Sangiovese

Ten percent of Italy's wine grape crop is Sangiovese. A bottle of Chianti has to contain at least 80% Sangiovese. Brunello from Tuscany is made from a particular Sangiovese clone, is often highly rated, and  can cost north of $100.

Sangiovese has great acid, making it ideal for foods with tomatoes. Spaghetti and meatballs, anyone? The wines are savory -- savory being the opposite of sweet -- so rather than pronounced red fruit flavors found in many New World wines they're more earthy, maybe mushrooms, peppers, or tobacco. You often get red cherries from California Sangi. 

Sangiovese has never quite caught on big as a varietal in the U.S.

Barbera

The most widely planted grapes in Italy are Sangiovese, Montepulciano, and Barbera so be glad I'm talking about the one that's easiest to pronounce.  :)  

Barbera is a dry red wine of low tannins (that mouth-drying sensation you might get from a young Cabernet). It also is a wine of high acid (that refreshing sensation you get from sparkling wine or Sauvignon Blanc). Barbera has a dark color like a Syrah, rich taste like a Zinfandel, but lighter bodied like a Pinot Noir.

Growing Wine Grapes in 2050

Less than 30 years from now, growing grapes will be a lot more automated. This will save a significant amount of money now spent on vineyard management. There will be probes, sensors and drones checking on things like soil moisture and the vineyard canopy (managing the vines, shoots, and fruit). 

Another Reason to Buy from Small Family Wineries

Until the end of 2020 a chemical called chlorpyrifos was legal to use in agriculture. It's a very dangerous chemical related to chemical weapons developed by the Nazis during WWII. It's used to kill pests by acting on their nervous system. Another fine product from Dow Chemical put into production after their other fine product, DDT, was banned.

Celebrity Wines

Read all about celeb wines of the North Bay (Napa, Sonoma, and Lake Counties) from the Press Democrat.

Note that some might say something like, "based in Napa Valley" which doesn't mean their grapes necessarily come from Napa. 19 Crimes wines, for instance, are labeled as California (meaning the grapes can come from anywhere in the state) or even Australia, as the 19 Crimes label is owned by Treasury Wine Estates, based in Australia.

The list is not completely up-to-date, as Andretti Winery is now permanently closed. Francis Ford Coppola recently sold his namesake winery, but still has a financial interest. Both men are 82 years old, so it was probably time to cut back!

Wines, and Wine Styles, That Are No Longer Popular

  Wine trends come and go. They can be certain varietals, like Merlot falling and Malbec rising. They can be wine styles like oaky, buttery Chardonnay or tannic Cabernet. The ones described here are much older. Maybe some will come back someday.

Shopping Wine by Appellation

  Often when shopping for a bottle, you don't recognize the name of the winery on the label. That's because there are about 4,700 wineries in California alone. Assuming you've figured out what varietal you are looking for, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, heck, maybe even Petit Verdot, one way to help you select is by appellation. Sonoma County has 18 at last count. 

  Following is a list of major wine types and where you might find them appellation-wise. They will grow other places in the county and outside of Sonoma, of course, but this is a way to help point you towards a bottle.

A Story From the '72 Harvest

  There are tons of stories from the old days when the California wine biz was much smaller and run by families, where many are now corporate owned. This one is from Dry Creek Vineyard. The founder, David Stare, is receiving lots of local attention on the 50th anniversary of the winery because of his influence on Sonoma County's wine business. His daughter now runs the winery.

Winery Harvest Help; Unique Solutions

Yes, here we are talking about the grape harvest in February. That's because the Southern Hemisphere is about to start picking and processing the fruit. There are still Covid restrictions in place, especially for internation travel. Many countries rely on young, foreign workers who want to spend a few months working long hours, piling up some cash, and seeing how wine is made elsewhere.

Give Us This Day Our Daily Red

Does a daily glass of red wine help your heart? Is any amount of alcohol bad for you? It seems there are conflicting expert studies. Sure, there's wine o'clock, there's a day without wine is like a day without sunshine. There's the French Paradox. Are those pushing no alcohol just neo-Prohibitionists? Is the alcohol business secretly pushing their product using healthy heart claims?

As with most things, you need to make up your own mind. In most things it's about moderation and weighing the good and the bad. Drink smart.

Wine's Alcohol Percentage is Lying to You?

The title of this article from Wine Enthusiast is "Why a Wine's Alcohol-by-Volume is Lying to You." It should actually say might be lying to you. It's a good read on the variance allowed in the ABV number by the government. Wineries can use it to their advantage if the actual number might look bad. 

Change to Mask Mandates for Sonoma/Napa

Statewide rules for Covid have changed effective Wednesday, February 16th. 

Vaccinated people no longer have to wear a mask, with a few exceptions. Schools, public transportations and a few other places still requires masks for all. Counties may keep stricter policies (this will be rare). Businesses can still require a mask or ask for proof of vaccination. I don't except many will. If a business does this, it's probably because they have had or are having issues with their staff getting sick. Nobody wants to shut down because they don't have enough people to stay open.

This is all subject to change, of course. If things don't go smoothly things may tighten up again.

If you are traveling to the area bring a mask. If you are vaccinated bring proof.