Winemaker’s Corner
The Culture of Wine – Make it Yours – Good for You!
I can name many reasons why I consider myself to be a part of the wine culture. A study has been going on for over 20 years at the University of Michigan, by Dr. Kira Berditt, who followed approximately 5,000 married couples about their alcohol drinking habits,...
Climate Change – Is it here to stay?
And how it effects wine quality and production? I have been wanting to write about this subject for a while. Some people don’t want to accept that climate change exists while others prefer not to deal with it since accepting it will have some consequences on our style...
From UMAMI to HIKARU – An Amazing Pair
Don’t be surprised that I am dedicating this winemaker’s corner to the subject of tasteand aroma, since they are important parts of the enjoyment of wine. But I also have anulterior motive for elaborating on umami, the fifth taste added in 2008 to the four tastesthat...
Taste wine and activate your brain . . . . . .
I know it will not be a big revelation for you to hear that the taste perception,including tasting wine, relies on your brain. You will also accept that not allpeople taste equally. Genetic factors have a profound influence on tasteperception. You will also agree, I...
The Taming of Alcohol with Iron & Gold
Alcohol has been around for thousands of years. The discovery of the late Stone Age jugs of alcoholic beverages is a vivid proof that intentionally fermented beverages existed since at least 10,000 BC. It is interesting that human beings are still groping with how to...
Bordeaux –
Changing IdentityThere used to be a time when Napa was trying very hard to imitate Bordeaux wines.In a wine competition in 1976, Napa wines succeeded so well that they were able tofool a group of 9 French judges, all wine aficionados with credentials representing...
What is it about Syrah that I love?
Syrah has always been one of my favorite varieties of wine. I discovered Syrah in the early 1980’s while travelling in European countries, especially France. The Mecca for Syrah in France is in Northern Rhone. This wine region runs along the Rhone River, North to...
My Pre-Harvest Assessment – 2020!
What’s going on with the weather,is this a part of the curse known as “Global Warming”? Whatever it is I don’t like it. First, the season started with unusually cooler weather with occasional rains which are very rare in May in this region. And now we have the longest...
“Thou shall not make but authentic wines” – The eleventh commandment
Recently I participated in a panel with six other winemakers to discuss our views on the different styles of wine. One of the winemakers in the panel, representing a well-known, high-end winery, specializing in producing Zinfandels stated that their style of wine is...
The Culture of Aging of Wine
In my mind the aging of wine is definitely a culture. Just think about it. Is it so obvious that a wine will improve with aging? Quite the contrary. If you consider wine to be a food, like you should, the quality of all foods, without exception, will decline with...