Cépage Noble

Cépage means “grape variety.” The so-called noble grape varieties—cépages nobles—are those that consistently make fine wine, such as cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, or chardonnay.

The first cabernet sauvignon vineyard in Tuscany was planted in the Chianti Classico region, where the grape was technically not allowed.

Answer: False.

In 1944, Mario Incisa della Rocchetta planted Tuscany's first cabernet sauvignon vineyard along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea in a district called Bolgheri, known (until then) for its peach orchards. To plant a cabernet sauvignon vineyard there was, at the time, very unusual. First, the vines were not sangiovese but cabernet (allegedly from Château Lafite Rothschild). Second, Tuscan wisdom at the time held that no great red wine could be made from vineyards close to the sea. And third, the vineyard was far away from the Chianti zone, the brunello town of Montalcino, and the vino nobile town of Montepulciano. However, Incisa della Rocchetta persisted and called the wine Sassicaia—from Tuscan dialect, sasso for "rock"; and aia for "place of." Sassicaia was released commercially in 1968 and made quiet Bolgheri famous for remarkable wines.

Coffee Pot? Pot Coffee?

Your Keurig machine is about to redefine the idea of a “coffee pot.” The San Diego-based company Cannabiniers has introduced Brewbudz– cannabis coffee pods (and yeah, cannabis-infused tea and cocoa pods, too). The compostable pods contain the… Continue reading

Get WineSpeed