Number of opponents Canadian bartender, James Grant, topped in the 2021 Diageo World Class bartending competition. The virtual contest, headquartered in London, took place over five days this fall. Finalists were given several bartending challenges such as “create a vodka cocktail that impacts the environment.” Since the competition’s inception in 2009, Canadian barkeeps consistently place in the top 12 of the 400,000 bartenders from 60 countries that participate.
Percentage of all French Chenin Blanc grown in the Loire Valley. A dominant grape in the region, Chenin Blanc makes crisp, minerally, tart white wines. The Loire’s 87 appellations span a large stretch of the river valley from the Atlantic Coast inland to within an hour’s distance from Paris. In addition to Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadet are also common grape varieties grown in the region.
Estimated number (in millions) of turkeys roasted on Thanksgiving. According to the NTF, (National Turkey Federation), 95% of Americans eat turkey on the holiday rather than other meats. Since the average turkey weighs 15 pounds, 675 million pounds of turkey are consumed annually on Turkey Day. Heritage breed turkeys still only account for 1/10% of sales nationally, whereas broad-breasted white turkeys make up the other 99.9% of turkeys sold.
Number of people who called the Butterball hotline during 2020. The company’s Turkey Talk-Line was first introduced in 1981 and remains busiest during November and December. More than 50 Butterball consultants are on standby to offer assistance to the estimated 11, 000 callers who need turkey advice on Thanksgiving Day alone. Just in case you have a turkey emergency call: 1-800-BUTTERBALL or text: 844-877-3456.
Amount (in millions of U.S.$) of funding that Oregon State University has received to study the effects of smoke taint on grapes and in wine. The project involves a four-year collaborative effort with scientists from Washington State University and University of California, Davis and is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Wine grapes are the highest value fruit crop in the U.S. The grape and wine industry annually contributes $220 billion to the U.S. economy.
Number of Master Sommeliers expelled this week following sexual harassment findings. The six will lose their titles pending a legal hearing in the next 30 days. The individuals include Fred Dame, considered the most prominent Master Sommelier in the United States and one of the wine experts who played a key role in the Somm movie series. The other five sommeliers expelled are: Robert Bath, Matt Stamp, Fred Dexheimer, Joseph Linder, and Drew Hendricks.
Year Napa Valley was named an AVA (American Viticultural Area), the first in California, and only the second in the U.S. Today, there are 16 AVAs designated within in the Napa Valley, each with a distinct microclimate. Howell Mountain and Carneros were the first to be established in 1983, and the latest to be recognized was Coombsville, in 2011.
Maximum number of bottles in a Premiere Napa Valley wine auction lot. Each year, top wine retailers and members of the wine trade attend the Premiere auction and bid on highly collectable, limited-edition wines. The winning bidder becomes the sole retailer of these exclusive, handcrafted wines and then offers them for sale to their customers.
Percentage of California wine grapes grown in the Napa Valley. Although the name Napa Valley is known around the world, the region itself is rather small. Napa Valley has just 44,000 acres of vines, making it 1/6 the size of Bordeaux. In fact, the Valley represents just 0.4% of the world’s wine production. There are 700 grape growers and 475 physical wineries in the Napa Valley, 92% of which are family owned.
Percentage of the total U.S. parcel volume shipped by Amazon. Shipping is a $1.5 trillion business— and it has long been controlled by a handful of key logistics companies, like FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service. According to Axios Market Reports, in 2014, Amazon was responsible for 0% of the nation’s shipping. By six years later, Amazon had surpassed FedEx and become the #3 shipper in the U.S. Amazon does sell wine, thanks to their partnership with Whole Foods, many bottles can be delivered within two hours.
Year that the flat, lever-type waiters’ corkscrew was invented in Germany by Carl Wienke, a civil engineer. Its convenient, fold-up design and concealed knife has made it an artifact of virtually every restaurant in the world. Although dozens of shapes and styles of corkscrew have been invented since, the waiters’ corkscrew remains the most popular type. The best waiters’ corkscrews have a long, “helical” worm coated with a non-stick Teflon-like material and a double flange, helpful when the cork is long.
Number of weeks an opened bottle of tawny Port lasts. One of the most popular styles of Port for its luscious nutty, vanilla, and ripe fruit flavors, tawny Port is sensational with pumpkin pie and pecan pie. (Hello Thanksgiving). Tawny Port comes designated as 10-, 20-, 30-, and even 40-year-old. The number represents the average age of the wines in the blend. Among our favorite tawny Ports are the 20-year-old and 30-year-old tawnies from the Port shippers Grahams and Fonseca.
