The Daily Taste: Wednesday May 18th, 2022 - The Dos and Don'ts of Winetasting.....
05/18/22 • 4 min
DO:
1 - Show up on time! We realize most people are on vacation and relaxing, but Napa Valley sees a lot of people. If you know you’re going to be late, call and see if accommodations can be made but know that everyone operates on a tight schedule and reservations are there for a reason. Wine countries are pretty spread out so understand how long it will take to get from point A to point B.
2 - Ask questions! Don’t be afraid to learn! The staff at the winery is there to make sure you have a great experience, and they are very knowledgeable so if you are curious about a wine or a winemaking technique, please ask. This is one thing I don’t have a problem with. My wife hates it because I like to ask a ton of questions but in return, I get a lot of great information.
3 - Understand that you are at a tasting not a bar. If you want to be loud and drink a lot, there are plenty of wonderful bars and restaurants that would cater to you. When you are at a winery you are there to taste and learn, so be kind to your host and be mindful of those around you!
4 - Drink lots of water and make sure your eating! Studies show that consuming food before drinking alcohol can help prevent you from getting too intoxicated too soon. A lot of people underestimate how much wine you will be consuming while wine tasting. In the summer Northern California can push 100 degrees so make sure you are taking care of yourself and staying hydrated! No one wants to faint at a winery!
5 - Have fun! Explore! Take lots of pictures! The Wine country is a breath taking and exciting place! Enjoy your time with friend and family to take advantage of what the wine country has to offer.
Don’t
1 - Make too many plans. Can you do 5 wineries in a day? Yes. Should you? No. I understand a lot of people aren’t sure if/when they will be back to the wine country, so they want to make the most of their time but trust me 5 wineries is a lot. Stick to 2-3 a day. Your liver and friends will thank you!
2 - Just drink wine. Get out and try something that’s not wine! Mad Fritz for example, is a killer brewery up in St. Helena and there are numerous olive oil tastings available in Sonoma that also appeal to the younger members of your party.
3 - Just stay in one area. For example, there are so many beautiful towns in Northern California so don’t just limit yourself to one. Napa, Yountville, St. Helena, Calistoga, Sonoma, Sebastopol, and Bodega Bay just to name a few are all places that have their own stories and unique culture. Go out and explore!
4 - Just limit yourself to big wineries or wineries that you’ve heard of. Do some research! Ask the locals and friends what they suggest. There are close to 500 different tasting rooms in Napa alone. Try to have a good mix of places you are familiar with and new names you have not experienced. Not only will you get a better view
Follow us on Social Media:
https://www.instagram.com/obsessedwithwine/
https://www.facebook.com/obsessedwithwine
https://twitter.com/obsessedwine
For more wine content go to obsessedwithwine.com
Listen to past episodes of the podcast here:
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1610813329https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1610813329
Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/6GUNTZsivMlyTySnSbDwfT?si=3c1df2968aba4338
Email the show @ [email protected]
#obsessedwithwine #winepodcast #winelovers #winetasting #winetrends #winestories #winerylife #winetime #winenews #wineeducation #wineculture #winemakers #wineindustry #wineinfluencers #podcastannouncement #season2 #newepisodes #uncorked #cheers
DO:
1 - Show up on time! We realize most people are on vacation and relaxing, but Napa Valley sees a lot of people. If you know you’re going to be late, call and see if accommodations can be made but know that everyone operates on a tight schedule and reservations are there for a reason. Wine countries are pretty spread out so understand how long it will take to get from point A to point B.
2 - Ask questions! Don’t be afraid to learn! The staff at the winery is there to make sure you have a great experience, and they are very knowledgeable so if you are curious about a wine or a winemaking technique, please ask. This is one thing I don’t have a problem with. My wife hates it because I like to ask a ton of questions but in return, I get a lot of great information.
3 - Understand that you are at a tasting not a bar. If you want to be loud and drink a lot, there are plenty of wonderful bars and restaurants that would cater to you. When you are at a winery you are there to taste and learn, so be kind to your host and be mindful of those around you!
4 - Drink lots of water and make sure your eating! Studies show that consuming food before drinking alcohol can help prevent you from getting too intoxicated too soon. A lot of people underestimate how much wine you will be consuming while wine tasting. In the summer Northern California can push 100 degrees so make sure you are taking care of yourself and staying hydrated! No one wants to faint at a winery!
5 - Have fun! Explore! Take lots of pictures! The Wine country is a breath taking and exciting place! Enjoy your time with friend and family to take advantage of what the wine country has to offer.
Don’t
1 - Make too many plans. Can you do 5 wineries in a day? Yes. Should you? No. I understand a lot of people aren’t sure if/when they will be back to the wine country, so they want to make the most of their time but trust me 5 wineries is a lot. Stick to 2-3 a day. Your liver and friends will thank you!
2 - Just drink wine. Get out and try something that’s not wine! Mad Fritz for example, is a killer brewery up in St. Helena and there are numerous olive oil tastings available in Sonoma that also appeal to the younger members of your party.
3 - Just stay in one area. For example, there are so many beautiful towns in Northern California so don’t just limit yourself to one. Napa, Yountville, St. Helena, Calistoga, Sonoma, Sebastopol, and Bodega Bay just to name a few are all places that have their own stories and unique culture. Go out and explore!
4 - Just limit yourself to big wineries or wineries that you’ve heard of. Do some research! Ask the locals and friends what they suggest. There are close to 500 different tasting rooms in Napa alone. Try to have a good mix of places you are familiar with and new names you have not experienced. Not only will you get a better view
Follow us on Social Media:
https://www.instagram.com/obsessedwithwine/
https://www.facebook.com/obsessedwithwine
https://twitter.com/obsessedwine
For more wine content go to obsessedwithwine.com
Listen to past episodes of the podcast here:
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1610813329https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1610813329
Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/6GUNTZsivMlyTySnSbDwfT?si=3c1df2968aba4338
Email the show @ [email protected]
#obsessedwithwine #winepodcast #winelovers #winetasting #winetrends #winestories #winerylife #winetime #winenews #wineeducation #wineculture #winemakers #wineindustry #wineinfluencers #podcastannouncement #season2 #newepisodes #uncorked #cheers
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The Daily Taste: Tuesday May 17th, 2022 - Fermenting wine in concrete?
Hello wine enthusiasts, welcome to The Daily Taste for Tuesday May 17th, 2022.
Winemakers, today have lots of options when it comes to selecting vessels they use for fermentation. Typically, white wines are fermented in stainless steel tanks where the temperature of the fermentation can be controlled with cooling jackets cooled with glycol. A lot of red wines are also fermented in stainless steel tanks before being moved to oak barrels for aging. The decision which vessel to use usually depends on the style of wine being made. For example, some grapes and juice that are used to make high end red wines can be fermented in a stainless-steel tank or can be pumped directly from the destemmer into an oak barrel for fermentation. Using stainless steal tanks to ferment wine is more economical and requires much less labor while fermenting in oak barrels is the opposite. Using oak barrels for fermentation is expensive as a new French Oak barrel can cost up to $3000 a piece. Its also much more labor intensive and requires a lot more space in the winery. The barrels containing the fermenting red wine have to be moved to special racks that allow the winemaking team to rotate them back and forth everyday. This ensures the oak is introduced evenly to the must and juice. The benefits to fermenting in oak barrels includes adding silkiness to the tannins and a rounder more lush mouthfeel.
Sometimes white wines like Chardonnay are also fermented in oak barrels when the winemaker desires oak influence or wants to age the wine on the lees. Aging white wine on the lees is called sur lees aging. The lees are all of the dead yeast cells that are a byproduct of fermentation that sink to the bottom of the barrel. The lees release sugars and proteins into the wine that combine with tannins to soften the mouthfeel. Sur lees aging also requires regular stirring of the barrels which may be the worst job in the cellar, especially if there are a lot of barrels to stir.
Fermentation is not limited to oak or stainless steel. Some winemakers are experimenting with the benefits of other fermenting vessels like concrete eggs. Here is a clip from an interview I did with V. Sattui winemaker, Jason Moravec who talks about the impact of fermenting wine in a concrete egg.
One of my favorite experiences working at V. Sattui was working with the Reisling we fermented in the concrete egg. I have uploaded some videos to the show website that I took of active fermentations of a red wine in a stainless-steel tank and of the Reisling in the concrete egg. Go to www.obsessedwithwine.net and click The Daily Taste Segments button at the top of the home page. Then click the link for this segment to see the videos.
Finally, The beautiful new show website is finally up and running! Go to www.obsessedwithwine.net where you will find links to all episodes and some links for some wine discou
Follow us on Social Media:
https://www.instagram.com/obsessedwithwine/
https://www.facebook.com/obsessedwithwine
https://twitter.com/obsessedwine
For more wine content go to obsessedwithwine.com
Listen to past episodes of the podcast here:
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1610813329https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1610813329
Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/6GUNTZsivMlyTySnSbDwfT?si=3c1df2968aba4338
Email the show @ [email protected]
#obsessedwithwine #winepodcast #winelovers #winetasting #winetrends #winestories #winerylife #winetime #winenews #wineeducation #wineculture #winemakers #wineindustry #wineinfluencers #podcastannouncement #season2 #newepisodes #uncorked #cheers
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The Daily Taste: Thursday May 19th, 2022 - The Growth of Boxed Wine?
Hello wine enthusiasts, welcome to The Daily Taste for Thursday May 19th, 2022.
I saw an interesting article the other day that talked about the increased popularity of boxed wine, so I decided to do this segment on boxed wine. I was surprised when the article said boxed wine is increasing in popularity especially among the environmentally conscious and the young consumer. Experts say that there has been tremendous growth in boxed wine, and I honestly couldn’t believe it! If you’ve read the section on the show website called about the host, you know that my first experience with wine was a boxed wine but since falling in love with wine, I haven’t considered buying wine from a box. The article is critical of what they refer to as “traditional wine enthusiasts” saying that they are used to the heavy glass bottle and the cork or screw cap closure and think of boxed wine as something to hold cheap, low-quality wine. Apparently, this is no longer true. I have to admit, I was fascinated.....
According to sommilierbusiness.com, boxed wine was originally preferred by producers of less expensive wines because as mentioned before, the box is cheaper to produce compared to glass bottles. According to the site, everything changed in 2003 when Black Box Wines introduced premium wines in box packages which was then followed by many other premium wine brands. The article goes on to say that boxed wine is becoming more of a norm and is only looked down upon by the "average wine consumer" who believes the old stereotype that boxed wine is for cheap, low-quality wine.
The article makes its case for wine in a box by listing the following pros of drinking boxed wine:
1 - More bang for your buck. A box of wine holds at least twice the amount of wine held in a standard 750ml glass bottle with the most popular size box being 3 liters.
2 - It’s a plus for the environment. A box takes less energy to produce than a bottle. It’s also recycled easier and produced and shipped for a cheaper price than bottled wine, making is much easier on the environment.
3 - Boxed wine lasts longer than wine held in a glass bottle after opening (4-6 WEEKS) because there is no way for oxygen to get through the tap and into the plastic bag that holds the wine preventing the immediate oxidizing of the wine that happens when a glass bottle is opened.
4 - Boxed wine is easier to transport because it doesn’t slide around like a bottle, and you have zero risk of breaking any glass.
Of course, they also list 3 negatives regarding boxed wine:
Cons of Boxed wine:
1 - No aging potential. Boxed wine is meant for quick easy consumption. If you are a consumer who loves aged wines, then a boxed wine is not for you.
2 - Lack of selection. Since a lot of wineries are not on board with wine in a box, it limits your choices.
3 - They are
Follow us on Social Media:
https://www.instagram.com/obsessedwithwine/
https://www.facebook.com/obsessedwithwine
https://twitter.com/obsessedwine
For more wine content go to obsessedwithwine.com
Listen to past episodes of the podcast here:
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1610813329https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1610813329
Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/6GUNTZsivMlyTySnSbDwfT?si=3c1df2968aba4338
Email the show @ [email protected]
#obsessedwithwine #winepodcast #winelovers #winetasting #winetrends #winestories #winerylife #winetime #winenews #wineeducation #wineculture #winemakers #wineindustry #wineinfluencers #podcastannouncement #season2 #newepisodes #uncorked #cheers
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