'Tis the season for predictions, so before January ends, we thought that we'd give you ours. They are as valid as anyone else's, and equally as factual.
Don't forget to mark you calendars (speaking of the future) for our February 8, 2017 interactive tasting to blend white wines. We hope to see you there!
Wine of the Times
More Public Wine on Tap
Here’s a trend I hope will continue, though I don’t think
that Pennsylvania regulators will ever permit it: wine fountains.
In October, the Dora Sarchese winery in Ortona, in Italy’s
Abruzzo wine region, created a fontana del vino, a "fountain" that
flows with free red wine. The idea was to offer refreshment to those walking
the popular 196-mile Cammino di San Tommaso pilgrimage route between Rome and
the Ortona Cathedral. People enter into a large barrel structure and fill their
glasses from spigots above a stone basin.
In Spain, Bodegas Irache in the Navarra region maintains one
on a wall facing the pilgrimage route Camino de Santiago. Thousands have
visited to serve themselves a free glass of wine. But the new Italian one in
Ortona has captured the world’s attention.
It’s the first to be open 24/7.
Bigger Bottles
Expect more bang for your buck as more wine is available in
1.5 liter bottles rather than the usual 750ml. These magnum bottles will be a
hit for those who love to entertain, offering more to pour and a great value
costing less per ml than standard bottles.
Don’t judge a wine by its bottle
Cans, boxes, kegs, and tetrapaks - the list goes on.
Alternative packaging is news this year, and I’m glad. To me it signals another
step toward the demystification of wine. As long as the wine is great, I don’t
care about the package. Not only are these trends great for the environment but
they allow you to take wine to new places.
In addition, if you live in Pennsylvania, you will still have to drive
hundreds of miles to enjoy a glass (or can) of wine by the ocean.
Lighter reds emerge
Enthusiasm for Rosé has combined with the natural wine
movement to set the stage for the emergence of lighter reds. No longer are
wines judged on their intensity, but rather on their finesse. Pinot Noir has
some new fans. Look for Gamay, Trousseau, Grenache, Cab Franc and Nerello
Mascalese to emerge in the coming year.
All sparkling everything
We need to celebrate life’s little moments more often, and
sparkling wine is the ultimate celebratory drink. It’s refreshing and delicious
with fried chicken (and popcorn!) and it sends an immediate signal to the brain
that something good is about to happen. What’s left to ponder?
The Rosé Party won’t stop!
People just love rosé — the stylish color and the easy and
refreshing feel. We’ve never seen anything else like it. It’s the kind of wine
that’s a simple pleasure, but also has the power to elevate any occasion.
Au Naturel
“Natural” has to be the catchphrase of the year. Wine
aficionados just can’t seem to get enough. Our National
Tasting Project this year will be on natural, organic and biodynamic wines.
These wines tend to be light, fruity, punchy, and a pleasure to drink. The one
downside is that “natural” wines are by nature all over the map in terms
quality and style, so do your research.
Drink more Merlot
What grape is responsible for some of the finest expressions
of age-worthy and complex Bordeaux? What grape will win a blind tasting 80% of
the time when blind tasted against its more popular cousins? Merlot! Not only
is Merlot delicious, it has just been so uncool for so long that it's time to
be cool again. Sideways was released
in 2004. Let it go.
Orange is the new pink
Orange wines are the product of producing a white wine with
a red wine making technique. The contact with the skins gives the wine a savory
element, much like the dry finish of a red. They’re currently made in small
quantities and tend to be more experimental, but the Rosé trend will likely
lead to new styles.
Coolers are cool again
I’m not talking about Bartles and Jaymes (“Thank you for
your support.) Wine coolers, ciders, flavored wines and spritzers are part of a
new wave of wine hybrids. These drinks start as wine but are sparkled, flavored
and tweaked to create something entirely their own. In the past they were
frowned upon, but a few creative winemakers are in the process of turning that
upside down.
Wine is not just from grapes
It’s also from apple, pear and quince. Are they beers or are
they wines? It’s tough to say, but bet on the fact that we’ll see more
experimental wines based on fruit other than grapes in the coming year.
Alternative is in
Since the beginning of time, Cabernet, Chardonnay and Pinot
Noir wines have been the base of the California wine identity. Napa and Sonoma
were the only areas known for high quality vineyards. Today, we have a new
breed of winemakers who are changing the face of California. They’re searching
regions like Lodi and Calaveras County to find pockets of alternative grapes.
Albariño, Blaufränkisch, Picpoul, Mourvedre, and Dolcetto grapes are the
foundation for a new trend that will continue to shape California wine.
