By Gail Appleson • Post-Dispatch Special

ST. HELENA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Duckhorn Portfolio, Inc. (NYSE: NAPA) (the “Company”), North America’s leading luxury wine company, today announced that Gayle Bartscherer will join the Company as its next Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing and DTC and will assume the role in the coming weeks. . Bartscherer brings over 20 years of wine industry-focused experience to The Duckhorn Portfolio, having previously held key leadership positions in business development, cellar operations, brand management, marketing and marketing and international sales.

Most recently, Bartscherer spent the last few years managing a team of 60 as SVP International Sales, Marketing and Business Development at Jackson Family Wines (JFW). During her 14 years at JFW, Bartscherer held several key positions, including Chief Brand Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, and Vice President of International Marketing and Business Development. After starting out in the accounting industry, Bartscherer began her wine career at Blue Lifestyle, where she worked alongside James Beard Award-winning author, columnist and television personality Anthony Dias Blue as vice president of business development and events. Bartscherer also worked at enjoy your food Magazine and Santa Barbara-based Beckmen Vineyards in marketing and operations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in French and Italian from the University of London.

“Gayle is an exceptional addition to our leadership team,” said Alex Ryan, the company’s president, CEO and chairman. “She is a strategic, driven and dynamic leader with a proven track record of identifying and capitalizing on market opportunities, particularly in the DTC channel. Gifted leader and responsible marketer with a deep understanding of luxury wine , she will contribute immensely to both our day-to-day operations and our broader strategic planning, while also focusing on the continued growth of our highly successful DTC program.Gayle’s early experiences as an accountant at Arthur Andersen, formerly one of the “Big Five” accounting firms, also ensures that she will bring the necessary financial rigor to her role to support our dual mission of growth and continuous quality improvement, and will be an invaluable addition to The Duckhorn portfolio.

“Like many others, I have been incredibly impressed with what The Duckhorn Portfolio has achieved and what it now represents in the luxury wine industry,” said Bartscherer. “Guided by the same pioneering spirit that made Duckhorn Vineyards an icon, The Duckhorn Portfolio is redefining the modern American luxury wine industry while setting new benchmarks for quality and consumer engagement. I am thrilled to join the team and help continue the tradition of excellence.

Ryan also referred to the invaluable contributions of outgoing Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer and Director of DTC, Carol Reber. “Over the past 12 years, Carol has been instrumental in transforming The Duckhorn Portfolio into the company we are today. She was instrumental in our success in establishing The Duckhorn Portfolio as the best one-stop luxury wine store in America. I can think of no greater compliment than to say that Carol has left our company stronger, more vibrant and more ready to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead than ever before. We are deeply grateful to Carol and wish her all the best.

About The Duckhorn Portfolio, Inc.

The Duckhorn Portfolio is North America’s premier luxury wine company, with ten wineries, eight state-of-the-art winemaking facilities, seven tasting rooms and over 900 acres of coveted vineyards spanning 23 estate properties. . Established in 1976 when winemakers Dan and Margaret Duckhorn founded Napa Valley’s Duckhorn Vineyards, our portfolio today includes some of North America’s most revered wineries including Decoy, Paraduxx, Goldeneye, Migration, Canvasback, Calera, Kosta Browne, Greenwing and Postmark. Sourcing grapes from our own vineyards and fine growers in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Anderson Valley, California’s North and Central Coasts and Washington State, we offer a comprehensive and curated portfolio of acclaimed luxury wines with prices ranging from $20 to $200 across more than 15 varietals and 25 appellations. Our wines are available throughout the United States, on five continents and in more than 50 countries around the world. To find out more, visit us at: https://www.duckhornportfolio.com/. Investors can access information on our Investor Relations website at https://ir.duckhorn.com.

If you’ve ever wondered how terroir impacts what you taste in your glass, shinrin yoku can offer some understanding. More commonly known in the United States as forest baths, these meditative, guided walks date back to the 1980s, when Japanese doctors sent their overworked patients to local forests to reconnect with nature. Studies have found participants to have health benefits, such as lower blood pressure and improved immune response.

Forest bathing encourages you to use all five senses to become aware of the natural world around you. When practiced at a vineyard, it can connect you to the land and influence how you taste the wine produced there, according to Jenny Harrow-Keeler, who leads Forest Bathing Experiences in Sonoma County.

The Certified Nature Therapy Guide explains that you may encounter elements of forest bathing in a vineyard while sipping wine produced there, such as the smell of redwoods or a crisp breeze on your cheek.

“Forest bathing and wine tasting are such a complementary practice,” she says. “Forest bathing enhances wine, and wine enhances your experience of the land. The circle is complete.

A typical forest bathing session at a vineyard begins with introductions and an explanation of what to expect. Then the guide invites participants to complete an activity, such as looking at moving objects or finding a space that resonates with you. After a set period of time, usually 10-15 minutes, participants gather at a designated location to share their experiences. Depending on the length of the session, there can be up to six activities.

Veronika Knobová, a certified guide who co-founded Shinrin Yoku United along with fellow certified guide Joan Roney, explains that the goal is to “awaken the senses” and prepare attendees for the wine tasting at the end. On his walks through European vineyards, Knobová ends by passing around a glass of wine and asking each participant to share their final thoughts. Then she pours the wine into the ground and the winemaker pours tastes from several of their vintages.

When the participants take that first sip after a forest bath, Knobová hears a lot of surprise.

“They comment on how much more intense the sensations are,” she says. “Even people who have tried the wine before saying being in the vineyard have changed their perception of it.”

“Forest bathing enhances wine, and wine enhances your experience of the land. The circle is complete. —Jenny Harrow-Keeler

Guidebooks say forest bathing can have a profound effect on wine. It opens the senses. Participants take the time to really see the vineyard, smell it, hear its sounds, feel its textures, and maybe even taste it in the air or by popping a grape in their mouth. These sensory experiences open the door to understanding the terroir.

“Forest bathing is absolutely tied to the terroir,” says Andrés Rodiño, who guides visitors through Spain’s Albariño-producing vineyards through his slow travel company, Rooteiro. “The climate, the granitic soil, the environment and the way the harvest is carried out are important factors when producing Albariño wine.”

Rodiño adds that by guiding people through a vineyard, they begin to really appreciate old vines. They slow down and relax. Therefore, when they taste the Albariño, it tastes fresher and their palate picks up flavors directly related to what they have just experienced in the vineyard.

Want to try it for yourself? Harrow-Keeler has some simple tips you can try the next time you visit a winery.

“I would invite people to pick a moment, take a few breaths, and feel their feet on the ground,” she says. “When you are punished, start noticing the sounds and smells. Stick out your tongue and taste the air. Engage all of your senses. Even five minutes would have a huge impact on how you experience wine.

Posted on March 10, 2022

When we think of high-quality wine produced in the United States, we think first of California. However, Arizona vineyards are gaining in prestige and more and more wineries continue to enter the market, producing unique, high quality wine. The warm climate and high altitude provide a good environment for growing grapes. With low temperatures in the 40s and 50s and high temperatures in the 70s and 80s (Fahrenheit), the climate is similar to wine regions like Spain, Italy and southern France. As California becomes increasingly impacted by climate change, Arizona will gain prominence in the domestic wine market.

Tasting rooms are springing up in Old Town Scottsdale, where you can start exploring these wonderful Arizona wines. You can taste a flight or choose a drink while discovering the grape varieties and wineries. Bring home a bottle or two or join a wine club to keep the good flavors coming.

1. Merkin Vineyards

Maynard James Keenan of the rock band Tool moved to Jerome, Arizona in 1995 and decided to settle there. He discovered that the area was perfect for growing grapes and making wine. He now owns Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards with his wife, Jennifer. The vineyards cover 110 acres in Wilcox, in the southeast corner of Arizona, and near Jerome, north of Phoenix. They ship wine across the United States and you can taste and buy it in Jerome and Old Town Scottsdale.

The Old Town Restaurant is located just off the Scottsdale waterfront on Stetson Drive. Merkin Vineyards strives to provide a complete Arizona experience with its wine paired with local foods. They rely on Mother Nature to provide the perfect combination of fresh ingredients. They grow most of the menu ingredients in their gardens and orchards in the Verde Valley. What they cannot grow themselves, they buy from local farmers.

The menu ranges from small plates and charcuterie boards to pastas and pizzas. My favorites are the lasagna cupcake and the mango chutney burrata. Nothing pairs better with a good red wine than a warm brownie with peanut butter ganache and Merkin ice cream.

The Caduceus and Merkin brands offered included six varieties of white, three rosé and ten red wines. You can choose a flight and enjoy a nice sample or order a glass or bottle of your favorite. My standard choice is the Merkin Tarzan Red, a delicious blend of 65% Tempranillo and 35% Garnacha. Merkin’s friendly staff are always ready to help you decide.

The dark wood interior gives the impression of being in an elegant wine cellar. The U-shaped bar offers plenty of seating to chat with the bartender. Two large rectangular tables welcome a group of wine lovers. When the weather is warm, the large windows along Stetson Drive make little four-tops the perfect spot.

2. Arizona Bastion

Arizona Stronghold is another vineyard that takes advantage of the terrain in Wilcox, Arizona. They believe that the “wild and fierce” land of the high country here creates an ideal environment for the production of a multitude of delicious wines. They also include grapes from all over the region in making their high quality wine. Grapes need to be tough to survive in the desert, and Arizona Stronghold thinks that adds to their unique flavor.

The tasting room is a small storefront on Marshall Way. The patio, with its handful of tables and vertical heat lamps, is a great place to spend a warm evening watching people go by. You can also perch on benches around tables inside while admiring a vineyard mural on dark red walls.

Choose a white or red wine flight consisting of six 1.5-ounce pours for $15 and compare the different varietals. I enjoyed the Provisioner red wine enough to bring home a bottle. They call their supplier “wine for the people” and believe they capture the soul of Arizona, reminiscent of the frontier-era small town general store. You can take a cheese or charcuterie board to allow you to continue enjoying the wine.

Pro tip: Watch this video for an overview of what Provisioner wine offers.

3. Arid

The name Laughed at comes from the Latin word for “dry”. Located in the dry, high-altitude part of southeastern Arizona, this family business has converted a 28,000 square foot apple warehouse into one of the largest wineries in the state. They combine grapes grown on their 40-acre vineyard with grapes from other vineyards in Arizona, New Mexico and California. They have strived to use organic and sustainable practices wherever possible, including drip irrigation.

The Aridus Tasting Room sits among the Main Street art galleries. Chandeliers above the bar, jazz music in the background, lighted tables and flowers give the room a sophisticated and elegant vibe. You can perch at one of the four intimate high tables spread between the walls lined with wine bottles. A space behind the bar with a long table is suitable for large gatherings.

Our server had spent many years working in the California wine country and was very knowledgeable about the art of wine making in both states. My husband and I enjoyed the red wine sampler which was four 2oz pours for $20. Each wine had a rich flavor and it was hard to pick a favourite. When I made the reservation I was able to request a charcuterie board and it was ready when we arrived.

By joining the wine club, you can receive eight bottles of their latest spring and fall vintages. You can choose a mixture of red and white wines or only red wines. The wine club also includes discounts and free wine tastings.

4. Carlson Creek

The Carlson family planted their first 7 acres of grapes in 2009. Their vineyards gradually grew to 280 acres near Wilcox, Arizona. The elevation of 4,200 feet offers warm days and cool nights similar to southern France and Argentina. As they grew, the family added more varietals and then a winery and tasting room. They often sell their grapes to 10 other wineries and craft 11 varietals themselves.

You can now taste their local wine in a tasting room along Marshall Way that feels like you’re in the middle of the vineyards. The long bar rests on wine barrels on a wooden plank floor. A pewter ceiling reflects light onto sofas and high tables, perfect for chatting wine with friends.

You can choose the five-sample tasting for $12 or choose a full glass of your favorite. For an additional fee, you can even take home your glass as a souvenir. A wonderful $15 cheese platter with artisan cheese, meat, olives and nuts helps keep your palate fresh.

Carlson Creek also hosts wine tasting classes and wine pairing events. You can join the Wine Society and receive 12 bottles of a blend of red, white and rosé wines or your choice of varietals. You can also enjoy free tastings and a discount on other purchases.

Pro tip: The space is a converted art gallery and you can always find beautiful artwork for sale on the walls.

5. LDV Vineyard

When LDV owners Curt Dunham and Peggy Fiandaca decided to start a winery, they found the perfect conditions in the southeast corner of Arizona near the Chiricahua Mountains. Their desired conditions included a mountainous environment, crystal clear water, good drainage, volcanic soil, and land that had never experienced commercial agriculture. This transformed them from ardent wine collectors into enthusiastic winemakers.

The LDV Tasting Room is just a few feet from the South Bridge on Scottsdale’s waterfront. The large patio is surrounded by a fence made of whole barrels and barrel staves – perfect for a chilly day or warm evening. Three different wine flights are offered for $15 each and they include three varietals, which change periodically. A full glass or bottle is also available for sale.

LDV offers the Sky Islander Wine Club which offers three tiers of benefits along with special events listed on their website. Check out their short blog posts, including a short video, with monthly wine tips, including what wine to pair with Girl Scout cookies and how to prepare for a party.

6. Salvatore Vineyards

Named after the grandfather of their winemaker Jason Domanico, Salvatore Vineyards focuses on meticulously crafted wines in small batches. The Domanico family originated from Sicily and Calabria, Italy. The logo on the wine bottles combines elements of the crests of these two areas. Passion Cellars, the winery, was created to capitalize on the expansion of winemaking in Arizona. The vineyard focuses on fruity white wines and complex red wines. They are setting aside their best grapes to age longer for a reserve run under the Salvatore label.

You can find the Tasting Room across from the Bronze Horse Fountain near the Scottsdale waterfront. A long bar allows you to contemplate the rows of wine bottles while chatting with your server. There are also a handful of small tables under the beautiful, colorful art that adorns the walls. Various flavors of oil and vinegar are also on sale.

A visit to Scottsdale is the perfect time to sample Arizona’s growing wine scene. The Old Town Tasting Rooms provide a wonderful experience where you can begin your learning about the wonderful varietals of Arizona. You’ll probably be tempted to join one of the wine clubs to bring these flavors to friends back home.

Alexandria, VA – Living and working vicariously through streaming media and zoom platforms has become a way of life since 2020. Virginia wineries quickly offered virtual tastings when COVID shut down tasting rooms. Wine sales in the state and across the country soared.

Spotting an entertainment trend, TV production companies quickly churned out not one but four shows for the lone Z~oenophile to binge: Beneath the vines, the kings of Napa, promised land, and Great crew.

under the vines, from AMC Networks streaming on ACORN, is a seductive tale as old as wine: two estranged family members inherit a vineyard in Central Otago, New Zealand. Urban socialite Daisy Monroe played by Rebecca Gibney and town attorney Louis Oakley played by Charles Edwards (The Crown, Diana) are vying for vino accolades with local winemaking maven Marissa after a surprise victory for Oakley Wine in a prestigious competition.

Since Kiwi vino is supposed to be all about sauvignon blanc in the United States, that’s what we’ll highlight for a under the vines frantic party. Walsh Family Wine, formerly the Northgate property in Purcellville, offers two Sauv Blancs. The 2020 Bethany Ridge and 2020 Twin Notch Sauvignon Blancs are ready to roll. Both are classics without being too herbaceous and grassy. Appropriate notes of kiwi imbue with the expected citrus of grapefruit, lemon, lime and a whisper of bergamot.

The husband and wife team of Nate and Sarah Walsh founded Walsh Family Wine in 2014. Previously, Nate was the award-winning winemaker at Sunset Hills and 50 West. Before opening their brick-and-mortar operation, he and Sarah sold their wines at farmers’ markets and garage tastings and at local restaurants. In 2014, the two Canney wineries added a Walsh Family Wine label Sauvignon Blanc to the wine list, featuring Sarah’s elegant abstract mountain ridge design, which inspired the label of Walsh family.

The Kings of Napa is from executive producer Oprah Winfrey for her OWN streaming channel. Reginald King, family patriarch and founder of the house of kings wine, dies suddenly as his family bickers over control and management of the vineyard. The show is Falcon Crest meets the Shores of Bel-Air. With episode titles like “She’s Gotta Crush It”, “What’s Port Got To Do With It?”, “How Stella Got Her Pinot Back”, “Mo Bottled Blues”, and “Judas and the Black-Owned Vineyard”, you know the bashing above the wine swirl gets real right off the bat. The Kings of Napa is “all about black excellence in motion ~ wine, style and cuisine.

So where to put your King? For that Napa experience, you can’t go wrong with Breaux Vineyards in Hillsboro. The majestic stucco and tile-roofed Tasting Palace blends Spanish mission with New Orleans razzmatazz and French savoir faire. Sitting on the Vidal Patio overlooking the vines cascading towards a horizon of rolling hills, you can easily imagine that you are in Napa.

Another option is the King Family Vineyard in Crozet near Charlottesville. Their merlot could give the house of kings and Stella a run for their Pinot. The 2018 Seven (named after the seventh chukker in a polo match), a fortified red wine aged two years in Kentucky bourbon casks, answers the question… What do port and polo have to do? with that ? Yes, there are polo matches, a polo school and classes at Roseland Polo Club.xd

But if it’s pinot noir you’re looking for, you’re headed to Ankida Ridge in Amherst. Atop an Appalachian mountain nearly 2,000 feet above sea level lies a microclimate where the impossible happens. Owners Christine and Dennis Vrooman grow some of the best pinot noir in the United States. It’s the only Mid-Atlantic wine invited to the International Pinot Noir Celebration held in Oregon each July.

An accidental winery, the vineyard was born when the contractor mistakenly cleared an extra acre of woods on the property. Chickens strut around the vines for natural pest control, while Katahdin sheep, mother nature’s weedkillers, graze on land that was once as high as Everest. If you can’t make the three hour drive or don’t like heights, Ankida Ridge ships. They also have foothills tastings and a shop in Charlottesville.

Paradise Springs is the closest to Alexandria and the first bi-coastal winery in the United States. Their Sauvignon Blanc, amusingly named 2018 F’ing Merlot, is rated 93 points by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. The 2018 K III is a delicious Rhône-style GSM blend (Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre) with a spicy, peppery kick, bright, not-too-fruity berries exhibiting hints of cloves, river rock and can cigar box, a perfect Big Bang expression of Central Coast bravado. Even better, opening hours in Clifton have been extended to 7 p.m. daily and Fridays to 9 p.m.

Promised land originally aired on ABC and last month moved exclusively to Hulu. Set in Sonoma, the saga pivots from 1987 when brothers Sandoval Joe and Billy Rincón, along with friend Lettie and her sister Rosa, cross the border into Mexico in search of a better life in (you guessed it ) the promised land – the wine country of California. The four arrive at Heritage House Vineyards, where they toil in the vineyards of Oliver M. Honeycroft. Joe (John Ortiz~ Silver Linings playbook, replicas) marries Margaret, Oliver’s daughter, although he and Billy are hopelessly in love with Lettie.

Fast forward to 2022. Joe has divorced Margaret, taken over the vineyard and is now married to Lettie, raising a combative blended family rivaling the Kings. Billy is an estranged priest from the family. Margaret returns from a long vacation in Europe, a successful hotel magnate reconnecting with her adult children while seeking revenge on Joe.

In an episode last month, siblings Veronica and Antonio Sandoval took part in a blind tasting of six bottles at Bottle Shock, including a 2003 Chardonnay. Chardonnay can indeed age 20 years. You’re unlikely to find a 2003 Virginia Chardonnay, except maybe in my cellar gathering dust somewhere.

Pearmund Cellars’ award-winning Old Vine Chardonnay, grown on the Merriwether Vineyard in Fauquier County, is Virginia’s oldest Chardonnay vineyard. It was named Virginia Grand Cru Vineyard by the American Grand Cru Society. This extraordinary wine is 100 percent malolactic fermentation, sur-lie, and aged for nine months in French oak barrels. A classic buttery and woody Swiss chard. Try it, you will like it!

The crew on Great crew don’t descend much from Chardonnay. They’re all about big, bold reds. Great crewairing on NBC, is Black Friends of the 20s. Six friends, three guys and three girls, with a brother and sister among the group, meet at a wine bar in Los Angeles’ Silver Lake neighborhood called Cru.

For episode 9 on March 1, the team headed to a vineyard in Santa Barbara. Paradise Springs maybe? Stream the show on Peacock to find out. To quote the crew, “Bespoke this! Check your feelings. It’s time to drink.

So let’s hang crew for a bottle of white, a bottle of red, maybe a rosé instead. Make yourself comfortable near the screen, face to face with under the vines from Napa Kings in the Promised land with your Great crew.

ICYMI: Spring is sprouting with new restaurants in town

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Hollywood star Stanley Tucci uncovers the secrets and delights of Italy’s regional cuisines in his new six-part BBC2 travel diary Stanley Tucci: In Search of Italyoriginally aired on CNN in the United States last year.

“I’m Italian on both sides and for many years I’ve dreamed of doing this show,” says Stanley 61, whose films include road to perdition, The devil wears Prada and The hunger Games series.

So here’s everything you need to know about Stanley Tucci: In Search of Italy including a word on food and destinations from Stanley himself. . .

‘Stanley Tucci: In Search of Italy’ release date on BBC2

Rum has new suitors to enter the market

Rum. In the beginning

Rum is more than a spirit drink. Rum has played an important role in world economies and politics. Rum was used as currency, in religious rituals, a symbol associated with debauchery among the Temperance Crusaders, and as a wholesome part of the diet and drink of the British Navy.

Rum was a major export of colonial New England and played an important role in entrepreneurial societies. He oiled the cultural and economic processes that created and fueled the slave trade, sparked mutinies against the captains who held it back and the governors who tried to regulate it. Rum was celebrated by authors, used in toasts by politicians, and offered solace and rewards to laborers who cut the cane and, after drinking it, returned to the fields to make more rum.

Until the 21st century

Sugarcane was first grown in Papua New Guinea and first fermented in -350 BC in India, where the drinks were mainly used as medicine. It was cultivated and transported to Africa and Spain. In the 1400s, explorers opened up trade routes and remote islands offered perfect climates for growing sugar cane and they had access to plenty of water. In the Azores, the Canary Islands and the Caribbean, slaves provided the labor.

African slavers accepted many forms of payment to supply slaves to European settlers and the most sought payment was alcohol. Barbados in the early 1600s had a perfect climate for sugarcane, and explorer Richard Ligon brought sugarcane expertise from Brazil, including equipment, slaves, and cultivation techniques. distillation on the island. Thanks to Ligon, in less than 10 years, the sugar barons of Barbados became among the wealthiest in the world, with a thriving sugar and rum export industry.

In the mid-17th century (1655), Admiral Penn of the British fleet captured Jamaica from the Spanish and replaced the beer ration with locally made sugar cane liquor. When he left Jamaica, he discovered that rum had the natural advantage of staying sweet in the barrel longer than water or beer.

In the 18th century (1731), the Navy Board made rum the official daily ration, with a pint of wine or half a pint of rum to be issued in two equal amounts per day. It was a precious right and privilege that protected them from the misery and brutality of life on the ocean waves. In the 19th century (1850), the rum ration was fixed at one-eighth of a pint until it was abolished in 1970.

The Navy’s last issue occurred on July 31, 1970, known as “Black Tot Day” and the First Sea Lord noted, “a big tot in the middle of the day was not the best remedy for those who had to manage the electronic mysteries of the Navy”. .”

What is rum

Rum is produced in over 80 countries, and unique blends can be found in Africa, Asia, South America, the Caribbean, the Philippines, the United States, Europe, and Scandinavian countries. Recently, aged versions of rum have been revisited and redesigned and many are now receiving the same acclaim and consideration as fine Scotch whisky, noting that rum is as complex as wine.

The most basic type of rum is pure fermented sugar cane juice and called Rhum Agricole or Cachaca and produced in Brazil as well as in the former French colonies. Boutique distillers in other parts of the world are now expanding their styles and using this processed product to enter new markets.

There is no generally accepted generic term for rums made from sugarcane juice, although distillers in the French Caribbean maintain that only their products should be named Rhum Agricole and Brazilian law states that Cachaca should not can be produced only in this country.

Cane rum can only be made when the sugar plants are ripe and producing fresh juice; however, molasses-based rums can be made year-round from stored products. Distillers who use molasses as a raw material are unlikely to adopt the French term for their rums, Rhum Industriel.

Molasses is the sludge left over from boiled cane juice after the extraction of crystalline sugar. What is not made into rum can be bottled for culinary use or added to animal feed. Raw molasses has many flavors depending on the cane, soil and climate.

Rum distillers prefer to use casks previously used for wines or bourbon to infuse their product with a more complex flavor during the aging process; some countries require the rum to be in the cellar for at least 8 months to be said to be aged; others require 2 years and others set no guidelines.

Distillation is the process of concentrating essences from a fermented mixture called must and is frequently attributed to Arab and Persian alchemists of the Middle Ages. However, this assumption was overturned when a complete terracotta pot still was identified in a museum in Taxila, Pakistan. This pot still (originally used 5000 years ago) is a domed lidded clay pot with a removable spout that empties into a covered bowl and is currently in a modern distillery.

Rums get a grade

Some rums reflect local tastes while others are aimed at a global market. The grade and variations depend on the locale:

o White or clear rum. Most sold at 80 degrees (40% alcohol by volume); often at least 1 year old; filtered to remove color.

o Gold or Pale Rum. Often several years old; a dye can be added to give consistency; look for subtle flavors of vanilla, almond, citrus, caramel or coconut depending on the type of cask used in the aging process.

o Dark rum. Frequently aged in oak barrels for long periods; tastier than white rums, overproof and perhaps spiced rums.

o Dark rum. Made from molasses; retains much of the rich molasses and caramel flavor; can be colored with burnt caramel to achieve an even shade; essential in pastry and confectionery; delivers bold sweet-spicy flavors to cakes, candies, desserts and sauces; the casks are frequently charred or heavily baked, giving the liquid much of the strong flavors of the wood.

o Marine Rum. Traditional dark and full-bodied rums associated with Britain’s Royal Navy.

o Premium aged rum. Often labeled “Anejo” in Spanish territories; tasted neat or on the rocks; take on darker, richer colors due to time spent in barrels; may contain statements in the United States and other countries referring to age referring to the youngest rum in the blend.

o Vintage Rum. Most rums sold in the United States are blended from several sources before bottling; some unique rums are bottled from specific production years; labeled with the year they were distilled and the place of their origin.

o Overproof. Most rums for sale in the United States are 80-100 (40-50% alcohol).

o Agricultural Rum. Fermented and distilled from pure fresh cane juice; distilled to around 70 percent alcohol allowing the Rum to retain more of the original flavor of whole cane juice; specific category of Rum produced mainly in the French territories of the Caribbean, in particular Martinique.

o Old Rum. Aged French rum

Reliable. Professional Rum Leadership

Eric Holmes Kaye, with a background in music and advertising, and Maura Gedid, with a background in investor relations and corporate communications, bring unique experiences to the rum/spirits industry. Their passion for rums and the insatiable quest for new taste experiences allow neophytes as well as rum enthusiasts to discover unique new rums hassle-free through their entrepreneurial endeavors through Holmes Cay Rum. Through Holmes Cay, consumers can obtain limited edition rums featuring exceptional blends from a wide range of regions including South Africa and Fiji,

Holmes Cay selects the finest limited edition rums in small batches that are distilled and bottled without additives. Single Cask editions are aged in barrels and Single Origin editions combine multiple casks and production styles to create original expressions of a given distillery or region.

In order to appreciate the Holmes Cay collection, immediately discard all previous notions of what rum is, isn’t, and/or could be. Open your eyes, nose, mouth and mindset, and get ready for a rum transformation:

1. Mhoba 2017 South Africa. First South African rum sold in the United States. Look for the aroma of cane sugar combined with the taste of grilled pineapple, white pepper and tropical fruits enhanced by a suggestion of fennel. The medium finish is a surprise that becomes even more unique against a smoky background.

2. Fiji Rum. Single Origin Edition 2004. This is a pot blend of lightly aged molasses and column distilled rums from the South Pacific distilleries in Lautoka, Fiji. Bottled without tampering beyond the addition of water and bottled in a small batch of 2260 bottles. Be careful as Fiji rum is bottled at higher strengths than commonly blended rums.

A light yellow tint defines the visual experience. Cut grass, citrus fruits (especially lemon zest and bitter orange zest), pine needles and pepper reward the nose while the palate experiences cloves and honey and the surprise finish (?) – a touch of hay and pepper.

3. Uitvlgut. 2003. Guyana. Only four barrels (858 bottles) of this rum were produced. Aged for 2 years in Guyana and 16 years in the UK in ex-bourbon casks before being bottled through the barrel of 102 proof in New York State in 2012.

The unique aroma/taste is created without sugar, coloring or other flavors; bottled barrel-proof, or 51 percent alcohol by volume.

Made from molasses, the column still rum delivers a rich aroma of golden honey lightened with the smell of seawater. The palate reveals overripe tropical fruits, almonds, herbs and cocoa.

© Dr. Elinor Garely. This copyrighted article may not be reproduced without the written permission of the author.

© Visit France
| The Rhone village of Laudun is about to become the last French wine region to obtain its own appellation.

National Wine Day in the US began on Friday with much of the wine press busy focusing on the latest EU wine label decision while UK newspapers were busy telling readers that two glasses of commercially-made sparkling Moscato might be enough to hit an adult’s recommended daily sugar limit.

Residual sugar in popular commercial winemaking comes as no big surprise to those in the wine industry, but the alarming headlines were enough to get a few people excited on social media — and not without reason.

Also in the news at the end of the week was the revelation that Brad Pitt was suing his ex-partner Angelina Jolie for selling his share in their Provence wine estate, Miraval. Pitt says the couple had an agreement not to sell their share in the property without each other’s consent (Jolie sold her stake to a subsidiary of the Stoli liquor group run by Russian businessman Yuri Shefler) .

But aside from the label spats, sugar spats, and rosé spats, here are some of the wine-related stories you might have missed this week:

Laudun will become its own AOC

The Côtes du Rhône Villages Laudun title is expected to follow Rasteau and Cairanne and become its own appellation – Laudun AOP – likely by the 2023 vintage. The news emerged this week after officials from France’s national appellations body, the ‘INAO, presented their conclusions on the return in December (although the contents of the comments remain, so far, unknown) and following a vote by winemakers in the region earlier in the month.

The vote, which asked if Laudun winegrowers and winegrowers were willing to pursue the petition to become a full-fledged AOP/AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) – known in the region as the Côtes du Rhône “Cru” – was adopted by an overwhelming majority (88 votes against 7) ​​at the beginning of the month.

The next step will be a so-called “public inquiry” by the INAO in the three municipalities that make up the Laudun production area in order to establish the official production area (which will cover more than 1,000 hectares of land. The appellation is slated to officially debut in June this year, though the title likely won’t hit labels until 2023.

“It will be the conclusion of a great undertaking,” Luc Pélaquié, president of the Laudun winegrowers’ union, told the regional newspaper Midi Libre. “I salute the hard work and the spirit of the winegrowers who have worked for the future of local viticulture.”

The title Côtes du Rhône Villages Laudun encompasses the communes of Laudun, Saint-Victor-la-Coste and Tresques in the Gard department on the right (west) bank of the Rhône, north of Lirac and Tavel, and on the river of ( and northwest of) Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The Laudun vineyards currently cover approximately 560 hectares (1,400 acres).

Initially recognized in 1937 as one of the 28 towns in the Gard that can produce Côtes du Rhône wines, Laudun (as well as that of Chusclan to the north) was registered as an appellation with the INAO in 1953. even following a court decision in Uzès in 1947, where Pélaquié’s grandfather, Joseph, pleaded for Laudun.

However, the regional policy of the time saw the territory fall into the orbit of Côtes du Rhône Villages and Laudun became a title of Côtes du Rhône Villages in the mid-1960s.

The region is known to be one of the largest producers of white wines in the Villages. Laudun whites, mainly from Grenache Blanc and Clairette (although Viognier, Bourboulenc, Marsanne and Roussanne may also feature) account for around a quarter of all production in the region.

The reds are primarily blended from Grenache and Syrah, with the former being just proportionately larger in terms of overall vineyard plantings. Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsault may also feature in minor proportions.

In total, the region produces just under two million liters of wine per year through 18 wine estates, six cooperative cellars and 18 trading operations. Over half of all Laudun production is sold at retail outlets in France while a quarter of production is exported (UK accounts for a third of all exports, China/Hong Kong, the United States, Belgium and Sweden being the other main markets).

The Entre-deux-Mers soon to be covered in red wines?

Adding to the INAO’s workload, Bordeaux’s famous Entre-Deux-Mers white wine appellation – a white wine-only appellation since 1937 – could soon cover red wines by 2023, if a petition from the local winegrowers is accepted.

According to French wine publication La Revue du Vin de France (RVF), the INAO began reviewing the region’s application earlier this month.

“If all goes well, we hope we will have the AOC [appellation title] for red wines before 2023,” David Labat, president of the Entre-deux-Mers winegrowers’ union, told the publication.

Currently, the red wines produced in the Entre-deux-Mers production region come under the Bordeaux or Bordeaux Supérieur appellations. Ironically, red wines represent 85% of the production of this region.

“There is a real commercial problem,” added Labat, who told RVF that the project to extend the appellation to red wines had been in the making for 20 years. However, the official process would not have been launched until 2019.

Prosecco booming in China

Prosecco’s seemingly relentless march to take over the world continues this week with news that the global popularity of Northern Italian bubbles continues to grow. According to food publication Italia a Tavola, Prosecco exports to the United States rose 43% in value last year, while exports to China nearly doubled to 117%.

Italian bubbles were generally up in Canada (23%), Switzerland (11%) and Japan (5%). According to the northern Italian daily, Il Gazzettino, overall exports of Italian wine to the United States increased by almost 13% in 2021.

The context of the statistics (which aligns with a global increase in champagne consumption, among other wine categories) is attributed to so-called “revenge spending” following the effects of the global pandemic. Piedmont and Tuscan DOC and DOCG red wines grew in the United States by just under a third and just over a quarter respectively, while Sicilian reds (another region showing strong exports) increased in Canada by more than 50%.

While praising the export successes of sparkling wines from northern Italy, Paolo Castelletti, the head of the Union of Italian Wines (Unione Italiana Vini), also exercised caution.

“…we will have to be careful of 2022, which shows signs of danger that should not be underestimated,” he said. “Starting with the high prices caused by the escalation of energy costs up to the attack on wine on the health front.

Burgundy exports exceed pre-Covid results

More Burgundy rebound as region reports record 2021 revenue of 1.3 billion euros ($1.5 billion) – a 28% increase from 2020 and 27% from compared to 2019. According to the French newspaper Le Figaro, the figures for 2021 “far exceed those before the [global health] crisis and have definitively erased the Covid effect”.

This will come as no surprise to industry players. The newspaper adds that over the past ten years, the turnover of Burgundy wines has effectively doubled.

“The reasons for these good results can be summed up as: the lifting of restrictions linked to the pandemic and the revival of the café, hotel and restaurant sector; the suspension of customs tariffs and the trade conflict between Europe and the United States; and finally, the ever-increasing appeal of Burgundy wines”, declared Albéric Bichot, President of the Federation of Burgundy Traders (FNEB).

Vega Sicilia watched Jerez before Rías Baixas

Here’s one for the alternative history books: In an interview with digital food publication 7 Canibales, Pablo Álvarez, the chef of Spain’s top winery, Vega Sicilia, said the company had considered going into the production of Sherry before embarking on his new project, Deiva, in the Rías Baixas of northwest Spain.

After admitting that, if Jerez was ignored, Albariño (the grape synonymous with Rías Baixas) was the best white wine in Spain, Álvarez was pushed onto the Jerez route.

“Jerez is Jerez – a great region, with unique wines that no one has managed to copy,” he said. “We were in negotiations with a wine estate with the aim of making our own wines and having our own vineyard, it would have been the ideal candidate, but in the end the owner did not want to sell and we could not get there. “

Vega Sicilia in Jerez? There is a thought…

And if that’s too melancholy for some, here’s a CGI rendering of Vega’s new winery in Rías Baixas:

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As one of the founders of Black Restaurant Week, Warren Luckett holds a unique position of being at the heart of black and black-influenced cuisine across the United States.

Luckett, 37, helped grow the national event to 15 markets and a campaign in its seventh year that featured more than 1,500 black-owned and operated restaurants.

He is also co-owner, with his father, Wayne, of Branwar Wine Distribution Company, which focuses on importing a select group of wines with particular emphasis on varieties from South Africa, where Warren lived for a few years in his childhood.

Since returning to Houston in 2009 after a brief stint on Wall Street, Luckett has become a unique hybrid ambassador for both small upstart wineries and Houston’s growing reputation as a cultural and culinary hub.

penta caught up with him to get his perspective on the current evolution of black cuisine.

The best book I’ve read in the last year is… High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America (by Jessica B. Harris). It’s an amazing depiction of the culinary journey of African Americans and their contributions to food in our country – everything from bringing food from Africa, how slave hunters would identify different meals for us from Africa, and even our own history with people like George Washington’s leader or Thomas Jefferson. It’s preserving our history and there’s not a book that has told that story better.

My most memorable wine experience is… going to northern Italy at the end of 2019. I was working with two families of winemakers and I never had the opportunity to meet them. I think it’s so important to break bread and meet the people you do business with. We went to an area close to Piedmont and visited Isolabella della Croce in Loazzolo and Cascina Gilli in Castelnuovo don Bosco. Here you can let go, reset and refocus on everything. (Trips like these) come full circle in the business relationship – you get to see the operation, see the products being made first hand, how they put the labels on the bottles… It’s an uplifting feeling to see all the process.

What excites me most about wine is… how limitless it is. There are more opportunities than ever for wine. More people than ever are creating their own brands, making it harder for everyone in a good way. Now you’re dealing with different prices and battling for shelf space at different retailers. We’re excited to tell new stories and (highlight) the black winemakers as well as some interesting new grapes that haven’t had a chance to be represented.

I can’t wait to travel… return to Johannesburg (where Luckett lived for part of his childhood). I haven’t had a chance to go back since high school, and I really want to go back to a place that has such an impact on my life. I want to walk in my high school gymnasium where I had my only sporting achievements in life (Laughs) and just get that nostalgia. Walking on these lands would be truly amazing.

If I could have a meal with anyone, anywhere, it would be… (American businessman) Reginald Lewis. He was a member of the same fraternity as me. He’s been very successful in the private equity world and I’d like to take him to Karam’s, a restaurant in San Antonio that’s no longer open, share the Tex-Mex culture and ask him questions about business and culture.

The restaurant in my hometown that I like to take visitors to is…

Ray’s barbecue in Houston. It’s owned by Herb Taylor – he’s a former NFL player and we went to high school together. Ray’s is a basic restaurant here in the Third Ward. The staff is always courteous. It’s an example of that Texas hospitality and Texas-sized portions – you’ll definitely get a take-out plate, but here in Houston it’s hard to pick just one restaurant.

I think the most compelling part of black cuisine and culinary heritage is… really how misunderstood it is. Most of the time, the public tries to box the black food experience into a box through soul food. We’ve made so many contributions: if you look at how black people eat in California compared to the South, they’re more health oriented with lots of black cuisine infused into vegan and vegetarian options. This is (an example of) the hybrid of food culture that we continue to bring on a daily basis. Houston is currently the cultural center of Southern cuisine with barbecues, Afro-Latino influences, a huge Jamaican and Caribbean population, and it is one of the largest cities for Nigerians outside of Nigeria. However, we cannot forget our cousins ​​to the east in Louisiana with Creole specialties as well.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Splash readers get a glimpse today of a new French sailing freighter, contracted last week at the One Ocean Summit, and slated for delivery next year.

The Grain de Sail adventure was founded in 2010 in Brittany by twin brothers Olivier and Jacques Barreau, experts in renewable energies. Their goal was to select, produce and sell gourmet products to transatlantic consumers using the world’s first modern cargo ship. Since November 2020, Grain de Sail has been operating its first cargo sailboat; he’s now signed up for something much bigger.

The new ship, which will be built by Frenchman Piriou at its yard in Vietnam, will be 52m long, have a gross tonnage of 500 and a payload capacity of over 350 tonnes. The overall budget for the new build remains confidential but will remain below the 10 million euro ($11.4 million) mark, the company said. The new vessel will dwarf the company’s first vessel, a 24m long schooner type vessel with a payload capacity of 50 tonnes. The first ship used for transatlantic routes since 2020 will be reassigned to coastal shipping in Europe once the new ship is operational.

Grain de Sail successfully transported around 55% of the cocoa mass used in its chocolate factory by sail in 2021 thanks to its first cargo sailboat. This upcoming vessel will allow 100% of its raw materials to cross the Atlantic carbon-free for use in its chocolate factory and coffee roasting plant located in Morlaix, France.

Grain de Sail 2, which will be registered under the French flag, will make transatlantic connections from St Malo exporting wines and other fine products from France and Europe to the United States and bringing back raw materials from Latin America to France. . It will be built in aluminium, capable of transporting up to 238 pallets loaded on two levels in two separate compartments. In addition, a separate tank will be able to receive up to 18 m3 of bulk liquid while on deck there will be another 5 m3 for liquids in drums.

The crossing of the Atlantic, depending on the choice of routes and the wind conditions, is estimated at around two weeks, thus allowing three to four round trips per year.

France has provided global shipping with many leading wind-assisted projects in recent years with a host of shippers such as the tire manufacturer michelin, car manufacturer Renault and Hennessy cognac maker committing to transport part of their products on new sailing cargo ships under construction.