Vinnez – December 2011

Wisdom for the New Year

For more than a thousand years, wine captured the imagination of scientists, philosophers, and authors. Below is some of their wisdom for you to contemplate as the new year approaches.

“Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.” — Mark Twain

Can you remember anyone drinking champagne without a smile? Perhaps the bubbles make the facial muscles curl upward after each sip.

“I cook with wine; sometimes I even add it to the food.” — W. C. Fields

Working in the kitchen goes much more smoothly when the effort is lubricated with wine. Everything smells better too. Just watch your fingers when chopping the vegetables.

“I serve your Beaune to my friends, but your Volnay I keep for myself.” — Voltaire

Once you experience good Burgundy wine you never want to go back to the more affordable village wines. It is the curse of these extraordinary wines.

“My only regret in life is that I did not drink more Champagne.” — John Maynard Keynes

If you ever wondered what he meant by stimulus package, now you know. A crate of champagne for every household would surely improve our economic condition.

“When it comes to wine, I tell people to throw away the vintage charts and invest in a corkscrew. The best way to learn about wine is the drinking.” — Alexis Lichine

What better  resolution to make for the new year than to focus on education?

“Life is too short to drink bad wine.” — Anonymous

More often wine is drunk too old rather than too young. Break out that old bottle you saved for that special occasion, as every day is a special occasion.

Cheers and Happy Holidays to all!

Barry P. Chaiken, Proprietor
Chaiken Vineyards

info@chaikenvineyards.com
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Featured Photo Courtesy of  Don Guerwitz Photography – Reading the Koran. Istanbul, Turkey.

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Prosecco – New Year Sparkles

Prosecco is an Italian white wine — generally a Dry or Extra Dry sparkling wine — normally made from Glera (“Prosecco”) grapes. DOC prosecco is produced in the regions of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia in Italy, and traditionally mainly in the areas near Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, in the hills north of Treviso.

Prosecco is known as the main ingredient of the Bellini cocktail and has more recently become popular as a less expensive substitute for Champagne.

History

Up until the 1960s, Prosecco sparkling wine was generally rather sweet and barely distinguishable from the Asti wine produced in Piedmont. Since then, production techniques have improved, leading to the high-quality dry wines produced today. According to a 2008 The New York Times report, Prosecco has sharply risen in popularity in markets outside Italy, with global sales growing by double-digit percentages since 1998, aided also by its comparatively low price. It was introduced into the mainstream US market in 2000 by Mionetto, now the largest importer of Prosecco, who also reported an “incredible growth trend” in 2008.

Prosecco is protected as a DOC within Italy, as Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene, Prosecco di Conegliano and Prosecco di Valdobbiadene. From 2009, this will be promoted to DOCG status. To further protect the name, an association of traditional Prosecco growers is advocating a protected designation of origin status for Northern Italian Prosecco under European law.

Production

Unlike Champagne, its main commercial competitor, Prosecco is produced using the Charmat method, in which the secondary fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks, making the wine less expensive to produce.

Approximately 150 million bottles of Italian Prosecco are produced annually. As of 2008, 60 percent of all Prosecco is made in the Conegliano and Valdobbiadene area. Production there amounted to €370 million in 2007. Since the 2000s, Prosecco grapes are also cultivated and Prosecco is produced in other countries including Brazil, Romania, Argentina and Australia.

Variants

Prosecco is mainly produced as a sparkling wine in either the fully sparkling (spumante) or lightly sparkling (frizzante, gentile) varieties. Prosecco spumante, which has undergone a full secondary fermentation, is the more expensive variant. The sparkling variants may contain some Pinot bianco or Pinot grigio wine. Depending on their sweetness, in accordance with the EU Sweetness of Wine Regulations for Terms used to indicate sweetness of sparkling wine, Proseccos are labelled “Brut” (up to 12 grams per litre of residual sugar), “Extra Dry” (12-17 g/l) or “Dry” (17-32 g/l).

A still wine (calmo or tranquillo) is also made from Glera grapes – it amounts to only about five percent of production – but this wine is rarely exported.

Wines from the traditional Conegliano-Valdobbiadene production area are labeled as “Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene”, “Prosecco di Conegliano” or “Prosecco di Valdobbiadene” or “Prosecco DOC” from Friuli. Proseccos labeled with another, non-protected designation, such as “IGT-Veneto”, are generally cheaper and of a more varied quality.

Cartizze Prosecco

The hill of Cartizze is a 1,000-foot-high vineyard of 107 hectares (260 acres) of vines, owned by 140 growers. The Prosecco from its grapes, of which comparatively little is produced, is widely considered to be of the highest quality, or even the “Grand Cru” of Prosecco. Accordingly, a hectare of Cartizze grape land is estimated to be worth in excess of one million US dollars.

According to a local legend, Cartizze grapes were traditionally harvested last, as the vines were situated on steep slopes and hard to reach, which made vintners discover that this extended ripening period improved the flavour. Nonetheless, in a blind tasting at the 2006 Vinitaly trade fair, Cartizze spumanti were ranked consistently behind “normal” Prosecco.

Consumption

In Italy, Prosecco is enjoyed as a wine for every occasion. Outside Italy, it is most often drunk as an aperitif, much like Champagne. Like other sparkling wines, Prosecco is served chilled. Unlike Champagne, Prosecco does not ferment in the bottle and grows stale with time. It should be drunk as young as possible and preferably within three years of its vintage, although high-quality Prosecco can be aged for up to seven years.

Compared to other sparkling wines, Prosecco is low in alcohol, about 11 to 12 percent by volume. The flavor of Prosecco has been described as intensely aromatic and crisp, bringing to mind yellow apple, pear, white peach and apricot. Unlike Champagne, appreciated for its rich taste and complex secondary aromas, most Prosecco variants have intense primary aromas and are meant to taste fresh, light and comparatively simple.

Most commonly Prosecco is served unmixed, but it also appears in several mixed drinks. It was the original main ingredient in the Bellini cocktail and in the Spritz cocktail, and it can also replace Champagne in other cocktails such as the Mimosa. With vodka and lemon sorbet, Prosecco is also an ingredient of the Italian mixed drink Sgroppino.

Source: Wikipedia

Vinnez – November 2011

Smooth Turkey

Thanksgiving is a tough time for families due to the stress of travel, reconnecting, and sharing meals. By planning right – bringing that perfect wine to match the cooking of your grandma – you can thrive during the holidays.

Look for big, expressive, fruit forward “cocktail” wines for the holidays. This allows everyone to enjoy their wine at first sip while utilizing its sedative effects to relieve the stress of the times.

When focusing on what to pick up, look for new world wines from Argentina, Australia, and the U.S. to get things going. Varietals such as Malbec, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc offer drinkable young wines at affordable prices. Also, areas other than Napa that are less well-known offer significant value.

And there is great wine coming out of the Valle de Uco. The 2010 Chaiken Vineyards wine is in a container on a boat sailing to New York harbor with a scheduled arrival date of November 30th. For those of you who ordered futures, I plan to get your wine ASAP. You will hear from me to arrange shipment immediately after the wine arrives in the U.S.

If you have any questions, or want to place an additional order, please contact me.

Have a great holiday season everyone!!

Barry P. Chaiken, Proprietor
Chaiken Vineyards

info@chaikenvineyards.com
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Featured Photo Courtesy of  Don Guerwitz Photography – Motorcycle. Cappadocia, Turkey.

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Gamay – Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc

Gamay is a purple-colored grape variety used to make red wines, most notably grown in Beaujolais and in the Loire Valley around Tours. Its full name is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc. It is a very old cultivar, mentioned as long ago as the 15th century. It has been often cultivated because it makes for abundant production; however, it can produce wines of distinction when planted on acidic soils, which help to soften the grape’s naturally high acidity.

The Gamay grape is thought to have appeared first in the village of the Gamay, south of Beaune, in the 1360s. The grape brought relief to the village growers following the decline of the Black Death. In contrast to the Pinot Noir variety, Gamay ripened two weeks earlier and was less difficult to cultivate. It also produced a strong, fruitier wine in a much larger abundance.

In July 1395, the Duke of Burgundy Philippe the Bold outlawed the cultivation of the grape, referring to it as the “disloyal Gaamez” that in spite of its ability to grow in abundance was full of “very great and horrible harshness”, due in part to the variety’s occupation of land that could be used for the more “elegant” Pinot Noir. 60 years later, Philippe the Good, issued another edict against Gamay in which he stated the reasoning for the ban is that “The Dukes of Burgundy are known as the lords of the best wines in Christendom. We will maintain our reputation”.

Characteristics

Gamay is a very vigorous vine which tends not to root very deep on alkaline soils resulting in pronounced hydrological stress on the vines over the growing season with a correspondingly high level of acidity in the grapes. The acidity is softened through carbonic maceration, a process that also allows the vibrant youthful fruit expressions reminiscent of bright crushed strawberries and raspberries, as well as deep floral notes of lilac and violets.

Gamay-based wines are typically light bodied and fruity. Wines meant to be drunk after some modest aging tend to have more body and are produced by whole-berry maceration. The latter are produced mostly in the designated ‘Cru Beaujolais’ areas where the wines typically have the flavor of sour cherries, black pepper, and dried berry, as well as fresh-cut stone and chalk.

Regional Production

In addition to being well suited to the terroir of Beaujolais, Gamay is grown extensively in the Loire Valley around Tours where it is typically blended with Cabernet Franc and Côt a local clone of the Malbec. These wines are similar to those of Crus Beaujolais but with raspberry notes and the signature fresh-peppery nose of the Cabernet Franc.

Gamay is also the grape of the Beaujolais nouveau, produced exclusively from the more alkaline soils of Southern Beaujolais where the grape is incapable of making drinkable wines without aggressive carbonic maceration. The acid levels of the grape grown in the limestone Pierres Doreés of the South are too high for making wines with any appeal beyond the early release Nouveaus.

Gamay is commonly grown in the Niagara Peninsula in Canada, some producers being in the Short Hills Bench, Beamsville Bench and St. David’s Bench to mention a few, as well as in Prince Edward County. One producer even has a regional clone which they discovered, Gamay Droit, which is a recognized mutation. It is also grown successfully by a small number of wineries in Australia to make a range of wines including light bodied red wines suitable for early drinking.

Gamay has also been introduced into Oregon’s Willamette Valley wine region, a place known for its wines made from Pinot Noir, another Burgundian grape. It was introduced by Amity Vineyards in 1988. Tasting notes published by the vineyards at Amity, WillaKenzie and Brickhouse describe wines that match the basic profiles of Crus Beaujolais.

Similarly Named Grapes

The Gamay name has become attached to other varieties grown in California, which at one time were thought to be the true Gamay. The grape ‘Napa Gamay’ is now known as Valdeguié, and the name Napa Gamay will no longer appear on labels after 2007. Gamay Beaujolais is considered to be an early ripening Californian clone of Pinot Noir. Despite similar names the grapes Gamay du Rhône and Gamay St-Laurent are not the Beaujolais grape either but rather the southwestern France grape Abouriou.

Source: Wikipedia

Vinnez – October 2011

Seeking Proper Wine Service

If you regularly order wine in a restaurant, you understand all too well the differences in quality of the wine service. During my travels around the U.S. and Europe, I experienced a wide range of styles of wine service, learning what works. Considering the typical restaurant wine markup of 100-300% over prices in local wine shops, it is completely reasonable to expect high quality wine service. Here are a few of my wine service tips.

1. Wine List – Any restaurant with a wine list should include basic information about the wines offered. This includes the winery or producer, wine name, region, varietals, and vintage. Too often restaurants omit the vintage year from their list or deliver a wine to the table that is younger than the vintage on their list. Vintage matters as some years are clearly better growing years than others. This is especially important for old world wines where the lack of irrigation and the potential for rains at harvest make the quality of the growing season correlated tightly with wine quality.

2. Glassware – Many restaurants use small bowl glasses that do not allow the bouquet of the wine to collect in the bowl and waft toward your nose. As flavors are mostly conveyed through your sense of smell rather than sense of taste, anything that decreases your ability to smell your wine will decrease your enjoyment of the wine. If you are stuck at a place that does not have quality glassware, consider using the water glass. It may have a bigger bowl than the regular wine glass. Considering the low cost of “restaurant tough” glassware I do not understand why any restaurant with a formal wine list does not use proper stemware to serve their wine. If you see quality glassware somewhere else in the restaurant, ask for it. Some restaurants reserve their good glassware for customers that spend more than a certain amount on a bottle of wine, something I consider both silly and insulting.

3. Serving Temperature – White wine is served chilled, but not ice cold. Red wine is served slightly chilled, about 60-65 degrees, not the restaurant room temperature of 75+ degrees. Do not be afraid to ask your server to cool down your red wine in a bucket of ice before serving, or let your white wine warm up a little so you can taste it.

4. Decanter – Often red wine requires a bit of exposure to air (i.e., oxygen) to “open up” and express itself. Good decanters have broad bottoms that expose a large amount of wine to the air. Water carafes are not a proper decanter. Simply opening up the bottle and letting it stand does not expose the wine to enough air to make much of a difference.

5. Tasting Wine – The ritual of the server pouring a bit of wine in your glass to taste is for you to confirm that the wine is of good quality (e.g., no cork taint) rather than to determine whether the wine is to your liking. If you think the wine has a defect, ask the server to try it. Often the defect is obvious (e.g., smell of a wet basement, oxidation, or vinegar) and the server will smell it too. The restaurant should then replace the suspect bottle with a new one.

6. Pouring Wine – Pour your own wine for yourself and your friends. About two ounces or two inches in the bottom of the glass is enough. There is no guarantee that a server knows how to properly fill a glass of wine and most put too much wine in the glass. This prevents you from experiencing its bouquet. Also, servers often fill glasses indiscriminately, providing wine to those who want more and others who do not. If you pour the wine yourself, only those who want wine will get it, and you will have the added benefit of chatting about the wine every time you refill a glass. In the end everyone will drink less wine but enjoy it more.

Although a few servers offered up funny looks when I followed these suggestions, most experienced wine stewards have nodded their heads approvingly. They then stop by my table to see how the meal is going and to chat a bit about wine. How bad is that?

Barry P. Chaiken, Proprietor
Chaiken Vineyards

info@chaikenvineyards.com
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Featured Photo Courtesy of  Don Guerwitz Photography – Street Urchin. Monywa, Myanmar (Burma).

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Malbec – Viticulture and Regions

Malbec is very susceptible to various grape diseases and viticultural hazards-most notably frost, coulure, downey mildew and rot but the development of new clones and vineyard management techniques have helped control some of these potential problems. When it is not afflicted with these various ailments, particularly coulure, it does have the potential to produce high yields. Too high a yield, as was the circumstance in Argentina until recently with their heavy use of flood irrigation, the wines become more simplistic and lacking in flavor. Malbec seems to be able to produce well in a variety of soil types but in the limestone based soils of Cahors it seems to produce its most dark and tannic manifestation. There are distinct ampelographical differences in the clones of Malbec found in France and in Argentina, with Argentine Malbec tending to have smaller berries.

Regions

Malbec is the dominant red varietal in Cahors where the Appellation Controlée regulations for Cahors require a minimum content of 70%. Introduced to Argentina by French agricultural engineer Michel Pouget in 1868, Malbec is widely planted in Argentina producing a softer, less tannic-driven variety than the wines of Cahors. There were once 50,000 hectares planted with Malbec in Argentina; now there are 25,000 hectares in Mendoza in addition to production in La Rioja, Salta, San Juan, Catamarca and Buenos Aires. Chile has about 6,000 hectares planted, France 5,300 hectares and in the cooler regions of California just 45 hectares. In California the grape is used to make Meritage. Malbec is also grown in Washington State, the northeastern tip of Oregon, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, British Columbia, the Long Island AVA of New York, Oregon, southern Bolivia, northeastern Italy and recently in Texas and southern Ontario, and in the Baja California region of Mexico.

France

At one point Malbec was grown in 30 different departments of France, a legacy that is still present in the abundance of local synonyms for the variety which easily surpass 1000 names. However, in recent times, the popularity of the variety has been steadily declining with a 2000 census reporting only 15,000 acres (6,100 hectares) of the vine mostly consigned to the southwestern part of the country. Its stronghold remains Cahors where Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) regulations stipulates that Malbec must compose at least 70% of the blend, with Merlot and Tannat rounding out the remaining percentage. Outside of Cahors, Malbec is still found in small amounts as a permitted variety in the AOCs of Bergerac, Buzet, Côtes de Duras, Côtes du Marmandais, Fronton and Pécharmant. It is also permitted in the Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure (VDQS) of Côtes du Brulhois. In the Midi region of the Languedoc, it is permitted (but rarely grown) in the AOC regions of Cabardès and Côtes de Malepère. There is a small amount of Malbec grown in the middle Loire Valley and permitted in the AOCs of Anjou, Coteaux du Loir, Touraine and the sparkling wine AOC of Saumur where it is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Gamay. But as elsewhere in France, Malbec is losing acreage other varieties-most notably Cabernet Franc in the Loire.

The grape was historically a major planting in Bordeaux, providing color and fruit to the blend, but in the 20th century started to lose ground to Merlot and Cabernet Franc due, in part, to its sensitivities to so many different vine ailments (coulure, downy mildew, frost). The severe 1956 frost wiped out a significant portion of Malbec vines in Bordeaux, allowing many growers a chance to start anew with different varieties. By 1968 plantings in the Libournais was down to 12,100 acres (4,900 hectares) and fell further to 3,460 acres (1,400 hectares) by 2000. While Malbec has since become a popular component of New World meritages or Bordeaux blends, and it is still a permitted variety in all major wine regions of Bordeaux, its presence in Bordeaux is as a distinctly minor variety. Only the regions of the Côtes-de-Bourg, Blaye and Entre-Deux-Mers have any significant plantings in Bordeaux.

Source: Wikipedia

Vinnez – September 2011

Bottling Now

The wait is over. As you read this my wine is being racked from its barrels into bottles for corking, labeling, and packaging. The wine is expected in the U.S. by early December, just in time for the holiday season.

The wine required a few extra months of barrel aging than expected due to its high quality. This is great news as it is one indication of what wonderful surprises might be in the bottle. My Vines of Mendoza team reports that the wine has matured gracefully since my blending session in January. The wines are concentrated, expressive, and show great complexity. Am I excited? Absolutely!!

More than five years ago I first visited the Valle de Uco, looking over a stretch of land covered with desert weeds and glacial rocks. Today, rows of healthy grape vines fill my five acres preparing themselves for another growing season. Seeing the transformation of the land from barren desert to lush green vineyards brings a great sense of accomplishment to me and everyone involved with this project. Thanks to all of you who have supported Chaiken Vineyards these past few years.

I am committed to producing the finest wines possible from the land, allowing the terroir – geography, soil, and micro climate – to express itself. Wine is made in the vineyard and nurtured in the winery. When you taste your first bottle of my wine in December, you will be one of the first to experience Nature’s expression of place – Chaiken Vineyards in the Valle de Uco. I am hopeful you will be pleased.

Sincerely,

Barry P. Chaiken, Proprietor
Chaiken Vineyards

info@chaikenvineyards.com
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Featured Photo Courtesy of Don Guerwitz Photography – Monk Dancers. Tiji Festival, Tibetan Kingdom of Mustang, Nepal.

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Malbec

Malbec (pronounced: [mal.bɛk]) is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark color and robust tannins, and are long known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine. The French plantations of Malbec are now found primarily in Cahors in the South West France region. It is increasingly celebrated as an Argentine varietal wine and is being grown around the world.

Called Auxerrois or Côt Noir in Cahors, called Malbec in Bordeaux, and Pressac in other places, the grape became less popular in Bordeaux after 1956 when frost killed off 75% of the crop. Despite Cahors being hit by the same frost, which devastated the vineyards, Malbec was replanted and continued to be popular in that area where it was mixed with Merlot and Tannat to make dark, full-bodied wines, and more recently has been made into 100% Malbec varietal wines.

A popular but unconfirmed theory claims that Malbec is named after a Hungarian peasant who first spread the grape variety throughout France. However the French ampelographer and viticulturalist Pierre Galet notes that most evidence suggest that Côt was the variety’s original name and that it probably originated in northern Burgundy. Despite a similar name, the grape Malbec argenté is not Malbec, but rather a variety of the southwestern French grape Abouriou. Due to the similarities in synonyms, Malbec has also been confused with Auxerrois blanc, which is an entirely different variety.

The Malbec grape is a thin-skinned grape and needs more sun and heat than either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot to mature. It ripens mid-season and can bring very deep color, ample tannin, and a particular plum-like flavor component to add complexity to claret blends. Sometimes, especially in its traditional growing regions, it is not trellised and cultivated as bush vines (the goblet system). Here it is sometimes kept to a relatively low yield of about 6 tons per hectare. The wines are rich, dark and juicy.

As a varietal, Malbec creates a rather inky red (or violet), intense wine, so it is also commonly used in blends, such as with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to create the red French Bordeaux claret blend. The grape is blended with Cabernet Franc and Gamay in some regions such as the Loire Valley. Other wine regions use the grape to produce Bordeaux-style blends. The varietal is sensitive to frost and has a proclivity to shatter or coulure.

Wine

Wine expert Jancis Robinson describes the French style of Malbec common in the Libournais (Bordeaux region) as a “rustic” version of Merlot, softer in tannins and lower in acidity with blackberry fruit in its youth. The Malbec of the Cahors region is much more tannic with more phenolic compounds that contribute to its dark color. Oz Clarke describes Cahors’ Malbec as dark purple in color with aromas of damsons, tobacco, garlic, and raisin. In Argentina, Malbec becomes softer with a plusher texture and riper tannins. The wines tend to have juicy fruit notes with violet aromas. In very warm regions of Argentina, Chile & Australia, the acidity of the wine may be too low which can cause a wine to taste flabby and weak. Malbec grown in Washington state tends to be characterized by dark fruit notes and herbal aromas.

Synonyms

The French ampelographer Pierre Galet has documented over a thousand different synonyms for Malbec, stemming in part from its in peak period when it growing in 30 different departments of France. While Malbec is the name most commonly known to wine drinkers, Galet suggest that Côt was most likely the grape variety’s original name and the frequent appearance of Auxerrois as a synonym suggests the northern reaches of Burgundy as being the possible home of the varietal. In Bordeaux, where the variety first gained attention, it was known under the synonym Pressac.

Other common synonyms for Malbec include Agreste, Auxerrois, Auxerrois De Laquenexy, Auxerrois Des Moines De Picpus, Auxerrois Du Mans, Balouzat, Beran, Blanc De Kienzheim, Cahors, Calarin, Cauli, Costa Rosa, Cot A Queue Verte, Cotes Rouges, Doux Noir, Estrangey, Gourdaux, Grelot De Tours, Grifforin, Guillan, Hourcat, Jacobain, Luckens, Magret, Malbek, Medoc Noir, Mouranne, Navarien, Negre De Prechac, Negrera, Noir De Chartres, Noir De Pressac, Noir Doux, Nyar De Presak, Parde, Périgord, Pied De Perdrix, Pied Noir, Pied Rouge, Pied Rouget, Piperdy, Plant D’Arles, Plant De Meraou, Plant Du Roi, Prechat, Pressac, Prunieral, Quercy, Queue Rouge, Quille De Coy, Romieu, Teinturin, Terranis, Vesparo, Côt, Plant du Lot.

Source: Wikipedia

Vinnez – August 2011

Labor Day Asado

Although Asado is a term used to describe a particular style of barbequing techniques, in Argentina, as well as Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and southern Brazil, Asado means social gathering focused around cooking meats on an outdoor fire. In the Untied States we often call this a cookout or barbeque.

2011 Pan-Mass Challenge - Click to help defeat cancer.

During my regular trips to Argentina to check on my vineyard, I always attend an Asado near my property hosted by my good friends at the Vines of Mendoza. Besides offering a variety of meats that would make any carnivore smile, VOM arranges for tastings of local wines that pair great with the foods served. These tastings help develop my palate while advancing my knowledge of wines originating the Valle de Uco where Chaiken Vineyards is located. This knowledge proves quite valuable each January when I blend my wine for the next vintage.

So, this Labor Day weekend consider putting on your own Asado, American style. Stop by your favorite grocery and pick up a broad variety of meats, poultry, sausage, and vegetables to grill. Then invite all of your good friends over, stoke up the fire, and open up your best wines.

There is no better ways to celebrate life than an Asado.

Sincerely,

Barry P. Chaiken, Proprietor
Chaiken Vineyards

info@chaikenvineyards.com
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Featured Photo Courtesy of Don Guerwitz Photography – Woodgatherers. Rajasthan, India.

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Rosé and Vin Gris

A rosé (From French: rosé, ‘pinkish’) wine has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes and wine making techniques.

Production

There are three major ways to produce rosé wine: skin contact, saignée and blending.

Skin Contact

Rose wine is made in a range of colours, from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes, additives and wine making techniques.

When rosé wine is the primary product, it’s produced with the skin contact method. Black-skinned grapes are crushed and the skins are allowed to remain in contact with the juice for a short period, typically one to three days. The must is then pressed, and the skins are discarded rather than left in contact throughout fermentation (as with red wine making). The skins contain much of the astringent tannin and other compounds, thereby leaving the structure more similar to a white wine. The longer that the skins are left in contact with the juice, the more intense the color of the final wine.

Saignée

Rosé wine can be produced as a by-product of red wine fermentation using a technique known as Saignée, or bleeding the vats. When a winemaker desires to impart more tannin and color to a red wine, some of the pink juice from the must can be removed at an early stage. The red wine remaining in the vats is intensified as a result of the bleeding, because the volume of juice in the must is reduced, and the must involved in the maceration is concentrated. The pink juice that is removed can be fermented separately to produce rosé.

Blending

Blending, the simple mixing of red wine to a white to impart color, is uncommon. This method is discouraged in most wine growing regions except for Champagne. Even in Champagne, several high-end producers do not use this method but rather the saignée method.

Styles

The color is deeper than most blush-style wines.Historically rosé was quite a delicate, dry wine, exemplified by Anjou rosé from the Loire. In fact the original claret was a pale (‘clairet’) wine from Bordeaux that would probably now be described as a rosé. Weißherbst is a type of German rosé made from only one variety of grape.

After the Second World War, there was a fashion for medium-sweet rosés for mass-market consumption, the classic examples being Mateus Rosé and the American “blush” wines of the 1970s (see below). The pendulum now seems to be swinging back towards a drier, ‘bigger’ style. These wines are made from Rhone grapes like Syrah, Grenache and Carignan in hotter regions such as Provence, the Languedoc and Australia. In France, rosé has now exceeded white wines in sales. In the United States a record 2005 California crop has resulted in an increased production and proliferation of varietals used for rosés, as winemakers chose to make rosé rather than leave their reds unsold.

Blush Wine

In the early 1970s, demand for white wine exceeded the availability of white wine grapes, so many California producers made “white” wine from red grapes, in a form of saignée production with minimal skin contact, the “whiter” the better. In 1975, Sutter Home’s “White Zinfandel” wine experienced a stuck fermentation, a problem in which the yeast dies off before all the sugar is turned to alcohol. Winemaker Bob Trinchero put it aside for two weeks, then upon tasting it he decided to sell this pinker, sweeter wine.

In 1976, wine writer Jerry D. Mead visited Mill Creek Vineyards in Sonoma County, California. Charlie Kreck had been one of the first to plant Cabernet Sauvignon vines in California, and offered Mead a wine made from Cabernet that was a pale pink and as yet unnamed. Kreck would not call it “White Cabernet” as it was much darker in colour than red grape “white” wines of the time, yet it was not as dark as the rosés he had known. Mead jokingly suggested the name “Cabernet Blush”, then that evening phoned Kreck to say that he no longer thought the name a joke. In 1978 Kreck trademarked the word “Blush”. The name caught on as a marketing name for the semi-sweet wines from producers such as Sutter Home and Beringer, although Mill Creek no longer produces any rosé wine.

The term “blush

” is generally restricted to wines sold in North America, although it is sometimes used in Australia and by Italian Primitivo wines hoping to cash in on the recently discovered genetic links between Primitivo and Zinfandel. Although “blush” originally referred to a colour (pale pink), it now tends to indicate a relatively sweet pink wine, typically with 2.5% residual sugar; in North America dry pink wines are usually marketed as rosé but sometimes as blush. In Europe, almost all pink wines are referred to as rosé regardless of sugar levels, even semi-sweet ones from California.

Orange Wine

Orange wine, also co

mmonly known as amber wine, is wine made from white wine grape varieties that have spent some maceration time in contact with the grape skins. Orange wines get their name from the darker, slightly orange tinge that the white wines receive due to their contact with the coloring pigments of the grape skins. This winemaking style is essentially the opposite of rosé production which involves getting red wine grapes quickly off their skins, leaving the wine with a slightly pinkish hue. The tradition of amber wine production is kept alive especially in the Caucasian republic of Georgia. Common grape varietals used for amber wine are Mtsvane and Rkatsiteli.

Vin Gris

Vin gris is white wine made fr

om red grapes, in particular pinot noir. Pinot noir is a black grape, but can also be used to make rosé, blush wine, or white wine. When the grapes are brought to the winery and crushed, the juice is run off and removed from contact with the skin, leaving the colour and flavour compounds from the skin behind. The juice is then typically fermented in stainless steel tanks before being bottled shortly after, without any aging in oak barrels.

Producing a small volume of Vin gris (or rosé) can also be used as a technique to improve Pinot noir. Removing some clear juice increases the concentration of colour and flavour compounds from the skins in the remaining juice intended for making red wine; the resulting rosé is known as a saignée (bled).

Grape Varieties

Another grape used to produce Vin Gris is Gamay, particularly in Lorraine, where the Côtes de Toul zone produces a light and delighting Vin Gris. The vinification is the same as with Pinot Noir (short contact of the white juice with the red skins during the pressing), but the fruity flavour of the Gamay very much changes the taste of the wine.

Champagne is often made using this process, when it is known as blanc de noirs.

Source: Wikipedia

Vinnez – July 2011

Wine-Food Pairing: Focus on Flavors

Trying to marry wine to food is not as hard as it seems. Although following the rule of white meat with white wine and red meat with red wine seems logical, it is only a very rough generalization. And not a very good one.

Successful pairing of wine with food depends upon correctly bringing together flavors inherent in the wine and the food such that they complement each other. Similar to bringing a small group of musicians together, the nuances of each instrument expressed by the volume and tone of each note must complement the sounds of every other instrument in the group. If one of the players is out of synch with the others, the music quality suffers. Even the musical talent of accomplished musicians is lessened when complemented with less talented musical partners.

When putting together a wine and food pairing, identify the prominent flavors in the food and search for wines that provide complimentary aromas and tastes. Young California Cabernet Sauvignon wines with their strong flavors, rough tannins, and high alcohol levels go great with steaks, while older wines of this type with more subtle flavors and softer tannins pair better with beef or pork roasts. When complementary wines are matched with food, both the wine and the food taste better. This is one time where you can make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Jose Antonio Sosa Ortega, a young, Venezuelan chef now living in the Boston area, creatively pairs wine with food. Chef Jose is now developing unique food creations that will complement our wines. Look for some of Chef Jose’s recipes in future issues of Vinnez and on our website.

Sincerely,

Barry P. Chaiken, Proprietor
Chaiken Vineyards

info@chaikenvineyards.com
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Featured Photo Courtesy of Don Guerwitz Photography – Chilis! Bali, Indonesia.

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Cork Taint

Cork taint is a broad term referring to a wine fault characterized by a set of undesirable smells or tastes found in a bottle of wine, especially spoilage that can only be detected after bottling, aging and opening. Though modern studies have shown that other factors can also be responsible for taint – including wooden barrels, storage conditions and the transport of corks and wine – the cork is normally considered to be responsible, and a wine found to be tainted on opening is said to be “corked” or “corky”. Cork taint can affect wines irrespective of price and quality level. TCA molecule

The chief cause of cork taint is the presence of 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), and/or 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TBA), in the wine, which in many cases will have been transferred from the cork, but which also can have been transferred through the cork rather than from it. Corked wine containing TCA has a characteristic odor, variously described as resembling a moldy newspaper, wet dog, damp cloth, or damp basement. In almost all cases of corked wine the wine’s native aromas are reduced significantly, and a very tainted wine is quite unpalatable, although harmless. While the human threshold for detecting TCA is measured in the single-digit parts per trillion, this can vary by several orders of magnitude depending on an individual’s sensitivity. Detection is also complicated by the olfactory system’s particularly quick habituation to TCA, making the smell less obvious on each subsequent sniff.

Production

The production of TCA in cork or its transfer by other means in to wine is complex, but most results when naturally-occurring airborne fungi are presented with chlorophenol compounds, which they then convert into chlorinated anisole derivatives. Chlorophenols taken up by cork trees are an industrial pollutant found in many pesticides and wood preservatives, which may mean that the incidence of cork taint has risen in modern times. Ironically, chlorophenols can also be a product of the chlorine bleaching process used to sterilize corks; this has led to the increasing adoption of methods such as peroxide bleaching.

TCA and TBA are responsible for the vast majority of cases of cork taint, but other less common and less known compounds that can cause different varieties include guaiacol, geosmin, 2-methylisoborneol (MIB), octen-3-ol and octen-3-one- each has its own aroma, all of them considered objectionable in wine.

Estimated Occurrence and Industry Response

The cork-industry group APCOR cites a study showing a 0.7-1.2% taint rate. In a 2005 study of 2800 bottles tasted at the Wine Spectator blind-tasting facilities in Napa, California, 7% of the bottles were found to be tainted.

Improvements in cork and winemaking methodology continue to strive to lower the incidence, but the media attention given to cork taint has created a controversy in winemaking, with traditional cork growers on one side and the makers of newer synthetic closures and screw caps on the other. Screw caps and synthetic corks, however, can be prone to another aroma taint: sulphidisation, which arises from the reduced oxygen supply which concentrates sulphurous smells arising from universal preservatives.

Systemic TCA

Systemic TCA tainting occurs when TCA has infiltrated a winery via means other than cork and can affect the entire production of wine instead of just a few bottles. This occurs when wine barrels, drain pipes, wooden beams in the cellars, or rubber hoses are tainted by TCA. Sometimes entire cellars have to be rebuilt in order to extinguish all potential systemic TCA culprits. Rubber hoses or gaskets have a high affinity for TCA and therefore concentrate TCA from the atmosphere. Wine or water that subsequently passes through infected hoses can become tainted with TCA. Another possible means of TCA contamination is through the use of Bentonite, a clay preparation used in treating wine for heat stability. Bentonite has a high affinity for TCA and will absorb TCA and related chemicals in the atmosphere. If an open bag of Bentonite is stored in an environment with a high (1-2 ng/g or ppb) TCA concentratioZork wine bottle closuren, this TCA will be absorbed in the Bentonite and transferred to the wine lot to which the Bentonite is added.

It is notable that this systemic TCA will often impart a trace (1-2 ng/L or ppt) to the wine, which itself is not detected by most consumers. However, with this high baseline level of TCA in bottled wine, even the additional contribution of a relatively clean cork can elevate the TCA level in the wine above threshold levels (4-6 ng/L or ppt), rendering the wine “corked.”

The primary chemical precursor to TCA is TCP ( 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol), an anti-microbial agent used in processing wood. Molds (and some suspect bacteria such as Streptomyces) are able to de-toxify TCP by methylating the -OH to -OCH3, which is not toxic. Chlorinated phenols can form chemically when hypochlorous acid (HOCl-, one of the active forms of chlorine) or chlorine radicals come in contact with wood (untreated, such as barrels or pallets.) The use of chlorine or other halogen-based sanitizing agents is being phased out of the wine industry in favor of peroxide or peracetic acid preparations. Chlorine dioxide has not been shown to produce these spontaneous chlorophenols. Wine Spectator has reported that such California wineries as Pillar Rock Vineyard, Beaulieu Vineyard, E & J Gallo Winery and Chateau Montelena have had trouble with Systemic TCA.

Treatment

Filtration and purification systems now exist that attempt to remove the TCA from corked wine to make it drinkable again, though there are few means of reducing the level of TCA in tainted wine that are approved by the TTB (formerly BATF).

One method of removing TCA from tainted wine is to soak polyethylene (a plastic used for applications such as milk containers and plastic food wrap) in the affected wine. The non-polar TCA molecule has a high affinity for the polyethylene molecule, thereby removing the taint from the wine. The surface area of polyethylene needed to reduce the taint to sub-threshold levels is based on the TCA level in the affected wine, temperature, and the alcohol level of the wine.

This can be done at home, as advocated by Andrew Waterhouse, professor of wine chemistry at University of California, Davis, by pouring the wine into a bowl with a sheet of polyethylene plastic wrap. For ease of pouring, a pitcher, measuring cup, or decanter can be used instead. Effective within a few minutes, the 2,4,6-trichloroanisole molecule is chemically similar to polyethylene and will stick to the plastic.

Some vintners have used Half & Half to remove TCA from wine (the TCA in the wine is sequestered by the butterfat in Half & Half).

The French company Embag markets a product called “Dream Taste” which uses a copolymer shaped like a cluster of grapes to remove the TCA taint from wine.

Source: Wikipedia

PMC 2011 – Still On The Road

Last year was filled with some happiness and some worry. While Beka’s mom is doing great, fighting and so far defeating her non-smoking lung cancer, my mom’s lifelong friend Miriam just began a difficult battle with pancreatic cancer. And a close friend, former rider, and longtime Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC) volunteer escaped a cancer scare with a cure after they removed a small chunk of skin from his chest. For all of these people and many more we do not know, we need to continue our fight to defeat cancer.

It’s been 27 years since cancer took my dad from me. He was such a brave man, always thinking positively and never complaining. A year after his death, in 1985, I rode my first PMC. The August 6-7 PMC is my 27th ride and one I am looking forward to as much as any of them. The PMC is my opportunity to engage in the fight against cancer while honoring my dad. I sure wish he was here to watch.

Over these years, I rode for friends, colleagues, and people I did not know. I hoped to offer them hope and comfort through my connection to the wonderful PMC family. Perhaps the knowledge that over 6,000 riders and volunteers really cared provided them with a bit of help as they went through one more day fighting cancer. This fight will forever be personal. It has touched my family too hard to ever be forgotten.

Thank you for being part of my PMC family and supporting me now and in years past. Without you, this ride is just 193 miles long. With you, it is a crusade, that we are winning, against a disease that hurts too many of us. Please consider boldly investing in the miracles that are unfolding today. Every single dollar (100%) of your PMC donation fights cancer. We raised more than $33,000,000 last year, reaching $303 mil. overall. I think we can do better. Economic times may be tough for us, but times are tougher for those who are fighting cancer. I need you, and those looking for hope need you.

See you on the road.

Barry P. Chaiken

To donate to the PMC, click here

Vinnez – June 2011

Wine Prices: Beer Drinkers Pay Attention

Although it has been more than 77 years since the end of the great noble experiment – Prohibition – we continue to pay the price for that misguided policy. The passage of the 21st Amendment repealing Prohibition led to a cumbersome, inefficient marketplace for the sale of alcoholic beverages. When we purchase wine or beer at our local retail shop, about 50% of the price we pay goes to parties other than the producer of the beverage.

For that $20 bottle of wine, $10 is split between the distributor and the retail shop. For that $8 six pack of microbrew, $4 is shared by the distributor and retail store. Is the contribution of these two legally mandated intermediaries to the consumer experience really worth half the price we pay for the product?

Presumably this three-tier system – producer, distributor, retail (includes restaurants, bars, shops) – was established to better manage access to alcoholic beverages after the wild events associated with the illegal sales of alcohol during the 13 years of Prohibition. This three-tier system curiously looks similar to the model used by organized crime syndicates – producer, organized crime distributor, retail – to illegally supply alcoholic beverages to speakeasies and other establishments during Prohibition.

While the usefulness of this three-tier system may have made sense in 1933 when distributors provided valuable information about available products and helped promote them, it does not in the 21st century. Access to product information via the Internet is much more complete and comprehensive than anything a single distributor can provide.

If computer manufacturers do not need state-based distributors to manage consumer access to their highly complex products, why do alcoholic beverage producers need distributors to help consumers choose their alcoholic beverages? Perhaps the millions of dollars contributed each year by beverage distributors and their trade associations to both federal and state legislator campaigns explains the strong support for the current system.

For example, in the state of Texas just two distributors control more than 90% of all alcoholic beverages sold in the state. These two companies contribute millions of dollars to the political campaigns of dozens of key legislators in the state. Is it a surprise this expensive, inefficient three-tier system continues?

If you want to learn more about this issue, listen to an excellent Grape Radio podcast on the subject featuring David White, an expert on the subject. In the meantime, you can help lower the cost of beer and wine by fighting for the repeal of the three-tier system while supporting all efforts that allow producers to sell directly to consumers.

Fight H.R.1161 which will essentially prohibit interstate wine shipping, overriding the laws of a majority of states while clearly violating the Commerce Clause of the Constitution.

If wine and beer consumers got together on this issue, perhaps we can free the grapes and the barley.

Sincerely,

Barry P. Chaiken, Proprietor
Chaiken Vineyards

info@chaikenvineyards.com
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Blending and Finishing the Wine

Different batches of wine can be mixed before bottling in order to achieve the desired taste. The winemaker can correct perceived inadequacies by mixing wines from different grapes and batches that were produced under different conditions. These adjustments can be as simple as adjusting acid or tannin levels, to as complex as blending different varieties or vintages to achieve a consistent taste.

Fining agents are used during winemaking to remove tannins, reduce astringency and remove microscopic particles that could cloud the wines. The winemakers decide on which fining agents are used and these may vary from product to product and even batch to batch (usually depending on the grapes of that particular year).

Gelatin has been used in winemaking for centuries and is recognized as a traditional method for wine fining, or clarifying. It is also the most commonly used agent to reduce the tannin content. Generally no gelatin remains in the wine because it reacts with the wine components, as it clarifies, and forms a sediment which is removed by filtration prior to bottling.

Besides gelatin, other fining agents for wine are often derived from animal and fish products, such as micronized potassium casseinate (casein is milk protein), egg whites, egg albumin, bone char, bull‘s blood, isinglass (Sturgeon bladder), PVPP (a synthetic compound), lysozyme, and skim milk powder. Some aromatized wines contain honey or egg-yolk extract.

Non-animal-based filtering agents are also often used, such as bentonite (a volcanic clay-based filter), diatomaceous earth, cellulose pads, paper filters and membrane filters (thin films of plastic polymer material having uniformly sized holes).

Preservatives

The most common preservative used in winemaking is sulfur dioxide, achieved by adding sodium or potassium metabisulphite. Another useful preservative is potassium sorbate.

Sulfur dioxide has two primary actions, firstly it is an anti microbial agent and secondly an anti oxidant. In the making of white wine it can be added prior to fermentation and immediately after alcoholic fermentation is complete. If added after alcoholic ferment it will have the effect of preventing or stopping malolactic fermentation, bacterial spoilage and help protect against the damaging effects of oxygen. Additions of up to 100 mg per liter (of sulfur dioxide) can be added, but the available or free sulfur dioxide should be measured by the aspiration method and adjusted to 30 mg per liter. Available sulfur dioxide should be maintained at this level until bottling. For rose wines smaller additions should be made and the available level should be no more than 30 mg per liter.

In the making of red wine sulfur dioxide may be used at high levels (100 mg per liter) prior to ferment to assist stabilize color otherwise it is used at the end of malolactic ferment and performs the same functions as in white wine. However, small additions (say 20 mg per liter) should be used to avoid bleaching red pigments and the maintenance level should be about 20 mg per liter.

Furthermore, small additions (say 20 mg per liter) may be made to red wine after alcoholic ferment and before malolactic ferment to overcome minor oxidation and prevent the growth of acetic acid bacteria.

Without the use of sulfur dioxide, wines can readily suffer bacterial spoilage no matter how hygienic the winemaking practice.

Potassium sorbate is effective for the control of fungal growth, including yeast, especially for sweet wines in bottle. However, one potential hazard is the metabolism of sorbate to geraniol a potent and very unpleasant by-product. To avoid this, either the wine must be sterile bottled or contain enough sulfur dioxide to inhibit the growth of bacteria. Sterile bottling includes the use of filtration.

Filtration

Filtration in winemaking is used to accomplish two objectives, clarification and microbial stabilization. In clarification, large particles that affect the visual appearance of the wine are removed. In microbial stabilization, organisms that affect the stability of the wine are removed therefore reducing the likelihood of re-fermentation or spoilage.

The process of clarification is concerned with the removal of particles; those larger than 5-10 micrometers for coarse polishing, particles larger than 1-4 micrometers for clarifying or polishing. Microbial stabilization requires a filtration of at least 0.65 micrometers. However, filtration at this level may lighten a wines color and body. Microbial stabilization does not imply sterility. It simply means that a significant amount of yeast and bacteria have been removed.

Bottling

A final dose of sulfite is added to help preserve the wine and prevent unwanted fermentation in the bottle. The wine bottles then are traditionally sealed with a cork, although alternative wine closures such as synthetic corks and screwcaps, which are less subject to cork taint, are becoming increasingly popular. The final step is adding a capsule to the top of the bottle which is then heated for a tight seal.

Winemakers

Traditionally known as a vintner, a winemaker is a person engaged in making wine. They are generally employed by wineries or wine companies.

Source: Wikipedia

Photos courtesy of Michael Evans, CEO, Vines of Mendoza.

Vinnez – May 2011

Chill Out

When I first began purchasing wine for future consumption – I do not like to call it collecting as that implies I purchase it to sell at a future time or admire in a trophy case – I worried terribly about keeping the wine at the correct temperature and humidity. I falsely believed that storing wine at a temperature other than 55° F and within a humidity range of 50-70% quickly destroyed the wine, forever robbing me of the chance to truly experience its loveliness.

As Colonel Potter said, “Horse hockey!”

There is no conclusive scientific evidence proving that 55° F is the perfect temperature for storing wines. It is no coincidence that a cave has a natural temperature of 55° F. Without the benefit of air-conditioning, those early collectors stored their wine in earthen cellars and caves recognizing that exposing the wine to high summer temperatures spoiled it.

Although there is little research on the perfect conditions to store wine – it might take decades to compare different methods of storage since we want to compare them over long periods of time – we can make some basic assumptions based upon what we know about organic chemistry. Wine is, after all, a mixture of a large number of organic compounds that undergo numerous chemical reactions during their life in a wine bottle. Scientists know that almost all reactions accelerate at higher temperatures. Therefore, the chemical reactions within the wine bottle speed up at higher temperatures.

In addition, scientists know that as temperatures approach 90° F, the structure of the chemical compounds within the wine can break down (think heating egg whites). So the perfect temperature for storing wine is one where it is warm enough for the reactions that mature a wine to proceed, but not too warm where the compounds that are key to the wine’s maturity do not break apart. I would guess somewhere between 50° F and 75° F is a pretty safe range. 

But wait, there must be a reason to keep wine at some “perfect” temperature within that range. Yes, there is and that has to do more with your inclination to drinkt it or sell it. If you are in your 20s, keep your wine storage at 55° F as waiting a few decades to drink a special Bordeaux is no big deal. If you are a bit older and want to enjoy the wine before your taste buds or you burn out, storing it at 65° F or so might be a better bet as it will mature faster.  

If you intend to sell your wine at some future time, storing it in the “perfect” environment is critical to obtain the best price for the wine. Wine provenance – the history of ownership and storage of the wine – determines how buyers value wine for sale. Although there is no proof that 55° F is the right storage temperature, it is the de facto standard in the trade. 

For the rest of us, just keep your wine below 75° F, protect it from light and avoid sudden temperature swings. I bet right now that space in the corner closet is looking like a pretty inexpensive wine cellar. Good thinking!!

Sincerely,

Barry P. Chaiken, Proprietor
Chaiken Vineyards

info@chaikenvineyards.com
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Ensuring Purity and Quality

Whether the wine is aging in tanks or barrels, tests are run periodically in a laboratory to check the status of the wine. Common tests include °Brix, pH, titratable acidity, residual sugar, free or available sulfur, total sulfur, volatile acidity and percent alcohol. Additional tests include those for the crystallization of cream of tartar (potassium hydrogen tartrate) and the precipitation of heat unstable protein; this last test is limited to white wines.

These tests are often performed throughout the making of the wine as well as prior to bottling. In response to the results of these tests, a winemaker can then decide on appropriate remedial action, for example the addition of more sulfur dioxide. Sensory tests will also be performed and again in response to these a wine maker may take remedial action such as the addition of a protein to soften the taste of the wine.

Brix

°Brix is one measure of the soluble solids in the grape juice and represents not only the sugars but also includes many other soluble substances such as salts, acids and tannins, sometimes called Total Soluble Solids (TSS). However, sugar is by far the compound in greatest quantity and so for all practical purposes these units are a measure of sugar level. The level of sugar in the grapes is important not only because it will determine the final alcohol content of the wine, but also because it is an indirect index of grape maturity. Brix (Bx for short) is measured in grams per hundred grams of solution, so 20 Bx means that 100 grams of juice contains 20gm of dissolved compounds.

There are other common measures of sugar content of grapes, Specific gravity, Oechsle (Germany) and Beaume (France). The French Baumé (Be° or Bé° for short) has the benefit that one Be° gives approximately one percent alcohol. Also one Be° is equal to 1.8 Brix, that is 1.8 grams of sugar per one hundred grams. This helps with deciding how much sugar to add if the juice is low in sugar: to achieve one percent alcohol add 1.8 grams per 100 ml or 18 grams per liter. This process is called chaptalization and is illegal in some countries (but perfectly acceptable for the home winemaker.) Generally, for the making of dry table wines a Bx of between 20 and 25 is desirable (equivalent to Be° of 11 to 14.)

A Brix test can be run either in the lab or in the field for a quick reference number to see what the sugar content is. Brix is usually measured with a refractometer while the other methods use a hydrometer. Generally, hydrometers are a cheaper alternative. For more accurate use of sugar measurement it should be remembered that all measurements are affected by the temperature at which the reading is made. Suppliers of equipment generally will supply correction charts.

Volatile Acidity

Volatile acidity test verifies if there is any steam distillable acids in the wine. Mainly present is acetic acid but lactic, butyric, propionic and formic acids can also be found. Usually the test checks for these acids in a cash still, but there are new methods available such as HPLC, gas chromatography and enzymatic methods. The amount of volatile acidity found in sound grapes is negligible, since it is a by-product of microbial metabolism. It’s important to remember that acetic acid bacteria require oxygen to grow. Eliminating any air in wine containers as well as a sulfur dioxide addition will limit their growth. Rejecting moldy grapes will also prevent possible problems associated with acetic acid bacteria. Use of sulfur dioxide and inoculation with a low-V.A. producing strain of Saccharomyces may deter acetic acid producing yeast. A relatively new method for removal of volatile acidity from a wine is reverse osmosis. Blending may also help-a wine with high V.A. can be filtered (to remove the microbe responsible) and blended with a low V.A. wine, so that the acetic acid level is below the sensory threshold.

To be continued in the next issue….

Source: Wikipedia

Vinnez – April 2011

Traveling With Wine

Many of us find some great wines during our travels. Whether drinking Brunello in Tuscany, sipping Riesling in Alsace, or tasting Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley, we all have the urge to bring some of that wine back home. Traveling with wine, particularly by airplane, can be confusing if you do not know the rules. After almost 20 years of carrying wine back by air from places as far away as the Hunter Valley in Australia, I learned a few do’s and don’ts to get wine safely back home.

The first concern is the shipping container. The shipper, usually a cardboard box, has either Styrofoam or molded cardboard inserts that hold and cushion the wine bottles. Most shippers hold 12 750 ml bottles of wine although there are shippers that protect larger size bottles. When filled with standard weight bottles, the entire package weighs less than 45 lbs., thereby qualifying as standard luggage on many airlines. On most of my trips, I bring several of these empty shippers along with me, expecting to carry them back full. If you do not have extra shippers at home or want to avoid any extra baggage charges on your outbound flight, these shippers are available from many shops located in wine tourism areas. Shippers cost from $10-$25 and are reusable as long as the cushioning material is intact.

The FAA sets the rules for shipping wine on airplanes. As a non-flammable substance, wine is not considered dangerous cargo and therefore quantities are not limited. As long as the wine is in a proper shipper that prevents breakage, it is fine to check it in as personal baggage. When checking in your shipper as baggage, be sure to have the agent place stickers on the container that say it is luggage. This way your wine will travel with your other luggage to the baggage claim area rather than to the freight dock.

If returning from travel abroad, your wine must pass through customs at the airport. Most customs agents are not well versed on what to do with wine. Surely a few bottles are O.K. A few cases often confuse them, so do not be surprised if you are sent off to Agriculture for inspection. Bringing wine into the U.S. is perfectly legal. At worst, there is a small 3% duty on the value of the wine before you are sent on your way. Most times the agents do not bother collecting the duty as the amount is so small it is not worth their time to do the paperwork.

Never lie about the amount of wine you are bringing with you. If you do and are discovered, the customs folks can confiscate your wine and slap you with a hefty fine. Also, be sure to say the wine is for your personal consumption, will be consumed at home, and will not be passed on as a gift.

Following these simple rules can bring some fantastic wines from around the world back home. You then can relive that Tuscan sun on your cheeks by uncorking that over-the-top Brunello you brought back from Montalcino last summer.

Sincerely,

Barry P. Chaiken, Proprietor
Chaiken Vineyards

info@chaikenvineyards.com
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Finishing the Wine

Cold stabilization is a process used in winemaking to reduce tartrate crystals (generally potassium bitartrate) in wine. These tartrate crystals look like grains of clear sand, and are also known as “wine crystals” or “wine diamonds.” They are formed by the union of tartaric acid and potassium, and may appear to be sediment in the wine, though they are not. During the cold stabilizing process after fermentation, the temperature of the wine is dropped to close to freezing for 1-2 weeks. This will cause the crystals to separate from the wine and stick to the sides of the holding vessel. When the wine is drained from the vessels, the tartrates are left behind. They may also form in wine bottles that have been stored under very cold conditions.

During “heat stabilization,” unstable proteins are removed by adsorption onto bentonite, preventing them from precipitating in the bottled wine.

During the secondary fermentation and aging process, which takes three to six months, the fermentation continues very slowly. The wine is kept under an airlock to protect the wine from oxidation. Proteins from the grape are broken down and the remaining yeast cells and other fine particles from the grapes are allowed to settle. Potassium bitartrate will also precipitate, a process which can be enhanced by cold stabilization to prevent the appearance of (harmless) tartrate crystals after bottling. The result of these processes is that the originally cloudy wine becomes clear. The wine can be racked during this process to remove the lees.

The secondary fermentation usually takes place in either large stainless steel vessels with a volume of several cubic meters, or oak barrels, depending on the goals of the winemakers. Unoaked wine is fermented in a barrel made of stainless steel or other material having no influence in the final taste of the wine. Depending on the desired taste, it could be fermented mainly in stainless steel to be briefly put in oak, or have the complete fermentation done in stainless steel. Oak could be added as chips used with a non-wooden barrel instead of a fully wooden barrel. This process is mainly used in cheaper wine.

Amateur winemakers often use glass carboys in the production of their wine; these vessels (sometimes called demijohns) have a capacity of 4.5 to 54 liters (1.2-14.3 US gallons). The kind of vessel used depends on the amount of wine that is being made, the grapes being used, and the intentions of the winemaker.

Malolactic Fermentation

Malolactic fermentation occurs when lactic acid bacteria metabolize malic acid and produce lactic acid and carbon dioxide. This is carried out either as an intentional procedure in which specially cultivated strains of such bacteria are introduced into the maturing wine, or it can happen by chance if uncultivated lactic acid bacteria are present.

Malolactic fermentation can improve the taste of wine that has high levels of malic acid, because malic acid in higher concentration generally causes an often unpleasant harsh and bitter taste sensation, whereas lactic acid is perceived as more gentle and less sour. The process is used in most red wines and is discretionary for white wines.

To be continued in the next issue….

Source: Wikipedia