Spring Sipping

Now that spring seems to have actually arrived and the weather is starting to warm up, it’s time to turn our palates to fresher, easier-drinking wines. Forget about big, oaky numbers and tannic buggers suited for the cooler months. They will only weigh you down. They’re not what you need at this time of year. For both whites and reds, look to selections that refresh with good acidity. Varietals like Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Aligoté, Alvarinho, Malvasia, Muscadet, Pinot Grigio, Trebbiano, Verdicchio, Garganega and Vidal will do the job nicely. In the red category, check out Gamay, Barbera, Dolcetto, Grignolino, Pinot Noir and Sangiovese. All of these suggestions will also carry nicely into the heat of summer.

Wine and Climate Change

Climate change, including global warming, is threatening wine production. Traditionally wine grapes grow between 30º and 50º latitude north and south of the equator. These boundaries are being altered, so places that could grow specific varieties before are finding it harder and places that couldn’t are beginning to be able to. Predictions show that in a number of decades, traditional, elite wine growing regions like Bordeaux, Rhone and Tuscany and even Napa Valley, California and Chile could see sharp declines in production. And areas, once considered unsuitable, like northern Europe, Britain and central China could come on stream. Increased alcohol levels are also a result. There’s already evidence of this. It’s scary stuff.

Charity Wine Competition

For the past 13 years in early spring, I judge the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition in Rochester, NY (this year, Mar. 23/ 24). It’s the only wine competition in the world I know of where all the proceeds go directly to one charity, Camp Good Days and Special Times, providing camp for children and families, from around the world, touched by cancer. A great cause! All folks involved with this competition (judges, organizers, volunteers, etc.) donate their time. This year a record breaking 3,505 wines from 20 different countries were evaluated by 70 of the world’s top judges from 14 countries. Results can be found at www.fliwc.com.

Wine on Tap

Have you heard the latest trend for vino? It’s “wine on tap”. Instead of utilizing a bottle, some wine is now housed in stainless steel kegs for distribution and sale, just like beer. Each keg holds approximately 26 bottles worth and wine is pushed through the container by gases such as nitrogen and argon, providing a blanket over the wine, protecting it from oxidation. Cost savings are immense: no bottle, closure, or carton to dispose of and much less pricey to transport, as the same amount of wine in bottles weighs significantly more. Only young wine requiring minimal aging works best in these. Is the consumer on board with this concept? If the number of restaurants, hotels and bars across North America embracing this idea are any indication, I’d say yes.

Franciacorta

Franciacorta is a wine region in Lombardy, northern Italy, just south of Lake Iseo. It is the closest thing to real Champagne that Italy has to offer. Made in the Champagne method (2^nd fermentation in the bottle), it is created today from Chardonnay (85%), Pinot Nero (10%) and Pinot Bianco (5%) and has D.O.C.G. status, the highest level of Italian wine classification. All Franciacorta is aged on its lees (dead yeast, pulp, seeds, skin fragments and any other insoluble particles): 18 months for non-vintage and 30 months for vintage wines, and cannot be released for an additional 7 months afterwards. This lees aging rounds out the wine and adds complexity. Too bad you don’t see much of it in North America. It’s fabulous.

Kosher Wine

Kosher wine is grape wine produced according to Jewish religious law, and more specifically, Jewish dietary law. Only Sabbath-observant Jews can oversee and supervise the entire winemaking process. Vineyards must adhere to specific rules and all ingredients used in winemaking, including yeasts and fining materials, must be kosher. Wine that is labelled “kosher for Passover” must be kept away from contact with any kind of grain, dough or bread. The finished wine must carry the “seal of approval” of a kosher supervising agency or organization, an authoritative rabbi, or Jewish religious court of law. Today’s Kosher wine is a far cry from yesteryear and is available from wine regions all over the world.

Extraction in Red Wine

Ever notice that some red wines actually show colour in the beading and legs? This means they’re well-extracted. During fermentation, the skins, which give reds colour, float to the surface. Keeping them submerged in the juice is the key to providing more colour. Several methods exist. “Pumping over” involves attaching a hose to an opening at the bottom of the tank and pumping the juice over the floating skins on top, thus submerging them. Some fermenters actually have mechanical paddles on top that constantly push the skins down into the juice. Occasionally, men with wooden or metal paddles simply push the skins down into the fermenting juice by hand. That’s how reds achieve better extraction.