Cork taint has long been a problem in the wine industry, affecting anywhere from 1% to 10% of all production depending on who you ask. Cork taint occurs when the TCA molecule contaminates wine, and is usually blamed on faulty natural corks. Numerous solutions have been proposed and enacted, most notably screw caps, which effectively form an airtight seal.
But proponents of natural cork argue that wine will only properly age with a tiny bit of oxygen exposure. Many producers of age-worthy wine are reluctant to use screw caps not only because of this concern, but also for aesthetic reasons. Popping a cork has a connotation of quality that is hard to replace with a screw cap.
In response to this dilemma, an Australian company has introduced a new closure called ProCork which claims to allow a bit of oxygen into the wine but no TCA. According to the company’s website, “ProCork’s permeable membrane is the result of many years of research in food science, cork and robotics technology and will enable natural cork to be used by the wine and beverage industry with the confidence that their products will not be affected by any off character imparted by the cork.”
ProCork is already widely used by the always innovative Australian wine industry, and Decanter.com recently reported that a Bordeaux winery will also begin trials with the closure. Chateau La Dauphine plans to bottle an amount of wine with ProCork and compare its effects regarding aging and TCA taint with wine bottled with natural cork over the next decade. If all goes well, ProCork could offer the best of both worlds for wine consumers.
The beauty of wine country is both poetic and inspirational; yet representing the true nature of wine is a seemingly impossible task. But for Bret Lyman, its just a day at the office.
As the Sonoma Valley Film Festival approaches, Bret is putting the final touches on Crush, a Don Sebastiani & Sons Film. This film documents the journey of winemaker Richard Bruno through Crush. Crush offers a unique view of what really happens during crush at a world renowned winery. Take a journey through Crush with Don Sebastiani & Sons;
If you are using an RSS reader, click here to watch the trailer.
Protecting geographical integrity is important not just for wine producers, but also for consumers. Different governments have set up systems to ensure the consumer knows what they are purchasing. Recently, there have been two stories in the news that demonstrate some headway has been made in protecting geographical integrity, but also the difficulties the movement still faces.
Wine Enthusiast Online recently reported the good news that six new regions have signed the Wine Accord, an international group whose stated mission is to, “protect wine place and origin.” The regions that signed the Wine Accord include Paso Robles, Sonoma County, Victoria, Western Australia, Tokaj, and Chianti Classico. Napa Valley, Champagne, Porto, Jerez, Oregon, Washington, and Walla Walla Valley are already members of the group.
Other headway has been made in protecting geographical integrity. The United States and European Union have finally come to an agreement which will limit the use of 16 regional names to wines produced locally. Three of these regions include Champagne, Chablis, and Burgundy; names that have been used for generic wines to mislead American consumers for decades.
But the news is not all positive for advocates of protecting geographical integrity. Paul Franson of Wines and Vines describes the trials and tribulations of establishing the Calistoga AVA in a recent article. Two brands, Calistoga Cellars and Calistoga Estates, have objected to the new AVA. The thing is, neither of these brands is located in Calistoga. More importantly, their wines do not use the required 75% of grapes to legally use the term Calistoga on their labels if the AVA is approved.
As Franson points out, Calistoga’s struggle has parallels to Bronco Wine Company’s recent attempt to use Napa Ridge on their labels, even though the required amount of Napa grapes were not used in these wines. The issue is quite clear-cut: consumers have a right to know what is in a bottle of wine before they purchase it. Anything less is misleading.
Each year, the Napa Valley Vintners Association holds their annual auction to benefit local Napa Valley Charities. This year marks the 27th edition of this event, held at Meadowood Country Club in St Helena, Ca.
Auction Napa Valley was founded to “celebrate the wines, people and land of Napa Valley.” But the real winner is charity, with over $68 million given to Napa County health, youth and low-income housing non-profit organizations since their inception in 1981.
Friday, June 8th, 2007 – Taste Napa Valley – This festival features Napa Valley food and wine. This is a day time event, held outdoors where participating vintners will be pouring their finest releases, paired with catered food. The event then moves indoors to the – Barrel Tasting and Auction – This is a great opportunity to taste future releases from your favorite wineries. The evening culminates with private auctions at the personal homes or wineries of the Vintners.
Saturday, June 9th, 2007 – Live Auction and Dinner – The day begins in the vineyards and at the wineries of your favorite vintners, who are hosting private parties for their guests. The evening features the main event of the weekend, the diner and auction at Meadowood Napa Valley. They will be auctioning off 40 lots of the best wine that Napa Valley has to offer.
Sunday, June 10th, 2007 – Farewell Reception – The farewell reception will be headed by the Joseph Phelps Vineyards Family, and is set to be a fitting end to a great weekend.
To purchase tickets, click here,
or call 707.968.4217.
Since the 1970s, the U.S. wine industry has been driven by varietal wines – those labeled by type of grape, e.g. Chardonnay or Merlot. These were the years of America’s wine renaissance, and the industry transitioned from using predominantly generic names, e.g. Chablis and Burgundy.
However, interest in blended red wines is increasing each year. California has been leading the charge, and sales in this category are up 19% versus last year. In fact, California red blends are outpacing the growth of many single red varietals, including Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
Many of these red blends are made using the traditional Bordeaux grapes, (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot), and carry the Meritage name on their labels. This name was established by the Meritage Association “to identify hand-crafted wines blended from the traditional ‘noble’ Bordeaux varietals.”
But these are not the only red blends gaining popularity in America. The acreage of vineyards planted with Rhone varietals, (Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Carignane, etc.), has greatly increased in recent years throughout California. Many of these grapes are being blended rather than bottled as varietal wines.
In a way, America’s taste in wine has come full circle. In the years following Prohibition, producers were interested in riding the coattails of established European wine regions, even if their wines did not resemble the originals. But as America producers found their bearings, they began to differentiate themselves from Europe by labeling their wines by varietal (something rarely done in Europe).
This development also went hand-in-hand with the many New World innovations in technology. Rather than seeing wines as the product of a specific place, they were seen as the product of a type of grape and winemaking. This is changing, and there is currently more respect for high-quality grape growing and site selection than ever before.
As America’s wine industry matures, many premium-quality producers are no longer constrained by labeling their wines according to varietal. Until recently, most consumers were not comfortable purchasing a wine that was not labeled according to the grape it was made with.
The Federal Government requires that varietal wines contain at least 75% of the grape it is labeled with, largely so the consumer knows what to expect.
However, this is an arbitrary number, and winemakers need more flexibility in order to make the best product possible. They are therefore turning to blends that do not carry varietal labels. Thankfully, the American consumer is increasingly aware of the benefits of blending certain complimentary grapes, and these wines are thriving in the marketplace.
1 Based on IRI InfoScan, Total US Food & Drug, Unit Sales % Change vs Year Ago, 52 weeks ending 2/25/07
Many of you know the Stags Leap wine region for their world class Cabernets, but one of Stag Leap’s small wineries is drawing international attention for more than its wine. Quixote Winery is the only building in America designed by Viennese artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser.
Hundertwasser, who passed away in 2000, was known for his eccentric design; no two windows are the same, olive trees grow on the roof and straight lines are no where to be found. He focused on using natural light to illuminate the tasting room, bringing a lively upbeat feel to the experience.
Visitors can relax in the patio garden that features a striking mosaic of tinted glass. Hundertwasser used blue tiles to “drip” from the roofline to represent the nearby reservoir. “His philosophy is: Straight lines are anathema.”
Owner Carl Doumani said “If they walk in here and they’re happy, they’re going to like our wines more.”
This is a great approach that is seemingly lost to many wineries in the Napa Valley. The design of Quixote winery leaves a lasting memory to visitors, bringing them that much closer to Quixote’s wine.
If you are in the Napa Valley, and would like to visit Quixote Winery, call 707-944-2659 or e-mail lew@quixotewinery.com to make an appointment
The Paso Robles AVA Committee is moving ahead with its “master plan” to divide the large region into 11 smaller sub-AVAs. The group recently submitted requests for 3 new sub-AVAs to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), and plans to submit the others in the next few weeks.
Founded by Jerry Lohr, the Paso Robles AVA Committee retained the services of renowned UC Davis geologist Deborah Elliott-Fisk to divide the region into more meaningful sub-AVAs according to geology and climate.
However, a competing plan to establish a Westside sub-AVA is already in the pipeline at the TTB. Many wineries have criticized this proposed division, arguing that it is a marketing ploy that does not correctly reflect the nuances of the region.
Complicating the issue further is the fact that the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance has spent considerable time and money in recent years to raise awareness of the Paso Robles brand. To ensure that none of this effort is lost, the Alliance is backing a piece of legislation introduced by Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee (R-San Luis Obispo) that would require “Paso Robles” to still be on the wine label if the sub-AVA requests go through.
But no matter how the issue is settled, the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance’s mission will remain the same, according to spokeswoman Staci Jacob. Jacob recently told the San Francisco Chronicle, “We’re still driving and getting awareness for Paso Robles as a wine region. That’s where the conjunctive labeling comes in. It will help ensure Paso Robles remains the dominant AVA while the sub-appellations can truly tell the story.”
Oakville Grocery is a hallmark of Napa Valley’s wine country. Since 1881, locals and tourists alike have enjoyed its gourmet food for lunches and picnics on lazy wine country afternoons. But recent cash-flow problems threatened the chain, and rumors flew of bankruptcy.
The three Oakville Grocery stores were about to close when Leslie Rudd, of Rudd Vineyards, stepped in to lend the company enough money to keep them afloat until a deal was struck.
Rudd and an unidentified buyer are now working through paperwork to make the Oakville Grocery chain theirs. The store on Highway 29 is one of 73 Napa County sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is on the list of protected structures starting in 1993.
Rudd said, “I love the history surrounding this beloved Napa Valley brand. I want to see the 1881 building refurbished and the brand thriving once again…My intention is to maintain Oakville Grocery as a separate brand and to recreate as much as possible the historic feel and experience that has made it a ‘must stop’ for Napa Valley visitors.”
Mike Anderson, a 58 year old man from Sausalito, has been charged with arson in a fire that destroyed as much as $300 million worth of wine at the Wines Central warehouse in Vallejo. The blaze stunned the California wine industry, as over 90 wineries stored much of their merchandise at Wines Central.
What made the fire particularly devastating was the fact that many wineries housed rare, vertical collections at the warehouse. These wines are irreplaceable, and blaze put a dent in the historical production of many California wineries. In a particularly egregious example, Saintsbury lost the bulk of its older inventory dating to 1979.
Anderson owns Sausalito Cellars, a company that specializes in storing high-end wine. He rented part of the Wines Central warehouse for his commercial and private clients. Prosecutors contend that Anderson sold much of his clients’ wine without their knowledge through a different company. Because of this, he is also charged with tax evasion and fraud.
In 2005, Anderson’s attorney, Douglas Rappaport, told the San Francisco Chronicle that, “He would have no motive whatsoever to set a fire. Mark may be the obvious culprit, as in ‘the butler did it.’ But I’ve played enough Clue to know that the butler never does it.”
In addition to these recent legal troubles, Anderson is also facing several counts of embezzlement in Marin County. These charges are the result of allegations that 7,600 cases of wine worth an estimated $1.1 million have gone missing. Anderson has pled not guilty in this case.
There have been many acquisitions in the California wine industry lately, and another group of well-known wineries may be for sale. Duckhorn Wine Company consists of Duckhorn Vineyards and Paraduxx, both in the Napa Valley, and Goldeneye in the Anderson Valley.
Duckhorn’s president, Alex Ryan, recently told Decanter.com that the company, “Is not for sale, but they are not ruling out the possibility of selling.” He went on to say that, “A sale may be one of the options we are looking at. It may be appropriate to bring in some help at this stage. But there is no deal. There is no buyer.”
Based in the St Helena wine region, Duckhorn Vineyards has been extremely successful since it was established in 1976. Founders Dan and Margaret Duckhorn initially made their name producing Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
In 1997, the Duckhorns expanded the scope of their production by starting Goldeneye in Mendocino County’s Anderson Valley wine country. This winery focuses on Pinot Noir. Paraduxx was introduced several years later, and makes a proprietary red blend.
A fourth brand, Canvasback, will soon be launched as well. Canvasback will focus on the traditional red grapes of France’s Rhone Valley including Syrah and Grenache. The 2004 vintage will be available in the next few months.
The Wine Institute recently voiced support for opening a dialogue with India to reduce “prohibitive duties” on United States wine imports. The Wine Institute is an organization that represents and advocates for over 1,000 U.S. wine-related businesses.
As it stands today, U.S. producers must pay several different duties that amount to 150% to 550% of the wine’s wholesale price. As a member of the WTO, India is technically not supposed to charge duties over 150%.
According to the Wine Institute, India imported $674 million worth of wine in 2005; more than twice the amount a decade ago. With its large and increasingly affluent population, the country is one of the fastest growing wine markets in the world.
In order to capitalize on India’s emerging taste for wine, United States trade representatives have requested that talks be initiated through the WTO. This is especially timely considering French imports to India rose by 35% last year. The U.S. wine industry certainly does not want to lose too much ground in this emerging market.
The Guinness Book of World Records was originally established to settle drunken arguments in the pubs of Britain and Ireland. This book was the answer to alcohol induced debates that were once only solved through good old fashioned brawls. That is, until 1991, when they banned all alcohol related entries due to fear of litigation. However, the 1979 edition did print these records, which are reproduced below. For edits and additions, please leave a comment below and the list will be updated.
Strongest Beer
The strongest known beer in 1979 was EKU Kulminator Urtyp Hell from Kilmbach, West Germany, at 13.2 percent alcohol (1979).
Update: Bavarian brewer Harald Schneider, from southern Germany, brewed a beer that was 25.4% alcohol. Source.
Weakest Beer
The weakest liquid ever marketed as a beer was a sweet ersatz beer from Germany be Sunner, Colne-Kalk in 1918. It had less than 0.2 percent alcohol (1979).
Speed Beer Drinking
Steven Petrosino of New Cumberland, Pennsylvania on June 22nd, 1977, drank 1 liter of beer in 1.3 seconds. Peter G. Dowdeswell of Earls Barton drank two liters in 6.0 seconds on February 7th, 1975 (1979).
Fastest Beer Drinking Relay
Czech patriots drank 2,662 half-litres of beer in less than 17 hours. Drinking at a rate of over 156 beers per hour, or 2.6 mugs per minute, the Czechs can now claim to be the fastest “relay” drinkers in the world (2004). Source.
Highest Documented Blood Alcohol Level
An unidentified middle-aged Latvian man was unconscious but stable after a blood test showed 7.22 parts per million (0.7%) of alcohol, police spokeswoman Ieva Zvidre said. “An average person would vomit at around 1.2, lose consciousness at 3.0 and stop breathing at a level of about 4.0 parts per million” Zvidre said (2003). Source.
Most Alcoholic Person (actual name of record)
It is recorded that a hard drinker named Vanhorn (1850 – 1911) averaged more than four bottles of Ruby Port per day for 23 years prior to his death at 61. He is believed to have emptied 35,688 bottles (1979).
Beer Consumption
The nation with the highest beer consumption per person is West Germany, with 39.8 U.S. gallons per person in 1976. In the northern territory of Australia, the annual intake has been estimated to be as high as 62.4 U.S. gallons per person (1979).
Youngest Recorded Death from Alcohol Poisoning
A 4 year old boy, Joesph Sweet, in Wolverhampton, England, in died 1827 from alcohol poisoning, reported in the Stafford Assizes case R. v. Martin (1979).
Most Alcoholic Drink
During Independence (1918 – 1940) the Estonian Liquor Monopoly marketed 196 proof potato alcohol. In the U.S., Everclear (190 proof) is marketed by the American Distilling Co. (1979).
Most Expensive Liqueur
A half bottle of Peres Chartreux, Tanrragone, June of 1945 has been sold for 130 francs, equivalent to $59 per bottle (1979).
Most Expensive Spirit
Grande Fine Champagne Napolean, 1811 was auctioned at Christie’s of London in December 1976 for $374 for a single bottle (1979).
Oldest Wine
The oldest datable wine has been an amphora salvaged and drank by Captain Jacques Cousteau from the wreck of a Greek trader sunk in the Mediterranean circa 230 B.C. Wine jars recovered from the Pompeii eruption of A.D. 79 were found labeled VESUVINUM – The oldest known trade mark (1979).
Most Expensive Wine
The highest price ever paid for a bottle of wine of any size is $18,000 for a jeroboam of 1864 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild dry red Bordeaux, purchased at an auction in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 25th, 1978 (1979).
Update: The most expensive wine ever sold is a bottle of 1787 Chateau Lafite which sold at Christie’s London in December, 1985 for £105,00 (about US $160,000). Source.
Greatest Wine Auction
The single largest sale of wine took place at Christie’s of King Street, St. James, London, on March 25-26, 1976, when 31,000 bottles of Bordeaux wines were auctioned for $1,500,000 (1979).
Champagne Cork Flight
The longest distance for a champagne cork to fly from an untreated bottle 4 feet from level ground is 102 feet 11 inches by Gary P. Mahan at La Habra Heights, California on August 2nd, 1975 (1979).
Longest Prohibition
The longest lasting imposition of Prohibition against consumption of alcoholic beverages has been 26 years in Iceland (1908 – 1934). Other prohibitions have been in Russia (1914 – 1924) and the United States (1920 – 1933)(1979).
Largest Beer Selling Establishment
The Mathaser Bayerstrasse 5, Munich, West Germany averaged 100,800 pints sold per day. It was rebuilt in 1995 to seat 5,500 people (1979).
Longest Bar
The longest bar with Beer pumps was built in 1938 at the Working Men’s Club, Mildura, Victoria, Australia. Its counter is 298 feet in length, with 27 pumps (1979).
Oldest Brewery
The oldest brewery is the Weihenstephan, Brewery in Freising, near Munich, West Germany, founded in 1040 (1979).
Largest Single Brewer
Anheuser-Busch, Inc. In 1975, the company sold 35,196,180 barrels, the largest annual volume ever produced by a Brewery (1979).
Largest Brewery
The largest brewery on a single site is Adolph Coors Co. of Golden Colorado, which produced 12,800,000 barrels in 1978 (1979).
Calwineries, inc. does not want anyone to try and break these records. We are a site about California Wine Country and do not endorse excessive drinking, under any circumstance. For more wine information, click on the learn tab or that link.
As the international wine industry becomes more and more competitive, wineries are turning to technology to get an edge in the market. The goal is generally to extract as much flavor as possible without extracting too many harsh tannins. A small but growing number of winemakers are using a technique called pneumatage to accomplish this.
During red wine fermentation, the skins, seeds, and other debris float to the top of the container forming the “cap.” Winemakers resubmerge the cap by punching it down or pumping wine over the top.
However, punching down or pumping over the cap both can shred the skins and release seeds into the wine. Because these seeds contain harsh tannins, winemakers often have to press the must before they have attained the right amount of flavor.
In response to this dilemma, Pulsair Mixing Systems developed attachments for the base of the tank which inject air into the wine. This extracts color and flavor from the skins without tearing up the skins and releasing seeds. The health of the yeast cells also benefit from the oxygen bubbles.
Based in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Benton Lane Winery was one of the first to use pneumatage for their Pinot Noir production. Other wineries using the technique include Glen Fiona, Bonny Doon, Malivoire, and Cedar Creek.
Recently, there has been a great deal of attention on winery marketing campaigns that engage their customers. Fantesca Winery unveiled their Wine Corkies and Twisted Oak is allowing their fans to Write this #x%x! Both wineries are encouraging participation in the winemaking process and are taking strides to break through the winery-consumer barrier.
However, there is a winery that has effectively broken down this barrier by taking an approach that has never been seen before. Many of you know him as the PinotBlogger, some of you know him as Josh, and everyone will soon know him as the front man and palate behind Capozzi Winery.
The concept of the PinotBlogger blog is to document the birth of the Capozzi Winery in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley. On the surface, this seems like a novel approach to generate some pre-launch buzz. But the PinotBlogger has taken this approach into the stratosphere, as a bonafide star of the wine blogging community.
Some may argue that this isn’t the case. But I offer evidence to the contrary. In a January post, titled Help us Design our Tasting Room, the PinotBlogger asked for help from his friends, followers and fans to design the Capozzi Winery tasting room;
“We are starting the process of designing our tasting room and I’d love to get some feedback from you…If your idea is used we will commemorate it and be sure to give you credit. Perhaps a plaque if appropriate, or maybe we’ll build a shrine to your genius for all to see.”
What?!? I can help design a winery tasting room! Talk about being a part of the process. With 32 comments, it’s easy to see how well this was received by the wine blogging community. Some of the responses were 750 words +.
The interest and passion generated from this post is not only a sign that the PinotBlogger has nailed the mission of his blog, but also the he is on the verge of creating something no other winery has been able to do; a winery based community.
Regardless of whether the PinotBlogger decides to build a full fledged social network around the construction of Capozzi winery, he has built a community around his blog. It would be beneficial for everyone to be able to become more active in the process. Because the more people are involved, the more loyal they will be once Capozzi begins producing wine.
What winery wouldn’t want a group of highly passionate evangelists as customers? It’s an interesting approach and I’m excited to see the other interesting ways the PinotBlogger will get us all involved.
Non-profit organizations are the unheralded heroes of the business world. They support their communities by providing services and goods that are desperately needed by disenfranchised populations. But they can’t carry out their missions without the financial support of the government and community businesses.
In wine country, one of the most important sources of monetary support comes from wineries. But there have been restrictions that limit the degree to which a winery can be involved in fund raising efforts, putting a serious strain on the non-profit community.
However, there is currently legislation that would allow vintners to pour wine at charitable events regardless of local licenses and restrictions. When this bill is signed and put into action, a great sigh of relief with be heard from all wine country non-profits.
In a survey conducted by New Level Group, a Napa based consulting firm, 58 percent of responding nonprofits said wine donations were “very important” to their cause. And in the Napa Valley’s wine country, this number is even more dramatic, with “96 percent of responding Napa County nonprofits [saying] that wine donations were very or somewhat important.”
This new bill will help non-profits fund their efforts and help wineries contribute to the causes they feel are important. This is a great day for wine country and non-profits all over California.
When it comes to wine, what happened to the court of public opinion? Does the public even have an opinion? The wine industry has been dominated by a few individuals for such a long time that the voice of the masses has been drowned in a whirlpool of professional wine critics and writers.
The total reliance on professional opinion is one of the major factors contributing to the sorry state of the wine industry. Unfortunately, most people seem to be afraid to voice their opinion about wine. But there is one important thing to remember, tasting wine is a SUBJECTIVE experience.
It doesn’t matter what someone else has said about a particular wine, its all about what YOU think about it. While there are definite benefits to reading wine critic reviews, they should be taken for what they are; someone’s opinion on a subjective experience. Taking these opinions as rule is the best way to back your palate into a corner and never really discover what you really like and don’t like.
Free Thinkers are to Sheep as “Followers of their own Preferences” are to “Followers of Wine Critics Preferences.”
Fortunately, over the past couple of years, things have been changing. The development of the wine blogosphere, although still in its infancy, has enabled a more democratic take on wine and the wine industry. Instead of reading a wine publication, many people are searching blog posts for wine reviews. These reviews are a better representation of public opinion because they are not corrupted by the forces influencing major wine magazines.
Public Opinion is to Elite Snobbery as Wine Blogger Reviews are to Wine Critic Reviews
In addition to the wine blogs, there are now wine websites that are more interested in what people like you think than what some professional wine critic thinks. User generated wine sites like Cork’d, Winelog, Openbottles, Bottletalk and Vinorati all emphasize user opinion.
The trend towards impartial user reviews is taking hold in almost every major industry. User reviews are all over sites like Amazon and Overstock, and were the driving force behind the development of blogs; as they morphed from personal websites to weblogs at the turn of the millennium.
Democracy is to Non-Marxist Imperialism as User Generated Reviews are to Wine Critic Reviews.
It seems that there are three major categories of opinion; Wine Critics, Wine Bloggers and the General Publics. Which is most important to you? How many people would have a give a positive review of a wine to convince you its good? If a wine critic gave a wine a bad review, would you automatically think its bad?
These are questions you can only answer for yourself, but have serious implications on the direction of the wine industry. As more emphasis is placed on wine blogger and general public opinion, the wine industry will become more democratic and less imperialistic. And it is within this movement that people will free their palates and truly develop their own tastes and preferences.
Ernest Gallo, co-founder of the wine producing giant E & J Gallo, has passed away in his hometown of Modesto, California at the age of 97.
Along with his brother Julio, Ernest established E & J in 1933 immediately after the United States repealed Prohibition. The business was founded with $5,900 and a winemaking recipe the brothers found in the Modesto Public Library. Ernest spearheaded sales and marketing for the company, while Julio made the wine. Julio passed away in 1993.
For many years, E & J Gallo was the largest wine producing company in the world. It has since fallen behind Constellation Brands, but the company still sells an amazing 75 million cases a year. Ernest’s son, Joseph, is now the head of E & J Gallo.
One of the reasons E & J was so successful was that the brothers did not just focus on making wine; they bought and planted enormous tracts of vineyards and were involved in every aspect of distribution. Ernest and Julio even manufactured their own bottles at a glass factory they owned. This gave them unparalleled control and led to the meteoric rise of the winery.
E & J produced and marketed generic table wines named after European wine regions such as Burgundy and Chablis. The brothers are also famous for developing such brands as Thunderbird, a high-alcohol fortified wine, and Ripple, a fruit-flavored wine.
In an interview on his 90th birthday, Ernest stated, “My brother Julio and I worked to improve the quality of wines from California and to put fine wine on American dinner tables at a price people could afford. We also worked to improve the reputation of California wines here and overseas.”
The discovery of an adult glassy-winged sharpshooter at a Napa Valley nursery is causing serious concern in the local wine industry. As reported by the St. Helena Star, the insect was found on February 22nd, in a group of plants from Orange County.
This is the first official sighting of an adult glassy-winged sharpshooter in Napa County. The pest has previously been found along the Highway 80 corridor in Solano County, and ravaged Temecula’s wine industry during the 1990s.
The glassy-winged sharpshooter carries Pierce’s Disease, a virus that is deadly to grape vines as well as several other agricultural goods. Pierce’s Disease was long carried by the blue-green sharpshooter, a much feebler insect than its robust cousin. The glassy-winged sharpshooter is about a half inch long, and is capable of flying several miles in a day.
Napa Valley’s wine industry is not taking this finding lightly, and agriculture departments on the county, state, and federal level have sprung into action to investigate and quarantine if necessary.
It should be noted, however, that the glassy-winged sharpshooter cannot fly when the temperature is lower than 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit, and the high for the day was 53 degrees. The adult was found early in the morning, and was not moving because of the low temperature. Hopefully no others escaped before the day warmed up.
Dave Whitmer, Napa County’s Agriculture Commissioner, is especially concerned with the discovery because the plants were from a nursery certified as non-infested. “It raises a warning flag to begin with in our regulatory system. You would not expect an adult glassy-winged sharpshooter to be moving on nursery stock from a nursery designated as non-infested,” Whitmer remarked.
The relationship between alcohol and health is undeniably controversial. So much so that National Institutes of Health (NIH) covered up the association between abstinence from alcohol and increased risk of heart disease.
In 1974, the Framingham Study found that the “big four” risk factors for heart disease are high blood pressure, smoking cigarettes, high cholesterol and abstinence from alcohol. However, when the NIH reported the study, they only mentioned three.
NIH officials said, “Refer to only three major risk factors and remove all reference to alcohol. With all the abuse in this country, we must not say alcohol prevents (coronary heart disease). If you must comment on alcohol, say it has no effect.”
This information was revealed at the recent International Wine and Heart Health Summit at Silverado Resort in February. Cover-ups like this one are not surprising, the NIH is known for selectively reporting information to the public.
While it’s understandable to withhold this type of information, they are jeopardizing the health of responsible drinkers. It is important for the public to receive objective information so they can make decisions on what’s good for their health and what’s not.
Grape hang time and subsequent alcohol levels are hot topics in the California wine industry right now. In response, the Napa Valley Grapegrowers Association will host, “The Future of Napa Valley: Beyond Hang Time.” This seminar will take place on Thursday, March 8th, 2007 at Copia in downtown Napa.
Several topics will be discussed by scientists, grape growers, and winemakers. The day will start with Deborah L. Elliot-Fisk, from UC Davis, giving talk entitled, “What Makes Napa Valley So Special?”
Climate and change and global warming are on a lot of vintners’ and consumers’ minds right now. In response, Rick Snyder, also from UC Davis, will address the question, “What is Happening to Napa’s Weather?” Ed Weber, of the University of California Cooperative Extension, will speak on the “Results of the 2006 Napa Valley Hang Time Study.”
Coming from the winemaker’s perspective, Andy Walker, Larry Brooks, Michael Silacci, and Bob Wample will talk about, “Pursuing Ripeness and Flavor in Wines.” Finally, vineyard managers Jon Ruel, Sam Turner, Steve Matthiasson, and Pete Richmond will discuss, “Vineyard Strategies for Achieving Ripeness and Flavor.”
Tickets for this event are $75 for members of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers Association and $115 for non-members. Call (707) 944-8311 for information on attending.
The controversy surrounding attempts to establish sub-AVAs within Paso Robles shows no sign of abating anytime soon. Several members of the Paso Robles wine industry have written to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau expressing their criticism of the proposed Westside Paso Robles sub-AVA.
Terry Brady of Clautiere Winery argues that the proposal is not based on any real viticultural differences, and is a marketing ploy. Brady contends that proponents of the Westside sub-AVA want, “be able to take advantage of a perceived superiority of this part of the appellation.”
Blair Zajac of Ma Vigne au Soleil agrees with Brady, stating, “From a wine sales consideration, implementing the proposed new boundary will have a negative impact on east side wine sales of quality fully equal to that of the west side.”
Dennis T. Collins, the General Manager of Treana Winery, is also critical of the proposed sub-AVA, but not for the same reasons. Treana makes a wine called “Westside,” and Collins believes that the existence of a Westside Paso Robles sub-AVA would cause consumer confusion.
The establishment of AVAs is a tricky issue, and the entire California wine industry is closely watching the process unfold in Paso Robles right now.
How involved are you with your wine? Do you know the winemaker? Have you been to the winery? Do you write about your experience on Cork’d or WineLog?
As web applications evolve, they open up channels for you to interact with your wine online. This has enabled you to write about your experiences, interact with other wine lovers, and has paved the way for a virtual wine tasting experience. Gary Vaynerchuck is on the right track, but hasn’t hit the nail on the head yet.
As this movement picks up steam online, it is creeping into the offline world. Last month, I reported on an innovative approach Fantesca Winery used to reach out to their customers. Their efforts were a great example of getting their customers involved with the winemaking process.
Another winery that is doing a great job of engaging their customers is Twisted Oak. They are the out right leader for wineries in the blogosphere with El Bloggo Torcido (PinotBlogger is exempt because his winery isn’t functional yet). They are doing a great job expanding their audience and reaching out to new people.
But reaching new people is just the first step in the process. Now that they have effectively found this audience, it is then the goal to engage them and get them invested in the Twisted Oak brand; enter Write This %@#$!
You, the Twisted Oak fan, can write the back label of Twisted Oak’s 2006 Sierra Foothills x%x#$! Looking at the examples of back labels, you can use your creative talents to win the grand prize, a case of the 2006 x%x#$!.
Your entries are going to be judged by the Twisted Oak Crew, and must be submitted by March 16th, 2007. Even if you don’t win the grand prize, you still win. Everyone who enters will receive a coupon for a 20% discount on your next purchase from Twisted Oak. Details for the competition can be found here.
On February 22nd and 23rd, Fresno State University hosted the 10th Annual Viticulture and Enology Conference with a focus on color in grapes and color and wine. A wide array of winemakers and researchers spoke on color development and color management in grape growing and winemaking.
As reported by Wine Business, “the lectures focused on plant hormones and their relationship to grape color; color-extracting enzyme technology; enotannins and color; yeast, polysaccharides and polyphenols; cultural practices that influence color; near infrared spectroscopy and differential harvesting; and packaging and labeling.”
Sanliang Gu spoke about the effect that ABA (S-abscisic acid) has on anthocyanins (the compounds that give red grapes their color) when applied to grapes in the vineyard. Gu is the Ricchiuti Chair of Viticulture Research at Fresno State University. According to Gu, ABA sprayed onto Cabernet Sauvignon berries increased anthocyanins by “up to 40 percent.”
Francois Botton, a scholar at Martin Vialatte Oenologie in Epernay, France, focused his talk on how different tannins can affect anthocyanins depending on their origin. Botton found that certain tannins increase anthocyanins more than others, and revealed his specific research to the conference.
ProCork: The Perfect Wine Closure?
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