Eve's Wine 101

Active Wine Preserver Encork Launches Kickstarter Campaign

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SAN DIEGO (PRWEB) – A Kickstarter campaign has launched to fund Encork, an innovative, minimalist wine preserving device. The Encork is an easy to use, disposable stopper that actively removes oxygen to preserve wine, allowing consumers to taste more and waste less.

Encork was designed to fill a marketplace need in a growing sector for an inexpensive and effective way to preserve wine. US wine consumption has increased by 33% since 2005, but waste has also increased. Opened wine goes stale and spoils when oxidation creates off-flavors, and one study found that an average household throws away almost two glasses of wine a week — roughly twenty bottles wasted a year.

Encork stoppers make it easy to enjoy multiple bottles while keeping wine fresh. Each stopper contains a food-safe compound that removes 99.

9% of oxygen from one 750ml bottle to prevent wine oxidation. Simply remove the cap from an Encork to activate the oxygen absorber and press it firmly into an open bottle. To enjoy later, remove the device and listen for the “pop” that confirms the oxygen was absorbed.

“We designed Encork to improve the wine experience by making it affordable to open a bottle whenever inspiration strikes and save it without wasting a drop,” said Encork co-founder Tyler Rice.

“Encork wine preserving stoppers provide the freedom to create a flight at home or have just one glass on a weekday, empowering consumers to bring wine back for an encore performance months after opening.”

Made of eco-friendly TPE, Encork’s low-profile, tapered design functions as a universal stopper that fits wine bottles with corks and screwtops alike. Once depleted, stoppers can be disposed of or mailed back to be recycled. The Encork’s unique combination of simplicity, affordability, and effectiveness is unmatched by existing products available in the market. Encorks are an ideal solution for home wine consumption as well as for restaurants, wineries, tasting rooms, and more.

For more information and to back Encork, visit: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/encork/encork

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International Box Wine Day Is September 9

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KINGSPORT, Tenn., /PRNewswire/ — What began as a cheap container for wines in the mid- 1960s has become a reason for celebration by wine lovers around the world. Over the last decade, the box wine revolution became a cause célèbre.

Early boxed wines got a bad rap, largely because they deserved it. Wine producers used this inexpensive container to package many cheaply made wines. They found a market niche for these wines, but the poor reputation for boxed wines languished for decades. Ironically, the wine box has many advantages over traditional wine bottles. Finally, with the help of new technologies and rediscovery of the many advantages of the box container, the box wine revolution began.

Box wines stay fresh longer because the wine has little exposure to air and resulting oxidation. An opened box wine can last four to six weeks because the container is self-sealing. It is the most eco-friendly of all wine packaging. The container takes less energy to produce and the box is recyclable. Because of these and other factors, like convenience and lower shipping costs, box wines are better values than bottled wines.

The second stage of the box wine revolution happened as quality wine producers began leveraging this superior packaging for their higher quality wines. Premium box wines are becoming the norm.
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Consumers have discovered they now have a wider variety of box wines, and that selection is growing every day. Box wine sales were up over 30% in 2020, and that upward trend shows no signs of slowing.

Now that box wines are enjoying the acceptance they deserve, it’s time to celebrate with a special day to Embrace the Box and to share the joys of box wine with an ever-expanding army of fans. It’s time for International Box Wine Day.

What can box wine lovers expect on the inaugural International Box Wine day, September 9? That will likely be determined to some degree by COVID-19, but we hope the pandemic will have subsided to the point that Embrace the Box celebrations can proceed with the fervor they deserve. In the spirit of this new special day, we’re calling on winemakers worldwide to make plans to celebrate – to open your doors to box wine tastings and tours. Show off your box wines and participate in the celebrations. Wine Nook Co-Founder Cindy Saadeh said “Many major box wine producers are already making plans for International Box Wine Day.”

For your own at-home celebration, enjoy a box of your favorite wine. If you haven’t tried box wines yet, give one a shot. Most boxes contain more than 20 servings, so share with friends.

About Wine Nook: Our goal is to elevate the box wine and cocktail experience with our patented dispensers and accessories. Since 2015, we have championed the wine industry’s efforts to produce premium wines in alternative packaging. Wine Nook is partnered with the National Forest Foundation to plant a tree for every Nook sold.

Perlis Picks – The New Wine Rules by Jon Bonné

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A few years ago, Jon Bonné’s book The New California Wine became one of my favorite books on wine. I think some people looked at that book as the author telling people that these are the only wines you should be drinking out of the vast selection available to us. Instead, I took Mr. Bonné’s intent to be to advise his readers of which wineries he felt were most involved in pushing the boundaries of quality winemaking in California.

jb_header_4Admittedly, I especially appreciated Bonné’s theme as I tend to gravitate towards wine outliers myself; often those who don’t follow the standard rules.

So, I was somewhat surprised by the author’s latest book, which is all about rules.

I expected to dislike this book, but I liked it – a lot. Truthfully, the “rules” read more like suggestions to make your wine-life easier, whether you be a possibly intimidated wine novice or a seasoned wine lover. And as the book reads like suggestions, the reader can feel free to choose which ones works best for him or her.

Some of the “rules” that resonated with me were…

Rule 1 – Drink the rainbow.

It’s easy to get in a rut of one color [red, white or pink] or even one varietal [sayeth the Zin Fan]. That’s a good way to do it, if you want to miss a lot.

Rule 6 – There’s a difference between “fruity” and “sweet.”

While the author tries to not get hung up on technicalities, this is a good one to remember. They definitely mean different things.

Rule 14 – Organic and biodynamic mean something specific. Natural means a different thing.

I like this one because, ironically, these terms mean very little to me as to whether I select a wine for my own drinking. Although it does make for interesting conversation while sharing a glass or two of it with fellow wine drinkers.

Rule 17 – Stop worrying about sulfites.

I love this one for all of you who complain that the sulfites gave you a headache when it is really probably because you drank too much.

Rule 23 – No two bottles of wine – even of the same wine – are exactly alike.

So many factors can contribute to bottle variation, from conditions at the winery to conditions with the consumer and anywhere in between. It is just a fact of life and what contributes to wine being so interesting.

Ditto for…

Rule 25 – The occasional faulty bottle of wine is a fact of life. Don’t let one ruin your day.

Something I need to remind myself of sometimes.

The author also provides a very nice explanation of what the various faults [corked, cooked, oxidized, brett, etc.] are. Personally, I’ve found that people can be sensitive to some faults more than others; for example, “oxidation” is my pet peeve. I also am reminded of a conversation I was having with a WSET-2 graduate [no, not Eve] who was describing a flawed wine she had tasted and said “It was corked; it was totally oxidized.” When I inquired which it was [corked or oxidized] I was met with a blank stare.

Rule 26 – A wine’s price rarely reflects its quality.

As long as we’re not talking about bargain supermarket plonk, I tend to agree. Although I still think you are more likely [but not guaranteed, of course] to get a better bottle by spending the extra bucks.

Rule 42 – Never judge a bottle by its closure.

If it were up to me, all wines would have twist-off caps.

I’ll stop with that one. There are a lot more rules in the book, 89 in total. This book is definitely worthy of your time, not just for the rules but also for the large amount of useful information that the author manages to include in a fairly small space.

Michael Perlis has been pursuing his passion for wine for more than 25 years. He has had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show him the way, as well as a wonderful wife who encourages him and shares his interest. After a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as he possibly could, he had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Now, as Contributing Editor for Eve’s Wine 101, he does his best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers. Michael is also Vice President of Eve Bushman Consulting (fka Eve’s Wine 101 Consulting) http://evebushmanconsulting.com/ and President of MCP Financial. Michael can be contacted at michaelthezinfan@aol.com or michael@evebushmanconsulting.com.

What You May Not Know About Sake (AKA What I Learned From WSET Level 1 Award in Sake)

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Last week in the SCV Beacon I shared all that I was expected to learn at my Level 1 Sake class awarded by Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET). This week I want to share some of what I learned that I thought readers might enjoy:

IMG_9331A small wine glass is “ideal for serving premium sake…tulip shaped to enhance aromas.” Well, that just about made my day right there. Those cute little cedar boxes called “Masu” are not ideal as the wood could impart flavor to the sake.

The word sake, Nihon-Shu in Japanese, just means an alcoholic beverage. Our teacher Toshio Ueno explained that if you travel to Japan and are asked out for sake, be prepared as it could mean anything!

Any kind of clean water can be used to make sake, however, harder water (like we have in LA) will produce a crisper, drier, richer sake while softer water produces a softer sake.

Just like baking bread, there is a fermentation starter of rice, koji (mold), water and yeast that goes into the main fermentation where the balance of the mixture is added.

The alcohol level of most sake is between 15% and 17% but may have started out at about 20%; water is added before bottling to lower the alcohol percentage.

There are two basic styles of sake that produce different aromas and flavors. Sake with more acidity, umami (savory), cereal and lactic – the brewer has polished away only some of the middle layers of the rice. Sake with flavors that are more floral and fruity, with less umami and acid – the brewer has polished away a higher ratio of the rice.

Sake rice and table rice are not the same. Table rice has more starch, and sake rice has a starch core, also known as a “white heart.”

If the term “Junmai” is on the label, or even just part of the terms on the label, no alcohol has been added. Other popular sake – daiginjo, ginjo and honjozo – have alcohol.

If you take this class you will learn some of the Japanese labeling terms found on the bottle.

Like wine sake should be kept cool, may remain fresh for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator, can oxidize if open for too long and bright light should be avoided. Unlike wine sake should be stored standing upright (the screw cap can rust!), be drunk young and kept refrigerated.

If you are warming sake use a warm water bath (thermometer should read 176 Fahrenheit) instead of your microwave to control the heat. Sake labeled Futsu-shu, junmai and honjozo can be served both cold and warm.

Tokkuri is the name of the sake carafe and the traditional cups are called o-choko.

Why are the cups so small? Because refilling them frequently is a “tradition of Japanese hospitality.”

Pairing sake and food doesn’t just begin and end with Japanese fare like sushi or sashimi. Just like with wine pairing, go with foods that have a similar taste profile, i.e. sweet with sweet and savory with savory.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Perlis Picks His Pet Peeves

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As Contributing Editor for Eve’s Wine 101, I have to take responsibility not only for errors in my own articles, but also for the ones that I edit. So, I’ve become especially sensitive when I see things in print that bother me, some wine-related, some not, even when something may not be technically incorrect but just my personal preference. And I know I am as guilty of these so-called errors as anyone else, but I find it much easier to see them in others’ writing as opposed to my own.

So, here are some of the things that bug me, both in print and out…

It’s
Its

Jealous
Envious

Your
You’re

Wet
Whet

Who’s
Whose

Peek
Peak
Pique

To
Too
Two

There
Their
They’re

Lose
Loose

Palate
Palette
Pallet

Broken corks
Servers who break the cork by not pulling the darn thing straight out of the bottle.
When I break the cork by not pulling the darn thing straight out of the bottle.

Red wine served too warm.
White wine served too cold.

Crappy stemware.
Unreasonable corkage.
Crappy stemware and unreasonable corkage.
Unreasonably high restaurant wine prices.
Crappy stemware and unreasonably high restaurant wine prices.

Perfume.

Numerical ratings with no tasting notes.
Numerical ratings.
Tasting notes.

Oxidized wine at a tasting room and the server says “it’s supposed to taste like that”.

Petite Syrah [with a couple of exceptions]
Petite Verdot

Petty complaints. Life is short. Drink some wine.

Michael Perlis has been pursuing his passion for wine for more than 25 years.  He has had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show him the way, as well as a wonderful wife who puts up with him. After a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting tasting rooms and tasting as much wine as he possibly could, Michael had the amazing good fortune to meet Eve Bushman. Now, as Contributing Editor for Eve’s Wine 101, he does his best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers. At the same time, in his day job he provides outsourced controller services to companies that do not need a full-time controller. One day, he hopes to be able to combine these two pursuits. Feel free to contact him about either at mcpfinancial@aol.com  or michaelthezinfan@aol.com.