Grapes Grains 2021 Edition
Grapes & Grains is a supplement of the Lewiston Tribune and Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
GRAPES & GRAINS | WINE BASICS
How to Aerate Wine
Some wines need to be aerated — exposed to oxygen to break down tannins and sulfur compounds, softening the flavor of the wine. This is especially true of young, strong wines such as Malbec, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux and Burgundy. Simply opening the bottle and letting it sit won’t do the trick. It’s important to expose as much surface area as possible to oxygen. You can aerate in two ways — decanting or using an aerating tool.
DECANTING: AN OLD STANDARD Wine has been decanted for thousands of years, dating back to Ancient Rome. The original purpose was to separate liquid from sediment in the container in which the wine was made. Decanting also serves to aerate wine. Though several exotic decanter designs have come on the market in the past several years, a classic, simple glass wine decanter will do. Wine Spectator offers the following steps for properly decanting a wine: 1. Set the bottle upright for 24 hours or more before drinking, so the sediment can slide to the bottom of the bottle. 2. Remove the capsule and cork; wipe the bottle neck clean.
3. Hold a light under the neck of the bottle; a candle or flashlight works well. 4. Pour the wine into the decanter slowly and steadily, without stopping; when you get to the bottom half of the bottle, pour even more slowly. 5. Stop as soon as you see the sediment reach the neck of the bottle. Sediment isn’t always chunky and obvious; stop if the wine’s color becomes cloudy or if you see what looks like specks of dust in the neck. 6. Serve the wine and discard the remaining ounce or two of sediment-filled liquid in the bottle.
2 | October 7, 2021 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune
AERATING TOOLS
DIY
A variety of aerating tools are available. Prices range from $15 for a simple handheld aerator to $99 for a battery-operated aerator that pumps wine from the bottle and serves it through a tap, and up to $449 for an app-controlled smart wine aerator that uses a scan of a bottle’s label to decant it just right in seconds while you pour. While a simple handheld aerator will do, the aficionado who enjoys a glass of wine frequently might opt for more highend gadgets.
If you need to aerate a bottle of wine quickly without an aerator, there are a couple of do-it-yourself methods that will work in a pinch. Cook’s Illustrated reports great results from pouring wine between two pitchers 15 times. It also reported that putting the wine in a blender on high provided a better taste than skipping the decanting altogether.
GRAPES & GRAINS
GRAPES & GRAINS | BREWING SUPPLIES
GRAPES & GRAINS
Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune | October 7, 2021 | 3
GRAPES & GRAINS | BEER BASICS
Guide to Craft Beer Styles You’ve heard all the names — IPA (India Pale Ale), ale, lager — but haven’t trained your tastes on which is which.
HEFEWEIZEN Hefeweizen is a popular craft beer offering from Germany. With its distinct wheat flavor, this craft beer style shares a lot of similarities with American wheat ale, another popular flavor. The German version is often said to have bubble-gum or banana undertones.
Craft beers require a period of discernment what with all the choices today. Here’s a guide to the more popular types of craft beer, according to UpstreamBrewing.com.
AMERICAN PALE ALE Its distinctive flavor of hops distinguishes it from many European craft beers. It’s more closely aligned with British ales. Its strong taste pairs well with
PORTER AND STOUTS
sweeter and fruitier flavors. American pale ale is one of the most popular types of beer. This craft beer style is more responsible than any other for popularizing the craft brewing scene in the U.S.
KOLSCH AND BLONDE Kolsch and blonde are craft beer styles from southwest Germany. These are produced by taking Pils or pale malt, hops and yeast to create a crisp, clean taste. They’re matured in relatively cool brewing conditions over several weeks. It features a subtle ale yeast fruitiness.
BELGIUM PALE ALE
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Brewed from pilsner or some pale malts, the profile of the beer is fruity and mildly spicy. The taste of Belgian ale yeast only adds to the unique flavor.
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These cousin ales also originated in Belgium. These beers were first believed to be drunk in the 19th century. In recent years, as sustainability and ecological factors grew more important to craft beer drinkers, these ales became more popular.
These two are dominant players in today’s craft beer boom. Porters were introduced to Britain in the late 1700s and the influence of the British Empire during the 19th century increased their impact.
BROWN ALE Though it originated in the 19th century, many experts argue brown ales are a 20th-century development because the difference in taste between the centuries is so strong. They bear little resemblance to the historical variations.
AMBER (RED) ALE Amber, aka red ale, is smooth and easy to drink. Developed early in American craft brewing, it’s designed to provide a balanced and easy-to-drink option for those new to craft beer.
GRAPES & GRAINS
GRAPES & GRAINS | COVID-19
Pandemic’s Effect on Wine package sizes. Boxed wine sales surged 44% in March and April 2020, according to Nielsen, while sales of bottled wine with takeout orders also increased.
It’s no secret that sales of alcoholic beverages spiked during the pandemic. (Who among us hasn’t attended a virtual happy hour in the era of COVID?) The intricacies of the changes in the wine market, however, tell a story about the state of the world in general. TRENDS Total wine sales soared 27% between March and April 2020, according to Nielsen. Online wine sales exploded between April 2020 and August 2020, according to the Wine Intelligence’s October 2020 report “Wine Consumer Trends in the Covid-19 Era,” and other estimates show online sales more than doubling. While sales volume increased, the average price per bottle decreased, says Wine Intelligencer, adding that consumers turned to trusted value brands, rather than pricier offer-
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of lockdown, has now subsided.” Wine Intelligence predicted that consumers will continue to avoid crowds even after the pandemic, noting “The broader issue of consumer confidence in the economy, and in their own safeA LEVELING OFF ty, may start to weigh on the catAt the beginning of the panegory in 2021.” Nielsen also demic, consumers wanted to warned of a “rebalancing” in the treat themselves, according to Wine Intelligence, but as incomes market after the initial COVID19 alcohol surge. dwindled, the trend slowed. For now, however, alcohol “Consumer responses about their sales continue to be a bright spot broader economic behavior also in an otherwise dim pandemic indicate a general tightening of economy. Cheers to that. belts will occur during the coming months, with household savings prioritized ahead of any large purchases, and the motivation to spend on luxuries, which initially surged in the early weeks
ings, and latched on to local wine brands. “Our data earlier this year pointed to wine being one of the winners of lockdown, and this trend has solidified over the past few months,” said Wine Intelligence CEO Lulie Halstead. According to the report, “An increasing proportion of wine drinkers are not planning on going out to eat for the foreseeable future, and (vacations) and hotel stays are off the agenda for most.” Another trend noted in both the Wine Intelligence and Nielsen reports is larger wine Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune | October 7, 2021 | 5
GRAPES & GRAINS | COVID-19
Support Local Wineries Changing regulations and mitigation efforts in response to COVID-19 have led to uncertainty for local wineries and upended their business models.
town. Don’t forget to show your local wine industry — and your community — some love. Here are some ways to do your part. Carry out. The tasting room might be closed but most wineries are offering curbside pickup or even delivery. Swing by for a
While they have innovated
bottle to go along with your
and adapted, they still need local
takeout dinner (from a local
customers to keep them afloat.
restaurant, of course).
Local businesses tend to keep
Stock up. Do you have a
their profits local and reinvest in
favorite local wine? If you can
their communities. This means
afford it, buy a case now to show
that more than ever, supporting a
your support during difficult
local business will send ripples of
times. You might even be able to
tasting. Get some friends
itself online. Share your positive
goodwill through your home-
pre-order an upcoming batch.
together and order bottles from a
experiences.
Organize a virtual wine
few local wineries, then taste
toward helping a business market
Engage on social media.
Wolftrack Brewing
them together during a Zoom
Like and follow your local winer-
specializes in small batch
get-together.
ies’ social media accounts, share
craft ales of the finest quality. Whether you
Learn about wine. Some wineries are offering online
Encourage friends and family to
courses in wine tasting and
support them, as well.
fancy a Porter, an IPA,
winemaking basics. Sign up and
or anything in between,
learn something new.
you are sure to find something to love.
and tag them in your posts.
Cook with wine. Check local
Give wine gifts. Wineries have tons of great products for birthday, holiday and special
wineries’ websites and e-mail
occasion gifts. These can include
newsletters for recipes that
more than just wine, such as
Open Mon-Fri 12p-9p
include wine, or wine pairing
tools and gadgets, gourmet foods,
We can’t wait to see you!
suggestions, and put them to use.
apparel, gift baskets and more.
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Shop ahead. If you have the
only takes a few minutes to drop
financial resources, buy a gift
a nice review on Facebook or
card to help infuse cash into
Google, but it goes a long way
local wineries.
LT-600944
6 | October 7, 2021 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune
GRAPES & GRAINS
GRAPES & GRAINS | BEER TYPES
Sour Beer Basics Weisse beer, according to Time magazine. Adding other fruits, such as cherry, raspberry or peach, sour beers, provides a sweetand-sour flavor that’s a far cry from traditional lagers.
WHAT MAKES SOUR BEER SOUR?
Sour beer is the oldest kind of beer in history — as in world history. Nearly all beer used to be at least somewhat sour before science better understood pasteurization and sterilization, according to VinePair.com. Sours today are tart-tasting and made with a chemist’s touch with wild bacteria and yeasts, which interact in barrels as their own ecosystem.
WHAT IS SOUR BEER? Wild organisms are what make sour beers enticing. Flavor profiles range from mouth puckering sour to barnyard funky to fruity and light, says VinePaircom. In Belgium,
GRAPES & GRAINS
famous for its sour beers, they are often aged in oak barrels that allow the beer to breathe and let microorganisms build communities. “The Belgians are experts at aging,” said David Soulsby, a professor of chemistry at the University of the Redlands, in a story produced by CNN. Fruit additives, such as peaches or blackberries, help punch up the flavor. In recent years, sour beer has increased dramatically in popularity in the U.S. Statistics from Information Resources Inc. and Nielsen showing a spike of 40% in popularity in 2018 and 2019. Highly tart, sour beers can take on many forms, including Belgian-style Lambic beer, fruity Flanders ale and lemony Berliner
Intentionally introducing beer to wild yeasts or bacteria creates the sour taste, writes Forbes. Two types of bacteria and one
type of wild yeast are used to make sour beers today: Lactobacillus, also found in yogurt, and Pediococcus, used to add acidity to Belgian beers, along with the wild yeast Brettanomyces, which adds an earthy flavor. In fact, brewing sour beers presents somewhat of a logistical challenge to breweries, as any leftover bacteria or yeast in their equipment can taint other beers. Some breweries house their sour beer operations separately from their main breweries for this reason.
Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune | October 7, 2021 | 7
GRAPES & GRAINS | INGREDIENTS
Water Is the Key Ingredient When we think of craft beer a number of ingredients come immediately to mind, starting with hops, barley and yeast.
REGIONAL STYLES ARE BASED ON WATER
Yet, it’s the champagne of the earth that is key to making craft beer. Water is essential to life. So it so with beer. Water is more complex than we ordinarily think it is, often littered with a mix of compounds and microbes, which produce pH variances that alter reactivity and changes everything from color to taste. Here are some insights from CraftBeer.com on
The secret to why the Irish make more stouts than the Germans, while Germany is known more for lagers can be traced back to water. CraftBeer.com cites an assessment of beers made in the Czech Republic with water that was low in mineral content — soft water. This water works best for producing beers such as lagers and pilsners. Ireland, on the other hand, has hard water with lots of minerals, and is known for stouts. “Water is a really big deal, big enough to shape the history of
how water affects brewing.
beer,” writes CraftBeer.com
A MATTER OF CHEMISTRY In “Water: A Comprehensive
kind of counter-balance, preventing things from becoming too acidic.
Guide for Brewers,” authors John Palmer and Colin Kaminski state that calcium is a key component of water when it comes to beer.
ALTERING THE WATER CHEMISTRY So, how do brewers brew a
Calcium helps with yeast floccu-
variety of styles rather than only
lation and facilitating the mash
beers that work well with the
process. Calcium reacts with
local water source?
phosphates in malted barley to
They tinker, according to
lower the pH in a process known
CraftBeer.com. Brewers use
as buffering. This helps enhance
chemistry to change the compo-
the activity of crucial enzymes
sition of the water, with additives
that extract and break up sugars
such as gypsum, baking soda and
as a part of the mashing process.
table salt. That is why full-scale
Bicarbonate is a compound that serves the opposite purpose,
breweries and homebrewers alike can use them.
explains CraftBeer.com. It raises the pH (increasing alkalinity). It’s used in the brewing process as a 8 | October 7, 2021 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune
GRAPES & GRAINS
GRAPES & GRAINS | WINE BASICS
How to Navigate a Wine Shop Here’s a guide to the basics of wine shopping.
where it is made and the alcohol by volume (ABV). Aside from bottle labels, look at labels on the aisle, or “shelf talkers.” They often include the types of flavors you might expect from the wine, such as fruity, oaky or tannic. You also might see staff notes about wines. Choose a wine advertised as a “staff favorite” for a semi-personal recommendation.
ORGANIZATION Some wine shops are arranged by varietal. In these shops, if you know you like Cabernet Sauvignon wine, you should find them all in one place. Other wine shops are organized by region, meaning you’ll need to do a bit more searching for that cab. For example, Cabernet Sauvignons can be found in every region from Canada to Argentina to Italy to Australia, meaning they’ll likely be spread throughout the store. In this case, ask an employee for help finding what you want, or perhaps even discovering something new.
WHAT’S IN A LABEL Don’t be too taken in by a fancy label with artful prose. The label is a tool for finding the information you need about wine. The rest is marketing. A wine’s label should show the producer, the varietal or appellation of the grape, the vintage or year of production, the region
GRAPES & GRAINS
DRY OR SWEET? Wine labels don’t always provide the information many wine drinkers are looking for — such as whether the wine is sweet or dry. Wine Enthusiast suggests checking the ABV. Wines with 11% ABV or above are usually dry, and those with lower ABVs are usually sweet. Super-sweet dessert wines might be sold separately in their own section.
GET A DEAL If you find a wine you really like, ask about ordering a case. It may not be advertised on the shelf, but you’ll probably get a discount. Similarly, many wine shops offer a volume discount, so if you buy 6 or more bottles, you could save 10-15%. Ask an employee for their recommendation on a bargain bottle. You don’t have to shop from the top shelf to find a great bottle of wine.
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Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune | October 7, 2021 | 9
GRAPES & GRAINS | TRENDS
Sustainable Wine If you enjoy a nice bottle of wine but also want to do your part to protect the environment, sustainable wine is up your alley. The wine industry has seen a years-long trend in organic wine. The International Wines and Spirits Record expected a 9.2% annual growth rate in organic wine consumption between 2017 and 2022, with a projected 87.5 million cases of organic wine being sold. Sustainable wines, however, must meet different standards.
ORGANIC VS. SUSTAINABLE In the U.S., the Department of Agriculture certifies wine as organic when it meets the following requirements, according to the USDA: • The grapes are grown without synthetic fertilizers, and in a manner that protects the environment and preserves the soil. • Other agricultural ingredients that go into the wine, such as yeast, are also certified organic. • Any non-agricultural ingredients must be specifically allowed on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited
Substances and can’t exceed 5% of the total product. • No sulfites are added. Sustainable and organic growing and winemaking share common practices, such as using natural soil additives. Sustainability, however, “includes a broader set of practices, such as energy and water efficiency,” according to the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.
SUSTAINABILITY 101 In order to get the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance’s “certified sustainable” seal, winemakers must “conserve water and energy, maintain healthy soil, protect air and water quality, enhance relations with employees and communities, preserve local ecosystems and wildlife habitat, and improve the economic vitality of vineyards and wineries,” according to CSWA. Sustainable winemakers ensure biodiversity among their vines, ensure the health of the 10 | October 7, 2021 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune
soil, practice recycling and water conservation, and use renewable energy in their operations.
TRY A BOTTLE Here are a few bottles of CSWA certified sustainable wine to try. Arrowood 2019 Russian River Valley Rose, $30. Marketed as “spring in a bottle,” it has flavors of pomegranate, grapefruit and hibiscus, followed by white strawberry and raspberry notes. It’s made from 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah grapes. Murrieta’s Well 2017 Chardonnay, $52. The winemaker touts “notes of spring flowers highlighted by aromas of orange marmalade and river stone minerality,” with “hints of hazelnut, pie crust, and creme brulee.” Kendall Jackson 2017 Vintner’s Reserve Merlot, $24. This Bordeaux varietal has flavors of black cherry, plum, currant and wild berry, with a hint of spice.
GRAPES & GRAINS
GRAPES & GRAINS | BEER BASICS
Beer Terminology
When you’re talking about your favorite craft beer, it can be hard to put just the right words together to express your tastes. Tasting beer involves smell, sight, taste and touch. In addition, craft brewing is both art and science. Brewers pride themselves on the unique combinations of elements they are able to elucidate in their beers. Over the years, many common terms have been used to describe each element. Here are some terms to help you sound like a polished beer tasting pro, from Winning-HomeBrew.com and Beer for Dummies. Mouthfeel: How does it feel
GRAPES & GRAINS
in your mouth? Common descriptors include smooth, light, creamy, prickly, silky, velvety, tingly, warming, viscous, hot, astringent, oily. Finish: The parting flavor at the end of a sip. It can be described as dry, fruity, sweet, alcoholic, warming, bitter, acidic, buttery, wet, quenching, lingering. Notes (smell or taste): Often described as fruity, floral, hoppy, malty, grainy, sweet, corn-like, hay, straw, graham cracker, caramel, toast, roast, coffee, espresso, burnt, alcohol, tobacco, gunpowder, leather, pine, fresh cut grass, bready, bitter, spicy, chocolate, toffee, malty, tart, subtle, woodsy, earthy, sulfuric, diacetyl (buttery or butterscotch), citrus, tropical, herbal, onion-garlic, sweaty, woody, green, pine, spruce, resinous.
Color: Common terms include malty, honey, caramel, russet red, brown, root beer, amber, chestnut, dark red, apricot, orange, black, burnt auburn, garnet, ruby, copper, deep gold. Carbonation level: You might hear terms such as spritzy, champagne-like, prickly, round, creamy, light, gassy, sharp, delicate. Body: Commonly described as full, heavy, dense, viscous, robust, medium, balanced, medium-light, light, delicate, wispy. Clarity: A description of the appearance of solids in suspension. Common terms include
brilliant, clear, slight haze, hazy, opaque, cloudy, turbid, crystal, bright, dull. Flavor intensity: How intense the flavor profile is. Common descriptors include assertive, mild, bold, balanced, robust, intense, metallic, harsh, complex, delicate, refined, hearty. Head: The qualities of the foam on top of a glass of beer. You might hear it described as persistent, rocky, large, fluffy, dissipating, lingering, white, off white, tan, frothy, delicate.
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GRAPES & GRAINS | ONLINE
Try a Virtual Wine Tasting Just as the COVID-19 pandemic affected virtually every business model in the U.S. in 2020, wine tasting rooms saw a drop-off in business due to stay-at-home orders. And much the same as other businesses adapted to change, wine tastings have gone virtual. Aside from bringing friends, family and loved ones together for a much-needed relaxing evening during an otherwise stressful time, virtual wine tastings are also allowing wineries and cellars to showcase themselves online in unique ways.
WHAT IT IS A virtual wine tasting is an online video-conferencing event for small groups, or a private session for yourself and a few friends or family. Some wineries even offer one-on-one tasting sessions with a sommelier. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports
that even businesses have turned to virtual wine tastings for corporate and team-building events. Participants may receive their tasting samples, and sometimes accompanying snacks, in the mail to try during the online event led by a sommelier. The package might even include gear or gadgets for the wine enthusiast, and may come with free shipping or other perks. For some events, you may need to buy the wine on your own. In this case, be sure to check with local wine shops and take advantage of curbside pickup or delivery services to stay safe.
12 | October 7, 2021 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune
TIPS You will need to plan ahead to participate. Check your favorite wineries’ websites and social media channels for virtual tasting events and happy hours, and find out how far in advance you need to place your order. Be sure everyone in your group has the online links ahead of time so everyone arrives on time. Prepare for the possibility that you might have a lot of wine leftover. Think about how you will preserve the leftover wine, or research recipes to use up leftovers following the tasting.
PLAN FOR THE FUTURE Consider a virtual wine tasting as a planning exercise for future
travel. Wineries may include in their virtual tasting programming some history about their business and a virtual tour of their facilities. You might discover some new wineries you’d like to visit in person in the future. Keep notes about what you liked about each location. Pay special attention to local destinations you might not have noticed before.
GRAPES & GRAINS