Monthly Archives: August 2025

New Grapes Approved for (limited use in) Cognac!

  By admin | August 13, 2025 - 8:47 am | , ,
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Photo via https://culture.cognac.fr/en/

As of July 2025, the EU has approved an amendment to the Cahier des Charges (rules and regulations) for the production of Cognac. The change allows for three additional grapes to be used in the production of Cognac—one of the historic and traditional brandies of France.

These include Vidal and two lesser-known varieties: Coutia and Luminan. According to the revised Cahier des Charges, these grapes are classified as “varieties of interest for adaptation purposes” (variétés d’Intérêt à des fins d’adaptation– VIFA). They are resistant to downy mildew and powdery mildew while remaining suitable for producing wines for distillation due to the low sugar content and high acidity.

According to the EU, the reasoning behind this change is “the need to select vine varieties suited to environmental requirements and climate change, which is having a significant impact on agricultural production systems.”

  • These new grape varieties will be allowed for limited use as follows:
    • For large estates, the total combined vineyard acreage of the new grape varieties may not exceed 5% of the total estate holdings.
    • For estates smaller than 20 hectares, they may constitute up to 10% of the total holdings.

Both Coutia and Luminan are interspecific hybrid white grape varieties produced using a descendant of Muscadinia rotundifolia and Ugni Blanc. They have been approved for use in France and listed in the country’s Catalogue of Vine Varieties since 2021.

Vidal (Vidal Blanc) is a white hybrid grape variety produced using Ugni Blanc and the hybrid Seibel 4986 (also known as Rayon d’Or). Vidal was developed in the 1930s by Jean Louis Vidal, a French wine grape breeder who was (ironically) attempting to produce a cold-hearty grape variety for use in Cognac. While it was not approved for use in Cognac at the time, it did become widely planted in many of the cool-climate regions of the wine producing world, including Canada, New York’s Finger Lakes, North Carolina, Michigan, and even Sweden! Hopefully, Mr. Vidal’s descendants will receive the good news that his namesake grape has been accepted for use as he originally intended.

References/for more information:

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

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to the World, Ratafia Ciociara!

  By admin | August 11, 2025 - 6:39 am |
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Photo via the EU Agriculture Committee

As of August 2025, the EU has approved a Geographical Indication (GI) for Ratafia Ciociara (Rattafia Ciociaraa)—a red wine-and-cherry liqueur produced in the territory of Ciociaria (located within the province of Frosinone. Lazio).

Ratafia Ciociara is a dark red, sweet liqueur produced via the infusion of Morello or Amarena cherries along with locally produced red wine. Sugar, spirits, and spices may also be added.

  • The specific regulations for the production of Ratafia Ciociara GI include the following:
    • The spirit is based on the red wines of the region, specifically Cesanese del Piglio PDO or Atina PDO.
    • The cherries—of the Morello or Amarena varieties—are steeped in wine, water, and/or spirits for at least 30 days in temperature-controlled containers, followed by 40 days of maceration in a non-temperature-controlled environment (“in the sun”), or until the cherries settle at the bottom of the container.
    • After the infusion, the mixture—which may be pressed at this time—is filtered.
    • After filtration, cane sugar and neutral spirits are added so that the liqueur reaches a minimum of 70 g/L of sugar and 17% to 35% abv. If red wine was not previously used, it is added at this point.
    • Natural cherry juice, cherry infusions, and spices (cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, bitter almond) may also be used to flavor the product.

The region around Ciociaria has a history of cherry cultivation dating back to (at least) the 17th century. Cherries have been a beloved source of food for the local population, who have enjoyed the fresh fruit as well as cherry jam, jelly, and sorbet/gelato for centuries. In addition, it was a tradition to soak the cherries in the locally produced red wine to both enrich the flavor of the wine and make a drink that proved to be “very tasty in the summer months” (Statistica del Regno, 1811).

Ratafia Ciociara is typically served—neat or over ice—as a digestif or alongside sweets or dessert. Welcome to the World, Ratafia Ciociara!

References/for more information:

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

Unfortified Sherry (approved at last)!

  By admin | August 7, 2025 - 2:55 pm | ,
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Photo via: Vinos de Jerez (www.sherry.wine)

As anyone who has been watching the news of the wine world knows, the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Denominación de Origin (DO) has been undergoing a bit of a renaissance over the last few years. Recent updates to the classic wine region include a few newly-approved grape varieties in the wines of the region, a recently revised category of Sherry (Fino Viejo), and a long list of official sub-zones and smaller geographical units in the “fine print” of the appellation.

As of July 29, (2025), we have yet another new development in the regulations of the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry DO: unfortified wine. (Note: fortification refers to the addition of alcohol, typically grape spirit or wine spirit, to a wine for the purpose of increasing its alcohol by volume/abv.)

Until now, Sherry has famously been known as a fortified wine (also known as vino generoso or liqueur wine). While most Sherry will undoubtedly remain as a fortified wine, the new rules allow unfortified wines to be bottled under the auspices of the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry DO if they obtain a minimum of 15% abv (by natural means). The following types of Sherry may be bottled as unfortified wine (while the allowance for fortified styles remains): Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso, and Palo Cortado.

  • According to the proposed amendment to the Pliego de Condiciones for the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry DO (submitted to the EU in 2022), the reasoning behind this change includes the following:
    • Due to the conditions brought about by climate change, the wines of the region often reach natural alcoholic strengths of close to or even above 15 % after the conclusion of primary fermentation.
    • The use of the traditional practice of asoleo (drying the grape bunches in the sun after harvesting) may provide the grapes (must) with the natural means to reach 15% abv via primary fermentation, reducing the need for fortification.
    • The absence of fortification has been found to have no impact on the organoleptic characteristics of the wines as described in the specification.

We’ll be on the lookout for more updates, and for unfortified Sherry to hit the shelves!

Note: This update also applies to the Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda DO.

References/for more information:

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