Wine

Quady Winery celebrates 50 years of the road less travelled

Andrew Quady is an innovator, risk taker, and pioneer of California’s sweet and aperitif wines, known for varietals including the Electra Moscato and Vya Vermouth. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a generation of winemakers, mostly in California, transformed the American wine industry, emphasizing quality, terroir, and individual expression. James Conaway, in “Napa: The Story of an American Eden,” called these men and women the “Second Wave” of American winemaking. Looking back, we can also call them our “greatest generation,” in recognition of the risks they took and the accomplishments they made. Most of the recognition of these winegrowers has centered on Northern California, but the movement existed throughout the entire American wine industry, with important pioneering wineries in Oregon, Washington and throughout the entire state of California. Today, most of these groundbreakers have retired, sold their businesses or have been unable to sustain their wineries through the many difficult cycles of the industry. Andrew (Andy) Quady is one of the last remaining members of this generation still active in the industry. Graduating from U.C. Davis with a master’s in enology in 1973, he became a winemaker that same year, beginning in Lodi and later moving to Madera. However, unlike his fellow graduates, who ended up making notable cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, and pinot noir, Andy forged a different path. He took advantage of opportunities as he saw them and focused on wines that would be the very best versions of what he could make in the region where he was, no matter how popular they may have been at the time. It was at Davis that Andy met Darrell Corti. Darrell, owner of Corti Brothers stores in Sacramento, was a benefactor of many young winemakers in the Second Wave. He encouraged the movement by purchasing their wines and promoting them […]

The top four most valuable brands in the wine and champagne sector are all owned by LVMH

Moët & Chandon is the most valuable wine & champagne brand, valued at $1.4 billion Changyu’s brand strength falls despite top scores for familiarity and consideration in China LVMH owns all of the top four most valuable wine and champagne brands in 2024, according to a new report from Brand Finance, the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. Moët & Chandon (brand value up 9% to USD1.4 billion) retained its position in the top spot, while Chandon (brand value down 1% to USD1 billion), Veuve Clicquot (brand value up 2% to USD959.2 million), and Dom Pérignon (brand value up 7% to USD799.8 million) all rose one ranking, making up the top four. China’s Changyu, last year’s second most valuable brand, dropped into fifth position following a 33% brand value decrease to USD706.8 million. Despite a 1.8-point drop to a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 81.5 out of 100, Changyu still holds the highest BSI score among wine and champagne brands. Brand Finance’s research, focused on Changyu’s primary market in China, found it excelled in familiarity and consideration. However, the research also revealed a decline in stakeholders’ perceptions of Changyu’s price premium, likely due to an influx of competing wine brands in China. Henry Farr, Director, Brand Finance commented: “The wine industry is experiencing a significant transformation as both producers and consumers become more environmentally conscious. Brand Finance’s research reveals that sustainability now drives a substantial 11% of customer consideration in the sector. Companies adopting practices like reducing pesticide use, recycling water, and ensuring fair treatment for vineyard workers are becoming increasingly appealing to consumers. “Consequently, many producers are revamping their practices to better protect the environment and safeguard their vines against climate extremes. Transparent communication of these efforts is likely to be a crucial component to earning consumer trust, preference, […]

When Garden Meets Grapes: Elevating Vegetable Dishes with Perfect Wine Pairings

Melding the varied flavors of vegetable-focused cuisine with the nuanced profiles of fine—and even budget—wines can transform a simple meal into an extraordinary dining experience. From the earthy undertones of roasted vegetables to the vibrant zest of fresh herbs, each vegetable dish holds a unique flavor profile that, when paired with the right wine, can be elevated via enhancing flavors and overall meal complexity. The art of wine pairing, once thought to be reserved for meat and seafood dishes, has evolved to embrace vegetable-forward cuisine. Understanding how to pair wine with vegetarian dishes is an art that can elevate your dining experience to new heights. Here, we delve into the nuances of wine pairing with vegetarian food, considering ingredients, cooking methods, and seasoning. Whether you are hosting a dinner party or enjoying a quiet meal at home, these tips and examples will help you choose the perfect wine to complement your vegetarian dishes. Understanding the Ingredients Vegetarian dishes often feature a variety of vegetables, grains, legumes, and plant-based proteins. Each ingredient brings its own flavor profile, from the earthy tones of mushrooms to the sweetness of roasted bell peppers. When pairing wine, consider the dominant flavors of the dish. For instance: Mushrooms: Earthy and umami-rich mushrooms pair well with Pinot Noir or Chardonnay. For example, mushroom risotto’s creamy texture and deep umami flavors of a well-made mushroom risotto are beautifully complemented by a Pinot Noir, whose earthy undertones enhance the dish’s richness. Tomatoes: The acidity and sweetness of tomatoes complement well with Sauvignon Blanc or Chianti. The savory and slightly tangy tomato sauce used in eggplant parmesan pairs excellently with Chianti. Its bright acidity and red fruit flavors balance the dish’s robust flavors. Greens: Leafy greens like spinach and kale, with their slight bitterness, match nicely with crisp whites like Pinot Grigio […]

Marketing solution enables Kiwi wineries to sell to international consumers

From September, Wine Collective Direct, a global marketplace where New Zealand wine producers have their own e-cellar door, is adding a Digital Success Programme to its offering. The Wine Collective Direct (WCD) team know that international digital wine marketing can be daunting and so has created a collaborative digital marketing solution to help local winegrowers better market their craft wine to the world. “We’re absolutely thrilled to see producers experiencing high-value direct sales on the platform since launching in May this year. It’s evident that the producers who are making early sales (averaging $606.59 NZD per case and $52.57 per bottle) are proactively promoting their international e-cellar doors across their own digital channels,” says Ryann Calder, Manager of Producer Growth at Wine Collective Direct. “However, it’s highlighted to us that a large majority of wineries find driving international sales and promotions online a challenge.” The Digital Success Programme (DSP) solves the problem of many local wine producers not having the tools, time, or financial resources to reach international consumers via effective digital marketing methods. In 2019, NZ Winegrowers reported that 776, 599 international wine tourists visited New Zealand and spent $3.26 billion. It’s no secret that wine tourism is the lifeblood of many local vineyards, but with borders closed there are no international visitors at the cellar door. Wine Collective Direct recognises that digital promotion online is the most effective means of connecting with international customers in this current climate. “Different to the fast-moving commodity wine category, the craft wine category is characterised by consumers actively looking to connect at a personal level with the actual producer. Despite the decline in international tourists, overseas consumers haven’t lost their passion to discover the premium wines of Aotearoa,” says Calder. The Digital Success Programme harnesses the aggregate power of 100,000+ detailed data […]

DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand welcome sector-wide vision

DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand welcomes the launch of a shared sector-wide vision to be world leaders in the sustainable production of high-quality food and fibre. “We are supportive of the Primary Sector Council’s broad vision of having a coordinated approach across sectors and Government that will help us develop our international brand and deliver more value for farmers,” Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Chair Andrew Morrison said. “New Zealand farmers are constantly having to adapt to shifting consumer demands in order to compete internationally and achieve a premium in the global marketplace. Increasingly consumers are asking for assurances that the product is both sustainably and ethically produced. “We believe that our farmers are already world leaders when it comes to the production of high-quality, pasture-based products with a low environmental impact – but that doesn’t mean we can get complacent. We are always striving to improve” DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel added. “Sustainable farming has a critical role to play in New Zealand’s future prosperity and wellbeing. If we all work together to embrace change, adapt and thrive, Kiwi farmers have a bright future ahead. The Primary Sector Council’s vision – Fit for a Better World – aligns with work that is already underway from both DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand in the form of both Dairy Tomorrow and Taste Pure Nature. Dairy Tomorrow is our dairy sector strategy to ensure dairy farming is sustainable and profitable into the future. It includes six key commitments: • We will protect and nurture the environment for future generations; • We will build the world’s most competitive and resilient dairy farming businesses; • We will produce the highest quality and most valued dairy nutrition; • We will be world leading in on-farm animal care; • We will […]

Artificial Intelligence to help wine profits flow

Artificial Intelligence has been making waves in many industries and is increasingly affecting life as we know it. Now the New Zealand wine sector is getting in on the act, with Lincoln Agritech Ltd developing a computerised system to make early-season predictions on the grape yield a vineyard is likely to harvest. “Grape growers and wineries spend a lot of money trying to predict their grape yield each year,” says Lincoln Agritech Optics and Image Processing Team Leader Jaco Fourie. “This currently involves hiring a large number of workers to manually sample grape bunches.” Lincoln Agritech is working on creating a more convenient system that uses electronic sensors to accurately count grapes. “The sensors will capture and analyse grape bunches within individual rows, and assess the number, sizes and distribution of grape bunches,” says Dr Fourie. “We’ll then feed this data into computer algorithms, which have been designed by the University of Canterbury, to predict grape yield at harvest time.” New data will be added to the system each year, leading to continuous improvements in the model’s accuracy, with the system’s predictive power improving over time as more data is gathered under different conditions. Dr Fourie says profitable wine production depends on early knowledge of the grape yield that is likely to be harvested each season. “Estimating the yield as soon as possible allows marketers to know how much wine will end up being produced.” The main focus of grape varieties for the study is Sauvignon Blanc, after which the team will identify how much technology development will be needed for Pinot Noir. The project is funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and NZ Winegrowers. Collaborating partners include Plant and Food Research, Lincoln University, the University of Canterbury, CSIRO (Adelaide), NZ Winegrowers and local winegrowers […]

Minerality mysteries remain

Ongoing wine research by Dr Wendy Parr of Lincoln University indicates that while minerality is not a figment of tasters’ sensorial imagination, the source of the perception remains a mystery, and the description should be used with caution in formal wine tasting and judging situations. ‘Minerality’ is used by wine professionals to describe the character of certain wines, with vague references made to wet stones, crushed rock and soil. Regarded variously as a taste, a smell, a trigeminal (mouth-feel) sensation, or all three, until now there’s been little agreement on what is actually meant by this common but enigmatic term, or whether it even exists. Intrigued by the lack of scientific knowledge and the plethora of anecdotal evidence around minerality, Dr Parr collaborated with scientists in France and at Plant and Food Research in New Zealand to investigate what the concept means in Sauvignon Blanc wines, and whether there are cultural differences in perceptions of minerality. Wine professionals from France and New Zealand experienced in the production and tasting of Sauvignon Blanc participated in two sensory studies carried out over two sessions, with wine samples served blind in opaque, standardised glasses in unique order for each participant. Participants evaluated the wines by palate (taste and mouth-feel) alone, smell alone and both palate and smell together. Minerality was perceived by both groups in all cases, and was consistently associated with several wine characteristics, for example citrus. There were more similarities in perception between the groups than differences, implying that wine professionals in France and New Zealand share a mental construct of the concept ‘mineral’, as experienced in Sauvignon Blanc wines. “The concept of minerality in wine is undoubtedly real,” Dr Parr says, “but the source of the perception is still unclear.” It has been variously attributed to acidity, sulphide reduction, and […]