🍷 The Art of Wine and Food Pairing

📌 EMAIL - contact for business inquiries

📌 ADVERTISING - for advertising inquiries contact us via the email above

Happy Monday! We hope you have a great week. In this week’s DECORKED digest, you will read all about wine and food pairing, health-related drinking, sector challenges, wine pricing, market oscillations, and much more. Keep reading!

➡️ PARTNERSHIP/SPONSORSHIP packages are available! Advertise your wine-related brand/product/story with the best community out there. For contact, please see above.

INTERESTING THIS WEEK

🗞 Pernod Ricard sells Jacob’s Creek and other big wine brands READ HERE

🔍 Billionaire linked to a fake wine scandal in Taiwan READ HERE

📈 The rise of sake - Taking the UK by storm READ HERE 

📝 Burgundy wines lighten their bottles READ HERE 

🍷 Social equity: Wine's new organic READ HERE

💥 Alarm bells ring for Madeira wine READ HERE

📌 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!

WINE PRICING ISN'T RANDOM — HERE'S WHY THAT BOTTLE COSTS SO MUCH

Wine pricing involves various factors from production to final sale. The cost of grapes, land prices, labor, and shipping significantly influence the base price of wine. High land costs, driven by scarcity and challenging vineyard conditions, especially in sought-after regions like Napa Valley or Burgundy, further elevate prices. Additional expenses include energy, packaging, and operational costs. Beyond production, multiple mark-ups by importers, distributors, and retailers in the US market increase prices further. Marketing strategies and supply-demand dynamics also play roles, with premium wines often reflecting these influences. Experts suggest that keeping prices accessible involves buying in bulk and focusing on lesser-known but high-quality regions. Despite these complexities, some wineries prioritize quality by using organic fruit, even if it raises costs.

READ MORE

WHY ARE WINEMAKERS SUDDENLY MAKING GIN?

With its potential to be a terroir-driven spirit, Gin is attracting winemakers worldwide who are infusing their expertise to create unique spirits. Fabrice Brunel from Domaine André Brunel in Rhône Valley uses gin to showcase the region's botanicals, blending winemaking heritage with distillation. In Italy’s Piedmont, Engine Gin, crafted by Paolo Dalla Mora, uses organic Italian components, while the Vietti family has also ventured into gin, leveraging their deep knowledge of terroirs and botanicals. E. & J. Gallo's Stratusphere gin exemplifies the blurring lines between wine and gin production. These new gins are being embraced by top cocktail bars for their distinctive flavors and aromatic qualities.

READ MORE

STUDY FINDS THAT YOU SHOULD DRINK SPECIFIC AMOUNTS OF SPECIFIC TYPES OF ALCOHOL FOR MAXIMUM HEALTH

A new study from China's Chongqing Medical University, published in Medicine, suggests that moderate drinking may be beneficial for health. Analyzing over 500,000 records from the UK BioBank, the study found that men can safely consume up to 11 grams of alcohol per day and women up to 10 grams, equivalent to about half an alcoholic beverage daily. The study indicates that moderate alcohol intake, especially wine, may protect against conditions like cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, depression, dementia, epilepsy, liver cirrhosis, and other digestive diseases, without increasing cancer risk. The study generalizes and does not account for individual health factors like diet and smoking status. Overall, however, it's a fascinating take on moderate drinking that doesn't urge the unlikely abstinence that's often hard to achieve in the real world.

READ MORE

EU TO UNITE ON WINE SECTOR CHALLENGES

In response to climate challenges and declining wine consumption in Europe, EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski announced a new high-level group to address issues in the wine sector. Severe weather, reduced exports, and changing consumer preferences have impacted wine regions in France, Italy, and Spain. The group will meet three times a year with stakeholders and member state representatives to develop policy recommendations by next year. Despite the sector's historical success, generating €130 billion for the EU GDP and creating 3 million jobs, wine consumption is at a 30-year low. Previous support measures included crisis distillation, and the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) allocates €1.06 billion annually to support a sustainable wine sector.

READ MORE

CHAMPAGNE MAKERS CALL FOR REDUCED GRAPE HARVEST AFTER 15% DROP IN SALES

France's champagne producers have called for a reduction in grape harvests this year due to a 15% drop in sales during the first half of 2024, driven by economic uncertainty and inflation. Champagne shipments fell to 106.7 million bottles, a significant decrease from 2023 levels. Overproduction and retailer overstocking in previous years have also impacted sales. Poor weather, including frosts and wet conditions, has led to increased mildew in vineyards, prompting the Comité Champagne to set a reduced maximum yield of 10,000 kg per hectare, down from 11,400 kg/ha in 2023. Harvesting is expected to start around September 10-12, but no full-year sales forecasts were provided.

READ MORE

THESE FINE DINING SOMMELIERS ARE PUSHING WINE PAIRING BOUNDARIES

Navigating a wine menu can be daunting, but a sommelier can enhance the dining experience by curating wine lists and sharing their knowledge. Victoria James, beverage director at Coqodaq in NYC, emphasizes making wine accessible with a diverse champagne selection paired with Korean fried chicken. At Trivet in London, Isa Bal’s unique approach orders wines by historical chronology, fostering conversations around wine. In Napa Valley, Vincent Morrow at Press prioritizes Napa connections and clear guest communication for personalized recommendations. José Luis Paniagua at Atrio in Spain guides diners through a vast cellar, offering creative pairings that elevate the dining experience.

READ MORE

FINE WINE REMAINS BUYERS’ MARKET DURING Q2

Despite falling prices, wine trade volumes have increased as buyers capitalize on a slow market to acquire wines at favorable prices. Some of the best-performing wines rose up to 20% in value, driven by opportunities from a high-quality primeur campaign and attractive back vintage prices. Notable wines like Beychevelle, Cheval Blanc, and First Growths saw interest, while the Liv-ex 1000 index dipped 2.4%. In contrast, Bordeaux Legends 40 rose 0.3%, its first positive move in a year. Declines were seen in Burgundy and Champagne indices, though some Italian brands showed up to 15% growth. Top performers included Château Léoville Las Cases 2016, Château Angelus, and Domaine Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2020.

READ MORE

WINE REGION OF THE WEEK: NEW MEXICO, USA

New Mexico, home to three American Viticultural Areas (Middle Rio Grande Valley, Mimbres Valley, and Mesilla Valley), hosts around 40 wineries producing wines from varieties like Syrah, Viognier, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The state's continental desert climate typically results in a short growing season with high sugar levels and low acidity in grapes. However, cooler, higher-altitude vineyards, reaching up to 6000 feet, are now emerging and improving wine balance. New Mexico's viticultural history dates back to 1629 with Spanish missionaries, but floods and Prohibition disrupted production until a revival in the 1970s, spurred by viticultural research.

 READ MORE

GRAPE OF THE WEEK: DOLCETTO

Dolcetto wines are known for their intense color, dark, spicy aromas, and earthy hints of almonds or walnuts, but are typically low in acidity, which is reflected in their name meaning "little sweet one." Despite the name, sweet Dolcetto wines are rare. Often considered Piedmont's third red grape, Dolcetto is valued for its adaptability and early ripening, typically grown in cooler, higher-altitude sites where Nebbiolo might not ripen well. These wines are best enjoyed within three or four years of vintage.

 READ MORE

If someone forwarded this email to you, click HERE to subscribe.