by Stephanie Kalina-metzger
If you would have approached John and Noemi Halbrendt a decade ago and asked about their plans for retirement, it’s unlikely either would have predicted winemaking. The couple spent years in academia before launching Halbrendt Vineyard & Winery in Orrtanna, a five-acre, boutique winery located just seven miles west of Gettysburg in the scenic foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. On the surface, it seems as if the stars aligned to take them where they are today, but as their story unfolds, it becomes obvious that much more than luck was at play as they embarked on their ‘second act.’ A Symbiotic Relationship John and Noemi’s lives intersected on the job as they pursued their respective careers. Noemi earned her Ph.D. in plant pathology in Japan, before embarking on post-do...
by Marla Durben Hirsch
Would you pay more – or less – for wine depending on the gender of the winemaker? One study reveals that female winemakers may be at a disadvantage when pricing their wine, especially if they are associated with other female winemakers. Two researchers from the Kedge Business School in France studied whether the gender of a winemaker might influence how much a consumer would be willing to pay for the wine. To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, this had not been previously studied. They recruited male and female French-speaking consumers from France and Belgium because French is a gendered language, and only surveyed people who were relatively familiar with wine. They provided the respondents with sets of five identical wines. All of the wine labels were the same excep...
by Marla Durben Hirsch
There has been plenty of research that has studied how people’s drinking habits can affect their health and how long they live. It’s also well established that couples’ drinking habits can affect their relationships. Those with discordant drinking behaviors – say one drinks and one doesn’t, or one drinks to excess – often report greater conflict and are more likely to get divorced. In contrast, those with “concordant” – i.e., similar – drinking habits tend to be happier and stay married longer. This isn’t necessarily surprising; they’re sharing similar activities, appear to have similar views towards alcohol, and likely are socializing with each other while drinking. But what about putting the two concepts together? Can a couple’s drinking also affect ...
by Penny Sadler
Note: this article orginally appeared on my site, Adventures of a Carry-on From its early beginnings in the vineyards of Los Angeles to recognition as American Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine, San Antonio Winery has always been committed to leaving a legacy for generations to come. Owned and operated by the Riboli family for over 100 years, today, under the Riboli Estates Group, the family owns vineyards in Napa Valley, Paso Robles, and Monterey County. The business evolved from its founding as a winery buying fruit from other growers, to owning over 1200 acres of premium vineyard land. Through the Riboli Estate Group, they produce wine using 100% estate grown fruit. With an eye to the future, the family took steps to control more of the winemaking process, fr...
by Marla Durben Hirsch
As you may know, wine sold in the European Union that was packaged or labeled after December 8, 2023 is now required to provide nutritional data, calorie counts, certain additives, and other information. Some of it needs to be on the label itself; the rest can be provided on a website, accessed, perhaps, by using a QR code. The United States is now considering whether it should require wine to provide more information. On January 31, 2024, The Department of the Treasury’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) announced that it will be holding listening sessions and accepting comments on the labeling of wine, distilled spirits, and malt beverages. This announcement stems from a 2022 report recommending that TTB consider new rules. The law currently does not require alco...
by Eric V. Orange, CEO/Founder LocalWineEvents.com
Planning the Trip: Send in the cavalry (or better yet, send in Many More Travels) I’ve been in the wine business for 40-plus years, so when my wife announced we were going to the V. Sattui Harvest Ball, to celebrate a dear friend's birthday, I was assigned the task of planning an unforgettable week around the Napa winery’s annual party. With my experience and industry relationships I thought, "I got this." To begin my mission, I sent an exploratory email to numerous Napa contacts to see what unique adventures might be had. Their responses were both generous and overwhelming—50 emails with one great recommendation after the next. That’s when it hit me; planning this trip is not going to be as easy as ...
by Marla Durben Hirsch
Many people these days prefer digital gifts over physical ones. They are convenient, easy to carry on a mobile device, and hard to lose. Gift-givers like them too, since they can typically be ordered online and delivered quickly to the recipient. But since there are so many digital gift options, how do you choose? One easy way is to look at what’s new. That way your gift recipient is less likely to already have it. Here are five new digital gifts for your favorite wine lover. These are all items that we have used personally and recommend. Wine Passes Wine passes, which provide great deals for members, are a super digital gift for your favorite wine lover. No more need to remember to grab that little card when venturing to the wineries; the app can simply be downloaded to ...
by Sidd Banerji
PART I History A country renowned for her glorious history,well recorded over 7000 years, has evidences of wines too,in somewhere or other in its past. In more practical term it's during Moghul period 15th to mid 19th century we have plenty of evidences of wines coming to this part of the world.Neverthless, it was never the land to make wines. Alexander the Great,renowned for his love of wines ,came upto the western border of India, way back more than 2000 years. For sure,he not only carried his stock of wines,must have had many sessions with local chieftains,kings and social lords. I've a strong belief of wines first peeping into India during his time. The real and continuous flow thru gifts first and as a trading commodity later, started from days of Moghul emperors. S...
by Sidd Banerji
PART I History A country renowned for her glorious history,well recorded over 7000 years, has evidences of wines too,in somewhere or other in its past. In more practical term it's during Moghul period 15th to mid 19th century we have plenty of evidences of wines coming to this part of the world.Neverthless, it was never the land to make wines. Alexander the Great,renowned for his love of wines ,came upto the western border of India, way back more than 2000 years. For sure,he not only carried his stock of wines,must have had many sessions with local chieftains,kings and social lords. I've a strong belief of wines first peeping into India during his time. The real and continuous flow thru gifts first and as a trading commodity later, started from days of Moghul emperors. S...
by Jamie Knee
As a Wine Educator, I’ve often encountered wine enthusiasts staunchly proclaiming their allegiance to the “Anything but Chardonnay” (ABC) camp, convinced that chardonnay is simply not their cup of… well, wine. But what if I told you that a transformative experience awaited you in France in a quaint corner of northern Burgundy? Here, in the enchanting realm of Chablis, yes, it’s not only a grape but a place, I discovered a chardonnay that defies expectations and pleases even the most adamant of ABC adherents. Some may even be surprised to learn that chardonnay and Chablis are from the same grape. Nestled along the gentle slopes that overlook the serene Serein River, the Chablis region harbors a secret that every wine lover should uncover. Contrary to the heavy oak and buttery ...
