Author Archive

Question: Ask Sid: Why is white wine called “white” wine when it’s not & neither is the grape?

Answer: True. “White” just developed as a simple broad category of wines to differentiate them from also incorrectly named “Red” for those having more skin contact. Think of the many different shades of red there are too. There are some very light pale coloured wines that can be almost true white – like sauvignon blanc & pinot grigio. However most are some shade of yellow. Some oak treatment may add an even deeper tone. So maybe the category should be called  “Yellow”. Not as good. There are a lot of various shades of pink wine too – from pinot gris on the skins to so many different now popular Roses. Sometimes “Pink” is given a separate category. As are more “Orange” by naturally leaving the seeds and skins in contact with the juice while making a unique white wine. Also there can be green tints in wines like Chablis. There are so many different fascinating colours of the rainbow plus more out there. “White” maybe is the best catch-all encompassing descriptor name after all.

Question: Is my food & wine safe from the Covid-19 virus?

Answer: Most timely question. Doesn’t seem to be any present evidence that this infection has been transferred through food. Possible it could remain for some time on raw food items so better to wash them before eating. Safest of course to have cooked food that should kill the virus. Covid-19 can survive for short time periods on those food packaging surfaces too so be careful to wash your hands after handling those. Medical opinion is that the virus should not be able to survive in an alcoholic environment rich in polyphenols. How high does the alcohol have to be? What about low alcohol wines? However seems most unlikely this virus would be transmitted in wine. Your glass of wine should be safe.

Question: Do you think it is necessary to examine the cork just extracted from your wine bottle?

Answer: Don’t think it is a question of necessity but believe it can be a useful aid. In this era of more screw-cap closures it may seem almost overly pretentious to wish to examine the cork. Not enough wine consumers are giving it attention. However it can supply some valuable clues about the wine itself that you are about to taste. First depending on the details marked on it there can be confirmation of the authenticity of the wine name, region, or vintage shown on the label. Secondly it can give you an indication of the material used from natural cork to innovative Diam types – plus the length and quality of the closure used. However most important is that it can give you a better indication of whether or not the wine might be “corked” with TCA – giving it that unattractive “moldy” notes. Depending on the amount of TCA taint this often shows up faster and more definitively by smelling the cork than by smelling and tasting the wine which may take longer to reveal this fault. I am a big fan of examination and cork sniffing!

Question: Did you know Michael Broadbent of Christie’s Wines?

Answer: Yes indeed! Michael Broadbent, MW (May 2, 1927 to March 17, 2020) was a renowned British wine writer and fine wine auctioneer with Christie’s dating back to 1966. He was a friend of your scribe and a major contributor to The International Wine & Food Society including being our Honorary President 1984-1992. A most helpful advisor to me on the both the IWFS Wines Committee and later following him as HP from 2012-2016. Michael and Harry Waugh both were at leading wine merchant Harveys in Bristol during the early sixties and starting in the late seventies they became the major educators on fine wine for so many of us. All early literary works were published by Wine & Spirit Publications, London with Harry releasing Bacchus on the Wing, The Changing Face of Wine, and Pick of the Bunch plus Michael starting in 1968 with Wine Tasting (“A practical handbook on tasting and tastings”). Michael was a driving force at Christie’s during these early years embarking on the successful Christie’s Wine Review (1972) and a remarkable detailed much enlarged edition of Wine Tasting in 1975 published by them. A most fantastic wine learning journal. These were the early days of unmatched amazing wine auction tastings. Remember being invited by Michael to attend the pre-auction historic tasting at Christie’s King Street London of the extensive Delor (Bordeaux negociant now part of the Dourthe Group) Collection of Lafite & Mouton available side by side to compare from 1971 vintage back to 1945 – including Michael’s favourite of 6 star “Churchillian” 1945 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. The importance of taking disciplined wine notes even back then was a hallmark of this esteemed wine taster. Michael attended and conducted (with organizer wife Daphne) so many great wine tastings at world Festivals over the decades. At the Centenary one in London 1977 he compared 1970 & 1971 Bordeaux  followed again with 1970 horizontal Bordeaux in Vancouver in 1983 at the 50^th Anniversary of Andre Simon’s IWFS (started in 1933). Several important learned tomes followed on including “The Great Vintage Wine Book” in 1980 , “The NEW Great Vintage Wine Book” in 1991 and “Pocket Vintage Wine Companion” in 2007. Many wine aficionados have been influenced by his dedicated service for Decanter as a columnist from 1977-2012. Your scribe was most honoured in 2012 to have Michael write a most kind over-flattering long Preface to my IWFS Monograph of “An Appreciation of the Age of Wine”. Many thanks from all of us for your outstanding contributions Michael. A teaching legend in wine for sure. RIP

Question: What are some wine trends for 2020?

Answer: Noticed at the just concluded 42^nd Vancouver International Wine Festival consumers searching out better quality wines at good value. Lots of interest shown in developing countries like Croatia & Romania for wines made using local indigenous grape varieties. More of this trend for the next 43^rd VIWF February 20-28, 2021 featuring key South American countries of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. An interesting article on The Unexpected Wine Trends for 2020 “from a rise in women winemakers to novel packaging” at shondaland.com