Posted on Master and Shaker

The Top 15 Most Asked Wine Questions

When I host wine entertainment events, whether live and in-person before the pandemic, or now virtually on Zoom, I’m always asked the same wine questions regardless of location, age-range, and income level.

I’ve been helping wine lovers answer this list of questions for years and finally decided it was to memorialize them. Here is a list of fifteen most frequently asked questions I get from my clients, students and readers.

#1) Why does wine cost what it does?

The simple answer here is real estate! That’s right; the zip code of the vineyard has a significant effect on the price of a bottle of wine. The most expensive wines in the world tend to have the most costly land per acre. Places such as Napa Valley, Grand Cru Burgundy vineyards, and Classified Bordeaux estates tend to have some of the highest prices. These vineyards produce very high-quality fruit, often in tiny amounts. Think of a beachfront property vs. the house across the street. These grapes cost more money to farm and purchase.

In addition to the cost of vineyard real estate and grapes, other aspects that contribute to the cost of wine include winery equipment, most notably new French oak barrels, which can run upwards into a $1,000 + per barrel.

One of the highest hidden costs is once the wine leaves the winery. There are all sorts of markups that significantly compound from its original production costs. In the US, there is a three-tier system. The winery by law must sell their wine to a distributor, which in turn marks up the wine and sells it to a retail store or restaurant, which marks the wine up again before it reaches the consumer of the bottle. Often this markup can account for up to 50% of the cost of a bottle of wine.

The more expensive the wine from the start, the more significant the compounded markup becomes.

#2) Why do I get headaches when drinking wine? Is it the sulfites?

Sulfites are a naturally occurring substance found in many dried fruit, juices, and foods. With wine production, sulfites are added as a protective measure to ensure the grape juice does not encounter any spoilage or bacteriological issues. Sulfites cause very severe allergic reactions to those who are sensitive, there’s a warning on the bottle, but sulfites aren’t the culprit of a wine drinker’s headaches. Wine headaches are a particular issue, but the causes vary from person to person. Many people only get headaches from red wine (white wines tend to have more sulfites added). The reality is that it has to do with histamines and all sorts of other complex organisms that grapes carry on their skins.

In addition, more industrial wines use conventional farming methods that use chemicals in the grape growing process and then will make adjustments to the wines in the winery to achieve a certain style or flavor. I try looking for wines that are organic or biodynamic. But, there are plenty of small producers around the world farming without chemicals that use minimal intervention in the winery.

If you have serious issues, you might want to talk to your doctor. 

#3) How long can I keep a bottle of wine? 

It depends on the quality of the wine. Lesser expensive wines are made to be drunk right away, while more expensive wines that have a better pedigree with a higher sticker price can age for many years. In red wines, particular grapes, such as Nebbiolo and Cabernet Sauvignon, are generally suitable for more extended aging, due to their tannic structure. Not all wines are meant for aging, and in today’s world of immediate consumption, it’s safe to say the majority of wines that you will encounter are meant to be drunk relatively soon. Most people I talk to have some bottles that were gifts they’ve been saving. My answer is to drink it now!

#4) What temperature should I drink my wine at?

The answer is just how you like to! There are guidelines but, I don’t see people anytime soon walking around with thermometers checking their wines, except at tasting exams.

Below is the recommended temperature serving list. I will play with the temperature quite a bit. I like particular whites colder than others, same with reds. I don’t want to go below 40° and above 70° for any wine. You can always make a wine colder or warmer by putting or taking it in/out of the fridge. You could also have an ice bucket nearby to get the temp just right. For a red, you can take a cloth and set it on top of the ice and just place the bottle on top to stay cool, not freezing cold.

Ideal Temperatures:

• Sparkling Wine 40 – 55°
• White Wine 45 – 60°
• Red Wine 50 – 64°

If you have a wine cooler or cellar the best temperature to keep these at is between 55 – 60°.

#5) How should I store my wine?

The best way to store wine especially if you starting to get a little serious is to get a wine fridge. There are plenty of options at many different price points. If not, find a cool, dark room (like a closet) and get a rack to lay your wines down until you are ready to make the investment.

The wine should be laid on the side and not disturbed until it’s ready to be drunk.

#6) Why should wine be stored on its side?

The bottle needs to be stored on its side so the cork can stay moist. A dried-out cork will allow oxygen into the bottle and dry out the wine. If you’re drinking the wine in a few days or weeks it’s ok to keep upright.

#7) Do winemakers add flavor to wine? 

Winemakers do add several additives to wine to help stabilize, preserve cleanliness or to aid the fermentation along. The flavors and aromas that make up wines as we know it occurs naturally due to the chemical compounds converted during fermentation. Some winemakers do add ingredients to increase specific characteristics, but in most countries, especially in Europe, adjusting wine is illegal.

#8) How do wines get their different aromas and flavors?

Chemical compounds and changes in the juice that occurs when grapes are fermented convert into some of the same compounds that occur in everyday foods we eat. So when you taste apple or lemon, chocolate, or cherry in the wine, it isn’t actually chocolate you taste, but the chemical compounds found within chocolate that are realized through the magic of fermentation. Each grape variety has a unique set of compounds that come to life through the fermentation process. Make sense?

#9) What are your favorite wines?

As someone who tastes 1000s of wines a year, that’s a tough question! Of course, I love all of the great wines in the world from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Napa Valley, Barolo etc… I have a pretty open door policy on drinking wine and accept all of the children of Vitis Vinifera, but my main considerations are the following:

• Is it tasty?
• Who’s the producer?
• Does the wine have typicality to its region, grapes, and winemaking style?
• Is the bottle a good value?
• Would I buy another bottle?

That said, I drink a fair amount of the following wines at home and they are all under $25 a bottle. In addition, I always have some “off the beaten path” stuff hanging around from my winemaking and import friends.

Whites

• Grüner-Veltliner from Austria
• Falanghina from Campania, Italy
• Chablis from Burgundy
• Rosés from Provence
• Bubbly Rosato from Cava

Reds 

• Chianti Classico from Tuscany 
• Côtes-du-Rhône Villages from France
• Carmenere from Chile

#10) How do you pick what to drink?

Here are some of my considerations when picking something to drink at home or in a restaurant:

• What’s the weather out?
• What I am eating, or if I am not eating, what environment I am drinking in – inside vs. outside?
• Who I am drinking with – business vs. friends?
• If I’m in a restaurant, I scope the “By the Glass” list to see if it offers any interesting wines that I like and have value. If I find something interesting I’ll try a glass and then move on to a bottle. If I don’t I can expect the wine list to follow suit, so I’ll typically ask the sommelier or wine manager what they are digging and go from there.
• If I find something new, I’ll typically do a background check and see what my colleagues and other consumers have said about it.
• At home, it depends on what I am having for dinner but I often have two or three wines going at once for different moods and foods. I recommend getting something like a Coravin or Repour so you can have a few things open at once for a week or two; compare and contrast and have some fun!

#11) Why are wine labels so confusing?

Wine labels are confusing for many reasons. First of all, every country and region in the world that produces wines has its own set of laws that determine what information should be on the label. Not to mention the myriad of different languages wine labels can possess. 

In Europe, which is referred to as the Old World wine labels are often labeled by the specific region which they are from. Many are named for a particular village or vineyard. Throughout history, specific areas were identified, and laws were drawn up to protect the integrity of the region. We call this regional wine labeling. Also, in the Old World, wine labeling laws tend to be much more strict.

In the New World (US, Australia, Argentina, Chile, etc.), wines are labeled by the grape variety. For the average wine drinker, it’s much easier to understand a label that reads Chardonnay than say Chassagne-Montrachet.

I wish it were more accessible. But to enjoy wine, there is a certain amount of research and knowledge acquired to navigate through its international waters.

#12) What are “The Legs”?

Have you ever had the phrase “That wine has great legs”? Legs, also known as tears, are simply a measure of the amount of alcohol a wine has. In wine speak, we call this “viscosity.” When you swirl your wine, take some time to investigate the viscosity. If the legs that run down the side of the glass are thin and move quickly, the wine has a lower alcohol content. If the legs are thicker and move slower, this indicates a higher alcohol percentage. In a blind tasting, this is used to sort out the possible climate and winemaking style of wine.

#13) What are tannins?

Tannins are the phenolic compounds in wine that make your mouth feel dry. Tannins come from skins, stems, and seeds in grapes, which is why red wines are generally more tannic than whites. Red wine grapes are crushed then kept in their skins for some time in what is called maceration, which brings out the phenolic and color compounds that make red wine what it is. Tannins can also come from wood, so wines aged in oak will possess some tannic presence. Wood tannins are typically less harsh than grape tannins.

#14) Why is wine buttery?

Buttery is an extremely polarizing word in the wine industry. Some love buttery wines and others, not so much. The buttery feeling you get in a glass of wine is most likely from two things.

The first is that the wine went through what is called malolactic fermentation, which converts sharp malic acid into the more creamy lactic acid, which produces the flavor of diacetyl (butter/cream). 

The second is from oak aging or from oak chips, which impart creamy sensations to a wines feel along with flavors of vanilla and baking spices.

#15) What’s with the slurping you wine pros do when tasting?

This is a funny one. Wine pros slurp the wine to introduce oxygen and aerate the wine further in their palates. Slurping, swishing and swirling the wine around the mouth opens up all the aromas and textural components of the wine. It takes a little bit of time to develop this skill, but once you do, it’s a lot of fun and makes tasting way more enjoyable!

I hope this helps you on your journey to understanding wine and having more confidence, and fun while doing so!

Please feel free to comment below or reach out for further info.

Cheers!

Posted on Master and Shaker

5 Essential Tactics Every Winery Needs to Consider

The Coronavirus has essentially thrown a wrench in the works of nearly every business in the world, especially in the landscape of restaurants, hotels, and for the whole of the wine industry. From retail to restaurants, hotels, and venues, most of the channels wineries use to sell their wines have been stifled. The pandemic has wiped out wineries’ ability to sell to restaurants and hotels and even in their own tasting rooms. If there is any hope of keeping wineries and their staffs afloat, every winery — and importers too — need to explore these five key tactics for getting wine directly to the customers’ lips in the near and long term.

1. Virtual Wine Tastings
   Virtual Zoom Tastings with the winemaker are practically commonplace now, especially with corporations looking to keep their employees engaged from home. These “calls” usually last 45 minutes to an hour and include 1 or 2 wine selections, a guided tasting, and a Q&A afterward. I’ve spoken to many wineries that are hosting these tastings at least once a week. This is a great strategy for connecting with the consumer directly and making your wine relevant and accessible.
2. Partnering Wine Companies
   Companies like Wine.com enable wineries to reach a broader audience by creating special packages and virtual tastings. They’ve reported huge increases in sales with these partnerships. Both the wineries I’ve spoken to that sell to companies like wine.com have reported up to a 300% increase in sales!
3. Smaller Bottle Sizes
   I’ve spoken to some wineries who are breaking down the wines into 4 or 6-ounce sample size bottles and creating value packs of 4 to 6 wines so their customers can taste many different wines without having to open full bottles. They are starting to use neutral gas such as argon to protect the wines and are shipping them out faster so the wines are fresh.
4. Expand on New Alcohol to Go Laws
   Curbside Pick-up is very popular amongst many restaurants, wine shops, and wineries where the customer emails or calls in their order and they can pick up the wines at a scheduled time. This is very helpful for local wine lovers that want to support their local shops and wineries. These curbside pickups are often tied to Zoom Virtual tasting as well.
5. A New Way to Taste
   I’ve spoken to many wineries that plan to “soft” open in the next few weeks as the weather gets nicer, particularly those that have outdoor seating, a restaurant or food option, and Tasting Room Directors/Guides. We don’t know exactly what the next few months will bring, but I believe the Virtual Tasting and online wine buying is here to stay. Time to focus on the digital channel.

I wish all my winery, restaurant, hotel, and wine hospitality colleagues a swift and might recovery when this all ends! In if you find you need some help finding your way, Master & Shaker is here to help with everything you need.

It’s not often that one can say they’ve truly lived a dream come true even if it’s in the most random of happenings. This happened to me last month when I signed on to be the Bar/Cocktail/Mixologist Consultant for the reboot of the Iconic Playboy Club in NYC. I was tasked to develop the bar and cocktail programs and train the bartenders and bunnies on the drinks. Was a bit of tough opening (aren’t they all) but in the end the cocktails have become triumphant sellers. Here’s a look at some menu and an article written about me in Playboy! Yes…just the articles! 

Cheers! 

SILHOUETTE

Empress Gin, Luxardo, Lemon, Champagne

Q

Belvedere Lake Bartezek Vodka, Dolin, Lillet, Sea Salt, Trio of Olives

CARELESS WHISPER

Grey Goose Vodka, Combier Pamplemousse, St. Germain, Cranberry

CALL ME

Ketel One Botanical Cucumber-Mint Vodka, Don Julio Blanco, Canton Ginger, Mint

A BUNNY THING 

Bacardi Cuatro Añejo Rum, Rockey’s, Green Chartreuse, Pineapple, Bitters

HONEY RYDER

Suntory “Toki” Whisky, Honey, Smashed Citrus, Mint, Soda 

EL HEFE

Ilegal Mezcal, Patron Sliver, Combier Fruits Rouge, Lime, Ginger Beer

DECADENCE

Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Punt e Mes, Averna, Bitters

This is my latest video on YouTube Subscribe Here about the Riedel New World Pinot Noir Glass. It’s an AMAZING glass for Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo and Grenache to name a few! I visited Domaine Drouhin Oregon and spent time with Winemaker Arron Bell to talk about it’s creation and development!

Riedel New World Pinot Noir glass for purchase

https://amzn.to/2OUZKkn

Other recommended glassware from Riedel

Complete Ouverture Set – Sparkling, White and Red (set of 12)
https://amzn.to/2OUWTbt

White Wine Glass (set of 2)
https://amzn.to/2MviYvF

Merlot/Cabernet Glass (set of 2)
https://amzn.to/2Mxh5P4

Links to Domaine Drouhin Oregon and Riedel

http://www.domainedrouhin.com
http://www.riedel.com

Cheers!

Juiceman!

Do you want to learn to “Taste Wine Like a Pro”?

Check out this short clip on YouTube Subscribe Here I filmed while teaching a group of wine knowledge thirsty students.

This candid look at honing in on color will give insight on how to dig into a wines color and how you can up your wine tasting game by carefully checking out how the color and viscosity inform you on what flavors and textures to expect while tasting! 

I had fun teaching and hope you enjoy learning from this vid!

More of these are on the way!

Cheers!

Fred Dex, MS – The Juiceman

 

Milk Punch is one of the most amazingly interesting beverage on the planet!

Check out this series of fun and educational vids on my YouTube channel “Drinking with the Juiceman” Subscribe Here on the subject of Milk Punch! This beverage has incredible history and has been experiencing a resurgence amongst top bartenders in the past few years. 

I was recently joined by aficionados Eamon Rockey of Rockey’s Milk Punch and Whisky Expert Gareth Howells Ambassador to Dewars Scotch to break down this fabled drink! 

Check this series of 5 short videos on Milk Punch below… 

Cheers! 

Fred Dex MS – The Juiceman

Milk Punch – Episode 1 with Eamon Rockey of Rockey’s Milk Punch

Milk Punch – Episode 2 – Introducing Whiskey Guru Gareth Howells

Milk Punch – Episode 3 – How Much Booze to Use and Ageability

Milk Punch – Episode 4 – The Moment of Truth – Curdling and Clarification

Milk Punch – Episode 5 – The Finale where we taste the Dewars Milk Punch!

I was recently on a killer Podcast with the ladies of Duchess, a Trio of fabulous Jazz Singers featuring Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner and Melissa Stylianou! We talk all things music, wine, Toto, life, pushing yourself and FEELING THE BURN! I also share some tips on how I passed the daunting Master Sommelier Exam! Check it out if you have an hour to spare!!! 👊💥🎤🍷🔥🔥🔥🔥

http://harmonyandhijinks.libsyn.com/episode-33-feel-the-burn-master-sommelier-fred-dexheimer-rocks-our-wine-world

 

Cheers Y’all!

I just launched my @youtube channel “Drinking with the Juiceman”!

My channel will focus on all things wine, cocktails, beer and other booze related things. The videos will be a mix of “How to”, travel and tasting, Interviews with Winemakers, Sommeliers, Chefs, Brewers, Distillers and more…

Here is the first batch cocktail videos up now with more to come!

Subscribe now and check out a few of the videos below.

Huzzah!

Fred Dex MS – The Juiceman