It wouldn’t be the last Sunday in February on Tipp Hill without green beer.
"Definitely not a typical Green Beer Sunday, but you’ve got to make the most of what you’ve got. It’s a strange situation we’re all in, but we’ve gotta make the most of it and there’s gotta be a green beer Sunday," said Dennis Coleman of Coleman’s Irish Pub.
"Oh no, we’re definitely returning Green Beer Sunday fans, we come every year," said Amber Bush.
What You Need To Know
Green Beer Sunday is the last Sunday in February, and this year if you wanted a seat inside you had to reserve one in advance
Coleman's Irish Pub was at half capacity, and tickets sold out in about 20 minutes
They had a drive through where you could pick up a bottle of green beer, green cider, or a lucky leprechaun
Coleman’s was half full on Sunday, but that was by design. Due to the pandemic, they had to take reservations in advance if you wanted a spot inside. And those spots, went really quick, in about 20 minutes.
As we approach almost a year of COVID-19, people were happy to be out, embracing some of their old Syracuse traditions.
"I never leave the house anymore, so this is my one big like I get to go out and do something," said Bush.
Usually their parking lot is packed with people and live music, but this year the lot is only open for drive thru so people can pick up their green beverages.
Pouring beers, ciders, and lucky leprechauns in the parking lot, people could drive up and get their own bottle without having to come in and take the risk of being inside.
"I’m from Rochester, so I’ve only been here a couple times, but I didn’t know what to expect when I came out here and this looks amazing so," said Paul Suflita of his first Green Beer Sunday.
Whether pulling up in your car or sitting down inside, the tradition of green beer lives another year. The green beverages will be available at Coleman's all month.
March 01, 2021 at 06:22AM
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Green Beer Sunday Lives on in Syracuse - Spectrum News
Rwanda -- Brewer Josephine Uwase of Kweza Craft Brewery
Kweza Craft Brewery
Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela doesn’t know if the brewery she owns will survive if South Africa bans the sale of alcohol for the fourth time in a year. Currently, the first Black female owner in the country is working under the partial lift of a third ban, implemented by the federal government as a safety response to COVID-19.
“We have started trading again but it’s very difficult. I won’t lie,” she says.
Nxusani-Mawela has been the subject of many an African news article since she opened Brewsters Craft as a female-focused brewery, contract facility, lab and beer education space, in 2015. Yet here in the States, most people don’t know the highly educated microbiologist and former SABMiller brewer exists; or that a handful of women also own, manage and brew at craft breweries across the continent.
Akagera National Park, Rwanda -- Kweza Craft Brewery managing director Jessi Flynn
Kweza Craft Brewery
Josephine Uwase and Deb Leatt number among them as brewer and chef, respectively, at Rwanda’s Kweza Craft Brewery. Like Nxusani-Mawela, they have gotten their share of coverage, in part because Kweza is Rwanda’s first brewpub; in part because Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company in Ottawa has very publicly supported Kweza with fundraising and consultation; and in part because managing director Jessi Flynn is Canadian and knows how to attract English-language media attention.
Compared to these colleagues, Peace Onwuchekwa toils in relative obscurity as director of quality control at Nigeria’s Bature Brewing as she focuses her attention, for now, on teaching people in the nation’s capital, Abuja, and in the city of Lagos the very basics of craft beer.
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“We do have our local beverages made from palm tree sap, sorghum and other adjuncts,” she says. However, “A lot of people in these areas can attest to having their first ever glass of IPA or Pale Ale in our tap room.”
What Kind of Beer is Popular in Africa
You might consider beer brewing in Africa somewhat dichotomous. Women have traditionally brewed beer made with sorghum, cassava, maize and other native starch sources and still do on a very small scale for their male neighbors in the villages and for relatives on big holidays like Christmas. But most young people strongly prefer the mass-produced international lagers that dominate the landscape, even though it costs a great deal more than what the women make.
Despite some younger women still professing to learn brewing skills at their mothers’ and grandmothers’ knees, brewers like Onwuchekwa say their countrymen and women do not necessarily associate their product with her gender.
“We have ladies show up at the taproom but will rather prefer a glass of gin and tonic or a glass of wine rather than beer. Some say beer is too bitter, others think it's not ladylike to drink beer,” she says.
The processes the older women use and the liquid they produce vary by ethnicity and by region but some generalities do commonly apply. For instance, because traditional beer remains very much a rural cottage industry, these brewers tend to rely on hand tools, open flames, wooden vessels and calabash shells or clay jugs as communal cups to serve their customers.
And although some of these women have formed loose affiliations, many lament their craft is dying out.
Abuja, Nigeria -- Bature Brewery quality assurance director Peace Onwuchekwa
Bature Brewery
What Are African Craft Breweries Like
It’s into this void that some craft brewers are stepping. Though the total number across Africa remains relatively low — around 225 in South Africa and seemingly none other than Bature in all of West Africa — they are cropping up as entrepreneurship, value-added natural resources and other factors create more disposable income for swaths of the population in places like Rwanda.
Some breweries, like Bature, focus primarily on western styles, mostly using imported malt and hops to make fairly straightforward stouts, pale ales and IPAs. But even the most European among them tend to bring at least a little bit of African flare to their fires.
At Brewsters, for example, Nxusani-Mawela is launching a line of Tolokazi beers, which she named for her clan, as is the custom for Zulu women, and uses exclusively African ingredients like African Queen hops and rooibos tea.
“When we were naming the beer, I knew that I wanted it to be a brand that will carry the legacy of women as the original brewers in African culture,” she tells the Herald Live media site. “Everything we do is about celebrating SA and Africa.”
Sometimes indigenous ingredients are a necessity. At the beginning of COVID-19, Flynn couldn’t get imported ingredients. So she improvised by making an alcoholic ginger beer using entirely hyper-local inputs.
“It was brewed literally in mop buckets with saran wrap ‘airlocks’ because it was all I could get my hands on, as there aren't homebrew shops in Rwanda, and with borders closed, I couldn't get my pilot equipment in yet!” Flynn emails.
When Did Brewing Start in Africa?
At the very beginning. While some people mistakenly believe Germans invented brewing or that it dates back to the ancient Middle East, brewing likely traces its roots to Africa. Though it’s impossible at this point to say for sure, scientists are fairly certain humanity began in South Africa more than 4 million years ago. Once our early ancestors developed two legs and the ability to walk, they likely began wandering north, foraging for food. Some archeologists believe between 100,000 and 200,000 years ago they probably stumbled on puddles or small pools of naturally fermented sugar water made from grains. They tasted it and found they enjoyed the buzz. Though history has taught us that people started planting cereal crops for beer in ancient Sumer (today’s Iraq) by 4,500 BCE, evidence is mounting that our forebears began building sophisticated commercial breweries in modern-day Egypt and perhaps Ethiopia earlier than we thought.
Just this month, archeologists confirmed the discovery of a 5,000 year old brewing complex in Egypt. It’s not the oldest evidence of grain-based brewing but it appears to be the most sophisticated.
What’s more, while it’s known that women brewed for their families and for religious purposes in these early civilizations, the world’s top beverage archeologist feels strongly that women would have brewed as far back as hunter-gatherer days in eastern Africa.
“While men were out hunting, women were out gathering the ingredients they needed to make other foods and drink to go with the wooly mammoth or mastodon. Women [were] the ones who [made] the household fermented beverages,” says Pat McGovern, Scientific Director of the Biomolecular Archaeology Project for Cuisine, Fermented Beverages, and Health at the University of Pennsylvania Museum in Philadelphia.
How Has the Pandemic Affected Breweries in Africa
While hunter-gatherers would have faced a good many threats to their lives, they didn’t have COVID-19 to threaten their livelihoods. Bature has dealt with it much like we have here in the States by pivoting from draught to bottles and producing sanitizer for frontline workers.
In Rwanda, the Kweza team hasn’t had to make many adjustments since early on, thanks to the fact that an Australian think tank has ranked their nation’s pandemic response as the sixth best in the world and case numbers have stayed low. Flynn says she and her team used any downtime to network with other African brewers and hit the media circuit hard to promote what they’re doing. She also feels that the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 generated welcome interest in hers and other African breweries.
“We're defying expectations, we're a year ahead of schedule, and breaking all the norms. I think it's a story of hope and growth in an otherwise hard year for everyone,” she says.
In early March, Kweza will launch a round of crowdsourced fundraising so that the Rwandan women who are involved can take on more equity instead of relying on outside venture capitalists.
Unfortunately, Nxusani-Mawela’s anticipated crowdsourced financial campaign is designed to simply help her get through the most severe pandemic-related alcohol restrictions on the planet.
She’s already laid off two workers, creditors have launched legal proceedings and retailers are hesitating to stock much beer, especially at the higher-end, because they fear a rumored fourth COVID-19 wave and alcohol ban in May or June.
But that doesn’t paralyze Nxusani-Mawela into inaction. Rather, the always busy entrepreneur is amping up her online sales platform in case the government allows direct-to-consumer purchases. And just in case, she’s readying yet another specialty line of beer. This one’s non-alcoholic.
March 01, 2021 at 09:05AM
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COVID-19 Slows But Doesn’t Stop Africa’s Craft Beer Brewing Women - Forbes
EUGENE, Ore.-- Bartenders in Eugene are puzzled at House Bill 3296, a legislation that would increase tax on beer by nearly 3000% and on wine by almost 2000%.
"That's the most pointless thing I ever heard," Trev's Sports Bar host Dustin Cordeiro said. "We should have the right to go out and have a beer and not be charged an outrageous amount."
Side Bar bartender Kyle Clark agrees.
"This is the wrong time to levy some kind of tax upon us," Clark said.
But proponents of the new bill said this would help create a fund to create an addiction recovery district and help to curb underage and binge drinking.
"Take that revenue that it generates and for the folks that are suffering from addiction, putting it into the funding of this strategic plan that we've spent the last three years developing and fully funding it so that we can increase the recovery rates," Oregon Recovers executive director Mike Marshall said.
Marshall said Oregon has the third highest rate in alcohol addiction and the least access to treatments.
But local bartenders believe that this new tax wouldn't solve problems related to alcohol consumption, like addiction or DUI.
"People are going to start moonshining, brewing on their own, brewing illegally. So I think it's going to push people in the wrong direction," Cordiero said.
"Alcoholism is a problem. I think it's something we need to take care of," Bailey's Cafe bartender Micah Bosket said. "But some people just want to go out and have a drink with their friends. From where I stand right now, we have a lot of other problems we really need to take care of right now."
Currently, the tax on a barrel of beer is $2.60. The bill would increase it to $72.60. For wine, the tax would go from $.65 to $10.65 a barrel.
If the bill passes, the changes would go into effect on January 1st, 2022.
March 01, 2021 at 06:43AM
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Eugene bartenders question 3000% tax hike proposal on beer in Oregon - KEZI TV
The wine industry seeks ways to sustain the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement for its Black professionals
Communications and opportunities from the Hue Society, The Roots Fund, Becky Wasserman & Co. are but ... [+]a few of the Black-focused initiatives that sprouted in 2020
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When the Black Lives Matter movement, founded in 2013, was urgently resurrected in the wake of last year’s racially motivated violence, many business sectors upped their support of Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC). And many in the wine profession—an industry long dominated by white people and stereotypes about Black wine consumers—also performed a self-inventory.
Perhaps no one more so than Julia Coney, who in the wake of both the coronavirus pandemic and the #BLM movement found herself recalling the times when as wine writer and educator, she was the only Black person wine-industry trips.
“I remember [a trip organizer] telling me they didn’t know that many people [like me] to invite to a trip,” she said. “I knew we had a lot of really talented Black wine professionals working and yet very few of them had ever been on a media or a wine-buying trip.”
Enter Black Wine Professionals, an online resource she founded to connect companies to her fellow wine experts of color.
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I didn’t want to create anything to get people in the business; I created this to help those in the business get more recognition,” she said. Her efforts garnered her a recent “Social Visionary Award” from Wine Enthusiast magazine. And other rewards have come, too: financial support from key importers such as Skurnik Wines and Maisons Marques et Domaines, and Laurent Perrier, the prestige Champagne house, which has sponsored five scholarships for Black wine professionals to earn the master-level certification in Champagne from the Wine Scholar Guild.
The latter leadership forum was founded in summer 2020 to help connect inclusive organizations with BIPOC wine professionals needing an ally.
“[We] wanted to be sure that a donor or a potential beneficiary could more easily find an organization aligned with their current needs, and that we didn't lose that interest to the overwhelm of research,” said Maryam Ahmed, a food and beverage consultant who co-founded the site with Elaine Chukan Brown, a wine writer and educator.
The blossoming of such opportunities last year included virtual and real-world assist, large scale and small, and ranged from mentorships to scholarships.
The California-based E. & J. Gallo Winery company established voluntary Employee Resource Groups and an internal Diversity & Inclusion Council for monitoring programs and measuring accountability. In addition to D&I programming on an individual brand level, the company increased its umbrella recruiting efforts to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and diverse student business organizations and events on campuses around the country.
The objectives, says chief marketing officer Stephanie Gallo, “ensure our employees reflect what America looks like today.”
“We must be intentional with our efforts because we know that the wine and spirits industry lags behind in representation and inclusion,” she said.
She is undaunted by the task.
“Even if you feel you have a lot of work to do, you can start right now by just watching and listening to the courageous conversations around these issues. If you participate in meaningful conversations with empathy, authenticity and humility where needed, you will gain a huge amount of knowledge,” she said.
Small is beautiful
Even small companies can make a difference and start a ripple effect.
That was the approach taken by Teuwen Communications, a New York City boutique public-relations firm that specializes in wine and spirits. Owner Stephanie Teuwen said she was “shaken to my core” after the March 2020 death of Breonna Taylor.
“It opened up a lot of questions for myself and I stated looking at my own comfort level being white in this world,” she said. Teuwen, a native from the south of France, grew up in a restaurant with a Moroccan-born mother, whom she said welcomed people from all walks of life.
“I’m not a racist, but I realized I wasn’t doing enough to be anti-racist and to leave my comfort zone and be a real ally for people of color,” she said. She and her eight-person agency created a program to support Black-owned businesses through education, product purchase and other financial support where possible. Employees receive a stipend each month to buy product from Black makers—ranging from wine and other beverages to cookbooks and culinary products. Everyone commits to an “hour of learning” each week on company time with regular meetings to share their discoveries. The entire team uses social media in a specially branded campaign to promote the voices of the Black makers they discovered.
Teuwen Communications created a program and social media visual branding for its program supporting ... [+]Black makers
Teuwen Communications
“The idea was learn, discover, support and amplify in every direction,” Teuwen said. Eight months into the program, she says “we want to keep learning and not stop when we are comfortable: We want to always ask how we can be of service and more supportive.”
Hands-on is right on
In an industry that prides itself on hands-on work, it’s only natural for some wine companies to offer support through immersive experiences.
In Hood River, Oregon, the Hiyu Wine Farm offered paid seasonal residencies to two BIPOC interns who lived and worked at the poly-agricultural farm with its adjacent restaurant.
Co-owner Nate Ready, who resigned from the Court of Master Sommeliers last June over its lack of response to the #BLM movement, said he wanted to create insider-track learning opportunities—similar to those from which he benefitted as a sommelier in training—for interns who might not otherwise crack the code.
“You can go to school and learn to make wine, but learning about fine wine is an artisanal craft that’s passed on though apprenticeships,” he said. “As a former master sommelier, I knew it required having a network and a mentor who could pass on that specialized knowledge, and I wanted to make that more accessible.”
“It’s not an open channel that everyone knows about; it’s really crucial those doors get opened to a wider audience,” he said. His two interns—Yakira Batres, a pastry chef from San Francisco and Kathline Chery, furloughed from her restaurant job in Brooklyn—not only worked the land and in the restaurant, but also learned about business. The 30-acre farm employs nine (no seasonal labor) and produces about 4,000 cases of wine per year. (Hiyu wines sell to the public from $75 - $150.)
With a deep interest in food and regenerative agriculture, Chery thought being on a farm would give her space to reflect on her goals.
“I had an idea of what I wanted to do, and much of that crystallized when I was there,” she said. Ready trained her on the cellar equipment and allowed her to experiment with making her own wine. “I don’t know if I would have had a mentor elsewhere that would have let me try that.”
Now back in Brooklyn, Chery plans to start a wine venture in Vermont with two partners. She credits her Hiyu internship with helping her come to the decision.
“On a spiritual level, it gave me life and reinvigorated me so I could feel my purpose. Nate as a mentor and a resource made me think I could do this … that it might take some hard work but I could find my way.”
Kathline Chery found her footing in a hands-on internship at Hiyu Wine Farm in Hood River, Ore.
Kayt Mathers
In France’s Burgundy wine region, Becky Wasserman, an American expatriate who founded her eponymous import company, created four all-expense-paid residency scholarships for Black professionals to learn about the trade in what is widely regarded as the holy grail of fine wine.
“Black Lives Matter prompted us to create a scholarship for Black professionals in the trade residing in the U.S., who have not had ample opportunities to travel to wine regions,” said marketing director Paul Wasserman, Becky’s son. The program, which includes immersive cellar and vineyard visits, tutored tastings and dinners with winemakers, will eventually be open to all BIPOC candidates, but in its inaugural year, his mother wanted to recognize the #BLM movement.
Brother Peter Wasserman said the family’s support of the Black community reflects a long-time effort to support diverse engagement in what is otherwise a rarefied world. “We are not doing this because it has become popular in this moment. We have always done this as a matter of course because it is the only right thing to do,” he said.
Whether large or small, efforts such as these all must have sustaining power says Coney, calling the movement “a marathon, not a sprint.”
“This will be an ongoing thing even when the world opens back up, because we can’t go back to the way it used to be,” she says. “People say they want to ‘go back to normal,’ but what was normal for you wasn’t normal for a lot of people: This, what we’re doing now, this is the new normal.”
March 01, 2021 at 08:35AM
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Keeping Black Wine Professionals Up Front And Center - Forbes
Close up image man and woman hands with goblet of wine at the sea side
getty
King Family Vineyards in Crozet, Virginia has won two Virginia Governor’s Cup awards thanks to its flagship wine: Meritage. Several of its neighbors have enjoyed similar success from their Meritage wines, including Jefferson Vineyards, Stinson Vineyards and Pollak Vineyards.
Meritage wines are from the New World, blends made with the "noble" Bordeaux grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and (more rarely) St. Macaire, Gros Verdot and Carmenère for reds and Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle du Bordelais for whites.
Why Meritage? (And how to pronounce it?)
Meritage wines represent a such a meaningful product that in 1988, a group of vintners from the United States formed The Meritage Association in order to identify these wines, which aren’t entitled to labeling that includes the term Bordeaux, because they aren’t from that winegrowing region. This group includes members from many states as well as Mexico, Israel, France, Canada, Australia and Argentina.
The name Meritage is a combination of the words merit and heritage, and was chosen from a list of 6,000+ entries in an effort to name the new wine category for the marketplace. And how to say it? It rhymes with heritage.
But use of the term is definitely not required, even if these varieties are included. In fact, many wines that would qualify for the moniker aren’t labeled as such. For example, St. Supéry Napa Valley Virtú is a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc yet consumers will not find it labeled as a Meritage.
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And Meritage has come to represent other things besides wine. Meritage at Callaway Vineyard and Winery in Temecula is a restaurant and Tipsy Candle Company makes a Meritage version that’s “inspired by barrel aged wine.”
2015 Meritage at Danza del Sol's Temecula tasting room.
Jill Barth
Meritage Is Made All Over
While Meritage wines have a similar composition at their core, the discovery method involves tasting these wines from various origins. Unlike many wine label terms, Meritage isn’t at all tied to origin.
In California’s Temecula region, where Meritage wines are prevalent, Danza de Sol’s Meritage 2015 contains Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, all grown in the Temecula Valley. From elsewhere in California, Cameron Hughes has two Meritage bottles available now: Lot 737 from Sierra Foothills and Lot 695 from Napa Valley. In Lodi, Oak Farm Vineyards “Genevieve” Meritage is named after the winery’s co-owner Dorothy Panella’s French mother.
On the East Coast of the U.S., led by the dozens of Virginia wineries making wine in this category, there’s also Big Cork Vineyards in Maryland with a barrel select Meritage and Dr. Konstantin Frank Wines in the Finger Lakes crafting two Meritage releases.
Wine Enthusiast gave 90+ point scores and Editor’s Choice recommendations to Burrowing Owl 2012 Meritage from British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, Boeger 2015 Meritage from California’s El Dorado region and Hayotzer 2016 Lyrica Meritage from Israel’s Galilee.
Meritage wines are also made by wineries in Washington, Oregon, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas, New Mexico and more. High quality bottles come in a range of prices—Cameron Hughes Lot 373 (mentioned above) is available for less than $20.
King Family Vineyards (mentioned above) offers a Meritage Pack, including the 2013 and 2108 releases for $114. And though these wines come from an award-winning pedigree, winemaker Matthieu Finot says that accolades aren’t his motivation. “We don’t make wine for a gold medal. I don’t wake up at night dreaming of gold medals,” he says. “Our goal is to make wine we like to drink.”
March 01, 2021 at 08:28AM
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Meritage: The New World Wine Made From Traditional Bordeaux Varieties - Forbes
Avid travelers, Michelle Mwalimu and her husband Ka-ton Grant have visited 42 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. And in many of those countries, they sampled the local wine.
Now, the Mount Rainier couple is bringing their world experience home to a new wine bar.
The two came across the space not long after moving to the area, and thought the brick facade and natural light would be a great location for a wine bar.
“We are primarily a neighborhood wine bar and kitchen,” Mwalimu told the Hyattsville Wire. “Our goal is to provide an eclectic but casual space for people to drink, eat, and enjoy wine and food from around the world. We’re also family friendly. Come as you are!”
Wine will come in three-ounce tastings, six-ounce pours and nine-ounce savors, and Era will also have wine lockers and a membership program. Staff will be trained to guide customers trying new wines.
Some of the small-plates dishes will come from Mwalimu’s former home in Zambia and Grant’s home in Sumter, South Carolina.
For now, the couple are waiting for their final permits, but Mwalimu said the city and other businesses have been very helpful so far.
“There is a lot of camaraderie in this industry,” she said. “It’s full of good people who want to help one another and see each other succeed.”
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March 01, 2021 at 09:31AM
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Meet the Owners of Mount Rainier's New Era Wine Bar Opening This Spring | - The Hyattsville Wire
A symposium on the future of wine has pointed in a direction we all saw coming.
By W. Blake Gray | Posted Monday, 01-Mar-2021
In-person wine tastings with producers are going away, the wine auction business is moving online, and storytelling is now as important as wine quality.
These were a few of the observations from a symposium at WineFuture 2021 last week on how the luxury wine business is adapting to the pandemic – and how many of those adaptations may be permanent.
If you are a wine lover, you have likely attended a dinner where a visiting winemaker flew across the country or around the world to spend a few jet-lagged hours not eating her food. Wine dinners are not going away, but in the near future the winemaker might "show up" on an iPad from her home.
"In the end of March, when we realize that travel is blocked, we invented a menu of Krug Connect – connecting with clients, connecting with the press," said Margareth Henriquez, president and CEO of the House of Krug. "There I was [virtually] recently in Argentina, a small market for us. I was connected with 150 sommeliers. This was never possible for Krug before. When we traveled we always did small events. Today we have a studio with the right cameras and the right lighting."
Viña Errazuriz president Eduardo Chadwick said that, in the past, "people were not used to hosting you on a videoconference. They expected you to travel for any event. Now we are getting in touch with more people in an easier way. Now we can be in many countries on the same day. I'm not saying personal contact will cease to exist. But it's going to be used more strategically."
Adam Bilbey, senior director of Sotheby's Wine Asia and Europe, said his company was initially worried that it might not have as many buyers online as it did for its in-person auctions.
"What we realized was that with the capability of online, we were actually engaging with a much broader audience," Bilbey said. "In 2019, 25 percent of our buyers were new. In 2020 (with auctions online), 37 percent of our buyers were new."
Younger buyers
Bilbey also said that the online auction audience skews younger than the in-person audience, with nearly 50 percent more buyers under the age of 40 than before.
"What we learned is that when we have live sales now, we're really saving them for special occasions," Bilbey said. "We're planning 50 sales this year; 33 are going to be online versus 17 physical sales. This was always going to come. There are less physical catalogs, which is better for the environment. The curation that you can offer online is so much better. The physical contact is going to be there. But there's going to be less of it and it's going to be far more meaningful and impactful."
Bilbey didn't talk about whether online auctions are drawing higher bids, but it sounds possible.
"People are at home. They're far more comfortable sitting down with a glass of wine in their hand," Bilbey said. "The curation and the telling of the story is very key. You can really reach into people's hearts if you make sure that the curation is earnest, eloquent and humble."
Chadwick echoed that, saying, "In the past, presenting a new wine was done in a very technical way. We have invested more effort into making that a better experience, a more personal experience."
Of course, now the challenge is to get samples out to people when they can't gather together. Sacrifices have to be made from the winery's cellar.
"For five years we never had one extra bottle," Krug's Henriquez said. "This year we had to have bottles to animate other markets."
The longterm impact of the pandemic on travel purchases of wine is hard to predict but, in a different session, Fraser Wotzke, manager of merchandise and planning of spirits, wine and tobacco for the DFS Group, said that people who are traveling now are buying more duty-free bottles per journey and paying more per bottle for them, and this might be the case in the future as well as companies cut back on business travel in favor of Zoom meetings.
"They want to make those journeys count," Wotzke said.
March 01, 2021 at 05:11AM
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Wine Embraces an Online Future | Wine-Searcher News & Features - Wine-Searcher
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The owners of Platform Beer Co. responded to Saturday’s walkout of their employees at the Columbus taproom, pledging improved communication going forward.
A posted note informed customers that the staff quit en masse because of alleged unsafe working conditions. The owners of the Cleveland-based brewery responded:
“Today, Feb. 27, several employees at our Columbus taproom location abruptly resigned. We take this action extremely seriously and we are currently gathering more information about the issues that were raised. While we meet with current and former employees to learn more, we are temporarily closing our Columbus taproom.
“Over the last year, our priority has been the health and safety of our employees and our guests. We have implemented health and safety protocols that closely follow CDC and local health authority guidelines, including contact tracing and proper communication following positive cases of COVID-19.
“Platform was founded in 2014 on the premise that collaboration should be the cornerstone of everything that we do. This principle guides us as we brew beer and work to support the communities in our six locations across Ohio. Since day one, we have prided ourselves on working together to be the best brewer in the state and supporting our full team that works so hard toward that goal.
“We are committed to making sure all of our employees know that their feedback will be heard anytime and anywhere. Starting on Monday, we will be scheduling small group conversations with all employees, across all locations as an open forum to ask questions so we can address any issues immediately.”
The statement is signed by Platform co-founders Justin Carson and Paul Benner. The brewery was started in 2014 on Lorain Road in Cleveland. The Columbus taproom opened in 2016.
The response comes after photos of a hand-written note from workers announcing the closure and a two-page letter circulated social media, citing a variety of issues.
I am oncleveland.com’s life and culture team and cover food, beer, wine and sports-related topics. If you want to see my stories, here’s a directory on cleveland.com. Bill Wills of WTAM-1100 and I talk food and drink usually at 8:20 a.m. Thursday morning. And tune in at 8:05 a.m. Fridays for “Beer with Bona and Much, Much More” with Munch Bishop on 1350-AM The Gambler. Twitter:@mbona30.
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February 27, 2021 at 03:00PM
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I am referring here to things like surprise parties or any sort of public celebration that catches one unawares. I also tend to cringe at practical jokes that are sprung on people and therefore loathe April Fool’s Day each year.
But I do delight when something positive surprises me when I was looking mainly for general information on a topic. That’s what happened as I was researching for this week’s beer column, which despite the happy unexpected nugget I found, is still mainly about the Michael James Jackson Foundation.
This foundation is a grant-making organization that funds scholarship awards to Black and indigenous folks and people of color within the brewing and distilling trades. It kicked off in November of last year and is chaired by the great Garrett Oliver, founder of Brooklyn Brewery.
But more on the foundation below. What I discovered while researching the topic was that Massachusetts’ own Tree House Brewing recently donated $40,000 to the foundation. It always puts a smile on my face when local beer makers (and since they started off in Western Massachusetts, I still consider them local) do a selfless good turn for others. Kudos to Tree House for their generosity and support of a great cause.
The foundation is named, of course, after the dean of all beer writers, the late, great Michael Jackson. With more than 3 million copies sold of his numerous books on beer and whiskey, he is regarded as not only the preeminent beer scribe, but also a prime force in the surge of craft brewing in the U.S. and elsewhere. Long before humble beer scribblers like myself took to writing about our favorite adult beverage, Jackson had been to beer writing akin to what J.S. Bach was to classical music: He already had done almost everything, one way or another.
And, as the Michael James Jackson Foundation puts it on its website: “While not a person of color himself, Michael can only be described as actively and profoundly anti-racist.”
The foundation hopes to accomplish its goals in two ways: funding scholarship awards to accredited brewing & distilling technical courses, and personalized mentorship of grantees by industry leaders. The program is open both to candidates who are just starting their careers, as well as people who are looking to further their education.
I am extremely glad that the brewing industry has one more tool for expanding its base to include people of color. The foundation should further help the similar goals of the Brewer Association’s Diversity Committee, which started in 2017 and which has taken proactive steps to advance diversity and inclusivity among brewers and beer lovers.
Cheers to all.
March 01, 2021 at 01:02AM
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Beer Nut: Tree House Brewing aids new brew foundation - MassLive.com
Detroit – The Detroit Historical Society has produced and published its first podcast, Detroit Untold: Beer. The six-episode season is available on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify, Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts.
Detroit Untold: Beer is the first podcast season from the Detroit Historical Society. The premier season focuses on the long history of beer and brewing in Detroit — from before French colonization to current events in Detroit’s beer scene.
The Society’s podcast positions it as a thought leader in the museum digital media and ties in directly with its mission, telling Detroit’s Stories and why they matter.
Society CEO, Elana Rugh said, “We’re excited to delve into the world of podcasting and expand our museum-based tradition of storytelling into the digital space.”
The Society has partnered with Michigan Podcast Production company to bring this podcast to life.
“This podcast gives fans of Detroit history a new way to learn, and it offers the museum a new way to engage with its patrons, especially during a time of social distancing,” said Seth Resler, Co-Founder of Michigan Podcast Productions.
Timed to compliment one of the Detroit Historical Museum’s newest exhibitions, Detroit’s Brewing Heritage, the podcast takes a deep dive into the thoughts of those directly involved creating today’s brewing history. Each episode also features plenty of interesting Detroit brewing history, and heritage. Interviews from brewing giants like Larry Bell, founder of Bell’s Brewery, John Stroh from the Stroh’s family and Annette May, a female-certified Cicerone, the podcast brings together a variety of industry leaders and historians to tell the comprehensive history of Detroit’s brewing story. The six-episode season is available on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify, Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts on February 18.
ABOUT DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The Detroit Historical Society is a private, nonprofit organization located in Midtown, the heart of Detroit’s cultural center. Founded in 1921, its mission is to tell Detroit’s stories and why they matter. The Society operates the Detroit Historical Museum and the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on historic Belle Isle. In addition, the Society is responsible for the conservation and preservation of more than 250,000 artifacts that represent three centuries of our region’s rich history. Through its museum exhibits, school tour programs, community-based programs News Release and history-themed outreach efforts, the Society serves more than 150,000 people annually. For more information on the Detroit Historical Society, visit detroithistorical.org.
ABOUT MICHIGAN PODCAST PRODUCTIONS
Michigan Podcast Productions is a full-service branded podcast production agency founded by Seth Resler and Becky Scarcello. It helps local companies and brands tell their stories and build relationships with consumers.
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February 28, 2021 at 09:40PM
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Detroit Historical Society Releases Beer Podcast - Brewbound.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Morton’s the Steakhouse and Orin Swift Cellars are scheduled to host “A Taste of Two Legends” wine dinner on Saturday, March 6.
The dinner will include a chef-curated three-course meal paired with Orin Swift Cellars wines.
Wines
• Mannequin, Chardonnay, California
• Papillon, red Bordeaux blend, Napa Valley, California
• Palermo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California
• 8 Years In The Desert, Zinfandel blend, California
Courses
First: Seared jumbo sea scallops with parsnip potato puree, crispy salsify and salsa verde.
Entrée: A 45-day dry-aged Manhattan cut with sautéed wild mushrooms and truffle butter or a slow-roasted Snake River Farms Wagyu short rib with roasted garlic cream and red-wine demi reduction.
Dessert: Cherry-swirl cheesecake with spiced cherry compote.
Orin Swift is the creation of David Swift Phinney, who founded the winery in 1998. Orin is his father’s middle name; Swift is his mother’s maiden name.
Morton’s is at 1600 W. 2nd St., Cleveland.
I am oncleveland.com’s life and culture team and cover food, beer, wine and sports-related topics. If you want to see my stories,here’s a directory on cleveland.com. Bill Wills of WTAM-1100 and I talk food and drink usually at 8:20 a.m. Thursday morning. And tune in at 8:05 a.m. Fridays for “Beer with Bona and Much, Much More” with Munch Bishop on 1350-AM The Gambler. Twitter:@mbona30.
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February 28, 2021 at 10:03PM
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Morton’s, Orin Swift team up for wine dinner - cleveland.com
But the region around San Miguel adds another delicious dimension: one of the world’s newest destinations for viniculture. La Ruta del Vino (The Wine Route) is in the Bajío area, the mostly rural center of Mexico, known for year-round spring-like weather and backdrops of evergreens, cacti, farms and haciendas.
You can spend a day or several on these mainly outdoor road trips, enjoying fine wines and food pairings, and learning about Mexico’s history of winemaking. You can even stay awhile at several of the vineyards. (All wineries meet local, state and federal government hygiene and safety requirements regarding Covid-19. Check ahead to make sure they are open, as conditions change.)
San Miguel’s wine region has four paths going forth from the pleasures of SMA. Below are some of the best. And if possible, leave time to visit the beautiful colonial cities of Guanajuato and Dolores Hidalgo near the route.
Towards Queretaro
Colonial Architecture at Toyan
Toyan
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Toyan Vineyard offers a touch of mysticism and energy along with artisanal, organic wines. This site boasts “mysterious experiences” in its underground cellar and medieval salon. Varied tours even include one that’s pet friendly.
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Lavender fields at San Lucas winery
San Lucas and San Francisco wineries
San Lucas and San Francisco wineries, sister properties, are just 15 minutes away from SMA’s historic center, among lavender, olive trees and grapevines, and tasting tours of the properties can include lavender workshops. The development also has two hotels, a spa, a pool and two restaurants. Activities including polo, biking, yoga, horseback riding, grape crushing and swimming, available with a day pass.
Towards Celaya
Cellars at San Miguel
San Miguel
Heading out on the San Miguel de Allende Highway towards the city of Celaya, you’ll find the 400-year-old San Miguel vineyard, run by the Cuadra family. Its 148 acre vineyard include 13 grape varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. The Bodega San Miguel cellar is one of the largest in the state.
Towards Guanajuato city and Dolores Hidalgo
Part of the complex near the vineyards at San Jose La Vista
San Jose La Vista
On the way to Guanajuato City, on a hill overlooking that magnificent colonial settlement, is the San José la Vista Vineyard. Vaults and adobe are traditional Mexican colonial architecture, and the property includes a restaurant, wine cellar, lakes, gardens, terraces, a hotel and the winery. This artisanal concept with modern facilities is exceptional for weddings and events. Grapes include Malbec, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot, and there are four tasting options and wine pairings accompanied by a guided tour. If you have time, visit the wine museum in beautiful Guanajuato City.
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Overlooking the vineyards at Tres Raices
Tres Raices
Continuing to the “Pueblo Magico” of Dolores Hidalgo, at Km 73 on the highway, is Tres Raices. The 60-acre complex features a series of lakes and enormous sculptures and artworks inspired by Mexican culture.
Unique experiences include tastings while blindfolded to enhance the smell and taste; bottling your own wine; and a five-course tasting menu. Tours of the property include the underground cellar, and open-air tastings are available.
Tres Raises offers a 15-room boutique hotel and the Terruno Restaurant, designed with traditional ceramic and talavera pottery. Wines include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Tempranillo, and Malbec, as well as the Spanish dessert liquor Mistela.
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Food and wine pairings at Cuna de Tierra
Cuna de Tierra
Along the same path is first winery in the area, Cuna de Tierra, or Cradle of Earth. This winery offers tasting tours, food pairings, corporate events or romantic getaways. Cuna de Tierra grows Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Muscatel, Ruby Seedless and Cardinal.
February 28, 2021 at 10:27PM
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Vineyards Near San Miguel De Allende: Wine Excursions With A Taste Of Colonial Mexico - Forbes
Improved viticulture, better control of fermentation thermodynamics and the ability for winemakers to fly and work throughout the world have all been factors that have elevated the quality of international wines during the past 30 years.
The Piedmont (Piemonte) region of northwest Italy has long been—deservedly—associated with high quality Barolo and Barbaresco wines made from the red Nebbiolo grape. Today, however, less tannic, often fresher and very affordable versions of Nebbiolo produced in the Roero appellation—north and across the Tanaro River—include some wines with head turning ratios of quality to price. Also, Roero whites made from the Arneis grape are notching up in versatility and gaining deserved respect.
The Roero Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) wine appellation is 2,860 acres (1,158 hectares) in size—or about three and a half times the size of New York’s Central Park. The DOCG includes 19 municipalities and produces seven million bottles of wine annually, of which 60% are exported. Its red wine (from the Nebbiolo grape) accounts for 23% of production, while the balance comes from white Arneis. The title ‘Roero Arneis’ means that wine is made 95% from the Arneis white grape, while the title ‘Roero’ refers to red wines comprised of at least 95% Nebbiolo.
Roero vines in winter
Tenuta Fratelli Povero
Although Roero, Barolo and Barbaresco form a geographical triangle and each is less than a half hour drive from the other, the Roero’s position north of the Tanaro River provides it with distinct vine growing conditions.
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A quarter million years ago the Tanaro River changed course from flowing northwest to instead meandering eastward—cutting through sediments and forming steep hills that characterize much of today’s Roero. Soils are generally loose and permeable—hence poor in organic materials but rich in mineral salts (having been a seabed in the past). Rainfall, at 25 to 28 inches (650 to 720 millimeters) a year results in a semi-arid climate. Unlike vineyards south of the Tanaro River—many Roero vines are integrated into a patchwork of woodlands and orchards. This bramble of biological interconnections appears to be reflected in the rich diversity of tastes found within these regional wines.
The white Arneis grape—grown in the region since the 15th century—was a viticultural staple during the Medieval era. It was mentioned in writing in the year 1442 in the archives of the Malabaila family. It was once planted in proximity to Nebbiolo to lure birds away from nibbling on that more reputable fruit, or else it was grown to produce sweet wines. In the 1960’s—according to sommelier Andrea Dani—winemakers experimenting with steel tanks and controlled temperatures began producing more distinct white wines to better express inherent characteristics of the Roero. This led to an explosion in interest and consequent plantings. In 1970, about 50 acres (20 hectares) of Arneis grew in Roero, while today there are more than 2,200 acres (900 hectares) planted.
Nebbiolo grapes from Roero, Piedmont, Italy
Giorgio Pulcini - stock.adobe.com
Lucrezia Povero, a fourth-generation producer from Tenuta Fratelli Povero, considers ‘delicate freshness and light minerality’ as key characteristics of Roero white wines. Producers at Filippo Gallino believe that large quantities of sandy soils north of the Tanaro River give Arneis its elegant expression.
Arneis can be light and racy, but also honeyed and calm. It’s more an elegant traveler wearing a pashmina scarf than a downhill skier. It can have medium body and glows as well as shines with fruit flavors—often including green apples.
The red wine of Roero—Nebbiolo—was first mentioned in the year 1303 in a notary document that served as a receipt for someone paying rent with two carts of wine—of which one was Nebbiolo.
Characteristics of Roero Nebbiolo include elegance and more distinct cherry flavors than those from neighboring appellations. Lucrezia Malabaila of Cantina Malabaila characterized the wine: ‘Elegance; tannins through the sand give smoothness, a sensation of velvet.’
Vineyard travel in Roero, Piedmont, Italy
Tenuta Fratelli Povero
Wine producer Daniele Pelassa believes that ‘Roero has interesting verticality due to its sandy soils, which provides minerality, cleans the palate and makes the wine food friendly—not just with truffles, but with a wide range of dishes.’
Roero Nebbiolo can be aged for years, or opened immediately. Rich, but also light and easy to drink, it is a wine both for solo and social enjoyment. Winemaker Giovanni Correggia suggests that drinkers ‘Enjoy Nebbiolo with a book, or before the fireplace, perhaps with a light pasta dish.’ Producer Davide Chiesa is even more emphatic about the wine’s versatility. ‘Roero is both a meditation and a party wine. Best for Sunday lunch with the family.’
Since 2013 many of these wines have been promoted by Consorzio di Tutela Roero, which includes 233 members and which functions, basically, to protect and promote Roero DOCG wines.
‘Riserva’ Roero red wines must age for 32 months, and non-reserve reds for 20 months. For whites it’s 16 months aging for ‘riserva’ and four months for non-reserve. These time periods begin on the first of November of the year of harvest.
Below are notes on a dozen wines—six whites and six reds—from Roero producers. All are excellent and score from 89 up to (and including) 95 points on a subjective 100-point scale.
Vines in Roero, Piedmont, Italy
Consorzio di Tutela Roero
White Wines (Arneis)
Nino Costa. Roero Arneis. DOCG. 2019.
Alessandro Costa recalls how he once found an unexploded bomb—a remnant from the Second World War—in his cellar, and phoned authorities to defuse it. His wine includes generous and sweet aromas of green apples, limes and pears. It includes a taste of gooseberries on the finish. Generous but balanced acidity and low-key alcohol. Pair, perhaps, with smoked fish together with spring onions and beets, or a zucchini and pepper/turmeric pasta or a dessert of peach melba.
The great-grandmother of the current winery owners bought vines in 1918 when her husband (who had returned after 12 years of working in New York) went to fight in the First World War. This Arneis includes aromas of petrol, green grass, honey, green apples, menthol, lime, and grapefruit. In the mouth—almond and limes on the attack, honey and crème de menthe mid palate and a volatile finish. Exciting mouth feel that is both rounded and electrically acidic. Overall a green apple, mint and honey darling. This wine will transport you to an Italian village at 3:30 p.m., when you decide to spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying wine, and life. Pair with duck and roasted paprika potatoes, pasta with garlic and pesto or with a dessert of mint ice cream.
Tibaldi. Bricco delle Passere. Roero Arneis. DOCG. 2018.
Sisters Monica and Daniela, working with their father Stefano and grandfather Tunin, produce wine from 17 acres (seven hectares) of terrain near Pocapaglia village that includes extremely sandy soils. This wine, after vinification in steel, spends a year on lees. Aromas of lime, cream, grapefruit, guava, mandarin, rosemary. In the mouth a creamy mid palate and some mint on the finish. Juicy acidity with this suave green apple delight. Pair with cucumber gazpacho or fish.
Hills of Roero, Piedmont, Italy
Tenuta Fratelli Povero
Azienda Agriciola Chiesa Carlo. Quin Roero Arneis. DOCG. 2018.
From a fifth generation of family producers (who also raise 80 local gray/white Piedmontese cattle) comes this wine with a powerhouse of aromas that include white pepper, honey, citrics and peppermint. In the mouth a remarkably light wine with flavors that include mandarins and pineapple mid palate and white nectarines on the finish. Balanced acidity and low-key alcohol. Pair with breaded veal, scallops or a dessert of lime ice cream.
Tenuta Fratelli Povero. Roero Arneis. DOCG. 2020.
Soon to be renamed as Tenuta Laramè, this estate has been family owned since 1837 and the owners carefully tend neighboring woodlands, which help moderate microclimates and enhance biodiversity. This Arneis includes rich and supple candied aromas with tropicals such as guava, as well as peach, green apples and a hint of honey and incense. A beautifully smooth wine that will not let you stop after one sip. Crisp acidity, well structured. A creamy mid palate with hints of lime and even butterscotch. Delicious. Pair with truffles, anchovies, smoked salmon or seared tuna.
A sea breeze of fresh and energetic aromas—Queen of the Night florals, peppermint candy cane, green apples, macadamia nuts and wet sand. In the mouth a crisply acidic and assertive wine that is rich and plush on the cheeks. Delicate fruit that balances well with acidity. Grapefruit and guava mid palate and a gooseberry finish. Pair with steamed mussels, linguini with a lemon cream sauce or with a shortbread dessert.
Arneis grapes in Roero, Piedmont, Italy
Consorzio di Tutela Roero
Red Wines (Nebbiolo)
Matte Correggia. La Val dei Preti. Roero. DOCG. 2016.
This family producer is somewhat unusual in that their Roero wines are comprised more of red grapes (two-thirds) than whites. This 15% alcohol wine is light ruby and strawberry colored. Pungent Nebbiolo aromas of prunes, cherries, crème de cassis. In the mouth this includes flavors of raspberries and eucalyptus. A slippery, distinct, jazzy and fruity juice with the presence of balanced acidity and tannins that provide heft and maturity. Pair with brasato (braised beef cooked in wine), coco chicken or a dessert of strawberry flan.
Cascina Val Del Prete. Bricco Medica Roero. DOCG. 2017.
Aged for six months in oak barriques and another 12 months in concrete, this wine comes from the Bricco Medica vineyard, with clay soils that produce more structured wines than those typical of Roera. The Nebbiolo nose includes soft but pungent aromas of almonds, strawberries, unripe raspberries, cherries and mild lemon as well as earthy aromas—wet hay and ferns. In the mouth—lively and energetic flavors of blueberries, biscuits, cherries, tangerines, peaches and plums. A gorgeous well sorted assembly of spring fruit on the mid palate. A beautiful shy beauty, even though the alcohol is 15%. This is a wine to jump start Friday afternoon. Pair with goat cheese and creamy rigatoni, veal with a leek sauce or a dessert of hazelnut/blackberry tart.
Cantina Malabaila. Bric Volta Roero. DOCG. 2018.
From a winery that has been family run since the year 1362 (!), and which today is run by three women, comes this 14.5% alcohol wine that is a happy fruity narrative—including aromas of soot, Oreo cookies, prunes, limes, licorice, blueberries, blackberries and incense. In the mouth—flavors of wheat bread, blueberries, cola and cocoa. There is an undertow of black and blue fruit—a wine clafoutis. Rum and cranberries on the attack, licorice and black cherry mid palate. A beguiling and beautiful wine. Pair with duck, wild game or a bunet dessert—chocolate custard with rum.
Antica Cascina dei Conti di Roero. Roero Riserva Vigna Sant’Anna. DOCG. 2016.
This strawberry/cherry colored Nebbiolo ages for eight months in French oak and includes aromas of light fruit—red plums, strawberries, as well as a hint of cola and salt. In the mouth—cherries and licorice mid palate and biscotti on the finish. A light wine, despite its 14.5% alcohol. Firm and juicy with low-key tannins. Easy to drink now or in 10 years. Pair with a sesame and chicken salad or a simple pasta.
Wines of Tenuta Fratelli Povero, Roero, Italy
Tenuta Fratellii Povero
Emanuele Rolfo. Roero Riserva. DOCG. 2015.
This cherry colored Nebbiolo includes firmly structured aromas that include cedar, mint, red plums, cherries, brick and biltong. In the mouth an endearing and finely structured Nebbiolo with chewy acidity, a little mint and mocha. Commanding and well structured. Pair with a beef dish, a hearty tajine or hard cheeses.
Antaniolo Pelassa. Roero Riserva. DOCG. 2016
From the northern portion of the Roero comes this light cherry colored Nebbiolo that ages 18 months in oak and another year in bottles. Aromas include blueberries, cherries, chestnuts, tobacco and coal and some mild but fine herbaceousness. In the mouth this is a silky ribbon of cherries with elegant acidity and a hint of cola on the finish. A well-made wine where tannins are unobtrusive and light fruit dominates. Pair with wild game or hearty Piemontese pasta. Producers suggest you might enjoy it while listening to Beethoven.
February 28, 2021 at 06:30PM
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Racy And Elegant Italian Wines From Roero - Forbes
The pandemic has altered our lives in so many ways. Case in point, the frustration of not being able to travel where or when you choose is affecting people from every corner of the globe. For folks like myself that would include trips to you’re favorite wine destination as well.
However, you can still experience the thrill of visiting a winery and taking part in its on premise wine tasting right from the comforts of your own home. So-called virtual wine tastings are fast becoming a unique alternative, especially for those who are die-hard wine lovers. Since the onset of COVID-19 many wineries across the country have either suspended or limited in-person attendance at their tasting rooms. To compensate, many have started to offer virtual tours and tastings, giving wine lovers access to an event that in the past would have required considerable time, travel and expense.
What makes these virtual experiences so unique is that oftentimes they're hosted by the winery owner or winemakers who are directly involved in both the conversation and the tasting. Best of all, you don't have to be an industry expert or VIP to get up close and personal. Upon registering you’ll be guided through a number of wines especially selected for the virtual event. These two-way video conferences are specifically designed to allow invited guests to interact with the winery staff while learning about its history and manner of operation.
Even here in Worcester County a number of liquor shops have begun hosting virtual tastings where once again connecting with winemakers and sommeliers is the name of the game. In fact, many of the wines featured during these events can be found at your local wine shop, so be sure to check them out. Then, on the designated date and time, log on, uncork a bottle and enjoy the program.
Last year I participated in two virtual wine tastings, one with Justin Vineyards in Paso Robles, California, where founder Justin Baldwin and NFL legend Jerry Rice led wine lovers through a very enjoyable discussion and sampling of wines. The other was hosted by Sebastiani winery in Sonoma Valley, California. Both are well-regarded producers who have a long track record for quality.
Some virtual tastings have expanded formats in which cooking classes from estate chefs, featuring recipes explicitly designed to pair with the wines, are included. Other wineries offer live music concerts and vineyard tours at their virtual events. Simply put, there’s a little something for everyone.
Just a few years ago most people would have frowned upon the idea of virtual wine tastings conducted over platforms like Zoom. Today though, you’re likely to find enthusiasts from all walks of life holding up a glass and then swirling, sniffing and of course sipping wine from their very own living rooms.
Looking ahead, it appears that many wineries plan to continue and expand their virtual offerings even after they reopen to the public. Connecting with wine lovers virtually has proven to be an effective marketing tool.
So what are you waiting for? There’s a virtual world of wine out there just hoping to connect with you. Cheers!
Wine of the week: 2018, Gary Farrell Pinot Noir, California. Bright ruby in color with delicate aromas of ripe cherry. Smooth and flavorful with red fruit flavors and crisp acidity. Pairs nicely with duck, pork, salmon, or mushrooms. $37
February 28, 2021 at 11:15PM
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Off the vine: A virtual world of wine - Worcester Telegram
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