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Dr. Liz Thach, MW

Sweet White Bordeaux Wine Gaining Attention From Younger Consumers And Gourmets

Young wine consumers toasting with Sweet White Bordeaux Wines. Photo Credit: Fotolia: 118526264 When most people think of Bordeaux, a big hearty red wine comes to mind. Yet semi-sweet and sweet white wines have been made in Bordeaux since the 16th century. Long considered to be only a beverage to sip after dinner, such as a sweet Sauternes or Barsac, there is another section of Bordeaux that is beginning to gain more attention for their sweet wines – especially from young consumers and gourmets.  Created in 2009 by the Union des Grands Vins de Bordeaux Sweet, the 8 appellations that [...]

By |2023-03-07T16:09:26-08:00December 30, 2021|
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A Conversation with a Champagne CEO – Mathieu Roland-Billecart

Mathieu Roland-Billecart never planned to be CEO of a Champagne House. His life was in London where he worked as a financial analyst. But after 14 years of doing mergers and acquisitions for Ernst & Young and other firms, his family requested he return to Epernay, France. “I wasn’t groomed from birth to take over the family Champagne business, like other wine families,” he says. “Instead, I was encouraged to pursue my career goals. Then several years ago, I was invited to come back and work with my family. For me, it is a great honor. We are one of [...]

By |2021-12-30T17:47:15-08:00December 30, 2021|
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Coravin Ramps Up Innovation During Covid With Increased Sales And 4 New Products

Now that we are 18 months into the Covid crisis, with new variants no doubt extending its length, it is helpful to recognize some of the positive innovation that has occurred. As John F. Kennedy said, “In a crisis, be aware of the danger – but recognize the opportunity.” Coravin - To Safely Taste Wine While Preserving the Cork. Photo Credit: Getty One wine company that has made astounding progress in sales and innovation during Covid is Coravin. With a mission to change the way the world experiences wine, Coravin technology allows wine lovers to extract a glass of wine [...]

By |2022-02-18T14:39:29-08:00December 6, 2021|
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Organic Wine and Pairing Menu for Thanksgiving

Whether you are dining on turkey, ham, or a vegan feast for the Thanksgiving holiday, there is always room for several bottles of wine at the table. And given the current trends for wellness and transparency, organic and other “green-label” wines may be the best choice. But how do you track down wines produced organically? Thanksgiving dinner with organic wine. GETTY Some Organic Wine Brands for Thanksgiving According to a recent OIV report, only 6% of certified organic wine is produced globally Given that organic vineyard certifications require at least 3 years of documentation, proving that no chemicals were used [...]

By |2022-02-18T14:39:59-08:00November 23, 2021|
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A Brief History of Wine in America

According to historical sources, the first wine in the US was made by French Huguenot immigrants in Florida in 1565 using the native American grape, Muscadine (Bates et al, 1989). Though successive European immigrants brought cuttings of vitus vinifera winegrapes from their homeland to the East Coast of the US, the majority did not survive due to phylloxera and other native pests. Greystone Cellars in Napa Valley, CA (now the Culinary Institute of America) - Established 1889. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons It wasn’t until the 1620’s that Spanish explorers successfully made wine from vitus vinifera grapes in what is now [...]

By |2022-02-17T13:26:36-08:00November 19, 2021|
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The Marselan Wine Grape Gaining Popularity In Bordeaux, China And Napa Valley

Global warming has forced wine regions around the world to consider new grape varietals that can better withstand the forecasted rise in temperatures. One such wine grape, Marselan, appears to be gaining more traction in Bordeaux, China and Napa Valley. A Selection of Global Wines Made from the Marselan Grape L. THACH “We set up a test plot of Marselan in 2016,” reported Laurent Rousseau, owner of Vignobles Rousseau in Bordeaux. “It gives a powerful wine, very colorful but fleshy and elegant…. We will produce this (as Bordeaux) AOC in 2021.” Indeed, the Marselan grape is one of four red [...]

By |2022-02-18T14:40:33-08:00November 15, 2021|
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Wine In Peru

Given that Peru is considered to be one of the top culinary capitals in the world, it is not surprising to learn that they also produce wine. However, most people are not aware of the small wine region in Southern Peru that has been producing wine since 1540, and is actually the oldest wine-producing country in South America. Today, the Peruvian wine industry still struggles for both national and global recognition, but there are forces in play that suggest the future may become brighter. Panoramic view of the city of Macchu Pichu in Peru GETTY Peru Wine Region, Varietals and [...]

By |2022-02-17T13:27:30-08:00November 15, 2021|
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Jordan Winery Wins Prize for Best Halloween Party

There are many wineries in the US that are known for their innovative wine events, such as lobster dinners, dog walks through the vineyard, and colorful holiday wine-themed parties, but no one can compete with Jordan Winery’s Annual Halloween Party.  Each autumn, members of the wine trade and special clients pray they receive an invitation to attend.  If they don’t, they can request a position on the waitlist, and hope someone cancels. But this rarely happens. Galactic Queen and Avatar Attend Jordan Winery's 2021 Halloween Party Unusual Invitations Part of Jordan Winery’s Appeal Part of the pleasure in receiving an [...]

By |2021-11-01T10:37:29-07:00October 31, 2021|
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How Napa And Sonoma Vineyards Are Going Beyond Sustainability To Embrace Climate-Positive Goals

Climate positive (carbon negative) goals in Napa and Sonoma vineyards. PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY California wineries have long been leaders in environmentally friendly practices, because they recognized early on that wine grapes are one of the most susceptible crops to global warming. Indeed by 2019, 99% of Sonoma County vineyards were certified sustainable and 94% of Napa vineyards and wineries achieved certification under the Napa Green program. However, now both counties have established even more aggressive goals to reduce their carbon footprint and become climate positive – which is beyond carbon neutral, with negative emission reductions. The sustainability certifications the vineyards achieved [...]

By |2021-10-18T17:50:21-07:00October 18, 2021|
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How Quintessa Winery Honors The Passing Of Grapes Through The Value Chain

Harvesting grapes by hand. Photo Credit: L. THACH During harvest in wine regions around the world, it is useful to examine some of the practices that go into picking the grapes and transforming them into the delicious wine in your glass. One winery that has a unique practice is Quintessa, nestled in the Rutherford AVA of Napa Valley. Here they perform a harvest opening ceremony to pass the grapes through the value chain. “It’s a practice that we have been doing for many years,” reports Rebekah Wineburg, Winemaker at Quintessa. “Early in the morning, as the first delivery of grapes is [...]

By |2026-09-14T13:19:51-07:00October 18, 2021|
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The Greening Of Bordeaux: The Two-Pronged Approach Wineries Are Taking To Address Climate Change

With the UN Report on Climate Change 2021 calling for a 'code red for humanity', the timing for the Bordeaux wine region to ramp up its environmental efforts couldn’t come any sooner. This is because wine grapes have long been considered “the canary in the coal mine,” in terms of notifying vineyard owners around the world that climate change is here and real. Indeed, in a 2005 scientific report entitled Climate Change and Global Wine Quality, Dr. Greg Jones and his colleagues warned that the 2∘C warming environment would make some wine regions, such as Bordeaux, “exceed a climatic threshold [...]

By |2021-09-14T15:55:07-07:00September 14, 2021|
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How a Football Player Saved a Nearly Extinct Portuguese Wine Grape

Just as a bird or animal species can come close to the brink of extinction, so too can wine grapes. Currently there are over 1300 vine varieties in the world, but most people are only familiar with the commonly produced ones, such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Cabernet Sauvignon. However, there are a few countries in the world, such as the Republic of Georgia, Greece, Italy and Portugal where very rare indigenous wine grapes are found. In fact, Portugal, with a surface area six times smaller than France, has over 250 varieties. This gives Portugal the highest density of indigenous [...]

By |2021-08-11T11:15:07-07:00August 11, 2021|
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Wine in Belize

Belize is known more for its beer and rum than wine, but when traveling I always enjoy checking out wine lists in restaurants, shops, and grocery stores.  As a small Caribbean country of only 420,000 people in 2020, located south of Mexico, Belize has a warm tropical climate that is not ideal for fine wine-grape growing.  However, they do have fruit-based wines, with the most well-known made from dried hibiscus flowers, which they call sorrel wine. CocoBeach Resort - View from Our Room, San Pedro, Belize Common Wine Brands in Belize Like most first-time visitors we immediately took the 15 [...]

By |2021-07-15T11:16:39-07:00July 15, 2021|
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