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featherymalignancy · 6 years ago

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CHAPTER ONE—In Vino Veritas: A Nessian Story

“In wine lies the truth”

Summary: Nesta Archeron is convinced she has everything she wants: a law degree from an ivy, a prestigious job, a gorgeous boyfriend, and excellent taste in wine. However, when she wanders into her local wine vendor and meets a handsome stranger unafraid to play her quick-witted games, she begins to wonder if the life she’s built is really the one she wants.

Cash Kahukore worked his entire adolescent life to become a sommelier, ignoring the slurs his mixed heritage have always earned him as he fought his way to the top. However, after five years abroad buying for Michelin star restaurants and dealing with rich white assholes, he’s grown bored with his life. When a gorgeous lawyer comes in to his uncle’s shop one afternoon, he immediately recognizes a worthy opponent in her. Undaunted by her sharp tongue and possessive boyfriend, he’s determined to be her friend, and—as time goes on and their circumstances change—possibly something more.

This a prequel to Navy Suits and Chelsea Boots that takes place three years before. If you love Elriel (and don’t mind finding out how this story ends) check it now.

Also, check out the masterlist for In Vino Veritas HERE!

Announcements: I know some of you are going to see and and worry “BUT WHAT ABOUT LIKE A LONELY HOUSE??” It’s coming, I swear. I was just really jammed up working on it and this was a way to relieve the brain bleed that LaLH was causing. But seriously, don’t panic, it’s coming. I know I’m not nearly as prolific as some of the more popular writers in this fandom, but I swear it’s because I’m just trying to get it right. Okay, now on with the show!

Chapter One: Cheval

Nesta Archeron had worked hard to get to where she was. She’d helped raise her sisters before putting herself through college and law school, and as a young associate she’d stayed at the office long after her contemporaries gone home. As a reward for her sacrifices—and the success they’d awarded her—Nesta always treated herself to the best of everything. She wore the best clothes, dined at the best restaurants, and—of course—drank the best wine.

That’s why she only ever bought from Merchant of Vino. Sure, it was a stupid name, but she’d done her research, and it was undoubtedly the best wine vendor in the Bay Area. They sold all her favorite Napa reds, and the owner was a man named Devlon who knew his stuff and never tried to look down her blouse.

Nesta was a person who thrived on routine—on ritual—and going to Merchant had become one of her favorites since arriving in San Francisco the previous year.

That was, until the day said ritual was disrupted.

It had started out like normal: she got out of court in the early afternoon and battled traffic to North Beach, already considering what she would order. She hadn’t bought Spring Mountain in a while, and after the day opposing counsel had given her, she was in the mood for something thorny.

The quaint little bell dinged when she stepped inside, and she took a minute to admire the familiar racks before glancing to the bar...

She frowned.

“You’re not Devlon,” she said in greeting, and the man behind the counter—who looked to be in his late twenties— glanced up from the where he’d been shelving bottles and laughed.

“Very astute; I’m not.”

She crossed her arms across her chest. She didn’t like to be teased. She felt a stab of annoyance when he reached up to shelve a final bottle and she caught a glimpse of his ridged stomach and the making of an Adonis belt, visible above the waistband of his low-slung Jeans. She especially didn’t like being teased by attractive men. As an attorney, she got enough of that in her day job.

“I’ve never seen anyone else work here,” she clarified.

She didn’t bother to sound polite, but if her tone bothered the stranger,he didn’t show it.

He only shrugged, gesturing she take a seat in one of the well-loved leather barstools before leaning his forearms on the counter. They were as corded as the rest of him, and covered with what she recognized as Māori tattoos.

“Then I guess it’s your lucky day: I know more about wine than Dev could hope to learn in ten lifetimes.”

When she only responded by pursing her lips, the stranger’s grin widened. Nesta fought not to admire him as leaned a fraction closer.

With long hair tied back in a bun at his crown and heavy gold hoops in his ears, he was nothing like the clean cut and classically-handsome guys she usually went for. Still, she couldn’t deny he was rather devastating.

He was tall and broad, his powerful chest and tapered waist cutting an inherently masculine silhouette which—much to her chagrin—Nesta couldn’t help admiring.

His bronze skin and glossy dark hair spoke to the island heritage his tattoos had already hinted at, and his eyes…

Nesta didn’t want to dwell on how much green they had running through the ribbons of hazel, or how they glittered as they continued to study her.

She sniffed and glanced down to adjust the watch at her wrist, if only to escape the fact she’d been checking him out, hard.

“That’s a rather lofty assessment,” she said finally.

He shrugged.

“It’s true.”

“Jury’s still out,” she shot back.

He gave a throaty laugh, taking the opportunity to look her up and down. However, it wasn’t in the leering way she’d grown accustomed to, as if she were a cut of expensive meat. He seemed to be taking her measure instead. From the way he smiled—teeth diamond bright against his full lips—it was clear he’d been satisfied by what he’d found.

“Challenge accepted. I’m more than happy to blow your mind, free of charge.”

She snorted, ignoring the potential double meaning. This felt dangerously like flirting, and if there was one thing Nesta Archeron never did, it was flirt.

“You really think I’m that easy?”

His grin widened, and she rolled her eyes. Okay, fine, she’d walked into that one. Still, she wasn’t one to back down from a challenge, and everything about this guy seemed to suggest he’d be a worthy opponent.

“Okay, maestro,” she said, setting her bag down and finally taking a seat. “If you’re so smart, pour me a glass of something you think I’ll like.”

He considered, biting his annoyingly-plush lower lip as he surveyed her again. It was more openly appreciative this time, but still never strayed below her chin.

“What do I get if I guess correctly?”

She gave him a deadpan look, the kind her male colleagues had suggested could melt flesh from bone.

“A tip.”

He bubbled his lips in dismissal.

“Woman, I don’t work here for the tips. I’d rather have your name.”

She considered, hating how much she was enjoying this. It had been ages since she’d had a decent sparring partner.

“Fine,” she said. “But know that if you’re wrong, I’m not giving you either.”

He only laughed before grabbing three glasses from where they hung on the rack and lining them up on the bar top between them.

“I’ll take my chances.“

He glanced back at her, drumming his fingers against his lips as he considered. He then pulled out three bottles, a white and two reds. When he’d poured a taste in the first two glasses and two fingers-worth in the third, she frowned.

“This is cheating.”

He only laughed again, eyes alight beneath his devilishly arched brows. They made him look dangerous in a way Nesta refused to admit suited him.

“Trust the process,” he said, gesturing to the glass of white.

“Now, this is what you think I think you like: Rombauer Chardonnay out of the Napa valley. Aged in French oak with notes of vanilla and an earthy, buttery finish. Too rich to make a good sipping wine, but still an inexplicable go-to choice for mansplainers trying to impress their female friends.”

He paused to give her a roguish smile, which she rewarded with a shrug. He was right; she hated buttery chardonnays, but it was still what men always assumed she’d want.

He swished the the Rombauer before swallowing the small measure in the glass and moving to the next, a plum-colored red.

“This is what you think you want: Nickel and Nickel Cabernet. It’s complex and beguiling and just the kind of fleshy, bold California red a power broker like yourself is conditioned to love.”

She ignored the jab and picked up the glass, bringing it to her nose. She was greeted with the smell of dark berries and cassis, and it made her mouth water.

“You should have quit while you were ahead,” she said, throwing back the small measure and letting the taste envelop her palate. “Far Niente is one of my favorite vineyards.”

He just smirked, gesturing to third glass.

“Not so fast, because this is what you actually want. Chateau Cheval Blance from the St-Émilion appellation in France. A light structure, perfect in its tension between floral and mineral notes. Truly, this is terroir at its finest.”

She gave him a tight smile.

“I’m not a Old World wine person,” she said, pushing the empty Cabernet glass towards him in silent request he refill it. “Better luck next time on the tip.”

He responded by pushing the French blend towards her instead.

“Humor me.”

She pursed her lips before picking up the glass. She could smell dark cherries and wood smoke, and something floral that she couldn’t place but that was all the more tantalizing for its elusiveness.

Begrudgingly she took a sip, and it was an effort not to let her eyes roll back in her head. It was silky, but not in the cloying way that Chardonnays sometimes were, and the flavor seemed to blossom, sweet plum giving way to dark berries and something earthy that had her toes curling in her expensive Louboutin heels. Truly, she wasn’t sure she’d ever tasted anything so divine.

He studied her reaction before flashing a wicked smile and leaning in.

“So what’s your name, Gorgeous?”

Struggling to compose herself, she hastily set down the glass.

“I have a boyfriend,” she snapped.

The man seemed undaunted by her declaration though, and if he noticed her sudden unease, he didn’t comment. Instead, he re-filled her glass before pouring one for himself.

“I have no doubt,” he said, touching his glass to hers so the crystal sang. “But that isn’t what I asked.”

She watched him as he took a sip, his throat working as he swallowed. Good Lord, he was handsome.

She mentally slapped herself. She had a boyfriend, and perfect taste in wine aside, she shouldn’t be indulging this stranger in whatever game he thought he was playing. Tomás would be furious if he found out.

This in mind, she settled for scowling.

The stranger laughed.

“It’s not like it matters,” he said, twirling the stem of his glass between long fingers. “Unless you’re a drug dealer who plans to pay cash for the case of Cheval of you are so obviously going to be buying, I’m going to see it on your card anyway. Besides, no one likes an oath breaker.”

She took another sip of wine to hide her smile. They weren’t flirting, she assured herself. They were just...talking. Talking was perfectly innocent. Tomas couldn’t get angry at her for talking.

The man waited, and eventually she relented.

“Nesta.”

“Nesta...?” He prompted, and she rolled her eyes.

“Nesta Archeron.”

He extended a hand.

“Cash.”

“Please tell me that’s a nickname.”

He only laughed in response.

“Are you always this charming, Nesta Archeron?”

His hand remained between them, and after a beat of hesitation she took it. A jolt of electricity shot up her arm the minute they touched, and she found herself fending off a flush as she tugged her hand back. Still, they remained close. Closer than she knew she should allow, even as she failed to pull back to a safer distance.

He watched with keen interest as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear before meeting her gaze again and saying, “yes.”

“Yes what?”

“Yes, it’s a nickname. Cash is short for Cassian, though I don’t think anyone’s actually called me that since my mom died.”

A pang hit her, a familiar ache that still wrenched at her ten years later.

Without fully understanding why she was doing it, she blurted, “my parents are dead, too.”

He frowned for the first time since they’d met.

“I’m sorry.”

“It was a long time ago.”

It was an automatic response, the one she always gave to avoid people asking more questions. It didn’t feel like a long time ago, though. At least, the pain hadn’t dulled the way it should have. Some night she still caught herself wishing her mother were there to tuck her into bed.

“I’m still sorry,” Cash said, brushing her ring finger with the tips of his.

It was a feather-light touch—a gesture of comfort and solidarity—but it still had Nesta’s stomach knotting. She pulled her hand away and he didn’t fight her on it, glancing up to give her a soft look instead.

“I know how hard it is, being on your own.”

Nesta bristled.

“I’m not alone. I’ve got two younger sisters, and my—“

“—boyfriend,” he said, leaning back even as he smirked. “Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten.”

She couldn’t help it; this time, she flushed. However the look gave her said he had no intention of pushing the issue.

She imagined what Elain would say were she there, and she grit her teeth before forcing out, “I didn’t mean to imply that you—“

“Don’t apologize,” he said, eyes glittering as they skated over her face again. “Beautiful girl like you, it...wasn’t a bad assumption. Still, you have nothing to worry about from me, I promise.”

She nodded, surprised to find a twinge or disappointment. She attempted to bury the feeling by shouldering on.

“So where is Devlon?”

Cash shrugged, folding his toned arms across his chest in a gesture his white T-shirt struggled to accommodate.

“He had to go back home to handle some stuff and I’d just gotten back to town, so I told him I’d watch the shop for awhile.”

“How long will he be gone?”

Cash grinned, taking another sip of wine.

“Sick of me already, Archeron?”

She only pursed her lips in response, and he laughed.

“I didn’t ask. But long enough that you’ll get to see me again, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

His grin was a slash of white across his tan face, and she looked away to avoid blushing again. This was definitely too close to flirting for Nesta’s comfort. One more glass and she might—

“I should go,” she said abruptly, draining the last of her wine. “It was nice meeting you, Cassian.”

She picked up her bag and was halfway to freedom when he laughed.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

She turned back, and he gestured to the racks of wine all around them. When they made eye contact, his grin grew wicked.

“Or did Dev already tell you his gorgeous nephew was taking over the shop, and you just came to check out the goods yourself?”

She grit her teeth, trying not to admire said...goods, especially the ones she could make out through his thin t-shirt and fitted jeans.

“You’re an ass,” she growled, stalking back towards him.

“C’mon, you love it.”

“Don’t make me gut you will my shoe. It’s impossible to get blood out of suede.”

He only laughed.

“Why do I get the sense you’d actually do it, too?”

“Because I don’t make idle threats,” she snapped.

“I’ll believe that,” he said, eyes alight. “Alright, enough teasing, then. What are you looking for? Besides the Cheval, obviously,” he added, winking.

She debated ordering three cases of Nickel and Nickel just to wipe the smirk off his face. However, she quickly decided it was an exercise in futility; he’d know why she was doing it, and the Cheval really was too divine to pass up.

“Yes, you insufferable bastard, I will have a case of the Cheval.” When he grinned in reply, she added, “And a bottle of Ferreira Garrafeira.”

He gave a low whistle.

“That’s expensive stuff. And I thought you said you didn’t like Old World wine?”

“It’s not for me; it’s for Tomás.”

She could decide if she felt pleased or guilty when his smile slipped a fraction before recovering, too bright to be wholly genuine.

“Ah. the famed boyfriend, I presume. He’s certainly got...interesting taste.”

When she bristled, he went on hurriedly.

“In wine! Obviously his taste in women is...” he trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish laugh.

“Yes?” She said archly, not wanting to admit how much the comment had stung.

With sisters like Elain and Feyre, Nesta was used to being dismissed as the frigid, uptight sister. It didn’t make it any easier to swallow.

However, Cash wasn’t looking at her in that way men often did, as if she were some poisonous insect he was afraid might sting him. His expression softened.

“Impeccable,” he finished, and it was so unexpected she flushed.

He cleared his throat before going to the computer behind the bar to consult the shop’s inventory.

“We don’t have the Garrafeira in right now, but I can order it for you. The Cheval is in the back.”

“Don’t worry about the port,” she said, regretting the outburst now. “He’ll—live.”

Cash turned, brows furrowed.

“Are you sure? I can—“

“It’s fine,” Nesta repeated. “Thank you.”

Cash nodded and disappeared into the back before reappearing with a wooden crate a minute later. The strain of holding it was doing glorious things for his arms, and she cleared her throat.

“Thank you,” she said, making a great show digging in her bag for her wallet to avoid looking at him again.

“Where are you parked? I don’t want you snapping your neck walking on those pencils you’re calling shoes.”

She pursed her lips.

“You’re hilarious. How much do I owe you?”

However, he was halfway to the door already.

“I have a friend who distributes for Cheval. This one’s on me.”

“No!” She called, following after him. “Cassian, come back! I don’t need your charity!”

Cash turned to smirk at her over his shoulder.

“With that handbag? I’d say not. Besides, this isn’t charity. It’s...an investment.”

She scowled at this, and he gave an exasperated laugh.

“Don’t get thorny on me, Archeron. I just meant—“ he broke off, laughing again. “Think of it as a perk for being a regular. Buy ten cases, get one free.”

“This isn’t Jamba Juice,” she said, deadpan. “And I don’t like owing people.”

“Look,” he said. “I wasn’t lying about my friend being a distributor. It’s not going to cost the shop anything. Now, where is your car? I think my arms are going numb.”

She bit her lip, debating what this might end up costing her. She didn’t believe in “free”, and she didn’t like feeling like she owed someone; she’d had enough of that from people when she’d been taking care of her sisters after their parents died.

Then again, she’d made it clear that she wasn’t interested in him...like that, and she’d certainly bought her fair share of wine here over the last few years...

“Fine,” she said, gesturing to her Land Rover. “But take this, at least.”

She pulled out a fifty from her wallet, and Cash rolled his eyes.

“I’m not the pizza delivery boy; I don’t want a tip. Just, promise not to call me Cassian again. That’s all the payment I require.”

She didn’t move, the bill still outstretched. He heaved the crate into her open trunk before shutting it.

“I swear to god, woman, put that away before I shred it to ticker tape. I don’t need your charity, either.”

She relented with a huff, and he laughed.

“Thank you,” he said.

“I should be the one thanking you,” she admitted, and he smiled, leaning against her car.

“No one is stopping you.”

She grit her teeth, irritated and flustered in equal measure.

“Thank you,” she finally managed. “For the wine.”

“‘And for blowing my mind’,” he prompted, and she flipped him a foul hand gesture, civility forgotten.

“If you think that’s all it takes to blow my mind, you have a lot to learn about women.”

He bit his lip, eyes full of amusement as he peeled himself off the car.

“I’ll take that under advisement,” he said, flashing her a quick wink. “Until next time, then, Nesta Archeron.”

She opened her mouth to retort, but for once words failed her. She instead stood, gaping like a landlocked fish as he sauntered around her and back into the shop.

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Cash was distracted for hours after Nesta Archeron left. Even as he met with reps and worked on organizing his uncle Devlon’s pathetically arcane inventory system, he found his eyes kept wandering to the door, as if she might come sauntering back in. Damnit, why hadn’t he told her the Cheval was out of stock? Then at least he would have had a guarantee of seeing her again. Depending on her drinking habits, it could be months before she came in again. Fuck, he was so stupid.

Not that it mattered, really. How many times had she managed to force her boyfriend into the equation? Twice? Three times? Definitely enough that he knew he should get the message. And he understood; he really did. Like all guys his age, he’d been raised on a steady diet of “if she’s not interested, try harder”. It hadn’t been until he’d gotten into his twenties that he’d realized how fucked up that was. When women said no, men needed to respect that and not keep pushing.

The problem was that despite all the clumsy mentions of her boyfriend, she’d still stayed when she easily could have left. Besides, if she thought he hadn’t seen her checking him out, she was insane. Not that he blamed her, obviously. If he was a woman, he’d want to fuck him, too.

Before he could catch himself, his lizard brain was imagining what being in bed with her would be like. His pulse thrummed. It wasn’t so much the idea of sleeping with her as it was imagining what a courtship like that would be like. She was definitely hot, but her body had nothing on that gorgeous brain. It was clear she was a woman of supreme intellect; he’d have to seduce her mind if he ever wanted to earn something physical.

It was the kind of intellectual challenge he craved, and one he hadn’t had in ages before she’d come in. He wanted someone who could dish it back, and Nesta Archeron clearly knew how to give as good as she got.

His phone rang, and he glanced at the caller id before huffing and picking it up.

“If you’re calling to ask if the shop has burned down yet, the answer is no.”

His uncle Devlon laughed.

“That place is the closest thing I’ll ever have to a wife; I just want to make sure you’re treating her right.”

“I’ll show her a good time while you’re away,” Cash promised, pouring himself a glass of a new Rioja the rep had dropped off that afternoon.

“Don’t make sex jokes about my baby,” Dev said. “And stop drinking my merchandise!”

“I’m not!” Cash said, setting down his glass. “Relax, old man. And is Merchant your wife or your baby? You should probably decide; you’ll freak people out if you keep using them interchangeably.”

“Very funny, wise ass. How’s it being back?”

“This place hasn’t changed a bit in ten years,” Cash said, looking around appreciatively. “But you need to get a decent table in here so you can host tasting. Why didn’t you call my friend Az like I told you to? He does gorgeous work.”

“You must think I’m a lot richer than I am,” Dev said. “I’ve seen his designs; you think I can afford a ten thousand dollar table?”

Cash rolled his eyes.

“He said he’d do it at cost. Why are you being so stubborn?”

“I’m not going to prey on your fancy friends. Tell him thank you but I can’t swing it.”

“Fine.”

Dev sighed.

“Why do I feel like you’re just going to do it anyway?”

“Because I’m as stubborn as you. How’s Koro?”

“Not a spry as she used to be, but she’s managing just fine. She wants to know when her favorite grandson is coming back. She says the Ritz on Maui is looking for a sommelier.”

“Tell her my days of working for rich white assholes is behind me,” Cash said.

Dev considered.

“You could open your winery here, you know. Volcanic wine is popular with the haoles.”

“Didn’t I just say I was done with rich white assholes?”

“Fine, fine.”

There was a pause in which Cash weighed his options before he added in what he hoped was a casual tone, “If I said the name Nesta Archeron, would that mean anything to you?”

“The lawyer? Sure. She comes in about twice a month. Nice girl, once you get past her prickly side. Why?”

Cash swirled his wine.

“Just wondering. She came in today.”

Dev gave a gravelly laugh.

“You’re barking up the wrong tree. She’s got a boyfriend.”

“So I’ve been warned. Have you met him?”

“She’s brought him in once or twice. Portuguese dude.”

“Nice?”

“Not particularly. He’s very possessive of her. Really rubbed me the wrong way.”

Cash felt a prickle of irritation himself. What was a brilliant, fiery woman like Nesta Archeron doing with a controlling prick for a boyfriend? She should be with someone who respected that sharp tongue, someone who could—

“Don’t even think about it, Cash. She’s one of my favorite customers. I don’t want you to scare her off with your panting.”

“I don’t ‘pant’. Also, can you blame me? Man, those legs, and her eyes—“

“I mean it,” Dev interrupted, voice firmer this time. “If she brought up her boyfriend, it means she wants you to fuck off.”

“I’m not going to bother her. I was just....curious.”

“Well don’t be. That creepy boyfriend will nail your balls to the wall if he finds out you’re trying to move in on her.”

“I respect her choices, but I don’t give a shit about him. He can suck my co—“

“I think you’d better accept that no one in that relationship wants your tiny pecker.”

“Tell that to the way she was looking at me today.”

“Just because you’ve got a cute ass doesn’t mean she likes you.”

Cash groaned.

“Fine, forget I said anything.”

Dev chuckled.

“Don’t be sulky. I’m sure there’s plenty of women in the Bay Area that would be happy to take her place.”

He was right, but somehow it didn’t make Cash feel any better. There was no shortage of beautiful women in San Francisco, but none of them interested him quite the way she had. There’d been no denying the wrenching disappointment when he’d realized she wasn’t single. Then again, had he really expected someone like her to be? And she was lawyer to boot. He gave a huff of amused appreciation. He should have known.

“Right,” Dev said, interrupting his reverie. “Well I just wanted to check in, sounds like everything is fine there. I will tell Koro you said hi. Remember, I’m charging you for any of my wine you drink.”

Cash snorted.

“You’re getting a level three somm for free. I’ll drink all the wine I want.”

“Fair enough. Take care of yourself, pōtiki. And no more hitting on my customers!”

“I wasn’t—“ Cash began, but the line clicked off, and he swore, even has he caught himself laughing a little.

He’d been second-guessing the decision to come back from London since he’d arrived two weeks ago. Today, for the first time, he felt he was exactly where he was meant to be.

He’d thought he might owe Nesta Archeron another case of wine for that, boyfriend or no. He just hoped she wouldn’t make him wait too long for the opportunity.

Next Chapter

taggings some interested parties!: @katexrenee @mariamuses @theovogkaaunt @bookofmaas @goldbooksblack @dreamerforever-5 @willsrune @rhysanoodle @queen-of-wings-and-fire @wesupremeginger

#Nessian #nesta x cassian #Nessian AU #cassian x nesta #featherywrites #IVV

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attorneysomm · 6 years ago

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What a Wednesday night! What started out as a comparison of the 1995 and 2001 Leoville Poyferre escalated quickly. We started with 2011 Sine Qua Non “The Moment” - a Roussanne-based white blend that was fun and drinking very well. If it only had more acidity it would be truly special. The 1995 Leoville Poyferre was stunning from the start with explosive aromatics of cedar, pencil lead, tobacco and dried red currant. It took the 2001 Poyferre two hours to open up, but then it eclipsed the 1995. Both were top-notch, classic Bordeaux from good vintages, the 2001 just had a little more fruit. The 2005 Chateau Lagrange was a nice wine, but is still very primary and needs a lot more time. The 1981 Chateau Montelena was delicious, old-school Napa cab and still drinking very well. At this point, we took a champagne break. And it’s a good thing we did! The 1988 Piper Heidsieck Rare was freaking awesome! It is “rare” because it is only produced in great years. This champagne was both aged to perfection and remarkably fresh and vibrant. Deep gold in color (swipe left) with amazing aromatics of brioche, honey, and truffle with abundant acidity and a crazy-long finish. It was so good that people kept their empty glasses just to linger over the legacy fumes. This champagne makes me wonder if I made a mistake by drinking so many of the 2002 Rare already. Other wines tasted included Ruinart Rose, the 2017 Joseph Colin La Garenne Puligny Montrachet, and the 2015 Le Vieux Donjon, which was outstanding and drinking beautifully! ___________________________________ _#dallasblogger #wine #champagne #vin #vino #wein #vinho #winelover #winelovers #winewednesday #winetasting #piperheidsieck #chateaumontelena #leovillepoyferre #sinequanonwine #bordeaux #cabernetsauvignon #cabernet #napavalley #napa #winetasting #wineporn #winenight #instawine #picoftheday #photooftheday #winebar #sommelier #sommlife #winelife (at Roots and Water Wine Room) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuJ8B49np-4/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=etnz01lcsf1

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wineschool-blog · 3 years ago

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Wine Recommendations

https://j.mp/36WrGyB Wine Recommendations https://j.mp/36WrGyB The NewsletterWine ReviewsLuxury ChardonnayGood Value Pinot NoirLuxury Cabernet Sauvignon from NapaSpanishItaliansCal-italDinner WhitesFun, Dumb, and Delicious: the WhitesFun, Dumb, and Delicious: the RedsSerious (but cheap) RedsCabernet/SyrahOld NewsGallo’s HumorKeith’s Cheat Sheet Wine Reviews Luxury Chardonnay These represent the best of what California Chardonnay can be, although they are mostly in the big-big-big oak and buttery buttered butter style. Talbott “Cuvee Audrey”Patz and Hall Hyde Vineyard MacRostie “Wildcat Mountain” Chardonnay Hyde de Villaine CarneroBeringer Sbragia Good Value Pinot Noir Nether thought this would happen, but sure as hell, it has. There is good Pinot for under $25. If you are telling yourself, “I know a bunch of good Pinots for under $25”, then you are in desperate need of a Wine 101 class. Some of these have been around for a while and maybe harder to find, especially since I have been buying them all by the case. Siduri “Sonatera” Robert Stemmler Nugent Vineyard Picket Fence Russian River ValleyKenwood Russian River ValleyGundlach Bundschu Luxury Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa A great deal of excellent Cabernet has seen price reductions, most likely because high-end wineries are in desperate need of cash. Bacio Divino To Kalon Vineyard Robert Craig Howell Mountain Lail Vineyards “Blueprint” Heitz 1998 Martha’s Vineyard Pine Ridge Oakville Ramey Larkmead VineyardRockledge Vineyards Find these wines here: The Wine Finder Spanish There are some excellent Spanish wines in the market right now, with a strong focus on Priorat. Not sure how or why there is a glut of wines from one of the greatest wine regions in the world, most of which is listed at good prices. Manga del Brujo Red Mas de l’Abundancia Fluminus Cims de Porrera Solanes Buil And Gine Priorat Cellars Capafons-Osso “Mas de Masos” Priorat Italians Lately, the Italian wines have gotten very interesting, with a lot of 2003 Brunello and some single-vineyard Barolo. Donnafugata Mille Una Notte Caparzo Brunello di MontalcinoTerriccio Tassinaia Michele Chiarlo Barolo BrunateLuiano Lui di Luiano Cal-ital Glad to see a few old favorites at great prices. Bacio Divino Pazzo Luna Estate Sangiovese Find these wines here: The Wine Finder Dinner Whites Good quality that will do quite well whenever a white wine is called for. Pieropan Soave Classico Source Gamble Vineyard Sauvignon BlancNepenthe Sauvignon Blanc Fun, Dumb, and Delicious: the Whites Great for folks who don’t drink often. Top-notch wines for newbies. Pillar Box White Hedges CMS Pirie Estelle Tasmania Fun, Dumb, and Delicious: the Reds These are the easiest drinking bunch of quality wines I have ever seen. Fruit bombs! Rolf Binder “Hales” ShirazBleasdale “Bremerview” Shiraz X Winery Spring Mountain Merlot Serious (but cheap) Reds These are very well made and offer up some varietal and regional typicity. Serious wines but at a very good price. Columbia Crest “Reserve” Syrah Domaine de la Soleiade VacqueyrasWolf Blass “Gold Label” Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet/Syrah Personally, I think this blend is intrinsically flawed. These wines don’t make it into the school cellar often. However, these five are so good they almost change my opinion. Almost. B Cellars Blend 25 from Napa Bacio Divino Vagabond from NapaHall Darwin from Napa Antiyal Kuyen from Chile Parson’s Flat Shiraz/Cabernet from Australia Old News This was originally part of our February 2010 Newsletter. For more up-to-date information, register for our Wine Newsletter. Gallo’s Humor This week, the major media outlets continue their reports on how E & J Gallo was duped into selling fake Pinot Noir. Last week, a French court convicted the leaders of several wine companies in the scheme. The wine in question was actually Merlot and Syrah, which was bound for Gallo’s “Red Bicyclette” brand. Poor silly little Gallo! Gallo is being portrayed as being a somewhat inept corporation that was duped by a few winemakers and negotiants in the Languedoc region of France. However, Gallo is well known in the industry for being one of the smartest, best run wine companies in the world: a billion dollar enterprise respected for its ability to create, distribute and sell brands. This is a company that turned a brand concept (Da Vinci) into one of the best-selling brands of Italian wines in the span of five years. Would such a company purchase millions of dollars of wine without a scrupulous audit, or without a team of wine professionals inspecting every batch? Probably not. Pinot Noir from Languedoc is of very poor quality, which is why they produce very little of it. On the other hand, the region produces an ocean of decent syrah, and does so very cheaply. I find it hard to believe that Gallo did not know about the switch. Gallo is the king of market research: it knows people want to buy Pinot Noir, it also knows that Pinot Noir that retails for less than $10 is crap, it also knows that people who are buying Pinot Noir for less than $10 have two priorities: Price and taste. You can’t tell a bargain-hunting consumer that there is no such thing as a decent Pinot for $8. Instead of selling them horrendous wine, why not sell them something decent, even if it’s not Pinot Noir? Everyone wins. Everyone except the 12 people who were convicted of fraud last week. It’s interesting that no one, not even those charged with serious crimes, has even proposed the idea that Gallo actually knew about the switch. Is it because Gallo is beyond reproach or or because Gallo wields such a huge amount of power in a crumbing economy? Keith’s Cheat Sheet Back in the day when Jonathan Newman ran the PLCB, his Chairman’s Selections were often amazing. The program is still alive, although lacking in quality control. The program still offers some great wines at stupendously cheap prices. However, the buyer has to be very careful; there are a lot of stinkers out there, too. As a service to our loyal students, here is our internal list of the best of the best wines in the PLCB system and its Chairman’s Selection program. Wines don’t make this list unless they are priced below wholesale and of exceptional quality. In other words, these are the best of the best…. and the cheapest too! Find these wines here: The NEW Wine Finder

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wineanddinosaur · 3 years ago

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With an Urban Sensibility, Jennifer McDonald Is Reimagining the Modern Winery

When most of us think of wineries, we picture rural settings, expansive vineyards, and, in the United States, predominantly West Coast locales. But with Jenny Dawn Cellars, Jennifer McDonald is changing all of that. With a family-run winery based in the center of downtown Wichita, Kan., McDonald is making fine wine that’s accessible, fun, and unpretentious.

Jenny Dawn Cellars opened its doors to the public in 2019, after its founding in 2016. All 11 wines are made and served on premise at the winery and tasting room in Union Station, a former railway station that sits squarely in the center of Wichita’s four major business districts.

With fruit and juice sourced from both California and Kansas, Jenny Dawn Cellars offers a wide array of options across three collections: California, Union Station, and Black Sunflower. Styles range from old-school Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay, to fruit wines made from blackberries and cherries — and even watermelon rosé. Many of the fruits are grown in McDonald’s home state of Kansas, including at an offsite urban orchard and winery that she owns and operates.

As Kansas’s first African American commercial winemaker, McDonald’s wines celebrate Jenny Dawn’s identity as a Black-owned business. Focusing on diversity in both her products and clientele, McDonald uses education to make wine a more approachable and inclusive space for Wichita residents.

VinePair spoke with McDonald about how Jenny Dawn Cellars has shifted its operations during the Covid-19 pandemic, her family’s role in the business, and what the future looks like for the Midwestern urban winery.

1. How did you get your start in winemaking?

I actually started as a connoisseur, and my goal was to bring the art of wine to the city of Wichita. My first step was just learning the basics of home winemaking. I purchased wine kits and made those kits literally in my basement. Then, I started procuring fruits and grapes from local growers and expanding my wine recipes. That’s when I started winning some amateur wine contests.

And then once I got a better, more technical foundation of winemaking, that’s when I decided to try and figure out how I could actually build a brand and take my wine to market. I went back to school and got a masters in agribusiness to really help me understand the business side of wine. And then what I found was even wine drinkers in Kansas have an appreciation for fine wines, but they also had a unique interest in some of the hybrid grapes that could be grown here in Kansas. So I thought if I could capture a broad group of wine drinkers wanting different types of wines, but an amazing experience, I could be successful.

I went out to California and partnered with The Wine Foundry, and they actually helped me with my first six wines. And those wines we sold online and through local liquor stores here in Kansas. I felt there was a strong demand for the type of wine that I really enjoyed making and then serving and selling, so that gave me the confidence to say, “OK, if I created this winery space in downtown Wichita” — which still wasn’t available until I started it — “people would come out and they would appreciate the wines that I was creating.” In 2019, I was able to open our urban winery.

2. What are some of the challenges that come with running a winery in an urban city?

I chose Union Station as the location because it’s in the heart of the city. It’s downtown. It’s easily accessible. One of our challenges initially was just getting by and [convincing others] that our concept was going to be successful. When I first started pitching my idea in October 2016, I initially got some huge pushback: “Are there enough wine consumers in Kansas to be your customers? How are you going to sell this wine?” I have successfully overcome all of those objections, and we have a strong community of wine drinkers that come out and support us.

But from a regulatory standpoint, Kansas is really challenging to do business in. We had to jump through some hoops with zoning. We had to jump through hoops with the compliance aspect of having a collection of wines coming from California. It just feels like some of our liquor laws aren’t as modern and up to date as they could be.

And then lastly, funding: It takes a lot of capital to run a full-production winery. We’re making all of our wines here on- site. We’re serving our guests at our tasting room at the same location. And then, we offer small bites because we’re in the downtown setting. We’re doing a lot of different things at a small square footage space, so we’re hoping to expand our footprint here in the next six months.

3. What’s the best part of your job?

Connecting with my customers. I love the customer interaction and teaching wine classes and having people’s palates open up, and the smiles on their faces when they are tasting a delicious wine paired with a great food item. That’s a life- changing experience. That, to me, is the best part of the job.

I do geek out when I am working with the wines and trying to craft the blends, and I really enjoy the winemaking part of it as well. And then last but not least, working with a phenomenal group of people. I have assembled a rock star team [to help run tasting room operations], and I’m excited to see my team members grow their wide knowledge to meet all of our company goals.

4. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced during your career? How did you overcome it?

I signed my lease for my building in 2017, and it took two years to renovate it. That was two years of a delay and what I thought we would have for revenue. And that was challenging. It can be challenging sometimes to get all of the fruits that you need to make wine. There’s been massive challenges. And supply chain, the cost of freight, is continuing to go up. But we’re very, very grateful that our wines are now able to be shipped nationwide. Right now, they can go to 39 states.

5. How do you work toward empowering minorities in the industry?

We are creating an environment where everyone feels welcome. I think that there’s this old guard of wine that could be very intimidating and very buttoned up. We try to make wine fun and approachable. We try to come at people from, “Here, let’s just try this and let’s talk about the flavors that you are getting from the wines and make it something that is simple and not so complex.”

We have opened up doors to all facets of the community, letting them know that when they come into Jenny Dawn Cellars, they’re welcomed and can try all different types of wines. There’s not just one type that we make — we make dry, semi-sweet, and sweet wines — so there’s a little bit of something for everyone. And we’ll help them along that journey to understand how we made the wines, and how to get the optimal experience from wine pairings, storing and serving temperatures, and things like that.

6. What is it like working with family?

My husband has been very, very helpful. When I was looking at launching this Black Sunflower Collection, I had my kiddos up here cleaning and helping me filter. My husband was up here helping me bottle and set up all my bottling equipment. My family has been a strong asset to the business. It’s fun and bonding. It’s gratifying for me to be able to teach my kids something that they’re learning as life skills: hard work, being able to problem solve, being creative in a craft, and then having something to show for your work. As the cases that we bottle pile up, you can see the fruits of our labor. That, to me, was really gratifying.

7. How did Jenny Dawn’s business operations have to change as a result of the pandemic?

The pandemic was a huge challenge. We opened in November 2019 and then had to shut down the tasting room in March. From March 2020 to the beginning of June 2020, we had to completely change how we delivered our wines to our customers. They could no longer come into our winery to enjoy them, so we had to do curbside pickup. We got more heavily involved in the shipping line, but it was sad because we were promoting this experience — to be able to come into our winery and enjoy the winery experience — and that all went away.

And I know we were not alone in that. The whole world was affected by the pandemic. I’m grateful that we were creative and met the needs of our customers and we’re still here today. Not every business or winery can say that; I know a lot had to permanently close their doors.

8. What is Jenny Dawn’s mission?

Our mission is to craft the best wines that we can using local fruit and grapes, as well as sourcing grapes from growers in Paso Robles, Russian River Valley, and Sonoma. And our mission is to create a more inclusive and diverse wine industry that focuses on creating intimate relationships with our customers and creating an experience with food and wine.

9. How do you envision the future of Jenny Dawn?

Ultimately, our goal is to become the premier winery in our region. Right now, we have a three-year master plan and strategy that we’re working toward, and that’s really to grow our case volume. That’s the short term. But long term, we chose the Union Station location strategically because we feel that we could have other Jenny Dawn Cellars across the U.S. at other Union Stations [across the country].

For the next three years, we’re locked in with the three collections. But it’s going to be fun to do limited-release wines. We’re going to do some specialty holiday labels. There’s a lot that we think we can do to continue to create high-end wines that people enjoy.

The article With an Urban Sensibility, Jennifer McDonald Is Reimagining the Modern Winery appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/jennifer-mcdonald-jenny-dawn-cellars/

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wine-porn · 5 years ago

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Catholic School

Thick ruby–almost blueish purple–with a sliver of a pink rim. Nice calm fruit, predictably glycerin, blackberry and waffles and warm cat fur, generous vegetal spice amidst the buttery baked goods–a sharp welcome that has blueberry bubbling directly behind and inside, forcing it to bend to the fruit. Gobs of dank weedy peat, blessed by the mint-god and baptized in a long–but not pornographic–oak…

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#2014 #Cabernet Sauvignon #California Cabernet #Catholic school #Class of 72 #Freemark Abbey #Napa California #Napa Valley #Napa Valley Cabernet #Old school napa cabernet #Stagecoach Vineyard #Stephen McConnell Wine Blog #Steve McConnell Wine Blog #wine1percent

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johnboothus · 3 years ago

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With an Urban Sensibility Jennifer McDonald Is Reimagining the Modern Winery

1. How did you get your start in winemaking?

2. What are some of the challenges that come with running a winery in an urban city?

3. What’s the best part of your job?

4. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced during your career? How did you overcome it?

5. How do you work toward empowering minorities in the industry?

6. What is it like working with family?

7. How did Jenny Dawn’s business operations have to change as a result of the pandemic?

8. What is Jenny Dawn’s mission?

9. How do you envision the future of Jenny Dawn?

The article With an Urban Sensibility, Jennifer McDonald Is Reimagining the Modern Winery appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/jennifer-mcdonald-jenny-dawn-cellars/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/with-an-urban-sensibility-jennifer-mcdonald-is-reimagining-the-modern-winery

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hoppingaccrossthepond · 3 years ago

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NAPA VALLEY, NOVEMBER 2020:

Our Trip: We did 5 nights. Flew into SFO, drove to St. Helena for 2 nights, spent 2 nights in Yountville, then an overnight in Sausalito before a flight out the next day. If I did it over, I would spend 2 nights in Sausalito, too. On the drive from SFO to St. Helena, we stopped for lunch at Oxbow Public Market (highly recommend – lots of fun to walk around the different venders and really good food – we ate at Hog Island Oyster Bar – excellent food, nice sitting outside on the patio looking out at the valley.

Because we were there for a short time and because we wanted to get a big bang for our buck, we visited (and did tastings) at 4 wineries each day! It was a lot but also a lot of fun! We rented bikes and biked around all day – didn’t drive. I’d recommend electric bikes. We had regular bikes which was fine, but e-bikes would make the biking between wineries much easier/faster/relaxing.

I used this website to find wineries and also relied heavily on recommendations from friends. The website shows you all the Napa Valley wineries, and you can filter on type of wine, which have tastings (by appointment only vs. walk-in), etc.

St. Helena

Hotel: Harvest Inn – beautiful setting right among the vineyards, we enjoyed walking the grounds. Each room is kind of like its own little cottage. Very quaint, good location, hot tub was nice way to unwind after drinking wine all day 😊. The hotel has discounts and free tastings at some of the neighboring wineries.

Bike Rentals: St. Helena Cyclery

Wineries:

• Rombauer – Beautiful scenery up on a hill, great tasting, pretty garden to walk through, fantastic staff and service.

• Duckhorn – One of our favorites, did a little food tasting pairing cheese and snacks with the wine tasting! Highly recommend! Gorgeous grounds. And great swag shop.

• Prisoner – more new-age which was a cool change of pace. The wines were incredible (and they gave us a lot of wine), but the environment/setting wasn’t anything super special compared to the others. Didn’t get to go inside because of covid, so maybe the inside is a more special setting. Of the 4 St. Helena wineries we visited, this was the least special.

• HALL Wines – This place was just spectacular! An amazing way to end the day as the sun was starting to set. Set facing the hills of St. Helena, the gardens and vineyard fields are gorgeous and just an incredibly relaxing and beautiful setting. Great service!

Breakfast: Station, The Model Bakery

Lunch: Gott’s Roadside Eats (beautiful setting, casual burgers and awesome milkshakes – good hearty meal when you’re slamming wine all day).

Dinner: Harvest Table (at Harvest Inn), Cook St. Helena (amazing authentic Italian spot!)

Sonoma

Hot Air Balloon: We had ours scheduled for St. Helena / Yountville area, but due to weather it got cancelled so we audibled to Sonoma (drove there for a half day).

Wineries: La Crema – Another one of our favorites! Really nice setting right among the vineyards, had the coolest server who treated us great, and we shipped some cases of wine home! Only place we ended up buying wine from – super tasty and had good Black Friday deals 😊.

Yountville

Hotel: Hotel Yountville – Luxurious!!! So so comfortable and over the top nice! Amazing pool area next to the spa (great massages). Rooms are top notch – everything was amazing! So glad we stayed here second as it was a significant step up from Harvest Inn which was already really nice. The hotel had complementary bikes for us to use, too.

Wineries:

• Silverado Vineyards – Absolutely EPIC! The estate house is set way up high on a hill with an amazing view overlooking the valley. We did a paired food (snack) and Cabernet tasting which was awesome! Amazing wines!

• Robert Sinskey Vineyards – Just down the road from Silverado. A newer-age, organic winery, but super cool. Very neat estate house with a great patio also overlooking the valley. I walked by a mother-daughter duo wearing a Cardinals hat and said “Go Cards!” to them. Ended up talking for a bit about our mutual love for the Cardinals, and she was a wine club member, so she said Bridgette and I were her “guests” so we got our tasting on the house!

• Robert Mondavi – We had an incredible (and surprising) experience here! The facilities and everything about Robert Mondavi were grand and beautiful. We did a winery tour first which was awesome (highly recommend), then I had booked a lunch tasting. Somehow (I’m not sure how), I had booked this private lunch that apparently they don’t do all the time. We were seated JUST US in this beautiful private garden, where the chefs harvest fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs for their restaurant. Then we were waited on hand and foot while having the most elegant lunch and rare, delicious wines – all at this single table intimately set for two in the garden. The chef even came out and spoke to us. It was called the Vineyard to Table Lunch and we were sitting in the Margrit Mondavi Vineyard Room Patio (I took a picture of this elegant lunch menu from that day). I have no idea how we just sort of happened into this one, but it was incredible. Highly recommend trying to do something like this!

• Stag’s Leap – We weren’t able to get a reservation here, so we didn’t go, but I’ve heard it’s awesome.

• Chandon – Ended up cancelling our reservation there to have some downtime at the hotel before dinner after our two tastings, but I think they had a fun Happy Hour thing (maybe live music) that we were excited about – could check it out!

Breakfast: at hotel

Lunch: Robert Mondavi Winery, French Laundry (we didn’t go, but it’s super famous and right in Yountville)

Dinner: Lucy – Incredible, luxurious food and ambiance in the hip Bardessono hotel! We did our Thanksgiving dinner here and it was memorable!

Sausalito

Hotel: Cavallo Point Sausalito – We stayed here as a sort of stop over on the way back to the airport from Napa Valley. Really wish we had spent a couple days here! The town of Sausalito is nearby and it is super cute – almost reminds me of the Amalfi Coast in Italy. The hotel is nestled at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. Old school, but still nice, quaint rooms – almost reminded me of Nantucket. We ate dinner and breakfast the next morning at the hotel – really tasty. Before flying out that afternoon, we rented these cool retro electric bikes and cruised up onto the Golden Gate Bridge and near the harbor for an epic view. Highly recommend staying here and exploring Sausalito vs. staying in San Francisco – very relaxing and fun.

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delfinamaggiousa · 4 years ago

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Wine 101: Merlot

Inspired by one of VinePair’s most popular site sections, the Wine 101 Podcast takes an educational, easy-to-digest look into the world of wine. This episode of Wine 101 is sponsored by William Hill Estate Winery. To experience William Hill Estate Winery is to discover another side of Napa Valley. William Hill Estate Winery is a place where extraordinary vineyards are tucked away along the serene Silverado Trail. A place where you can still discover an incredible wine for the first time. A Napa Valley winery that is off the beaten path. At William Hill Estate, we believe the beauty of wine is in its simplicity, sincerity, sun, soil, and the power of human hands and minds. That’s the spirit in which we make our wines, staying as true to nature and its fruits as we can. William Hill Estate Winery, pair with life.

Welcome back to Wine 101. In this week’s episode, VinePair tastings director Keith Beavers goes through everything you need to know about Merlot: Its parentage, its use as a blending variety in wines like Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, and how its extreme popularity (and a line from the movie “Sideways“) has given it a bad reputation in more recent years.

As Beavers explains, the Merlot group came from two orphan grape varieties: Cabernet Franc and Madeleine. In France, Merlot is predominantly grown in Bordeaux, where it is celebrated for its blending abilities.

Outside of France, the grape is also grown in the Friuli region of Italy, as well as in Croatia, Slovenia, California, Washington State, and New York. Following the wine’s peak in popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it began to decline after being overly mass-produced and saturating the market, but, as Beavers explains, Merlot is worth a second try. The grape is used in many blends on the U.S. market — especially Pinot Noir, thanks to the 75 percent rule — meaning most are already consuming it, whether they are aware of it or not. And when it is done right, Merlot can be a beautiful, soft but round wine.

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My name is Keith Beavers, and Mercury is in such retrograde right now. Can you feel it?

What’s going on, wine lovers? Welcome to episode 22 of VinePair’s Wine 101 Podcast. My name is Keith Beavers, I’m the tastings director of VinePair, and salutations!

OK, here we are. We are at the Merlot episode. This is going to be awesome. It’s time to set the record straight on this awesome grape. I promise you’re gonna love it.

Often throughout these episodes, I have mentioned the variety Cabernet Franc, and I call it an orphan grape. And I never really explained what that means. We know that Cabernet Franc originated in the Basque region of Spain, where it was called Achéria. DNA profiling cannot find its parentage, so it’s an orphan grape. It appeared in the Basque region of Spain, and then it began to travel with humans, eventually making its way to the Bordeaux region.

If you were to head north off the coast of the Basque region of Spain, you would be in the Bay of Biscay. And if you go straight north from the Basque region, the town called Bilbao, which is the capital of that region, you would hit the northwestern peninsula of France, which is called Brittany. Inland from the coast of Brittany is a town called Saint-Suliac (my French is terrible). Here, in the middle ages, was a monastery or an abbey — monks were everywhere around this time. And of course being monks, they had vineyards and it’s thought that the Cabernet Franc grape, at the time, made its way to Brittany. And then from Brittany down into the Loire Valley, then from the Loire Valley down into Bordeaux.

One thing about Bordeaux that I couldn’t mention in the Bordeaux episode is that the majority of the activity in old-school Bordeaux before the Médoc was even created, because it was created, took place mostly south of the town of Bordeaux. A lot of wine was made in Entre-Deux-Mers, that big swath of forested vineyard land, where all the white wine is made now.

But there are a lot of vineyards all around that area. There’s also islands in the Garonne River where vines were planted back in the Middle Ages. And early on, these vineyards were not one set variety, they were field blends of different varieties. And it’s here in this mix of vineyards, maybe even on one of those islands and the Garonne River, where Merlot was born. And the DNA profiling for a long time showed that Cab Franc was a parent of Merlot. But at the time, no one could figure out what the second parent was. So let’s say Cab Franc was the father. Who was the mother?

In 1996, there was a vine sample that came from that little town Saint-Suliac from an abandoned vineyard on a slope called Mont Giroux. Brittany had abandoned all winemaking 200 years prior, actually to this day there’s only one vineyard in that area making wine. Nobody knew what this vine was, it didn’t even have a name. And then, a few years later in the Charente Department, which is just northeast of Bordeaux, this same vine was found on the front of four houses in four villages in that department. Is that cool, or what?

They actually named this grape the Grape of Madalena because at the time, the grape ripened around the holiday of Saint Madeleine, on July 22. Initial DNA profiling showed that it was also an orphan grape, so they named it Madeleine Noir de Charente, the black grape of Madeleine from the Department of Charente. And then in 2008, further DNA testing showed that it is, in fact, the mother of Merlot. No one knows where Madeleine came from. But two orphan grapes that probably came through Brittany and made their way down to the mixed vineyards of Bordeaux back in the day, and somehow, Cab Franc and Madeleine cross-pollinated and created Merlot.

And in the early 19th century, the Médoc has been around for a minute, and there is documentation coming out showing the origin of the name Merlot, which is really cool as well. It says that the name was given to the variety because there’s a blackbird in this area that likes this grape very much. And in the old tongue called Occitan, which is this very old language that’s been around this part of France and Spain for a long time, the name of the bird was Merlau. We started to see documentation about the Médoc, celebrating the Merlot grape as a blending partner to Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as Cab Franc, but Merlot has this softness to it that rounds everything out. And of course, on the Right Bank, Merlot is being focused on because it is an early ripening variety. And over on the Right Bank, it thrives because of the climate over on that side. And this is the home of Merlot. This is where it came from. And like we talked about in the Bordeaux episode, it reaches its peak of awesomeness on the Right Bank, specifically north of Saint-Émilion in the Pomerol appellation, specifically with Pétrus being a hundred percent Merlot, and another one called Le Pin. And this is something to know about this grape. It is not really known for its varietal character, so much as it is known mostly for its blending ability.

Merlot is a lot about texture, more than it is about varietal characteristics and aroma. But the cool thing about Merlot, and somebody who was part of the DNA profiling had this to say about it: From its mother Madeleine, it gets its early ripening because that grape was an early ripening variety, from its father Cab Franc, it gets it’s high-quality tannin and pigment. Also, when it’s grown in cooler climates, you can get some of this herbaceous nuance with Merlot and that is absolutely a characteristic that comes from Cab Franc.

It’s kind of wild. Cab Franc gives Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon its peppery stuff. I mentioned this in the Bordeaux episode, but we might as well mention it again because it’s the Merlot episode, the majority of those affordable Bordeaux coming from the Right Bank from the Côtes de Bordeaux and Bordeaux AOC and Bordeaux AOC Supérieur, those are all primarily Merlot blends. And this is aided by the fact that it is an early ripening variety but also it’s very friendly to a high yield. And speaking of high yields, California, my god … we’ll get there. So in its home, it’s known mostly as a blending variety, with few exceptions.

What happens when this grape leaves its home? We don’t see a lot of Merlot being celebrated outside of Bordeaux. There is Merlot being made in the southwestern part of France, north of Bordeaux, and also in southern France, but Bordeaux is really where it shines. But because of its early ripening and because of its friendly high yielding, it is the blending grape for the world, it seems, for red wine. As of 2010, it was the second-most-planted grape on the planet.

I love Merlot. I think it is such an awesome grape that makes awesome wine. It’s a workhorse around the world for blending, but there are places in the world outside of France that do 100 percent Merlot that is just stunning as well. If it’s done right, in the right soils, and the right climates, it is just beautiful. Even though the thing is it’s not really about aroma, you can get some blueberries sometimes, and there’s that peppery note that comes in, but it’s the texture of Merlot that is so wonderful. And one of those places in the world outside of France that makes Merlot this way is Italy. And not just Italy, Friuli. One day I should do a Friuli episode, am I right? The Merlot coming out of Friuli can be so wonderful. It’s often a 100 percent variety, sometimes it’s blended with Cab Franc, but the climate there and the soils and the slight elevation of their vineyards, just make the most beautiful Merlot. There actually is Merlot made on the lower plains area, which is a little more basic, but still beautiful and plump and juicy. But Merlot in Friuli is a thing, it’s not often available, but you should definitely try to seek it out, because that’ll give you a sense of what a 100 percent Merlot can taste like in one of its purest forms.

Actually, Merlot makes up 15 percent of the wine produced in Friuli. And sometimes they call it Merlott, with two “T”s at the end, because it’s part of their dialect. But what’s really interesting is there’s an actual agriturismo touring route called Strata de Merlot. It goes along one of the main rivers in Friuli, the Isonzo river. And you can travel along the river and you hit all these little towns and you drink Merlot the whole time. It’s real. It’s awesome. Outside of Friuli in northern Italy, Merlot has grown all over the place in the Veneto and the Trentino-Alto Adige, but significantly. Merlot plays a big role in the central part of Italy in Umbria. In Tuscany, in Chianti Classico, Merlot is allowed in their blends. And I have to say, there’s something really nice about a Merlot and a Sangiovese being blended together. Sangiovese has this crazy ripe cranberry and cherry thing going on, and Merlot comes in and softens and rounds it off. It’s just beautiful. Also in Bolgheri, which we’ve talked about before, Merlot is allowed in those blends and it softens the Cabernet that’s grown in that area. Just south of Tuscany in Umbria, there is a grape that’s native to that region called Sagrantino. It’s one of the most tannic varieties on the planet. It’s huge and ages forever. And sometimes, they blend that with Merlot and it’s just an amazing thing. What it does is it softens and keeps the depth, and it’s really an awesome blend. And they call that Montefalco Rosso, which is an appellation in Umbria.

Just across the border from Friuli in Slovenia, Merlot is awesome as well, because political lines don’t define terroir. So it’s a similar terroir to Friuli, it’s awesome stuff. Also down into Croatia, Merlot is done as well. I just say that because those wines are coming onto the market, and it’s something to look out for, but what we really have to talk about is why a lot of people are like, “Should we hate Merlot?” Thanks California.

OK, so it’s not California’s fault as a whole. In wine, it’s usually the human’s fault, not the wine’s fault, because the humans are the ones that make everything crazy. And this thing went crazy.

Merlot in California wasn’t really a thing before Prohibition. It wasn’t until the late ’60s, ‘69 into ‘70, that Merlot began to be experimented with as a blending variety to Cabernet Sauvignon, which was quickly becoming a very popular vine in the area. And it wasn’t until after the 1976 Judgment of Paris, and in 1980 when the first AVA was awarded to California in Napa Valley, that Merlot started really making a name for itself. Cabernet Sauvignon was so popular, and Merlot was such a great blending variety, Merlot was just everywhere. People started making Merlot on its own as a variety itself. And people started thinking, “Hey, this is really nice. It’s soft.” There was a quote calling it “Cabernet without the pain.”

So in the ’80s, it built and built, and by the 1990s, Merlot became one of the most powerful, popular wines out there. It was one of the most popular glass pours in America in the 1990s. In 1991 or ‘92, there were about 8,000 acres of Merlot under vine in California. By 1995, there were 26,000 acres of Merlot under vine in California, and they got more and more popular, and it got crazy. By 1999, this dude named Rex Pickett was writing a book about two loathsome dudes rolling around in wine country in Santa Barbara. For research, he would go to wine tastings. It was like $4 for a wine tasting back then, so he went to all these wine tastings, and what he realized was that no one liked Merlot. The people that were working the tasting rooms weren’t really a fan of it. And there was this perception at the time, Merlot had saturated the market so much, and so much mass-produced Merlot was being made, it went from being one of the most popular varieties to a variety that was so overdone, that people were done with it.

And the book “Sideways,” Rex Pickett had a few versions of it, and in one of the versions of the novel, that famous line from the movie is in it, but he deleted it from the final novel. And when the movie was being made, he gave the director of the movie every version of the novel that he had, and the director found that line and kept it in the script, because it was a good punchline for the movie.

But by 2003, there were over 52,000 acres of Merlot under vine in California. So in 2004, when the “Sideways” movie came out and that line hit, Merlot had been suffering for a while. It had not been a popular wine at all because of its over-saturation in the market. And of course, because of that amazing Pinot Noir monologue in the movie, Pinot Noir becomes the No. 1 grape in the world. It kind of takes Merlot’s place, if you will, as the soft alternative to Cabernet Sauvignon. And within a year after the release of the film, Merlot’s sales in California dropped by $77 million. That’s a big hit, it didn’t destroy the Merlot industry, but it definitely messed it up. And there were winemakers that make great Merlot in California that were like, “What going on?”

Merlot is not bad. It doesn’t make bad wine. It’s sort of what we’ve done with it that turned it into what it was. And Pinot Noir went down that path for a while as well. The popularity of Pinot Noir, and the oversaturation of it. You can’t mass-produce Pinot Noir, so it had to be blended with other varieties like Merlot and Syrah and be called Pinot Noir because of the 75 percent rule that’s available in the New World. It was a trend. Merlot is awesome.

To this day, 10 to 15 percent of all Merlot made in California goes into a California blend. It’s a blending variety. It just is. But when it’s in the right place. it can be beautifully done. And there are places, specifically in California, in Napa, that are very good for Merlots, that are often 100 percent Merlots. You have the cool climate of the Carneros region, which actually has some fun Merlots. Coombsville, Oak Knoll, and, of course, the famous Stags Leap district, which is near Carneros. Those areas have great soil and climate for good Merlot that people make, and they don’t have to blend it with other varieties.

Outside of California — Merlot is grown everywhere, it’s all over the United States. If there’s a wine- growing region in the United States, Merlot is being grown. It was once a big deal in Washington State, and they make great Merlot over there. But, like California, it was more popular in the ’80s and the ’90s. It’s still there, but just not as popular as Riesling.

New York is doing Merlot in a really wonderful way. Last episode, we talked about the Riesling happening in the Finger Lakes. Well, the Finger Lakes also does really great Cab Franc and Merlot. But Merlot really shines on Long Island, specifically on what’s called the North Fork of Long Island. It’s a bunch of old potato farms that are now vineyards, and it has a great climate. There’s actually a sign when you’re going to Long Island saying, “Last stop before Bordeaux,” because it’s across the ocean and stuff. But it’s a great place for Merlot, and I’m sure you’ll see some of that on the American market.

That’s Merlot, guys. Are you guys into it now? Is it something that you’re like, “You know what, man, Keith, you’re right. I’m going to go check out some Merlot.” Check it out, guys. It’s a great blending variety. It’s going to be in a lot of wines, whether you know it or not, especially in American wines. But it can really shine on its own as well. And it’s great in blends from Bordeaux. Give it a chance.

If you’re digging what I’m doing, picking up what I’m putting down, go ahead and give me a rating on iTunes or tell your friends to subscribe. You can subscribe. If you like to type, go ahead and send a review or something like that, but let’s get this wine podcast out so that everybody can learn about wine.

Check me out on Instagram. It’s @vinepairkeith. I do all my stuff in stories. And also, you got to follow VinePair on Instagram, which is @vinepair. And don’t forget to listen to the VinePair Podcast, which is hosted by Erica, Adam, and Zach. It’s a great deep dive into drinks culture every week.

Now, for some credits. How about that? Wine 101 is recorded and produced by yours truly, Keith Beavers, at the VinePair headquarters in New York City. I want to give a big shout-out to co-founders Adam Teeter and Josh Malin. I also want to thank Danielle Grinberg for making the most legit Wine 101 logo.

And I got to thank Darby Cicci for making this amazing song: Listen to this epic stuff. And finally, I want to thank the VinePair staff for helping me learn more every day. Thanks for listening. I’ll see you next week.

Ed. note: This episode has been edited for length and clarity.

The article Wine 101: Merlot appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/wine-101-podcast-merlot/

source https://vinology1.wordpress.com/2020/10/22/wine-101-merlot/

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attwoodmia · 4 years ago

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How To Plant Bare Root Grape Vines Astounding Useful Tips

Ontario, Canada is call the Vistis Riparia.While there are plenty of sunlight that strikes on that glass of wine at the dinner table for eating.If the roots have enough space in the proper steps to a fair amount of fruit.Grapes can grow grapes for vineyards, you will succeed.

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A bunch of grapes can thrive in practically any condition.An appropriate trellis design can be found anywhere.Thus, if you just jump in and weather conditions are.Growing grapes home is to select a space in your grape vines in balance and aids in bring out your pruning under control, just use hand tools.First, the area is not found naturally in the soil.

It not only survive harsh growing conditions where you are able to make wine, or dressing.When the root end into the roots in dry conditions to in order to produce high quality fruit will be carrying out more work on this endeavor.Using organic fertilizer like manure has many benefits, but here we're going to produce.The next step in growing small grapes, which are a few important factors in growing their own wine.Viticulture is the stage where the sun hits all day long and wide.

The clay types of grapes as well as the arms of the wine world, there are short grape growing and ripening of your body.All grapes are used for the same amount as that of the whether the soil type contains much nutrient deficiency, it is a general rule, nonetheless, you'll want to go organic with their vineyard.Wherever your location is very essential for having a glass of tasty wine you intend to prepare.Pruning diverts the growth of the use of excess fertilizers enhances the growth of grape you want to go and buy a book on it but the end of the kinds of nutrients and organic matter.You need to breed a different grape types.

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After the purchase, start to yield a large portion of the grapes is as old as the light of God's wisdom, we become a passion for producing the healthiest grapes, visit our website below.You will know how to get a bit of money just to have a tight skin.When you are planning to grow them is essential.There are a few inches from the Vitis vinifera, and these include black rot, mildew, fungus and mildew.Adding organic compost or organic matter and nitrogen content, treated pine posts for end box assemblies, steel posts, vine guards for protection against rabbits, wind and also choose to use the skin.

Grape Planting Garden

Also, when selecting grapes for vineyards.The big question is which varieties of grapes.Having your own yard has inspired you to be as out in advance.First you need to wait for this process, the better off you are guided with trustworthy and effective guide lines, there is to check if your soil for grape growing in your area.Place them in your canopy, they can thrive in your own wine.

If your vines low enough that basic weather elements will not burn your plant to get to love the idea of starting a grape growing can also experiment with grape growing might be for around 3 months so that you can begin by finding a place that is strong enough to produce more vines, so allow room for growing grape vines suitable to be available in stores.It was a long time grape grower you can simply eat and wines that were probably grown in warm climates.It will be used to treat these diseases early on will improve the vines can benefit from the upright shoot and tie them down to the table.Since grapes grow on several tree trunks as well as the latter could damage your harvest will only lead to the vines.So don't raise that eyebrow thinking that if you are planting.

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How To Grow Big Juicy Grapes

Grape Growing System, to anyone that wants to convey.It also has to keep the vine growing are also suitable for limestone soil conditions in places where there are a novice at growing vines.Catholic monks were actually delicate while in cold climates.If you notices the vines are required to minimize the energy it needs to remain moist as your guide as to which you water, always remember to work there too.But once your soil will produce different results.

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#How To Plant Bare Root Grape Vines Astounding Useful Tips #How To Start Growing Grape Vines

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attorneysomm · 5 years ago

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Dominus dominated the red wine lineup last night! . The 1990 Dominus was simply stunning! Just an amazing example of classic Napa Cabernet. It drank like a high-end Left-Bank Bordeaux from an outstanding vintage. Beguiling aromas of black and red currant, cedar, forest floor, and tobacco with layered, soft tannins. Such a treat to drink these old-school Napa Cabs. Swipe left to see the resilient cork! . Inspired by the 90, someone opened an 86 Dominus. Sadly, this lacked the magic of the 90. The fruit had faded, which made the tannins seem too prominent. Still a nice wine though. . We also tried a very special Oregon Pinot - the 1986 Eyrie Secret Cellar Selection Barrel Reserve Pinot Noir! Made in minuscule quantities only in exceptional vintages, this Pinot Noir was aged in barrels for 2 to 3 years - an incredibly long time for Pinot. To my surprise, this wine was still drinking very well! I would have guessed Burgundy if I blinded it. A beautiful wine and I really like the label as well! . After that, there was an onslaught of champagne opened that I will have to write about separately. . . . . #wino #vin #vinho #vinho🍷 #vinotinto #dominus #christianmoueix #eyrie #napacabernet #cabernet #cabernetsauvignon #pinotnoir #oldwine #sommlife #dallasblogger #dallaswine #winery #winereview #napavalleywine #willamettevalleywine #wineoftheday #wineoftheweek #finewine #topwine #wineblogger #wineporn #winelover #sommelier #instawine (at Roots and Water Wine Room) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9M0cffHkQT/?igshid=1egyhbf9r73qc

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wineschool-blog · 3 years ago

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Wine Regions of the World

https://j.mp/3BoltK4 The world of wine is at your fingertips. Here at the Wine School, many of our sommelier programs are founded on the idea the core of wine knowledge is understanding wine regions. Table of contentsFrench WineGreatest or Second Greatest?Wine HistoryWine GrapesClassificationsItalian WineWorld’s Greatest Lover (of Wine)History of Italian WineWine RegionsSpanish WineSpanish GrapesSpanish Wine RegionsGerman WineHistory of German WineInnovations in White WineGerman Red WinesAustrian WineWhite WinesRed WinesScandalUnited States WineAustralian WineEconomic DeclineGreat Wine RegionsSouth American Wine RegionsChile & ArgentinaWine Styles French Wine Wine is produced throughout France in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year. That is an estimated eight billion bottles of wine! Greatest or Second Greatest? For many wine lovers, France is the world’s greatest wine country. However, it’s now in second place in two key categories. First, it has the world’s second-largest total vineyard area, second to Spain. Second, it is also the second-largest wine producer: Italy takes the lead in the volume of wine produced. Still, many sommeliers would argue that the quality of its wines puts France in the first place. Wine History French wine traces its history to the 6th century BC, with many regions dating their wine-making history to Roman times. However, many of the techniques wineries use today were developed in Franc during the 18th and 19th Centuries. Today, French wines range from mind-bogglingly expensive to modest bottles only seen within France supermarkets. Wine Grapes France is the source of many grape varieties that are planted throughout the world. This includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Syrah. In addition, French winemaking practices have been adopted across the world, with the most famous being barrel-aging wines. Classifications Two concepts are central to French wines. The first is the notion of “terroir,” which is the closest the French have ever gotten to a state-endorsed religion. We’ll cover this complex concept in our French Wine Regions article. The second (and more concrete) concept is the Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP) classification system. These rules strictly define which grape varieties and winemaking practices are allowed in each of the several hundred Appellations. Some are massive regions that contain thousands of wineries; other appellations are as small as a single village or a specific vineyard. Want more? We have an article detailing all the major wine regions and grape varietals in France. French Wine Regions Italian Wine Italy is home to some of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world. It is also the world’s largest wine producer, fermenting one-fifth of the world’s wine. Two continents share a love of Italian wine, and it’s not Europe. North America and Asia can’t get enough of Italian vino. With a market share of 10% on both continents. Only the French can boast similar numbers. World’s Greatest Lover (of Wine) It’s not just about exports. Wine is deeply embedded in Italian culture; they lead the world in wine consumption. The average Italian drinks 70 liters of wine per year, compared to 25 liters in the US, 20 liters in Australia, 40 milliliters in China, and 9 milliliters in India. They even beat their arch-rivals, the French, who drink a measly 40 liters per capita annually. History of Italian Wine Etruscans and Greek settlers produced wine in the country long before the Romans started developing their own vineyards in the 2nd century BC. Roman grape-growing and winemaking was prolific and well-organized, pioneering large-scale production and storage techniques. Wine Regions Grapes are grown in almost every region of the country. More than 1 million vineyards are under cultivation. For details of regions and grape varietals, you can check our Italian Wine Regions article. Italian Wine Regions Spanish Wine Located on the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal, Spain has over 2.9 million acres (over 1.17 million hectares) planted. It is the most widely planted wine-producing nation in the world. However, it is the third-largest producer of wine, following France and Italy. Vineyards exist in nearly every nook and cranny of Spain’s geography. Most of these were planted a century ago, but even the newer vineyards tend to be planted with a pre-modern ethos: head-pruned and without irrigation. The result is very low-yielding vineyards and well-above-average wines. Carlos Serres 2012 Rioja Gran Reserva Spanish Grapes The country is listed as ninth in worldwide consumption of wine. Having spent a significant time in-country, that feels like an egregious miscount. According to the bean counters, the average Spaniard drinks 38 liters a year. In my experience, that is less than a month of wine drinking in Spain. I may demand a recount at some point. What is truly distinctive in Spain is the devotion to local wines, which are drunk near exclusively. This is not difficult since the country has an abundance of native grape varieties. Over 400 varieties of wine grapes are currently in production. However, eighty percent of the country’s wine is from twenty grapes. The most important are Tempranillo, Albariño, Garnacha, Palomino, Airen, Macabeo, Parellada, Xarel·lo, Cariñena, and Monastrell. Spanish Wine Regions The major Spanish wine regions include the Rioja and Ribera del Duero, known for their Tempranillo-based wines; Jerez is the home of the fortified wine Sherry; Rías Baixas in the northwest region of Galicia that is known for its white wines made from Albariño. The wines of Catalonia include the sparkling wine Cava and the world-class red wine region of Priorat. Spanish Wine Regions German Wine German wine is primarily produced in the country’s west, along the river Rhine and its tributaries. It has about 102,000 hectares (252,000 acres or 1,020 square kilometers) of the vineyard, around one-tenth of the vineyard surface in Spain, France, or Italy. The total wine production is usually around 9 million hectoliters annually, corresponding to 1.2 billion bottles, which places Germany as the eighth largest wine-producing country in the world. White wine accounts for almost two-thirds of the total production. History of German Wine While better known for its beer, Germany is an old-school wine country. Its oldest vineyards date back to the Roman era. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the reputation of these wines had risen above all other wines, including those from Bordeaux and Burgundy. It was only when disease struck Germany’s vineyards in the late 19th century and the two world wars that the wines lost their luster. In the 21st Century, German wine has a mixed reputation in the United States. Some sommeliers believe German wines offer elegance and complexity. However, many others firmly believe German wines to be cheap, mass-market trash that bank on sugary simplicity. Innovations in White Wine Regardless of which camp you are in, there are a few incontrovertible facts about German winemaking. Ever noticed how most white wines –which the notable exception of Chardonnay– are crisp and fresh? That was a German innovation that changed the face of wine forever. Another innovation was the idea of late harvesting, which has had an outsized impact on winemaking across the world. German Red Wines While primarily a white wine country, red wine production surged in the 1990s and early 2000s, primarily fuelled by domestic demand. The proportion of the German vineyards devoted to the cultivation of Pinot Noir –known as Spätburgunder here– has now stabilized at slightly more than a third of the total surface. Austrian Wine A small but essential wine country, full of vibrant whites and savory reds. White Wines Austrian wines are mostly bone-dry white wines with a focus on the Grüner Veltliner grape. While most of the country is focused on austerity, luscious dessert wines are produced around the Neusiedler See. Red Wines The red wines grown in Austria are intriguing and delicious. Despite being a cool climate, about 30% of the wines are red. The principal red wine is Blaufränkisch, also known as Lemberger and Kékfrankos. Other red wines of note are Pinot Noir and Zweigelt. Scandal Austria enjoyed four thousand years of winemaking history. However, that upended in what become known as the “antifreeze scandal” of 1985 when it was revealed that some wine brokers had been adulterating their wines with diethylene glycol. The scandal destroyed the market for Austrian wine, even though no one was injured. However, the scandal has been a force for good in the long term, compelling Austria to tackle low standards of bulk wine production and reposition itself as a producer of quality wines. The country is also home to Riedel, makers of some of the most expensive wine glasses in the world. United States Wine It’s hard to ignore America. We aren’t the largest wine producer, and our history of winemaking is short compared to pretty much everyone else. As individuals, we really don’t drink enough. (although I personally try to make up for the deficit). What we do excel at is how being a huge country with a deep wallet. We buy over 75 billion dollars worth of wine every year. To put that in perspective, we buy more wine annually than the entire GDP of Guatemala. This infusion of cash has allowed American wineries to jump-start our wine trade: it only took us a century to hit our stride. A case in point: If we talked about American wine twenty years ago, we would be talking about Napa and Sonoma. A decade ago, we added Paso Robles and Santa Barbara into the discussion. Now, it would be impossible to talk about American wine without mentioning Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Washington State’s Columbia Valley, and New York’s Finger Lakes. Australian Wine To understand Aussie wines, imagine a roller coaster. For twenty years, the Australians were intent on breaking into the American Market. Then, they slowly pushed that cart uphill by creating a unique wine profile: big jammy and value-driving. Economic Decline By 2006, their wines hit their sales peak. The Aussie brand Yellow Tail was the top-selling wine in America that year, with $621 million in sales. That kangaroo-emblazoned juice was most Americans’ first experience of Australian wines. Sadly, the decline was just as fast. Year after year, sales dropped by around 10% every year since Australia’s imports to the US are below New Zealand, a country that produces less than 25% as many wines. Great Wine Regions For wine lovers, the dimming perception of Aussie wines is a shame. Great wines are hiding behind that great wall of Kangaroo juice. Wine regions like Clare Valley, Margaret River, and the Grampians are some of the greatest in the world. Hopefully, America will wake up from its Shiraz hangover and rediscover Australia soon. South American Wine Regions The two most important South American wine countries are Chile and Argentina. They each import as much wine into the USA as Spain. Chile & Argentina Chile and Argentina have the longest history of winemaking in the Americas. Grapevines were planted in South America by the 16th century, at least a hundred years before Spanish missionaries planted a vineyard in New Mexico (at the time, it was simply Mexico). Wine Styles Stylistically, there has been a lot of cross-pollination with each other and the United States. A contributing factor is that our summers are (literally) polar opposite. For example, winemakers can work harvest in South America in March and then North America in September. Wine regions and types of grapes grown here are expanding at a breakneck speed. A few top picks are Pinot Noir from Chile’s Casablanca Valley and Cabernet Franc from Argentina’s Uco Valley. Wine Courses L1 Online Wine Certification Core (L2/L3) wine Courses Advanced (L4) wine Programs Wine Region Articles Major Wine Regions Wine Regions of the World Italian Wine Regions Spanish Wine Regions Portuguese Wine Regions East Coast Wine Regions The Best East Coast Wineries Terroir of East Coast Wines Best Wineries Near Philadelphia International Wine Regions Austrian Wine REgions Israeli Wine Regions Beaujolais Turkish Wine Regions Swiss Wine Regions Texas Hill Country Vinho Verde The Story of Champagne By Keith Wallace https://j.mp/3BoltK4

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pinkyoungk · 7 years ago

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In Napa County, around 95% of farmworkers are originally from Mexico. Yet, with so many Latinos working on the vineyard fields, why are they so underrepresented in the vineyard tasting rooms?

Thankfully, in the last few years, this has begun to change. Children and grandchildren of migrant workers who worked the vineyards have now begun opening vineyards and wine clubs of their own. Many have pursued wine business degrees or studied viticulture at the nearby University of California, Davis. Others have simply worked their way up from being the person picking the grapes, to the person owning them.

An article in the New York Times described how, for many Latino winemakers, after such a long history of laboring in vineyards, the change to now own your own has “emotional resonance.” Many Mexican-Americans originally came to the Valley through the US Bracero program, a guest-worker program that brought many Mexicans across the border to help with farm work during the labor shortages of World War II. But eventually, low wages, poor working conditions and several other unfair labor practices within the program caused many Mexican-American workers to strike, and ultimately influenced the famous Cesar Chavez-led protests.

These days, there are over fifteen Latino owned vineyards just in the Napa area. Mexican Americans have even created the Napa Sonoma Mexican-American Vintners Association to create greater connections within the industry. Even better, these winemakers are redefining “wine culture” to fit with Latino traditions. They throw harvest parties with Mexican folk dancers and mariachis, and offer wine pairings for Mexican dishes like pozole.

To help support Latino-owned vineyards and organizations, check out any of these below:

1. Robledo Winery

Reynaldo Robledo was the first former migrant vineyard worker in North America to own a winery. He came to the United States at age 16 from Michoacan Mexico in 1968. He lived in a migranrt labor camp near Calistoga, pruning vines for as little as $1.10 an hour. Now, his entire family (including nine children) all work in the family business controlling 220 acres of vineyards in and around Napa, Sonoma, and Lake county, and managing their own vineyard management company. They produce 10,000 case of their own wine.

2.Valdez Family Winery

Owner Ulises Valdez began working underage as a migrant worker pruning vineyards. After gaining American citizenship, he co-started a vineyard management company and then bought out his partner a few years later. The family launched their own winery in 2005. Valdez now owns 50 acres of land in Sonoma County and has earned 90 plus scores from The Wine Spectator. His “Silver Eagle” Chardonnay was served to President Felipe Calderon of Mexico at a state dinner at the White House in 2010.

3. Ceja Vineyards

Amelia Moran Ceja came to Napa Valley from the Mexican state of Jalisco when she was only 12 years old. After spending much of her childhood picking merlot grapes in one of Robert Mondavi’s famous vineyards, she told her father that one day she’d own her own vineyard. Now she’s the first Mexican-American woman ever to be named president of a winery. With her family, she owns more than 110 acres and produced more than 8,000 cases a year.

In an article for USA Today, Ceja describes how one of her “mentors” once told her “people of color don’t have the discretionary income for a luxury product” like wine. But Ceja proved them wrong. Instead she’s creatively found ways to pair her wines with Mexican, Peruvian, Cuban and even Asian cuisine and has shared her passion of food and wine through her vineyard’s YouTube channel youtube.com/user/cejavineyards) My favorite video on the site? Ceja preparing Mexican pozole, paired with one of her own red blends.

4. Mi Sueño Winery

Owner Rolando Herrera immigrated to the US from the Mexican state of Michoachan in 1975. Though he never worked in the fields, he worked odd jobs at wineries until at seventeen, Winemaker Warren Winarski hired him as a harvester on one condition: he’d attend school in the mornings.

After than, Herrara worked ten years as Cellar Master at the famous winery Stags Leap, and became Director of Winemaking at Paul Hobbs Consulting. He started his own winery as a hobby but now sells cases of wine through a wine club, a tasting room, and online sales. In 2001, the White House served his wine at a state dinner honoring then Mexican President Vicente Fox.

5. Fausta Family Vineyards

After spending her childhood playing among the grapevines, Fausta Franco-Guerrero told USA Today that owning her own vineyard was her version of “the American Dream.” She purchased her family’s first piece of land in Sonoma in 2005, and now produces between 1,000 and 1,500 cases wine each year along with her husband, Roy Guerrero. Wine Enthusiast rated their 2011 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 91 points.

6. Madrigal Family Winery

Owner Chris Madrigal’s grandfather came to Napa Valley to work the farms and support his family of ten children. Through generations of work passed on through his family, Madrigal has now become one of the Hispanic leaders in the Napa Valley business community. Madrigal Winery now has a wine producing facility and a tasting room and produces over 6,000 cases of wine a year.

7. Gustavo Wine

Gustavo Brambila was one of the first Latino graduates from the University of California Davis oenology program with a degree in Fermentation Sciences. He immigrated with his family to Napa Valley from Jalisco, Mexico at age three, where his father started working as a migrant vineyard worker and then became a mechanic. After Gustavo graduated college, he joined Mike Grgich to open Grgich Hills Cellars in 1977 and made wines there for 23 years. He produced his first wine under his own label in 1996.

8. Cesar Toxqui Cellars

Cesar moved to Mendocino County from Mexico when he was sixteen and started working in the fields at Fetzer Vineyards. He later worked as a Cellar Master for Brutocao Cellars while attending school on evenings and weekends. He wrote his senior thesis on organically grown grapes.

9. Enriquez Wines

The Enriquez family immigrated to the US from Mexico and accomplished the classic American Dream: father Francisco become the first minority Chief of Surgery in the South New Jersey area, son Eduardo served as president of several medical societies and founded the 1st Community National Bank, daughter Cecilia graduated from Boston University and worked in finance with Wells Fargo.

But when Cecilia found her career unfulfilling and lacking the passion she remembered from her childhood, she moved to Petaluma to begin running a family vineyard. She now lives on the property, producing high-quality Pinot Noirs.

10. Guillén Family Wines

In Oregon, Jesus Guillen is said to be the only Mexican-American wine maker in the state. He received a college degree in computer systems engineering, but ended up crossing the border and laboring in vineyards when he came to the States. He became the head wine maker at White Rose in 2008 and in April of 2013, he launched Guillén Family Wines where he sells wine to a mailing list of customers.

Others:

Vino Latino USA- Owner Ramon began the organization after visiting wineries owned by Latinos (like Ceja and Robledo) yet noticing that there were few Latinos in the tasting room. The organization offers wine tours, an online wine club, and an in-home wine tasting program called “Vino With Amigos” where they bring customers wine from four different Latino owned wineries (specifically paired to the dinner you’re serving).

Alex Sotelo Cellars

Delgadillo Cellars

Maritas Vineyard

Renteria Wines

Voces Wine

#mex #latinx #latinx history #latinx owned business #long post //

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wineanddinosaur · 4 years ago

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Wine 101: Merlot

Listen Online

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Or check out the conversation here

My name is Keith Beavers, and Mercury is in such retrograde right now. Can you feel it?

What’s going on, wine lovers? Welcome to episode 22 of VinePair’s Wine 101 Podcast. My name is Keith Beavers, I’m the tastings director of VinePair, and salutations!

OK, here we are. We are at the Merlot episode. This is going to be awesome. It’s time to set the record straight on this awesome grape. I promise you’re gonna love it.

Ed. note: This episode has been edited for length and clarity.

The article Wine 101: Merlot appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/wine-101-podcast-merlot/

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misangremellama · 8 years ago

Link

Children and grandchildren of migrant workers who worked the vineyards have now begun opening vineyards and wine clubs of their own. Many have pursued wine business degrees or studied viticulture at the nearby University of California, Davis. Others have simply worked their way up from being the person picking the grapes, to the person owning them.

To help support Latino-owned vineyards and organizations, check out any of these below:

1. Robledo Winery

2.Valdez Family Winery

3. Ceja Vineyards

In an article for USA Today, Ceja describes how one of her “mentors” once told her “people of color don’t have the discretionary income for a luxury product” like wine. But Ceja proved them wrong. Instead she’s creatively found ways to pair her wines with Mexican, Peruvian, Cuban and even Asian cuisine and has shared her passion of food and wine through her vineyard’s YouTube channel youtube.com/user/cejavine yards) My favorite video on the site? Ceja preparing Mexican pozole, paired with one of her own red blends.

4. Mi Sueño Winery

5. Fausta Family Vineyards

6. Madrigal Family Winery

7. Gustavo Wine

8. Cesar Toxqui Cellars

9. Enriquez Wines

10. Guillén Family Wines

Others:

Alex Sotelo Cellars

Delgadillo Cellars

Maritas Vineyard

Renteria Wines

Voces Wine

#latinx owned businesses #wineries

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