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🌄 Wine & Art; a perfect combo?

🌄 Wine & Art; a perfect combo?

In this week’s DECORKED digest you will read all about wine innovations, Portugal and Champagne harvests, as well as tips for wine lovers, and much more. Keep reading!

October 02, 2023

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Happy Monday! Wish you a wonderful week ahead! In the past few days, we have researched how art and wine combine, the renaissance of white wines, new trends and innovations, as well as news from the wine business. Keep reading!

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INTERESTING THIS WEEK

📝 How alcohol industry members can prepare for a government shutdown READ HERE

🇬🇷 Santorini harvests tiny yield following ‘difficult’ vintage READ HERE

🥃 Brits reveal which alcoholic drinks are ‘most overrated’ READ HERE

🇪🇸 Forgotten Spanish wine region discovered READ HERE

🍾 Champagne Salon releases 2013 vintage READ HERE

📈 The rise of still Blanc de Noirs wines 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.

CHAMPAGNE HARVEST 2023: A BUMPER CROP

The 2023 Champagne harvest started on September 7th and set records for its generous yield. Despite the challenge of managing ripeness and disease, strict supply regulations allow only a fixed amount of grapes to be turned into Champagne each year. Factors such as minimal spring frost damage, successful flowering in June, and unusual weather patterns contributed to this abundant harvest. The Côte des Blancs region fared better due to drier conditions and thicker-skinned Chardonnay grapes. Delicate Meunier grapes faced disease risk in humid terroirs. The labor-intensive process of harvesting involves sorting grapes in the vineyard, with around 120,000 seasonal workers compensated by weight rather than hourly wages. When it comes to harvest, easy is not good, and hard is not bad; in the right hands, and in the right places, 2023 promises plenty to look forward to.

US LAUNCHES FIRST REUSABLE WINE BOTTLE SYSTEM

A company in Oregon is introducing a multi-use wine bottle system designed for up to 50 reuses. Teaming up with the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC), this marks the creation of the first large-scale wine bottle return system in the US. Oregon's existing reusable deposit system, managed by OBRC, operates the "BottleDrop network" throughout the state, where consumers can drop off empty bottles in specialized bags and get their deposit back. This system boasts the highest return rate and convenience in the country. Revino, the company behind this initiative, intends to supply more than 30 wine producers with 2.4 million reusable bottles for their 2024 bottling. These bottles are labeled as "refillable" at the bottom, making them easily identifiable for consumers. They can be returned to official OBRC collection points and to participating partner producers. Revino plans to open a bottle processing plant by the third quarter of 2024 to sort, clean, and return bottles to producers for reuse. Initially, they will offer Burgundy bottles in green glass, with plans to expand the color range in the future.

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IS WHITE WINE ENJOYING A SALES BOOM?

During the summer in Napa, E.&J. Gallo made headlines by acquiring Rombauer Vineyards and Massican in quick succession. While both wineries have diverse wine portfolios, they share a reputation for producing outstanding white wines. Rombauer is renowned for its buttery Chardonnay, a variety closely associated with California. Massican, on the other hand, specializes in lively blends of lesser-known Italian grape varieties and has expanded into Sauvignon Blanc. In today's U.S. wine market, there's a growing demand for premium white wines, and consumers are no longer limited to expecting white wine to be inexpensive or solely Chardonnay. Imported white wines from countries like New Zealand, Spain, Italy, and France have gained recognition. Despite a historical decline in white wine consumption in the U.S., one grape variety stands out with rising sales: Sauvignon Blanc. This grape happens to be a strength for both Rombauer and Massican, making it a noteworthy success in the challenging wine market.

ART AND WINE: IN THE GARDEN OF GAINS

Art and wine have always had a historical connection, symbolizing human creativity and pleasure. However, their perception has shifted from veneration to financial gain as they venture into secondary markets, potentially overshadowing primary markets. The intertwined history of art and wine dates back to our primal desire for aesthetic enjoyment beyond survival. Unlike wine, visual art cannot be physically consumed, and typically, only one tangible artwork results from each creative act. Yet, the growth of the secondary market has changed this dynamic. Both art and wine now often have shorter ownership durations, with resale in mind. Art and wine stand out from other luxury goods because they attract media attention and share a common audience of affluent collectors. The future of these markets faces potential disruption from non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and cryptocurrencies. As both industries continue to evolve, they remain intriguing and ever-adapting, akin to aging stars still seeking the spotlight in the world of economics and marketing.

HARVEST OF ‘UPS AND DOWNS’ IN THE DOURO

The Douro's harvest this year has been marked by both positive and challenging aspects, creating what the Port industry considers a "perfect storm" ahead. CEO Adrian Bridge and winemaker David Guimaraens from The Fladgate Partnership, owners of Taylor's and Fonseca, provided insights on this year's harvest during a video update. Bridge acknowledged that the harvest faced various climatic challenges and mildew outbreaks, necessitating close attention from the viticultural teams. However, these challenges did not adversely affect the quality of grapes across their vineyards. Overall, the harvest had its ups and downs, with some vineyards performing well and showing promise for the production of exciting and refined Ports.

Bridge emphasized the broader context of challenges facing Port producers, including labor supply issues, changing climate conditions, and difficulties related to vineyard inheritance. Many vineyards needed replanting, but due to the high cost involved (approximately €50-60,000 per hectare), some people chose to sell their estates instead. In response, the Fladgate Partnership decided to purchase vineyards to prevent them from becoming unused, and they plan to continue doing so in the coming years.

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE: AVOID THE VALUE-FOR-MONEY TRAP

Robert Joseph has a unique perspective on how we perceive attractively-priced wines. Having been a wine critic for many years at a British national newspaper that imposed price restrictions on recommended wines, he prioritized value when writing about bottles. His criterion was simple: a wine that tasted better and cost less than others on the shelf was highly regarded. However, behind the 'good value' price tag lies a challenge. While being labeled as 'good value' can benefit efficient, high-volume producers with established distribution networks, it may not be ideal for others. The budget for promoting wine is often limited and varies depending on personal beliefs within the category. Participating in a value-for-money competition means competing with discount supermarkets' private-label offerings, which can be an uphill battle that's hard to win.

TRENDS: ‘DECONSTRUCTIVE ETHANOLOGY’

Hocus Drinks has introduced an innovative patented method that eliminates water and alcohol from any alcoholic beverage. This pioneering process, known as 'deconstructive ethanology,' aims to transform the spirits industry. They offer a selection of flavor extracts, including rum, vodka, tequila, and bourbon, which are available in single-use ampoules or a 30ml dispenser equivalent to three bottles of spirits. Designed with affordability and convenience in mind, these extracts can be mixed with a mixer to create low-alcohol beverages or combined with a neutral spirit base, like Hocus's 40% abv pure alcohol solution, to craft authentic cocktails or the desired spirit.

Mark Stone, the founder of Hocus Drinks, emphasized that this process is applicable to any alcoholic beverage, including wine, beer, and spirits, although the initial focus is on spirits. The essence is conveniently stored in a dispenser, requiring only three squirts to create a gin and tonic that tastes identical to the original version. In addition to saving space, the dispenser technology also boasts strong sustainability features, potentially influencing the way spirits are served and transported worldwide.

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WINE REGION OF THE WEEK: NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA

The New South Wales wine appellation is composed of 16 different regions and covers roughly 810,000 square kilometers. Although it is not home to Australia's most famous wine names, New South Wales' viticulture has played an important part in Antipodean wine history and its vineyard area is rapidly developing. The vast expanse of New South Wales has multiple different mesoclimates, which is reflected in the number of zones and regions it is split into. The climate has four distinct seasons. Coastal areas experience relatively mild temperatures and ample rainfall whilst the more continental zones of Western Plains and Big Rivers rely on irrigation with temperatures frequently surpassing 38°C. Much like the rest of the country, the two most populous grape varieties of New South Wales are Chardonnay and Shiraz, of which each account for 20 percent of the state’s whole production. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are also found planted in each GI of New South Wales. Colombard and various types of Muscat are found throughout the Big Rivers, an area associated more with mass production as opposed to a high-quality style of wine. It therefore accounts for 75 percent of the state’s production from these high-yielding varieties.

GRAPE OF THE WEEK: CHARDONNAY

Best known as the white grape of Burgundy and the cornerstone of Champagne, Chardonnay is the world's most famous white-wine variety and also one of the most widely planted. Despite its global success, Chardonnay as a grape is relatively neutral and it is not considered an aromatic variety. Indeed, it is often dubbed "the winemaker's grape", for it is in the winery that many of its defining characteristics are amplified or reduced. Made in a variety of styles, Chardonnay wines can show fruit notes that run from citrusy and mineral to exotic and toasty. Climate, as well as viticulture and winemaking, play a major role in the aromas and flavors of the resulting wine. In general, Chardonnay grows well in a variety of climates, though yields can vary from low to moderately high. Clusters and berries are both on the smaller side. Although most famous for its still, dry wines, Chardonnay is used to produce an impressively diverse range of styles. The variety is put to use in sparkling wines all over the world (most famously in Champagne) when it is usually paired with Pinot Noir. It is also regularly encountered on its own, often with the "Blanc de Blancs" moniker.

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