Cold Fermentation

A type of FERMENTATION that takes place in a vessel that can be cooled, usually a stainless steel tank. Because cool fermentations are slower and more gentle than those that occur at warm temperatures, they help preserve the wine’s fresh FRUIT AROMAS and flavors. Many light- and medium-bodied white wines are cold fermented.

Which country below is the only major wine producing country in the world not to have been seriously affected by the lethal insect phylloxera?

A. New Zealand

B. Chile

C. South Africa

D. Portugal

Phylloxera—a tiny, yellow, insect—has spread through much of the world, destroying vineyards in its wake as the insects feed on vines’ roots, ultimately sucking the life out of the plants. However, a phylloxera epidemic has not (some would say not yet) hit Chile. Secluded on the western coast of South America, Chile is hemmed in by the Andes Mountains to the east, the Atacama Desert to the north, and Antarctica to the south. The country’s physical isolation, dry climate, sandy soils, and use of flood irrigation all have helped protect against phylloxera.

Partying Pre-Mescal

We just heard from the af&co 2018 Trends Report that mescal cocktails will be one of next year’s hot items. Which got us to thinking about what people drank in the Americas before the arrival… Continue reading

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