The Sweet White Wines of Bordeaux

Bordeaux has been producing sweet white wines since 1630 and at that time were considered an after-dinner drink by wealthy landowners who liked the sweet style. Recently these wines have become popular again among younger consumers, gourmands, and chefs.

The Grands Vins Liquoreux de Bordeaux or Union des Grands vins de Bordeaux Sweet was established in 2009. There are eight appellations and based on terroir, each focuses on a different interpretation of sweetness:

  • AOP Cadillac – Sweet and subtle
  • AOP Loupiac – Sweet and sensual
  • AOP Saint Croix-du-Mont – Sweet and generous
  • AOP Saint-Macaire – Sweet and tangy, medium sweet
  • AOP Bordeaux Superior – Sweet and diaphanous
  • AOP Bordeaux Moelleux – Sweet and fresh
  • AOP Cerons – Sweet and refined
  • AOP Premiers Cotes de Bordeaux – Sweet and elegant

Grape Varieties

The sweet white wines of Bordeaux tend to be a blend of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes. Semillon is the main grape varietal used; they have thin skins, and they easily get infected with Botrytis fungus. Semillon also adds texture to the wines.  Sauvignon Blanc adds acidity and crispness to the wines. Muscadelle adds floral aromas to the wine blend.

What makes this wine different from other dessert wines is noble rot. This rot is caused by the fungus Botrytis Cinerea, which increases the wine’s natural sweetness.

Botrytis Cinerea

This starts in the vineyard, and the winemakers in these eight appellations are world-renown for their mastery in producing these wonderful wines.  Also known as “Noble Rot”. Botrytis is a unique kind of fungus that affects the Semillon grape during fall season and before harvest. The affected grapes are sticky and full of aromatics, maintaining a shriveled appearance that evolves over time.

How this fungus attacks the grape clusters, and the length of time it takes to infiltrate the cell structure has a substantial effect on the aromas and flavors. As Botrytis spores expand, it depletes the juice from the grapes by 50%. While this improves the sugar concentration of the grape quite measurably, it also results in specific aromas coming from this” newly” crystallized fruit.

This is a natural process and it’s very rare that Botrytis will affect an entire grape cluster uniformly. Therefore, harvests are done by hand, over several passes sometimes 4-5 times, over days or weeks.

I was in the vineyards a few weeks ago and did a first pass picking for three rows.  A second, third/fourth pass will occur some days later in order to finish picking the cluster.

I found out that the grape pickers hired must have experience to recognize a botrytis-affected grape and to know they are ready to be picked. This meticulous process has been refined for over 400 years.

This process is also called “successive selection” or “sorting”. This particular harvest process results in extremely low grape yields.

The Terroir

For Botrytis to affect the grapes both the soil composition and weather are equally important. These semi-sweet wines benefit from soils that are chalky with limestone, clay, gravel, and sand. There are also numerous microclimates, facilitated by the location of both the Garonne and Ciron rivers.

An essential element to the onset of Botrytis is the early morning mist, which I also witnessed a few weeks ago. What a magical moment!  The mist appears exclusively in the fall season, preceding harvest. Usually by mid-day with much of the mist has been burned off by the sun.

The Numbers

There are 8 Appellations

1,800 Hectares of Vines [surface area]

350 Estates

1% of Bordeaux Volumes

2% of Bordeaux Area

84,000 Hectoliters Produced

9 Million Bottles Produced Each Year

38 % is Exported

 

@charmeu_usa @charmeu_canada and @vinsblancsdebordeaux_usa #loupiac #enjoyitsfromeurope #euAgriPromo #MadeintheEU #thecharmingtasteofeu #charmeu #cadillac #saintmacaire #cerons #saintecroixdumont #bordeauxsuperieur #premierescotesdebordeaux #bordeauxmoelleux  #bordeauxwine #bordeauxwinelover #madeinfrance #wine #winelover #sweetwine #sweetwinelovers #sweetbordeauxwine  #sweetbordeaux #winelife #winedestinations #womeninwine

Demand for sparkling wine in Canada has grown 50% in the last 5 years

The demand for sparkling wine in Canada has jumped more than half in the last five years and is expected to expand by another third in the next five. Prosecco has been riding this wave and is outperforming the market, having gone from accounting for nearly one in five sparkling wine bottles consumed in 2016, to around one in three last year, according to IWSR data.

Findings from Wine Intelligence show that much of this demand has been driven by a 21% rise in the number of sparkling wine drinkers over the past three years, as well as the growing popularity of the category among Millennials. Almost a million new drinkers have entered the sparkling wine segment since 2019 and those in the Millennial 25-39 age band now account for 42% of sparkling wine drinkers, up from 37% in the same period.

As in other markets, the perception of sparkling wine in Canada is shifting from a drink enjoyed in formal settings, to one that is increasingly suited to more relaxed environments. The number of occasions appropriate to its consumption has increased significantly and so has the frequency of its intake among Canadians. Wine Intelligence data shows that the number of Canadian sparkling wine drinkers enjoying sparkling wine once a week has risen from 16% in 2019 to 25% in 2022.

These conditions have proved to be very fertile ground for Prosecco brands, because Wine Intelligence findings show that Prosecco, along with sparkling rosé, has the highest consumption incidences, and is associated with informal social situations as well as still being seen as suitable for celebrations. 46% of sparkling wine drinkers view Prosecco as a ‘good drink for celebrations and a similar number considered it ‘perfect for a party’.

Competitive pricing has played an important role in democratizing sparkling wine in Canada, and although Prosecco was outscored by domestically produced, US and ‘sparkling wines from other countries, more than a third of sparkling wine drinkers believe that Prosecco represents good value to drinkers.

In the two most important cues cited for influencing purchasing behavior in the off-trade – brand awareness and recommendations from friends or family – Prosecco also grades highly. ‘A brand I am aware of’ is the number one factor behind the purchase of a Prosecco product and ‘recommendations’ is the number two.

The Millennial drinkers helping to push up sales of sparkling wine are also likely to be fashion-conscious and Prosecco is very much in vogue among Canadian drinkers. No other sparkling wine type is perceived to be more ‘fashionable’ than Prosecco.

As an increasing number of consumers choose to drink sparkling wine more regularly, the prospects of the category look bright. The main threat to the category comes not from other alternative alcoholic drinks but from the current economic outlook. Rising inflation and a global financial downturn is likely to have repercussions for consumer spending on sparkling wine.

#drinks #millennialdrinkers #winemarketing #wineinfluencers #canada #sparklingwine#wine #wineindustry #winelovers #sparklingwinelovers #wineindustry #Prosecco # #WineIntelligence #winetime #winelife #winereport

“Monopoly Napa Valley Edition” unveiled this week

The World’s Most Popular Game Monopoly now has a Napa Valley Inspired edition Featuring Napa Cellars Winery, among other local businesses and Landmarks. Top Trumps, the American division of Winning Moves International (creators of classic games and puzzles) this week released “MONOPOLY Napa Valley Edition” under license from Hasbro.

This version of the game replaces famous Atlantic City squares (from Boardwalk to Park Place) with representations of much-loved Napa Valley cultural sites, historic landmarks, and time-honored businesses, alongside customized Community Chest and Chance playing cards to ensure each detail of the game pays homage to the iconic wine region destination.

Napa Valley is well known for its iconic wineries, Michelin-starred restaurants and stunning views from the valley to the Mayacamas mountains.

Napa Cellars, an Oakville tasting room and winery deeply rooted in the heart of Napa Valley for nearly 50 years, is one of the properties featured on the board. Beyond its square between “Free Parking” and “Chance” spaces on the Napa Valley edition of the iconic MONOPOLY board, the winery can be found on a Chance playing card, which reads “The sun is shining, and Napa Cellars is calling. Make a reservation for a picnic amongst the vines. Pay 150.” Napa Cellars can also be found on a Community Chest playing card, which reads: “Napa Cellars consulted you to craft the next vintage. Collect 200.”  Other wineries featured include Beringer Vineyards, Sterling Vineyards, Frank Family Vineyards, and Hall Wines.

 

“We’re thrilled to launch MONOPOLY Napa Valley Edition in time for the holidays and to celebrate one of the most beloved, culturally rich and geographically beautiful wine regions in the world. We’ve spent months creating a portrayal of the area’s dynamic communities that we hope locals and visitors alike will enjoy for years to come,” says Jennifer Tripsea, a representative from Top Trumps USA. “We’ve incorporated important feedback from locals to truly make this a fun and engaging game for Napa Valley residents and beyond.”

The Monopoly Napa Valley Edition is available for $39.95 USD on Amazon, CVS and www.toptrumps.us. The game is also for sale in several local retailers, including Napa Cellars’ Oakville tasting room along historic Highway 29.

#winelovers #wine #napavalley  #MonopolyNapaValleyEdition #monopoly #monopolygame #gamenight #monopolygamenight #monopolyboardgame #MonopolyNapaValley #Napavalleywineries #NapaValleyWine #NapaValleyWinetourism #napacellarswine #holidaygift #gift #winegift #napawinelovers  #BeringerVineyards #SterlingVineyards #FrankFamilyVineyards #hallwines #winesofcalifornia #winelife #winetime #wineinfluencer #CAwine

Ingredients listed on a wine label: a consumer’s perception study

 A study dealing with: “Wine labeling with the list of ingredients: context, consumer’s perception and future challenges” was just released in anticipation of the new European Réglementation. The study questions the perception by the consumer of different types of ingredients on the label.

You can view this study here: https://www.wine-law.org/index.php/en/ingredients-on-wine-label-a-consumers-perception-study/

#wine #winelabelling #winenews #winestudy #winelovers #wineconsumer #winebottle #consumerresearch #winemaking

Women in Wine Talks – Bordeaux

On my recent trip to Bordeaux, I interviewed many wonderful families including female owners, winemakers and other women in the wine business.. watch this space for the interviews, discussions, and wonderful visuals captured!

Liz Palmer 

@charmeu_usa @charmeu_canada and @vinsblancsdebordeaux_usa

#enjoyitsfromeurope #euAgriPromo #MadeintheEU #thecharmingtasteofeu #charmeu #loupiac #cadillac  #saintmacaire #cerons #saintecroixdumont #bordeauxsuperieur #premierescotesdebordeaux #bordeauxmoelleux  #bordeauxwine #bordeauxlover #madeinfrance #wine #winelover #travelling  #traveldiaries  #winelife #winetourism #winedestinations #womeninwine #womenwinemakers #womeninwinebusiness