Percentage of all the riesling vineyards in the world that are in Germany, even though German vineyards account for just 1.5% of the total vineyards of all kinds. Grown on all the best sites in all the country’s 13 wine regions, German riesling has remarkable finesse, elegance, and aging potential. Most have 7 to 9 grams per liter of total acidity. By comparison, even briskly crisp Champagne only clocks in at 5 to 6 grams.
Sale price (in millions of US $) for a single bottle of Petrus 2000 aged aboard the International Space station, according to Christie’s auction house. Petrus 2000 “space wine” has taken the equivalent of 300 trips to the moon during its 440 days orbiting the earth. Proceeds from the available twelve bottles will go to funding the continuation of Mission WISE, research on the future of agriculture crop production in space.
Percentage of Americans (before the Covid pandemic) who had little or no ability to smell anything according to scientists at the National Institutes of Health. One in five Americans over 40 report a diminished sense of smell, and one in eight has an olfactory dysfunction. The Institute estimates that one in 10,000 people are born with no sense of smell whatsoever. (How much bad news can we take?)
Number of known species of coffee in the world. Thanks to their high quality flavor, just two dominate: arabica and canephora (aka robusta). Both species originated in Africa and both have a narrow band of temperatures at which they can grow (18 to 24 degrees C). We bet you know what’s coming: yes, the warming planet is now threatening coffee. How much bad news can we take?
Minimum number of different odors a person needs to intentionally sniff two times a day for several months as part of “smell training.” According to a recent international panel of smell experts, smell training is the most effective, side-effect free treatment for people who have lost their sense of smell because of Covid-19. About 20% of people with Covid-related smell loss have not recovered 8 weeks after contracting the virus.
Percentage increase in sales of biodynamic wines for the 52 weeks ending March 2021, according to Nielsen. Sales of biodynamic wines totaled $6 million for that period. During the same time frame, sales of organic wines soared from $27 million to $154 million. Year-over-year, organic wine sales increased 21% by value. Sales for natural wine cannot be tracked because the term has no definition.
Percentage of the Earth’s land that humans have altered through species and habitat loss, according to a new report in the journal Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. Only 3% of the Earth’s ecosystems remain untouched by human activity, most of them in remote northern tundra in Canada and Greenland or in rainforests in Indonesia and the Amazon, as well as in the Congo basin. Just 11% of these remaining intact ecosystems are under governmental protection.
Sales (in millions of U.S.$) of Cali Red sold in the first six months of the wine’s inaugural release. A blend of petit sirah and zinfandel, the California wine is a partnership between rap icon Snoop Dogg and Treasury Wine Estates and is part of TWE’s wine brand called 19 Crimes. Snoop Cali Red was the #1 new wine item launched in the U.S. last year. 20% of Cali Red drinkers are new to wine. The augmented reality label has been viewed more than 3 million times.
Amount (in billions of U.S. $) the French government will pay out in emergency aid to French vintners and farmers whose vineyards and crops were damaged by devastating frosts earlier this month. Overall, about 30% of the potential 2021 grape crop in France was destroyed. According to Beverage Industry Enthusiast magazine, the 2021 destruction comes on top of frosts in 2017 and 2018 from which vines were just beginning to recover.
Number of calories in Kendall-Jackson’s new low-calorie chardonnay called Avant which will launch in May. Avant ($17) has 23% fewer calories than Kendall-Jackson’s super popular Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay. The lower calorie count is the result of Avant’s lower alcohol—just 9% abv. The grapes for the wine are harvested early in the growing season when they contain less sugar.
Number of milliseconds it takes for a touch of sugar on the tongue to excite the brain, according to the newly released book Hooked by Michael Moss. The book is based on new evidence linking fast food and processed food to addiction and compulsive eating. The faster a substance excites the brain, the stronger its addictive impact. So, you ate the whole package of Oreos? Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Number of millions of wines available for sale around the world at any one time, according to Julian Perry, CEO of wine-searcher.com, the world’s largest database for wines, spirits, and beers. Wine Searcher was founded in 1998 by Martin Brown a former e-commerce manager for the prestigious London wine merchant Berry Bros & Rudd.
