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This column is intended as an introduction to Japanese “rice wine” anchored by Bōken No. 77 Junmai Ginjō Saké.Bōken No. 77 is worth seeking out. Bōken means “journey” or “adventure.” It shows a pale silver color and floral nose—honeysuckle, lemon aromas; then coconut, pear on the palate. Clean finish. Medium-plus body. It strongly leans toward sweetness, but it has excellent balancing acidity and fruitiness.While saké can be enjoyed on its own, it also is a versatile food wine, which is what Bōken intended with this label. It is curated and marketed for American tastes, especially for novice saké sippers—and also to be paired with American cuisine: grilled fish, lamb chops, steaks, barbecue, mashed potatoes. 13% ABV. $50-60.Bōken Saké founder Daisuke NakajimaBōken Saké is a portfolio of authentic Japanese sakés made by a very well established and well-regarded maker. One of the breweries involved dates to 1487. Another was founded in 1884. According to Daisuke Nakajima, U.S. importer and founder of Bōken Saké: “We launched Bōken to broaden the appeal of saké beyond traditional Japanese cuisine. We take pride in partnering with family-owned, small-batch brewers, and we’re thrilled to demonstrate that saké is not only flavorful but can also complement a wide variety of dishes from around the globe.”Bōken No. 77 has an SMV of -18. “SMV” stands for Saké Meter Value; the more negative the number, the sweeter the saké; -18 means it is sweeter than most ginjō sakés. A more common score for junmai ginjō is +3 to -5. This case is balanced by high very high acidity, similar to Sauternes or German Riesling Spätlese. No. 77 refers to a special strain of yeast used to make this saké. The yeast is noted for high malic acid production and fruitiness, key elements in balancing sweetness.Its rice polishing ratio is 60%, which refers to how much of the original rice grain remains after 40% of the outer layer was removed. The outer layers of rice contain fats, proteins, and minerals that can affect saké’s taste and aroma and cannot be converted into saké. Only the starch in the rice can be made into saké after it is converted by koji enzymes (more about that in a bit). A rice polishing ratio of 60% or less qualifies the saké for ginjō/junmai ginjō classification. The next classification is daiginjō/junmai daiginjō, which means 50% or less of the original grain remains. More polishing tends to result in a cleaner taste.Saké often is called “rice wine,” but saké involves a complex and unique brewing process that is completely different from grape wine. At its very simplest, you can make grape wine by pouring grape juice into a vessel and sitting back and letting ambient yeast and nature do their thing without human intervention. Not so with saké. Saké production is closer to beer production than grape wine production because saké starts with a grain—not a fruit—and requires converting starch to sugar.After the rice is polished, it is washed to remove any remaining bran, then soaked in water to achieve the desired moisture content. The rice then is steamed using specialized equipment. The next step involves koji—a special mold (Aspergillus oryzae)—that is a crucial element in saké production. Rice is spread on tables in the koji room. Koji spores are mixed with the rice. The mixture is covered and left for about two days, during which time the koji mold grows, producing enzymes that will later convert rice starch into fermentable sugars.Bōken brewery partner Hiraizumi, now in its 27th generationSaké brewing involves a unique, multiple parallel fermentation where saccharification and alcoholic fermentation occur at the same time. A yeast starter (shubo) is prepared by mixing steamed rice, koji, water, and yeast. Bōken ferments for roughly four weeks using the traditional Yamahai method to prepare the mash for fermentation for this saké. The main fermentation (moromi) takes place in large tanks and lasts three or more weeks.The process begins by combining the shubo with more steamed rice, koji, and water in three stages over the next four days. The mash is mixed daily and fermented at low temperature. Bōken ferments this at 60º F; other methods run at 45º-55º F. During fermentation, the alcohol content can increase to 18-20% ABV, but makers often add water at bottling to reduce it. Saké typically has an ABV similar to or slightly higher than grape wine. A standard saké is 13-16% ABV. Japanese law requires saké to be less than 22% ABV.After fermentation, the mash is pressed to separate the liquid saké from remaining solids. Some styles, like nigori saké, are pressed or strained more coarsely so fine particles of rice remain suspended. This retains a cloudy appearance and achieves a fuller mouthfeel. Most saké, including this one, is then pasteurized to kill bacteria and deactivate enzymes that could affect flavor and color. After pasteurization, most saké is aged for several months before bottling.Next comes enjoying the finished product. One way to serve saké puts an emphasis on generosity or hospitality. The “mokkiri” style of service involves pouring saké into a small glass that is inside a wooden box called a “masu” (once a measuring device for rice). The saké is deliberately over-poured so some of the saké flows over the glass rim and into the masu. The term mokkiri means “filling full or more to the rim.” This style of serving represents the Japanese concept of “omotenashi” (hospitality). The intention is to reflect the server’s generosity and often is associated with restaurant or izakaya service (similar to a bartender pouring a pint so the beer spills a bit, except with saké you get to enjoy the over-pour out of the masu rather than wiping it up with a bar towel). More formal saké service uses lacquerware, porcelain cups, or ceremonial vessels.Saké set with masu boxServing saké can be less formal, especially today as brewers strive to reach international drinkers. White wine glasses are often used because they present saké aromas, and most households are likely to have them on their bar shelves. There are myriad types of saké cups and glasses, many resembling small bowls with wide rims or cups without handles. Like grape wine glasses, the various shapes and sizes are paired with different styles of saké. No one size fits all, but a white wine glass likely will suit your needs until you get heavily into saké appreciation.People often think of saké as a drink served warm. While saké can be served warm, the temperature is a personal decision. Saké can be served warm, room temperature, or chilled. Today, many sakés are served chilled (35-40º F) or at room temperature (60-70º F). Bōken Saké recommends you serve No. 77 either warm or cold—cold for crispness, warm by heating it somewhere between 90º and 110º F to, in Bōken’s language, “warm the bones.” In the beginning of your saké adventure, everything will be fine if you sip saké out of the white wine glass already in your cupboard and experiment on temperature.As the rollout of Bōken Saké only began in fall 2024, you may not find it on your neighborhood store’s shelves. If you find it on a restaurant list, which was the company’s initial target, it is well worth a try. Saké in general is worth a place on your table. In any event, I hope this excursion into “rice wine” gives you a simplified, broad picture of what is going on with rice’s contribution in the wine world.Thank you for readingBōken websiteBōken No. 77 Junmai Ginjō SakéLast roundLondon cabbie kept throwing “lion powder” out of the window to keep lions away.Passenger: “But there aren’t any lions in London”Cabbie: “And a bloody good thing, too, because the powder don’t work.”Wine time. It gets funnier after your third shot of saké.Links worth exploringDave McIntyre’s WineLine Longtime Washington Post wine columnist now on Substack. Entertaining, informative.Good + Tasty Excellent wine stories by Kathleen Willcox. Focuses on the business and culture of sustai… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe

Right now, many in the wine world are freaked about the decline in wine drinking. Advice: relax, take a deep, cleansing breath. A nice, chilled rosé also might help. Wine is a lifestyle choice. By their very nature, lifestyle choices are always in chaotic, often irrational flux. Examples from the wine world:• Merlot was a big thing at the end of the last century. Women in particular enjoyed it because it usually was softer and smoother than cabernet sauvignon or syrah or some of those bombastic wines from northwestern Italy you could not drink until they were at least six years (and preferably 10-15 years) old. California winemakers made merlot you could drink when you got home from the store. The market lapped it up. Then the movie Sideways. Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti) proclaimed: “I am NOT drinking any f**king Merlot!” It did not matter Miles hated merlot only because his ex-wife liked merlot, not for any fault in the varietal. Suddenly, a plot point in a popular movie involved bashing merlot. Merlot sales plummeted. Drinkers made new lifestyle choices. Merlot did not change. It remains one of the world’s great varietals and blending wines. But, still, “I ain’t drinking *** merlot!” became a meme.AI generated illustration• Blousy, oaky, buttery, big fruit chardonnays were a big thing in late 1980s and 1990s. They didn’t go very well with food—okay, they worked with movie theatre popcorn—but ladies, in particular, were not pairing it with food. They were sipping it in the country club’s outdoor bar after a round of golf or a tennis match or by-the-glass at a big chain restaurant where wine-food pairing was irrelevant. Big chardonnay was the wine equivalent of comfort food. It was a transition from sweet wines, soft drinks, or cocktails. Lush, approachable, ripe fruit, vanilla, butterscotch, creamy mouthfeel. What was not to like? Then those drinker’s palates matured, or maybe it was just time for a lifestyle change. At the turn of the century, ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) became the next bandwagon to hop onto. White zin, pinot grigio, Veuve Clicquot, prosecco, sauv blanc, even dry riesling (for gosh sakes) was the next de rigueur pour for the dialed-in parvenu. “Anything But Chardonnay” was the incantation—unless it was an un-oaked, subdued malolactic conversion chardonnay, then… well, maybe.AI generated illustration• In the 1980s and especially the 1990s, monster, jammy, very high alcohol, zinfandel fruit bombs became a big thing, especially among manly men. Let the ladies sip insipid white zin, some gals even put ice cubes in their tumbler glass (shudder). Big zin was hedonistic macho indulgence. The 16-plus percent ABV and the overly-ripe fruit meant the wine tasted sweet even if laboratory tests proved it was “dry.” The high alcohol made it more a “cocktail wine” than anything a reasonable person would pair with food. Except, maybe, with a huge slab of fat-dripping beef you just removed from your expensive backyard grill fired by mesquite wood you harvested yourself with your high-powered chainsaw. Throw in a plate of fried onion rings and a loaded baked potato, and we’ve got a real meal here, buddy. A hearty slap on the back and backward ball cap is optional. Okay, some research indicates there is only marginal male preference between male and female in this wine category, but the zeitgeist then (and now) was big zin was male while lighter, “more feminine” (whatever that is supposed to mean) wine was female. In any event, the stereotypes and lifestyle choices did not hold in the 21st century. With blowback from wine professionals such as sommeliers, whose job is to pair with food, and wine writers, whose job is to constantly come up with something new in 500 words or less, zin today is stylistically fragmented. Lighter and more food-friendly red zin occupies a growing middle ground, flanked by white zin (which still outsells red zin) and monster zin. The wine world carousel continues to spin.AI generated illustration Lifestyle choices regarding wine and alcohol in general experience constant fluctuation. In the 2010s, for instance, some Gallup Polls suggested wine was approaching beer as the alcohol delivery vehicle of choice. What heady days those were for vintners and for bank vice presidents ready to loan money to create new vineyards and expand or create new wine operations. Then the 2020s slapped them both in the face with the reality of lifestyle changes. Not only has wine consumption declined, a new cohort of consumers has made a lifestyle choice to drink little or no alcohol. Medical sources assert any alcohol consumption can be bad for you. Neo-prohibitionists channel Carry Nation. While Neo-prohibitionists have not yet taken hatchets to saloons or wine barrels, they do clamor for increases in alcohol excise taxes, limit times and places alcohol can be sold, restrict advertising, and lowering the legal blood-alcohol-content. The wine world faces several headwinds. That noted, wine has been around for more than 8,000 years and is deeply imbedded in our culture, our religions, our culinary proclivities. Wine is not going away. In the U.S., the total wine industry—production, distribution, sales, consumption, tourism, and service industries—generates some $324 billion annually in economic impact and is increasing in spite of the headwinds. U.S. wine generates 1.75 million jobs and $102 billion in wages. Wine delivers more than $53 billion in tax revenue. These numbers have been resilient, even rising, amid the slight downturn in wine consumption in the U.S. in the 2020s. We are drinking less, but we are drinking better and more expensive. If you have read this far, I hope your fears of wine’s collapse are allayed and you are relieved. Lifestyle choices, by their very nature, constantly change. Sit back and chill out with a nice glass of wine of your current choice, good food, and—especially—sharing with family and friends. That lifestyle moment is immutable.Last roundRelationships are like Indian food.They start out hot and spicy, but end up with someone on the toilet crying and saying “why me? why me”?Wine time.Bonus last roundPolice officer pulls over a speeding car.Officer: “I clocked you at 80 miles per hour, sir.”Driver: “Gee, officer, I had it on cruise control at 60. Perhaps your radar gun needs calibrating.” Not looking up from her knitting, driver’s wife says: “Now don’t be silly, dear. You know this car does not have cruise control.”As the officer writes out the ticket, the driver looks over at his wife and growls: “Can’t you please keep your mouth shut for once?” Wife smiles demurely and says: “Well, dear, you should be thankful your radar detector went off when it did or your speed would have been higher.”As the officer makes out the second ticket for the illegal radar detector, the man glowers at his wife and says through clenched teeth: “Woman, can’t you keep your mouth shut?”The officer frowns and says: “And I notice that you are not wearing your seat belt, sir. That’s an automatic $75 fine.” Driver: “Well, you see, officer, I had it on, but I took it off when you pulled me over so that I could get my license out of my back pocket.” Wife: “Now, dear, you know very well you never wear your seat belt when you are driving.”As the police officer is writing out the third ticket, the driver turns to his wife and barks: “Will you just shut up!” Officer looks over at the woman and asks: “Does your husband always talk to you this way, ma’am?” Wife: “Only when he has been drinking.”Wine time.Thanks for reading Gus Clemens on Wine! This post is public so feel free to share it.Gus Clemens on Wine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Links worth exploringDave McIntyre’s WineLine Longtime Washington Post wine columnist now on Substack. Entertaining, informative.Good + Tasty Excellent wine stories by Kathleen Willcox. Focuses on the business and cul… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe

Ah, it was a heady wine time while it lasted. Wine enjoyed more than 50 years of vineyard and winery growth, more than 50 years of improving quality, more than 50 years of consistent year-over-year market expansion. Those were the days, my friend. We thought they’d never end. We’d sing and dance forever and a day. Reality: nothing lasts forever. Pendulums swing both ways, as the wine world is painfully coming to grips with now. In 2024, California wine production fell to its lowest level since 1999. United States production fell to its lowest since 2004. Both total wine consumption and per-capita demand in the U.S. fell together for the first time in modern wine history. Worldwide wine production is down to 1961 levels even though there are more than five billion more people on Earth today. On a granular level, winegrowers leave grapes on the vine, knowing they cannot recoup their harvest expenses. Wine stores close. Wineries close or dial back, drop labels, trim staff. Newspapers drop wine columns as wine advertising dollars dry up. Restaurants pare their wine list. Supermarkets reduce shelf space devoted to wine. Let’s examine what is happening and put it into some perspective. Spoiler alert: the sky is not falling, Chicken Little. Wine drinkers fall loosely into two categories. Members of the largest cohort are not that interested in where the wine came from, how it was made, who made it. They want a relatively inexpensive alcohol delivery vehicle that tastes good, maybe pairs with food. They enjoy wine, but they also can hang with beer, hard seltzer, premixed cocktails. They also may have cut back or eliminated alcohol consumption. The second cohort is into wine. Members of that cohort care about all the details, food pairing, vintage conditions, particulars about how it was made. They can be labeled as “wine geeks.” Wine is their go-to alcoholic drink, and they are willing to search for quality and pay for it. The first cohort is the principal source of the wine decline. They are the reason the hardest hit wine segment is commodity value bottlings, aka “supermarket wines.” The wine lover cohort has much less impact on the decline. In fact, while sales of lower-end wine has significantly tumbled for the past seven years, sales of higher end wines have weathered the storm. Wineries are selling fewer bottles of wine but maintaining their cash flow because people are buying higher-priced efforts. Those drinkers are drinking better, a trend that is more than a decade old. The commodity, supermarket wine segment has a hard row to hoe. There are too many “next big things” in that alcohol silo. The market will remain, but will not be as robust as it was the past half century. And, of course, the cohorts are not black and white, but have shades of gray between them. The better wine cohort has an emotional connection to wine. For them, wine is joy, pleasure, deliciousness, and rewarding, with fascinating back stories. And—yes—some snob appeal that quality wine is not pop-the-top and slurp-it-down to get-a-buzz stuff. For them, wine’s cementing attraction is pleasure. On the palate, in the mind, and—yes—pleasant satisfaction that you are smart enough, educated enough, and successful enough to enjoy and appreciate a liquid that has been treasured by fellow human beings for more than 8,000 years. There is conclusive evidence of a winery in Armenia dating back 6,200-plus years, including botanical evidence the wine was made using the areni grape. You can buy Armenian wine made with areni grapes today from a winery near the archeologic find in Armenia. Not many enterprises can match that claim. Bottom line: while this is a somewhat turbulent time in the wine business, especially in the cheaper, factory-produced wine segment, wine is not going away. Worldwide wine production may be down to 1961 levels, but it remains a half-trillion dollar business. Production is almost six billion gallons—30 billion bottles. In the United States, wine generates more than $325 billion in economic impact. Various research groups forecast wine’s worldwide economic impact will be between eight hundred billion and more than one trillion US dollars by 2033. The wine world is changing, but it is not going away. Sure, the wine trade faces headwinds. Every product, especially a discretionary product like wine, faces headwinds on a cyclical basis. Sometimes you are the hammer and you strike. Sometimes you are the anvil and you bear. The likelihood is after testing times the strong will survive and flourish, while the weak will suffer their Darwinian fate. Wine has been here before—my goodness for 13 years in the United States you could go to prison for making and selling wine. Let’s all take a deep breath, relax, and figure out what wine we are going to joyfully enjoy together tonight.Tasting notes:• Karas Areni, Armenia 2023 checks an amazing number of boxes in the wine world. First, it is a delicious wine that sips in a space between pinot noir and sangiovese. Second, archeological finds discovered evidence of this very grape dating back 6,100 years and the first clearly identified winery in the world. The winery is in the shadow of Mount Ararat, believed by Christians and Jews as the possible location of Noah’s Ark. You get to drink history, the very beginnings of wine, and drink superb wine. And do so for $16-20. Link to my review• Val delle Rose Litorale Vermentino Maremma Toscana DOC 2024 is delightful iteration of vermentino’s lighter, fresher style. While it has good acidity, there is a smooth creamy texture and slight oiliness that creates excellent mouthfeel and tension. Clean, crisp winner from a highly regarded, long-time player in Tuscany. $15-20 Link to my review• Herzog Wine Cellars Lineage Pinot Noir, Clarksburg 2022 is affordable, fruit-forward, kosher wine from America’s largest fully kosher winery. It is a value play in pinot noir rather than sophisticated, but is very serviceable in what it is intended to be. Wallet pleaser; smooth and easy crowd pleaser. $18-22 Link to my review• Stoller Family Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2022 is rich, elegant charmer with lingering finish, polished, refined fruit. Excellent balance of fruit, oak, restrained alcohol. Civilized pour that demonstrates why Willamette Valley pinot noir deserves to be in conversation as some of the world’s premier pinots, especially at this price point. $50-60 Link to my review• Early Mountain Vineyards RISE, Virginia 2021 is a very smooth, well-behaved, merlot-led Bordeaux blend only produced in exceptional years. Just now entering its best drinking window, this easily can be held another decade-plus. Early Mountain is Virginia’s flagship winery. All winery profits are directed to Virginia communities and innovation in the Virginia wine industry. $135-150 Link to my reviewLast roundHow do I determine how much wine to drink? I take it on a case-by-case basis.Thank you for reading. This is a reader-supported publication. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. No matter how you subscribe, I appreciate you.Links worth exploringDave McIntyre’s WineLine Longtime Washington Post wine columnist now on Substack. Entertaining, informative.Good + Tasty Excellent wine stories by Kathleen Willcox. Focuses on the business and culture of sustainable wine, food, and travel.Diary of a Serial Hostess Ins and outs of entertaining; witty anecdotes of life in the stylish lane.Email: [email protected]: gusclemens.substack.comWebsite: Gus Clemens on Wine websiteFacebook: facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/posts/Twitter (X): @gusclemensBluesky https://bsky.app/profile/gusclemensonwine.bsky.social .Long form wine stories on Vocal: Gus Clemens on VocalApple podcasts https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=apple+podcasts+gus+clemens+apple+p…&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8.Linkedin: Gus Clemens on Wine This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe

Tannins are natural and essential to wine. They also are wine’s most misunderstood element. Even wine scientists admit they do not fully understand tannins. One expert called tannins a “chemical train wreck.” Let’s explore.What do we know? Tannins are natural organic and phenolic compounds found in almost all plants. They provide protection as a chemical deterrent against plant-eating animals and insects. Their bitter, astringent taste is unpalatable to herbivores. When consumed by insects and some herbivores, tannins interfere with digestion, negatively affecting growth and development.Wine toasting I created in AI to give you something to look atTannins are powerful antimicrobial agents, protecting plants against bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. Tannins disrupt microbial cell walls and interfere with cellular processes. This is particularly important in bark and roots, where tannins are the first line of defense against soil-borne pathogens.Tannins are potent antioxidants. They are important when plants produce elevated levels of potentially harmful free radicals as a result of drought and other environmental challenges.Tannins efficiently absorb UV light, protecting against harmful solar radiation. Particularly important in sensitive plant tissues.While tannins deter harmful organisms, they have a role in attracting beneficial insects, particularly pollinators. They also are involved in the activation of nodulation genes that favor nitrogen fixation in plants that have symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.Tannins aid reproduction by helping seeds maintain dormancy by creating barriers to water uptake and germination. Located in the seed coat, tannins allow seeds to survive unfavorable conditions, then to germinate when conditions are favorable.Tannins are among the most abundant secondary metabolites produced by plants. The multi-faceted success of the tannin-production strategy is proof of its efficacy.But, enough of the general science, you are reading this to learn something about tannin in wine.More AI art I created to keep you interestedWine tannins primarily come from grape skins, seeds, and stems. Oak barrels also contribute, although oak tannins are different from grape tannins.Tannins provide the body and a framework—structure—that supports other elements in wine, such as acidity, alcohol, and fruit flavors. Tannins also provide color (anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid, are responsible for red and purple hues in wine), astringency (puckering sensation inside your cheeks), and texture.Texture or “mouthfeel” is the physical sensation in your mouth most often associated with wine tannins. Common texture descriptors include:• Silky, velvety, fine. Smooth, refined tannins feel soft on the palate.• Chalky, dusty. Tannins feel gritty or powdery.• Grippy, astringent. Pronounced tannins create a drying sensation, think over-brewed tea.• Granular. Tannins have coarse, rough texture.Tannins can be a key component in food pairing. They particularly interact with proteins and fats on a molecular level. Lipids in fatty foods bind to tannin molecules, reducing tannic astringency, activate salivary glands to help break down meat protein, and enhance both the wine fruit flavors and the savory meat flavors. That is why rich, tannic red wines are classic pairings with a juicy steak.On the other hand, winemakers can deliberately reduce tannins by limiting by the amount of skin contact—often none or very little in white wines, minimal in rosé—which allows the acidity and fruit to play center stage. Avoiding oak reduces tannins, but some whites are aged in oak to gain oak tannins, which mainly influences mouthfeel and texture rather than astringency. Oak-aged whites usually fall into the silky, velvety, rounder, creamier category. With enough oak, there can be subtle drying and fine-grain elements, which adds complexity, enhances food compatibility, and boosts aging potential. But winemakers walk a tight rope here. Too much oak flavors and oak tannins in white wines creates a lurid, blowsy cartoon wine.Tannins are a natural preservative. Tannins from tree bark are used to “tan” leather to preserve it. Tannins particularly serve the preservative role in red wine. Their critical function is as an antioxidant. Tannins serve as sacrificial molecules that bind with oxygen molecules before the oxygen can downgrade fruit flavor, mute colors, or create offensive odors and flavors. Tannins capture free radicals and oxidation, allowing other components to develop complexity and depth. The antioxidant capacity of tannins reduces the need for sulfur dioxide in wine and permits a more natural preservation strategy.Tannin evolution is a sophisticated process of molecular transformation. In the beginning, tannin molecules are small and can create bitter, harsh sensations—qualities of their defense properties. That’s why young tannic wines can be almost undrinkable. Over time, tannic molecules undergo polymerization where individual molecules link together to form complex chains that interact differently on your palate. Complex chain tannins taste softer and less astringent. Bottle aging is a real thing.Tannins also stabilize color, or subtly modify it. Young red wines get their color primarily through unstable free anthocyanins which would fade without tannins. During fermentation and early aging, anthocyanins bind with tannin molecules to form polymeric pigments, which tend to stabilize the color. As wine ages, however, there is a slow change to brick-red hues. Brick red hues often are a marker for quality, aged red wines.Tannins are a core element of the world’s great wines built for aging. But that comes at a cost. Such wines can be undrinkable in their youth, requiring years in oak and then in bottle to evolve into the pinnacle pours treasured by wine connoisseurs. That process adds costs. The winery most hold the wine for years before they can get return on their investment. The customer must do the same, which means a dedicated place like a temperature-controlled cellar before they can enjoy.Such patience is hard to find in today’s world of social media, cell phones, and on-demand streaming content. The large majority of wines are made to be enjoyed when you get home from the store. Even winemakers capable of making age-worthy wines now reduce tannins with techniques like holding back on lengthy maceration (time on skins, a major source of tannins), or employing strategies such as cold soaking, gentle cap management, micro-oxygenation, sur lie élevage, fermentation in concrete eggs and other methods. There is a possible trade-off: reducing the ageability of the wine.Red wines are wines with the most tannins and wines most-associated with aging—although there are white and sparkling wines that are aged—in those cases, acidity is the main preservative, not tannins.Here are some of the most tannic wines and the length of aging time for them to achieve their peaks:• Nebbiolo. Used to make Barolo and Barbaresco in northern Italy, nebbiolo wines—by DOCG regulations—must be aged a minimum of 38 months from November 1 of the harvest year. Top-tier Barolo Riserva must age a minimum of 18 months in barrel and cannot be released until January 1 of the sixth year after harvest. Barolo and Barbaresco easily can age 25 years before reaching their peak.• Cabernet Sauvignon. While winemakers make plenty of drink-now cabs, classic, age-worthy cabs from Bordeaux, Napa, and Coonawarra need 10-20 years to approach their best drinking stage.• Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre). When made in southern France’s Bandol, the wine needs 8-15 years to achieve its potential.• Sangiovese. Brunello di Montalcino and top-level Chianti need to age 10-20 years to taste their best.• Other wines that need 10-20 years include Gran Reserva Rioja, Ribera del Duero (made with Tempranillo), Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, some Australian Shiraz (made with Syrah/Shiraz).Many of us will never taste s… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe

Wine writers freely admit that trying to describe how a wine tastes is the classic “like dancing about architecture” folly. But amid the thousands of wine choices, people still want guidance. Even if the guidance has flaws, it still beats the “even a blind squirrel can find a nut sometimes” method.There are three commonly used terms in wine reviews that cause controversy—OK, more than three, but today we are going to focus on “round,” “minerality,” and “masculine-feminine.” I will present my take on and use of the terms.• Round. This is a descriptor of texture and mouthfeel rather than flavor. Round means there are amiable tannins, balancing not shrill acidity, integration of wine components, full and creamy texture. California merlots often are round because of their mellow tannins and smooth texture. New Zealand sauvignon blancs are not round thanks to their electric acidity and ramped-up citrus. In general, red wines are more likely to be round than white wines.Round is intended as a positive trait in most cases. Sometimes—as with the New Zealand sauv blancs—you did not come to the wine for round. You wanted sharpness, edges that “cleanse the palate” after a bite of food.I use the term “round,” but I also can argue against it. Round is overly broad and vague. It is extremely subjective. My “round” may not be your “round”—but that criticism can be leveled at almost all wine descriptor terms. The term can be paired with other descriptors for a fuller picture.Texture: creamy, smooth, velvety, silky, supple. Structure: balanced, harmonious, well-integrated. Others: soft (low tannin levels), opulent (rich fruit flavors), plush (rich, luxurious texture).For the record, I strive to reduce use of the term unless it is paired with further descriptors. I think that is a well-rounded approach.• Minerality. Oh, boy, this gets wine geeks a’going. The controversy centers on sensory experience clashing with science. First, the science: wine vine roots do not absorb minerals and mineral tastes directly from rock minerals or limestone. Roots absorb dissolved chemical elements—nitrogen, calcium, iron, potassium. But they absorb these elements primarily from organic matter, not from rocks.Still, wine writers rock on with a flood of related metaphors: flint, chalk, wet stone, crushed rock, gunflint, sea salt. It you want to know what we are talking about, you are told to lick a stone, suck on a pebble, or smell sidewalks after a rain. Not something most people do.My minerality references hinge on three elements.The main trigger for my use of “minerality” is salty flavors. Salt or salinity are real, measurable flavors in some wines, usually wines made from vineyards near the ocean or irrigated with water containing significant amounts sodium chloride and related salts. Salt is a mineral. It appears in the wine because when dissolved in water it can be absorbed by the plant roots and leaves and found on the surface of grape skins and stems. Assyrtiko wine from the Greek island of Santorini is the poster child because of the salt captured by vines trained in the basket-shaped koulara system to acquire water from salty Aegean Sea fogs.Assyrtiko vines on Greek island of SantoriniWine vines cannot extract mineral tastes from rocks in the soil. They can, however, acquire salt minerals that exist in water. The key distinction: general “minerality” taste references lack scientific support. Salt absorption and its impact on taste are scientifically measurable. The mineral taste did not come from rocks, but from salt dissolved in water.The second minerality trigger for me is the smell of wet rock or wet concrete after a rain—a smell scientists call “petrichor”—an earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil or rocks. Chablis is most famous “wet stone” wine. The reference is to a smell, not the taste of a rock in my mouth.My third minerality trigger, and I admit to squishiness on this—and to a resolve to restrain use—comes from high acidity, a linear, mouth-watering feel. Also when there is no malolactic conversion and low fruitiness or oak influence (in science terms, when fruit esters and terpenes are subdued).Supporters of the “minerality” term argue it is a useful, if vague, sensory category. It is a shorthand for a style—acidic, lean, unsweetened by oak or overt fruit. Supporters admit “minerality” has nothing to do with actual minerals extracted from rocks, then point out that people heavily involved in wine—winegrowers, winemakers, wine experts—perceive something. Wine writer Terry Theise described minerality as “an unnamable thing that is definitely there but hasn’t yielded to explanation.”Critics argue that “minerality” is romantic nonsense lazy wine writers use to fill out the required word count for their comment. It is a substitute for more specific descriptions. Scientists emphatically assert that whatever you think minerality is, it is not you tasting minerals extracted from rocks where the vines grew.Bottom line: “minerality” is a subjective metaphor. Most wine descriptors are subjective metaphors. It is not easy to use words to describe an individual perception of taste, smell, texture. It can, however, be fun to take one side or the other and argue through the evening over a charcuterie board and bottles of quality wine.• Masculine-feminine. Finally, a wine descriptor I avoid and one I can trash. The cliché is “masculine wines” are bold, powerful, tannic, structured, full-bodies, assertive, robust. “Masculine wines” resemble the manly men who drink them. Think cab, barolo, syrah. “Feminine wines” are light, soft, delicate, elegant, silky, supple. Think rosé, pinot noir, pinot grigio. Tannin structure is the usual dividing line, followed by body or weight in the mouth and assertive flavors.Well, screw that. The terms are sexist, problematic, and outdated. Wine is not black or white, male or female, it is endless shades of gray and a rainbow of colors. The masculine-feminine meaning as a wine descriptor relies on tired and grossly inaccurate gender stereotypes.Guys, in the third decade of the 21st century, this is a stupid fight to pick. You run a risk that if you pick this masculine-feminine fight, the woman who is offended could whip your ass. Just sayin’.Tasting notes• Franciscan Estate Chardonnay, California 2022: Clean, vivacious, delicious chardonnay unencumbered by oak or malolactic conversion. Slight sweetness—hugs border between dry and off-dry. Fruit forward with emphasis on freshness rather than complexity. $13-15 Link to my review• Maison Sinnae Chusclan Elements Sol, Côtes du Rhône Villages 2021: Fresh, balanced, vibrant with core of red fruits. Well behaved tannins and balancing acidity make this a fun, easy drinking, uncomplicated, straightforward pleasure. Excellent QPR. $17 Link to my review• Gigondas La Cave Vacqueyras Beaumirail 2022: Elegant with generous, delicious, seductive layers of fruit, especially after some air exposure. Faithful presentation of Gigondas GSM style and terroir. $22-26 Link to my review• Wente Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley, Wetmore Vineyard 2021: Superb, especially attractive QPR pour; drinks like cabs premium Napa-Sonoma cabs. Dark fruit flavors predominate. Decanting reveals structure, depth, length, ameliorates significant tannins. Widely available. $24-35 Link to my reviewLast roundJudging by the price, this wine pairs best with a Swiss bank account where you hide your money or a trust fund your rich grandfather set up for you with money from a Swiss bank account where he hid his money. In any event, if you are pouring, I am drinking. Wine time.This is a reader-supported publication. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber ($5). No matter how you subscribe, I appreciate you reading.Links worth exploringDiary of a Serial Hostess Ins and outs of entertaining; witty anecdotes of life in the stylish lane.As We Eat Multi-platform storytelling explores how food connects, defines, inspires.Dave Mc… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe

After 17 years of communicating to readers as a newspaper wine columnist with a side gig online, the ground shifted, the medium and the stylistic conventions of the message changed.As a newspaper writer, the style leaned toward formality and objectivity, even though a newspaper column is more personal than a formal newspaper story. For instance, in the beginning of the column’s life, when I expressed an opinion not supported by facts or other sources beyond my personal perspective, the convention was to phrase it as “in this wine writer’s opinion.” A bit arch, yes, but it followed the canon of objective news writing.As the column evolved, I became more comfortable with the grammatical first person: use of subject pronouns—I, me, mine, myself, my. By that time, the column had become a discussion with readers rather than a news story about wine. There was more freedom, but there remained awareness that as a newspaper wine columnist, my first job was to inform people about wine. If I entertained them as part of the formula, well and good. But entertainment and personal discourse was value added, not Job One. My primary assignment was to interest people in wine, a product sold by supermarkets and wine-liquor stores advertising in the paper, thus paying for the newspaper and my work.In 2024-2025 there was a sea change in newspaper wine writing. In major publications such as the Washington Post, the Oregonian, the Seattle Times, the Los Angeles Times, and my position as nationally syndicated by Gannett/USA Today in hundreds of smaller newspapers ended. Declining newspaper circulation and resulting budget cuts and declining wine sales were the reasons. It was a cold-water-in-the-face reminder that nothing lasts forever.Fortunately, during the 17-year newspaper run I invested in establishing an online presence. First at my website, which I controlled, and on Facebook, which was easy. Then came Twitter/X, Substack, Linkedin, Bluesky, Apple podcasts, and Vocal. These initially existed as adjuncts to the print work. Today, they are my only platforms.Writing to my online audience is different from writing for a newspaper reader. Online is more intimate and personal. After all, the online audience is engaged with me and my work without distractions of other coverage. The newspaper writing was, in part, to provide editorial content to support advertising. Particularly in the beginning, my column anchored the front page of the “Food Section” of the newspaper, chock full of ads from grocery stores and wine and liquor stores that sold wine.Now my work stands alone. You come to it because you want to be entertained and educated by my content of words and pictures. You made a conscious decision to click on the specific link or open the email. You did not just open a newspaper thrown on your front lawn. The online medium is more intimate. The connection is more a conversation with a friend—in the case of the podcasts, an actual verbal communication. I am comfortable with the new challenges.The change also affects the dynamics of creation. Gone is the tyranny of a 450-word requirement to fill a specific space in a print hole. Gone is the tyranny of a weekly deadline—in my case, I submitted all four or five of a month’s columns together at one time at least a week prior to the first column’s deadline. Frazzled editors loved that, but it meant I wrote weeks ahead of publication.I intend to strive to post every week, but now I can slide if exigencies interrupt or opportunities present for more than once a week. And, beyond columns, there remains my near-daily tasting notes, plus the extra bonus wine time humor material. My trepidation is providing you with too much content.If you have read this far, I thank you for being part of our wine and humor adventure together. The online platform you are reading or listening to is my only communications link. I would appreciate your help in recruiting others who you believe might enjoy or be entertained. Hit the “share” button or mention me in a chat or email. Almost all content is free and signing up is made as easy as possible—as is unsubscribing if things don’t click.I’ll be seeing you on the internet.Tasting notes• Ricardo Santos Bodega y Viñedos Tercos Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina 2022: Amiable, soft-tannin, red fruit expression of Mendoza malbec. No palate challenges, depth, or complexity, but easy choice when you want an affordable, no-drama dram. $14-15 https://www.gusclemensonwine.com/ricardo-santos-bodega-y-vinedos-tercos-malbec-mendoza-argentina-2022/#more-20691• La Mascota Vineyards Unánime Chardonnay, Argentina 2022: Consistently good value that blends Old and New World approaches to chardonnay. Not sharp and angular, also not a buttery fruit bomb, reasonable alcohol (13.5%). $15-22 https://www.gusclemensonwine.com/la-mascota-vineyards-unanime-chardonnay-argentina-2022/#more-20797• Domaine St. Laurent Rosé de Pinot Noir Block One Rouge Valley, Oregon 2023: Delicate, elegant, showcases light red fruits. Versatile, easily can be enjoyed on its own or paired with lighter fare. $25 https://www.gusclemensonwine.com/domaine-st-laurent-rose-de-pinot-noir-block-one-rouge-valley-oregon-2023/#more-20675• Ricci Curbastro Franciacorta Brut NV DOCG: Textbook Franciacorta—balanced, elegant, refreshing, clean. Classic quality from Italy’s premier bottle-fermented wine region. $38-47 https://www.gusclemensonwine.com/ricci-curbastro-franciacorta-brut-nv-docg/#more-20878• Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay, Napa Valley 2021: Delightful celebration of Napa fruit and winery skill by makers that put Napa chardonnay on the world map. Crunchy, full bodied, delicious from a vintage that encouraged ripeness and depth. $45-50 https://www.gusclemensonwine.com/grgich-hills-estate-chardonnay-napa-valley-2021/#more-20853• McGrail Vineyards Graduate Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley 2019: Burly example of dark fruit Livermore Valley cab. Not for everyone, but works for those who crave a take-no-prisoner bold red to pair with hunk of sizzling beef fresh off the grill. $65 https://www.gusclemensonwine.com/mcgrail-vineyards-graduate-cabernet-sauvignon-livermore-valley-2019/#more-20850Last roundA truck loaded with thousands of copies of Roget’s Thesaurus crashed yesterday losing its entire load. Witnesses were stunned, startled, aghast, taken aback, stupefied, confused, shocked, rattled, paralyzed, dazed, bewildered, mixed up, surprised, awed, dumbfounded, nonplussed, flabbergasted, astounded, amazed, confounded, astonished, overwhelmed, horrified, numbed, speechless, perplexed.Wine time.This is a reader-supported publication. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber ($5). No matter how you subscribe, I appreciate you reading.Links worth exploringDiary of a Serial Hostess Ins and outs of entertaining; witty anecdotes of life in the stylish lane.As We Eat Multi-platform storytelling explores how food connects, defines, inspires.Dave McIntyre’s WineLine Longtime Washington Post wine columnist now on Substack. Entertaining, informative.Email: [email protected]: gusclemens.substack.comWebsite: Gus Clemens on Wine websiteFacebook: facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/posts/Twitter (X): @gusclemensBluesky https://bsky.app/profile/gusclemensonwine.bsky.social .Long form wine stories on Vocal: Gus Clemens on VocalApple podcasts https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=apple+podcasts+gus+clemens+apple+p…&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8.Linkedin: Gus Clemens on Wine This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe

This is the weekly columnI get it. Using words to describe what a wine tastes like is like dancing about architecture. But wine writers do it anyway, and wine readers read it anyway.Part of the reason: something is better than nothing. And, to be fair, the typical word salad does convey a rough idea of what to expect when you pull the cork or twist the Stelvin closure. Cherry, raspberry, plum for that bottle of red. Apple, citrus, lemon-lime for that bottle of dry white. The words may alert you about flavors or styles you want to avoid, or flavors or styles you enjoy or want to explore.But I expect another reason people read wine descriptions is the writer’s attempt to be witty, clever, entertaining. Examples:• For a dry, zero residual sugar wine: “So dry it endangers the water level in swimming pools.”• For a tannic red built for aging: “So much structure you may have to pay property taxes.”• For a sauv blanc: “Aromas of gooseberry and honeydew, with a whiff of your neighbor mowing his front lawn.”• For a cool-climate riesling: “The aroma of petrol is a sign of quality, trust me on this. Give it some time to breath and it will be like that diesel truck was never there.”• For sweet dessert wine: “So sweet diabetics best consult their physician before sipping.”• For a low quality, high alcohol wine: “Bottle should be concealed in stained brown paper bag and wine consumed under a highway overpass.”• For over-the-top butter, oak, and alcohol chard: “So big and voluptuous it makes Marilyn Monroe look like the poor little match girl.”• For poor quality merlot: “Gives deep insight into the movie Sideways.”• For extremely refined, expensive Premier Grand Cru Bordeaux: “So elegant and sophisticated it makes Maurice Chevalier look like one of the Three Stooges.”• For delicious riesling: “Creates an unusual yearning to wear lederhosen.”• For over-oaked wine: “Tastes like liquid trees.”• For especially delicious wine: “A foretaste of your experience at the wine bar in heaven.”• For bottom-shelf supermarket wine: “Perfect if you crave the lowest common denominator.”• For low-end boxed wine: “Your credit card will love you at check out. Your head, not so much tomorrow morning.”• For full-bodied red wine: “Easily could compete in a Mr. Universe contest.”• For very high acidity wine: “Enough acidity to clean hard water stains.”• For quality rosé: “Good first date wine, assuming you desire a second date.”Tasting notes• Domaine Bousquet Unoaked Chardonnay, Tupungato Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina 2023: Clean, bright expression of high altitude Argentine chardonnay made by trailblazer in organic, biodynamic, and regenerative agriculture. $13 Link to my review• Château Maris La Touge 2019: Straightforward crowd pleaser; affable tannins and acidity allow ripe, flavorful fruits to lead the silky parade on your palate. Excellent integration of darker fruit elements without intrusion of oak. $20-23 Link to my review• Early Mountain Vineyards Novum, Virginia 2022: Lively, tasty unusual dark fruit blend of Virginia grapes—cab franc, merlot, and tannat. A must-try wine both as a blend you seldom encounter and as an excellent example of a Virginia wine. $60 Link to my review• Aperture Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County 2019: Amazingly approachable with silky tannins and mouthfeel. Rich dark fruit flavors. Round, polished. $70 Link to my reviewLast roundIn the corn (maize) maze, I felt like I was being stalked. It was eerie, but—shucks—I didn’t have a kernel of an idea what to do, so I just played it by ear. Wine time.This is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. No matter how you subscribe, I appreciate you reading.Links worth exploringDiary of a Serial Hostess Ins and outs of entertaining; witty anecdotes of life in the stylish lane.As We Eat Multi-platform storytelling explores how food connects, defines, inspires.Dave McIntyre’s WineLine Longtime Washington Post wine columnist now on Substack. Entertaining, informative.Email: [email protected]: gusclemens.substack.comWebsite: Gus Clemens on Wine websiteFacebook: facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/posts/Twitter (X): @gusclemensBluesky https://bsky.app/profile/gusclemensonwine.bsky.social .Long form wine stories on Vocal: Gus Clemens on VocalApple podcasts https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=apple+podcasts+gus+clemens+apple+p…&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8.Linkedin: Gus Clemens on Wine This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe

This is the weekly columnWhat makes a wine sweet and what makes a wine taste sweet? As you might expect in the convoluted world of wine, the two are not the same. In the wine world, things are not always what they seem.Wine sweetness is determined by “residual sugar” or RS. There are other mechanisms both artificial and natural that give you the sensation of sweetness, but wine’s definition of sweetness focuses on RS.When yeast eats the sugar in grape juice it turns natural sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO2). If the winemaker allows the yeast to eat all the sugar, the alcohol level increases and the RS goes down, in many cases to zero or close to zero. Such wine clearly qualifies as “dry wine.”If the winemaker at some point stops the conversion of sugar into alcohol and CO2, then the wine will have measurable amounts of RS. At higher levels of RS, such wine clearly qualifies as “sweet wine.”The devil, of course, is in the details and the shades of difference between no RS and a lot of RS.Sweet wines are officially classified as having 45 grams or more per liter (g/L) of RS. Basic sweet wines have 45-120 g/L. Dessert wines 75-200+ g/L. Extremely sweet wines such as some pedro ximénez sherries or Tokajis contain 400+ g/L.Most dry wines have 0-4 g/L, but if the wine has high acidity it can have up to 9 g/L—that will get us into the weeds of how we perceive sweetness later in this piece. Some supermarket reds labeled “dry” will have 10 g/L—mass market wineries do not go broke selling sweetened wines.There is a middle ground of “off-dry” and “semi-sweet” wines. Off dry, also known as “medium-dry,” have 4-12 g/L. Medium-sweet has 12-45 g/L. As mentioned, 45 g/L is generally held as the dividing line between sweet and dry.But measures of RS obtained from white-coated wine wonks in test-tube infested laboratories is not how you experience wine sweetness. Oh, no. Mother Nature and physiology have a magician’s hat of tricks to amuse and confuse you. Here are major ones:• Acidity. Acidity is measured two ways: pH (potential Hydrogen) and TA (Titratable Acidity). They are two different measurements. Wine pH is the concentration of free hydrogen ions and indicates the strength of acidity. The pH scale is logarithmic and runs from 0 to 14, with water in the middle at 7. A pH score of less than 7 is acidic, more than 7 is alkaline. Most wines score between 2.8 and 4.2. Takeaway: the lower the pH number, the more the acidic strength.TA measures the quantity of acids. Wines can have identical TA scores but different pH scores depending on buffering compounds, mineral content, and the type of acid (there are six different types in wine, with tartaric, malic, and citric the most noticeable). TA is the key indicator as to how tart or sour a wine will taste. Red wine TA generally ranges from 5.5 to 7 g/L, while white wines range from 6.0 to 8.5 g/L. Takeaway: the higher the TA number, the more tart the wine.When it comes to sweetness, pH and TA influence your perception. Acidity counteracts sweetness. Very sweet wines like port and cherry usually have high acidity which prevents them from tasting cloying or syrupy. On the other hand, lower acidity allows the natural sweetness of wine to come through, resulting in a rounder, softer mouthfeel often described as silky and smooth. Too little acidity creates wines that are “flabby”—dull, heavy, flat—and also emphasizes the perception of alcohol, making the wines taste “hot.”Okay, we mowed our way through the wine acidity weeds, but our trek into the jungle of wine sweetness perception is far from over.• Fruit ripeness. Ripe fruit contains more sugar, which yeast will convert into alcohol and CO2, which makes the wine dry. Yes, dry when RS is measured, but the human body is not a laboratory instrument. Fruit ripening transforms grape flavor from green and herbaceous to citrus and orchard fruits in white wines and red and black fruits in red wines. When grapes reach full phenolic ripeness—which includes tannins, flavonols, and other phenolic compounds—your sense of smell (which very heavily influences your sense of taste) and mouthfeel tell your brain this is sweet even when RS is low. Juicy, ripe fruit wines taste sweet even though they are not sweet, measured by sugar content.• Alcohol. You perceive ethanol—the alcohol in wine—as sweet even though it has no sugar content. High alcohol wines usually mean ripe fruit wines, so the perceptions support each other. High alcohol, ripe fruit wines taste sweet even if there is little or no RS.• Oak. Aging wine in oak can significantly enhance sweetness perception. Oak extracts vanilla, caramel, chocolate, butterscotch, coconut, and other aromatics and flavors strongly associated with sweetness.• Glycerol. A natural byproduct of fermentation, glycerol contributes to wine texture, viscosity, and mouthfeel. Again, signals to your brain that mimic sweetness signals regardless of sugar content.So, truly sweet wine—measured by sugar content—can be perceived as not so sweet when there is high acidity. Truly dry wine—measured by absence of sugar—can be perceived as having sweetness because our sensory perceptions of wine sweetness are influenced by many factors beyond actual sugar content.Human beings are complicated and our perceptions of the world and wine are influenced by a motley mob of influencers. If it were simple, wine would not be so wonderful.Tasting notes• Dr. Konstantin Frank Célèbre Riesling Cremant, Finger Lakes NV: Sparkling riesling is not common wine. Excellent, a great bargain, demonstrates how well the Finger Lakes region is doing with riesling. Fruity, inviting, easy drinking, vivid acidity (2.86 pH). $25 Link to my review• Bodegas Barbadillo La Cilla Pedro Ximenez Jerez-Xérès-Sherry: Unctuous, delicious exaltation of dark, jammy fruits embraced by good, balancing acidity. Sweet, rich, complex, decadent. Made using pedro ximénez grape, known for its rich sweetness, as this effort emphatically demonstrates and celebrates. $30 Link to my review• Concannon Vineyard Mother Vine Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley 2020: Made using foundational California cabernet sauvignon clones from the mother vines. Features elegance over power. Excellent fruit and balance, smooth and easy in the mouth (3.70 pH; 6.7 g/L TA). $55 Link to my reviewLast roundIf a child refuses to sleep at nap time, are they guilty of resisting a rest?Wine time.This is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. No matter how you subscribe, I appreciate you reading.Links worth exploringDiary of a Serial Hostess Ins and outs of entertaining; witty anecdotes of life in the stylish lane.As We Eat Multi-platform storytelling explores how food connects, defines, inspires.Dave McIntyre’s WineLine Longtime Washington Post wine columnist now on Substack. Entertaining, informative.Email: [email protected]: gusclemens.substack.comWebsite: Gus Clemens on Wine websiteFacebook: facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/posts/Twitter (X): @gusclemensBluesky https://bsky.app/profile/gusclemensonwine.bsky.social .Long form wine stories on Vocal: Gus Clemens on VocalApple podcasts https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=apple+podcasts+gus+clemens+apple+p…&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8.Linkedin: Gus Clemens on Wine This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe

This is the weekly columnRevolution and evolution in wine in the 17th and 18th centuries set up the sparkling wine world we enjoy today. Christopher Merret’s experiments in secondary fermentation. Dom Pérignon’s vineyard and winemaking improvements. English breakthroughs in glass making.But that is not the whole story by a long shot. It took a young widow with no business experience, but with more than a healthy dose of grit, determination, innovation, intelligence, and audacity to revolutionize Champagne production, create the product we know today, and establish one of the world’s preeminent luxury brands.Madame ClicquotBarbe-Nicole Ponsardin was born in 1777 and grew up during one of the most turbulent times in French and world history. Her father adroitly navigated the treacherous tides of the French Revolution. The family retained influence, even hosting Napoleon and Josephine at L’Hôtel Ponsardin.In 1798, Barbe-Nicole married François Cliquot, the son of Philippe Clicquot, owner of a successful textile business and vineyards in the Champagne region of France. The marriage consolidated the interests of two wealthy families.Veuve Clicquot vineyardTragedy struck in 1805 when François died at age 30, leaving 27-year-old Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Cliquot a widow with a young daughter, Clémentine. Devastated by his son’s death, Philippe Clicquot moved to liquidate the family wine business. No, announced Barbe-Nicole. She wanted to risk her inheritance to continue making wine in Champagne.Under the new Napoleonic Code that was proclaimed just the year before, a widow possessed legal rights that married women did not: they could own and operate a business. Recognizing her intelligence and determination and the new law’s prerogatives for widows, Philippe acceded to demands of his son’s widow.Madame Clicquot was an innovator from the beginning. In 1810, she created what is considered the world’s first vintage Champagne.Veuve Clicquot Comet Vintage labelIn 1811, she created the 1811 “Comet Vintage,” so named for the Great Comet of 1811. She added a star to her corks and labels to identify the wine.In 1814, amid the chaos of the crumbling Napoleonic Empire, she audaciously shipped 10,550 bottles of the Comet Vintage to Russia, risking bankruptcy and possible imprisonment. The Champagne was such a success, she followed up with a second ship carrying 12,500 bottles.Veuve Clicquot riddlingAround 1816, Madame Clicquot revolutionized Champagne. Sparkling wine faced a problem. It didn’t sparkle. The critical second fermentation left the bottle filled with cloudy sediment from dead yeast cells. According to legend, she had her staff drill holes obliquely into her kitchen table to hold bottles at an angle. This allowed the bottles to be turned to encourage the sediment to gather at the neck of the bottle where the plug of yeast detritus eventually could be removed. The process is known as “riddling.” It revolutionized Champagne making and is still used by Champagne and sparkling wine makers using the méthode champenoise (traditional method) today.In 1818 Madame Clicquot created the first blended rosé Champagne by blending white wine with still red wine—again, the process still used today.Madame Clicquot benefitted from the very high quality of her vineyards. They are the foundation of the Veuve Clicquot operation today. In 2025, Veuve Clicquot owns almost 1,000 acres, one of the largest estates in Champagne. An exceptional 95% of those vineyards are Grands Crus or Premiers Crus; only 25% of the entire Champagne region are so classified. Veuve Clicquot has 12 of the 17 Grands Crus communes and 20 of the 44 Premiers Crus communes. The winery also enjoys the benefit of quintessential chalk caves that provide ideal conditions for aging.Veuve Clicquot chalk cavesMadam Clicquot never remarried, remaining a widow (“veuve” in French). Had she remarried, her business and her achievements would legally transfer to her husband. At the time of her death, at age 89 in 1866, sales of her wine exceeded 750,000 bottles a year, was an international brand, and one of the world’s most prestigious Champagne houses. She certainly had earned her description as the “grande dame of Champagne.”Veuve Clicquot summed up her philosophy of life in a letter to her granddaughter: “The world is in perpetual motion, and we must invent the things of tomorrow. One must go before others, be determined and exacting, and let your intelligence direct your life. Act with audacity.”And so she did. Today Veuve Clicquot is part of the LVMH luxury goods conglomerate. Her image appears on the wire cage—another of her innovations, by the way—covering each bottle. So, too, her moto for her Champagne: “Only one quality, the finest.” Never underestimate what one person can do, especially if they are an audacious female.Veuve Clicquot vineyardThere is a recent movie of Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Cliquot’s life “Widow Clicquot” available through several streaming resources, including Netflix. As with all historical dramatic productions, it must toy with possible truths to create dramatic tension and narrative drive, but it admirably restrains from excess. Worth a watch.Tasting notes• Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Yellow Label Brut Champagne NV: house’s signature wine; consistently delivering freshness, strength, creamy mouthfeel, a symphony of fruit from some of the top vineyards in Champagne. One of the most affordable premium, elite Champagne pours. $45-74 Link to my reviewLast roundHaunted French pancakes give me the crepes. Wine time.This is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. No matter how you subscribe, I appreciate you reading.Links worth exploringDiary of a Serial Hostess Ins and outs of entertaining; witty anecdotes of life in the stylish lane.As We Eat Multi-platform storytelling explores how food connects, defines, inspires.Dave McIntyre’s WineLine Longtime Washington Post wine columnist now on Substack. Entertaining, informative.Email: [email protected]: gusclemens.substack.comWebsite: Gus Clemens on Wine websiteFacebook: facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/posts/Twitter (X): @gusclemensBluesky https://bsky.app/profile/gusclemensonwine.bsky.social .Long form wine stories on Vocal: Gus Clemens on VocalApple podcasts https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=apple+podcasts+gus+clemens+apple+p…&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8.Linkedin: Gus Clemens on Wine This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe

This is the weekly columnWine has been evolving for at least 8,000 years, and so it goes in the world of sparkling wine.First, the basics. Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon invented sparkling wine, exclaiming: “Come quickly, I am tasting the stars?” Nice story, certainly not true. The earliest reference to the Dom Pérignon quote occurred two centuries after the monk’s death.In truth, during Dom Pérignon’s lifetime bubbles were considered a dangerous flaw. The bubbles naturally occurred when cold weather stopped fermentation in the bottle at the onset of winter. Come spring, fermentation resumed and too often caused glass bottles to explode. Dom Pérignon worked to suppress refermentation, not to encourage it.Photo by Victor GrigasWhile he certainly did not invent Champagne, Dom Pérignon clearly was a wine pioneer. He introduced strict grape selection and early-morning harvesting to preserve freshness. He blended different vineyards parcels before pressing to improve balance. He produced a clearer, lighter wine from black pinot noir—“blanc de noirs”—a step toward modern Champagne style. He championed cork closures over wood and rags.Méthode champenoise, however, was invented by English chemist Christopher Merret. In a paper published by the Royal Society six years before Dom Pérignon arrived at the abbey to work on wine, Merret described adding sugar—today’s dosage—before bottling to create sparkling wine. Trouble was, bottles exploded.Fortunately, the English were responsible for another key Champagne breakthrough: sturdy glass bottles. In the 1600s, King James I (he of English language Bible fame) banned the use of wood for making glass because he needed timber to wage war with his navy. Glass makers turned to coal—England had plenty of that resource—which produced much higher temperatures. Clever glassmakers soon developed ways to make much stronger glass bottles—three to four times as strong as previous wood-fired methods.Stronger bottles prevented the explosions that occurred with secondary fermentation. The pressure inside a Champagne/sparkling wine bottle is 70-90 psi. By comparison, the pressure inside the tire of your family car is 28-36 psi.The glass bottle breakthrough allowed winemakers to continue secondary fermentation experiments. Both the English and French recognized stronger glass bottles meant a new way to store and ship wine. Before the sturdy bottles, most wine was sold in barrels to be tapped in wine stores, similar to filling your growler at a beer brewery. In an additional fillip, the English also rediscovered the use of cork stoppers imported from Portugal.The revolution in glass engendered rapid developments in wine. Sparkling wine was possible. Individual bottles—sparkling or still—could be shipped distances because bottles and corks prevented oxidation and the spoilage of wine. Wines turns to vinegar with oxygen exposure because the acetic acid bacteria that causes the transformation, cannot survive without oxygen. The wine world we know today was born.The 1700s were an era of revolutions and dramatic change among nations of the world and the world of wine. Winemakers digested and incorporated the new tools and techniques the era presented. This set the stage at the dawn of the 19th century for a 27-year-old widow who inherited her husband’s wine business and was not about to step aside and defer to men. She proceeded to accomplish the sparkling revolution mistakingly attributed to Dom Pérignon. That story next week.Last roundTwo men meet on opposite sides of a river. One shouts: “I need you to help me get to the other side.”Second man shouts back: “ You already are on the other side.”Wine time.Gus Clemens on Wine is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. No matter how you subscribe, I appreciate you reading.Links worth exploringDiary of a Serial Hostess Ins and outs of entertaining; witty anecdotes of life in the stylish lane.As We Eat Multi-platform storytelling explores how food connects, defines, inspires.Dave McIntyre’s WineLine Longtime Washington Post wine columnist now on Substack. Entertaining, informative.Email: [email protected]: gusclemens.substack.comWebsite: Gus Clemens on Wine websiteFacebook: facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/posts/Twitter (X): @gusclemensBluesky https://bsky.app/profile/gusclemensonwine.bsky.social .Long form wine stories on Vocal: Gus Clemens on VocalApple podcasts https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=apple+podcasts+gus+clemens+apple+p…&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8.Linkedin: Gus Clemens on Wine This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe