GREAT GRAPES! THE 60-MINUTE WINE EXPERT
TASTING
PRESENTED BY Helen Gregory has worked for wine and spirits leaders such as MoĂŤt Hennessy USA, RĂŠmy Cointreau and Robert Mondavi Winery, and has led global marketing campaigns for the European Union, Vins de Bordeaux, Wines from Spain and many others. A lifestyle entrepreneur, Helen founded a food, wine and travel communications agency in 2001, and writes a monthly column for Fra Noi Magazine and Style & Design. A graduate of Princeton University with a B.A. in Politics/Economics, Helen completed her business studies in Paris and speaks French, Spanish and Italian.
HELEN GREGORY
Wine & Lifestyle Expert
HOW TO TASTE WINE
PINOT NOIR
MERLOT
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
CHARDONNAY
SAUVIGNON BLANC
HOW STILL WINE IS MADE GRAPES FERMENTATION Add Yeast. Sugar (the grape must) + Yeast = Alcohol + CO2
AGEING & BLENDING
STEP
01 STEP
02
REMOVE SKINS AND PRESS Skins are removed. Press wine is transferred to ageing.
Options: Wooden barrels, stainless steel (unoaked).
HARVEST
STEP
03 BOTTLING & STORAGE
Grapes are crushed and delivered to the winery
At the winery and in your cellar STEP
04
SAUVIGNON BLANC MARLBOROUGH, NEW ZEALAND
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LIGHT-BODIED: Easydrinking dry white wines are global bestsellers. Lively acidity helps pair with many foods; great grapes to sip on.
OTHER GRAPES TO TRY PINOT GRIGIO
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LIGHT-BODIED WHITE WINE
FLAVORS: Lemon peel, honeydew melon, peach grapefruit, gooseberry and “cat pee…” PAIR WITH: Grilled chicken and fish; spicy Asian; soft cheeses like Brie OTHER SAUVIGNON BLANC REGIONS: Loire Valley, France; Casablanca, Chile; Bordeaux, France
Veneto, Alto Adige
CHENIN BLANC Loire Valley, South Africa
ALBARIÑO Rías Baixas, Spain ASSYRTIKO Greece
SOAVE Italy
GRÜNER VELTLINER Austria VINHO VERDE Portugal
KIM CRAWFORD MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC, 2019 Origin Marlborough, New Zealand
Varietal 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Alc % 12.5
Tasting Notes • • • •
A classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with very bright aromas of citrus, tropical fruit and crushed herbs. Very pale yellow. Fresh and juicy with vibrant acidity and plenty of weight and length on the palate. Ripe, tropical fruit flavor with passion fruit, melon and grapefruit.
Process Grapes from all over the Marlborough Region are used in this blend for a signature Sauvignon Blanc flavor profile. Fruit is night-harvested, when the temperatures are cool to minimize oxidation, making it easier to manage in the winery.
MARLBOROUGH, NEW ZEALAND
CASABLANCA VALLEY, CHILE
SANCERRE, LOIRE VALLEY
BORDEAUX
CHARDONNAY BURGUNDY, FRANCE
FULL-BODIED WHITE WINE
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FULL-BODIED WHITE WINES have a rich smooth taste and creamy notes. What makes these white wines so rich? Fruit and sometimes, aging and barrel fermentation.
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CHARDONNAY originated in the Burgundy region of France. It ranges from lean to buttery-rich. It’s the base wine of Champagne.
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FLAVORS: apple, pineapple, vanilla, lemon
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PAIR WITH: Cream and butter! Pair with lobster and creamy cheeses.
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OTHER CHARDONNAY REGIONS: Chablis (all Burgundy whites are Chardonnay); Napa Valley; Champagne, France
OTHER GRAPES TO TRY VIOGNIER California, Southern France GRENACHE BLANC Southern France RIOJA BLANCO Rioja, Spain
LOUIS JADOT MÂCON-VILLAGES CHARDONNAY, 2019 Origin Mâcon-Villages, Burgundy, France
Varietal 100% Chardonnay (unoaked)
Alc % 13.0
Tasting Notes • •
Bright and crisp with notes of apple a classic expression of Chardonnay
Process •
Produced in the Mâconnais region of Burgundy, MâconVillages is vinified with no oak contact to retain elegant aromas and maximize the vibrant flavor. It has a clean, fresh character. The vineyard soils have a high percentage of chalk and limestone which impart nuanced minerality.
SONOMA, CALIFORNIA
MÂCON-VILLAGES, BURGUNDY, FRANCE
NAPA, CALIFORNIA
PINOT NOIR OREGON, UNITED STATES
LIGHT-BODIED RED WINE
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LIGHT-BODIED RED WINES are light in color and tannin with higher acidity, and delicate, floral-herbal aromas.
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PINOT NOIR is the most popular light-bodied red. Known for red fruit and spice with long smooth, soft-tannin finish.
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FLAVORS: Cherry-berry, raspberry, mushroom, allspice, leather, minerality
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PAIRS WITH: Almost everything! Very versatile, try it with duck, chicken, pork, pizza, pasta and stews.
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OTHER PINOT NOIR REGIONS: Burgundy, France; Sonoma (Carneros), California
OTHER GRAPES TO TRY GAMAY Beaujolais NERELLO MASCALESE Etna (Sicily, Italy) SCHIAVA Alto Adige (Italy)
ARGYLE PINOT NOIR, 2018 Origin Willamette Valley, Oregon
Varietal 100% Pinot Noir
Alc % 14.0
Tasting Notes • •
Dark cherry, red raspberry, and orange zest. Fresh, vibrant acidity is framed with polished tannin along with a silky texture and good length.
Process •
Argyle Pinot Noir is grown in volcanic soils, with daily temperature swings between warm days and cool nights. Fermented in small lots for a very expressive Pinot Noir.
WILLAMETTE VALLEY, OREGON
BURGUNDY, FRANCE
MERLOT WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES
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MEDIUM-BODIED RED WINE
MEDIUM-BODIED REDS: Not too light or too heavy, this is an easy-to-drink, peoplepleasing red wine style. There are many choices (and flavors) in this category; these wines age and pair well.
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MERLOT is more fruity and mellow than Cabernet Sauvignon. Great structure and ageability.
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FLAVORS: Cherry, plum, chocolate, herbs, vanilla
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PAIR WITH: Roast pork and vegetables; BBQ; medium to sharp cheeses
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OTHER MERLOT REGIONS: Bordeaux; Chile
WHAT ELSE TO TRY GRENACHE/GARNACHA Spain, Rhône, California SANGIOVESE Chianti TEMPRANILLO Rioja (Spain) BARBERA Piedmont (Italy) CABERNET FRANC Loire (France) CARMÉNÈRE Chile MENCÍA Bierzo (Spain) MONTEPULCIANO Italy NEBBIOLO Barolo (Italy) ZINFANDEL California
CHATEAU STE MICHELLE INDIAN WELLS MERLOT, 2015 Origin Columbia Valley Paterson, Washington
Varietal 83% Merlot, 17% Syrah
Alc % 14.5
Tasting Notes • • • •
Ripe berry fruit aromas and jammy flavors typical of Wahluke Slope reds. Full-bodied style of warm climate Merlot with a round, supple finish, and a touch of Syrah to add a savory, rich note. Barrel aromas are at the forefront, with notes of vanilla, cocoa and milk chocolate in front of blackberry and black cherry. The palate shows a depth of fruit and oaky flavors; great intensity with a silky texture.
Process Grapes are sourced from their namesake Indian Wells Vineyard, along with a variety of other warm-climate Washington vineyards that range from the Wahluke Slope to Cold Creek Vineyard. A Merlot that shows the luscious, ripe New World style, with a rich, round and full-bodied flavor profile.
WASHINGTON STATE
NAPA VALLEY
POMEROL, BORDEAUX
ST. EMILION, BORDEAUX
CABERNET SAUVIGNON • FULL-BODIED RED WINES CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
are bold, dark in color and high in tannin. Built to last! •
FULL-BODIED RED WINE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON is the world’s most planted grape. Originally from Bordeaux, it thrives with heat and ripeness and shows a softer side in cooler climates.
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FLAVORS: Black cherry, black currant, cedar, baking spices, mint
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PAIR WITH: Grilled meats, peppery sauces, and dishes with lots of flavor. Bold reds pair well with steak and savory dishes because of their high tannin.
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OTHER CAB REGIONS: Bordeaux, Napa, Washington, Chile (Maipo, Colchagua and Apalta Valleys), Australia
OTHER GRAPES TO TRY SYRAH (AKA SHIRAZ) Australia, Rhône BORDEAUX BLEND France (Bordeaux) MALBEC Argentina (Mendoza) NERO D’AVOLA Italy
JOEL GOTT CABERNET 815, 2018 Origin Napa Valley, California
Varietal 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alc % 13.9
Tasting Notes •
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The 2018 815 Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of bright red fruit, black cherry and raspberry with notes of vanilla and white pepper. The wine opens with dark, concentrated fruit flavors, followed by balanced tannins on the mid-palate, and notes of cedar on the long, textured finish.
Process Following harvest, the grapes from each vineyard were sorted and destemmed, then fermented in individual lots. As the lots aged in oak for 18 months, the barrels are tasted frequently to assess tannin and flavor development. Finally, the lots were blended together to balance the characteristics of each grapegrowing region.
MAIPO VALLEY, CHILE
NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
MARGARET RIVER, AUSTRALIA
LAST but not least …WINE IS A JOURNEY. Be Open-Minded and taste new grapes in every style.
www.gregoryvine.com
@gregoryvine
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Reach out with questions. Helen Gregory helen@gregoryvine.com (646) 621-3559
420 Nichols Rd. Kansas City, MO 64112
85 Broad Street, #17-102 New York, NY 10004