Eve's Wine 101

ADOBE ROAD WINERY WINS LA INVITATIONAL WINE AND SPIRITS CHALLENGE

by

(Petaluma, Calif.)— Renowned family-owned producer, Adobe Road Winery is pleased to announce its 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer Vineyards-Georges III was honored with multiple awards at the inaugural 2022 LA Invitational Wine & Spirits Challenge. The judges bestowed Adobe Road Winery with its prestigious Overall Winner “Best of the Best” along with “Best of Class” in the Cabernet Sauvignon category and “Best of Show” in the red wine category. The competition also awarded the wine 100 points making it the most talked-about wine of the entire competition. The winery secured additional awards during this year’s voting process including “Double Gold” for its 2018 Blue Dog Cabernet Sauvignon and “Gold” for its 2019 Sangiacomo Pinot Noir.

“It’s great when the team gets recognized for their hard work. We have an amazing group of people that are very good at what they do,” says Owner, Kevin Buckler. “There’s no secret sauce, it’s just passion and drive to make the best wines we possibly can.”

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon This 2017 Beckstoffer Georges III sports intense aromatics of licorice, shaved dark chocolate, ripe red fruits, and pencil lead. Since debuting, it has become one of Adobe Road Winery’s most desired red wines, known for a palate explosion of crushed blackberries and toffee mixed with forest floor and graphite. Super fine dusty tannins add focus and length to the extended finish.  The wine was barrel-aged for 30 months in 90% New French Oak and 10% Neutral French Oak. It comes charging off the line with an opaque black color in the glass. (SRP: $195)

“Making wine from a famous and historical vineyard such as Beckstoffer Vineyards Georges III is always a joy. The grapes are perfectly suited to their site there in Rutherford, expressing everything that is good from the soil, sunshine, and careful attention that the vineyard managers give. The resulting wines always speak eloquently of their place and time,” says Winemaker Garrett Martin. “2017 in Napa started unusually cool and wet. The season progressed into an intense summer with a few heat waves that accelerated ripening. Making the best wines in 2017 meant working extremely closely with our vineyard partners to make quick and thoughtful decisions to harvest incredible grapes.

About Adobe Road Winery

Kevin and Debra Buckler established Adobe Road Winery in 2002 with a commitment to making the very best small-lot wines by sourcing premier fruit from some of the most historic and finest family-owned vineyards in Sonoma and Napa Counties. To learn more visit adoberoadwines.com

About TRG and “The Racing Series”

Kevin and Debra founded TRG (The Racers Group) 30 years ago and have grown the company into one of the most successful sports car teams in history. Kevin was the lead driver and achieved international success with wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 24 hours of LeMans. Authenticity is in their DNA and as Kevin likes to say…“ I like to win”. Adobe Road launched “The Racing Series” in 2019 using the same philosophy that drives their success on the racetrack. “The Racing Series” is all about pushing the envelope and challenging existing norms. The wines represent the highest expression of what a premium red blend can be when pushed to the limit. The racing parallels don’t end with just the wine. All “Racing Series” wines incorporate physical aspects of auto racing into the packaging. For more information on The Racers Group visit theracersgroup.com.

Discover Italy and Spain’s Greatest Wine Regions Through “Taste the Difference: Quality Wines from the Heart of Europe”

by

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – After a successful 2021, “Taste the Difference: Quality Wines From the Heart of Europe”, a campaign co-financed by the European Union and managed by Unione Italiana Vini (UIV) and the Spanish state-owned company PRODECA, will continue its mission of increasing the awareness of European PDOs (Protected Denomination of Origin) and PGIs (Protected Geographical Indication), shining the spotlight on some of the best wine producing territories of Italy and Spain.

To be classified as PDO, a wine must be made in a specific region and all the production, processing, and preparation process must occur within the same limited territory. Therefore, products registered as PDOs are those that have the strongest links to the place where they come from. For wines, this means that the grapes must come exclusively from the geographical area where the wine is produced.

To be registered as PGI, a product must have at least one of the stages of production, processing or preparation taking place in a specific region. PGIs emphasize the relationship between a specific territory and the name of the product, where a particular quality, reputation or other characteristic is essentially attributable to its geographical origin. In the case of wine, this means that at least 85% of the grapes used must come exclusively from the geographical area where the wine is made.

The Taste the Difference campaign aims to expose US consumers, media and trade professionals to the most celebrated and historical Spanish wine regions of Catalonia such as Allella DO, Cava DO, Conca de Barbera DO, Costers del Segre DO, Empordà DO, Montsant DO, Penedès DO, Pla de Bages DO, Priorat DOQ and Terra Alta DO, and will elevate the tradition of Italian wines along with their ancient native grapes and historical appellations such as Prosecco DOC, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC, Chiaretto di Bardolino DOC, Custoza DOC, Trento DOC, Franciacorta DOCG, Barbera d’Asti DOCG, Vermentino di Sardegna DOC , Terre Siciliane IGT and many more.

This year, numerous will be the occasions, in person and online, to dive in and explore these European wine jewels with planned activities such as educational seminars, road shows, participation in industry events such as TEXSOM, press and trade trips and a media relations campaign, all supported by an informative website and social media content amplification.

First on the activities calendar are masterclasses in New York and San Francisco in March and a study trip to Barcelona in April. Wine professionals willing to deepen their knowledge of a great selection of Spanish quality wines from the region of Catalunya are invited to apply and be considered for exclusive wine tasting experiences and visits to the most evocative villages and wineries in Catalonia.

For more information about the campaign visit tastethedifference.wine or email info@tastethedifference.wine. Pages dedicated to the Taste the Difference project can be found on Facebook and Instagram

About TASTE THE DIFFERENCE PROGRAM:

The program: European quality wines: taste the difference is a project financed by the European Union and managed by Unione Italiana Vini and PRODECA for the promotion of PDO and PGI European wines abroad in China and US. In order to achieve this objective, the TTD.EU program will organize wine seminars, workshops and b2b meetings both in these countries and in Spain and Italy, inviting wine professionals to join study trips to Europe. The program, realized in the span of three years (2021-2023) aims at creating awareness about European quality wines, in particular Italian and Spanish, which share a long tradition and a high standard of quality.

The beneficiaries: Unione Italiana Vini is the oldest and most commissioned Association of the Italian wine market. It represents cooperative, private and agricultural wine-companies, bottlers, consortia, associations and wine-making machines or wine cellars / laboratory manufacturers, located throughout the Italian territory.

Promotora d’Exportacions Catalanes (PRODECA) is a public company established in 1986 and part of the “Ministry of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda of the Government of Catalonia”. It supports the agri-food sector and its companies with the knowledge, tools and experience to increase their products in Catalunya and worldwide.

Really Good Boxed Wine Announces Master Sommelier Endorsement With Its National Launch

by

HEALDSBURG, CALIF. (PRWEB) – Really Good Boxed Wine, the new direct-to-consumer wine brand whose mission is to elevate the quality of boxed wines, announces the release of its 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon from a Certified Sustainable in Practice (SIP) vineyard in Paso Robles.

“Andy Myers, the first Master Sommelier to become affiliated with a boxed wine.”

This is the brand’s first broadly available release after two limited releases of a 2020 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, each time selling out in a few days. Really Good Boxed Wine is available as either a one-time purchase or as a monthly subscription.

The launch of the latest varietal comes with an endorsement from Andy Myers, the first Master Sommelier to become affiliated with a boxed wine. He found his love of wine while working at the three Michelin Star Inn at Little Washington and never looked back, later spending almost a decade as the beverage director for Chef José Andrés ThinkFoodGroup.

The Master Sommelier diploma is the highest distinction a professional can attain in fine wine and beverage service. There are only 269 Master Sommeliers worldwide, including 172 in the United States, with many sommeliers dedicating their lives to achieve this elusive designation.

“Boxed wine has gotten a bad rap from wine drinkers who perceive it as being inferior,” said Myers. “But since most of today’s wines don’t need to be aged in a bottle, it makes sense to take high-end wines like those offered by Really Good Boxed Wine and create better and more sustainable packaging, without inhibiting the drinking experience. I was thoroughly impressed with all of the wines Really Good Boxed Wine is releasing, and am excited to be part of their journey.”

Really Good Boxed Wine’s founder Jake Whitman concurs with Myers’ mission to revamp the image of boxed wine while helping to address the wine industry’s carbon emissions due to bottle manufacturing.

“Really Good Boxed Wine’s goal is to create the best boxed wine in the United States, and we’re beyond thrilled that Andy loved our wine enough to endorse it after trying it,” said Whitman. “Far from mass-produced, commercially farmed grapes, our wine is directly sourced from respected vineyards and award-winning winemakers. I believe boxed wines are one of the clearest ways to help reduce the carbon impact of packaging in our industry, and our hope is Andy’s incredible palate and Master Sommelier credentials will help educate consumers on the quality of our wine.”

Whitman followed, “Our team of sommeliers and industry experts tasted more than 50 options to find the perfect wine for our January release, ultimately landing on our new 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles. We can’t wait to share it with the world.”

Each 3 Liter box of Really Good Boxed Wine, the equivalent of four bottles of wine, sells for $65, or $16.25 per bottle. Wines of this caliber typically retail for a minimum of to per bottle.

Consumers enjoy up to a 60% savings versus comparable premium wine bottles, since packaging costs and shipping are significantly lower.

Really Good Boxed Wine’s next varietals include a 2021 Pinot Noir Rosé from the Russian River Valley in February, followed by a 2021 Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma County in March. For more information, visit https://www.reallygoodboxedwine.com.

###

About Really Good Boxed Wine:
Really Good Boxed Wine combats the misconception that high-quality wine can’t be put in a box. They partner with world-class vineyards and award-winning winemakers to make ultra-premium wine, put it in the boxed wine format, and sell it direct-to-consumer through http://www.reallygoodboxedwine.com. It’s boxed wine you actually want to drink.

North-Eastern Spain experiences an extremely generous harvest

by

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – Local harvest reports issued by Cava, Montsant and Pla de Bages appellations reveal North-East Spain has experienced an abundant and quality harvest in 2021.

Despite a longer than usual harvest due climatic factors, Cava collected 300 million kilos of grapes. According to the Regulatory Board’s Technical Services: “The grapes are in good health, with a suitable acidity and alcohol content for the production of excellent Cavas.” The 2021 vintage will be the first vintage in which wineries will distinguish their wines by the grapes’ sourcing territory, since the new zones and sub-zones approved by the Designation of Origin Regulatory Council came into force. Organic production continues to grow too, in anticipation of further quality oriented changes in PDO regulations whereby Cava de Guarda Superior wines must be made from 100% organically grown grapes by 2025. Organic Cava production has increased by more than 245% in the last 5 years, from 4 million bottles in 2016 to 13.8 million in 2020, and last year organic Cava accounted for 6.4% of the total appellation volume – in number of bottles.

A great result has been achieved also by Montsant DO appellation whose harvest amounts to 8,7 million kilos of grapes, with an increase of 50% with respect to 2020. Last time such a plentiful harvest was recorded was in 2016. The reasons for this increase can be traced back to the snowfall at the beginning of the 2021 season which allowed vines to store water, as well as to the regular summer rainfalls. As far as varieties, red grapes represent 93% of the total, 60% of which are Garnacha and Cariñena. As for white grapes, Garnacha blanca and Macabeo remain the main varieties, amounting to 90% of the total white grapes harvested.

An increase has been registered also for DO Pla de Bages, thanks to both new vineyards and a favourable season which led to 1,700,000 kilos of grapes. In this case too, regular rainfalls during all the growing season have benefited a more abundant yield and yet proper ripening of the berries.

The program: European quality wines: taste the difference is a project financed by the European Union and managed by Unione Italiana Vini and PRODECA for the promotion of PDO and PGI European wines abroad in China and US. In order to achieve this objective, the TTD.EU program will organize wine seminars, workshops and b2b meetings both in these countries and in Spain and Italy, inviting wine professionals to join study trips to Europe. The program, realized in the span of three years (2021-2023) aims at creating awareness about European quality wines, in particular Italian and Spanish, which share a long tradition and a high standard of quality.

The beneficiaries: Unione Italiana Vini is the oldest and most commissioned Association of the Italian wine market. It represents cooperative, private and agricultural wine-companies, bottlers, consortia, associations and wine-making machines or wine cellars / laboratory manufacturers, located throughout the Italian territory. Promotora de Exportaciones Catalanas (PRODECA) is a public company established in 1986 and part of the “Ministry of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda of the Government of Catalonia”. It supports the agri-food sector and its companies with the knowledge, tools and experience to increase their products in Catalunya and worldwide.

Why Empordà should be on your European quality wine list

by

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – It’s high time Empordà wines gained the recognition they deserve, The last wine journalist to have acknowledged their quality has been critic Jancis Robinson who has praised Empordà wines in the Financial Times. “Cool Catalans” reads the title of her article where she reports about her most recent visit to the Spanish region and how it has become an example of serious wine production.

From: With Husband in Tow.

Wine culture reached Catalonia around the 6th century BC. The area was then the most important Greek colony in Spain, and Emporiae was the Greek city that later gave its name to the Empordà region. In the Middle Ages, when vines were grown near abbeys and monasteries, the terraced vineyards cultivated by the Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes covered the slopes of the Rodes Mountain range. It is here that the winemaking monk Ramon Pere de Noves learned to master the winemaking art and wrote a treatise on the subject.

The region’s growers have chosen to forget international varieties, and are now focusing on native varieties. The most important are the red grapes Garnacha and Carignan, which more and more wineries vinify in single-vineyard expressions, thus offering interpretations of terroir subtleties. Juicy and vibrant, these red wines show the long-forgotten potential of the region. Most recently, Empordà producers have been increasingly investing time and energy white varieties, especially native ones, such as Lledoner Blanc (Grenache Blanc), Lledoner Roig (Grenache Gris) and Carinyena Blanc (Carignan Blanc). Grenache Gris in particular has been at the core of a Renaissance movement, casting new light on this aromatic variety that gives life to crispy whites. Both family wineries and coops have embraced a quality approach and the results are visible and are starting to be appreciated outside the region as much as within. “Empordà is very definitely on the move” wraps up Jancis Robinson.

About TASTE THE DIFFERENCE PROGRAM
The program: European quality wines: taste the difference is a project financed by the European Union and managed by Unione Italiana Vini and PRODECA for the promotion of PDO and PGI European wines abroad in China and US. In order to achieve this objective, the TTD.EU program will organize wine seminars, workshops and b2b meetings both in these countries and in Spain and Italy, inviting wine professionals to join study trips to Europe. The program, realized in the span of three years (2021-2023) aims at creating awareness about European quality wines, in particular Italian and Spanish, which share a long tradition and a high standard of quality.

The beneficiaries: Unione Italiana Vini is the oldest and most commissioned Association of the Italian wine market. It represents cooperative, private and agricultural wine-companies, bottlers, consortia, associations and wine-making machines or wine cellars / laboratory manufacturers, located throughout the Italian territory.

Promotora de Exportaciones Catalanas (PRODECA) is a public company established in 1986 and part of the “Ministry of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda of the Government of Catalonia”. It supports the agri-food sector and its companies with the knowledge, tools and experience to increase their products in Catalunya and worldwide.

High-altitude vineyards and quality wines: Terra Alta DO reaches new heights

by

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – The most southerly DO wine area in the region of Catalonia, Terra Alta is nestled among the mountains, approximately 60 miles south of Tarragona. As mentioned in the name itself, which translates into High Land, Terra Alta has always been forced to face the limits of mountain regions: difficult and rare communication and trade exchanges, as well as limited mechanization and development of secondary and tertiary sectors. This has inevitably shaped the local wine production whose origins date back to Roman times and whose expansion was hampered by the lack of effective trade routes.

In recent years, this background has proven to be a winning combination. Old vineyards, native varieties such as Garnacha Blanca and Morenillo, and small family businesses – along with some coops that have played an important social role during the most difficult years – have secured attention from wine lovers looking for quality, stories and sustainability. Sustainable practices in the vineyards are possible thanks to the hilly terrain and El Cierzo, a local dry wind originating in the Ebro River valley that moderates temperatures during the growing season and prevents mildew disease on the vines. Finally, limestone soils help retain the acidity in white wines and provide red wines with a delicate profile.

All this has led to a renaissance of the region in the last decade, resulting in modern Mediterranean style wines. Terra Alta is now the fastest growing PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) in the region of Catalonia, ranking third as far as consumer preferences among the wines of the Catalan PDO based on a Nielsen study. Fresh and aromatic whites are based mainly on Garnacha Blanca which represents the soul of DO Terra Alta: nowadays, 33% of the world’s White Garnacha is grown in the Terra Alta, a percentage that represents 75% of this grape’s production in Spain. Delicate and fruity reds are produced from Garnacha, Carignan, Tempranillo and Morenillo.

Terra Alta, which gained Picasso’s attention for its imponent landscapes, is now a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Its cultural heritage is also noteworthy, with two wineries that are part of the so-called wine cathedrals, two modernist jewels located in Pinell de Brai (1918) and Gandesa (1919).

About TASTE THE DIFFERENCE PROGRAM
The program: European quality wines: taste the difference is a project financed by the European Union and managed by Unione Italiana Vini and PRODECA for the promotion of PDO and PGI European wines abroad in China and the US. In order to achieve this objective, the TTD.EU program will organize wine seminars, workshops and b2b meetings both in these countries and in Spain and Italy, inviting wine professionals to join study trips to Europe. The program, realized in the span of three years (2021-2023) aims at creating awareness about European quality wines, in particular Italian and Spanish, which share a long tradition and a high standard of quality.

The beneficiaries: Unione Italiana Vini is the oldest and most commissioned Association of the Italian wine market. It represents cooperative, private and agricultural wine-companies, bottlers, consortia, associations and wine-making machines or wine cellars / laboratory manufacturers, located throughout the Italian territory. Promotora de Exportaciones Catalanas (PRODECA) is a public company established in 1986 and added to the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food of the Government of the “Generalitat de Catalunya.”

Get to know Pla de Bages, Spain’s smallest appellation which is rising to new heights

by

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – Despite its absence on the average wine list in the United States, Pla de Bages represents a most interesting story of resilience in the wine world.

Located north-west of lively Barcelona, Pla de Bages stretches on 1230 acres across two fluvial valleys shaped by the Llobregat and the Cardener rivers. The region has been associated with wine production from the very beginning inasmuch as to be named after Bacchus, the Greek god of wine. Pla de Bages means Plain of Bacchus and conjures up the image of a land dotted with vineyards. Wine production already flourished under Roman domination, as witnessed by the architecture of rural villas and pottery remains from the 2nd-century, one vase bearing the noun vinum, wine in Latin. In the following centuries the popularity of the region would only grow, reaching its peak in the 19th century.

Its gilded epoch expanded between 1860 and 1890 when Pla de Bages became Catalonia’s most productive wine region, supplying Barcelona’s market as well as France, already experiencing the drama of Phylloxera and craving for quality wine. Unfortunately, by the end of the century the pest had also reached Pla de Bages dragging the region into obscurity.

Despite the odds, today Pla de Bages still produces attention worthy wines, some from varieties not often found elsewhere, thanks to the determination of a small group of obstinate producers who have resisted the temptation to abandon the valley and move to the city for a safer earning. This bunch of families have embraced innovation as a way to enhance the regional great potential, nowadays almost forgotten by human memory. Clay and calcareous soils, together with the local microclimate, low amount of rain and the noticeable diurnal range, allow grapes to thrive. Made from Picapoll Blanc and Macabeo varieties, white wines are savoury and fresh, whereas from Sumoll and Garnacha grapes red wines gain intense fruity aromas and a high drinkability. The quality-driven efforts of the local wineries, amounting nowadays to fifteen brands, resulted in Pla de Bages gaining DO status in 1995 and, most importantly, revived a long tradition which would otherwise have been lost.

Lodi Winegrape Commission Celebrates 30 Years

by

LODI, Calif.– The year 2021 marks the 30th anniversary of the Lodi Winegrape Commission – the grower-centric organization which represents 750 winegrowers farming more than 100,000 acres of winegrapes in the Lodi American Viticultural Area (AVA) spanning California’s northern San Joaquin and Sacramento counties.

Over the past 30 years, the Lodi Winegrape Commission has elevated Lodi’s reputation as a premium winegrowing region amongst core buyers, consumers, trade, and media, while providing support for the region through marketing, education, research, and sustainable winegrowing programs.

Proof of the organization’s decades-long work is reflected in the region itself. Since 1991, Lodi’s acreage under vine has more than doubled, progressing from 39,000 acres to over 100,000 acres. Crop values increased from $80 million to more than $500 million, and the number of wineries expanded from six to 85. Wine-related tourism continues to generate billions of dollars in annual economic impact for the community. The recognized Lodi Appellation has become an indicator of quality on labeled wines, growing from a handful in the 1990s to thousands today.

“The success of the Lodi Winegrape Commission hinges on the support of its winegrowers and wine community,” states Aaron Shinn, Lodi Winegrape Commission board chair. “Collectively, we have excelled at our original objectives to move Lodi forward and we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished thus far. In continuing to work together, we have an exciting future ahead of us. The best is yet to come.”

The Commission continues to spur innovation in technology, viticultural practices, and modern thinking while serving as a winegrowing industry thought leader. Its programs and achievements since 1991 are just the beginning of the Commission’s success and contributions to the larger wine industry.

In honor of the accomplishments of its dedicated winegrowers and wine community, the Lodi Winegrape Commission hosted an invitation-only celebration featuring a presentation from California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross on November 17, 2021.

Notable achievements of the Commission over the past 30 years include:

  • In 2005, creation of the LODI RULES for Sustainable Winegrowing program, now widely regarded as the most comprehensive and rigorous sustainable vineyard certification in the world. What began as a handful of certified vineyards in 2005 has increased to nearly 1,300 certified vineyards and 55,380 certified acres across 16 California Crush Districts, Washington, and Israel. The program was awarded the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA) in 2006 and again in 2014.

  • In 2015, Lodi was honored as Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s Wine Region of the Year because of the Lodi Winegrape Commission’s highly visible and successful consumer-facing branding and national marketing campaign.

  • In 2000, the Lodi Winegrape Commission established the Lodi Wine Visitor Center – one of the industry’s original regional wine education and tasting centers.

  • In 2006, the Lodi Winegrape Commission was instrumental in establishing seven unique areas or nested AVAs within the greater Lodi AVA: Alta Mesa, Borden Ranch, Clements Hills, Cosumnes River, Jahant, Mokelumne River, and Sloughhouse.

  • In August 2020, the Lodi Winegrape Commission released “Mealybug Biocontrol in California Vineyards” – a video detailing a one-year project with Dr. Kent Daane and a team of Lodi growers who later leveraged the original Western SARE grant into a $1 million BIFS (Biologically Integrated Farming Systems) grant for the study of mealybug biocontrol in Lodi and the Central Coast.

  • In October 2020, the Commission launched Save the Old Vines – a marketing campaign aimed specifically at the preservation of heritage vineyards. In March 2021, the Commission was one of a handful of leaders asked to speak at the world’s first Old Vine Conference – a movement dedicated to ensuring heritage vineyards a valued and enduring place within the commercial realities of the global wine industry.

About the Lodi Winegrape Commission

Established in 1991, the Lodi Winegrape Commission represents the common interests of Lodi winegrowers with programs in marketing, education, research, and sustainable viticulture.  The Commission collectively and effectively promotes Lodi’s vibrant, multi-generational farming community and California’s most dynamic wine region. Comprised of nine commissioners and nine alternates, the board of directors provides direction and input on behalf of the region’s 750 winegrowers. For more information about the Lodi Winegrape Commission, visit lodigrowers.com.

About the Lodi American Viticultural Area (AVA)

A historic winegrowing region since the 1850s, Lodi is perfectly situated 40 miles south of Sacramento and 90 miles east of San Francisco. Lodi’s Mediterranean climate and distinct soils allow its growers to cultivate 125 winegrape varieties, making Lodi the most diverse winegrowing region in the United States. The region also serves as home to 85 boutique wineries specializing in small-lot, handmade wines that have garnered major awards at domestic and international wine competitions.

Lodi is naturally a leader in sustainable viticulture. Created by California farmers and accredited by world-renowned scientists, LODI RULES is America’s original sustainable winegrowing program. Held to a high standard of scientific rigor and excellence, the program emphasizes environmentally and socially responsible practices, while keeping economic feasibility in mind for long-term business success. Today, there are more than 55,000 acres certified throughout California, in Washington, and Israel. For more information about the Lodi AVA or LODI RULES, visit lodiwine.com and lodirules.org.

Montecucco, Tuscany: The 2021 Harvest Is Over, With Expectations For An Excellent Vintage

by

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – The Montecucco Consortium announced the end of the harvest and released its 2021 harvest report, which indicates an average quantity decrease of 20–25% compared with 2020 but excellent quality for the Sangiovese that arrived in the cellar.

The 2021 growing season was difficult. The April frost was a serious challenge for the region, in particular for wineries below 200–240 m ASL. A cold May caused an irregular budbreak, and summer drought stress contributed to further reducing harvest volumes. The unusual drought persisted as a problem from January to September: 204 mm of rain compared to an average of 450 mm annually during the last 20 years.

But favorable sunny weather conditions accompanied the flowering and the ripening of the grapes from June through September.

During the latter month, there were significant day-to-night fluctuations in temperature with variations as high as 15–16° C, significantly helping tannins soften and enhancing the aromatic profile of the wines.

Montecucco producers did their best to minimize the water stress conditions on the vines by controlling excessive vegetation and working the land almost daily to ensure a sufficient water supply. Some wineries were able to intervene with emergency irrigation systems. Thanks to this diligent management, producers reached the yield of 70 quintals per hectare required by the Montecucco Sangiovese DOCG regulations and 90 quintals per hectare required by the Montecucco DOC regulations. Montecucco winemakers were able to evaluate and manage the situation successfully, dividing the harvest into several phases according to the particular needs of each plot.

“We’re expecting the Sangiovese wines to age for a long time,” said Giovanni Battista Basile, president of the Montecucco Consortium. “We’re more than satisfied with the excellent health of the grapes that arrived in the cellar, with no traces of either downy mildew or powdery mildew. The ‘clean’ work in the vineyards that is in the DNA of our territory—with 85% of wineries certified organic—encouraged these results and helped make the vines more resistant. Our winegrowers have made a significant effort to implement earth-friendly practices such as organic pest management and the use of natural and organic products, as well as engaging in innovative studies and research projects on environmental sustainability, in partnership with important institutes and university centers.”

# # #
About the Montecucco Consortium (Consorzio Tutela Vini Montecucco):
Founded in 2000 and representing 68 wine producers, the Montecucco Consortium is committed to the stewardship, protection and promotion of the Montecucco wine denomination. The consortium ensures high quality through a set of formal production guidelines for the entire winemaking process, from cultivation to bottling, including a strict traceability system that allows consumers to know the origin of each wine purchased. The consortium’s ability to provide day in and day out support to local growers, assist in brand promotion and focus on the quality of the end product have earned the organization the trust of numerous leading estates and attracted some of Italy’s most renowned producers. For more information visit conosorziomontecucco.it

Cava Completes an Excellent Harvest with Over 330,000 Tons of Grapes

by

VILAFRANCA DEL PENEDÈS —The wineries of the D.O. Cava have finished this year’s harvest. According to the Regulatory Board’s Technical Services: “The grapes are in good health, with a suitable acidity and alcohol content for the production of excellent Cavas.”

This harvest has taken longer to complete than usual due to climatic factors. After 2020 was marked by a considerable drop in production, this year’s harvest of grapes destined to be used for Cava was around 330,700 tons.

A meticulous grape-ripening control plan was executed throughout the harvest, and on-the-ground controls were increased. The director of the Regulatory Board’s Technical Services, Luis Marco, stated: “Although the alcohol levels have been significantly lower than those of the previous vintage, the grapes have a good balance between alcohol content and acidity, which bodes well for the production of Cava.”

The president of D.O. Cava, Javier Pagés, emphasized the Regulatory Board’s determination to “continue demonstrating our strict commitment to controlling and guaranteeing the quality that characterizes the Cava designation.” In fact, 100 winery verifiers have been deployed to supervise and control the arrival of grapes from winemakers belonging to D.O. Cava. In order to guarantee traceability, a new software platform has been set up for this campaign, as part of the digital transformation currently taking place within the D.O.

The 2021 vintage will be remembered as the first in which wineries can distinguish their wines by the grapes’ territory of origin, since the new zones and sub-zones approved by the Designation of Origin Regulatory Council came into force. These new regulations mark out three defined production areas: Comtats de Barcelona, Valle del Ebro, and Viñedos de Almendralejo, along with seven sub-zones: Valls d’Anoia-Foix, Conca del Gaià, Serra de Mar, Serra de Prades, Pla de Ponent, Alto Ebro, and Valle del Cierzo.

Organic production continues to grow, in anticipation of the wineries’ current transition process, whereby Cava de Guarda Superior wines must be 100% organically produced by 2025. Organic Cava production has increased by more than 245% in the last five years, from four million bottles in 2016 to 13.8 million in 2020. In addition, last year organic Cava once again grew in importance within D.O. Cava, accounting for 6.4% of the volume (in number of bottles), confirming the upward trend of consumer interest in organic Cava.

The excellent quality of the 2021 vintage is the result of yet another year of tireless work by the wineries of the Cava D.O. and the growers.

###

About D.O. Cava

With more than 70% of international sales, Cava is the Spanish D.O. which exports the most wine: its 370 associated wineries are present in over 100 countries. The D.O. encompasses more than 93,900 acres of vineyards and more than 6,800 winegrowers. Cava is a quality sparkling wine that pairs perfectly with every type of food, and is made using the traditional method, with a strict commitment to origin, land, and sustainability.

Web: Cava.wine

Facebook: facebook.com/do.cava

Instagram: instagram.com/Cava.do/

Twitter: twitter.com/DO_Cava

YouTube: youtube.com/c/doCava