People are becoming increasingly concerned with how their food is produced and what is in it as witnessed by the explosion in interest in local foods and farmers markets, and are embracing wine as food. Virginia wineries benefit by having an educated consumer base. Our customers benefit by learning that making wine is not some mysterious, glamorous endeavor but a sometimes arduous marriage of agriculture and manufacturing. To a great extent we have become disconnected from knowing how and where our food is made and a visit to a winery can answer a lot of questions that people may have about grape growing and wine making. Grape growing and winemaking have become an important component of agriculture in Virginia, and go hand in hand with the burgeoning local food movement. Having so many local wineries is a fantastic opportunity for people to come out and see what we do to process and prepare this most complex food-wine- and talk to winemakers about the grapes that we grow and the wine that we make.
Sometimes people ask us the quirkiest questions at the winery. On the surface the questions appear simple but on reflection lead to thoughts about what exactly does it mean to produce wine -there seems to be some mystery about how grapes are grown and when they are picked. People also want to know what is added to wines to get different flavors such as blueberries, tobacco, cherry or butter. Others are more interested in what is added to wines that can affect their health and are extremely health conscious consumers. As green growing practices are becoming more newsworthy, customers are also asking questions about vineyard practices and what kinds of controls are used in viticulture.
Basic questions that people ask are easy-“What does vintage mean?” (The year the grapes were picked). “Where do all those flavors come from?” Grapes are fruits with many of the same chemicals as other foods. There are a finite number of chemicals that give foods flavor. The “buttery’ flavor in wine, for example, is from the chemical diacetyl, a product of malolactic fermentation and the substance that gives butter its flavor. Other flavors come not from the grapes, but from how the wine is stored and aged, barrels impart different flavors and nuances in a synergistic reaction with wine.
Other questions are not quite so easily answerable. I recently had a call from a gentleman who was extremely gluten intolerant who wanted to know if our barrel manufacturers used wheat paste in the assembly of our barrels. After emailing our barrel makers I found that yes in fact they did, and the safest wine for him to drink should be made in tanks with no possibility of barrel contact. Equally as thought provoking are some issues that Vegetarians and Vegans have with wine-another recent inquiry sparked contemplation of fining agents (tools used to clarify wine and keep it from becoming cloudy). Some of the fining agents used by winemakers are derived from animals-gelatin, egg whites, milk protein and fish bladders. Who knew? And who knows how much of these agents are left in the wine after it has been settled and possibly filtered? Very little is used in proportion to wine volume, but for some people this is a health and moral issue. There are also some people who are sensitive to sulfites. How else to find out answers to what may seem to be esoteric questions than to ask the people who made the wine?
With increasing awareness and concern about organic/sustainable produce, people are also becoming interested in how winemakers manage their vineyards. Responsible vineyard management means that we have to be good stewards of the land that we grow our grapes on, for we are not only concerned for the health of the wine that is made from them, but also the health of the land.
As more and more people become informed about things that may be added to their foods, the more important it is to know where their foods are made and the people who are making them, whether it is vegetables, meats, milk, cheese, or wine. The local food movement has become a viable market force and Virginia wines are intrinsically local- the grapes are grown here and the wine is made here. In fact, many wineries are starting to sell their wines at farmers markets. This is how it should be. We as an industry work hard to produce a quality agricultural product. While it is fantastic for our wines to garner national and international recognition, I believe that it is our number one goal to make wine for our region, so that when we buy our local meat, produce and cheeses we have a “village” winery where we can also purchase local wine. I am not the first to promote the idea of drinking locally-the advantages for both producers and consumers are many-the most important aspect is knowing who is making your wine, and what they are using to make it.
Sometimes people ask us the quirkiest questions at the winery. On the surface the questions appear simple but on reflection lead to thoughts about what exactly does it mean to produce wine -there seems to be some mystery about how grapes are grown and when they are picked. People also want to know what is added to wines to get different flavors such as blueberries, tobacco, cherry or butter. Others are more interested in what is added to wines that can affect their health and are extremely health conscious consumers. As green growing practices are becoming more newsworthy, customers are also asking questions about vineyard practices and what kinds of controls are used in viticulture.
Basic questions that people ask are easy-“What does vintage mean?” (The year the grapes were picked). “Where do all those flavors come from?” Grapes are fruits with many of the same chemicals as other foods. There are a finite number of chemicals that give foods flavor. The “buttery’ flavor in wine, for example, is from the chemical diacetyl, a product of malolactic fermentation and the substance that gives butter its flavor. Other flavors come not from the grapes, but from how the wine is stored and aged, barrels impart different flavors and nuances in a synergistic reaction with wine.
Other questions are not quite so easily answerable. I recently had a call from a gentleman who was extremely gluten intolerant who wanted to know if our barrel manufacturers used wheat paste in the assembly of our barrels. After emailing our barrel makers I found that yes in fact they did, and the safest wine for him to drink should be made in tanks with no possibility of barrel contact. Equally as thought provoking are some issues that Vegetarians and Vegans have with wine-another recent inquiry sparked contemplation of fining agents (tools used to clarify wine and keep it from becoming cloudy). Some of the fining agents used by winemakers are derived from animals-gelatin, egg whites, milk protein and fish bladders. Who knew? And who knows how much of these agents are left in the wine after it has been settled and possibly filtered? Very little is used in proportion to wine volume, but for some people this is a health and moral issue. There are also some people who are sensitive to sulfites. How else to find out answers to what may seem to be esoteric questions than to ask the people who made the wine?
With increasing awareness and concern about organic/sustainable produce, people are also becoming interested in how winemakers manage their vineyards. Responsible vineyard management means that we have to be good stewards of the land that we grow our grapes on, for we are not only concerned for the health of the wine that is made from them, but also the health of the land.
As more and more people become informed about things that may be added to their foods, the more important it is to know where their foods are made and the people who are making them, whether it is vegetables, meats, milk, cheese, or wine. The local food movement has become a viable market force and Virginia wines are intrinsically local- the grapes are grown here and the wine is made here. In fact, many wineries are starting to sell their wines at farmers markets. This is how it should be. We as an industry work hard to produce a quality agricultural product. While it is fantastic for our wines to garner national and international recognition, I believe that it is our number one goal to make wine for our region, so that when we buy our local meat, produce and cheeses we have a “village” winery where we can also purchase local wine. I am not the first to promote the idea of drinking locally-the advantages for both producers and consumers are many-the most important aspect is knowing who is making your wine, and what they are using to make it.
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