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In wine, it’s common to speak of the New World and the Old World. But there’s another world—the Ancient World where wine was born tens of thousands of years ago. MyWine Clip video this week is with vintner Irakli Gilauri who is determined to showcase stunning wines from the Ancient World. Don’t miss it. Our Spotlight this week focuses on three sensational red Burgundies, sensual wines with a lightness of being. Quizzards, I hope you love this week’s Wine Quiz as much as I do. Who knew, right? And finally, our Wine to Know is a top-notch, beautifully delicious Oregon Pinot Gris that’s just $7 a glass.
—Happy wine drinking, Karen
A. Because white wine does not need to be swirled as vigorously to open it up
B. Because white wine is generally not as complex as red wine
C. Because in traditional, elegant place settings, white wine glasses and red wine glasses needed to be differentiated from one another
D. No one knows
It isn’t always true that you can tell a Pinot Gris from a Pinot Grigio. The latter is usually light and simple. The former often has more character, more dimension, more personality. The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
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Wine People Close Up – Irakli Gilauri
Twice in my career, a man from Georgia (the country) has walked into my office and changed the way I think about the world of wine.
The first time, two decades ago, the man was an Eastern Orthodox monk from an 11th century monastery. The second time, a few weeks ago, the man was Irakli Gilauri, who is changing the future of wine from the most ancient of terroirs where wine was born—Georgia.
Renowned Author & Dynamic Speaker
With a reputation for captivating audiences and inspiring wine lovers around the world, Karen is available for keynote speeches, seminars, and custom events. Reach out to book Karen for your next event.
Fifty Pounds and a Gazillion Seeds
Lodi, the self-proclaimed “Zinfandel Capital of the World” (it produces over 40% of California’s zin), is also home to over 130 different grape varieties, more than any other California region. These include: The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Patrick, in my 40 years in the wine industry, I’ve sent a bottle back maybe four times. But I’ve sent wine glasses back probably 200 times. In many restaurants, wine glasses go through the dishwasher with plates that can have everything on them from scraps of salmon to crusted pork fat. Those aromas can get trapped in the glass, because of the way wineglasses are shaped and the inside of a wine glass is microscopically pitted. So with a wine that seems funky, the glass is often the culprit. In that case, I just ask the server for a fresh glass, explaining that the wine seems a little odd, but I think it might be the glass not the wine.
By the Numbers
20
Average number of months US wineries are currently holding onto bonded (unsold, tax-deferred) wine in bulk or bottled forms, according to Terrain. This unintended surplus ties up critical cash flow and forces wineries to The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
50
Percentage of the key ingredients in its products that Nestlé plans to source from farmers using regenerative practices by 2030, according to CNN. Regenerative farming dramatically improvesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
70k
Pounds of plastic that Napa Valley’s Frank Family Vineyards helped to remove from the world’s waters in partnership with 4ocean over the past 2 years. The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Each week, my team and I will bring you a fascinating and fun dose of wine intel. You’ll find my top wine recommendations (for every one wine we recommend to you, we taste 50 to 100 wines), plus great wine and food quizzes, my takes on happenings in the wine world, and my (hopefully thought-provoking and helpful) blogs. Plus, as always, lots more!
~ Karen MacNeil