November 2022

“World of Zero” to dominate Hall 1 at ProWein 2023

Alcohol-free or “zero” wines are a trending topic with quite some potential. Kylie Minogue is launching her first non-alcoholic sparkling rosé wine of the same name, to be sold in British Tesco supermarkets, among other locations. “Zero” is also playing an increasingly important role in food service.

Increased health awareness and changing consumer behavior among Generation “Z,” i.e. 26- to 37-year-olds, are the main reasons for the trend. Growing health awareness may be a factor, with consumers opting for alcohol-free options on visits to pubs and bars as part of a moderate approach to drinking. Equally, generational shifts play a role, with 65% of members of Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) expressing a desire to moderate their alcohol intake, according to a survey.

With its “World of Zero”, ProWein (March 19 – 21, 2023 in Düsseldorf, Germany) is picking up on this trend and proactively setting the stage for it. Whereas the non-alcoholic products were previously distributed throughout the exhibition halls at the stands of the corresponding producers, importers, and exporters, they will now be concentrated in one area in Hall 1.

“For our trade visitors from food service and retail this is the ideal platform to comprehensively, and above all efficiently, gather information on this segment,” explained Michael Degen, Executive Director Messe Düsseldorf, and adds: “This provides exhibitors with easier access to new buyers for their new products and allows visitors, in turn, to locate this new product group faster.” Thus, on the one hand, companies are represented in the “World of Zero” that are located in other halls with their main stand and are now additionally presenting themselves in this theme world. These include Schlumberger, Peter Riegel, and Schloss Wachenheim, to name a few examples. On the other hand, there are also exhibitors in the “World of Zero” who are exclusively represented there – such as Kolonne Null from Berlin or Manufaktur Jörg Geiger.

#nonalcoholicwines #prowein #proweintradefair #winebusiness #wineprofessionals #winetasting #wineshop #winetrends #tradefair #winetradefair #winenews #worldofzero #Alcoholfree #wineinfluencer

Women in Wine Talks with Marie-Laurence Sanfourche, Propriétaire du Château Loupiac-Gaudiet

Château Loupiac-Gaudiet dates to the 15th century and has been owned by the Ducau family since the 1920’s. The wine estate is located in the village of Loupiac, above the Garonne River in Bordeaux, and directly across from the famous appellations of Sauternes and Barsac.

Château Loupiac-Gaudiet benefits from southern exposure and has been in the family for five generations. The wine comes from manual harvest with vines that are over forty years old. Covering an area of 30 hectares, the wine estate produces both sweet white wine and red Bordeaux.

Marie-Laurence Sanfourche joined her husband Marc Ducau in 1991 by taking over the commercial and administrative roles of the company. In 2014, their son Nicolas joined the family business.

Liz Palmer
Who is Marie-Laurence Sanfourche and tell us a little about your history.

Marie-Laurence Sanfourche
This is an old family business – at the end of the 18^th century, the Chateau was built. It has been the property of the Sanfourche and Ducau families since 1920, when the Ducau’s combined Chateau de Loupiac with their own vineyard, Guadiet, to create Chateau Loupiac Gaudiet.

When I met my husband, I married the man, not the chateau. In 1991 I started to work with my husband and my uncle. My uncle was the soul of the chateau… he passed away at 93.

I now have the commercial role, which is dealing with the export markets as well as the general administration of the business. Our largest markets are China and USA, I also work with wine merchants in Bordeaux. My son is the fifth generation and he also works in wine sales and exports. My husband (on the other hand) is the winemaker.

Liz Palmer
Who were your mentors in the industry?

Marie-Laurence Sanfourche
My uncle and my father (both) taught me. I was very often in the vineyard to learn, even when I was a student. They both loved their job and they communicated that love and the hard part of their work….little by little..they taught me.

Liz Palmer
Do you have a message for other women in wine in your particular role?

Marie-Laurence Sanfourche
When I first started and received clients they (the clients) would say oh it’s a woman ….now it’s different. It’s changed a lot since then and it’s much easier.

I find that women communicate differently, and they are more open.

Liz Palmer
The future is certainly bright for women in the industry, what are your comments?

Marie-Laurence Sanfourche
Women will be more and more important…. Wine is a question of sensitivity, philosophy, and tasting …… wine speaks to us women.

The personality of the wine and the owner are the same (I believe).

Liz Palmer
In your personal wine collection, what would we find?

Marie-Laurence Sanfourche
(I collect) Spanish wines, and wines from California and Australia.

Liz Palmer
What is your favorite food and wine pairing?

Marie-Laurence Sanfourche
For me, I like stronger older Comté or Roquefort cheese paired with and sweet wine.

#Liquoreux #loupiacgaudiet #vins #loupiac #Loupiac #liquoreuxdebordeaux #loupiacwine #sweetwine #loupiacvin #vinliquoreux #vindebordeaux #VinBlanc #Oenotourisme #Vignoble #Vin #winetourism #tourism #winepairing #womeninwine #womeninwinebusiness #bordeaux #bordeauxlovers

Colli Piacentini + The Golden Shades of Malvasia di Candia Aromatica, Filippo Magnani

A day before the opening of the Val Tidone wine Festival (September 10^th, 2022) a group of wine journalists and trade attended a press event “Emilia in villa”, which was presented by Emilia Wine Experience (the organization which regroups different wine and food consortiums and wine routes associations).

The press joined the tasting and explored the different styles of Malvasia and Gutturnio in the secular park of Villa Braghieri, in Castel San Giovanni, in the province of Piacenza. It was a pleasant dinner that “blended” gastronomic masterpieces with a focus on the productions of Malvasia, age-worthy white wines with powerful aromas and body.

The vineyards in Emilia are extensively cultivated with both red and white grapes. The homeland of Malvasia is Colli Piacentini DOC, where you can see the gentle hills around Piacenza, where vineyards are mainly under this appellation. It is a very interesting place for wine production, because of the steep slopes of the hills, the different composition of soils such as red clay and limestone and a particularly suitable climate for the vines, with long and warm summers and very cold and cloudy winters. The Colli Piacentini DOC covers 3,600 hectares of hills in the western-most part of Emilia-Romagna and runs from the Appennine, on the border with Lombardy, through the main five valleys: Val Tidone, Val Luretta, Val Trebbia, Val Nure, and Val d’Arda.

The production covers a wide range of wine styles and grape varieties. Among the many native grapes cultivated there is no doubt that Malvasia Aromatica is the “golden shade” of these wines. As the name suggests, it is very aromatic, but the producers of the area (over 80) have been keen to develop different styles of Malvasia, from dry to sweet, to bubbly and e skin-fermented.

The DOC Colli Piacentini appellation has been protected by the local consortium since 1986, and each year celebrates the “Val Tidone Wine Festival” in the towns of the DOC area. The event joins art, culture and local food, with wine and hospitality, to create and promote the connection between the excellences of the territory. Tidone Valley is a land of scenic and breathtaking views over the vineyards. The smooth hills of the valley lead to Ziano Piacentino, the largest vine-covered area in Italy; and a historical town rich with castles under the same name. Because of the strategic geographic position, midway between North and Central Italy, the adjacent towns are also embellished with beautiful buildings and fortresses, some of them have ruins from Roman times. The entire area is blessed with green forests and pristine nature, around the river Trebbia, which contributes to the moisture of the area even during drought periods.

Emilia Wine Experience

The Emilia Wine Experience arises from the need of the representatives of the territory to emerge, or rather, to promote and communicate, in a more effective way, the potential of the fascinating Emilia. The project creates and promotes the territorial brand “Emilia” and has managed to involve 20 municipalities, gathered around the three main Provinces along the fascinating 5 roads of wine and flavours of Emilia: Piacenza, Parma and Reggio Emilia, two Consortiums of Protection, and a local association; all united to enhance the strong link between territory, wine, and tourism. The Emilia Wine Experience is a model of local development that brings together all the many experiences, events and quality initiatives of the territory, it collects them in the same portal, and gives them easy access.

“Emilia is a land of food and wine masterpieces”.

Here is the website for further details:

www.emiliawineexperience.it

Wine Estates and Tasting Notes

COLLI PIACENTINI MALVASIA DOC “SORRISO DI CIELO” 2020 – LA TOSA

This winery dates back to the nineties, being one of the first to focus on a still and dry Malvasia, that will age over time. No doubt, this is a winning project of La Tosa, as their Malvasia is one of the few that can be aged for decades and at the same time still keeping its body and aromas. This wine brings memories of Sicily, as the aromatic bouquet recalls Sicilian Muscat. The colour is deep golden, and on the nose, orange blossoms and dried apricot. On the mouth it is medium bodied, easy drinking with a green finish.

COLLI PIACENTINI MALVASIA DOC “BACIAMANO” 2020 – MOSSI 1558

One of the most historical wineries of the area, immersed into the vineyards. Their Malvasia is unique, as it is aged in porcelain stoneware, where it is fermented and aged for 6 months. The colour tends to be more golden, but with deep notes of citrus, exotic fruits and dried herbs, like hay. On the mouth, its alcohol is well balanced by the lashing citrusy acidity and long dry back taste.

COLLI PIACENTINI MALVASIA DOC “BOCCADIROSA” 2020 – LURETTA

An enchanting place for winemaking: a castle on the hills of Piacenza, a timeless place that was kept untouched through the years, since 1,000. The same walls of the Middle Ages actually host the winemaking area and aging cellar. Since 1988 the vineyards have grown organic for a wide production of wine. This Malvasia shows brilliant amber colour, with nice notes of cedar wood, beeswax, and candied orange zest; full-bodied, with an immediate cleanness, it tastes almost tannic and salty on the back taste.

COLLI PIACENTINI MALVASIA DOC “TASTO DI SETA” 2019 – CASTELLO DI LUZZANO

A family-run winery made of passion and bonds with Northern Italy, that has concentrated its efforts and resources on dry Malvasia, in order to produce one of the most elegant examples of this wine.

The straw yellow colour is enchanting, but the nose is even more, with intriguing notes of cantaloupe, orange blossoms and chalk. On the mouth its silky taste (as its name evokes, silk is seta in Italian) is well balanced with the mouth-watering taste and long finish.

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A new map of the Contrade dell’Etna has just been updated

The process has been long and meticulous. The map clearly defines and identify the borders and the exact position of the Contradas within the Etna DOC production area. It was prepared by the Consorzio Tutela Vini Etna DOC with contribution by the Agriculture Department of the Department of Agriculture of the Sicilian Region.

The identification of the districts has been previously based on the interpretation of old cadastral maps with no updates to level curves, and continuous eruptive activity of Etna. The new map was created starting from recent topographic surveys which were then superimposed on cartographic layers constructed through multiple surveys with GIS (Geographic Information System) instruments.

“This is a demanding job that has finally come to an end and which represents only the first step in an even more complex project of studying the Etna area” comments Francesco Cambria, President of the Consorzio Tutela Vini Etna DOC. “Never had a study of this type been done.

The goal was to clarify the exact boundaries of the 133 Contrade dell’Etna within the production disciplinary and to identify the new ones that will be officially introduced in the coming months.

The incredible biodiversity that Etna preserves, in fact, is expressed not only within the different slopes of the volcano where our viticulture is present, but also in the many Contradas starting from the different stratifications of the lava flows and the exposure of the vineyards. . All factors that make each Contrada almost unique within the Etna area, capable of giving different nuances to its wines “.

The Production Disciplinary of the Etna Controlled Designation of Origin, the oldest present in Sicily born in 1968, recognizes from 2011 within its area, which extends over the territory of 20 municipalities, the presence of 133 districts, legally equivalent to Additional Geographical Units. In the long work of reconnaissance of the territory, the updating of the borders has led to the identification of 9 new districts, thanks to the collaboration of the producers belonging to the Consortium, which will be officially included in the next update of the production specification. The new Map of the Contrade also takes into consideration the latter, reaching the number of 142 Contradas, divided into the territory of 11 municipalities: 25 in Randazzo, 41 in Castiglione di Sicilia, 10 in Linguaglossa, 13 in Piedimonte Etneo, 8 in Milo, 4 in Santa Venerina, 20 in Zafferana Etnea, 9 in Trecastagni, 6 in Viagrande, 1 in Santa Maria di Licodia, 5 in Biancavilla.

#EtnaDOC #etnawine #winesofsicily #sicilianwines #italianwines #sicilia #sicily #drinksicily #sicilianwine #sicilianwines #winelovers #wineinfluencer #italianwine #italianwinelovers #winenews #winemap #etnacontrada #volcanicwine #etnadocwine #etnanord #etnasud

Californian Vintners Report “High Quality” for the 2022 Harvest

The California Vintners Report came out this week and described this year as “a tale of two harvests”, with the heatwave in the week around Labor Day dividing the season into earlier and later picks. . Besides some of the “curve balls” one winemaker states the quality was “off the charts”

The summer growing season was ideal on the North Coast, the report said, until the late August heatwave accelerated the harvest and reduced yields in many places. Mendocino, however, saw yields up in 2019, because of the cool spring and milder-than-normal temperatures, even though the extended heat wave and limited water resources for irrigation proved challenging during the harvest.

Meanwhile, Lodi and the Sierra Foothills saw some late frost after a mild spring “dramatically” reduced the size of the crop.

There was good news from Napa Valley, which recorded excellent quality. More than 20 inches of rain fell in October and December 2021, bucking the years of drought seen across the region, which was followed by dry conditions from January until March. The Spring was mild and cool, but the Labor Day heatwave sent temperatures soaring into triple digits – up t0 110 -118 degrees in some places – for nearly a week, although cools nights helped to temper this and allows the vines to recharge.

This caused ripening to accelerate throughout the valley, and picking began earlier-than-average for many varieties, although growers had to use multiple techniques to help vines ride out the heat, where unripe grapes had been left to hang. There was some dehydration though, resulting in lower yields but greater concentration and flavor intensity, the report said.

Nate Weis, vice president of winegrowing at Silver Oak and Twomey Cellars in the Napa Valley said 2022 was likely to be “a pretty intense vintage — concentrated and powerful”, with particularly Pinot Noir from the Russian River, Anderson Valley and Santa Lucia Highlands, and good Merlot and Cabernet Franc. “The quality,” he said, “is off the charts.”

Duckhorn Vineyards’s vice president of winemaking Renée Ary noted the estate’s Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot were “some of the best ever and the Chardonnays are bright, balanced and focused”, she said.

“Given the range of ripeness, blending will be important for the 2022 vintage as we balance our early and later picks.”

Meanwhile, in Sonoma County, limited rainfall, early season frost, warm spring and an early summer proved to have no ill effects, although some yields were lighter than average. However, the report noted that “fruit quality thus far is stunning and the overall smaller berry and cluster sizes point to a stellar 2022 vintage… [with] vintners… reporting wonderful concentration and flavor in the wines.”

Lisa Amaroli, director of winemaking at Benziger Family Winery in Glen Ellen, Sonoma County said it was “one for the record books”.

It comes as California’s Wine Institute has begun a new push to increase Californian wine exports – part of its ten-year strategy to grow US wine export sales to more than $2.5 billion by 2030.

View the full 2022 California Harvest Report, including regional reports from Amador County, Calaveras County, El Dorado County, Lake County, Livermore Valley, Lodi, Mendocino County, Monterey County, Napa Valley, Paso Robles, San Diego County, Santa Barbara County, Santa Clara Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains and Sonoma County: https://wineinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Wine_Institute_2022_Harvest_Report.pdf

#CalifornianVintnersReport #californiawine #wine #winelover #winetasting #winetime #napavalley #sonoma #harvestreport #californiawinecountry #winenews #CaliforniaWineInstitute #californiawine #california