Since I’ve gotten more and more passionate about wine I’ve become more acutely aware how much everyday experiences are impacted by the bigger picture, the larger context at play. With wine I find it’s not just about the juice, but what you are eating while drinking it, if you are celebrating a special occasion with a great group, or if you just want to unwind on your porch after a long week.

This year I’ve made a resolution to make the most of every experience I can and to stay ahead of the economic fray; I’m committed to maximizing every opportunity. This spring I’m orchestrating a bit of fun not only for me and fellow wine lovers, but also for those who are ready to bust out their spring spirit donning a piece or two of this year’s finest fashions….

Jump on over to WickedLocal today to learn more about a Wine & Style event I’m co-hosting with The Stylish Eye next week. Come on… you know you’re ready to put a little spring in your step! Join us!

Surely my regular readers would agree I am not strictly a “purist” when it comes to wine innovation – whether it is using screwcaps or applying other modern winemaking techniques if/when it is warranted.  My jaw dropped, however, when I read an article this week detailing the EU’s desire to allow members to mix red and white wines to create rose (apologies for the lack of accent on the “e” throughout this post).

Rose is a tremendously delicious dry wine which we Americans (and others globally) have more or less just “discovered”. Sales have been booming for the last several years. Finally the myth of rose tasting sweet like your Grand/Mother’s white Zin(fandel) has been revealed! Meanwhile, consumers are going bonkers as they discover how many different styles there are; there is something for everyone and every dish.

Provence, France is arguably the rose capital of the world. Whenever I think of sitting on the shores of the Mediterranean at a little cafe, I transport myself to Provence – and I am sipping rose. The folks there have worked particularly hard over the years to debunk the myth of cotton-candy sweet pink, plonk wines and created more awareness and appreciation for these delightful wines. In my mind at least, I think of it as a local effort to give these wines the international appreciation (or distinction?) of say, Champagne.

If the EU allows a broader definition of rose such that red and white wines are mixed rather than applying the traditional method of pressing the juice from red grapes, I fear the ‘cheapening’ of this lovely libation. Provencial rose (and other areas that use this traditional, sanctioned technique) will lose their prestige as the wines lose their vibrancy. And so today my question is:

For what real benefit is the EU doing this? Where is the market research that backs up this move?

Were you nerdy about wine in 2006? If so, you probably read a few articles about Bierzo, or the indigenous grape varietal they cultivate there (Mencia). Maybe you even tasted it. (It was considered “up and coming” at the time – and perhaps it still is, though I’ve only ever tasted a handful of Bierzo/Mencia wines since.)

I became a fan of Mencia back then, having sampled a wine from Bierzo at  my shop’s annual Fall Grand Wine Tasting event. I ended up with half a case of Dominio de Tares Baltos.  Since then I’ve fallen off the Bierzo wagon.  I was simply ready for new adventures once I finished my 6 bottles.

But as my co-worker and I continue to reevaluate and revisit the 1200 or so facings we have on our shelves, I found the Baltos again and decided to give it a whirl once more.

Bierzo is a fairly small wine-producing region located in the Northwest of Spain, quite close to Portugal. After the phylloxera epidemic killed most of the vines in the late 19th Century, economic crisis made it additionally difficult for Spanish winemaking to bounce back. But when they did in Bierzo, locals stayed true to their roots (no pun intended) and grafted Mencia vines, the dominant, native red grape varietal there. Bierzo became its own Denominacion de Origin in 1989. By then they were producing wines using more modern techniques to celebrate the best of their local varietals.

I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed when I retasted the Baltos. I was hoping for a wine with a bit of lift, as we like to say, something with red fruit flavors, a touch of earth and something… unique, I suppose. I remembered the Baltos as being distinctly versatile, pairing with a variety of foods and satisfying many people’s taste buds. What I found was aromas of brett, or a barnyard essence with a touch more “funk” than simply walking into a real barn (a smell I actually cherish  in a wine). Brett isn’t a fault, per se (though it is controversial), but I was hoping for violets, black raspberries and sweet plums. The palate delivered a touch of black plum fruit, but its leather earthiness dominated. A gentle bite of licorice filled the back palette. The wine wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t doing it for me either.

Perhaps it was palette fatigue at the end of a long day tasting and evaluating 75 or so wines for the shop, but the bottom line is, I was underwhelmed.

As I discussed at the outset, Bierzo was considered an up-and-coming region just a few years ago. I write about this ‘designation’ often enough. The thing is, Mencia/Bierzo doesn’t seem to have taken off – at least not here in Greater Boston. Frankly, I’ve tasted very little Mencia offerings. I’m not in a position to judge them as a whole one way or the other. But I am curious:

How many of you are familiar with the Mencia grape and what is your experience with these wines?

It's cold in the cold room. Wade checks on how fermentation is progressing.

I’m always enamored with folks who truly enjoy their work – ever happy to be challenged while doing what they love. It’s how I got into wine, to be honest. And it seems this is often the case in this line of work.

Pop on over to WickedLocal today to meet the Holtzman’s of Harvard, Ma. They’re making their own nectar of the gods (ice wine) using the hottest commodity in their hood… apples!

I think we’ve all had a burst of reality thrown our way recently when we discovered one of our favorite ___ locations has a “closed until further notice” sign displayed in the front door.  Yuck. Certainly we’re in a period where the cream will rise to the top, but sometimes your local fav isn’t every body elses – or else they knew how to dish out a fabulous meal, but they weren’t running the numbers properly. You get the idea.

At the same time, I can think of 3 new bars/restaurants that have just opened, and which I’ve heard really good things about (within 3 miles of my digs, no less). Out with the old, in with the new? I hope not. But I’ll take a few new places that will help keeps things fresh.

Meanwhile, many young adults are scooping up new homes. They are getting great buys on properties that were completely out of the realm of possibility just a few years ago. Other folks looking to get a new business off the ground may have a new opportunity to do so. Many I know in the trade for example, are now biding their time, waiting to set up their kitchens in prime spaces as they become available.

This week I read a really interesting (and well-written) article about a different kind of real estate, business and demographic phenomenon: California wineries for sale. As many winemakers/owners hit retirement age, they have no succession strategy in place. In some cases offspring want no part of the wine biz; in others there are no offspring to be had (45%!). Whichever the case, owners haven’t “groomed” someone else to take over. What happens? Big companies swoop in and snag the property, and often enough, the brand itself. But what about the wine?!

Journalist Beppi Crosariol at Globe and Mail described the implications of this scenario, writing “the shift could usher in a new era of big-business control that will transform an industry known mainly for individualistic, craft wines into an ocean of McCabernets.” Yikes! Who wants that?

Apparently not everyone. Another article I stumbled on cheered the little guys; small Santa Clara Valley wineries are starting to hit their stride – recently taking home several national prizes for their efforts and gaining important publicity as a result.

Hopefully there will be some happy balance in the months or years ahead. All in all though, these articles reaffirm my belief that tasting is believing. Some of your old favorites might not have the same juice, if you will, moving forward; and maybe that’s ok, if you’re willing to keep exploring and find other hidden gems.

Do you think we’ll start hearing more about winery properties changing hands in Europe? Or does a deeper history, family tradition or even estate tax law prevent some of this?