ask a sommelier What’s the divot in the bottom of the bottle for? —Jeff Clark Back when wine was bottled in woodfired glass, the original role of the “punt” on the bottom of the bottle was to increase its strength. The punt causes more surface area and therefore makes the glass stronger. If the contents are under pressure (like bubbles), more surface area means less chance of explosion.
heat resistant. Bordeaux, for example, has recently approved several additional varieties for their vineyards and wines. For close to a century, Bordeaux varieties for red wines were limited to a half dozen approved varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. In January 2021, that list was expanded to allow small quantities of Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa— varieties that love heat, are relatively disease resistant, or both. The list for whites was also increased for the same reasons.
With the introduction of coal-fired glass (much stronger than the previous woodfired glass), there was no more need for the punt to strengthen the glass, but removing it made the bottle look smaller—and no one wants to feel like they are getting less wine! Punts were kept, and now you can often see that the most expensive bottles have the biggest punt, making the size and heft of the bottle more about marketing than it is about keeping its contents safe. —Mike Muirhead How are winemakers guarding against the effects of climate change? —Claudine Gervais Many winemakers and scientists are studying this question. Winegrowers are coping with hotter summers (leading to sunburn and drought); warmer and wetter winters (leading to pest and disease pressures); and the violence of freak frosts, hail, storms, floods and forest fires—all signs of changing climates and none of it good for grape growing. We are seeing reports of harvests weeks earlier than historically, which is not necessarily a good thing because ripening does not follow linear patterns. There are estimates that we could lose half our current global vineyard area with a 2°C warming, and things look even worse beyond that. Winegrowers and winemakers are exploring a number of longer-term strategies. Among these are the possibility of seeing heat-loving varieties move into places that have previously been too cool or introducing varieties that are more 14 Order online: JonesWines.com/shop
These changes also mean that some coolclimate varieties will have fewer possible homes or will need to be on the move as well. Winegrowers are indeed looking further from the equator for suitable growing conditions. English sparkling wine is an example. We are seeing an everincreasing number of vineyards in the south of England specializing in the styles of Traditional Method bubbles that have made Champagne famous (you should try our Ashling Park Cuvée and Rosé!). In other places, the strategies include moving up to cooler hillsides, moving vineyards to face away from the sun (to cooler, less sunny slopes that were formerly considered lower quality) and embracing growing techniques that see greater biodiversity in the vineyard to strengthen vineyard health generally. All in all, it is a tough time—and time for all of us to pay attention. Thanks for asking! —Sylvia Jansen
How can I tell if a wine has spoiled? —Celeste Manko When trying to decide if your wine is spoiled, simply use the “pleasure principle.” Wine should always be a pleasurable experience. All the senses we use when we are drinking/tasting wine are the same ones that will tip us off if a wine is spoiled. Seeing is believing: Is your young, fresh white clear and bright? That’s a good sign. Is it cloudy, yellowing, or brownish? That is telling you it has seen better days. Is your big bold red ruddy and brown? Good chance it has gone to Funky Town. One caveat here: some winemakers choose to produce their wines using an unfiltered process. This is a notable practice in natural wines, which results in an intentionally cloudy wine. These winemakers believe that too much filtering can strip a wine of its flavours and aromas and that unfiltered wines can have a deeper texture and mouthfeel. (One of our wine experts would be happy to walk you through the wild and wonderful experience of tasting natural wines!) The nose knows: When the aromas of your wine do not reflect fruit qualities but are showing aromas like wet dog, vinegar, nail polish remover, it is time to part with that bottle. Palate proof: If you don’t believe what you have seen and smelled, go ahead and give it a taste. Are you struggling to find the fruit notes? Is there a very aggressive acidity? Does it just plain taste unpleasant? Trust your senses: they are telling you all you need to know. —Saralyn Mehta
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