Wine Enthusiast |
- Burgundy Icon, Advocate and Mentor, Becky Wasserman, Dies
- California’s Newest AVA Produces Coastal Wines in Los Angeles County
- The Fall of Rome Led to the Rise of Today’s Wine Culture
- What Does ‘Midpalate’ Mean in Wine?
| Burgundy Icon, Advocate and Mentor, Becky Wasserman, Dies Posted: 24 Aug 2021 10:56 AM PDT  The wine world mourns a legend. Last weekend, Becky Wasserman-Hone, the iconic importer of Burgundian wine, died of a chronic respiratory illness. Wasserman had an outsized impact on the wine industry as a whole, and Burgundy in particular. Known for her caring, motherly touch, championship of lesser-known Burgundian domaines and unflinching integrity, Wasserman popularized the authentic tastes and terroir of Burgundy. In 1968, American-born Wasserman moved to the small Burgundy village of Bouilland, near Beaune. Her foray into wine began as a barrel broker for the François Frères Cooperage in Burgundy in 1976. She realized that she wanted to work more with wine itself, so she established her own import company, Le Serbet, named for one of the fields in Bouilland. (It’s now Becky Wasserman & Co.)  At Le Serbet, she was known for her selection and championing "the little guys," according to Allen Meadows, a longtime friend and founder of Burghound.com. "In baseball, there's a term called 'small ball,' and instead of going for the home run, you do a lot of singles," says Meadows. "She took little growers and enabled them to have a platform…It was a stroke of genius. It's what I set out to do myself, and I was partially inspired by her. Now everyone looks for small growers because no one was doing it before Becky." Meadows met Wasserman in 1997 and rented one of the small homes on her property for 16 years, spending five or six months of the year there. "She seemed to always give more than she got, and always tried to give a helping hand," says Meadows. "That's probably her enduring legacy in the greater wine world." Daniel Johnnes, sommelier and founder of La Paulée de New York, a weeklong celebration of Burgundy's wines, calls Wasserman a "trailblazer as a young woman in the late 60s… in a field dominated by men." One of the most enduring stories about Wasserman's early days at Le Serbet illustrates her commitment to her community. Her company went bankrupt but Wasserman wanted to ensure that she made good on her obligation to pay her growers, so she mortgaged her house. That display of integrity cemented her reputation in the industry. "She successfully earned the trust of many of the finest vignerons in France, not an easy thing to achieve for the best of us, and Becky earned it every day by running a business with honor," says Harmon Skurnik, president of Skurnik Wines & Spirits. "She has long set a good example for companies like ours, who came along later, demonstrating that one's name on the back label can stand for quality and integrity. There is no doubt that the wine world—and the world in general—are better places because of the long and successful life and career of Becky Wasserman."
Michael Skurnik, CEO of Skurnik Wines & Spirits, shares Harmon's esteem. "I have known and admired Becky for nearly 40 years," he says. "Her contributions to the wine world are legendary. As she was a tireless promoter and lover of wine, the impact of her work was felt far and wide in just about every corner of the globe where people enjoy fine wine. Becky's presence will be sorely missed by so many." Her work impacted generations of wine professionals, Johnnes says. "Later in life, Becky became a beacon and a mentor to scores of young people enthusiastic to learn about Burgundy." Master Sommelier Andrea Immer Robinson agrees, calling Wasserman a mentor, connector and "humble trailblazer." Wasserman's famously immersive, weeklong Burgundy deep dives, dubbed the "Bouilland Symposia," brought Burgundian vignerons, experts, aspiring vintners and negociants together to introduce and teach one another the way of Burgundy through vineyard walks, cellar visits and convivial gatherings around the table. "The connection between Becky Wasserman and Burgundy was, and is, not a one-sided relationship," says Ian Downey, executive vice president at Winebow Imports. "Both were profoundly changed by the introduction to the other… and the wine world is better for it. Her influence on Burgundy's ever-evolving story is not likely to be fully understood by any one person, but I'd imagine she'd be ok with that. "Collectively, the international wine community celebrates her influence and dedication." Wasserman is survived by her two sons, Peter and Paul Wasserman, and her husband, Russell Hone. |
| California’s Newest AVA Produces Coastal Wines in Los Angeles County Posted: 24 Aug 2021 04:30 AM PDT  Palos Verdes, a peninsula southwest of Los Angeles, has never been known for grapevines. But that's the region's most talked about crop today. In June, the federal government approved the Palos Verdes Peninsula American Viticultural Area (AVA) as one of the country's newest wine-growing appellations. "Palos Verdes is a peninsula with an ocean breeze, very similar to Santa Barbara or the Sonoma Coast," says Darioush Khaledi, a grocery store mogul-turned-vintner who splits his time between Palos Verdes and his namesake winery in the Napa Valley. "It's the perfect weather for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir." Though Khaledi has not planted grapes here, he applauds the region's two most prominent commercial producers: Villa Oneiro Vineyards, where Greek-born proprietor Dimitri Bizoumis, who is a dentist by day, planted his two acres of grapes in 2006; and Catalina View Gardens, where real estate developer Jim York has planted about seven acres since 2012.  York spearheaded the AVA application by researching the region's geology, geography and history by himself, rather than pay for an appellation creation consultant. "You have to demonstrate distinction," says York of that process, which he thought was long—he began working on it three years ago—but not particularly complex. There are just nine vineyards total within the 15,900-acre appellation, and York believes his is bigger than all of the others combined. He expects that to change, and would like to see whatever industry that emerges function like a co-op. "There are areas where we can grow a spectrum of different wine grapes and have a much bigger portfolio, which would be more attractive," says York, noting that smaller vineyards are growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese. "It's never going to be profitable, but it's really enjoyable and rewarding. I expect that it will grow substantially." Like any extreme coastal setting, Palos Verdes presents some challenges for grapevines, most notably fog-related blights like mildew and botrytis. Pests like yellow jackets and mealy bugs are also a concern. "I felt that, behind the defects in the grapes, that there were very nice wines to be made," says Ken Brown, winemaker at Catalina View and a veteran vintner who's been making Santa Barbara County wines since the 1970s. Brown was finally convinced by the 2018 wines. He thinks the 2019s and 2020s may be even better, largely thanks to the attention of Nick Zeets, Catalina View's vineyard manager. "Setting aside extreme adverse weather conditions, I am now confident that the continuation of the adopted precision viticultural techniques will lead to consistency of many more outstanding wines," says Brown. Bizoumis experienced similar pressures at Villa Oneiro. "It's a very unique microclimate," he says. "Every year, there is something to learn." He is less bullish on the potential for more vineyards, at least of substantial size. "The problem with Palos Verdes vineyards is that land is so expensive," he says. "To buy five acres, it's about $7 to $10 million. It's more expensive than Napa. It would be difficult for someone to replicate this at this scale." So, will Khaledi one day jump in with his friends? Probably not. "Having 120 acres of vineyard in Napa Valley is enough for me," he says. |
| The Fall of Rome Led to the Rise of Today’s Wine Culture Posted: 24 Aug 2021 04:05 AM PDT  Last May, the remains of a beautiful Roman mosaic floor were found under a northern Italian vineyard. This caused great excitement and was a fresh reminder of ancient Romans’ huge influence on our wine culture. Roman soldiers who marched north to conquer Gaul, as France was called then, and other parts of Europe carried great amphorae of wine along with their swords and shields. When the battles were won, and those soldiers were paid off in land, they swapped those swords for ploughshares and planted vines. Technically SpeakingIt wasn’t just that the Romans made wine, however. They were also very knowledgeable about soil types, planting, pruning and trellising, often training vines up trees. Their knowledge didn’t end in the vineyard. They fined wines with pigeons’ eggs and cellared better vintages. Given the poet Martial’s waspish descriptions of “venom” or “the black poison of Corsica,” the Romans could even been said to have invented wine criticism. Today, we’re retracing many of their steps. Many wineries are choosing to go back to fermenting in amphorae, which was standard practice in the Roman Empire. In the northern Rhône winemakers are replanting defunct vineyards that were praised two millennia ago then neglected after the Roman Empire crumbled, their location eventually forgotten. Similarly, vineyards on Mount Vesuvius that were buried when the volcano erupted are seeing new life. Guided in part by writing from Pliny the Elder, archaeologists and viticulturists have recovered the plots and are taking advantage of rich volcanic soil. And, while William Younger, in his 1966 book Gods, Men and Wine, finds it “ludicrous” when 1st-century writers Columella and Pliny the Elder describe planting, manuring and grafting according to the phases of the moon, that sounds a lot like biodynamics. Cultural ContextMost of all, our modern attitude to wine is similar to that of the ancient Romans. They saw it as a universal right, rather than the prerogative of the elite. For them, wine was pleasure, relaxation and ritual. “Remember,” wrote the Roman poet Horace, “to end life’s gloom and troubles with mellow wine.” That advice is as good now as it was then. And perhaps the wine in question isn’t so different either. |
| What Does ‘Midpalate’ Mean in Wine? Posted: 24 Aug 2021 03:45 AM PDT  "There are three main stages in [wine] tasting: the attack, or 'approach,' the midpalate and the finish," says Janet Kampen, lead instructional designer at Napa Valley Wine Academy. The midpalate follows the initial burst of flavor and texture when you first draw wine into your mouth. "Some tasters limit their definition to just flavors, but a more holistic approach also considers mouthfeel and the perception of other structural components," says Kampen. A wine with a good midpalate unfolds and develops on the tongue. It will have flavor, but also structure. "That doesn't mean the wine has to have high levels of tannin, acid, alcohol, etcetera, but there should be enough there to support the flavor development," says Kampen. "A wine with a great midpalate is one that expresses itself so well in the mouth, you find yourself savoring it, swirling it around your palate to discover more." While it's easy to assume the midpalate plays more heavily in red wines versus whites, Mary Margaret McCamic, MW, says that even unoaked white wines can showcase complexity here. She points to Grand Cru Chablis, old-vine cru Muscadets, as well as German and Alsatian Rieslings as examples. "When a wine has presence in the center, supported to the sides by acid and a suggestion of…phenolic properties pulling towards the back, I am more aware of its role in the middle," says McCamic. "It’s a very subtle push-and-pull that tells me more is going on in-between."
Conversely, wines with a "weak" midpalate incorporate very little or no development from sip to swallow. "The flavors remain the same, the structure is static," says McCamic. "It's like being drawn to someone for a first date to learn they have charm but no substance." These wines are often referred to as "donut wines," says Kampen, because they're missing their middle. "Some varieties are prone to this, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, which often shows its hand at the attack, but tannins can tend to disappear on the midpalate, then jump back in on the finish," she says. This is why Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with Merlot, a grape that gives more centralized, fleshier tannins. "Blending is one of the best tools in a winemaker's arsenal to ensure the wine has a good midpalate." There are many other winemaking variables that can affect the midpalate, however. "Ripeness at harvest, yeast selection, managing ferment temperature and adding flavor or textural interest through extraction techniques, oak maturation, etcetera, can all aid a winemaker," says Kampen. Some prefer to focus on the individual components of the wine, rather than bundle them under one umbrella. "To be honest, I rarely think of the term 'midpalate,' " says Peter Marks, MW. "When I first taste a wine, my initial thoughts go to the wine's structure—sweetness, acid, tannin, alcohol, etcetera. After spitting or swallowing, I pay attention to the persistence of the flavors on the palate, the finish. In between, I consider the wine's body, depth, concentration and complexity of flavors." Marks considers all these components as part of the midpalate, but doesn't typically use the word or teach it to his students. "If you're describing the wine's body, concentration and complexity, you've covered all you need to know about the midpalate," he says. "Wine can be so confusing for students. Why make it worse by having them describe 'midpalate'?" |
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