Category Archives: Testable Material for the CWE Exam

Photo of the Candy Mountain Vineyard by Kevin Pogue (provided by the Washington State Wine Commission)

On September 24, 2020, the TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) of the United States approved the Candy Mountain AVA. When this new AVA comes into force—on October 26, 2020—the total number of AVAs in the United States will be 251, of which 16 will be in Washington State.

Candy Mountain, located to the southeast of the Red Mountain AVA, is now the smallest AVA in Washington State (an honor previously held by Red Mountain). The new AVA lies entirely within the existing Yakima Valley AVA; however, the boundaries of the Yakima Valley AVA had to be expanded by 72 acres in order to make this possible. (This expansion was part of the approval process of the new AVA, and part of the “Final Rule” as published by the TTB.)

Map of the Candy Mountain AVA via Google Earth and  Heather Bradshaw (provided by the Washington State Wine Commission)

The Candy Mountain AVA covers a total of 815 acres, with just over 110 acres currently planted to vines. There are two commercial vineyards—Candy Mountain Vineyard and Kitzke Cellars—in the area; Kitzke Cellars is a bonded winery specializing in Bordeaux-style blends. Plans for another bonded winery as well as an additional 200 acres of vines are in the works.

Candy Mountain is part of a chain of four small mountains in the area which includes Red Mountain, Badger Mountain, and Little Badger Mountain (all are part of the larger Yakima Fold Belt). The vineyards of the Candy Mountain AVA are on the mountain’s southwest-facing slope, on an incline that ranges from 2° to 20°. The soils are mainly thin, well-drained loess (wind-blown) silt atop basalt bedrock. The vines are planted at elevations ranging from 640 to 1,360 feet above sea level.  This is a warm, windy area; and rainfall is meager—sometimes as little as 6 to 8 inches per year.

The leading grapes of the appellation include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, and Syrah.

Welcome to the world, Candy Mountain AVA!

References/for more information:

• Final Rule – Establishment of the Candy Mountain AVA and Expansion of the Yakima Valley AVA
• TTB Docket for Candy Mountain
• https://www.washingtonwine.org/wine/facts-and-stats/regions-and-avas/candy-mountain

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Commune de Chaintré
  • Le Clos de Monsieur Noly
  • Les Chevrières
  • Aux Quarts
  • Le Clos Reyssier

• Commune de Fuissé
  • Le Clos
  • Les Brulés
  • Les Ménétrières
  • Les Reisses
  • Les Vignes Blanches
  • Les Perrières
  • Vers Cras (shared with Solutré-Pouilly)

• Commune de Solutré-Pouilly
  • La Frérie
  • Le Clos de Solutré
  • Au Vignerais
  • En Servy
  • Aux Bouthières
  • Aux Chailloux
  • Pouilly
  • Vers Cras (shared with Fuissé)

• Commune de Vergisson
  • Les Crays
  • La Maréchaude
  • Sur la Roche
  • En France

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

References/for more information:

• CdC Pouilly-Fuissé updated 2020
• Communique de Pressé-Pouilly-Fuissé-INAO
• Union des Producteurs de Pouilly-Fuissé
• Announcement on the website of the INAO regarding Pouilly-Fuissé AOC Premiers Crus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Welcome to the world, Vlottenburg Ward!

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

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

References/for more information:

• Vlottenburg Ward Application (contains detailed maps)
• WOSA Production Areas August 2020
• Wines of South Africa (WOSA) 
• https://www.spier.co.za/
• www.stellendrift.co.za
• https://boschkloofwines.com/
• https://www.skilpadvlei.co.za/wine/

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

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It has been rumored for a while, and at long last (as of June of 2020) the Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC has been amended to include a style of sparkling wine produced via a variation of the methode ancestrale.

The methode ancestrale—a method of sparkling wine produced involving along,  single, often interrupted, fermentation—is assumed to have been responsible for the earliest versions of sparkling wine ever produced. These early bubblies most likely involved a fortunate series of events and spontaneous fermentation. In modern times, wines made in this style of wine—including some styles of Limoux Mousseux and Clairette de Die—are produced in a few far-flung French AOCs. These have, until recently, remained quite obscure.

These days, sparkling wines produced using variations of the methode ancestrale have become trendy, and variations are produced all over the world. Some are pink, some are white, some are orange, and some are red. Some of these are referred to by the informal moniker of pétillant natural, or pét-nat—and you either love them or you hate them.

Amidst all of the trendy goings-on, the venerable Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC has been quietly producing sparkling wines using these old-fashioned, natural methods for quite a while. Now, the Cahier des Charges (official rules of the appellation) have been updated to define and include them in the list of wines approved for appellation-certified production.

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The new version of the documentation includes the following rules and regulations for an “official” version of sparkling wines produced via a single fermentation—to be known as Vins Mousseux à Fermentation Unique. The standards include:

• 100% Chenin Blanc
• Mandatory hand-harvest
• Whole-cluster, gentle pressing, no de-stemming or pre-crushing allowed
• Natural yeast fermentation
• No sugar may be added at any time during processing/zero dosage
• Single fermentation: fermentation may begin inside a vat or a barrel, and the partially fermented must is bottled to “capture the foam”
• The wines spend a minimum of 9 months on the lees beofre disgorging.
  • Note: despite the fact that many similar wines, including some of those referred as pét-nat, are bottled on the lees—the wines of the Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC must be disgorged before bottling
• 5 g/L maximum residual sugar

Montlouis-sur-Loire Vin Mousseux à Fermentation Unique AOC wines are described as having aromas of white-fleshed fruit and white flowers, accompanied by “elegant and creamy bubbles” as well as a rich texture—all due to the unique production process. These wines are intended to reflect the distinctive character of a particular place and time and as such, vintage dating is mandatory.

Note: I’ve seen many reports claiming that this is an “official” version of pétillant naturel wines. This statement could be interpreted as partially true (except for the issue with mandatory disgorgement). In addition, the term pétillant naturel is not a part of the Cahier des Charges.

References/for more information:

• Cahier des Charges Montlouis sur Loire published June 18 2020

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

Photo via: https://www.prosecco.wine

Just in time for Valentine’s Day 2021, the world will have the pleasure of Prosecco in pink!

The drive to approve a rosé version of Prosecco DOC was begun back in 2018, when the consorzio first agreed to the proposal to revise the rules regarding the uber-popular bubbly from the Veneto. At that time, several Prosecco estates were producing pink versions of Glera-based sparkling wine, but they were unable to label the wine as Prosecco.

The newly-defined Prosecco Rosé must be produced using a base of Glera grapes that includes 10% to 15% Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir)—which must be fermented on the grape skins. Pinot Nero is the only red grape allowed, despite the fact that the area grows a wide range of red grapes—many of them used in other sparkling wines of the region—including Raboso and Merlot.

Other rules and regulations include the following:

• The sweetness level/residual sugar can range from Brut Nature (less than 3 g/L RS) to Extra Dry (12 to 17 g/L RS)
• The wine must be vintage-dated and labeled with the term Millesimato and the vintage year; a minimum of 85% of the wine must be from the stated vintage
• The second fermentation must occur in a pressurized tank (Charmat method) and must last a minimum of 60 days
• The wine may be released on January 1 of the year following the harvest
• The wine should appear as light-to-bright pink, with a lively, persistent mousse

Photo via: https://www.prosecco.wine

Much of the wine world declared Rosé Prosecco DOC “official” on May 21, 2020 when the Prosecco Consorzio announced that the proposal had been approved by Italy’s Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali (MIPAAF). As of this week (June 15, 2020 to be exact), the updated disciplinare has been published in the Official Journal of the Italian Republic, and national approval has been confirmed. (The modification will now head to the EU for “final, final” approval.)

Rosé Prosecco is only approved to be produced under the Prosecco DOC; it is not expected that the Prosecco DOCGs (Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG and Colli Asolani DOCG) will follow suit.

The first bottles of Rosé Prosecco are expected to be released on New Year’s Day in 2021—which might also be an excellent occasion for celebration.

Welcome to the world, Rosé Prosecco DOC!

References/for more information:

• Gazzetta Ufficial della Republica Italiana-June 15 2020 (see page 45)
• Announcement via the Prosecco Consorzio: https://www.prosecco.wine/it/news/approvata-la-produzione-di-prosecco-doc-rose

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

For generations, it was assumed that Corvinone—the big-berried, dark blue-black grape grown sparsely throughout Veneto—was a roly-poly mutation of the locally renowned Corvina grape variety. Thus, it was given the name Corvinone—”big Corvina”—and tolerated for use (in limited quantities) alongside Corvina in some of the red wines of the region, namely the Valpolicellas and the Bardolinos.

However, in 1993, S. Cancellier and U. Angelini—as published in the Vignevini Journal of the University of Bologna—gave the world proof that Corvinone is a separate grape variety. Corvinone is, they stated, most likely related to Corvina, but distinct, nonetheless.

According to Italy’s Registro Nazionale delle Variet di Vite, Corvinone tends to break bud fairly late, experience medium timing in flowering and veraison, and is a medium-to-late ripener (germogliamento: tardiva, fioritura: media, invaiatura: media, naturazione: medio-tardiva). Both the bunches and the individual grape berries are noted for being large in size and distinctly larger than Corvina. Corvinone is quite able to respond to water stress and takes well to drying; for this reason, it often goes through the appassimento process for use in Amarone and Recioto.

I have never encountered a varietal Corvinone wine, although they are allowed (at least in theory) to be produced under the IGT Veneto, IGT Vallagarina, or IGT Verona.  These wines might show the typical primary aromas of Corvinone, including red and black fruits such as cherry, raspberry, and blackberry; floral notes (violet), cocoa, and tobacco.

We are not quite sure from where the name Corvina, and thus Corvinone, is derived. However, many experts suggest that the grapes were named for their dark blue-black color, reminiscent of the color of the feathers of a raven (corvo in Italian).

For super-advanced students of wine: Late last year, the disciplinari for the wines of Valpolicella (Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG, Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG, Valpolicella DOC,  and Valpolicella Ripasso DOC) were all revised to allow 45% to 95% Corvina OR Corvinone grapes in the wines. You might recall that, up until this change, the allowed amount of Corvinone was limited to no more than 50% of the amount of Corvina used. This limitation has been now removed for all the variants of Valpolicella. The allowance for Bardolino DOC and Bardolino Superiore DOCG remains unchanged for now (35% to 80% Corvina, of which 20% may be replaced by Corvinone).

References/for more information:

• Robinson, Jancis, Julia Harding, and José Vouillamoz: Wine Grapes. New York, 2012: Harper Collins Publishers
• Robinson, Jancis and Julia Harding: The Oxford Companion to Wine, 4th Edition. Oxford, 2015: The Oxford University Press.
• Disciplinare – Amarone della Valpolicella updated 2019
• Cancellier, S & Angelini, U (1993). “Corvina veronese e Corvinone: Due varietà diverse”. Vignevini-Bologna. Edagricole SPA. 20: 44
• https://www.wine-searcher.com/grape-2190-corvinone
• http://catalogoviti.politicheagricole.it/scheda.php?codice=328

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

Photo of Clos Montmartre by Par Son of Groucho via Wikimedia Commons

On May 25, 2020, France’s Bulletin Officiel du Ministère de l’Agriculture et de l’Alimentation (Official bulletin of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food) announced the approval of the Île-de-France Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) for red, white, and rosé wines.

Wine produced from grapes grown anywhere within the Île de France administrative region will be eligible. Aisne, a department located in the neighboring Hauts-de-France region is also included in the defined area. More specifically, the Île de France PGI includes five sub-appellations:

• Coteaux de Blunay—covering the commune of Melz-sur-Seine, located on the eastern border of the Île de France (about 50 miles southeast of Paris)
• Coteaux de Suresnes-Mont-Valérien—Suresnes is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, located about 9 km/5.3 miles from the Paris city center
• Coteaux de Provins—covering the commune of Provins, located about 10 miles northwest of Melz-sur-Seine
• Guérard—covering the communes of communes de Guérard, Tigeaux et Crécy-la-Chapelle (located about 28 miles west of Paris, and just a few miles from Disneyland Paris)
• Paris—covering the city of Paris, including its famous Montmarte Vineyard

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A long list of grape varieties are permitted—33 white varieties, 8 pink (gris/rose) varieties, and 30 red varieties. Most or all of the grapes you would think of as typical French varieties—including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Chenin Blanc, Gamay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sauvignon Blanc—are included in the list. Some unique grapes—such as Meslier Saint-François, Chasselas, Mûller-Thurgau, Romorantin, and César. (For a complete list, see the Cahier des Charges, linked below.)

The Île-de-France  PGI title is approved for still (non-sparkling) wines and includes allowances for primeur or nouveau wines to be released on the third Thursday of November (of the harvest year).

Wine-producing vineyards in and around the city of Paris were widespread in the 18^th century and at one time occupied 42,000 hectares (103,000 acres) of land. These vineyards all but disappeared after the Second World War; but were brought back to life in 1933 with the planting of 2,00 vines in the Clos de Montmartre vineyard. Clos de Montmartre—the famous “urban vineyard” of Paris—is located on the north side of the Hill of Montmartre just a short walk from the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre.

Later—in 1965—the Municipal Vineyard of Suresnes/Clos-du-Pas Saint Maurice was replanted on the crest of Mont-Valérien, just across the Seine River from the Bois de Boulogne Park in Paris’ 16^th arrondissement. Today, the vineyard produces an average of 4,500 bottles of white wine per year and is an under-the-radar “find” for smart (or lucky) tourists.

With this announcement, we can be certain to find PGI wines from the Île-de-France in our local neighborhood wine shops soon (that is, as long as your local neighborhood wine shop is located somewhere in or close to Paris).

Welcome to the World, Île-de-France PGI!

References/for more information:

• Cahier des Charges IGP Ile de France
• https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/historique/28-05-2020
• https://www.vitisphere.com/news-88788-Paris-has-its-own-geographical-indication.htm?fbclid=IwAR3TEfLuOoIQOOAUgtxw22ywHKQBPWof_smZ6Wm6ZcZRG4pefZA0U1_Vz_8
• https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/paris-ile-de-france/paris/grand-paris/vins-franciliens-obtiennent-enfin-indication-geographique-protegee-1788151.html?fbclid=IwAR3VLDWxKIYzeXWimVh8pCu4FSsq_9xEM-JUr5N4WABKHr4t1lS0tkA4AR8
• https://www.paris-bistro.com/vin/bacchus-a-paris/vignerons-franciliens-reunis
• https://en.suresnes-tourisme.com/vineyard-of-suresnes.html
• https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vignoble_d%27%C3%8Ele-de-France

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