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Guest Post: Wine as a Small Business: Surviving and Thriving?

  By admin | May 6, 2019 - 7:43 am |
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Today we have a guest post from a frequent contributor that we know as Candi, CSW. Read on to see how Candi learned to appreciate some local small businesses that just happen to be wineries.

Small business is part of my DNA. All of my grandparents were family farmers. My father’s main business was a small electronics firm; as soon as he could, he too purchased a small farm. My brother and I each became self-employed after years of working as an employee. It’s just who we are.

So it stands to reason that I would seek out and support small businesses when it makes financial sense. I may be frugal, but I’m willing to pay a bit of a premium to support local restaurants, shops, etc.

Given my passion for vino, I have sought out opportunities to support small wineries. When we do a tasting trip, I seek out small vintners that I may have never even experienced for the target list. Extra points if the wines can’t be found elsewhere. Over time, direct-from-winery purchases have increased. Why not support wine as a small business and, sometimes, as a small farm?

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Very recently, I learned of a local event that would focus on small California family-owned wineries. It was one of my small-vintner buddies who clued me in, as he would be there. Sounds like another way to get a perspective on wine as a small business, not to mention a perfect way to spend a weekend afternoon. And my trusty designated driver, i.e. husband, willing to step up. I’m there. I’m so there.

The event was organized by an association for its members. More than 60 wineries participated. About 80% of the wineries have an annual case production of less than 10,000; about 30% produce 1,000 or fewer cases per year. Most major regions and a cross-section of AVAs were represented. It appeared that the wineries were targeting visibility to brokers, distributors, on-premise trade, and even direct-to-consumer.

My standard approach to an event of this magnitude is to do pre-event research. Just like tasting trips, I want to narrow the focus. As a professional, I’ve learned that I have a limit before palate fatigue sets in. For safety, education and enjoyment, I respect my personal limitations. To their credit, the association provided detailed information well in advance of the event. Even a spreadsheet listing participants, price ranges, key varietals, and contact information was available. Perfect.

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Prior to the event, I began to receive e-mails from some of the wineries. These detailed what wines would be poured, reminded me to stop by, etc. About 15% of the vintners sent these messages. A nice touch and a way to build anticipation.

For the event, I took a hard copy of my target list. Onsite, things were well-organized and staffed with ample volunteers. User-friendly organization, complete with tables in alphabetical order. A promising start.

Advance information, particularly the winery spreadsheet, proved to be very helpful. I did chat with a few attendees, seemingly Millennials, who preferred the app for smartphones that was also provided prior to the event. Not my cup of tea, nor my glass of vino. Multiple media strategies, however, can be a key way to increase exposure. Whatever is most user-friendly to the attendee is likely be adopted and appreciated.

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Armed with my trusty personal bottle of water, I began to execute my plan. As I limit the number of stops, it allows more time to chat with each vintner and to learn any geeky details or back story they care to share. Fortunately, there was less crowding than I’ve experienced at some events. The best part, for me, is learning from the vintners and staff. Less crowding means I don’t have to move on to be polite.

I learned of some wineries that were founded by “dreamers” later in life as an additional career. Some harvested grapes from tiny plots within key vineyards. Many continue to experience the high cost of doing business, particularly in glam areas like Napa and Sonoma. Most have opened since 2000, some as recently as 2017 and 2018.

Photo via: https://www.rescuedogwines.com/

Photo via: https://www.rescuedogwines.com/

Wineries were generally pouring current releases; there were a few new releases from vintages as new as 2016 for reds and 2018 for whites and roses’. My most interesting takeaway was the vast cross-section of varietals; clearly, some of the vintners had favorite grapes and chose to work with them. And, as I worked my way through my plan, I began to see just how many different varietals I could experience.

To illustrate, here is a list of a few of the wines that made a favorable impression. Granted, pricing and availability vary by location. But due to my frugal mindset, all wines listed are generally priced in the mid double-digits or less.

All of the wines except for Tablas Creek were new to me. I was learning that survival, even thriving, depend upon continued, increasing visibility as a key success factor. And not just for wineries. There were some other encounters. Many with…owners of small businesses.

This was an event done in a no-frills manner. The association relied upon a few sponsors for basic bread, cheese, and crackers so that palates could be cleansed and attendee risk managed. I met a few sponsors, and learned where I can buy their very tasty stuff locally.

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I saw one of my gym buddies there. Her husband is chef/owner of a restaurant. Another small business to seek out and support. Another business card into my bag.

I met the head bartender from one of our favorite restaurants; in fact, the place where we celebrated an anniversary. He noted that their top-selling brand is, yes, from a small winery.

I met folks visiting the area from Oregon. I now have a few recommendations of small wineries in their area to consider on our next tasting trip there.

So it wasn’t just the wineries that were getting increased exposure at the event. My opinion: small businesses need ongoing visibility to survive and even to thrive. That means multiple methods of communication: websites, focused e-mails, social media, word of mouth, any way to get their presence and their story out there.

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Maybe it was just a coincidence. The day after the event, I received an e-mail from a winery. They were liquidating and offering closeout pricing on their remaining inventory. One of those places where I’d signed up for a list years ago, so long ago that I forgot I subscribed to the list. Certainly the first message I’d had from them in years. A case study in what not to do? Possibly.

Since the event, I’ve received e-mails from several of the wineries. Reminders of what was poured, coupon codes for post-event discounts, thank-yous for stopping by. Follow-up and follow-through. Very wise.

If this event was any indication, small wineries remain alive and well. I also realized though, that it’s all about visibility, communication, flexibility, and just being out there.

As a small business owner, I will continue to support the same. Will you consider doing so as well? It is your choice. My choice is….

Small Winery Cheers!

On the Radar: Pamela Wood, CWE, CSW, CS

  By admin | February 10, 2019 - 12:03 pm |
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Pamela Wood teaching to the crowds

Pamela Wood teaching to the crowds

Pamela Wood, CWE, CSW, CS, did not initially intend to find a place in the world of wine.  She was introduced to wine in a Wine Appreciation class at the University of Santa Cruz in the 80s, but took a different career path in real estate finance; she spent a decade at this in the Silicon Valley–Bay area and became the youngest woman to become the regional President of the California Mortgage Brokers Association.

However, she had a passion beyond real estate:  skiing.  She had skied in many places in the United States and Europe, but knowing of its reputation for the best snow around, she moved to Utah in 1998 and pursued a career in the ski industry.  Travelling became a larger part of her life, and she often found herself near a wine region:  Hunter Valley, Champagne, Burgundy, Provence, Tuscany, Piedmont. She realized she had an interest and passion for wine—what goes in the bottle, where it comes from, how its made, the history and culture behind it.  And this was the passion she made her own.

Pamela Wood in Oregon's Willamette Valley

Pamela Wood in Oregon’s Willamette Valley

She also found that her adopted state of Utah did not have the wine education resources that California has.  So she began to study on her own, reading, learning, tasting.  She organized friends and had monthly tastings on a specific topic.  She kept studying, and realized it was time to get serious.  The closest certifying body she could find that seemed to fit into her life was the International Wine Guild in Denver, Colorado; she registered for and passed her Level 1 Sommelier exam.  On the flight back from Denver, she had a voice message from the Park City’s Fox School of Wine asking if she was interested in teaching.

She accepted, and has been teaching there since 2011.  In 2012, she opened the Park City Wine Club, a thriving social members organization, through which she leads wine events, food and wine pairings, wine dinners and private events throughout the Park City area and indeed the state.  She expanded the Club in 2015 to include wine tours, and she has taken people to California, Oregon, Washington, and even to Hawaii for the Kapalua Wine Festival.  In 2019, she will offer a tour to Spain and Southwest France.

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Still, Pamela was eager to learn more, and that’s when she found the Society of Wine Educators.  She sat for and passed the CSW in 2015.   Still yearning for more, she decided to study for the CWE designation.  At the time, she was working for world class resorts, running her own business, and to add still more into the mix was asked to become the wine educator for the Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control for the State of Utah, which involves teaching wine classes to employees of state liquor and wine stores.  So, study time was limited at best.   However, she utilized all the resources she could lay her hands on:  the new CSW workbook, flashcards, quizzes, and other tools offered by the SWE.

She made her way to her first SWE conference this past August in New York, attended the CWE Boot Camp, and took the exam.  She was hoping to pass maybe three areas, but she passed the exam in its entirety on her first attempt, did her presentation in October, and was awarded her CWE on 1 November 2018.

Pamela continues to run the Park City Wine Club.  She has also signed on as the Director of Education for the Culinary Wine Institute, and develops training for resorts and restaurants nationwide to educate servers, increase wine sales, and improve overall customer satisfaction.  And, she continues in her other venues to teach and travel.  She has ended up far from where she thought she would be back at the beginning.  But, as Pamela herself says:  “I am so lucky to have developed my passion into a career, its hard to call this work when you love what you do!”

Guest post written by Reverend Paul Bailey

Conference Preview 2018: Everything in Moderation—including Moderation

  By admin | July 11, 2018 - 8:09 pm |
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Today we have a preview of a session to be presented during SWE’s 42nd Annual Conference, to be held on August 15–17, 2018 in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. Our guest author is Matilde Parente, MD, who tells us about her upcoming session titled “Everything in Moderation Including Moderation: Making Sense of Wine, Alcohol and Health”.

Sub-title: Moderate Drinking Study Gets the Hook

In mid-June, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) put a cork on one of the most ambitious and anticipated studies to date that aimed to answer a prickly question: Is moderate drinking associated with certain health and survival benefits?

The scope of the 10-year study was far reaching. It planned to enroll almost 8,000 volunteers aged 50-plus from three continents. To avoid bias, half would be selected at random to consume 15 grams of alcohol a day, just more than a U.S. standard drink, and the other half would abstain. After following the volunteers for many years, the scientists would then compare the rates of heart disease and diabetes to see which group included fewer people who had died, had strokes or heart attacks or had developed diabetes.

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The researchers raised $100 million to fund this unprecedented trial. The results would have been eagerly awaited by all interested in knowing whether drinking alcohol in moderate amounts offers real, measurable and meaningful health benefits in real-world adults, not just in test tubes and in lab animals. What’s more, the trial would be partly backed by the NIH—the nation’s leading center for biomedical and public health

research—and its participating scientists included researchers from prestigious medical centers and teaching institutions. It was all a big wow.

That is, until it wasn’t. In March 2018, a month after the first volunteers began to enroll, a front-page story in the New York Times revealed several irregularities that eventually caused backers of the trial to withdraw their support and the NIH to shut down the study. Among them were concerns about the integrity of the trial, controversy involving certain researchers and whether there was a possible prejudice to produce results favorable to major backers of the study, that is, the alcohol industry. The investigation also prompted some scientists to ask whether the relatively brief follow-up period of about six years was enough to detect a possible increased risk of cancer or heart failure among the drinkers, questions that the original study was not designed to address.

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Sadly, the study was also not designed to address whether the Yankees might go all the way this year or whether Mount Etna will go rogue and lay waste to vineyards producing those delicious Etna reds we’ve come to savor. It’s all a mystery.

In all seriousness, what’s not a mystery is that despite the NIH study getting the hook, plenty of solid science surrounds the moderation-health connection. In my presentation, I’ll describe the latest findings in plain English, pro and con. I’ll also examine a few key points about the raging alcohol and cancer controversies, including what everyone can do right now to lower their risks. Plus, I’ll be sharing the latest groundbreaking efforts to address alcohol use disorders, with optimism and surprises to spare. Among other topics to tackle are alcohol and dementia, weight, sensitivities and genes. Headaches, hangovers and the ‘healthification’ of wine will also have their moments. We’ve got lots to cover so bring your questions, and come along for this wild ride.

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About the speaker: Matilde Parente, MD, CSW is board-certified in pathology and integrative holistic medicine. Matilde co-founded WinewomenPSP and created their popular blog, later serving as wine director and wine educator at a southern California culinary school for five years. She is a member of the Renaud Society, an international society of medical and wine professionals, and a wine judge for the Society’s wine competitions. She thrills and tantalizes all levels of wine enthusiasts as a featured speaker and wine whisperer for connoisseurs and collectors, tasting groups, corporate fun-seekers and dinner partygoers. Matilde writes on wine for online, new media and print publications, is a frequent radio guest and is the author of Resveratrol and Healing Ways: An Integrative Health Sourcebook. She recently co-edited a four-volume genetics textbook (in press). An avowed “wine-ologist,” she blogs about local finds, wine travel and all-things-vinous at www.writeonwines.com and tweets @winefoodhealth.

Tilda’s session, Everything in Moderation Including Moderation: Making Sense of Wine, Alcohol and Health, will be presented on Thursday, August 16th at 8:45 am as part of SWE’s 42nd Annual Conference, to be held in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State.

Conference Preview 2018: Dueling Bubbles

  By admin | June 14, 2018 - 5:30 pm |
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Today we have a preview of a session to be presented during SWE’s 42nd Annual Conference, to be held on August 15–17, 2018 in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. Our guest author is Alan Tardi, who tells us about his upcoming session entitled Dueling Bubbles: A Comparative Examination of the Two Most Popular Sparkling Wines in the World.

Champagne Mangoes?

Champagne Mangoes?

I hate it when the name of a famous or prestigious wine category is used as a benchmark for another one — usually one that is less famous or prestigious. And no wine has been subjected to this more often and in more ways than Champagne.

Sometimes the comparison is made out of context altogether: the mangoes that I buy are labeled “Champagne Mangoes,” presumably as a self-proclamation of their high quality (they don’t look or taste anything like Champagne but they are, in fact, really good). There’s also a type of table grape called “Champagne Grapes” apparently because of their tiny bubble-like berries (though these grapes are definitely not one of the seven — yes, seven! — approved varieties for Champagne).

And sometimes other beverages that are not even wine attempt to usurp Champagne’s luster, such as “Miller High Life, the Champagne of Bottled Beers.” [The campaign was originally launched in 1903 when, it could be argued, very few Americans had any first-hand experience with Champagne — many didn’t even have much experience with beer in a bottle — and even the very lowest rung of the champagne ladder was economically out of reach for most of them. Beer, however, was not, and this one was pale and frothy and came in a clear slope-shouldered bottle just like you know what. The moniker was abandoned in 1989 in exchange for “America’s Quality Beer Since 1855” but less than a decade later ‘Champagne’ was back on the label and remains there to this day.]

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When it comes to wine, most American consumers now understand that there is something a little bit fishy about the very idea of “California Champagne” though many would still have a hard time articulating exactly what it is. But many American wine drinkers still feel the need to put one wine category up against another in order to get a handle on it: Pinot Noir is the new Merlot; crisp Pinot Grigio is the au courant alternative to over-oaked Chardonnay; Prosecco is the new, hip, economical, everyday alternative to old, stuffy, expensive, special-occasion Champagne.

Worst of all is when two inculpable beverages are thrown into a competitive arena like two gladiators thrust into an all-out fight to the dregs.

So why, you rightly ask, would I do it in my SWE conference session title?

Okay, I admit it: I came up with the “Dueling Bubbles” title solely to catch your attention and, perhaps, whet your bubbly appetite. (And it worked, didn’t it?)

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The honest truth is no duel is going to take place on my watch: in fact, the two wines have no quarrel at all, much less a need to fight it out. In my presentation, just like in that soundtrack from Deliverance, the two categories will alternate back and forth between one and the other in a sort of playful intertwining in which the two voices will be clearly distinct, mutually informative, mutually respectful and completely non-combative.

The fact is that there’s a big difference between competition (not to mention overly creative marketing) and comparison.

We wine drinkers compare things all the time. Every time we try to nail down something we’re smelling or tasting in a wine, we do so by comparing it to something else we have smelled or tasted before, and we naturally evaluate wines on the basis of others we have previously experienced. In a similar way, comparing two different types of wine can be very interesting and very useful in helping to better understand them. But there certainly doesn’t have to be a winner or loser.

I think we can all agree that Champagne and Prosecco are two very different wines. Even more important to note is that Champagne and Prosecco are two totally distinct and individual winemaking traditions, unlike many other sparkling wines — including three other Italian appellations — that were created in direct imitation of the French icon.

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The differences between Champagne and Prosecco are obvious: grape varieties, growing area and (for the most part) production method (not to mention price category). But what is really surprising and insight provoking are the similarities in the origin and evolution of the two categories, albeit on a different timeline.

Delving deeply into the history of Champagne while researching my book “Champagne, Uncorked: The House of Krug and the Timeless Allure of the World’s Most Celebrated Drink” (Hachette 2016), I started having frequent episodes of déjà vu in a sort of time/space/language warp, encountering over and over again essential commonalities between Champagne and Prosecco despite their significant differences and near complete independence.

And that’s what this session is all about.

I won’t go into details of what these commonalities are — for that you’ll either have to attend the session or, if you can’t make it, look for the presentation slides on the SWE website following the conference. I will say, however, that the end result will be a much deeper understanding and appreciation of both wines, especially Prosecco. And I’ll also give you a preview of the exceptional wines and wineries that will be featured (barring, of course, any delivery snafus).

Here they are:

  • Adami — Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore “Giardino” Asciutto
  • Bellenda — Conegliano Prosecco Superiore “S.C. 1931” Metodo Classico
  • Bortolomiol — Rive di S. Pietro Barbozza Brut Nature “Motus Vitae”
  • Cá dei Zago — Valdobbiadene Prosecco Col Fondo
  • Gregoletto — Colli Trevigiani Verdiso Tranquillo
  • Mongarda — Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Extra- Dry “Rive Alte”
  • Nino Franco — Grave di Stecca
  • Sanfeletto — Conegliano Prosecco Tranquillo “Gastalda”
  • Silvano Follador  — Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze Brut Nature
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About the speaker: 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 Piemonte, Italy, where he spent several years working in the surrounding vineyards and wineries through all phases of the growing and production process, an experience which completely changed his perspective on wine. In 2009 Alan began frequenting the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco winegrowing area and, after successive visits during which he developed a rapport with many local farmers and producers, as well as principals of the governing Consortium, was named first ever US Ambassador of Conegliano Valdobbiadene in January 2015. His first 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. And a new book, “Champagne, Uncorked: The House of Krug and the Timeless Allure of the World’s Most Celebrated Drink” (Hachette/PublicAffairs 2016) recently won a Gourmand Best in the World Award in the French Wine category.

Alan’s session, Dueling Bubbles: A Comparative Examination of the Two Most Popular Sparkling Wines in the World , will be offered on Thursday, August 16, 2018 at 10:30 am as part of the 42nd Annual Conference of the Society of Wine Educators to be held in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State.

 

Guest Author: Discovering Montsant

  By admin | June 6, 2018 - 8:16 pm | ,
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Today we have a post from guest blogger Kryss Speegle. Kryss tells us about a recent trip to the Montstant DO. Read on for some insight into the history, the wines, and the region…but be warned this article is going to make you want to run and book a ticket to Spain!

 Marta Carbonell of Josep Grau Viticultor speaks with a quiet and engaging matter-of-factness: “We like high acidity. We love fruit. We hate oak.” Speaking for her own wines, she could easily be describing the Montsant style, and after a three-day visit, sponsored by Wines of Montsant, I’m ready to make this my mantra as well.

Unlike its flashy neighbor Priorat, where the famous llicorella slate dominates the landscape, Montsant is a patchwork of limestone, chalk and sand as well as slate, and elevations ranging from 50 to 700 meters; the wines are fresh and powerful with ferrous minerality and a core of intense fruit.

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Wine has been a significant product of Catalonia since at least the 6th to 8th centuries BCE, though vine plantings increased significantly after the establishment of the monastery of Poblet. Italian and Middle Eastern varieties were eventually replaced by primarily with Carinyena (Carignan, also known by its Catalan name Samsó) and Garnatxa (Grenache); a treasury of old vines remains today and red grapes account for 95% of production. Though Garnatxa has slightly higher production, Carinyena is also a star player alone or in blends and a firm rebuke to those who view it primarily as a high-yielding blender. The 100% Carinenya from Cellers Sant Rafel is fresh and even elegant. The minute plantings of white grapes are mostly Garnatxa Blanca and Macabeo, which make wines with a perfumed lift and flavors of baked apple, lemon curd and hawthorn.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah exist in small plantings but are silent partners at best. A happy exception to this is the use of Syrah for rosé wines; in a single sitting, two lovely examples, one from Coca i Fito (fresh and restrained) and another from Celler Rondanelles (intensely fruity) remind me that rosé complements grilled octopus, braised artichokes, potato chips and just about everything else.

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Previously dominated by workhorse co-operatives, Montsant became a Denominación de Origin (DO) distinct from Tarragona in 2001 and within three years had 26 members across its 1,800 hectares, a testament to producers’ commitment to the region. Some are Priorat vintners looking for a bargain while others are locals who bucked the historical exodus to Barcelona. It’s an uplifting narrative for anyone accustomed to hearing that the world’s great wine regions are all supersaturated with vines or prohibitively expensive.

As the driver in front of us repeatedly stops to point at various vines, our guide from the DO claims that nearly everyone in the area has a few inherited plots — “Once poor farmers, now proud viticulturalists.” The region is also home to a thriving polyculture; marcona almonds, hazelnuts, cherries, and peaches are commercially grown and the slopes are dotted with wildflowers and resinous herbs.

Co-ops are still in the game but, as elsewhere in Europe, are redefining the old label with exciting and pleasurable wines. At Celler de Capçanes, a traditional co-operative found a successful niche in kosher wine production; the Peraj Ha’abib is the mainstay of this line and is lovely. The real excitement, though, is their “La Nit de les garnatxes” collection exploring the diversity of Montsant’s terroirs. Four wines of 100% Garnatxa, each representing one of the region’s four soil types, are presented in some of the  cleverest  packaging I’ve seen yet, wrapped in color-coded comics explaining the soil’s effect on the wine. The wines themselves do an amazing job telling the story of Montsant by drawing out its shades of difference—by turns refined and sinewy, generously fruited and earthy.

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Nearly half of Montsant’s wines are exported with many available in U.S. retailers. For those who want a closer look, the DO’s commercial center is Falset, a self-sufficient town of 2,800 and a good base for exploring. To discover from a distance, see these sites:

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About the Author: Kryss Speegle works in bulk sales, supplying wines and spirits to customers throughout the United States and around the world. Previously she was O’Neill’s Director of Winemaking, where she managed the company’s extensive varietal wine programs and led a talented team of winemakers.

Prior to O’Neill, Kryss held winemaking and enologist roles at Kenwood and Ravenswood. She has also worked for wineries in Napa, Mendocino, Germany and New Zealand. Kryss has served as a past judge for the San Francisco Chronicle and West Coast wine competitions and has taught wine courses at Santa Rosa Junior College and Napa Valley Wine Academy.

Kryss received a Bachelor’s degree from University of Virginia and a graduate degree in Food Science/Enology from University of California at Davis. While at Davis, Kryss conducted sensory research for Dr. Ann Noble, creator of the Wine Aroma Wheel.

When she’s not in the vineyard or in the production facility, Kryss enjoys cooking, traveling and spending time with her family.

Photo credits: Kryss Speegle

Conference Preview 2018: The Great Big Wide Wonderful World of Garnacha/Grenache

  By admin | May 28, 2018 - 4:04 pm |
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Today we have a preview of a session to be presented during SWE’s 42nd Annual Conference, to be held on August 15–17, 2018 in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. Our guest author is Hoke Harden, CSS, CSE, who tells us about his  upcoming session entitled The Great Big Wide Wonderful World of Garnacha/Grenache  

So…you think you know Grenache?

You might be surprised. Any variety that can range from the soft perfumed elegance of quaffable fruity delight to the magnificent brooding power of Chateauneuf-du-Pape is a force to be reckoned with.

Grenache vineyards in the Languedoc

Grenache vineyards in the Languedoc

Despite being abused, maligned, and over cropped, Grenache has maintained its presence and spread around the world from its humble origins in Spain and Southern France. Grenache is typically seen as a consummate blending variety, and yet it has always managed to catch the affection of dedicated growers and winemakers as a single variety as well. Garnacha/Grenache can make white, gris, rose’, light red, full-bodied red, sweet and rancio sec.

In this session, we will focus on the distinctive areas of Garnacha/Grenache production, their unique terroir, and the styles of wine produced using Grenache. We’ll explore Grenache from its homelands in Spain and France, then journey to some other climes–California? Australia? We’ll go where the Grenache grows. You’ll taste Grenache as table wine, as dessert wine…and even as the legendary and difficult to find Grenache Dry Rancio, one of the ultimate geek wines of the world.

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About the speaker:

An enthusiastic lover of wine and spirits, Hoke Harden left a career in academia to follow his other muse for the last 35 years, trekking around the world to the great producing regions of wine and spirits. Recently referred to as a veritable walking omnibus of wine and spirits knowledge, he has experienced every possible facet of the world of wine and spirits as a retailer, restaurateur, bartender, buyer, wholesaler, supplier, marketer, critic, writer, competition judge and an educator. He is currently with Elixir Vitae Wine & Spirits Consultants, the Taste & Compare Academy of Wine, Spirits, and Food in Portland Oregon.

Hoke holds a CSS and CSE designation from the Society of Wine Educators and is a prolific writer and blogger. In his “free” time, Hoke serves as a Wine & Spirits Instructor at Mt. Hood Community College, a B.N.I.C. Certified Cognac Educator, and Pineau des Charentes Ambassador.

Hoke’s session, The Great Big Wide Wonderful World of Garnacha/Grenache, will be offered on Friday, August 17, 2018 at 1:15 pm as part of the 42nd Annual Conference of the Society of Wine Educators to be held in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State.

Conference Preview 2018: NZ SB

  By admin | May 16, 2018 - 11:44 am |
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SB and Aucktalnd, NZ

SB and Auckland, NZ

Today we have a preview of a session to be presented during SWE’s 42nd Annual Conference, to be held on August 15–17, 2018 in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. Our guest author is Christine Dalton, CSW, who tells us about her upcoming session entitled Cat Pee By Any Other Name Would Smell As Sweet: Understanding Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

Pick a wine-world underdog, wine that has found success under seemingly insurmountable odds. Perhaps you think of Ribiera Sacra’s delicate Mencías, made from vineyards that were left for dead during the country’s political turmoil and resurrected, only to be re-planted on vertigo-inducing slopes. Maybe your mind goes to the Canary Islands, where vines huddle for shelter amongst powerful winds and Sharpie-colored volcanic earth. Or perhaps you give a nod to the vineyards of Salta, sitting closer to the heavens than us oenophiles on Earth. Though all feats of viticultural wizardry, my choice is perhaps less obvious, purely because it is so obvious. This wine takes up large plots of real estate on grocery store shelves and has earned a reserved parking space on most by the glass lists. Yet even with this success, I consider Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, in all its turquoise- and green-labeled glory, as a most fascinating, yet unlikely champion of the hearts and taste buds of wine lovers the world over.

New Zealand's Coromandel Peninsula

New Zealand’s Coromandel Peninsula

Consider its origin story. New Zealand is very much a New World wine country. Vines were first planted in the early 1800s, even before it was founded as a British colony in 1853, but New Zealand didn’t find its wine footing for over a century. If we zero in on Marlborough specifically, the first Sauvignon Blanc vines that brought the region oenological fame were not planted until 1975. (To put that in context, California, another infant in the long history of winemaking, was already winning international recognition at the Judgment of Paris around the same time.) Before Montana (now Brancott Estate) planted these original vines, the consensus was that grapes could not ripen on the chilly South Island. How wrong that wisdom was, as we’ve all seen in the expeditious rise of this little experiment.

We must also consider the terroir. New Zealand sits alone in an isolated corner of the Pacific Ocean. Its closest neighbor is Australia, which lies approximately 2,000 miles away, and it is consistently pummeled by the maritime breezes bounding off the icy Tasman sea. The islands receive intense bouts of sun laced with some of the highest ultraviolet rays in the world. To intensify the extreme natural circumstances further, the country rests squarely on the boundary between the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates, which creates both geologically diverse soils and up to fifteen thousand earthquakes per year.

Vineyards in Marlborough

Vineyards in Marlborough

Then we arrive at the wine itself. Let us jump in our time machines, travel back a few hundred years and pour a goblet of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to the most esteemed winemakers of the Loire Valley. Would they recognize it as the grape born of their region? Or would they cast it off as a bastardized version of their time-tested style? The wine’s unique aroma and flavor profile is another enigma of its success. The novice wine drinker may not clamor for flavors of grass and bell pepper, though I doubt she would be horrified by reading these notes on the back of a label. But sweaty, stalky and punctuated by cat pee? It is difficult to imagine the success of a wine marked by these traits, yet here we are, transfixed by this wine from the Land of the Long White Cloud.

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is an oxymoron. It transfixes me in its unconventional conventionality. It is born of a grape known across continents, climates and time, yet is entirely idiosyncratic. It is a 20th century “invention” nudged on by a risk-taking winery, but primarily by Mother Nature herself. There were no crossings, no hybrids, no labs; there was just a revelatory eruption of pure New Zealand flavor.

What gives our lovable underdog its edge? What allows the Sauvignon Blanc grape to thrive at the end of the earth? What creates the complexity and concentration of its unique feline flavors? Scientists have a few ideas.

Queenstown, New Zealand

Queenstown, New Zealand

Winemakers and researchers have been working to unwrap its riddles since the early 2000s. The aptly titled New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Programme is a collaboration between The Universities of Auckland and Lincoln, NZ Winegrowers and local winery partners. They have delved into the science of Sauvignon Blanc and have gained a better understanding of the chemical compounds that make up the sensory attributes of this wine. They have looked at how the unique Marlborough terroir—the cool breezes, the intense sunlight, the native yeasts and soils—creates a Sauvignon Blanc expression different than anywhere else in the world.

Their research has also revealed how much more Marlborough has to offer. To those who peg the region and its wines as one-trick-ponies, taste the differences within. Marlborough’s diversity lies in the baseball-sized river rocks of the northern Wairau Valley. These rocks absorb the sun’s powerful rays and ripen grapes that are rife with ruby red grapefruit and exotic passionfruit. Or try an intensely herbaceous expression from the windblown Awatere, which yields wines with crunchy capsicum and tomato leaves. For a revelatory treat, try an age-worthy example, like Brancott Estate’s Chosen Rows. It would be hard to imagine the Sauvignon Blanc experts of the Old World turning up their noses at a wine vibrating with so much energy and finesse.

Punakaiki,New Zealand

Punakaiki,New Zealand

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is an underdog that has already proven its success in its few decades of existence, though the region is just beginning to reveal all it has to offer. At this years’ Society of Wine Educators Conference, my mission is to inject a renewed fascination in Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc into the palates and imaginations of all who attend my seminar, Cat Pee By Any Other Name Would Smell As Sweet: Understanding Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. We will explore the findings of the research program to better understand the wine’s unique aromas and flavors, delve into the differences between its varying subregions and taste the fine examples that have resulted from this heightened understanding of Marlborough and its beloved Sauvignon Blanc.

Christine Dalton, CSW

Christine Dalton, CSW

Christine Dalton is a member of Pernod Ricard Winemakers’ International Graduate Wine Ambassador Program, based in Southern California. As representative of the Pernod Ricard wine portfolio, she has spent time learning and working vintage in Rioja, Spain, Sonoma, California, the Barossa Valley, Australia and Marlborough, New Zealand. Originally from the Washington D.C. metro area, she previously wrote for Wine Spectator magazine as an Assistant Editor, and volunteered at the Astor Center at Astor Wines & Spirits in New York City.

She began formal wine training with an introductory wine course at Cornell University while working toward a dual degree in Government and American Studies. She is a Certified Specialist of Wine with the SWE and also holds a WSET Advanced with Distinction certification.

Christine’s session, Cat Pee By Any Other Name Would Smell As Sweet: Understanding Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, will be offered on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at 10:30 am as part of the 42nd Annual Conference of the Society of Wine Educators to be held in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State.

Conference Preview: Unexpected Napa Valley

  By admin | May 6, 2018 - 8:05 am |
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Today we have a preview of a session to be presented during SWE’s 42nd Annual Conference, to be held on August 15–17, 2018 in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. 

Unexpected Napa Valley 

What do you think you know about Napa Valley wines?

What are your perceptions about one of America’s most recognized grape growing regions?

Well, you should leave poplar notions at the door and begin an exploration of the unexpected Napa Valley. You might discover it is not about just one grape, one style or one price tag! Napa Valley may be America’s most well-known wine region, famous for big Cabernet Sauvignon and full-

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bodied Chardonnay—but there is more than that to Napa Valley, including wines made from old vines, from almost unheard-of varieties, and classics made in a range of enjoyable styles.

This seminar will cover wines and styles that might challenge conventional wisdom with some classic grapes seeking a renaissance and other wines expressing the diversity of the Napa Valley soils. Come taste with an open mind and expand your horizons!

The speaker for this session is John Skupny. John began in the wine trade in 1975 working as a buyer and Wine Steward [sommelier] for restaurants in Kansas City. In 1980, a move to California launched a 38-year career working for some of California’s finest wine producers. Since 1984 he has lived in the Napa Valley; working in sales & marketing for Caymus Vineyards, Clos Du Val Wine Company and then as General Manager of the Niebaum-Coppola Estate (Inglenook). Inspired by the charms of the Cabernet Franc grape, John Skupny and his wife, Tracey, launched Lang & Reed Wine Company in 1996.

John operates a consulting practice, Vineyard Avenue Marketing, providing strategic planning for wineries. John is a past Chairman of the Napa Valley Vintners Board of Directors (‘96), Chair of Premiere Napa Valley Barrel Auction (‘06). President of the Stags Leap District Winegrowers (’90) and founding Vice-President of the Rutherford Dust Society [‘93/94].

The Unexpected Napa Valley seminar will be presented on Friday, August 18, 2018 at 1:15 pm as part of the 42nd Annual Conference of the Society of Wine Educators to be held in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State.

As American as Apple…Cider?

  By admin | February 8, 2018 - 9:33 am |
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Traditional cider is a lightly alcoholic beverage (usually less than 7% abv) produced from apples that have been crushed and pressed, with the resultant juice fermented. It is often called “hard cider” in the United States to distinguish it from unfiltered apple juice. Cider production is centered in the UK, which has the highest worldwide consumption, but many other countries and regions—including the United States—produce it as well, and cider and perry (cider produced from pears) are experiencing a renaissance that is running parallel to the other craft beverage industries.

Drawing of John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed)

Drawing of John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed)

Early American settlers took great pride in cultivating the apple tree, as evidenced by the story of the folk hero and nurseryman Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman, 1774 – 1845). Some of the oldest apple orchards in the United States are located in the more temperate areas of New England, such as Vermont, upstate New York, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

The popularity of apples and the subsequent spread of various types of apple seeds gave rise to myriads of new, purely American varieties, such as the Newton Pippin, that were then grafted and propagated. By the mid-1800s there were over 1,000 varieties of apples growing in the United States, most of which were used for cider.

The popularity of American cider declined with the rise of industrialism (in the mid-1800’s) as the population migrated towards city life, and was further thwarted by Prohibition. This coincided with a drastic decline in the cultivation of cider apples. These days, the majority of the apples and pears in the United States are grown in the Pacific Northwest, and most of these are for eating; however, small pockets of cider apple production may still be found in many parts of the country.

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Leading areas for American cider production include New England, the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, the Great Lakes area, and pockets of the Pacific Northwest. The most recent statistics from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) show that Vermont produces the most cider at about 5.3 million gallons, with New York second at 4.4 million, and California and Tennessee both at about 2.9 million gallons.

The craft cider movement is growing in the United States, but is considerably behind the renaissance sweeping craft beer and local wine. There is, however, a noticeable interest in reviving heirloom cider apple varieties, whole fruit processing, and artisan cider production.

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Some American cider producers are making ciders inspired by the Old World, while others are proving to be more experimental and creating hopped versions of cider, wine barrel-aged ciders, or combining honey and fruit to produce cyser, sometimes referred to as “apple mead” and best described as a cross between cider and mead.

American cider, as well as the production, culture, and sensory evaluation of ciders from all over the world is just a small part of the information included in the Society of Wine Educators’ Beverage Specialist Certificate.

Other topics included in this 100% online program include coffee, tea, sake, beer, distilled spirits, and—of course—wine. Click here for more information.

Are you interested in being a guest blogger or a guest SWEbinar presenter for SWE?  Click here for more information!

 

Welcome to the World, Petaluma Gap AVA!

  By admin | December 7, 2017 - 1:19 pm | ,
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Map via: http://petalumagap.com

Map via: http://petalumagap.com

Welcome to the World, Petaluma Gap AVA!

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the United States has—just today—approved the first new American Viticultural Area (AVA) in over a year, and it is…the Petaluma Gap AVA!

Along with the approval of the new AVA—located in California’s Sonoma and Marin Counties—the southern boundary of the North Coast AVA is being expanded to include the northern portions of Marin County. The Petaluma Gap AVA overlaps a portion of the Sonoma Coast AVA and will be considered a sub-appellation of the newly re-outlined North Coast AVA.

The petition for the Petaluma Gap AVA was submitted by the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance in February of 2015. According to the petition, the unique factors of the area include the following:

  • The Petaluma Gap itself: A geological feature known as a “wind gap,” the Petaluma gap is actually a 15-mile-wide area of low-lying hills that create something of an opening in the otherwise much taller Coast Mountains. This area stretches from the Pacific Ocean, eastward to the bucolic Sonoma town of Petaluma, and then straight on through to San Pablo Bay. The effect on the area is as follows: as the inland areas heat up during the day, the heat causes the warm air to rise, and the cool air off the Pacific Ocean is pulled up into the gap. The wind gains speed as it travels, and eventually empties into the bay.
  • The Wind: Late afternoon wind speed within the Petaluma Gap is typically 8 miles per hour, and it is often clocked in at over 20 mph. In contrast, winds in the surrounding areas rarely get above 2 or 3 miles per hour.
  • The Climate: Mornings are cool and typically foggy. Late mornings and early afternoons are increasingly warm after the fog burns off. However, the breezes typically begin by mid-afternoon, cooling things down and bringing in the evening fog. The diurnal temperature range can be forty to fifty degrees (F).
  • The Grapes: The almost-daily winds tend to help reduce yield in the vines, creating late-ripening, small-berried fruit with intense flavors and good acidity.
Map via: http://petalumagap.com

Map via: http://petalumagap.com

An announcement regarding the establishment of the Petaluma Gap AVA was published in the Federal Register on December, 7, 2017; this final rule will be effective on January 8, 2018. The area within the new AVA totals 202,476 acres. There are currently over 80 winegrowers, 4,000 acres of vines, and 9 wineries located within the boundaries of the new region. The area is planted mainly to Pinot Noir along with Chardonnay and Syrah. Click here for a list of wineries located within the region, as well as those that produce wine using Petaluma Gap fruit.

We look forward to tasting these wines—and welcome to the world, Petaluma Gap AVA!

Note: Before today, the last AVA to be approved in the United States was the Appalachian High Country AVA (encompassing parts of North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee) in October of 2016. With the change in the Executive Branch that occurred earlier this year, several key posts at the Department of the Treasury were left vacant, including several whose signatures are required for new AVA rulings. However, in recent weeks these positions have been filled (including Brent James McIntosh, General Counsel and David Kautte, Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy). It seems that the business of approving AVAs is back on!

References/for more information: