Category: Wine Tech

Enroute to the Vinho Verde Region [Portugal]

Heading northwest to the Vinho Verde region today. This regions spans from the Atlantic coast to the mountainous interior and iis shaped by a cool, wet climate and granitic soils that give rise to wines with distinct freshness and character.
 
Geography and Sub-Regions
Vinho Verde lies within the broader Minho region and borders the Douro Valley and Trás-os-Montes to the East, and the Dão & Lafões region to the South. The region is segmented into nine sub-regions, each contributing its own microclimatic influence and grape-growing identity:


·       Monção and Melgaço
·       Lima
·       Basto
·       Cávado
·       Ave
·       Amarante
·       Baião
·       Sousa
·       Paiva

From coastal vineyards to inland hills, these areas showcase incredible diversity in soil, elevation, and style.

Wine Styles: From Classic to Cutting-Edge
Vinho Verde is traditionally celebrated for its crisp, low-alcohol white wines, often lightly effervescent and youthful in spirit. These wines, especially those made from Alvarinho, Loureiro, and Arinto are the perfect companions for fresh seafood.
Yet today’s Vinho Verde is far from one-dimensional. Winemakers are pushing boundaries, crafting orange wines, pet-nat sparklers, and oak-aged whites that rival more established categories. This evolution reflects the region’s balance of deep-rooted heritage and dynamic innovation.

What’s in a Name?
“Vinho Verde” translates to “green wine,” but the term doesn’t refer to the color, instead, it captures the region’s essence: youthful, vibrant, and fresh. It’s a style that’s alive with acidity and minerality, echoing the region’s verdant landscape and Atlantic breezes.

Champagne Telmont Debuts the World’s First Ultra-Lightweight Standard Champagne Bottle

This Earth Day, Champagne Telmont introduced the world’s first ultra-lightweight standard champagne bottle to the U.S. market. Weighing 800 grams (1.76 pounds), this bottle’s debut with Champagne Telmont’s Réserve Brut marks a major milestone in sustainable winemaking, reducing carbon emissions by 4% per bottle and challenging long-held industry conventions.

Bottle manufacturing accounts for nearly 30% of Champagne’s carbon footprint. For over two decades, the standard bottle weight remained unchanged at 835 grams, with lighter alternatives dismissed as unviable due to the pressure requirements of champagne-making. But Telmont, driven by its In the Name of Mother Nature mission, challenged industry norms. After years of rigorous research and testing, the Maison vetted an eco-conscious bottle without compromising strength or elegance.

Developed in partnership with French glassmaker Verallia, Telmont co-developed a significantly lighter bottle while maintaining Champagne’s essential pressure resistance and refined aesthetic. This innovation requires no modifications to production processes or existing manufacturing equipment, ensuring seamless adoption across the industry.

“Creativity and innovation must go hand in hand with responsibility. By adopting this ultra–lightweight bottle, we aim to redefine industry standards and contribute to a more sustainable future for Champagne,” says Ludovic du Plessis, President of Champagne Telmont. “We aim with this new bottle to set a new standard for Champagne, in the name of Mother Nature.”

Telmont’s innovation could eliminate 8,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually if adopted industry-wide. This innovation is not subject to any exclusivity, ensuring that it benefits as many people as possible. There are no barriers to its immediate and widespread adoption across the entire Champagne region as a new standard for the appellation.

Telmont began producing the 800g bottles in 2022 with an initial run of 3,000 bottles. Following the required three-year aging process, these bottles are now arriving in the U.S. market. In 2023, production scaled to 30,000 bottles, followed by 220,000 bottles in 2024 and from 2025 on 100% of Telmont bottles will be produced at this new, lighter weight.

Champagne Telmont’s Réserve Brut will be rolling out in the 800-gram bottle through select in-person retailers and on Champagne Telmont’s website (HERE) for an SRP of $76.

Miller Family Wine Company (California) Unveils AI-Powered Sommelier Technology

The Miller Family Wine Company recently introduced AI-powered sommelier technology on its website. This advancement underscores the company’s digital vision and solidifies its role as a pioneer in the application of artificial intelligence within the wine industry.

MFWC’s AI Sommelier represents a transformative development, fundamentally altering how consumers browse and purchase wine. Utilizing state-of-the-art autonomous AI-powered agents, the AI Sommelier provides fast, personalized recommendations tailored to individual palates. It delivers detailed tasting notes, comprehensive accolades, and expert reviews directly to users. Available 24/7, this innovative tool offers an unparalleled shopping experience, enabling wine enthusiasts to explore and acquire wines with unprecedented ease and confidence.

“We are thrilled to announce the launch of our AI-powered sommelier—the fastest, most intuitive way to learn and shop for wines,” shares Nicholas Miller, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at MFWC. “Using advanced technology, the AI Sommelier takes the complexity out of choosing the perfect wine, providing detailed comparisons, reviews, tasting notes, and even pairing suggestions so everyone can make informed decisions effortlessly—anytime, anywhere. It’s primed to set a new standard for digital wine retail, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this innovative technology with consumers.”

MFWC’s AI Sommelier is available online at www.millerfamilywinecompany.com, accessible via the small icon in the bottom right corner.

15th International Terroir Congress: Bridging Local Wine Industry with Global Terroir Science [Mendoza, Argentina, November 18-22, 2024]

For the first time since its inception in 1996, the congress will grace the soils of South America, choosing the Andean landscapes of Mendoza, Argentina.

The three-day event is co-hosted by the Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias University of Cuyo, IBAM (Instituto de Biologi´a Agricola de Mendoza) and the Catena Institute of Wine.

Scientific Sessions include:

A | Soil

Innovation in terroir studies
Physical, chemical, and microbiological properties of soils
Soil health indicators
Adaptation to soil through viticultural practices
Performance of rootstocks in different soils

B | Climate

Projections and scenarios of climate change
Climate change impacts
Climate-related challenges and opportunities for viticulture
New technologies to assess climatic parameters
Index and climate characterization

C | Plant material and management

Selection of plant material and management practices in response to climate change projections
Epigenetic mechanisms in grapevine acclimation
Impact of soil and climate change on vines, wine quality and typicity
Adaptation to climate through viticultural practices
Grapevines phenotypic plasticity in response to changing environments

D | Malbec

Historical journey and terroir expression
Studies of Malbec cultivation and winemaking in Argentina and worldwide.
Properties of Malbec wines cultivated in different regions.

Insights from attending experts:

Dr. Laura Catena – Local wine producer, Catena Institute of Wine
“We are excited to greet sommeliers, wine lovers and wine trade who are interested in the subtleties of wine terroir. The study, preservation and celebration of terroir depend on the interest that wine lovers and consumers develop for this most important topic. The combination of an extraordinary natural setting, exciting presentations, and local food (bountiful asado-barbecue) and wine hospitality should make attending this year’s Terroir Congress in Mendoza the experience of a lifetime.”

Dr. Luciano Calderon – Argentinian geneticist and leading author of Malbec’s genome sequencing project
“As a geneticist, I consider that terroir is a combination of multiple variables, which all together constitute the scenario able to bring up the best or the worst of any combination of genes. Each cultivar, each clone and each plant is a unique combination of genes that expresses flavor in different ways, depending on its growing context, the terroir.”

Dr. Rodrigo Lo´pez Plantey – Professor and local symposium organizer at FCA UNCuyo, Argentina
“It’s a unique opportunity for Argentina’s wine industry to connect and collaborate with the international scientific community, together advancing our sector’s future.”

Dr. Kees Van Leeuwen – Bordeaux’s leading terroir academic
“The concept of terroir relates wine to its origin, the place where it is produced. Multiple terroir factors, including soil and climate, craft the taste of wine. Many researchers around the world work on explaining the mechanisms involved. These researchers gather once every two years since 1996 at the International Terroir Congress. The congress will take place for the first time in South America, in Mendoza, Argentina, from 18-22 November 2024. It is a unique occasion for an update on the most exciting terroir research and an opportunity to meet researchers from the terroir community in person.”

For further details and registration please visit https://congressterroir.com.ar

Source: www.congressterroir.com

Wine Industry Data: 2023 Europe Wine Consumption

In 2023, EU member states accounted for 48% of global wine consumption, totalling 107 million hectolitres. This volume marked a slight decline of 1.8% compared to 2022. Nevertheless, this consumption level was over 5% below the decade-long average, as the industry faced several challenges.

Source: OIV