Steep hillside vineyards in the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region in Germany producing Riesling. Photo: German Wine Institute
IF all other factors were equal, regions at lower latitudes (nearer the Equator, like Mendoza, South Africa, New South Wales) will receive more solar radiation per annum than regions at higher latitudes (nearer the Poles, like northern France and Germany).” But we know that “all other factors” are not equal are they? Where a vineyard is planted within its give region has more specific influence than just the mere latitude it happens to reside. To make this point, I’m going to be looking at the Northern Hemisphere—specifically cooler climate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. So travel with me, if you will, to your favorite cool climate wine region. (I like Alsace, but whatever you fancy.)
Yo. Don’t ask why yo. Just yo. Yo—I gotta study for my WSET Diploma (D1) exam. One thing that really helped me pass my Level 3 exam was writing posts that simulated questions I could expect to see on the exam. So, that’s what the next (several) posts will be. Interspersed with wine notes (probably). My first exam is in one month. On my birthday no less. So…help me study? Thanks.
Let’s start with grape development…
[Information based on DipWSET D1 material]
The calyptra is shed and pollen is transferred from the anthers to the stigma fertilizing the flower.
As a member of the trade/media, I do get a lot of press releases. And I’ve promised in the past to only share the ones that are relevant to you. This one totally is. Now, I know in the “age of COVID” (oh geez, let that not become how children study us…) there are a lot of virtual this-thats. But I’m here to tell you that these educational webinars from Emeritus are legit. I’ve already sat in on three, diving deep into the Russian River Vally AVA sub-zones, how soil type and climate affect vine development, the attributes of different Pinot Noir clones.
Viewers get a triple threat perspective from Emeritus Winemaker David Lattin, Vineyard Manager Kirk Lokka, and Emeritus’s second-generation President Mari Jones. They each have their own area of expertise they lend to each topic. What I particularly love about these webinars is that they are actually interactive. Viewers are encouraged to type in their questions and, I can say from experience, they answer them in a personal way, making you feel like you’re having an intelligent one-on-one conversation.
I want to make another note here: although the title suggests this is for wine professionals, I want to encourage anyone who’s seriously interested in wine (like on a nerd level) or is studying wine in any capacity (be it your degree in viticulture, advanced sommelier credential, WSET, etc) to tune in. You won’t regret it. I also encourage other wineries/wine brands who are interested in creating a webinar series to take a look at how these are conducted—professional, but fun and engaging. This is how to attract media attention from both industry pros and consumers alike.
Ok, I think I’ve waxed on poetically for long enough. Below is the formal press release. Cheers.
Really bad title, I know. But the thing is that, for WSET Level 3, we don’t really study Hungary as a wine producing region outside of the Tokaj region and the production of Tokaji. So, that will be the focus of this post. (more…)
