Date in August that harvest 2019 began in the Napa Valley. While this—the second week in August—may seem early for the harvest to begin, it’s now quite common for Napa Valley’s sparkling wine producers. The very first grapes were pinot noir clusters picked in the Oak Knoll District in southern Napa Valley for use by Mumm Napa Valley.
Number of days it took Charlie, the resident sloth at the Los Angeles Zoo, to choose flavoring ingredients for a German-style lager called Slothen Bräu, according to The Drinks Business. Having animals select special ingredients for craft beers is apparently not a new idea. Charlie (slowly) chose pears and roses. You can taste Charlie’s beer next month at the zoo’s brewpub.
Day in August, in 1912, when Julia Child was born. This week she would have marked her 107th birthday. Known for her wit, charm, and sing-song voice, Child ignited an American passion for food through her T.V. series (The French Chef), and through her encyclopedic books including the seminal Mastering the Art of French Cooking first published in 1961.
Value (in billions—yes, with a “b”— of U.S. dollars) of beverage alcohol sold by Costco, one of the largest retailers of wine, beer, and spirits in the world. Wine makes up roughly half of those sales, according to Market Watch. Costco has more than 750 stores globally and 94 million shopper-members who pay an annual fee starting at $60. The beverage division is headed by Costco’s Assistant VP Annette Alvarez-Peters.
Year that the Swiss Fête des Vignerons, the traditional celebration of Swiss Winegrowers, occurred for the first time, making it one of the oldest continuous wine festivals in the world. Alas, the three-week celebration takes place only once every 20 to 25 years in the wine region of Lavaux, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Estimated cost (in U.S. dollars) of a new sauvignon blanc from Sarah Jessica Parker, the star made famous in Sex and the City. The wine, made with grapes from different sub-regions of Marlborough, is in collaboration with Invivo & Co. in New Zealand. Parker was involved in making the blend which reportedly has “sweet scented fruits” and “a soft acid spine.”
Number of National Days devoted to wine something-or-other this month alone. There’s National White Wine Day (8/4), National Pinot Noir Day (8/18), National Red Wine Day (8/28), International Cabernet Sauvignon Day (8/29), National Rosé Month and Washington State Wine month.
What’s next in the surrealist National universe? National Corkscrew Day? Maybe National Aerator Day. We think National Expectoration Day has a nice ring.
Percentage by which wine production in France may drop this year according to France’s Agriculture Ministry. The decline is the result of vineyards hit by every sort of adverse weather from frost and hail to extreme heat waves. Last month, France recorded its highest-ever temperature (114.6 degrees F), setting off wildfires.
Year that Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore gained DOCG status in recognition of its exceptional terroir and the high quality of the Proseccos made there. (The region also just became a UNESCO World Heritage site—one of 55 in Italy). By contrast, basic Prosecco is classified as a DOC.
Number of millions of bottles of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG produced in the 2018 vintage. That’s a relatively small amount compared to the 500 million bottles of basic Prosecco DOC made that year. The United States is the 4th largest importer of Prosecco Superiore.
