Category: Wine

Nine Wine Regions Unite to Form “The Global AVA”

A few weeks ago, the Global Artisan Vintners Alliance (Global AVA) was announced, comprising nine prominent wine regions from around the world as its founding members.

The Global AVA has been established with the objective of fostering a mutually beneficial and sustainable alliance among the member regions. This collaboration unites wine regions from various parts of the world, promoting the exchange of experiences and the cultivation of robust relationships among partners. Through this cooperative effort, the participating wine regions aim to develop and fortify their respective industries.

The Nine founding wine regions include:

Livermore Valley Wine Community, California;
Texas Hill Country Wineries, Texas;
Chilecito, Argentina;
Dalmatia, Croatia;
Chinon, France;
Alentejo, Portugal;
Vale dos Vinhedos, Brazil;
Badacsony, Hungary;
and Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.

“On behalf of the entire Livermore Valley Wine Community, we are proud to have pioneered the effort to create The Global AVA,” said Brandi Lombardi, executive director of the Livermore Valley Wine Community. “As one of California’s oldest wine regions, Livermore Valley has a rich winemaking tradition, but it also embraces new techniques and a new generation of winemakers. This alliance will enable all partner regions to expand opportunities for winemakers and wineries, and to boost tourism in their regions.”

The Global AVA promotes international collaboration and information exchange among winemakers, wine associations, government representatives, tourism and economic development organizations, and business associations. Representatives from partner wine regions actively participate in professional development opportunities, which also help to grow the global presence of participating wine regions.
“I have dreamed of creating a global network of wine region partners, and I am pleased to see that it has been possible to realize this through the hard work of my team and the Livermore Valley Wine Growers Association,” said David Haubert, Alameda County District 1 Supervisor. “This alliance will bring tremendous value and innovation into the future, and I am excited to be a part of this groundbreaking initiative.”

Wine Review: Tedeschi Amarone della Valpolicella 2021 – Liz Palmer

Tasting Notes:

This wine is a Symphony of Flavors, showcasing a deep, dark inky red hue that captivates. On the nose, it reveals an intricate bouquet of dark cherry, dried fig, and grilled herbs, intertwined with subtle hints of dark chocolate and spice. The palate is a harmonious blend of savory and sweet, with flavors of bacon, dark cherry, and dried figgy fruit, with a touch of dark chocolate and spice. The wine is full-bodied and balanced by velvety tannins and a long, lingering finish that leaves a lasting impression and wanting more.
93 Points
Liz Palmer

Food Pairing:

This Amarone is a versatile companion to a variety of dishes. Its robust flavors pair beautifully with roasted venison, beef daube, and leg of lamb. For a more traditional pairing, try it with polenta dishes or pasta with a rich tomato sauce. The wine’s complexity also makes it a delightful match for aged cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano or Gorgonzola.

Air New Zealand Debutes Premium Wine Label “Thirteen Forty Five”

Air New Zealand has recently introduced an exclusive new wine label, “Thirteen Forty Five,” available exclusively to its passengers.

Thirteen Forty Five was named in tribute to a significant milestone in the airline’s history – the inaugural flight from Auckland to Sydney in 1940, which covered 1345 miles. Operated by Air New Zealand’s predecessor, TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways Limited), this flight ushered in a new era of air travel, connecting New Zealand to the world.

The label launches with two signature varietals, sauvignon blanc and pinot noir, crafted in collaboration with renowned New Zealand wine producer Villa Maria, part of Indevin Group. These wines are now available in Air New Zealand lounges throughout New Zealand and in Premium Economy cabins on international flights.

Air New Zealand General Manager Customer Experience Kylie McGillivray-Brown says the unique blends have been carefully crafted to provide an exclusive experience for customers, whether they’re enjoying a glass in the air or while relaxing in a lounge.

About the Wines

The sauvignon blanc blends grapes from select vineyards in Marlborough’s Wairau and Awatere valleys, offering aromas of passionfruit, lemongrass, and subtle herbal notes. The pinot noir, sourced from vineyards on the eastern side of the Wairau valley, showcases flavours of cherry and plum with hints of dried herbs and violets.

Winemaker Tom Dixon of Villa Maria says: “We couldn’t have asked for better vintages to produce the debut release of these wines. The conditions during the growing seasons were very favourable for producing high quality wines that reflect their respective varieties and showcase the essence of sauvignon blanc and pinot noir from Marlborough.”

Champagne Pairings for British Pie Week: Elevate Your Culinary Experience

One of the most delectable weeks of the year for me is British Pie Week! This tempting celebration happens during the first week of March!

Did you know that pie shops have been a staple of British culinary culture since the 18th century, especially in London and surrounding areas?

This week is the perfect excuse to enjoy your favorite pie and bottle of champagne – so grab your fork, dig in and have a sip!

Champagne’s versatility makes it the ideal match to a wide variety of pies. Here’s a guide to five champagne pairings with some of Britain’s favorite pies:

Steak and Ale pie with Champagne Brut: Champagne Brut is a classic option, but one that is multi-faceted, making it versatile and simple to pair with a variety of dishes. Champagne Brut pairs excellently with a traditional steak and ale pie due to the high acidity that cuts through the richness of the beef, malty ale, and flaky pastry, which cleanses the palette.

Chicken and Mushroom with Champagne Blanc de Noirs: The delicate richness of the creamy filling, with earthy mushrooms and tender chicken complements the more mature and solid structure of a Blanc de Noirs, which is exclusively made of dark grapes. It also tends to exhibit more red fruit flavours which can enhance the delicate taste of the chicken.

Traditional fish pie with Champagne Blanc de Blancs: A Champagne Blanc de Blancs, which is produced exclusively from white grape, tends to showcase a lighter body with citrus flavours that pair wonderfully with fish and seafood. The Champagne’s acidity also cuts through the creamy sauce and buttery mashed potato.

Shepherd’s Pie with Champagne Vintage: A hearty Shepherd’s Pie is a beloved British classic, rich with slow-cooked lamb, savoury gravy, and a buttery mashed potato topping. Such a pie deserves a Champagne that can match its depth and indulgence. A Champagne Vintage is the ultimate choice. With its layers of toasted brioche, roasted nuts, and ripe fruit, a well-aged Champagne Vintage not only complements the dish’s umami richness but also elevates it.

Blackberry and apple pie with Champagne Demi-Sec: A style currently growing in popularity, Demi-Sec Champagne has a slightly sweeter dosage at 32 and 50 grams of sugar per litre, which matches well with creamy, sweet, or rich dishes. The subtle sweetness of Champagne Demi-Sec complements the fruity richness of the blackberries and apples, enhancing the natural sweetness of the pie. The acidity also balances the sweetness, while the smooth, creamy texture works beautifully with the pie’s buttery pastry.

Source: Champagne Bureau UK

Austrian Wine: The 2024 Vintage – Ripe Wines, Small Harvest

After the weather proved to be particularly capricious during 2024, including late frosts, hailstorms and heavy rain, the year ended on a conciliatory note with a very beautiful late summer and autumn. Winemakers managed to bring in the majority of the main harvest in favourable conditions. Although harvest volumes were low, the wines they produced are very pleasing. In general, we can expect well-ripened, balanced white wines that display fine fruit, body and moderate acidity, clearly reflecting the typical varietal characteristics. The deep-coloured, concentrated red wines are expected to mature into an outstanding vintage that is likely to be one of the very best of the last few decades.

The vintage 2024 promises well-ripened, balanced white wines and concentrated red wines that are expected to mature into an outstanding vintage.

Weather conditions in 2024

In contrast to most previous years, sufficient rain fell during the relatively warm peak period of winter 2024. Spring followed, living up to its name with glorious weather in early April, marked by cloudless skies and high temperatures. This caused the vines to bud extremely early, which always brings with it a certain risk. This year was no exception with the dreaded late frosts striking in the second half of April, leading to a lower harvest volume.

However, the frosts varied greatly from one region to the next. While the frosts only struck the lower vineyards in most regions, they also damaged premium vineyards in the Kamptal and in certain parts of the Wachau and the Thermenregion. The necessary rain set in in all regions towards the end of May and beginning of June. Due to early budding, this precipitation coincided with the equally early flowering of the vines in most wine-growing regions. This led to coulure, which also caused a reduction in yields later on.

From the second half of June, high temperatures meant that the ripening process advanced rapidly. In Niederösterreich (Lower Austria) and Burgenland, these temperatures lasted almost the entire summer, up to the beginning of September. Some regions had virtually no rainfall. Unfortunately, the exception to this were localised storms including heavy hail, which struck the wine-growing villages east of Lake Neusiedl, several municipalities in Steiermark (Styria) and the north-western part of the Weinviertel. The final blow came in the form of a massive hailstorm that hit the Nussberg in Wien (Vienna) at the end of August, just before the harvest began. After September got off to an oppressively hot start, eastern Austria saw a dramatic change in the weather in the middle of the month. Heavy rainstorms lasted as long as four days in some places, bringing an unprecedented amount of rain and catastrophic flooding. This primarily affected the Niederösterreich wine-growing regions north of the Danube and the wine-growing enclaves of Oberösterreich (Upper Austria). The regions south of the Danube and northern Burgenland suffered significantly less. Because of the warm summer weather, ripening was fortunately well advanced by this stage, meaning that many winegrowers managed to bring in most of their grapes before being hit by the heavy rain. However, even the grapes harvested after the rain were in perfect condition, with a high level of sugar ripeness. Many winegrowers harvested healthy but relatively small, loosely clustered grapes with thick skins and a low juice content. Combined with the adverse weather conditions mentioned above, such as late frosts, coulure and, in some places, extreme dryness in the summer, this resulted in a significantly reduced harvest volume, which is considerably lower than the average of recent years.

Overall – The 2024 vintage was a roller-coaster ride for Austrian winemakers with late frosts, hail storms and torrential rain sometimes testing them to the limit. Harvest volumes suffered as a result, yet the wines they produced are very pleasing. The white wines are well-balanced and approachable, with attractive fruit, body and moderate acidity. The deep-coloured, concentrated red wines are expected to mature into an outstanding vintage that is likely to be one of the very best of the last few decades.

Full report can be found at https://www.austrianwine.com/the-2024-vintage

Sources: Austrian Wine / Robert Herbst