My Pinot Gris Experiment

It seems like I can’t get enough of Pinot gris. I don’t mean the white wine, but the grape. Unlike most white wine grape varieties that have yellowish-green skin, Pinot gris skin is grayish pink. As mentioned in my previous blog posts (The Pinot Gris You Never Knew and The Peeno Noir You Never Knew), Pinot gris, Pinot noir, and Pinot blanc are genetically the same grape. What differentiates them is the amount of anthocyanins or color pigments present in the grape skin and pulp.

Gemini-generated color spectrum of wine

The length of maceration (or skin contact) employed during the winemaking process has a direct impact on the wine color. It determines if your Pinot noir is going to be red or pink and if your Pinot blanc is going to be white or orange. In the case of Pinot gris, the gamut may run from white to pink and orange. In Friuli, Pinot Grigio (Italian for Pinot gris) is traditionally made with skin contact, typically in the range of one day to two weeks. Known as Ramato, the wine blurs the line between a pink and orange wine. 

This year, I decided to experiment with making a Ramato-style Pinot Gris. Below is my documented process.

Day 1 - Crush and Macerate

The grapes arrived from Crawford Vineyard the same day they were harvested. The grayish pink berries in the signature Pinot pinecone-shaped clusters were then weighed and placed into crates, ready to be crushed and de-stemmed. Once processed, the crushed grapes and juice (also known as the must) went into my fermenter with a bit of sulfite to kill any microbes and wild yeasts, preventing any off-flavors during fermentation.

My Pinot gris grapes

Adding sulfite to the must

At home, I kept the must in my “garage winery” at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the optimal temperature for my chosen yeast strain. If I were to make a white wine, I would immediately press the grapes to minimize skin contact. In this case, I decided to let the grapes macerate in the must and watch the color of the juice.

Day 3 - Press and Ferment

As the sulfite wore off in 48 hours, it was the time to pitch the selected wine yeast and start the fermentation process. I needed to decide if I would do it with or without skin contact. Judging from the deep salmon hue of the juice, I made the call to press the grapes prior to fermentation, ending the two-day skin contact. (In the video, my friend and wine sidekick helped collect some free-run juice during press.)

The grape skins and seeds as well as random stems were discarded as part of the process. The remaining juice was funneled into a couple of glass carboys with the yeast starter. Before long, the yeast started eating the sugar in the juice to produce alcohol. Carbon dioxide was also released as a byproduct that protected the must from pesky bacteria-carrying fruit flies.

Start of alcoholic fermentation

Day 7 - Measure and Rack

 

Four days after the yeast was pitched, the Brix reading on the juice had reached zero, indicating that most of the sugar had been fermented. That was probably the fastest alcoholic fermentation I had experienced. It was also my first time using a white wine yeast strain.

Sediments settled after racking

I racked the juice off the sediments and into new carboys to minimize the headspace. This would prevent oxidation and spoilage as fermentation slowed down and less carbon dioxide was released. The sediments (or the ‘lees’), which consisted of dead yeast cells and grape debris, soon settled to the bottom of the carboys. The clear juice that sat above was a beautiful neon salmon pink.

Day 14 - Rack and Cold Stabilize

I waited another week for the long tail of the remaining fermentation to complete. The Brix reading finally reached -1.5 degrees. The wine tasted dry but had a light fizz, indicating a bit of fermentation was still underway. In a glass, the wine was a gorgeous light salmon in color. The nose was aromatic, perfume-y, and citrus-y. On the palate, it tasted like a tart lemonade with high acidity, medium body, light tannins, and a long finish. Alas! This was trending more towards a rosé than an amber wine. But oh so pretty!

Taste test before cold stabilization

This final step was to rack the wine off the sediments again and into a freshly sanitized carboy. I added a bit of sulfite to stop any residual alcoholic fermentation and to prevent any native malolactic fermentation. Malolactic fermentation is the conversion of malic acids in the wine into lactic acids. I typically orchestrate this secondary fermentation when making red wine to soften the acid and to give it a creamier fuller mouthfeel. In the case of this Pinot gris, I decided to keep it bright and cheery.

Thoughts and Next Steps

Winemaking is such a learning experience, and I have enjoyed this Pinot gris experiment. If I had to do it all over again, which I just might with my next vintage, I would make three changes:

1. Increase the length of maceration and start alcoholic fermentation on the skin
2. Use a red wine yeast strain
3. Encourage natural malolactic fermentation 

These would allow me to extract more phenolic compounds from the grapes and give the wine more complexity. The result will be more like an orange wine. But for this year, it will be a pink Pinot gris. The wine is right now going through cold stabilization in the fridge for at least three weeks. After which, I will do another taste test. If it tastes great, it may be time to bottle. It is all very exciting! Cheers!

What’s the Deal with Low Cal Wine?

So it happened to me. I bought a bottle of low cal wine by mistake. It was a Kim Crawford Sauv Blanc for a summer party. Sure there was a big 70 on the label, but it could mean anything. Calories were the last thing on my mind. In any case, I didn’t realize the oopsie till I was cleaning up post party. Before I share my thoughts on the low cal wine, let’s go into how wine calorie count works. 

Kim Crawford low cal Sauv Blanc

Alcohol and Carbs

There are two main sources of calories found in alcoholic beverages: alcohol and sometimes carbs. Per CDC guidelines, a standard drink contains 0.6 ounces or 14 grams of pure alcohol. This translates generally to:

• 12 ounces of beer with 5% alcohol by volume (ABV)
• 5 ounces of wine with 12% ABV
• A shot or 1.5 ounces of liquor or distilled spirits (80-proof or 40% ABV)

Considering that every gram of alcohol yields about 7 calories, one standard serving of an alcoholic beverage has 98 calories just from the alcohol alone.

Alcohol by Heshan Perera on Unsplash

Now, let’s add the carbs. One gram of carbs yields about 4 calories. Depending on the style of beer or wine, the amount of carbs may vary widely. A Pilsner may have about 12 grams of carbs per serving while a Belgium Fruit Lambic could have 25 grams. As for wine, 5 ounces of dry wine may have 1 gram of carbs whereas 2 ounces* of dessert wine may have 13 grams. Distilled spirits on the other hand have no carbs.

* Note that a non-fortified dessert wine has the same ABV as a dry wine. I chose 2 ounces for a serving of dessert wine, which is below the 14 grams of alcohol per serving guideline. However, a small amount of sweet wine goes a long way.

Sugar by Elena Leya on Unsplash

Based on that, one could approximate that:

• 12 ounces of Pilsner have 146 calories (48 from carbs + 98 from alcohol)
• 12 ounces of Belgium Fruit Lambic have 198 calories (100 from carbs + 98 from alcohol)
• 5 ounces of dry wine have 102 calories (4 from carbs + 98 from alcohol)
• 2 ounces of non-fortified dessert wine have 91 calories (52 from carbs + 39 from alcohol)
• A shot of distilled spirit only has 98 calories, all from alcohol

More Alcohol

Until recently, the trend of alcohol content in wine has been “more is better.” The ABV of a table wine rose from 12% in the 1990’s to over 14% today. The London International Vintners Exchange or Liv-ex that tracked tens of thousands of bottles of wine shared that the rise in ABV was evident across major wine regions. Burgundy is the only region where the increase is more restrained.

This trend toward the big alcoholic wine is attributed in part to climate change. As vineyard temperature rises, grapes ripen with a higher sugar content. Since sugar converts to alcohol during fermentation, this results in a higher ABV wine. The other driver of a higher alcohol wine is the market demand for international style (or some would argue “Parkerized”) wine. Robert Parker’s 100-point wine rating system has influenced vineyards and wineries all over the world to produce wine that is high in alcohol and tannins with lower acidity and in-your-face bold flavors.

Less Alcohol

However, with the new generation of wine consumers, there is a move away from the international style to natural wine, where ABV generally runs in the 10-12% range. Millennials and drinking-age Gen Z also tend to prioritize what they understand to be healthy living. To them, calories matter more than complexity in wine. According to Impact Databank, while the US wine market volumes continued to drop for the third consecutive year in 2023, low calorie wines were posting double-digit growth.

Some of early entrants of to “healthier” wine market include Avaline and Bev. Soon the big commercial mass wine producers such as Kim Crawford and Bota Box also jumped on the band wagon to offer lower calorie options. For Kim Crawford’s 70-calorie Sauv Blanc, this means dropping the ABV from 12.5% to 7% using a technology called Spinning Cone Column (SCC).

Less Taste?

In 2021, the National Library of Medicine published a study on Techniques for Dealcoholization of Wines: Their Impact on Wine Phenolic Composition, Volatile Composition, and Sensory Characteristics. The research looks at different technologies (of which SCC is one) and the different points of the winemaking process where dealcoholization may take place. Almost twenty wine samples were used in the experiment.

Despite efforts to preserve and/or recover as much of the wine aroma and flavors during the dealcoholization process, there was a loss in total volatile aroma compounds by 4-18% depending on the wine. The composition of these compounds are critical to the overall aroma and flavor of the wine. As a result, the reduced alcohol wines exhibit flavor imbalance, a lack of body, increased astringency, bitterness and acidity compared to original wines. The experiment also suggested that at around 2% reduction in ABV, the drop in wine quality became increasingly perceptible.

Here are my thoughts on the Kim Crawford’s 70-calorie Sauv Blanc

I tasted the wine both prior to and after I discovered my mistake. In the first case, I thought the wine tasted different from the other Kim Crawford I have had in the past and wrote it off as a bad vintage or the result of increased mass production. I became more intentional in my tasting when I realized that it was a low cal wine. It still smelled like a Marlborough Sauv Blanc and has the same acidity and brightness on the palate. However, the flavors seemed muted and diluted. It was after all a 5-6% reduction in ABV. 

My Verdict: Since I don’t drink a huge quantity of wine (although I do enjoy a glass everyday), wine quality matters more to me than calories. Sure, it means that I am consuming 50 calories more than I need. But I can live with that. On the other hand, I will always pick a diet soda over the regular. I don’t drink enough soda to differentiate the taste of one over the other so I will save the calories. What about you? What will you choose?

The Peeno Noir You Never Knew

You may have heard of Peeno Noir. It’s a little ditty by Tituss Andromedon about a wine that rhymes with mid-sized car and Roseanne Barr. Apart from its “poetic” quality, Pinot noir is one of the most fascinating grape varieties. Here are three fun facts.

Pinot by Tituss

1. It’s Ancient

Pinot is among the oldest grape varieties. Cultivated in Burgundy since the 1st century AD, Pinot noir is possibly just one or two generations away from its wild Vitis vinifera sylvestri ancestor. That makes it almost 2,000 years old! 

Pinot (red arrow) in the Genealogy of Wine by Pop Chart Lab

If you look at Pop Chart’s genealogy of wine, you will see that Pinot is among the early ancestors of today’s wine grape varieties. In fact, Pinot is the grandparent of Sauvignon Blanc and the great grandparent of Cabernet Sauvignon. While only three generations apart, it is estimated that Pinot is about 1,600 years older than Cabernet Sauvignon. Other famous descendants of Pinot include Syrah, Carménère, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Viognier.

2. It’s Colorful

The other thing you will notice in the genealogy chart is that the Pinot grape listed is of an undetermined color variant. That is because three Pinot grapes previously thought to be different varieties have been confirmed by DNA testing to be the same grape with different color mutations - Pinot noir (black), Pinot gris (grey), and Pinot blanc (white). 

While many believe that Pinot gris and blanc are mutations of Pinot noir, that theory has recently been challenged. Mutations appear to be bi-directional. One can find black, grey, or white berries growing from a single Pinot vine. In this specific scenario of color mutation, the DNA chains may have or miss the sequence that gives the berry its pigmented skin.

Pinot noir by Cjp24 in Wikimedia

Pinot gris by Reinhold Möller

Pinot blanc by Themightyquill in Wikimedia

Mutations are not to be confused with clones. A grape variety is mutated when some genetic characteristics are no longer identical to the parent vine. Clones, on the other hand, share the same genetic makeup of a grape variety but manifest different qualities, such as providing a higher yield and possessing better disease tolerance. 

Clones are often identified by one to four-digit numbers. Pinot noir is famous for having the most clones of any grape varieties. There are about 800 to 1,000 Pinot noir clones. Many have names like Dijon and Pommard followed by numbers, such as Dijon 777 and Pommard 5. Pinot gris and Pinot blanc each has about 200 clones.

3. It’s Demanding

Pinot noir is notoriously challenging to cultivate and vinify. Its tightly packed clusters and thin skin make it prone to mold, fungus, and pests. Pinot noir vines are also among the earliest to bud break and have to contend with spring frost to ensure sufficient fruit set and subsequent yield. The best Pinot noir can only be grown in cool climate areas such as Burgundy in France and Willamette Valley in the United States where it is able to fully develop its flavor.

Miles explained why he loved Pinot in Sideways

For all the difficulties, a good Pinot noir is prized for its complex flavors and ability to express terroir. Pinot noir is sensitive to distinct soil types, elevations, and exposure to the elements. A young Pinot noir is subtle and fruit-forward with red and dark fruit. With some age, flavors such as earthiness, truffles, and cocoa begin to layer in. In the 2004 movie Sideways, Miles Raymond summed these up as the reasons why he loved Pinot noir.

According to luxury auction house Sotheby, the most expensive wine in the world is the famed 1945 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Grand Cru priced at $558,000 a bottle. Whether you are a Pinot noir fan like Miles Raymond or you are more like Tituss Andromedon, you now know a little bit more about the grape and the wine. So be sure to pay attention to the haunting, brilliant, thrilling, subtle, ancient flavors as you enjoy your glass of Pinot noir in your boudoir or leather bar - oh so close and yet so far.

Seeking Wine Windows in Florence

It was our last day in Florence. My niece and I had just gotten back from our Tuscan wine country getaway. We had two goals that afternoon: do laundry and find a wine window. I had wanted to try the Florentine wine windows since I first heard about them. While it might seem like the touristy thing to do, these wine windows have a long history in the medieval city. Let’s get into that.

Wine Window by Mattes

First the Taxes

Wine windows (or buchette del vino) date back to the 1500’s during the Medici dynasty. Back then, a law was passed to allow prominent families in the city to sell wine directly from their homes. With this law, they did not have to open a shop and subsequently avoided paying taxes. Instead, these families used little windows located at the front of their palaces or mansions to transact the wine sale. Voila! Wine windows were born. 

Fiasco by Giulio Napi 

About 12” in height and 8” across with an arch on the top, wine windows were often found next to the front door of these wealthy families’ homes. While many were located at the eye level to facilitate sales, some were placed at the foot level with easy access to the basement wine cellar. Wine sold through the wine windows came in fiasco-style bottles (bottles with straw basket at the bottom). 

Then a Plague and a Flood

In 1630, Florence experienced an outbreak of the bubonic plague. The epidemic lasted four years with an estimated death toll of 60,000 to 100,000. Wine windows continued as a safe way for consumers to purchase wine with limited contact. However, as commerce laws changed over time, Florentine wine windows began to shutter. The last straw came about in 1966 when the Arno River broke over its banks and flooded the city, causing severe damages to buildings and streets.

Buchetta del vino (this is not a real wine window)

Fast forward to 2015, three residents of Florence founded a cultural association called the Associazione Buchette del Vino (Association of Wine Windows). Its goal was and still is to draw attention to “these small but significant testimonies of the rich cultural heritage” in the city. According to the Association, there was only one operating wine window in Florence just before Covid struck.

Finally the Pandemic and a Renaissance

While the Covid pandemic turned the world topsy turvy in the early going, Florence had a head start with its wine windows. Gradually at first, wine windows began re-opening, bringing back the old ways of safe business transactions. Soon, restaurants, bars, and gelateria also started selling food, other beverages, and gelato from the wine windows. 

Cantina de Pucci Wine Window

Even as the threat of the pandemic has loosened its grip in the past year, Florentine wine windows continue to enjoy a renaissance. Today, it is estimated that there are about 180 wine windows in the city and over 100 more in the broader Tuscany region.

Our Wine Window Hunt

My niece and I used Google Maps, which was not super helpful, in our wine window hunt. We had a couple of misses but eventually found an operating wine window by Cantina de Pucci. Not surprisingly, it had a line of tourists along its cobblestone sidewalk. Nonetheless, the hunt was worth the while, and it was a fine way to pass the time while waiting for our laundry. 

If you are doing your own wine window hunt in Florence, skip Google Maps and check out the following resources made available by the Associazione Buchette del Vino:

• https://www.bdv.one/eventi has a short list of wine windows (or gelato/coffee windows) and their addresses within the city
• https://buchettedelvino.org/home%2520eng/maps.html has a more comprehensive list and interactive maps of wine windows in Florence and even the larger Tuscany region

Then all you have to do is to find the wine window, stand in line, ring the bell, and order your wine. Thanks to the Association and its promotion of wine windows, you now get to experience a piece of Florentine history with a glass of wine. Salud!

My Tuscan Getaway

Late May in Tuscany was a gorgeous time of year. Warm sun and blue sky hovered over endless green meadows dotted with cypress trees and interspersed with vineyards and olive groves. With the help of the nice Google lady, our scenic drive ended at A Casa di Dona, the agriturismo or farm stay outside the town of San Gimignano. 

Our farm stay, A Casa Di Dona

The Farmstay

We found the farmstay on agriturismo.it, a sort of low-tech no-frills Airbnb that features farm stays from all over Italy. You will not be asked for your credit card information. Nor will you receive a booking confirmation number. You simply arrange your accommodation with the farm stay owner through email facilitated by the website. Voila! A gentleman’s (or in our case, a lady’s) arrangement is made.

View from my balcony

Donatello Rubicini is the proprietress of the namesake farm stay, which translates to At Dona’s House in English. The bubbly hostess was all smiles as she grabbed a heavy piece of luggage with ease and showed us to our rooms. Each of the five rooms in the farm house has an en-suite bathroom and a balcony that overlooks more vineyards and olive groves. Our room costs 90 Euros a night and includes breakfast!

The Food

The one thing that drew us to A Casa di Dona is the many reviews about her culinary skills. Trained in Italian Chef Academy in Empoli, Dona also runs a reservation-only restaurant from the farm house. And boy! Were we in for a treat! For 25 Euros per person, Dona served up seven courses of mind-blowing Tuscan dishes made from scratch with local ingredients. This includes produce from her garden.

Starting top left (clockwise) Freshly baked Tuscan foccacia, onion fritters, foraged mushrooms sautéed in olive oil, grilled beef and chicken over arugula with olive oil, handmade pasta with pesto, herbed riso with beet and hard boiled egg

Dona serving vin santo and cantucci for dessert to her happy diners 

It suffices to say that we stayed in for dinner the second night as well. What was also included in the meal was the perfect wine pairing - a red and a white. Despite being from nondescript bottles with no labels, the wines were exceptional. We found out later that they were made by her cousins who live next door. 

The Wine

Monaldo and Emanuela run Rubicini Winery that is next to the farm house. At our request, Dona arranged a wine tasting for us with Emanuela. The tasting room was modest and simply decorated with framed accolades from Decanter and newspaper clippings, including one from Taiwan! 

Emanuela Rubicini and I at the winery 

Emanuela then walked us through a generous lineup of two whites and three reds. To my delight, they were all DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) and DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) wines, which are the top two tiers of Italian wine classification respectively. That explains the high quality of wine we had with dinner the prior night. 

Rubicini wine tasting

2022 Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG (8.80 Euros) - Made with 100% Vernaccia grapes, this was the white wine we had with dinner at A Casa di Dona. Vernaccia is a white grape that is often associated with San Gimignano. Harvested ripe, the grapes were gently crushed using pneumatic press to lightly extract the flavor from the berries. The juice was then fermented in temperature-controlled steel vats. Straw yellow in color, the wine was aromatic on the nose and crisp citrus-y on the palate with lively acidity. It was a crowd pleaser.

2021 Etherea Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG (12 Euros) - The Etherea is a step up from the Vernaccia. After gentle crushing, Vernaccia grapes were co-fermented with a small percentage of Chardonnay in oak. It was similarly straw yellow in color with added almond and vanilla notes on the aroma from the oak. On the palate, it was more rounded in texture while balanced with acidity.

2022 Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG (8.80 Euros) - This was the red wine served with dinner, and it was fantastic! Made with Sangiovese (minimum 75% by Chianti DOCG rule), Colorino, and Celiegiolo, pump down was used during primary fermentation (instead of punch down) to ensure gentle extraction of color and flavor. After alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, the wine was left to age in steel and had no oak contact. Ruby red in color, the wine was aromatic, fruit-forward with a good balance of tannins and acidity. 

2017 Pepenero San Gimignano Rosso DOC (17 Euros) - The only wine in the lineup that came in a a Burgundy style bottle, the Pepenero was also the only DOC. According to the San Gimignano Rosso DOC regulations, it must include at least 70% Sangiovese. Pepenero had a small percentage of Merlot. Both grapes were vinified separately, blended together, and aged in oak for eight months. Punch down took place during primary fermentation for more extraction of color and flavor. A darker wine, Pepenero expressed a fruit-forward aroma with vanilla and spice undertones from the oak. It was delicious with soft and smooth tannins.

2019 Tripudio Rosso Riserva Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG (15.50 Euros) - Tripudio was vinified in the same way and with the same grapes as the Chianti Colli Senesi. The difference was the additional 12-month maturation in French oak barriques after malolactic fermentation. Fruit-forward on the nose with berries and cherries, there were also notes of vanilla and spice from the oak. The fruit profile extended to the palate and was balanced with plenty of tannins, structure, and acidity. The finish was long and lingering. 

Me in Rubicini vineyard

My Verdict: This trip to the Tuscany wine country has been magical. Its simplicity and celebration of life was transformative for me. And it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to enjoy a rustic Tuscan vacation. Hope this post gives you a flavor of what you can look forward to. I highly recommend a visit!

Cinque Terre - 5 Lands, 2 DOC’s

Cinque Terre, which means Five Lands in Italian, comprises five coastal villages: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso along the Ligurian Sea. A visit to this picturesque part of northwest Italy has been one of the few items on my bucket list. We were fortunate to spend three days in mid May exploring all five villages, enjoying the rich history and laidback culture, and savoring wonderful local cuisine and wine.

View of Riomaggiore from the water taxi

Speaking of local wine, Cinque Terra boasts of two DOC’s (Denominazioni di Origine Controllata) - a dry white and a sweet white. But first, let’s revisit the Italian wine classification for context. There are four tiers in the Italian wine classification:

Chart from Italianwine.guide

• DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Contrallata e Garantita) is the highest classification for Italian wine. A DOCG wine is governed by viticultural zone with strict rules around permitted grape varieties, yield limits, grape ripeness during harvest, winemaking and maturation processes. There are 77 DOCG’s.
• DOC is the next and also the most common tier of Italian wine classification. It covers almost every traditional wine style. A DOC wine is also governed by viticultural zone, permitted grape varieties, and wine style. There are about 330 DOC’s. Consistently high-quality DOC’s can get promoted to DOCG’s.
• IGT (Indicazione Grafica Tipica) is the next tier and the latest addition to the original three-tier classification. It focuses on the region of origin rather than grape varieties or wine styles. There are about 120 IGT’s.
• VdT (Vino da Tavola), otherwise known as table wine, is the most basic classification. You can still find high-quality Italian table wine. They are just not restricted by the rules of DOCG, DOC, or IGT.

Me enjoying a Cinque Terre DOC by the Ligurian Sea

Cinque Terra DOC

Recognized in 1973, the Cinque Terre DOC is a small white wine region in Liguria. The wine is made with at least 40% of Bosco and may contain up to 40% of Albarola and/or Vermentino and up to 20% of other approved white grape varieties. The wine is typically straw yellow in color, aromatic, lively and yet delicate in palate. With a lower alcohol content that runs around 11 to 12.5%, it is perfect when enjoyed with seafood or cheeses. You can find a bottle of Cinque Terra DOC at 15 Euros a bottle.

Seafood appetizer platter

Sciacchetrà DOC

The second DOC is Sciacchetrà, which is a dessert wine made in the passito style. It shares the same grape varieties restriction as Cinque Terre DOC. In the making of a Sciacchetrà DOC, the highest-quality grapes are selected for harvest and dried often using straw mats. (Passito wine is also sometimes called straw wine.) When the sugar content in the dehydrated raisined grapes reaches the equivalent of 17% potential alcohol, then the grapes are vinified. The entire process has to be done in the DOC designated area.

View of vineyards on terraces from Corniglia to Vernazza

Because of the higher concentration of grapes to juice ratio in Sciacchetrà, the color of the wine is deeper and often ranges from golden yellow to amber. Like all passito wine, the aroma is intense with honey and raisin. On the palate, it is sweet, lively with a good structure and body. Its viscosity coats the mouth and lingers with a long nutty finish. Because of both the quantity and quality of grapes used to make a Sciacchetrà as well as the labor-intensive process involved, the DOC can run around 50 to 90 Euros for a half bottle.

My Verdict: Cinque Terre is not only a check on my bucket list, but its breathtaking beauty also nourishes my soul. Imagine my delight when I found not one but two DOC’s in the region that further elevate the local cuisine. If you are traveling to Italy, I hope Cinque Terre is in your itinerary and its DOC’s are part of your meal. Salut!

Hospice du Rhône in Walla Walla

Last December, my girlfriends and I were sipping Champagne when we learned that Hospice du Rhône was coming to Walla Walla in 2024. Tickets had just gone on sale. In our happy tipsy space, we proceeded to purchase a few for the Grand Tasting. And just like that, plans were made for our next trip to back to wine country.

Beautiful Abeja Winery in Walla Walla

So What Exactly is Hospice du Rhône?

Hospice du Rhône is a non-profit business league with the goal of promoting Rhône variety wine growers and producers. Its catchy tagline reads “Twenty-Two Varieties. One Vision.” But the organization had a humble starting with only one variety - Viognier. It all began in 1991 when wine shop owner Mat Geretson showcased 35 Viogniers to about 20 tasters near Atlanta, Georgia. It was called Viognier Guild. 

Rhône River by Txllxt TxllxT via Wikimedia Commons

The next year, John Alban offered to host the event in his winery and expanded it to include other Rhône variety wines. Renamed Raisin’ Rhône’s, the event was moved to the Alban Vineyards in Edna Valley, California. Over the years, the celebration of Rhône variety wines grew into a multi-day affair. 

In 1998/99, the event was rebranded again as Hospice du Rhône (HdR). Vicki Carroll was hired as the Director, and Paso Robles became the new venue. Under Vickie’s leadership, HdR became the largest international vintners association that focused on Rhône grape varieties. Its event brings over 120 Rhône variety wine producers all over the world. 

In 2010, HdR added luxury resort Blackberry Farm in Willard, Tennessee as a second venue for the celebration of Rhône variety wines. The format there was smaller and more intimate. After a brief pause, Paso Robles continued to be the venue for its biennial flagship events starting in 2016. There were two exceptions. The event was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, and it came to Walla Walla in 2024!

HdR, Walla Walla Edition

Four to five years in the making, Walla Walla became the third destination to host HdR in 2024. The three-day affair that ran from April 25 to 27 consisted of a dozen Rhône Around Dinners, two Master Classes, two seminars, two focus tastings, and a Grand Tasting. 

Walla Walla has a few things going to make it HdR-worthy. First, the region has over time built its cred in producing high-quality Rhône variety wines starting with the likes of Christoph Baron and Charles Smith as well as the more recent recognition of the Rocks District AVA. 

Force Majeure winemaker dinner

Second, the culinary landscape and hospitality industry continued to excel in showcasing the wine offerings and making Walla Walla a wine destination. But HdR could not have happened without the support of the wine community, and in particular, Carrie Alexander of Atelier Freewater and Force Majeure Vineyard.

My Grand Tasting Experience

The Grand Tasting featured over 130 international and domestic Rhône variety wine producers and importers. The biggest showing came from California, followed by France and Washington. Since I am not blessed with an unlimited alcohol tolerance, I went prepared with a dozen “must try” wineries circled in my copy of the exhibitor map. (I deliberately skipped my French favorites like Vieux Télégraphe and Beatus as well as Walla Walla gems such as Reynvaan and Latta because I either already own or have access to those wines.)

The clear winners at the tasting for me were Cave Yves Cuilleron and M. Chapoutier. Yves Cuilleron (the man himself) was at the event pouring a selection of wines that included an unclassified Syrah, three classified Northern Rhône wines, and a collaboration project with Sonoma’s Jeff Cohn Cellars. I particularly enjoyed his 2020 Labaya Crozes-Hermitage and 2020 Madinière Côte Rôtie.

Cave Yves Cuilleron 

As for M. Chapoutier, you could spot the stall a mile away. It was the one with the longest line, but the wait was worth the while. The pour included one Hermitage (2018 Sizeranne) and three Chateauneuf de Papes (2021 La Bernardino, 2015 Croix de Bois, and 2015 Barbe Rac). There was not a miss among them!

M. Chapoutier

While it was no chump change at $175 per ticket, the HdR Grand Tasting experience was phenomenal given the quality of wines that were poured. There were a couple of things that would have elevated the experience for me. One, the space was tight for the number of participants. I had moments of pandemic PTSD. Two, plain demi baguettes were a paltry offering for a tasting that ran around dinner time. I would have happily paid $25 more per ticket to have hors d'oeuvres instead to pair with the wine.

My Verdict: Despite an initial buyer's remorse (especially after I found out about the demi baguettes), the answer was a resounding YES! I wish I had given more thoughts about other HdR activities such as the focused tastings, seminars, Master classes, or wine dinners; each of which ran the gamut of $50 to $500. For a Rhône lover with a deep pocket and a palate to match, participating in multiple HdR activities could run into thousands of dollars. But if the Grand Tasting is any indication, they may be worth every penny for the right person.