Category Archives: News of The Wine World

New Rules Adopted for US Wine, Beer, and Spirits

  By admin | April 1, 2020 - 2:09 pm | ,
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At long last, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the United States  has finalized a new set of rules, known as the “Modernization of the Labeling and Advertising Regulations for Wine, Distilled Spirits, and Malt Beverages.” This rule was published today (April 1, 2020) and goes into effect on May 3. The original proposal was first announced in November of 2018 and has gone through several rounds of (often cantankerous) public comment and debate.

One of the most debated (and certainly most controversial) parts of the proposed new regulations sought to limit the definition of oak barrels (as used in the aging of distilled spirits) to only include cylindrical drums of approximately 50 gallons. During the public comment periods, the TTB received nearly 700 comments on this issue, almost all of which expressed opposition. The proposal was seen to limit the creativity of distillers that prefer to use smaller—or differently-shaped—barrels and to incur a financial barrier to entry as well. The good news is that this part of the proposal was NOT adopted into the final rule.

The majority of the new rules apply to the production, process of label approvals, importation, and distribution of alcoholic beverages. However, there are many parts of the new rules that are of interest to wine and spirits professionals as well as enthusiasts. Some of these changes are discussed below.

Vodka: The definition of vodka has been updated to read as follows: “Vodka” is neutral spirits which may be treated with up to two grams per liter of sugar and up to one gram per liter of citric acid. Products to be labeled as vodka may not be aged or stored in wood barrels at any time except when stored in paraffin-lined wood barrels and labeled as bottled in bond. (The requirement for US vodka to be “without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color” will be rescinded.)

Agave Spirits: Agave Spirits (as a class of products) have been defined (for the first time in the US). The new definition reads as follows: “Agave spirits” are distilled from a fermented mash, of which at least 51 percent is derived from plant species in the genus Agave and up to 49 percent is derived from other sugars. Agave spirits must be distilled at less than 95 percent alcohol by volume (190° proof) and bottled at or above 40 percent alcohol by volume (80° proof). Tequila and Mezcal are specifically defined as products of Mexico, made in compliance with the laws and regulations of Mexico.

Triple-distilled(?): Tighter restrictions on claims of the “number of times distilled” were implemented. According to the new rules, a distillation means a single run through a pot still or a single run through a column of a column still. Previously, some distillers claimed one “distillation run” for each plate found in a column still (as in “distilled one hundred times!”).

The document outlining these new rules is several hundred pages in length, but if you have the time and the fortitude, check it out for yourself here.

References/for more information:

We’ll be keeping an eye on the news concerning these new laws as they develop!!

Towards a Definition of (French) Natural Wine

  By admin | March 25, 2020 - 9:35 pm |
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Logo via Syndicat Vin Nature

Logo via Syndicat Vin Nature

The debate over natural wine has raged on for years now.  To some wine aficionados, it is the only wine that matters, to others it is all but undrinkable. This debate—whether to love, hate, or disregard “natural” wine—will surely continue for generations.

However, it seems that the industry is inching closer to the goal of codifying a definition of “natural wine.” A few regions have even agreed to disagree on a definition, including—according to multiple recent news sources—the mother ship of wine producers, France.

This information was first brought to our attention via the publication of the headline La Dénomination “Vin Méthode nature” Officiellement Reconnue (“The name wine–nature method is officially recognized”)—published on March 6, 2020 via food-and-wine journal Atabula.

Before we bang the gong too loudly, there are a few things to note about this latest development. For starters, it does appear to be quite relevant in that France has agreed upon the parameters of natural wine. However, it should be noted that due to previous laws prohibiting the use of the term “natural” on wine labels, the approved term is Vin Méthode Nature (“nature method wines”)—NOT naturel nor naturelle.

In addition, approval of the label term has not yet been announced by the INAO, nor published on the website of the Ministère de l’agriculture et de l’alimentation (French Ministry of Agriculture and Food). Nevertheless, it has been approved by the Directorate General for Competition, Consumption and the Suppression of Fraud (la Direction générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des frauds/DGCCRF) that previously opposed the use of the term “natural.” As such, the term “Vin Méthode Nature” has been approved as a validated private label and may soon appear on bottles of French wine. Compliance wit the charter will enforced by the DGCCRF.

The effort to have the new label approved has been spearheaded by Le Syndicat Vins Nature’l (the Union of Natural Wines), presided over by Jacques Carroget (proprietor of Domaine la Paonnerie in France’s Loire Valley). It is estimated that up to sixty wines may apply to be granted use of the term (and logo) for the release of the 2019 vintage.

According to the new regulations, the following is required in order to use the label term Vin Méthode Nature and the logo:

  • Vineyards must be organically farmed, as represented by organic certification, second-year organic conversion, or private Nature and Progress charter
  • Grapes must be hand-harvested
  • Use of indigenous yeasts
  • No sulfur added before or during fermentation. Note that there are two versions of the logo available, one that declares “without added sulfites” (for wines containing less than 10 mg/L); and one that declares “less than 30 mg sulfites.”
  • No must adjustments (acidification, chaptalization, etc.)
  • No “recourse to brutal and traumatic physical techniques,” which specifically excludes reverse osmosis, filtration, flash pasteurization, and thermovinification.
  • Click here to see the entire list via the Charter of Syndicat de défense des Vins Nature’l

We’ll be watching for updates and will post more information on these developments as they are released.

Graphic via Syndicat Vin Nature

Graphic via Syndicat Vin Nature

References/for more information:

Dispatch from Soave (and 33 New Crus)

  By admin | March 17, 2020 - 2:41 pm | ,
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Map of the traditional regions of Soave/credit: Casa del Vino (own work) via Wikimedia Commons

Map of the traditional regions of Soave/credit: Casa del Vino (own work) via Wikimedia Commons

Soave DOC—Veneto’s beloved Garganega-based white wine—has entered a new phase with the approval of 33 new subzones. The new geographical indications were approved by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture in October of 2019—and as of March 2020, they have been approved and published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The Soave zone has traditionally contained two subzones: Soave Classico and Soave Colli Scaligeri. The Classico zone—the original, central part of the region located about 10 miles east of the city of Verona—consists of an expanse of rolling hills within the communes of Soave and Monteforte d’Alpone. The discontinuous Colli Scaligeri subzone contains a series of hillsides surrounding the city of Verona. The name is a reference to the Della Scala family (the Scaligeri)—former Lords of Verona and once-upon-a-time owners of the land.

Vigne del Soave—a comprehensive project to map the Soave region by soil types, elevation, micro-climate, topography, and historical usage—has been in the works via the Soave Consortium for over a decade. The project was completed in 2019 with the formal designation of 33 unique geographical subzones officially known as “Additional Geographical Units” or Unità Geografica Aggiuntiva.  

Photo via: https://ilsoave.com/

Photo via: https://ilsoave.com/

The 33 new Crus of Soave are as follows: Castelcerino, Colombara, Froscà, Fittà, Foscarino, Volpare, Tremenalto, Carbonare, Tent, Corte Durlo, Rugate, Croce, Costalunga, Coste, Zoppega, Menini, Monte Grande, Ca ‘del Vento, Castellaro, Pressoni, Broia, Brognoligo, Costalta , Paradiso, Costeggiola, Casarsa, Monte di Colognola, Campagnola, Pigno, Duello, Sengialta, Ponsarà, Roncà–Monte Calvarina.

Of the 33 newly-designated areas, 28 are located within the Classico Zone. Two—resting atop volcanic soils—are located near the commune of ​​Roncà (to the north and east of the Classico Zone), and three are in the limestone hills located in the western portion of the region.

The new designations are approved for use beginning with the wines of the 2019 vintage.

Click here for an interactive map of the 33 crus of Soave, via the website of the Consorzio Soave.

References/for more information:

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

Dispatch from Empordà: Carignan Blanc is Official

  By admin | March 4, 2020 - 6:13 pm | ,
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Graphic via: https://www.doemporda.cat/

Graphic via: https://www.doemporda.cat/

Empordà—a Spanish wine region (denominación de origen/DO)—is located in the northern reaches of Catalonia, just to the south of the Banyuls AOC in France’s Roussillon region. Viticulture and wine production in the area surrounding modern-day Empordà can be traced back to Greek settlements in the area (circa 600 BCE), and is known to have flourished throughout the Middle Ages.

Viticulture and winemaking in the area took quite a blow from phylloxera, in the late 1800s, but by the middle of the 20th century vineyards had been re-planted and wine from Empordà was flowing once again. The area first received DO status in 1975, when it was known as Empordà–Costa Brava, in order to take advantage of the area’s reputation as a beautiful beach-side destination and food-and-wine hotspot. While the area’s reputation remains intact, the name of the wine region was changed to simply Empordà DO in 2006.

The Empordà DO is approved for a long list of grape varieties and an equally impressive list of allowed wine styles. These include still (non-sparkling) wines in red (tinto), white (blanco) and rosé (rosado), as well as sparkling wines (vino espumoso), fizzy/slightly sparkling wines (vino de aguja) and fortified wines (vino de licor). Specialties of the region include Garnatxa del Empordà, a sweet, fortified wine made from sun-dried Garnacha grapes, and Moscatell del Empordà, produced using Moscatel de Alejandría and/or Moscatel de Grano Menudo (Muscat of Alexandria and/or Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains).

Photo via: https://www.doemporda.cat/

Photo via: https://www.doemporda.cat/

The white wines of Empordà are in the news this week. Just yesterday (March 3, 2020) it was announced that an amendment to the region’s pliego de condiciones had been approved and published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado de Espana (Official Bulletin of Spain). This proposal had been in the works for several years; and allows for the use of the Cariñena Blanca (Carignan Blanc) grape variety to be used in the wines of the region. The Empordà DO is the first to allow the use of Cariñena Blanca in its wines.

Cariñena Blanca is a white-skinned mutation of Carignan Noir (also known as Cariñena, Samsó, or Mazuelo). By all accounts, it has been grown and used in the white blends of the region for generations —the region even boasts some 100-year-old Cariñena Blanca vines—despite the fact that it was never entered into the list of official varieties for Spain. This has all changed now, as the official list of recommended grape varieties for the DO now includes Cariñena Blanca, in addition to Garnatxa Blanca (Grenache Blanc), Macabeu (Macabeo/Viura), and Moscatel d’Alexandria. Other authorized white varieties include Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, and Xarel·lo

There are currently about 55 wine-producing estates and just over 1,825 hectares/4,510 acres planted to vine in the Empordà DO.  Perhaps one of the estates will produced a varietal Cariñena Blanca in 2020—it could happen!

References/for more information:

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

New: Digital Wine Map Exercises!

  By admin | February 2, 2020 - 10:08 am |
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Are you studying for the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) or Certified Wine Educator (CWE) exam?

Are you a studying for any type of wine course or certification?

Are you worried about all those maps?

Have you been searching for some interactive wine map activities?

If so, there’s a new learning activity just for you: Digital Wine Map Exercises by SWE!

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This digital product includes over 800 graphic wine map flashcards along with more than 20 “drag-and-drop” exercises—all based on the wine maps published in the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) Study Guide.  However, they may be useful for any course of wine study and/or certification—including those at the advanced levels.

In some cases, we have included political maps of certain areas to assist with basic geography (such as the states of Australia, and the autonomous communities of Spain). Enrollment in this activity costs $19 and lasts for one year of unlimited use.

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For more information, click here. Please note that this is a separate website from the SWE site, and you’ll need to create a new user name and password. If you decide to make a purchase, add the items you wish to purchase to your cart and then click on the cart. Once you are reviewing your cart, click on Checkout. From this point, click the “sign up” link and it will ask you for your details and allow you to proceed. If you click “sign up” without doing this, it will ask you for an enrollment code which is something provided to students at schools or other group members.

If you have any questions or comments,  please contact our Director of Education and Certification, Jane A. Nickles: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org.

As always, best of luck with your studies!

Dispatch from Valdepeñas

  By admin | January 17, 2020 - 10:48 am |
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The Valdepeñas DO (located in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain) is making some changes! The EU has recently approved a modification to the Pliego de Condiciones for the region, as announced and published in the January 9, 2020 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union.

The wines approved for production in the Valdepeñas DO make up a long list. Red, white, rosé, and sparkling wines are all produced—and most of these may be made in a range of styles relating to aging (including roble, crianza, reserva, and gran reserva), as well as in differing levels of sweetness (seco, semi-seco, semi-dulce, or dulce).

The red and rosé wines of the Valdepeñas DO are based on Tempranillo (Cencibel) and are also allowed to include Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and/or Syrah. White wines are typically based on Verdejo and may also include Macabeo, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Airén, and/or Muscat (Moscatel).

Image via: http://vinosvaldepenas.com/en/#!/up

Image via: http://vinosvaldepenas.com/en/#!/up

Today’s story, however, applies to just one style of wine, defined on the Pliego de Condiciones as Tinto Tradicional. This “traditional” style of wine—once considered the signature version of the region’s wines—is light red in color (clarete) and produced using a mixture of red and white grapes. Previously, Tinto Tradicional was required to be produced using a minimum of 50% red grapes. With the modification, the new standard requires a minimum of 85% red grapes in the blend.

According to Florencio Rodríguez, Provincial Secretary of the Asociación Agraria Jóvenes Agricultores–Ciudad Real (ASAJA Ciudad Real), the change was needed to in order to modernize the image of the Valdepeñas DO and to keep up with the increasing demand for more flavorful wines with distinct varietal character.

The Valdepeñas DO is almost completely surround by the much larger La Mancha DO. The climate of Valdepeñas is warm/hot continental, and the region is quite dry—the mountains of the Sierra Morena located just to the west (defining the edge of the Meseta Central) provide a significant rain shadow.

The name of the region translates to “Valley of the Rocks” and refers to the region’s unique rock formations and rocky topsoil.

References/for more information:

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

Welcome to the World, Vino de Pago Vera de Estenas!

  By admin | November 11, 2019 - 4:09 pm | ,
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Photo of Bodegas Vera de Estenas via: http://veradeestenas.es/

Photo of Bodegas Vera de Estenas via: http://veradeestenas.es/

Spain has a new Vino de Pago! The new geographic indication—Vino de Pago Vera de Estenas—was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on November 4, 2019, and the appellation will be in effect as of November 24, 2019.

The newly-registered Pago is located in the comunidad autónoma of Valencia, and is surrounded by the Utiel-Requena DO. This is the fourth vino de pago to be registered in Valencia. The demarcated area extends over a gentle slope that descends from Sierra Juan Navarro towards the valley of the Magro River and the Estenas Stream.

According to the fresh-off-the-presses documentation, the wines produced in the Vino de Pago Vera de Estenas will include the following:

  • Red Wines:
    • Based on Bobal, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, and/or Merlot
    • Minimum abv: 12.5%
    • Maximum RS: 4 g/L
    • According to the pliego de condiciones, the red wines should be deep red in color, dry in taste, with aromas of warm red fruit and vanilla when young. Gran Reserva wines should be garnet in appearance and show aromas of ripe red fruit, wood, spice, vanilla, and roasted oak.
    • Red wiines are fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.
    • Ageing takes place in oak casks with a capacity of 225 or 300 litres. Wines that are aged in oak for less than six months may use the label term “Cask-aged” (Madurado en Barrica); those that are barrel-aged for longer may use the terms “Crianza,” “Reserva,” or “Gran Reserva” in accordance with the general regulations for the wines of Spain.
  • Rosé/Rosado Wines:
    • May be based on on Bobal, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, and/or Merlot; however, most rosé is produced using Bobal
    • Minimum abv: 12%
    • According to the pliego de condiciones, the rosado wines should be red in appearance with strawberry tones and hints of purple. These wines should have intensely fruity aromas and lively, well-balanced flavors.
    • Rosado wines are fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.
  • Barrel-fermented White Wines:
    • Produced using Chardonnay
    • White wines are fermented in new oak casks of 225 or 300 liters.
    • Minimum abv: 12%
    • According to the pliego de condiciones, the white wines should have a brilliant straw-yellow color, intensely fruity aromas and a round, full bodied texture.
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It seems there is only one winery currently located within the demarcated area: Bodega Vera de Estenas. However, a group of vineyard owners in the area formed a coalition in order to support and apply for the PDO. If new wineries open in the area, they will be eligible to apply for the rights to use the term “Vino de Pago Vera de Estenas.

Welcome to the world, Vino de Pago Vera de Estenas!

References/for more information:

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

Welcome to the world, Eastern Connecticut Highlands AVA!

  By admin | October 17, 2019 - 9:29 am |
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Map via: www.ttb.gov/wine/ava-map-explorer

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

On Friday, October 11 2019, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the United States announced the establishment of the Eastern Connecticut Highlands American Viticultural Area (AVA) via publication in the Daily Federal Register.

The newly-approved AVA is located in Hartford, New Haven, Tolland, Windham, New London, and Middlesex Counties in the state of Connecticut. The Eastern Connecticut Highlands AVA does not overlap any other established AVAs; it is, however, adjacent—and immediately to the north of—the multi-state Southeastern New England AVA (covering parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island).

The Eastern Connecticut Highlands AVA encompasses a total of approximately 1,246 square-miles of land and is home to 16 commercial vineyards and 115 acres/47 ha of vines (with 20.5 additional acres/8 additional hectares planned for the near future.

  • According to the AVA petition (originally accepted in August of 2016), the region is differentiated from the surrounding area in terms of topography, soils, and climate:
    • Topography: The area within the boundaries of the AVA sit atop a rock formation—known as the Iapetus Terrane—which is composed of metamorphic rocks that resist erosion. As a result, the area consists of hilly and mountainous terrain with elevations ranging from 200 to 1,000 feet/61 to 305 meters in elevation (as opposed to the broad, flatter lands the surround it).
    • Soils: The soils within the newly-defined AVA contain a large amount of lodgement till—material deposited by glaciers—and can be characterized as thick sandy-to-silty loam. These soils contain higher levels of iron, magnesium, and zinc, and lower levels of potassium than the surrounding areas.
    • Climate: The area within the new AVA has an average annual temperature that is similar to the surrounding areas; however, there are some significant differences, such as warmer overall temperatures during the growing season. In addition, the area has a later last-spring-frost date and earlier first-fall-frost date; these combine to make for a shorter growing season than most of the surrounding areas.

The Eastern Connecticut Highlands AVA is home to at least six bonded wineries, including Lebanon Green Vineyards, Arrigoni Winery, and Preston Ridge Vineyard. The Eastern Connecticut Highlands AVA will be effective as of November 12, 2019; at this time there will be a total of 246 AVAs in the United States.

Welcome to the world, Eastern Connecticut Highlands AVA!

References/for more information:

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

Congratulations on your Promotion: Carnuntum DAC!

  By admin | October 1, 2019 - 1:39 pm | ,
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Map via www.austrianwine.com

Map via www.austrianwine.com

The Carnuntum wine growing region— located in Austria’s  Niederösterreich (state of Lower Austria)—has been promoted to Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC) status! With this new announcement, effective today (October 1, 2019), Austria has a total of 14 DAC wine-producing regions—described by the Austrian Wine Marketing Board  as areas with “specific protections in place for regionally typical wines.”

Wine produced under the Carnuntum DAC will fall under three distinct quality levels, to include the following:

  • Gebietswein (regional wine)
  • Ortswein (wine from a specific village)
  • Riedenwein (single-vineyard wine)

The Carnuntum DAC will produce both red and white wines in accordance with the following standards:

  • The Heidentor (Heathens' Gate) archway, built during the Roman Empire, is a symbol of the locality of Petronell-Carnuntum as well as the Rubin Carnuntum wine producers.

    The Heidentor (Heathens’ Gate) archway, built during the Roman Empire, is a symbol of the locality of Petronell-Carnuntum as well as the Rubin Carnuntum wine producers.

    All wines must be dry

  • Red wines must have a minimum of 12% abv
  • White single-variety wines (monovarietals) may be 100% Chardonnay, Weissburgunder, or Grüner Veltliner
  • Red monovarietals may be 100% Zweigelt or Blaufränkisch.
  • Blended wines must contain a minimum of 67% (two-thirds) preferred grape varieties (Chardonnay, Weissburgunder [Pinot Blanc], Grüner Veltliner, Zweigelt, or Blaufränkisch). The remainder may contain any other grapes approved for cultivation in the region.

Red wines are particular specialty of the Carnuntum region, as witnessed by the 25 members of red-wine-specialty group known as Die Rubin Carnuntum Weingüter. The Zweigelt–based red wines of the Rubin Carnuntum wine growers’ society will continue to be produced and promoted under the new rules of the Carnuntum DAC .

References/for more information:

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

 

Very Cool New Tool: The TTB’s AVA Map Explorer

  By admin | September 27, 2019 - 2:27 pm |
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Screenshot via: https://www.ttb.gov/images/AVA/ (accessed September 27, 2019)

Screenshot via: https://www.ttb.gov/images/AVA/ (accessed September 27, 2019)

It’s a good day to appreciate the government! The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the United States released a cool new toy tool useful for wine students and wine travelers as well.

Called the “AVA Map Explorer,” this website is a searchable map of the United States that will draw the boundaries of any AVA or AVAs you wish to research. You can toggle between street view, satellite view, and topographic views of your chosen spot, making this site useful for in-depth research on a region’s terroir as well as a handy site to find a romantic B&B.

The map tool also provides links to detailed information regarding each AVA, including its state and county, overlapping AVAs, and a link to the information in the AVAs public docket. You can even plot an address and find out if the location is within an AVA.

To try it out for yourself, just click here!

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