Caberlot

Ever hear of a wine grape called “Caberlot”? It’s a rare, black grape believed to be a natural crossing of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Exclusively grown at Podere Il Carnasciale in Tuscany, it was first identified in an abandoned vineyard in the late 1960’s in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy. Only about 3,000 bottles of the wine, wearing the IGT denomination, are produced yearly. In some vintages, the Cabernet character seems to shine, while in others, the Merlot dominates. Occasionally, it is Rhone-like. Usually an intensely coloured wine, it smacks of dark fruit, pepper, tobacco, coffee, earth and roasted notes and can age decently. Apparently, it’s a very sought after wine and available in 27 countries worldwide.

New Kind of Cask

There’s a new kind of wine cask on the market. Concrete has long been used for fermenting wine (especially in Europe), much of which is then aged in oak barrels for many months after. Now some producers like Classified Growth Pontet-Canet in Pauillac, Bordeaux and others have starting using “Dolias”, a made-to-measure, concrete barrel in the shape of a Roman amphora, for aging, along with traditional oak versions. After aging, wine from both oak barrels and concrete versions are blended together. The affect on the wine is quite different. Producers who are using Dolias claim that the concrete is softer for the wine and provides more depth and purity in the finished, blended wine.

Trump Wine

The next potential president of the US, Donald Trump, makes his own wine, among other things. He has a 1,300-acre estate and winery in Charlottesville, Virginia near Thomas Jefferson's estate at Monticello. Producing sparkling, red, white, and rosé styles, it’s the largest in the state that has more than 250 wineries. He’s supposedly serving it at press conferences, and if elected, will probably stock the White House cellar with it for state dinners. Don’t be surprised…it’s a “Donald” utopia. His own brand of water, steaks, etc! What’s next…a clothing line, workout routine, line of hairpieces, a book on how to make friends, etc.? Regardless of how you feel about the man, you have to admire his business savvy and “chutzpah”.

Red Wine Before Bed – Lose Weight

Scientific researchers now say that drinking two glasses of red wine before bed could help you lose weight. Apparently, resveratrol, in the skins of red grapes, transforms “white fat” into “beige fat” which is much easier to burn off and helps suppress appetite so you’re less likely to go looking for that late night snack. Whether this is true or not, you’ll probably sleep a lot more soundly after a coupler glasses of vino and, if you’re like me, you may make a few extra trips to the lieu because of the additional liquid. If this practice instills fears of developing a drinking habit, you could substitute the wine for dark-coloured fruit like fresh red grapes, blueberries, blackberries or strawberries that also contain resveratrol.