"Ooh, that sounds fun. I've always wanted to know how they make ice wine." That was the response I got when I mentioned I was heading to Canada to visit a winery. Understandably so, given that this was the view I got on my way up there. And, I knew I was taking a risk flying to Buffalo in January, which gets an average 25 inches of snow during the first month of the year. ​I wasn't quite sure what to expect but tasting a lot of ice wine seemed likely; after all, that's what the Niagara Peninsula is known for, right? In reality, of the 22 wines I tasted during my visit to Cave Spring Cellars, only one of them was an ice wine, and we really only tasted it as an afterthought.


I met Tom Pennachetti just before lunch on a Thursday. The flight had been brief--shorter than my normal commute in fact--and the drive fairly straightforward (though I was a little surprised they had let me into Canada so freely, this being the day before the inauguration of the president who's election had caused such an interest in moving to Canada that the Canadian embassy site had crashed). We went over some business, case depletions and sales incentives, etc. and then Tom took me on a tour of the winery. I learned a little about their family--Tom's father started growing grapes in the late 1970s and founded the winery in 1986 with Tom and his brother Len. Shortly after, winemaker Angelo Pavan joined the team as well. Tom's wife is even involved. At this stage, most winery tours are fairly similar. This is a stainless steel tank, this is an oak barrel, and so on, so I look for the anomalies, the things that stand out. And on this tour, that didn't take long.

One of the first things Tom showed me was their wastewater treatment room. That's right, they have their own wastewater treatment room. They use a system that reduces the biological contaminates of their wastewater by as much as 99% before being reintroduced into the municipal water system. While definitely cool and unique, this probably was a lot more interesting to someone who knows more about microbiology or engineering than me. It was the barrel room that got me excited. Barrel rooms are almost always my favorite part of a tour, but it was here that Tom showed me that not only were they using some tonneaus for their wines (a 600 liter barrel as opposed to the typical 225 liter barrel or barrique) but they had just ordered some foudres (1000 liter or more barrels). These kinds of barrels are pretty traditional in regions like Alsace and most of Germany for storing white wines like riesling, but most other regions just use stainless steel tanks. Using a large barrel like this, however, tends to produce a slightly softer, rounder wine with some of the more austere characteristics taken away. Cave Spring is also aging their wines in these vessels on the lees (the dead yeast) which also adds complexity and weight.

Sadly, it’s been some time since I’ve been able to write anything, at least anything worth reading. But, there’s been many changes going on in recent months. The biggest is that I transitioned to a new day job in the wine industry, going from working part-time consulting on the retail side of things to full-time brand management at the country’s largest fine wine distributor. That required a lot of work to wrap things up in my old roles and a lot of focus to get up and running in my new post. This new job has been wonderful so far, though there’s a lot to learn as I am managing a portfolio of wines from Australia, Greece, the Balkan states (think Serbia, Macedonia, and Croatia) as well as South Africa, New York State, and even Champagne. Most of these are regions I know very little about so I am super-excited to expand my knowledge in these areas. Plus, this side of the business is entirely different from anything I’ve done before so there’s a lot to learn simply about the business of wine.

I also finished up two wine courses I was working on, one focusing on the wines of Bordeaux and the other the first in a series of courses as I strive towards my Diploma in Wines and Spirits. I learned some fabulous things like the correct fining agent to use to fix a hazy wine (bentonite in case you were wondering) or one with too much protein (casein); or that despite being a white wine only appellation, Entre-Deux-Mers actually has more red grapes planted; or that weeds are actually healthy in the right doses, but can be eradicated with a flamethrower if that’s how you roll. I’m happy to say I completed both of those courses successfully, and what I’ve learned will absolutely be influencing what I’m able to do here (I mean, who doesn’t want to read about flame weeding?)

On top of that there were little events like Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years and friend’s and family’s birthdays and home renovations and car repairs, you know, the rest of normal life. Thankfully, despite my break from writing, I did not take a break from wine. In fact, with my new role, I am getting to taste a plethora of interesting bottles that I would never have even known about before. Yet again, the world of wine amazes me. I’ve gotten to try a few assyrtikos, sauvignon blanc from the vineyard the furthest south in the world, vranec, semi-sparkling orange wine, and more.
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And in keeping with the theme of changes, we’ll be making some much-needed updates to the website here. Not only with a facelift, but some new sections about wine regions and grapes, media pages, and perhaps what I’m most excited about, a place for you to share your stories about wine. I hope you had a good end of 2016 like I did and are just as excited for all the new things to come in 2017. For my part, I can’t wait to make wine a bigger part of our lives. I hope you’ll join me.
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One of the things I love most about the wine business is not actually the wine. Of course, that's good, too, but some of the most rewarding experiences I've had have been because of the people, not the wine. This past weekend I helped organize an event for a retailer that brought in several winemakers from Napa Valley to pour and promote their wine. Most of them I had spent time with before, and I was glad to get to do so again.

First, there's Tom Leonardini II of Whitehall Lane Winery in St. Helena. Tom is like the quintessential California guy. He's laid back, calm, cool and just wants everyone to have a good time. But he also knows his business and knows how to get things done.

​Then there's Stephen Corley of Corley Family Monticello Vineyards. Stephen and his brothers run their family winery that their dad started forty years ago. Stephen's a business and salesman and is super friendly. He's the kind of guy that would be a loyal, lifelong friend.

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I'm not sure I've heard a better description for a wine. A wine perfect for sitting quietly, contemplating inner peace and seeking a higher understanding. That's the kind of wine I want to drink. And the other night, I was able to do just that. Along with eleven other people, I was invited to drink this wine alongside a great meal. The wines being showcased that night:

This was not a meal for the lighthearted. The food was spectacular as well, but the wine shined. And these are all big, bold and yet elegant wines. I tend to think of Italian wine as having a certain earthiness to it. I often find flavors of dried orange peel and cherry and sometimes leather or tobacco. And while you can sometimes get this out of Amarone, it has a much more fruit-forward nature. 

The goal of the dinner was to highlight the wines of Cesari, and in the process, maybe learn something about Amarone. I, for one, did not know that Amarone had single vineyard production. It's becoming more and more common around the world, but Cesari has been doing it for a while, so it's not some fad. Their vineyard holdings have been fine-tuned over the 80 years that they've been around. The Bosan is just one of four single vineyard wines they make. And it's definitely something spectacular.

In fact, the 1997 was one of the youngest old wines I've ever tasted. Despite being almost twenty years old, this wine was fresh and vibrant, with almost no signs of age. There were plenty of red fruit notes: strawberry, cherry, even a little cranberry, and lots of good acidity. Some of that could come from the fact that the Bosan vineyard has a lot of volcanic soil, something that I think tends to make wines that are incredibly long-lasting (like some of the great wines of Alsace). I could see this wine still being good in another five or maybe even ten years. At the very least, it is without a doubt a wine that would aid in meditation.

Catawba - deep, pink-skinned Labrusca grape variety that was extremely popular in the 19th century and is still widely grown in New York State. Identified in North Carolina in 1802, it produces white and pink, still and sparkling wines from dry to very sweet.

That's all famed wine writer and Master of Wine Jancis Robinson's 800 page tome, The Oxford Companion to Wine, says on this grape. And yet:

"The first wine I made was pink catawba," Layne Montgomery tells me when I visited m2 wines in Lodi last month. He grew up in the South Missouri/Arkansas area, and has been making wine commercially since only 2004, only a few years after trying it out on an amateur basis first. In fact, Lodi--really America's grape capital--has a big amateur winemaking scene I came to learn. LAVA, or the Lodi Amateur Vintners Association, has seen no less than ten of its members move on to commercial operations in its fifteen year existence.

m2 started in 2004 by Layne and his wife (hence the second 'm') in a warehouse, the only space they could find. But a couple years ago they moved to their current location on East Pelletier Road in Acampo, just north of Lodi. It's a beautiful, open concept building that can almost be completely opened to the vineyards thanks to modular sliding walls. The exquisite blend of wood and steel help the low-profile building feel elegant and yet natural, unobtrusive to its surrounding vineyards.

I got to taste through just about all their finished wines in the tasting room before Layne walked in. The 2013 Soucie Vineyard Old Vine Zin was great, though the 2014 Select Block Zin that followed was even better. There was even a surprisingly good Tempranillo and an even more surprisingly good Petite Sirah. Then, Layne took me into the barrel room and we tasted seven or eight barrel samples, some of which will most certainly be killer. Somewhere in there, Aaron Shinn stopped in to go over some business with Layne, but instead he hung out while we talked and tasted. It was clear they get along well as he joked about Layne's attire. "The guy has two shirts, that one and the same one in blue."

Aaron's family runs a vineyard management company that deals with over 2,000 acres. And, even though he's practically just out of college, he's even working on his own projects. He's been doing it all his life, so he knows Lodi really well. That's when I learned how young Lodi is as a wine region. "Ten to fifteen years ago it was mostly the big guys," Aaron said. "Constellation, Gallo, that sort of thing. There were no small wineries like m2 back then." And Aaron and his family still deal with a lot of those clients, but he's excited about working with people like Layne. "Selling to Layne is good for the industry," he said.

Layne chimed in: "Ten years ago, we'd get visitors now again...by accident. They'd be driving by and see a sign for a winery and figure they'd stop in. Now they come here on purpose." And given how good the wines are, I don't blame them. But a growth in small wineries can have its challenges, too. Prices are bound to go up; after all, more competition means more demand. And it's still a small town. As Layne said, "If you f-- somebody, they're gonna know." It can keep you honest, but it can also prove difficult.

For my part, I think Layne will be all right. He's got a good product, and he's not playing around. He makes good wine, and he's honest about it.

Have you ever had wine from Lodi? What are your thoughts? How about another small wine region? I'd love to hear from you.

New Jersey laws around wine sales can be pretty complicated--and difficult--but this is one law that works in favor of New Jersey. Turns out, NJ wineries are allowed to set up retail outlets at a few places around the state in order to sell their wines direct to consumer. This was the first time I'd seen it and it seemed like a perfect fit. After all, wine is just another form of produce. I was there with Danny Klein, Regional Vice President for the American Wine Society, who I had just interviewed, and he had to pick up some wine but we figured while there, we might as well taste.

​We were hosted by Nadine who was absolutely honest and helpful; we were happy to be interrupted by her frequent visitors who either wanted to taste as well, or were there to pick up their monthly wine selections (part of a wine club partnership they have with the CSA). And despite being relatively new the wine business, she knew what she needed to, had a great attitude (half the battle in sales) and was super willing to learn (most of the rest of what you need in sales--at the end of our tasting she asked, "So what am I doing wrong? I'd love for you to critique me.")

We started off with the albariño. This was good, but "a little too tangy", as my wife put it, and I agreed. There was good acidity with the albariño, but the fruit was a little too tropical. Next up, a dry muscat. This was a great wine the first night opened, and still great these few days later. Not a bad pairing, great for the spicy sauce, and ok with the meat, however the fruit overpowered the flavor of the veggies just a bit. A little too much orange.

​Lastly, the muscadet I bought for the occasion, which turned out just lovely. There was a good balance of acidity and it wasn't too overpowering. The fruit, more on the citrus side, complimented the savoriness of the dish nicely. And the meal turned out very nicely, too. Very tasty, indeed. So, to recap:

1. I don't pair food and wine all the time. I would love to, but it's often inconvenient or requires more planning than I remember to do, and that's ok. It makes me yearn for (and understand) the concept of "what grows together, goes together." It certainly makes pairing a lot easier when you don't have to think about what to buy. You would buy what was local because that was what was available. 
2. I like trying different pairings. The best way to learn what goes best together is to experiment. While there is no doubt that same pairings work, it may be surprising to learn about others. I wasn't sure about my muscadet and pita hunch--and I'm glad it turned out well--but if I never tried it I would never have known.
3. When I do have the foresight to work out a pairing, it almost always makes the experience better. While the wrong pairing doesn't necessarily ruin a meal, the right pairing can definitely enhance the meal. In this instance, the food was good on its own, and the first two wines were perfectly fine, but the third one was like an added component that enhanced already great flavors.

Do you pair wines with your food all the time?  Or do you pick them each separately? If you do pair them, what's your method?
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What experience do you have with Lodi wine? I'd love to hear about it (even if it's Lodi, NJ, which, for both our sakes, I hope it's not).

Recently I heard about the sale of Vietti Winery in the Piemonte region of Italy to the Krause family, At first, I was saddened by the news as I assumed this was another small, family winery being gobbled up by a major corporation. It's been a year full of winery sales and so this was just the latest to fall in the increasingly competitive and money intensive wine world. And, more than that, Vietti is a winery that we have long adored, visiting back in 2012 and loved drinking ever since (and before). It felt extra sad to think about that amazing winery, cut into the hillside, buried partially below ground in order to keep from ruining the landscape of the historic town of Castiglione, being molded into another Disneyland or factory pumping out quantity over quality. There's an increasing fear of globalization as it impacts wine, that it will prompt a McDonaldization as it were and the race to be the first to "over a billion bottles sold". Not that Vietti would likely reach a billion bottles, but the pressure for profits in a growing wine segment is sure to be there.

Vietti Winery is currently run by Luca Currado, who gave us a tour when we visited; he also makes the wine. He took over operations from his father, Alfredo (married to Luciana Vietti), who really made the winery what it is today. And he took over from his father-in-law, Mario Vietti. Many members of the family have been involved in the business as it has passed from generation to generation and grown throughout that time. They are located in the heart of the Barolo region and while they make a bit of Barbera and a few other things, they really specialize in making excellent Barolo, from Nebbiolo. They are also pretty well-known for the white made from Arneis. As a family who has been involved in winemaking in Piemonte for about a century, they are also dedicated to the local ecosystem and economy. Their labels--beautiful labels--are even designed by a local artist.

The Krause family owns the Kum & Go convenience store chain, headquartered in Iowa. They were founded in 1959 by William Krause and Tony Gentle. The company is currently led by Kyle Krause, who's interests span everything from wine to professional soccer (he also purchased a team back in 1989). His love for wine, Piemonte in particular prompted him to purchase a few vineyard sites over the years. And that's not an easy task. There's limited land, and it's highly coveted (and expensive). That's because they are the fifth largest convenience store chain in the country, with over 400 locations and almost 5,000 employees. But, I am impressed with what they describe as their core values. From the Kum & Go website:

• Passion – We love what we do, and it shows in our work
• Integrity – We do the right thing, even when it is difficult
• Teamwork – We believe that greatness is only achieved through teamwork
• Caring – We have genuine compassion for our customers, associates, families and communities
• Excellence – We expect and deliver superior performance

And, to continue, "Another thing that makes us unique is our dedication to the communities in which we serve. Kum & Go is proud to donate 10% of its profits back to charities and local communities. Philanthropy is a part of what we do and who we are, and we strive to be good neighbors in our towns and cities. Building sustainable stores is another way that we support our local communities. What makes a convenience store sustainable? Learn more about oursustainability efforts and LEED certified stores." That's kind of impressive. 

I just heard an interview with Luca Currado, talking about the sale. And while I'm still not 100% convinced of the upside, Luca is adamant that both families, who have been friends for a number of years, are passionate about working together to make the best wine they possibly can. Luca is excited that by partnering with the Krause's he'll have access to those vineyards that Kyle Krause has bought and there may be a little more capital in the bank. And that's always helpful. It does sound like they may pare down the wines they make, which is fine, but I do get nervous that prices will rise as they focus in their winemaking on the higher end brands. They make a great $20 Nebbiolo that I worry will go away--or creep towards $30. But, I am glad that it seems Kyle Krause shares the same values as the Vietti/Currado family. "We have to keep improving to get to where we want to be. We want to be a great company," Krause said of his own company, which I guess now includes Vietti.