It is easy to say European wine labels are confusing for Americans, but just how easy are our labels? Not completely easy to be honest. We all respect Napa (even if it isn’t our favorite to drink), but with the respect of the Napa namesake, are we talking…
Understanding AVA: Regions, Appellations and Sub-Appellations
Understanding AVA: Reserve Wine
In the large swash of Europe, if a wine reads “Reserve” that actually means something definitive. Each region has different laws, but as long as you are aware as a consumer, you know what you are getting in your bottle, at least from an ageing perspective. Minimum ageing…
Understanding AVA: Single-Vineyard
Single-Vineyard Wine. The highlight of a site’s terroir, climate, and soils, on full display in the truest expression, carried only by the finest fruit to deliver the sum total of what that one unique place on the planet Earth has to offer. No other place on the planet…
Understanding AVA: Estate
“Estate Wine” & “Estate Bottled” – two terms that you will come across frequently in the wine world. What do they mean exactly? Estate Wine: Estate wine is reflective of wine made from vineyard sites owned, managed, or controlled by a winery that all fall in the same appellation. …
Understanding AVA: 85% Rule
Sub-appellate wines are handled very much like appellate wines, with one more level of strictures. The 85% rule. Where appellate wines need only be 75% of the stated varietal, 100% grown in the stated appellation, sub-appellate wines must be 85% of the stated varietal, 100% grown in the…
Understanding AVA: 75% Rule
It is commonplace to believe when you buy a Central Valley Cabernet or a Central Valley Zinfandel, that you are getting 100% Cabernet with 100% of the fruit from the Central Valley, or 100% Zinfandel 100% from the Central Valley. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Appellation…
Understanding Italy: Abruzzo
The Abruzzo wine region resides due south of Marche along the Adriatic Sea on the east coast of Italy. Home to possibly the most fun grape name to pronounce: Montepulciano. One more time, Mon-te-pul-ciano! Just makes you want to talk with your hands as it rolls off your…
Understanding Italy: Marche
Le Marche wine region in Italy. Located on the central eastern coast of Italy, and home to Cesare Mondavi (Father of Robert and Peter), this is a region sadly somewhat overshadowed on a global stage by its neighbors Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Abruzzo, and Umbria, yet in no short supply…
Understanding Italy: Alto Adige
Alto Adige, a wine producing region residing in the northernmost reaches of Italy, sitting just due east of the center, and producing a whopping <1% of the country’s wine production, a small, yet world-renowned region for wine production. The region is known for its Austrian influences not only…
