Altralto

The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco, has been attributed to Mark Twain. Whether he actually uttered those famous words is up for debate, but the meaning is not.Those words reflect the frigid summer fog of the San Francisco Bay Area.

It’s that same fog, much to the consternation of most San Francisco tourists, which also blankets many of California’s great wine growing regions most summer mornings until about noon. The fog, and resulting cool climate, plays an enormous role in creating some of California’s best wines, in fact some of the best wines in the world.

Cool Temps Equals Cool Wines

Due to their close proximity to large bodies of water, wine regions closest to the coast tend to have a more maritime climate, a weather that includes cooling influences from the Pacific Ocean. These climates help produce lighter-bodied, tart and refreshing wines from grapes that thrive in cooler, cloud covered coastal climates.

For example, the Pacific fog plays a dominant role in the climate of both the Anderson and Russian River valleys. The rain-fed waterways in these regions swell in the wintertime and provide vital irrigation to the area’s vineyards during the late-spring dry season. Then in summer, fog often blankets the valleys with low hanging cool air, creating ideal growing conditions for cool-climate grape varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Riesling.

Long on the Vine, Better the Wine

Besides impacting the general climate in a given growing region or area, Bay Area fog helps produce some of the most stunning and complex wines in California with near pinpoint accuracy. Fog-creating cool ocean breezes deliver cool mornings throughout the award winning wine regions of Napa Valley and Sonoma County. In the summertime, these cool mornings, which are prime growing time on the vine, allow grapes maximum sun exposure with minimum risk of “over cooking.”

Toward most evenings, cool breezes return, the intense summertime warmth of the day is alleviated and the grapes are cooled. This daily ritual produces optimum growing conditions during the day and nearly halts slow-cooking during the night, thereby allowing for a long, slow ripening period. This unique summertime cycle limits the risk of over ripeness or “baked” flavors in the grapes and is not only the foundation, but the heart of the complex flavors of California Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

Celebrate the Fog

It’s no wonder, then, that grape growers and winemakers alike celebrate the mystical powers that fog wields in the creation of great tasting wines. From the Foggy Bridge and Adrian Fog wineries to the Fog Crest and Fog Dance vineyards, there are manynaming tributes scattered throughout the wine industry.

But if you haven’t experienced San Francisco Bay Area fog firsthand, you can enjoy its resulting delights with a glass of Fog Head, Fog Bank or Fog Mountain wine. And perhaps no wine is more aptly named or better captures the power and spirit of thefog than Wente’s Morning Fog Chardonnay. Wine notes read:

Each summer morning, fog billows inland through the Golden Gate, pushed by Pacific wind streams into the bowl of the San Francisco Bay. Here, it forms deep fog banks…cooling the air as it goes. This daily phenomenon creates the Mediterranean or Marine climate found in less than 1% of the world’s land mass….and ideal for growing wine grapes that are beautifully balanced.

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To allow Australian wine to be sold in the vitally important export market of Europe, the Australian wine industry had to comply with European Commission regulations governing regional marketing and content for wines. This meant that 85% of the wine must come from the region named on the bottle.

The first step was for the Australian wine industry to establish regions. The Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation (AWBC) was established in 1980 and has the role of ensuring label integrity. Without the historic boundaries that defined Europe’s regions, the AWBC used geographical indications to name Zones. There are 8 zones and within those zones there are 62 defined wine regions. These wine regions can be divided into sub-regions.

Regions and sub regions must be a single tract of land where grape is harvested. They must be separate from neighbouring regions or sub-regions and must produce at least 500 tonnes of wine grapes each year. There must also be at least 5 wineries within the region or sub-region for it to be defined.

Regions can differ from each other based on the types of soil that the vines are grown in. Another major consideration is the climate that the vines experience and the type of land. For example higher altitude will be considerably different from those at a lower altitude. Also the aspect and temperature range can have a bearing on what wine can be produced. All these factors add up to make wine from a particular region unique.

Wine makers must keep auditable records of what grape makes up a wine so that the buyer can be sure that the wine on the label is what is in the bottle. This is good news for the buyer as it ensures consistent quality and more importantly guarantees enjoyment of the wine.

Australian Wine Regions

Below is a list of the main wine regions in Australia

• Barossa Valley, South Australia
• Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia
• Hunter Valley, New South Wales
• Margaret River, Western Australia
• Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
• Riverland, South Australia
• Yarra Valley, Victoria

Visiting Australian wine regions has often been described as a highlight of the tourist trail in this country. Many overseas and Australian holidaymakers visit these regions resulting in an overall boom in the area. Other related industries such as cheese makers, restaurants and accommodation have also thrived with the increase in tourism. With Australian wines considered a world leader in the industry, it looks like these regions will continue to thrive and produce quality wines for us all to enjoy.

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There was a time when all wine bottles were sealed with a cork but now it seems more common to see only screw cap wines on the shelf. Initially screw cap closures were seen as ok for white wine with a very short shelf life however there is now more acceptance of this type of closure for all types, except sparkling. It all seems a bit confusing, so lets take a step back and see what has happened to bring about this change.

Cork has been used as a closure for bottled wine for centuries however this has come with a price. As it is a natural product, the quality of the cork could vary from bottle to bottle. With a poor quality cork, the result would often mean excessive oxygen entering the bottle and destroying the precious wine inside.

To counteract the varying quality of cork there were specific methods used to give the cork the best chance of survival. Ensuring that the bottle was stored upright for 24 hours after the cork was applied would give it the best chance of settling into the bottle and sealing properly. Different sizes of cork were tried with longer corks, known as ‘Chateau length’, applied to higher quality wines.

Unfortunately for cork, the clock was ticking. With some wine makers looking for a way to remove the risk of the cork failing, the screw cap closure was introduced 10 years ago. It was initially applied to Riesling only, but the demand increased as supermarkets wanted to deliver the kind of consistency that screw cap guarantees.

This saw a much wider use of screw caps across all wines, including reds meant for cellaring. Research in both France and Australia has proved that wines can bottle well without a cork closure as maturation can be achieved without oxygen. At first, the average wine drinker was skeptical as screw cap wine was often associated with the cheaper bottles. However, as with most convenient items, wine drinkers started to realize that not only did wine mature well without a cork closure, they also began to consider the cork a bit of a nuisance! Waiting staff stopped carrying cork screws and it was no longer necessary to remember the cork screw when going on picnics. With attitudes changing, wineries all over the world started to select the convenience of non cork closures confident that their wine would taste just as good for the consumer. Some may debate this, however the fact is, that screw caps are here to stay.

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The world of wine and wine collecting can be perceived as an esoteric world of nuanced bouquets and rare vintages but beyond the collectors many of us regularly drink wine and often have a few bottles lying around in the home. If you have ever opened a bottle and found it to be spoilt then you may want to keep in mind a few basic, easy to remember, storage tips which all of us can benefit from whether we have are own cellar of vintages or a couple of bottles in a cupboard.

Temperature
The rule of thumb regarding temperature is to keep it cool but if you are keeping a variety of wines in one location your ideal ambient temperature will be around 12-13°C. Higher temperatures will cause the wine to age prematurely and if a wine approaches temperatures of 24°C then it will start to oxidise significantly. What’s more, high temperatures will make the wine itself expand and potentially leak through the cork.

If you are using natural conditions to regulate the ambient temperature you’ll need to be careful to avoid significant fluctuations in that temperature, even when you’re still within your minimum and maximum levels. Fluctuations cause the pressures within and without the bottle to differ and this differential causes excessive air flow through the cork which can again oxidise the wine. This is a common cause of spoiling when wine is stored in a location such as kitchen where the temperature regularly rises and falls. Ideally the extent to which temperature should be allowed to change would be 1.5°C a day or just under 3°C across a year.

Humidity
Humidity should be kept fairly high to prevent the cork from drying out. A dry cork will allow too much air into the bottle and therefore too much oxygen which reacts with the wine to oxidise and spoil it. However, it is also important not to store wine in excessively moist conditions because it may cause mold and rot and so you should aim for a humidity level at around 70%.

Light
Light, especially bright light, will affect the aging and degradation of the wine and so should be kept to a bare minimum. Red wines will tend to lighten whilst white wines darken in the presence of light and (particularly Champagnes) can be affected by what is known as lightstruck whereby the wine is spoilt by the presence of Sulphur compounds. Specifically it is the ultraviolet element of light that affects the wine so if you do need lighting it is preferable to use artificial low UV lighting if possible.

Odours
The fact that wines can breathe means that they can also absorb odours from their environment and integrate them into their flavour. You should therefore be careful to ensure that they are stored in odourless settings although if that involves ventilation you’ll need to remember the effect this may have in turn on the temperature and humidity of your environment.

Position
Wine bottles which use a cork should always be stored on their side or at a slight angle to ensure that the wine remains in contact with the cork. By doing so it prevents the cork from drying out as it would if it were stored upright. A dried out cork, as mentioned above will allow too much air to permeate the cork and therefore oxidises the wine.

For screw cap wines it can be argued that they benefit (in the absence of a porous cork) from being stored upright as this reduce the surface area of the wine that is exposed to air and may slow down the aging process.

Movement
Although there is little empirical evidence for the spoiling of wine through movement it is advised by experienced wine collectors to avoid movement and even vibrations (e.g., from heavy traffic) as much as possible as it may be a contributing factor to premature aging.

Time
It is a myth that all wines will continue to mature with time. Different wines have different optimum maturing periods and as a rule of thumb new world wines are likely to only mature and keep for 2 or 3 years, as are relatively inexpensive wines. Beyond that it will vary from one wine to the next depending on factors such as the grape variety and the chemical constituents of the wine (tannins, sugars, acids).

With these tips in mind you really can ensure you are storing wine successfully and minimising the chances of it spoiling, whether you are lucky enough to have a cellar in your house, you invest in a cooler or you simply use a cool dry cupboard under the stairs.

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How do you find the best red wine if you are learning to be a wine connoisseur? The first step is to understand how red wine is made. Red wine is made from a variety of European grapes, which come in a variety of colors. The grapes are crushed whole, along with their skins which give the wine its distinctive color, whether red, deep purple and even blue, and the mixture is fermented to produce the beverage.

Red wines can be classified according to their body or the way they taste on the tongue. This, in turn is determined by the alcohol content of the wine and the amount of dissolved solids (tannins) in it. A light-bodied wine, for example, has less presence on the palate and lower tannin content. On the other hand, a full-bodied wine can have the highest alcohol content and feel heavier on the tongue. In between, there are medium-bodied wines that fall in the middle of these two classifications. Light-bodied wines are those which come from cool wine growing regions such as the UK, Germany and Austria, while full-bodied ones include Cabernet Sauvignon from California, Shiraz from Australia and Malbec from Argentina. Medium-bodied ones are those that are produced in areas such as Washington, Bordeaux and Burgundy.

Another factor to consider when choosing the best red wine is the varieties that are available. There are numerous types of red wine in the market but there are several prominent ones that you should be familiar with, including:

Syrah/Sirah. These are full-bodied wines produced from a grape interchangeably known as Sirah or Syrah depending on the place where it is grown. These wines are made in the US and France under the name of Syrah while Sirah is used in other regions such as Australia, Italy and Portugal. This wine is a deep red in color and is often served with food such as beef or wild game as well as with dark chocolate.

Cabernet Sauvignon. This is one of the best known red wines and is produced from grapes originally grown in the Bordeaux region of France although they are now significantly produced in California vineyards as well. Cabernets can be full-bodied or medium-bodied and have high tannin content. Cabs are best served with foods such as red meats, hearty red pastas, strong-flavored cheese, lamb and dark chocolate.

Merlot. Made with the fabled Merlot grape from the Bordeaux region, Merlots are highly drinkable medium-bodied wines that have juicy fruit flavors. This is a versatile wine that can be paired with a wide variety of foods such as red meats, poultry and even salads.

Pinot Noir. This wine is produced from Pinot Noir grapes grown in the vineyards of Burgundy in France. Since these grapes are difficult to grow, Pinot Noir is produced in smaller quantities and is thus more expensive than other wines. This wine is well-paired with various types of meats such as beef, lamb and poultry.

One of the best ways to discover the best red wine types is to join wine clubs that will enable you to develop your palate by tasting various wines under the mentorship of experts.

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Sommelier is the French word for wine steward. These are the guys you see at fine dining establishments assisting patrons when it comes to wine selection. Many individuals take these people for granted, thinking of them as employees that just so happened to get assigned to that station, but don’t be fooled. Sommeliers are trained professionals that know their wines. For us common folk that aren’t as knowledgeable as they are, there are some ground rules about wine pairings that are universally recognized.

Reds

Winemakers and drinkers alike agree that red wine can be defined in three ways: light-bodied, medium-bodied, and full-bodied. The body type of a wine is determined by how it feels once it’s in our mouth. Light-bodied wines are said to be just like water because they don’t demand much from our taste palates. The subtle flavour of this variety goes best with full and strong flavoured foods. If you’re looking to try a wine of this variety, noveau wines are the most commonly associated with the light-bodied tag.

Merlot and Shiraz are varieties that belong to the medium-bodied family. These are marked by flavours that most would consider “just right.” It would be wise to pair a glass of Merlot with a flavourful steak or a sharp cheese. It’s common to have a full-bodied wine with a hearty steak, but it’s alright to take a chance and have a lighter, fruitier Merlot go with that. Remember that when it comes to the best Australian wine, it’s also about balance and complement.

Full-bodied wines are those with the strongest flavours (and usually the highest alcohol content). These wines go great with lamb, or as mentioned earlier, red meat steaks. Cabernet Sauvignon and Burgundy red wines are two of the more popular varieties from this family.

Whites

White wines tend to be fruitier in flavour than red wines. These wines are all light-bodied, and go best with light meals. Among the more widely recognized varieties are Chardonnay, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Because they are more refreshing and lightly flavoured than their red counterparts, white wines go best with light meals. A glass of it would be ideal with a simple lunch or a light dinner. Creamy pastas, chicken, and shrimp go will with a glass of Chardonnay or Riesling. White wines aren’t just a complementary drink to these food items, but also make a great ingredient. You can add a splash of white wine to a whole range of different sauces.

These are just a few universally recognized practices when it comes to the best Australian wine and food pairings. While it would be practical to keep these in mind, remember that these are not rules you must strictly follow. All of us have our own idea of what tastes good and what doesn’t; wine pairings included. Remember the above-mentioned tips, but don’t allow it to restrict you from making other choices. If you want to learn more about the best Australian wine, all you have to do is a little research. Wine is widely available and can be purchased from your neighbourhood store or wine cellar or you can get wine directly from wineries or vendors via the Internet.

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tIt begins with that cool air that touches our skin followed by that rain of white particles that surround our parks and streets. Before we know it, Christmas is around the corner. Along with all the merrymaking, gift-giving is another way to feel the joy of the holiday.

During parties and reunions that take place during this season, gift baskets and wine are probably the best gift ideas one can ever think about. Gift baskets and wine are perfect for Christmas parties among friends and within the family. A good bottle of wine paired with good food is the ultimate meal to sort out relationship problems and soothe issues pertaining to matters of the heart. Whether it is that heat that goes with a gulp of wine or the alcoholic spirit in the concoction that brings sets the mood for sentimental moments, this is undeniable a welcome thought during the holidays.

Choosing a wine is not an easy task. Although bottle after bottle of wine might look like each other, there are certain specifications that make one bottle perfect for such occasion while another bottle for another day and time. However, it does not really require a wine connoisseur to create those perfect gift baskets and wine. Knowing the basics is all that you need. Red goes with red and white goes with white. When going to a standard dinner party where the meal will most likely involve red meat such as pork and beef, one should bring a bottle or two of red wine.

For parties that are more likely to involve dishes with white meat, white wine is more appropriate. In case there is no specific indication as to the type of meal to be served, it is probably safest to bring one bottle of each kind of wine. Wine works well with food, certain food items complement well with a bottle of wine. One can choose from a variety of such items. Finger food items that are ready for consumption such crackers, cheese and fruits are ideal partners for any bottle of wine. A box of pizza or any other packed ready to eat meals also go well with a wine.

Wines create a timeless and classic impression. Since it works in any adult parties and get-togethers, it is the answer to every social gathering especially during the yuletide season. Offering a bottle of wine as a gift during special occasions indicates a time to celebrate and have fun. This is the most significant meaning one can get from gift baskets and wine for one.

Wine drinking is usually most associated with celebrations and success. Although gift baskets and wine are a really creative way to present such gifts, a bottle of wine actually does not necessarily have to be packaged in any way. One can just bring it along when getting to the party or deliver it personally.

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Personalized wine bottles offer you with a brilliant way of celebrating a special occasion more memorably. You can choose to have them customized in any way you want as well as by using some significant pictures, poems, comic strips or art work. These can make perfect gifts in addition to being the talk of the celebration having your visitors something to take home with them to remember the occasion with.

When you are choosing personalized wine bottles there are some significant points that you have to remember as well as the array and time of wine to take. If you are preparing an occasion such as birthday party or commencement party where there would be younger guests there you could have the bottles packed with bubbly cider as an alternative of wine.

Weddings are also incredible occasions to have personalized wine bottles because you can have the bottles modified with the names of the blissful pair together with the date. A few people are fond of having a photo of the newlyweds on the bottles to have them extra extraordinary.

If you aim to utilize personalized wine bottles as social gathering favors, in that case you may desire to think on having a few small wine bottles so that you can offer all visitors an individual bottle and not having to splurge a lot of money. For larger event it may be convenient to have a number of bigger bottles on the visitor’s table as a means of compliment the ornaments in the area. One more helpful point of having bigger bottles is that the sticker is larger so that you have space to write a message on them.

If the price of having bottles personalized becomes very expensive, here are some ways for you be able to save. First alternative is to purchase a few empty personalized bottles and provide the wine yourself. An economical choice is to have your labels ordered by yourself and pay for the bottles of wine alone so that you can work on them and have the stickers on the bottles yourself.

It is also likely to make the labels on your own which offer you more choices when making something distinct for your special event. For instance, you can do a design on the bottles so that they apply the similar colors that you are using to compliment with.

If you are preparing to have a few of these personalized containers for your special occasion, then you should arrange them earlier to make sure that they will be present on time. Have a single bottle in advance to look at it and to be assured that you are contented prior to ordering in bulk.

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There are many occasions where plastic champagne glasses are perfect. From holiday parties to a small gathering of friends, there is always a time and place for disposable champagne flute glasses. Picking the right ones for the right event is the important thing.

If you’re celebrating a major milestone like a wedding or major anniversary, you might want to go with some fancy crystal champagne classes to go along with a nice bottle of bubbly. But, there are no rules for drinking sparkling wine. It’s all about the company around you.

Will an expensive bottle of Champagne taste different in a plastic glass? Most serious wine and beverage enthusiast would argue yes. But, those that don’t have a refined palette would probably rather save the money and buy a nicer bottle of champagne with the money they save on buying cheap plastic champagne glasses instead of real fancy and name brand glass.

For big parties where budget is a concern, and many people will be attending, it’s important to be able to cut costs, so that you don’t go broke hosting the event. If there’s going to be a toast and an offering of sparkling wine, a good idea is to try to find bulk plastic champagne glasses at wholesale prices. These will often times be much cheaper because of the quantity you’ll be buying. These can be obtained at places like Costco. But, the best deals will be found on the internet for sure.

If you’re really on a budget or just all about cost saving, you can even save these champagne flutes for later use by washing them. If you’re concerned about the clean up, then you can just throw them away because they’re meant to be disposable. This is one of the main advantages of plastic glasses for champagne. You don’t have to worry about breaking expensive glass or worry about washing hundreds of them after the party is over. All you have to do is toss them in the garbage and you’re done. The price reflects this convenience factor.

Speaking of convenience, it is this convenience that makes disposable champagne flute glasses so popular and economical. There is no hassle with these semi-fancy party cups. Just provide a great bottle of bubbly and you’re set. Then, you can concentrate on what’s really important; which is enjoy time with your friends and family while drinking champagne.

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We are what we eat! But it is also true that we are what we drink. Our intake of food and drink determines the nutrients that get into our body. Those nutrients then contribute to many things like our mood and lifespan.

The French Paradox is the term used for one of the enduring health puzzles in France. Frenchmen smoke heavier and eat fatter foods than in the United States, Yet, they undoubtedly live longer. Why? The culprit is wine. This most French of alcoholic beverages contain various nutrients and minerals that seem to help prevent the most common fatal diseases. For example, wine contains polyphenols and a chemical called resveratrol. Both protect against cardiovascular diseases. But that’s not all that this liquor can do. It can slow aging, improve lungs, prevent ulcer, destroy particular cancer cells and strengthen bones. All these benefits are readily available to moderate drinkers of wine who drink everyday. Heavy drinkers can imperil their health because the alcohol can ruin their livers first. Light drinkers consume too little for the nutrients to take effect.

But wine is just fermented grape juice isn’t it? Wine was created because untreated grape juice spoiled and became undrinkable. Fermentation allowed the storage of juice for long periods. Shouldn’t the health benefits of wine and grape juice be the same? This is very much true, up to a point.

Grape juice has almost the same benefits as wine. Resveratrol appear can also be found in simple grape juice, as well as many of its nutrients. The benefits of wine can be found in juice without the drawbacks. Additionally, the juice might be better because there are limits to the amount of nutrients that you can receive from wine. These limits come from the alcohol. Heavy drinking is still bad but grape juice doesn’t have alcohol so drink as much as you want. No worries. Alcohol also increases the presence of free radicals, which damage the body. It may also decrease the amount of free radicals. However, one benefit that wine does have over grape is its ability to promote high-density lipoprotein (HDL). This is the good cholesterol that cleans out our arteries.

Of course, eating grapes is just as good. It also contains fiber that neither grape juice nor wine has.

Ultimately, the choice between wine or grape juice is yours. The benefits are almost the same. Some may prefer wine and if they are moderate drinkers, why should we stop them? Others have moral reasons to not drink wine and in those cases grape juice can give you most of the benefits. Both drinks are good for your health.

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Do you want to know what’s hot in the wine world? Here’s the top 10 trends:

1. Rose Wine
2. Grower Champagne
3. Metropolitan Wineries
4. Natural Wines
5. Fruit days, Root Days…
6. More Wine Drinkers in America
7. Screwcaps Box Wines
8. Lower Alcohol Wine
9. Biodynamics Eco-Friendly wine
10. Dessert Wine, Port Sherry

1. Rose Wines

Rosé wines are all over the shelves in local Seattle wine shops but the trend is still growing! I’ll let you in on the secret: rosé wines are perfect for BBQs, lazy afternoon tea time, light lunches and family gatherings. What makes these wines so great is that they beg to be drunk and enjoyed, not brooded over like their darker counterparts. Here are a couple great rosé wines to try:

Barnard Griffin Rose of Sangiovese – omg the color of this wine is incredible w/ tangy citrus fruit, blood orange, peach and sweet cranberry

Muga Rose – 60% garnacha, 30% Viura and 10% tempranillo wow, this one smells so fruity and fabulous, with a backbone of some more earthy notes than the Barnard Griffin, still zesty and fun

K Vintners Syrah of Rose – If you’re looking for a crazy rose experience, syrah tastes much meatier as a rose wine, I find it to smell like strawberries and salumi at the same time, super whacky!

2. Grower Producer Champagne

Grower producer Champagne is actually a bit of a rarity. Most of the wine grapes from over 15,000 growers in Champagne go directly to large Champagne houses like Moet Chandon and Veuve Clicquot. Originally, this was due to the expense of the Champagne production method, but with the help of technology advancement we will see more “recoltant-manipulant (RM)” or grower champagnes in the market! Growers have greater power and incentive to ensure the grapes they select for their own wines are at the best possible ripeness level. Often, you can find producer champagne for a better value than the a comparable major brand. If you are interested in grower champagne, look for the letters “RM” (récoltants-manipulant) on the label, which indicates that it’s a grower-producer. You can also look for CM (co-operative-manipulants) but not NM (négociant manipulant) or MA (marque d’acheteur). I’ll list a few of my favorites below.

Egly-Ouriet Brut Tradition Grand Cru (NV)

Veuve Fourny Fils Rose Premier Cru Vertus Brut (NV)

2002 Launois Brut Blanc de Blancs Vintage Champagne

Collard-Picard “Cuvee Selection” Brut Champagne

3. Metropolitan Wineries

Brooklyn Winery, City Winery (Manhattan) and Crushpad in San Francisco are making a big splash in cities around the country. Metropolitan wineries often source their grapes from the state they’re in, although some grapes travel a very long way to get crushed and fermented (California to New York or even Bordeaux to California!). The great thing about city wineries is that it gives the public greater exposure to the wine making process. You can literally make your own wine label! Wanna make wine? Note that a typical wine barrel will produce about 280 bottles of wine which is only about 23 cases. the perfect starting size…

4. Natural Wines

The term “natural wine” is a little nebulous, but since the term resembles the whole food, slow food, and eco-sustainability movement, natural wines are gaining popularity. A natural wine typically has a hands-off approach to wine making. Once the grapes have been crushed, fermentation happens with wild yeasts and there is no fining or filtering done to the wine. White wines can be cloudy or even have an orange tinge from lack of fining agents to remove yeasts and excess coloring. Red wines have sediment from skins and dead yeast particles. Of course, there would be no sulfur added to a natural wine. Many French and European wines are made in this “natural” fashion and some are wonderful, but lots have this funky old baby diaper aroma that I like to describe at poogy (half splooge, half poo). Despite all the pooge out there… there are also natural wines that will put a sparkle in your eye:

Zind-Humbrecht 2007 “Pinot d’Alsace” (Alsace, France) – Pinot d’Alsace is kind of a catch all name for a wine style made in Alsace, France using free-run juice of pinot noir, pinot munier pinot gris, it has a honey-gold hue and has flavors of honey, tangerine, lemon rind this really captivating and intense fresh green crunch that reminds me of biting into a celery stick!

2000 (or 2002!) Lopez de Heredia “Viña Bosconia” Reserva Rioja (Rioja Alta, Spain ) – Possibly the oldest bodega in Rioja that despite a beautiful redesigning of the winery still practices very ancient techniques of winemaking.

5. Fruit Day, Flower Day, Root Day Leaf Days

Have you ever tried a delicious bottle of wine and then drank the same wine on a separate occasion only to find it didn’t taste as good? Apparently, the moon effects the taste of wine! Observing moon cycles is a biodynamic farming technique which indicates the best times to plant, prune and harvest. Every day the month can correlated to a fruit day, root day, leaf day or flower day. For example, a root day is a good day to prune plants or cut your hair. In the UK a supermarket chain tested this theory by coordinated their wine tastings either on fruit or flower days. So I’ve been casually testing this theory for the last 6 months and wine does taste better on fruit days and flower days! Don’t take my word for it, try it out for yourself!

6. More Wine Drinkers in America

Wine drinking and wine drinkers are on the rise in the United States! According to Trade Data Analysis (TDA) the United States is pulling out their corkscrews and drinking more wine all around. Since 2004 wine consumption in the US has increased by 15%. Although consumption is relatively low at 10 liters per person (only 12 bottles per person per year), we cannot deny that with a population of 300 million, that’s almost 4 billion bottles of wine a year. Compared to the UK (who drinks almost 20 liters per person per year) they still are only at around 1.5 billion bottles annually. we are wine-drinking winners… woot!

7. Screwcaps and Box Wine

Screwcap wines try harder. We Americans are fickle, we associate screwcaps with low value wine, however, this might not always be the case! In Australia, most wineries have completely converted to screwcaps, including one of my favorite high-end barossa wines: Elderton. I have to admit it’s a little shocking paying $90 for a wine with a screw top, but I usually forget about this small detail when I smell the fantastic aromas pouring out of the glass. One saving grace about screwcaps: you don’t get corked bottles! (which is known to affect about 10-15% of corked wines) Here are a couple of no-joke screwcap wines that are so awesome they will make your face hurt:

Plumpjack 2007 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – McWillians Oakville, CA drink now till 2019

Kay Brothers Block 6 2005 Shiraz – McClaren Vale, South Australia drink now till 2025

8. Lower Alcohol Wines

Randy Dunn of California cult wine Dunn Vineyards has been a proponent of lower alcohol wines (nothing above 14%) since he started his Howell Mountain estate up in the hills above Napa. The rest of new world winemakers are starting to head that way as we realize that complexity in a wine is often overshadowed by the burn of alcohol. California cult wine makers like Helen Turley, Sine Que Non and Washington state’s, Quilceda Creek, had the world in a tizzy over high alcohol wines in the early 2000s. Skeptics immediately responded noting how alcohol levels were so high that the wines would “trick” wine reviewers with their overwhelming oily sensation based on the alcohol viscosity. We’ll be seeing lower alcohol wines as new world winemakers move towards balance.

2002 Dunn Vineyards Cab Sauv Howell Mountain

9. Biodynamic and Eco-Friendly Wines

The turn towards biodynamic farming started as an outcry against mass market agricultural science of the 1950s. The idea of biodynamics is relatively simple, but in practice can be very involved and a even a little strange. Basically, the idea is to observe the natural conditions of the vineyard; the land, the vine and the microclimate. With these observations then a vineyard keeper can decide to apply or remove natural agents to produce an optimal harvest. Natural agents can be anything from choosing to grow grass in between the vineyard rows or sending a herd of goats into the vineyard to clear weeds. In a situation where soil needs to be affected, composts and organic matter (the more bizarre involves animal bones) may be added to the top soil to affect the pH balance of the soil or salinity. Recently the Wine Institute in the USA has implemented a third-party certified sustainable wine program. Originally the program was based on self-evaluation, but now, with third-party approval, there will be more truth to putting the “sustainable” label on wines.

10. Dessert Wine, Port Sherry – STICKIES!

Port, sherry and dessert wine has come a long way since our moms and grandmothers sipped their sherry. In Portugal, Port houses have renewed their winemaking methods and facilities to produce even higher quality and age worthy vintages. In 1994 and 2007 we saw two remarkable declared vintages that will be the future Ports of the century. Producers in Australia and California excel at getting ultimate levels of ripeness which makes them perfect candidates for dessert wine (sticky) production on a international level. Since fortified wines like Sherry and Port last open for up to a month, they make great night caps. here’s my list of tasty ports, sherries and sweet-n-tasty wine:

Smith Woodhouse 1994 Vintage Port

Toro Albala 1979 Gran Reserva P.X.

Hidalgo Napoleon Amontillado Sherry

RL Buller Tawny

RL Buller Fine Muscat

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