By Joseph Temple

Last month, an article in the Mail Tribune uncovered some startling statistics regarding Oregon’s booming cannabis industry and the threat it now poses to the state’s wine growers.  Discussing the situation in two counties located in southern part of the Beaver State, journalist Damian Mann reports that:

1. The local cannabis industry employs 439 people with a total payroll of $12.58 million while the wine industry employs 355 with a payroll of $10 million.

2. The average wage for someone in the cannabis industry is $33,731 while vineyards pay just $25,478.

Although the sample size is relatively small, a larger question remains: could the situation in southern Oregon be the canary in the coal mine for the wine industry across America as the trend towards marijuana legalization ramps up?

According to a study done in 2014, California, Washington, and Oregon – three of the four largest wine growing states – constitute approximately 94% of all domestic production. At the same time, these three states have also legalized marijuana with California representing the most seismic shift when voters approved Proposition 64 in November of 2016. And although it is still against federal law to sell and distribute the plant, anybody who looks at a map of states that have either fully legalized or decriminalized marijuana can clearly see it growing like an ink blot.

But what does this all mean for wine growers?  Well for starters, the value of real estate just went up dramatically if one switches from harvesting grapes to buds. The Sacramento Bee reports that a prime acre in the Napa Valley dedicated to making wine is estimated to be worth $365,000. However, if the same plot of land was used for cannabis production, that price tag skyrockets to a reported $1.1 million!

“There’s a new agricultural product coming to town. I think we’ll see some of these grapevines be ripped out for cannabis,” said one expert. “If you can plant 1 acre of cannabis and make … a million or more per year, that’s a hell of a lot better than vineyards.”

This trend may be accelerated because some see cannabis as a healthier alternative to alcohol consumption. A 2017 poll conducted by Marist/Yahoo News found that while 75 percent of all respondents believed that wine is much healthier beverage than other alcoholic drinks, 72 percent said they believe that cannabis is much safer than alcohol. “Personal health is particularly important to older consumers. Medical cannabis is now legal in 29 states, and its association with medicine has undoubtedly assuaged consumer fears about cannabis use,” writes the North Bay Business Journal.

What do you think? Can marijuana overtake the wine industry in terms of vineyard acreage? And could it compete directly with wine sales or is it apples and oranges?

You might also like:

 Loading ...

Question: Which grape varieties are allowed in the production of Champagne?

Answer: You usually see only the classic grapes of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir & Pinot Meunier being used these days. However there are actually a total of 6 authorized varieties with 3 secondary ones (often sensitive to frost) less often seen because of their tiny production and usually only in the Aube (region south of Troyes): Arbanne, Petit Meslier, and Pinot Blanc Vrai. Champagne Moutard grows all 6 grape varieties and did release a unique “Cuvee aux 6 Cepages”. Look for these lesser known unique Champage varieties.

You might also like:

Just attended the Europe Africa Zone’s well organized International Wine & Food Society London Festival May 28 to June 2, 2018 with members participating from some 17 countries. Their event app worked well all week and particularly worthy of high praise were the brilliant badges prepared in large font showing clearly Name, Branch, your allocated Coach, Dine Around Restaurant and the Number of your Walk (out of 8 interesting possible ones available). Chairman of Council Ian Nicol presented the Andre Simon Silver Medal to Stephanie Shepherd Chair of the Festival Organizing Committee for a job very well done. As always at these Festivals some spectacular venues were arranged for the functions held including Corinthia Hotel, Eltham Palace, Hurlingham Club, Merchant Taylors Livery Hall and Goldsmiths Livery Hall that added immensely to the enjoyment of the events. Check out a future one.

Many international wines from all over the world (including Austria, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, and South Africa) were spotlighted at lunches and dinners including such treasures as 1996 Leoville Barton (contributed by Anita and the late Ian Rushton former Chair of the EAC & Secretary/Treasurer of the Society), rich 2009 & structured 2010 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, well chosen excellent forwardly drinking 2009 white and red Burgundies like Chassagne Montrachet Les Vergers Jean-Marc Pillot, Corton Charlemagne Louis Latour, and Vosne-Romanee Domaine Jean Grivot, old classic 2004 Gran Reserva 890 La Rioja Alta, delicious 2007 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese JJ Prum only 7.5 alcohol not served quite chilled enough, and outstanding still young classic 2005 vintage Bordeaux like Canon-la-Gaffeliere, Bahans-Haut-Brion, and Climens. Kudos to Ron Barker Chair of IWFS Wines Committee and his team for choosing such appropriate insightful selections that IMHO always paired well with the food courses served.

For this scribe two outstanding tastings of English Wines were educational highlights showing their progress in quality. The first was the Andre Simon Lecture on May 29 given by celebrity wine expert Oz Clarke focusing on topical climate change and how traditional wine areas are different than in the past with the opportunity now presented to newer emerging wine regions to make their mark. This led appropriately right into a tasting of 8 English sparkling wines as shown in the attached program. The sparkling wines are being produced with lower yields (30-35hl/ha or around 2 tons/acre) compared to Champagne resulting in quite intense flavours. Hattingley has chalky soils like Le Mesnil but preferred richer Furleigh Classic Cuvee on Chablis-like limestone. My favourite was Ridgeview  with 100% chardonnay with longer time of 42 months spent on the lees but more expensive at 45 GBP. The Exton Park in Hampshire using 100% pinot noir reminded me because of the high acidity level (10.56) of the Benjamin Bridge success in Nova Scotia with potential for aging as does the Camel Valley white pinot. Their Rose is a very attractive pink colour. Nyetimber who started it all back in the nineties is now in the capable hands of winemaker Cherie Spriggs and her husband Brad Greatrix (both who studied in Vancouver at the UBC Wine Research Centre) who wisely chose to make no sparkling wines in the difficult 2012 vintage. Their 100% chardonnay using 20-30% reserve wine with 36 months on the lees impresses in that sweeter Demi-Sec style. Sparkling wines are showing great promise indeed.

The second tasting of eight English Still Wines on May 30 was presented by Dr. Bernard Lamb who compiled a useful most detailed booklet on all the English wines shown at the Festival. Try to get a copy of it. As he stated they are “never going to make a Barossa Shiraz” in England but all the wines impressed for their freshness, light body, higher acidity, and so drinkable at refreshing lower alcohol levels. The group fav was Entice the sweeet concentrated Bacchus by freezing method to get rid of some of the water from Hattingley Valley. Your scribe was impressed most by the potential shown for pinot gris. This grape is the most planted white variety in British Columbia but often can be a little “boring” coming in around 14 alcohol and not rich enough for Alsace style yet not lively enough for similarity to refreshing Italian pinot grigio. England IMHO is on the right track with 2014 Bolney (ten miles north of Brighton) fairly priced 17.50 GBP showing light (11.5 alcohol) fresh dry (1.7 RS) high acid (9,0) plus some floral pineapple notes of interest that makes a versatile food wine perfect with most seafood. It showed this even matched with smoked salmon from Forman’s – a delightful tour/lunch also part of the Festival. As their vines get older they will continue to refine this but please keep up this style.

Have you been following the English wine remarkable progress?

center

You might also like:

 Loading ...

Question: What is happening with increased vineyards being planted in England and Wales?

Answer: Topical question. Production presently is around 2/3 bubbles, 1/4 white wine and the rest around 10% red & rose. Stats for last year show about 135 wineries now with over 700 vineyards. There has been a big increase occurring resulting in a doubling from just over 1000 hectares to 2500 in the last 8 years. Climate change is bullish for quality English sparkling wine! Monitor it.

You might also like:

On June 26 2017 this Blog highlighted the delicious dishes prepared at Nopi restaurant in London of talented Chef Yotam Ottolenghi. After nearly another year of experimenting in our home kitchen with more innovative recipes from his treasury of cookbooks it was with great anticipation that your scribe returned again to check it all out live. We were not disappointed but enthralled.

This time the sampling of his excellent flavour combinations was at his informal location near the hot trendy Spitalfields market scene – a must visit! This larger 70 person capacity spot now open for 3 years was alive with relaxed patrons including families enjoying this Middle Eastern culinary style with an emphasis on vegetables. The salads are the key either by themselves or as sides with a main course. Tried for £22.80 each (which includes two salads out of your choice of eight avaiable) two amazingly inviting hot mains: Fried sardines (deboned first) with black olive tapenade and smoked labneh (thicker strained yogurt) & Octopus in chraimeh sauce (tomato puree with different spices – adapt your own combo from his Jerusalem cookbook recipe), botija olives and black crisp quinoa. The salads are always enticing features of their own with the char-grilled broccoli with chili and garlic always a big hit. This time the new Romano red peppers, green goddess, fried manouri (Greek whey cheese by-product of Feta) stole the show. My old favourite of green beans and samphire with watercress, pickled shallots and roasted grapes was bright and crunchy. In fact this time slightly undercooked IMHO as would have been sweeter more complex flavoured yet still crisp with 30 seconds more cooking before their cold water blanching. The chef at this location agrees however he prefers them with a “greener” lift to his taste.

The wine list is surprising with some diverse well chosen items. The Gonzalo Grijalba Gran Cerdo Spanish white aromatic Viura blend & red earthy biodynamic Tempranillo both at £5.75 for a 125ml glass is great value and works well with the food. Service is friendly and food knowledgeable. There was some social media buzz out there about smaller portions being done now but we didn’t find that at this lunch. Perhaps more of a concern with shared plates at a dinner.

Excited about still another new location Rovi opening at 55 Wells Street in Fitzrovia end of June to check out next time. Some of the staff including their talented bartender will be moving there for the expected vibrant bar scene with cocktails based on seasonal spices. There will also be a fresh focus on fermentation and cooking over fire as well as vegetables to look forward to trying. Always environmentally aware they will be working to reduce waste by using leftover wine and coffee grounds in vinegars and even some recipes. Watch out!

Hope you are on top of the Ottolenghi culinary phenomenon.

center

You might also like: