What does AVA mean in the Wine World?

AVA= American Viticultural Area
An AVA is defined as "a delimited grape growing region, distinguished by geographical features, the boundaries of which have been recognized and defined"

Napa Valley was named an American Viticultural Area in 1983, making it the first AVA in California. Sonoma Valley, Carneros, Finger Lakes, Willamette Valley, and Columbia Valley are all AVA's. There are now more than 140 AVA's in the United States.

(The Rockpile AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Sonoma County, California, northwest of the town of Healdsburg. It was established in 2002. It is aptly named after its demanding landscape.)

State Wine Laws

By state law, Oregon wines must contain 90% of whatever grape variety is named on the label (except for Oregon cabernet sauvignons, which must be 75% cabernet sauvignon). All California wines, by comparison, must consist of 75% of the grape named on the label.

The Quick Sip on Oregon

*Oregon's specialty is Pinot Noir, a delicate and temperamental grape considered by many to make the most sensual red wine in the world.

*Pinot Gris is the up-and-coming Oregon white, a delicous wine that is immensely food compatile.

*Oregon's cool, marginal climate is a major factor in the elegance that characterizes its top wines.

L'Chaim- Kosher Wine

Wine is central to the religious rites of Jews and especially to such profoundly important Jewish holidays as Passover. Historically in the United States, most of the wine used in Jewish ceremonies was made in New York State relatively near large urban centers of Jewish populations, including New York City. Much of this wine was, and continues to be, made in a very sweet style from native American varieties, particularly Concord grapes. Today the leading brands of sweet kosher wine are Manischewitz, Kedem, and Mogen David.

Central Coast Californian Wines

Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande:
My cousin, Lindsey, and I got our Wine Industry Certificates from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2006. SLO is near the Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande. At 35 square miles and 67 square miles respectively, these two viticultural areas may be small, but they are chardonnay and pinot noir Edens. Both areas are close to the sea and profoundly influenced by its cool, damp breezes. The most well-known chardonnays are made in the Edna Valley Vineyars and Talley Vineyards. Also, the tiny Alban Vineyards makes one of the most sensual viogniers in California.

(Talley Vineyards tasting room)

(John Alban...winemaker of Alban Vineyards. The first American winery and vineyard established exclusively for Rhone varieties)

Spring Has Arrived in Provence!

Low-alcohol wines are best in the summer, when food is delicate and the senses are heightened. Choose light refreshing white and roses, or even some light reds.

(this picture was taken from one of WineInProvence's recent spring tasting at a local B&B at the foot of Mount Saint Victoire)

Drinking Order

Try to ascend in quality and flavor, but do consider what food you are serving if the wine is to accompany a meal.
*Serve cheap before expensive: a step back in quality is noticeable.
*Drink dry before sweet: sweet wines make dry taste very acidic.
*Light wines come before full-bodied: weighty and fortified wines will overpower a lighter wine.
*Young wines come before old.

Enjoying Wine with Food

-Desserts: Sweets usually taste unpleasant with very dry wine. Dessert wines are the obvious choice, but some argue that they're best enjoyed alone. Just decide for yourself.

-Cheese: Flavorful hard cheeses need full rich wines. Sweet wine, especially Port, complements blue cheeses. Avoid heavy reds with soft cheeses. Very strong cheeses can overwhelm any wine.

-Fresh Fruit: Fruits that are high in acid can make wines taste metallic and thin. In general, drink sweet whites, especially botrytized, late-harvest, or sparkling.

-Fish Dishes: The sauce fish is cooked in or served with makes all the difference...Creamy sauces need high acidity and effervescence, so choose dry whites- although fish cooked in red wine will taste good with red wine. Oak-aged Chardonnay is a good match for smoked fish.

-Hot & Spicy: Ice-cold beer is a better match than wine for really spicy food. If you do want wine, though, sweetness sometimes proves a good contrast to spices...try a Gewurtztraminer.

-Hearty Fare: If you observe the golden rule on balance, a heavy meal must be teamed with an equally weighty red...a bull-bodied, tannic wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon is ideal.

-Dressed Salads: If there is lemon or vinegar in the dressing,wine should be acidic to balance it. Light, dry whites, more acidic than reds, suit salads...Sauvignon Blanc is a good choice.

-Made with Eggs: The effervescence of sparkling wine is the perfect foil to the soft texture of egg dishes, while a the same time not drowning out eggs' somewhat subtle flavor.

Tartaric acid evidence of ancient wine

The University of Pennsylvania has found that the Chinese may have been fermenting alcoholic beverages and wine as early as 6000 B.C. This is due to evidence of tartaric acid that has been found on shards of Chinese pottery.

Tartaric acid is an organic acid. It occurs naturally in many plants (ex: grapes, bananas). It is one of the main acids found in wine. It is added to other foods to give it a sour taste, and it's used as an antioxidant. Salts of tartaric acid are known as tartrates. You may even have a bottle of this in your kitchen that you use to cook with!


Be careful not to confuse "Cream of tartar" with "Tartar sauce"..."Cream of Tartar" is the potassium salt of tartaric acid.

Tannin

The seeds and skin of the grape contain tannins. Tannin is a bitter tasting substance that cause the “dry mouth” feeling associated with some red wines.
The Tanac grape is where the word "tannic" comes from.

Bag in Box

Australia developed wine in a box in the ‘70s. The wine inside of the box is stored in a bladder that is not exposed to air. This means that the wine may last up to a few weeks compared to a few days.

Claret

The British often call red Bordeaux claret. The word comes from the French clairet, which originally referred to a light red wine. Today, however, the top red Bordeaux are anything but light in color or in body.

The Other CIA

One of the most remarkable of the Napa Valley's many architecturally stunning wineries is Greystone. Built in 1889, it is the largest stone winery in the world and was the first winery in California with electricity!

Greystone was originally a cooperative. It sat vacant during Prohibition and later changed ownership four times before becoming the Christian Brothers winery in 1950. In 1992 it was donated to The Culinary Institute of America, commonly referred to as the CIA and in 1995, after a 13-million-dollar renovation, became the school's West Coast center for culinary and wine education. The 30-acre campus, just north of the town of St. Helena, includes herb & vegetable gardens, a merlot vineyard, a restaurant, interactive classrooms, and teaching kitchens of unparalleled magnitude where chefs and food and wine experts from all over the world teach throughout the year.













The Culinary Institue of America
2555 Main Street
St. Helena, CA 94574
(800)333-9242

The Curious Absence of Phylloxera

As of the late 1990's, Chilean vineyards had never been victims of the lethal aphid phylloxera, which devastated most of the world's vineyards in the mid- and late nineteenth century. Although Chile's physical isolation, dry soil, and use of flood irrigation may have all helped to protect the country, phylloxera's absence is not fully understood. Some scientists speculate that it's only a matter of time before the pest finds a route in, despite the Chilean government's strict quarantine requirements for plant materials.

Anatomy of the Wine Bottle

Capsule, or foil, made of tin or plastic.

Space between wine and cork is called ullage.

Slope or shoulder varies with bottle style.

Neck label is not always present.

Back label is optional, but often useful.

Style of front label varies regionally and from one producer to another.


Punt is most important for sparkling wine. (A punt- indentation at the base of some bottles- doesn't affect the wine, but indicates that it is expected to be laid down to age.)

Bottle size...although shapes differ, standard wine bottles all have a capacity of 750ml/75cl.

Investing in Wine

The theory behind investing in wine is that its value increases as it matures. In practice, wine as an investment is risky, due to all of the variables involved. Still, knowledge, timing, and luck are all essential, so try to learn as much as possible to prevent costly mistakes. Remember that wine should always be drunk for enjoyment and appreciation.
*Think before bidding if you are new to wine and actions!

How long will wine stay fresh?

Air acts on wine from the moment the bottle is opened, and although it will not spoil (oxidize) for several days, wine is at its best and freshest when it is first opened (with the exception of wines that are best to drink after some time being decanted). If you know you cannot finish a bottle of wine in one sitting, re-cork it as soon as possible.


White wines should be refrigerated and last around three days...reds can last three to four days, although both will taste a little flatter for having been open.

(try to use the completely airtight re-usable stoppers where you vacuum out the air from the bottles)

Water Treatment

To minimize any unpleasant after-effects, have one large glass of water for every glass of wine that you drink.