When It Comes to Terroir, Is Nature or Nurture More Important?

 
When It Comes to Terroir, Is Nature or Nurture More Important?

Contributed by Aleks Zecevic
 
From a vineyard’s soil composition and surface to the region’s climate and sun exposure, many wine professionals think quality wine will show characteristics of its place of origin. The French sum up this concept in the word terroir.

But another thought is that other factors, such as farming methods and winemaking techniques, are equally responsible for a wine’s defining characteristics. This leads some to believe that two wines produced in a similar area can taste wildly different. But, can both the “nature” of how the wine grows and the “nurture” of the winemaker be the true expression of terroir?

The Impact of Nature

Some believe terroir accounts for the natural environment of any viticultural site including the soil, topography, macroclimate, meso-climate, microclimate and more. In this theory, these environmental factors should influence wine taste to such a degree that reproduction is not possible elsewhere, regardless of viticulture and winemaking methods, according to the Oxford Companion to Wine.

“In Alto Adige, if you taste the water from the side of the mountain from mica-schist, it has this refreshing acidity, while the water that comes from the other side of the Dolomites picks up more chalk and the taste is more astringent,” explains Dominic Würth, winemaker and proprietor of GraWü winery in Italy’s Alto Adige. 

Indeed, it would appear that the nature surrounding the vineyards impacts the taste of grapes and, thus, the wine.  

Another example is Anjou in France, where the difference in soil has a direct impact on the berries themselves. The region is famous for Chenin Blanc, with some vines grown on schist soils and others on limestone. The schist soil doesn’t retain water as well as limestone, so the vines experience hydraulic stress, causing the production of smaller berries with thicker skins. Thus, Anjou Chenin Blanc from schist often has more intensity and crunch than its limestone counterparts.

Additionally, winemakers who want the terroir to impart the most character to the wine let the environment do the work. “To express terroir, you must avoid using pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals,” says Raphael Bennour, manager at Domaine du Gringet in Savoie, France. “Vineyards should be at least [certified] organic, and the vinification approach in the cellar should be minimalistic.” 

This is because harmful chemicals would destroy the flora and fauna of a place, and oenological additives in the cellar would alter the taste of the grapes. However, even in this case, the degree to which terroir affects the taste of wine is contentious.

The Impact of Winemaking

Some experts would say that different winemaking techniques disguise the terroir and can impact the flavors of the wine just as much as the environment.

Most blind wine-tasting exams (including the Court of Sommeliers and WSET) use “typical” examples of wines from select vineyard sites or wine regions. Hence, the examinees can have an educated guess on what the wine is. But “typical” has very little meaning when winemakers make deliberate changes.

“What I’ve learned in school is what certain vineyard sites are supposed to taste like,” says Jesse Becker, Master Sommelier. “If you’re in Musigny [France] and you obliterate the wine with new oak, you’re missing the point.”

So, the winemaking techniques used can have a major impact on what a “typical” wine will taste like. One example is how the winemaker chooses to ferment the grapes to impart changes in the wine. Becker considers practicing skin fermentation for white wines (resulting in orange wine), as not a true expression of renowned terroirs.

He is not alone, but this is when the topic becomes a bit more philosophical. Why is it normal to produce red wines with skins but not whites? Supposedly, the skins act the same in both red and white grapes. After all, white wines, as we know them, are a more recent invention. In ancient times, all wines were made with skin fermentation.

Also, in areas where a significant number of winemakers produce amber wines, like in Italy’s Collio, many would argue that this is the true expression of that region, rather than the pale white wines consumers are used to seeing on shelves. So, if uniformity of style is also a part of terroir, does it account for the winemaker’s style, too?

“We are a big influence on terroir, as we decide how we prune, remove the leaves, etc.,” says Franz Weninger of the eponymous winery in Burgenland, Austria.
By this theory, vine tending, the farming approach and the timing of the harvest all influence the taste of the grape and, thus, the wine. As can the winemaking style and choices made in the cellar.

“If you remove the leaves and expose Friulano [grapes] to the sunlight, its aromas will dissipate,” explains Nikolas Juretic, pruning expert for Simonit & Sirch and proprietor and winemaker at his namesake winery in Collio, Italy. “It is the same with Riesling,” he adds.

Alwin Jurtschitsch of Weingut Jurtschitsch, Weninger’s colleague from Kamptal in Austria, agrees. “Terroir is not stopping at the border of your vineyards. It’s always the relationship with the winemaker, too,” he says.

A Nature vs. Nurture Experiment

Jurtschitsch did a “terroir experiment” with his wife Stefanie Jurtschitsch, her brother Johannes Hasselbach of Weingut Gunderloch in Rheinhessen, Germany, Theresa Breuer of Weingut Breuer in Rheingau, Germany and Max von Kunow of Weingut von Hövel in Germany’s Saar Valley.

The project was called Wurzelwerk, which means work of the roots, and it was their attempt to understand the influence of their terroirs versus the winemaking, or nature versus nurture.

“Starting in 2012, we all exchanged grapes with each other from our top vineyards sites, and each of us vinified all of them in the same way,” says Jurtschitsch. This included spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel, without the addition of sulfur until bottling. The bottles were then aged together in von Hövel’s cellar.

After bottling and giving the wines some time, the group blind-tasted them, attempting to recognize the different terroirs. The result was quite shocking. Though the grapes had grown in different places, several wines tasted so similar that they all thought they must have come from the same vineyard.

“They were actually all from different sites but from von Hövel’s cellar,” says Jurtschitsch. “Max [von Kunow’s] cellar is unique. It is two meters [six feet] below ground. In winter, temperatures drop, significantly slowing down the fermentation process and creating something like natural bâtonnage.” (Bâtonnage is a French term for stirring the lees in wine, which some attribute to improving mouthfeel and complexity).

So, the experiment concluded that nurture had a strong impact on the wine’s final flavor. Though, Alwin did say that after several years of aging, the terroir similarities of a particular vineyard site started to come through, regardless of the cellar.

The Bottom Line

Terroir serves as the basis for defining many famous wine appellations. In that regard, the brand that stands behind a given appellation needs consistency. If a customer orders a Sancerre, for example, they will most likely expect a fresh, citrusy wine. But what happens when someone makes Sancerre with botrytized grapes and its profile changes completely? If botrytis is common in Sancerre, wouldn’t excluding it mean that you’re not truly showing the terroir?

“Terroir is an important part of wine, but it has been this reductionist expression,” says Justin Chearno, wine director and partner at the Four Horsemen, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Brooklyn, New York that recently won a James Beard Award for the outstanding wine program. “Is the sameness part of terroir and what is typical [of a certain terroir] to someone who has mainly had unsulfured wines?”

To be able to tell, one must taste two wines that have been farmed and vinified in the same way. Only then can you attribute that the distinction in taste truly comes from differences in terroir. With the emergence of natural wine and the alternative expression of terroir, standardization is broken.

“True expression of terroir” continues to drive the debate, and this is where personal experience surfaces. How often is the winemaking technique confused with specific terroirs? More importantly, how often do our individual experiences impact how a wine from a region should taste?

Whether you believe the terroir or the winemaking technique has the most impact, the important part is that the result should be good.
 

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As always, don't hesitate to call us at 415-337-4083 or email frank@ggwc.com for selection advice or assistance!

LAST CALL 4 DUMOL 2021 RELEASES – “SPECIAL PRICING” OFFER ENDS SUN JULY 16


Time flies. This is already the 26th release of DUMOL! I fondly remember meeting founder Kerry Murphy (who sadly passed away last year in July) in 1997, when he started DuMOL and tasting through the first bottles of what has now turned into a real success story. Andy Smith, his longtime winemaker, rolled up his sleeves and produced what might turn into the best vintage for Dumol ever!

With much lower than normal production levels this vintage will sell out in no time! The 2021 DuMol releases are turning out to be very good this year! As you know DuMOL is always in high demand, you can bet that this means the allocation will sell out quickly.

We offer FREE SHIPPING on 12 or more, use code DUMOL21 upon checkout (OK to mix & match)

DuMOL 2021 Pinot Noir “Wester Reach” Russian River Valley
Retail 85.00 – GGWC 79.99 


Incredibly aromatic and complex, the 2021 Dumol Wester Reach Pinot Noir offers loads of spiced red fruits, incense, wood smoke, and forest floor notes as well as a medium-bodied, fresh, focused, yet still pleasure bent style. It’s a classic DuMol Pinot Noir to drink over the coming 5-7 years. 

Winemaker Notes: “Classic coastal Russian River aromas and flavors: crisp red apple skin, bright red cherry, deep wild berry, hibiscus, pepper, fresh mint, and a complex woodsy note. There’s wonderful purity and succulence to the core of red and black fruits which are supported by balanced black tea tannins and bright vibrant acidity. The wine finishes sleek and focused with liveliness and lingering aromatic lift.”

James Suckling 95 Points: “A wine with a lot of back end, with dark fruits of blackberry and cherry. Ripe strawberry. Hints of toasted oak and smoke. It’s full and layered with very firm and polished tannins. Very serious and real, and shows the structure of the vintage. Some chocolate. Strawberry pie, too. Drinkable but two to three years of age will help it."

DuMOL 2021 Chardonnay “Wester Reach”
Russian River Valley

Retail 74.00 – GGWC 69.99 


The Dumol 2020 Wester Reach Chardonnay comes from various great vineyards in the Russian River Valley, it has terrific notes of citrus and Meyer lemon, and hints of tart pineapple as well a medium-bodied, fresh, focused, incredibly pretty style on the palate. With bright acidity and plenty of vibrancy, it’s slightly more forward and fruit-driven compared to some of the other releases here.

Winemaker Notes: “ Great aromatic intensity—citrus and nectarine fruits, jasmine and orange blossom, briny/flinty sea spray edges. The flavors center upon lemony green apple then deeper stone fruits with honeysuckle and ginger richness. The wine’s texture is deep, oily, and layered. Fresh mineral, grapefruit acidity cuts through the richness giving a pinpoint focus to the wine’s long echoing finish. Drink between 2023 and 2027.”

James Suckling 95 Points: “A structured and layered white with apple, light honey and acacia aromas and flavors. Medium to full body. Creamy mouthfeel. Phenolic texture that runs through the wine. Flavorful yet subtle finish. Touch of flint and cedar. Drink or hold.”

DuMOL 2021 Syrah “Wild Mountainside” Russian River Valley
Retail  78.00 –  GGWC 71.99


Black cherry, boysenberry, lavender, violet and green peppercorn are all present in the aroma. There’s lovely clarity of flavor and purity of cool climate fruit: cassis and blackberry offset by thyme, tobacco and cocoa nib. A lushness of texture takes over with lingering black fruits and lilac on the peppery, extended finish. Drink this soon after release or enjoy the reward of 10+ years of aging.

Winemaker Notes: “ Soaring multi-dimensional aromatic complexity that is quite dramatic. Violet, dark berry pastille, graphite, and black olive. Bright peppery component with deep succulent blue and black fruits—really sings of its cool climate origins. Simultaneously layered and deep yet beautifully pure and lifted. Focused, granular tannins, powerful but never edgy. Lingering complexity—dusty cocoa and dried herbs. Decant for an hour in its youth. Drink between late-2023 and 2031.”

Click here or on the links above to order!
Call 415-337-4083 (landline, please do not text here – we will not receive
it) 
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Small production, MUST HAVE  96 Point Chardonnay

 
There was a man named Ernest. He was an entrepreneur, a risk-taker and a role model for his grandson, Todd Gottula, who founded the Ernest Winery with his wife, Erin Brooks, back in 2012.  Todd’s grandmother, Joanne, is The Artist in the family. Her path as an artist revealed itself later in life, but her talent shines through. Today her beautiful works grace their lives daily—she is the source of the portrait of Ernest that appears on all of the Ernest bottles.

THE VINEYARD: The Ernest Estate is anchored in the heart of the Freestone Valley, an area deeply defined by the extreme cold temperatures and blanketing fog from the chilly Pacific Ocean. The challenging growing conditions reward with wines of structure and restraint.

Ernest 2021 Estate Chardonnay Freestone Valley Sonoma Coast
Retail GGWC 54.99 
FREE SHIPPING on 12
Use code ERNEST during checkout  (assort with other Ernest wines)


James Suckling 96 Points: “This estate bottling is fantastic, offering sliced lemon, cooked apple and apricot with energized acidity. Medium to full body with an intense and full finish. Lots of extract at the end. Exciting chardonnay. Drink or hold.”

Winemaker Notes: “An incredibly pale example of the varietal. Citrus notes and green herbs greet the nose from a lean and vibrant wine. It is floral and fruits with impeccable acidity and a delicate mouthfeel. Refreshing without being overtly acidic. Clean and fresh gets thrown around a lot these days but, in this case, it is the perfect description of this cool-climate Chardonnay.”

Also check out:

Ernest 2019 Bohemian Series Pinot Noir Cleary Freestone Ranch Vineyard, Sonoma Coast
Retail 95.00 – GGWC 79.99 (SPECIAL PRICING ENDS JULY 15)
FREE SHIPPING on 12
Use code ERNEST during checkout (assort with other Ernest wines)


Click here or on the links above to order!
Call 415-337-4083 (landline, please do not text here – we will not receive
it) 
email frank@ggwc.com for availability and priority allocation

The Strange Life of Glass

 
The Strange Life of Glass

By Katy Kelleher

 This essential substance has a history—and future—that’s far from clear.
 
Glass is perhaps the most frequently overlooked material in history. It is essential to our lives, more so even than plastic. A world without glass is more unimaginable to me than terraforming Mars (practically an impossibility, most scientists agree). Without this banal marvel, you wouldn’t be able to use a touch-screen phone, switch on a lamp, look out a window, put on your glasses, sip from that bottle on your nightstand. You wouldn’t be able to receive emails or phone calls or access the Internet.

In an article for The Atlantic, glass is called “humankind’s most important material.” Douglas Main writes, “To reach you, these words were encoded into signals of light moving about 125,000 miles per second through fiber-optic cables,” which climb up mountains, creep under oceans, making tracks through cities and countries, all around the globe. The glass within is thinner than a human hair and “30 times more transparent than the purest water.” Glass allows us to see and be seen, hear and be heard, to illuminate our rooms and lives and thoughts.

From a thermodynamic point of view, glass wants to become a solid. 

But glass is a funny material, partially because the word itself is a general term, one that refers not to a specific chemical formula but a substance that can be manufactured according to an “endless number of recipes.” Yet when we say “glass,” we understand it to mean something quite specific: It’s a type of material that is hard and brittle yet capable of being turned viscous and mobile with enough heat. Sometimes glass is erroneously characterized as a liquid because even in its cooled form, it does move (albeit very slowly). Glass is not solid like rocks are solid because its molecules aren’t as rigidly organized as any material with a crystalline structure. Diamonds have a crystalline structure, as does ice and hardened honey, but glass does not. While more dependable than a sheet of ice, glass is, on a molecular level, a lot less ordered.

In materials science, glass is typically considered an “amorphous solid” or as John C. Mauro puts it, glass is a “nonbinary material,” neither liquid nor solid.

A former researcher and inventor and current engineering and materials science professor at Penn State University, Mauro has been fascinated by glass ever since he visited the Corning Museum of Glass in New York as a 6-year-old. He recalls being “captivated” by the colors and shapes. These days, he knows more than almost anyone about how glass functions, yet he retains a sense of awe for the substance. “Glass is its own thing,” he says. “It breaks the mold.”
 
HANDLE WITH CARE: The seemingly mundane and inert material we
call glass turns out to be anything but. On a molecular level, it behaves
more like a liquid, but from a thermodynamic point of view, it wants
to become a solid.
Photo by Ingrid Maasik / Shutterstock.
From a thermodynamic point of view, he explains, glass wants to become a solid. When observed on a molecular level, glass behaves more like a viscous liquid than a solid, yet we experience it like a solid because of how slowly it shifts. “Philosophically, it’s interesting that we’re observing glass at all,” Mauro says. “We see through it, when we’re looking at something else.” Yet there, right under our noses, is a scientific marvel—a material that behaves in a fascinatingly unique way, a substance that resists easy categorization. It makes up our lenses, our microscopes, our telescopes, our screens, our glasses. It allows us to see the world clearly, yet so rarely do we really see glass.

It’s this disappearing act that makes glass a strange vessel for beauty. It defies what we’re taught as children about matter, that there’s three states: solid, liquid, gas. It’s not rare by any stretch of the imagination. But glass is special despite all that.

Glass is mainly a manufactured substance. While some natural glass does exist, like obsidian and tektite, the vast majority of glass has been cooked over fires we built. As far as we can tell, glass manufacturing dates back to the Bronze Age somewhere in Mesopotamia. Some 4,000 years ago, human beings began melting silica (sand or crushed quartz) and mixing it with small amounts of limestone and soda ash. According to Pliny, the invention of glass was a happy accident. The Roman historian thought it happened at a cookout on a beach with some Phoenician sailors, but since no cookfire could get hot enough to melt sand, this seems doubtful. Contemporary historians believe glass could have been discovered through experiments with ceramics or metalworking—two early crafts that called for hotter ovens and longer firing times than any loaf of bread or leg of goat.

Out of all the players in the material world, glass is the ultimate trickster. 

The oldest known glass objects were used and handled like the lesser cousins of precious stones, worked cold rather than hot, chiseled rather than melted. People cut them, ground them, and set them in jewelry. At some point, our distant ancestors figured out how to cast glass in molds to produce vessels. Before anyone was blowing glass, artisans were creating glass mosaics, small mirrors, and a number of different types of vessels that could be used to store wine, perfume, drugs, and other valuable substances.
 
Photo by Quino Al on Unsplash
Around year zero, glass went big-time, thanks to the Romans and their regimented methods of production. Glass-blowing (a technique imported from Syria) enabled workmen (often enslaved people) to create cups and bowls much more quickly than any of the previous methods of glasswork. Glass cups could be purchased cheaply at the market, and soon glass rivaled pottery in its popularity for the average Roman. Artists began experimenting more with form, creating two-faced Janus-head vases and wine bottles decorated with scenes of carnal pleasure. Builders began using glass to make windows, but since the glass was fairly murky and thick, the purpose of adding glass was probably less about illumination and more about security and insulation. We’ve found evidence of glass windows throughout Rome and the surrounding cities, including in the luxuriously tiled, beautifully preserved bathhouses of Pompeii.

The age of the lens is difficult to pinpoint, for lenses pre-date the year zero by a decent span. Optics came into its own as an area of study at the end of the first millennia in the Islamic world, where mathematicians and scientists were making great leaps in the understanding and manipulation of light. During the Renaissance, philosophers, scientists, and thinkers were all using lenses to examine the physical world—both the stars above (with the invention of the telescope in 1608) and the ground below (after the introduction of the microscope in 1625). Glass has long been seen as a material that grants literal illumination, but it’s worth remembering that glass laid the groundwork for much of our metaphorical enlightenment too.

The Enlightenment was also an era that birthed phantasmagoria, a form of theatrical entertainment that was either horrifying or hopeful, depending on how one chose to see it.

Glass sharpens our vision but not necessarily our understanding.

Phantasmagoria was wild, eerie events during which guests paid to be terrorized by moving images of spirits, demons, and other frightening figures that were projected onto walls, smoke, or semi-transparent screens. This spiritually tinged form of proto-cinema was made possible by a combination of inventions new and old, including magic lanterns, magnifying lenses, Zograscopes, pepper’s ghosts, and other glass-based tools that could be used to manipulate light and sight.

The first phantasmagorias took place in the 1790s in a theater in post-Revolution Paris to the eerie background tunes of a glass harmonica. After waiting for a few moments in complete darkness, the audience began to see shapes emerge from the air, spectral figures that appeared to float and glide. Pale and otherworldly, these ghosts spoke, shouted, and cried. One, the Bleeding Nun, approached menacingly before retreating. Later versions of the phantasmagoria would involve the ghosts of recently deceased public figures, supposedly wrangled into submission by the powers of science. For that’s how these shows were billed: as the intersection between science and religion, faith, and enlightenment. They were horrible, but also a real hoot.

We’re still begging to be both fooled and enlightened. Humans love a spectacle. Out of all the players in the material world, I think the glass is the ultimate trickster. Although glass can illuminate rooms and lives, it can also distort reality and obscure the truth. Much like how photography can appear as a record of true events while cropping out essential context, glass sharpens our vision but not necessarily our understanding.

Contemporary life relies on glass more than most of us realize; it’s not just in our windshields and windows, it’s also in the fiber-optic cables that run under our feet, pulsing with meaning. “Right now we’re looking at each other via glass screens,” Mauro said during our interview, making me intensely aware of the tenuous nature of our connection. We were speaking over Zoom, a service that allows people to video chat over the Internet, using our respective laptops in our rooms hundreds of miles apart. He continued, “We wouldn’t have information screens without glass. All of this is being transmitted via a light signal through really thin pieces of glass we call fiber optics.” Without glass, he said, we wouldn’t have modern architecture, artificial lighting, natural lighting, cars, and most crucially, so much information.

Mauro stresses the benefits of glass. It enables us to store vaccines, examine cells, and gaze at the stars. But he argues that glass is, like all technology, “neutral” at its core. “When I think about fiber optics, I think about all the good things it’s done to enable communication, but it’s also done a lot of harm,” he said. People use social media to “spread lies and hate.”
 
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
We use glass to tell our individual truths, but we can also use it to create false narratives. I wouldn’t have been able to get the coronavirus vaccine without glass vials, but we also wouldn’t have seen such rapid-fire spread of anti-vaccine propaganda if we didn’t have glass screens in our pockets. Without glass tubes, German glassblower Heinrich Geissler wouldn’t have been able to observe cathode rays, Ernest Rutherford wouldn’t have been able to discover the power contained in an atom’s nucleus, and we wouldn’t have nuclear reactors or bombs. We wouldn’t know that when an atomic bomb goes off, it has the power to turn sand into glass, raining asteroid-like shards on the ground for people to find decades later. Maybe we wouldn’t be so uncertain, so unstable in our convictions.

While I agree with much of what Mauro says, I don’t know if the glass is truly neutral or if any technology can be said to be neutral. I think calling it neutral is a shorthand, like calling glass a solid. It’s far more ambiguous than that. Technology isn’t inert. It’s not a stone; it’s a language. And like a language, we must accept its many uses. We can say prayers; we can tell lies. Sometimes, we do it in the same breath.

But that’s human history. It’s a chain of events, one leading to another, sometimes ending in disaster, sometimes ending in beauty. When you look at it from one angle, it can appear full of beauty, prisms of color dancing across eons. From another, it’s so much hellfire
 

Visit us at https://GGWC.com!
As always, don't hesitate to call us at 415-337-4083 or email frank@ggwc.com for selection advice or assistance!

JUMP ON THIS MULTI-FACETED 97 POINT CAB NOW = VERY LIMITED


Jim Kaplan’s winery Aftermath (AFTER MATH) is a story of Math Professor turned Winery Owner, the story of what he is doing “After he was done with Math”.  

Jim Kaplan has a PhD in Applied Mathematics and was a professor at Northwestern and Boston Univeristies. A consulting gig morphed into an investment advisory business, JL Kaplan Associates which grew to manage $5.3 Billion! He sold the business to Wachovia in 2002 and started another business Cubic Asset Management, which he still runs today.  In the meantime, his hobby wine turned into a real winery venture. He purchased an amazing 15 acre vineyard in the Silverado Bench roughly 200 feet above the valley floor. Only 8 acres are planted to Cabernet and a small amount of Petit Verdot.

His winemaker Kevin Fox (Dave Phinney’s sidekick), does not need an intro, as his name resonates quality for many years now. His viticulturist is Steve Matthiasson, probably one of the most sought after vineyard managers in the same league as Dave Abreu and Jim Barbour.

Aftermath 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Estate” Napa Valley
Retail 90.00 – GGWC 84.99 
FREE SHIPPING on 12
Use code AFTERMATH during checkout


FMW 97 Points: This 100% Estate-grown Cabernet (96.3% CS and 3.7% PV), offers up an amazing bouquet of classic dark Cabernet fruit that jumps out of the glass upon impact.  This 2019 youngster is lush, full in bodied and surprisingly well-balanced. The wine is multi-layered loaded with gorgeous black currant, dark chocolate, a whiff of anise, cassis and a touch of spice on the opulent palate. Extremely well-balanced and in-sync wine that will please the big Cab lover. This is a killer wine, but unfortunately a very limited production.

Winemaker Notes: “The wine is full-bodied with a dark garnet color. The nose is redolent with black cherry and dark plums, with a hint of violets. There is cassis, dark chocolate shavings, black licorice, and tobacco on the palate. The glycerin level is high, producing a long lingering finish. Tannins are firm, but not harsh, so while the wine is delicious now it should cellar well for at least a decade. The blend is 96.3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3.7% Petit Verdot.”

Click here or on the links above to order!
Call 415-337-4083 (landline, please do not text here – we will not receive
it) 
email frank@ggwc.com for availability and priority allocation

HAPPY JULY 4 MESSAGE



Happy Fourth of July!


 
Happy Independence Day to all of you and your family! We hope that you have a wonderful holiday!

Don’t forget to share the love and spread the joy on this Independence Day. 

On a more important note – Thank you to everyone that has fought for the
United States of America, and for those that still do so today. 

Having Golden Gate Wine Cellars here is a privilege that I hope is never lost.

In honor of the 4th of July, share a bottle of your favorite American Wine with friends. 

I am humbled and lucky to be able to share our favorite wines with all of you.

Yours Truly,
St. Frank
Your Patron Saint of Tannins

SORRY, BUT THE VERY LAST CALL 4 this bargain “Wine Offering”

Sans Liege The Offering

Owner & Winemaker Curt Schalchlin has been producing high-quality domestic Rhône blends at a very respectable price level for years. Curt worked for some of the best winemakers in the industry and went solo about over a decade ago, and the rest is history. Today Sans Liege has a worldwide fan base among my clients, as far as Japan, Europe, and South America. The 2020 Sans Liege “The Offering” is by far the best Cali Côtes du Rhône release to date! 

Sans Liege 2020 GSM “The Offering” Santa Barbara                    
RETAIL 33.99 – GGWC 29.99


The Sans Liege “The Offering” (a blend of 42% Grenache, 38% Syrah, and 20% Mourvèdre) is a wine that captures the imagination and challenges expectations, it displays a beautiful purity and depth that is reminiscent of having a summer picnic in an ancient church. Resinous scents of black cherry cola, frankincense, fresh-peeled Clementine orange, and vanilla extract lead to a well-structured and balanced palate of curried mix-berry cobbler, turmeric, dark chocolate cocoa nibs and black pepper with rocky, silky tannins.

Winemaker Notes: “Within the refuge of the cottage fire dances in the wood-burning stove while outside a coastal storm rages. The windows show you redwoods and sassafras trees being assailed by rain. You pick up your book to settle in for the afternoon and take in a long breath. Scents of dark cherry, chocolate shavings, and baking spices linger in the air from the morning’s baking project and they meld with the more savory aromas of herbs de Provence and white pepper from the kitchen. As you exhale you happily ease into quietude. Blend: 44% Grenache, 36% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre”

Wine Spectator 94 Points: "Distinctive, refined and well-built, offering expressive black cherry, cigar box, green olive, and cured meat accents that build richness on the long finish. Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre."

Click here or on the links above to order!
Call 415-337-4083 (landline, please do not text here – we will not receive
it) 
email frank@ggwc.com for availability and priority allocation

ICYMI! A 95 Point, 100 case production RED GEM, TODAY 10% off

 
The many talents of Paso Robles wine community do not go unnoticed. Saint K proprietor and winemaker Chris Kiranbay grew up in the Middle East and has a longstanding history in the wine industry. A trip to Napa inspired a move across country to California. Chris worked a harvest there and visited Paso Robles back in 2010. Working in fine dining, as well as a wine brokerage, he began working for Herman Story Wines in 2013, and subsequently began making some of his own wines. His style echos that of Herman Story, as they are unabashedly big, with bright acidity holding everything in place.

Saint K 2021 Mourvèdre “Dial Tone”
Paso Robles Highlands District 95 Points

Retail 54.99 – GGWC 49.99
FREE SHIPPING ON 12
USE CODE SAINT DURING CHECKOUT


A dense and meaty wine, with black cherry, spring flowers, herbs de Provence, pepper, and roasted herb qualities. This youngster has a  lush full-bodied palate, that is lively with a grippy, energetic texture. Overall freshly, structured, somewhat silky, and elegant, with great depth, and a long finish.

FMW 95 Points: The wine jumps out of the gate with a touch of earthy spice, and a whiff of bing cherry and flowers. The wine is full in body, offering up some rocky gravel, black pepper, violets, and elderberries. The bold and lush palate is laced with black stone fruit, and some pepperiness while showcasing some boysenberry, and bbq meat flavors that lead into a long and intense finish. Only 100 cases produced.

Click here or on the links above to order!
Call 415-337-4083 (landline, please do not text here – we will not receive
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“THE” VALUE CAB OF THE MONTH

 
One of the best under $45 Cabernets of the year! Stack House Cabernet is Made by husband and wife winemaking team Anna & Mario Monticelli. Anna was the longtime assistant winemaker at Bryant Family and full-time winemaker at Piña. Her husband Mario has been the right hand man of winemaker of the stars Philippe Melka at Quintessa, Melka, Lail, Vineyard 29 and Hundred Acre

Stackhouse 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
GGWC 44.99
FREE SHIPPING on 12 or more
Use code STACKHOUSE during checkout


Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points: “Always a smoking value, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon comes has a layered, ripe, forward, and undeniably delicious style as well as lots of darker berry fruits, notes of leather and ripe herbs, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s going to put a smile on your face any time over the coming decade. Bravo!”

TWI 92 Points: “The 2019 Stack House Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in color. Classic cabernet notes of cassis, pencil lead, and cedar jump from the glass, with underlying hints of tilled soil and cardamom. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully light on its feet, with an approachable grainy texture and a lifted finish.”


Winemakers’ Notes: “The 2019 Stack House Cabernet Sauvignon boasts from the glass with an abundance of dark ripe fruits. Beautiful aromas of black currants, blackberries and black cherries intermingle with layers of roasted herbs, crushed rock, graphite, mocha, toasty French oak and baking spice. The wine is plush and velvety on the palate. The mouthfeel is rich and textured while showcasing a brilliant vein of freshness and acidity. The wine culminates with a gorgeous long enduring finish.

Click here or on the links above to order!
Call 415-337-4083 (landline, please do not text here – we will not receive
it) 
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An exceptionally high-quality Chardonnay at a “Bargain Price”


Walter Hansel has been synonymous with great quality at a great price! Year after year these wines impress me and my clientele alike. The first vines were planted in 1978 just up the block from Kistler! The first vintage produced 3 barrels of Pinot Noir and 10 barrels of Chardonnay, and the rest as they say, is history! Stephen Hansel (Walter’s son) had one of the best winemakers as his tutor (Tom Rochiolli) so it is no surprise that they are still putting out great wines decades later. Year after year this winery produces amazing “Dollar Cost Average” under-priced & over-delivered in quality wines!

Walter Hansel 2021 Chardonnay “Cuvee Alyce”
Russian River Valley

GGWC 44.99 
FREE SHIPPING on 12
Use code HANSEL during checkout


Vinous 94 Points: “The 2021 Chardonnay Cuvée Alyce is a classic Stephen Hansel wine. It offers notable richness but also a great deal of transparency. Hansel blends two variations of Wente Clone Chardonnay (Hyde and Hudson) with some clone 76 for his Cuvée Alyce, a Chardonnay that exudes class.”

Robert Parker (previous vintage) 95 Points: "The Walter Hansel Chardonnay Cuvée Alyce opens slowly to lovely aromas of warm peaches and apricots with accents of toast, roasted almonds and honey. The medium-bodied palate is silky, super concentrated, layered and fresh, cut through with uplifting mineral character and finishing very, very long. Gorgeous!"

Robert Parker: "…This is an enviable winery run by Stephen Hansel with exceptionally high-quality Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs that he sells at modest prices, which speaks to his humility and commitment to serious wine consumers. There are more than 80 acres of estate, so it is not small, split evenly between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. He breaks the cuvées down by their vineyard terroir/site."

Stephen Hansel Winemaker: “Cuvee Alyce Chardonnay tends to offer big, rich, and "over the top" flavors.”

Click here or on the links above to order!
Call 415-337-4083 (landline, please do not text here – we will not receive
it) 
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VERY LAST CALL for The Chardonnay of the Year

Chardonnay

In a recent tasting of top-notch Chardonnays, a small Santa Rita Hill winery surprised us all.

Our group of 16 “professionals” tasted  10 highly-rated and well-regarded Chardonnays.

The lineup:

DuMOL Wester Reach 96 Points
Paul Lato Souvenir 97 Points
Peter Michael “Belle Cote” 98 Points
Hudson “Seashell” 98 Points
Kistler “Cuvee Cathleen” 97 Points
Paull Hobbs “Edward James” 97 Points
Mail Road “Mt Carmel” 95 Points
Senses B.A. Thieriot 97 Points
Brewer Clifton “3 D”  96 Points
The Hilt” Bentrock” 96 Points

The result: 
Mail Road Mt. Carmel – 10 First, 3 Second, 2 Third place votes
Paul Lato Souvernir – 4 First, 8 Second, 3 Third place votes
DuMol  Wester Reach – 2 First, 2 Second, 5 Third place votes

This is a venture by 3 partners, Matt Dees, Michael Palmer, and Ron Piazza. A very limited release of Santa Barbara's new Cult Pinot Noir. The winemaker is Matt Dees, known for his amazing winemaking skills at Jonata & The Hilt (two wineries owned by Screaming Eagle winery)

Vineyard: Planted in 1988, Mt. Carmel straddles the saddle of an exposed, two-tiered mountain, just north of the Santa Ynez River, at the geographic center of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. In its 35 years, Mt. Carmel has secured its reputation as a world-class site for chardonnay and pinot noir. In that time, the vineyard has consistently produced many of The Sta. Rita Hills’ most highly coveted, single vineyard wines. Wines that are remarkable for their expression of site, marked by deep concentration, exceptional depth, textural complexity, and laser-like acidity.

Mail Road 2020 “Mount Carmel Vineyard” Santa Rita Hills
Retail 129.99 – GGWC 124.99
FREE SHIPPING on 6  
Use code MAILROAD during checkout


Delicately lovely aromas of honeysuckle, lemon blossom, crisp apple, and Asian pear invite the nose into this excellent bottling from an iconic vineyard. There's an extremely chalky grip to the sip and yet generous flavors of coconut and pear. It's fascinatingly expressive for being so tightly wound.

Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points: “The 2020 Chardonnay Mount Carmel Vineyard has a pure, crystalline vibe in its bright lemon curd and orchard fruit aromatics, and its medium-bodied, with bright, almost racy acidity, some distinct minerality, good mid-palate density, and a great finish. It will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for a decade.”

Vinous 95 Points: “The 2020 Chardonnay Mt. Carmel Vineyard is elegant, silky, and nuanced. Orchard fruit, white flowers, and mint are some of the many notes that open first. This is an unusually refined Chardonnay from Mt. Carmel, where wines tend to be more rugged. All the elements are so well put together aided by long aging on the lees, which really works well here. White flower, mint, chalk, and bright saline notes linger on the sculpted finish.


Also, check out the Mail Road 2019 Mount Carmel Santa Rita Hills 97 Points (assorts for FREE SHIPPING)

Click here or on the links above to order!
Call 415-337-4083 (landline, please do not text here – we will not receive
it) 
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A MUST HAVE  95+ Point, Cali- Bordeaux blend

 
Vailia From the owner/winemaker, might be the wife of Russell From the owner/winemaker of Herman Story, but she is her “own” woman in this man’s wine world! Desparada is the culmination of 20 years of traveling and working for and in wine. Vailia has seen every side of the industry, from winemaking to harvesting, to importing, cold calling for sales, to managing brokerages, to working on restaurant floors, and managing a mobile bottling line. There’s something in wine that keeps her going. She’s a traveler by nature, and Desparada is what carries her. A no-nonsense lady, making no-nonsense, well-priced and good quality wines with a twist.

Desparada 2021 Sackcloth and Ashes Bordeaux Blend
GGWC 69.99
FREE SHIPPING on 12
Use code HERMAN during checkout


Winery Notes: ” Notes of black charcoal, white peppercorn, African violets, and old-fashioned soaked Luxardo. Blend: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Petit Verdot, 19% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot.”
Tasting Notes: Medium ruby-purple in color, it has pretty scents of purple flowers, mint chocolate, earth, and savory spices with a core of wild berry fruit. The palate is soft, plush, and juicy with loads of spicy fruit that keeps you going back for more.

FMW 95+ Points: A gorgeous nose of strawberries, violets, lilac, and black plum make for a fresh and lovely entry. This Bordeaux blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Petit Verdot, 19% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot, offers up a medium to full body of lush red & black fruit flavors, with a hint of vanilla & spice leading into an intense, long flavorful yet silky finish.

Make sure to check out her AMAZING Desparada 2022 NYX Sauvignon Blanc (94 Points) (assorts for FREE SHIPPING)

Click here or on the links above to order!
Call 415-337-4083 (landline, please do not text here – we will not receive
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What is Investment-Grade Wine? 

 
What is Investment-Grade Wine?  
 
 
 
Wine That Gets Better With Age

Wine investing continues to gain traction as an alternative asset class, but exactly makes a fine wine investment-grade? These wines are those rare and exceptional bottles that attract the attention of both collectors and investors alike on the secondary market. These sought-after wines possess unique qualities that make them desirable assets for individuals looking to diversify their portfolios and potentially earn returns through wine investing.

These are some of the key factors that determine the value and investment potential of these wines.

Rarity

In the world of wine investing, rarity is highly prized. Investment-grade wines are often produced in limited quantities or sourced from prestigious vineyards known for their outstanding quality. Producers of such prestige tend to sell out their vintages quickly, meaning they’re hard for consumers to get their hands on. This scarcity makes them highly sought after on the secondary market. As demand exceeds supply, the value of these wines tends to appreciate over time, presenting an attractive opportunity for wine investors.

Vintage

Not all years are the same when it comes to wine. Weather, the harvest, a little bit of luck; even from the best producers there are many variables that factor into making a great wine. Great vintages combined with maturation play a crucial role in determining the value of investment-grade wine. Older wines that have been aged properly tend to command higher prices. With age, wines undergo a transformative maturation process, developing complex flavors and aromas. Wines with longer aging potential, such as those from renowned regions like Bordeaux or Burgundy, are often sought after by wine investors seeking bottles that will develop over time, and potentially appreciate in value.

Brand Reputation

The reputation of the winery or vineyard behind the wine greatly influences its investment potential. Well-established brands with a history of producing exceptional wines are particularly attractive to wine investors. Producers such as Château Margaux, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Harlan, Colgin, and Opus One have built a reputation for consistently delivering top-quality wines. These esteemed brands carry a significant premium in the market, making their bottles ideal investment-grade options.

Condition and Provenance

The condition of investment-grade wine is more important that some might think. Bottles that have been stored under optimal conditions, such as controlled temperature and humidity, retain their quality and value over time. Wine investing stands to have the better market performance of assets when the wines that have been carefully preserved, with perfect labels, bottles, and packaging intact and free from damage. Pristine condition adds to the desirability and investment potential of these wines.

Examples of Investment-Grade Wines

Here are a few notable examples of investment-grade wines that have captivated collectors and investors:
  1. Château Lafite Rothschild: Having been involved in the Bordeaux wine industry for hundreds of years, the Rothschild family’s flagship Lafite Rothschild Bordeaux blend has been a consistent part of the typical wine investing portfolio for decades.
  2. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti Grand Cru: Produced in Burgundy, this renowned estate consistently produces some of the world's most sought-after Pinot Noir wines. Its limited production and exceptional quality make it a prime investment-grade choice.
  3. Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon: Hailing from Napa Valley, this cult wine is arguably the most sought after in America, and has gained a reputation for its exceptional quality and scarcity. Limited production and consistently high ratings have made it a highly sought-after investment-grade wine.
Investing in Wine the Right Way

Those attributes of what qualifies wines as investment-grade might seem simple on the surface, but actually trying to collect and invest in wines of this nature is easier said than done. Aside from studying up on the names of top brands like Romanee-Conti, you have to be certain that your sourcing is top notch, or you risk counterfeit bottles, damaged bottles, or wines that have not been properly stored to protect the contents.

Investing in wine can be an exciting and potentially rewarding endeavor, but it's important to approach it with a competent understanding of the asset class, or with the help of professionals. Selecting investment-grade wines that are likely to appreciate in value requires thorough research and prudent sourcing. Partnering with professionals such as Vint can provide access to expertise and diversified, securitized offerings of investment-grade wines that have been researched and built based on fundamental analysis and value.
 
Check out these “cult”  wines we currently have in stock:

Screaming Eagle Cabernet (FUTURE – call to RSVP)

IN STOCK TODAY:
 
Andremily 2020 Syrah #9 Santa Barbara 99 Points

Andremily 2019 Grenache Santa Barbara 99 Points

Argot 2019 Syrah “Indigo” Sonoma Mountain, Sonoma – 97 Points

Bevan 2019 Sugarloaf Proprietary Red Napa Valley ~ 100 Points

Castiel Estate 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain Napa Valley 97 Points

Colgin 2018 Cariad Proprietary Red Blend Napa Valley 100 Points

Colgin 2019 IX Estate Proprietary Red Pritchard Hill, Napa Valley 100 Points

Colgin 2019 IX Estate Syrah, Pritchard Hill, Napa Valley 98+ Points

Continuum 2019 Bordeaux Blend Estate Pritchard Hill, Napa Valley – 99 Points

Harlan Estate 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa 3 x 100 Points
CALL FOR PRICE

Harlan Estate 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Estate” Oakville, Napa Valley 100 Points
CALL 4 PRICE 

Ovid 2018 Hexameter Proprietary Red, Napa Valley 99 Points

Keplinger 2019 “Vine Hill Ranch” Cabernet Oakville, Napa 97 Points

Mending Wall 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Tournahu 97 Points

Ovid 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 98+ Points

Ovid 2018 Hexameter Proprietary Red, Napa Valley 99 Points

Patrimony 2019 Cabernet Franc Paso Robles 99 Points

Patrimony 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 99 Points

Paul Lato 2020 Syrah IL Padrino Bien Nacido 98 Points

Pulido Walker 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder, Napa 99 Points

Riverain 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve “Tench Vineyard” Napa V. 99 Points
(Thomas Rivers Brown)

The Hilt 2020 Pinot Noir “Radian” Santa Rita Hills 98 Points
(owned by Screaming Eagle)

Tor 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer ToKalon Oakville Napa 100 Points

 

Visit us at https://GGWC.com!
As always, don't hesitate to call us at 415-337-4083 or email frank@ggwc.com for selection advice or assistance!

Summer Has Arrived = Time 4 FUN WINE!  


The wine is named after a mountain that Jeff and Mark Pisoni used to climb when they were young. The 2022 is a fun blend of Pinot Grigio and Pinot Blanc. The Pisoni family will donate $1 from every bottle sold to the Ocean Conservancy and this year they are donating it to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Hurry, for this perfect summer wine!

Lucy by Pisoni 2022 “Pico Blanco” Proprietary White, Monterey
Retail 30.00 – GGWC 27.99

 
Jeff Pisoni Notes: “A harmonious blend of 85% Pinot Gris and 15% Pinot Blanc, the 2022 Lucy Pico Blanco is quite simply, delicious. Elegant aromas of fresh honeysuckle, white peach, and candied ginger become more pronounced as a backdrop of wet stone and fresh sea air giving the impression this wine was procured from the Monterey coast itself. These two old-world varieties meld together seamlessly on the palate in a youthful and approachable manner, as flavors of crisp pear and candied pineapple are supported by chalky, yet supple texture and lingering finish”.

Make sure to  check out these other great Pisoni family wines.

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Call 415-337-4083 (landline, please do not text here – we will not receive
it) 
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Even after a wet winter, California is preparing for the next drought

 
Communities are focused on recharging underground aquifers and improving conservation.
 
Contributed by Matt Vasilogambros 
 
Wildflowers bloom in San Diego’s Balboa Park after a rainy winter in California.
Despite the precipitation, state officials are preparing for the next drought. 
 
Mountains are capped with record snowpack, rolling hills are covered in a rainbow of wildflowers, reservoirs are filled to the brim, and rivers are rushing with snowmelt. A vast majority of California is finally out of drought this month, after a punishing multiyear period of severe aridity that forced statewide water cuts and fueled existential fear over the future of the water supply. Although a series of massive storms during the winter months brought desperately needed precipitation throughout the Golden State, water experts and state officials remain focused on preparing for the inevitable next drought. Based on lessons learned in recent years, they’re refilling the state’s over-drafted groundwater aquifers and encouraging water efficiency among residents learning to live with climate change.

By recharging groundwater basins and keeping in place some conservation policies, state and local water officials can help alleviate the pain of future droughts — but those efforts require flexibility and more investment, said Andrew Ayres, a research fellow with the Public Policy Institute of California, a nonpartisan think tank.

“There’s still a lot of work to do to make sure that we can provide reliability in the next drought,” he said. “Whenever that rolls around, things are always uncertain. It could be next year, and we might be right back into it.”

After the deluge in a rare wet winter, less than 6% of California is in moderate drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a federal service run in partnership with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Yet nearly a third of the state is still abnormally dry.
 

What we’re seeing in this shift from an extreme drought to now extreme flooding is emblematic of climate change.

– Heather Cooley, Pacific Institute



With many of the state’s reservoirs nearing full capacity — and others likely to continue to fill up as the mountains’ snow melts and flows downstream — state and federal water authorities are for the first time in nearly two decades allocating full amounts of requested water supplies for cities and farming communities.

The storms this winter have helped restore reservoirs, but the state should continue building long-term water resilience, said Jeanine Jones, the interstate resources manager for the California Department of Water Resources, the agency in charge of water allotments.

“While this precipitation has helped surface water supplies and eased impacts from the state’s record-breaking drought, California’s groundwater basins are still depleted due to prolonged dry conditions and will require more than a single wet year to recover,” she wrote in an emailed statement.

State and local water officials have for months focused on recharging groundwater basins through new investment and efforts such as diverting and collecting stormwater. Additionally, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom in a March executive order eased some regulations so communities could more easily capture and store floodwater in the ground — sometimes by flooding fields and letting that water seep.

Some of that groundwater recharging will occur around wetlands and floodplains, which could be a boon for migratory birds and other wildlife whose habitats have suffered in recent years.

But the increase in water also can bring its own challenges. With so much snowmelt, flooding is already taking a toll in some areas of the state. The once dormant Tulare Lake in the San Joaquin Valley has flooded the surrounding Central California community and farmland.

Much of Southern California’s water supply from the Colorado River also remains in flux.
Last month, the Biden administration released three proposals for the future of water-sharing among the seven states that use water from the Colorado River, whose basin is still in a 23-year drought. Most of Southern California’s cities and farmland get their water from the river.

In order to prevent going to court, Western states will have to agree on one of those proposals, which primarily weigh California’s historic water rights against what other states argue is an updated, more equitable approach.

Through the recent Inflation Reduction Act and other laws, the feds also are providing millions of dollars to incentivize farmers and ranchers in the Colorado River’s upper basin states to forgo some water use and allow greater flows downstream. Money is going toward Salton Sea restoration in Southern California, as well.

There’s a common refrain among conservationists: Plan for the wet times when it’s dry, and plan for the dry times when it’s wet.

A conservation mentality among California residents hasn’t fully sunk in yet, said Heather Cooley, the director of research at the Pacific Institute, an Oakland-based nonprofit that studies water policy.

Communities must continue building resiliency to a hotter and drier climate, she said, by replacing old, wasteful appliances and fixtures with more modern, efficient models; replacing water-intensive grass with plants that are more suited for the Western climate; and building new infrastructure to capture and recycle stormwater.

“What we’re seeing in this shift from an extreme drought to now extreme flooding is emblematic of climate change,” she said. “It’s a future of more extremes. Now is the time to be making our communities resilient.”
 

Visit us at https://GGWC.com!
As always, don't hesitate to call us at 415-337-4083 or email frank@ggwc.com for selection advice or assistance!

LAST CALL 4 the Screaming Eagle of Pinot Noir


This is a venture by 3 partners, Matt Dees, Michael Palmer and Ron Piazza. A very limited release of Santa Barbara's new Cult Pinot Noir. The winemaker is Matt Dees, known for his amazing winemaking skills at Jonata & The Hilt (two wineries owned by Screaming Eagle winery)

Mail Road 2019 Mount Carmel Santa Rita Hills
Retail 129.99 – GGWC 124.99
FREE SHIPPING on 6  
Use code MAILROAD during checkout


Vineyard: Planted in 1988, Mt. Carmel straddles the saddle of an exposed, two-tiered mountain, just north of the Santa Ynez River, at the geographic center of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. In its 35 years, Mt. Carmel has secured its reputation as a world-class site for chardonnay and pinot noir. In that time, the vineyard has consistently produced many of The Sta. Rita Hills’ most highly coveted, single vineyard wines. Wines that are remarkable for their expression of site, marked by deep concentration, exceptional depth, textural complexity and laser-like acidity.

Antonio Galloni (Vinous) 97 Points: "A dazzling wine, the Mail Road Pinot Noir Mt. Carmel Vineyard possesses magnificent richness to match its statuesque personality. The flavors are rich, bold and ample, and yet the 2018 retains so much nuance and vibrancy. Inky red/purplish fruit, lavender, graphite and spice build into the huge, resonant finish. What a wine. It was done with 6% whole clusters and was aged in a combination of one and two-year-old barrels…Ronald Piazza and Michal Palmer own Mail Road and the Mt. Carmel Vineyard, one of the top sites in California for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Winemaker Matt Dees sure knows how to get the most out of this fruit. The wines I tasted are off the charts."

Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points: “The 2019 Pinot Noir Mount Carmel Vineyard is more floral and exotic, with a thrilling core of black raspberry and wild strawberry fruits supported by candied orange, violet, flowery incense, and assorted spices. These all carry to a vibrant, medium-bodied Pinot Noir with a classic, focused spine of acidity, a more rounded mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's another gorgeous wine. Drink bottles any time over the coming 10-12 years or so."


Also, check out their AMAZING Mail Road Mt Carmel Chardonnay (95 Points) (assorts for FREE SHIPPING)

Click here or on the links above to order!
Call 415-337-4083 (landline, please do not text here – we will not receive
it) 
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LAST CALL FOR THIS  AMAZING 97 POINT Napa Cab Blend, TODAY 15% OFF

 
Kimberly Hatcher has worked as a firefighter in San Francisco since 1998. Her flexible schedule allows her to put boots on the ground in all of the vineyards she works with as the canopy develops during the summer months. She then uses all of her vacation time during harvest to make her artisanal wines.  

Kimberly attended the “Russell Bevan School of Winemaking” and has kept her eyes and ears wide open. She has been on a roll as of late! Robert Parker and Jeb Dunnuck have “noticed” her and the press is out! That said, Kimberly’s OWN wines are very small productions, all with high scores… they will sell out fast!

Morgado 2019 “Sugarloaf” Proprietary Red, Napa Valley  
Retail 99.00 – NOW 84.99 (on 12)
FREE SHIPPING on 12
Use MORGADO during checkout


From the rocky exposed face of Sugarloaf Mountain, the 2019 Sugarloaf Mountain Bordeaux blend has an intense purple hue. On the nose you are greeted by cocoa, black stone fruits and a whiff of roses. The wine is full in body with lush and rich black stone fruits dominating the chorus. Mouthwatering acidity carries the density of this wine, which is lush, yet velvety and multi-layered with power and grace energy leading into a long and fragrant finish. While delicious upon release, this wine possesses a mystically restrained core that will reveal itself opulently over decades.

Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points: “The 2019 Red Wine Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard is cut from the same cloth as the 2018 and has a rich, full-bodied, nicely layered style revealing big, chocolatey fruits as well as notes of scorched earth and graphite.”

Winemaker Notes: “On the palate you will taste blackberry, boysenberry and Santa Rosa plum along with cedar and rich mocha notes. The textures are refined and voluptuous, guiding your tastebuds to a focal point of fruit. This blend is both captivating and bold carrying itself with graceful confidence.“

SADLY ONLY 182 cases were produced.

Also check out Kimberly’s stellar Morgado 2019 Pinot Noir “Rita’s Crown” Santa Rita Hills

Click here or on the links above to order!
Call 415-337-4083 (landline, please do not text here – we will not receive
it) 
email frank@ggwc.com for availability and priority allocation

Why do champagne bubbles rise in a straight trajectory?

 
Why do champagne bubbles rise in a straight trajectory?
 
by Brown University
 
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Here are some scientific findings worthy of a toast: Researchers from Brown University and the University of Toulouse in France have explained why bubbles in champagne fizz up in a straight line while bubbles in other carbonated drinks, like beer or soda, don't.

The findings, described in a new study published in Physical Review Fluids , are based on a series of numerical and physical experiments, including, of course, pouring out glasses of champagne, beer, sparkling water and sparkling wine. The results not only explain what gives champagne its line of bubbles but may hold important implications for understanding bubbly flows in the field of fluid mechanics.

"This is the type of research that I've been working out for years," said Brown engineering professor Roberto Zenit, who was one of the paper's authors. "Most people have never seen an ocean seep or an aeration tank but most of them have had a soda, a beer or a glass of champagne. By talking about champagne and beer, our master plan is to make people understand that fluid mechanics is important in their daily lives."

The team's goal was to investigate the stability of bubble chains in carbonated drinks. Part of the signature experience of enjoying these beverages is the tiny or large bubbles that form when the drink is poured, creating a visible chain of bubbles and fizz. Depending on the drink and its ingredients, the fluid mechanics involved are all different.

When it comes to champagne and sparkling wine, for instance, the gas bubbles that continuously appear rise rapidly to the top in a single-file line and keep doing so for some time. This is known as a stable bubble chain. With other carbonated drinks, like beer, many bubbles veer off to the side, making it look like multiple bubbles are coming up at once. This means the bubble chain isn't stable.

The researchers set out to explore the mechanics of what makes bubble chains stable and if they could recreate them, making unstable chains as stable as they are in champagne or prosecco.

The results of their experiments indicate that the stable bubble chains in champagne and other sparkling wines occur due to ingredients that act as soap-like compounds called surfactants. These surfactant-like molecules help reduce the tensions between the liquid and the gas bubbles, making for a smooth rise to the top.

"The theory is that in champagne these contaminants that act as surfactants are the good stuff," said Zenit, senior author on the paper. "These protein molecules that give flavor and uniqueness to the liquid are what makes the bubbles chains they produce stable."

The experiments also showed the stability of bubbles is impacted by the size of the bubbles themselves. They found that the chains with large bubbles have a wake similar to that of bubbles with contaminants, leading to a smooth rise and stable chains.

In beverages, however, bubbles are always small. It makes surfactants the key ingredient to producing straight and stable chains. Beer, for example, also contains surfactant-like molecules but, depending on the type of beer, the bubbles can rise in straight chains or not. In contrast, bubbles in carbonated water are always unstable since there are no contaminants helping the bubbles move smoothly through the wake flows left behind by the other bubbles in the chain.

"This wake, this velocity disturbance, causes the bubbles to be knocked out," Zenit said. "Instead of having one line, the bubbles end up going up in more of a cone."

The results in the new study go well beyond understanding the science that goes into celebratory toasts, the researchers said. The findings provide a general framework in fluid mechanics for understanding the formation of clusters in bubbly flows, which have economic and societal value.

Technologies that use bubble-induced mixing, like aeration tanks at water treatment facilities, for instance, would benefit greatly from researchers having a clearer understanding of how bubbles cluster, their origins and how to predict their appearance. In nature, understanding these flows may help better explain ocean seeps in which methane and carbon dioxide emerges from the bottom of the ocean.

The experiments the research team ran were relatively straightforward—and some could even be run in any local pub. To observe the bubble chains, the researchers poured glasses of carbonated beverages including Pellegrino sparkling water, Tecate beer, Charles de Cazanove champagne and a Spanish-style brut.

To study the bubble chains and what goes into making them stable, they filled a small rectangular plexiglass container with liquid and inserted a needle at the bottom so they could pump in gas to create different kinds of bubble chains.

The researchers then gradually added surfactants or increased bubble size. They found that when they made the bubbles larger, they could make unstable bubble chains become stable, even without surfactants. When they kept a fixed bubble size and only added surfactants, they found they could also go from unstable chains to stable ones.

The two experiments indicate that there are two distinct possibilities to stabilize a bubble chain: adding surfactants and making bubbles bigger, the researchers explain in the paper.

The researchers performed numerical simulations on a computer to explain some of the questions they couldn't explain through the physical experiments, such as calculating how much of the surfactants go into the gas bubbles, the weight of the bubbles and their precise velocity.

They plan to keep looking into the mechanics of stable bubble chains in an effort to apply them to different aspects of fluid mechanics, especially in bubbly flows.

"We're interested in how these bubbles move and their relationship to industrial applications and in nature," Zenit said.
 
Check out these great bubblies we currently have in stock:

A. Margaine Champagne Premier Cru “Le Brut” 93 Points

Adrien Renoir “Grand Cru Le Terroir” Champagne – Verzy, France 95 Points

Andre Robert Champagne “Extra Brut” Grand Cru, Blanc de Blancs, Le Mesnil

Billecart Salmon “Brut Nature” Champagne

Billecart Salmon 2009 Extra Brut Champagne 95 Points

Billecart Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne

Billecart Salmon Brut Réserve Champagne 95 Points

Billecart Salmon Brut Sous Bois 94 Points Champagne (750 ml)

Billecart Salmon Brut Sous Bois Champagne 94 Points IN MAGNUM

Cazals 2009 Champagne Millesime 94 Points

Clotilde Brut “Grand-Cru” Champagne, France

Colin 2012 Grand Cru Champagne

Crocker Starr 2018 Brut Sparkling Wine, Carneros Napa Valley  
EXTREMELY LIMITED

Dosnon Rose Brut Recolte, Champagne France

En Tirage 2010 Blanc de Blancs “Beckstoffer” Carneros, Napa Valley – Recently Disgorged
EXTREMELY LIMITED

Henri Billiot Rosé Champagne NV, Reims France  

Henri Dosnon Brut Rosé Champagne NV Cotes de Bar

La Sirena 2016 “Aviatrix” Methode Champenoise Blanc de Noir, Napa Valley EXTREMELY LIMITED

Maison Jussiame 2018 Brut Blanc de Blanc, Rogue Valley  
EXTREMELY LIMITED

Monthuys Champagne NV Brut, 750ml

Monthuys Champagne Brut NV in MAGNUM

Moussé Fils, Champagne Brut Blanc de Noirs Perpetuelle L’Or d’Eugéne (NV) France 94 Points

Thienot Rose Champagne NV Reims, France

 

Visit us at https://GGWC.com!
As always, don't hesitate to call us at 415-337-4083 or email frank@ggwc.com for selection advice or assistance!

LAST CALL 4 this 96 Points, 4 Barrel produced  MUST HAVE PINOT


Waits Mast is a husband and wife Pinot Noir venture that started in 2000 when two Pinotphiles decided to start their own venture. Under the guidance of their winemaker Shalini Shekhar (Roar, William Selyem) and the staff at Roar they started production of their own label, and the rest as they say…. is history.

Waits-Mast 2019 Nash Mill Vineyard Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley)
GGWC 54.99
FREE SHIPPING on 12
Use code WAITS during checkout


Wine Enthusiast “Editors Choice” 96 Points: “This is a beautiful Pinot Noir with a depth of flavor that will only increase in complexity over time. Find pronounced aromas and flavors of bright red cherry, strawberry and pomegranate, forest floor, toasted wood and violet. Fine-grained, silky tannins slide off the tongue; elevated acidity brings lightness and freshness from start to lingering finish. “

FMW 96+ Points: “This full-bodied wine has a treasure trove of flavor complexity and great balance. The color is a deep red with an auburn rim. Aromas present a fascinating medley of cherry, black tea, rhubarb and pine forest, while the flavors weave together ripe Bing cherry, crisp raspberry and subtle Asian spices. It’s delicious, and enjoyable now through 2030.”


Winemaker's tasting notes: The wine has a brilliant medium garnet color in the glass. As it opens up, the wine reveals aromas of bing cherry compote, asian 5 spice, and clove. Hold your glass up to the light and see the translucence of this cool-climate Pinot Noir. The palate fills the mouth with a mix of fresh and sweet cherry, a softness balanced with bright acidity. As the wine lingers, intense pure cherry flavors underpinned by cola nut, cocoa and sandalwood begin to surface. Complex yet remarkably fresh, this wine is quite enjoyable now, but can age for 7+ years. 98 cases produced.

Click here or on the links above to order!
Call 415-337-4083 (landline, please do not text here – we will not receive
it) 
email frank@ggwc.com for availability and priority allocation

DON’T MISS THIS STUNNING, 97 POINT, limited produced Red


Site is a venture from Jeremy Weintraub (longtime Seavey winemaker). He sources from the best “Sites” in California. These latest three wines are just a good example. As always, the Site wines are very limited!

Accolades: “Top Grand Cru Vineyards in California by Wine Spectator ~ Top Five California Vineyards by Wall Street Journal ~ Top 25 Vineyards in the World by Wine & Spirits ~ California’s Best Single Vineyards by Wine Enthusiast ~ Top 5 Vineyards You Can Trust by Pinot Report ~ Ten Best Vineyards by Food & Wine, etc.”

Site 2019 Red Rhône Blend “Larner Vineyard”
Santa Barbara

GGWC 69.99
FREE SHIPPING on 12
Use code SITE during checkout


Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points: “The 2019 Red Wine Larner Vineyard is a blend of 87% Syrah, 10% Grenache, and a splash of Viognier. It offers a deep purple hue to go with a totally brilliant nose of ripe blackberries, blueberries, ground pepper, game, and violets. Pure class on the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, has a seamless, layered mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. Spectacular juice, it should evolve for a decade.”

Robert Parker 96 Points: “Medium ruby-purple, the 2019 Red Wine Larner Vineyard has savory wafts of beef drippings, cast iron, laurel leaves and aniseed with a core of red and black currants. The medium-bodied palate is silky and seamless with alluring layers of sweet berry fruits and a long, uplifted finish. It deserves another 2-3 years in bottle.”


Winemaker Notes: “The 2019 Red Wine offers a nose of blueberries, cracked black pepper, and rose petals. The mouth is medium-bodied and balanced, with soft tannins and ample acid to provide a long finish.”

Make sure to check out these other amazing “SITE” wines (they assort for FREE SHIPPING)

Site 2019 Syrah “Bien Nacido Vineyard” Santa Barbara
GGWC 69.99
FREE SHIPPING on 12
Use code SITE during checkout


Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points: “The 2019 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard comes from a great vineyard outside Santa Maria and is all Syrah that’s still sitting in 50% new barrels. Its dense purple color is followed by a classic Bien Nacido nose of red and blue fruits, cracked pepper, smoke game, and liquid violets. Rich and medium to full-bodied, it has both integrated acidity and gorgeous tannins as well as notable balance and a great finish. Yes, please.”

Vinous 96 Points: “The 2019 Syrah Bien Nacido is fabulous. Inky and explosive, it offers up a melange of blackberry jam, cloves, and bittersweet chocolate. Even with all of its natural richness, the 2019 remains fresh and vibrant in the glass. It is quite simply one of the best finest wines I have tasted from Jeremy Weintraub. Impressive!


Winemaker Notes: “The 2019 Syrah offers all the classic attributes that you’d expect from this venerable cool-climate vineyard. The wine is deeply colored, with a nose of blueberries, leather, cloves, and pepper. The mouth is medium-bodied and features ample tannin and abundant acid.”

Site 2019 Roussanne “Stolpman Vineyard” Santa Barbara
GGWC 54.99
FREE SHIPPING on 12
Use code SITE during checkout


Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points: “Coming all from the Stolpman Vineyard in Ballard Canyon and 100% varietal, the 2019 Roussanne Stolpman Vineyards has a gorgeous nose of spiced peach, honeyed apple, brioche, and hints of green almonds. This carries to a medium to full-bodied white that’s brilliantly balanced and has integrated acidity, a great mid-palate, and a clean finish. This is pure class and just a terrific white.”

Winemaker Notes: “The 2019 Roussanne offers a nose of white peach, baked apple, and toasted spice mix. The mouth is medium-bodied with plenty of acid to keep the wine fresh and structured well through the finish.

Click here or on the links above to order!
Call 415-337-4083 (landline, please do not text here – we will not receive
it) 
email frank@ggwc.com for availability and priority allocation