World wine output falls to 60-year low!

So THAT's why prices are shooting up! (Maybe).

Read the article here. It's about the lousy weather across Europe last year. So it should be only a passing blip in the long history of wine. I hope. If the weather can be closer to normal, this year.

Speaking of, I attach the annual photo of one of the Epona vines' budding out (this one is Jupiter). I love how a grape vine can show you the four seasons, just about as well as anything else can...

Dissing on some Brunellos

Twice lately I've been disappointed in some very expensive, well-aged Brunellos. I want the winemakers to remember that the grape is a FRUIT and that wine should therefore taste like FRUIT. Not some overly-acidic, vaguely black-tasting fluid that leaves a sour aftertaste. Not for that kind of money.

Here's to hoping the "classic" style of Brunello goes away very quickly, and that the "modern" wing of the Brunellomakers wins this war. Or, better yet, let's see some US winemakers make some nice, balanced, fruity Sangio. Please?

And you think YOU have problems?

Check out this article, with a video of kangaroos happily destroying Pinot Noir grapevines in Australia. $80,000 damage, and no grapes that year even if the vines survive.

Dissing on Washington Sangiovese? The Goldilocks Syndrome

I want to believe. I want to believe in Washington Sangio. I love K Vintners' wines generally, but their Guido Sangiovese is too dark in flavor for me. And tonight, we suffered through a Five Star Sangio (and I love their wines), but this one sported flavors that were way, way too dark. The acidity was great but the flavors, instead of the proper cherry notes of an Italian Sangio, were deep into dark purple fruit territory. And the wine was a bit hot at over 14% alcohol. It just doesn't work with Italian fare. And yet, many Italian Sangios are so lean, so austere, that yes even with their cherry fruit that don't marry well with Italian food either. Who wants to bathe in burning acid?

What I think we need is a WA Sangio that is grown in a cooler spot and still has the red fruits we expect. Can any of you suggest one? Or we can drink Brunellos (and Rosso di Montalcinos), which are grown in the warmest part of Tuscany (from the Sangiovese "Grosso" clone), and at their best those are just right.

Small wineries are seeing a good increase in sales of their premium wines

This is encouraging news. Small wineries are seeing good growth in sales of their premium wines.

Epona Winery is certainly a small winery, and is also seeing good sales growth of the Epona brand. We sold out of 2016 Cayuga and 2016 Muscat Rose, but there are still some Blackberry Pourts (375ml), and we just bottled a GREAT and very unique wine that brings to mind lying on a sunny tropical beach: It has strong notes of toasted coconut, butterscotch, lime, and coconut oil (as in old-style suntan lotion). Wow! And soon to be bottled are the 2017 Muscat Rose and 2017 Cayuga. The 2016 Leon Millot (big red style) is resting, as it is so great after an extra year of aging.

Thanks, Friends, for your support!

Kenton
(pictured are Epona's Monastery Muscat grapes)

Robot leaves! Way cool!

My Engineering school (Vanderbilt) has developed a solar cell using "biohybrid" technology--blackberry juice and spinach leaves! It's like robotic leaves--making artificial photosynthesis. Pretty cool. Here's the story.

Growth in wine demand is slowing as Boomers age:

Silicon Valley Bank released its State of Wine Industry report. Highlights:

1. Growth in "premium" wines (wines costing more than $10--that shows you how far up in the wine price curve you are!) is slowing dramatically, probably due to the movement of Boomers away from wines (as they develop age-related health issues, and/or die), and the relatively higher support among Millennials for hard liquor, with less demand for wine. Also, many Boomers who still drink a lot of wine are transitioning to slightly less-expensive wines, as they begin to adjust to a retired life on a fixed income.

2. Ultra-high-priced wines will have difficulty raising prices.

3. Most wine consumers are still moving up in the price curve, but this is predominantly moving up out of the $4-$7 price range, to prices barely higher than that.

Here's the article.

(photo credit to google.com; pictured are some hyper-expensive wines)