Puttony

The traditional basket in which ASZÚ grapes were gathered. The word puttony has given rise to puttonyos, the manner by which the sweetness of Tokay Aszú is measured. Tokay Aszú wines are labeled from two to six puttonyos; the more puttonyos, the sweeter the wine.

Which one of the following wine regions is not exposed to a rain shadow effect?

A. Bordeaux, France

B. Columbia Valley, Washington, USA

C. Mendoza, Argentina

D. Central Otago, New Zealand

Bordeaux, France. Bordeaux, about an hour’s drive inland from the Atlantic Ocean, is made up of relatively flat land. A rain shadow effect is the term used to describe the situation whereby a dry, often desert-like, side of a mountain rarely receives wind and rain. This occurs when the mountain range is high enough to block a rain-producing weather system from passing over to the other side of the mountain. Because of Bordeaux’s topography, a rain shadow effect is nonexistent. The other regions—Columbia Valley, Mendoza, and Central Otago—all experience rain shadow effect because they are all located on the side of the mountain that does not receive rain. They are in the “rain shadow.”

Ava Winery

A San Francisco start-up called Ava Winery has produced synthetic “wine” according to New Scientist magazine. The process, which requires no grapes and takes about 15 minutes, involves combining ethanol (alcohol) with other molecules like… Continue reading

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