Category Archives: News of The Wine World

Photo of the Wachau by Robert Herbst via the website of Austrian Wine

As announced this morning (May 8, 2020) on the website of Austrian Wine Marketing Board, Austria’s Wachau region is now officially a Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC) wine-producing region.

Along with the prestige of a DAC designation, a slew of new regulations have come into effect as requirements for use of the term Wachau DAC on a wine label. These regulations (and the wines) are divided into three categories—Gebietswein, Ortswein, and Riedenwein, in that order—in reference to an increasingly stricter list of requirements. These regulations are as follows:

• Gebietswein/regional wines—this is the most generic of the designations, and includes wines that may be produced from grapes grown anywhere within the designated Wachau region.
  • Allowed grape varieties—white: Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder, Chardonnay, Neuburger, Muskateller, Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer, Frühroter Veltliner, Müller Thurgau, Muskat Ottonel, Roter Veltliner
  • Allowed grape varieties—red: , , Blauer Burgunder (Pinot Nor), St. Laurent, Zweigelt
  • Allowed wine styles: Single-variety (varietal) wines and blended (Gemischter Satz) wines
• Ortswein/village wines—this designation includes wines that may be grown in any one of 22 designated villages
  • Allowed grape varieties—(all white): Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder, Chardonnay, Neuburger, Muskateller, Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer
  • Allowed wine styles: Single-variety (varietal) wines only; wines must exhibit little or no influence from oak
• Riedenwein/single-vineyard wines—this is the top-level designation, and may only be produced from grapes grown within any of the 157 precisely designated Rieden (vineyards) in the Wachau.
  • Allowed grape varieties—(all white): Grüner Veltliner and Riesling
  • Allowed wine styles: Single-variety (varietal) wines only; wines must exhibit little or no influence from oak
  • Chaptalization nor enrichment of any kind is not allowed

Approved wines may be designated as “Wachau DAC” as of the 2020 vintage. The new regulations have been approved by the Austria’s Ministry of Agriculture, Regions, and Tourism (and signed into law by federal minister Elisabeth Köstinger). However, the new designation still needs to wind its way through EU approval.

The stylistic designations—Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd—as defined by Vinea Wachau, will remain in use.

References/for more information:

• https://www.austrianwine.com/press-multimedia/news/news-1/article/wachau-now-a-dac-region?fbclid=IwAR245sePTfixZCLNlWeVBILAb9-lmAic5SiBCOcY9ew8L8gT2ltN8f-iH9A
• Wachau DAC Verordnung
• https://www.vinea-wachau.at/

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

Graphic via: https://www.dorueda.com/es/

Quite a few changes have been made to the rules and regulations that define the wines of DO Rueda.

Rueda, located in Castilla y León (in northwest Spain), lies along the Duero River—slightly to the west of Ribera del Duero.  The area is best-known for its crisp, dry, white wines based on the Verdejo grape, which comprise over 90% of the region’s total production.

The main changes to the Pliego de Condiciones for the Rueda DO, to be reflected as of the 2020 vintage, are as follows:

Rueda Blanco: Previously, the region produced several different white wines, including Rueda Blanco (based on a minimum of 50% Verdejo), Rueda Verdejo (min. 85% Verdejo), and Rueda Sauvignon (min. 85% Sauvignon Blanc). These three products will be replaced by a single version—to be known as merely as Rueda (Blanco). This new version of Rueda Blanco must contain a minimum of 50% (combined) Verdejo and/or Sauvignon Blanc; the remainder may contain Viura, Palomino Fino, Viognier, and/or Chardonnay. (Viognier and Chardonnay are newly approved varieties for the region.)

Rueda Tinto: Red wines make up a tiny proportion of the output of the Rueda DO. Rueda Tino is a Tempranillo-based wine that may also contain Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. As a result of the recent changes, Syrah is now allowed as well.

Rueda Pálido DO: Biologically aged, fortified wines (similar to the flor-influenced styles of Sherry) are another traditional specialty of the Rueda region; however, such wines were not included in the previous line-up of Rueda DO-approved wines. This has now been remedied with the approval of the “new” category of Rueda Pálido DO. Rueda Pálido DO is a dry, fortified wine produced using the Palomino Fino and Verdejo grape varieties. The wine must be bottled at a minimum of 15% abv and be oak-aged in the presence of film-forming yeast for a minimum of three years. The resulting wine is expected to the “straw yellow to pale golden color, with aromas and flavor of yeast, marzipan, dried fruit, and roasted apple.”

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Vino Espumoso Gran Añada: The Rueda DO is approved for sparkling wine—vino espumoso—although it is rarely seen outside of Europe. A new aging designation—Gran Añada—has been approved for sparkling wines with a minimum of 36 months of lees aging.

Two other new categories—Gran vino de Rueda (implying “old vines” of at least 30 years of age) and Vino de Pueblo (made from the grapes of a specific municipality)—are also part of the new plan.

Rueda Dorado: Another product rarely seen outside of Spain, is a vino de licor (fortified wine) known as Rueda Dorado. Rueda Dorado must be produced using Palomino Fino and Verdejo grapes and bottled at a minimum of 15% abv. In addition, it must be aged for at least four years, including two in the barrel; this aging process earns the wine its golden (dorado) color and nutty, oxidative aromas and flavors. (Rueda Dorado was not affected by the recent regulatory changes, but we thought it was interesting enough to include in our list.)

The updates to the Pliego de Condiciones for the Rueda DO were first proposed in early 2019. By July they had been approved by the local Consejo Regulador and sent to Spain’s of Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for further approvals. The proposal was published in Spain’s Boletín Oficial del Estado and approved by the European Union in March of 2020. Official at last!

References/for more information:

• Pliego de Condiciones DO Rueda March 3 2020
• https://www.dorueda.com/es/
• Journal of the EU – DO Rueda – March 3 2020
• Map of the DO Rueda
• https://trade.riberaruedawine.com/d-o-rueda-updates-classification-system/
• https://www.hudin.com/what-the-new-do-rueda-classifications-mean/

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

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

References/for more information:

• https://www.bio-centre.org/index.php/a-la-une/329-naissance-du-syndicat-de-defense-des-vins-nature-l
• https://www.bfmtv.com/economie/la-denomination-vin-methode-nature-officiellement-reconnue-1870570.html?fbclid=IwAR1Do3sMnI_3MMeHFDUYhP-LzfWi0j2eSK67gAUPX99VafZpl46M1CpiX8w
• https://www.vitisphere.com/actualite-91380-Vin-methode-nature-en-phase-de-reconnaissance-administrative.htm
• https://www.lapaonnerie.com/
• https://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataId=228237

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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!

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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

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:

• EU Approval Valdepenas Modification
• Pliego de Condiciones Valdepenas-with proposed modifications
• Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union
• Comments from Provincial Secretary Florencio Rodríguez
• http://vinosvaldepenas.com
• https://www.clm24.es/articulo/ciudad-real/dop-valdepenas-eleva-50-85-proporcion-uva-tinta-vino-tradicional/20200109183559266616.html?fbclid=IwAR0HtkoX5lToVNGv_5B3wVH-3w8FDDFrDqt54woEorG99bcHG6NUINUKf5I

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

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:

• https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/10/11/2019-22265/establishment-of-the-eastern-connecticut-highlands-viticultural-area
• Eastern CT Highlands AVA – Map of Vineyards
• Eastern CT Highlands AVA – Petition
• Eastern CT Highlands Appendix 2 Map

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