by Lorri | Oct 26, 2016 | UnCorked
Discussions about wine production and all of its technical components may be a bit boring for most of us. But a better understanding about what goes into wine, as well as where and how it is made, will not only help you decipher wine labels but also aid in evaluating potential wines to enjoy.
The first step to understanding the wine is to identify the grape variety from which it is made. With the exception of many French labels, most wines are labeled with the grape variety along with the brand. (French wines are often identified by region, with specific regions being known for producing certain grapes or styles.) Of course, not all chardonnays will taste exactly the same, but they will have similar flavor profiles. Once you know the grape and the flavors, you can better understand what type of wine is in the bottle.
Who produces the wine also makes a difference. If a company is producing thousands of barrels using high-tech equipment versus a small family winery with only a few hundred barrels, the outcome will be different. I always use cheese as a comparison. Consider the difference in a supermarket brand cheese versus a locally produced small batch cheese.
Where the grape is grown and what goes on in the vineyard is the next key. The climate — hot versus cool — determines style. Hot areas usually grow grapes that are riper, richer and more full-bodied. Grapes grown in cool areas generally will be lighter-bodied and produce wine lower in alcohol content. Also influencing the wine taste is crop size, age of the vines, when the grapes are harvested, and even how much spraying is done and the pesticides used.
Another factor in determining taste is whether the winemaker used massive stainless steel or small hand-crafted, new oak barrels to store the wines.
It’s also important to keep in mind that most of these factors will be reflected in the price. A wine mass-produced and brought to market quickly will be cheaper than one that is more elaborately produced and aged.
THE VALUE
- 2014 Chamisal Vineyards Stainless Chardonnay, California (about $16 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2013 Alexander Valley Schoolhouse Reserve Cabernet, California (about $41 retail)
by Lorri | Aug 24, 2016 | UnCorked
If we judged wine based on what we see on the shelves at wine shops it would seem there are very few red grape varieties worth drinking. Cabernet sauvignon, merlot and pinot noir dominate the offerings in stores and on restaurant wine lists. And because of this strong presence many wine drinkers have a mistaken impression that the world’s other red grapes are inferior in quality and flavor. The good news is this simply isn’t true. There are many other red wines to explore.
Barbera is Italy’s second biggest variety but seems to get overlooked in the wine market. Because it’s a late ripener it can be very tart and astringent. But with careful harvesting it makes wines with lovely sweet plum and cherry flavors. It can be aged but the best time for drinking is when it is fresh and the most recent vintage.
Gamay is best known as the grape behind the famed Beaujolais wines of France. It can be made into a full-bodied wine but it really shines as the star of the famous Beaujolais Nouveau. Each year this wine is bottled and on retail shelves within months of production. This red wine is intended to be consumed within a year of bottling. It is truly a white-wine drinker’s bridge to trying red wines with its light taste of strawberries, raspberries and ripe cherries.
Pinotage is South Africa’s very own red variety. It’s a cross between cinsault and pinot noir. The name is misleading because most people assume it will have taste similar to pinot noir but oddly its taste is more in line with shiraz. In the past this wine was overproduced and had a bad reputation, but its image is changing. At its best it is a deeply colored red wine with layers of bold flavors of licorice, blackberry and plum.
Cabernet franc suffers from comparison to cabernet sauvignon. It generally shows up as a blending partner in Bordeaux wines. It is defined with its strong trait of perfume where even a drop added to a blend can change an entire wine’s aroma and flavors. It generally has fragrant aromas of black cherry and chocolate. Mostly seen in blends, there are a few brilliant bottles out there to explore this enticing wine.
Baga is a Portuguese grape, and its name meaning “berry” is an accurate description of this grape. It is a small thick-skinned grape that brings a tannic structure. If you like medium-bodied red wines similar to pinot noir and nebbiolo you will enjoy this wine.
THE VALUE
- 2014 Steller Organics Pinotage, South Africa (about $10 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2014 Louis Jadot Beaujolais, France (about $18 retail)
by Lorri | Mar 30, 2016 | UnCorked
The alcohol percentage in wine is a hot topic of discussion for wine drinkers. This conversation is often about the noticeable difference in wines over the past decade, as some wines have crept up from a “norm” of 13.5 percent to as high as 17 percent.
What determines a wine’s alcohol content is straightforward. As grapes ripen they accumulate sugar, which is then converted to alcohol during the fermentation process. Grapes with more sugar produce wines with more alcohol. Grape climate sets a wine’s alcohol level.
Some grapes are naturally higher than others in sugar, but growing conditions as well as terroir have a large impact. If the grape has to struggle to ripen, it may have less natural sugar, resulting in a lower alcohol wine. If the grape is growing in a warm or hot climate, it will most likely have high levels of sugar.
Wine grapes are like any other fruit. If you have ever picked a strawberry before it’s ripe and taken a bite, then enjoyed a berry from the same crop that was left to slowly ripen on the plant with ample sun and ripening power, the sweetness level is dramatically different.
U.S. law permits a 1.5 percent variance from the ABV (alcohol-by-volume content) printed on the wine label.
VERY LOW
Wines with less than 12.5 percent alcohol are considered very low alcohol wines. These include rose, white German riesling, Portugal’s vinho verde, French Vouvray, Italian Asti, Italian Prosecco.
THE VALUE
- 2015 Famega Vinho Verde Blanco, Portugal (about $9 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2015 Zonin Prosecco, Italy (about $17 retail)
LOW
Wines with 12.5 percent to 13.5 percent alcohol fall into the low alcohol category. These include Spanish Cava, California sparkling, Champagne, Italian pinot grigio, Oregon pinot gris, Spanish or California albarino, Beaujolais and Spanish Rioja.
THE VALUE
- 2015 A to Z Pinot Gris, Oregon (about $14 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2015 Stasis Albarino, California (about $45 retail)
HIGH
Wines with 13.5 to 14.5 percent alcohol are high alcohol wines and include California chardonnay, Australian chardonnay, Australia shiraz, Barolo, Chilean merlot, and California cabernet sauvignon.
THE VALUE
- 2015 Matchbook Chardonnay, California (about $15 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2014 Force of Nature Cabernet Sauvignon, California (about $26 retail)
VERY HIGH
Wines exceeding 14.5 percent alcohol are very high alcohol wines. Examples include Spanish sherry, California zinfandel, Amarone and port.
THE VALUE
- NV Osborne Sherry, Spain (about $14 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2014 Earthquake Zinfandel, California (about $26 retail)
