Last week I read with interest a wine article in one of our local newspapers. The gist of the article was that while the sluggish economy was affecting the wine industry world wide, sales and interest in our wine region remained steady and healthy due to the value pricing of our wines. While my experience touring with hundreds of wine-loving visitors and locals this year supports this general claim, much of the unique Umpqua Valley wine story was left out. I just couldn’t resist filling in the best parts of our story…
Referring to the Umpqua Valley as Southern Oregon while technically accurate, is in my opinion misleading. Although we are part of the Southern Oregon AVA - American Viticultural area- this only came about in 2004. The Umpqua Valley AVA was established in 1984. Most wine locals will agree the reason for creating this new “Southern Oregon AVA” which includes the Umpqua Valley AVA and the Rogue Valley AVA as well as the Applegate area, was to expand our regions marketing appeal. These three wine areas have very different climates as well as different soils and terrain. Each one is quite unique from the other. And while I am all for great marketing strategies (I was in sales and marketing most of my adult life) diluting the magic of the Umpqua Valley by lumping us in with a larger wine producing area does not speak to our individuality nor to our rich history. Grape growing and wine making in the state of Oregon started right here in the Umpqua Valley. Here in Douglas County. Not in the Willamette Valley and certainly not in Southern Oregon! We have a very unique climate and amazing soil and we produce wines vastly different from our southern neighbors. Staying focused on that differentiation is in itself a very powerful marketing angle. And while we will always have wine writers who do not live among us and who do not understand our uniqueness, lump us into the “Southern Oregon” pile, there will always be those of us who push to keep us very clearly defined. I think our local news sources should know and celebrate what makes us special.
I have never heard of wine referred to as a comfort drink before and when I heard of this way of describing wine I couldn’t help but chuckle. When I hear the term “comfort drink” I think of hot chocolate or herbal tea or of a hot toddy or maybe even a shot of something like whiskey or brandy. Wine for me and for so many others is much more than a drink. It is a way of life. A lifestyle. It involves food and friends and travel. An appreciation for the land and the natural beauty that surrounds the vines. For me it includes existing memories and the creation of new ones. It is sunshine and discovery and brings the past into the present. It is a part of life and a part of a more gentile way of living. I know I am not the only one who feels this passionate about wine. The millions of wine tourists who travel thousands of miles to their favorite wine regions each year would hardly be, if they all thought of wine as a mere comfort drink.
I guess the moral to my part of the story is there is so much more to the Umpqua Valley and our wine then most know. Our wines are more than just a great value, they are top notch and can stand among some of the best wines form the most prestigious wine regions. Our area is much more then just a part of a bigger Southern Oregon area and our rich history can not be denied. And wine is so much more then a just a comfort drink. Anyone reading this knows that!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Validation!
Oh, it is so good to be validated! I am sure you have had this experience before when you just absolutely know something- not just in your head but in your heart and soul as well. When the understanding you have about something is logical but is even more powerful because it is instinctual and intuitive as well. Then to have others with more expertise and experience in the matter come out to profess exactly what your brain & bones have known for sometime. Now that is a good feeling indeed. Especially when it is about the bright future of your beloved town!
September 22, TripAdvisor the worlds most popular and largest travel community announced its top 10 North American wine destinations according to their editors and Roseburg was number 5 on the list! This list came about after a survey of 1000 U.S. respondents were polled saying that 48% of them plan to visit a vineyard this year with 40% planning to visit this fall! The top 5 winery locations were Napa Valley, Ca. Sonoma County, Ca. Willamette Valley, Or. Yakima Valley Wa. and our little Roseburg, Oregon! Now I must admit this is not a scientific poll and included a relatively small number of people responding, but even with these factors taken into consideration it suggests one very meaningful thing - Roseburg (or the Umpqua Valley more appropriately) is very much on wine travelers radar screen! And it suggests something else I have been saying for a very long time; wine lovers are always looking for another wine region to explore and most of us plan vacations around our search for great wine areas where wines are high quality with fair pricing. That would absolutely sum up the Umpqua Valley!
But even hearing the news of Roseburg’s rating in this very exciting TripAdvisor poll could not be overshadowed by our visit from Terry Richard the travel editor of the Oregonian Newspaper. The Oregonian is the big Portland newspaper with 320,000 subscribers daily. Terry and his friend Erika spent two days with my husband and me doing research on the Umpqua Valley and our wines for a travel article coming out sometime in June of 2010. Being in the unique position of hosting high profile, very experienced travelers is such a privilege! Tasting and touring our way through the region with these knowledgeable travelers who have seen so much and have them leave us with a true appreciation of our family owned wineries, quality wines and natural beauty, is truly an honor. Just one more validation of what I already know deep down in my soul, the Umpqua Valley is a very special place indeed.
Running a wine tour business, spending time with savvy travelers from far away places and even those from right here in our own beautiful backyard allows me a front row seat into observing the effect our special wine region has on wine lovers. So often their experience seems to mimic not just my own first visit here but how I feel just about every single day. A day of appreciation of the beauty and the great wine coupled with awe of the generous spirit and true passion of the wine makers and their families. And as good as it is to have that validation, I really don’t need it. Having lived in and traveled to some of the most well respected wine regions in the world, I knew how special this place was the minute I first visited. I knew it from my head to my toes and right down to my very soul. That is all the validation I need!
September 22, TripAdvisor the worlds most popular and largest travel community announced its top 10 North American wine destinations according to their editors and Roseburg was number 5 on the list! This list came about after a survey of 1000 U.S. respondents were polled saying that 48% of them plan to visit a vineyard this year with 40% planning to visit this fall! The top 5 winery locations were Napa Valley, Ca. Sonoma County, Ca. Willamette Valley, Or. Yakima Valley Wa. and our little Roseburg, Oregon! Now I must admit this is not a scientific poll and included a relatively small number of people responding, but even with these factors taken into consideration it suggests one very meaningful thing - Roseburg (or the Umpqua Valley more appropriately) is very much on wine travelers radar screen! And it suggests something else I have been saying for a very long time; wine lovers are always looking for another wine region to explore and most of us plan vacations around our search for great wine areas where wines are high quality with fair pricing. That would absolutely sum up the Umpqua Valley!
But even hearing the news of Roseburg’s rating in this very exciting TripAdvisor poll could not be overshadowed by our visit from Terry Richard the travel editor of the Oregonian Newspaper. The Oregonian is the big Portland newspaper with 320,000 subscribers daily. Terry and his friend Erika spent two days with my husband and me doing research on the Umpqua Valley and our wines for a travel article coming out sometime in June of 2010. Being in the unique position of hosting high profile, very experienced travelers is such a privilege! Tasting and touring our way through the region with these knowledgeable travelers who have seen so much and have them leave us with a true appreciation of our family owned wineries, quality wines and natural beauty, is truly an honor. Just one more validation of what I already know deep down in my soul, the Umpqua Valley is a very special place indeed.
Running a wine tour business, spending time with savvy travelers from far away places and even those from right here in our own beautiful backyard allows me a front row seat into observing the effect our special wine region has on wine lovers. So often their experience seems to mimic not just my own first visit here but how I feel just about every single day. A day of appreciation of the beauty and the great wine coupled with awe of the generous spirit and true passion of the wine makers and their families. And as good as it is to have that validation, I really don’t need it. Having lived in and traveled to some of the most well respected wine regions in the world, I knew how special this place was the minute I first visited. I knew it from my head to my toes and right down to my very soul. That is all the validation I need!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Giardet Wine Cellars
Last week my husband and I paid a visit to Giardet Wine Cellars to sample some of their wonderful wines and were reminded of just why this winery is one of the best things the Umpqua Valley has to offer.
Of course the biggest reasons are the excellent wines Giardet has the reputation for making consistently year after year. Their signature wine and most notable is their Baco Noir and something people just can’t get enough of. Philippe Giardet founder of Giardet Wine Cellars was responsible for bringing this varietal to Oregon from his native Europe and it has done so well here. Baco Noir is just one of many different varietals Giardet grows and produces so they have something for every palate. But the high quality wines are just a part of the appeal of this winery and we will get back to the wonderful wine in a minute.
I have found that behind great wine there has to be great people. At Giardet this is certainly the case. The people who are most visible at Giardet are all very committed, hard working, knowledgeable individuals and just as important a heck of a lot of fun! After all isn’t wine meant to be fun? Cedar who works the tasting room could not do a better job with her upbeat attitude, constant smile and sweet demeanor. Rob the cellar master is one of my favorite people on the planet and his high energy and passion for wine is obvious as well as infectious. I could talk to Rob all day about wine (and just about anything else, frankly) and he brings such a down to earth, can do anything, generous attitude I find so refreshing every time we meet. Cara who’s title is “Director of Marketing” but who obviously does that and a whole lot more is very smart and brings a competence and an easy ability to everything she does. Her wine knowledge runs the gamut and she is as comfortable discussing very technical wine topics as she is talking about anything else. She is a dedicated conservationist and due to her efforts Giardet is the only winery in the Umpqua Valley that uses only biodegradable/ recycled natural products at their wine events from their disposable coffee cups to their utensils and napkins. And last but certainly not least, Marc Giardet the wine maker who learned most everything he knows from his father Philippe and mother Bonnie is a talented, thoughtful wine maker who takes his job very seriously. His abilities obviously came with hard work and practice but I think there is something in the Giardet genes that sets him apart as a wine maker. There is much to be said for generations of wine makers and that special something that gets passed down from father to son. All of this shows up in the bottle of these enjoyable wines.
Their whites including their smoky chardonnay and bright, happy pinot gris to their well balanced riesling and sweet dessert wines truly offer something for every palate. And their reds from the pinot noir to the big bold Baco Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon are all well balanced with layers of flavors and long lingering finishes that leave you wanting more. The 14 Vines red is just that, fourteen different red grape varietals all together in one very special place. Yum! This winery truly has it all and is one of the best reasons to get out wine tasting.
Of course the biggest reasons are the excellent wines Giardet has the reputation for making consistently year after year. Their signature wine and most notable is their Baco Noir and something people just can’t get enough of. Philippe Giardet founder of Giardet Wine Cellars was responsible for bringing this varietal to Oregon from his native Europe and it has done so well here. Baco Noir is just one of many different varietals Giardet grows and produces so they have something for every palate. But the high quality wines are just a part of the appeal of this winery and we will get back to the wonderful wine in a minute.
I have found that behind great wine there has to be great people. At Giardet this is certainly the case. The people who are most visible at Giardet are all very committed, hard working, knowledgeable individuals and just as important a heck of a lot of fun! After all isn’t wine meant to be fun? Cedar who works the tasting room could not do a better job with her upbeat attitude, constant smile and sweet demeanor. Rob the cellar master is one of my favorite people on the planet and his high energy and passion for wine is obvious as well as infectious. I could talk to Rob all day about wine (and just about anything else, frankly) and he brings such a down to earth, can do anything, generous attitude I find so refreshing every time we meet. Cara who’s title is “Director of Marketing” but who obviously does that and a whole lot more is very smart and brings a competence and an easy ability to everything she does. Her wine knowledge runs the gamut and she is as comfortable discussing very technical wine topics as she is talking about anything else. She is a dedicated conservationist and due to her efforts Giardet is the only winery in the Umpqua Valley that uses only biodegradable/ recycled natural products at their wine events from their disposable coffee cups to their utensils and napkins. And last but certainly not least, Marc Giardet the wine maker who learned most everything he knows from his father Philippe and mother Bonnie is a talented, thoughtful wine maker who takes his job very seriously. His abilities obviously came with hard work and practice but I think there is something in the Giardet genes that sets him apart as a wine maker. There is much to be said for generations of wine makers and that special something that gets passed down from father to son. All of this shows up in the bottle of these enjoyable wines.
Their whites including their smoky chardonnay and bright, happy pinot gris to their well balanced riesling and sweet dessert wines truly offer something for every palate. And their reds from the pinot noir to the big bold Baco Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon are all well balanced with layers of flavors and long lingering finishes that leave you wanting more. The 14 Vines red is just that, fourteen different red grape varietals all together in one very special place. Yum! This winery truly has it all and is one of the best reasons to get out wine tasting.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The ABC's of Wine Lingo!
A few articles back I used a wine word that caused some confusion among readers. It made me think that at some point it might be a good idea to devote a column to the explanation of a few commonly used “wine speak” words. There are hundreds of wine words. Some used to describe certain qualities in the taste of wine and others used as descriptors of the wine making process. Here are a few of the most important to know when talking and tasting wine.
Acidic- Wines need natural acidity to taste fresh and lively, but an excess of acidity results in an acidic wine that is tart and sour. Fruity-Would be on the other end of the scale and refers to the natural fruit sweetness in a wine. A balance of the two is what you are after! Aftertaste or Finish- A tasting term for the taste left on the palate after wine has been swallowed. Appellation - A geographical based term to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown. Aroma, Bouquet, Nose- The smell of a wine. Balance-The harmonious relationship of the components of wine - acids, fruit,tannins, alcohol, etc. - resulting in a well proportioned, or well balanced, wine. To me the most important quality for a wine to have is balance! AVA- An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).
Blending- The mixing of two or more different varietals or parcels of wine together by winemakers to produce a consistent, finished wine that is ready for bottling. Laws generally dictate what wines can be blended together, and what is subsequently printed on the wine label. Brix- A measurement of the dissolved sucrose level in a wine. Corked- A tasting term for a wine that has cork taint. Dry Wines with zero or very low levels of residual sugar. The opposite of sweet, except in sparkling wines, where dry means sweet. Estate wine- Wine made from grapes grown at that winery. Late harvest wine- Also known as late picked,wine made from grapes that have been left on the vine longer than usual. Usually an indicator for a very sweet or dessert wine. Legs- The tracks of liquid that cling to the sides of a glass after the contents have been swirled. Often said to be related to the alcohol or glycerol content of a wine although there is some debate about this. As one expert put it “ In other words, looking at legs is an entertaining diversion while imbibing, like looking at a lava lamp, but it is not very informative.”
I would agree. Means nothing to the overall quality or taste of the wine. Oaked or unoaked wines - Referring to wines aged in oak barrels or with oak chips or wines made with no oak.
Residual sugar- Also known as RS, the level of sugar that remains unfermented in a wine. Tannin- Compounds that give wine a bitter, dry, or puckery feeling in the mouth. Tasting flight - Refers to a selection of wines, usually between three and eight glasses,but sometimes as many as fifty, presented for the purpose of sampling and comparison. Terroir- (Pronounced tare whar )French for "soil", the physical and geographical characteristics of a particular vineyard site that give the resultant
wine its unique properties. Varietal- Type of grape i.e. Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir. Vintage- The year in which a particular wine's grapes were harvested. When a vintage year is indicated on a label, it signifies that all the grapes used to make the wine in the bottle were harvested in that year.
Acidic- Wines need natural acidity to taste fresh and lively, but an excess of acidity results in an acidic wine that is tart and sour. Fruity-Would be on the other end of the scale and refers to the natural fruit sweetness in a wine. A balance of the two is what you are after! Aftertaste or Finish- A tasting term for the taste left on the palate after wine has been swallowed. Appellation - A geographical based term to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown. Aroma, Bouquet, Nose- The smell of a wine. Balance-The harmonious relationship of the components of wine - acids, fruit,tannins, alcohol, etc. - resulting in a well proportioned, or well balanced, wine. To me the most important quality for a wine to have is balance! AVA- An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).
Blending- The mixing of two or more different varietals or parcels of wine together by winemakers to produce a consistent, finished wine that is ready for bottling. Laws generally dictate what wines can be blended together, and what is subsequently printed on the wine label. Brix- A measurement of the dissolved sucrose level in a wine. Corked- A tasting term for a wine that has cork taint. Dry Wines with zero or very low levels of residual sugar. The opposite of sweet, except in sparkling wines, where dry means sweet. Estate wine- Wine made from grapes grown at that winery. Late harvest wine- Also known as late picked,wine made from grapes that have been left on the vine longer than usual. Usually an indicator for a very sweet or dessert wine. Legs- The tracks of liquid that cling to the sides of a glass after the contents have been swirled. Often said to be related to the alcohol or glycerol content of a wine although there is some debate about this. As one expert put it “ In other words, looking at legs is an entertaining diversion while imbibing, like looking at a lava lamp, but it is not very informative.”
I would agree. Means nothing to the overall quality or taste of the wine. Oaked or unoaked wines - Referring to wines aged in oak barrels or with oak chips or wines made with no oak.
Residual sugar- Also known as RS, the level of sugar that remains unfermented in a wine. Tannin- Compounds that give wine a bitter, dry, or puckery feeling in the mouth. Tasting flight - Refers to a selection of wines, usually between three and eight glasses,but sometimes as many as fifty, presented for the purpose of sampling and comparison. Terroir- (Pronounced tare whar )French for "soil", the physical and geographical characteristics of a particular vineyard site that give the resultant
wine its unique properties. Varietal- Type of grape i.e. Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir. Vintage- The year in which a particular wine's grapes were harvested. When a vintage year is indicated on a label, it signifies that all the grapes used to make the wine in the bottle were harvested in that year.
Beyond Kool-Aid
For most Americans our journey of wine begins someplace around the Boones Farm, Annie Green Springs location. For any of you reading this column who do not remember these very important names in American wine history you may of heard of Ripple or White Zinfandel? All of these “wines” had pretty much the same taste profile,with the emphasis on a sweet more like Kool-Aid taste then anything referencing any "real wine" taste characteristics! This was to appeal to the generally less than sophisticated American wine palate and these wines were wildly successful for sometime.
And for those who did not begin in the Kool-Aid wine zone you were definitely a tad more sophisticated with your jugs of Gallo Burgundy or Chablis. I remember my parents always had a big jug of both they used mostly for cooking but they would have a glass of wine or two each week, always the Burgundy and would enjoy it immensely. It was not uncommon for the kids in my family to have a small glass of wine with our parents at the family dinner table. Through the years as my parents budgets increased so did their wine selections and sparkling wines and more sophisticated wines were served to us at the family dinner table. With European parents, wine in my family was looked upon as part of any special meal and the
weekend was always time for a bit more consideration in both the food and wine department.
So by the time I was twenty, I had passed through the jug wine stage with my parents and had come out the other side hooked on Napa Valley Cabs and Sonoma Country Zinfandels (and yes a real Zin is red not pink!). As my husband says I have never looked back! But I do think my experience is somewhat unique and does not illustrate how most of us in this country get introduced to wine nor the progression of most Americans wine journey.
And the journey for most Americans begins well after the age of twenty one and parallels the fads and trends of our very young wine country. It seems one year it is Merlot and Chardonnay and the next Pinot Noir and Syrah. How exciting that we have all these wonderful choices and for those of us lucky enough to live on the west coast we are not far from areas producing this wide variety of different wines. We are no longer limited to Burgundy or Chablis and if anything it may be we have too many choices and end up a bit confused. Or maybe worse, we become a bit overwhelmed and intimidated so stay in our comfort zone and get into a wine rut. Regardless of where you are in your very unique wine journey, if you live here in the Umpqua Valley you can find many local wines to enjoy. We have an array of varietals being grown and made and we have numerous talented wine makers all with different wine making styles. If you are one of those who finds yourself a bit confused or overwhelmed or your wine journey is not taking you on much of a trip, take action. Get out and taste wine as often as possible. Make sure to taste wines you think might be out of your comfort level and push your taste buds envelope just a bit. Ask questions. With our family owned wineries, we have an accessibility to the wine maker not found in most wine regions. Take advantage of that. And trust me....The pay off will be oh so sweet and I do not mean like Kool-Aid!
And for those who did not begin in the Kool-Aid wine zone you were definitely a tad more sophisticated with your jugs of Gallo Burgundy or Chablis. I remember my parents always had a big jug of both they used mostly for cooking but they would have a glass of wine or two each week, always the Burgundy and would enjoy it immensely. It was not uncommon for the kids in my family to have a small glass of wine with our parents at the family dinner table. Through the years as my parents budgets increased so did their wine selections and sparkling wines and more sophisticated wines were served to us at the family dinner table. With European parents, wine in my family was looked upon as part of any special meal and the
weekend was always time for a bit more consideration in both the food and wine department.
So by the time I was twenty, I had passed through the jug wine stage with my parents and had come out the other side hooked on Napa Valley Cabs and Sonoma Country Zinfandels (and yes a real Zin is red not pink!). As my husband says I have never looked back! But I do think my experience is somewhat unique and does not illustrate how most of us in this country get introduced to wine nor the progression of most Americans wine journey.
And the journey for most Americans begins well after the age of twenty one and parallels the fads and trends of our very young wine country. It seems one year it is Merlot and Chardonnay and the next Pinot Noir and Syrah. How exciting that we have all these wonderful choices and for those of us lucky enough to live on the west coast we are not far from areas producing this wide variety of different wines. We are no longer limited to Burgundy or Chablis and if anything it may be we have too many choices and end up a bit confused. Or maybe worse, we become a bit overwhelmed and intimidated so stay in our comfort zone and get into a wine rut. Regardless of where you are in your very unique wine journey, if you live here in the Umpqua Valley you can find many local wines to enjoy. We have an array of varietals being grown and made and we have numerous talented wine makers all with different wine making styles. If you are one of those who finds yourself a bit confused or overwhelmed or your wine journey is not taking you on much of a trip, take action. Get out and taste wine as often as possible. Make sure to taste wines you think might be out of your comfort level and push your taste buds envelope just a bit. Ask questions. With our family owned wineries, we have an accessibility to the wine maker not found in most wine regions. Take advantage of that. And trust me....The pay off will be oh so sweet and I do not mean like Kool-Aid!
A Report from Italy
So, Italian wines and American wines. There are many differences just like comparing any other wine growing region to another. Many can be attributed to the differences in terrior and climate and of course the Italians have their own grape varietals, many not grown in the U.S. But the most striking differences between Italian (and for that matter French wines) and American wines are in the making of the wines, specifically in the aging and the capability for the wines to age.
In Tuscany where we spent two weeks they grow almost exclusively Sangiovese a red grape varietal. Sangiovese is not grown in Oregon as it requires a longer hotter growing season then mother nature provides here but it is easy to find in California and has always been one of my favorite grapes. Brunello (the little dark one) is a strain of Sangiovese and is synonymous with Sangiovese. The process from picking the grape, making the wine, getting it in to the bottle and having it available for consumption takes a minimum of five years, six years for the Reserva! When we visited the many tasting rooms or visited the numerous wine shops the youngest Brunello available was the 2003 vintage. This year was mixed in with many bottles from 2000, 2001, 2002, and some even dating back to the late nineties. Italian wines are made in a style that begs to be aged and can lay down for five to ten years before they are at their peak. Even their Super Tuscans are aged a minimum of 3 years!
American wine makers make wine for the American palate and the American culture. Our society is a much faster paced, want it all now, immediate gratification society and this is reflected in the aging style of our wines. Just compare
the Italian 2 hour sit down lunches including a glass or two of wine with our 30 minute drive-through fast food lunches washed down with a diet coke - often as we are driving down the road on our way to run an errand before we must get back to work! Most of our wines are made with the emphasis on a fruit forward, easily accessible, ready to drink now style. Aging is minimal before our wines are available for sale and this is what the American wine consumer wants. The average time in America from buying a bottle of wine to consuming it is 40 minutes!
It has been one week since my return from Italy and I am still basking in the beauty of the country and the beauty of their wines. For me the great thing about travel to another country is the exploration of and the assimilation into another culture. I love the food, the history, the wine (I do not travel to places that do not have great wine) and the land. And I always come home with a renewed appreciation for my own culture and our food and wine. I have to say as much as I love Italy and their amazing Brunellos and appreciate their wine making style we have a little piece of wine paradise right here in The Umpqua Valley. And I wouldn’t trade our wine paradise or our wines for all the aged Brunello in Italy!
In Tuscany where we spent two weeks they grow almost exclusively Sangiovese a red grape varietal. Sangiovese is not grown in Oregon as it requires a longer hotter growing season then mother nature provides here but it is easy to find in California and has always been one of my favorite grapes. Brunello (the little dark one) is a strain of Sangiovese and is synonymous with Sangiovese. The process from picking the grape, making the wine, getting it in to the bottle and having it available for consumption takes a minimum of five years, six years for the Reserva! When we visited the many tasting rooms or visited the numerous wine shops the youngest Brunello available was the 2003 vintage. This year was mixed in with many bottles from 2000, 2001, 2002, and some even dating back to the late nineties. Italian wines are made in a style that begs to be aged and can lay down for five to ten years before they are at their peak. Even their Super Tuscans are aged a minimum of 3 years!
American wine makers make wine for the American palate and the American culture. Our society is a much faster paced, want it all now, immediate gratification society and this is reflected in the aging style of our wines. Just compare
the Italian 2 hour sit down lunches including a glass or two of wine with our 30 minute drive-through fast food lunches washed down with a diet coke - often as we are driving down the road on our way to run an errand before we must get back to work! Most of our wines are made with the emphasis on a fruit forward, easily accessible, ready to drink now style. Aging is minimal before our wines are available for sale and this is what the American wine consumer wants. The average time in America from buying a bottle of wine to consuming it is 40 minutes!
It has been one week since my return from Italy and I am still basking in the beauty of the country and the beauty of their wines. For me the great thing about travel to another country is the exploration of and the assimilation into another culture. I love the food, the history, the wine (I do not travel to places that do not have great wine) and the land. And I always come home with a renewed appreciation for my own culture and our food and wine. I have to say as much as I love Italy and their amazing Brunellos and appreciate their wine making style we have a little piece of wine paradise right here in The Umpqua Valley. And I wouldn’t trade our wine paradise or our wines for all the aged Brunello in Italy!
A Votre Sante!
When I hear about the health benefits of wine and red wine in particular it makes me quite happy if not just a bit relieved! For someone who loves wine and who drinks a glass or two of wine most nights with dinner(and on special occasions which could be loosely defined as a night we open a particularly interesting, fine wine, a glass or two more ), I am more than interested to hear the positives of my imbibing activities…
Since I first heard of the highly publicized French paradox a number of years ago, my interest was peaked. The French paradox refers to the French who eat a diet with a tremendous amount of fat in it, yet have a very low incidence of heart disease. But this report was a bit vague and I had been to France and it seemed obvious to me that their culture of walking and cycling everywhere as well as seldom overeating, probably had as much to do with their healthy hearts as their consumption of red wine.
In the past few years a lot of attention has been given to this subject and much more has been discovered. Most of us have heard that moderate wine consumption is good for your heart. What many have not heard is that the findings on the health benefits of wine are much broader then just that. Other positive health benefits
are being proven by serious medical studies including: delaying dementia such as Alzheimer’s, preventing rheumatoid arthritis and an increased bone density in older women, reduction of colds in wine drinkers by up to 50% over non wine drinkers, protection against the flu, lower type 2 diabetes risk, reducing throat cancer risk, maximizing melatonin while detoxifying cells and providing powerful antioxidants, and increasing those healthy fatty acids omega 3’s !
While I am happy to say I am a very healthy person, at 47 I am probably too young to experience the onset of many of the health problems wine consumption could be a help to. I can say, my lack of getting the common cold and the flu year after year while my coworkers hacked and coughed there way through the season was often a mystery to all of us as well as an annoyance to everyone but me! And as great as it is rarely getting the cold or the flu, I have to be honest, when it boils down to it, it matters little to me the health benefits of wine. Now don’t get me wrong. I am elated to know one of the biggest pleasures in my life will not only not kill me, but will in fact make me even healthier! But it is the other positive benefits wine brings to the quality of my life that mean the most to me. Every event, from the sharing of a weekday dinner with your family to the most important of occasions such as a wedding celebration, is just that much more special with a great glass of wine! The happiness I feel when I share a great bottle of wine or two along side a good meal with dear friends is to my life, the healthiest benefit of all. And now it
appears I will be able to enjoy this simple pleasure for many healthy years to come!
Since I first heard of the highly publicized French paradox a number of years ago, my interest was peaked. The French paradox refers to the French who eat a diet with a tremendous amount of fat in it, yet have a very low incidence of heart disease. But this report was a bit vague and I had been to France and it seemed obvious to me that their culture of walking and cycling everywhere as well as seldom overeating, probably had as much to do with their healthy hearts as their consumption of red wine.
In the past few years a lot of attention has been given to this subject and much more has been discovered. Most of us have heard that moderate wine consumption is good for your heart. What many have not heard is that the findings on the health benefits of wine are much broader then just that. Other positive health benefits
are being proven by serious medical studies including: delaying dementia such as Alzheimer’s, preventing rheumatoid arthritis and an increased bone density in older women, reduction of colds in wine drinkers by up to 50% over non wine drinkers, protection against the flu, lower type 2 diabetes risk, reducing throat cancer risk, maximizing melatonin while detoxifying cells and providing powerful antioxidants, and increasing those healthy fatty acids omega 3’s !
While I am happy to say I am a very healthy person, at 47 I am probably too young to experience the onset of many of the health problems wine consumption could be a help to. I can say, my lack of getting the common cold and the flu year after year while my coworkers hacked and coughed there way through the season was often a mystery to all of us as well as an annoyance to everyone but me! And as great as it is rarely getting the cold or the flu, I have to be honest, when it boils down to it, it matters little to me the health benefits of wine. Now don’t get me wrong. I am elated to know one of the biggest pleasures in my life will not only not kill me, but will in fact make me even healthier! But it is the other positive benefits wine brings to the quality of my life that mean the most to me. Every event, from the sharing of a weekday dinner with your family to the most important of occasions such as a wedding celebration, is just that much more special with a great glass of wine! The happiness I feel when I share a great bottle of wine or two along side a good meal with dear friends is to my life, the healthiest benefit of all. And now it
appears I will be able to enjoy this simple pleasure for many healthy years to come!
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