tickets purchased, well before the event sold out. Which it did. As it has for years.

Then came the anticipatory fun. We were given a list of the silent auction items, which continued to increase as the event drew near. I began picking out my target lots, having no idea what to expect. Same drill for target wines to taste. Got to at least have a plan as a starting point.

The big day arrived. A bright, sunny, beautiful day. All afternoon, we were plied with more fine wine and fine food than I had ever seen. A very high-class operation, featuring many small-production wines with which I had no experience. An emphasis on several of my favorite varietals: Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon. With the auction set to end about an hour before the event.

The crowd was about evenly divided between wine geeks and folks who simply appreciate wine. Usually one geek and one non-geek per couple. We mingled. We tasted. There were many opportunities to sample, to chat with vintners, to learn more about the charity from their development staff and clients, and to share feedback with fellow geeks. I began to feel a strong sense of community. A strong bond, almost like, for that day, we were family.

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In short, it was extraordinary. The experience does not rise to the level of an epiphany, but certainly changed my perspective. This development was not the result of the wine talking. I have enough experience at wine events to employ food strategically, to hydrate, and to sip and spit. My critical thinking was clear.

As the time allocated for the silent auction drew to a close, I bid on one lot of wine. Bids were consistently well above the “actual” value of each lot. But, again, all payments would be made directly to the charity. So I participated. I did not win, but that’s okay. I learned. In any other setting, paying above reasonable value would have equaled a rip-off to me. Not when the proceeds go to a worthy cause, though. Thus the term “worthy-cause wine”. I have a new category added to my acquisition repertoire.

Less than one week later, my husband casually mentioned that a close relative was attending a benefit in her small town in a different state. Apparently, she was volunteering to assist in setting up the event, then attending the “gala”.

Now that I had personal experience, something triggered. I went online, got an overview of the event. It was on a much larger scale than the one I experienced, and would benefit yet another worthy cause.

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The family geek ended up calling said relative a few days before the gala. She agreed to check out the silent auction area the next day, and to let me know if there were any wine lots. This event’s silent auction was broader in focus, with most items being in the luxury goods category. Examples: one-of-a-kind trips, fine dining, jewelry. You get the picture.

But among the many items, there were two wine lots. One case of whites, one mixed case of reds and whites. Knowing our taste, she sent a photo of the mixed case. The photo clearly showed the label, the vintner, and a few of the specific wines. Uh oh. Up went my wine-dar (i.e., wine radar).

The vintner was a small producer whose tasting room we had visited a few years ago. We bought some of his wines. We met the vintner and got a sense of his approach and, most importantly, his underlying sense of pride in his work.

Did we need a mixed case of wine? Of course not. But consider our prior experience with the wine. And the fact that we trust the relative’s judgment. We chose to give the relative a maximum amount that we would bid through her. We noted that if any other family members who were attending wanted to participate as well, that was fine. We could work out specifics in the unlikely event that we won.

In prior years, cases of wine lots at this event were won at a substantial markup to actual value. So we had no expectation of winning. And, the prior week, I had lost my bid which was above value. But so what? Let the games begin!

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The night of the gala, we received a few photos of the setting and of people having a wonderful time. Beautiful setting, everyone glammed up. All having a great time to support the cause. We vicariously enjoyed their sense of community. After all, we had been there and done that.

Overnight, we received a text message from our bidder-in-chief (or, if you’re a baseball fan, our designated bidder). Much to our amazement, we won. The full case. She had gone just a bit over our maximum bid, and was prepared to take some of the wine in return. But we realized that she really was not interested in the wine, and was just being polite. We took the entire case.

We have no idea why we won. What I do know is that our bidder-in-chief was superb. Together with her, my husband and I did the right thing. And we will find a place to put that wine. We will enjoy it, knowing why and how it was acquired.

Worthy-Cause Wine Cheers!

 

SWE News: Digital Badges!

  By admin | September 17, 2018 - 9:09 am | ,
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So…you studied for months, drew upon all the wisdom garnered through your years in the industry, experienced the last minute jitters and (finally) earned your CSW! Or your CSS, CWE, CSE, or HBSC!

Of course, now you’d like to tell the world, post it to LinkedIn, and make sure potential clients, employers (or maybe even dates) know what it means to have earned your credential.

Here’s how you can do that: download a digital badge (available via Acclaim) and post it to your social media accounts, your email signature, and use the jpeg to attach it to your paper resumes and business cards

Digital badges serve as verification of your credential and may be shared via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, and other websites. For old-fashioned paper uses, the badge may be added (as a jpeg image) to business cards, resumes, or any other printed materials.

Digital badges shared electronically provide a link that provides the following information:

  • Name, date, and title of the credential and the certifying agency
  • Links to a list of skills that are represented by earning the credential
  • Lists the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to earn the credential
  • Links to additional information about the credential (on the SWE website)
  • Links to related jobs and information about employer demand for the credential

For current holders of the CSW, CWE, CSS, and CSE certifications—as well as all current and future holders of the HBSC certificate, please contact Ben Coffelt of the SWE Home Office for information on how to claim your badge: bcoffelt@societyofwineeducators.org

SWE_Badges2

For future CSS and CSW credential holders: information on how to claim your digital badge will be forwarded to you after completion of your certification exam at a Pearson Vue Testing Center.

For more information on digital badges click here: https://www.youracclaim.com/badge-overview

 

SWE Conference Recaps 2018

  By admin | September 3, 2018 - 4:15 pm |
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Beaujolais Master Class

Beaujolais Master Class

We had a wonderful time at the 42nd Annual Conference of the Society of Wine Educators, held August 15-17, 2018 at the lovely Woodcliff Hotel and Spa, located just outside of the city of Rochester in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State!

The pre-conference activities included CWE Boot Camp, certification exams, tours of the Finger Lakes Wine Country, and a series of Master Classes on Beaujolais. The Beaujolais Master Classes included “The Art of Wine Making in Beaujolais, “Women Winemakers in Beaujolais,” and “an Exploration of the Crus of Beaujolais,” each complete with a guided tasting.

Eduardo Chadwich

Eduardo Chadwich

On Wednesday morning, our opening keynote Speaker, Eduardo Chadwick, told us the story of modern Chilean Wine via his experiences that led him to become the president of Viña Errázuriz & Viña Seña, as well as the recipient of the prestigious title of “Decanter Man of the Year 2018” for devoting his life to the service of fine wine and recognized excellence in the wine world.  This auspicious beginning was followed by three days of over 50 unique and fascinating speakers and topics ranging from Wine Tasting: The Object, the Perceiver and the Experience; the Role of Oxygen in the Evolution of Red Wine, Dueling Bubbles (Prosecco and Champagne), and  Wines from Corsica—the Island of Beauty. 

During Conference, we welcomed Margaret (Meg) Hansen, CSS, CSW as our newest Board Member and presented the Lembeck Award (with the help of Bill and Harriet Lembeck) to Board Member and Director Emeritus Henry Wasserstein.

Click here for the available recaps, presentation slides decks and handouts from some of our individual conference sessions. We will be adding to our collection of recaps as the information becomes available. If you are a presenter and you’d like to share your materials on this site, please contact Jane Nickles, our Director of Education, at jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org.

Announcing…CSS Flashcards!

  By admin | August 31, 2018 - 12:09 pm | ,
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Are you studying for the Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS) exam?

Are you a student of distilled spirits looking for some new study tools?

Are you a flashcard fanatic?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, we have an announcement for you…we now have a gigantic suite of digital CSS flashcards available!

These cards are based on CSS Study Guide and designed to supplement the CSS workbook. The complete set includes close to 800 digital flashcards, including dozens-if-not-hundreds of cards based on each chapter, plus 10 “review decks” containing a randomized deck of 20 flashcards each—these are ideal for last-minute study and review.

These flashcards are an excellent accompaniment to your CSS Studies—or any other study format based on distilled beverages and the service of spirits. The price is $19.00, which includes unlimited use of the flashcards for six months.

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For more information, click here (navigate to where it says “start browsing”) Please note that this is a separate website from the SWE site, and you’ll need to create a new user name and password.

Of course…we also have a complete set of practice exams and quizzes for the CSS available, as well as similar study tools for the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) and Certified Wine Educator (CWE) credentials. Just click here!

If you have any questions, please contact SWE’s Director of Education, Jane A. Nickles, via email at jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

 

Sekt gets Serious!

  By admin | August 9, 2018 - 11:31 am | ,
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https://www.vdp.de/en/home/

https://www.vdp.de/en/home/

Sekt gets Serious!

Last month (July 2018), the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates, or VDP) has established a set of classifications—along with some strict regulations—regarding Sekt (sparkling wines) produced by its member estates.

The four levels of Sekt Classification mirror the already-established levels of the VDP pyramid for still wine and include (in increasing order of quality) VDP Gutswein, VDP Ortswein, VDP Erste Lage, and VDP Grosse Lage. All VDP Sekt must be harvested by hand, pressed via whole cluster pressing, and made using the traditional method (second fermentation in the bottle) of sparkling wine production. Additional regulations include the following:

  • VDP Sekt Gutswein: Grapes must stem from Gutswein-designated estate vineyards, and the wine must be aged on the lees for a minimum of 15 months.
  • VDP Sekt Ortswein: Grapes must stem from Ortswein-designated estate vineyards, and the wine must be aged on the lees for a minimum of 15 months.
  • VDP Sekt Erste Lage: Grapes must stem from Erste Lage-designated estate vineyards, and the wine must be aged on the lees for a minimum of 36 months.
  • VDP Sekt Grosse Lage: Grapes must stem from Grosse Lage-designated estate vineyards, and the wine must be aged on the lees for a minimum of 36 months.

According to the website of the VDP, the focus of this new quality strategy is “good sekt from the beginning”. Further details regarding the qualifications for each level of the VDP Sekt classifications may be found in the official documentation of the VDP Sekt Statute (see below).

References/for more information:

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

Conference Preview 2018: Sustainable Winegrowing in California

  By admin | July 31, 2018 - 4:23 pm |
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Today we have a preview of a session to be presented during  the 42nd Annual Conference of the Society of Wine Educators which will take place on August 15–17, 2018 in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. Our guest authors are David Glancy and Allison Jordan, who are co-leading an upcoming session entitled Sustainable Winegrowing: Beyond Bugs and Cow Horns.

Red, White, and…Green?

We know Sustainable, Organic and Biodynamic winegrowing approaches can benefit the environment and communities. But what do these terms mean? How do we explain it to a consumer? And how do these approaches impact wine quality?

While there is some overlap between the three categories— soil and pest management, for example—sustainable winegrowing is the most comprehensive approach. Sustainability addresses more than 200 best practices for environmental stewardship, energy and water efficiency, healthy soils, wildlife habitat conservation, responsible pest management, good relationships with employees and neighbors, vibrant communities and more. A variety of educational and certification programs have hastened the adoption of sustainable practices by growers and vintners in California and around the world.

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With increasing consumer interest in how food and beverages are grown and produced, a growing number of retailers and restaurants are choosing wines based, in part, on wineries’ environmental and social practices. The wine industry is already well positioned to respond to this global trend and in marketplace attention to supply chain transparency. Growers and vintners are also using sustainable practices and certification programs to distinguish themselves in a rapidly changing and competitive marketplace. Currently, 73% of winecase production in California (208 million cases) is produced in a Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE) winery; and nearly one-quarter of the state’s winegrape acreage is CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE, with another 10%+ vineyard acreage certified to other certification programs.

To the consumer, and even to wine professionals, this well-intentioned response can be slightly confusing. What is required for each program? What do the various logos mean? What are the differences and similarities between Biodynamic, Organic, and Sustainable? The increased adoption of these three approaches is resulting in more focus on soil health, precision irrigation, and overall attention to the vines – resulting in some very happy grapes. But does that translate to the wine?

Join David and Allison to explore these ideas and more, while tasting sustainably-produced wines and hearing about the wineries’ sustainable practices and certifications, on Friday, August 17 at 8:45 am as part of SWE’s 42nd Annual Conference to be held in the Finger Lakes area of New York State.

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About the speaker—David Glancy:  David Glancy founded San Francisco Wine School in 2011 to create the ideal educational setting from the ground up. He is one of only twelve people in the world to hold both the revered Master Sommelier diploma and Certified Wine Educator credential. A certified French Wine Scholar, Italian Wine Professional, and Certified Specialist of Spirits, Glancy has earned the credential for every program he teaches, and more. In 2012 he created the California Wine Appellation Specialist program and credential to fill a glaring void in the educational market.

Previously he managed restaurants in the Bay Area and abroad, taught wine and business management at Le Cordon Bleu’s California Culinary Academy, conceived and launched the Sommelier Program at the former Professional Culinary Institute, served on the editorial board of Sommelier Journal and was a 3-term member on the board of directors for the Society of Wine Educators. Currently he is on the advisory board for SommCon and the American Institute of Wine & Food.

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About the speaker— Allison Jordan: Allison Jordan is the Executive Director of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance and Vice President, Environmental Affairs for Wine Institute, where she is responsible for oversight of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Program and Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE). Jordan represents Wine Institute on the National Grape Research Alliance board of directors and the California Environmental Dialogue Plenary. Previously, she was a Senior Associate at SureHarvest and Vice President and Acting Executive Director of Resource Renewal Institute. Jordan holds a Master of Public Policy from the Goldman School at UC Berkeley and a Psychology B.A. from Allegheny College, and is a fellow in the German Marshall Fund’s American Marshall Memorial Fellowship program. Jordan and her husband are founding partners of Giordano Bros., a San Francisco restaurant group.

Conference Preview 2018: Roussillon: An Ancient and Reemerging Wine Region

  By admin | July 27, 2018 - 4:07 pm |
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Today we have a preview of a session to be presented during SWE’s 42nd Annual Conference, to be held on August 15–17, 2018 in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. Our guest author is Edward Korry, CHE, CSS, CWE, who tells us about his  upcoming session titled “Roussillon: An Ancient and Reemerging Wine Region”.

The rocky shore alongside vineyards in Banyuls

The rocky shore alongside vineyards in Banyuls

I had the great privilege and enjoyment to be on a master class wine educational trip with colleagues to the Roussillon in the summer of 2017, hosted by Eric Aracil, director of the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins du Roussillon (CIVR). While intense, it was eye opening. We were so well treated and as reflecting most wine producers everywhere, we met some of the most generous, warm and humble of people. We tasted, ate (boy did we gourmandize) and drank well, soaking in as much as possible in the week spent there.

Roussillon is a small and beautiful part of the French Mediterranean surrounded by three mountain ranges. With the two year-old reorganization of France’s state (département) system, Roussillon is no longer politically the Pyrénnées Orientales but is now part of the Occitanie département.  While it is usually connected to its northerly much larger wine growing neighbor of Languedoc, only a small percentage of its wines wines fall under the Pays d’Oc appellation. But, it is culturally, linguistically, and historically distinct as it only became assimilated into France with the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659. Known as Haut Catalanie, a third of the population still speaks Catalan and another twenty percent understands it. Its capital, Perpignan, was formerly the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca which included Spanish Catalonia.

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While viticulture has been practiced for 28 centuries beginning with the ancient Greeks, it was subsequently influenced by Romans, Visigoths, Spanish, Catalan and the French. Arguably one of the greatest influencers was Arnaud de Villeneuve (Arnau de Vilanova) who led the development of mutage or fortification of wine in 1285.

What I didn’t know was that, in addition to being the rector if the University of Montpellier, he was the court physician to the King of Majorca in Perpignan so it is no wonder that Roussillon developed this style of wines with its aromatic varieties including the Muscat de Rivesaltes and Grenache. What also allowed for the growth of this industry were the development of the Midi Canal in the 17th century and the opening of the railways to market its wines to the rest of France in the 19th century.

The fortified wines or Vins doux Naturels of Roussillon represent over 80% of all fortified wines produced in France, but only 20% of its own current wine production.  The breadth and depth of the VdNs is truly amazing—from the fresh and floral Muscats de Rivesaltes and the plummy, blackberry freshness of the Grenats (Grenache) of Maury, Rivesaltes and the rimages (vintage-dated reds) of Banyuls, to the complex oxidized iterations of aged tuilé, ambré, hors d’age and rancio wines of these appellations.

Schistous soils with little topsoil

Schistous soils with little topsoil

The fortification differs in Roussillon from other fortified wines, in that the neutral pure grape spirit (at 96%) used to produce these wines results in fortified wines of lower alcohol—such as 14.5% min abv—than those of Port or Madeira. Those attending my SWE Conference session in Rochester this summer will be able to taste a sampling of these delicious and complex wines. One of the wines I will unfortunately not be able to show is the rancio style, which represents a tiny fraction of VdNs but they certainly connected dots for me to the wines made in the areas along the Mediterranean and most notably Jerez/ Sherry. Touring cellars in Latour De France, for example, and tasting a vertical sample of vintage ambré wines that have up to 60+ years of barrel maturation was both memorable and revelatory- the kind of experience leaving a permanent imprint on one’s sensory memories.

While Roussillon has been best known for its VdN’s, it is the development of its dry wines that have recently captured wine lovers’ and critics’ attention. This more expansive and recent development is unfortunately due, in large measure, to the global decline in fortified wine sales and the need for winegrowers to survive. One serendipitous consequence of having dry wines is that we can detect greater differences between the various terroirs. Roussillon has many different terroirs shaped by different microclimates, altitudes, soils, sun exposure, heat and winds.

Image Source: CIVR

Image Source: CIVR

The reason for my emphasis on Roussillon’s distinctiveness from its neighbors is that it translates to a large degree in its wines. Roussillon is shaped like an amphitheater ringed by three mountain ranges, the Corbières, the Pyrennees and the Albères, leading to the Mediterranean. It is has three main rivers (Agly, the Têt and the Tech) forming three distinct valleys.

This topography reflects numerous geological upheavals resulting in a wide diversity of microclimates and soils. While its climate is Mediterranean, with an average of 317 days of sunshine, it has the advantage of seven cooling and (mostly) drying winds, which enables winegrowers to maintain organic and biodynamic practices. (The Vent de l’Espagne is an exception as it brings humidity from the Mediterranean). In fact, the region ranks first in France as a percentage of these practices in France. Its soils are primarily granitic, schistous, gneiss, limestone, with rocky pebbles and sand. The primary wind is the Tramontane that plays a similar role to the Mistral.

Roussillon has 18 distinct appellations (AOPs and IGPs). The most prolific of the AOPs is the Côtes du Roussillon, while the Côtes du Roussillon-Villages represents about 11% of the total production. There are 4 designated village appellations within this category, three of which—Tautavel, Latour de France, and Les Aspres—will be part of the tasting line-up at my session at the SWE Conference in Rochester.

Jean Francois Deu

Jean Francois Deu

There are 2,200 small, family vineyards with an average size of 25 acres with 350 private producers but with 75% of wine production driven by 25 co-operatives. What we witnessed in Roussillon is the impact of investments, outside expertise, the application of the most innovative technology while maintaining a focus on the vineyard. Examples of outsider investments include Gérard Bertrand, Michel Chapoutier and David Phinney of Orin Swift fame. Innovation applies to the co-ops such as Les Vignerons de Tautavel Vingrau Co-op and its Syrousse wines. At Chateau de l’Ou the owner and winemaker, Séverine Bourrier learned her craft in Bordeaux. The farming is organic, but she employs small stainless steel fermenters for individual plots, concrete eggs and uses a punch down technique with her own bare hands for over 90 barriques of Syrah where the heads of the barrels have been removed. Not good for one’s hands!

We saw the most amazing vineyards—some of which could only be reached via 4-wheel drive—in Banyuls, where everything needs to be done by hand due to the steepness of slopes and the tenuousness of the soil. Over 80% of Roussillon’s vineyards are on slopes up to 2,100 feet in altitude. I will never forget walking through vineyards of old Grenache vines with winery owner Jean Francois Deu, who walked around the sharp friable schistous rocky vineyards in his bare feet, with his wry and irreverent humor. His vineyards, which are certified biodynamic, reflect the man- hardy, self-sufficient and yielding something wonderful for all of us to enjoy. The very minimal topsoil needs to be continuously hand-collected after significant rainfall from lower levels, collected and spread over the vineyard again.  His winery is aptly named the Domaine du Traginer, which translated from Catalan, means The Mule Worker’s Domain. And, while his persistence and obstinacy may have mulish characteristics, the name reflects practices he employs- he has a mule to help him along with a flock of sheep that roam free.

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The reds not only have great balance and distinct varietal characteristics but include the aromas of the garrigue.  Garrigue is the French word for the scrubland one finds in southern France and is comprised of different wild growing plants, herbs and flowers. Particularly widespread are wild fennel, wild thyme, rosemary, cistus or rockrose, lavender, olive and holm oak trees. One smells these aromas in the air, and their volatile aromatic compounds attach themselves to the skins of maturing grapes that lend added aromatic complexity to the wines, giving them a greater sense of place.

While there were very many delicious Grenache red and rosé wines we prized, for me the Carignan Noir wines were most revelatory. Normally associated as being very tannic and lacking defined fruit character, the wines based or blended with Carignan had deep violet floral notes and intense black fruit flavors with rounded spicy tannins. Examples included Ferrer Ribiere’s Carignan Noir 2014 from 140 year old vines and Roc des Anges Relief 2014 from the Côtes de Roussillon and Côtes de Roussillon Villages. We found some ome outstanding blends of Grenache Noir, its clone Lladoner Pelut, Carignan and Syrah— including Domaine des Schistes, which we will taste as well.

Critics unanimously praise many of the wines of Roussillon whether in their newer dry iterations or for the VdN treasures that are so relatively inexpensive. They have character, reflect a particular sense of place, of history and of culture and above all reflect man’s indomitable will to contour and bend nature to produce special and unique wines.

Ed’s session, Roussillon: An Ancient and Reemerging Wine Region, will be held on Thursday, August 16, 2018 at 4:45 pm as part of the 42nd  Annual Conference of the Society of Wine Educators.

About the presenter: Edward Korry is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Beverage & Dining Service Department in the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. Edward is a Certified Hospitality Educator, Certified Wine Educator, a Certified Specialist of Spirits, a registered tutor of the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, a Formador Homologado del Vino de Jérèz (Certified Sherry Wine Educator), and a certified Bordeaux Wine Educator. In addition, Edward served as President of the Society of Wine Educators 2014-2016, and as an executive board member of the US Bartenders Guild Master Accreditation program. He also leads the judging for the prestigious industry food & beverage VIBE Vista Awards, and is a wine judge at international competitions. He teaches and has developed classes that specialize in wine, beer, spirits, mixology, coffee, tea, and restaurant management. He championed the development and implementation of beverage and sommelier concentrations/minors at Johnson & Wales University. Edward lectures at national and international conferences,and writes beverage articles at home and abroad. He worked and managed in the hotel/restaurant industry prior to joining Johnson & Wales in 1983 as Food & Beverage Director for several of the university’s practicum properties.