Category: Wine Marketing

Austria establishes an official Vineyard Classification System

The recently adopted “Wine Law Collective Decree” has established the legal basis for the official classification of Austria’s single vineyards. The Ordinance defines two tiers: “Erste Lage” (premier cru) and “Große Lage” (grand cru). Classification is carried out according to a strict list of criteria. The first vineyard classifications can be expected in 2025, at the earliest.

Various private initiatives in Austria, for classifying single vineyards, known as “Rieds” have been in place in Austria for many years. These initiatives identify those of its members’ vineyards that have gained a name for producing first-class wines. Following an intense preliminary phase, the Wine Law Collective Decree 2023 has established the legal basis for an official, nationwide classification system. It outlines two tiers of classification. The “Erste Lage” (premier cru) is the first level that a vineyard can attain. Once a minimum of five years has elapsed, the vineyard is able to be defined as a “Große Lage” (grand cru).

“The Collective Decree 2023 has defined the legal basis for enabling Austrian Rieds to be classed officially according to a standardized system,” explains Chris Yorke, CEO of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board (Austrian Wine). “The decision whether to classify Rieds is up to each wine-growing region because the significance of single vineyards differs from region to region,” Yorke adds.

Lower maximum yield per hectare and harvesting by hand required

The decree outlines the general conditions required for the classification of a vineyard. For example, the use of “Erste Lage” and “Große Lage” is only permitted on DAC wines from classified vineyards. Furthermore, the wine-growing region from where the wine originates must have defined the three DAC levels of Gebietswein (regional wine), Ortswein (villages wine) and Riedenwein (single-vineyard wine). The decree also states that “Erste Lage” and “Große Lage” can only be used when the wine has been harvested by hand and a lower maximum yield per hectare than the legal limit is met.

Detailed documentation is essential

If a wine-growing region wants to classify its leading vineyards, the Regional Wine Committee must submit an application to the National Wine Committee. A classification document containing detailed information needs to be completed for each Ried. This covers facts such as the historical significance of the vineyard, the homogeneity of its soil, geological characteristics, climate and orientation, and the volume and value of the wines that the Ried produces. A Ried also has to provide evidence of other factors demonstrating its potential for producing high-quality wines, e.g. national and international wine ratings. For a Ried to receive the designation of “Große Lage”, it must have been an “Erste Lage” for at least five years and further requirements for the use of the term “Große Lage” will have to be defined.

“Establishing an official vineyard classification system at a national level presents considerable challenges,” emphasizes Yorke. “This is why we will be supporting the wine-growing regions with the process step by step over the next few years and continuously sharing our experiences.” The first “Erste Lage” classifications are not expected before 2025.

Here is a short overview:

Legal basis for an official vineyard classification system

The Wine Law Collective Decree defines the legal basis

Two tiers:

  • “Erste Lage”
    “Große Lage” (at least 5 years after having been designated an “Erste Lage”)

Conditions for the use of the terms “Erste Lage” and “Große Lage” include:

  • DAC wines from classified Rieds (single vineyards)
  • lower maximum yield per hectare than the legal limit
  • harvesting by hand

The classification process:

  • Regional Wine Committees submit an application to the National Wine Committee on behalf of the Ried(s)
  • Classification document for each candidate Ried, including information about:
    • the historical significance of the vineyard
    • homogeneity of the soil, geological characteristics, climate and orientation
    • national and international ratings of the Ried’s wines
  • The first classifications are expected in 2025, at the earliest.

PGWA Creates Custom AVA Wine Maps Using Google Maps

The Petaluma Gap Wine Growers Alliance (PGWA) has been working with an illustrator to develop a more intricate digital and printable AVA map. While this project in progress, the Alliance wanted something temporary on the website and quickly created a custom and free AVA map using Google My Maps.

Here are the steps to follow in creating a map of a particular AVA:

Step 1 – Create A New Map – Access the Google My Maps website and sign in with your Google account. You’ll need to create an account if you don’t have one yet.  Once logged in, click the “+ Create a new map” button to initiate the map-building process.

Step 2 – Personalize Your Map – At the top left corner of the page, locate the “Untitled map” field. You can enter your organization’s name.

Step 3- Define Your Boundary – Download an SHP (shape) of your AVA boundary as defined by the federal government from the TTB website. Since Google Maps only supports KML files, you must convert the SHP using geographical information software (GIS). For instance, we used the open-source GIS application QGIS for this purpose. Import the converted KML file into Google Maps as your initial layer.

Step 4 – Map Wineries – Create an additional layer for wineries. Utilize the search function to locate wineries by name or address. Click the “Add to map” option in the toolbar. If a winery has claimed its business on Google, relevant information will appear in the drop-down menu. Choose or customize the marker icon, such as a wine glass or grape icon.

Step 5 – Plot the Vineyards – PGWA has employed latitude and longitude coordinates to locate vineyards. Since only a few vineyards were registered as businesses on Google, they manually inputted information, including vineyard photos, a list of cultivated grape varieties, and elevations. Non-grower members were identified on the map with less detailed information.

Step 6- Organize Your Layers – You can enhance your map by creating multiple layers. This helps in segregating distinct categories of data. Click the “Add layer” button in the left sidebar to establish a new layer. In our case, separate layers were used for wineries, vineyards, and members and non-members.

Step 7 – Share Your Map – The map can be shared using a unique link, making it accessible to specific individuals or made public or private.  Most importantly, you can embed code to easily incorporate the map into your website or blog.

This serves as a valuable tool for wine organizations and wine professionals in showcasing vineyards and tasting rooms within the geographical boundaries.

Source:  Wine Data Researcher

2023 Michelangelo International Wine and Spirits Awards

I’m en route to Stellenbosch, South Africa to participate as a judge in the 2023 Michelangelo International Wine and Spirits Awards.  I look forward to meeting the esteemed panel of international judges for judging week which will be taking place from July 24th to 28th, 2023.

The judges are comprised of selected wine and spirits experts hailing from five different continents, in which we will be employing the internationally recognized 100-point system, and using the blind judging approach.

This year we will be judging at the stunning Lourensford Wine Estate, which is in the heart of the historical winelands of Somerset West. Spanning over 4,000 hectares of lush forest, fynbos, fruit orchards and sprawling vineyards, it is set against the stunning backdrop the Helderberg Mountains, caressed by breezes off the Atlantic Ocean.

 

Stay tuned for some more updates!

 

Jerez is Spain’s #1 Wine Tourism Destination

The latest report from La Asociación Española de Ciudades del Vino (ACEVIN) reveals that Marco de Jerez is the Spanish wine destination that has received the highest number of visitors in 2022.

Wine tourism in Spain experienced a post-Covid-19 pandemic boost in 2022, with the number of tourists travelling around the ‘wine routes’ of Spain reaching 2,487,255, 51.59% higher than that of 2021 (1,640,800), though the 2022 result was still only 80% of the last pre-pandemic figure.

Last year’s tourist visits to wineries and wine museums are believed to have generated €75,481,646 for the economy, 39% above the 2021 level, but still 12% short of the 2019 level.

Around 80%, were domestic travellers, though overall proportion of international visitors has increased year-on-year, from 15.14% to 20.4%.

The five wine routes that received the highest number of visitors were as follows (in descending order):

  • Marco de Jerez: 333,781
  • Rioja Alta: 313,974
  • Ribera del Duero: 281,918
  • Penedès: 262,693
  • Rioja Alavesa: 234,101

Given Andalusia’s warm weather, interesting history, and beautiful landscapes, combined with fortified Spanish wines, it makes sense that Sherry country would certainly appeal to travellers.

As far as the routes which attracted the highest percentage of international visitors, these include: Gran Canaria: 66.5%; Alicante: 41.5%; and Penedès: 38.5%.

The most popular time to travel to these regions was October, when many producers have finished their harvests, followed by August, when the beaches of the country’s Mediterranean coast are lined with overseas visitors.

Charles Baker 2019 Riesling VQA was selected by The Institute of Masters of Wine as the benchmark Riesling for Canada

The Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) recently announced that the Charles Baker 2019 Riesling VQA Vinemount Ridge was included as one of 12 blind wines in the 2022-23 Stage One MW exam. The inclusion of this wine is a recognition that highlights the exceptional quality and character of Ontario VQA Riesling but also reinforces its status as a world-class example in the global wine industry.

“My pursuit of Riesling began as a sommelier and subsequently as a cellar hand in Jordan, Ontario. When I was part of the opening team at Stratus, I was already deeply committed to exploring the various sites of the Niagara Peninsula in pursuit of capturing its various personalities,” explained Charles Baker of Charles Baker Wines.  “The Vinemount Ridge expression of this project has often been lauded as a stand-out Riesling, but to have it included as one of the first Ontario table wines at the Master of Wine exam is the ultimate honour. Expressions of Terroir include the people stewarding the land and as such, my endless thanks go to our growers, J-L Groux, Dean Stoyka and the entire team at Stratus for being part of this journey.”

“It’s truly an exciting time for Ontario’s wine industry — global recognition for the quality of Ontario VQA wine is rising rapidly — and having an Ontario VQA Riesling from the Vinemount Ridge sub-appellation included in the 2023 Masters of Wine exam as a benchmark example of Canadian Riesling reinforces the relevance of Ontario VQA Riesling on the global stage,” said Magdalena Kaiser, Director of Public Relations for the Wine Marketing Association of Ontario. “Congratulations to Charles Baker and the team at Stratus, who continue to be an integral part of Ontario’s VQA wine story.”