While working on some wine study this week (which has not been exactly easy with all of the distractions and works schedule getting tossed about due to the global pandemic), I landed on South Africa, and specifically Franschhoek. I got here due to the fact that I posted a Survey on Facebook and asked folks to vote on which wine I should open and discuss from my cellar. I gave several choices - all from the 2001 vintage.

Why 2001? Well, I had 19 stuck in my head for some reason, and so I went back 19 years to see what I had about. It turns out there are quite a few items in my cellar from that vintage - I was working as a sales rep at the time, and I had the opportunity to accumulate quite a bit of wine from suppliers, personal purchases and the odd sample that never got used. Of the selections offered up for opening were a Barolo from La Spinetta, a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon from Ladera Winery, and the Cabernet Sauvignon from Boekenhoutskloof Winery from the Franschhoek region of the Western Cape in South Africa (ZA). The winner, with 2/3 of the votes, was the Boekenhoutskloof, and was it ever good.

The key points on this wine are: it is from the 2001 vintage, a vintage that was hot and very low yielding - in fact the lowest yields since the 1988 vintage for the most part. Additionally, Boekenhoutskloof had only been making wine for about 5 years, and they made one of the highest regarded wines of the vintage. This wine scored very well in the press and there were many comments from reviewers that indicated long aging was ahead for this wine. As I held this for 19 years or so I would agree upon opening it that there was indeed a lot to be hopeful in this wine. Those predicting agability were definitely correct in their predictions. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged for 27 months in French Oak barrels.

 Guide to wineries in the the Franschhoek:

The basics on Franschhoek

• Part of the Western Cape Wine Region, Franschhoek is a stand-alone wine District.
• Even though it is technically part of the Coastal Region, it is generally considered one of the more inland parts of that region, mainly due to the fact that it is well protected by mountains on three sides and does not get direct influences from ocean breezes - Groot Drakenstein, Klein Drakenstein, and Simonsberg mountains. Cooler growing areas come from altitude rather than primarily weather.
• Was originally settled by French Huguenots in the late 1600s
• Water for irrigation comes down from the mountains and collects in the Berg River Dam and from the Berg River
• Lots of French heritage can be seen when visiting here - it is still a thing 400 years later!
• The region is fairly warm during the summer / harvest season, but rainfall is fairly high (around 1000mm annually)
• The Valley is home to some of South Africa’s noble cultivars. Top whites such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillon and Chenin Blanc, to full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Merlot.
• The region also produces extraordinary Méthode Cap Classiques sparkling wines, which can all be enjoyed during a trip along the Franschhoek MCC Route. Franschhoek now has an internal Prestige designation for top level MCC.
• A quality wine producing region with boutique wineries. Some producers like to stretch the limits of the Franschhoek wine region, as this is a cool address to be associated with. You will find producers in Paarl and even toward Stellenbosch that might be on the Franschhoek Wine Trail.
• As you might expect this is a region known for its cuisine and restaurants as well as its wine. You might find some French influences everywhere.

New England Wine Academy has added a Level 3 Award in Wine session to the regular line-up for hybrid class offerings. This is in response to the demand for more online learning availability while everyone is basically stuck at home or slowed down for the next few weeks/months.

The Level 3 Award in Wine is a comprehensive class that looks to devote about 90 hours of study time, and involves the review of wines from around the world.

For a complete list of class dates and description of class details, please click the link to the CLASSES page. For any questions related to this or other offerings, please email bmitchell@newenglandwineacademy.com.

At the moment (March 23, 2020), we have moved into uncharted waters with schools, events, and most other functions of daily life coming to a standstill, at least for the next several weeks or perhaps months. With this in mind New England Wine Academy wants to assure its current students that there will be no disruption to online studies.

For any current student with an exam date scheduled for March 28, due to the mandated shutdown, the exams will be rescheduled to the earliest convenient date allowed. We will be reaching out this week to each candidate to notify them of this change. The next regularly scheduled exam date is June 6, and so this is the date that we are planning to use as the fall-back for the moment. If an earlier date can be scheduled then we will certainly put that in place, but with all of the uncertainty at the moment it is impossible to say for sure what we will be doing until the State of CT allows for people to gather and businesses to re-open. The tasting workshops associated with these classes will also be rescheduled as needed and consolidated with the Spring class sessions - assuming those dates are still held as scheduled.

WSET is working to expand offerings for online and webcasting, as well as exam invigilation. Some of these processes are easier to implement than others, but we are working as a group to adapt to the current situation as quickly as possible. If we are able to get exam invigilation via online access, then we will proceed as quickly as possible with exams. At this point, nothing is currently in place to allow this, though.

New England Wine Academy is offering a bounty on new student sign-ups.
What does this mean?
If you make a referral for a new WSET candidate, you can earn money. Pretty simple.
How does it work?
By making a referral of a new student candidate, once they pay and start a class, you can earn the following bounty:

• $25 for any Level 1 Award class
• $50 for any Level 2 Award Class
• $75 for any Level 3 Award Class

The rules:

• For the bounty to be verified, all you have to do is make the referral via email with both parties and  bmitchell@newenglandwineacademy.com copied on the email.
• The referred candidate must be a new student to NEWA.
• Students may be referred for bounty on only one scheduled class.
  
• The bounty will be paid only once the new candidate has paid their tuition and the class begins.
• May not be combined with, and no other discounts may be applied to, the respective class.
  
• Payment will be either in the form of a VISA Gift Card or Amazon eGift Certificate (sorry, would do cash but need a receipt).
• This offer is limited to WSET Award classes in the academic year running through July 31, 2020.
• Anyone can make a referral, but you cannot refer yourself! You can earn multiple rewards though.
  
• NEWA reserves the right on all decisions with regard to the awarding of bounty. But I am easy, so if you get someone you know to pay for a class, I will send you a gift card.

At the moment (March 15, 2020), we are moving into uncharted waters with schools, events, and most other functions of daily life coming to a standstill, at least for the next several weeks or perhaps months. With this in mind New England Wine Academy wants to assure it current students that there will be no disruption to online studies.

Additionally, for any current student with an exam date scheduled for March 28, unless there is a mandated shutdown, the exams will continue as scheduled - based on your choice to proceed. I will be reaching out this week to each candidate to confirm their intention on the exams. It should be understood that the current plan for exams is completely optional and can be rescheduled based on the candidate's wishes. The next exam dates would in theory be on June 6. The tasting workshops associated with these classes will also be rescheduled as needed and consolidated with the Spring class sessions - assuming those dates are still held as scheduled.

Please be aware that all of the sessions currently on offer are online-learning classes. The schedule for these classes run through to the Spring, with exam dates currently scheduled in June and August. The situation is a bit fluid and I will do our best to communicate updates as the need arises. All students will be scheduled with exams as soon as the dates are reasonably allowed and safe.
Thank you, Brian Mitchell

What exactly is Irish Whiskey and how is it different from other whiskies?
Irish whiskey (with the E), is a whiskey from Ireland, and the Irish are generally credited with inventing modern whiskey…

• The name Whiskey is from the original Gaelic words “Uisce beathe / aisage beathe”, and refers to the “water of life”.
• Irish whiskey was one of the earliest distilled spirits in Europe, dating to the 12th Century
• The main distinction from whiskies such as Scotch is that most Irish whiskey is distilled 3 times – making it smoother in style, and does not use peat in the kilning process.  This means there is no smoke or “peated” aromas.  Exceptions to these rules do exist.
• At one time (around 1900), Irish whiskey was the most popular whiskey in the world
• Ireland’s fight for independence from Britain, World War I, and Prohibition in US, led to a mass decline in demand, and therefore production.
• Things declined so much so that by the 1960s, remaining brands had to consolidate in order to survive.  By the 1970s, there were only two distilleries in Ireland: Midleton in County Cork (south), and Bushmills in Antrim (north).
• Since the late 1990s and early 2000s, Irish Whiskey has made a steady return to sales and popularity.  The number of new and recommissioned distilleries has followed suit.
•  Today, production levels are increasing steadily and the market is clearly growing – new distilleries are opening with many more planned in the coming years.
  
• Currently, there are 24 distilleries in Ireland in operation or under construction with an additional 40 or more in the planning stages - there were only 2 in 1966!
  

Key to the Distillery Map of Ireland:

Defining Irish Whiskey, today:
There are four categories of labeling terms related to the production of Irish Whiskey. These terms have been more clearly defined over the years, and are in line with the EU regulations of protected status you might find with other whiskey, wine and similar products.
Some of the basic production requirements include:

• Must be made on the Island of Ireland, and includes both the Republic and Northern Ireland
• Minimum 40% abv
• Three years aging in oak barrels, with certain size limits imposed on those barrels
• Limits on the grains used as well as other ingredients, very similar to Scotch regulations

The four categories of Irish Whiskey are:

• Blended Irish Whiskey – this is the most common style of whiskey, and is a blend of Grain and/or Pot Still whiskies, and can be from more than one distillery. Many larger brand productions are often of this style, ie: Jameson, Tullamore Dew, Powers, Black Bush
• Grain / Single Grain – distilled in a column still and made either from a mix of grains, or from one single grain (the grains though would be a combination of malted and raw grains).
• Single Pot Still – distilled in a single distillery, and in pot stills, only. Look for Yellow Spot 12y and Redbreast 15y as classic examples.
• Single Malt – distilled in a single distillery, and only from malted barley.

Tasting Irish Whiskey:  What is important to look for when tasting the Irish? 
Traditionally the most distinguishing characteristic of Irish Whiskey would be - Balance.  Often the aspect defining the style of Irish whiskey is the fact that it is triple distilled. This is not a legal requirement, but it is a technique used to create a smooth and elegant whiskey – different from Scotch and American whiskey styles.
When tasting Irish Whiskey, refer back to the label and check the category. Blended whiskies will have a lighter, more delicate feel on the palate (contributing to their popularity), while Single Pot Stilled and Single Malt styles will be more unique and reflect the region and distillery characteristics, essentially making a richer and deeper flavored whiskey.

• Nose: Fruity. Typically, highly scented, with apple and herbs, delicate grain and wood tones and an underlying honey character.
• Palate: Smooth. In your mouth, Irish whiskey should be soft, smooth at first and then drying on the finish. Sweet grainy flavors will evolve to slightly more spice tones.
• Finish: Balanced. Flavors of vanilla and sweet spice should follow to the finish.  Often caramel, cumin and balsa wood.
• Conclusion:  At their core these whiskeys should be balanced and aromatic. Blends that include Pot Stilled distillate will the most robust and aromatic. Longer aged whiskey will build deeper character and flavors, showing rich caramel and wood tones, and very smooth texture.

What about Peat?
Unlike Scotch Whisky, Irish Whiskey typically does not involve the use of Peat, and as such it is rare to come across a Peated style – although they do exist. Look for Coonemara Peated Pot Still as the most widely available of this style.
What about wood and finishing?
Oak barrels from the Sherry and Port Regions were common vessels for storage, aging and transport throughout much of the history of Irish Whiskey and whiskey in general. Today, most Irish whiskey will be aged initially in used Bourbon barrels, with some being aged and/or finished in ex-Sherry, Marsala and Madeira casks. Each of these styles will impart a unique aspect to the spirit. Look for the Spots whiskeys by Mitchell & Sons, and taste side by side, as these are done in a variety of barrels.
What about Aged Whiskey Statements?
Similar to other regional age statements on whiskey, Irish Whiskey with an age statement means that no part of the blend or bottling may be younger than the age expressed on the label. Some of the better examples to look for will be: Bushmills 16y, Kilbeggan 15y, Jameson 18y, Powers 12y. Some of these whiskies are becoming short in supply as older stocks run low, but time will allow for them to catch up.

If you would ike to download this information as a consolidated staff training sheet. Click Here.
For an Irish Whiskey tasting sheet prepared by New England Wine Academy. Click Here.

If you are thinking of taking one of the WSET sessions offered by New England Wine Academy, there are several deadlines to be aware of for the March starting dates.

 Level 3 Award in Wines
hybrid-online class starting March 16
Deadline to register is Monday March 2 - TODAY!
Click on the link to the left for complete details and class description

 Level 2 Award in Spirits
hybrid-online class starting March 16
Deadline to register is Monday March 2 - TODAY!
Click on the link to the left for complete details and class description

 Level 2 Award in Wines
hybrid-online class starting March 23
Deadline to register is Monday March 9, 2020
Click on the link to the left for complete details and class description

This Week's Staff Training Focus - Food and Wine Taste Interactions
For those studying food and wine, especially when trying to navigate the rigors of an exam and blind tasting experience such as for WSET training - Umami is a sensation that is not easily digested.

When you place food in your mouth your taste buds adapt so that the perception of the levels of sugar, salt, acidity, etc. in what you taste next can be altered.
An extreme example of this is the unpleasantly acidic taste of orange juice just after you brush your teeth. Similarly, chocolate and thick creamy dishes have mouth-coating effect that can impair the sense of taste.
 
There are two components in food that tend to make wines taste ‘harder’ (more astringent and bitter, more acidic, less sweet and less fruity). These are sweetness and umami.

There are also two components in food that can make a wine taste ‘softer’ (less astringent and bitter, less acidic, sweeter, and more fruity). These are salt and acid.
 
Lets focus on one of these components…UMAMI
 
What is Umami?
Umami is a taste, and is distinct from other primary tastes (sweet, salt, sour, bitter), but is hard to identify sometimes when other components are present – which is often. Umami is essentially the savory side of taste, and is most present in foods that have been aged (parmesan cheese, cured meats, soy sauce), have certain kinds of sodium (MSG), or have earthy flavors (mushrooms, especially when cooked). It is also present in wines that have been aged over time, especially those aged in wood, such as Chianti, Rioja, Ports, and older Cabernet based wines.
 
Umami foods low in salt, such as asparagus, eggs and mushrooms, tend to be a challenge when pairing to wines. Conversely, foods with umami and salt, such as cured or smoked seafood or meats and hard cheeses, tend to work better with wines.
 
Umami...

• Increases the perception of bitterness, astringency, acidity and the warming effects of the alcohol in the wine.
• Decreases the perception of body, sweetness and fruitiness in the wine.

 
Generally, food has more impact on the way a wine will taste than the other way around.

• To pair with umami and salt dishes, stick with wines higher in tannins, such as Barolo with mushroom risotto and shaved Grana Padano cheese.
• Stay away from low-tannin reds or whites aged in oak, as these will become surprisingly bitter when consumed with umami-rich foods.

 
As an example of how this interaction and perception can work in different ways: I remember a dish I once had that was an omelet filled with smoked salmon and brie cheese – which we enjoyed with a bottle of Chianti Classico. Not the first thing you may think to drink with that dish, but the pairing worked incredibly well. The dish, which had three umami rich components, was able to off-set the tannin in the wine and allow the fruit to come out. It was such a good pairing, I still remember the experience 25 years later.

Yes - almost anything is a "National...Day", these days. But people like chowder, so who is to argue. But what can a drinks pro offer to pair with the inimitable CHOWDER? Here are a few thoughts.

Soups and chowders are typically a challenge to pair with beverages as the combination of liquid and liquid is often not easy to match – especially on the palate and the mouthfeel. But it is doable:

• New England style (creamy/cold weather) chowders can be great pairings with Stouts, Browns and Porters in the beer camp – just stay away from the heady Imperial versions – too much alcohol. The weight of the beer tends to work well against the chunky and full feel of the chowder, without overwhelming the softer fish and dairy flavors. For wine - Sherry is one of the more traditional pairings (Oloroso or Pale Cream are actually quite good on a winter day with chowder), but we do not sell much sherry in modern America, so not much of a factor. Look for a full-bodied white such as Napa Chardonnay or a Cote de Beaune Burgundy. The smokiness in the oak will play against the bacon notes in the chowder, and the creamy texture compliments the creamy texture of the soup.
  
• Rhode Island (warm weather) chowders are clear broth and more delicate – pair these with lighter whites such as Pinot Grigio – fairly neutral that will not compete too much with the flavors in the soup.
  
• Manhattan (tomato based) - my go-to is a lighter, fruitier and less-tannic red wine such as Beaujolais, Italian Merlot, Grenache-based Cotes du Rhone or Rioja Joven.
  

Terry Theise said that. He did - not sure if it was original, but he did say it, and I heard him.

He also said, "Wine is an especially luminous object of beauty, to which the proper response is to be moved and delighted".

Why do I mention this? Well, this week I was reminded how beautiful wine can be when made in the right place, by the right person, at the right time. It is actually more rare, or at least more challenging, to discover a wine of true beauty these days. Think I am crazy? When was the last time you tasted a wine that made you stop, and nearly (or literally) brought tears to your eyes because of the simple, impossible way it invoked an emotional response in you?

Now, I did not have any wines this week that made me cry. But, I have had wines that did this. They exist, and it is a very personal and exciting thing to experience. Wine writers try to describe this experience every day, although I find it done poorly and very mechanically by most, and done well with rare exception. I suck at it. It is truly the unique individual that can express in words the depth of emotional waves of a particularly singular emotional response, such as to a glass of wine, and its affect on them. It's completely subjective of course, so the difficulty of expression is nearly impossible to convey to others and get a similar impression.

Having said all that, I did have a wine or two this week that expressed themselves in beautiful ways - mostly because of their delicate and delicious drinkability. You need to realize that my days of sucking down big, ferocious Napa Cabs is pretty much over. I appreciate them for being grand wines, but I cannot tolerate them. Same for Double IPA's; sorry, my body-chemistry does not liked to be zapped with high levels of alpha-acids and hop resin - worse hangover than from alcohol. France often is a particular source of delicious and balanced wines that fill a void in my jones for delicious.

I was part of a conversation last week where the group was asking around the cliched question - "if you could only drink one for the rest of your life, what would it be?" Some said Napa Cab, top Cru Bordeaux, Champagne. I said - Chambolle: pure, elegant, beautiful. Right after that would be Chablis for me - simple Chablis - fresh, pure and so drinkable. I did not have any Chambolle this week, nor did I have any Chablis, but I did come close on several fronts to what I consider beautiful, simple and elegant wines, that can nearly make you weep with delicious pleasure...

Here are four wines we covered in last Sunday's tasting group. All Burgundy, and all from the Cote de Nuits, which was our theme. Everything was quite as it should have been and was quite on mark, but the Vosne-Romanee really hit it out of the park for me. Domaine Jean Grivot is considered one of the top Domaines in the village, and this wine, which is at the limit of what I would realistically pay for wine, was worth every cent. Balanced, elegant and full of rich fruit. I enjoyed it - actually the rest of the bottle that evening - while watching Curb Your Enthusiasm, and then the end of Casino Royal - perfect combination of suave elegance and gritty ass-kicking power - kind of like Vosne-Romanee.

The other three wines were on point. All from classic producers, these are wines that are never-going-to-fail-so-just-go-ahead-and-buy-them, kind of wines. The Grand Cru showed why Chambertain is what Chambertain is. The aromatics and flavors just kept evolving out of the glass, and it was a different wine each and every time I went back to it. Complexity, power, richness. I tasted a bottle of Rousseau's Chambertain, the week prior, and all I can say - Chambertain is Chambertain for a reason - there is almost no equal (perhaps Richebourg, which is in Vosne-Romanee).

The other wine that caused an elevated emotional reaction for me this week is the Jacquere from Domaine Demeure-Pinet. Wait, what is that wine, you may be asking? Yeah, I know, not something that rolls off the tongue or is even easily found in this or any market outside of the the Savoy region of France. But a wine that is remarkable for its simplicity, beauty and streamlined elegance at 11.5% alcohol. Jacquere is the grape. The high mountains between France, Switzerland and the Piedmont section of Italy is the place. Just drink it if you do find it. There is a sleek feeling to the wine that glides across your palate. This is perhaps the single most exciting tactile feeling in wines for me - the glycerol, sleek, almost liquid stone sensation; I love it. This is similar to the experience I had in December when drinking a L'Etoile from Domaine Rolet. This happens to be a Chardonnay from the Jura in far eastern France, but a region not too unfamiliar if you know Burgundy. The wine is Chardonnay, grown on light marls similar to what you might find in classic Burgundy vineyards. This wine was so good that it stops you in your tracks and makes you think about it; forces you to appreciate what you are experiencing without taking no for an answer. You may not know why or what, but that's ok - just allow yourself to enjoy it. If I had gotten my act together and wrote my recap of my best wines tasted in 2019 - this was the wine. Its a wine that demands its own emotion.

As I move through the wine world, I find myself more and more drawn to these wines of elegance, mineral undertones, power through subtle expression, and lower alcohol. I still love a glass of Napa Cab every so often, but the reality is that I have never been able to drink the Double IPA versions that some producers continue to promote; I'll take a sessionable cab, thanks. I am more about the Berliner Weisse of the wine world - give me some acid and freshness, and I'll sort out the rest without a headache, thanks, and double thanks.

Terry Theise is an iconic wine importer and promoter of German, Austrian and Champagne sourced producers. Since the mid-80's he has brought Americans closer to the opportunity to taste wines from people who get their hands dirty all year long. If you want a great introduction to his philosophy and thoughts, take an hour and listen to Levi Dalton's I'll Drink to That podcast #237, where he interviews Terry. It will be an hour not unwell spent.