Wine 427
New York Native Unveils Wine Label Before Debut Season with the New York Yankees
Today—March 18th—marks the debut of Le Carénage, a California-based wine project spearheaded by award-winning MLB pitcher, Marcus Stroman. After making his Major League debut and taking MLB by storm back in 2014, Marcus quickly fell down the wine rabbit hole thanks to his generous veteran teammates who would regularly bring captivating bottles of wine into the clubhouse to share. This season Stroman joins the New York Yankees for the first of a two year contract, signed in January 2024.
Le Carénage’s inaugural wines include a Provence-inspired rosé, a refreshing Sauvignon Blanc, and a classic Knight’s Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
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Courtesy of La Carénage
View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article
Le Carénage Rosé is inspired by the great pink-hued wines of Provence. Crafted from a blend of 51% Cinsault and 49% Mourvèdre, fruit for this refreshing, acid-forward wine hails from responsibly-farmed vineyards planted in Lodi. At just 12.9% ABV, the wine’s light-on-its-feet nature makes it ideal for sipping all day long. 490 cases were produced.
Le Carénage Sauvignon Blanc hails primarily from Napa County, with a hint of Sémillon thrown in for good measure. At 12.1% ABV, the wine is easily enjoyable with or without food, though its pronounced acidity is undoubtedly a perfect match for freshly shucked oysters and pungent goat cheeses. 120 cases were produced.
The Le Carénage Knight’s Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is the first of three single-vineyard Cabernet bottlings to be released, and shows the best of what Sonoma County has to offer. Packing all the dark-fruited and cassis notes, while staying light, nimble and ready to enjoy with minimal aging. At 12.9% ABV, this wine represents a balanced, fresh and classic Cabernet that harkens back to how wine was made in Napa and Sonoma back in the heyday heralded vintages of the ‘70s and ‘80s. 580 cases were produced.
Future plans will bring two additional Cabernet Sauvignons to the line-up: the two single-vineyard Napa Cabernets will serve as the project’s higher-end Reserve bottlings, produced from Glass Rock Vineyard in the Coombsville AVA and a prestigious site in the heart of Oakville.
Matt Naumann, owner of Newfound Wines and previously the winemaker for Wade Cellars, is the proud hands behind the bottles at Le Carénage. Naumann’s winemaking philosophy is rooted in working with the best vineyards possible and allowing the fruit to speak for itself.
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Marcus is a native of New York who didn’t discover his love for wine until later in life. He went to Duke University and was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2012 draft. Marcus began his professional career in 2014 and since then has played in both New York for the Mets and Chicago for the Cubs. This season he will be returning to his hometown, having signed a multi-year contract with the New York Yankees. He discovered his passion for wine after sharing many bottles with his fellow teammates, falling in love not just with the drink itself, but also the camaraderie and joy it brought to their gatherings.
Marcus started making regular visits to wine regions from his Florida offseason base in 2015, frequently jetting off to the West Coast. His appreciation for Napa Cabernet evolved into a love for the great wines from Old World locations like Bordeaux, Barolo, and Tuscany. As his passion for wine grew, Marcus set out on a mission to make wine more down-to-earth and easy to access, all without reducing the quality in any way.
A special thank you to Marcus for taking the time from his jam-packed Spring Training schedule to record video responses to my interview questions.
Impact of Post-Brexit Complex Tax Rules on UK Wine Price Increase
Wine Society describes planned alcohol duty changes as ‘ludicrous, expensive and probably unworkable’
British consumers have been told that the price of some of their favourite red wines could increase by more than 40p next year after the government ignored pleas from the wine industry to abandon complex post-Brexit tax changes.
The chief executive of Majestic Wine, John Colley, said the new alcohol duty system, which comes into effect in February 2025, would increase the number of tax bands for wine from one to 30, and cost businesses huge sums of money to administer.
The chief executive of the Wine Society, Steve Finlan, said the plan was “ludicrous, expensive and probably unworkable”.
The post-Brexit overhaul of alcohol taxation, which would tax drinks on alcohol by volume (ABV) rather than the type of alcohol, was officially initiated last August proposed by the Treasury during Rishi Sunak’s time as chancellor. According to this scheme, the amount of duty increases by 2p for every 0.1% increase in alcohol content.
The government recognized the new administrative load for businesses and implemented an 18-month “easement” period. Throughout this time, all wines between 11.5% and 14.5% would be taxed £2.67, which is the duty rate for 12.5% ABV.
The wine industry has been urging the government to make these easement rules permanent. However, earlier this month, Gareth Davies, the exchequer secretary to the Treasury, confirmed that the policy would proceed as planned.
Businesses like Majestic Wine, which operates more than 200 stores nationwide, have voiced their concerns, stating that this change would result in higher prices and an immense administrative burden for sellers.
“The minister demonstrated in this debate a worrying lack of understanding of our sector, suggesting that the alcohol duty system has become simpler and easier since Brexit,” said Colley. “That is simply not the case. In fact, the system in place pre-Brexit was much simpler to administer.”
Analysis by the Wine and Spirits Trade Association (WSTA) has found that when easement ends prices on about 43% of wines will increase. The tax on a bottle of wine with an ABV of 14.5%, the highest percentage to come under the rules, will increase by the maximum 42p to £3.09.
Red wines will be most affected given their higher alcohol content, with prices on 75% expected to rise from next February.
The changes will lead to huge administrative costs for businesses, which will have to work out the tax due on each wine. Even small shops can sell hundreds of different wines.
The co-founder of Cambridge Wine Merchants, Hal Wilson, explained that new regulations are set to enforce the inspection and documentation of the alcohol content in roughly 90% of their purchased bottles. Wilson expressed concerns over the seven-fold increase in workforce tasks, hinting at the unfeasibility of such a proposition for their trade.
Representing the Wine Society, Finlan elucidated concerns for the establishment that houses myriad wine varieties. He assessed the new alterations as nearly impossible to implement, resulting in inevitable price surges that will affect the consumer.
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At a Westminster Hall debate brought by the former health minister Will Quince last week, some Brexit-backing MPs, including Priti Patel and Julian Sturdy, supported the industry’s calls for a continuation of the status quo.
The latest changes come after wine sellers were hit with a 20% rise in excise duty on 85% of wines last year, the highest rise in 50 years.
The chief executive of the WSTA, Miles Beale, said: “Cutting red tape should surely be a priority for the Tories, who often cite it as a ‘Brexit benefit’.
“We are not asking for further reform, we are merely calling on the government to retain the existing, simplified procedure for taxing wine to avoid what is going to be a very costly mistake.”
A Treasury spokesperson said: “We engaged closely with the wine industry throughout the consultation for historical reforms to alcohol duty. The industry has benefitted from freezes at six out of the last 12 fiscal events.”
The changes will also result in the sparkling wine premium being removed, so that sellers pay the same amount of duty on them as still wines of the same ABV. The duty on many lower-strength drinks, such as beer, has been cut.
The Wine Industry Crisis: Excess Supply Leading to Destroyed Products and Uprooted Vineyards
Shrinking demand for alcoholic beverages has led to an oversupply of wine.
In response, some vineyard operators in Australia, California, and France are eliminating large sections of their vineyards.
A South Australian grower, Tony Townsend, recently informed Bloomberg that he’s dismantling his 34-acre vineyard despite years of vine maintenance.
“While I loved being a part of the wine industry, continuing in this state just wasn’t financially feasible,” he explained to the news source. Despite his crops being healthy, the harvest expense would have been $23,000.
Townsend’s not alone. Reuters reported tens of millions of vines will be ripped out in Australia to address the excess supply. As of last year, the amount of extra wine in storage in Australia was equal to two years of production, the outlet said, with some going bad before it could be sold.
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“It feels like an era is ending,” vineyard owner Andrew Calabria of Calabria Wines in Australia told Reuters, adding: “It’s hard for growers to look out the back window and see a pile of dirt instead of vines that have been there as long as they’ve known.”
Excess supply is also impacting winemakers in Europe and the US.
Last year, the French government, known for its efforts to protect its traditional culinary products, declared that it would invest $216 million in discarding excess wine to help the struggling industry. Rather than being ingested, this wine would be transformed into industrial alcohol for items like perfume, hand sanitizer, and cleaning solutions.
France is also financing initiatives by growers in Bordeaux to remove about 10% of their vines.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that some growers in California are demolishing their vineyards, with some choosing to cultivate other crops as an alternative.
One of the factors contributing to the overproduction is merely a shift in demand: People don’t drink the way they used to.
Wine consumption rose in the ’90s when many believed it to be associated with good health, but as Americans have drunk less and less alcohol over the past decade, production has exceeded demand, the Chronicle reported.
“People in this business took it for granted that there was always going to be growth,” Jeff Bitter, president of Allied Grape Growers in California, told the outlet.
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Discover the 380-Year-Old Wine Brewing Workshop Ruins Unearthed in China
Ahead of a road construction project, archaeologists explored a site in northern China.
Between June and November, a team of experts worked to excavate the site — and they discovered the ruins of an ancient wine-making workshop.
Archaeologists found three stoves, seven wells and two fermentation ponds, according to a March 6 news release from the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology shared via a post on Weibo. The structures were used to make wine and liquor during the Ming Dynasty, which lasted from 1368 until 1644.
The stoves were arranged in a line, experts said. One well-preserved example included an operating pit, a fire chamber and a grate.
The fire chamber was of an elliptical shape, constructed using blue bricks. Its dimensions were roughly 3 feet in length, 1.5 feet in width, and 4 feet in depth.
Adjacent to this was a round well, which was utilized for gathering water for the cleansing of materials used in winemaking, as per archaeologists. The well was approximately 4 feet wide, with a maximum depth of 23 feet. It contained remnants of porcelain tiles and structural components.
Additionally, sherds from vibrant, patterned porcelain bowls and cups hailing from the Ming and Qing dynasties were discovered within both the stoves and wells, state authorities.
In proximity to the stove, experts also unearthed a tank used for fermenting. This rectangular structure measured roughly 10 feet long, 8 feet wide and stood at a depth of 2 feet.
Soil samples from inside the pit-like tank contained high levels of protein and acid residues connected to wine fermentation, archaeologists said.
Historical records from the Ming dynasty indicate that the process of making wine and liquor required the structures found at the site, officials said.
Google Translate and Baidu Translate were used to translate a news release from the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology.
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Introducing Triple Brew: Canaseraga’s Newest Family-Owned Wine and Liquor Store
An Allegany County village has seen a recent upswing in business openings, and a new wine and liquor store is poised to keep the momentum going.
Family-owned Triple Brew Liquor and Wine will begin welcoming customers Saturday at 37 Main St. in Canaseraga.
What’s believed to be Canaseraga’s first-ever wine and spirits store will be at least the third new business to take up residence on the village’s Main Street in the past 12 months.
Dollar General opened a Canaseraga store at 4 Main St. in August and the popular Canaseraga Soup and Coffee Co. recently celebrated its one-year anniversary at 64 Main.
The name “Triple Brew” comes from the owners, husband and wife Shawn and Edna Brewster and the third “Brew,” their daughter, Secquoia.
Community Bank N.A. closed its Canaseraga branch at 37 Main St. in 2021 and the Brewsters bought the building in December 2022.
At first they were not sure what type of business to pursue but eventually settled on a wine and liquor store, seeing it as both practical and new.
“The nearest liquor store is more than 10 miles away. We have a lot of people who don’t care to travel that distance and we think it will bring that convenience to it,” said Edna Brewster, who is also the mayor of Canaseraga.
“We wanted to bring to our community some change. We want to focus on bringing wine, plus all your other staples with a liquor store,” Shawn Brewster added.
The project included converting a bank building, with a vintage safe and all, into a retail space, and finalizing licensing. Now everything is in place to go, with the shelves filled.
The Brewsters have generational ties to the community. Shawn Brewster is a village trustee and Edna Brewster is not the first member of her family to be Canaseraga mayor. Her great-grandfather Don Scott was the mayor 100 years ago, in 1924.
“It’s an amazing feeling to contribute to our community and be part of the growth of Canaseraga,” Shawn Brewster said.
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The store will be open Monday through Friday from noon to 8 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays.
The Brewsters long-range vision includes hosting tastings and other wine centered events, noting the ample space for vendors and guests alike in the former bank.
The Triple Brew Liquor and Wine phone number is 607-545-0007 and the store’s Facebook page includes additional information, including a veterans discount and more about the grand opening.
Follow Neal Simon on Twitter @HornellTribNeal. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: New wine and spirits store opens March 16 in former Canaseraga bank
Rediscover the Delights at Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival: More Dishes, Live Bands and a Purr-fect Touch of Cat Puns!
The new carnitas-style pork belly with esquites corn mac salad at Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival showcases the varied menu the culinary team has planned for this year.
You can find this dish at LA Style, one of the ten festival marketplaces located throughout California Adventure. The esquites corn salad comes with a habanero and chilli-lime seasoning.
Disneyland Resort Chef Luis Madrigal expressed that this dish is a result of an attempt to experiment with the much-loved pork belly, all while presenting a Los Angeles cultural experience.
He shared, “So, we thought of including it. Carnitas are pork but they’re made in a unique style. We explored ways to merge this with the pork belly. We have this pork belly piece accompanying the esquites corn salad. Esquites are a common street food in Los Angeles, often sold by outdoor vendors. We wanted to offer that cultural experience to our guests, an experience that chefs get outside of the workplace. Growing up, many of us used to visit the elote man to get a cup of esquites. Now, we’re bringing that tradition together with the carnitas.”
The festival commenced on March 1 and will end on April 22, offering over 80 new dishes found in festival marketplaces, meals at participating locations and certain carts. This year, patrons can choose from the new four-coupon Sip and Savor Pass or the recurring eight-coupon variant. These passes can be spent on selected food and non-alcoholic drinks.
In addition to the wide range of food and beverages on offer, there is an educational aspect featuring local, celebrity, and Disney chefs who provide cooking shows on weekends at the Hollywood Backlot Stage.
The other half of the Food & Wine Festival is made up of entertainment, including a new interactive children’s display in Hollywood Land – “Confection Purrfection with the SuperKitties,” which is inspired by Disney Junior’s animated show, “SuperKitties.” An amusing aspect of the show is the witty use of cat puns, spanning from “cat-astrophe” and “that’s paw-some,” to “cat-ch ya later” and everything in between.
“The series is flooded with cat puns and we just kept loading more,” stated Linda Love Simmons, the show director for Disney Live Entertainment. “We were in fits of laughter constantly,” she added.
The event features appearances by the “SuperKitties” and kids’ cupcake decorating activities.
The organizer stated a desire to provide an engaging activity for young food enthusiasts.
For live-music lovers, the festival will boast a larger number of bands this year. 14 different bands will be performing daily at the Palisades Stage and Paradise Gardens Bandstand. Musical genres range from reggae, top 40, 80s, R&B, jazz to big band.
The “Cookin’ with the Jammin’ Chefs” segment returns for the third time. It features music centered around cooking, dancing characters and performers dressed as chefs drumming on kitchen utensils. Characters such as Chip ‘n’ Dale, Clarabelle Cow, and Daisy Duck will contribute to feature with their exciting dance moves.
“I cherish the concept of rejoicing in everyone’s presence. The thought of everyone seeing themselves in the narratives we share delights me,” expressed Simmons. “With ‘Confection Purrfection’, the notion is that when people sense inclusion, it enhances their happiness. It amplifies joy for all. This is something we should embrace, ensuring that everyone perceives themselves as integral to the story. Also, the laughter and fun are tremendous. Even the tiniest chefs possess their own superpowers.”
“As for ‘Cookin’ with the Jammin’ Chefs,’ the conclusion always resonates with me deeply: ‘Sample everything, give it all a try, because food, much like life, is a grand celebration. That, to me, encapsulates the essence of Food & Wine – it’s a spontaneous celebration. It’s a tribute to the abundance California offers. It also celebrates artistry. By the gazebo, close to the beer garden, works of art designed specifically for the festival can be observed. The mural is brushed to life. So, in the opening four days of the festival, attendees can witness the gradual birth of this mural at the hands of a real artist called Marcella Swett.”
Exploring Australia’s Wine Sector: A Comprehensive Briefing
Wine barrels at a winery in the Yarra Valley, Victoria.
Australian wine companies and lawmakers said China proposed lifting punitive tariffs on the nation’s wine, signaling the end is near to a three-year trade dispute as both countries seek to strengthen ties. Treasury Wine Estates referenced China’s plan in an exchange filing yesterday, adding that the final decision will be made in the “coming weeks.”
An ugly dispute has broken out between Tesla and Australia’s Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, or FCAI, over local vehicle-emissions laws. It’s a brawl that encapsulates the challenge of decarbonizing a market that remains stubbornly in love with gas-guzzling pickups.
A Paradox of Excellence: The 2023 Nuits-Saint-Georges Burgundy Wine Review
Wine expert and consultant Aymeric de Clouet
At the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges wine auction in the Burgundy region of France this past weekend, wine expert and consultant Aymeric de Clouet provided technical information to bidders who tasted wines. An article about the auction is here.
When we spoke together, De Clouet explained what factors contributed to the overall quality of this 2023 vintage of Pinot Noir. His words highlight how chaos and enigma can sometimes produce alluringly seductive wines.
“The weather was extremely complicated in 2023. It began very cold, which lasted very late.”
May’s warmth sped up vine growth, however, the cold and lack of sunlight between July and August resulted in delayed maturation. The heat experienced between August 17th and 20th was a boon for winemakers.
The rise in temperature was beneficial. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. It brought great joy to everyone. There was a spell of extreme heat for three to four days in September which led to the grilling of a few grapes. These had to be removed during sorting. This experience resulted in good maturity, but caution was required to prevent overripe conditions.
The grape yield in 2023 was so abundant that Jean-Marc Moron, the Estate Manager of the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges vineyards, had to take an atypical approach.
Jean-Marc Moron, the Estate Manager of Hospices Nuits-Saint-Georges vineyards
“He believed that there were an excessive amount of grapes,” De Clouet elaborated. “Hence, he executed what we term a green harvest in July, followed by another in August.”
Green harvesting encompasses the diminution of vine leaves for improved aeration of vines, as well as plucking and disregarding specific grape bunches to instil a heightened concentration of flavors in the remaining grapes. To execute two green harvests in a single vintage is quite atypical.
“He conducted two rounds in the vineyard. This scenario is somewhat unusual. Consequently, the Domaine de Hospices de Nuits produced less wine than the previous year, while the 2023 vintage was significantly more prolific than that of 2022 in several other domaines [wine estates].”
De Clouet provided a description of the vintage 2023 wines derived from Nuits-Saint-Georges.
“Concentration, flavor, complexity and individuality of each parcel. On top of that—balance, which is the big surprise of 2023, because we didn’t expect that.”
The paradox of the 2023 vintage is that laboratory results of Nuits-Saint-Georges juices include a characteristic that seems contradictory with tastings.
“The analysis indicates that acidity is extremely low, but it doesn’t taste like that. It tastes very balanced. There is something very special in this vintage—especially in that balance which doesn’t appear in the analysis.”
This leads to a strong, simple, and refreshing conclusion.
“It’s good to know that we don’t know everything. The analysis is not sufficient; the taste is just as important as the analysis. It’s more important, I would say from my point of view.”
Again with Burgundy wines, mysteries can enhance their magic.
Cellar with Nuits-Saint-Georges wines that will be auctioned
Tasting notes are below. Note these are personal and subjective.
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Premier Cru Le Terres Blanches. Cuvée Pierre de Pême. 2023. 93–94 points.
A white wine created from Chardonnay. It gives off opulent, floral, and slightly nutty aromas that are quite generous. On tasting, it is a crunchy and textured delight with prevalent tropical flavors.
Gevrey-Chambertin. Les Champs-Chenys. Cuvée Irène Noblet. 2023.
Exhibiting aromas of red fruit, including raspberries and strawberries. It’s a succulent and plush wine, displaying a linear quality in its youth.
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Les Maladieres. Les Brûlées. Cuvée Grangier. 2023.
Open, floral, opulent aromas. A slightly spicy and textured wine with suave acidity.
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Les Lavieres. Les Bas de Combe Cuvée Guillaume Labye. 2023.
Red fruit aromas, with some tropical fruits and spices. In the mouth this wine is deft, delicate and opulent. Finesse in tannins. Bright acidity.
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Les Fleurieres—Les Plantes au Baron Cuvèe des Soeurs Hospitaliéres. 2023.
It has bright and floral aromas with hints of raspberries and red cherries.
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Les Saint-Julien – Les Plateux. Cuvée Poyen. 2023.
The aroma is perky with hints of light red fruit. It has bright flavors inclusive of black cherries combined with a shining acidity. It may not yet be complex, but it’s undeniably delicious.
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Premier Cru Les Vignerondes. Cuvée Bernarde Deleschlache. 2023. 92–93 points.
Quiet aromas that include flint, minerality, red cherries and black cherries. Flavors include raspberries. Bright acidity.
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Premier Cru Les Terres Blanches. Cuvée Pierre de Pême. 2023. 96 points.
Supple herbaceous aromas that include red fruit, green grass, black cherries. Complex, robust, engaging flavors that include blackberries and slight menthol. Distinct and brilliant.
Hospices de Nuits auction within Clos de Vougeot
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Premier Cru Les Rues de Chaux. Cuvée Guillaume Labye. 2023. 93 points.
Bright and light red fruit aromas that include raspberries and tropicals as well as florals such as roses. Stout, firm, taut but gentle tannins. Generous and full flavored.
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Premier Cru Les Porrets-St-George. Cuvée Antide Midan. 2023. 95 points.
Exquisite aromas of red fruit, like raspberries and black cherries, exude from this wine. Its taste is a perfect balance of richness and lightness, making it a delightful, vibrant, and quintessential red Burgundy. With powerful dark fruit flavors lingering on your palate, it provides a commanding and mature assembly of acid and tannin.
Presenting Nuits-Saint-Georges. The Premier Cru Les Boudots. Known as the Cuvée Mesny de Boisseaux, estimated for the year 2023, and rated 95 points.
Experience the bright and crisp aromas of young light red fruits, including raspberries. This wine embodies a subtle acidity that shines brilliantly. It’s a complex creation that leaves one in awe. Its broad shoulders command attention even as it provides soft tannins, characteristic of a classic red Burgundy. The flavors are generous, making this an elegant, supple, and seductive wine.
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Premier Cur Les Murgers. Known as the Cuvée Guyard de Changey, set for 2023, earning an outstanding rating of 96 points
Quiet aromas that include some granite and red plums. Supple, rich, balanced red fruit flavors with light acidity. A quintessential 2023 red Burgundy howling deft tannins, elegance and supple young red fruit. Commanding and crisp light acidity.
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Premier Cru Les Corvees Pagets. Cuvée Saint-Laurent. 2023. 94 points.
Billowing, wafting, commanding, sparkling and lively Nuits-Saint-Georges aromas that include those of black cherries, dark plums and raspberries. Rich and delightful flavors that need time to develop complexity. Remarkable integration of red fruit with acidity and tannins.
Nuits-Saint-Georges grapevines
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Premier Cru Les Didiers. Cuvée Cabet. 2023. 94—95 points.
Soft and unassuming aromas that include delicate florals, red plums, prunes and a fern glen. Crisp acidity. Soft, intense, beautiful dark red fruit flavors well integrated with supple tannins.
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Premier Cru Les Didiers. Cuvée Jacques Duret. 95 points.
Simple, young, full aromas that include raspberries. In the mouth this is a succulent and delicious and easy drinking wine with confident firm tannins and juicy acidity, Delightful.
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Premier Cru Les Didiers. Cuvée Fagon. 2023. 96 points.
Harmonious, balanced, generous and succulent aromas that include red plums, strawberries, red currants and blackberries. A delightfully easy drinking river of balanced and rich soft red fruit with a sliver of chocolate cake. Complex flavors, well integrated tannins. Delightful!
Nuits-Saint-Georges town hall, Burgundy, France
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Premier Cru Les Saint Georges. Cuvée des Sires de Vergy. 2023. 96 points.
Red strawberries, black and red cherries, fern glen, and black berries usher in the first wave of aromas. These vibrant notes are followed by firm, commanding and succulent flavors of red fruit, figs, and a hint of molasses. The complexity is brought to life by a bright yet fitting acidity. Simply put, it is an undeniably beautiful wine.
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Premier Cru Les Saint-Georges. Cuvée Georges Faiveley. 2023. 97+ points.
The aroma’s first impression is bright and crisp, quickly followed by a softer undertone. Skillfully blended, the red fruit and acidity deliver an integrated and balanced profile. With each taste, one experiences the crackling fresh red fruit and the beautifully reposed tannins. It is a wine that just begs you to pour another glass.
Nuits-Saint-Georges. Premier Cru Les Saint-Georges. Vielles Vignes. Cuvée Hugues Perdrizet. 97+ points.
Dark aromas include molasses, tar and a fern glen. Elegant and shining beauty of a wine with light flavors of succulent red fruit and supple tannins in this lively, balanced and shouldered burgundy.
Exploring the Importance of Wine Weight for Perfect Dish Pairing – Insights from Top Sommeliers
Pairing wine with food can be intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be. When you break a wine down to its basic features, it becomes a lot easier to figure out what kinds of wine go with what types of food. You probably know that flavor profiles are important when it comes to pairing wine and food, but the weight of your wine may be something you’ve overlooked in the past. To help us understand more about how weight plays a role in wine pairings, we reached out to Doreen Winkler, natural wine sommelier, orange wine expert, and founder of Orange Glou, the world’s first orange wine subscription service and wine store, in New York City. When we talk about weight, we aren’t asking you to place the wine on a scale.
“Weight has to do with the body of the wine,” Winkler told us. While you could describe a wine as being lean or heavy and some people might understand what you’re saying, it’s not the usual way to talk about a wine’s weight. “We look at wine as a range from light to medium to full-bodied,” she explained. So, when you hear someone describe their Cabernet Sauvignon as being big-bodied or full-bodied, now you know that they’re talking about the wine’s weight. Weight and body refer to how the wine feels in your mouth. A light-bodied wine is thinner, more acidic, and tends to have a lower alcohol content. A full-bodied wine has more tannins, less acidity, a higher alcohol content, and an overall denser mouthfeel.
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Doreen Winkler described weight as being “one of the most important considerations when pairing wine,” adding, “When it comes to orange wine, a lighter-bodied macerated Sauvignon Blanc from Austria will pair well with fresh seafood due to its crisp, minerally flavor profile.” Fresh seafood has a bright saltiness to it and doesn’t weigh heavily in your stomach after you’ve eaten it. Because the food can be characterized as light and refreshing, we would do well to pair it with a refreshing, light-bodied wine.
“Fuller-bodied Georgian wines, such as a Rkatsiteli aged in amphora, are more tannic and earthy,” Winkler went on. “Which makes a great wine pairing for aged cheese and other richer foods.” Foods that are dense, bold, or hearty could be described as being heavy, so we want to pair that heaviness with a full-bodied wine that can compete with those flavors.
If your wine is too light for the dish, you won’t be able to taste it. The big, bold flavors of the food are going to drown out what makes that wine special. The opposite is also true. If you pair a full-bodied wine with a light dish, then that wine is going to outplay the food’s flavors, leaving you with the impression that the food is somehow lacking when it really isn’t. This is why medium-bodied wines are so versatile in food pairings because they occupy an easy middle ground.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Juliet’s Founder Discusses Women in Wine Industry and Her Preferred Takeout Pairings
Juliet wines have been around for a few years now and they’ve become known as the upscale version of boxed wine. I tried their Pinot Noir and rosé for the first time recently and was pleasantly surprised by the high quality of these California wines. The beautiful, eco-friendly containers were a hit at the party I brought them to, and they were extremely portable.
JULIET CO-FOUNDERS ALLISON LUVERA AND LAUREN DE NIRO PIPHER
The female owned and operated brand recently introduced two new pours — Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. There’s also a Sauvignon Blanc and a limited-edition orange wine to choose from. In honor of International Women’s Month, Juliet is offering 10 percent off sitewide with the code Womens10. I spoke to co-founder of Juliet, Allison Luvera about Juliet’s role in the realm of women in wine, changing the stereotype of boxed wine and her favorite sip from their current lineup.
“Juliet is owned and operated by women, so it was a natural choice for us to create a brand and products that resonate with the unique needs of the female consumer,” says Luvera. “We are very intentional about aligning ourselves with values we know women care about and strive to create products that are uncompromising. We never want women to choose between quality wine, beautiful design, or sustainability — with Juliet they can have it all.”
Luvera expresses her excitement about being a part of the wine industry during a promising period for women in the field.
“The current period is arguably the best time to be a woman involved in the wine industry,” she posits. “Each year brings increased representation in all areas of the sector, from the roles of winemakers and founders to senior positions at supply and retail companies. What’s truly fascinating is that the ascent of women to powerful roles leads to a more diverse range of products on the market that appeal to female customers.”
Juliet feels right at home at dinner parties, picnics, or even when paired with takeaway food.
Regarding reshaping public perception of boxed wines, many change their views when they sight the stylish containers capable of holding two bottles’ worth and taste these Central Coast of California wines.
“Juliet has elevated the boxed wine experience for women,” Luvera says. “Our products erase the negative stigma against the format and make it the everyday luxury or moment of indulgence that women want and deserve. Whether enjoying a glass alone at home or sharing with friends at the beach or park, Juliet empowers women to embrace this sustainable and convenient format with pride.”
So how does Luvera like to pair her Juliet wine? While it could hold a place at a fancy dinner party, right now she’s enjoying it with take-out.
“The Juliet 2022 Chardonnay pairs incredibly well with spicy ethnic cuisines like Thai and Vietnamese,” she says. “It has a bright acidity that stands up to bold flavors, and the citrus and tropical aromas complement the spice in a really satisfying way. This pairing has definitely elevated my weekday takeout food routine!”