January 2021 Volume 8, Number 1
• From the President – Message from Ellen Zonn
• A few Words and Thoughts about Wine – Joe Tardi
• Kiva Club Events – Mike Hewitt
Happy New Year Wine Club Members,
Hooray, 2020 is over and we are beginning a new year. We hope that 2021 proves to be a happier and healthier year for all of us. Your Wine Club Board is conducting monthly Zoom meetings with the hope that by late spring we may be able to resume some activity. We are all healthy and hope that you are as well.
Before welcoming the 2021 Wine Board, I want to thank Steve Greenberg and Vickie Mullins, outgoing Treasurer and Publicity Chair. Both Steve and Vickie were integral members of the Board and provided their expertise in the positions that they held. Their contributions will be missed.
Here are the Board Members and their positions for 2021.
Executive Board
President: Ellen Zonn
Vice President: Debbi Mitchell
Treasurer: Sue Bieber
Secretary: Stephen Lattion
Committee Chairs
Kiva Events: Mike Hewitt
Home Socials: Debbie Edwards
Membership: Pam Molloy
Publicity: Debbi Mitchell
IT/Social Media: Bob Perry
Dine Out/All purpose: Ed Mason
Please join me in welcoming Debbie Edwards as our new Home Social Chair, and Ed Mason as our new Dine Out/Member at Large Chair. Since there will likely be no dine out events, Ed will be our utility player and assist where needed.
We hope in the absence of home socials and wine tastes, that you are continuing to try some new wines and drink some old favorites. We can’t wait until we can raise a glass together and toast to our good health.
Salud, Prost, A Votre Sante, Slainte, Salute, L’Chaim
Ellen
Hooray, 2020 is over and we are beginning a new year. We hope that 2021 proves to be a happier and healthier year for all of us. Your Wine Club Board is conducting monthly Zoom meetings with the hope that by late spring we may be able to resume some activity. We are all healthy and hope that you are as well.
Before welcoming the 2021 Wine Board, I want to thank Steve Greenberg and Vickie Mullins, outgoing Treasurer and Publicity Chair. Both Steve and Vickie were integral members of the Board and provided their expertise in the positions that they held. Their contributions will be missed.
Here are the Board Members and their positions for 2021.
Executive Board
President: Ellen Zonn
Vice President: Debbi Mitchell
Treasurer: Sue Bieber
Secretary: Stephen Lattion
Committee Chairs
Kiva Events: Mike Hewitt
Home Socials: Debbie Edwards
Membership: Pam Molloy
Publicity: Debbi Mitchell
IT/Social Media: Bob Perry
Dine Out/All purpose: Ed Mason
Please join me in welcoming Debbie Edwards as our new Home Social Chair, and Ed Mason as our new Dine Out/Member at Large Chair. Since there will likely be no dine out events, Ed will be our utility player and assist where needed.
We hope in the absence of home socials and wine tastes, that you are continuing to try some new wines and drink some old favorites. We can’t wait until we can raise a glass together and toast to our good health.
Salud, Prost, A Votre Sante, Slainte, Salute, L’Chaim
Ellen
A few Words and Thoughts about Wine
Wines of Burgundy
Joe Tardi
Burgundy is one of France’s most important wine regions and one of my favorites.
Burgundy is historically important because it is where wine making techniques, that are used today, developed. This is where a number of Cistercian Monks spent century developing how to make wines and how to do it well. These monks determined that wines taste different; that wines from one vineyard tasted different from another vineyard. They even discovered that wines grown in different parcels of the same vineyard tasted different. They began to wall off these vineyards and name the vineyard sites. For this reason, the vineyard sites are very important in Burgundy. In Bordeaux, the Chateauxs are ranked, and in Burgundy the vineyards are ranked. This contributes to a great deal of interest in details with regard to “places” (to the very specific parcel/vineyard in Burgundy). There are a large number of very old family producers in Burgundy and most of them are not very big. So, there is a great deal of interest in the quality of wine producing families combined with the quality of the site.
Burgundy is not a wine (by itself); Burgundy is a place. Usually the red wines from Burgundy are made from the Pinot Noir Grape and the whites are typically made from the Chardonnay grape. There are a few exceptions, one being a white called Aligote. Aligote is usually considered to be a little lower class than Chardonnay, but can make some good wine, especially if produced from old vine fruit. Another red grape is called Gamay which is similar to Pint Noir, but tends to show a little less aromatic and is typically grown in the southern part of Burgundy called Beaujolias.
Burgundy is divided into 6 different sub regions. From Paris heading south, the first sub region is Chablis. Chablis is about an hour drive from the rest of the sub regions. Chablis is usually always Chardonnay, but a very particular style of Chardonnay. Chablis wine is an excellent demonstration of the effects of Terrior or “sense of place”. Nowhere else in the world does the Chardonnay grape taste like Chablis. Chablis comes from a very particular soil type; it is called Kimmeridgean Marl. It is a light sort of soil with limestone, clay, and oyster shell fossils clled exogyra virgula (these are 180 million years old). It is said that these fossils give the wine a racy acidity and a smokey seashell sort of character. This is why Chablis wine pairs so well with oysters and shellfish.
Continuing south is a sub-region called Cote de Nuit which is known fir red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes and these reds are typically the best red wines in all of Burgundy. Some of the best Pinot Noirs in the world are grown in the Cote de Nuit region.
Just south of Cote de Nuit is an area called Cote de Beaune where you will find some of the finest white wines and some good red wines. The red wines from this region do not have the sophistication of the reds from Cote de Nuit, but can still be very good. As I mentioned earlier, some of the great white wines (Chardonnay) are grown in the Cote de Beaune. Together the Cote de Nuit and the Cote de Beaune are referred to as the Cote d’Or. Cote means slope, and this is very important in Burgundy because cote is the way in which the vineyard site faces the sun. The Cote d’Or faces east and slightly southeast. The vineyards get early morning sun and some early afternoon sun which means that the sun these vineyards get is not very hot. This allows the grapes to ripen a little longer during the day because they get the first light. This is where the Cote d’Or gets its name. In the morning the whole slope is lit with golden sunshine. Cote d’Or means “slope of gold”. This is important because cool sunlight ripens grapes differently from warm sunlight. Cool sunlight gives the grapes more subtle flavors and finesse. Warm sunlight gives wine richer flavors and more baked fruit flavor.
The next southern region is called Cote Chalonnaise and this is the area known for good prices on both red and white Premier Cru. Usually these wines have a more country style, a little friendlier and easier drinking style.
As we continue further south we reach the Maconnais sub-region. This area is known for rounder, hardier, country style wines made from Chardonnay grapes.
Finally, we reach the furthest southern region in Burgundy called Beaujolais. This region is famous for reds made from the gamay grape which is similar to the pinot noir grape. It does not have the same high, refined complex aromatics, but it makes up for it with a generous berry fruit that is often very delicious young, but can age well.
As good as wines taste in Burgundy, it is all about smell/aromatics, soil, red flowers, attractive, and complex savory notes. Often the wines smell prettier than they taste and this is the seductive characteristic of burgundy reds. The whites can have a range of clean and crisp to richer taste. They have a wonderful match of subtle fruits and minerality which is hallmark of Burgundy wines in general. The reds pair well with small game, poultry and rabbit and can also pair well with beef tenderloin and lamb. The whites are classic matches fir rich fish like salmon, grouper or buttered lobster.
In Burgundy, vineyards are ranked: Bourgogne is a blend of w few vineyards; Village is from a single vineyard; Premier Cru is from a single area or sub-region; finally, Grand Cru is never blended. A wine from a rated single village is more prestigious than a blended wine from several area. Remember in Burgundy it is all about Terroir.
Until next time……
Wines of Burgundy
Joe Tardi
Burgundy is one of France’s most important wine regions and one of my favorites.
Burgundy is historically important because it is where wine making techniques, that are used today, developed. This is where a number of Cistercian Monks spent century developing how to make wines and how to do it well. These monks determined that wines taste different; that wines from one vineyard tasted different from another vineyard. They even discovered that wines grown in different parcels of the same vineyard tasted different. They began to wall off these vineyards and name the vineyard sites. For this reason, the vineyard sites are very important in Burgundy. In Bordeaux, the Chateauxs are ranked, and in Burgundy the vineyards are ranked. This contributes to a great deal of interest in details with regard to “places” (to the very specific parcel/vineyard in Burgundy). There are a large number of very old family producers in Burgundy and most of them are not very big. So, there is a great deal of interest in the quality of wine producing families combined with the quality of the site.
Burgundy is not a wine (by itself); Burgundy is a place. Usually the red wines from Burgundy are made from the Pinot Noir Grape and the whites are typically made from the Chardonnay grape. There are a few exceptions, one being a white called Aligote. Aligote is usually considered to be a little lower class than Chardonnay, but can make some good wine, especially if produced from old vine fruit. Another red grape is called Gamay which is similar to Pint Noir, but tends to show a little less aromatic and is typically grown in the southern part of Burgundy called Beaujolias.
Burgundy is divided into 6 different sub regions. From Paris heading south, the first sub region is Chablis. Chablis is about an hour drive from the rest of the sub regions. Chablis is usually always Chardonnay, but a very particular style of Chardonnay. Chablis wine is an excellent demonstration of the effects of Terrior or “sense of place”. Nowhere else in the world does the Chardonnay grape taste like Chablis. Chablis comes from a very particular soil type; it is called Kimmeridgean Marl. It is a light sort of soil with limestone, clay, and oyster shell fossils clled exogyra virgula (these are 180 million years old). It is said that these fossils give the wine a racy acidity and a smokey seashell sort of character. This is why Chablis wine pairs so well with oysters and shellfish.
Continuing south is a sub-region called Cote de Nuit which is known fir red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes and these reds are typically the best red wines in all of Burgundy. Some of the best Pinot Noirs in the world are grown in the Cote de Nuit region.
Just south of Cote de Nuit is an area called Cote de Beaune where you will find some of the finest white wines and some good red wines. The red wines from this region do not have the sophistication of the reds from Cote de Nuit, but can still be very good. As I mentioned earlier, some of the great white wines (Chardonnay) are grown in the Cote de Beaune. Together the Cote de Nuit and the Cote de Beaune are referred to as the Cote d’Or. Cote means slope, and this is very important in Burgundy because cote is the way in which the vineyard site faces the sun. The Cote d’Or faces east and slightly southeast. The vineyards get early morning sun and some early afternoon sun which means that the sun these vineyards get is not very hot. This allows the grapes to ripen a little longer during the day because they get the first light. This is where the Cote d’Or gets its name. In the morning the whole slope is lit with golden sunshine. Cote d’Or means “slope of gold”. This is important because cool sunlight ripens grapes differently from warm sunlight. Cool sunlight gives the grapes more subtle flavors and finesse. Warm sunlight gives wine richer flavors and more baked fruit flavor.
The next southern region is called Cote Chalonnaise and this is the area known for good prices on both red and white Premier Cru. Usually these wines have a more country style, a little friendlier and easier drinking style.
As we continue further south we reach the Maconnais sub-region. This area is known for rounder, hardier, country style wines made from Chardonnay grapes.
Finally, we reach the furthest southern region in Burgundy called Beaujolais. This region is famous for reds made from the gamay grape which is similar to the pinot noir grape. It does not have the same high, refined complex aromatics, but it makes up for it with a generous berry fruit that is often very delicious young, but can age well.
As good as wines taste in Burgundy, it is all about smell/aromatics, soil, red flowers, attractive, and complex savory notes. Often the wines smell prettier than they taste and this is the seductive characteristic of burgundy reds. The whites can have a range of clean and crisp to richer taste. They have a wonderful match of subtle fruits and minerality which is hallmark of Burgundy wines in general. The reds pair well with small game, poultry and rabbit and can also pair well with beef tenderloin and lamb. The whites are classic matches fir rich fish like salmon, grouper or buttered lobster.
In Burgundy, vineyards are ranked: Bourgogne is a blend of w few vineyards; Village is from a single vineyard; Premier Cru is from a single area or sub-region; finally, Grand Cru is never blended. A wine from a rated single village is more prestigious than a blended wine from several area. Remember in Burgundy it is all about Terroir.
Until next time……
So, what are the wine trends for 2021
After reading an article on-line “VINEPAIR”, I thought you might enjoy these trends on starting the 2021 wine year off in a “Mindful” way.
As 2020 has just recently come to a close, many have thoughts of the new year and healthy resolutions. One of the suggestions in the article discussed the key to healthier living is practicing “mindfulness”, when tasting wine.
The theory of mindful drinking is to cultivate a more conscious, intentional approach to consuming alcohol that encourages not just sipping but savoring. Take a moment to concentrate on your surroundings, how the glass you’re imbibing feels. Focus on the wine, the aroma, taste, and what sensations it conjures in your mind and body. Elevate the experience.
Now that’s a resolution we might be able to keep!
While we were in Covid-19 hibernation, we tuned up our taste buds by sampling new wines. Yes, we sampled favorite old ones, too. We’ve had lots of time to reread past Wine Club newsletters, wine magazines and we went on-line to read wine articles.
As we look forward to the days when we can return to social times and our Wine Club events. The Wine Board is exploring new ideas and possible zoom events for our members.
There’s no denying the Covid-19 has changed the way we socialize and the way we purchase and consume the products in our lives. This era of staying home has sparked beverage trends that are only going to grow in 2021.
Trend: On-line buying
The pandemic has changed a lot of our buying habits, and that’s certainly true with wine. In 2019, Wines Vines Analytics reported that only 10.8 percent of wine retail was via e-commerce. In April 2020, near the beginning of corona virus related lock downs, Nielsen reports showed an amazing 441% increase in online wine sales. Recent data shows this wasn’t just panic buying and online wine sales have continued to rise.
Trend: Smartphone apps
It's not just wine shopping websites that we'll be spending more time on: The other growing digital push where wine meets tech is in the world of smartphone apps. Apps like “Drizly” put wine-on-demand in your pocket as they connect you to local wine and liquor stores offering delivery within the hour. “Drizly” also saw a surge in sales, with a 550 percent increase over baseline from last April—and now that we're drinking almost exclusively at home, that convenience is something we'll continue to take advantage of in 2021.
Apps like “Vivino” have become an increasingly popular way to learn about wine, access wine reviews, track what you're enjoying, and discover new bottles to try. Smartphone apps are on track to become an essential part of wine discovery.
Trend: Virtual Wine Tastings
With Covid-19 travel limitations and wineries required to limit capacity at their tasting rooms, many are offering virtual tours and tastings. What makes these virtual experiences so unique is that, in many cases, they're hosted by the winery owners or winemakers.
Some offer virtual cooking classes from their estate chefs and others invite guest chefs to demo hors d’oeuvres and dessert recipes. There are even wineries featuring live music concerts and vineyard tours at their virtual events.
Many wineries plan on continuing to expand their virtual offerings even when tasting rooms and travel reopen.
Trend: Drink Subscription Boxes
With everything from razors and meal kits to vitamins offered in the form of an automatic monthly shipment, wine is now making a play for the subscription space. There's a subscription box for virtually every palate, region, and interest.
“Cellar 503” offers a selection of small-production wines from Oregon. You can explore all the small wineries the state has to offer.
Trend: Some on-line predictions
- Portugal will be the new wine hotspot. Their wines surged by 35.1% last year in the USA.
- Virtual wine tastings will be the new Happy Hour and some companies will offer them as perks to employees.
- Prosecco rose’ will be the new trendy drink. The USA has approved over 100 labels for 2021.
- Several wineries are experimenting with Wine Seltzers in a can.
So have some fun ... Google “2021 wine trends” to see all the up-and-coming trends and predictions.
Cheers!