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📝 The Importance of Wine Knowledge

📝 The Importance of Wine Knowledge

In this week’s DECORKED digest you will read all about sparkling wine’s new era, Thailand cutting taxes, the industry’s divisions, Portugal’s superstar, and much more. Keep reading!

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Happy Monday! We hope you have a great week. In this week’s DECORKED digest, you will read all about sparkling wine’s new era, Thailand cutting taxes, the industry’s divisions, Portugal’s superstar, and much more. Keep reading!

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INTERESTING THIS WEEK

🦾 A robot sommelier spilled wine on my pants, and then it asked for a tip READ HERE

🌟 Five new members announced by the Institute of Masters of Wine READ HERE

🍾 100,000 bottles recovered and reused after the Wine Paris show READ HERE

🍷 A toast to the history of wine at the White House READ HERE

📉 WSTA: inflation data offers ‘little to celebrate’ READ HERE

📝 UK bulk wine bottlers going back to cork READ HERE

Collection of partnerships and collaborations.

📌 AMBLE WINE PARTNERSHIP - Explore the world of wine with Amble Wine's comprehensive World Wine Map Workbooks and challenging Wine Quiz Workbook, masterfully crafted by wine scholar Lea Gatinois. As our valued reader, enjoy a 5% discount on these premium, eco-friendly resources using code DECORKED at checkout (or click HERE). Expand your wine expertise today!

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We curate, filter, and select only the most exciting and important news for you.

INTRUDER SPILLS 60,000 LITRES OF WINE WORTH €2.5M AT SPANISH WINERY

A Spanish winery, Cepa 21, has reported a significant loss of €2.5 million (£2.1 million) due to an unknown intruder draining 60,000 liters of wine, primarily from their expensive varieties, Horcajo and Malabrig. The incident is under police investigation. Surveillance footage suggests the intruder is familiar with the winery's layout and equipment, although their identity remains unknown. Despite opening five tanks, only three contained wine. Cepa 21, located in Castrillo de Duero, produces premium wines like Horcajo and Malabrigo, sold for £80 and £35 per bottle in the UK, respectively.

SOMMELIER TALK: THE IMPORTANCE OF A WELL-EDUCATED STAFF

At Los Angeles' Providence restaurant, wine director David Osenbach curates an award-winning experience by proactively selecting wines and educating the team. Since his arrival in 2015, Providence earned its first Restaurant Award, expanding its wine program to 800 bottles. Chef Michael Cimarusti's focus on wild-caught seafood prompts frequent adjustments to the seasonal eight-course tasting menu, keeping Osenbach engaged. While wine pairings are a staple, Osenbach ensures the list caters to diverse tastes, offering a mix of new, classic, and older vintages. He adopts a "plan ahead strategy," purchasing wines he anticipates will pair well in the future. Osenbach also promotes wine knowledge among the entire staff, enhancing their knowledge through tasting sessions. These sessions especially enhanced the kitchen staff’s vocabulary and appreciation for wine.

TIME TO STOP WINE'S ENDLESS DIVISIONS

When does wine become overly specific? When you have 134 distinct subzones within Franciacorta, an Italian sparkling wine region, that's when. The recent announcement of Franciacorta's subdivision into such a large number of subzones seems excessive. While enthusiasts in regions like Burgundy might appreciate such granularity, the average consumer likely won't bother learning about so many subzones, especially in a region as small as Franciacorta. This trend towards hyper-specific regional classification is popular in the wine world, driven by the belief that it can justify higher prices. However, it's questionable whether this level of detail is necessary or beneficial. Unlike Burgundy, Bordeaux, or even Napa Valley, which have more moderate levels of subdivision, Franciacorta's move appears excessive and disconnected from consumer preferences. Ultimately, wine education, while valuable to some extent, shouldn't be forced upon consumers as a prerequisite for enjoying wine. Instead, the focus should remain on making wine accessible and enjoyable for all consumers, regardless of their level of wine knowledge.

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IS SPARKLING WINE ENTERING A NEW ERA?

The expanding category of sparkling wine presents an unprecedented array of options. Sparkling wine, once reserved for special occasions, is now enjoyed casually by consumers, following in the footsteps of historical figures like Napoléon Bonaparte and Coco Chanel. The sparkling wine market is evolving rapidly, with consumers increasingly embracing fizz for casual consumption. The competition aims to recognize the diverse range of sparkling wines available, including Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, Crémant, Trentodoc, Cap Classique, and sparkling Shiraz, with results to be published in the June issue of drinks business magazine and online. The contest will identify the very best expressions of fizz across the world, from Champagne to Pet Nat.

EVIVING BAGA, THE STAR GRAPE OF PORTUGAL’S BAIRRADA REGION

A new wave of small-scale producers in Portugal's Bairrada region is redefining the reputation of the indigenous Baga grape, long known primarily for its association with fortified port wines. Over the past decade, Baga has gained popularity among enthusiasts for its complex, age-worthy red wines, often likened to Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo. This shift reflects a broader trend in Portugal towards showcasing indigenous grape varieties. Previously dominated by a single family, the Baga wine market has diversified, with a range of producers now offering diverse styles and interpretations of the grape. This evolution marks a departure from Portugal's traditional blending culture, highlighting Bairrada's unique identity through the singular expression of Baga.

GEORGE CLOONEY JOINS THE WINE INDUSTRY

George Clooney and his wife Amal are reportedly launching a wine label from their Provence estate, Domaine de Canadel. The estate, purchased in 2021 with an existing vineyard, will release a white and rosé wine this spring under the Coteaux Varois en Provence appellation. The vineyard, primarily planted with Vermentino grapes, is overseen by wine consultant Laurence Berlemont. Clooney has actively participated in blending sessions, and the wines are set for release after the final blending sessions. The brand name, rumored to be "La Bastide Saint-Georges," is yet to be confirmed.

THAILAND CUTS WINE, LIQUOR, NIGHTCLUBS, AND BARS TAXES TO INCREASE SPENDING

The Excise Department of Thailand has adjusted excise tax rates on wine, brewed beverages, and service establishments, effective from February 23, to boost tourism and expenditure. Dr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Director-General of the Excise Department, stated that the adjustments seek to enhance price competitiveness regionally, increase spending by tourists, and attract high-quality visitors to the country. The changes include standardizing excise tax rates on wine and sparkling wine, exempting fruit wine from taxation, and adjusting tax rates on brewed liquors. Additionally, there's a temporary reduction in tax rates for service establishments, aimed at aiding businesses affected by COVID-19 and promoting domestic employment

WINE REGION OF THE WEEK: AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

Auckland on New Zealand's North Island is both the country's largest city and a (largely) boutique wine-producing region. Vineyards are dotted around the countryside to the north and south of the metropolitan area, planted mostly to Chardonnay and the Bordeaux grape varieties Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. Auckland's vinous history began in the late 19th Century with the arrival of Dalmatian settlers who had come to dig for kauri gum, a valuable resource at the time. These settlers brought winegrowing traditions from their Croatian homeland and began to plant grape vines on the land surrounding the new settlement of Kumeu. Much of New Zealand's modern wine industry traces its history back to these settlers, and Auckland is still home to the headquarters and cellar-door tasting operations of many Croatian-run wine companies, including Nobilo, Babich, and Villa Maria. Auckland has a humid climate due to its coastal location and high rainfall, which makes grape growing a challenge. The soil is shallow clay over hard silt and clay subsoils, or sandy loams. The bedrock is up to 250 million years old and many of the viticultural sites sit on heavy clays with low natural drainage.

GRAPE OF THE WEEK: TRAMINETTE

Traminette is a hybrid white wine grape variety originally bred at the University of Illinois in 1965. It’s the result of a crossing between Gewurztraminer and Joannes Seyve 23.416 and retains some of its more famous parent characteristics. Traminette wines tend to be floral and spicy and are made in both dry and off-dry styles. The variety was initially bred as a table grape, but its high quality saw it quickly find favor as a wine grape in the northeast states of Virginia, New York, and Indiana. Traminette vines are relatively cold and hardy, making them suited to the continental climates of some of the more inland states. Traminette is a versatile grape variety and has been used to make dry, sweet, and sparkling wines. Ice wine and botrytis styles have also been achieved, with the wines showing good viscosity and concentration. It is sometimes referred to as a winter-hardy version of Gewürztraminer, without the perfumed intensity of its parent.

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