Team C&J
VinePair – The Different Names for Popular Wine Grapes Around the World
This is an excellent round-up of the names of the same grapes from various parts of the world. It also has a nice infographic to simplify it for us all. From the Article:
The most popular and recognizable grape variety names typically originate from the world’s leading winemaking countries, France and Italy. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, are all French names for French grapes. And even though they’re now planted across the globe’s top winemaking regions, many countries still refer to them by these names — but that isn’t always the case. Take producers in Germany, who frequently label bottles based on their own terms; their version of Pinot Noir is called Spätburgunder.
Decanter – France Will Uproot 27,500 Hectares Of Vineyards To Combat Oversupply Crisis
This is one answer to the over-supply issue. Almost ⅓ of the growers will exit the business all together. From the article:
…the ministry revealed that 5,418 growers have agreed to pull up their vines.
In total, these vignerons will pull up 27,461ha of vineyards across the country. They will be paid €109.8m in compensation, on the proviso that they cannot replant vines on the land until 2029 at the earliest.
The ministry revealed that 1,300 of the growers plan to ‘completely stop their activity’ and pursue new ventures instead. These total shutdown requests concern nearly 8,700ha
The Hollywood Reporter – The ‘Sideways’ Revolution: How a Single Joke Upended the Wine World
We are big fans of this movie. Rex Pickett even did a guest blog for us looking back on the early stages of writing the book that became the movie. This article goes deep into making of the movie, and the impact that it had on Merlot and Pinot Noir sales. From the article:
“As we were making Sideways, I thought it was just a nice little comedy and had no idea that it would ever stand the test of time,” says Payne. “And the merlot line that supposedly changed the wine industry? Well, it was just a joke, one single line in a movie. Who could have ever predicted that?”
If you haven’t watched it yet. Be sure to check out our Merlot Blind Tasting and Interview with Rex Pickett on our YouTube channel.
Santa Barbara Independent – Smoke Taint Concerns Linger After Santa Barbara County’s Lake Fire
And some wineries in Santa Barbara County, where Sideway filmed, are going to have to scrap entire crops this year due to Smoke Taint. One of those, Fess Parker (Frass Caynon, in the film — where Miles drinks from a spit bucket), released this statement to its club members — quoted here from the article:
“Out of concern, we tested the various blocks extensively and many of them came back positive for high levels of smoke taint,” it read. “These results have led us to make the difficult decision to not harvest and produce wine from any of the red grape varietals grown on our estate vineyard this year. While this is terribly disappointing, we simply won’t take the chance of compromising the quality of our estate programs under the Fess Parker and Epiphany labels.”
I have had wine that has suffered smoke taint. Most are as described in the article, but I did have one bottle of Rombi Cabernet Sauvignon that took on a peaty flavor, similar to a scotch. It did pair well with a cigar!
Epoch Estate Winery in Paso Robles
Our wine-tasting adventures in Paso Robles have yielded several gems, and our stop at Epoch Estate Winery was another bright spot. From the picturesque vineyards to the jaw-dropping tasting rooms that have been called some of the best in the world, this property is something to behold. Oh, and the wines aren’t too shabby, either!
2022 Lone Madrone Points West White 92 Points
The 2022 Points West White from Lone Madrone is a pale lemon color in the glass, and the nose begins casting its spell on the very first swirl. There’s a good amount of intensity here—notes of crunchy apple, fleshy peach, lemon-lime citrus, and clean minerality.
Our first impression of this palate is that this is an incredibly food-friendly wine. The highly acidic qualities in the Vermentino and Picpoul Blanc grapes ensure that this wine is beautifully balanced, and the lushness of the Roussanne does not overwhelm the palate. The palate exhibits similar characteristics as the nose, with a zippy streak of lemon-lime, decadent ripples of peach and butterscotch, and crisp apple and pear.
Fauna Restaurante in Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico
Fauna Restaurante at Bruma Winery is a must-visit restaurant in Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico. The restaurant offers a unique communal dining concept and a daily-changing menu that showcases the region’s abundant local ingredients. The chefs, David Castro Hussong and Maribel Aldaco Silva, are highly acclaimed and have worked at some of the most famous restaurants in the world.
Corkage: No Outside Alcohol Allowed
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