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Today we have a Conference Preview from Paul Poux, CSW. Paul gives us an update from Tuscany, where he has been busy preparing his session “Super Tuscany” session for SWE’s 40^th Annual Conference.

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Hello from Tuscany, where I have been doing wine ‘research’ for my seminar next month. As you can imagine, it’s a terrible burden but I was glad to make the sacrifice. I started in Chianti. What a fascinating place this is, with history at every turn: the 1716 proclamation establishing the first Tuscan wine zones in Chianti and Carmignano; a Castello-now-winery in Chianti once owned by the family whose daughter was painted by Leonardo, perhaps you have heard of her, Mona Lisa; and the Castello di Brolio, once owned by Barone Ricasoli (I learned it’s pronounced Ri CAH soli), who laid down what he considered the definitive recipe for Chianti in the 1800s, one that even today seems remarkably prescient.

There is more recent history too: a sharecropper-like system for agricultural workers that existed in the area until after World War II; and the development of the straw basket on Chianti bottles, which made this Sangiovese-based wine fashionable for some but concealed a not very good wine underneath. How Chianti developed, changed, and certainly improved is a focus of my seminar.

I was also fascinated by my visit to Montalcino to learn more about Brunello. Brunello is world famous now but just 60 years ago circumstances were very different for both the wine and this now gorgeous hilltop town.

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My last visit was to explore the Super-Tuscans, both in Chianti and in the Bolgheri area, which is by the coast. These bold thinkers wanted to make the best wines they could, whether part of the current DOC system or not, and the world took notice.

What about the wines themselves that we will be tasting? My seminar is one of the last, after lunch on Saturday when many of you could be tired of tasting; however I recommend you pace yourselves during the previous days so you can fully appreciate my lineup! I don’t want to give too much away, but I am excited about the wines. This delicious mix will include a couple of superstars and a couple of surprises, but all will be interesting!

Ciao and see you there!

Paul’s session, entitled “Super Tuscany” will be offered on Saturday, August 13^th at 1:15 pm as part of SWE’s 40^th Annual Conference, to be held in Washington DC. Here’s how Paul describes the session: In the 1960s, Chianti from Italy was incredibly popular in the US and other countries, and quality suffered. A few producers inside and outside Chianti dared to break with wine law and tradition to make better wine – and critics and consumers noticed. The emergence of a new kind of Italian wine, the Super Tuscans, reverberated throughout Tuscany and Italy, leading to important changes in wine law and wine styles, including Chianti. Taste wines from throughout Tuscany that have been part of this fascinating history.

Paul Poux, CSW finds joy in combining food, wine and travel. Paul provides wine education ‘experiences’ to Millennials, and to the rest of us, for wine brands and regions. Paul also does marketing and sponsor management for food and wine festivals around the country.

Paul’s favorite wines are Amarone and Muscadet. Tell him yours at paul@pouxcompany.com.

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Today we have a Conference Preview from Remi Cohen. Remi’s session is entitled “The Role of Viticulture in the Evolution of Napa Valley Wines.” Read on to hear how she describes this session!

Napa Valley is a leader in viticulture and winemaking, producing some of the highest quality wines in the world.  As all truly great wines reflect their origins in the vineyard, the evolution of Napa Valley winemaking can also be understood by examining changes in vineyard practices over the years.  Join us on Thursday, August 11 at 3:15 p.m. as we explore how vineyard practices have evolved over the last 50 years, and how these changes have affected the wines produced in the region.

Napa Valley has a rich and storied history of viticulture that began when George Calvert Yount was the first to plant grapes in Napa Valley in 1839 using cuttings from the Sonoma mission.    The earliest vineyards utilized simple designs based on missionary or European styles.  This was mostly head-trained vines on a wood post and fields were planted to mixed varietal blends.  Commercial wineries flourished from the 1860’s, when Charles Krug created the first commercial winery in 1861, through to Prohibition.

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After the Repeal of Prohibition, the Napa Valley wine and vineyard industry witnessed another resurgence, and one that has not stopped as Napa continues to flourish as a leader in global viticulture and winemaking.

In 1968, Napa County created America’s First Agricultural Preserve, a land-zoning ordinance that established agriculture and open space as the best use for the land in the fertile valley and foothill areas of Napa County. This set the stage for the development of an industry over the next fifty years.  It is interesting to explore how vineyard practices have changed over the course of the next fifty years, and how that has affected wine styles in Napa Valley.

A typical vineyard in Napa Valley in 1975 had vines that were minimally-trained, with vigorous vines that with minimal canopy management. The vines and rows were spaced far apart, and most of the rows were oriented north to south or east to west.  The vineyard floor was heavily cultivated by discing. Often the vineyard was dry-farmed with minimal inputs.  Minimal grape thinning occurred.  Harvest occurred once the grapes achieved 22 to 23 Brix.

By 1995, a lot had changed in viticulture in Napa Valley.   Vineyard acreage had grown by over 30% and Cabernet Sauvignon acreage had nearly doubled. Vines were tightly-trained to a vertically-shoot positioned trellis and heavily manicured.  Vine shoots are tucked, hedged, have laterals and even leaves removed around the clusters.  The vine and row spacing narrowed dramatically so vine density per acre was much higher.  The vineyard floor often had permanent cover crops or at least permanent cover crops in the alternate rows.

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Drip irrigation was used in most vineyards.  Significant crop thinning was used to achieve stylistic and yield goals.  Harvest was at a much higher Brix, often ranging from 24 Brix all the way to 29 or even 30 Brix.

These dramatic changes in viticultural practices made a big impact on the wine styles that were produced from these different vineyard settings.  In my presentation, we will explore how these different viticultural practices impacted wine style from 1975 to 1995. Further, we will look at how current vineyards are being planted, and why, from using traditional techniques to more modern approaches. What does a typical vineyard look like in 2015?  What did a typical Napa Cab taste like in 1975, 1995, and how has that affected the style of wines we see in Napa now?

Remi’s session, “The Role of Viticulture in the Evolution of Napa Valley Wines” will be presented on Thursday, August 11 at 3:15 pm as part of SWE’s 40^th Annual Conference. The session will include the opportunity to taste a range of wines from iconic Napa Valley producers that exemplify the differences in vineyard practices and wine style.

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Remi Cohen is the Vice President and General Manager of Lede Family Wines, encompassing Cliff Lede Vineyards in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley and FEL Wines in the Anderson Valley. In her role, Cohen directs the winemaking process from vineyard to bottle and is responsible for top quality, small-lot winemaking that is expressive of appellation and terroir. In addition, she is a brand ambassador and oversees the distribution of all wines throughout the domestic and international markets.

Born and raised in East Brunswick, New Jersey, Cohen migrated to the West Coast and attended U.C. Berkeley where she received a degree in molecular and cellular biology. Subsequently, she enrolled in the Viticulture and Enology program at U.C. Davis, where she received her Master’s Degree.  Later, Cohen completed her M.B.A. at Golden Gate University in San Francisco.

Cohen is an advocate of sustainable farming practices and has hosted lectures on sustainability and winegrowing at venues including U.C. Berkeley, U.C. Davis, the Commonwealth Club, Society of Wine Educators, and the American Society of Enology and Viticulture. In addition to writing a column for Vineyard & Winery Management, Cohen is on the board of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers and president of the Stags Leap District Winegrowers Association.

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Today we have a conference preview from Nora Favelukes who tells us about her session entitled “Spain’s Single Vineyard Estates.” Read on to hear the story behind Nora’s session!

What do Pago Negrelada from Abadía Retuerta, Emeritus from Dominio de Valdepusa, Centenarias from Mas Doix, Quincha Corral from Mustiguillo, Finca Valpiedra from Bujanda, III Lustros from Gramona, Secastilla from Viñas del Vero and Numanthia from Numanthia have in common?

They are all Single Vineyard wines from Spain’s top wineries and will be showcased at my seminar for the Society of Wine Educators (SWE)’s 2016 Conference this upcoming August!

Old World – New World

When using the terms “Old World” to refer to traditional European winegrowing regions and “New World” to refer to winegrowing regions in countries colonized by these Europeans, are we taking into account merely geographic attributes? Or is it also about their differences in style? Lighter body, earthy and mineral wines vs. riper, full-bodied, fruit forward wines? Or is it about traditional methods of winemaking vs. modern vineyard management and vinification techniques? What a conundrum!

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In the mid- nineties, I visited Bodegas Faustino in Rioja, Spain, and for the first time I was exposed to the earthy complex aromas and flavors of Rioja wines. I have a vivid memory of their 1964 Gran Reserva. This superb wine opened my eyes and heart to the magnificence of traditional winemaking at its highest level. At that time, I knew for sure the difference between Old World and New World wines.

In 2010, when I started to travel extensively throughout Spain and to work with individual wineries – Co-ops and DOs – I realized that there was more to Spain than what I had seen in my previous visits. There was a new wave of dynamic producers making high quality and modern style wines across all regions. Welcome to the New World of Spanish Wines!

In this “New World”, rigid laws regarding authorized varietals and aging restrictions enforced by the regional DO’s are broke. Producers are now testing the true potential of their unique indigenous grapes, planting international varieties, searching for the best terroirs and practicing new vinification and aging techniques to produce the wines they envision.

A Word from the Protagonists

In preparation for my session, I interviewed several iconic figures responsible for this new era.

Carlos Falcó, Marqués de Griñón–Chairman and Founder of Grandes Pagos de España

I spoke with Carlos Falcó – Marqués de Griñón, a fascinating Renaissance man. Predestined to follow a career in the military, he went against his family’s wishes and became an agricultural engineer with the goal of producing a Grand Cru wine in Spain. A pioneer in the modernization of Spanish viticulture and winemaking, Carlos Falcó is responsible for the creation of the “Vinos de Pago” Designation of Origin and chairman and founder of Grandes Pagos de España. “In 1974, I planted Cabernet Sauvignon cuttings in Dominio de Valdepusa, our estate dating back to 1292 –a risky undertaking as it was illegal at that time to plant international varietals. In 2002, Dominio de Valdepusa was granted the first PAGO denomination. By 2003, it was ratified by the European Union, the first Spanish estate to receive such recognition, only previously obtained by Romanée-Conti in Burgundy and Sassicaia in Toscana,” Carlos recalls. “Both my friend Mariano García from Vega Sicilia and I objected to the status quo in winemaking at that time and in 2000, we founded Grandes Pagos de Castilla to face the many challenges we were experiencing; among them, restrictions on exports for smaller producers. In 2003, we changed its name to Grandes Pagos de España to include single vineyard estates from all around the country. Today, our organization counts with 29 winery members. Now, I am doing the same for Spanish Extra Virgin olive oils,” he adds.

Bodegas Mustiguillo–Bobal Bush Vines

I found a similar drive in Antonio Sarrión from Bodegas Mustiguillo. His family has grown grapes in Utiel, Valencia for many generations but had never made wines before. This changed with Antonio –an economist by trade who became a leading producer of high quality wines in his region and an authority on Bobal. “I started to produce wines with a fresh new eye and a clear vision of the style of wine I wanted to achieve. I explored Bobal’s potential by cutting bunches from the vines during spring time. I remember hiding from my father the leftover grapes; otherwise, he would have been very upset to see me throwing them out,” he shares. Antonio mentioned how difficult it was to sell high-quality Bobal wines at that early stage, especially being outside the DO’s umbrella. Today, he is focused in developing new and innovative ways to produce Bobal wines and grow Mustiguillo’s international markets.

Finca Valpiedra Soils

Farmers since 1889 and pioneers in Rioja, the Martínez Bujanda family has always believed that quality starts in the vineyard, and consequently focused their attention on the search for the best terroirs in privileged Spanish enclaves to produce wines true to the character of the local varieties. “We are proud owners of 495 acres between Rioja Alta and Alavesa, 198 of which are located in a very special geographical area where the River Ebro creates a meander with terraces and a mantle of alluvial boulders and calcareous stony soils that provide great drainage,” explains Diego Martínez, Bujanda’s Commercial Director. “In this vineyard with vines ranging from 45 to 110 years old (many of them pre-phylloxera), we decided to create a Chateau wine. Therefore, in 1994, we launched our first vintage of Finca Valpiedra and in 1997, we built the winery – a true example of the Familia Martínez Bujanda’s pioneering spirit.”

Abadía Retuerta

Abadía Retuerta, a 12th century monastery located in the heart of the Duero Valley, is today home to one of Spain’s most spectacular wineries. Records show that vineyards existed since 1315, but none were found in 1988 when the current owners decided to restore this historical monument and build a Michelin star luxury hotel-restaurant and to start producing top wines.  “Our 440+ acres of vineyards with diverse soils, altitude range and orientation to the sun were divided into 54 different plots to produce wines with distinctive character,” reveals Enrique Valero, Abadía Retuerta’s CEO. “Our philosophy is based on a great respect for our thousand-year-old tradition, historic legacy and the relationship between our surroundings and our people,” he says.

An Invitation

Join Nora Z. Favelukes on this fascinating journey through Spain’s four corners to find wines and stories that bring forth to this new chapter of Spain’s wine industry.  Four valuable expert testimonies and eight extraordinary wines are just a highlight of what it is yet to come at the Society of Wine Educators’ 40th Annual Conference.

This seminar will be held as part of SWE’s 40^th Annual Conference at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC – August 11^th   at 11 am.

Photo credit: Don Kinnan

Today we have a SWE Conference preview about the “Exploring the Backroads of the Côte d’Or” session to be held on Saturday, August 13th. The presenter for this session is Don Kinnan, CSS, CWE.

Why pay for glamor?

Who can afford to pay hundreds of dollars for premier and grand cru wines like those from Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée, and Volnay?  Even at the village-level classification, wines from these villages can easily exceed $60 a bottle, especially if coming from a notable producer.

There is a kinder, gentler side to Côte-d’Or pricing, if you are willing to explore the backroads.  Burgundy insiders have long known that certain lesser-known Côte-d’Or appellations can provide wine experiences at the level of their more illustrious neighbors, and at a fraction of the price.  Appellations which come to mind are Marsannay, Fixin, Pernand-Vergelesses, and Savigny-lès-Beaune.  There are others but we will focus on these four for our upcoming session at this year’s SWE Conference, Exploring the Backroads of the Cote d’Or.

Vineyards of Fixin – photo credit: Don Kinnan

A recent winesearcher.com review showed village wine pricing as follows:

• Marsannay Rouge– less than $20/bottle
• Fixin Rouge–$30/ bottle
• Pernand-Vergelesses Rouge–$34/ bottle
• Savigny-lès-Beaune–$37/ bottle
• Gevrey-Chambertin–$57/ bottle
• Chambolle-Musigny–$66/ bottle
• Vosne-Romanée–$60/ bottle
• Volnay–$60/ bottle

The price differential can be much greater at higher classification levels.  One might ask why such a differential exists if quality is nearly comparable.  The explanation is not always simple.  Ultimately, pricing is a function of the market.  Supply and demand normally drive pricing of a product.  With regard to these wines, supply is a relatively fixed number, determined by AOC regulations and vintage variables.  Demand, on the other hand, is influenced by many factors, including wine critic reviews, product distribution, promotion, and availability, celebrity endorsement, and peer recommendation.

Photo credit: Don Kinnan

Does the fact that Napoleon’s favorite wine came from Gevrey-Chambertin and that a current vintage of Romanée-Conti from Vosne-Romanée is selling for $13,000/bottle create demand or add glamor to these appellations?  Perhaps so.

Conversely, who can even pronounce or spell Pernand-Vergelesses?  Yet, Pernand-Vergelesses has 42 acres of the prestigious Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru vineyard within its communal boundaries.  Certainly this is a testimony to the high general terroir quality of the village’s vineyards.

Thus, while Pernand-Vergelesses has substance, it lacks glamor.  Similar circumstances apply to Marsannay, Fixin, and Savigny-lès-Beaune.  For many Burgundy wine lovers, these relatively obscure wines appellations are waiting to be discovered.  Burgundians themselves have long cherished these less renowned wines, savoring them while reserving their more expensive brethren for special occasions.

During our session at the conference, we will delve into the back stories of these overlooked appellations, and taste some excellent examples which exude their unique substance.  Come join us.  Don’s session, Exploring the Backroads of the Côte d’Or, will be presented on Saturday, August 13^th at 3:00 pm as part of SWE’s 40^th Annual Conference, to be held in Washington DC.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Today we have a SWE Conference preview about the “Explore Aquavit, the Spirit of the Nordics” session to be held on Saturday, August 13th. This session will be led by Christer Anders Olsen:

Aquavit has been the national spirit of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland for more than 500 years. We can truly call it the Spirit of the Nordics.

The first known mention of Aquavit dates back to the year 1539, when the Archbishop of Trondheim, Norway received a letter and an offering of “Aqua Vitae” from loyal supporters in Bergen. The letter boldly stated that “Aqua Vitae,” the water of life, had the power to cure “any illness within, from which man might suffer”. And so the spirit quickly gained popularity.

Today, Aquavit is a thriving category in the Nordic countries. The beloved Aalborg Taffel Akvavit is the No. 1 selling spirit products across all categories in Denmark, and the Aalborg range has been broadened to include a large series of Aquavits intended for both food-pairing and mixology.

AALBORG TAFFEL AKVAVIT

Iceland’s Aquavit tradition relates to that of Denmark, while Swedes love their milder, often sweeter Aquavit for all festive occasions, including mid-summer parties, crayfish dinners, Christmas dinners, or your neighbor’s informal invite.

Linie Aquavit is the flagship spirit of Norway, is available in the United States. In Norway we have witnessed an Aquavit revolution over the last 30 years and there are now almost 200 (!) different Aquavits for sale in the market. The category is steadily growing its share–outperforming gin, whisky and vodka.

Outside Scandinavia, including in the United States, Aquavit has remained largely unknown and unexplored by both professionals and consumers alike. Misunderstood even. Consequently, the Nordic spirit has not received the attention it deserves. Until now.

LINIE AQUAVIT

Recently we have started seeing a surge for Aquavit in trend-setting mixology environments around the world. Look up the menu of bars such as The Artesian in London, five-year consecutive winner of “Best Bar in the World” by Drinks Magazine International, and you will find Aquavit in cocktails.

Explore award-winning New Nordic Cuisine by renown chefs such as Claus Meyer of Copenhagen and you will find Aquavit as a key ingredient in dishes as well as a neat drink to pair with the flavor profile of his food. New Aquavits made by domestic micro-distilleries in the U.S. are popping up in large numbers. And in Portland, OR there is even an annual Aquavit Week that celebrates the spirit in cocktails and mixed drinks of all sorts, started by voluntary enthusiasts.

“If gin and whisky had a baby, it would be Aquavit”, a bartender funnily stated while mixing his drinks. Aquavit is such a versatile and unexplored category–it is similar to gin from a distillation point of view (instead of juniper berries we use caraway seeds and a number of other herbs and spices for flavor).  It is similar to whiskies and dark spirits from a barrel maturation point of view.

AALBORG JUBILAEUMS AKVAVIT

In Norway, by law all aquavits must go through a wooden barrel maturation process.  Sherry barrels, port barrels, madeira barrels, and others are used. In Denmark, Iceland and Sweden, however,  Aquavit is rarely matured and remains a clear spirit. Even the base alcohol is different, where Norway uses potato-based spirits other countries rely on grain-based alcohol.

And we haven’t even mentioned yet that we ship some of it around the world on vessels that cross the equator twice on their journey from Norway to the U.S. through the Panama Canal, to Australia, Singapore, Japan, to USA and back across the Atlantic…

Come meet the world’s biggest Aquavit producer and explore Aquavit with us! The session, “Explore Aquavit, the Spirit of the Nordics,”presented by Christer Anders Olsen, will be offered on Saturday August 13 at 1:15 pm as part of SWE’s 40^th Annual Conference! Learn about the diversity of the category and understand what makes the Nordic Aquavits you can get in the USA so different.

About the products in the pictures:

• LINIE AQUAVIT: barrel-aged according to Norwegian tradition. Matured at sea across the world for four months
• AALBORG TAFFEL AKVAVIT: the eternal Danish classic, caraway forward with a delicate aftertaste of citrus
• AALBORG JUBILAEUMS AKVAVIT: the most-known export brand in the Aalborg family. Milder and softer, based not on caraway but dill seeds and coriander.

Today we have a SWE Conference preview about the “Mindset and the Millennial Learner” session to be held on Friday, August 12^th. The presenters are Sarah Malik DWS, CWE, CSS; and Dr. Alistair Williams:

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The Millennials–also known as Generation Y–are a new generation of student learners who are so different from previous generations that one has to understand how their minds truly work to allow effective instruction and learning.

This is the generation responsible for major shifts in the beer, wine and spirit industry that should affect the way many companies are approaching sales and marketing. Millennials are responsible for 42% of all wine consumption in the United States. In terms of both the beverage industry and beverage education, this is a generation that should not be taken for granted.

The teaching methods that work for millennial learners include flipped classrooms, social media, blogs, engaging visuals, and interactive learning. Now, we need to move to integrate these techniques into the world of wine, spirits, and beer education.

This session is going to emphasize the importance of millennials within the beverage industry as well as the unique characteristics they bring to the classroom. We intend to demonstrate how to facilitate learning in order to engage the interest of the millennial learner in order to make time in a classroom a more meaningful experience for everyone involved.

The conference session audience will take the role of the millennial and participate in a typical classroom environment with interactive instruction and assessment. It is your turn to be a millennial learner!

Alistair Williams, Ph.D–Alistair Williams holds a Doctorate in Hospitality Marketing from Leeds University and a master’s degree in the analysis of consumer decision process from the University of Huddersfield. Williams has worked in the hospitality sector internationally both in the industry and academia. He is currently a professor at Johnson and Wales University Charlotte where he teaches Marketing, Brewing Arts, and Spirits and Mixology.

Sarah Malik, CSS, CWE, DWS–Sarah Malik is an Associate Professor at Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte, NC. Her focus is wine education. She joined the faculty at Johnson & Wales University Providence in 1995, after completing a teacher job exchange. In 2003 she was honored as teacher of the year. Prior to that, she worked Bass Charrington Breweries in the UK before joining Hilton International and Queens Moat Houses as a Food and Beverage Manager. She eventually moved to Switzerland where she taught for five years in Hotel Consult, Le Bouveret and DCT in Lucerne, Switzerland. Sarah is also an International Bordeaux Wine Educator and has successfully completed the Napa Valley Wine Educators Academy. Ms. Malik’s education includes BTEC HND Hotel Management and Institutional Catering Manchester Metropolitan University and a UKMasters of Business Administration from Oxford Brookes University UK.

Mindset and the Millennial Learner will be presented on Friday, August 12^th as part of SWE’s 40^th Annual Conference in Washington, DC.

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Today we have a conference preview from Jordan Cowe, CWE. Jordan, a favorite presenter for SWE’s SWEbinars and conferences alike, tells us about his session titled Northern Reaches: A Time to Shine for Canadian Wine.

The sun is setting over the water and the temperature is dropping bringing a bit of relief to a 100°F day in the vineyard. Sitting here, surrounded by Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, it is hard to believe that we are in Canada. Where I am, at Canada’s southernmost point, I’m on the same latitude as friends out in northern California, and there region I am in charts heat units that compare to those of Napa Valley.

Canada might be associated with the frigidly-named icewine, and many Americans cross our border expecting snow and polar bears–but our growing regions aren’t nearly as cold as most people think they are!

Growing wine in Canada is complicated; every step of the process is at the will of Mother Nature and what she gives us. Year after year we learn more and more about how to handle nature’s surprises and to produce wines that are now rivaling the best from around the world. The summer of 2015 was unusually cool throughout Ontario, yet patience and knowledge allowed some growers to continue ripening all the way through November–this produced outstanding wines that may serve as a benchmark vintage for quality.

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This success followed the winters of 2014 and 2015 where we saw the coldest temperatures in about 30 years. Such low temperatures (negative 30°) would spell disaster for most regions, and while we suffered losses, precise vineyard practices and modern technology have allowed many of our vines to survive and our vineyards to continue.

The wine regions that dot Canada from coast to coast have faced similar problems. Out in British Columbia on Canada’s west coast, the regions closer to the coast can suffer the effects of mild and rainy summers while on the other side of the province the Okanagan valley can be a hot, dry near-desert like growing environment. If you cross the country to the Atlantic Provinces you find relentlessly driven producers in Nova Scotia finding small pockets of land that are just right for grape growing and, against all odds, are producing absolutely outstanding sparkling wines and dry white wines.

For all the things that are said about Canadians, the one that is always forgotten is our resilience and determination in the face of winter.

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As a nation, we are very well-known for our outstanding, centuries-old beer and whisky industries; so, in comparison, our wine industry is an infant. Gaining our first international awards and recognition in the early 1990s and only recently showing up on anyone’s radar, Canadian wines are still largely unknown. From Chardonnay and Riesling in the whites to Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and more in the reds, Canada is producing outstanding wines that next to nobody has tried.

Take the opportunity to join Jordan to taste and learn about some of the hidden gems produced in this only sometimes frozen corner of the world at this year’s SWE Conference. Jordan Cowe is a Certified Wine Educator from Canada’s Niagara Region. A lover of the unusual and misunderstood areas of the wine world he is right at home in with Canadian wines which continually give him an opportunity to break expectations and expose students and guests to something new. Jordan’s session will be held on Saturday, August 13^th at 10:30 am.

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Today we have a Conference Preview  about a session to be presented by Dr. Robert Sechrist. Robert’s session is titled “What is so Great about Oak”? Read on for some very interesting thoughts about oak–it is pretty impressive–and its impact on the flavor of wine and spirits.

I love oak.  It looks great whether it is furniture, paneling, ships, barrels or still in the tree.  I admire the lone oak standing tall amid a field for its symmetry, strength and perseverance.   I am not the only one. Ancient Celtic peoples of northern Europe were apparently the first to revere the oak for these same properties.

The Celts integrated the oak into their daily lives and their pantheon of gods.  Ancient Celts observed the oak’s massive growth and impressive expanse. They viewed oak as a cosmic storehouse of wisdom embodied within its towering strength.  To them the oak was to be honored for its endurance, and noble presence. Oak became broadly symbolic of the good side of human behavior.  The list of traits associated with oak is impressive: Life, Strength, Wisdom, Nobility, Family, Loyalty, Power, Longevity, Heritage, Honor, Humble beginnings, Patience, Faith, Endurance, and Hospitality.  Because of these traits, meetings between warring parties often took place in the shade of an oak tree.  These trees are commemorated.  In 1999, the Connecticut Charter Oak was pictured on the quarter. In 2004, Congress declared the Oak the national tree.

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The traits attributed to oak are justified.  Oak is a keystone genus.  Wherever it grows it is the dominant species; depended on by numerous other plants, animals, and fungi for their lives.  Mistletoe grows parasitically on oak trees.  Can one imagine oak trees without squirrels?  Birds build nests in them and from their twigs.  Insects thrive amongst their branches.  Mosses and mushrooms often surround them.  The wild vines climb their branches.

The vine and the oak have much in common.  They are both prized by humans for their properties and practical uses.  Oak symbols are as common as vine and grape symbols in our society.  The vine is the symbolic plant of Mediterranean Europe and the oak the symbolic plant of Northern Europe.  Wine associated with Dionysus intoxicates drawing the god within.  Oak attracts lightening showing the power of the gods to rend and destroy the strongest living thing in the Celtic world.

Both oak and vine are native to the northern hemisphere in the 30 to 50 degrees of latitude band.  They are pollenated without the aid of insects.  The two genera are non-specialized and hybridize easily.  Where they grow, they are keystone species.  Tree and vine have experienced devastating invading insect infestations: Phylloxera attacking vines and the Gypsy Moth attacking oaks.  They both are sources of tannin.

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We all know wine and spirits interact with oak to modify the flavors and aromas of the liquid. The modifications are difficult to pin down because each product employs just one of the oak options.  We are generally not privy to products from one vineyard, or batch, exposed to a variety of oak treatments.  In the upcoming presentation participants will taste corn whiskey made at the Disobedient Spirits Distillery in Homer City, Pennsylvania treated with two oak species (French & American) at three toasting levels (Medium, Medium+, and Heavy) each.  In addition, the same corn whiskey is treated with hickory, pecan, and mesquite woods to allow participants to experience the effects of non-oak woods.  There will, of course, be a white whiskey as a control.

Dr. Robert Sechrist, CSW earned his doctorate in Geography from Louisiana State University in 1986. That same year he joined the faculty at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He was originally was hired to develop and implement Geographic Information System courses, and in 1999 created and started teaching a new course—GEOG261: the Geography of Wine. Since then, Dr. Sechrist has taught the course over forty times, while focusing his academic research on the statistical and geo-spatial analysis of wine databases. Robert is the current chair of the Association of American Geographer’s Wine, Beer, and Spirits specialty group, and in 2012, began a “second career” as a craft distiller with the formation of Disobedient Spirits LLC. His session, “What is so great about Oak”? will be held on Saturday,  August 13, 2016 at 3:00 pm, as part of SWE’s 40^th Annual Conference.

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Panoramic view of Montepulciano

Today we have a Conference Preview on a session to be presented by Paul Wagner and Silvia Loriga entitled Vino Nobile di Montepulciano: Tuscany’s Tiny Gem. Read on for some thoughts on the session written by Paul Wagner:

The first time I visited Montepulciano, I was there to research a project for introducing the wines into the larger consciousness of the US Market.  I was looking forward to learning more about the wines, but I wasn’t expecting a state visit.

All that changed when the people from the Consorzio office asked if we would like to meet the mayor of Montepulciano, a town of roughly five thousand in habitants that perches high atop a hill in the province of Siena.  We expected a short greeting, a quick shake of the hands, and a few minutes of small talk interjected into our day of tasting, visiting wineries, and tasting more wines.

But we were wrong.

Montepulciano’s “Town Hall”

The first clue was when we were shown the city hall. Built in the 16th century as a monument to the influence of the Medici’s in nearby Florence, it sits on the main piazza (Palazzo Pubblico) of Montepulciano, and dominates the square.  (Fans of the Twilight films will recognize it immediately.) The other buildings on the main square are a palace that holds the Consorzio’s offices, another palace that is home to the Contucci family and its winery, and the unfinished Cathedral.  There’s no question who is in charge here, and the Palazzo Communale, or city hall, is an architectural masterpiece, clearly emulating the Palazzo Vecchio of Florence.

At the appointed hour we entered the massive front door and walked up the marble staircase to the second floor, where we were to find the mayor in his office, only to be greeted by five well-dressed older men who introduced themselves as the assistants to the mayor.  The mayor was quite busy that morning, and so we were very formally introduced to his consiglieri–this in a town of 5,000 people.

Just as our conversation bogged down a bit, the mayor appeared, and we went through the formal introductions all over again.  The mayor invited us into his office, where we sat around a huge table, joined by all of his consiglieri.  He waited for us to get comfortable and then made a speech, welcoming us to Montepulciano, and stressing the importance of wine in both the history and future of the town.  Then he waited.

The Sanctuary of San Biagio in Montepulciano

I took this as a cue, and made a speech thanking him and his staff for being so kind, and assuring him that we were fully committed to continuing that grand traditional of viticultural success.  He thanked me, and then invited his primary consigliero to make a speech.  And then one of the experts in my group responded with a speech.  And around the table we went.  Everyone had an opportunity to make his or her opinion known, and everyone felt included in the conversation.  It was quite a ceremony.

When no more speeches were forthcoming, the mayor thanked us and stood up, and we followed suit.  His consiglieri brought him gifts which he bestowed on us, and amid countless handshakes and smiles, we were formally escorted back to the gleaming marble stairwell to continue our visit to Montepulciano.

As I walked back out into the sunlit piazza of Montepulciano, I had a pure sense of time.  Surely such meetings had happened for five hundred years in the Palazzo Communale, with generations of VIPs before me.  And now I could say that I had been a part of that tradition–and it was time to taste some wine.

Before we left Montepulciano that day, we were invited to visit the museum in town (Museo Civico Montepulciano) just blocks off the piazza.  It was normally closed, but the mayor had asked the director to open it that day for us, and to give us a tour.  Apparently, there was some excitement about a new exhibit there.

Portrait of a Gentleman (Scipione Borghese?) by Caravaggio (1598-1604)-photo via Wikimedia Commons

As we toured the museum the director could not help but give us a knowing smile every once in a while.  And at the end of the tour, we learned why.  In a newly constructed exhibit, she showed us through a door into a room with a stunning painting (Portrait of a Gentleman) by Caravaggio.  It had been discovered by an expert who was visiting the museum the previous year.  Hanging high on the wall in a neglected corner of the museum, the painting caught the attention of the international expert, who suggested that it might actually be quite an important painting.

Now ensconced in a place of honor, Caravaggio’s newly cleaned and restored work glowed with character—a true masterpiece with roots centuries old, yet still conveying the beauty, elegance and charm to admirers today.

At this year’s SWE Conference, Silvia Loriga from the Consorzio office will lead us in a tasting of the noble wines of Montepulciano. While the basics of these wines are similar to their better known neighbors of Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino, the small differences still give the wines a unique opportunity to shine.  In some ways these wines are a bit more focused on tradition than the muscular Brunellos or the constantly evolving Chianti Classicos.  But that is not to say they don’t have all the makings for great wine:  concentration, elegance, and a clear statement of style.  This session–Vino Nobile di Montepulciano: Tuscany’s Tiny Gem–will be held on Friday, August 12, 2016 at 10:30 am.

Photo Credit: Consorzio di Tutela del Vino Conegliano Valdobbiadene

Today we have a Conference Preview on a session to be presented by Alan Tardi. Alan’s session is entitled “Diamonds in the Rough: The Many Facets of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG”

Prosecco is enjoying an incredible boom in popularity throughout the world, a meteoric rise that has not yet reached its peak. But most consumers—and even many wine professionals—have no idea what it really is.

Most people think of Prosecco as a ‘simple’ (as in without much character), pleasant, easily quaffable, inexpensive alternative to Champagne. And it is—but there is much more to this quintessentially Italian sparkler than that.

First of all (unlike Champagne) there is not just one Prosecco appellation but three: two of them—Prosecco DOC and Asolo Prosecco DOCG—were created in 2010 at the same time that the classic area of Prosecco production was upgraded from DOC to DOCG and renamed Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco after its two principal towns. Needless to say, the new name throws a big obstacle before most consumers who are simply looking for a nice bottle of bubbly, and the multiple appellations yet another. But the confusion (which many retailers are not adequately equipped to clarify for their customers) obscures a critical fact: there is an enormous, fundamental distinction between DOC and DOCG that has to do with the growing area.

The new DOC covers an extensive area encompassing two regions (Veneto and Friuli), nine provinces, and 556 towns, and much of it is in flat areas that can be mechanically worked, all of which provides much higher yields at a much lower cost. On the other hand, the tiny Conegliano Valdobbiadene area—consisting of 15 small municipalities—is completely up in the hills, many of which are so steep they are difficult to stand up in, and accessible only on foot.

Prosecco Paesaggio Photo Credit: Alan Tardi

The Dolomite Mountains located right behind Conegliano Valdobbiadene form a protective barrier from harsh northern temperatures while the Piave River valley in front of it stretches south to Venice and the Adriatic Sea, creating a unique combination of continental and Mediterranean climates. Moreover, due to complex geologic events, there are numerous different soil types and microclimates within this small area.

The time required to work the vines in this area is extremely high—more than four times higher than in the valley—and most of it is done by thousands of independent farmers tending tiny family plots who supply grapes to the 183 wineries. Over the centuries, these farmers have handcrafted the vineyards to the contours of this dramatic and complex landscape, creating a unique synergy between humans and nature. It is not unusual to find old vines (many over 100 years old) here, and besides the predominant Glera (formerly known as Prosecco) it is also possible to find indigenous varieties such as Verdiso, Perera and Bianchetta Trevigiana.

But this is just the beginning.

Though most Prosecco is made in an autoclave—a technique that was perfected in the late 1800s at Italy’s oldest enology school in Conegliano—not all of it is. The autoclave was not really diffused throughout the area until the post-war resurgence of the1950s and ’60s. Before that, winemakers made still wine, albeit with a natural tendency to re-ferment in bottle (like in Champagne).

Photo Credit: Alan Tardi

While spumante made in autoclaves accounts for nearly 95% of the Prosecco on the market today, many producers continue to make both still Prosecco (known as “tranquillo”) and sparkling wines with second fermentation in bottle in the traditional method leaving the sediment is left inside (“Col Fondo”). Other producers are also experimenting with the Classic Method of second fermentation in bottle with disgorgement.

Finally, though Prosecco has developed the reputation of being a wine that should be consumed as young and fresh as possible, preferably within one year of the vintage, this is not necessarily always the case.

There is much more to Prosecco than meets the eye, and new developments are continuing to taking place as producers search for new (or old) and better ways to express their unique terroir and long winemaking tradition.

The session, “Diamonds in the Rough,” will offer a unique opportunity to explore many different and little known facets of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco through a lineup of unusual wines, many of which are not currently available in the US. To begin with we will have the extremely rare opportunity to sample the four principal indigenous grape varieties of Prosecco side by side in still form. After that we will taste a Prosecco made from a single parcel located inside a Rive (a single village appellation); a Prosecco made from selected grapes of extremely old vines; an extra-brut classic method Prosecco from the famed Cartizze subzone, and another re-fermented in the traditional Col Fondo method. We will cap off this survey with a very special surprise demonstrating that Prosecco does not necessarily have to be drunk within a year.

All in all, this not-to-be-missed session will offer an enlightening glimpse into a fascinating region that is bound to change your opinion of the world’s most popular sparkling wine.

Alan Tardi in the vineyards at Pasquale Catanzariti

Alan Tardi, former NYC chef and restaurateur, has long worked as a freelance journalist authoring articles about wine and food for numerous publications including The New York Times, Wine & Spirits Magazine, The Wine Spectator, Decanter, Sommelier Journal and Food Arts. In 2003, Alan moved to the village of Castiglione Falletto in the heart of the Barolo region in Piedmont, Italy, where he spent years working in the surrounding vineyards and wineries through all phases of the growing and production process. In 2009, Alan began frequenting the Conegliano Valdobbiadene region. After developing a rapport with many local farmers and producers, as well as principals of the governing Consortium, Alan was named the first-ever US Ambassador of Conegliano Valdobbiadene in 2015. His book, Romancing the Vine: Life, Love and Transformation in the Vineyards of Barolo (St Martins Press, 2006) won a James Beard Award for Best Wine and Spirits Book of 2006. His new book on the other sparkling wine “Champagne, Uncorked” was published in late spring 2016.

Alan’s session “Diamonds in the Rough: The Many Facets of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG” will be presented on Friday, August 12, at 8:45 am as part of SWE’s 40^th  Annual Conference.