Gastronomy and Wine Portal

Since 22-nd of March the Languedoc AOP Picpoul de Pinet has a new coordinator, Celeste Renault.

Previously, Celeste specialized in international and European law, but after an internship at the Union of Winegrowers in the small French region of Roussillon Côte Vermeille (Syndicat des vignobles de la Cote Vermeille), Celeste Renault decided to make the protection of the name of Picpoul de Pinet wines her main activity.

The Picpoul de Pinet appellation occupies 1,500 hectares, consists of four wine cooperatives and 24 private wineries. The region produces about 10 million liters of wine per year, of which 65% is exported.

Photo: facebook.com/celeste.renault.9

Since 22-nd of March the Languedoc AOP Picpoul de Pinet has a new coordinator, Celeste Renault.

The organisers of the London Wine Fair have announced the schedule of content for what will be the event’s first ever preview day, “Welcome Back Wednesday”. 

Taking place on Wednesday, 28^th April – the mid-point between the opening of outdoor and indoor hospitality – the day has been created to give the on-trade industry an opportunity to preview new wines, assess opening strategies and gear up for the end of Lockdown.

A number of U.K. based companies, all with a focus on the on-trade, will be exhibiting at Welcome Back Wednesday in addition to the May event, and will show new launches and new vintages specifically for this sector.  These include:  ABS Wine Agencies; Ally Wines; Alpasión Wine; Enotria & Coe; Fells; Hallgarten; Hatch Mansfield; and Noel Young Wines.

Content for the day is focused exclusively on the on-trade, and includes:

10.00: “Recovery of the On-Trade”

Hosted by Richard Siddle, this panel session will evaluate the status of the re-opening to date, two weeks in, and assess how the full re-opening can be successfully managed.  The panel will feature:  Xavier Rousset MS of Black Book, Blandford Comptoir and TRADE app; Enotria & Coe Managing Director, Ants Rixon; Publican, Heath Ball, owner of The Red Lion & Sun, Wenlock Arms, The Anchor Tap, and The Lockhart Tavern; and Katie Jenkins of Kam Media.

12.00: “Talk Uncorked”

Hosted by The Drinks Community – the professional network for drinks industry professionals set up by The Drinks Trust – the session will introduce the help available for hospitality staff affected by the Pandemic.  This will be followed by a “break out” session for attendees to share their tips, concerns, pitfalls and opportunities for re-opening.

14.00: “Enotria & Coe Iconic Winemakers”
Enotria & Coe will host an unmissable Tasting Masterclass featuring nine wines from iconic Old and New World estates. All of these wines are available to the on-trade.  The all-star line-up includes:  d’Arenberg; Joseph Drouhin; Planeta; Chateau Ste. Michelle; and Maison Trimbach.

Visitor registration for the 40^th London Wine Fair and Welcome Back Wednesday is now open. Those intending to access tasting samples for the Masterclass are encouraged to sign up by 23^rd April. Attendees will receive their networking login two days prior to the event. Tickets, which will cost £25, will give access to live content on both 28^th April and between 17^th and 19^th May, as well as access to the virtual exhibitor stands, the sampling platform and recorded content for three months.

The organisers of the London Wine Fair have announced the schedule of content for what will be the event’s first ever preview day, “Welcome Back Wednesday”. 

The Project EU “Support to the development of the system of geographical indications in Ukraine” is coming to an end, but the project initiated by him will develop and support SMBs in rural areas, producers of wines, traditional products, and beverages with the potential of geographical indications.

In order to ensure such sustainable development of the Project, GZ supported the initiative of the public unions “Wine and Taste Route of Ukrainian Bessarabia” and “Taste Route of Prykarpattia” to establish a Public Union “National enogastronomic tourist network ” Wine and Taste Routes of Ukraine”. This organization will unite a wide range of stakeholders (representatives of tourism, agro-industrial, and other tourism-related sectors, scientific and educational organizations, public authorities, local governments, relevant NGOs, individual experts in the field of tourism, agriculture, food technology, geography, marketing, regional development, opinion leaders and other stakeholders), whose joint activities are aimed at developing eon and gastronomic tourism in Ukraine, by creating a system of organized gastronomic routes at the local, regional and national levels. The main purpose of the Public Union is the implementation and protection of rights and freedoms, a satisfaction of social, economic, social, cultural, environmental, and other interests of participants, in particular, in the administration of the project of creation and development of national enogastronomic tourist network sustainable development and the European Green Course. The constituent assembly of the Public Union was held on April 15, 2021.

Olena Motuzenko, National Expert of the GZ Project on gastronomic Tourism and Guaranteed Traditional Features, was elected Chairman of the Supervisory Board – President of the”National enogastronomic tourist network ” Wine and Taste Routes of Ukraine”, Valerііа Bondаrenko, National GZ Expert on the Creation and Development of Wine and Taste Routes was elected General Manager of the union.

Iryna Polshakova, President of the Wine and Taste Route of Ukrainian Bessarabia, said: “For two years of working with the EU Project” Support to the Development of Geographical Indications in Ukraine”, we have united, learned to work together, and achieved considerable practical results, we feel the effectiveness of systemic cross-marketing and lifelong learning, and are aware of how important it is for the formation of other Wine and Taste Routes and Taste Routes of other regions of Ukraine, and creation of a system of joint promotion at the national level. So, ready to share their own experience and move forward with the Public Union “National enogastronomic tourist network ” Wine and Taste Routes of Ukraine”. Sincere thanks to the whole team of the GZ Project!”.

In order to ensure such sustainable development of the Project, GZ supported the initiative to establish a Public Union “National enogastronomic tourist network ” Wine and Taste Routes of Ukraine”.

Welcome to Drinks+! Welcome to the Eastern European markets!

Our portal expands the boundaries, and acting on the recommendation of our foreign friends and partners, we launched the English version of the site on March 21: https://drinks.ua/en/

Drinks.ua is a web portal covering all topics in the wine and alcohol industry.

Among the popular sections are the following:

• Calendar of the world’s exhibitions and competitions;
• Analytics;
• Interviews;
• Wine tastings, events, reports;
• Education and Work;
• Directory of distributors and suppliers;
• Articles about wineries, new products, restaurants and gastronomy;
• For those who are interested in travelling, we have drawn up our Wine Route Maps and enogastronomic tours around the world’s wine-producing countries.

Now, it will be easier for the international professional audience to get to know the latest news in the wine and alcohol market of Ukraine and Eastern Europe, monitor markets, track, and take part in leading exhibitions and professional events in Eastern Europe. Site visitors will have access to the information about importers and distributors in such regions, gastronomic particularities of the countries and statistical data pertaining to the alcohol market in Eastern Europe.

Read Drinks+ voraciously, and do your business when your mind is clear!

Our portal expands the boundaries: we launch the English version of Drinks+.

• late-budding varieties were not affected by frost.
• Nebbiolo conditions appear to be heterogenous across the various appellations and the damage is hard to establish at the moment, due to the irregular phenological phase in the vineyards. Therefore, it is possible to see both damaged and healthy buds on the same vine.
• the mostly affected vineyards are the ones at medium altitude, where bud burst already took place. For internal and south-facing vineyards the damage was very limited.

Between April 7th-8th there has been a drop in temperatures due to cold drafts coming from Northern Europe, which caused frost across the region.

Results of VI All-Ukrainian Tasting Competition «Variety and Terroir. Microwinemaking».

Despite the pandemic and on the eve of the next lockdown in Ukraine on March 19 in Odessa (at Business Centre «Aquarelle»), the traditional VI All-Ukrainian Tasting Competition «Variety and terroir. Microwinemaking» took place. Given the circumstances, we may state that the forum brought together real heroes: 18 participants from 10 regions of Ukraine submitted their wines for assessment by the reputable jury. Indeed, the Ukrainian winemaking is a journey for those who are brave, because they are the ones who dare to grow vines and invest into equipment in the country’s current conditions.

Conducting such event also required courage on the part of the organizers: All-Ukrainian Association of Winemakers and Sommeliers, the Association of Caviste of Ukraine and the first Ukrainian School of Sommeliers «Master Class».

The communication media group Drinks+ (Drinks+ magazine, drinks.ua portal, Drinks’o’Clock online newspaper) acted as the General Information Partner of the Competition.

Assessment of wines produced by the Ukrainian microwinemakers took place pursuant to the following parameters:

• General assessment during blind tasting under Robert Parker’s 100-point wine-scoring scale.
• Determination of «The Competition’s Absolute Winner» (the wine that received the highest points from the jury).
• Determination of the Competition’s winners in nominations by the variety-based principle.
• Tasting from «Focus Group of Restaurateurs» in Odessa («public tasting»).

The Competition’s professional jury (11 people) headed by the owner of Vinos de La Luz group of companies Dr. Ricardo F. Nunez tasted 86 samples of wines.

The results were quite unexpected: the highest award went to a newcomer – a brand that has just entered the Ukrainian market.

«The Competition’s Absolute Winner» – TM De Laransa, Kharkiv Region, dry red wine «Merlot, 2019».

Winners of the Competition’s nominations:

• Serhiy Kovalenko, KSW Wine House, Cherkasy Region: Red Dessert – «Love story, 2020»;
• Boris Pecker, Home Wine From Boris, Nikolaev: Red dry from a local variety – «Odessa Black, 2019»;
• TM Fathers wine, Ternopil Region: White dry from a local variety – «Muscat Ottonel, 2020»;
• TM NAROVYLO, Kyiv Region. – Red Blend, dry wine «Cabernet Merlot, 2019»;
• LLC Grapes – Odessa, Odessa Region. This winery won in 2 nominations: Pink Dry – «Pinot Noir, 2020», and White dry from Chardonnay – «Chardonnay, 2020»;
• Volodymyr Simakin – TM Simakin Family Winery, Dnipropetrovsk Region: White dry from Riesling – «Riesling, 2020»;
• LLC Prestige Group, Odessa: Reservoir Sparkling – «Pink Brut Prestige»;
• Oleksandr Kosyanchuk, Kyiv Region: Red dry from Cabernet Sauvignon – «Cabernet Sauvignon, 2019».

Natalia Blagopoluchna, President of the All-Ukrainian Association of Winemakers and Sommelier shared her impressions and comments related to tasting with Drinks +:

• The absolute winner of the Competition is red dry «Merlot, 2019» by TM De Laransa. The wine pleasantly surprised all members of the jury. Saturated dark ruby ​​color, its aroma is determined by ripe plum, black berries, and prunes in chocolate. The taste is balanced, with a pleasant note of black berries and pickled sweet plums. The wine is full-bodied, the variety is immediately recognizable. Berry aftertaste, with a slight bitterness of the grapeseed.
• Reservoir Sparkling «Pink Brut Prestige». Great wine for spring and summer! It has a beautiful light pink color, persistent mousse and long-lasting perlage. The aroma is determined by ripe red berries (raspberries, strawberries), and spring flowers. The taste is bright, pleasant, with a balance of acidity,  barberry notes and viburnum aftertaste. One of the best pink bruts in Ukraine.
• Pink dry «Pinot Noir, 2020» from TM Grapes – Odessa. During blind tasting of this wine, it was interesting to keep an eye on the jury members: to see how the expressions on their faces changed with each new stage of tasting. From curiosity to surprise: is it indeed a wine produced in Ukraine? No, it is burgundy rosé! How balanced this wine was in terms of aroma and taste! Light shades of red berries and ripe raspberries were felt in both aroma and taste! The wine was very much admired by all members of the jury.

The winners received diplomas and cash prizes from the prize fund partner – TM RUMKA ONLINE (LLC Privat-Alco).

«The Competition’s Absolute Winner» and «Winners of the Competition Nominations» will present their wines at VII International Forum of Winemakers and Sommeliers at InterContinental Hotel (Kyiv) on November 20, 2021.

The event ended with the traditional «Winemakers’ Dinner», where a master class was conducted by Ricardo F. Nunez, Chairman of the Jury. Dr. Nunez has his own premium wine production facilities in 4 countries and on two continents.

His team includes the most talented oenologists who have a bold, creative thinking, so he did have something to tell the audience. He emphasized the importance of developing micro-winemaking for each wine-producing country. Ricardo F. Nunez expressed his confidence in the future of Ukrainian winemaking and wished all those present determination in achieving their goals.

Results of VI All-Ukrainian Tasting Competition «Variety and Terroir. Microwinemaking».

Francis Ford Coppola Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 is the first wine in the Diamond collection, originating exclusively from the Paso Robles region.

Francis Ford Coppola, one of the greatest directors of our time, a six-time Oscar winner took a break from making films, but continues to delight fans, releasing wines at his own winery located in California. Yet another wine bearing the famous director’s name came out.

“One of the great joys of wine tasting is discovering how the color, flavor, and taste of grapes may change depending on a location,” – Gary Sitton, Vice-President at Francis Ford Coppola Winery said. – Paso Robles is a warm region with relatively low annual rainfall and a varied mix of soil types. With its distinctive flavor profile, the wine is a perfect supplement to the Coppola Cabernet family: Classic Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon and our bestseller Diamond Claret. “

Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon delights with notes of black fruits, coffee, almonds and vanilla in its flavor. The taste combines ripe fruits and light oak hints. A small amount of Petit Verdot variety impart piquancy and color, and Petite Sirah – depth and richness of flavor.

Aged for 10 months in French oak barrels, this wine with 13.5% ABV is suitable for winter gastronomic pairings with such dishes as holiday roasts, mashed potatoes and cheese platters with spicy and aged cheeses.

The suggested retail price is $ 21 per bottle (750 ml).

Photo: beveragedynamics.com

Francis Ford Coppola Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 is the first wine in the Diamond collection, originating exclusively from the Paso Robles region.

Recent years have witnessed ever-growing popularity of the Japanese whiskey in the world, however, the rules protecting authenticity of that product have not always kept pace with a rapid growth in this category. Therefore, it is quite often that the labels misleading buyers who are looking for real Japanese alcohol, are attached to such bottles.

In this regard, the Japan Spirits and Liqueurs Makers Association announced new measures to combat unfair competition. The organization posted a message on its website in which it regrets that many of the spirits marketed as “Japanese whiskey” are not only far from being a Japanese product, but often have nothing to do with whiskey. Therefore, the association has formally defined the basic principles that the “Japanese whiskey” should comply with:

Ingredients: Malt, cereals and water of exclusively Japanese origin must be used as raw materials.

Production: all stages of production, including saccharification, fermentation and distillation, must be carried out in a plant in Japan. At the time of distillation, alcohol content should be less than 95%.

Aging: the distilled product must be poured into wooden barrels with a capacity of no more than 700 liters and then aged for at least 3 years in Japan.

Bottling: Bottling must only be done in Japan and a minimum alcohol content of 40% must be ensured.

In addition, simple caramel coloring is acceptable.

If whiskey does not meet the above requirements, producers are not entitled to attach to their product a label containing the names of people associated with Japan, the names of Japanese cities, regions, famous places, mountains and rivers, as well as the image of the Japanese flag or other items associated with Japan.

These new rules are to enter into full force and effect on April 1, 2021.

Based on the materials of beveragedynamics.com

Recent years have witnessed ever-growing popularity of the Japanese whiskey in the world, however, the rules protecting authenticity of that product have not always kept pace with a rapid growth in this category.

A survey conducted by Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris recorded positive assessments of the past year, made by representatives of the wine business.

A survey of 658 wine producers and 737 wine and gourmet items merchants helped reconstruct the overall picture of 2020 for winemaking and wine sales. Using new tools or distribution channels, winemakers, together with merchants, have flexibly approached the challenges caused by Covid-19. Their assessment of 2020 appeared to be mostly positive.

Most wine and gourmet items merchants (60%) said their revenue was good. 55% of them reported sales growth, and 15% reported that sales were even more stable compared to 2019. During the holiday season of the last quarter of 2020, 58% of wine and gourmet items merchants witnessed a clear increase in sales over the previous year.

As for winemakers, 34% of respondents consider their results to be positive, and 22% – stable compared to 2019.

Dynamic approach to business development

Wine and gourmet items merchants have been able to adapt to security measures which are being implemented due to the Covid-19 pandemic, by offering new services, including online sales (18%) and home delivery (20%), even after working hours (5%), as well as Click & Collect system. This helped them hold out with virtually no sales at large private events (weddings, anniversaries) and trade events (exhibitions, tastings).

Winemakers also showed initiative and creativity: 35% of them created their own sites for online sales during this period, 22% joined the existing Internet platforms, and 17% expanded sales to cover wine and gourmet items merchants. Overall, 67% of winemakers have found new distribution channels.

Still wines and spirits come out on top

Red and white wines had the best sales figures even compared to 2019, which is probably due to the role they played as “moral support” during the isolation. They showed almost the same results: sales of red wines increased by 53%, whereas sales of whites – by 55%.

Spirits also saw an increase in sales, rising 50% in popularity and confirming significant growth over the past few years.

However, sparkling wines, which are usually used at festive and public events, on the contrary, have suffered during the period of quarantine and isolation.

There are strong players in the world of wine!

While 66% of wine and gourmet items merchants are optimistic about the future, winemakers continue to express some concern. However, they show resilience: 65% of them want to maintain and develop their new distribution channels, including digital technologies.

The Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris survey showed a sufficient margin of safety for the wine market players and showed that this inherently resilient sector, with the support of consumers who continued to buy wines and other spirits, has been able to successfully restructure to bounce back and develop further.

A survey conducted by Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris recorded positive assessments of the past year, made by representatives of the wine business.

Last week, the Languedoc star Gérard Bertran, renowned for his creativity, introduced during an online tasting his first Orange wine from the new 8th category of wines put on the OIV list in 2020.

As reported by thedrinksbusiness.com, Orange Gold 2020 is a blend of six varieties of Chardonnay, Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Mozac and Muscat. The first amber wine from the famous winemaker combines the traditions of Georgian winemaking and modern technologies used for the wines originating in the south of France.

As it became known, the release of orange wine had been preceded by a thorough study of styles and notes, and for that purpose Monsieur Bertrand and a team of oenologists tested 75 of the best amber wines in the world. According to the master, some of them evoked his admiration and others disappointment.

As a result, the winemaker set a goal to create the wine pursuant to the classic technologies of Kakheti, but in a modern, fresh style that is not deviating far from the Georgian traditions. As you know, according to the rules of Georgian winemakers, grapes are sent for fermentation in whole bunches and the processes of vinification take place with the pulp in order to ensure that the wine has a characteristic orange color and tannins.

Bearing that task in mind, the grape varieties were being selected. In addition, the winemaker was attracted by their aromatic complexity, when an expressive flavor of each variety was being combined into a balanced bouquet. According to Gerard Bertrand, Orange Gold has “an unusual profile, amazing refinement, reflecting the liveliness, minerality and freshness inherent in the wines of the southern France”. Among the flavors found in the wine are: white flowers, including fleur-d’orange, candied fruits, grapefruit notes and white pepper. Technological processes were also adjusted for the intended purposes, therefore, both oak barrels and steel containers were used.

According to the winemaker, he is especially proud of sweet bitterness – a particular bitterness in the aftertaste – which, in his opinion, whets appetite. He recommends pairing Orange Gold with hard cheeses and spicy dishes. Orange Gold 2020 is on sale on Gerard Bertrand’s website at a price of € 12.50 per bottle.

Among the winemaker’s novelties, which we would also like to draw your attention to, are two wines under the Prima Nature label, produced without sulfites: Chardonnay and Shiraz.

These wines are made of grapes from the old vines with low yields. The winemaker has been working on their production for three years. Both wines are vegan-certified. In order to clarify the wines, legumes were used as an alternative to egg white. According to the producer, they can be aged for more than two years. Profile’s key aspects: freshness and balance.

Last week, the Languedoc star Gérard Bertran, renowned for his creativity, introduced during an online tasting his first Orange wine from the new 8th category of wines put on the OIV list in 2020.