Zürich Wine Academy
Zürich Wine Academy
Providing engaging, fun and enriching Wine Education, Wine Experiences, and Wine Travel for everyone????????????????
NEWSLETTER - 12 January 2024
Hello Wine Lovers,
The Zürich Wine Academy team wishes you all a 2024 full of joy, health, success, and most importantly… exciting wine experiences and people to share them with!? In our first edition of 2024, we wanted to share tips on how to navigate Dry January as a wine Lover and also some cool facts about orange wine.??
Enjoy,
The Zürich Wine Academy Team
Tip of the Week: Navigating Dry-January as a Wine Lover
By Sophia Wu
Beyond Dry January: Finding Balance with Wine
After the holiday season, some of us seek to ground ourselves in old or new routines that help us stay healthy. This desire has sparked many new trends, like New Year’s detox, Veganary, or Dry January, but as a wine lover, swearing off the grape altogether feels daunting. Instead, let's explore alternative paths to a balanced relationship with wine, one that enriches our lives without dominating them and that also, is more realistic ;)
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Moderation can make wine an ally of healthy aging
Dan Buettner's Blue Zones research, featured in Netflix "Living to 100," revealed a fascinating truth: moderate wine consumption is a common thread in communities with exceptional longevity. But the secret isn't just the wine itself, it's the context. Think small, local, organic sips enjoyed within a framework of whole-plant-based diets, strong social connections, and mindful enjoyment. In these communities, wine enhances these pillars, not replaces them.
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Embracing Mindful Moderation
While acknowledging the benefits of a temporary break, we don't have to embrace Dry January's all-or-nothing approach. Instead, let's focus on mindful moderation and exploration.
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Tips for Finding Your Perfect Pour:
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Dry January may offer a temporary reset, but for true wine lovers, it's merely a pause in a lifelong story. Wine is not a quick fix for psychological needs, nor is it just a beverage. It is an art form, a window into history and culture, a dance of taste buds with food, and a link that connects us to shared experiences. In the glass, we discover the gifts of the earth, the skill of the winemaker, and the stories of the people who gather around it. It is not a medium of escapism, but a medium of engagement - a way to savor the richness of life and make connections that deepen with each sip.
The Spotlight: A World Beyond Fresh and Acidic: My Journey into Orange and Qvevri Wines
By Sophia WU
My exploration of the wine world took a fascinating turn last year when I delved deeper? into the captivating realm of orange and in particular Qvevri white wines. These uniquely styled wines shattered my preconceived notions of light, summer whites, and with their bold layers of complexity that left me hungry for more.
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Unlike classic whites, orange wines embark on a unique journey. Winemakers extend their skin and seed contact during fermentation, from hours to days, resulting in richer aromas and enhancing aging potential. This dance with skin can happen in barrels, tanks, ceramic eggs, or even amphorae, but Georgian wine takes it to another level. Undergoing 5-6 months of skin contact in Qvevri, which makes the wine even darker. Most of these wines are called amber wines.
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My initial encounter with this Georgian amber wine at Wine Paris was a revelation. Despite struggling to pronounce Georgian local grape varietals, the explosion of flavors blew me away. Juicy stone fruit met delicate floral notes, citrus peel, savory roasted almonds, walnut, meaty, dried fruit danced with grassy herbal nuances and spice, and a firm, sometimes assertive, tannic grip provided delightful structure. These wines craved food; creamy chicken, cured meats and aged cheeses, all became irresistible companions.
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On November 14th, I embarked on a deeper dive with sommelier Zviad Arabidze at Geohaus' Expovina Masterclass. We journeyed through 8,000 years of Georgian winemaking history, delving into the art of crafting Qvevri wines. These earthenware vessels, handcrafted and buried underground, embody ancestral wisdom and meticulous care. Though Qvevri wines constitute only 10% of Georgia's total production, their cultural significance is immense, earning them a coveted spot on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013.
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When mentioning clay pots, we might directly link with amphora, although I haven't had the opportunity to compare the two side-by-side of the wine yet. Avondale estate is making Qvevri red in Rh?ne style and Qvevri Chenin Blanc. As the proprietor of Avondale wine estate, Johnathan Grieve has a clear comparison about these two vessels.
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Both amphora and Qvevri offer unique micro-oxygenation environments that influence the final wine. Amphorae, crafted from finer clay and fired at a higher temperature, possess a smoother surface and allow slower oxygen exchange. This translates to wines that retain bright fruit and minerality. Qvevri, on the other hand, are kiln-fired at a lower temperature, making them slightly porous. Coated with beeswax and nestled underground, they offer a touch of earthiness alongside the vibrant fruit character.
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If you're getting thirsty reading this and are looking for a chance to try some Georgian wines, I suggest Geohaus, which has a full range of Georgian wines. The Mildiani Qvevri Bouquet Rkatsiteli 2016, which I tried at a recent Expovina Masterclass, impressed me with its round, oily body and white flowery nose, followed by flavors of roasted nuts, dried apricots and some spice.?
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I’m curious to learn what you think about orange wines and, in particular, if you can recommend another interesting Qvevri wine, tag us on instagram with a photo of the bottle.
Recently at ZWA:
Wine 101
Last week we hosted our first class of 2024. It was a full session with 12 students learning about wine tasting 101. We enjoyed 2 whites, 2 roses and 2 red wines, all of them staples in our wine curriculum for those starting connoisseurs. Check some pictures in our instagram feed.?
Upcoming Events and Classes:
Our next MasterClass on Bordeaux classification and our very first Community Day are sold out!?
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Don’t you worry, we still have some spots available for our Burgundy Tasting Experience Featuring Chateau Pommard and we added more MasterClasses to our calendar, check them out!
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On the certifications front, we are ultra-excited to host our very first WSET Level 1 on January 16th! Check out our other courses here.
And with this, we conclude our very first newsletter of 2024.?
We hope you enjoyed it, until the next bottle!?
The Zürich Wine Academy team ??