Category: Wine Education

After reading the results of the 2026 OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition and checking out the Best of Class and the Double Gold award winners at winecompetition.com, I started to wonder what makes a wine worthy of these rewards? I could ask the competition’s judges but they had all gone home.

So, I thought, via the internet, I would reach out to some well-known sources in the wine industry and ask; What makes a wine great? The following answers came from two well-known wine publications; Wine Spectator and Decanter; three wine critics: Jancis Robinson, Robert Parker and Jeb Dunnuck: and finally, three wine authors: Madeline Puckette (Wine Folly) and Jamie Goode (The Science of Wine; From Vine to Glass) and Karen MacNeil (The Wine Bible).

First, let’s define the components of wine that will be the basis for determining a great wine.  There are five important structural components of wine that are all sensed on the palate: sweetness or residual sugar, mouthwatering feeling from acidity, mouth drying feeling from tannin, alcohol level and body or weight but these structural components need to complement each other perfectly so no single component overpowers another and likewise so no single component fails to make a contribution. To judge if a wine has the basis of greatness and has accomplished the necessary coordination of components it must have a balance of the five structural components, plus a lingering finish of pleasing flavors and an intensity and complexity of aromas and multi-layered flavors. But all this is the foundation of a good or even basic wine. Is it enough for a great wine? What do my internet sources feel is necessary for that final acclamation of greatness?

Wine Spectator says greatness is achieved by the faultless combination of balance, finesse, complexity, elegance and restraint and sense of place. They define elegance and restraint as clarity of taste with tannins that are not overpowering. Sense of place or terroir refers to a wine’s reflection of its origin, where it came from.

Decanter magazine lists balance, complexity, intensity, length and typicity as the features that define a great wine. They add the term typicity, which is how well the wine characterizes the grape variety and the grape’s particular region to accompany sense of place and terroir.

Jancis Robinson says a great wine must have longevity, balance, complexity, length and terroir (sense of place). She has added the need for longevity for a wine’s greatness. A great wine must not only have the required greatness qualities when young but also as it matures and ages in the bottle.

Robert Parker saying “a great wine transcends mere drinkability” sets out the following conditions: pleasing the palate and intellect; holding a taster’s interest, intensity without heaviness, reflection of terroir and aging potential. Although he lists the concepts with his own terminology and definitions, he generally agrees with others’ criteria.  But he also brings in the taster’s experience, what he calls “an emotional experience” as a determining factor.

Jeb Dunnuck, although saying he limits his criteria, he uses the following rather broad descriptors for his evaluation: a wine has to provide both hedonistic and intellectual pleasure (complexity and experience); great wines deliver a depth and intensity of aromas and flavors without being heavy (balance and intensity); the ability of a wine to improve with age (finish and longevity); a singular personality (terroir, sense of place).

Author of Wine Folly, Madeline Puckette simply lists balance, acidity and tannin, complexity and typicity (terroir) as the core for greatness.

Author Jamie Goode states that a great wine should have transparency and precision (terroir); acidity and focus; complexity and harmony (balance); the ability to evoke emotion (experience). However, he suggests a wine’s greatness is attained without a winemaker’s manipulation.

And finally, Karen MacNeil, The Wine Bible author, has the most extensive list for a wine to achieve greatness. Her nine qualifiers are (with her extra explanations added): distinction ( true expression of the grape(s) used), precision (precise and well defined flavors), balance (all components in equilibrium), aliveness & choreography (vibrant and dynamic in the mouth), beyond fruitiness (flavors and aromas beyond fruit), complexity (multifaceted flavors and aromas), connectedness (the embodiment of a particular place), length (persistence of the wine on your palate even after swallowing), capacity to age, and ability to evoke an emotional response (the rare power to make us feel). When examining her list in depth she is in agreement with the others on what makes a wine great although much more nuanced in assigning the reward.

My sources have generally agreed on the attributes of a great wine are balance, complexity, finish, intensity, terroir, age ability, typicity and experiential longevity. What they haven’t agreed on is how to measure all of these characteristics. Each source, although with some common understandings, have their own unique method of determining a great wine. As they also have their own unique palate.  And though they may be able to agree on a particular wine’s greatness that can’t always be guaranteed. My own definition of a great wine is one with balance, complexity, intensity, length, typicity, all of which so many good wines have, but then I need the WOW factor, that “emotional” response that I’ve just tasted something great that I won’t forget.

Now it’s your turn. Make a list of your own criteria and go find your own great wines. I will be doing the same.  And while we are looking, just get a bottle, open it and enjoy the experience.  Cheers!

—CL Keedy, Co-Chair Wine Education Committee

50 Years and Counting

A lot happened 50 years ago. Fifty years ago, we celebrated America’s bicentennial. Fifty years ago, Apple Computer and Microsoft were incorporated. Fifty years ago, the first Rocky movie was released and Nadia Comaneci scored the first ever perfect 10 in an Olympic gymnastics’ competition. And fifty years ago, Orange County Wine Society held their first Commercial Wine Competition. That, however, was not the only wine competition of note that happened 50 years ago.

In May of 1976, in Paris, France, California wines were part of what some have called one of wine history’s most significant moments. California’s wines were put head-to-head in a judged tasting with wines from some of France’s most well-regarded winemakers: California Cabernet Sauvignon vs. red Bordeaux and California Chardonnay vs. white Burgundy. Who would arrange such a judging? And why would anyone take part in it knowingly?

This meeting of Old World wines from France and New World wines from California was to be a festive affair, partially in commemoration the USA’s 200 years of history. Steven Spurrier, a British wine merchant, who owned a Paris store and wine school, Academie Du Vin, thought a bit of friendly international competition could improve his sales. Patricia Gallagher, an American, well known in the French wine world, was Director of the Academie Du Vin. Between the two of them the idea of a California/French wine comparison became a reality. The structure they decided on was to have a blind tasting of the two varietals with six California wines and four French wines of each. Eleven judges were selected, nine French judges, well known in the wine world who included the inspector general of the Appellation d’Origine Controlee Board and the co-director of the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Winery, plus Spurrier and Gallagher. The wines were to be judged on a 20-point basis but with no standardized set of criteria. Each judge was to evaluate each wine based on their own personal standards and knowledge.

The results, although historical in the wine world were of little importance to the-then general public. Media coverage was minimal, a single brief article by George Taber in Time Magazine who coined the term “Judgement of Paris.” And not till 2008 did it gain enough attention that Hollywood felt it deserve a movie appropriately titled “Bottle Shock.”

Because the French wine industry was shocked. How was it possible that a $10 bottle of 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (current price $250) and a $6 bottle of Chateau Montelena Chardonnay ($80 today) could receive the highest scores out scoring wines that were generally considered from the best vineyards and wine districts in the world? The Judgement of Paris changed the world’s perception that good wine can come from many places and one of those places was California.

Although it’s never been dubbed “Judgement of Orange County Fair” the annual OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition has played a role in recognizing and rewarding the quality of the wine produced in California.  It is the largest competition of California-only wines in the world. And yes, it has highly experienced judges, not 11 but over 90 winemakers and winery principals. And not just 20 wines are judged but today more than 2,500 different varietals, styles and blends are judged in a double-blind tasting.

The Judgement of Paris brought recognition to California wines at a time it was sorely needed. Although not the initial intent of the judging, it started a rapid expansion of the California wine industry that had been negatively affected by recession, war and prohibition. An industry with only between 50-60 wineries in the 1970s, that as of January 2026 has 4,672 bonded wineries. And maybe only a coincidence, but in 1978, two years after France’s wake-up call Baron Philippe Rothschild and Robert Mondavi started Opus One Winery.

The Judgement of Orange County Fair, likewise, brings recognition to California wine, however, annually. So, whether you drink French wine from vineyards that are nine time zones and 5,700 miles way or local California wine that can match the quality of wine from anywhere in the world, just sit back, open the bottle and enjoy it without being judgmental!

—CL Keedy, Wine Education Co-Chair

But whose wines are to be judged?

Despite Steven Spurrier’s ownership of a wine store, he was not very familiar with California wines. Therefore, relying on Patricia Gallagher’s knowledge to help identify and source the California wines, Spurrier traveled to California and selected the six Cabernet Sauvignons and the six Chardonnays for the tasting, unbeknownst to the chosen wineries. The purchased bottles: Cabernet Sauvignons from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello, Heitz Wine Cellars Martha’s Vineyard, Clos Du Vol Winery, Mayacamas Vineyards and Freemark Abbey Winery. Chardonnays from Chateau Montelena, Chalone Vineyard, Spring Mountain Vineyard, Freemark Abbey Winery, Veedercrest Vineyards and David Bruce Winery were then transported to France via rather unconventional methods, primarily as traveler’s personal luggage to avoid logistical problems. The four French wines of each variety were either Burgundy grand cru: Meursault Charmes Roulet, Beaune Clos des Mouches Joseph Drouhin, Batard-Montrachet Ramond-Prudhon and Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles Domaine Leflaive or Bordeaux classified growths: Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, Chateau Montrose, Chateau Haut-Brion and Chateau Leoville Las Cases.

Last October when I walked into the Dome des Invalides in Paris, France, to see Napolean Bonaparte’s tomb, the last thing I was expecting was to see the name of a hybrid grape adorning the poignant imagery of a French Army general’s tomb. The general was Marechal Foch and the hybrid grape has the same name (both pronounced “maresh-shall fosh”).

1. Who was Marechal Foch and why was be buried in the Dome des Invalides with Napolean Bonaparte?
   1. He was one of Napolean’s favorite generals
   1. He was Supreme Allied Commander in WWI
   1. He was Napolean’s wife’s brother
   1. He started the French Air corps in WWI

ANS: B – In March 1918, he was named Commander-in-Chief of the WWI Allied Armies. And of note he played a significant role in the First and Second Battle of the Marne in the Champagne region.

• What year was known as the “blood year” in France’s Champagne region?
  • 1914
  • 1915
  • 1916
  • 1917

ANS: A – Also known as the “violent vintage.” Despite the fact that in 1914 harvesting occurred under shellfire and that the soil was stained from the many casualties, the 1914 vintage is thought to be one of the best and most age-worthy vintages of the 20^th century. The Valley of the Marne was a major battlefield twice during WWI and an estimated 40% of Champagne’s vineyards were destroyed because of the intense fighting in the region.

But a hybrid grape and a distinguished WWI French general with the same name? How did that happen? A French viticulturist, Eugene Kuhlmann, in the early 20^th century at the Oberlin Institute in Alsace, France made an inter-specific cross of Goldriesling with a Vitis riparia-Vitis rupestris cross. Although originally called Kuhlmann 188-2, the grape was brought to the USA and renamed Marechal Foch in 1942.

Wait, that is a lot of information: inter-specific cross, Goldriesling, Vitis riparia, Vitis rupestris. What does this all mean?

An inter-specific cross is a cross of grapes varieties from different species such as Vitis vinifera, the European wine grape with Vitis riparia which is an indigenous North American grape.  This cross produces what is known as a hybrid grape variety. The other type of cross is an intra-specific cross that uses varieties of the same species, such as two Vitis vinifera varieties. Goldriesling is such an intra-specific cross of Riesling with an unidentified vinifera grape, created in 1893 at the Oberlin Institute. And yes, the grape and ensuing wine is still being produced today in Saxony, Germany and Austria in very small quantities.

• Vitis raparia (aka riverbank grape) and Vitis rupestrius (aka sand grape) are indigenous to North America and provide disease resistance and hardy rootstock when crossed with Vitis vinifera grapes. Which of the following grape species are also indigenous to North America and often used in making hybrid grapes?
  • Vitis labrusca (aka fox grape)
  • Vitis rotundifolia (aka muscadine)
  • Vitis aestivalis (aka summer grape)
  • Vitis mustangensis (aka mustang grape)

ANS: All of the above

• In addition to fungus disease resistance and hardy rootstock, why else have viticulturists around the world been using North American grapes to make hybrid varieties?
  • Lower production costs and higher sustainability
  • Better adaptability to variable weather conditions
  • Increased grape health compounds – resveratrol
  • Provide predictable annual yields

ANS: All of the above

• Marechal Foch, a red, cold-hardy grape that ripens early, is fungus disease resistant, has small berries and a teinturier (a red skin grape with red juice unlike most red grapes with colorless juice) is grown where in the North America?
  • Oregon
  • Ohio
  • Ontario, Canada
  • Montana

ANS: All of the above. I first tasted Marechal Foch at Wooden Shoe Vineyards in Woodburn, Oregon

Marechal Foch grapes can produce a deep color, highly tannic wine and therefore it is also made using carbonic maceration that will produce a lighter color, lower tannin, fruity wine. Carbonic maceration briefly is a vinification method that uses whole cluster fermentation in a sealed, stainless-steel tank with carbon dioxide. You most often hear of the carbonic maceration method being used in Beaujolais, France. However, carbonic maceration and semi-carbonic maceration is being used more often in more French wine regions such as, Burgundy, Southern Rhone and Languedoc-Rousillon, as well as, in the Eastern United States.

The use of hybrid grapes, with their many beneficial advantages for grape growers, is widespread in East Coast and Central states. These wine grapes have been bred for their disease resistance as well as their adaptability to a wide variety of temperatures, soils and rainfall. However, in California with its friendly vinifera grape growing conditions, hybrids are not often commercially grown. UC Davis viticulturists have developed numerous hybrids, many to combat Pierce’s disease or to address the higher temperatures of the state’s warmer areas. Examples of Pierce’s disease hybrids developed at UC Davis are: Paseante Noir, an intra-specific  hybrid of 50% Zinfandel, 25% Petite Sirah and 12.5% Cabernet Sauvignon; and Caminante Blanc, an inter-specific hybrid of 97% v. vinifera (62.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12.5% Chardonnay and 12.5% Carignane), 1.5% v. arizonica and 1.5% v. rupestris.

Bonus: Where in California are these hybrid grapes and others being grown for wine making purposes?

1. Ojai (Venture County)
2. Sta. Rita Hills (Santa Barbara County)
3. Central Valley
4. Ranch Cucamonga (Riverside County)

ANS: All of the above

When you have a hybrid grape like Paseante Noir, that crosses three vitis vinifera grapes it’s like having a field blend in a single grape. How great is that? Nevertheless, the fascinating topic of California’s winemakers using hybrid grapes is a subject for another Wine Wisdom.

Marechal Foch’s tomb will be found in Paris.  Marechal Foch wine you may find on California’s North Coast. But no matter what the history behind your wine is, as fascinating as it may be, it doesn’t need to be made with hybrid grapes or named after a WWI French General for you to sit back, open it, and enjoy it! Cheers!

Some say the name was changed from Sauvignon Blanc to Fume Blanc because Fume Blanc was an easier name to pronounce. Others say vintners simply used the name they thought customers would like best and therefore would be more likely to buy. Still others say it was a stroke of marketing genius. They are referring to Robert Mondavi, a winemaker, winery owner and a name now synonymous with fine wine from Napa Valley. In the late 1960s Robert Mondavi perceived Sauvignon Blanc to be a bland, uninspiring varietal so he oaked it, in other words, he created a Sauvignon Blanc style that was oak-aged giving it a soft smoke and flint taste. This oak-age is typically obtained by using “neutral” or older blanc oak barrels that are also referred to as white American oak barrels which have been used multiple times, so they do not impart intense flavors of vanilla or toast.

To set his oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc apart, Robert Mondavi essentially rebranded his Sauvignon Blanc by naming it Fume Blanc. He borrowed Fume from Pouilly-Fume, in reference to Pouilly Fume from the Loire Valley. Fume means smoke in French, and “Blanc,” is the French word for white. The term Fumé Blanc, coined by Mondavi, completely changed the perception of Sauvignon Blanc in America and signaled a new, more serious style of Sauvignon Blanc. For decades the term Fume Blanc has been used by wineries in California and Washington to market Sauvignon Blanc and differentiate a style of wine made with oak ageing.

Because Robert Mondavi did not trademark the term Fume Blanc, others could use it and use it they did. For example, the Dry Creek winery calls their Sauvignon Blanc Fume Blanc, yet they do not oak-age their Sauvignon Blanc. Today, Sauvignon Blanc and Fume Blanc are considered synonymous. In addition, today fewer Sauvignon Blancs are labeled Fume Blanc due to changes in the market and marketing.

So, is there a difference between Sauvignon Blanc and Fume Blanc? Both are made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes, yet one answer is, it all comes down to the winemaker’s intention and style.

Sauvignon Blanc is used to produce some excellent white wines, ranging from the light and flinty wines of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume grown in the Loire Valley, to the pungent and grassy varietal wines of Australia and New Zealand, to the light smokey or tropical tastes from California.

Old World versus New World

In general, Sauvignon Blanc grown in Europe is referred to as Old World and Sauvignon Blanc grown in other countries such as the United States, New Zealand and Australia is referred to as New World.

Color – Old World Sauvignon Blanc has a pale yellow-green to straw yellow color while New World Sauvignon Blanc has a bit darker color.

Aroma – Old world Sauvignon Blanc has an aroma of subtle earthiness, mostly grassy herbaceous fruit of lime and tart apple. New world Sauvignon Blanc has a lush bold fruit character aroma of melon, pear and peach. Sometimes a whiff of the pungency of grapefruit or lime is detected.

Taste – Old World Sauvignon Blanc has a taste of tart, tangy, sour apple with a bit of subtle earthiness while New World Sauvignon Blanc (grown in a warmer climate) has a taste of richer, riper, peach and melon with a little streak of citrus pungency if grown in a slightly cooler climate.

Sauvignon Blanc FUN FACTS:

• The first Friday in May is International Sauvignon Blanc Day (so don’t forget to celebrate with a glass!).
• Sauvignon Blanc is one of Taylor Swift’s favorite wines. She enjoys it for its crispness.
• One of the oldest Sauvignon Blanc plantings in the U.S. is at the Robert Mondavi Winery in their To Kalon Vineyard.
• Sauvignon Blanc is one of the parents of Cabernet Sauvignon (the other is Cabernet Franc).
• When a recipe calls for dry white wine, a good quality Sauvignon Blanc is an excellent choice due to its vibrant acidity. Its fresh and light herbal flavor works best for a range of dishes.
• The name sauvignon comes from the French sauvage meaning wild which is how the vines will grow if unattended.  
• Sauvignon Blanc is the grape that focused world attention on New Zealand which produces green but light tropical fruit flavors.
• Sauvignon Blanc originated in the Loire Valley in France. The name “sauvignon” is derived from two French words: sauvage (wild) and vigne (vine). In France, Sauvignon Blanc is a wild growing plant and the shape of its leaves are like those of wild grapevines.

There is no question that Robert Mondavi rooted Fume Blanc as a classic American white wine. With that in mind, don’t wait for International Sauvignon Blanc day in May, raise a glass now and celebrate not only a wondrous wine, but how with a vision, a winemaker changed the destiny of a grape varietal – wow if that doesn’t make you thirsty…

—Linda Flemins,
Wine Education Committee co-chair

Maybe I am showing my age. No, I am definitely showing my age by using Jackie Gleason’s famous line as the title of a Wine Wisdom about mead. Mead, the product of yeast turning a honey and water mixture into alcohol. A natural fermentation that, as a result of archaeologic discoveries, may have first occurred among African bush tribes some 20,000-40,000 years ago. Exactly when mead was first created is obviously hard to determine, but humans’ desire for alcoholic beverages, even sweet alcoholic beverages, has perpetuated the making and consuming of mead a reality, from then till now. And OCWS’ Varietal Hour on Tuesday, March 3 will continue that reality as the focus that evening will be on mead.

Making mead is relatively easy. And many have done it and are still doing it. Today’s basic recipe is adding three pounds of honey to one gallon of water and add yeast. However, the origin of honey wine is thought to have been an accident, although a happy one. Wild honey accidentally blending with rainwater and then fermented by natural yeast, produced a honey wine. Evidence has been found that 7,000 years ago Northern Chinese pottery held such a fermented drink. The Greeks and Romans called it “Nectar of the Gods” believing it to be a divine drink with medicinal benefits. The Vikings called it “Mead of Poetry” that provided wisdom and poetic stimulation to whomever partook. Mead has been referenced in ancient writings of the Celts and Anglo-Saxons (epic poem Beowulf), in the Finish Epic: The Kalevala and in Welsh texts: The Book of Taliesin and The Gododdin, as well as the sacred books of India’s religions  (the Rigveda). The ancient Greeks considered Bacchus the God of Mead before he was updated to the God of Wine. Mead is mentioned over the years in writings from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales,  to J. R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, to George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series (aka HBO’s Game of Thrones). This honey of a drink has even been credited with the coining of the word Honeymoon as a result of the ancient tradition of giving newlyweds enough mead to last them a moon’s cycle to boost fertility.

As I said above, many are making mead. The list of countries where mead can be found is too long for this article. And if it hadn’t been for beer and wine a lot more of it would be commercially made today. But it appears that rarely are two recipes the same. For example, in Finland it’s made with brown sugar and raisins; while in Ethiopia they flavor it with powdered gesho, a bittering agent; and in the Philippines galanga root, a local herb with ginger, citrus and pine flavors, is fermented with the honey. It also appears that there is almost anything that can be added to differentiate the local meads, i.e, maple syrup, blueberries, burned honey, elderberries, coffee, apples, herbs, nutmeg, cinnamon, and even grapes to confuse its heritage, each of these blends having their own unique name. In fact, the first time I judged the OCWS Home Winemakers Competition the panel I was on  judged various meads including a chocolate mead. But is mead always sweet? Not in the least. And as important as sweetness levels are in determining diverse wine styles the same is true for mead, which can be made dry, semi-sweet and sweet relying of course on the honey must and particular yeast employed. Likewise, current meadmakers can make stylistic choices of either still or sparkling mead, with alcohol by volume (ABV) ranging from 3.5% to 20.5%. Mead can also be distilled to a brandy or liqueur alcohol strength. Finally, if you freeze fermented mead and remove the frozen water, a process known as “freeze distillation”, the resulting product is known as Honey Jack which will result in a potion with a higher ABV.

Now I have a favor to ask. As mentioned above, on March 3, there is a scheduled OCWS Varietal Hour with mead as the topic. You can get your free ticket on the OCWS website’s Events section, then pick up a bottle of mead at your favorite liquor store and join us to find out just how sweet it is!

—CL Keedy, Wine Education Committee Co-Chair

Sideways in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, sideways? Well, I guess it is! Santa Barbara is unique wine country with its creation beginning around 4 million years ago when the north to south running San Andreas fault turned left. Even prior to this, around 23 million years ago the northwest-southwest mountains started to rotate clockwise which still continues today. The western mountain ranges rotated about 90 degrees while the eastern mountain ranges rotated about 40 degrees creating an unusual, long west-east valley. (As an aside, Catalina Island rotated the most, 120 degrees.)

This twisting and turning of mountains, creating the Transverse Mountain Ranges that extend from west of Point Conception eastward for more than 300 miles into the Mojave and Colorado deserts, opens the region up to the direct influence of the Pacific Ocean.  A climate effect that most other California wine regions do not experience. This geographic structure creates a cool, foggy tunnel that provides the ideal climate for cool weather grapes such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The morning fog, replaced in the afternoon by the warmth of the sun and an ocean breeze, begins its return in the late afternoon. This produces an advantageous climate cycle slowing grape ripening. The western coolness of the valley warms significantly as you move eastward changing the climate and subsequently the grapes that can be grown.

During the same geologic period of continental plate collisions and tectonics 20 million years ago, the ocean floor uplifted leaving behind a highly diverse soil. Santa Barbara’s transverse valley’s soil, composed of calcareous limestone from ancient marine shells and skeletons, diatomaceous earth resulting from the fine powder of fossilized marine life, and sandy soils and clay loams, can respectively provide wine grapes with acidity, concentration, fruitiness and earth with the necessary moisture retention.

However, winemakers did not take advantage of this ideal climate until the late 18^th century, when the Franciscan monks planted their grape cuttings from Mexico near the Santa Barbara Mission. By 1804 a large, 25-acre mission vineyard was planted in today’s Goleta. And by the late 1800s there were 45 vineyards in the region including a 150-acre vineyard on Santa Cruz Island. Even though the oldest pre-prohibition vineyard in California was planted in Santa Barbara, prohibition slowed vineyard expansion in Santa Barbara until Santa Barbara’s first post-prohibition commercial winery was stared in 1962, the Santa Barbara Winery.

Today there are almost 300 wineries in the seven American Viticultural Area (AVAs) in Santa Barbara County that grow over 70 grape varieties including from French Bordeaux and Rhone grapes to Italian and German grapes, even though it is best known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

---

Timeless Fun Facts Dating back to the ’80s

The Orange County Wine Society (OCWS) is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary this year.

In OCWS’s April 1986 newsletter entitled, “Free Run”, there was a section titled “Did You Know That…”  This section of the newsletter offered interesting short notes on wine information, somewhat similar to our “Wine Wisdom” column but very much short and sweet, a format CL and I have yet to master!  Just for kicks, and of course wine education fulfilment, we would like to share the April 1986 section with you – enjoy!

“Did You Know That…

• 90% of all wines produced in the world are made to be consumed within one year
• Antarctica is the only continent in the world not producing wine
• Italy is the major wine exporter in the world
• In Kenya, the three major vineyard pests are giraffes, hippos and termites
• In colonial America, Madeira was the most accepted wine to serve guests
• Under French Law, the highest classification given to wines from the Burgundy Region is Grand Cru
• The Romans were most responsible for spreading viticulture throughout Europe
• Sauternes is the traditional wine served with Roquefort cheese

Now if that is not interesting enough for you, grab a bottle of your favorite wine and ponder the many aspects of not only wine, but how wine fun facts, most times, are timeless. Cheers!

—CL Keedy and Linda Flemins, Co-chairs Wine Education Committee

Let’s Spice it Up!

In a 1596, Elizabethan Age English “cookery book” titled “The Good Huswifes Jewell”, a recipe to improve wine by warming it and adding spices was included. While the verb “to mull”, meaning to heat, sweeten and flavor wine or cider with spices was not used until 1618 according to Merriam-Webster, the warming of wine with added spices goes back to ancient times. For as long as wine has been made there have always been efforts to improve its palatability and deliciousness.

Hippocras, a Greek-spiced wine named after Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was surplus wine from the harvest that had spices dumped in and then warmed to make it appetizing. There were also beliefs that wine so treated had medicinal properties.

During the time the Romans spread throughout their known world, the heating and spicing of left over wine became common practice. Their 1st Century recipe for Conditum Paradoxum was somewhat more complex than Greek recipes with the Roman’s objective to mask the taste of poorly stored wine and again add some medicinal benefits for the soldiers. The Conditum Paradoxum became so popular that it was a featured wine of the Saturnalia Festival at the winter solstice. By the 5th and 6th centuries Apicius’ Roman cookbook had the recipe – one part wine and one part honey, boiled and reduced. Then a mixture of pepper, bay leaf, saffron and dates was added. Believe it or not you can buy Conditum Paradoxum today, but made with a decent wine.

The Greek-Roman legacy of warmed, spiced wine became popular in the Middle Ages. Water was not always safe to drink and wine with spices was believed once again to be medicinally healthy and much more flavorsome. In the 13th century warmed wine was a regular beverage of the Kings of England and as mentioned above, by the 17th century it was called mulled wine. The acceptance of mulled wine became so widespread that at least 20 different European countries have their own names for their regional versions. The recipes basically start with a decent bottle of red wine and then add a myriad of spices, fruits, nuts, fortified wine and often honey. (All the recipes can be found online.)

The strong connection of mulled wine with Christmas, although based on the warm of the Roman’s long ago winter festival, began during the Victorian era and especially with a notable reference in Charles Dickens’ 1843 novel, “The Christmas Carol.” Eliza Acton’s recipe for this particular mulled wine in her 1845 modern cookery book included lemons, cloves, cinnamon, mace, allspice, ginger, sugar and a little nutmeg. Merchants of the period began selling it in Christmas-themed bottles with its very unusual name. Just one quiz question for this Wine Wisdom.

What was the mulled wine in Charles Dickens’ The Christmas Carol called?

a. Smoking Bishop (port)

b. Smoking Pope (burgundy)

c. Smoking Cardinal (champagne)

d. Smoking Archbishop (claret)

e. Church Warden (ginger wine)

These are all the actual names of different mulled wine recipes from Victorian England.

Answer: A – Smoking Bishop – Ebenezer Scrooge offers to share a bowl with Tom Cratchit at the end of the book.

So, join the Varietal Hour on Tuesday, December 9 at 7 p.m. on Zoom (Event sign ups on OCWS website) and share some old fashion holiday cheer.

—CL Keedy, Wine Education Committee

The transportation of wine became an opportunity looking for an answer once wine consumption moved beyond the vineyard and winery locations. The evolution of transporting wine started with using animal skins which often leaked and allowed the wine to oxidize and spoil. Terracotta amphorae quickly became the animal skin replacement and solved many problems. In fact, amphorae were so effective that recently found ship wreaks and uncovered tombs contain amphorae 1000’s of years old that still contain remnants of wine. However, the weight of the amphora filled with wine, which took two people to carry, and its shape with the pointed bottom, which made standing an amphora upright difficult, lead winemakers to look for another solution. Enter the barrel.