Riedel and Zalto

When we received our Gabriel-Glas wine glass (it’s awesome, by the way!), someone told me that the glass was too heavy to be considered “high quality.” 

This comment triggered my curiosity about what traits make glassware “high-quality.” In particular, I’ve always wondered about two brands that I've often seen associated with “high quality” - Riedel and Zalto. Riedel, I’ve heard about for some time, and Zalto is one brand that I’ve been seeing more recently at high-end restaurants.  

I did not realize that there would be so many factors, beyond price point and weight, that affect the “quality” perception and stemware purchasing decision. Some factors that I was surprised by: the specific wine (and vintage) that’s going into the glass, shape of the “bowl” and how that affects the aromas, “breakability,” height of the glass and the corresponding aesthetic appeal (i.e. “stumpiness”), circumference of the stem, thickness of the glass’s rim, the “sparkliness,” and so forth. 

In summary, both Riedel and Zalto reviews emphasized their “lightness” (which contrasted with the “sturdy” Gabriel Glas glass we are using) and appeared to be comparable with each other. Based on online reviews, Riedel was more versatile than Zalto. Zalto is even thinner and lighter than Riedel, but comes with the catch of being much more "breakable.” 

Pasted below are some Riedel/Zalto review highlights, in the event you ever find yourself in the market for expensive, high-end stemware. 

Riedel Vinum: (2 for $49 on amazon)

• “Stem’s ideal weight, balance, and most important, the rounded shape of the bowl...yields a broader spectrum of fruit aromas and suppresses the undesirable notes” (Yoon Ha, Sommelier of Benu)
• “More expensive than our main pick, but it’s an elegant, thinner all-purpose glass…The elongated tulip-shaped bowl did an excellent job enhancing the aromas fo both red and white wines. Though this non-leaded crystal glass (Fortified with lead oxide alternatives to make it more sparkly) appears delicate, its surprisingly durable and dishwasher safe….Laser-cut rim provides a thin edge” (Wirecutter)

Zalto Denk’Art Universal: (1 for $62 on amazon)

• "Zalto is an extremely light glass, with an extremely delicate stem…Wine glass from Austria, known to be “Graceful and well-balanced.” When picking it up, the glass feels so light and the stem is so delicate.” 
• “The glasses really bring out the best in wine… particularly love them for Champagne. You can really pick up all those complex aromas from Champagne without losing the bubbles!” 
• “Both red and white wines showcased unbelievably well in this glass….sparks brilliantly under the light, and its delicate stem is pulled the thinnest out of all the glasses we tested…ideal for special occasions or when enjoying your favorite vintage."

Sources: 

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/zalto-wine-glasses

http://winehog.org/clash-of-the-titans-riedel-vs-zalto-vs-riedel-23430/

https://www.eater.com/2018/8/27/17725292/best-wine-glasses-red-white-sommeliers-recommend

https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wine-glass/

Dana Estates

Kingston Family Vineyards reminded me a lot of Dana Estates in Napa Valley. Both are small, high-quality, family-owned, and hospitality-oriented. A recent visit to Dana in August 2018 included cheese and cracker pairings with the wine tastings, as well as an unsolicited tour of the facilities. Given the parallels between the two vineyards, I did a little more digging into Dana.  

Hi Sang Lee (the founder of Dana Estates) began cultivating wine knowledge through an import business. Initially, he led an import business for wines into South Korea. At the time, Korea had (and still has) a strong drinking culture, but primarily in the form of beer and soju - and not, wine. 

In 2005, Lee opened a vineyard in Napa Valley with the help of vintners - Philippe Melka, Chris Cooney (winemakers) and Pete Richmond. He purchased the old Livingston-Moffet Winery and set out to create a high-quality wine. 

He took a “responsible farming” approach. Dana Estate vineyards are farmed on a vine-by-vine basis, and production is low - usually under two tons per acre. During the first few years, they produced under 500 cases. 

More recently, Dana Estates received their first perfect score - 100 points on the 2007 Lotus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon by wine critic Robert Parker. They sell directly through mailing lists, and now, through some major distributors such as K&L. A recent searches showed their high-end wine Dana Estates priced at $490, the mid-end “Onda” at $200, and low-end “Vaso” at  $85. I’ve also recently seen Onda and Vaso on flights, flipping through the duty free magazines. 

I was surprised by the parallels between Hi Sang and Courtney’s businesses - starting with a growing knowledge in importing, partnering with a renowned vintner, focusing on direct-to-consumer distribution channels, investing in organic / “high touch” grape-growing, and gaining popularity (and huge price hikes!) after receiving high wine critic scores. I’d be curious to see how many other small, family-owned vineyards take a similar approach. 

Sources:

http://winewarehouse.com/dana-estates-napa-valley-story/

http://www.napawineproject.com/dana-estates/

https://www.klwines.com/Products?searchText=dana%20estates

Most obscure vineyard in the world?

While the Central Otago region of New Zealand that we presented on is the southernmost wine region in the world and is rapidly growing, the same may not be said for its northernmost cousin. The vineyard at the Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant in Finland sits on 0.1 hectare and produces 850kg of Zilga grapes each year. The water that is used in the power plant is discharged into the surrounding Sea as well as into the vineyard in order to warm the soil and combat the extreme cold temperatures of the region.

The Finland wine industry is somewhat non-existent, but I'm not sure that this oddity is going to jumpstart a surge in radioactive wine. Finland has 1 other nuclear power plant, and it is yet to produce wine of its own. 

Try as I may, I was unable to find a bottle for purchase on the internet - the hunt continues!

Source: https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2016/07/top-10-extraordinary-vineyards/4/

Family favorites (wine recommendations!)

Since we heard a presentation on the Willamette Valley in Thursday's class, this seems like a good opportunity to recommend a few of my family's favorite Pacific Northwest wines. (Not all are from the Willamette Valley, but all are from regions in Oregon and Washington.) My family likes to drive around tasting wine and buying bottles, but here I'll limit myself to sub-$20 wines that I've seen available on the shelves of Trader Joe's and Safeway near Stanford.

Erath "Oregon" Pinot Noir - the wine that first convinced me I liked red wines. A light Pinot Noir with lots of cherry and blackberry flavors. Especially good with pasta. At $20 per bottle, cheap for a quality Pinot Noir.

A to Z Pinot Noir - hey, they host the Pinot festival, of course there are two Oregon Pinots on this list! A Shabbat dinner favorite for my family - a bit more spice and tannin than Erath's Pinot, but still with strong cherry taste. Great with salmon. $20.

14 Hands "Hot to Trot" Red Blend - from a Columbia Valley winery, this red blend makes for smooth, easy drinking, with just enough peppery kick to keep it interesting. Highly recommended for sipping while you cook! It's mostly Merlot and Syrah (though the exact blend varies year to year), and it's utterly delicious ($10).

Chateau St. Michelle Riesling - a dry, crisp Riesling that hits just the right balance between fruitiness and acidity. Very light - perfect for brunch or lunch if you're getting an early start on your daily wine-drinking. This one's only $7, but Chateau St. Michelle also makes lovely higher-end wines (including ice wines) in collaboration with Weingut Dr. Loosen from Germany.

Napa's best winery?

When discussing the Domaines Barons de Rothschild case, the Opus One Winery name came up. Sure, I had heard of the wine, knew it was supposed to be of great quality, but that was about it. The following weekend I was planning to go to Napa for the first time and wanted to at least drive by after hearing Professor Rapp talk about how nice it was so I decided to learn more about its history and wanted to share.

The winery is across the street from the Robert Mondavi Winery in the Napa area (technically in Oakville) and was originally called Napamedoc until 1982 when it was renamed to Opus One. The location is not a coincidence as it was founded as a joint venture between Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi in 1978. While Napa has a great reputation today, the joint venture in with the Rothschilds was a big development at the time and was a sort of stamp of approval at the time. The first vintage was released in 1984 and held the rank as the most expensive Californian wine, at $50, for some time. Interestingly, when Robert Mondavi was purchased by Constellation Brands in 2004, Baron Rothschild negotiated with Constellation Brands to remain in control of the marketing and management of the vineyard.

Pictures of the winery here:
https://www.opusonewinery.com/

Climate Change - A Threat and Opportunity in Established Wine Regions

Many groups in yesterday’s presentations brought up climate change as either a risk to or reason for the “emerging” status of wine regions. Of course, climate change is also affecting established wine growing regions. However, the change is viewed as both an opportunity and a threat, and regions have been responding in different ways.

Take Germany – they just wrapped up the hottest spring and summer on record in 2018. While this hurt other agricultural industries in Germany, winemakers had a record harvest… predicted to be an increase of 33% since the prior year. Winemakers and wine tasters from the region are already predicting it will be “historic”.

Across Europe, these longer and warmer summers are ripening grapes sooner and more consistently. And it’s changing what varietals are being grown. Germany – most well known for its Rieslings and Gewürztraminer – for the first time have the ability to grow reds like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah at a quality that demands premium pricing. However, the warm weather is also making it more difficult to grow Germany’s flagship white (Riesling). As the grapes are ripening earlier and more easily, they tend to be too sweet or too alcoholic when harvested.

Then there’s New Zealand – while we heard about the growth of Central Otago yesterday, New Zealand’s biggest region is threatened by climate change. While relatively new to the wine world, Marlborough’s Sauvignon Blanc took off in the 1990s / 2000s because of its unique flavor and acidity, thanks to New Zealand’s long growing season of warm days and cool nights. However, as the climate changes, that may be in jeopardy. As grapes are ripening more quickly and the growing season shortens, it is getting more difficult to maintain New Zealand wine’s signature acidity.

However, New Zealand winemakers are beginning to address this threat head on, experimenting with techniques around water usage, exposure, and yield management to affect the flavor of grapes in the face of a shorter growing season, hoping to maintain as much of its signature flavor profile as possible.

What does this mean on a large scale? Will established regions, well known for specific varietals, begin to adapt the grapes they grow to pursue new opportunities? Or will we see regions pursue scientific intervention to preserve their history as much as possible?

Sources:

NYTimes - ‘Disgusting to Say, but It’s the Truth’: German Winemakers See Boon in Climate Change

NZ Herald - Winemaking in 10 years: How climate change is affecting Marlborough, New Zealand's largest wine region

Family Heritage

Meeting Christina Wente for the second time was the specific type of good luck one may only have at the GSB. Before encountering her in Wine Class, I met Christina in Peter Francis' Family Business Transitions class. During this meeting, I learned much more about the Wente family and the vineyards controlled by the clan. As we went through slides showing family history and present-day marketing strategies, I realized how the nature of a family business built around wine may be much more pleasant than a family business built around manufacturing or media.

Wine is, after all, a source of ease in our society. Almost like sports, people who may share different political or religious views can get together around wine (unless of course, they do not drink). Having a product that encourages community and conviviality strengthens the bonds of the family when wine families gather to reap the harvest. 

Watching the Kingston story only reinforced this belief for me. The Kingston family grows wine out of love and not for the profits. However, having that bond of a shared place, a shared product, and the ability to consume the product for enjoyment is enviable. In the days when farming has long taken a back seat in the modern economy, I think every family should grow wine.