Book Review: Wine Folly: Magnum Edition: The Master Guide

The Wine Folly: Magnum Edition: The Master Guide ($21), written by Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack ,reflects many of the features that make their Wine Folly website so popular.  The book utilizes info-graphics and photos to simply yet clearly explain wine topics such as grapes and regions.  The book is most suited for wine novices but also provides easily accessible references for more experienced wine consumers. The book starts with Wine Basics such as how to taste and store wine in addition to how it is made. After a section on Food & Wine Pairings, the book guides readers through dozens of grape varieties and styles of wine -- such as the different categories of sparkling and dessert wine.  This section is quite informative as it includes information on the grape's lineage, tasting profile, serving recommendations, where it grows, and similar grapes. A nice quick and easy reference.

The final section relates to Wine Regions and covers most of the major wine producing countries and sub-regions although lovers of Croatian and regional American wines will be disappointed.  Interestingly (and happily) Hungary was covered and the above photos show the layout used for the regions. The guide provides the major grape varieties and major sub regions within that country displaying the information through info-graphics and maps. A second page suggests wines to explore as well as focuses on the country's signature wine. For Hungary, they've provided appropriate exploration wines by augmenting Tokaji Assu, Furmint, and Egri Bikaver with the lesser known Egri Csillag and Somlo Juhfark.  However, I do quibble with the use of grape names where in the map and Varieties chart they utilize the Croatian term Graševina for the Hungarian Olascsrizling where the broader term is Welschriesling. The Varieties chart also includes the term Blaufränkisch instead of the Hungarian Kékfrankos. Readers may get confused because they will never find a Hungarian wine labeled Blaufränkisch or Graševina - but I understand they intended to utilize a broader term.

Finally, for larger countries with regulations regarding labels and classifications, the book presents a readable guide. Italy is pictured above and the Reading a Label section provides the naming methods and term definitions --  an accessible guide for all levels of consumers. The Wine Classification section is also handy for Italy as the book explains the DOG and DOGC classifications.

The Wine Folly: Magnum Edition: The Master Guide is a worthy collection to any wine library as an easy resource. If readers are expecting more in depth coverage, go elsewhere, but for an accessible and clear introduction to grapes and regions - this book will suffice. Cheers.

The ArT of Preserving Wine with Cakebread Cellars and Rochioli Chardonnay

Opening a bottle of wine is a commitment, a commitment to finish the bottle.

I'm sure everyone has heard a variation of this saying because as soon as a bottle is uncorked or unscrewed,  oxygen enters the bottle and affects the wine. Initially that's a positive event when consumers swirl a glass or decant a bottle. At this initial stage, the oxygen enhances aromas and softens the wine by breaking down of tannins. But eventually too much oxygen will flatten the wine by diminishing the aromas and flavor and eventually alter the wine's color to a disagreeable brown. The question then becomes, when dos the transfer from positive benefit to negative hindrance occur? And of course, it all depends on the wine.

I recently received a promotional sample from a company trying to postpone that determination by allowing consumers to finish a bottle days and perhaps weeks after opening. The ArT of Preserving Wine offers a can of natural heavy Argon gas to displace oxygen in open bottles of wine. Since Argon is heavier than oxygen it displaces that gas and forms a layer between the wine and the oxygen - thus extending the life of an open bottle of wine. And it must be true if the marketing material states it.

Right. I test ArT on several bottles anyway, both white and red, but was most interested in white wines since they are more susceptible to faster oxidation because of their lower tannins. Plus we seemed to have had more white wines needing to open than reds. I started with several Albarino wines left over from a Snooth tasting and for the next few days as advertised the wines stayed fresh. Very fresh. I then experimented with a 2010 Cakebread Cellars that I feared would oxidize quickly. Unfortunately the bottle was consumed entirely by day two - it is a Cakebread. I took smaller pours with the #ChardonnayDay gift, the excellent 2013 Rochioli Chardonnay. On day one this wine was complex, with buttery and lemon characters and persistent acids.   Day two and three showed similar characters with the acids and aromas started to wane on day four.  But still a delicious wine at that point. Now I can't verify whether a wine will stay fresh for weeks as ArT claims, but I can for just short of a week.

A can retails for $9.99 with 130 uses per can. If you can't make the commitment to finish the bottle on opening then consider the ArT. Cheers.

Locations White Wine: California (CA4) and Corsica (CORSE)

Dave Phinney's Locations portfolio continues to grow as the brand expands it's white wine offerings. The concept behind the Locations Wine brand was to "to produce a wine that pays homage to their home land without compromise and without boundaries" and may I add, at an affordable price point ($20 range). Currently there are nine red wines (France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, California, Oregon, Washington, and Texas) joined by two white wines: the inaugural California - CA4 and a sophomore release of Corsica - CORSE.

CA4 - California White Wine ($19.99, 14.5% abv) - a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and Roussanne from Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino to reflect the "diversity and potential of California". A portion of the fermented wine was aged in new French oak so expect a slightly buttery flavor. However, that sensation does not overwhelm the other attributes such as the bright lemon aroma and stone fruit and mineral character. And the acids provide a fresh finish. I'd prefer a little less oak, but this is a tasty wine nonetheless.

CORSE - Corsican White Wine ($18.99, 13.7% abv) - 100% Vermentino and the label represents the shepherd's knife commonly used on the island. On this Mediterranean island wine production can be traced to 570 BC when Phoceans traders settled on the island. Even though Corsica is a French territory, its wine making traditiosn and wine grapes are Italian in origin. There are nine AOC regions with white wines composed primarily of Vermentino. This light skinned Italian grape variety most likely originated on the Italian island of Sardinia - located just south of Corsica. The Vermentino grapes used to produce the CORSE were sourced from "vineyards from steep, hillside slopes comprised of granite and red clay soils". The island's large diurnal change (temperature difference between the hot days and cool nights) allow the grapes to retain acids. This is an elegant wine with a complex floral citrus aroma and a fresh oily texture reminiscent of lemon peels. Expect a wet stone minerality and a clean refreshing finish. Nicely done.

Is the Public Ready for Canned Wine?

During last week's U.S. Wine & Beverage Industry Expo (USBevX), wine packaged in cans was noticeably present at the event's trade show. The benefits of can packaging are significant: lower production and transportation costs, protection from light, and increased consumer flexibility. All reasons which help explain why canned beer is becoming the industry standard in the craft beer world.  But will that standard translate to the wine industry or will it remain somewhat of a gimmick?

It all depends on consumer preferences. On one hand there is evidence that consumers will accept alternative packages and closures. As stated above canned craft beer is a viable option among beer consumers and wine consumers have eagerly accepted the screw-cap closures. According to this Freedonia study, wine consumers are also seeking more flexibility in single serving options and alternative packing.  And the canning industry is adding additional flexibility by developing a resealable can for containers larger than single servings.

But will will this translate into greater market share?  The percentage of  boxed wine in the marketplace is growing, but it's overall volume is still minuscule as compared to bottled wine.  Although I wish them well, I believe canned wine (like box wine) will be hampered by the perception of quality. Or lack thereof. Yes, there are examples of tasty wines within each category - but the overall consumer impression is negative. And that will most likely not change based on the wines I sampled at USBevX.

Starting with the positive, the two rosé wines -- RUZA Lodi Rosé and Underwood Oregon Rosé -- were tasty, although the Underwood seemed somewhat extracted. And the Francis Coppola Winery SOFIA Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine is a very nice option. This 70% Pinot Blanc, 15% Riesling, 15% Muscat blend receives it's carbonation using the Charmat tank fermentation method.  Plus a straw is included so the ladies won't lose any lipstick.

That being said, when possible, please pour canned wine into a glass. Not only will you be better able to appreciate well made wine, you will be in a better position to identify flawed wine. That's exactly what happened while sampling the Backpack Snappy White. From the can it was okay, but pouring into the glass allowed us to identify multiple flaws starting with a pungent aroma that the can had suppressed. Another disappointment was The Infinite Monkey Theorem Red Wine. While I'm a fan of their Colorado made wines, I couldn't get past the light carbonation in this California sourced wine. Is the carbonation necessary?  And the final red wine (that I can't recall it's name) was so flabby and nondescript that we had to liven it with Oak Wise liquid oak. It transformed into a tasteful wine after that.

Thus be careful when choosing your canned wine. Many outlets allow you to purchase in singles so experiment to find the quality offerings. Cheers.

Book Review: Corkscrew The highly improbable, but occasionally true, tale of a professional wine buyer

For Christmas I treated myself to Corkscrew: The highly improbable, but occasionally true, tale of a professional wine buyer and my first impression is that, yes, it is an improbable story. But, as we all know, life is stranger than fiction and Peter Stafford-Bow's ties up all the improbably events into an ending worthy of a Seinfeld show. The story of Felix Hart's rise to wine buying summit starts a little slow, but over time I noticed I was reading longer into the night as I became entangled with the plot. Lesser covered regions are heavily involved in the plot and there's a wide breadth of wine consumed so readers will gain more insight into wine - particularly during the Worshipful Institute of Ministrels of Wine tasting test of 180 wines. To sum, this is a fun, interesting, and mildly suspenseful read.  Cheers.

A Quad from Miner Family Winery

I recently received four wines from Miner Family Winery, the well known winery located along the Silverado Trail in Napa's Oakville. They source fruit from primarily Napa Valley but will branch out to other well know regions in the Golden State. Like Garys’ Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. In this tasting, most of the fruit was harvested from the Stagecoach Vineyard. This site is situated at 1,500 feet along a stagecoach trail from the 1800s with the vines planted between large rocks and boulders.

2012 Miner Family Winery Wild Yeast Chardonnay ($50.00) This barrel fermented and ML induced wine is made from grapes sourced from vineyards in Carneros and Stagecoach Vineyards. As you can expect this is a full bodied wine, both buttery and velvety but not over the top. Pears and sweet spices on the palate. Usually not my style but there's enough acidity to produce a fresh wine.

2014 Miner Family Winery Garys’ Pinot Noir ($60.00) This is another heavily oaked (15 months) wine from Garys’ Vineyard in Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. Even with the oak, this is a light fresh wine, raspberries and white peppers, and a fresh, lingering, long tail.

2013 Stagecoach Miner Family Winery Merlot ($50.00) From the Stagecoach Vineyard and includes 11% Cabernet Franc that was aged 21 months in French oak. This is a big Merlot, feels very Cab-ish. Lush and juicy with a structured and highly tannic finish.

2013 Stagecoach Miner Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon ($75.00) Includes 6% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc and spent 21 months in French oak. This wine is meant to age but is ready now. It's not a giant Napa bomb, but lighter and dustier, nice acids, and appropriate tannins for the body. Expensive, but a well made wine.

The United Grapes of America - Rhode Island's Greenvale Vineyards 2015 Albariño

theCompass view of
Greenvale Vineyards

It's been difficult procuring wines to continue the United Grapes of America series, but them comes along the annual Wine America Congressional Tasting featuring dozens of wines from across the United States. This event included several interesting wines with one being the Greenvale Vineyards Albarino. This Rhode Island winery is located along the Sakonnet River in Portsmouth, RI, five miles north of downtown Newport and is a member of the Coastal Wine Trail. Apparently "Greenvale is a farm that has been in the same family since 1863. It is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places". 

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

For the past two months I've sipped plenty of Rías Baixas Albariño through #WineStudio's Rías Baixas sessions and the 2015 Greenvale Vineyards Albariño ($15) matches most of the characteristics I've come to expect in this style. It starts with tropical flavors with some lemon then transitions to a saline-mineral character before finishing with decent acids. Since the grapes are estate grown in the Ocean state (very close to an estuary), they share some similarities to their Galicia grown brethren. Cheers to American wineries producing wine from interesting grapes.

theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator App Release 2.1

This week we released the first major upgrade to the Android version of theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator App. The new version includes several library upgrades - including Location Services - as well as several workflow patterns. First, the data is now stored on the device allowing for data access in the most isolated regions. Second, the location and zipcode\name searches have been separated to different activities. And along with the state\province module, these activities utilize a viewpager to display the lists and maps of establishments for an easier flow. The maps also include an upgraded cluster library used for California and Washington state and probably for Oregon in the near future. The Company Details activity is basically the same except easier access to social media sharing and a new Weather API that graphically illustrates a seven day forecast.  The next release will include social media logins which will then allow the user to check-in and save comments when visiting an establishment. That work will commence after the WineCompass.com site is upgraded to a more stable platform. Cheers and safe travels.

 

The Wine of the Smokies - Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Moonshine isn't the only game in town in East Tennessee. Wine has gained traction west of the Smokies with over a dozen operating east of Knoxville. There's even The Rocky Top Wine Trail to guide you to five of these; although we still prefer the theCompass Winery, Brewery, Distillery Locator Mobile App. During a recent trip I was able to sample wine from three Tennessee wineries and yes, a majority of them are sweet. There's plenty of fruit wines, muscadine wines, hybrids, labrusca, and blends of all kinds. When vinifera did surface, the wine was usually made from left coast grapes -- although there was one wine that included locally grown Viognier. In general, the wines I sampled were well made and included several pleasant surprises.

Three wineries operate in the tourist mecca of Gatlinburg. We visited two starting with Tennessee Homemade Wines. As the name suggests, the family has been making homemade wines for over 100 years and the current batch consists of fruit, muscadine, and the world's most popular white labrusca grape Niagara. This wine wasn't bad, well made, just too much muskiness for my tastes. When in doubt, the Strawberry Stomp is excellent - comes across light and dry - and could pass for a dry rose. Well, maybe not completely - but close enough.

Sugarland Cellars was the second Gatlinburg winery on our agenda and provides a more traditional wine tasting experience with tours of the winery's operation. There's a plethora of unique choices from blended muscadine to fruit wines to sparkling Cayuga-Niagara - the Bliss. For fruit wines there's a sweet Cherry – Kee, but you have to try the Loganberry - a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry. And tasty.  The Century White was my favorite - a blend of local Seyval and Viognier, blended with Washington state Riesling and more Viognier from California.

Townsend is another entry point into the Smokey Mountains - about 20 miles west of Gatlinburg. Cades Cove Cellars is a nice post park excursion since alcoholic beverages are not allowed into the national park. Overall this was my favorite winery stop with all the wines getting positive reviews from our party. For whites, they produce a nice Riesling using Washington State grapes and a Seyval based Nature Excellence Bliss Adams Fall White.  Our companions enjoyed the muscadine based Rustic Cabin Red and we all enjoyed their dessert offerings - particularly the excellent Red Raspberry.

Hungarian Wine at the Junibor Wine Festival in Budapest

Hungary is where I first became interested in wine, sipping dry Furmint and semi-dry Olaszrizling at the Budapest Great Market Hall followed by Kadarka and Kekfrankos on trips to Eger and Sopron. During my recent trip to Budapest I looked forward to revisiting the world of Hungarian wine; but never imagined that I would stumble upon the Junibor Wine Festival held at St. Stephen's Basilica. The festival featured wines from the Hungarian Young Winemakers' Association and represented all the major Hungarian wine regions from Sopron in the west to Tokaj to the east. Although the winemakers are relatively young, most of the wineries were from well established family wineries where the next generation was asserting their influence.

Our presence at the Basilica was not a co-incidence. I had been in contact with Birgit Pfneisl, the highly regarded winemaker at Pfneiszl Organic Estate. I had become acquainted with that winery's Kekfrankos through the Blue Danube Wine Company. When Birgit had mentioned that she was in Budapest at the Basilica wine bar, I incorrectly assumed she was pouring at the Divino wine bar - not at a festival. The winery is located adjacent to the Austrian border in the northeast where Birgit is both the vineyard manager and winemaker and her sister Katrin marketing and sales. I discovered that the sisters speak German to each other which makes sense as they were both born in Austria. Their grandparents fled Hungary when the Communists gained control and had to cede the family land to the government. While in Austria, their Father and uncles started Weingut Pfneisl. In 1993 the family recovered their lost land in Hungary and renovated the property with the sisters responsible for the wine making operation.  But Birgit gained plenty of wine making experience having interned in the U.S., Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and Chile before returning to Hungary. These wine making areas are represented in her fabulous Távoli Világ wine - a blend of Shiraz, Carmenere, Malbec, Zinfandel, Sangiovese. In addition to this wine, Birgit poured her Merlot, Tango, and the "Köszönet I Thank you" Kekfrankos. This last is spectacular, jammy black fruit melding into a complex blend of fruit, chocolate, spice, and creamy dirt.

 
After sampling the Pfneiszl wines, the festival presented ample opportunities to sample Hungarian grape varieties as well as traditional international varieties. There was more Kekfrankos, Egri Bikavir blends, dry and semi-dry Olaszrizling, Portugieser, and Furmint. But one of the most unique was the Hungarian Királyleányka, which originated in Transylvania and now mostly grown in Eger. The  Hernyák Birtok Etyek Királyleányka possessed a strong floral aroma followed by a crisp citrus and mineral flavor profile and noticeable acids. Another unique wine was the Gál Tibor FÚZIÓ 2012, a blend of Viognier, Riesling, and Traminer, which was aged 15 months in oak. This is an elegant wine, one I returned to for a second glass. Part citrus, part stone fruit, some spice, some vanilla; completely enjoyable.

Finally, I have to mention the dry Furmint. Yes, the Tokaji dessert wines get most of the attention, but I am particularly drawn to the dry version. The first to note was the 2012 Estate Furmint from Erzsébet Pince, which I had tasted previously on our trip at various restaurants. I was also familiar with the winery from a WineStudio tasting last year.  This wine combines flavors of stone fruit and minerals with crisp acids - a very nice wine. But one to actively seek is the Tokaji Padi-hegy Furmint 2012 from Árvay Családi Pincészet. The wine's saline minerality seizes your attention, then subsides to delicious stone fruits and crisp acids. I still haven't found a source to purchase this wine, but hopefully Blue Danube will pick up one day. Cheers to Hungarian wine.

Is the Capture Artisan Wine Tour Visiting Your City?

On April 10-11, I will be attending one of the many stops of the Capture Artisan Wine Tour, "an epic urban party, celebrating beautiful but affordable artisan wines, paired with cuisine from the hottest local chefs. It's set to great music, in a downtown arts-district venue filled with rebel winemakers, marquee restaurateurs and rising culinary stars". Let's hope it's epic.  The tour stops in ten U.S. cities throughout the year, starting in Washington DC April 10-11 at Union Market. There are both matinee and evening events with the former an affordable option at $89 plus a $20 Lyft voucher. What does admission get you? First an impressive selection of American wine, with Oregon and Sonoma overly represented. Pinot anyone?  Then there's the local fare specific to that city which includes fresh, farm-to-table dishes; seasonal locavore specialties; petit-bites; artisan cheeses and chocolates; locally sourced delicacies; and a variety of champagnes, brandies and creative cocktails from top mixologists. Sounds like a good party.

Adelsheim Vineyard, OR Chateau Bianca Winery, OR Herzog Wine Cellars, CA Kendric Vineyards, CA Revelry Vintners, WA Alma Fria, CA Chehalem Winery, OR Honig Wines, CA Neal Family Vineyards, CA Rex Hill, OR Anam Cara Cellars, OR Crane Family Vineyards, CA J. Christopher Wines, OR Patricia Green Cellars, OR Senses Wines, CA Belden Barns, CA Dusky Goose, OR Joseph Jewell Wines, CA Phelps Creek Vineyards, OR St. Barthelemy Cellars, CA Calluna Vineyards, CA Emeritus Vineyards, CA Kapcsandy Family Winery, CA Ponzi Vineyards, OR Van Duzer Vineyards, OR

WASHINGTON DC: APR 10-11 NEW YORK: APR 24-25 ATLANTA: MAY 15-16 MIAMI: MAY 29-30 CHICAGO: JUN 12-13 BOSTON: JUN 19-20 SAN FRANCISCO: SEP 25-26 LOS ANGELES: OCT 2-3 SAN DIEGO: OCT 16-17 PHOENIX: OCT 23-24 DALLAS: NOV 6-7 HOUSTON: NOV 13-14

Update: I just learned that the first six stops of the Capture Wine Tour has been postponed until Spring 2016. The tour will begin in September in San Francisco. The east coast cities will commence following the west coast tour.

What Are the Best Wine Case Clubs in Virginia and Maryland?

Since Winter has stubbornly succumbed to Spring, I'll be navigating to Northern Virginia and Maryland wineries testing theCompass Winery Brewery Distillery Locator.  Despite traveling the wine roads for over a decade, I've never joined a wine case club. No particularly reason; but I think this is the year. Thus, I've researched local NOVA and MD wineries that offer clubs and asked for suggestions from the well informed members of the Virginia Wine Mafia Facebook group. Here are a few of their suggestions (plus a few hints from proactive wineries). Beneath that is a list of the wine club benefits for almost 30 Virginia and Maryland wineries. Cheers and safe travels.

Anthony Marocco of Virginia Pour House
By far the best wine club in the state has to be Rappahannock Cellars. Two bottles a month, flat rate 50 bucks, club appreciation events, and to top it ALL they offer 50% off ALL cases mixed or matched for all club members. So if you buy 12 bottles 6 at 30 bucks and 6 at 10 bucks, your price is 15 bucks for six and 5 bucks for the other six. How can you beat that? It allows for people to be able to afford to drink Virginia wine nightly if they choose rather than having to go to Trader Joe's.

Vicki Fedor North Gate Vineyards
No signup fee. 3 bottles every quarter, winemakers' choice, but you can switch out. 15% off that allotment. Pickup parties with extra tastings, barrel tastings, food, winemaker presentation. Any other time: 2 free tastings per visit, one group of 4 free tastings per quarter, 10% off bottles, 15% of 6 packs, 20% off cases. We're beginning to off after hours club only events, and have made several wines (with more to come) for members only. Members get discounted rentals.

Erica Johansson
I'm a member of Breaux Vineyards, Sunset Hills Vineyard & Winery, Fabbioli Cellars, and Hiddencroft Vineyards . They are all excellent clubs in what they offer, and the deals that they offer. One thing that is different among them is Hiddencroft's. It's a one time purchase of a case of wine...and you're a club member (2 free tastings each visit, and I forget what the discount on wine is?). But that's it. There's no further commitment required and you're still a case club member.

Silvia Miller, wine educator at Breaux Vineyards
We have 2 bottles every other month and the price is still the same since 2005 . And for the month of release you have the 20% discount of your current release, complementary tasting and more.

Kurt & Carol Jenson of Wine About Virginia
Our first was North Gate (see Vicki's post) and currently we also belong to Keswick, 3 bottles each quarter; Gadino, 2 bottles each quarter, and Breaux. We have been case club members (buy a case at one time, you are in for a year) of Linden for a couple years, and for the last year of Glen Manor. Plus Arterra.

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868 Estate Vineyards (Purcellville, VA) The Vine Case Club

• Quarterly shipments of the winemaker’s choice of wines which will include a selection of world trend wines, local Virginia wines and wines from 868.  (The cost will be between $65 – $85 plus s&h unless you choose to pick up the wines at 868 Estate.)
• A free standard tasting for yourself and a guest when you visit us at the vineyard
• A 10% discount on purchased wine and merchandise, excluding original art from our gallery
• A 20% discount on case purchases on event nights for The Vine
• Email notification of special events and promotions
• Our quarterly newsletter with features, wine and food pairings, tips and special offers

Arterra Wines (Delaplane, VA) The Vintage Priority Club or the Red White and Blue Club

• The Vintage Priority Club — Premium Reds: You will be invited to a futures tasting annually in the cellar with winemaker Jason Murray, where you will taste and choose your selection of wines for the year. While some younger drinking wines may be bottled but not released, others will still be in barrel, and others will be blended in stainless steel tanks in preparation for bottling. This is a unique experience. The initial 2013 offers Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Tannat. Varietals and quantities may change yearly, but potentially include Petit Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and our Reserve blend. (The wines will be sold at retail price. Attendance of the Futures Tasting will have an additional fee, but is not mandatory. Your ranking of choice of varietals and quantities will guide our allocation, but exact allotment cannot always be guaranteed due to fluctuations in vineyard yields that limit potential volumes of each individual wine — however, overall production of the wines in the future derived from vineyard blocks will be aimed towards matching club member preferences.)
• The Red, White, & Blue Club: As a thanks and tribute to the great people of America that rallied to help establish our business, and the amazing United States Department of Agriculture loans and grants that facilited our launch and left us thankful to be in the “Land of Opportunity,” the Red, White, & Blue Club further showcases the diversity of this great land, offered in metaphor as a diverse selection of our wines. Your annual allocation will include four bottles of Red wine, four bottles of White wine, and four bottles of Blueberry Apple Wine. Participation in this club is also very limited, due to minimal production of white wines at Arterra. The wines will be sold at retail price.

Barrel Oak Winery (Delaplane, VA) BOW Club

• Membership is only $195 for 2 years and includes
• 15% off all glass, bottle and case wine purchase
• Free BOW tasting for up to 8 individuals upon the Owner’s visit to the winery. (If a party greater than 8 is planned, please call BOW first to inquire about space availability)
• Free Vintage Piedmont Lifetime membership
• Special private club member parties from June to September

Black Ankle Vineyards (Mt. Airy, MD)

• Members opt to receive either four, six, or twelve bottles of wine, four times each year
• Access to limited production wines not available to the general public
• Exclusive opportunity to receive new wines before release to the public, retailers, and restaurants
• Complimentary tasting for Club Members and guests during visits to our tasting room
• Special invitations to members only events

Boordy Vineyards (Hydes, MD) The Landmark Club

• Receive the new vintage of every Landmark Series wine, including Reserve wines.
• Highly limited production wines will be set aside for Landmark Club members.
• Included in your quarterly wine packages will be a newsletter written for the Landmark Club by winemaker Tom Burns, vineyard manager Ron Wates, and owner Rob Deford; detailed tasting notes; and delicious recipes custom made for each wine.
• Pickup parties with 
• Wine activities such as tasting young wines straight from the barrel; vertical tastings of previous vintages; sales from Boordy's library of wines; and sales of limited release wines.
• Complimentary wine tastings at Boordy Vineyards for four people per visit.
• 10% off all Boordy wines purchased at the winery, Boordy's festival tent, or farmer's market booth - good for single bottle purchases or more.
• No membership fee.

Boxwood Winery (Middleburg, VA) Wine Club

• Two shipments a year in Spring & Fall
• Discount on purchases the day you join:
  • 20% Discount: Platinum Plus, Platinum, & Gold Levels
  • 10% Discount: Silver Level
• Discount during membership year
  • 15% case discount
  • 10% bottle discount
• Member Referral Program
• New release priority
• Exclusive quarterly events for Club Members
• Advance notification of all wine events at the Winery & Wine Bars

Chrysalis Vineyards (Middleburg, VA) VIP Wine Club

• Enjoy Chrysalis Vineyards premium wine selections hand selected by our winemaker, every month! This includes one white and red wine , a total of 2 wines – or – you may also choose the option of “White Only”, “Red Only” or “No Sweet” membership, pick - up or ship , in - state and out, AND w e hold your wines for up to six months.
• Save 15% on all wine, food, gift purchases + facility rentals , regardless of quantity purchased every visit.
• Visit our tasting room as often as you like for 4 c omplimentary Reserve Tasting s ! • Attend both our Hottest Cool Jazz Festival (spring) and Norton Wine and Bluegrass Festival (fall) for FREE.
• Attend our monthly VIP Pick - Up P arties catered ONLY to our club members for complimentary food pairings for your wines - of - the - month and “VIP Tastings” that include wines that are not regularly tasted.
• Receive 6 complimentary Reserve Tastings with a birthday cake every year for your birthday!
• Attend our annual VIP Club Appreciation Party expressly held for all active members for free , which includes wine - by - the - glass, catered food and live music ! (Must be active for 3 months and/or purchase the previous 3 VIP Club shipments) 
• Have priority over new vintages before they are released to the general public.
• Receive special VIP Club - only wine selections crafted from our finest lots, specifically for you.
• Enjoy exclusive recipes and tasting notes each month catered to compliment your wines - of - the - month. 
• Sign up your friends or family, and if they join, receive a 25% discount on a future purchase.

Delaplane Cellars (Delaplane, VA) Wine Club As a club member you will have access to our members-only retreat where you will enjoy comfortable seating in an adult-only, serene atmosphere.  Seasonal releases are accompanied by tasting notes from the owner and winemaker, Jim Dolphin, along with food pairing recipes, many of which come from the kitchens of local chefs.

• Three bottle release each season
• Priority notice on all wine events, new releases, special offers and access to limited release, small lot and special reserve wines.
• Members-only Barrel Tastings
• Preferred pricing on library wines
• Complimentary periodic wine and food pairings with library or newly released wines.

Winemaker’s Dozen Club Membership Benefits:

• Four complimentary wine tastings per visit for club members in the tasting room.
• 20% discount on all wine bottle purchases
• 15% discount on merchandise in the tasting room
• 15% discount on all Local Light Fare in the tasting room
• Delaplane Cellars Winemaker’s Dozen Club membership cards 

Doukenie Winery (Hillsboro, VA) Heritage Club

• 15% off every bottle
• Flexibility: Select any of our wines, and change your selections at any time
• 20% off all wine after two full years of membership
• 30% discount per case of our Blue Cap Collection
• Automatically scheduled shipments (to your home or office) or pick ups at the Winery
• Complimentary tastings for 2 on one membership in our Tasting Room
• Private Tastings for 4 on one membership in our exclusive Heritage Club Room. Reservations required
• Invitation Only Status to our Wine Club exclusive events
• Receive newsletters with interesting wine facts from our winemaker, and updates about the club
• One free ticket to each of our annual Spring and Fall Music Concerts
• Private dinners for Heritage Club members only

Elk Run Vineyards (Mt. Airy, MD)

• Two (2) complimentary tastings of 6 wines for each visit to the winery
• Exclusive opportunity to receive new wines before release to the public
• Quarterly newsletter updating you on new wines, pairing recipes, and happenings at Elk Run
• Six wines, 10% discount.
• Second six each year 15% discount.
• Continue to buy six bottles each year and you  will continue to get 15% discount.
• Two (2) complementary tastings of 6 wines at each visit to the Winery.

Gadino Cellars (Washington VA)

• Two Gadino Cellars wines every three months at discounted prices (one red and one white). 
• Reserve wines available only to club members. 
• Includes club discounts of 10% off 11 bottles or less and 20% off 12 or more for your wine purchases when visiting the winery.

Glen Manor Vineyards (Front Royal, VA)

• Membership is automatic with the purchase of 12 bottles or more and lasts for 12 months from the date of purchase. Each time an additional case, 12 bottles, are purchased your membership is again extended for 12 months. 
• Complimentary tasting room wine tastings for club members and their guests, up to a party limit of six. 
• Exclusive invitation to all Glen Manor wine events such as our Spring Barrel Tasting and comparative tastings in our cellar. 
• Early notice on wine releases and notification when wines are close to selling out. 
• An allocation of each of their wines for club members purchase only.
• Certain limited production wines allocated exclusively to club members. 
• Early notification of all offsite Glen Manor events, such as vintner dinners, seminars or other tasting venues.

Hillsborough Vineyards (Purcellville, VA) Frequent Winer Club

• 20% discount off all of our wines including limited and reserve releases. 
•  Free bottle of wine for every person you refer that joins the Frequent Winer family. 
• Complimentary tastings in our Tasting Room
• Frequent Winers and one guest also receive free admittance to one of the scheduled Barrel Tasting events, held by our winemaker Kerem Baki.

Mediterranean Cellars (Warrenton, VA) Winemaker's Selection

• Discounts: 10% discount on all purchases; 15% discount for 1-3 cases; 20% for 4 or more cases
  
• Quarterly shipments of three bottles of the winemaker’s selection. As a member, you can elect to pick up the wine at the winery, or have it shipped to you.
• Complimentary tastings; free wine tastings for the member and one guest.
• Sneak previews and tastings of our new releases before they become available to the general public.
• Special offerings throughout the year.
• Recipes to accompany our wines, featured with each quarterly selection.

North Gate Vineyards (Purcellville, VA)

• No signup fee. 
• 3 bottles every quarter, winemakers' choice, but you can switch out. 15% off that allotment. 
• Pickup parties with extra tastings, barrel tastings, food, winemaker presentation. 
• Any other time: 2 free tastings per visit, one group of 4 free tastings per quarter, 10% off bottles, 15% of 6 packs, 20% off cases. 
• We're beginning to off after hours club only events, and have made several wines (with more to come) for members only. 
• Members get discounted rentals.

Old Westminster Winery (Westminster, MD) Cru Club

• The Cru is based on quarterly wine allocations thoughtfully selected by our winemaker and an annually-crafted custom blend, Cru Cuvée. On pick-up day, enjoy a gratis glass of your favorite wine, taste new releases and connect with other members. It’s free to join and you can modify your wine allotment via the member’s area of our website. No strings attached! 
• Complimentary tastings at the winery
• Annual vintage release party invitations
• Special pricing on wine purchases

Paradise Springs Winery (Clifton, VA) 

• Complimentary tastings for you and up to 3 guests (4 people total)
• 15% off all wine purchases (20% off cases)
• 20% discount on current wine selections for first 30 days (25% on cases)
• Quarterly pick-up events for members only 
• Priority reservations for wine dinners and in-house events 
• Host your private event and apply your membership discounts on wine
• All members receive a PSW Black Card
• Winemaker selected wines including occasional selections crafted exclusively for the club
• Welcome package to include PSW frameable print.

Pearmund Cellars (Broad Run VA) Old Vine Club

• 30% off your purchase of 3+ bottles of wine at registration
• Pick-Up Parties for Wine Club Members only, featuring a free tasting of selected wines and cheese platter
• Voucher for 2 complimentary tastings with each wine club pick-up or shipment
• All club wine packaged in exclusive 4-bottle Pearmund Cellars wine totes
• Access to unique wines exclusively for Wine Club Members
• Members-only newsletter with tasting notes
• Bring a friend with you to enjoy Pearmund Cellars wine… If your friend joins our Wine Club, you receive 30% off that day’s purchase of 3+ bottles
• $60 + tax for each 3-bottle package, 4 times per year. Pick-up or shipment ($5/bottle)

RDV Vineyards (Delaplane, VA)  RdV Ambassadorship

• Harvest Release Party 
• Invites to wine dinners throughout the year.
• Participate in harvest and join the team for Friday lunches in the fall.
• Invitations to RdV hosted events at the winery exclusive to only Ambassadors.
• Exclusive ability to host private tastings in the Wine Library, Lab or Private Tasting Salon
• The first Friday of every month we host a casual cocktail party with various themes.
• Access to our second wine, Friends & Family, which is reserved just for Ambassadors.
• Joining is as simple as buying some wine. Ambassadorships come in two forms:
• 6 Pack – two bottles of Lost Mountain, four bottles of Rendezvous (Plus tax, shipping and handling)

Rocklands Farm (Poolesville, MD)

• 3-6-12 bottle plans
• 10% Discount on All Wine Purchases
• Special Discounts on Quarterly Club Purchases
• 50% Off Wine Tastings (up to 6 Guests) Each Time You Visit
• Exclusive Annual Barrel Tasting and Tour Invitations
• Provision of Tasting Notes of Each Quarterly Selection, Plus Rocklands Garden Recipes to Compliment Each Wine and Its Pairings
• Exclusive Access to First Releases

Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard (Dickerson, MD) Bacchus Club

• 3 bottles of wine/quarter Winemaker's selection (shipments will always be a $65 or greater retail value)
• 10% off all retail purchases in the tasting room
• Half price tastings for you and your guests
• Two free tickets to our Stomp Festival
• Invitation to quarterly pick up parties
• Invitation to barrel tastings, reservations required, space is limited
• Exclusive "Bacchus Club Only" wines
• Bacchus Club Only express register on select busy days and festivals
• Delivery within Maryland available for an additional $15

Sunset Hills Vineyard & Winery (Purcellville, VA) Cellar Club

• Two bottles of wine bi-monthly and receive discounts on food and wine purchases, event tickets and merchandise.   
• Access to exclusive wine selections. 
• Special access in the upper loft and deck areas of our winery and the privilege to bring groups with advanced reservation.  

Tarara Vineyard & Winery (Leesburg, VA)  Artisan Red, Artisan White, Artisan Single Vineyard or Artisan Winemaker's Select

• Four times a year, a trio (3) of Tarara’s wines selected by Jordan Harris, Tarara’s winemaker, including pre-release and Vine Club exclusives.
• Convenience of having Tarara wine on hand for impromptu occasions.
• 15% discounts on wine purchases at the Winery and online
• Quarterly Vine Club newsletters detailing your wines, pairing recipes and updating you on the happenings at Tarara
• Invitations to exclusive members-only events, including package “pickup parties”.
• Six (6) complimentary wine tastings each quarter (or 3 tastings for 2)
• Priority notice for new releases and special offers
• 50% Savings on Premier Tasting Experience
• A Vine Club manager dedicated to assisting you with selections and inquiries

Veramar Vineyard (Berryville, VA) Estate Wine Club

• 2-Bottle Shipments pre-selected and automatically shipped six times a year.
• Cost of each shipment is $38 plus tax and shipping.
• No tasting fees for you and a guest.
• 15% Discount on tasting room merchandise.
• 15% Discount on wine bottle purchases.
• 15% Discount on cases of wine.
• 15% Discount to Veramar events(excludes weddings, rehearsals, and corporate events).
• Notification of early and limited releases, recipes, and access to library wine stock purchasing.
• Invitations to exclusive programs and events created especially for Estate Club members.

Vineyards At Dodon (Davidsonville, MD)

• Pre-release access to limited production wines.
• Allocations of two 6 bottle releases per year.
• 10% per bottle discount on all purchases.
• Invitations for two people to wine dinners & events.
• Tasting and social hour for members on designated allocation pickup days.
• Free delivery within 20 miles.
• Access to our tasting room for private group tastings followed by a social hour.

 Willowcroft Farm Vineyards (Leesburg VA) “Press”tige Club

• Complimentary tasting for 2 or a free glass of wine upon each visit to the tasting room
• Bi-monthly shipments of two Willowcroft wines hand-selected by our winemaker, Lew Parker
• Two planned evening socials elusively for club members.

Winery at La Grange (Haymarket, VA) Benoni's Reserve Wine Club

• 10% off 1-5 bottles or 20% off 6+ bottles purchased at the Manor House
• 10% off all merchandise in the Manor House Gift Shop
• 10% off facility rental prices for private events
• One Complimentary tasting card for two per delivery
• A bottle of our Reserve Sparkling Wine when you join
• 50% off facility rental price for your birthday at the winery

The Winery at Olney (Olney, MD) VINO1800 Wine Club

• 10% all batches of wine (During our annual Christmas in July sale, members will receive 25% off all batches whereas non-members will only receive 15% off)
• 15% off all cases of wine
• 5% off all individual bottles & glasses of wine
• Two complimentary bottles of wine each month selected by our Wine Maker.  One of the two bottles will be an exclusive varietal of wine not presented to other customers.  These wines will be available for pick-up on a designated day each month.  NOTE: If you prefer to have the wines shipped to you within the state of Maryland, there will be an additional shipping fee of $12.95 added to your monthly membership fee. 
• Two complimentary custom label designs annually (a $50 value)
• A members-only quarterly e-publication highlighting exclusive member specials and information about The Winery
• Invitations to two semi-annual VINO1800 Wine Club events, featuring wine flights, hors d’oeuvres, and entertainment. 

The New Belgium Brewing Company Explains "What is Sour Beer?"

I was planning on writing a series on "What is Sour Beer", but it looks like New Belgium Brewing Company just released a video series that outshines anything I would have produced. They are short videos so you don't have to invest much time; but they are packed with information. I like the mention of the Goze style in the embedded "History of Sour Beer"embedded below, that I mentioned in my previous post. My wine friends should also watch particularly since they discuss the history of oak barrels, what oak imparts on wine and beer, and brett. The New Belgium Sour Beer Program is just another reason to visit Ft. Collins. Cheers.

• New Belgium Sour Beer—Intro
• New Belgium and the History of Sour Beer
• History of New Belgium's Sour Program
• New Belgium Sour Ales—Oaken History
• New Belgium Wood Cellar Maintenance
• New Belgium Wood Barrel Process
• Acidification of foeders at New Belgium
• The Art of Blending Sour Beers at New Belgium
• New Belgium's Sour Ales—Outro

Oxygen's Role in Aging Wine: Nomacorc - Part II -> Oxygen Management

After leaning about how Nomacorc manufactures their corcs and market share of closures (See Part I), the subject turned to an issue that I was on vaguely familiar - oxygen management. And this is a subject Nomacorc takes seriously> yes, their raison d'être was eliminating wines tainted with TCA; but they quickly pivoted to helping winemakers eliminate wine faults due to the (mis)management of oxygen.

In general, winemakers practice "reduction" techniques where they attempt to eliminate oxygen in most phases of the process. Small amounts of oxygen are needed at the beginning of fermentation as  oxygen encourages the yeast to multiply, but afterwards oxygen may encourage the spread of acetic acid bacteria or turn the wine off-color. Thus, winemakers try to eliminate oxygen elsewhere in the process by using sulfur, inert gases and stainless steel tanks and then topping off barrels lost to the angels. Usually winemakers are successful, but as this graph shows over a 5 year average,  about 5% of the wine were characterized as faulty due to oxygen (mis)management. And a similar study from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Composition found 2.4% of the wines were faulty due to O2 management.

These oxygen (mis)management faults can be introduced in all phases of production, but this chart on Oxygen Management Objectives shows that the biggest variation in optimal oxygen exposure result from bottling, with smaller non-optimal exposure in materation and bottle aging. This chart was an eye-opener; I've witnessed some poor bottling techniques and I'm sure these wines aged poorly.

In order to assist winemakers to determine how much oxygen is imparted into a bottled wine, Nomacorc created the NomaSense™ Oxygen Analyzer System. These sets measure that amount of oxygen exposure in headspace of the bottle as well as the dissolved oxygen in the wine itself. Pretty cool.


Getting back to out Nomacorc sessions, first Vice President, Strategy & Innovation Malcolm Thompson presented Oxygen Management Strategy & Objectives - by showing how different closures provide different Oxygen Transmission Rates (OTR) which usually lead to different tasting wines. At the extremes these different rates can create oxidized or reduced faults, but in the median arbitrary transmission rates lead to different tasting wines - even when opened from the same case.  Wes Ward, Technical Sales Manager, Americas & South Africa, then lead a session on Oxygen as a  Winemaking Tool describing the chemistry and actual senses perceived due to different OTR. 

Nomacorc initially handled oxygen transfer rates by creating a closure that imparts a consistent rate for each and every Classic corc - all a result of their co-extrusion technology.  They eventually leveraged this technology to launch a new product line called the Select Series, which allows different (but consistent) oxygen transfer rates into the bottled wine. The Select Series consists of four corcs (100, 300, 500, 700), which will provide less to more transfer rates as the series progresses higher. But what corc should a winemaker choose for each varietal wine?  Nomacorc has automated this decision making process by creating the Noma Selector - as software application that guides the winemaker through the decision making process. Thus Nomacorc is confident that by utilizing their NomaSense™ analyzers with the Select Series, winemakers can improve and extend the shelf-life of every bottled wine.


But does it matter to the consumer which Select Series is utilized? Our final session of the visit tested this question by tasting a white and red wine bottled with three different Select Series corcs. We started with the 2012 Nyakas Budai Chardonnay by blind tasting three versions, and even with the short bottle aging, produced three completely different wines. The first glass was very light, citrus, with a lemongrass-acidic finish; whereas the second was more Burgundian with more minerality and depth.  The final glass was funky and the 500 series corc closing this wine had allowed the most oxygen to transfer. The first glass was corked with the 100 series and the second with the 300 series.

Our red blind tasting consisted of the 2009 Clos des Cordeliers Cabernet Franc which had been bottled with three different corcs in April 2011; providing three years of bottle aging. The first glass was a fruity wine, with plenty of cherry flavors and dusty tannins. The second glass was earthier, still a nice cherry flavor, finishing with smoother tannins. The final wine was musty, acidic, and not pleasing. Once again, three completely different wines, all bottled on the same day, but aging distinctly due to the Select series corcs utilized (300, 500, 700 in this instance).

The trip to Nomacorc was extremely informative and these sessions on Oxygen Management were a revelation in a noma-sense; another topic to discuss with winemakers on future visits.  And winemakers now have the tools to decide the proper closure for their wines. Some may choose to continue with natural cork; others like Jordan Harris of Tarara Winery will use strictly screwcaps. And others like Ben Mayo of Eberle Winery will continue to utilize Nomacorc Select Series in order to optimize oxygen transfer rates. Cheers

The Rise of Synthethic Corks: Nomacorc - Part I -> The Plant Tour

The last few years have witnessed a debate on the proper wine closures - whether natural cork, synthetic corks, and screw caps. This debate has sometimes been serious, other times completely hysterical - but a debate that will continue indefinitely.  Natural cork, made from the bark of Cork Oaks, remains the traditional closure choice (60%), but carries some baggage in the form of "cork taint" (3% of wines closed with cork are affected by TCA), expense, and uncontrollable rates of oxygen transfer into the wine - at the most extreme leading to oxidized wine.  Screw caps are a rising player and close 27% of wines - all of New Zealands and most from Australia.  I appreciate the portability and ease of opening these closures, but on the flip side there are arguments about how long a wine closed with screw caps can age and since these closures allow practically no oxygen to permeate, these wines are susceptible to reductive attributes. Synthetic corks are the third major player, and whereas we all can agree that the hard injected molded plastic corks are disagreeable, I will feature the world's world's leading producer of synthetic corks, Nomacorc.

Last week Nomacorc hosted myself and five other wine bloggers and writers (Ben Carter, Cath Monahan, Michelle Locke, Luke Whittall, and Mads Jordansen) to their Zebulon, North Carolina plant for a tour and a presentation of their products.We learned quite a handful over these two days, starting with the company's background.  It all started when businessman and wine connoisseur Gert Noël opened several bottles of wine that had been tainted with TCA. With his son Marc, they used their experience in foam extrusion technology to develop a synthetic cork that consists of  a foamed core and an outer skin. Marc officially formed Nomacorc in 1999 as they released their first corc - Classic. Over the years, the company has grown to hold 13% share (2012) of the total wine closure market (2.2 billion corks) while adding several new corcs to their portfolio - all designed to to allow winemakers different options in oxygen transfer rates. This topic requires it's own post - coming soon.  

Our visit began with introductions and an overview by President and CEO Lars von Kantzow. He also described the uniqueness of Nomacorc's corcs.  They are produced by a patented co-extrusion technology where The skin is flexible yet provides a tight neck seal that eliminates leaking and protects the core foam from crumbling. This foam core has a uniform cell structure that provides a "consistent, predictable oxygen permeation that eliminating off-flavors due to oxidation, reduction, or cork taint".

We then dressed for the plant tour - hair nets, gowns, ear plugs and radios in order to communicate over the running machinery. But before entering the plant itself, we stepped into the Sensory Laboratory, which is one phase of the company's quality assurance implementation. Antoinette Morano, Sensory Services Lab Manager, described to us how the lab is intended to "ensure that their wine closures are completely sensory neutral". The lab is a controlled non odorous environment where her team evaluates the raw materials and finished goods. This process also includes inspecting delivery trucks and pallets.  The laboratory also evaluates wines closed with Nomacorc closures to ensure that the corcs are not affecting the character of the wines they protect.

We then entered the physical plant and yes, the ear plugs and radios were necessary. There is a wall that contains a display case of wines closed with Nomacorc closures as well as samples of the raw materials, co-extruded synthetic material, and the finished product.

How are the corcs manufacured?

"First, raw materials are mixed, melted, and extruded to create a long, foamed cylinder, forming the closure’s core. Then a second extrusion process applies a flexible outer skin, which is thermally bonded to the inner cylinder. The shape is stabilized in cooling water before our high-speed cutting operation cuts the closures to the proper length."

As we witnessed, this process is continuous, leading to a consistent product - no variations or inconsistencies due to batch processing. The machinery was quite fascinating - I always wonder how they even build the machinery that makes the machinery and so on down the line. The process from inputting the raw materials to the co-extrusion itself, where the outer skin and foam core are extruded together, was rather anti-climatic. The most interesting parts did not occur until after the co-extrusion process where a laser controls for size and shape and when the corcs are cut into exact lengths. And I did notice one set of corcs failed and rejected by the laser. Another interesting aspect was their ink adhesive process where the company can now stamp their corcs on both ends as well as the standard sides.

I had read other visitors comment about the amount of water used to cool the synthetic material - but in my opinion - it wasn't out of the ordinary of similar cooling operations and Plant Manager, John Wojcik, stated that the water is sent to the sewer in better shape then from the tap. 

After we finished the plant tour we listened to Ben Mayo of Eberle Winery in Paso Robles describe his customer experience from using several Nomacorc closures over the past ten years. He said they turned to Nomacorc because of supply issues from natural cork and experiencing a 2-3% return rate from TCA. And during the past decade he has never had one of his customers complain or even mention the closure. Mayo feels strongly that the Nomacorc closures slow the aging process and he has never witnessed cord dust or a crumbling cork in his wines.  We then sampled the Eberle 2003 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon closed by Nomacorc's Classic corc. And yes, it had held up, it seemed like a young wine - plenty of blackberry and dark cherry aromas and flavor with no signs of reduction - just smooth chewy tannins. Mayo explained that these characters are a result of the closure's oxygen management - which we will turn to in Part II.