Wine Apps

I have spent much of my adult life working closely with chefs, whose abbreviation for "appetizer" is - almost always - "app." Well now, in my old age, I have to make an adjustment in my thinking, my communication skills. At age 63, which is "The New 93" when it comes to understanding technology, I must recognize that when people, chefs included, speak of "apps" they are talking about "applications" that live in The Cloud, The Smart Phone, or The Tablet (in my case, the iPad, the tablet that I am typing or "keyboarding" right now. I could be dictating it via built-in voice recognition, but the halting "ughs," "umms," and "hmms" would populate the screen to such an embarrassing and annoying degree that Siri might decide to go on strike).

As everyone by now knows, apps abound, and are easily downloaded to a host of computer-based and increasingly miniaturized devices that act very much like digital personal assistants, reminding us of appointments, locking and unlocking doors, turning lights off and on, finding obscure recipes or the nearest Thai restaurant, sending and receiving emails, sending and depositing checks, taking photos and producing sophisticated videos, and of course assembling killer playlists from the entire universe of recorded music. There are tens of thousands of specialized apps covering business, the arts, science, mathematics, highly specialized knowledge, and thousands dedicated to food and wine.

Lately, I have been exploring wine apps. The reason I bought an iPad in the first place was to keep up with the virtual explosion of wine apps, so that I could speak near-intelligently with my wine students at The Culinary Institute of America, almost all of whom have never known a world without the internet, and are as comfortable downloading and utilizing apps as I was dialing a phone or telling time without a digital assist when I was in my 20s. I have asked my students for assistance in navigating this new world of apps, and they have been open and generous in sharing their knowledge without smirking or sarcasm, even if they were shocked by my lack of digital literacy. They must be thinking, "Just how old is this guy?" And of course they're right; I really am that old.

Although I am a relic of a previous era - or several previous eras - I have been enthusiastically delving into the world of wine apps. When I "go" to the App Store and search for "wine," about a thousand apps appear; roughly half are free and the other half are mostly priced anywhere from $0.99 to $4.99. Some of the apps are very specific, dealing with a single wine region, some are promotional vehicles for wineries, wine tourism, or restaurants. Many wine apps, both free and not, are vehicles for selling wine. I want to focus on the free apps that focus on enhancing wine knowledge, because I am really excited about how useful they can be. Most of these apps are available for Apple, Android and other phones and various tablets. Based on my experience, the apps that are meant to travel with you - to wine shops and restaurants, where just by taking a photo of the wine label or alternately the UPC bar code or QR code on the back label, are better utilized using a smart phone; a tablet - at least my iPad - is awkward for taking photos on the fly.

Some of the free wine apps worth checking out include:

Pocket Wine: This really is an excellent, simple to navigate program, making very effective presentations of wine styles, wine grapes A-Z, extensive wine and food pairing, where in the world grapes grow (alas, no maps), a good basic glossary of wine terms, and a unique feature that allows you to create your own taste profile by answering some easy questions about your overall taste preferences; in my case, it was surprisingly accurate. Really fun, really helpful, especially for those who are just beginning to dive head first into wine as a subject they'd like to learn more about.

Wine Terms: More than a hundred basic wine terms, both practical and technical, concisely and accurately defined. Did you know that "fiasco" is the name of the wicker basket that surrounds the old-style Chianti bottle? I did, but more people should.

Hello Vino: This app allows you to choose a wine by taste preference, food pairing, brand name, and by label recognition. You can get dozens of specific wine recommendations for each dish, complete with approximate prices, and tasting notes geared to fit your meal. You can also enter a wine you already own to get pairing notes. A note on the label recognition: you receive a limited number of free photo scans with the app, and you can purchase an unlimited amount of scans for $4.99.

Vivino: I really like this app. Take a photo of the label (as far as I can tell, there's no charge and no limit), and get quite a bit of info about the wine, including its grape or grapes, basic food matching, and tasting notes, which you can add to and share via Facebook or Twitter, as well as read the tasting notes of others. This really is for smart phones, although you can make it work with your tablet once you get the hang of the camera frame.

WS Wine Ratings: The Wine Spectator App. Forget the Wine Ratings part of this app ($2.99 per month) and focus on the free stuff. There are some very easy-to-access vintage charts covering both the Old and New World, as well as some good videos on wine basics. There's also WS360, a constantly updated collection of articles from the Wine Spectator, some of which you might find interesting (such as an excellent article on the impact of fracking on wine, and another on whether it's really necessary to age wine).

Find Local Wineries: I live exactly 22.46 miles from Whitecliff winery. Who knew? On this app I can get driving directions, phone number, website address, etc. for far more than a thousand wineries in the United States, and the automatic home page is our own Hudson Valley. You can add a winery that does not appear on this app (Hey, Millbrook and Cereghino Smith! You're among the very few missing local wineries). A perfect basic app for wine travel on the local or national level.

Finger Lakes Destination &Wine Card and Long Island Wine Country: Very good apps about the wineries and related travel and dining opportunities. (Note: the Finger Lakes app shows up as “NY Wine Trail on my iPad desktop). Bravo to these wine regions. Here's a good idea: a Hudson River Region wine app, with wineries, restaurants, lodging, CSAs and farms, cider, cheeses, etc. The time is now.

Finally, a useful and witty app that wine drinkers will appreciate is My Stain (produced by Clorox). Among the remedies for stains caused by vomit, urine, blood, and armpits, there is an excellent on-the-go antidote for red wine stains. According to the app: “Blot with a paper towel or clean cloth to remove excess wine. Pour club soda on the stain from back to front and blot again. This will help prevent the stain from permanently setting.” I tried it and it works. “Back to front” is the move that eluded me in the past.

Once you start exploring the world of wine apps, you'll find apps that are just about Italian wines, Bordeaux, California and on and on. You'll marvel at some of the free apps and probably buy an inexpensive but useful app or two (such as Cor.kz for $2.99). Admittedly, as someone who has gotten his wine knowledge from tasting, travel, reading and writing books and articles, the wine app world is new to me. Many of you who are used to the digital wine world may be harrumphing "What's the big deal?" But to those of us brought up on the written word and books with consecutive chapters, this is a big change, and it's one that I think I'm going to embrace, not as the only source of wine knowledge, but as fun and effective adjuncts to enhance my own knowledge and to share it with others.

Summer Whites

Now that we get to enjoy the lazy, hazy, crazy days of Summer in the Hudson Valley, I think about enjoying crisp, refreshing white wines. I look for wines that do not mightily impress or even overwhelm the palate. Instead, I seek lighter, simpler, fruit and acid-driven dry or slightly off-dry whites, served well-chilled and without fanfare. These are wines that are comfortable on the lower rungs of the food chain, compatible with salads, fresh cheeses, veggies, fish, seafood, mollusks, and white meats.

People often ask me what is my favorite wine-producing country. To be honest, when it comes to red wines I find I can't give a definitive answer, as there are so many great red wines made in both the New World and the Old World, and I really enjoy many of them. But when it comes to choosing my favorite white wine-producing country, I've got to give it to France. The reason for this decision is that I believe that French white wines are first in the world for not only the widest variety of styles in whites (especially the wines of the Loire Valley, Alsace, and Burgundy), but also - and I think this may surprise many readers - the widest range of prices. We all know that it's easy to pay a lot of money for French white wines, but I have found that some of the best bargains reside in this category, as well. And it's not just that the wines are really affordable, it's that the quality is high. When it comes to the value-for-money proposition, French whites are incomparable.

Some of the best French whites for Summer enjoyment include:

Muscadet. There are actually four Muscadet appellations in the Loire Valley of France, all of them close to the port city of Nantes, defined by the Bay of Biscay inlet of the Atlantic Ocean. Muscadet, Muscadet des Coteaux de la Loire, Muscadet Côtes de Grandieu, and the best known of the four, Muscadet Sevre et Maine are all produced using one grape, Melon de Bourgogne. A wine labeled simply "Muscadet" will be the lightest and simplest style. Muscadet Sevre et Maine, while by no means complex, will, at its best, express the difference in soils (granite, gneiss, or gabbro) found in the region. Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie (“on the lees” -expired yeast cells) will benefit from the antioxidant properties of the decaying yeasts after fermentation and before bottling, keeping the wine fresh, often with just a bit of spritz - a tiny bit of bubble - to make it even more refreshing. Muscadet, no matter the exact appellation, is an incredible value, with prices starting well below $10 per bottle for a good, dependable white and rarely exceeding $20, and that's for the very best the region has to offer. Try Muscadet with a Salade Niçoise, poached or seared scallops, ceviche, or the truly classic pairing: oysters on the half shell with just a drop or two of lemon juice, Tabasco, or shallot/vinegar mignonette. 


The vineyards of the central Loire Valley are defined by the Chenin Blanc grape, and nowhere on earth does Chenin Blanc produce a more terroir-expressive wine that delivers such tremendous pleasure in the glass. Look for Saumur (priced in the low to mid-teens), traditionally the "house white" of Parisian bistros and brasseries, an ideal accompaniment to fresh cheeses, fish and seafood, as well as lighter dishes with a bit of spicy heat. The most elegant expression of Chenin Blanc is Savennières, where the vineyard soils are an amalgam of schist, slate, and volcanic rock; the wine is extraordinary. Serve Savennières with roasted or grilled chicken and seasonal, local vegetables. This wine is a bit pricier, starting in the mid-to-high $20s, and moving up from there. Perhaps the most amazing of all the Savennières wines is the grand cru Coulée de Serrant, grown in the biodynamic vineyards of Nicolas Joly, which can age for decades, and at more than $75 per bottle is not a casual purchase, but keep it in mind for a very special occasion and a very special dinner.

Also from the Loire Valley comes the definitive Old World Sauvignon Blanc, grown in the eastern Loire vineyards of Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Quincy, and Ménétou-Salon. Pouilly-Fumé is the most complex, and often the most expensive of the four appellations, and might need richer food. The other three districts produce leaner wines, mineral-driven on the nose and palate, which I consider to be more food-friendly and wallet-friendly choices for the Summer. Sancerre is easy to find, and will probably cost in the mid-$20 range, but look for Quincy and Ménétou-Salon, equally as expressive as Sancerre, but at prices that should not exceed the mid-teens. The classic match with any of these wines is fresh goat cheese (and the Hudson Valley has some of the best in the world), but the wines will also marry well with grilled fatty fish, such as salmon, served with a fresh and local peach and corn salsa.

While the Loire Valley is a treasure trove of affordable Summer whites, I want to put in a plug for a real bargain from Burgundy. White Bourgogne is a "sleeper wine," often overlooked (the wine may be 100% Chardonnay or a blend of Chardonnay and Aligoté; if the label reads "Chardonnay" it's 100%). Technically, the grapes can be sourced anywhere in Burgundy (Bourgogne), but the best producers (négociants) often make their Bourgogne wines from the surplus grapes from their best vineyards. Probably the best $10 wine I've had in my life is the 2011 Bourgogne Chardonnay "Laforet" from Joseph Drouhin. A medium-bodied white with just the right balance of fruit, acidity, a tiny, teasing, sexy kiss of oak, and a long finish. I buy this delicious screwcap-finished gem by the case and love to pair it with grilled fish, white meats, mushroom risotto, roasted seasonal veggies, or a burger, a roast beef or turkey sandwich and potato salad for a picnic or cookout.

Even Bordeaux, a legendary region for expensive reds and complex whites, produces a great Summer wine at a great price: Entre Deux Mers. This wine is a Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend and is just the thing for simply prepared fish dishes, fresh cheeses, roasted or sautéed veggies, and most of all, oysters. Fruity but dry, with a bit of melon and brininess on the nose and palate, Entre Deux Mers (usually $10-$15) is a real warm-weather treat.

Leaving France, there are many countries and many regions to explore for great Summer whites. Starting in the Minho region of Portugal, the quintessential patio pounder is Vinho Verde, an ultra light, often spritzy white that should be drunk as young and fresh as possible. Some Vinho Verde wines are vintage dated (about $10-$12), some are not (these should be well under $10), but all, by law, must print on their back labels the year that the wine was bottled, and that's the most important date for this wine; it’s probably in six point type. Do not buy a Vinho Verde that was bottled more than two years ago; the fresher the better. Enjoy with a salad of local greens, local cheese, and fruity vinaigrette, or with cured, poached, or fried fish, fresh sardines, and salty, spicy, smoky snacks.

There are two medium-bodied whites from Spain that I crave during the hot weather months: Verdejo from Rueda and Albariño from Rías Baixas. Verdejo is amazingly floral on the nose, redolent with the aromas of honeysuckle, tulips, orchids, as well as the alluring smells of tropical fruits. On the palate, Verdejo is fruit-driven but with a dry finish and medium-bodied. The ideal wine for tapas-style dining - anything from camarones (shrimp) to jamón (cured ham) and everything in between. Albariño cries out for fish and seafood stews, and is the perfect accompaniment to bouillabaisse, cioppino, zuppa di pesce, or paella.

Italy has a wide variety of affordable dry whites ($10 to under-$20) that marry well with the foods and climate of Summer. These light-to-medium bodied wines are at their best when served with fish and seafood because they are fresh and crisp, bringing out the salinity of the dish and the fruit in the wine. Some of my favorites: from the Piedmont region: super-fresh Gavi and the slightly more complex Arneis; from Veneto: Soave Classico; from Tuscany: Vernaccia di San Gimignano; from Lazio: Frascati Superiore; from Marche: Verdicchio; from Umbria: Orvieto Classico; from Friuli-Venezia Giulia: Friulano (formerly Tocai Friulano); from Alto Adige: Pinot Grigio; from Campania: Falanghina; from Sicily: Ansonica/Cataratto blends; from Sardinia: Vermentino di Gallura.

If you've never tried the great whites of Greece, this Summer is a good time to start. Try Moschofilero from the Mantinia wine region on the Peloponnese (about $15). A white wine made from a pale-red grape, Moschofilero features seductive aromatics: rose petal and ginger, with tropical fruits on the palate.

When it comes to Germany, just remember these two words and this one region: Riesling Kabinett from the Mosel. These are the best examples in the world of ripe Riesling in a dry to semi-dry style that will pair beautifully with pan-fried freshwater fish, poultry and pork, as well as a plate of local cheeses and locally cured meats. Riesling Kabinett also marries especially well with spicy vegetarian dishes, as do all of these Summer whites. Prices start at under $15 and peak in the mid-$20s.

In the New World of whites, I don't have many surprises. My go-to wine in the heat of the Summer remains well-chilled Sauvignon Blanc. Whether from New Zealand, Chile, Australia, or California, New World Sauvignon Blanc delivers the goods: fresh fruit flavors in the attack, high acidity to refresh and stimulate the palate, and a finish of almost under-ripe tropical fruits and a pleasant grassiness that is its signature. I am also a huge fan of crisp, refreshing, fruit-driven dry Riesling, especially from the vineyards of the Finger Lakes. Locally, I'm increasingly impressed with the quality of the Hudson Valley's white hybrid-based wines that fit the Summer profile, including unoaked Seyval Blanc, and especially Traminette, which, while maintaining its light body manages to exude the exotic spiciness of its vinifera parent, Gewurztraminer.

This gazetteer of Summer whites is just a jumping-off point for those of you who may want to find a favorite or for those who want to try as many wines as they can during the Summer months. Just remember that when you eat lighter you drink lighter, and don't hesitate to try something new and different. When you pair Summer whites with Summer foods in the company of good friends and loved ones, you just can't go wrong.

Hard Cider: What's Old is New

Historically, cider – the hard stuff - is the alcoholic beverage of choice in the Hudson Valley; wine is a relative newcomer. In fact, from the founding of the Republic and until Prohibition became the law of the nation (1919-1933), hard cider was the most popular fermented drink in the United States. Carrie Nation (1846-1911), the hatchet-wielding radical Prohibitionist wielded her battle-axe not only to destroy taverns and saloons, but also apple trees. It was not until about 1900 that apples began to be promoted as a health food, when the Welsh proverb “Eat an apple on going to bed / And you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread” became the American cliché “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

While it’s true that eating apples is a healthy habit, not all apples are meant for eating out of hand. In fact, a relatively small number of the thousands of unique apple types (at least 7,500 and perhaps as many as 15,000) found all over the world taste good in the raw. The wild ancestor of the domestic apple cultivars, malus domestica, originated in Kazakhstan as the malus sieversii, and these ancient forerunners can still be found in Western Asia today. The reason that there are still so many thousands of types of apples is because of the apple seed.

If you plant, or if nature disperses the seeds of a McIntosh apple, for example, you won’t get a McIntosh apple growing on your apple tree. There’s no predicting what you’ll get in seven to ten years. This is true with all apples. Commercially, apples are planted with grafted saplings of the desired apple, but seeds will produce unknown varieties, and few will make for good eating; in fact, most will be inedible as a hand fruit.

John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed (1774-1845) brought apples to the American frontier, and was a successful nurseryman whose nurseries spread from Massachusetts to Indiana. He was also a missionary who spread the word of Emanuel Swedenborg. Swedenborgians believed that nature was powerful, and that apples should be planted from seeds only. Chapman preached this gospel to all who would listen and planted according to his faith. The result was a pomaceous bounty of biodiversity: hundreds, perhaps thousands of types of wild apples, almost all of them inedible, but perfect for fermenting into cider and distilling into applejack (the early settlers practiced “freeze distillation,” which concentrated the alcohol in the cider to as high as 40%, by separating frozen water from the unfrozen alcohol). Johnny Appleseed brought the source of a great American beverage – cider - to our frontier settlements, and for that we should be forever grateful.

New York State, especially the Hudson Valley, became cider central in the early days of the Republic. Thomas Jefferson’s favorite apple for both cooking and cider was the Esopus Spitzenburg, discovered in Ulster County and transplanted at Monticello. John Adams drank a pint of cider every morning for breakfast to aid digestion, but he missed the discovery of the Jonathan apple in Woodstock (circa 1900) by about 100 years. When Prohibition became law, Hudson Valley apple growers transitioned to eating apples, and over time biodiversity was largely replaced by the fifteen most popular cultivars grown and sold throughout the United States that account for 90% of total production: Braeburn, Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Ginger Gold, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Idared, Jonagold, Jonathan, McIntosh, Red Delicious, and Rome.

According to the most recent USDA Agricutural Census (2007; a new census will be completed this year), between the years 2002 and 2007, apple acreage in the Hudson Valley declined by 14%. Perhaps more significant is the fact that the total number of apple orchards dropped by 25% (source: Glynwood’s “The Apple Project,” dedicated to preserving apple orchards and biodiversity by encouraging the production of hard cider and apple-based spirits. Check out Glynwood’s project and the “Hudson Valley Cider Route” at www.appleproject.glynwood.org).

It is tough being an apple farmer in the Hudson Valley. Land prices and taxes are very high. Farmers who spend their lives making a modest living “live poor and die rich” due to our state and federal tax structures. Add to this the understandable but lamentable temptation to cash out, selling farmland for residential and commercial development. Finally, very few of the sons and daughters of farmers want to embrace the hardscrabble and unpredictable life that is farming; the average age of the Hudson Valley farmer is close to 60 years old.

Cider was for a long time viewed as a byproduct of commercial apple orchards, especially in the ubiquitous Hudson Valley “U-Pick-‘Em” farms, where customers, many of them visitors to the Valley, get to pick their own produce for a reasonable price. Apples have some of the longest seasons on these farms, depending on the varieties, stretching from early summer through autumn, and so represent an important cash crop. Lately, however, growers have recognized that cider can be the most important product of apple production, not just an agricultural offshoot. And it’s not just farmers that are waking up to the importance of cider, it’s consumers.

In the August 8th, 2012 “Shanken News Daily,” an on-line wine, spirits, and beer trade newsletter published by the same folks that publish Wine Spectator magazine, the lead story was “U.S. Cider Segment Showing Torrid Growth.” The post cites the following compelling info:

• In the last year, domestic cider sales in the were up by 23%, to 5.7 million cases (a case is 12 bottles);

• The growth is “triggering a flurry of new product launches,” including Angry Orchard Cider (produced by Boston Beer – that’s Sam Adams) and Michelob Ultra Light Cider (a low-calorie entry from Anheuser Busch). MillerCoors owns Crispin Cider, which has seen phenomenal growth, approaching 1.4 million cases by the end of 2012;

• The #1 cider producer in the country is Vermont Hard Cider, known for its Woodchuck Cider brand, which last year grew 32.8%, passing the 2 million case mark, expecting to reach 3 million cases by the end of 2012.

Reading these numbers, you might think that the artisan ciders made in the Hudson Valley are mere asterisks, local curiosities, but you’d be wrong. The largest cider producer in New York State is located in Orange County, in the town of Warwick. Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery produces 100,000 gallons/nearly 50,000 cases of Doc’s Draft ciders annually, in both 22 ounce bottles and kegs for use in bars and restaurants (about 50% kegs, 50% bottles). Co-owners Jason Grizzanti, (he makes the ciders as well as the distilled spirits) and Jeremy Kidde (in charge of sales and marketing) have been producing and selling cider since 1994, but really stepped up their game in 2002, when they purchased new equipment and entered into a business relationship with a multistate distributor. Today, Doc’s Draft has a major presence in supermarkets, wine and liquor stores (cider, unlike wine, can be sold in both venues in New York State), and bars and restaurants, mostly in the metro New York City and Philadelphia areas. According to Grizzanti, who holds a degree in Pomology (fruit science) from Cornell, interest in the products in Hudson Valley restaurants and bars is “growing,” but falls short of a local embrace of local cider.

Currently, there are four types of Doc’s ciders, all sparkling, all apple-based: Original Apple, Pear, Raspberry, and the seasonal ciders: Black Currant (Summer), Sour Cherry (Spring), Pumpkin (Autumn), and Spiced (Winter). All of the fruit used in Doc’s ciders are sourced in New York State, and both Grizzanti and Kidde are committed to purchasing as much Hudson Valley fruit as possible.

“We have to get the best possible fruit to make both our ciders and our spirits, top quality is important,” according to Grizzanti. Kidde adds that Doc’s purchases great fruit from local growers that “might not be cosmetically perfect, maybe with some blemishes, so the farmers can’t sell them as eating apples. But they don’t have to look good for cider, they just have to taste great.”

Grizzanti notes that Doc’s uses eating apples for their ciders, not bitter, tannic cider apples. “We focus on Jonagolds, Empires, Northern Spys and Macs.” The flavors of the ciders reflect the apple choices. They have a semi-dry taste, with a sweet edge in the finish, and make an excellent introduction to cider for novice drinkers. Doc’s ciders work well with spicy, salty, smoky foods, lots of Asian and Latin dishes. The Raspberry cider is a good match with dark chocolate. www.docshardcider.com

Perhaps the polar opposite of Doc’s is Aaron Burr Cider, produced in Wurtsboro, NY, by Andy Brennan, a painter, who owns the cidery with his wife, Polly Giragosian, a fiber artist. Aaron Burr Cider is named for one of New York’s founding fathers and a controversial figure, Burr was at one time Jefferson’s vice-president, and he fatally shot Alexander Hamilton in a duel; Jefferson dropped him from the ticket. Burr’s pistol is featured on the cider’s label.

Aaron Burr Homestead Cider is bone dry, complex, naturally sparkling in the bottle with the yeast intact, aged for a year before its unfiltered release, and is made from cider apples: Pippins and an unidentified blend of 50 to 100 different wild and abandoned apples that Brennan and Goragosian forage. “The best place to find wild apples for our cider is at the peak of the Shawangunk Ridge – in the woods and on hay farms, just where Sullivan County borders Orange and Ulster counties,” according to Brennan.

The Homestead Cider is a revelation, a lively balance of fruit, acid and astringent tannins, with hints of melon and lemon in the finish. It is an extraordinary accompaniment to food, especially fish, lighter white meat dishes, and semi-soft cheeses. I loved it with angel hair pasta tossed with a mélange of local tomatoes, garlic, wild arugula, and homemade mozzarella. The sparkling Ginger Cider, which uses mostly Russets and some wild fruit, is fermented over grated ginger and carrot root. An amazing drink, it reminded me of a bubbly wild ginseng tonic, and is great with spicy food and dishes that feature ginger, galangal, or lemon grass. Brennan also makes a “Ciser,” a cider fermented with wild, local honey with a kiss of French oak. It too, is delicious; spicy, but with a subtle richness in the finish. Aaron Burr is cider for people who love the driest, almost austere white wines, such as Alsace Riesling or Gewurztraminer, or Sancerre from the Loire Valley.

Brennan makes about 500 gallons of cider – about 2,000 bottles total - and is hoping to produce maybe 1,000 gallons in the near future. The Aaron Burr orchard is less than five acres, and has 400 trees, mostly wild apples planted from seedlings, and some trees planted from cuttings from heirloom English varieties of cider apples. And 25 Esopus Spitzenburg trees. www.aaronburrcider.com

Applewood Winery is located in Warwick, not far from Doc’s, and is a small hard cider producer. Jonathan Hull grew up on his 100 acre farm, which has 40 acres of apple trees. At Applewood, Jonathan, who owns the farm with his wife, Michele Hull, makes about 4,000 gallons of Naked Flock cider per year. He produces Original, Pumpkin, and Draft (made with a Belgian ale yeast and a touch of maple syrup). The Hulls self-distribute their ciders, but are in talks with a regional distributor to expand their market, which means Jonathan will be making more cider in the future.

The Hulls maintain most of their orchard for eating apples that are sold at Applewood and in local stores. “For our ciders we are proud that we purchase only Hudson Valley fruit. Our cider is about 25% Northern Spy, some Winesaps, and about a 50% blend of several other eating apples. We don’t use any cider-only apples.”

I tried the Naked Flock Original hard cider and it is delicious. Sparkling, with a sweet edge, the cider is refreshing and easy to drink on its own or with lighter, spiced foods. At less than 7% alcohol (most of the ciders I tasted were roughly in the 6% to 8.5% range), Naked Flock has the familiar taste of farm-fresh sweet cider, but with just a bit of a bubbly kick. www.applewoodwinery.com

Elizabeth Ryan has been farming in the Hudson Valley for the past 30 years. She owns Breezy Hill Farms in Staatsburg, NY and leases farm land for Stone Ridge Orchards in the eponymous town, and a farm in Hudson, at the foot of the historic Olana estate, home to the 250 acre estate of the esteemed Hudson River School painter Frederic Church. Altogether, Ryan and her crews farm 150 acres of farmland.

Speaking to the challenges of farming, Ryan says “I almost called our current cider ‘Windfall Cider,’ because we lost so much fruit to the hurricanes last year.” Her Hudson Valley Farmhouse Cider, which is one of the few near-still ciders I tasted, is a blend of Winesap, Honeycrisp, and other sweet eating apples. Yet, the cider is bone dry, with about 7.5% alcohol.

Ryan produces about 3,000 to 5,000 bottles of cider, depending on growing conditions in the orchards. She cool-ferments the juice as slowly as possible, and the finished cider is unfiltered. The cider is excellent, well-balanced, and reminiscent of a fruity but dry wine, such as Muscadet or Sauvignon Blanc.

Visiting the Le Perche agricultural district of Normandy, France, home to the traditional French sparkling ciders made from cultivars such as Bisquet, Joly Rouge, Douce Coet, Binet Rouge, Mettais, Petit Jaune, and Judor, was a revelation for Ryan.

“There are 600 varieties of apples grown in Le Perche, and 200 are indigenous. Etienne Dupont grows thirteen different cider apples on 74 acres to make several different ciders and Calvados (apple brandy).”

Dupont (www.calvados-dupont.com) is a legend in cider circles. All of his ciders are vintage dated, and they are as prized as some of the finest Champagnes of France. I have been fortunate enough to taste some of his cidres, and the superlative descriptors are appropriate, especially for the Cidre Bouché (current vintage: 2010), as terroir-driven as a great red Burgundy (and a steal at about $15).

Ryan shares that “When I asked Etienne Dupont for some advice on what Hudson Valley farmers should do to assure a future for great cider, he said ‘You need to re-indigenize your varieties.’ “ This is a holistic, even radical approach that will take 50 to 100 years to come to fruition, as it means that Hudson Valley cider apples will need to be planted from seedlings and selected not only for cider flavor characteristics, but also how each variety expresses the soil, the environment, the terroir.

All of the cider producers I spoke with are maintaining a sustainable economic model for their work, some comfortably, some just barely. They are making an artisanal agricultural product in a challenging economic environment and a shifting climactic environment. As Ryan observes, “It’s very difficult for farmers in the Hudson Valley. We do anything we can to pay bills, and just as important, pay our employees well. We want to build community around farms to sustain people now and in the future.”

Speaking of community, don’t miss the Hudson Valley Cider Festival on the weekend of October 20th and 21st at the Stone Ridge Orchard. (For more info, call 845.266.3979 or visit www.hudsonvalleycider.com). Ryan and her staff will be conducting a Cider Workshop, teaching attendees how to make cider at home. And the good news is that cider is not hard to make, it’s just hard when you drink it.

Warm Weather Reds

With welcome warm weather upon us, most wine and food enthusiasts think about light wines to pair with light foods. And when we think “light,” most often we also think “white.” Makes sense. Fresh greens and veggies from the garden, and fish and chicken hot off the outdoor grill all cry out for white wines, right?

No doubt whites like Sauvignon Blanc, dry Riesling, and Viognier strut their stuff when paired with lighter dishes. Likewise Vinho Verde from Portugal, Albariño from Spain, Vermentino and Falanghina from Italy, Muscadet from France, and Moschofilero from Greece are wonderful accompaniments to the low-intensity/high energy foods we like to eat outdoors in the sunshine or indoors during the moderate cool of the evening. And if there is one white wine and food pairing that should probably be the gustatory signature of the Hudson Valley, it’s our local sweet corn with local Chardonnay; wow, what a treat.

Admittedly, I, like most of us, think of whites as my go-to wines in warm weather, but in the back of my mind, I’m “thinking red.” Here’s why: there is a plethora of lighter red wines that can successfully, even excitingly, cross over into the territory usually reserved for whites. These wines are lighter and simpler, fruit-driven, with only moderate tannins but with plenty of thirst-quenching acidity. And now for the really good part: these wines tend to be so inexpensive that they can’t help but under-promise and over-deliver. In other words, you get true bang for your buck and at the same time you get a memorable food and wine experience.

So, where to start? How about with rosés, dry but bursting with red berry fruit accents. True rosé is true red wine, made only from red grapes with minimal skin contact during fermentation (the skin is where all the color is). I say “true rosé,” because outside of the wine-producing nations of Europe, it’s legal to make rosé from a blend of white and red wine, so I suggest sticking with European rosé or with a New World producer known for the quality of its rosé, or, easily enough, a New World rosé that you like. If you’re grilling kebabs, poultry, fish – especially salmon – rosé is a great match. A backyard burger is a real crowd pleaser with rosé, as well as a sandwich of grilled vegetables and mozzarella, turkey with a sweet/savory cranberry relish, or roast beef served with local potato salad.

If you’ve never tried cool, crisp rosé with foods you love to eat when the weather turns warm, you’re in for a surprise and a treat. If you already have experience with this style of wine and therefore crave rosé with this kind of food, you’ve got some great choices available to you. My advice is to focus on wine regions of the world that are known not only for the quality of their wines, but specifically for the quality of their rosé. This leads me first to Provence in France, where rosé rules. Next, I would look for wines from Navarra, Spain. There are fine rosé wines from other parts of the world, but if you’re looking for a wine redolent of strawberry, raspberry, and cranberry all wrapped up in a dry, refreshing package then look no further than Provence or Navarra. This time of year there should be a terrific selection of these wines available in good wine shops and there’s absolutely no reason for you to pay more than about $15 for the best of these wines. In fact, you’ll probably be able to find some of these gems for less than $10.

What about “real reds,” wines that look dark in the glass, but are light on the palate? We have such a tremendous selection of warm-weather reds to choose from that the only hard work we have to do is choose one (or two, or three, or…). Some of these wines will be recognizable to you but you may never have thought of them as thirst-quenching warm weather wines. Some of these wines may not be so familiar, but believe me, they’re worth trying. And for those of you who are old hands at enjoying lighter reds with lighter foods, maybe there’s a couple of new wines to consider. What do these wines bring to the party?

Well, first of all they are great guests. They don’t fade into the background. They are spicy and zesty; they bring the fun and excitement, but they’re not too loud and not self-centered. They virtually sing for their supper, but in perfect harmony. These reds remind us that wine is food; it just happens to be in a glass. As if by magic, these wines create another sauce, another spice, and undiscovered flavors so dramatic that it becomes hard to imagine the food without the wine, the wine without the food.

Here are some ideas for great red wines that will accompany/pair/rendezvous/consummate/marry/honor the wonderful aromas, flavors, and textures of the food we love when it’s hot outside. Any of these wines will add a thrilling dimension to foods prepared and served al fresco – fish, poultry, leaner cuts of red meat, served with seasonal greens, veggies, potatoes, and our extraordinary local tomatoes (botanically it’s a fruit, but according to the Supreme Court [Nix v. Hedden, 1893], it’s a vegetable).

But first… A service note: just chill. No, seriously – chill these reds for about a half-hour or so before pouring to bring out the red-fruit freshness in the wine. Certainly not mandatory, but highly recommended in warm weather.

And then…

A buying tip: Do not spend a lot of money on these wines. It may seem counterintuitive, but you are not looking for the most complex examples of these wines; quite the opposite. You’re looking for good, eminently drinkable, simpler versions of these wines. Especially when it comes to California’s versions of these wines, this is where popular varietals and national brands (Woodbridge, Smoking Loon, Fetzer, Pepperwood, etc.) perform a highly useful service. Same goes for Chile (Concha y Toro, Santa Rita, etc.)

California: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zinfandel, and Syrah are the go-to choices for me. Pinot Noir and lighter versions of Merlot will work wonders with both fish and meat dishes. I’d reserve the Zin and Syrah for white and red meats, and roasted or grilled veggies. With these wines, observing my buying tip (above) will serve you well. You’ll create a winning wine and food pairing with simpler versions of these reds and save some serious money in the bargain. A good, local/regional alternate choice: Hudson Valley or Finger Lakes Pinot Noir.

 France:
• Beaujolais-Villages is made from 100% Gamay grapes. The wine is driven by the aromas and flavors of red berries, with moderately high acidity. A good local alternative: Hudson Valley-produced Gamay Noir from Whitecliff Vineyard.
• Bourgogne is made from Pinot Noir, or maybe a Pinot Noir/Gamay blend. Either way, this is a lighter, simpler version of the best Burgundy has to offer.
• Côte du Rhône is a blended wine anchored by Grenache, that will perform perfectly with simply –prepared white and red meats.

Italy: Valpolicella is a Corvina-focused red blend that adds a saucy, spicy flair to summer meals, as does its geographical neighbor in Veneto, Bardolino. Chianti is an elegant expression of Tuscany’s Sangiovese grape, which turns earthy when paired with simple foods, No need to seek out the more complex and more expensive Classico or Riserva versions. Keep it simple. Dolcetto d’Alba and Barbera d’Asti from the Piedmont region are ideal choices for meat-based dishes, and Barbera’s high acidity resonates perfectly with tomatoes.

Spain: Rioja can take on many guises based on age and style. For uncomplicated summer dishes you’re looking for the simpler Cosecha, Crianza, or Roble versions: young wines with a spicy attitude and more than a little bit of soul.

Chile: Carmenère is a juicy, straightforward red with pungent berry overtones. An easy match with the fresh flavors of summer. In a pinch, lighter, inexpensive versions of Chilean Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon will work, but Carmenère, which is now widely available, is the more exciting choice.

Argentina: Malbec is synonymous with beef in any and all of its manifestations. Look for a young, lighter, less expensive style. A bottle that fits the bill perfectly and is widely available: Trapiche “Oak Cask.”

So, next time you’re getting ready to fire up the grill, and you start to think about the wine you’d like to drink with the flavors of summer, why not “think red”? By choosing warm weather red wines with your meal you’ll provide good food with good wine at a good price, and hopefully with good company. A balanced equation for both your wallet and your senses. 

Here is a list of some warm-weather rosé and red wines that are sure to please; all of the wines retail for less than $25, and most are less than $15. This list is by no means exhaustive, just a jumping-off point for your own favorite selections.

Rosés:  USA: from Long Island: Channing Daughters or Wölffer Estate; from California: Bonny Doon Vin Gris, Gundlach Bundschu, Hendry, Amador Foothills, Fritz, Tablas Creek, Quivira, Foppiano, Bonterra, “Sofia” by Francis Ford Coppola.

France: from Provence: Mas de Gourgonnier, Mas de la Dame, Commanderie de Peyrassol, Château du Rouet, Corail, Cape Bleue, Château Routas; from Tavel in the Rhône Valley: Château d’Aqueria, Domaine Lafond, Château de Trinquevedel.

Spain: from Rioja: Muga, El Coto, Marques de Caceres, Marques de Riscal, CVNE, Faustino; from Navarra: Chivite “Gran Fuedo,” Vega Sindoa, Ochoa.

Italy: from Veneto: Bardolino Chiaretto Cavalchina or Tre Colline; from Sicily: Planeta or Regaleali; from Campania: Mastroberardino; from Tuscany: Banfi “Centine,” or Coltibuono “Cetamura”.

Reds: USA: from the Hudson Valley: Pinot Noir produced by Millbrook, Robibero, Oak Summit, Bashakill; Chelois produced by Hudson-Chatham, Genoa produced by Cereghino Smith; from California: Light, simple Pinot Noir from value-driven producers, such as Pepperwood, Woodbridge, Mirassou, Smoking Loon, Fetzer; Zinfandel produced by Bogle, Edmeades, Rancho Zabaco, Dancing Bull, Ravenswood Vintner’s Blend, Rosenblum Vintners Cuvée, Seghesio, Renwood.

France: from Beaujolais: Beaujolais-Villages or any of the “Cru” Beaujolais (Morgon, Fleurie, Juliénas, Moulin-A-Vent, etc.) from Georges Duboeuf, Sylvain Fessy, Michel Tête, Jean-Paul Brun, or Louis Jadot. Great Hudson Valley alternative: Gamay Noir from Whitecliff Vineyard; from Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Rhone-Villages, or Côtes du Ventoux: Jean-Luc Colombo, Guigal, Jaboulet “Parallèle 45”, Perrin Réserve, or La Vielle Ferme; from Burgundy: Bourgogne, Cote de Beaune-Villages, Côte de Nuits-Villages, Hautes Côtes de Beaune or Hautes Côtes de Nuits from Jadot, Drouhin, Bouchard, Bachelet, Mortot, Rion, Michel Gros, Thevenot Le Brun & Fils.

Italy: Chianti produced by Malenchini, Coltibuono, Banfi, Antinori, Castellare, Gabbiano, and Melini; Valpolicella and Bardolino produced by Allegrini, Masi, Tomassi, Zenato, Bertani, Boscaini, Accordini, Guerrieri Rizzardi, Le Fraghe, Ronca, and Bolla; Dolcetto and Barbera produced by Marcarini, Pio Cesare, Chionetti, Einaudi, Vietti, Vigne Regali, Renato Ratti; Barbera produced by Boeri, Cascina Castlet, Chiarlo, Borgogno, Icardi, Braida, Marchesi di Gresy.

Spain: Rioja Crianza produced by: Vivanco, Montecillo, Conde de Valdemar, CVNE, La Rioja Alta, Marqués de Cáceres, Marqués de Riscal, Faustino, Bogegas lan, Marqués de Arienzo, Muga, Marqués de Murrieta, Viña Izadi.

Chile: Carmenère produced by Emiliana, Arboleda, Casa Julia, Casillero del Diablo, Errazuriz, Carmen, MontGras, and Santa Rita. Argentina: Lighter, simpler, inexpensive versions of Malbec produced by: Luigi Bosca, Trapiche, Norton, O. Fournier, Trumpeter, Alamos, Yellow+Blue, Finca El Portillo.

Hudson River Region: A Sense of Place

Recently, a local winemaker was kind enough to send me a sample bottle of wine to taste, and it was terrific. According to the written blurb accompanying the wine, the wine was estate-bottled, made from grapes grown on the winery’s own vineyards, here in the Hudson River Region American Viticultural Area (AVA). I was excited to taste the wine, and was even more excited that the wine was superb in my glass and on my palate.

 But something was wrong. Here was a wonderful and truly local wine made with care and passion, but the wine label did not read “Hudson River Region,” it read “New York State.” Usually, when a wine produced in the Hudson Valley carries the New York State appellation it means that, by law, at least 25% - and usually a lot more – of the grapes were grown elsewhere in New York State, possibly in the Finger Lakes or Long Island wine regions. But such was not the case with this wine.

 In an e-mail, I asked the winemaker “If this is an ‘Estate’ wine, why is the appellation New York State, not the Hudson River Region AVA?” The answer surprised me. The winemaker assured me that the wine was estate-bottled – “grown here in our vineyard” - with no grapes brought in from other New York State regions, but “the Hudson Valley does not have the best of reputations, and when I enter any of my wines in contests, they seem to do better with a New York State rather than a Hudson Valley (label).”

 In my e-mail response I then had to ask: “How will the AVA ever surmount its perceived reputation if the best estate-bottled wines made in the region don’t use the Hudson River Region AVA name on the label?” I never got a response to my question.

 The “contests” that the winemaker referred to are, of course, wine competitions that can add to a wine’s reputation and the overall reputation of the winery with consumers. As someone who has judged several wine competitions, including the Hudson Valley Wine Competition three times, my experience has been exactly the opposite of the winemaker’s. I, and many of my fellow judges, have looked first and foremost for true Hudson Valley wines, wines that express a sense of place that can be ascribed to our local vineyards. While it’s always a wonderful experience to taste a fine wine, that experience is heightened when you know you are tasting a wine that is the product of local terroir – the environmental imperatives of soil type, sunshine, rain, wind, elevation – that conspire to create a unique wine.

 People who are willing to pay serious money for wine do not do so based soely on the grape varietal, but the place in which that grape grows. We call some of the most exquisite sparkling wines on the planet Champagne because that’s where the vineyards are. We don’t call it “Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier with Bubbles.” Great white Burgundy is by law 100% Chardonnay, but we call it (for example), Puligny-Montrachet or Meursault, the villages that contain those Chardonnay vineyards. We don’t call esteemed estate-bottled red Bordeaux wines “a Cabernet/Merlot Blend,” we call them Château Mouton-Rothschild or Château Margaux. We name these terroir-driven Old World wines, and others such as Rioja or Chianti or Barolo, for the place that nurtures the vines, not the vines themselves.

 Even in the New World, where we most often name our wines for varietals, “place” is still important. Would you pay as much money for a “Cabernet Sauvignon labeled “California” as you would for one labeled “Napa Valley,” or a Pinot Noir labeled “Oregon” instead of “Willamette Valley?” Closer to home, how about a “Finger Lakes” Riesling versus a “New York State” bottling, or a “Hudson River Region” Cabernet Franc (a grape that can perform beautifully here) versus a “New York State” version? A Hudson River Region Seyval Blanc (one of our leading hybrid grapes) versus a New York State Seyval Blanc?

 I am the last person to tell our local wine producers how to sell their wines or conduct their businesses. I appreciate that wine is agriculture, and that Hudson Valley winemakers, like all farmers, have to work hard to make their lives economically sustainable. But as someone who believes that the community of winemakers in the Hudson Valley is capable of producing fine, even world class wines, I think it is important to promote the quality of the wine produced here, especially when those wines rise to that high level. Our best winemakers are now producing wines that can share the table with many of the world’s best bottles, and it’s important that everyone drinking that wine know – and remember – that the grapes are grown and the wine is produced in the Hudson River Region AVA. If wine drinkers become aware that these extraordinary wines exhibit a sense of local place they will take them seriously and seek them out. That can only be good for the reputation of the entire Hudson Valley wine industry.

 Of course, some Hudson Valley wine producers choose to work with fruit sourced from other parts of New York State, or even other states such as California. Sometimes these producers don’t own any vineyard land or enough vineyard land to grow enough grapes to remain economically viable. Alternately, some producers may choose to produce wines from grapes that don’t do as well here in the Hudson Valley as they might do in Long Island (Merlot comes to mind). For these wines the “New York State” appellation makes sense. In addition, the wines may be quite good, and their production helps to nurture and expand the local wine industry. These wines, while they do not reflect the terroir of the Hudson Valley, still can be well-made and true to varietal type, and will certainly help to spread the word that good wine is being made here.

 I guess I want to encourage those Hudson Valley wine producers that are making their wines from grapes grown in local vineyards to be proud of what they have accomplished, and not to worry about what I can only describe as ill-informed, inexperienced, or just plain ignorant judges of wine competitions who prefer the generic qualities of New York State wines to the complex profile of Hudson River Region wines. I know that last year, when I judged the Hudson Valley Wine Competition, I was happy to see far more labels sporting the Hudson River Region AVA than ever before. Did I fall in love with every wine just because it featured the local appellation on the label? Of course not. Some of the truly local wines were extraordinarily fine, some quite good, some needed work, but those type of results would be the same the world over, whether the wines being judged came from the Rhône Valley of France or the Douro Valley of Portugal, the Napa Valley of California, the Willamette Valley of Oregon, or the Hudson Valley of New York.

Wine and Global Warming: An Inconvenient Truth

“A poet once said, ‘The whole universe is in a glass of wine.’  We will probably never know in what sense he meant that, for poets do not write to be understood.  But it is true that if we look at a glass of wine closely enough we see the entire universe.  There are the things of physics: the twisting liquid which evaporates depending on the wind and weather, the reflections in the glass, and our imagination adds the atoms.  The glass is a distillation of the earth's rocks, and in its composition we see the secrets of the universe's age, and the evolution of stars.“
- Richard P. Feynman, The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Volume 1

Why does Chardonnay produced from grapes grown in the Hudson Valley taste different from Chardonnay that hails from the Napa Valley, and why does that Chardonnay taste different from a Chardonnay whose home is in Burgundy, France?  You can ask the same question about any wine produced anywhere on earth, and the answer will always boil down to two basics: soil and climate.

Sure, any skilled winemaker can elaborate a wine with a bag of tricks – new oak barrels, malolactic fermentation (changing harsh green acids to smooth, creamy ones), controlling alcohol, tannin, and acidity levels in the finished wine – up or down – and use advanced technology to make oak chips taste like the real thing (the creamy vanilla flavors imparted by an expensive small barrel), and “microxygenate” a red wine; introduce small amounts of oxygen – the element that ages wine - before bottling, so that a young wine tastes like a mature wine within three years instead of ten. I could proffer a laundry list of high-tech approaches to winemaking – including computerized robot wineries - that would stun most wine lovers.

But ask anyone in the world who spends his or her life in the wine business and all of them would agree that great wine is made in the vineyard, not the winery. Just as in cooking, if you start with near-perfect, in-season, local ingredients and then employ the most basic skills in the kitchen, you are likely to create a delicious meal. If, on the other hand, you start with inferior ingredients – vegetables out of season, fish and meat that are really only borderline-fresh, the most talented chef in the world will produce a mediocre meal. The irony is that when you cook with great ingredients, you have to use restraint in the kitchen to highlight the flavors, textures, aromas, and colors of the food – kind of non-interventionist cooking. Alternately, when you cook with mediocre ingredients you have to work so hard to mask the flavors that the finished dish, while perhaps a great creative statement, just doesn’t taste that good. The same is true in winemaking.

When it comes to quality wines, the familiar words “winemaker” and “winemaking” are insufficient. In fact, there is no word for “winemaker” in France, Italy, Spain, or Portugal, among other countries. We should think of these artisans as “winegrowers,” whose activity is “winegrowing.” Why? Because the fact is that when you produce fine wines, the traditional role of winemaker is tossed out the window. The person who ends up making fine wine spends at least as much time in the vineyards as he or she does in the winery, making sure that the grapes – the lifeblood of any wine – are healthy, and picked only under the most ideal conditions. At the same time, the winegrower must respect the soil that gives life to the vine and understands that the climate (or more accurately, the climates, as vineyards have their own microclimates), a quality criterion that is beyond the control of the winegrower, must cooperate each year in order to create a great vintage.

Employing best practices in the vineyard is a universal constant if the winegrower wants to produce a memorable wine, and is a given as part of the wine life cycle. But those practices will differ based on what the French call terroir, a term that is truly ineffable but refers to climate and sun exposure in the vineyard, even to the traditions of the winegrower, but most importantly to the soil. As the famous French vigneron  (winegrower), Jacques Seysses, proprietor of Domaine Dujac, said when asked what were the most important quality issues that allowed him to produce such exquisite red Burgundy wines (100% Pinot Noir),  he answered that “There are three very important things that make our wines great. They are the soil, the soil, and the soil.”

Jacques Seysses’ statement was more like the answer to a Zen koan, a metaphorical slap across the face meant to enlighten us. Of course, he was right. Domaine Dujac, located in the Côte de Nuits region of Burgundy, produces extraordinary Pinot Noir, but so does Domaine Drouhin, located in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.  Look at a map: Oregon is on the same latitude as Burgundy; the climate is similar. Keep looking: Long Island is on the same latitude as Bordeaux. Both regions are strongly influenced by the currents and immediate proximity of the Atlantic Ocean, and both produce classic examples of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Pinot Noir from Burgundy, Pinot Noir from Oregon. Cabernet from Bordeaux, Cabernet from Long Island. Why do these wines taste so extraordinarily different when they’re made from the same grape types? Extreme differences in soils, small differences in climate.

The irony about the best soils for growing grapes for wine is this: the rockiest soils, the least fertile soils, the soils that cannot support so many other crops are often the best soils for wine. Rocky soils rich in limestone, as in Burgundy, or soils filled with fine gravel (Bordeaux), or soils built from the animal and plant life of receding oceans and alluvial fans (the Napa Valley), or soils comprised largely of glacial deposits (the Hudson Valley), all are near-ideal for growing wine grapes. These soils drain easily, don’t hold water at the roots of the vine, and so don’t create conditions that will dilute flavors.

The rich, fertile soils of say, California’s Central Valley are too productive, too rich, too vigorous, and produce too many grapes. Low yields (normally less than three tons of fruit per acre) are what is required to create truly fine wines. Unlike commodity fruit and vegetable production, perfect wine grapes are all about quality – low yields of small berries with a high skin to pulp ratio to create ripe tannins in fine wines - not quantity – high yields of bulbous, heavily irrigated, waterlogged grapes that should end up on our table, not in our glass.

And there is also irony surrounding the climates of the classic winegrowing regions of the world. While it is true that the vine needs the warmth provided by sunshine to ripen properly, the best wines are made from grapes grown “on the margin,” that is in cooler regions where it’s just barely warm enough to ripen the fruit. The reason? Cool climate conditions grant the grapes a healthy dose of acidity, the refreshing, citrus-or-green fruit-sour flavors that make a wine interesting, even compelling. It is that refreshing acidity that makes our mouth water, and encourages us to have another bite of food, another sip of wine.

Wine grapes that grow in warmer climates obviously have no trouble ripening, but their lack of acidity can translate into a flat, flabby uninteresting wine. Also, in hot climates where the grapes border on or jump over the precipice to become over-ripe, the finished wine might be an alcohol bomb, because high amounts of sugar caused by over-ripeness translates into high amounts of alcohol during fermentation of the grape juice. These wines are in-your-face aggressive wines, very popular these days. But try drinking a second glass of an Australian Shiraz or Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, each clocking in at more than 14.5% alcohol, without getting dizzy, sleepy, or stupid (Note: Today I tasted a delicious 1985 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The alcohol: 12% (!), which is unheard of in any Napa Cabs since about 1990).

Soil is a finite resource, and Nature just isn’t making any new earth anytime soon (it took tens of millions of years to create our current terra firma). In order to preserve our soils, land management has become a global public policy issue. Countries that are members of the European Union must agree to a policy that does not allow the creation of any new vineyards. For example, if a winegrower in Spain wants to plant a vineyard, that vineyard must be planted on ground that is already a vineyard, or was a vineyard in the past.  Even in the Napa Valley, a place that has become a monoculture for wine grapes, there is a moratorium on the creation of new wineries, but not new vineyards, at least not yet.  The current price of vineyard land in Napa – roughly $250,000 per planted acre - is probably thought to be its own self-regulating mechanism. In the Hudson Valley, especially the “Lower Valley,” an inconvenient truth is that much of our best farm land, including soils suited to grape growing, has become residential land, housing an increasingly large population that wants to live within striking distance of New York City (my own house, located just outside of Woodstock and built in the late 1950s, sits on a former farm). Our beautiful countryside has changed character in less than a generation: rural to exurbia to creeping suburbia. Of course, prime land prices have skyrocketed into the stratosphere. Today, if someone wanted to plant a new vineyard in the Lower Hudson Valley, he or she would be assured of making a small fortune, because they would have to start with a large fortune.

Still, the wine world is currently riding the crest of a very popular and profitable wave.  And as of 2010, the United States is the #1 consumer of wine, the most important wine market on the planet, eclipsing the traditional wine cultures of Europe. The world stage is set for the continuing and expanded production of premium wines, some driven by consumer demand (e.g., [yellow tail]™), some driven by terroir (e.g., Domaine Dujac). It’s a rosy picture for both wine producer and wine consumer, except for one over-riding, inevitable, and now basically inalterable imperative: global warming.
Like most of us, part of me believes that the current and future castastrophic events caused by global warming are far more serious than whether or not we are able to drink the world’s best wines. But a closer reading of the situation reveals that wine grapes are a reliable bellwether – the canary in the coal mine – for all crops, for all farming. Wine grapes are uniquely sensitive to climatic shifts, and even now global warming is impacting the wines we drink on an everyday basis.

Why are wines from warm growing areas so high in alcohol? Well, consumers have learned to enjoy these punchdrunk wines, but for those who prefer their wines lighter and subtler, the choices are becoming fewer and fewer. Rising alcohol levels in both white and red wines are approaching a situation that is virtually uncontrollable, except by technology. Would it surprise you to know that many of the wines you enjoy are cut with water before bottling to reduce alcohol? Did you know that the “dry” Cabernet you like so much has enough residual sugar in it so that 20 years ago that same wine would have been considered technically “sweet”? Sugar levels in grapes are going through the roof, and that means alcohol and residual sugar are at all-time highs in many wines. Sure, the wines are dramatic, but try pairing them with lighter foods and see how poorly that drama plays out.

In March of 2006, the first conference of wine and global warming was held in Barcelona, Spain, and the information shared by climate scientists and winegrowers was sobering. Spain and Portugal are already suffering the impact of global warming to the point where winegrowers either cannot grow their classic grape varietals because they shrivel in the intense heat, or they have had to invest millions of euros to move their vineyards to higher ground where the vines can enjoy the air conditioning provided by the cool currents wafting through hills and mountainsides. Winegrowers testified that they cannot control the sugars in their grapes and are making wines that don’t come close to expressing true varietal character (the typical taste profiles of Syrah or Chardonnay, for example), much less a sense of place, the terroir of the vine.
The predictions by conference participants for the future of winegrowing, and by extension, agriculture, were uniformly dire. French, Spanish, Australian, and American climate change specialists painted an ugly picture of the world to come: Castilla-LaMancha in Central Spain, which has now endured its third straight year of drought is fast becoming a desert, and will not be able to sustain life, much less grapes, possibly within 20 years; oceanic events will have greater impact on soils than greenhouse emissions as changes in climate will concentrate rainfall, creating flood conditions followed by drought conditions, necessitating sophisticated irrigation systems – now illegal in Europe’s finest wine regions - in order to keep grape quality  and flavor complexity high - taxing regions already hard-pressed for water; an increase of just 1ºC will deplete worldwide water resources by at least 15% by 2030; a rise of 2.5ºC will mean a further 17% depletion by 2060 (clearly, water will become the new oil, and might be distributed just as unfairly; in Europe, the average increase is higher than 2ºC, in Portugal, it’s more than 4.5ºC); add to this the increasing salinity of fresh water resources, and irrigation will require expensive tech-heavy solutions;  at least 2% of the gross national product of developed nations and 5% of the GNC of undeveloped nations will have to be dedicated to staving off the impact of global warming.

The bad news continues.  Dr. Richard Smart of Australia notes that predatory insects, such as the Asian Lady Beetle, that spread plant diseases and traditionally need warm climates to thrive are now common in the vineyards of Germany, Austria, and northern France, not to mention Canada, Italy, and the United States. He also notes that Bordeaux, which is the ancestral home of classic Cabernet Sauvignon, has the same warm climatic conditions as parts of South Australia (home to high-alcohol, jammy Cabs). Incidentally, four billion liters of water are used each year in the Australian wine industry. Consider that Australia is the fifth largest producer of wine in the world (after Italy, France, Spain, and the United States), and you begin to see a massive problem with the impact of climate change on global water resources.
In 20 to 30 years, Burgundy, France will be too warm to plant its classic prized varietal, Pinot Noir, and should think about switching to Cabernet Sauvignon, because its climate will mirror today’s Bordeaux. Bordeaux, which will mirror Valencia, Spain has to think about planting Syrah and Grenache, now grown in the much-warmer Rhone region. And everybody’s talking about buying vineyard land in southern England, usually considered too cool a region for anything but sparkling wines, but may become a leading wine region, along with Canada, in the world of global warming.

In California, the Napa Valley will become as warm as Modesto. Modesto will become as warm as Stockton. Stockton will become as warm as Bakersfield. Barring genetic manipulation of grapes (of course, that research is already ongoing), much of California will become a wine wasteland, producing just-drinkable bulk wines in fancy bottles (Ramp up that marketing machine before it’s too late!).

What to do? I would be the last person to advise anyone not to continue to enjoy wine, one of the astounding miracles of nature. But the next time you sip your favorite wine, maybe think about it a little differently. The message is clear: wine is a precious product of nature, and its future is threatened. In your glass of pleasure there is also a microcosm of our shared environmental concerns, concerns that can no longer be ignored, no longer be denied.

Global warming and wine: an inconvenient truth that has yet to resonate with much of the global wine industry, much less wine consumers. Like so much of the science of climate change that has been made public, our government has chosen to ignore the facts, keeping its head in the sand. And now it’s too late for our generation. If the United States ratified the Kyoto Protocol tomorrow, the impact on the environment would not be felt for 150 years (but don’t we need to think about our grandchildren and their children?)

Perhaps Dr. Greg Jones, a winegrower who is also a climatologist at Southern Oregon University, posited the challenge best, when he said at the Barcelona conference, "Governments don't always have a solution for our problems...and Hollywood won't make a movie about gradual climate change."