January 28, 2026 · 2:13 PM

What Can Wine Consumers Expect in 2026?

From SOVOS ShipCompliant & Wine Business Analytics 2025 report.

The latest numbers from the wine industry are hard to believe. In talking with a few people I know, these reactions/ideas were kicked-around:

Direct To Consumer Wine Sales Numbers for 2025

The speed at which demand destruction is changing the wine, beer and spirits industry is hard to comprehend. Keep in mind, CA sells about 75% of all U.S. wine. DTC (direct-to-consumer) wine sales from CA, excluding the Napa AVA, have dropped almost 50% since 2021. 2025 CA DTC sales without the Napa AVA dropped 32%. Napa sales were roughly flat. See direct excerpts from the Sovos DTC Wine Report for 2025 below.

  • “This year’s DTC data shows that no obvious bottom emerged in 2025, as the year over-year changes in both volume and value of DTC shipments saw record decreases of 15% and 6%, respectively. Moreover, after three years of smaller increases in average bottle prices, 2025 saw a significant 11% increase in average price per bottle shipped, to a record $56.78. 2025 was the most disappointing year for DTC wine shipments since this report was first published in 2010. All told, in 2025 the DTC shipping channel retreated by more than 967,000 cases and gave up over $230 million.”
  • “Only one region, Napa, eked out a gain in value of shipments at 1%. The Rest of California region experienced a drop in volume of 32%, resulting in a 47% decline in the volume of shipments from Rest of California since 2021.”

Media reports are estimating, roughly 50% of the wine grapes grown in CA last year were not harvested. If confirmed, there will be a U.S. bulk wine fruit/juice shortage in 2026, unless consumption continues to drop. The latest harvest numbers are showing the industry is planning for a continuing major drop in consumption.

Effect on the Typical Wine Enthusiast

What impact does this suggest for the premium wine consumer? The current world trend seems to be “drink less, but better”. In my opinion:

  • Total wine consumption in the U.S. was down 2% again in 2025 (more in other countries), but as you see above, DTC was hit much harder. **This will put pressure on smaller wineries without commercial distribution to find ways to get closer to customers. Keep an eye out for good things from your favorite smaller wineries.**
  • For those of us that are buying for their cellar… **keep an eye out for flash sales / dropping auction prices for quality labels at distressed prices, in the short term.**
  • The price impact on higher quality wines in each price category will be less. Demand for trained, experienced premium winemakers will be high. **Follow your favorite winemakers as they move.**
  • In the longer run, it will take time for the major premium/luxury labels of the world to right-size production and inventory. **When that finally happens, I would expect premium/luxury wine prices will rise.**
  • For wines at or below the average premium U.S. bottle price, sales are likely to fall substantially… until the U.S. market stabilizes. **This will soften current wine prices generally. ** U.S. wine growers will get a short-term shot-in-the-arm from the pending new statute requiring wines labeled with U.S. AVAs to discontinue the use of up to 25% imported bulk wine. Tariffs will continue to effect import wine prices… **further squeezing labels depending on exports to the U.S.**
  • These numbers are not a catastrophe. U.S. wine sales were still estimated at about $70B in 2025. Although, the weakening high-profit DTC channel was previously helping prop-up the industry. This will drive changes impossible to predict at this point.

Interesting times ahead!

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January 21, 2026 · 12:08 PM

Exploring Winemaker Choices in U.S. Syrah – Whole Cluster vs. Crush & De-Stem

Wines Selected for Comparison

Winery – Myriad Cellars, Winemaker – Mike Smith

  • 2012 & 2013 (100% Syrah), 100% Whole cluster fermentation with stem inclusion, Las Madres Vineyard, Carneros AVA, Napa, CA
  • 2012 & 2013 (100% Syrah), Crush & de-stemming prior to fermentation, Las Madres Vineyard, Carneros AVA, Napa, CA

Winery – Reynvaan Family, Winemaker – Matt Reynvaan

  • 2012 (98% Syrah, 2% Viognier) In the Rocks, Partial whole cluster and stem inclusion (% unknown) – Estate Vineyard, Milton-Freewater AVA, Walla Walla, WA

Tasting Setup

These wines were assembled from my cellar and served to a local group of wine collectors. Typical charcuterie accompanied the wines and they were tasted side-by-side single blind, after being decanted an hour prior to serving. All wines were of original provenance and stored in climate-controlled cellars from purchase. I was curious about this comparison, but didn’t want to open all these bottles without sharing. I posted this piece, because I felt there was information that would be beneficial to up-and-coming fine winemakers. I hope this adds to body of knowledge for at least a few.

Evaluation

Overall Impressions

The Carneros Syrahs were definitely more fruit-forward and New World in style vs. the Walla Walla Syrah. The bottle age was kinder to the Carneros Syrah. The minimal fruit and low acid in the Reynvaan wine caused the wine to be out of balance.

  • Age had resolved all tannins in the Reynvaan Syrah. The tannins were low in the Myriad wines, but present.
  • Acid levels were much higher in the Myriad Syrah.
  • Secondary and tertiary flavors were more obvious in the Reynvaan Syrah and it had become very savory in profile. Very Northern Rhone in character.

Purpose of Whole Cluster Fermentation Technique in Winemaking

The poster child wine for whole cluster is Gamay. Although, Pinot Noir is frequently made this way too. It is less common in Syrah production. The technique can be used to generate a few different outcomes:

  • Soften wines and add mouthfeel.
  • Add secondary flavors.
  • Increase tannins via stems.
  • Intensify fruit flavors.

Different grape varieties react differently, and these outcomes are not consistent across all varietals.

Comparison

Did the whole cluster Syrahs have a significantly different flavor profile? The entire group felt there were only minor differences in the mid-palate. The two winemakers’ intent may have been different. One making wines to age and the other to drink young. On that front, the Myriad Syrahs were much more ageable, maintaining more of the original character of the wine than the Reynvaan.

Having had the luxury of tasting all of these wines on release and after 5-10 years of bottle age… The whole cluster wines were more approachable on release, but that difference lessened as the wines aged. In the case of the Myriad wines, neither technique had a markedly different effect on the age-ability of the wines.

Conclusion

While upon release the whole cluster Syrahs were softer, more fruit-forward and easier to enjoy young, that difference seems to have lessened with bottle age. At 14 years, the whole cluster and crushed wines had become more similar, than different. Perhaps suggesting, a whole cluster approach to Syrah can contribute to producing Syrahs that can be approachable on release and also age well.

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April 3, 2024 · 11:16 AM

Devour AZ: Can Fine Dining Survive?

I recently attended the event #DevourAZ organized by #LocalFirstAZ and had the opportunity to interview several local executive chefs presenting a local mid to high tier take on the Phoenix restaurant experience. The result was a startling realization regarding new trends in the local fine dining scene.

Local First AZ (link at: https://localfirstaz.com/news) is an organization established to promote the AZ Food & Beverage industry. If you live in AZ, check out their website for other local events throughout the year. Arizona Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, AZ (link at: https://dbg.org/) was closed for this private event. Great garden venue and a perfect choice for eating and drinking in an enjoyable, relaxed setting. DBG was a great place to enjoy the temperate AZ winter weather and discover new favorites on the AZ food & beverage scene. There were lots of prepared local foods with wine, beer and spirits showcasing Arizona restaurants, distributors and beverage producers. This event was sold-out well in advance, so if you are interested in attending next year, make sure to buy tickets early.

Loads of wine, beer and spirits to taste.

THE INTERVIEWS

All four chefs I spoke to, shared the same two-part message: a reasonably priced fine dining experience is now beyond even the upper-income dining community and younger generations are significantly changing their restaurant preferences. As a Boomer generation diner, I am accustomed to a white tablecloth, multi-course, curated food & wine experience. If you are of the same mindset, be prepared… it is all changing.

POST-COVID PRICE CHALLENGES

One of the more well-known curated fine-dining restaurants in my area is Monarch Cafe in Scottsdale. I checked their most recent menu and the per-plate cost has risen to $150-$250 per plate, plus beverage. A friend recently told me he dropped $1,000 on a recent Monarch visit for two with a pre-fixe menu, two bottles of wine and tip for the evening. He doesn’t plan to go back any time soon… There are choices in Phoenix that can get you near the experience for $500-$600, but it is a compromise. There is only one traditional fine-dining restaurant left in Phoenix that allows you to bring your own wine for a corkage fee. These prices will significantly limit the pool of potential clients for this category of restaurant and is pushing those restaurants still trying, to either close their doors, or change their menu, service AND business model.

The issue for restaurants and bars during COVID was just finding help. Now, it is making a new business plan work with huge increases in competitive wages and on-going service inflation. None of the chefs I spoke to were investing in significant server training and all were trying to find a simpler approach to a menu that did not require lengthy explanations of flavors and pairings to sell the experience. They all said servers in this market with the needed experience/knowledge to offer a traditional fine-dining experience are now at $60K-$75K/yr. income level with salary and tips… and are disappearing. Add 25-50% to that for the major centers of fine-dining like San Fran, Chicago and New York.

CHANGES IN BEVERAGE

Wine prices have continued to move higher in the U.S., having been the most expensive dinner beverage option for some time now. This has been my pet-peeve for years. With wineries moving towards the premium category for more than a decade AND the total lack of interest exhibited by volume producers to offer decent quality at lower price points… the entire U.S. industry has been shooting itself in the foot… as percentage wine consumption is dropping by double digits. The industry will lose entire generations of wine drinkers at this rate. In Italy, Germany and France, a $20 USD carafe of red wine at a restaurant competes on quality favorably with the $40-$50 bottles of U.S. wine I have purchased at restaurants.

These factors are causing the chefs I interviewed to cut their wine & craft beer (yes, beer consumption is now dropping too) inventories in half and move towards craft cocktail programs. Cocktails don’t require premium spirits brands, spoilage is a minimum, is a much smaller investment and can offer a very diverse flavor spectrum with little effort… and is much easier for untrained servers to support.

Bites from numerous restaurants serving many different dishes/flavors.

CHANGES IN MENUS/FOOD STYLES

The younger generations seem to be less interested in a 3-4 course traditional meal, than they are in a multi-plate, tapas-style experience. I understand that this approach can offer a more diverse flavor spectrum, but it totally ignores the idea of curating flavor and beverage pairings. For any of you that have had formal training, this is anathema to the old-world European style experience. European cuisines have experienced generations of being honed to find the most complementary flavors and beverages. Millions have been spent on promoting complimentary local food and beverage styles that are identified with a specific location, or region.

There is the service aspect here too. These chefs told me they can compose tapas style menus that describe simpler single flavor profiles that don’t require a trained server to explain. This approach offers a lower payroll cost, corresponding to a lower bill at the end of the meal.

FUTURE OF FINE-DINING

I have been mourning the loss of fine-dining in Phoenix for a couple years now and wracking my brain to look for alternatives to showcase curated food and beverage at a reasonable price. This is what I have come up with and I would appreciate your feedback.

I first thought that the American Wine Society (link at: https://americanwinesociety.org/) was the answer, but there has been significant push-back on including the idea of curated menus with wine tasting. I am hoping this myopic view of wine will change and the leadership will recognize how important food is to the wine experience. I still have hope this is possible and am continuing my efforts to move local AWS chapters in this direction.

I have begun building PowerPoint templates to assist inexperienced enthusiasts in effectively hosting curated food & wine experiences in their homes. If we are going to save the idea of pairing flavors and beverage in the dining experience, it may be possible to do this 8-10 people at a time, with a private experience in local homes. Would there be enough interest to build networks of small groups with this theme in mind? I am hoping…

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November 10, 2023 · 11:04 AM

Will Wineries/Distributors Listen to Consumer Feedback on Restaurant Wine Service?

Auditorium of Wine2Wine Business Forum

Wine2Wine Symposium Tackling the Difficult Issues

The purpose of this survey was to discover the importance of wine selection and wine lists to the dining experience in North America. The survey results match my understanding of the average consumer at an average white tablecloth dining restaurant here in the U.S. (high-end fine dining is a different category). Why did this feedback take so long? Anyone connected to your local restaurant scene could have shared this information. At least in Italy, the wine industry is attempting to understand what the U.S. wine consumer is asking for. When will the industry in the U.S. follow suit? See if this matches your wishes/wants:

  1. The food menu is the most important factor for a significant majority of respondents (81.13%) when choosing a restaurant.
  2. The wine list is important to a minority of respondents (9.43%) when choosing a restaurant.
  3. Most consumers (95.83%) want to see less than 100 labels on the wine list.
  4. 57% of consumers favor an average price of below $60.
  5. 50% of restaurant workers think chefs create menus without thinking about wine.
  6. Consumers prefer winemakers’ dinners (15.51%) and seated wine and food paring events (18.18%) rather than wine classes (9.63%) and cooking lessons (7.49%)
  7. At wine and food pairing events 40% of respondents thought the pairings weren’t great.

(recent survey on behalf of Quench Magazine discussed at Wine2Wine symposium)

Wine and the Typical U.S. Dining Experience

These answers represent something closer to the typical dining experience in Europe and reflect the disconnect between the U.S. wine industry and the average U.S. consumer. In Europe, the average table wine at under $30 USD/btl is pretty darn good. In the U.S., under $30 USD/btl (roughly $15 USD/btl retail) is typically undrinkable. In my opinion, the lack of focus on quality at this price-point is killing overall demand for wine in the U.S. and causing the current increasing imbalance between production and consumption. The only demand growth in the U.S. marketplace is in the over $60 USD/btl retail off-premises wine category. There is a story in this data that is being completely overlooked, to the detriment of the industry.

Customer Feedback

I wonder how insulted your favorite dining restaurant would be if you shared this press release? This topic is one of my personal great frustrations with dining out and pushes me to BYO restaurants and payment of corkage fees, rather than purchasing from on-premises inventory. The selection of restaurants in AZ that offer this option is controlled by local beverage laws and is very limited. It is quite disappointing.

Future of On-Premise Wine Sales in the U.S.

Now that we are seeing more consumer feedback, perhaps the industry will respond. I wonder if distributors will evaluate the value proposition and push production there. Distribution is much more influential in driving restaurant demand than producers, due to three-tier wine, beer & spirits laws. For those of us that enjoy a bottle of wine with dinner while dining out, one can hope.

Link to Wine Industry Network coverage of the press releases at this link: Wine2Wine Symposium Link

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October 22, 2023 · 1:57 PM

21 Value French Bordeaux Wines Tasting / Comparison

23 wines were tasted in this gathering. All except one wine was from a Right Bank Bordeaux French producer and all were either 100% Merlot, or more commonly, Merlot dominated wine blends. All were tasted blind (covered in paper bags) and it was encouraged to identify the two higher cost “ringer” wines from Bordeaux and Napa, before the reveal. The average bottle price of the 21 wines was $30 USD retail. The wines were tasted in rounds of six, with a short rest of our palates between and paired finger foods were available to clear the palate. This is the list of wines tasted on this night by a panel of 10: one experienced wine Judge, one Sommelier II, one winery Owner, several WSET III Certified and several wine Collectors. (There is a link to a spreadsheet below with more detailed information about the wines)

  • 2018 Chateau La Vieille Cure – Fronsac
  • 2018 Chateau Fontenil – Fronsac
  • 2019 Chateau Cap De Faugeres – Cotes de Castillon
  • 2019 Clos Lunelles Cotes de Castillon
  • 2019 Chateau d’Aiguilhe – Cotes de Castillon
  • 2016 Chateau Fombrauge – St. Emillion
  • 2019 Clos de l’Oratoire – St. Emillion
  • 2019 Chateau Sansonnet – St. Emillion
  • 2019 Chateau Grand Corbin – St. Emillion
  • 2017 Chateau Clarisse Puisseguin – St. Emillion
  • 2016 Chateau Fonplegade – St. Emillion
  • 2018 Chateau Cote De Baleau – St. Emillion
  • 2016 Chateau Haut Rocher – St. Emillion
  • 2019 Chateau Siaurac – Lalande de Pomerol
  • 2019 Chateau La Fleur de Bouard – Lalande de Pomerol
  • 2015 Chateau Grand Ormeau – Lalande de Pomerol
  • 2019 Chateau Taillefer – Pomerol
  • 2019 Chateau De Sales – Pomerol
  • 2018 Chateau Puygueraud – Cotes de Francs
  • 2018 Chateau Marsau – Cotes de Francs
  • 2018 Chateau La Prade – Cotes de Francs
  • Ringer – 2014 Paloma – Napa
  • Ringer – 2014 Chateau Clinet – Pomerol

I had been looking forward to doing this kind of tasting for some time. I chose Right Bank area producers, as these wines would be relatively young and I wanted to be fair. If I had chosen Left Bank wines, they would have been less likely to be mature enough to evaluate them reasonably. I wanted to include a couple more expensive similar wines to see if we could identify them easily as being of greater(?) quality.

GENERAL IMPRESSIONS

Palate fatigue was a bit of a challenge for me roughly mid-way through, but I believe all of us began taking a bit more time between flights at that point and I feel it did not ruin the evaluation. The tasting took about three hours, so it would seem we took our time. The group felt, all but the last couple of wines were easily of good daily-drinker quality, or better (quite a surprise). Since the wines were merlot dominated, as a whole, they were more fruit-forward than most cabernet sauvignon dominated French wines. Based on a general domestic wine comparison, all of these wines had at least medium tannins and acidity, making them more balanced wines than many domestic labels and a better pairing with food.

WINE RATINGS

Our top-rated wines (without the “ringers”) were viewed as exceptional values by the group. These were the six top-rated wines of the night, based on averaging the scores across the group:

  • 1) 2018 Chateau La Vieille Cure – Fronsac
  • 2) Ringer – 2014 Paloma – Napa

Tied for 3rd:

  • 3) Ringer – 2014 Chateau Clinet – Pomerol
  • 3) 2019 Chateau Cap De Faugeres – Cotes de Castillon
  • 3) 2016 Chateau Fombrauge – St. Emillion
  • 3) 2019 Clos de l’Oratoire – St. Emillion

I would say the top wines were in the 92 – 94 score range (100 pt scale). I agreed with most of the group averaged ratings, although I rated a couple differently. You can see the difference between my personal ratings and the group’s average via the link below. The fourth rated wines were a grouping of six and I scored those wines in the 90 – 91 range. The fifth rated wines were a group of five that I scored around 89 points. There were a few of us (with more Old-World palates) that felt the New-World Wine (Paloma) didn’t belong, as the flavor profile definitely had more fruit, the most oak, less acid and a rounder mouthfeel. A very enjoyable wine, but more what I call a cocktail wine to be drunk on its own, rather than paired with food.

WINE TASTING NOTES

All of these wines had a similar flavor profile for typical merlot and merlot/cab franc blends. The fruits were typically black plum and blackberry, the secondary flavor was dark chocolate. Some had tertiary flavors of bramble, or a finish of white or black pepper. Consistently, these wines had a medium-to-high acid and tannin profile. The majority were aged in either American, or French Oak for up to 18 months. Most were aged in neutral, rather than new oak. I thought the Paloma tasted as if it had the most oak character. Several of the wines had a lengthy finish. In all, most were fairly balanced, but generally fruit forward. So, I think friendly to the general U.S. consumer palate.

CONCLUSIONS

This tasting was so much fun and confirmed for all of us, imported French Bordeaux wines did not have to be expensive to be good. Although, the majority did not reach the quality of many of the best, aged Bordeaux Grand Cru wines I have tasted in the past. These are not typically labels you will find at the grocery store, or even at Total Wine & Bevmo (altho a few are). All of these wines were purchased from online retailers originally. I would encourage all of you to investigate these and other value French wines further… especially if you enjoy drinking red wine with meals. The value is undeniable, and it is difficult to find good U.S. made red wines in this price range.

Here is the link to download the spreadsheet with more information on the wines and their rankings: RB Bordeaux Rankings – Final.

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October 2, 2023 · 11:43 AM

Fine Dining Wine Pairing Review

My wife and I had a beautiful celebratory dinner for her birthday recently at Atlas Bistro in Scottsdale, AZ. The dishes served were all complex with layers and layers of flavor. It is always a culinary journey with a Todd Sawyer run restaurant experience. This location is one of the only fine dining restaurants operating as a BYOB in AZ. We selected the wines from our cellar for the pairings. The wines and the detailed menu are shown below.

What Worked

The salad and seafood dishes were a compilation of flavors that were meant for each other and paired well with the Champagne – over the top fabulous. The Maitake and Lobster mushrooms in the seafood spaghetti dish tasted like rich, earthy butter. The beef steak dish was prepared medium rare and was a great match for a very complex vintage of Ch. Montelena Cab. The Cab leaned towards Old World and was very welcome. The soft cheeses with the aged Sauternes may actually have been the highlight of the evening. The service was excellent as always.

What Did Not Work

The lamb was too heavy with Caribbean spices, particularly nutmeg. There was a spicy-hot mouthfeel coming from the nutmeg that did not work for me. Would have been better to skew toward cayenne/paprika (jerk style) for the heat and use the nutmeg as an accent. I am not sure any wine could have paired well with this. I am all about fusion style cuisine and big flavor, but this dish was less successful. My wife had the extra foie gras course and it was very unusual… it was served with a layer of quince jelly and peanuts, sweet cherry tomatoes and a sweet/savory sauce. My wife loved it. I did not think this was the best combination of flavors. The traditional Sauternes pairing would not have worked here and I would need help to arrive at a proper wine choice.

Overview

Some of these dishes were truly fabulous, others could have been better, but overall it was a culinary exploration and journey through a myriad of layered flavors. The wines selected paired superbly with several of the dishes. I would recommend seeking out Atlas Bistro and giving the experience a try. Without wine, or corkage fee, the five course prix fixe meal is $110/pp and changes seasonally. If you don’t have a wine cellar to pair your own, the owner has a wine shop adjacent where wines can be purchased and served with a corkage fee.

Prix Fixe Menu with Paired Wines

With aged Gosset Grande Reserve NV Champagne

First Course

Salad – Grilled Peach, Ruby Grapefruit, Golden Beets, Poppy Chevre, Crispy Prosciutto, Arugula, Strawberry Ver jus Vin

Second Course

Spaghetti alla Chitarra with Baja Bay Scallops & Manila Clams, Oregon Lobster & Maitake Mushrooms, Toasted Nori, Tarragon Miso Butter, Tomato Dashi

Supplemental Course

Cast Iron Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Foie Gras Canape, Almond Butter, Quince, Gelee, Honey Roasted Peanuts, Noble Toast Points

With 2012 Chateau Montelena Cab

Third Course

New Zealand Lamb Bacon Pastrami, Caribbean Savory Doughnut, Persian Cucumbers, Cilantro, Caraway Seed Dressing

Fourth Course

Black Garlic Basted Linz Prime N.Y. Strip Steak with Grilled Stuffed Zucchini, Brussels Sprouts, Pink Peppercorns, Braised Cabbage, Thyme Beef au Jus

With 2014 Suduirat Sauternes

Fifth Course

Beignets with Poached Black Plum, Orange Blossom Foam, New Zealand Freeze Dried Manuka Honey & Mandarins, Almond Soil

AND

Cheese plate of various cheeses and sweet/savory jellies

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January 14, 2023 · 12:57 PM

Restaurant Beverage Strategies for Success and Profitability

Pic from Somm Business Blog

I was just reading this on Facebook from an industry magazine and was disappointed in how basic the ideas were. Check it out here: Sommelier Business Article.

Importance of a Diverse Beverage Inventory

There is much more than price-point management and basic food pairing needed for a Somm to successfully manage a dining restaurant’s inventory. Here are a few other ideas to consider:

  • There should be a low, medium and premium price option for each major category. Train staff to upsell wines.
  • Inventory a few recognizable labels in each major category, but the majority of the wine should not be found at local stores – train staff to upsell these wines.
  • Know the local alcoholic beverage procurement laws. If possible, work with distributors, brokers/importers and winery direct to build a diverse selection at the right price-points.

If the menu is even minimally diverse, there is so much more than a wine’s geographic origin to consider:

  • Weight – lighter wines can be more versatile with food.
  • Fruity wines should be included as an aperitif and to pair with sweeter dishes.
  • Complex/Savory wines for specific flavor pairings.
  • Tannic wines to pair with red meats and red sauces.
  • Acidic wines to pair with dishes having cream sauces.

Can the chef build a dessert menu to pair with Ports and Sauternes?

  • Train staff to sell digestifs.

Financial Success

Experiment with variable margin strategies. Perhaps:

  • Reduce margin on bottles over $75 USD to improve cash-flow.
  • Lower prices on a few accessible mid-price labels to help your staff upsell.

A diverse cellar is useless, if the staff is not trained with a sales strategy. Remember gross profit is a mix of pricing AND total beverage revenue. Have a goal – if beverage (beer, wine, cocktails) is not contributing to at least a third of a restaurant’s revenue and half the profits, the business is not likely to succeed.

Whether you are a wine steward, sommelier, or the restaurant manager/owner… managing beverage is complex. Without training of staff and an overall beverage strategy, a successful and profitable restaurant will be difficult to achieve.

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December 31, 2022 · 11:38 AM

Sulfur & Wine – Misconceptions about Causes of Headaches and “Natural Wines”

Really well-written article on sulfur inclusion and the misconceptions surrounding the discussion. It is not the sulfur that causes headaches! Wines with zero sulfur inclusion are just a fad from the so-called “natural wine” trend being marketed today! For those that have not seen a fact-based explanation on this topic, enjoy:

Biogenic Amine Toxicity: A Reality for Histamine-Sensitive Consumers

Chemistry Does not Support Wine Headaches being Caused by Sulfur Addition

Really well-written article on sulfur inclusion and the misconceptions surrounding the discussion. It is not the sulfur that causes headaches! Wines with zero sulfur inclusion are just a fad from the so-called “natural wine” trend being marketed today! For those that have not seen a fact-based explanation on this topic, enjoy!

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December 7, 2022 · 5:20 PM

Bodega La Rioja Alta – Unmatched Value

I don’t normally go out of my way to write about any particular winery, but I was introduced to these wines several years ago and EVERY bottle I have tasted since has ranged from very good to spectacular. Disclosure: I have NOT been paid by any winery, broker, or distributor regarding this article.

This winery has a few different labels: Vina Alberdi, Vina Ardanza, Vina Arana and the flagship Gran Reservas – 890 & 904. The Alberdi has a street value of about $20-25 and the Ardanza and Arana are any where from $35 to $45/750ml. I have tasted the Ardanza and Arana in the past. Also beautiful wines, but different due to the varying varietal blends and the different aging profiles of Reserva and Gran Reserva. These other two wines represent outstanding value with exceptional quality too. The last two are much more expensive and represent their premium tier. If your not familiar with the Spanish aging classification system, see this link for an explanation: Spanish Wine Classification System.

I am done with over-extracted, high-alcohol fruit bombs from the Napa Valley floor and have moved up to the Napa mountain locations. I am also finding that Bordeaux is now going down that path too. In the past, I was able to find reasonably priced Bordeaux wines that were dependably lighter in body, but lately, not as much. This has led to too much wine poured down the drain. So, when I find wines like this, I want to share the info with other Old World style wine enthusiasts. This winery is no new player on the scene (established in 1890) and if any of you have explored Spanish wines, you will have run across them. I wanted to post this piece, because I feel it is my duty to amplify the word about cooler climate style wines, as they are not always easy to find in the U.S. On that topic, I usually prefer Spanish wines from the North-Western Rioja region, but especially the Rioja Alta around the Oja River Valley where the vineyards have some elevation. If you like more structure (especially acidity), keep an eye out. 2,000-3,000 ft. with a southern exposure is a good place to start. Much higher in this area and the fruit does not ripen properly.

I am rating this wine a bit higher than others, likely due to my preference for bright, fresh fruit. I am not a big fan of red wines with candied, jammy, or stewed fruit flavors. In particular, those wines that are strong with black currant, prune, or fig type flavors.

(I have discontinued my practice of scoring wines. Now, I rate wines as: poor, barely drinkable, drinkable, superior and excellent.)

2018 Vina Alberdi Crianza (Labeled Reserva in the U.S.)

Variety: 100% Tempranillo

Region: Rioja, Sub-Region: Rioja Alta

Rating: Superior

Tasting Note: Aromatic nose of sweet, fresh red fruit, oak, vanilla and earth. The wine is medium bodied, with high acidity and med+ soft tannin. Fruit-forward palate of fresh red and black cherry, black tea and olive tapenade, but not overly extracted. Mid-palate introduces the vanilla and oak and moves to a long earthy finish. Very well made and nicely balanced. Plenty of structure to pair well with red meat and red sauces, but fruit-forward enough to handle lighter fair such as pork, or cream sauces. This is still a young wine and could handle another 3-5 years of bottle age to integrate the oak more… and will improve. If you enjoy Old World style structure in a lighter bodied wine without overwhelming alcohol, at this price… this wine could easily be your go-to.

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December 5, 2022 · 11:02 AM

L’Aventure Estate Cuvee Five Year Vertical Tasting

Background

My personal history with L’Aventure goes back to the first winery visit in 2007, when my wife and I were blown away by the amazing balance and elegance Stephen Asseo (winemaker) was able to achieve with these crazy big Southern Rhone style wines. At over 16% (sometimes 17%) alcohol fruit bombs, he was somehow able to get just the right balanced mix of fruit, structure and alcohol to make it all work… and they were fabulous. The Estate Cuvee is the winery’s flagship wine and almost always a mix of the best estate Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot in varying percentages, depending on vintage. Asseo was one of the first few in Paso to experiment with eliminating filtering/fining and the wines almost always have that opulent mouth-filling feel. This label is aged in 100% new french oak, integrating better in some vintages than others.

Scoring and Tasting Method

I am done with the attempt to achieve a fair systematic scoring method. So, I will continue to follow the WSET/UC Davis process, but I am done with both the 100 AND 20 point systems. Moving forward, I will only be rating (not scoring) wines with a simple five tier description: Poor, Barely Drinkable, Drinkable, Superior and Excellent. The basis of these ratings will be: balance, fruit character, acid/tannin and sugar/alcohol levels. I will always comment when appropriate on specific characteristics, such as harvest timing, winemaking style, cellaring potential, etc.

2013 – 2017 Vintages

I opened these bottles for a group of friends two hours in advance of the tasting, decanted and returned them to the bottle prior to serving. I poured a personal tasting to write my notes prior to the group arriving. I also opened a 2014 L’Aventure Cote-a-Cote as a comparison. All of the Estate Cuvee wines were generally similar in flavors, so I will not get too detailed with the notes. All of the wines generally tasted of blackberry and black currant fruit and had both high tannin and acid (surprising after the years of bottle age). The differences were primarily in character and balance. After developing first impressions, it became clear, these wines were NOT meant for cellaring. On release, I had thought there was plenty of structure to lay these wines down in my cellar, but I was mistaken and I will tell you why after I provide the tasting notes.

2013 Vintage

Rating: Superior

This wine had a very weak nose, with no fruit apparent. On the palate, it was slightly fruit-forward. The mid-palate was complex with savory leather, black tea and dark chocolate. The finish was medium+ in length. The alcohol was a big piece of the profile, but not completely overwhelming. The oak was well-integrated. After nine years in the bottle, the tannin and acid were still both high.

2014 Vintage

Rating: Drinkable

Aromatic fruity blackberry nose. On the palate, it was slightly fruit-forward. The mid-palate was a bit simpler than the 2013, but similar. The finish was medium+ in length. The alcohol was big. The oak showed a bit too much, but was reasonably integrated. The wine filled the mouth more than the 2013.

2015 Vintage

Rating: Poor

Medium fruity blackberry nose. On the palate, it was slightly fruit-forward. The mid-palate was the simpler leather and dark chocolate profile. The finish was long in length. The alcohol was overwhelming. The oak dominated the wine with very strong vanilla and brown butter flavors. The wine texture was very mouth-filling. The oak did not integrate at all in this vintage and this wine was enjoyed the least by us and our guests.

2016 Vintage

Rating: Drinkable

This wine had a weak nose. On the palate, it was slightly fruit-forward. The mid-palate was the simpler leather and dark chocolate profile. The finish was long in length. The alcohol was big. The oak showed a bit too much, but was reasonably integrated. The big mouthfeel was here too.

2017 Vintage

Rating: Superior

The nose was all alcohol, overwhelming any other character. On the palate, it was fruit-forward with blackberry, black currant and black plum. The mid-palate was all savory with leather, black tea and dark chocolate. The finish was very long. The alcohol was a big piece of the profile, but not completely overwhelming. The oak showed a bit too much, with nice sweet vanilla and was reasonably integrated.

2014 L’Aventure Cote-a-Cote

Rating: Excellent

This is L’Aventure’s Grenache dominated Southern Rhone blend (GSM), with: Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah – percentages usually in that order. By the time we reached this wine, the group was a couple hours into the tasting and this wine was very welcome. It was very aromatic on the nose and the palate was fruit-forward, layered and balanced. The oak was very well integrated. The mouthfeel was wonderful: elegant and silky. This label handled the 8 years of bottle age extremely well. A very enjoyable and impressive bottling.

Impressions

When we tasted these wines on release, they all seemed to have enough structure (tannin/acid) to age well, but the balance presenting on release did not last well. The big fruit flavors when bottled dissipated too quickly, changing many of these Estate Cuvee wines into a disjointed jumble after five years. The other challenging element seemed to be integrating all that new oak. In some vintages showing well, in others not so much. I would not suggest holding the Estate Cuvee wines more than five years and would guess, three years would be better. Finally, it is clear the Cote-a-Cote and Optimus bottlings respond better to bottle aging and the one we tasted on this night was excellent!

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