Riesling -- A Misunderstood Wine

Riesling is a wine that is most famously produced in Germany where nearly half the world's Riesling grapes are grown. Other great producers of Riesling include the Alsace region of France, Australia, Austria, Uruguay, Canada and the United States. Riesling that is grown in cooler climate regions result in highly aromatic wines with great acidity and big, bright fruit flavors. But mention a Riesling and most often you'll hear "Oh, that's a sweet wine."

One of the reasons that Riesling is considered "a sweet wine" is because it has flavors of sweet fruits - green apple, apricot, nectarine, peach, pear, and pineapple. Flavors that our brain associates with sweetness. Another reason for Riesling's sweet flavors is the fact that it is rarely aged in oak. Not having the rich, toasty and butter flavors of oak lets Riesling's bright sweet fruit flavors shine though. Also, Riesling is rarely blended with other grapes. So, what you get are the pure sweet fruit flavors of the Riesling grape. And the final reason that Riesling is considered sweet is that many Rieslings are, well, intentionally produced to be sweet.

But not all Rieslings are sweet. They can span the range from dry to sweet. The Alsace region of France is known for its dry Riesling. And warmer climates, such as California, Oregon and Washington, produce dry Rieslings that typically have more muted fruit flavors, are more medium to full-bodied.

So, yes, Riesling can be a bit confusing. But, not all Rieslings are "sweet." The key is to look at the wine’s total Residual Sugar (RS). If you find one with a RS level less than 17 g/L, it is considered dry (i.e., not sweet). If you find one with a RS level greater than 17 g/L, it will indeed be sweet.

It's International Pinotage Day!

Join in celebrating International Pinotage Day today, October 12th. This special day honors the remarkable Pinotage grape, a unique variety that originates from South Africa. Pinotage was created by a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault.

Known for its bold and expressive character, Pinotage offers a fascinating blend of flavors that can range from rich dark fruits to smoky undertones.

Discover the versatility of this extraordinary wine. Whether you prefer a full-bodied red to complement your grilled meats or a lighter option to pair with roasted vegetables, Pinotage has something for every palate. This is the perfect opportunity to explore both classic and modern interpretations of Pinotage from acclaimed wineries around the world.

Make International Pinotage Day a day of discovery and enjoyment. Raise a glass, share in the experience, and appreciate the rich heritage of Pinotage. Enjoy the journey, and let every pour of this unique wine remind you of the passion and tradition that goes into every bottle.

Cheers to International Pinotage Day!

Italian Sparkling Wines - Prosecco and Asti

France has its Champagne. Spain has Cava. In Italy, Prosecco and Asti are its two most popular sparkling wines.

Prosecco is primarily from the Veneto region of Italy and made from the Glera grape.  Like Champagne, Prosecco must be produced in designated regions of Italy to be called Prosecco on the label. Unlike Champagne and Cava that undergo a secondary fermentation in the bottle (the 'traditional method'), Prosecco is produced using the Charmat ('transfer') method.  Using this process, large quantities of wine are kept under pressure in stainless steel tanks during the second fermentation.  The resulting sparkling wine is then bottled.

While most people can't tell the difference in the secondary fermentation process used, it is generally believed that the traditional method results in smaller, more persistent bubbles, while the transfer method results in lighter bubbles, being almost frothy, and having a creamier feel in the mouth.  

Prosecco tends to be fruiter than Champagne and usually sweeter. Prosecco has been described as having flavors of melon, peer, apple, honey suckle and cream.  There are three main styles of Prosecco: Brut has up to 12 gram per liter of residual sugar, while Extra Dry has 12-17 gm/liter and Dry has 17-32 gm/liter.  Prosecco also tends to be lower in alcohol, around 11-12%  And, nice entry-level bottles of Prosecco are easily found in the $15 - $20 range. 

Asti is another popular sparkling wine from Italy. It is produced in the Piedmont region around the towns of Asti and Alba from the Moscato Bianco grape.  Originally known as 'Asti Spumante' (spumante means fully sparkling), the name was shortened to just Asti in 1993 when it received its official designation.  This fully sparkling wine has an alcohol content around 8% to 9% by volume. Sharing the Asti designation is Moscato d'Asti that is also made from the Moscato Bianco grape. This sparkling wine is typically in the frizzante style (frizzante means lightly sparkling). Like Asti, Moscato d'Asti is made using the transfer process, but the fermentation is stopped quite early, resulting in a sparkling wine that is sweet, has fewer bubbles and is low in alcohol (5-6%). Because Moscato d'Asti is lightly sparkling, it is typically packaged with a standard bottle and cork. Both Moscato d'Asti and Asti sparkling wines can be found in the $10 - $20 range.

These Italian sparkling wines are not meant for aging and should be consumed young and fresh. So pick up a bottle or two, chill them, and enjoy them right away. Cheers!

Sunday August 18th is International Pinot Noir Day!

Photo by Chris Man on Unsplash

August 18th is International Pinot Noir Day, so let’s take a quick look at some interesting facts about this wonderful grape.

In previous blogs we got an overview of the Pinot grape and the tremendous number of Pinot synonyms (258!) and looked at the lesser known of the Pinots, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Gris. But, Pinot Noir is the star of the Pinot grapes.

Pinot Noir’s name is derived from the French words for pine and black. The word pine refers to the shape of the tightly clustered, pinecone–shaped bunches of fruit, while noir (black) comes from the dark colored grapes.

Pinot Noir is probably best known as the “red” wine in Burgundy and least known as one of the three primary varietals in the making of Champagne.

Pinot Noir is the world’s most popular light-bodied red wine that is low in tannin. It’s also a favorite for the production of rosé wines and can also be found as a white wine!

The most common flavors of wines made from Pinot Noir include cherry, cranberry and raspberry. But, its flavors tend to be highly dependent on terroir (i.e., where it is grown). Pinot is grown around the world and most notably in France, USA (California and Oregon), Australia, New Zealand and Chile.

Because Pinot Noir has such delicate aromas, it is generally recommended that it be served in a large round bell-shaped glass.

So grab a glass of Pinot Noir on Sunday August 18th and raise a toast to International Pinot Noir Day!

Cheers!

How Prosecco Differs from Champagne

Photo by Oliver Sherwin on Unsplash

Sparking wine is versatile, aesthetic appealing, sophisticated, light and balanced in flavor, and suitable for various social settings and occasions. These factors combine to make sparkling wine a popular choice among wine drinkers. And, among sparkling wines, Prosecco is a very popular choice.

Prosecco has a long history dating back to Roman times. The name Prosecco is derived from the village of Prosecco (now part of Trieste) in northeastern Italy.

Prosecco is primarily from the Veneto region of Italy and made from the Glera grape.  Like Champagne, Prosecco must be produced in designated regions of Italy to be called Prosecco on the label. Unlike Champagne and Cava that undergo a secondary fermentation in the bottle (the 'traditional method'), Prosecco is produced using the Charmat ('tank') method.  Using this process, large quantities of wine are kept under pressure in stainless steel tanks during the second fermentation.  The resulting sparkling wine is then bottled.

While most people can't tell the difference in the secondary fermentation process used, it is generally believed that the traditional method results in smaller, more persistent bubbles, while the tank method results in lighter bubbles, being almost frothy, and having a creamier feel in the mouth.    

Prosecco vs. Champagne

While both are sparkling wines, Prosecco and Champagne differ in grape varieties, production methods, and regional origins. Champagne is made in the Champagne region of France primarily using Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes. It is produced using the traditional method (Méthode Champenoise), which involves secondary fermentation in the bottle. Prosecco, on the other hand, is primarily made from Glera grapes and uses the Charmat method (Tank Method), resulting in a lighter, fruitier wine. Prosecco tends to be fruiter than Champagne and usually sweeter. Prosecco has been described as having flavors of melon, peer, apple, honey suckle and cream. To produce a rosé Prosecco, a small percentage (~15%) of red wine grapes are used, including Pinot Nero.

There are various types of Prosecco:

  • Prosecco DOC: Produced in various regions within nine provinces in Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia.

  • Prosecco Superiore DOCG: Higher quality Prosecco made in the hills of Conegliano-Valdobbiadene and Asolo.

  • Prosecco Spumante: Fully sparkling.

  • Prosecco Frizzante: Semi-sparkling.

  • Prosecco Tranquillo: Still wine with no bubbles, much less common.

And, there are three main styles of Prosecco:

  • Brut: Up to 12 gram per liter of residual sugar

  • Extra Dry: 12-17 gm/liter of residual sugar

  • Dry: Between 17-32 gm/liter of residual sugar  

Prosecco also tends to be lower in alcohol, around 11-12%  And, nice entry-level bottles of Prosecco are easily found in the $15 - $25 range.