Pinot Grigio Pleasures

Pinot grigio exploded onto the wine scene in the late 1990s. Italian wine producers doubled their acreage of pinot grigio vineyards from l990 to 2000. Indeed, the best pinot grigio wines come from the cooler northeast corner of Italy with Friuli leading the pack. To the south, the Veneto’s (Veneto being one of the 20 regions of Italy with Venice as its capital) vast co-operatives used to spew out gallons of bland pinot grigio but lately, they’ve improved. The spicy lemony flavor of 2008 Italia Pinot Grigio from Pavia in the Veneto is a good example.

Outside Italy, the grape is also starting to make a nice name for itself—namely, the pinot gris grape which is more full-bodied and best drunk with food.

In short, you can’t go wrong with great “gris” or “grigio!”

Ice Wine for Hot Weather

“Ice wine” is a dessert wine made from grapes that were frozen while they were still on the vines.

Since the water in the grapes freezes but the sugars and other dissolved solids don't, the result is a sweet and concentrated wine. There are also "non-natural" ice wines. This is defined when the grapes used for the wine are picked and frozen in a freezer. These are known as "icebox wines" or "iced wine" to give them a distinction from the original.

Typical grapes used for ice wine production are Riesling, Vidal, and Cabernet Franc.
So to make your summer sweeter, sip some ice!

In a Recession—Red and White Won’t Make You Blue

In today’s economic climate, people are opting to stay home rather than go out to restaurants. Thus, retail sales of wine has gone up.

"We still kind of put wine in the category of an affordable indulgence," said Danny Brager, a VP at the research firm The Nielsen Co.

However, people are buying more from supermarkets and big chains. Independent wine shops, which tend to focus on more-expensive wines, have struggled.

Some good news: A barometer that the economy is doing better lately is that higher-priced wines are starting to sell better. “Customers are starting to spend up again," Brager said. "I think it's a sign people are getting a little bit more comfortable with spending money."

Is Israel Wines Worth the Sip?

The Israeli government has decided to change Israel’s international image via the world’s oldest industries: wine. Indeed, the government has recently teamed up with U.S. importers to promote wine.

“Israeli wine can help rebrand Israel,” said wine importer Richard Shaffer. “After all, wine production began in Israel a millennia ago.”

Today, there are more than 200 wineries. In fact, Israel sold $12 million worth of wine to the U.S. last year, up from $11 million in 2007; with wine critic Denman Moody recommending Pelter Sauvignon Blanc 2007.

So the next time you’re in a wine store, ask for Israeli wine and--L'Chaim!

Argentinian Wine

Argentina is the world’s fifth-largest wine-producing nation—mostly red wine due to the fact that reds go with the predominate choice of food in Argentina: beef.

Now, Argentinean whites—particularly those made from the Torrontés grape—are having their day in the sun.

Some of the best Torrontés is coming from a number of boutique wineries in high-altitude Salta. In fact, winemakers are flocking to Salta to snag the world’s highest vineyard that is currently on the market. So far, the one most likely to buy is Swiss wine entrepreneur and art collector Donald Hess, who owns the Hess Collection in Napa Valley. His Altura Maxima vineyard is 10,000 feet above sea level.

Talk about a view to envy--mountains filled with wine grapes!

Down Under Wine Wonders

Starting in the mid-1990s until last year, Australian wines enjoyed mega-growth as Australian shiraz became synonymous with the sweet, high-alcohol "fruit bombs."

The growth of wine was so rapid that in 1996 the Australian government's wine authority drew up a 30-year sales target for the industry--and reached it 20 years early. Unfortunately, starting last year, consumers who once scooped up the look-alike shirazes are now reaching for the wines of other countries--ignoring the great-tasting wines Australia makes.

For instance, if you think of Riesling as a sugary-sweet wine from Germany, then Australian Riesling will change your mind. Almost all the wines are dry and have lively, mouth-watering acidity. And, they are almost all bottled in screw cap. Try Grosset from Clare Valley in South Australia or Rocky Gully from Margaret River in Western Australia...and have a g'day!

Pouring On the Benefits of Pouring Wine

A new study holds that a glass or two of wine each day may help prevent gallstones from forming. The findings were presented in May at the Digestive Disease Week 2009 conference in Chicago.

Also, the study revealed that drinking up to two glasses of alcohol per day reduced the risk of developing gallstones by one-third. The gallbladder is a small organ located below the liver in the right upper abdomen that stores bile, a substance that helps the body digest fats. Gallstones form when stored bile hardens and can be extremely painful. If the problem is persistent, surgery to remove the gallbladder may be required.

So if someone tells you to stop drinking wine, you can reply: “But it’s good for me!”

Wining and Buying

There are two types of moving estimates: binding which means the contract is you and the moving company. One type of binding estimate is the “guaranteed not to exceed” estimate which means you won’t pay more than the estimated moving costs, but if your moving costs wind up being less than the estimate, you pay the lesser amount.

A non-binding estimate is an estimate; you might pay more, you might pay less. These are more common for local moves, where you pay by the hour according to the number of movers you use.

If there are contracts for both—read them before you’re binded to something too late!

“Hello Kitty” Says Hello to Wine

Hello Kitty, the iconic, wide eyed kitty cat well-known to all children and adorning young girls’ coin purses and backpacks is now gracing four different Italian wine labels made by Tenimenti Castelrotto in the Lombardy region. These include a spumante rosé complete with Hello Kitty charm "bottle necklace."

Also, Camomilla, the Milan-based luxury goods exporter is partnering with Tenimenti Castelrotto and Sanrio, which has owned the Hello Kitty brand since its creation in 1974, and created a line of stemware designed specifically for enjoying these wines.

Why and how a child’s icon is now involved in “the drinking game” is anyone’s guess!

Drink Wine, Live Long

Scientists already knew that drinking red wine in moderation is good for your health; now they’ve pinpointed the reasons. New research is uncovering the disease-prevention secrets of resveratrol, one of the compounds in red wine that appears to improve health.

"The breadth of benefits is remarkable -- cancer prevention, protection of the heart and brain from damage, reducing age-related diseases, such as inflammation, reversing diabetes and obesity, and many more," said Lindsay Brown, an associate professor of the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia.

He noted that high doses of resveratrol may prevent cancer by increasing the process of apoptosis (programmed cell death) while low doses improve cardiac health by increasing cellular protection and reducing damage.

So the next time you see a down on his luck wino, don’t feel sorry. He may be healthier and live longer than all of us!

Vintners of Venezie

The three northeastern regions of Italy, known as the Venezie, set the pace in Italy in the crafting of modern wines. They began in the 1970’s by introducing new techniques for production of white wines, following up with more sophisticated methods for reds.

The determining quality factor in this region is the climate by the Alps, of which the Venezie are on the sunny side. Vineyard conditions range from cool at high altitudes to warm near the Adriatic Sea and along the valleys of the Po, Adige, Piave and Tagliamento rivers.

Growers work with an amazing assortment of native and imported vines to produce what are a majority of Italy’s fine white wines and a multitude of reds, ranging from the young and simplistic to the aged and complex.

When Wine Is Too Young to Drink

Most of the world's wines are drunk when they’re young (i.e. within two to five years from the vintage date.) At this age, the flavors showcase the main fruit.

Some wines, like Château Pétrus, have a track record of evolving well with extended aging. As the main fruit fades, new flavors appear. In the past, winemaking techniques might have made these ageworthy wines unpleasant when they were young.

Today, even wines that age taste well young, especially after decanting and some aeration.

A Wine of Almost The Same Name—

Is not the same in the case of Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio.

Yes, Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are the same in the sense that they’re made from the same grape. But the Pinot Gris grape, which is from the Alsace region of France is typically rich and sweet, with spicy tropical fruit aromas.

Pinot Grigio is from northeastern Italy and is has a lighter, crisp and clean taste with citrus flavors. Basically, the name vintners use on their labels is mostly a stylistic decision (as with naming a wine Syrah or Shiraz when it comes from neither France nor Australia), so they will select the name that best fits the style they're going for, Alsatian or Italian.

If You’re Not Content With the Alcohol Content--

--blame the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (or TTB).

They require the percentage of alcohol by volume listed on the label for wines containing 14 percent or more alcohol. When it’s below 14 percent, it's up to the wine producer if they want to list it. If they don’t list it, the label needs to read "white table wine" or "red table wine." Since the TTB defines wine as having at least 7 percent alcohol, when you don't see an alcohol percentage listed, you can assume that it falls between 7 and 14 percent.

Port, Sherry, Madeira, and Marsala, to name the most common types of fortified wines, usually have alcohol content between 16 and 21 percent.

Vineyards Deep In the Heart Of Texas

The image of the Lone Star State being “wine country” doesn’t fit the image of Texas. But in fact, Texas is the fifth-largest wine-producing state in America and the seventh largest wine-grape producer. Good soils and good climate helps. About 2.4 million gallons of Texas wine is produced annually for purchase through wineries, grocery stores, liquor stores, and restaurants.

If you’re thinking of moving to Texas but think you’ll miss seeing and/or visiting vineyards, not to worry. Texas has 280 commercial vineyards with 3,100 acres in wine grapes. Although the Texas wine industry remains in its infancy, the goal is to turn baby steps into huge strides over the long-term haul.

So—if you should move or vacation out to Texas, you can still go to “the grape.”

Shop Around—for Magnificent Merlot

When shopping around for a good Merlot, a good strategy is to look for those Merlot winemakers who specialize in the variety then ply their trade at different wineries or labels. If they make good merlot under one label, odds are they do well with another label.

One example is winemaker Robert Foley. Along with his own wines, Foley who makes Switchback Ridge ($57), he also developed the Paloma vineyard in Napa Valley which is known primarily for its merlot.

The major difference between California and Bordeaux (France) Merlots is that the California wines don't vary much because it's always warm and sunny. However, the quality of the Bordeaux wines seesaws wildly.

Also, before you shop, check out the critics' regularly updated vintage ratings.

The Rain In Spain--

--gives Spain more land planted with grapevines than any other country in the world!

These include the ones in Navarra. Wines were made in this northern region of Spain even before the Romans ruled.

One vineyard, Julian Chivite, has been in business since 1647. Chivite blends the native “tempranillo” (a variety of black grape grown to make full-bodied red wines) with cabernet sauvignon and merlot and into a juicy red filled wine with black cherries, a touch of smoke and with spice notes. The Julian Chivite Coleccion 125 Reserva (2001) is pricey at $45—but it’s worth traveling to the “Spain” aisle of your local liquor store to pick it up!

Days of Wine and Rosés

Not too long ago, wine stores hid rosé wines in the back as if they embarrassed to even put them on a shelf. Now rosés are in front and arriving from all over the world. And with so much competition, prices have dropped.

As in the past, French rosés continue to set the standard. Vintners from Tavel and Provence grow grapes just for rosé; which is made by leaving the colorless juice of grapes in contact with the red skins for a short time.

But American winemakers were catching up. They were beginning to get the perfect combination of fruit and acidity. And wine drinkers were noticing. Robert Sinskey of Robert Sinskey Vineyards says that its rosé is “our fastest-selling wine.”

There’s only one way to find out if its popularity matches its taste: Give it a try!

Sound Wine of Long Island Sound

Yes, Long Island, New York!

That is, in the North Fork area—where fine Bordeaux can be found. This area is home to most of the island’s 3,000 acres of vineyards and 30 wineries. Most of the planted grapes are the Bordeaux varieties of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. These same grapes can be found in vineyards from in to California, yet rarely yielding the same result. What makes North Fork reds so Bordeaux-ish is the climate. Three bodies of Gulf Stream-influenced water surround the narrow North Fork peninsula. The Atlantic Ocean is to the south, Long Island Sound is to the north, and in the middle, splitting these two forks is Peconic Bay. All three create a moderate climate and an extended growing season that is over a month longer than other New York wine regions.

The view is often as breathtaking as the wine—so take time and drink both of them in!

Speaking of Sémillon…

No matter how hard Californian Sémillon wine tries, it is still the “Rodney Dangerfield” of wines—it gets no respect!

In fact, the amount of Semillon planted in California is shrinking, with just a little over 900 acres left. This could be because on average, it earned just $503 per ton of fruit last year, less than workaday Pinot Gris. Indeed, California growers plant Sémillon primarily to blend it with Sauvignon blanc.

On top of the financial aspect, the grapes used in Sémillon wine require poor and gravelly soils, serious winemaking; and the willingness to wait….and wait and wait!

Speaking of Sparkling…

A reason to celebrate calls for champagne or sparkling wine—a wine that handily agrees with every food and everybody. You can serve the sparkly stuff with prime rib, a rack of lamb or even dessert. Sweeter sparklers, which the French label as doux or demi-sec, are dessert wines. But, depending on the dessert’s sugar content, you could also choose an extra sec or extra dry, which is sweeter than the dry brut or drier extra brut.

Sparkling wine comes in all sizes of bottles. Most buy the standard 750 milliliter bottle or the 1.5 liter magnum, but you can find sparkling wines in a bottle called “Nebuchadnezzar” that holds the equivalent of 20 standard bottles!

For those watching their sugar intake (which is all of us!), below is a sparkling sweetness tally—and why sparkling wines have their given names:

Brut Natural or Brut Zéro (less than 3 grams of sugar per liter)
Extra Brut (less than 6 grams of sugar per liter)
Brut (less than 15 grams of sugar per liter)
Extra Sec or Extra Dry (12 to 20 grams of sugar per liter)
Sec (17 to 35 grams of sugar per liter)
Demi-Sec (33 to 50 grams of sugar per liter)
Doux (more than 50 grams of sugar per liter)