The Bordeaux Blend

In the early 1970s, when California wineries were entering the modern era of U.S. wine, the belief among winemakers was, if you have quality grapes, then use them to make varietal wines.  The idea was to bring out the best characteristics of each grape, not to lose its distinctiveness in a blend.   

A wine made from only one variety was the antithesis  of wine making in the Médoc district of Bordeaux. The thinking then and now was to blend varieties into a wine that is stronger and of higher quality than a single variety.  

Growing wine grapes in the Médoc posed challenges that moved wine making toward blending. The wine
eventually, became known as the Bordeaux Blend, anchored by Cabernet Sauvignon and supported by Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. 

Changes in climate and vineyard environment eventually took a toll. Once favored for bringing grace notes to the Médoc blend, Malbec and Petit Verdot now proved to be problematic and, in time, a large number of chateau decided on a typical blend consisting of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.  

Weather in Bordeaux can be unpredictable, but is usually cooler and wetter than warmer areas like California and Australia, thus ripening can be a concern.  Cabernet Sauvgnon, for instance, ripens better on the left bank vineyards of the Médoc, while Merlot is the prime variety across the river in warmer St. Emilion. 

The way to mitigate the unpredictability of localized weather is to blend varieties that ripen at different times and will compliment each other.  Each grape in the Bordeaux Blend has its champion among the chateaux.  

Here are capsule looks at the five wines that make up the Bordeaux Blend.

                                                                    

Cabernet Sauvignon needs no explanation since the variety is known throughout the wine world.  So popular is Cab, that even those regions with a marquee red grape, like Chianti and Sangiovese, sooner or later consider growing Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Aromatics and flavors for Cabernet Sauvignon vary by grape ripeness and the local terroir, especially climate.  Uneven ripeness tends toward green bean and other objectionable notes.  Over ripeness makes  wines jammy and atypical for Cabernet Sauvignon.  Peak ripeness means blackberry and black currant, while more mature wines develop cedar and cigar box accents.

Aging the wine in oak has a major influence; the higher percentage of new oak, the stronger the influence. In general, few Bordeaux chateau exceed 60% new barrels in the annual rotation. The amount of new oak used is dependent on how ripe the harvest is, with the percentage often higher in California and Australia.

                                                      

Merlot is the most planted variety in Bordeaux.  And, thanks to DNA profiling, Merlot's known ancestry is connected to Cabernet Sauvignon. Thus the claim that mature Merlot is hard to tell from mature Cabernet Sauvignon.

Plump with ripe-tasting fruit, Merlot has softer (but not fewer) tannins than Cabernet Sauvignon, an impression that helped coin the phrase, "Cabernet without the pain."  The voluptuousness of Merlot in the blend helps take the harder edge off Cabernet.

Ripe Merlot is silky and smooth, tasting of plums and dark cherries, with earthy traces of cedar and tobacco.  Under ripe Merlot smells like dill weed, or even worse, canned green beans.

To put it simply, Merlot is easy on the palate.  It's that easiness in Merlot that appeals to fans of Syrah, both wines having that appealing voluptuousness. Merlot's softness balances the harder more angular character of Cabernet Sauvignon and is a valuable part of the Bordeaux Blend.

                                                    

Cabernet Franc is the third variety in the Bordeaux Blend.  In the late 1990s, DNA profiling showed  Cabernet Franc had paired with Sauvignon Blanc to become a parent of Cabernet Sauvignon.  But Franc  is more able to tolerate poor weather than Cabernet Sauvignon and it ripens earlier in the right bank vineyards of St. Emilion and Pomerol where the soils are cooler than they are in the Médoc.  

This advantage is important for the winemaker, as he or she can process Cab Franc early enough to make tank space available, if needed before Cab Sauv arrives from the vineyard.

Cabernet Franc delivers raspberry notes, backed by mineral accents, like you find in Loire reds, Bourgueil and Chinon.  Some Cab Francs are slightly herbal, with good acidity and firm tannins.  

With French Cab Franc, it's a matter of preference: Bordeaux or Loire Valley. But it's an apples and oranges argument.  The more adventurous taster will look for Cabernet Franc from Washington state, California, Australia and Northern Italy.  A fun exercise would be to decide on the percentage of Franc in Italy's Ca' del Bosco and Napa Valley's Viader.  

Malbec was used in Bordeaux to soften Cabernet Sauvignon, until Merlot came along, and then it fell out of favor, even though Malbec remains a major variety in Cahors.  When Malbec left Bordeaux, it surfaced in Argentina, out pacing Cabernet Sauvignon in popularity.  

Malbec has a deep purple-red color, ripe fruit flavors and firm but refined tannin, qualities that make Malbec an alternate choice to Cabernet Sauvignon in California, Washington state and Long Island.

Petit Verdot had fans among the Bordelaise for it's lovely violet aroma, but it lost popularity because it ripens later than Cabernet Sauvignon.  Today, PV plantings in the commune of Margaux, where the contribution can run as high as seven percent.   

The Bordeaux Blend is not just for wines made in France.  Winemakers in such far-flung places as California, Chile, Australia, Northern Italy and Washington state, have a unique combination of two or more of the five grapes, that reflect local terroir.  

Make up your own personal blend: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (from just about anywhere), Cabernet Franc (California, Loire Valley), Malbec (Argentina), Petit Verdot (California), invite a few friends over and have some fun with wine.  

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 More on AI & Wine: The hottest topic today in technology is the pros and cons of artificial intelligence.  What is the relationship of AI and wine now and in the future and how will it affect wine production and consumption?  A part of the answer is in this latest entry on AI and wine: 

Wine Industry Network has announced the next installment in the on-going Growing Forward series of free Webinars. "AI Enabled Virus Protection & Yield Forecasting for Vineyards" is set for June 18 at 10 am PDT,   to discuss "how AI is helping vineyard teams."  For more information and to register, go to wineindustryadvisor.com/growingforward.

Next post: Pink Summer Wine 

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Portuguese Dry Reds

Terraced vineyards along the Douro

   

Port is a wine with no equal.  Port is Portugal's great contribution to the world of wine.  Hands down, Port is the greatest fortified wine made. 

This is not, however, an overblown personal tribute to Port.  Even though, for years I've been attracted to Portugal and Portuguese wine.  And, it has always seemed outrageous to me that such a small country could produce two great fortified wines: Port and Madeira. 

But, this is not a salute to Madeira.  Even though, as I type this, I'm thinking of a memorable wine adventure I had traveling to the Portuguese island of Madeira, sampling a range of complex old Madeira, visiting a few shippers, then relaxing with a glass of Sercial Madeira, on the porch of the hotel where I was staying in Funchal, with a small group of charming English pensioners. 

Anyway, this post is about Portugal's growing list of impressive dry red wines.  Made from some of the same grapes used in the production of Port, these complex red wines are not fortified like Port and not as well known as Port.  But they should be. 

Winemakers in the Douro can select from a mind-boggling 80 different grapes to make a bottle of Port.  The number was unwieldy, so in the 1970s, research determined these five grapes - Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca (also Touriga Francesa), Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Tinto Cao, as best for making Port.  

Port producers worked out different combinations of these five grapes for their individual Port wines, in many cases selecting Touriga Nacional as the most important component.  Touriga Nacional probably was first rooted in the Dao region and migrated to the Douro River Valley, where it has become more famous than in the Dao.  

In both places, Touriga Nacional makes a concentrated wine with firm tannin and deep black fruit flavor.  Important in Port and dry red wine, Touriga Nacional is favored by winemakers beyond Portugal wanting a big red wine.

These reds are 100% or contain some Touriga Nacional: Monte Xisto (100%), Dos Lusiridas, Wine & Soul "Manoella," Casa da Passarella Tinta Dao, Quinta de Saes, Niepoort "Redoma," Luis Seabora.  Most of these dry reds, from the Douro or Dao, cost less than $30.

Touriga Franca is favored as a partner with Touriga Nacional, in Port and dry wines for its perfume and body.  Formerly called Touriga Francesa, Franca has no connection with France, despite its name.

Touriga Franca is a good producer,  but is susceptible to rot.  In good years, though, Franca out performs Touriga Nacional.  Franca is known for its distinctive varietal aroma, often with a hint of exotic spice. 

When rot is not a problem in the vineyard, growers look to Touriga Franca for its consistent fruit, while winemakers like Franca for the spicy note it gives to a blend.

The slightly jammy structure of Tinta Barroca adds weight and plenty of fruit to Port and dry reds.  Barroca's high sugar is valuable to the winemaker trying to compensate for a deficiency in the blend of the other varieties.   

Tinta Roriz (aka Spain's Tempranillo), ironically is Portugal's most planted wine grape.  Roriz is planted widely in the Douro for Port and showing up in more dry red wines.  

Tinto Cao is one of the most important varieties in Port wine and is also important in dry red wines, despite being light in color.  Tinto Cao, meaning "red dog," is popular in Dao as a table wine and in the Douro for both Port and dry red table wine.

The Portuguese are late to export top-end red table wine.  Some of the best quintas in the Douro have been making dry reds for years, but mostly for local consumption or sale inside the country.  In a cabernet-centric world, Portuguese reds are good value wines. 

An interesting thing about all Portuguese wine grapes, is the near absence of French varieties in the blends, like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  Portuguese dry reds proudly stand on their own as quality wines made mainly (Tempranillo the exception) from indigenous grapes. 

Pixabay photo

Next post: The Bordeaux Blend

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The Return of Chenin Blanc

  

It's hard to imagine a time when there was a white wine on American tables that wasn't Chardonnay. 

You'd probably have to return to the years immediately following WWII, when American GIs returned from France with an appreciation and thirst for French wines. At the top of their list were wines of the Loire Valley, where many Americans were stationed. 

Muscadet, from the western portal of the Loire, was unfamiliar to many young Americans new to wine. The grape flavors and minerality of the Melon grape were not as attractive to the unschooled palates, who preferred the bright fruity flavors of Chenin Blanc, the grape of Vouvray, the wine area in the Touraine.  

Universally, the grape in Vouvray was known as Chenin or Chenin Blanc. Although growers and vintners in Touraine preferred Pineau, the local name for Chenin. For the French,"blanc" is superfluous, but universally, the name became Chenin Blanc.

Historically, interest in Chenin Blanc moved slowly beyond the Loire Valley to other parts of the world. The good news is Chenin Blanc is back and growing in popularity. Today, noteworthy Chenin Blanc is strongest in the Loire Valley, South Africa and California. Also, Australia, New Zealand and Washington state.  

France: Loire Valley Chenin Blanc

Long thought of as the "Garden of France," the Loire Valley is more with its castles, grand estates, a beautiful river flowing through it, and wine estates stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the upland regions beyond Sancerre. 

The Loire Valley is France's most varied wine region, and the country's third largest wine producer. The Loire river valley is divided into lower Loire, famous for Muscadet; middle Loire, known for Chenin Blanc; and the upper Loire and the Sauvignons of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé.  

Along the middle Loire, the river meanders past the city of Tours, in the Touraine. Chenin Blanc is the majority grape. Within the district are five communes making Chenin Blanc.  Nearby, are the still and mousseux (sparkling) Saumur Chenins.  

Up river a short distance from Tours is Vouvray, perhaps for Americans, the best known French Chenin Blanc. Vouvray is made in a range of styles, from dry to sparkling.  Vouvray Liquoreux, a sweet Chenin Blanc made from grapes infected with noble rot, is a French classic to rival Sauternes. 

One of the most memorable white wine experiences I had was a 1955 Vouvray from Marc Bredif. There was still life in the aging wine, honeyed apples with a trace of citrus. Some misguided people want to reduce the wondrous transformation in this Vouvray to just a change in chemicals, but I believe there is a little bit of a mystery we have yet to work out.    

Loire Chenin Blanc to consider: Marc Bredif, Vouvray, Coulee de Serrant, Savennieres; Clos Rougeard, Saumur Blanc; Domaine Guiberteau, Saumur Blanc; Domaine Huet, Vouvray.

South Africa Chenin Blanc

Arguably the most beautiful wine region, the Cape wine land is a scimitar shaped region at the southern tip of Africa. Grapes from France were first brought to South Africa by the Dutch in the 17th century. By the 19th century, the British controlled the export of South African wines to Europe, the most famous being from Constantia, outside Cape Town.

The geographical breakdown for Cape wine country is region, sub-region, then district, and local wards.  An example would be: Coastal Region, District of Stellenbosch and the Ward of Devon Valley. Any of these appellations could be on a South African wine label.

Today, the most recognized districts are Stellenbosch, Paarl. Franschhoeck and Robertson, all within a short distance of Cape Town.  Further to the east is Klein Karoo. Wine from the district of Swartland is gaining ground in export. 

A word about a South African original, before we move on to Chenin Blanc. Pinotage, an odd South African cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut, has it's advocates and detractors.  Although many of the first Pinotages smelled like varnish, recent examples from specialists like Kanonkop are clean and fruity with good balance and longevity.  Despite the improvements in the vineyard and winery, Pinotage remains a tough sell outside South Africa.  

Chenin Blanc, once a major variety, now makes up about 19% of Cape plantings.  Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are on the rise. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah/Shiraz and Merlot are the major reds.

Tropical flavors like pineapple and guava, supported by bracing acidity are the hallmarks of Cape producers like Mulderbosch, Nederberg and Kanu, all members of the Chenin Blanc Producers Association, a winery group serious about Chenin Blanc. The CBPA strives to identify the best vineyards and terroir for growing Chenin Blanc. 

Other South African Chenin Blancs include Badenhorst, Die Cuwingerdrecks Mev. Kirsten, Alheit Vineyards, Jean Engelbrecht, Craven Wines, Kloof Street.

California Chenin Blanc

At one time, Chenin Blanc was grown in many areas of California, including the Napa Valley. Today, most California wineries looking to add Chenin Blanc to their wine list, are buying Chenin Blanc grapes from Clarksburg in the Sacramento Delta.   

Sonoma County's Dry Creek Vineyard has been making a Clarksburg Chenin Blanc for decades. Dry Creek's success helped bring Clarksburg Chenin Blanc to the attention of wine drinkers looking for an alternate white wine.

Clarksburg, northwest of Lodi, has long been a source of grapes destined for blends. More recently, varietal wines, carrying the Clarksburg appellation are showing up in wine shops.    

Besides Chenin Blanc, other Clarksburg white grapes riding the wave of current popularity include the Spanish Albarino, Austrian Grüner Veltliner and Chenin Blanc. 

Other California Chenin Blancs to consider include Aperture Cellars, Kirchoff, Clarksburg; Madson, Santa Barbara County; Foxen, Santa Maria Valley; Kendall-Jackson, California, Chalone, Husch Vineyards, Chappellet Vineyards, Napa Valley and Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc-Viognier. 

Next time you set the table for dinner, add a bottle of Chenin Blanc, a pleasant alternative from the usual Chardonnay.

Photo by Pixabay

 

Next post: Portugal's Attractive Reds

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Essential Wine Books

     

Collectors are a passionate lot.  They want to know everything there is to know about their passion, from  major points to the finest detail.  They believe if you're going to do something, then do it right. 

Wine collectors are true believers when it comes to amassing a collection.  Passionate to a point about the wines in their collection, they devote considerable time and energy to gathering knowledge about the history and background of  each bottle of wine.   

Most collectors find that the devotion and time spent is justified.   Others think the passion is just a little too precious.

Gathering knowledge requires tools and for the wine collector that means an adequate wine book library.  "Webster's New World" dictionary defines library as "any collection of  things (like wine) that is organized for a particular purpose."   The basic rule is that the first definition is the most suggested one.  

When you start collecting wine, you want to try everything.  I found the same approach to be true with wine books.  And, depending on your interests, that can be anywhere from two books to two hundred books.  

The size of my wine book collection, for example, has fluctuated over the years. Eventually, I settled on a small number of essential wine books that all wine drinkers should have in their wine book library, to include reference, history, geography and even the odd wine-based novel.

Depending on your taste in wine, some of the following 20 books may not fill your needs.  A search may be necessary as some of the books are out of print. The first book on the list is the essential one, while the book(s) in parenthesis are suggested for subject depth and perspective.

"Oxford Companion to Wine."  This is an authoritative A-Z reference with maps, photos and graphs. Now in its Fifth Edition, "The Oxford" is the one reference to have.  ("The New Frank Schoonmaker Encyclopedia of Wine" was the go-to wine reference before The Oxford.  The 1975 edition was revised by the late wine writer, Alexis Bespaloff.)

"American Wine"  is a well-written comprehensive look at the many wines of the United States, by wine writers Linda Murphy and Jancis Robinson, with the main focus on California, Washington, Oregon and New York.  ("The Wine Atlas of California," by Bob Thompson, includes a section on the Pacific Northwest and a Traveler's Guide. "The Wines of America," by Leon D. Adams, Fourth Edition, 1990, was first published in 1973 and may be the first comprehensive history and guide to the wines of the United States and Canada.)

"Oz  Clarke's Encyclopedia of Grapes."  Clarke is an erudite English actor/writer who happens to know something about wine.  His book covers in detail 17 "Classic Grapes," such as Chardonnay and Merlot, plus 15 "Major Grapes," and includes taste descriptions, food matches and more.  ("Terroir" is an analysis of the "role of geology, climate and culture in the making of French wines," by geologist James E. Wilson.)

"The Wine Atlas of France," by Hugh Johnson and Hubrecht Duijker, is one in the excellent series of wine atlases and traveler's guides.  It's a little dated but the essential information on the French wine regions is still relevant.  (The following books are good references on specific French wines: "World Encyclopedia of  Champagne & Sparkling Wine," THE book on all bubbly by Tom Stevenson; "The Wines and Domaines of France," Clive Coates MW; "The Finest Wines of Bordeaux," James Lawther MW.)  

"Wine Atlas of Australia & New Zealand," by James Halliday.  Halliday, is a winery owner in Victoria, and the most respected wine writer in Australia.  I've tasted wine with many expert wine people, none more experienced and accurate than James Halliday. 

                                                                       

"Vino Italiano," Joseph Bastianich & David Lynch. This is the definitive guide to the regional wines of Italy, with the added bonus of wine-pairing recipes from Lidia Bastianich and Mario Batali, plus a collection of delightful anecdotes by Joseph Bastianich.  ("Vino," by Burton Anderson, the book on Italian wine to have, before Vino Italiano and still a useful guide.)

"The New Spain," John Radford.  An authoritative reference by a Spanish wine specialist.  ("The Finest Wines of Rioja and Northwest Spain," an informative collaboration by three Spanish wine writers.)

"The Atlas of German Wines and Traveler's Guide," Hugh Johnson, one of the world's most experienced and prolific wine writers.  ("The Finest Wines of Germany," Stephan Reinhardt)

"Vintage: The Story of Wine," a fascinating history of wine by the well informed Hugh Johnson. ("How to Taste," a compendium of tasting tactics by British wine writer, Jancis Robinson.  Her approach is orderly with short introductions to major categories, followed by the characteristics of white wines, red wines and sparkling wines, or "fizz," as the Brits call sparkling wine.) 

Note: "The Finest Wines" books is a series of compact references, authored by experts in their respective areas. 

There are hundreds, possibly thousands, of English language books on the subject of wine.  For the 20 books mentioned above, as well as other titles, check:  Barnes & Noble, your local library, wine publications, used book stores, yard sales, wine shops, and suggestions from people you know who are friends of wine.  

 

More on AI & Wine: The hottest topic today in technology is the pros and cons of artificial intelligence.  What is the relationship of AI and wine now and in the future and how will it affect wine production and consumption?  A part of the answer is in this latest entry on AI and wine:

Global Data Ai Palette has analyzed and isolated six data points, out of thousands of niche flavors and ingredients, using AI to discover and grow consumer products in the wine and spirits field.  Flavors were identified for each of the six key markets, with Valencia Orange identified for the United States.  According to Ai Palette, Valencia Orange, which also includes Cara Cara, navel and blood oranges, is growing in demand in wines, spirits and ciders.

My question: Wouldn't it be more intellectually satisfying for a scientist, rather than AI, to discover and develop the niche flavors we look for in wine?

 

Next post: The Return of Chenin Blanc  

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Monterey

 

Few California wine regions have a mixed history as Monterey.  In the early 1970s, some Monterey wines were said to have the dreaded "veggies."  The distasteful characteristic, mostly in red wine, was alleged to have been from planting wine grapes in the northern Salinas Valley, which was better known then for lettuce than grapes. 

The miscalculation forced one major winery to mount an image redo.  And another winery was rumored to have poured a few tanks of suspect Monterey red wine, with the veggies, down the drain, to avoid damaging the winery's growing reputation for quality moderately-priced wine.

That was  then. Today, Monterey County is home to distinctive Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands and Chalone, terroir-driven Cabernet Sauvignon from Carmel Valley, and Chardonnay and Riesling from southern Arroyo Seco. 

For the wine consumer curious about the appellation and its wines, Monterey can be confusing.  Most of the county's American Viticultural Areas come under the Central Coast AVA, a sprawling area that stretches from San Francisco to Los Angeles.  

Within the Central Coast AVA, is the smaller Monterey AVA, covering most of the county.  The exception is Carmel Valley AVA that, for some reason, comes under the Central Coast AVA.  Monterey AVA has five specific sub-appellations: Arroyo Seco, Santa Lucia Highlands, San Bernabe, plus the lesser known Hames Valley and San Lucas. 

An aside. One of the more interesting stories in Monterey viticulture is San Bernabe, at 13,000 acres, the largest contiguous vineyard in the world. Managing the layout of such a massive vineyard presented a number of problems for its designer.  

When I visited San Bernabe in the mid-2000s, the owner, Delicato, was grappling with the challenge of picking simultaneously in multiple rows.  

San Bernabe's vineyard manager took me to a spot in the vineyard where the problem had occurred. Looking to increase productivity, the vineyard crew  suggested picking grapes simultaneously in multiple parallel rows, with a special hybrid machine harvester, they would design and cobble together, to be pulled by a tractor. 

According to the vineyard manager, the monster harvester rumbled and rattled down the rows, until it got to the end and stopped. The unwieldy machine couldn't be turned around and then lined up for the next pass, because there wasn't enough space between the vineyard and a row of neighboring vines that had been planted at a right angle to the harvester had traversed.   

Pointing to a rusting pile of junk, laying useless at the end of the vine rows, the vineyard manager looked at me and just shook his head.

Monterey has more than 50 wine grapes in hundreds of vineyards, including San Bernabe.  In addition to Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling, Monterey County has an admirable reputation for Syrah, and other Rhone varieties.  Limited plantings of odd varieties not in the main stream, include Falanghina, Petit Manseng, Gruner Veltliner and Olonde (Grolleau). 

Lone cypress on 17 Mile Drive

Here are brief overviews of the four most significant wine regions in Monterey County.

Santa Lucia Highlands  is situated between the Salinas Valley and the Pacific Ocean. Vineyards up to 1,200 feet are moderated by fog and cool breezes drawn in from the ocean by warm air rising from the valley floor.  Pinot Noir, Syrah and Chardonnay are the main grapes in the highlands. On the valley floor, lettuces, bell peppers, tomatoes and other row crops have earned the valley's nickname as "California's Salad Bowl."  

Chalone, a tiny appellation in the eastern Gavilan Mountains, pioneered the growing of Pinot Noir in the county on limestone soil.  Although grapes were grown near the Pinnacles National Monument early in the 20th century, Richard Graff planted Pinot Noir at nearby Chalone in 1960, later adding Pinot Blanc and Chenin Blanc. The other area winery is Michaud Vineyard.

Arroyo Seco, the Spanish for "dry stream," is at the southern end of the Salinas Valley.  For many years, Jekel Vineyards worked to convince wine consumers that this warm part of the county is right for Chardonnay and Riesling, two varieties that define the area.  A few growers, challenging conventional wisdom, continue to work what little Cabernet Sauvignon there is in the arroyo.

Carmel Valley is a western enclave isolated from Monterey's other wine areas by surrounding low hills. The opening to the valley is close to Carmel village, with its collection of upscale shops and restaurants.  Nearby is Monterey town and the scenic ocean side 17 Mile Drive. Carmel's wine scene is geared to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from a handful of small wineries like Bernardus, Talbott and Galante.  

There is so much more to learn about the wine side of Monterey, available in the books on California wine mentioned in next week's post about books that should be in every wine fanslibrary. 

 

AI & Wine:  The April 25 post about the impact of AI on wine drew some reader responses. I believe the association of AI and wine is important, so in the future, when I read a reference to AI and wine, I'll add it  at the end of that week's posting.  

The results of a survey by the UK e-commerce platform Drinks found that 44% of those surveyed would accept a wine recommendation made by artificial intelligence.  And I wonder if the 44% is a trend that will soon fade like most trends,  or is it a disturbing harbinger of the future of wine consumption.  I hope it's just a trend. 

Next post: Essential Wine Books

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