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Dear Reader,
For our Wine to Know, we were on the hunt for a delicious affordable Bordeaux, and we found it, at $8 a glass. Bordeaux—the largest fine wine region in the world—actually makes a lot of well-priced wines, and they’re easy to find in retail stores. The key is finding one that tastes like it costs more than it does. See our pick. Quizzards, I hope you like this issue’s fascinating Quizzes. And our Wine Clip Video this week is with an extraordinary wine pro and a sensory specialist—Dr Hoby Wedler, who has been blind since birth. Don’t miss it. Plus a Chenin Deal and a Pinot Indulgence for your pleasure. And finally, there are 1000 of each of these! See this week’s fun Numbers section.
—À votre santé, Karen
A. The name means “the golden slope” and is a reference to the fact that the best and most expensive Burgundies come from this area
B. The name comes from an old French term for a line of gentle rolling hills
C. The name refers to the Orient and the area’s eastern facing slope
D. The name refers to a medieval Duke who once ruled the area as a fiefdom
CHÂTEAU CANTEMERLE Haut-Médoc Grand Cru Classé
Haut-Médoc Grand Cru Classé 2020
Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, France
A friend recently told me he drinks so much California wine that he’s forgotten what Bordeaux tastes like. Here’s the fix for that— a delicious Bordeaux that’s just $8 a glass.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
93 points Karen MacNeil / WineSpeed
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Jeroboam
The name used in Burgundy and Champagne for a large bottle containing the equivalent of four standard bottles, or 3 liters of wine. (Jeroboams are also referred to as The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
My Favorite Videos in Celebration of Come Over October — Dr Hoby Wedler
All this month, I’m featuring interviews I’ve conducted with some of wine’s most compelling people, as we talk about wine’s ability to foster connection, sharing, and friendship.
Dr Hoby Wedler has been a friend of mine for several years. Hoby, who has been blind since birth, says that drinking wine is the way his brain experiences color, which he’s never seen. With a PhD in chemistry, Hoby’s sensory abilities are astounding. I’ve co-moderated wine tastings with him and I learn something new every time. In fact, we can all learn something from Hoby. Check out this video.
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.
The Canelé’s Winemaking Roots
Instantly recognizable by its dark, caramelized crust and soft, custardy center, the canelé is Bordeaux’s iconic pastry. The pastry was born in the 18th century as a “byproduct” of winemaking. The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Dear Lauren,
If by decanting, you mean traditional decanting where you pour a wine off its sediment (as is often done with older—15+ years– Cabernet Sauvignon), then there’s no need. Because of its lightish color and generally low level of tannin, Pinot Noir doesn’t throw much of a sediment.
But if, by decanting, you mean simply pouring a wine into a carafe to aerate and “open it up” before you drink it, then the answer is mixed. Pinot Noir tends to be fragile and by aerating it vigorously, you could actually cause the wine to collapse a bit. Pouring a Pinot into a decanter can also cause the wine’s nuanced aromas to blow off. I don’t decant/aerate many Pinot Noirs for this reason.
On the other hand, there are many powerful Pinot Noirs—especially from California. These are fairly dark in color and have highish alcohol and tannin. I think these Pinots actually do benefit from being poured out a half hour or so ahead of drinking.
—Karen
By the Numbers
1k
Approximate number of acres of vineyards in Valle de Aosta, Italy’s smallest wine region. For comparison, The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
1k
Number of years BCE (Before the Christian Era) that viticulture was introduced to Spain and Portugal by the Phoenicians, centuries before the Romans arrived, The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
1k
The number of ducks released daily at a wine estate in Stellenbosch, South Africa, as a nonconventional form of pest-control, 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