Settling

The precipitation (settling out) of solid matter in wine. SEDIMENT, for example, settles out of a mature wine.

Calima, Cape Doctor, Vendaval, and Zonda are all synonyms for Merlot in various wine regions around the world.

Answer: False.

While grape varieties that grow well in various countries are often known by different names, these titles identify winds both feared and revered in the wine regions where they blow (the Canary Islands, South Africa, Spain, and Argentina, respectively). Like their more well-known cousins, France’s Mistral, North Africa’s Sirocco, and Southern California’s Santa Anas, these winds can bring both destruction and relief from heat or humidity. Although a gentle breeze is almost always good (it cools the grapes and promotes air circulation as a guard against rot), a slashing wind is another story. Right after flowering, a severe wind can prevent flowers from setting properly, scattering them in the air so that they never fertilize and become grapes. Bludgeoning wind can break off tender parts of the vines, damage the canes, bruise the leaves, and even rip away the fruit. Lastly, a harsh wind may cause the vine to close its stomata, microscopic holes in the undersides of the leaves that are responsible for evaporation. With the stomata closed, the vine ceases to draw water through its root tips. Eventually, all growth comes to a halt.

The Grapes of (Welch’s) Wrath

New York produces more grape juice than any other state. That rich, purply, aromatic liquid includes the famous brand Welch’s Concord grape juice, invented by Dr. Thomas Welch in 1869. Like most other grape juices,… Continue reading

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