Fining

A process of softening the texture of a wine by adding one or more protein coagulants, such as gelatin, egg whites, or ISINGLASS, to the wine. The coagulant attaches itself to tannin molecules, then settles to the bottom of the container, carrying tannin along with it. Fining can also be done to clarify the color of a wine, as when BENTONITE, a clay, is used to remove unwanted particles suspended in the wine which are making the wine appear hazy.

The lightest pinot noirs in the U.S. are made in Oregon.

Answer: False.

Oregon certainly has a justifiable reputation for making many light-bodied, elegant pinot noirs. But Oregon does not have a monopoly on such wines. In fact, one could successfully argue that in the last few years, many Oregon pinots have gotten quite a bit riper, fleshier, more extracted, and fuller bodied. It’s an issue of style. At the same time, California’s Sonoma Coast and South Central Coast (which in parts are cooler than Oregon) often make very light bodied, elegant pinots. And we should not forget upstate New York!

Mommy’s Time Out

“Mommy’s Time Out,”–a line of wines being promoted for Mother’s Day–has been invented because, as the website points out, “being a Mommy is a difficult job.” Apparently created for pretty mommies with an itsy-bitsy sweet-tooth,… Continue reading

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