1970

Year that New Zealand got its first sauvignon blanc cuttings. The cuttings were imported to Marlborough, New Zealand, from California’s Foundation Plant Services department of the University of California at Davis. The cuttings were so-called “Clone 1” sauvignon blanc which was brought to California from Chateau d’Yquem (Bordeaux) in the 1880s by Charles Wetmore, then the CEO of the Board of State Viticultural Commissioners.

As of this year’s harvest in Italy, the Prosecco DOC laws will be revised to allow for the creation of rosé Prosecco. What grape variety will be used to make “Pink Prosecco” pink?

A. Corvina

B. Pinot Noir

C. Cabernet Franc

D. Sangiovese

While corvina and cabernet franc both grow in the Veneto region where Prosecco is made, the red grape of choice for Pink Prosecco will be pinot noir, which also grows there. Up until now, Prosecco has always been a white sparkling wine based 85% on the indigenous grape glera, with smaller amounts of the white grapes bianchetta trevigiana, chardonnay, perera, pinot blanc, pinot grigio, and verdiso added, plus the red grape pinot noir. The catch was that the pinot noir had to be made into a white wine before it could be used in the Prosecco blend. With the change in the DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata), pinot noir will be allowed to be made into a red wine which will then be allowed to be added to the blend, turning the Prosecco pink.

“Wine represents to me sharing and good times and a celebration of life. It is always around happy occasions with family and friends and centered around joy. What better item to be involved in than something that represents all these wonderful things?”

—Dan Aykroyd, actor, writer, ghostbuster

1970

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