Pandemic Effects – California and Oregon
Hawk Wakawaka Wine Reviews
by Hawk Wakawaka
4y ago
Jose, Javier, and Julio, long-term employees at Eyrie Vineyards in Willamette Valley How West Coast wine producers are coping with coronavirus-induced shutdown. Rather admirably in some cases. California and Oregon have both instituted statewide stay-at-home measures, though such recommendations are far less strict than what has been seen in much of Asia, Europe or New Zealand. Residents are urged to stay at home and only essential businesses are allowed to remain open. As such closures began, bars and winery tasting rooms, then restaurants (allowing for take-out and some delivery) were among ..read more
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A Few Days in Central Otago
Hawk Wakawaka Wine Reviews
by Hawk Wakawaka
4y ago
Last week I spent in Central Otago attending their annual Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration in order to speak on the first day of the event but most of all to visit dear friends and check in on current release wines. It’s a favorite region of mine that more than anywhere else feels like going home. While there, I posted photos along the way to Instagram. Here’s the collection.   View this post on Instagram   Flying into Queenstown – I might be too big a fan of this part of the trip. The last ten or more minutes flying into Central Otago take the jet through a ..read more
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Petite Sirah Lightens Up
Hawk Wakawaka Wine Reviews
by Hawk Wakawaka
4y ago
The reputation, and style, of the humble Durif has been evolving markedly in California. Known for its brooding flavours and robust palate, Petite Sirah (as Durif is called in California) is sometimes described as the most decidedly California wine. Its wines easily fulfill the stereotype of a full-bodied wine with ripe fruit that is so often associated with California. Even so, it has never achieved the name familiarity of Zinfandel (with which Durif was most often planted in historic California), nor the status of Cabernet Sauvignon (with which Durif is today most often blended). Instead, i ..read more
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Visits to Lodi over 2019
Hawk Wakawaka Wine Reviews
by Hawk Wakawaka
4y ago
Soon after first moving to the North Coast in 2012 when I started working in wine, I was able to spend time in Lodi learning about the region. My first visit, local legend Randy Caporoso generously hosted me and drove me around for more than a week of 14-16 hour days. I returned again later that same year for 5 days in harvest. And have been able to continue to visit the region in the years since in pop-ins of a day or few days at a time. Studying Lodi has offered me the opportunity to better think through California history, its history of innovation, and the intricacies of the wine business ..read more
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A week in Walla Walla, The Rocks District
Hawk Wakawaka Wine Reviews
by Hawk Wakawaka
4y ago
I spent last week in Walla Walla focusing in particular on Syrah and The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. It’s one of the most distinctive growing regions in the United States that has been quite interesting to follow these last several years, and it was especially insightful to return and again put it in context with Syrah of Washington and Oregon more broadly. The Walla Walla AVA follows the geographical expanse of the Walla Walla Valley, which falls across parts of both eastern Washington and Oregon. For quick clarification: The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA sits nestled entire ..read more
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Mission and Pais Re-evaluated, part 2
Hawk Wakawaka Wine Reviews
by Hawk Wakawaka
4y ago
In the second half of her two-part analysis of this recovered grape variety, Elaine looks at some current examples of wines now being made in California and Chile. See also part 1. Tegan Passalacqua, pictured below, is one of the founders of the Historic Vineyard Society, and is arguably one of the most quietly influential winemakers in California. He serves as both vineyard manager and winemaker for Turley Wine Cellars while also making his own small production Sandlands wines. But his work for Turley involves driving throughout the northern half of California, not only tracking the Turley v ..read more
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Mission and Pais re-evaluated, part 1
Hawk Wakawaka Wine Reviews
by Hawk Wakawaka
4y ago
A historic grape variety is emerging from obscurity in California, at the same time as in southern Chile. See part 2 tomorrow. Mission is arguably the most disregarded yet historically important variety in North and South America. Known as País in Chile and Criolla Chica in Argentina, there are also small plantings in Mexico, where it is known as Misión. In Argentina, it was believed for years to have grown from the seed of an imported Vitis vinifera vine, a uniquely South American variety even if not exactly indigenous. But in 2007, DNA profiling proved that theory untrue. It is Listán Priet ..read more
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Three Days in Cahors, in pictures
Hawk Wakawaka Wine Reviews
by Hawk Wakawaka
4y ago
Three Days in Cahors, in pictures Last week I spent three days in Cahors digging into the distinctive growing conditions of the region, as well as a wealth of local foods, and scenery. I was also interviewed by an online news site, and a French newspaper while there. Here are the links to those articles. Medialot: https://medialot.fr/vin-de-cahors-elaine-chukan-brown-sous-le-charme-des-terroirs-de-lappellation/ Ladepeche: https://www.ladepeche.fr/2019/09/28/en-ambassadrice-du-cahors-elle-va-exporter-ses-coups-de-coeur-aux-etats-unis,8444677.php While traveling my own updates along the way were ..read more
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New crop of MSs
Hawk Wakawaka Wine Reviews
by Hawk Wakawaka
4y ago
A follow-up to last year’s Master Sommelier saga. This week the Court of Master Sommeliers – Americas completed the annual exam for the Master Sommelier diploma. Candidates completed the theory portion of the exam previously. Only after passing theory are candidates then able to progress to the service and blind tasting portions of the exam, which took place in St Louis on Tuesday. With the recent exam, seven new Masters were minted, making eight new Masters this year. In St Louis this week, Nick Davis, Mariya Kovacheva, Justin Moore, Vincent Morrow, Joshua Orr, Jeremy Shanker and Jill Zimors ..read more
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The Wine Makers, episode 113 on Radio Misfits
Hawk Wakawaka Wine Reviews
by Hawk Wakawaka
4y ago
The Wine Makers Podcast gets recorded here in Sonoma. Hosts Sam Coturri, Bart Hansen, and Brian Casey invited me to spontaneously join their podcast conversation this week. We talk about several different rosés, a special bottle of Chardonnay, and end up dwelling on the social complexities of the Marvel Universe, and then finally talk through a host of California wines. Here’s the direct link to the episode: https://radiomisfits.com/twm113 ..read more
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