When you pour a glass of wine and stick your nose in the glass, you don’t just smell grapes. The aromas and flavors in that glass give you its story. The story of that variety of grape, be it white or red, thick or thin skinned, tart or sweet.

What you smell and taste in the glass tells you about the climate, are we in a warm climate pulling up sugars and rich, ripe fruit notes, or are we in a cool climate, where the aromatics are bright with florals and stone fruits, the alcohol is a little lower and the flavors are more nuanced and delicate.

The regions soils and other vegetation can affect the grapes, allowing them more or less water and nutrients. The wind might be strong which can thicken the skins to protect the berries, giving an increased depth of flavor and color to the wine.

The weather of a vintage can affect the wine. Rain when the vines are blooming, can decrease the harvest. Rain at harvest might force a vigneron to harvest early, making the grapes not as ripe and more tart, or if they harvest after the rain it can sometimes dilute the flavors.

Yeasts for fermentation can change the aromas and flavors, these might be chosen specifically by the winemaker, or they might be from the indigenous yeasts in the area, which can be almost like a fingerprint of a place.

Then there are the people who influence the the wine. Perhaps it is a regional style or just a winemakers preference. Choosing when to harvest, how to crush the grapes (with stems or without) and so many other choices in the winery can influence what you taste in the glass.

We will dive down some rabbit holes, focusing on different grape varieties, how wines age, agriculture methods like biodynamics and regenerative agriculture. We will explore the conversation on corks vs. screwcaps to discover why some why makers are choosing these closures and what benefits they might have.

These are the stories.

We’ve all heard the stories of “what grows together, goes together”. We will explore the local ingredients and restaurants, and take in the local scenery, feeling the air, smelling the place, it all meshes together.

Welcome to Discovering Wine Country
https://www.discoveringwinecountry.com