American Wine Society® Wine Journal Summer 2024

W SUMMER 2024 ne Journal American Wine Society® Carolina North Discover the wine trails and AVAs of North Carolina and prepare for this year's National Conference destination Cracking the Code of the Concrete Egg Co-Ferments Coming of Age in the Northeast Heritage Grapes: A Book Review Sauvignon Blanc Across the States Discover Fetească Neagră How to Age Well

NEVER OPEN ON SUNDAYS • ESTATE GROWN A ND PRODUCED S.D.G. VISIT REUSTLEVINEYARDS.COM TO LEARN MORE 2010 SMALL WINERY OF THE YEAR 2020 SMALL WINERY OF THE YEAR 2023 SMALL WINERY OF THE YEAR 2017 N.W. WINERY OF THE YEAR MAGAZINE 2024 WINERY OF THE YEAR Five Time Winery of the Year!

AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG 3 6 WINE101 How to Age Well - Jessica Zimmer Producing a high-quality aged wine requires starting with good grapes. summer contents 6 9 19 14 13 14 19 16 BOOKREVIEW Grapes of the Hudson Valley, 2nd Ed. - M. Marchak M. Marchak reviews this popular book authored by long-standing AWS member, winery owner and Journal contributor, J. Stephen Casscles. COVERSTORY North Carolina - Simone FM Spinner In part two of this three-part series, Simone talks about the AVAs and wine trails throughout NC. 9 WINEMAKING FEATURE The Concrete Details - Jack Costa Jack cracks the code of the concrete fermenting egg. What are the pros and cons of this once ancient wine making tool? Versatile Sauvignon Blanc - Roger Morris Sauvignon Blanc continues to grow in popularity among American winemakers, and not just in California. Co-ferment Comes of Age - J. Stephen Casscles Vière, is the French word for a co-fermented alcoholic beverage made from wine (vin), grapes or grape skins, and beer (bière).

4 AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG EDITOR’S LETTER By Jim Rink “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” - Winston Churchill VOLUME 56 NO. 2 SUMMER 2024 Stay thirsty, Published by The American Wine Society a non-profit corporation, PO Box 889, Scranton, PA 18501 Single copies $10.00 Copyright 2024 AWS Inc. © All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or pictorial content without written permission is prohibited. Library of Congress Class Number: TP544 A46A3 LC Card 76-647900 Publisher Natalie Dippenaar Editor Jim Rink Contributing Writers J. Stephen Casscles, Jack Costa, M. Marchak, Roger Morris, Jim Rink, Richard Rocca, Simone FM Spinner, and Jessica Zimmer Editorial Office Jim Rink 20020 Maple St. Lake Ann, MI 49650 [email protected] Unsolicited manuscripts or other information will not be returned unless accompanied by return postage. Advertising Office PO Box 889 Scranton, PA 18501 888-AWS-9070 [email protected] Creative/Production Briana Fedorko Blue Flower Graphic Design 570-852-0744 [email protected] blueflowergd.com In this issue of the Journal, many of our articles examine how the ability to look at new things can lead to change—sometimes good, sometimes not. It’s the curiosity that counts. Our feature story deals with the well-known varietal Sauvignon Blanc. Roger Morris interviews winemakers across the country, who each have a unique approach to this versatile grape. In Richard Rocca’s article, we look at a lesser-known grape called Fetească Neagră, or, if you prefer, “Black Maiden.” An ancient Romanian grape, this could have great potential in the U.S. Jack Costa has all the details when it comes to concrete fermenting eggs. What are the pros and cons of these mysterious containers, which actually breathe like barrels. J. Stephen Casscles—recent recipient of The Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association Birchenall Award—has a tale to tell of an old-yet-new winemaking technique in which different fruits and even alcoholic beverages are “co-fermented.” Jessica Zimmer has interviewed several notable AWS members to glean excellent tips on how to age wine well. It’s a topic worth considering, since amateur winemakers have the motive and opportunity to do this (as opposed to those who purchase it off the shelves for immediate consumption). Last, but never least, M Marchak has undertaken the rather thankful task, in her estimation, of reading Grapes of the Hudson Valley, 2nd Ed., and providing us with a thoughtful review. **In the Spring 2024 issue of the Journal, there are two errors that occurred in the printed copy of the magazine. Trizanne Barnard's column in the article "Cellar School" was mistakingly copied over from another column. Simone FM Spinner's head shot was not used in her article on North Carolina Wine Country, but rather John Sporings'. These mistakes were corrected in the digital version, which you can find on your membership account at www.americanwinesociety.org. We sincerely apologize for these errors to both authors and our members. W ne Journal American Wine Society summer ® contents 24 INDUSTRYNEWS - Jim Rink Jim Rink delivers the latest happenings from the wine industry. 23 24 26 INYOURASSOCIATION Happenings within the AWS Upcoming events and happenings within the AWS. 23 Fetească Neagră - Richard Rocca Since ancient times vintners around the world have been searching for distinctive grapes to plant in their vineyards. Fetească Neagră is one such grape. SIPTALK

AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG 5 ABOUTAWS JOIN AWS The AWS is the largest consumer based wine education organization in the U.S. A non-profit group, the AWS is devoted to educating people on all aspects of wine. Its members include wine novices, experts, grape growers, amateur and professional wine-makers, chefs, wine appreciators, wine educators, restaurateurs, and anyone wanting to learn more about wine. AWS ACTIVITIES Chapters: Local community groups of AWS members sponsor programs, usually monthly. Activities include: tastings, dinners, lectures, picnics, winery tours, wine-making and cooking demonstrations, viticulture conferences, amateur wine-judging events, and other wine-related social events. Guests are welcome and novices have nothing to fear. Chapters are self-supporting, so expect a nominal charge to attend a tasting, dinner, etc. If a local chapter does not exist in your area, the national office will be glad to assist in forming a chapter. All that is needed are a few interested wine lovers. Meeting can be informal and held in member homes or in other settings, such as restaurants and wineries. Regional Events: Organized by regional vice-presidents, include statewide wine judging, contests, special tastings, regional wine conferences, regional picnics and special dinners. National Conference: Held each fall—a two and one-half day national conference and extravaganza of wine. Attendees become part of a tradition that has drawn wine-lovers, wine-makers and gastronomes together every November for over 45 years. Prominent American and international speakers conduct seminars and lectures on all aspects of wine appreciation, wine production, grape growing and cuisine. Members experience fine food at connoisseur luncheons and dinners, tastings of hundreds of wines and royal treatment by the finest American hotels and resorts. The annual conference brings professionals, serious amateurs and novices together to discover what is new in wine. Founder Konstantin Frank AWS National Officers and Board of Directors President Bill Stefan Treasurer Rich Berezinsky Director of Membership Carrie A. Garczynski Vice President Eric Feldhake Director of Education Annemarie Morse Executive Director Natalie Dippenaar Secretary Ronald Natalie Director of Competitions Rex Bambling Member Services Manager Colleen Reardon Join on-line at americanwinesociety.org or mail in the form below Select type of membership Individual..........$49 3-Year Individual..........$124 Household (2 people living at same address).........$62 3-Year Household..........$158 Professional (includes wall plaque and website listing)..$99 Lifetime (one or two people living at same address)....$950 Student (ages 21-30, full-time student)..........$25 Canada and all other countries outside U.S. add $5 to above amounts (membership dues are non-refundable) SAVE 15% SAVE 15% Select method of payment Visa Discover Mastercard American Express Name on card Credit card number Cardholder’s signature Security code Expiration Check (payable to AWS) Last name I want to join the AWS I want to give an AWS Membership to: This Gift Membership Is From: First name Address City/State/Zip Code Phone w/Area Code Phone w/Area Code Chapter Member 1: Chapter Member 2: Secondary Member Name Last name Address Phone w/Area Code Email Email Email First name City/State/Zip Email • Participation in local chapter activities and events • Participation in local, regional and national events • Personalized membership card • AWS Bimonthly Newsletter • Wine Judge Certification Program • National Wine Tasting Project • Wine-making competitions • AWS Wine Competition Discounts • Discounts from wineries and other AWS partners Complete and mail form to: American Wine Society PO Box 889 Scranton, PA 18501 Questions? We are ready to help! 888-AWS-9070 email: [email protected] AWS MEMBER BENEFITS INCLUDE: Front cover: Jones von Drehle Winery with Blue Ridge Mountain Backdrop. Photo courtesy of: visitnc.com. Back cover: Snacks at the Angus Barn in Raleigh, NC. Photo courtesy of: visitnc.com. Photo by: Quinn Ostendarp.

6 AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG roducing a high-quality aged wine requires starting with good grapes, handled gently and respectfully. Amateur winemakers experience problems when they try to age wine made from spoiled, poorly farmed, underripe or overripe grapes. Other mistakes include exposing the wine to too much oxygen, making it with unclean equipment, and exposing it to extreme temperatures. “Right now, it is not easy for new winemakers to understand what an aged wine is supposed to taste, smell, and feel like. Approximately half the wine being made commercially is designed to be drunk in the next few years. Most professional winemakers are not making wines they will age,” said Craig Jaffurs, founder of Jaffurs Wine Cellars in Santa Barbara. Jaffurs Wine Cellars is known for its Rhone varietal wines, including Grenache, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Roussanne, Syrah, and Viognier. Although Jaffurs is a professional winemaker, he makes wine informally with a group of friends in Santa Barbara that call themselves Companeros (buddies). “We improved our sanitation protocols when I came on and replaced some questionable barrels. We also stopped using a pump to move wine. Together we made the shift to use gravity, which I’d done for 25 years at my winery,” said Jaffurs. Antonio Gardella is the founder of the American Institute of Wine and Food’s Santa Barbara Grape Harvest Festival. He is also a member of Companeros. His tip for aging wine well is to acquire the best grapes possible. “With the Companeros, I’ve made about 300 wines, everything from Chardonnay to Pinot Noir. I get to know the vineyard owners who sell me grapes. I talk with them about which rows I want to choose. The grapes are picked at night while they are cold,” said Gardella. Gardella began getting tutorials in harvesting decades ago. The Companeros helped pick Zinfandel grapes for winemaker Adam Tolmach’s first vintage from The Ojai Vineyard in 1985. How to Age Well (your wine, that is) By Jessica Zimmer Several members of the Companeros in 2000 enjoy the wine they made together. From left to right: Luis Goena, Sid Ackert, Antonio Gardella, and Dr. Art Morel. Photo credit: Antonio Gardella Luis Goena (left) and Antonio Gardella (right) tandem press grapes with an Italian basket press at the Companeros home winery. Photo credit: Antonio Gardella

AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG 7 Winemakers who grow their own grapes or participate WINE101 in the ripening process are likely to be able to use fruit that is already complex. Dean Scott is a regional ambassador for the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the American Wine Society in eastern Pennsylvania. He is also the owner and operator of Bergeist Vineyard LLC in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, which produces 12 tons of wine grapes per year for commercial wineries. “In Pennsylvania, we have notoriously acidic grapes. This helps with the ability to age them. My objective is to get them quite ripe, but with good acidity. Then they will age well. My homemade wines tend to soften two to three years from bottling,” said Scott. Proper aging can take a red wine from a maraschino cherry color and sharpness to a black cherry color and mellowness. “I try to keep the vines growing through October and pick close to November. The extra two weeks in October makes such a difference. You get that slow ripeness at the end. The sugar doesn’t increase much, but the complexity tends to build,” said Scott. Vincent Williams, regional ambassador of the St. Louis Metropolitan Chapter of the American Wine Society, is the chair of the AWS Amateur Wine Competition Committee. He said AWS judges are looking for wines that exhibit balance. “It takes time and storage space to make aged wine. Most AWS members enter wines that are between one and two years old. Members who create tannic wines should experiment with aging. The goal is to get that astringency to lessen,” said Williams. John Merkle, who is based in St. Louis, loves science and creating wines. Over 25 years ago, he cofounded Ionic Solutions, an electroplating business. His lab gives him space to test out the red and white wines he makes. The list includes many varietals, such as Chambourcin, Chardonnay, and Zinfandel. He especially likes Norton, a unique grape species that is the official grape of Missouri. “I like to make still and sparkling whites, fullbodied reds. Norton is amazing for making Portstyle wines. Since Missouri Nortons have almost no tannins, you need to add them,” said Merkle. Merkle ferments red wines on oak, a process that adds tannins. Oenological tannins, tannins from the wine grapes, which develop during the winemaking process, and oak chip tannins bind with the wine’s anthocyanins, the deep red, purple, and blue pigments present in grape skins. “I have used American and French oak chips, which have different flavors. I also vary the amounts,” said Merkle. French oak gives soft flavors, like vanilla. American oak gives more exotic flavors, like smoke, cocoa, and coffee. “My advice is if the wine you are making exhibits a concern or develops a fault or an off-smell don’t continue aging. Only age high-quality wine, and in a cool, dark place, up to 10 years,” said Merkle. Arnie Schloemann, chair of the Hartford, Connecticut Chapter of the American Wine Society, usually makes wine from grapes grown in Chile or California. He finds different grapes require different treatments. “Chilean grapes have a green pepper quality from the skins. I don’t do a cold soak with them. I go right to fermentation, to get the juice off the skins. I’m usually able to make these wines in a year or so,” said Schloemann. Malbec grapes tend to “hang on” to the green pepper quality longer. “They require two years in an oak barrel followed by a year in a non-oak barrel. With California grapes, the bigger Cabernets and Petite Verdot require between 18 months and two years in oak. Petite Syrah needs two years in oak,” said Schloemann. Schloemann avoids ‘over oaking’ certain grapes.“Pinotage, a South African cross of Cinsaut and Pinot Noir, needs only eight months in oak. Then it should go right to a stainless steel tank,” said Schloemann. Schloemann is currently working on establishing an urban winery in Wallingford, Connecticut. He plans to offer workshops on winemaking and pairing wine with food. “For new winemakers, the biggest problem is many people don’t have the patience to see how the wine develops. If you put in the time, you can turn a young, fruity wine into a more structured wine. It will be a perfect match of oak and fruit,” said Schloemann. Building Complexity, With Different Varieties Experimenting With Full-Bodied Reds Vincent Williams Dean Scott Arnie Schloemann Bottle shot photo: Six wines made by John Merkle, an amateur winemaker in St. Louis. Photo credit: John Merkle Bottom left: John Merkle, amateur winemaker in St. Louis, fills wine bottles with homemade wines. Photo credit: John Merkle Top left head shot: Dean Scott, owner and operator of Bergeist Vineyard LLC in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, in the vineyard. Photo credit: Dean Scott John Merkle head shot: Photo credit: John Merkle Vincent Williams head shot: Vincent Williams, chair of the American Wine Society’s Amateur Wine Competition Committee, presents at the awards ceremony at the AWS conference in St. Louis in November 2023. Photo credit: Vincent Williams Arnie Schloemann head shot: Arnie Schloemann, chair of the Hartford, Connecticut chapter of the American Wine Society, gives a talk about wine. Photo credit: Arnie Schloemann John Merkle

8 AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG Port-style wines are sweet red or white wines that are fortified with brandy. Winemakers who create these wines have a lot of patience and training. A young ruby style Port is typically aged between two and five years. An aged white Port needs eight to 10 years. A tawny Port may age for 10 to 40 years. “Making fortified wine requires stopping fermentation midway through. Then you add brandy to the wine to stop the fermentation,” said Steve Glossner, co-owner of PasoPort Wine in Templeton, California. Before adding the brandy, the port wine needs to be put on refrigeration to cool it down. A winemaker who does not have access to refrigeration should add a little brandy at a time. “[Try] not to stress out the yeast. If you do, it will not produce good flavors,” said Glossner. He likens the process to throttling a locomotive. “It’s an all-hands-on-deck process for a good 24 hours. I want to reach the right amounts of sugar and alcohol. This part of the process is much more challenging than making table wine,” said Glossner. Glossner uses un-aged brandy, which keeps with a tradition of using fresh brandy out of the still. “After bottling, a fortified wine will evolve more slowly than a table wine. You will get round, full tactile qualities in the mouthfeel. I focus on texture. As you build it, the aromas will fall into place,” said Glossner. Glossner currently has fortified wines in stock that he made in 2006, his first year of business. “I don’t have the wholesale market determining what I put on the shelves. So I am flexible in working with the wines. I get them to where I want them to be. Often the longer the aging period, the more complex the wine, whether in barrel or bottle,” said Glossner. Specialty Work With Fortified Wine Jessica Zimmer is a wine writer based in northern California. She is also a California, Florida, and New York-licensed attorney. She enjoys learning about the geology and growing seasons of different appellations.  About the Author The 2013 Violeta LVB, a Port made from three Portuguese grape varieties, Souzão, Tinto Cão, and Touriga Nacional. This Port is barrel-aged for over six years before bottling, with the designation “LBV” meaning “Late Bottle Vintage.” Photo credit: PasoPort Wine Steve Glossner head shot and bottom Per Caso bottle shot photo credit: pasoportwine.com Steve Glossner

AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG 9 Couple drinking wine on the rocks at Point Lookout Vineyards in Hendersonville. Photo courtesy of: visitnc.com. Photo by: Ryan Donnell. With its rolling hills and lush bucolic landscapes, North Carolina is known for its abundant farmland. Orchards, farms, and tobacco fields dominate its agriculture economy, but these days, swaths of vineyards are springing up across the state. Dense grapevine thickets flourished along coastal North Carolina for centuries before European settlers set foot on its shores. North Carolina’s varied and diverse climate is perfect for viticultural exploration and is marked by humid subtropical, continental, and maritime climates, lush temperate rain forests in the highlands, and windy coastal plains along the Atlantic coast. First established in 1789, North Carolina’s modern wine industry began to bloom in 1935, when the first post-Prohibition permits were issued for viticulture and enology. By 2007, the state supported 55 wineries and 350 vineyards. As of 2024, the state is fifth in the nation for wine tourism and 10th in the U.S. for wine production and its wine country spans nearly 53,865 square miles of land under vines. A series of AVAs govern North Carolina’s wine production for its almost 200 wineries and more than 400 vineyards. North Carolina’s modern wine industry owes its success to its focus on crafting quality wines from its diverse terroir and embracing family-friendly tourism. Grapes are grown across the entire state from the Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains and the rolling Piedmont to the sandy beaches of the Atlantic coastal plain. Most viticultural activity is concentrated in three regions—the Mountains of Western North Carolina, the Piedmont of Central North Carolina, and the Coastal Plain of Eastern North Carolina, in six distinct AVAs scattered across the state’s coastal plain and mountainous regions. If a bottle of North Carolinian wine claims a North Carolina AVA, at least 85% of grapes must be grown and processed in North Carolina. Central North Carolina is home to bustling cities and cultural districts including Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem. When we think of quintessential North Carolina, this is the region that defines its flavor. This is tobacco country and marked by palatial estates boasting swanky horse properties, cattle ranches, and pig and livestock farms, all thriving alongside food and fiber farms. According to NCWine.org, Central North Carolina boasts 77 wineries. It hosts the North Carolina Wine Festival each October. American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) are designated wine-grape growing regions with unique and specific geographical and climate attributes that inform grape varietal selection and wine production. These geographical boundaries define wine types and styles and govern some planting and production methods. Understanding North Carolina’s Wine Country Wine Growing Regions North Carolina’s A VA System What is an AVA? History Central North Carolina and the Piedmont East Wineries Carolina wine country Part 2: AVAs and Wine Trails By Simone FM Spinner North COVERSTORY NC Mountains. Photo courtesy of: visitnc.com Photo by: Sarah Leek

10 AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG The AVA ranges from just northeast of the Appalachian High Country to the Piedmont region bordering the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Once home to the most notorious tobacco plantations around Salem and Winston, Yadkin is known for growing both vitis vinifera and native American grapes. The region spans 1,400,000 acres and boasts 3 dozen wineries. Flanking the Haw River, this 868-square-mile AVA runs across central North Carolina’s Piedmont. The fertile valley is home to dozens of vineyards and a number of wineries. Swan Creek AVA is a subregion of Yadkin AVA. Its unique loamy soil with schist and mica soil marks the terroir. It stretches 180 square miles across the farthest southwestern region of central Piedmont. Explore the A VAs Yadkin Valley AVA , established in 2002 Haw River Valley AVA , established in 2009 Swan Creek AVA , established in 2008 Spanning the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina’s “High Country” stretches from the central plains and foothills to the rolling mountains bordering Tennessee. The cornerstones of Western North Carolina include the Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville, and the iconic Biltmore Estate. Western North Carolina and the Mountain Wine Country have 41 wine-producing properties. This part of the state is best known for its picturesque Outer Banks and Crystal Coast beaches studded with lighthouses and marinas, Roanoke, Bodie, and Oak Islands, and the coastal destinations of Wilmington and Manteo. Here, the legendary Mother Vine grows and feral banker ponies play in the surf and thunder across the sandy terrain. The fertile Coastal Plain stretches from Corolla in the north, to the central coast of Wilmington, and to the southern Outer Banks. The farthest northeastern vineyards in North Carolina are Sanctuary Vineyards, just near Corolla, and Silver Coast Winery in the southernmost. The region supports 22 wineries within the North Carolina and American AVAs. Some well-known wineries in this region include Duplin Winery, Hinnant Family Vineyards, and Cypress Bend Vineyards. Western North Carolina’s High Country and the Mountain Wine Country Eastern North Carolina and the Coastal Plain

AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG 11 The Upper Hiwassee Highlands is a subregion of the Yadkin Valley that stretches 690 square miles from the southern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountain range to the northwest region just east of the Appalachian Highlands. It spans two counties in North Carolina and three in neighboring Georgia. The Appalachian High Country AVA covers 2400 square miles, covering eight counties in northwestern North Carolina. The region boasts more than 20 vineyards and 10 wineries. This small AVA of just 215 square miles in the Blue Ridge Mountains high country established in 2019 is home to 14 commercial wineries and various vineyards. This fast-growing region located near Hendersonville has delivered some awardwinning wines at the NC Fine Wines Competition. Situated just outside Asheville, Biltmore is one of the most luxurious, largest, single-family homes in the country. The estate heir, William A.V. Cecil began exploring viticulture with French American hybrid grapes in 1971 and producing wine soon after. By 1977, Cecil planted European vitis vinifera and called on sixth-generation wine master Philippe Jourdain to mentor the estate’s viticulture and enology teams. Now, Biltmore Estate Wine Company is helmed by master winemaker Sharon Fenchak. It produces a dozen or more wine styles and 150,000 cases annually under the American appellation. It is the state’s top wine destination, one of the most visited wineries in the country, and according to the winery’s blog, the busiest wine-tasting room in the United States. Featured Location Upper Hiwassee Highlands AVA , established in 2014 Appalachian High Country AVA , established in 2016 Crest of the Blue Ridge AVA , established in 2019 The Biltmore Estate & Wine Company Biltmore Estate. Photo courtesy of: visitnc.com Raffaldini Vineyards. Photo courtesy of: visitnc.com JOLO Winery and Vineyards. Photo courtesy of: visitnc.com AVA Map courtesy of: ncwine.org

12 AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG Both NCWine.org and VisitNC.com list multiple dedicated drinks trails worth exploring. Each trail winds through North Carolina’s best wine regions. Designed for tourists to explore the state’s beautiful wine country by visiting wineries and tasting rooms to sip on wines and ciders and nibble on locally crafted, farm-fresh goodies and charcuterie plates. The lengthy and in-depth Wine Peaks Trail wends through the Yadkin Valley AVA through Elkin, Pilot Mountain, Dobson, and Mount Airy. The trail visits 41 wineries in all. Beer lovers are in luck too as the Yadkin AVA also provides a Wine & Beer Passport for imbibers visiting breweries and wineries. Yadkin AVA is just over an hour and a half north of Charlotte and 40 miles west of Winston-Salem. The entire AVA is the state’s largest. Plan a weekend, not a day. These wine trails are more intimate than the vast Wine Peaks trail. Swan Creek stops off at 4 wineries, each about 5 miles apart. The East Bend Trail is a two-mile walk-through trail featuring gorgeous vineyards with wine tastings along the way. The Southern Gateway Wine Trail wends to Lexington through its indelible barbeque country. The wine trail visits the famous Childress Vineyard, owned and operated by NASCAR superstar Richard Childress. The Southern Gateway is only 20 minutes from Winston-Salem and 40 minutes from Greensboro. Winery tasting rooms are open most days. The Grand Tour wine trail visits the grounds, vineyards, and winery at The Biltmore Estate. The entry ticket allows access to the entire estate and its gardens. Tours of the palatial mansion and special ticketed events are ticketed separately. The Coastal Trail stops by Rose Hill and Duplin Wineries. The Duplin Winery is the largest wine-producing facility on the East Coast and rivals large wineries on the West Coast! The High Country Wine Trail extends into Tennessee and is nestled in the mountains along the North Carolina and Tennessee border. Banner Elk Winery, Grandfather Vineyard, Ville Nove Winery, and Treehouse Vineyard anchor the North Carolinian trail, and Watauga Lake Winery, the first winery in Johnson County, Tennessee, anchors the other end. Next in this three-part series, we will take a look at North Carolina’s wine celebrations and festivals, and how to pair its unique wines with its signature cuisine. Wine Trails Wine Peaks in the Valley The Swan Creek Wine Trail and the East Bend Trails The Southern Gateway Wine Trail The Biltmore Grand Tour The Coastal Trail High Country Wine Trail Simone FM Spinner is an acclaimed global wine educator and prolific wine and travel writer. She holds a dozen advanced wine credentials and a B.A., M.A. in wine business and cultural topics. She is pursuing her DipWSET. As the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Chasing Grapes™LLC, she is an in-demand journalist, luxury brand consultant, and event producer. Her signature Wine Sensory Components Training© and #PairWineArtMusic© multisensory immersion wine experiences titillate audiences of wine neophytes and aficionados across the globe. Her portfolio is available on LinkTr.ee. About the Author Childress Vineyards. Photo courtesy of: visitnc.com. Photo by: Jared Kay. Overmountain Vineyards. Photo courtesy of: visitnc.com. Photo by: Jared Kay. Banner Elk Winery. Photo courtesy of: visitnc.com. Photo by: C2 Photography. Plan Your Trip Now is the perfect time to check out all that North Carolina has to offer, so you can plan your stops around the National Conference, held in Winston-Salem this year.

AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG 13 This 2nd edition of the book first published in 2015 has been revised to update certain genetic heritage information for grape varieties identified in the 1st edition and to add two new chapters on the individuals responsible for breeding New England heritage grape varieties. The book will appeal to those seeking a wellresearched history on the genetic ancestry of the grapes of the Hudson Valley and their New England breeders. The lives of these men (and one woman), both American and French, and many with a connection to the Hudson Valley, are detailed in pictures, historical advertisements, charts and maps that all contribute to an in-depth understanding of the importance of the grape varieties developed through science for sustainability in North America. Mr. Casscles — who recently earned the 2023 Birchenall Award from The Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association — emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between Vitis vinifera cultivars (e.g., Chardonnay, Grenache, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon) and other genus Vitis grapes to state his case for hybrids. He provides a short history of Vitis vinifera, which are European grapes, and how wine making in the old world historically relied on vinifera grape varieties for thousands of years. The indigenous North American grapes, largely labrusca, rupestris and riparia, have different flavor profiles and qualities than vinifera and were not considered suitable for fine wine production. Because of this belief, colonists from Europe brought vinifera to North America to cultivate them for the production of wine. Climatic and environmental conditions in North America challenged the successful cultivation of vinifera and the grapes suffered fungal diseases and pest infestation. One particular destructive pest indigenous to North America called phylloxera would prove to be devastating to vinifera. Of note, North American grape species, unlike vinifera, had desirable disease and pest resistance qualities. Phylloxera arrived in Europe unintentionally in the late 18th century and early 19th century, aboard American grape varieties sent to Europe for researchers to study. The researchers were keen to study the North American varieties for their disease and pest resistance capabilities since phylloxera destroys the roots and leaves of vinifera. Consequently, millions of vineyards in Europe were destroyed and their economies suffered. Phylloxera also spread to countries outside of Europe. During this time, researchers noted that certain American grape species had developed a defense system to phylloxera, likely after coexisting with this pest over time, and discovered that grafting a vinifera vine onto an American vine rootstock would provide resistance to phylloxera while preserving the highly regarded characteristics of vinifera. The European wine industry successfully recovered from phylloxera due to American rootstocks. This grafting technique is still used today. Mr. Casscles points out that grape species indigenous to North America were bred with European vinifera varieties to preserve vinifera qualities and to achieve the hardiness of the local varieties. These French-American hybrids are a crossing of Vitis vinifera and indigenous North American Vitis species that date back to the 19th century and include Baco Noir, deChaunac and Seyval Blanc, among others. Mr. Casscles guides the reader through the genetic attributes of hybrids in his descriptions of several species used to breed new varieties for wine and consumption. His painstaking attention to the performance, taste, growing conditions and parentage of each grape is documented with pictures and extensive footnotes. Mr. Casscles organizes the book around the individual hybridizer who developed the grape so it is only possible to know the grape by knowing its inventor. On a humorous note, Mr. Casscles includes the 1915 obituary for one hybridizer, James H. Ricketts, who is described as having a ZZ Top-like 38-inch long gray beard and white hair to his shoulders that distinguished him on the streets of Washington. The modern-day equivalent of a rock star, I suppose. The author’s respect and admiration for hybrids is evident in his chapters on the benefits of grape hybridization. Hybrids have performed well in North America, especially in cool climates, due to their hardiness and disease and pest resistance qualities. With emerging climate change, climates in North American are getting hotter, wetter, and humidor (wait, that’s for cigars) —more humid, Mr. Casscles argues that hybrids will help sustain grape growing in challenged climates through land conservation and ease of cultivation to produce better tasting wines. The new chapters in this book focus on the individual horticulturalists and grape breeders in the 19th century who worked on hybridizing grape varieties in New England for winemaking and consumption. The work of these individuals was focused on increasing quality of grapes grown there, but also to increase productivity and disease resistance, and to incorporate the quality characteristics of vinifera. Mr. Casscles has researched each hybridizer with painstaking detail, including the grape varieties each developed and/or enhanced. Mr. Casscles also touches upon vineyard management and winemaking but admits it is not a detailed outline, and more in-depth resources are cited if the reader desires a discourse on either topic. The book is peppered with interesting stories about the Hudson Valley wine industry, including one about a winery that was licensed to make sacramental wine. During the Prohibition (1919-1933), this winery was permitted to produce and sell sacramental wine labeled with various saint names. A lesson in strategic planning, no doubt. There is a wealth of knowledge in this book about the rich history of the grapes growing in the Hudson Valley, their developers, and their attributes for winemaking. The book may also motivate the wine enthusiast to taste the wines of Hudson Valley as well. The Grapes of the Hud son Valle y BOOKREVIEW and Other Cool Climate Region s of the United States and Canada, 2nd Ed. By M. Marchak

14 AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG friend once crafted a wine for his bachelor's thesis at Princeton University, adding marble dust from his mom's bathroom renovation, a touch of powdered resin, and a liberal sprinkling of sea salt. Let's just say it wasn’t your Domaine Romanée-Conti, but hey, he aced his thesis. If you're still trying to guess the flavor profile of this avant-garde, marble-infused concoction, there's a historical twist that might interest you. While unconventional in taste and appearance, this wine was all the rage 2,000 years ago, from Rome to Athens. The Petrus of the ancients. Inspired by none other than Cato the Elder, a farmer, soldier, and politician who was just as famous for concluding his speeches with “Furthermore, I consider Carthage must be destroyed,” as he was for authoring Rome’s first Latin history book. His writings not only chronicled Roman life but also detailed ancient agricultural and winemaking practices in his guide, De Agri Cultura (Roman Farming for Dummies), the very inspiration for my friend's thesis and marble dust alcohol. This guide reads more like a Reddit thread than an actual manual. It’s got everything from using old seawater and vinegar to spicing things up by mixing in a few odd ingredients that, as my Princeton friend discovered, tasted something akin to alcoholic Gatorade. While Cato didn't have the luxury of French barrels for aging his wine, he did employ the use of earthenware dolia, which he buried underground for aging, but not before lining the walls with pine resin. The resin would gradually dissolve into the wine, supposedly helping it taste more ‘aged.’ Ovular in appearance and sometimes resembling an egg, these earthenware vessels were a popular tool not only in winemaking but also in the production of olive oil and the transport of grains across the Mediterranean (as confirmed by the numerous shipwrecks containing fragments and fully intact dolia). Jumping to 2024, the dolium is making a comeback quicker than 1990s mom jeans. More colloquially known as concrete egg fermenters, these new-age dolia are said to possess numerous benefits for the final wine, ranging from infusing vibrancy and freshness to imparting a mineral character and even bolstering the weight and complexity of both red and white wines. I'm all in; however, the supposed science behind these Humpty Dumpty vessels relies heavily on anecdotal evidence rather than ‘concrete’ data. Cracking the Code of the Concrete Egg By Jack Costa A Concrete egg vessels at Cakebread Cellars. Photo courtesy of: cakebread.com Photo by: Alexander Rubin Photography. The most popular claim is the egg's unique shape helps to create a natural current or ‘vortex’ during cellaring and fermentation. As fermentation begins, the wine will undergo a rolling motion facilitated by the formation of heat and carbon dioxide produced by the yeast. As warmer liquid rises, yeast and other particulates are carried upward in this ‘convection current.’ As the liquid rises, however, it begins cooling, causing solids and other particulates to drop along the curved edges of the vessel before being caught up again in this vortex at the base of the fermenter. To quote Finding Nemo, "You mean the swirling vortex of terror? That's it, dude.” Even after fermentation, people claim “barometric pressure” sustains this ‘rolling’ motion, helping to keep the fine lees (yeast particles) in suspension. While manually stirring the yeast has been proven to produce more roundness in a wine's mouthfeel (explaining why your California Chardonnay feels weighty on the palate), the egg's shape doesn't naturally create this ‘rolling’ motion. What do Concrete Eggs Add to Wine? The Vortex Thing

AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG 15 WINEMAKING From Napa to New Zealand, the big question is, does it make the wine better? The adoption of concrete egg fermenters in winemaking has sparked a fascinating debate. While many producers find concrete eggs to have an enchanting impact on wine, you’ll find the egg has as many advocates as it does critics. Notable regions and producers have embraced the concrete egg for its purported benefits. In Bordeaux, Chris Upchurch observed a noticeable shift away from traditional wood casks towards concrete, signaling a potential transformation in winemaking practices. Similarly, Austrian vintners have adopted the egg, aging Sauvignon Blanc for 18 months on the lees before bottling. Upchurch himself makes a Sauvignon Blanc in a concrete egg that emulates the Austrian style, called the ‘Southwest Facing.’ Elsewhere in the United States, the trend is mirrored by Napa wineries like Frogs Leap and Cakebread Cellars, Saviah Cellars in Walla Walla, and DANCIN Vineyards in Southern Oregon, which makes Barbera and Chardonnay with an egg. Even the Mitten State (Michigan) has wineries like Forty-Five North using dolia for Gamay Noir and Pinot Blanc! The highest-rated wine aged in concrete, to my knowledge, is Reustle-Prayer Rock’s 2018 Grüner Veltliner ‘Dolium,’ a 95-point-rated wine awarded by the American Fine Wine Competition. Despite the widespread use of concrete egg fermenters, the narrative is not without its detractors, and the decision to adopt this technology remains a personal one, grounded in each winemaker's personal beliefs and objectives. In an article by Seven Fifty Daily, Matthew Levy of Schramsberg in Napa was quoted saying that they had discontinued using concrete eggs for sparkling wine, citing a lack of discernible differences in the final product compared to stainless steel, and inefficient use of space in the winery. Other complaints cite concrete as being reactive with wine, increasing the pH and thereby making the wine less crisp, or being highly inefficient. Others opt for terracotta, which is far less cost-prohibitive and provides a similar function both in regards to porosity and minerality without compromising pH. Oregon’s Beckham Estate Vineyard, owned by a ceramicist turned winemaker, makes their own clay vessels very similar to dolia, believing ceramic imparts a more interesting profile to the wine than concrete. The financial aspect cannot be overlooked. With increased financial pressures caused by buckling demand and oversupply in some regions, the barriers to entry prohibit many small wineries from even considering the investment. Barrels cost anywhere from $700 to $1,200 each (a hefty investment already), but a small concrete egg can run between $9,000 to $20,000... and it only goes up! Unlike barrels, concrete eggs do have an extended lifespan of 15 to 20 years, but more affordable products similar to the egg have emerged on the market. Companies like Egginox sell stainless steel alternatives, helping to reduce the elevated costs and offer a product that doesn’t weigh 1-2 tons. However, as the industry is met with a younger generation of potential wine consumers who appear disinterested in wine, wineries need ways to differentiate themselves and offer a unique product (something that greatly influences my generation's purchasing behavior). Perhaps the egg will help fill that void. Is the concrete egg the snake oil of winemaking? No, I don’t think so. Is it the next best thing since sliced bread? I don’t think so either. But at the end of the day, winemakers and consumers alike must realize that clever marketing begins where great wine ends, with the concrete egg being more a marketing tool than a gamechanging winemaking asset. Assessing the Impact of Concrete Egg Fermenters on Wine Quality Concrete egg vessels at Jordan Vineyard and Winery. Photo courtesy of: jordanwinery.com and Kendall Busby. An Egginox stainless steel barrel. Photo courtesy of: egginox.com Jack Costa is a writer, producer and content creator. At the age of 17, he studied under Stephen Reustle. His work has been featured in Wine Folly and the Journal among others, and he can be found on The Wine Heretics podcast and at wineheretics.com. About the Author The second most common claim about the egg is its ability to ‘breathe’. Yes, concrete breathes. It is porous and lets oxygen in, which is great for the wine. Up to 18 percent of concrete's total volume consists of microscopic pores no larger in diameter than human hair! With higher-pressure air outside the egg, air is drawn through the walls to the lower-pressure inside. Barrels also possess porosity, which is known to help refine fruit flavors and transform granular, gritty tannins into pleasant, velvety textures. Micro-dosing wine with small amounts of oxygen is the reason your Opus One tastes so great! In his book Knowing and Making Wine, the late Emile Peynaud remarked that anything a wine touches will acquire the taste of said material. Wine does acquire the taste of concrete, but it presents itself as a ‘flinty’ flavor that people sometimes identify as ‘salty’ (think of Pellegrino water minus the bubbles). For those whose childhood involved tasting the gravel in your parent's backyard, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Breathing Concrete Imparting Minerality (Go Lick a Rock):

16 AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG ière, is the French word for a co-fermented alcoholic beverage made from wine (vin), grapes or grape skins, and beer (bière). It is also known in Europe and the United States as co-ferments, vierre, grape ale, or oenobeer. Because New England and the Mid-Atlantic states grow quality fruit and make quality beers, ciders, and wine; Vière and other co-ferments are a perfect marriage for this area. The master brewer Rémy Maurin of Gallia Brewery, just north of Paris was quoted last August in the New Yorker magazine about vière: “You ferment the two together, and you get the best of both worlds: the texture of beer with the flavor of wine.” The production of vière and other co-ferments demonstrates a trend in the wine, beer, and cider industry that is witnessing the inter-mixing and merging of different styles in the production of wine, beer, and ciders. For years, beer and cider makers on both sides of the Atlantic added cherries, raspberries, and currants to their beverages to broaden their flavor profiles. Currently, these same brewers are experimenting with adding apples, grapes, berries, and stone fruits to their beers and ciders. The manufacture of beer, cider, and wine used to be done in separate categories, but these categories are now merging as the boundaries between them become less defined. Simultaneously, with the blurring of boundaries of what constitutes a beer, cider and wine, producers are making more “natural” beers such as ‘sours’, beers that contain ‘brett’ (a yeast strain called brettanomyces), volatile acidity (also known as VA or vinegar), and other bacteria that ten years ago would have been considered as an off-putting flavor. In addition, beer makers have been experimenting with making cloudy beers such as ‘hazy’ IPAs; beers flavored with pineapples, grapefruit, and ginger; and gose style beers that are wheat, barley, oats and rye-based beers, flavored with coriander, other spices, or oranges and limes. Producers are merging the kinds of fruits and grains that they use to make these hybrid beverages and are experimenting with cultivated and wild yeasts and other bacteria they use to ferment them. In New England, the Mid-Atlantic states, and across the country; in the wine industry, we are seeing winemakers add fruits other than grapes to their wines. Further, some winemakers are now devoted to making “natural wines” from organic grapes with minimal interventions such as not adding commercial yeasts, sulfur, or sugar. Examples of some of these “natural” wines include Pet-Nats and Piquettes. These natural wines are similar in appearance, body, and flavor profile to the new cloudy and fruit-forward beer styles mentioned above. Hence, we are seeing the merging of similar styles in the making of beer, wine, and cider. Both Pet-Nats and Piquettes are becoming popular with younger drinkers and are one of the few growth sectors in the wine industry. Co Ferments Come of Age in the Northeast by J. Stephen Casscles “You ferment the two together, and you get the best of both worlds: the texture of beer with the flavor of wine.” What is a Pet-Nat & Piquette? Piquette: A Piquette is a thin second wine that is made from the grape pomace that remains after a wine has been pressed out. This grape pomace is then re-hydrated with sugar water and then re-fermented to produce a “second” or “false” wine. These wines tend to be cloudy and have low alcohol and acid levels because they are not able to extract more malic, tartaric or tannic acids from the already used pomace. Many times, these piquettes are, like Pet-Nats, bottled very young (in one to three months after the fermentation process started) and are fresh tasting, cloudy, have bubbles, and contain small amounts of brett or volatile acidity (vinegar). V

AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG 17 Since vière is a relatively new kind of alcoholic beverage in the United States, it is a fun time for American and Canadian wine, beer, and cider makers who are making these co-ferments. This past Thanksgiving, Subversive Brewery of Catskill, New York released its Heritage Grape Ale, made from grapes grown by this author. The grape varieties included are Baco Noir and Heritage grape varieties that were created by 19th century Mid-Hudson Valley and Boston’s North Shore hybridizers such as Agawam, Bacchus, Delaware, Eumelan, Jefferson, Massasoit, and Lindley. The base beer of this grape ale is a very simple recipe of pilsner malt, local flaked wheat, and low amounts of hops that was fermented jointly with these very fruity heritage grape varieties. Brewmaster Zane Coffey stated that “this recipe gives just enough character to provide a backbone for the beverage, while not overwhelming the delicate character of the grape. This ale has a lovely ruby/ purple color similar to a wine spritzer, its body is very light, and the carbonation makes the fruit character pop out of the glass.” Russell Orchards and Winery of Ipswich, Mass. is a 120-acre fruit farm that grows apples, pears, stone fruits, and berries. Doug and Miranda Russell produce hard apple cider and fruit wine. The Russell family produces nine different styles of hard cider and perry, some of which are flavored with fruits that they grow such as raspberries, pears, blueberries, and blackberries. In addition, they make traditional fruit wines and blended fruit wines, such as strawberry/lilac and strawberry/rhubarb. This multi-faceted farm operation complements its country store, winery, wine/cider tasting room, and bakery. Andre Latour of Brewery LaHoff of Climax, N.Y. made a vière, called Isabella Hudson Harvest Ale. This co-fermented vière is a wheat ale brewed with Hudson Valley white wheat with the addition of Isabella grapes. Isabella is a Heritage grape variety found in the garden of Isabella Gibbs of Brooklyn, NY in 1816 by William Prince, the famous nursery owner of the Linnaean Botanic Garden of Flushing, N.Y. Isabella is making a comeback on the East Coast, but for years it has been widely grown in Moldovia, Ukraine, India, and Brazil. Isabella has found a home in a wide range of places due to its winter hardiness, ability to withstand high temperatures, fungus disease resistance, high productivity, and heavy grapey and musty flavors. The brewmaster Andre Latour believes that his Isabella Hudson Harvest Ale is popular because “It appeals to beer enthusiasts and wine drinkers alike. It's a beer that almost drinks like wine. As you imbibe, you are able to explore the unique characteristics of both wine and beer simultaneously.” There are several breweries, cideries, and wineries in New England that are making co-ferments. Two Roads Brewing of Stratford, CT makes several beers with grapes, pumpkins, cherries, and raspberries. This brewery also sponsors its “Area Two Experimental Brewing” Program that co-ferments its beers with wild yeasts and cherries, black currants, cranberries, peaches, and blackberries. Allagash Brewing of Portland, Maine operates a brewery and cidery that makes a wide range of beers, ciders, and sour ales that contain apples, grapes, raspberries, cranberries, cherries, apricots, strawberries, and cranberries. Some of these beers are fermented with wild yeasts or bacteria or aged in wooden barrels as is commonly done with wine. Thin wine and grape ale Pet-Nat: A “natural wine” that is bottled when it is very young and still fermenting; which has low alcohol levels because it still contains natural sugars because the fermentation process has not finished. These young, fruity, cloudy, and still fermenting wines are bottled in sparkling wine bottles so that carbon dioxide gas generated by the fermenting liquid remains in the bottle, hence producing bubbles. These sparkling wines are not disgorged; hence they remain cloudy like a hazy IPA that has had fruit added. Pet-Nat from Channing Daughters Vineyard in Long Island, NY. Photo courtesy of: bloomberg.com and Channing Daughters. Photo by: Eric Medsker/Bloomberg. Photo courtesy of: brewerylahoff.com "Some of these beers are fermented with wild yeasts or bacteria or aged in wooden barrels as is commonly done with wine. " Bottle shot courtesy of: allagash.com

18 AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG J. Stephen Casscles, Esq., is a long-standing member of AWS, owns Cedar Cliff Vineyards and Nursery in Athens, NY, and is the author of the new 2nd Edition of Grapes of the Hudson Valley and Other Cool Climate Regions of the U.S. and Canada. Casscles has earned the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association Birchenall Award for 2023. About the Author Shacksbury Cidery of Vergennes, Vt. makes complex, vinous, organic ciders that blur the lines between cider and wine. In their ciders, they use generous amounts of grapes such as La Crescent, Leon Millot, Baco Noir, and Frontenac. ZAFA Winery, located nearby on Isle La Motte, Vt. makes carbonated fruit wines, and co-fermented wines that contain apples, grapes, and peaches. With its Co-Cellars Project, it explores various approaches to fermenting apple cider, other fruits, and grape varieties such as Seyval Blanc, Catawba, and Concord, and how these co-ferments meld with apple cider and wild yeast strains. At Return Brewing of Hudson, N.Y., brewer JD Linderman is making a vière, called Pastel Palace, which has as its base beer a sour ale with strawberries. The cool climate grape varieties added include Burdin 6055, Annie Noir, Le Colonel, Verdelet, and Concord. All of these grape varieties are winter hardy, fungus disease resistant, productive, and can be grown “sustainably.” Linderman believes that his vière is “a nuanced, bright, easy drinker that people will have a lot of fun sharing." Co-formulator Mikey Lenane added that "the blend is pretty remarkable - the base beer had strawberry re-fermented directly into it, but the bright fruitiness of the grapes makes for a far more intense strawberry taste than we had originally thought possible."  We are seeing independent winemakers, brewers, and cider makers merge their practices to produce co-ferments that integrate different grains in beers with fruit, pomace or wine; ciders that also include various fruits to broaden the number of their offerings; and wines that blend fruits other than grapes into their wine products. This is an exciting time for American and Canadian alcoholic beverage makers be they making wine, beer, cider, vière, or another co-ferment by the combination of different cultured and wild yeasts, bacteria, and kinds of grape varieties or other fruits in the production of many different styles of vière. Many wineries, breweries, and cideries across the country offer these co-ferments, I suggest you patronize your local winery, brewery, cidery, or “watering hole” to try these new co-ferments, Pet Nats, and Piquettes. Bottle shots courtesy of: shacksbury.com. Grapes photo courtesy of: hudsonvalleyheritagewines.com Shacksbury cidery's Luna fruit wine is an electric alchemy of wild apples from Vermont with two Vermont grown grapes, Cayuga and Vidal. The ciders use a variety of grapes such as La Crescent, Leon Millot, Baco Noir, and Frontenac. Return Brewing's Pastel Palace features a sour strawberry ale beer as its base. The cool climate grape varieties added include Burdin 6055, Annie Noir, Le Colonel, Verdelet, and Concord. burdin 6055 grapes delaware eumelan annie noir le colonel diana concord verdelet bacchus leon millot grapes Bottle shots courtesy of: Return Brewing Instagram. Grape photos above and left photo courtesy of: hudsonvalleyheritagewines.com

AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG 19 Two widely separated events helped elevate the popularity of Sauvignon Blanc in the United States to rival that of Chardonnay as the country’s number one white wine grape. The first was the attention Robert Mondavi paid to the variety during the 1960s and 1970s, soon after he had established his own winery in Napa Valley. At the time, Sauvignon Blanc was used extensively in sweeter jug wines, while Chardonnay, the great white grape of Burgundy, was gaining popularity, partly because California winegrowers were determined not only to make red wines as good as Bordeaux, but also white wines as good as Burgundy. Other white wine grapes were still grown by most Napa winemakers, Chenin Blanc and Riesling among them. But it was Mondavi, who was being recognized as the leader of the growing Napa Valley wine industry, who gave the extra boost to Sauvignon Blanc, both under that name and as Fumé Blanc. The latter name eventually lost popularity, but the demand for Sauvignon Blanc grew, especially during the 1990s among the ABC – Anything But Chardonnay – advocates. The second event was the rise in popularity of green and grassy Sauvignon Blanc, generally not tempered by Semillon as it was in Bordeaux, that cemented the rise of Sauvignon. Many drinkers who came of age during the late 1980s and 1990s may still remember buying their first bottles of Cloudy Bay. Today, Sauvignon Blanc continues to grow in popularity among American winemakers, and not just in California. Tasting room customers often ask for it, and it is a somewhat versatile grape to grow and make into wine. We asked five producers from across the country about growing Sauvignon Blanc – their terroirs, vineyard practices, winemaking regimens and wine characteristics. Here are their observations, slightly condensed and lightly edited for clarity. From Virginia to California, Michigan to Texas, winemakers love working with this popular variety. By Roger Morris The Versatility of Sauvignon Blanc FEATURE Photo courtesy of: winespectator.com

20 “The Ryan’s Vineyard is an organically farmed, 17-acre parcel situated on the valley floor in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley. While this growing region is warm overall, its southern location benefits from cooler temperatures and fog hailing from the San Pablo Bay. This moderate temperature range is ideal for growing Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Musqué. Most of the vines are over 20 years old and are grown on VSP (vertical shoot position) trellises. The soils are gravelly and alluvial, producing small berries with intense freshness and concentration. “One pro of crafting this varietal is the aging process is relatively short – typically seven months in oak, so we can release it within months of vinifying. It’s a wine that is often enjoyed on the younger side, but that’s not to say some allow it to age for a couple of years before popping their bottles. A potential con for Sauvignon Blanc growers in Napa Valley is the opportunity cost of not growing Cabernet Sauvignon, which commands starkly higher prices for both fruit and finished wine. “A blend of 40% Sauvignon Blanc and 60% Sauvignon Musqué, we press each lot separately with a bladder press, and the juice settles overnight in a cold tank. The next day we will rack the clear juice off the settled lees and put the juice to predominately neutral barrels for fermentation. We use a multitude of selected yeast strains in a cold room, which prevents volatile aroma compounds from blowing off. Once the fermentation is complete, we’ll carry out one month of bâtonnage before barrel aging for seven months, then blending and bottling. “The 2022 vintage gives aromatics of guava, white peaches, lychee and jasmine, with elemental notes of oyster shell, sea breeze, and wet stone minerality. The palate is textural with a briny and energetic stone fruit, creaminess and richness on the mid palate and an extremely long finish." “My grapes come from the Texas high plains, near Brownfield in Terry County in the Panhandle. We use VSP, vertical shoot positioned system, for machine harvesting. We get warmer ripening temps there, which lead to less acidity with more tropical and melon notes and less lemon grass, leaning towards a more medium-bodied white. The cons of growing the grapes here are you really have to target harvest carefully to ensure they do not over ripen. “I ferment cold, about 56 degrees, in stainless and then move half of it to neutral barrels and half to stainless. I prefer Anchor Vin13 yeast for fermenting Sauv Blancs. We perform bâtonnage every two weeks and rack to clean barrels after three months to allow the wine to finish out. [Ed. Note: bâtonnage refers to the stirring of sediment to help prevent off odors] “The wine has flavors of light lemongrass and citrus, with tropical and melon on the palette. It has bright acidity and a rounded mouthfeel, one more robust than its cold cousins.” Mike Tracy Winemaker, Trois Noix John Catalano Co-owner and Winemaker, Bent Oak Winery "A potential con for Sauvignon Blanc growers in Napa Valley is the opportunity cost of not growing Cabernet Sauvignon, which commands starkly higher prices for both fruit and finished wine. " "We get warmer ripening temps here, which lead to less acidity with more tropical and melon notes and less lemon grass, leaning towards a more mediumbodied white. The cons of growing the grapes here is you really have to target harvest carefully to ensure they do not over ripen." California Texas Logo, bottle shot, and headshot courtesy of: troisnoixwine.com Logo and label courtesy of: vivino.com Headshot courtesy of: Bent Oak Winery and Roger Morris.

21 y m, d s, e y it or d d. ff al l, “Veritas Sauvignon Blanc is farmed at 1200 feet of elevation on Edneytown loam on a significant grade and aspect specifically chosen for wind flow and water drainage. Trellising is cane-pruned VSP. The pro to Sauvignon Blanc in Virginia is that it is harvested early in the year, around the middle to end of August.  The cons are that Sauvignon Blanc has a very, very tight cluster and therefore it is more prone to disease if anything happens to the cluster. “I make the wine with a very reductive technique in juice processing, and de-stem it for a touch of skin contact to accentuate the thiols and also to make sure I have a lot of thiol precursors in the juice.  Almost all of my Sauvignon Blanc is stainless-steel fermented. and I try to keep the fermentation as cool and as slow as possible. “For the 2023 vintage, the flavors are of boxwood and passion fruit with great linear minerality.  Its structure is medium-to-light-bodied with a focus on clean acidity with some roundness.” Emily Hodson Winemaker at family-owned Veritas Vineyard & Winery "The pro to Sauvignon Blanc in Virginia is that it is harvested early in the year, around the middle to end of August. The cons are that Sauvignon Blanc has a very, very tight cluster and therefore it is more prone to disease if anything happens to the cluster." Virginia Photo courtesy of: thelocalpalate.com. Photo by Sera Petras Photography. Headshot courtesy of: veritaswines.com and Roger Morris. National Sauvignon Blanc Day is May 6, 2024. Circle it on next year’s calendar, a Tuesday. Fun Fact:

“Our terroir is quite distinct from other Finger Lakes Sauvignon Blanc producers in that our White Springs vineyard is located on the limestone escarpment extending through Niagara Falls into Ontario. All other Finger Lakes producers would fall into the shale stone soil type. Planted in 2004, it is grown on a VSP system and will see both shoot and cluster thinning. “From our 2-acre block, we typically harvest about 6 tons of grapes. Sauvignon Blanc is relatively sensitive to cold winter temperatures, so the yields will occasionally drop significantly. We hand harvest most of our grapes, but with Sauvignon Blanc we often choose to mechanically harvest the grapes, as we're looking for skin contact before the press cycle. That means we send a crew in ahead of the harvester to drop any clusters that need to be eliminated. The grapes will typically see 4 - 8 hours of skin contact before starting the press cycle. After settling, fermentation is at low temperature in stainless steel. The wine is kept on the fine lees until bottling in early spring.“ “Sauvignon blanc is a fairly delicate grape in terms of disease pressure, but our Geneva site has fairly consistent and excellent airflow, which makes it a little easier. While the risk of growing it on a large scale in our region is probably too great, I find that it makes an excellent wine, quite distinct from the New Zealand monolithic type and the often very ripe West Coast style.“ “Like most of our white wines, we can count on a firm acidic backbone. The fruit tends to be on the citrus side in riper vintages with elements of guava, melon and other fruits, accompanied by saline/ mineral notes from the limestone soil. We work extensively with lees aging to polish the wine and soften it a little bit.” “Our region, as part of the northern Great Lakes basin, is comprised significantly of glacial till. Individual vineyard sites usually start with the standard sandy/loam base but often incorporate more or less gravel and clay, depending on the site itself.  Many of our vineyards in this area are planted on moraines or hillsides for air drainage, but also for orientation. Most all trellising in our region is done as VSP, and for us the challenge is often leaf removal to balance disease pressure but not to deteriorate pyrazines in the finished wine.   “The pros of Sauvignon here include ability to ripen in most years, cold hardiness and fruitfulness from year to year. The only con for us is its susceptibility with disease – it can be challenged by our late, wet seasons that will often bring on more pressure with powdery mildew or botrytis. “As with all our aromatic whites, we are slightly reductive throughout the process, with a tendency toward an emphasis on protecting delicate aromatics while allowing the natural characteristics of the grape to shine through.  We maintain great acidity in a region like this, so freshness and a ‘bright’ profile is part of our signature. “I believe we are in a sweet spot here, straddling the New Zealand style that can be overtly ‘green’ with the Loire style that is often earthy or ‘leesy.’  We often see a nice complement of fresh grass or herbs weaving through fruit expressions of passion fruit, grapefruit/ lemon zest with an interesting line of talcum.  On the palate there is a brightness that comes from a good balance of acidity. As I taste the latest rendition, there is a lingering finish that is slightly briny and herbal, which I attribute to a very good growing season and vines that are ever-more mature.” Mortin Hallgren Owner and Winemaker at Ravines Wine Cellars Lee Lutes Winemaker and Managing Member, Black Star Farms "While the risk of growing it on a large scale in our region is probably too great, I find that it makes an excellent wine, quite distinct from the New Zealand monolithic type and the often very ripe West Coast style." "The pros of Sauvignon here include ability to ripen in most years, cold hardiness and fruitfulness from year to year. The only con for us is its susceptibility with disease – it can be challenged by our late, wet seasons that will often bring on more pressure with powdery mildew or botrytis." New York Michigan In addition to the Journal, Roger Morris writes about wine, food and travel for numerous publications including World of Fine Wine,Wine Enthusiast, Drinks Business and Beverage Media. During the first two decades of this century, the Delaware-based Morris has made more than 100 reporting trips to wine regions on five continents. About the Author Headshot courtesy of: quentinsadler.wordpress.com and Skurnik Wines. Bottle image courtesy of: wineinternationalassociation.org/ravines/. Logo courtesy of: ravineswine.com Right: Logo, bottle shot, and headshot courtesy of: blackstarfarms.com and Roger Morris.

23 Rich Rocca is a Western Pennsylvania-based writer with a special interest in unusual wine grape varieties who also writes and publishes the wine blog wpawinepirate.com. His degree in Nature Conservation provides him a unique insight into the growing movement toward organic and biodynamic viticulture. Rich can be reached at [email protected]. About the Author SIPTALK Since ancient times vintners around the world have been searching for distinctive grape varieties to plant in their vineyards to improve the quality of their wine. Fetească Neagră, also known as the “Black Maiden,” is one such grape. Many grape varieties such as Fetească Neagră have become such accomplished world travelers that they can no longer be identified exclusively with a specific wine region or continent. Growers constantly seek a grape variety that produces superior wine from a region with similar but not necessarily the exact climatic and agricultural characteristics as their area. Grape vines have the innate ability to translate every aspect of their growing environment into their fruit and ultimately display it in the wines made from that fruit, a phenomenon the French call “terroir.” Jim Baker has a curious and adventurous nature. He is the owner and winemaker of Chateau Niagara Winery located on the Niagara Lake Plain, near Lake Ontario in New Fane, N.Y. He makes excellent estate wines from his vineyard, including some made from the exotic grapes, Saperavi and Turan. His latest bold venture centered around bringing legendary Old World grape varieties to his vineyard and began in the Eastern European regions of Romania with Romania’s most recognizable red wine grape, Fetească Neagră. Fetească Neagră, is not commercially planted outside of Eastern Europe but forward-thinking winemakers, like Jim Baker are changing that as they explore the possibilities obscure grapes offer. Jim is not aware of anyone else growing Fetească Neagră in North America. Reports from Romania tell of a growing excitement that their beloved red grape is taking root in the United States.  Recently, I had the opportunity to talk with Jim. I asked him to tell me about the newest grape in his vineyard.  RR: This year you will be bringing in your first harvest of Fetească Neagră, an exciting grape from Eastern Europe. Why did you choose to add this grape to your Chateau Niagara vineyard? Tell us what we can expect from this grape variety in the vineyard and cellar? JB: Fetească Neagră is an ancient Romanian grape grown mostly in the southern section of Romania, primarily in the Dealu Mare region. This is a land of ancient traditions and wine is integral to the culture.  It is a thin-skinned black grape, which is difficult to grow due to its sensitivity to powdery mildew. So why would we add an obscure grape that is difficult to grow to our lineup? Several reasons, the first is that we have been developing a whole line of Eastern European wines for quite some time now, including a Georgian Saperavi, our Georgian style skinfermented white, Du Monde, and Kagor. It seems to be an easy extension of what we do. Second, the name, while in Romanian, it is essentially unintelligible to Western ears, in English it means “Black Maiden,”which has a lot of very cool attractiveness to it. When we first brought it into the nursery to try, I had a friend from Romania named Gabe. He thought it would be wonderful to make it here. He said the climate is similar. He recanted tales of burly men consuming vast quantities, finally succumbing to the wine's charms. It is much loved and Gabe said that the locals referred to it as “Bear Power” due to its propensity towards higher alcohol and intense flavor. So we took the plunge! In 2019 we took cuttings from our mother vine, which we obtained from the National Grapevine Repository, and supplied them to the nursery that we work with. They did a custom graft for us and we planted 105 vines in the spring of 2020. This would be just enough to make a single barrel. They were very happy in the spot we selected for them and we were expecting our first vintage in 2023. We got hit with the late spring frost that year that took out most of our crop, so we must wait until 2024. We were able to harvest just a half bin of these little beauties. Much to our surprise they came in at 24 Brix while the remaining vineyard was struggling to get to 21 Brix. The berries exhibited deep color with an intense black currant and spice flavor, and these combine to let us peek at a vine that is itching to live up to its Bear Power name here in Niagara, NY. I urge you to broaden your wine-drinking comfort zone by trying new grape varieties. We must support groundbreaking vintners so their efforts can aid the entire winemaking community. The art of viticulture and winemaking continues to evolve. With the specter of climate change no longer a debatable concept but a growing reality we must embrace adaptation in every phase of the winemaking process. While the path forward has challenges, it also has the incredible promise of things to come.  FeteascăNeagră ByRichardRocca Grapes photo courtesy of: Rich Rocca AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG

24 AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG wine named after an earthquake Francis Ford Coppola Winery recently introduced "Vibrance" Pinot Grigio to its popular Diamond Collection, a top three brand in the U.S.'s Domestic Super-Premium wine segment. With just 80 calories, 8 percent alcohol and 3 grams of carbohydrates per five-ounce serving, Diamond Collection "Vibrance" Pinot Grigio offers a similar flavor profile and the same high-quality as the award-winning Diamond Collection Pinot Grigio, and will be available nationwide starting this month for a suggested retail price of $14.99. Coppola Diamond Collection has consistently ranked as the U.S.'s top seventh best-selling wine brand priced $14 and up within the last six years and has grown 6% in dollar sales over the last year. The new "Vibrance" Pinot Grigio is Coppola Diamond Collection's first line extension since the successful launch of its Prosecco DOC and Prosecco Rosé DOC in 2022. "The demand for low-calorie, low-ABV wine offerings has skyrocketed in the past year, and Diamond Collection "Vibrance" meets that demand with one of the most popular varietals and price points within the light wine category," commented Mary Wachowicz, marketing director for the Coppola portfolio. Lang & Reed Napa Valley recently launched the fourth wine in their coveted Monograph Collection, a 2014 Bois Sauvage Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley ($250). With only 19 cases produced, this exceptional Cabernet Franc is known as the ‘Earthquake vintage,’ named from the 6.0 earthquake that shook Napa Valley at the advent of harvest. The fruit, Block 9 – Entav Clone 214, was sourced from Sugarloaf Mountain, which resides on an exposed spine of volcanic rock. Little topsoil makes it a challenging environment for growing wine, and an ideal location for this specific clone of Cabernet Franc.  ‘Bois Sauvage’ translates to ‘wild wood,’ and this wine seemed to ask for extended barrel aging. The 32-months of extended barrel aging took place in a François Frères–Bourgogne Tradition barrel from forests in the center of France. The Cabernet Franc from this cool hillside slope of Sugarloaf married and aged in this special barrel, making for a very wild combination.  Opening with a broad and effusive bouquet, there’s distillation of scents and nuance, warm berries, dried flowers and herbs, sandalwood, bark and crème de cassis. This exotic mix of scents are held together on the palate with an energy and freshness that belies its ten-year age. The flavor is smooth and rich with mirrored descriptions of the bouquet with a touch of Swiss chocolate to add intrigue. The middle and end impressions are expansive and lengthy, still possessing vigor and memory. A very tasty wine at a decade old, it still has enough substance for a little more time in the cellar. Photo courtesy of: amazon.com “VIBRANCE” PINOT GRIGIO IS LOW-CAL Noteworthy & By Jim Rink New Photo courtesy of: delicato.com Logo courtesy of: langandreed.com

AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG wine writer releases riesling Wine columnist Dan Berger's passion for dry Riesling led him to tell California wineries that if they wouldn't make a truly dry Riesling, he would. Dan's first Riesling is now ready to be released and eviscerated by wine critics. The first wine from a new project informally called "Enological Suicide eGG," is the 2022 Bahl Fratty Riesling from the sensational Cole Ranch, just east of Boonville in Mendocino County. Sales of this limited release (95 cases), completely dry Riesling, formally start appropriately on April Fool's Day, 2024 for $38 per bottle. All orders qualify for $10 flat rate shipping during April. Berger has a degree in journalism, so he is transparent: statistical data for the wine are printed directly on the wine label. Berger says that "too many wineries claim that their Rieslings are dry, but almost everyone compromises their wine with some residual sugar because they believe that all Americans like it that way." Berger doesn't like it that way and he suspects others don't either. "I like my dry wines to work as beautifully with food as do Chablis, Silvaner, and Muscadet," he adds. Berger remarked that although this wine isn't exactly a non-surgical tonsillectomy, "I kind of think of it that way." Cesar Baeza has had a long career in the drinks business, and it has taken him all over the world. At the moment, the winemaker is in Chile, his native country, helping his family with the harvest at Baeza Family Cellars. Soon, he expects to return to the States, promoting Baeza Family Cellars’ wines and consulting during the growing and winemaking season. Baeza’s connection to the New York wine industry began in 1973 when he worked at Brotherhood Winery in the Hudson Valley for two years before going to California to lead the winemaking team at Bear Mountain Winery. His next post was with PepsiCo’s Wine & Spirits Division, a job that took him around the world developing products to bottle for Pepsi, particularly in Europe. But wine called him back to New York when he had the opportunity to purchase Brotherhood Winery, 15 years after he first worked there. Baeza’s second time around with Brotherhood lasted 25 years until he sold his share in 2012, but he wasn’t quite done with New York yet. “I love to see the recognition that New York is finally getting,” he says. “What I envisioned 30 years ago is happening today. I’m proud of all the winemakers from New York and what they’ve accomplished” says Baeza, and he sees a tremendous future for the state’s industry. Photos courtesy of: bahlfratty.com INDUSTRYNEWS CESAR BAEZA WINS PHYLLIS FEDER AWARD Photo courtesy of: theprisonerwinecompany.com 25 Photos courtesy of: newyorkwines.org

26 AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG In Your Association AWS Announcements & News November 1-3 2024 | Winston-Salem, NC For attendees: Look forward to pre-conference tours to local wineries, 42 educational sessions over 2 days, and an amazing event with all meals and wine included. Wineries: Opportunities exist for wineries to sponsor, showcase, and compete. Amateur winemakers: Participate in a competition designed to improve winemaking skills. Subject matter experts: Consider presenting a topic of choice - from wines of a country to comparisons of varieties, and from wine styles to food-and-wine pairings. For more info visit: americanwinesociety.org/conference Online NTP is live for you to explore the world of Californian Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. There is no charge and being a member is not required to learn more! Members can register as a chapter, small group, or as an individual. Members have additional features available: - Receive updates. - Buy the wines at a discount. - Submit scores either as a chapter or as an individual. - Compare your scores with members and Certified Wine Judges. For more info visit: ntp.americanwinesociety.org May 1- July 15 2024 | Online On or about May 1st, members will receive an email inviting them to apply for several open board positions – Vice President, Secretary, and Director of Education. Consider running for office! Candidates should indicate their interest by May 17th and complete their bio and application by June 15th. Members will be invited to vote on or about July 15th. Ensure your email is correct on your profile by June 15th. Further information and position descriptions will be provided by email and in your bi-monthly newsletter! For more info visit: https://americanwinesociety.org/news/ Online CRU100 recently launched a set of new materials for chapters and members to explore the Finger Lakes. Interviews and tasting sheets from a series of Finger Lakes wineries are available as PowerPoints and PDFs for download. Links to purchase wines at a discount are provided in the presentation. Consider a Finger Lakes-themed chapter tasting; sipping along while watching interviews with the winemakers who made the wines! CRU100 is actively fundraising to create projects like this from around the US. For more info visit: members.americanwinesociety.org/general/custom. asp?page=wineeducation National Conference National Tasting Project Board Elections New Chapter Tasting Materials Available

AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG 3 INYOURASSOCIATION Chianti In the Carolinas! The American Wine Society Presents The Wine Education Event of the Year Registration Opens Soon Save the Date November 1-3, 2024

26 AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG Wine Cruise on France’s Seine River With the American Wine Society and Paul Wagner SAVE 5% OFF BALCONY STATEROOMS WHEN BOOKED BY JUNE 30, 2024! AmaLyra in Rouen, France An Exceptional Journey with the American Wine Society! Paris always sizzles while Normandy beckons with its stunning coastline, incredible food and artistic beauty. Monet’s Gardens and the charming harbor town of Honfleur will inspire you the same way as they inspired the great Impressionists. Blend a passion for the good life with culture, art, architecture and timeless landscape in Northern France. There is no better way to experience this journey than with your winery host and story-teller Paul Wagner! An Exclusive Wine Experience! • Welcome Aboard Reception • Three Regional Wine Seminars Featuring Wines from Champagne, Alsace and the Loire Valley • Three Wine/Food Pairing Dinners led by your Wine Host with Wines from Champagne, Alsace and the Loire Valley Paul Wagner Renowned Wine Expert and Author 877-651-7447 ● [email protected] ABOARD AMALYRA 7 NIGHTS MAY 8 TO 15, 2025 Paris Les Andelys Le Havre Caudebec-en-Caux Rouen Vernon Paris Normandy Beaches Booked Exclusively Through: For full terms and conditions contact Expedia Cruises – Wine Club Cruises. CST#2101270-40; Fla. Seller of Travel Ref. No. ST42527.

AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG 29 Advertise in the AWS Wine Journal Today! Contact us today to place your ad in the Wine Journal When you advertise in the Wine Journal, you align your brand with the oldest and largest consumer based wine appreciation organization in North America. Our articles are fresh, creative, and educational. We continually work with our writers to deliver articles that educate our readers and keep them engaged in the wine industry. Issues include articles on... • People, places, events, and trends in the wine industry • The art and science of winemaking for amateurs and professionals • Fascinating facts and information about wine and wine tasting • Travel stories from romantic wineries to exotic locals • Food, recipes, and complimentary wine pairings to please any palate Colleen Reardon 888-297-9070 [email protected] ADVERTISE WITH US! Who Reads the Journal? The Wine Journal reaches a targeted market of sophisticated and knowledgeable wine consumers. Ad Reservation & Remittance American Wine Society Attn: Colleen Reardon PO Box 889 Scranton, PA 18501 888-AWS-9070 [email protected] Ad Submission & Technical Questions Blue Flower Graphic Design Briana Fedorko 570-852-0744 [email protected] The American Wine Society Wine Journal is the official journal of the American Wine Society, a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the education of its members and the general public on all aspects of wine. The Wine Journal is a quarterly publication and is sent to all AWS members, either electronically or in print. 35% 60% make wine buy at least ten cases of wine yearly 98% of members drink wine every week 60% travel to wine regions at least once per year @blueflowergd • Brochures • Business Cards • Flyer’s • Invitations • Websites • Logo Design • Brand Development • Banners • Yard Signs • Stickers • Decals Briana Fedorko Owner/Graphic Designer 570-852-0744 [email protected] blueflowergd.com are you enjoying the journal? Let us know! Leave us a 5-star review on our Facebook! Looking for some help with your next creative project? We’ve got you covered! No job is too small! Contact us today! 20% off new designs PLUS extra 15% off for AWS members

30 AMERICANWINESOCIETY.ORG Get Intimate Insights Into The Wine World Of BORDEAUX RHÔNE AUSTRIA BURGUNDY / CHAMPAGNE GERMANY ALSACE LOIRE - drink ultra premium wines - dine at Michelin level, local taverns - meet the owners/winemakers - share exquisite wine pairing meals with them right at the estate - roam through vineyards and cellars - immerse yourself in French, German, Austrian culture. www.ombiasypr.com [email protected] Winemaking Instructional Videos www.winemakinginstructions.com From Musto Wine Grape Company Taught by Frank Renaldi

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