by Minnesota Uncorked™
There are four levels of certification in the Court of Master Sommeliers. Sequentially, they are Introductory, Certified, Advanced, and Master — with each increasing dramatically in rigor. The average time it takes for someone to complete all four levels? Nine to ten years — for those that make it. The drop-off rate increases dramatically as you rise in certification levels.The program is geared toward professionals working in the beverage and hospitality industry and involves a knowledge of wine regions, wine service and deductive tasting — in addition to being a discerning businessperson in field of wine. While the pillars sound simple enough, the certification levels increase dramatically in intensity (the first being a one-day class/exam) — by the Advanced level, the exam spans...
by Dean Morretta
Thirty miles from the bustle and skyscrapers of downtown Seattle is a gateway to Washington’s wine industry. Woodinville is a city in the Seattle metropolitan area and has become known for an increasing number of prominent wineries and tasting rooms. I popped over to Woodinville on my recent West Coast tasting trip, and learned how important this little city is to the history and prominence of the Washington wine industry.Woodinville in the WestGeographically and viticulturally Washington is divided into two sections, east and west, separated by the Cascade Mountain range. The mountains create a rain shadow, blocking precipitation and moisture from the Pacific Ocean from reaching the east. The result: wet west, dry east. About 99% of the state’s vineyards are located in the drier,...
by Jonathan Lee
A person may know the difference between a corkscrew and a wine key, but that doesn't make them an expert in all things vino. Even if you don't plan on becoming a wine connoisseur, you'll find that learning a few of the most basic wine terms will help you spark up interesting conversations at business dinners, social events or even a trip to the wine aisle. Here are the top 10 wine terms to know if you are just getting started.VarietalIn order to be classified as a varietal, 75 percent of the wine must come from one single type of grape. It's always listed on the label, and it's usually what you will ask for when purchasing wine in a store or restaurant. Popular red wine varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Shiraz/Syrah, Zinfandel and the up-and-coming Spanish favorite...
by Dean Morretta
Organic, sustainable, biodynamic... these are some of the trendiest yet most confusing terms in the wine industry. There is a place, though, where one can see the proud growers and winemakers who are putting these terms into real practice, crafting quality wines, and restoring the health of the land. This place is Oregon.Every tasting visit has a takeaway, and on my recent Washington-Oregon-California tasting trip, my big takeaway was that Oregon is ground zero for ‘green’ viticulture and winemaking. It was on visits to the amazing producers of Montinore Estate, Sokol Blosser, Holloran Vineyard Wines and Chehalem that Oregon is truly the greenest of them all!Given Oregon is a fairly young state wine-wise, this superlative is impressive. Wine has only been a significant industry in ...
by Minnesota Uncorked™
One walks a thin line when trying to pronounce the names of wines correctly. We want to sound like we know what we’re talking about being too pretentious — if you’ve been out with someone who adopts a guttural accent to order Chardonnay, the thought of accurate wine pronunciation might fill you with dread. But it doesn’t have to (and you don’t need to speak with a throat trill, either).Wine Pronunciation 101---------------Many wine names are French, and other Romance languages like Italian and Spanish follow similar pronunciation rules. Unlike English (where words have been adopted from different languages so rules about pronunciation don’t hold true across the board) French has fairly hard and fast rules when it comes to what sounds their words make.In French, a consonant at t...
by Minnesota Uncorked™
Like us, wine needs to breathe. It gets cramped living in its bottle for years (or decades), so a good red wine appreciates room to stretch its legs. According to experts, decanting, aerating or oxygenating can mellow sharp tannins, open up the subtler aromas, and accentuate the structure and flavor of wine. It seems, opening the bottle and letting it sit for a few minutes just isn’t going to cut it.Let’s start with some basic info. Traditionally decanting is done for two reasons:The first is to separate the wine from the sediment that forms as wine ages. You’ll only run into this with older, more venerable wines.The second and more salient reason is to oxygenate the surface area of the wine. This allows the layers and subtle complexities in the wine to come to the forefront, smoothi...
by Minnesota Uncorked™
Of groups who know how to get their party on, the Spanish seem like they’d know what’s up, right? Kalimotxo, (pronounced Kal-ee-moach-oh) a drink made up of dry red wine and Coca-Cola, is what Spanish locals actually drink all summer long — they’re too lazy to chop up fruit for sangria!Pioneered in the ‘70s in the Basque country as a way to make low-quality wine palatable — boxed wine is still a popular ingredient— Kalimotxo has an appeal that extends beyond improving sub-par wine, and has spread across the globe, from Eastern Europe to South America and China. Alternatively known as Rioja Libre and various other names referencing things such as diesel fuel, Mussolini, or parts of the female anatomy, the drink is far milder than its aliases would imply (although it is popular...
by Minnesota Uncorked™
Now in its eighth year, the International Cold Climate Wine Competition (ICCWC) is the only wine competition in the world devoted exclusively to cold-climate wines — and it takes place right here in Minnesota. Gordon Rouse, chief of competition and primary organizer of the event, says the aim of the Minnesota Grape Growers Association (MGGA) in starting the competition was twofold: to promote good wines and the cold-climate grape varieties to winemakers.Rouse provides some insight into the effect of competition in wine-making: “Wine competitions promote quality because judging wines and putting them in competitions helps the best wines win awards and get reputations of being quality. And by having a competition and giving awards, you promote the wine varieties themselves.“People are ...
by Melissa Andrews
Most people love wine but only a few really know how to dive into its real taste and flavor. You'll see them sipping through their wine glasses as If they had just tasted the finest wine they could have. The truth is, not too many people really recognize how to savor the fine taste and aroma of a wine that has aged through time. If you have been into wine for quite a while then I assume you already know that there are several techniques that you can apply in order to bring out the best in your wines. But, if you are someone who has just started your wine collection and are still incognizant on the principles behind wine and wine tasting, then now is the right time to start doing your homework. As you probably know wines are delicate beverages. The process they undergo before you pour them ...
by Dean Morretta
1965 was a big year for equality in America. In a young civil rights movement, the important Voting Rights Act of 1965 passed. In a millennia old wine industry, the very first woman would receive an enology degree from University of California, Davis. Several years would still pass before woman #3 would receive her degree and emerge as a defining force in American wine. That woman is Merry Edwards.Four decades later I am walking into Merry Edwards Winery in the heart of Russian River Valley. This visit was a must for my Washington-Oregon-California tasting trip. Not only had I sold Merry Edwards wines during my retail career, but her story had been impressed upon me by another woman in wine... Deborah Brenner, the author of Women of the Vine: Inside the World of Women Who Make, Taste...
