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Cost (in U.S. dollars) of a “basic” bar of To’ak chocolate. Made with Ecuadorian Nacional cacao—a rare variety once thought to be extinct–the chocolate is one of the most expensive chocolates in the world. Some To’ak chocolate bars are vintage dated; others ($355 per bar) are made from chocolate aged in Scotch barrels from the isle of Islay for up to 2 years.

Carbonic maceration is a process that is widely practiced in which French winemaking region?

A. Provence

B. Burgundy

C. Alsace

D. Beaujolais

The wine Beaujolais (the region of the same name in France) is made using carbonic maceration. The process enhances fruity aromas and fruity flavors in the wine. This, along with gamay grapes, gives Beaujolais its distinctive and expressive fruitiness. During this process, entire clusters of grapes (often hand-harvested so that the clusters are rot-free and perfectly intact) are put whole into the fermenting tank. The grapes on the bottom, crushed by the weight of the grapes on top, release their juices, which immediately starts fermenting naturally due to wild yeasts on the grape skins, bathing the grapes on top in carbonic dioxide gas (a by-product of fermentation). Those top-layer grapes eventually explode from the pressure of CO₂, exposing them to yeasts in the tank and thus causing them to ferment as well. Carbonic maceration could theoretically be used with any grape, but it is particularly successful with ultra-fruity grapes like gamay.

Let’s See: Should It Be “Napa” or “Runaway Cow?”

The excitement about Long Dai―Château Lafite Rothschild’s new winery in Shandong province on the eastern seaboard of China―continues unabated. It’s been 11 years since the complex winery/vineyard project began, but only this fall will the… Continue reading

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