Wine 1020

Nestled between the hills and the coast in central California, Paso Robles remains isolated and pastoral enough to feel like California Valhalla.

Paso Robles is one of those places you want the rest of the world to completely ignore. Midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, bordered by Highway 1 on the coast and the 101 Freeway, the small town somehow remains isolated, pastoral and undeveloped enough to feel like hidden California promised land.

Keeping that secret is getting tougher. Years ago, my elderly neighbor in Los Angeles would sneak off for weekends to his mysterious property in “Paso,” and I’d always say, “Wait. Where?” If only I’d gone in on the real estate with him. Today, Paso Robles is among California’s fastest-growing wine regions (with more than 300

wineries), with beach access, Michelin stars, truly mind-blowing art, and a cowboy-country-vibe unlike anything else in the state.

To keep things simple, I’ll give it to you straight. Here are the three ingredients to a perfect weekend in Paso Robles.

STAY

With 16 Euro-chic rooms and 20 more on the way, Hotel Cheval remains top pony when it comes to Paso Robles luxury accommodations.

There aren’t any actual horses at Hotel Cheval but the equestrian-themed boutique hotel in the center of town is top pony when it comes to Paso accommodations. The original 16 rooms are built around an inviting courtyard with fire pits (there’s even a s’mores butler). And the Euro-chic rooms are stunning: High wood-beamed ceilings, glassed-in showers for two, giant beds with goose-down comforters that are soft-as-a-cloud. Each room has a fireplace and a few have sundecks and outdoor patios. Breakfasts are included and so is the penny candy in the hotel library. Twenty new rooms are scheduled to open in a second building across Pine Street in 2024. More reasons for Cheval guests to say, “Whoa, Nelly!”

DO

So-not-overrated: Bruce Munro’s Sensorio will blow your mind, plain and simple.

True confession: I kept avoiding Bruce Munro’s Light at Sensorio exhibition because everyone kept telling I had to see it. Stubbornly, I took that as a signal that Sensorio was overrated. What’s the big deal about a few outdoor lights anyway? Reader, I was wrong. Way wrong. The immersive walk-through bathes you in a candy-colored dreamscape of more than 100,000 illuminated orbs that change color across the undulating fields. It’s more than an art exhibit; it’s a transformative experience. A mushroom trip without the mushrooms. A celebration of light and technology and nature. Even if you’ve seen it before, it’s worth seeing again. Two new Munro exhibits, Gone Fishing and Fireflies, opened this year, making it one of California’s most innovative and engaging contemporary art installations.

EAT

Inventive, whimsical and off-the-charts delicious: In Bloom is worth a detour even if you do nothing else in Paso Robles.

Even if you don’t do anything else in Paso Robles it’s worth making a detour to In Bloom. Founded last year by restaurateurs Chris and Nicole Haisma, the place embodies laidback Paso sophistication at its finest. Executive Chef Kenny Seliger is a talent on par with anyone you’ll find in those two megalopolises to the north and south, and Michelin has already signaled out his inventive ever-changing menu for “perfectly executed branzino,” and dishes, cocktails, and wine that “reflect the spirit of California’s Central Coast.” I’ll go so far as to say our recent meal at In Bloom was our best meal of 2023. Think I’m overselling the place? That’s fine. I’m all about keeping Paso Robles under-the-radar as long as possible.

Charlie and Jess Koehler, proprietors of La Finquita Winery and Vineyard, cite the fervor of fellow vintners in the Ramona region and what they dub as “the modern allure of viticulture” as their motivation to delve into the winemaking industry.

Over time, Jess Koehler shares, La Finquita has cultivated a dedicated fanbase of recurrent patrons and wine club members, successfully marketing around eight to ten wine varieties, contingent upon the current culinary offering.

Approximately a year ago, the Koehlers, both grappling with distinct auto-immune health problems, declared their intent to shutter their tasting room. With the impending December 17 shutdown, the couple takes a moment to look back on their journey within the sector and to ponder on what the future may bring.

Charlie Koehler, a full-time IT employee who spends his days traversing the country for his profession, articulates that the occupation served as a welcome respite from the rigor of the corporate environment for him.

“I was on the road for eight weeks straight October through November,” he said. “I’ve been to 119 different hotels this year.”

Working the vineyard gave Koehler a break, and being able to take phone calls while out in the field was a highlight for him. Soon after the winery was started and work picked up, Jess Koehler took on more and more work around the winery, at 23123 Vista Ramona Road.

“A lot of the responsibility and day-to-day shifted to me, rather than both of us,” she said.

“Our whole goal was to do it together,” her husband said.

Wine played a significant role in the relationship of the couple, as shared by Jess Koehler. Being together, especially during their wine experiences, was crucial for them.

On their six months anniversary of being together in 2008, Charlie Koehler took Jess to Julian for an apple picking experience. They attempted to visit one of the wineries in Julian, however, it was so crowded that they didn’t get a chance to even step inside. It was Jess’s first time for a wine tasting.

Instead, they chose to visit the Schwaesdall Winery in Ramona, where they enjoyed a private tour and barrel tasting.

“We spent a major chunk of the day there, about three to four hours, and made really good friends with the owners,” shared Jess Koehler.

Several months later that same year, they were both offered a job at Schwaesdall. When Charlie Koehler proposed to Jess, he had two etched bottles of the tawny port the couple had tried during their first visit at Schwaesdall, made for the occasion.

This tawny port is made in a large tank at Schwaesdall, to which more wine is added to each year to build more flavor, Charlie Koehler said. A labor of love.

“It’s just kind of been throughout our relationship falling in love with each other and the world of wine,” Jess Koehler said.

Koehler said the couple has been dealing with significant health issues and decided to wrap up the La Finquita chapter to focus on health and family.

She mentioned that their fondness for the winery and their interaction with the clients remains strong. That’s why they’re sustaining the wine club. Additionally, La Finquita will keep on supplying other stores and restaurants, according to Charlie Koehler, even expanding their wholesale distribution to places as distant as Hillcrest.

Although the pair no longer produces wine, they still possess about 60 barrels and approximately 2,000 cases of wine. The wine and slush clubs will still operate for the forthcoming year, Jess Koehler assured, and they are welcoming new entrants.

“If the weather is extraordinarily pleasant, we’re considering setting up some spontaneous opening hours,” she expressed.

They announced that these openings would be accessible to all, however, the dates are yet to be determined.

Charlie Koehler announced plans to spend the next year determining their future course of action.

“We’re not removing any vines, we can still continue production,” he explained. “The key is figuring out just how much we want to produce and what the demand might be for the new style we’re planning to sell.”

If you’re interested in staying informed about the winery’s updates, you can subscribe to the newsletter at www.lafinquitawinery.com/newsletter/

A West Roxbury man has been taken into custody in relation to the alleged assault that took place outside a Dedham wine store on Sunday.

The Dedham District Court issued a warrant today leading to the arrest of 22-year-old Gesner Joseph for his purported involvement in the assault incident outside Total Win on Providence Highway last Sunday evening.

As informed by Dedham Police Chief Michael J. D’Entremont to Boston 25, a group comprising 6-8 people assaulted an employee from Total Wine on Route 1 while the establishment was being closed.

An ambulance attended to the male victim for medical evaluation, but he declined to be taken to a hospital. The victim’s mobile phone was reported to be seized during the unfortunate incident, according to police.

D’Entremont mentions the possibility of the group being denied service on Saturday.

There was at least one knife showcased during the occurrence, as mentioned by D’Entremont.

Joseph is expected to face charges for 2 counts of assault and battery with a deadly weapon, assault by means of a dangerous weapon, theft from an individual, and intimidation of a witness.

Whether or not any other suspects will be charged is still uncertain.

The incident remains under investigation.

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By Natalie Gale

The Boston Harbor Hotel will welcome some of the top names in winemaking for its 35th Annual Boston Wine & Food Festival, running this year from Jan. 12 through March 29. Over the span of two and a half months, the hotel hosts a long lineup of wine dinners, seminars, and themed receptions, all led by executive chef David Daniels and sommelier Nick Daddona.

The celebration, geared towards oenophiles, is the nation’s longest running food and wine festival.

Highlights of this year’s festival include the Grand Cru California wine reserve dinner, the Knights Bridge Winery dinner, the Women’s Gala winemaker dinner, and, special this year, the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti reserve dinner. Tickets to these events and more are currently on sale. Check out these and other events on this year’s schedule.

“We are excited to bring a diverse selection of wines and experiences to our attendees this year,” said Daniels, in a statement. “The 2024 festival lineup reflects the richness and variety of the global wine landscape.”

Boston Harbor Hotel offers a special room rate of $295 for festival attendees, subject to availability. A portion of proceeds from this year’s event will go to the Greater Boston Food Bank and Wine Unify.

For more information, visit boswineandfoodfestival.com.

Stay up to date on all the latest news from Boston.com

Be civil. Be kind.

Some of the sparkling wines and Champagnes recommended this week. (Photo by Ken Ross)

This time of year, one particular type of wine often takes center stage – sparkling wine.

From holiday parties to New Year’s Eve toasts, family gatherings to other celebrations, many people will be raising a glass of sparkling wine this month.

This is why I have made a point about writing about sparkling wine this time of year since I first started writing this wine column 11 years ago in 2012.

Let me add that I’ve been urging people to drink sparkling wine throughout the year for even longer as well. Why just wait until now to enjoy something that tastes so good?

So which sparkling wines should you serve? And what’s the difference between Champagne, Prosecco, Cava and other popular sparkling wines?

This week, you can find the answers to all these questions, along with recommendations for several sparkling wines from around the world.

Some of these sparkling wines cost under $20 a bottle. Others cost a lot more. But all of them have one thing in common. They all taste terrific!

Hope you enjoy.

HISTORY OF SPARKLING WINE

First, it’s important to understand that sparkling wine is made with grapes just like any other wine. More in a bit about which grapes are used to make sparkling wine, but just wanted to clear up any possible confusion, which is easy when it comes to wine, which can often be overwhelming. References to sparkling wine with bubbles date back to ancient Greek and Roman times, when people reportedly thought the bubbles were due to other-worldly factors, including the phases of the moon and good or evil spirits. Modern sparkling wine dates back to the 1660s, when a monk named Dom Perignon created Champagne. Thank you, Dom!

WHERE BUBBLES COME FROM

Three crucial constituents contribute to the fizziness in sparkling wine – sugar, yeast, and time. Various elements are mixed with wine during the fermentation process, among them sugar and yeast. However, time is equally influential. A significant number of sparkling wines are aged for extended periods, typically months or even years, in the wine producers’ storage areas or extensive caves located beneath the earth’s surface. Generally, vintners develop sparkling wine by introducing yeast and sugar to the wine that’s already bottled. These bottles are then systematically rotated for a span ranging from several months to a good couple of years before they can be made available in the market. Sparkling wine production is achieved through various methodologies. Nevertheless, this specific process is a preferred method by many and appropriately labeled the ‘traditional method.’

KEY REGIONS FOR SPARKLING WINE

A widespread misconception about sparkling wine is that its name is derived from its place of production. Contrarily, not all sparkling wine can be classified as Champagne. The term ‘Champagne’ represents a distinct geographical location where this particular beverage is produced, that being the Champagne region in France.

Furthermore, two other types of sparkling wines are also designated based on their areas of production. Prosecco is a form of Italian sparkling wine that originates from the Veneto region, close to Venice in Italy. Conversely, Cava is a type of Spanish sparkling wine, primarily sourced from the Penedes region in proximity to Barcelona, Spain.

So in short, Champagne, Prosecco and Cava only come from specific places and nowhere else. You can also find many great sparkling wines from other parts of France, California, Argentina, Canada and practically anywhere in the world.

DRY VS. SWEET SPARKLING WINE

Perhaps more than any other wine, sparkling wines cover a huge range – from very sweet to very dry. What makes sparkling wine so confusing is some so-called “dry” wines are actually quite sweet.

The more sugar there is in a sparkling wine, the sweeter it tastes. There are six basic levels of sweetness. From sweetest to driest, the six different sweetness levels for sparkling wines are:

SPARKLING WINE GRAPES

Winemakers use many different types of grapes to make sparkling wine. Some of the most common grapes, particularly in France’s Champagne region, include:

Certain grapes are also often used to make other types of sparkling wine. Prosecco is made with glera grapes, which used to be called prosecco grapes. Cava is generally made with macabeo, parellada and xarello grapes but can be made with other grapes as well.

VINTAGE vs. NON VINTAGE

Occasionally, you might notice that some sparkling wines have a year marked on the label. This refers to the specific year in which the grapes for that wine were harvested. If so, this indicates that the sparkling wine comes from a specific Vintage. However, the majority of sparkling wines are Non-Vintage, implying that the grapes originate from more than one year.

SPARKLING WINE TASTING NOTES

UNITED STATES

Gruet Brut Rose ($17.99 at Table & Vine in West Springfield and various other locations)

(New Mexico, USA)

New Mexico isn’t a place you’d expect to find a great, dry sparkling wine. But Gruet has been defying expectations for decades, making crisp, delightfully dry sparkling wines like this rose of the desert.

J Vineyards Cuvée 20 ($40 Suggested Retail Price)

(Russian River Valley, California)

Created in the cool, coastal climate of California’s Russian River Valley, this delightful sparkling wine has a rich blend of subtle flavors, including hints of raspberry, cherry and peach, along with toasty, nuttier notes as well. Absolutely delightful.

SOUTH AMERICA

Domaine Bousquet Charmat Brut ($13 SRP)

(Mendoza, Argentina)

Another home run from one of the world’s best producers of consistently good, affordable, dry wines. This sparkling wine made with a blend of 75 percent chardonnay and 25 percent pinot noir grapes has a crisp, light, delicate finish with hints of lemon, apples and lime. Truly refreshing.

SPAIN (CAVA)

Segura Viudas Brut Cava ($9.99 at Table & Vine)

(Catalonia, Spain)

This delicious, affordable, reliable sparkling wine from Spain has long been one of my go-to wines over the years, especially when I’m looking for something crisp, dry and refreshing on a hot summer day or with oysters and other shellfish. Definitely one of the best wine values around.

Dibon Cava Brut Reserve ($12 SRP)

(Penedes, Spain)

Another one of my favorite, affordable Spanish Cavas, this wonderful, dry sparkling wine has a clean, crisp taste. I especially love this sparkling wine’s well-balanced finish. By well-balanced, I mean that the Dibon wasn’t too overpowering or underwhelming. It tasted just right.

ITALY (PROSECCO)

Zardetto Prosecco Brut DOC NV ($14.99 at Table & Vine)

(Veneto, Italy)

Made with a blend of glera grapes and a dash of pinot bianco and chardonnay grown in the hills near Conegliano, this crisp, dry Prosecco from one of the most consistently great wineries in Italy has a slightly citrus-like finish with hints of lemon, apricot and ripe blood oranges.

Altemasi Trentodoc Millesimato Brut ($20 SRP)

(Trento, Italy)

Elegant, refined sparkling wine made with 100 percent chardonnay grapes from the Trento region in northern central Italy. Flavors range from toasted almonds with a hint of honey to melted butter and a dash of hazelnuts. Perfect on cold winter nights before or after dinner.

FRENCH SPARKLING WINES

De Chanceny Cremant de Loire Brut ($17 SRP)

(Loire Valley, France)

Made with a blend of three grapes (70 percent chenin blanc, 15 percent chardonnay and 15 percent cabernet franc), this crisp, dry, sparkling wine has a wonderful, slightly nutty, clean finish with hints of toasted almonds, melted butter and rye toast. Simply wonderful.

Le Grand Courtage Brut ($19 SRP)

(Burgundy, France)

Made in Burgundy with grapes from several French wine regions, this crisp, flinty refreshing sparkling wine more than held its own against many higher-priced wines. Love the finish on this great, affordable wine.

CHAMPAGNE

Chateau de Bligny Grand Rosé (SRP $59)

(Champagne, France)

A lesser-known Champagne producer that’s part of the smaller, grower Champagne trend, this delicious Champagne made with equal parts chardonnay and pinot noir has a wide range of wonderful, refreshing flavors, including hints of fresh strawberries, raspberries and orange zest.

Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Champagne ($54.99 at Table & Vine)

(Champagne, France)

Another consistently great Champagne house, Moet & Chandon (which I visited earlier this year in France) excels at producing dry, crisp, refreshing Champagnes – many of which cost just over $50 a bottle. Their flagship Champagne, I am constantly impressed by the quality and consistency of the Brut Imperial Champagne, which is filled with fascinating flavors and enticing aromas, including roasted almonds, fresh peach and a hint of cherry mixed with honey.

Laurent Perrier Non Vintage Brut ‘La Cuvee’ Champagne ($64.99 at Table & Vine)

(Champagne, France)

One of my favorite champagne producers, Laurent Perrier has been making great champagne since 1812. I could have easily picked several other Laurent Perrier champagnes (including their “Brut Nature,” another outstanding one) but I decided to recommend this one since it’s affordable, readily available and delicious. Its flavors are crisp, dry, slightly nutty (think roasted almonds) and refreshing.

Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut ($64.99 at Table & Vine)

(Champagne, France)

Another one of my favorite Champagne producers which I visited earlier this year, this non-vintage Brut Champagne will appeal to traditional Champagne fans. Here, you can practically taste the chalky, limestone walls in this crisp, toasty Champagne with hints of roasted almonds, melted butter and an unexpected dash of apricot.

Taittinger Brut La Francaise Non Vintage Champagne ($49.99 at Table & Vine)

(Champagne, France)

Along with Laurent Perrier and Perrier Jouet, Taittinger produces several outstanding champagnes at a wide range of prices. Honestly, I have never had a bad bottle of Taittinger champagne. They’re all dry, crisp, refreshing and bursting with flavor. Its Brut La Francaise champagne has a wonderful, crisp, refreshing finish with toasted nut flavors, along with a dash of melted butter. Great Champagne produced by true artists since 1734.

Cheers!

Wine Press by Ken Ross appears on Masslive.com every Monday and in The Republican’s Weekend section every Thursday.

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In the pursuit of learning as much as we can about wine so we can share that knowledge with others, we have been to every country in the world that produces it in any significant quantity. People are often surprised to discover that we have visited multiple wine regions and too many wineries to count in China, and their response to finding this out is often along the lines of, “Well the wine’s not very good, is it?” Considering China’s size (it has roughly the same land mass as the United States), varied climates, and the fact that wine has been made there for around 2,000 years, it’s hard to believe that anyone would just dismiss the entire country, but here we are.

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One needs to simply look at the external investment in Chinese wine projects to realize the seriousness of the $42 billion annual winemaking business there. Nearly 500 wineries are present across 12 key regions. Significant players like Louis Vuitton-Moët Hennessy, Domaine Baron de Rothschild (D.B.R.) Lafite, and Penfolds’ involvement makes even the fiercest critic take note. This does not imply that wineries without international involvement are not producing high-quality wine, but most of those at the top-tier predominantly sell within their domestic market and refrain from global distribution.

The LVMH project, Ao Yun, meaning “flying above the clouds,” was the first to hit the market with the release of the 2013 vintage. This boutique winery, nestled high in the Himalayas within the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, houses 68 acres of vineyards situated in bends of the Mekong River at altitudes ranging from 7,200 to 8,500 feet above sea level. Bordeaux native and Estate director and winemaker, Maxence Dulou, segmented the vineyards into 314 blocks and 900 sub-blocks based on variances in soil, terroir, drainage, and sunlight exposure. Each plot is hand-tended, vinified separately, then blended to produce a rich wine resembling a Bordeaux-style blend, with a hint of Syrah. Dulou’s precision, both in the vineyard and during blending, results in a pleasant wine that regularly receives high critical acclaim. He characterizes his wine as having a balance of “freshness and ripeness in the nose and acidity and density in the mouth”, with very mature tannins providing a soft, gentle texture. The United States makes up a minor market for Ao Yun, receiving only 10 percent of exports, but the wine is relatively accessible. Half of it is sold in China, with another 20 percent distributed throughout Asia.

Far to the northeast and just slightly higher than sea level, D.B.R. Lafite established its terraced vineyards in Shandong Province in 2008. Known in China simply as the Chinese Lafite, the first vintage of Long Dai is the 2017, released in 2019. As shared by Technical Director Olivier Tregoat, the priority of the Domaine de Long Dai is to know the terroir and develop expertise in soils and grape types, led by a solid local team, to find the best expression of the Shandong terroir and create a unique Chinese wine with a French touch. Long Dai isn’t your traditional Bordeaux blend; it’s crafted with 50 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 25 percent Cabernet Franc and 25 percent Marselan, a cross between Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon that is widely cultivated in China. Marselan adds hints of baking spice and floral notes to the wine’s dark-berry flavors and smooth tannins. It is predominantly sold in mainland China with strong distribution among wine collectors and wine enthusiasts, but it’s still possible to locate Long Dai online at several trustworthy retailers at costs close to its suggested retail price of $699.

The other venture we noticed is Penfolds, which recently released its Penfolds 2021 Chinese Winemaking Trial 521 Cabernet Sauvignon Marselan, or for short, Penfolds CWT 521. The numbers 5-2-1 represent five regions where the grapes are sourced and the vintage year of the wine. Matt Woo, Penfolds’ winemaker, expresses that CWT represents an expression of Penfolds house style through a Chinese lens, speaking both to Penfolds varietal characters and reflecting the regions from which it originated.

Unless you’re planning a trip to China or Australia, finding a bottle of Penfolds CWT 51 might be a challenge. As for other Chinese wines we’ve covered, they are enjoyable now and will continue to age nicely at home for at least another decade. Despite this, they have not attained the status of investment wine. As Nick Pegna, Sotheby’s global head of wine and spirits shared, there’s been a limited presence of top Chinese wineries in the auction salesroom. This is likely because these wineries are relatively new, and there’s not yet a substantial increase in values. While there is a following for the new releases of Long Dai and especially for Ao Yun, and their quality level is excellent, they have not reached the point of being considered collectibles. This suits us just fine as we believe wine is meant to be savored, not stored away for profit.

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There’s a certain amount of (self-imposed) pressure to get everything just-so as friends and family gather over the festive period. Whether you’re throwing a party, hosting the main event, or you’ve been invited to share in someone else’s celebrations, you want to make sure the drinks live up to expectations. Which wine should I pour with Christmas pud? What can I offer the designated driver? Do I need to let my red breathe before I serve it and what does that even mean? How can I stop my brother-in-law squirrelling away my expensive bottle and serving me plonk?

We’ve put your thorny wine questions to our panel of experts: Telegraph columnists Susy Atkins and Victoria Moore; and award-winning commentator and trained sommelier Hamish Anderson. They’ve tackled your drink-based conundrums so you can spend more time doing what really matters this Christmas. Like settling a decades-old score with your siblings. Bottoms up.

– VB

Victoria says: I’m happy to say that both of you are ‘right’. As you so succinctly say with the use of those inverted commas, there isn’t a right and a wrong in wine but there are norms and some wines rub along better with certain foods than others. As with roast chicken, you can very happily go white or red with turkey.

Undoubtedly, wine pairings largely rely on the accompanying dishes, which results in your emphasis on fruity stuffing, cranberry sauce, pigs in blankets and so forth, pushing the balance towards a hearty wine. There are both red and white choices to cater to this.

When considering whites, you might opt for a path through Burgundy. This would definitely complement those who pour creamy, nutmeg-infused bread sauce on their meals. White Rhône and Rhône-style (consider South Africa) blends comprising of marsanne, roussanne, viognier, white grenache and clairette are also adept at handling the Christmas dinner repertoire.

Moving on to reds, grenache-based blends will harmonise seamlessly with all the fruit and pork elements; Beaujolais or a young pinot noir will match the tangy brightness of cranberries; and a robust Bordeaux will keep everyone content.

Of course, it’s not merely about the pairings. The key is to choose a wine that sets the right ambiance. And one that you genuinely enjoy.

<p><em>– TG</em></p>

<p><strong>Hamish says</strong>: The practice of opening a wine and leaving it to breathe in the bottle does very little, as such a small amount of liquid is in contact with air. To substantially change the flavour quickly, you need to decant. For young wines, which are unlikely to have any sediment, this is as simple as pouring them into a clean vessel wide enough to expose a reasonable surface area to air – a decanter looks the part, but a glass jug works just as well. Older wines require a steady hand, and a light source to highlight sediment as you carefully decant at 45 degrees.</p>

<p>How long you leave them before serving varies from bottle to bottle. If you don’t know a wine, open it a couple of hours beforehand and give it a taste. If it is mute, one-dimensional, or overly tannic then a few hours properly exposed to air will open up the flavours and help it to soften. As a rough guide, many full-bodied, young wines (including some whites) benefit from a good stint exposed to air – three hours is usually my starting point. Richer styles or grape varieties need longer, while lighter styles require less time or none at all. So, while I might leave a young Australian Cabernet on the side for three or four hours to develop, I rarely decant Pinot Noir.</p>

<p><em>– DA</em></p>

Susy states: Previously, drivers and individuals who don’t consume alcohol had limited drink choices at special events. They could only choose between orange juice, elderflower pressé, or mocktails. These options are often sweet, which is not particularly attractive during extended periods of eating and drinking. Thankfully, nowadays there are numerous sophisticated non-alcoholic beverages available, including excellent no-alcohol beers and non-alcoholic aperitifs and spirits. However, these are generally quite expensive.

When it comes to wines, while I haven’t discovered a non-alcoholic red that I would exchange for a quality juice, I’ve found the non-alcoholic whites have significantly improved. For instance, there is no-alcohol riesling, which preserves its juicy tang. Some of the best adult non-alcoholic beverages I’ve tasted recently are the new range of sparkling teas from the Copenhagen Tea Company. Keeps in mind that some contain low, not zero, alcohol content. These were created in Denmark by a renowned sommelier, and they exhibit exceptional balance and richness. Expect dry varieties with delicate hints of spice, floral elements, and mild tannins. They should be chilled and served similarly to sparkling wine.

– JL

Victoria articulates: This appears to be two questions in one. The first part is how to stop your brother-in-law from being extraordinarily irritating. The truth is, you cannot. However, you can manage the problematic aspects that trigger you. So, this year don’t bring any wine. Instead, choose something else and explicitly specify that it’s a present for the hosts and it’s not for the event’s consumption.

If there is a silent contract that requires you to bring wine, then take it. However, don’t expect to consume it. Make sure it’s something you would be pleased to be offered if it is uncorked, and spend the amount of money that you think is an acceptable contribution to the day.

Now, let’s move on to the second question: how can you drink something of semi-decent quality on Christmas Day? Although I doubt you’re going to have a high-quality wine, you still have other options. You could take the hard alcohol path: ask for a Gamp;T or a vodka-martini. Propose to make it yourself because you’re picky. Carry the ingredients with you, don’t just hand them over, but feel free to offer to create a cocktail for others. Finally, anticipate the excellent glass of wine you’ll consume at home on Boxing Day.

— CD

Victoria comments: As you most likely know, châteauneuf-du-pape is a denomination in the southern rhône. Red châteauneuf is very expressive, full in taste and high in alcohol content. Moreover, it is composed of a mixture. Grenache, supplemented with mourvèdre and syrah, is the leading variety among the eighteen allowed in red châteauneuf.

You don’t need to look too far away to discover something similar; there are several other names in the southern Rhône region that produce red wines with similar notes of sweetly fragrant red berries and garrigue herbs. You might want to sample from gigondas, cairanne, vinsobres or rasteau. By all means, give a côtes du rhône a try. Or perhaps a lirac, which hails from similar soil composition on the opposite side of Rhône river, albeit its often more laden with dark fruits compared to châteauneuf.

But don’t feel restricted to Rhône. Explore a GSM (grenache-syrah-mourvèdre) from other regions. There are very impressive versions found in the Languedoc, or you could cast your net towards South Africa or Australia. These wines complement Christmas dinner exceptionally well as they carry enough weight for all the fruit-filled, porcine flavors present in the stuffings and sauces.

– DA

Susy speaks: There are a good number of opportunities throughout the festive season that warrant a glass of port. Ruby ports, generally known for their relaxed nature, brimming with juicy red cherries and a hint of pepper, are a perfect pairing with mince pies and Christmas cake, or even stollen or gingerbread. These are the types of port wines you’d want to splash into your mulled wine or add to a beef or venison casserole for that extra depth of flavor.

Late bottled vintage (LBVs) and vintage ports are my preferred choices for enjoying alongside a festive cheese board, perfect for festive occasions like Christmas Eve or Boxing Day. To truly savor the ports, decant them to improve their aroma and remove any sediment. Dress up your cheese board with an assortment of crackers, fresh and dried fruits, and certainly, include the classic Stilton cheese.

However, if I were to single out my top-most pairing, it would undoubtedly be tawny port with chocolate. It has been a custom in our household to chill a bottle of this delightful port over Christmas, serving it with a box of exquisite dark chocolates. Not only does it pair well with chocolate desserts, but it also enhances the flavors of nutty and toffee puddings. The unique blend of mellow, creamy, caramel, and orange peel undertones in a tawny port goes famously well with grand desserts like profiteroles.

– WF

Hamish points out: The mere act of uncorking a bottle of wine and pouring a glass introduces oxygen into the liquid, initiating its degradation. The aroma and flavor of a wine left uncorked for too long tend to decay, resulting in a less fruity and vibrant taste — it’s not necessarily undrinkable, but nowhere near as favorful. If left for even longer, one can detect oxidative notes: with whites you’ll get a nutty flavor akin to some sherries, whereas in reds, the fresh fruit tones transform into a dried character, resembling prunes or raisins.

While there are plenty of preservation systems out there, they cannot undo what has already happened – at best they buy you an extra day or two by stopping more contact with air. If you have a vacuum pump, a device that sucks air out of an open bottle via a plastic stopper, use it. Failing that, close the bottle with its original seal.

If you have had a party and are left with multiple open bottles of the same wine, decant them into each other so you end up with full bottles, reducing the amount of wine in contact with air. Aim to use them up within a couple of days. Light-bodied or older wines don’t last as long as young or full-bodied ones so drink those first. Port will keep in good condition for around five days, since the extra sugar and alcohol act as preservatives.

It is worth investing in inexpensive sparkling wine stoppers to use on open bottles of fizz. They won’t stop the wine oxidising but will help to maintain bubbles for a few days, longer if the bottle is nearly full. A teaspoon inserted into the neck of an open bottle, silver or not, does nothing. Two systems I would recommend are Coravin (from £129.99), which ingeniously extracts wine from a bottle without letting air in and will preserve the contents for weeks, months or even years. The other is Eto (from £129), an elegant decanter that does a fine job of stopping further contact with air and should help your wine to last for about a week; use it as soon as you open a bottle for best effect.

– JS

Susy says: It’s a tall order for one wine to be the perfect match for three desserts which are so very different in flavours and textures. The clementine trifle would, ideally, be paired with a tangy, golden dessert wine such as Bordeaux’s sauternes, while the Christmas pudding and Yule log can take a richer, more sticky wine like tawny port, Australian liqueur muscat or Hungary’s sublime tokaji.

But you are looking for a more versatile sweet wine and I’ve got two styles to suggest. First, the vins doux naturels made from muscat in southern France, such as those from Rivesaltes or Beaumes-de-Venise. These are lightly fortified so although they taste fresh, they can have deliciously concentrated flavours of apricot and crystallised citrus fruit that match a range of sweet treats. Chill them lightly and pour 75 millilitres into white wine glasses.

My other suggestion is Sicily’s marsala, a lovely fortified wine made from local grapes and aged for up to ten years. It pairs well with with mince pies and Christmas pudding as well as chocolate desserts. It can take on a trifle too and I love it with a slice of fruit-studded panettone.

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There are many reasons you might want to steer clear of red food dye for coloring the next time you make a red velvet cake. Maybe you’re allergic to it, maybe you’d rather not use dyes, maybe you ran out and your cake batter is more pink than red, or maybe you had an accidental spill that made your kitchen look somewhat unsettling. Whatever the case, there are alternatives to red food coloring that don’t require placing an Amazon special order for beet powder. Indeed, you might have a bottle of a terrific crimson colorant already kicking around your kitchen: Red wine.

Cookbook author Stella Parksuses 1 ½ cups of dry red wine in her red velvet cake. The color will be pale when the batter is raw, but it will develop into a deep burgundy in the oven. This method won’t yield bright, stop-sign-red cake layers, but they will be reddish.

The “dry” part of dry red wine is quite important. Dry means that there is little to no residual sugar in the wine; it all got fermented out. If you have an off-dry, semi-dry, or sweet red, it can become difficult to adjust for the additional sugar in the recipe. Parks uses a cabernet sauvignon: Full-bodied, fruity, and deep red. Zinfandel or a deep pinot noir can be used, but maybe avoid the grassy notes of a cabernet franc.

Read more: Cake Hacks Every Baker Will Wish They Knew Sooner

Red wine, just like several other ‘red’ colored food such as red grapes, berries, beets, red cabbage, among others, contains anthocyanins. These compounds, which give the plants their red or purple hue, are also present in cocoa powder. Particularly, it is the raw, natural cocoa powder that contains anthocyanins. The Dutch-processed cocoa, however, undergoes an alkalizing process that changes its color from brick red to dark brown due to neutralization.

The anthocyanins are sensitive to pH. Hence, when lemon juice is added to red cabbage, it changes its color to a super-bright, vibrant pink. Similarly, when an acid is added to the anthocyanins in cocoa powder, it causes a color change. In many recipes for red velvet cake, buttermilk, which is already acidic, is used. Also, white distilled vinegar is used to increase the acidity, causing the anthocyanins in the natural cocoa powder to react and turn the cake redder when baked. Wine, which is acidic and contains its own anthocyanins, is also used in Stella Parks’s red velvet cake recipe instead of the acidified buttermilk, giving the raw cocoa a redder color.

Various posters and bakers on social media who have made the cake claim that the resulting cake is a brighter-colored chocolate cake that can be perceived as red with either a keen eye or a decent amount of imagination. There are instances where the cake appears to be burgundy, provided one looks at it under the right light and with a little stretch of imagination, according to a baker on X, formerly known as Twitter. Initially, it might appear similar to a brown chocolate cake, but once cut, the difference in the interior color becomes noticeable.

A baker on Reddit shared that although the final color wasn’t extremely red, it was redder than a usual chocolate cake. Someone inquired if one could identify it as a red velvet cake with eyes closed, to which the responses varied. However, a user chimed in to add that the red wine red velvet cake, despite its color, has a distinct taste, which sets it apart from a regular devil’s food cake. The bitterness of the raw cocoa coupled with the tanginess of the wine in the batter gives it the characteristic red velvet taste. Irrespective of the color, the baker said that a red velvet cake made with red wine was ‘absolutely the best cake they’ve ever made.’

Read the original article on Daily Meal.

There is no doubt about it: Boxed wine has a bad reputation. Some might even characterize bag-in-box wine as “fast, cheap, easy, and fake” which is definitely not a compliment when it comes from foodies or wine snobs.

“You are what you eat so don’t be fast, cheap, easy, or fake.”

Is box wine “fast”?

Is box wine “cheap”?

Is box wine “easy”?

Is box wine “fake”?

Box wine is fast, priced reasonably (for the most part), easy, and most definitely authentic. Plus, it’s growing in popularity. Indeed, with growing concerns about environmental issues, wine-in-a-box is garnering increased attention. There are a number of good reasons you might want to reconsider box wine—including that it might actually taste good!

A swift Google search will uncover a variety of recent articles discussing the best boxed wines to buy. Check out, for instance, the New York Times article “10 Boxed Wines That Are Really Good, Seriously” or Decanter’s bag-in-box must-try list, which was compiled following the blind tasting of 70 different varieties available in the UK. Tasting Table even goes so far as to list “11 Boxed Wine You Should Always Buy,” notable particularly as the top two boxed wines on their list are from Franzia.

Despite its reputation, Franzia is undeniably popular and proudly acknowledges the environmental advantages of drinking their wine over the bottled variety. On the “green practices” page of their website, they highlight: “When you walk out of the store with a box of Franzia, there’s a noticeable spring in your step. Why? Because your carbon footprint is suddenly a whole lot lighter…” However, while the carbon savings might be valid, the production specifics of the wine are infamously unclear, making it challenging to discern what other environmental impacts could be lurking behind the packaging.

Mass-produced wines, like those marketed by Franzia, necessitate a large production model to achieve an economy of scale. This makes the price so affordable that the actual taste becomes negligible. Nevertheless, if we go by sales, people do appreciate it. Franzia has recently initiated a new marketing campaign entitled, “Franz for life” that appears to be aiming to cultivate, or at least tap into, the sort of cult following enjoyed by the producers of another mass-produced wine, “Two Buck Chuck” (whose founder was the original creator of Franzia, even though the brand was eventually sold to Coca Cola).

In essence, whether Franzia is quality wine or not, it’s popular, and the benefits of box wine are numerous.

The winery in the United States that is best known for breaking the mold—quite literally by leaping into it—is Tablas Creek Vineyard. In 2022, they allocated 100 cases of their premium rosé to 3L (bag-in-)boxes. Selling at nearly $100 each, Tablas Creek bravely took a risk and found they were able to soar: The initial 352 boxes, their first endeavor into the bag-in-box format, sold out in merely four hours. On the strength of this initial release, and subsequent ones, Tablas Creek has been recognized for establishing that high-quality boxed wine can be marketed and, importantly, sold at fine wine price points. Bag-in-box wine is widely recognized in certain locations, and owners like Tablas Creek are showcasing the model’s viability here too.

If you need (or want) to taste to believe, as of this post, you can still secure a 3L box of Tablas Creek’s highly admired Rhone-style red, though I wouldn’t rely on it being available for an extended period (as the rosé and white blend are already sold out). I must caveat that this recommendation contradicts my previous advice regarding thinking out-of-the-box for gift options this festive season. However, if you can attain some, I certainly won’t pass judgment on whether you gift it to a friend or keep it all to yourself.

November 29, 2023

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by Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG)

Spain produces 50% of the world’s cork and 30% of all cork stoppers. Cork is a natural polymer which has been a crucial element used to seal bottles, being of great importance for the wine industry. However, a major challenge is the appearance of the “corked wine” aroma, caused by the presence of a compound called trichloroanisole or TCA in the stoppers. Due to its high volatility, TCA can migrate from the cork to the wine, adversely affecting its taste.

In this context, the CRAG research team lead by David Caparrós-Ruiz, head of the Bioengineering of Lignocellulosic Biomass group, participated in the Cork2Wine project, which is coordinated by the cork company Francisco Oller SA.

This project is aimed at identifying the origin of TCA and explore solutions to the “corked wine” aroma problem. Researchers at CRAG analyzed cork oak samples from Sardinia and Girona, two regions with different TCA levels in the cork. The comparison of gene activity, achieved through sequencing and comparing RNA molecules, followed by bioinformatics studies, allowed this group to identify a list of phenolic metabolites present in different abundances in the two cork tree populations.

“Obtaining this list of compounds has been the first step to understand the complete TCA metabolic pathway. This knowledge is essential for finding new solutions to this problem,” says David Caparrós-Ruiz, leader of the research at CRAG.

While TCA is present in the cork, microorganisms are known to play a role in its production, which would use the oak’s phenolic compounds identified in this project as precursors to produce TCA. Identifying these precursor compounds is crucial and opens the possibility to build new biotechnological tools aimed at reducing or eliminating TCA in cork.

“Cork companies are eager to engage in research, and we are delighted with this collaboration with CRAG,” says Jordi Roselló, R&D head at Francisco Oller SA.

The Cork2Wine project was a consortium uniting various stakeholders in the cork sector, including companies, wineries, oak farms, a chemical sector company, and research groups. It lasted four years (from 2019 to 2023). The project served as the starting point for this public-private collaboration, which now continues thanks to a new research project awarded within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan with Next Generation funds.

cork

The Cork2Wine project exemplifies how public-private partnerships can translate fundamental research into societal benefits, demonstrating the impact of knowledge generated in the research system on citizens.

Provided by Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG)

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