​"Amo sobre una mesa/cuando se habla/la luz de una botella/de inteligente vino" escribió Pablo Neruda.

​Aprender sobre el vino implica un proceso interminable: siempre hay más que aprender sobre diferentes regiones, estilos de vino y variedades de uva. Tanto los amantes del vino como los profesionales del vino deben continuar por el camino del aprendizaje.

Sin embargo, los estudios de vino pueden costar bastante. Los cursos de certificación de sommelier o negocios de vinos pueden costar miles y decenas de miles de dólares. A menudo, también, tomar un curso presencial para mantenerse al día y ampliar su conocimiento del vino es imposible dadas las apretadas agendas de las personas.

Afortunadamente, el número de cursos de vino en línea gratuitos ha crecido en los últimos años. Muchas agencias regionales o nacionales de promoción del vino o consejos reguladores europeos han desarrollado programas en profundidad. La gran mayoría ofrece clases en línea asincrónicas, lo que significa que puede estudiar a su propio ritmo, en su propio horario. También hay algunos cursos de vino en línea relativamente baratos en español de  educadores de vino o escuelas privadas de vino.

Otros cursos están disponibles para aquellos en el comercio del vino de forma gratuita después de pasar por un proceso de solicitud; de lo contrario, tienen tarifas. Así ocurre, por ejemplo, con el programa Spanish Wine Specialist de la agencia comercial española ICEX, o las nuevas certificaciones de vino del California Wine Institute, que pronto estarán disponibles en español.

¿Cuáles son los cursos gratuitos y económicos disponibles en línea?

Aquí, presento programas gratuitos de estudios de vino en línea , así como algunos que cuestan $ 200 dólares estadounidenses o menos. Los criterios de inclusión incluyen el uso de una plataforma formal de aprendizaje en línea (es decir, no solo una serie de videos de YouTube), la necesidad de registro, algún tipo de estructura para revisar o probar el material estudiado y la posibilidad de recibir un certificado o prueba de finalización del curso. 

He clasificado los programas en clases generales e introductorias , así como clases regionales y nacionales.

La Academia Mario Braga
El argentino Mario Braga es unexperimentado sommelier que recientemente fue nombrado por The International Wine And Spirit Competition (IWSC) entre los comunicadores de vino más influyentes del mundo.  Ha viajado alrededor de 65 países. Él dice, he "desarrollando una mirada global de la industria vitivinícola que hoy comparto orgulloso con la comunidad de bebedores seriales más grande de habla hispana. "
Sitio web: https://marianobraga.com/academia/

La Academia ofrece siete cursos en línea que cuestan entre $ 55 y $ 250.
•    Taller virtual de cata de vinos
•    Curso online de formación profesional para dueños de vinotecas
•    Aprender a comprar vino
•    Vinos Argentinos
•    ABC del maridaje
•    Sin contracturas: programa más completo para quienes se están iniciando en el mundo del vino
•    InstaWine: dominar de una vez por todas la red social que digita la comunicación del vino
Estos son completamente en línea, asíncronos, con un certificado emitido al completarse con éxito.

Academia del Vino de Rioja
¡Gana el Diploma del Vino de Rioja!  El consejo regulador de Rioja ha elaborado un curso exigente para introducir y adquirir experiencia en toda la gama de vinos de Rioja. Aquítambién hay opciones para especializarse en los campos de Comercio y Distribución o Turismo.  Hay otro curso llamado Rioja 4 estaciones a disposición de los antiguos alumnos del curso de Diploma. 
Sitio web: https://riojawineacademy.com/es/home

Society of Wine Educators
La Sociedad bien considerada y establecida desde hace mucho tiempo ahora ofrece su calificación HBSC en español: Certificado de Especialista en Bebidas. Este es un curso introductorio sobre el vino, pero también incluye otras bebidas como sake e incluso café. La clase está diseñada para estudiantes y profesionales en el campo de la hospitalidad y la gastronomía, así como para aquellos quienes planean obtener niveles más altos de certificación en vinos, cervezas o licores. El HBSC provee una amplia base de conocimiento de producto en las bebidas comerciales más relevantes.  El costo es de $99.
Sitio web: https://societyofwineeducators.org/education-certifications/certificado-de-especialista-en-bebidas/

Cava Academy
La Cava Academy es una iniciativa del consejo regulador de la DO Cava. Ofrece un programa de estudio en línea de Formador en Cava, así como una certificación Cava Expert que implica escribir una tesis de investigación sobre un tema específico. La tesis es revisada por un comité de expertos. También hay algunas oportunidades de capacitación en persona. Los estudiantes deben solicitar la admisión al curso de Formador de Cava. 
Sitio web: https://cavaacademy.com/es/presentation/

Gobierno de Aragón
Realiza múltiples cursos para obtener el Diploma de Experto en Vinos de Aragón por el Gobierno de Aragón. Estediploma consiste en múltiples clases en cada región vinícola que se encuentra en Aragón; es especialmente bueno para los amantes de la garnacha, ¡pero también incluye el Cava, vino espumoso! 
Sitio web: https://www.aragonwineexpert.com/pagina-ejemplo/diploma-experto-en-vinos-de-aragon/

Comité Interprofesional del Vino de Champagne
- La clase MOOC del Comité de Champagne investiga todos los aspectos del Champagne, desde los requisitos legales hasta los métodos de producción, con actualizaciones periódicas incluso después de terminar el curso; Hay un cargo si desea un certificado.  El MOOC del Champagne se compone de muchos vídeos y está disponible en francés e inglés, con subtítulos en otros 7 idiomas.
Sitio web: https://www.champagne.fr/es/la-revista-champagne/mooc-del-champagne-conviertase-en-un-experto-del-champagne

Aula de Jerez
•    Curso Básico de la DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry y Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda de la Academy de Jerez – Aula de Jerez: Este curso proporciona una introducción a los estilos de Jerez, la historia, la producción y las leyes reguladoras actuales.
•    Curso Avanzado de la DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry y Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda de la Academy de Jerez – Aula de Jerez: Después del Curso Básico, aprenderás más sobre los detalles de la producción de Jerez y el terruño, incluyendo aprender a distinguir Finos de Cream Sherries, y Amontillados de Olorosos.
•    Curso de Enoturismo del Marco de Jerez: Curso destinado a profesionales y futuros profesionales del turismo que quieran orientar o ampliar sus conocimientos hacia el terreno del turismo del vino en general y, más concretamente, adquirir una formación que les permita conocer y explotar los recursos enoturísticos del Marco de Jerez.
Sitio web: https://www.sherryacademy.org/es/home

Formate Sommeliers
Afiliado a la conocida Escuela Argentina de Sommeliers, Formate ofrece varios programas asincrónicos en línea en español, con dos clases para personas que aspiran a ser sumilleres, incluido el Programa Integral en Sommellerie, que dura hasta 180 días e incluye dos clases de degustación guiadas a través de Zoom.  Cuesta $ 720, pero se puede comprar en etapas a partir de $ 290.  Otros cursos cortos a partir de $ 35 incluyen:
•    Argentina, país productor
•    Introducción al Vino y a la Degustación
•    Vino del Viejo Mundo I: Francia
•    Vino del Viejo Mundo II: España, Portugal, Italia, Alemania y Austria
•    Vino del Nuevo Mundo 
•    Vinos Dulces y Cervezas
Sitio web: https://formatesommeliers.com

Próximas programas de educación sobre el vino 
Los nuevos programas de educación sobre el vino en español están en constante evolución. Aquí hay dos que vale la pena vigilar:
•    Capstone del California Wine Institute: Obtenga experiencia en vinos de California con estos múltiples niveles de certificación. Una versión en español parece estar en proceso. Sitio web: https://www.capstonemexico.com
•    Second Winery: Esta nueva empresa ofrecerá una certificación de vino a través de experiencias inmersivas en 3D de bodegas y viñedos de todo el mundo. El camino de aprendizaje implica completar diferentes tareas vitivinícolas, y aquellos con una configuración de realidad virtual pueden participar. Actualmente en inglés, Second Winery tendrá una versión en español, que incluye inteligencia artificial interactiva.  Sitio web: https://www.secondwinery.com

Para obtener una guía completa de los programas de educación sobre el vino en todo el mundo, lea mi libro Leary's Global Wineology.

Last July, I went on a search for a high quality universal wine glass. After considering various options, I narrowed it down to three choices based on quality and budget. I wrote:

​I cannot resist trying THE ONE red wine glasses from Andrea Robinson. German crystal, professionally designed, holding 19 ½ ounces, and only $13.50 per stem is hard to beat. But I will order four and see how they perform with different wines. 
 
My personal choice for a practical, affordable, and elegant universal wine glass? The Zwiesel Forte collection Burgundy/Light Red and White Wine glass. I would prefer a glass holding more than 14 ounces (full capacity), but I like the practical design, price, and elegant look. They will be great for wine tastings. That said, I’m also order a set from the Gigi line, as a runner-up, but not the red glass. I prefer the Gigi white wine glass height and its enhanced swirling capacity, with a generous enough capacity of almost 18 ounces. I also favor Zwiesel’s strong and longstanding eco-friendly commitments.

All three arrived in Panama via Miami without any breakage or damage.  I have tried all three for months in ordinary use. 

Breakage
All three were always hand washed. One of the Forte glasses broke, but only recently. It slipped out of my hand, falling a few inches onto a tile floor, and that was it. I lost two Gigi glasses, but the second time was attributable to uncareful placement in a crowded sink by a third party; the same happened to one of THE ONE glasses. 

Overall, all three are sturdy glasses, though I believe the wider bowl and caved design on the Forte glass makes for somewhat clumsier handling (yes, that's if you're picking it up by the bowl and not the stem). 

The Assessment
Although prior to actually using these three glasses, my first choice was the Zwiesel Forte, it turned out to be my least favorite. It has a wide bowl, but the shortest stem among the three. It also looks too much like a restaurant wine glass for my use at home. On the positive side, it cleans up easily and has a wide opening. The bowl is big and broad. It's relatively light, but strong. On the negative side, there is an almost imperceptible seam on the stem. It's too short to be elegant. Wine tends to spot on the bowl. It may be too big overall for a universal glass. 

I love the Gigi, which was designed for white wine but serves perfectly well for rose, white, and sparkling as well. It's strong and cleans easily. The stem is long and the design angular and modern. It's the tallest of the three. The opening is just barely wider than that on THE ONE. The Gigi cleans up very easily, though it seems like the heaviest of the three but just barely. There is, like the Forte, an almost imperceptible seam on the stem (though for some glasses it almost disappears). I don't worry as much about breaking the Gigi in washing or handling. The design makes swirling wine a cinch even though the bowl is narrow. 

THE ONE is impressive. This a a true crystal wine glass with no seams. The pulled stem is longer than the Forte but shorter than the Gigi. It has a more modern design, blending angles and curves, but without being as brash as the Gigi. The opening is the smallest of the three, very slightly smaller than the Gigi. The base is the widest among the three, adding stability. Wine never spots on the bowl. Although designed as a red wine glass, it serves well for rose and white wines, slightly less so for sparkling. Before trying it, I thought it would be more delicate than it is. Overall it has an adaptable, elegant design without being traditional like the Forte or very new-fashioned like the Gigi. One downside is that it can be hard to clean the bottom of the bowl (just don't let red wine sit in the glass for too long). 

The Winner
My choice for a serious wine glass is THE ONE from sommelier Andrea Robinson. The quality to price ratio is outstanding, especially considering the current cost of crystal wine glasses. Although I've seen complaints about the small opening, it didn't bother me. Wine swirls effortlessly. I will order more. The graceful design will embellish a dinner table or a social event. It's a solid wine glass. I will also continue to use the Gigi white wine glass for everyday, and I might even see what the red wine version has in store . . . 

​Charlie Leary, PhD, has provided his top picks in wine education in his new book Leary’s Global Wineology: A Guide to Wine Education, Mentorships, and Scholarships (Hibiscus Panama SA). The book provides a reference to dozens of wine studies and mentorships programs as well as scholarships in 19 different countries. Consisting of nine chapters, the book is the only comprehensive guide to wine studies options worldwide, which include numerous online options. The number of scholarships for wine studies has increased in recent years. 

Leary was interviewed about the book for The Wine Conversation podcast late last year. 

The categories Leary chose for this inaugural edition include: The Best Wine Education Buys of 2023; The Three Most Vibrant Scholarship Programs; The Top Three Most Recognized and Valuable Wine Trade Qualifications; The Top Three Most Recognized and Valuable Sommelier Qualifications; The Top Three Schools or Programs for a General Wine Education from the Beginning; and The Top Three Innovative Interdisciplinary Wine Studies Offerings at Any Level. Leary also notes certain notable developments in wineology. 

Here are the selected programs:

The Best Wine Education Buys of 2023
o George Brown College Wine Specialist Program: with many online options, qualified instructors, and each course costing about CAD $180–300. Nine courses are required to graduate.
o Certified Wine Specialist, Society of Wine Educators (with member discount): an affordable, recognized wine qualification supported by free online classes for members. 
o Argentina Wine Specialist, Napa Valley Wine Academy: an affordable wine certification through online classes and exams focused on a wine producing nation of increasing quality and importance. 

The Three Most Vibrant Scholarship Programs
o Vinequity
o Gerard Basset Wine Education Charitable Foundation
o Roots College Fund

The Top Three Most Recognized & Valuable Wine Trade Qualifications
o Master of Wine from the Institute of Masters of Wine
o Diploma from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust
o Certified Wine Educator from Society of Wine Educators

The Top Three Most Recognized & Valuable Sommelier Qualifications
o Master Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS)
o Diploma from the Association de la sommellerie internationale (ASI)
o Diploma from Le Cordon Bleu, London or Paris

The Top Three Schools or Programs for a General Wine Education from the Beginning 
o WSET Levels 1-3: Although the WSET curriculum could use reform and instruction quality varies among its 800+ approved program providers, it provides a ladder for rapidly progressing from no general wine knowledge to an advanced level.
o San Francisco Wine School: Starting with its Intro to Wine Series, the School offers numerous options for both aspiring professionals and enthusiasts to advance their wine knowledge, including proprietary courses; prep for SWE, WSET, and CMS qualifications; online options; various proprietary certifications; and intensives. 
o Napa Valley Wine Academy: With its proprietary Wine 101 Foundations and Wine 201 Wines of the World courses, the NVWA seeks to “demystify” wine for beginners and then offers all WSET levels in addition to specialized courses in a variety of important wine regions. There are 35 course options. 

The Top Three Innovative Interdisciplinary Wine Studies Offerings at Any Level
o Hochschule Geisenheim University: provides a diverse curriculum, expertise across all aspects of the wine world, important collaborative options, and inter-disciplinary learning programs leading to both undergraduate and advanced degrees. 
o Linfield University: a small university close to Oregon wine country offering an interdisciplinary curriculum emphasizing theory and practice, including BA or BS degree options, plus advanced study programs in wine business, including a 5-year undergraduate/master’s program in conjunction with one of France’s top wine universities. 
o HEC: Paris-based, advanced international business program touching on all aspects of the wine trade spectrum alongside world-class instruction. 

Notable Recent Developments in Wineology
o The Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas’ reforms and changes, including an online course as well as alterations to the exam structure for their qualifications and the regulations governing courses and exams, including an aim of increasing “inclusion of underrepresented communities”
o The University of Strasbourg’s new program on geo-sensorial tasting leading to a university diploma combined with Wine Scholar Guild’s WSG Tasting Lab™, which also uses geo-sensorial principles
o Washington State University’s new wine tasting room certificate
o Brock University’s new Foundations of Winemaking course, with both in-person and online options
o Cordon Bleu London’s new online certificate course in wine tasting

Some of Leary’s picks may be expected by those knowledgeable about the world of wine, but others may surprise readers. The books includes numerous little-known programs, such as the University of Strasbourg’s new diploma program on geo-sensorial wine tasting. 

The books is available as a paperback on Amazon and as an eBook through Kobo, Amazon, Apple Books, and Google Books. 

Charlie Leary has worked as a sommelier and wine director since 1995. He earned a doctorate in history at Cornell University and taught briefly at Tulane before entering the hospitality business. He holds numerous wine qualifications. In 2004, Random House published his cookbook on Creole cuisine.

Leary's Global Wineology will be available as an eBook on Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, and Google Play over the next few days. It provides a directory of wine education programs, degrees, and qualifications worldwide. It consists of nine chapter plus and introduction as well as interviews with recent WSET and Fresno State student Ryan Storm and the founder of San Francisco Wine School, David Glancy, MS, CWE.

Chapter One traces the history of wine studies as a wine trade motivated endeavor, comparing this with accredited, but more focused university programs. The final chapter discusses suggested reform of wine studies curricula addressing issues of the environment, power, access, and equity. 

The following is from the Introduction:

Wine consumption, availability, and variety has surged worldwide in the 21st century, accompanied by a vast increase in the number of schools, organizations, colleges, individuals, and universities offering wine courses, both presential and online, with the latter both synchronous (live via Zoom, online education platforms, or other means) and asynchronous (self-paced, with no live instructor). Those who want to increase their understanding and appreciation of wine for personal edification or social know-how, and those who are pursuing or desire to pursue a professional career in the wine industry now confront a plethora of programs with a confusing array of titles, degrees, certificates, and specializations.

Some wine education is free and short, while other programs can cost dearly in time and money. Some courses of study take a few hours and others a few years. Institutions offering wine education vary from state colleges and universities to non-profit organizations and many profit-seeking companies. Sommeliers require training that may be mostly useless to vintners. Someone who wants to deftly handle ordering wine in a restaurant probably doesn’t want to learn about wine chemistry or Integrated Pest Management. Which program is right for you? What’s the difference between an MS and an MW or an MS in viticulture? Is the education for a CWE the same as that for a WSET Diploma? Are some schools better for learning about wine journalism than the wine business? This book will help answer such questions. 

This Guide’s Scope
This is the first annual edition of what I hope will be many of this Guide. It is certainly incomplete; however, I address a lacuna in wine studies as previously, to the best of my knowledge, no such guide existed. I encourage readers to contact me with suggested additions not only in terms of the listings of study, scholarship, and mentorship programs, but also regarding missing elements or facts about curriculums, certifications, and program highlights or inadequacies. 

I have relied on my personal knowledge of the wine industry and extensive research. 
. . .

I have included chapters on issues in wine studies that I view as important, however I refrain from inserting much criticism (or hyperbole) into the program descriptions themselves in Chapters Two through Eight. I am personally familiar with some of the programs and schools described here, but not all. This book should serve, first, as a guide to the diversity of wine studies programs available to prospective students while, second, also casting a critical eye on the field. It will also be of use to employers who require background on candidates’ wine studies and those with an amateur interest in furthering their wine knowledge. I hope to produce a much-enhanced edition for 2024.

What is “Wine Studies”?
“Wine studies,” here, refers primarily to programs of study aimed at enhancing a student’s knowledge of wine, the alcoholic beverage made from fermenting grape juice (must) of the plant Vitis vinifera or its hybrids. A friend suggested I call it “wineology” and use this in the title. Wiktionary defines wineology as “the study of wine”; that fits. Wine knowledge encompasses the wine trade, education, wine business management, and communication, which overlap with the fields of viticulture, enology, economics, botany, biology, business studies, chemistry, history, literature, marketing, sales, ecology, journalism, and environmental studies, among others. Statista reports global wine market revenue equals $340.8 billion USD in 2022. It is a massive, global, and hugely influential industry.  

There are excellent winemakers who are not wine studies experts and vice versa. There are Masters of Wine who couldn’t manage a vineyard, and there are superb viticulturalists who might not pass the Level 2 exam in wine from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, at least not without studying. A “wine expert” is someone who knows the “world of wine” in detail, including, prominently, the final product in terms of taste, color, aroma, age, vinification and viticultural methods, grape varieties, legal requirements, geography, appellations, distribution, logistics, packaging, price, and climate, including vintage characteristics. This includes sommeliers, wine buyers, coopers, journalists, teachers, book authors, salespeople, tasting room managers, and marketing specialists. 

This is a rare world in that often “wine studies” is not a field of study offered by formal, accredited degree-granting institutions. The only institution I found that intentionally uses the phrase “wine studies” for its programs is Linfield University in my home state of Oregon, referring to the necessity for an “interdisciplinary approach” that involves exploring “the cultural, social and economic significance of wine.” From an academic perspective, the 2016 book Contemporary Wine Studies defines wine studies as “looking at the place of wine in society as a whole.” 

It is a multi-faceted endeavor. 

Traditional enology and viticulture programs form part of the formal academy, yes, but the point is that someone with a university degree in these fields may or may not be a wine expert, particularly at the same level as, for instance, the MW qualification granted by the Institute of Masters of Wine or MS granted by the Court of Master Sommeliers, which have no official accreditations as educational institutions. That said, such certifications have become very important to job seekers. 

This book covers the gamut of wine world educational programs and qualifications, from viticulture degrees to sommelier certifications and Wine MBAs. The goal is to be inclusive--covering education related to wine, winemaking, wine trade and commerce, and grape growing—and independent, with no programs paying to be included (or not included). I cannot claim this guide is comprehensive in terms of mentioning nearly all wine studies programs worldwide, although that is the eventual goal. Again, I urge readers to contact me so that any classes or programs not included will be in future editions. 

      I lived long ago in budding winegrowing regions dependent on hybrid grapes, like New York’s Finger Lakes in the 1980s and Nova Scotia in the early 2000s, and also in areas not receptive to hybrids, but still, at the time, deemed very iffy for producing wine, like Oregon’s Willamette Valley in the 1970s. The seeming difference was that the former regions were considered climatologically impossible for European wine grape production, while the latter truly sat in prime Vitis vinifera territory, with adequate warmth and fewer limiting factors, like mildew or winter kill, but at the time they seemed totally marginal. Hybrid grapes helped establish some wine appellations like New York and Nova Scotia, leading ultimately to these areas making wine history withoutsticking resolutely with hybrids.
 
What is a Hybrid Wine Grape and What’s Hybrid’s History?
First, let’s define what a hybrid wine grape is and how that differs from, say, a cross. Historically, this goes back to advances in viticulture and the 19th century phylloxera epidemic. Phylloxera is a root louse, a parasite, native to North America. It kills vines. When Europeans discovered grape vines in the Americas, they saw great potential: a plethora of new grape varieties! New wines! A good example is the Concord grape, a cultivar derived from the American grape species Vitis labrusca. The problem was that these grape plants were actually distinct species from the European wine grape plant, Vitis vinifera. Unknowingly, they transported the root louse to Europe when they brought native North American vines back with them. They also turned out to not be great for wine making because of what’s often called a ”foxy” flavor in the resulting wine, especially that from labrusca. 
 
These sneaky parasites found their way into French vineyards and ultimately spread to all wine growing regions, including Spain, Italy, and yes, even California (the louse was native to the East Coast). Almost everywhere, vinifera on its own roots could no longer be profitably cultivated. The solution to the phylloxera epidemic proved to be grafting the roots of North American species, which resisted the louse owing to thousands of years of evolution, onto vinifera vines, which had never evolved to resist this parasite. The roots were safe from the louse and the vine that grew above the graft produced the desired European grapes! Problem solved, somewhat (Napa Valley had to replant in the 1980s and 90s because the commonly-used American rootstock proved non-resistant to phylloxera). Abundant research and plant breeding went into identifying or creating, through crosses, the best non-vinifera rootstocks for winegrowing. 
 
Viticultural scientists became experts in North American grape species and breeding, including crossing. A cross is not a hybrid. A cross is when two varieties from the same species are bred, producing a new grape variety of the same species, which, if it’s successful and genetically stable, can be reproduced through cuttings or other reproduction methods. Take, for example, Pinotage, which was created in the 1920s in South Africa from crossing Pinot Noir and Cinsault. 
 
Inter-specific breeding can produce hybrids. In the early 20th century hybrids drew interest as well, in fact, because they can be another solution to phylloxera as well as other limiting factors like cold tolerance or mildew resistance. This is when two distinct vine species, Vitis vinifera and a North American species, like Vitis labrusca, are bred together producing a completely new type of wine grape plant that has phenotypic characteristics from both parents. The most successful early examples were French-American hybrids. Cornell University notes:
 
In the development of the French-American hybrids, the use of V. labrusca was avoided so as not to impart its strong flavor to the new selections. Many other wild American species were used, especially V. aestivalis lincecumii (the Post Oak Grape), V. rupestris (the Sand Grape) and V. riparia (the Riverbank Grape). The flavors of the French-American group are quite variable but much more subtle than the flavors of many varieties derived from V. labrusca.
 
Do Hybrid Grapes Provide Benefits in Winegrowing?
 
In the 1970s, I remember winegrowing in Oregon (and Washington) remained a question, with many critics and naysayers. That’s hard to imagine now as both are celebrated wine states, famous for wines made from European grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Merlot. But adventurous Oregon and Washington winegrowers didn’t have to use hybrids. At first, they just used grafted vines and appropriate cool-climate varieties like Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Pinot Noir. The climate and the whole terroir in these regions proved the naysayers wrong, and great wines were produced using Vitis vinifera despite the relative lack of sunshine and harsh winters (compared to California). 
 
In areas like the Finger Lakes, it was a different story. This region of Upstate New York had long produced wine, including sparkling wines, despite its continental climate, but from American grape varieties like Concord. Scientists, including prominently from my alma mater Cornell University, became interested in hybrids for such marginal climates—the area has very cold (vinifera-killing) winters and is cool overall in summer, so as late as the 1960s most European great varieties were seen as impossible to grow there. Viticulturalists thought the answer to improving wine quality lay in growing hybrids. So, they produced a bunch of them. 
 
When I lived in Ithaca and Trumansburg, New York, in the 1980s, wines made from hybrid grapes dominated the local wine industry. The issue with wine made from hybrids was the flavor profile of the grapes, which although producing quaffable wines, were not what most wine drinkers accustomed to European varieties would shout about, even if they weren’t “foxy.” I remember refreshing white wines from Cayuga, a French-American hybrid originally hybridized by Cornell specifically for growing in the Finger Lakes region. Change occurred when an Eastern European scientist working for Cornell became convinced that cool-climate Vitis vinifera varieties could be grown there, especially on the banks of the Finger Lakes, where the huge volume of water in these very deep lakes provided suitable, moderated microclimates. His name was Dr. Konstantin Frank, and he was right! Today, the Finger Lakes is famed for its Rieslings and Gewurztraminers, but also grows Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and even Pinot Noir. So, it turned out to be similar to the winegrowing history in Oregon. The naysayers were wrong again. 
 
Next, when I lived in Nova Scotia, Canada, in the early 2000s, aspiring winemakers turned to hybrids to survive the cool summer climate and harsh winters. The same was true in Ontario, which produces world-famous ice-wine from Vidal, a hybrid grape. Growing vinifera was considered impossible. Today, however, some estate wineries are producing fabulous wines from European grapes, such as Lightfoot and Wolfville Vineyards. There’s also a budding sparkling wine industry there. Again, the naysayers were proved wrong. Although most wineries still use hybrids in Nova Scotia (and Quebec), there’s a trend toward European grape production of very high quality wines. 
 
Hybrids and the Future of Wine
This little story brings me to a few conclusions. First, the history of Oregon, the Finger Lakes, and Nova Scotia from the 1960s to today shows that Vitis vinifera, grafted onto the correct American rootstock, will flourish in regions that previous generations thought were marginal at best owing to the prevailing climate. Hybrids were important, in two of those locations, to propel winegrowing as a viable endeavor. 
 
With today’s rapid climate change, wine scientists are again looking to hybrids for potential solutions, but this time to produce grape plants able to flourish and produce good wine in what are newly becoming marginal areas, but were previously prime terroirs, usually because of too much heat, changes to spring and fall weather, and too little water. The history of places I have been privileged to live in shows, however, that seemingly-marginal areas can become, over time, superb for winegrowing. The naysayers have been proven wrong time and again. The flavor profile of most hybrids also remains an important issue, although educating consumers about these wines could help. 
 
Overall, I believe the most-viable future lies in sticking with Vitis vinifera, including exploring the use of native varieties that were uprooted from their native lands in the modern era to make way for popular varieties (like Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux and Tempranillo in Spain). A key word here is “appropriate.” Appropriate technology transfer, including appropriate varietal selection, is a foundation of sustainable viticulture. Torres Family Wines’ effort in hot, arid Spain is a great example of such a program. Such varieties are often well adapted to local climes, to drought, and to more heat. Crosses of vinifera, too, hold potential, as with South Africa’s Pinotage. Scientific research is essential. 
 
The moral is that marginal winegrowing areas have popped up again and again in wine history. They proved to be successful, with determination. Climate change is quickly producing marginal conditions in what were previously prime viticultural regions. One answer is hybrids. Another is appropriate varietal selection for the new climate (though if it keeps changing, that will be a continuing problem). Still another is moving production of the same popular varieties to new areas, with cooler climates under climate change, but that leaves the specter of famous terroirs being abandoned. Entire wine regions have disappeared in the past because of pressure from Mother Nature combined with human intervention. The naysayers regarding vinifera cultivation in Nova Scotia, the Finger Lakes, and Oregon were wrong. The naysayers about climate change and its vinous consequences probably are too. 
 

A few years ago two Harvard Business School professors penned organic wine’s post-mortem: “the history of organic wine . . . provides a case study of failed category creation,” they said in 2017. When the Harvard Business Review published an online summary of the paper in April 2018, the title expressed a bit more optimism: “How Organic Wine Finally Caught On”. Still, the overall tone remained sour: “If you cannot remember the last time you had a glass of organic wine, you are hardly alone. Overall, less than 5% of the world’s vineyards are organic. In the United States, the world’s largest consumer of wine, only 1% of wine sold by volume was organic.” The esteemed business experts pointed to one ray of light: “we also found that the recent success of a related category — biodynamic wines — shows a possible way forward.”

Oh, how times have changed, especially from the sommelier’s perspective. Eco-friendly wine is a large market, with tremendous on-trade growth potential. Limited production natural wines are now highly-allocated treasures whose price can soar almost exponentially in the “gray market” due to consumer demand. Among Wine Intelligence’s five predictions for 2022 is: “luxury wine will need to burnish sustainability credentials,” while prediction number one is about lighter glass bottles for carbon footprint reduction. IWSR’s report on 2022 trends finds that both producers and consumers increasingly expect to find a clear commitment to sustainable practices when making purchasing decisions. “Consumer research shows that 48% of US alcohol drinkers say their purchase decisions are positively influenced by a company’s sustainability or environmental initiatives; rising to 72% among Brazilian alcohol drinkers, and 70% of urban affluent Chinese alcohol drinkers.”

Continue reading at Sommeliers Choice Awards . . .

Walk into an average bar in Spain and order a glass of red wine. The bartender will give two choices: “Rioja” or “Ribera.” Rioja is the longstanding, preeminent red wine producing region, famed internationally and increasingly producing a variety of styles, including fine whites, sparkling, and rose. Ribera, by contrast, is all red wine country and proudly so. 

Ribera refers to DO Ribera del Duero, which has followed a remarkable trajectory towards quality, produces incredible wines, including the laudable vintages of Vega Sicilia, a winery that arguably blazed the trail others have followed. Both Rioja and Ribera del Duero (which refers to a 71-mile length of vineyards along the banks of the Duero River in northern Spain), focus on the Tempranillo grape. This is the flagship variety of Spain, now surpassing all others in terms of planted acreage. Notably, Ribera counts among the two most appreciated reds for daily drinking by the Spanish, and not, for example, Priorat reds, which are perhaps more famous internationally and have garnered the highest level denomination for quality (like Rioja) the Denominación de origen calificada (DOCa).

​To read more, visit my article on ilovewine.com . . . 

​Imagine it’s time to buy your first wine glasses specifically made to enhance the experience of drinking and appreciating fine wine. This means glasses you’re not only proud to showcase at the dinner table with friends or important guests, but glasses that feel good, enhance aromas, flavors, and swirling, plus, let’s hope, don’t break too easily.

I’m on that search now. I’m considering both fine glass and crystal, both machine-manufactured and mouth-blown. I realize machine-made glasses will be heavier than the alternative. I want a set of at least six glasses and a better price for buying more than one or two. I’m looking at both “universal” glasses and separate sets for red and white. 

Universal glasses suit all red and white wines, some even sparklers. Having distinct glasses for red and white wines makes for a more impressive table setting and also equips you better for serving different wine styles. Red wine glasses generally have bigger capacity and wider circumference, giving the wine more surface for air contact, important for breathing. They also lend a bigger space in the glass to capture aromas. The glass’ walls should slope inward toward the opening for the same reason. For white wines, air contact is not as critical (and could be detrimental) and as they are served cool to cold, the aroma factor is slightly less important. There’s a chance the narrower white wine glasses will hold the cool temperature better as well. Universal glasses suit those who don’t have a lot of storage space, or who consider treating red and white wines differently to be of minor importance. 

Academic studies have shown that larger glasses in restaurants lead to greater wine consumption, so if you’re entertaining and want the guests to have a good time, this could be a factor too. Larger and taller glasses can make for an impressive table presentation. 

Swirling is a critical component of the wine tasting process and thus, for this reason as well, I don’t want glasses with straight sides (accidents do happen). The glass should allow for easy, gentle swirling without fear of red wine escaping onto clothing, tablecloths, and carpets. 

Two brands have recently surfaced from communication with friends, wine colleagues, and the media: Josephinenhütte and Grasl. For many wine connoisseurs, Denk’Art Zalto glasses have now replaced Riedel as the go to brand.  All of these are mouth blown crystal, but I’m open to these brands and more.

​Josephinenhütte glasses were designed in 2019 by Kurt Josef Zalto, who left his eponymous company some time ago. They’re fine crystal, handmade, and feature an undulating shape to enhance swirling and aeration, but close at the top to prevent spills and capture aromas. They stand 9.45” tall. A set of six of his wine glasses costs $444.00, or $74 a stem when ordering directly from the company website. These are impressive, stylized glasses and clearly mouth-blown works of art. 
 
Like the Josephine glasses, the Denk`Art Zalto glasses are handblown, but have a more conventional, if still elegant shape. The universal glass holds 18 ounces and is 9.4” high. The price is $59 a stem. The “Bordeaux” style glass is 9 1/4" in height, 23 ounces, and costs $61. Denk’Art recommends not handwashing these glasses, using a dishwasher instead, as “hand-washing can add pressure and torque to the bowl, stem and base which can cause breakage and potential injury.” Not for me, as I prefer handwashing. 
 
Grassl Glass claims to be “the future of mouth-blown wine glassware.” The Elemental Series Versatile glass is an attractive universal glass holding a little over 14 ounces. A set of six glasses costs $240 ($40 per glass). These are for “everyday needs,” according to Grassl. Their Vigneron Series Liberté glass is bigger, at 17 ounces, and gets great reviews as a universal glass. The cost for six is $378 or $63 a stem. The white wine version is called Mineralité, “ideal for acidic wines with verve,” offered for the same price as Liberté.  
 
I like the classic straight lines and apparent quality of Grassl, even the Versatile model, and 14 ounces is neither too big nor too small. They also offer a Champagne glass, not a flute, for the same price. 
 
Spiegelau of Germany makes lead-free crystal glasses at more reasonable price points, though these wine receptables are machine-made. The Vino Grande red wine glasses hold 15 ounces and a set of four stems will cost you about $39, or $9.77 per stem. The white wine glasses in the same line also cost about $39 for four, with each one holding a potential 12 ounces. These are narrow-rimmed and long-stemmed glasses; if not fashion statements, they’re well designed. Their Style collection has a more angular, modern appearance and the red version holds an impressive 22.2 ounces. A set of four costs about $41. The white wine model of “Style” holds 14.4 ounces and the set of four is $45. One potential flaw is that even Spiegelau admits these glasses have “seamless stems (or nearly seamless),” an element of machine manufacturing. They are also heavier than many of the other options, which is practical, but perhaps less elegant in the hand 
 
Zwiesel Glas technically makes glass (as opposed to crystal). However, their patented Tritan technology uses titanium and zirconium oxides instead of lead or barium to ensure strength even with a very thin glass design. This includes a high-temperature production process that includes tempering, including the rim, which is laser cut. They also have a track-record of eco-friendly production, including numerous ISO certifications. A set of four 23.3 ounce “Gigi” red wine glasses will set you back about $53 or $13.25 per stem. The Gigi line includes a unique quasi-hexagonal design, angular, and somewhat squat in appearance. Though unique in aspect, these tend more towards being Burgundy glasses than Bordeaux glasses. Lacking the elegance of Huette, the shape still provides for enhanced swirling and aeration, and the squat appearance belies the large features. The white wine versions are more upright and slightly taller, though still with hexagonal lines, and hold 17.9 ounces. A set of four costs about $54 ($13.50 per stem), and I believe they also serve well for sparkling wines. 
 
Zwiesel has numerous lines of Tritan wine glasses, in fact. Three other attractive options for a universal glass are the “Pure Bordeaux” and the “Cabernet” glasses, at 23 ounces (10.5” tall)  and 18.2 ounces (9.6” tall), respectively. Cabernet is $55 for a set of six.  Pure Bordeaux is $84, or $14 per stem. There is also a Pure Sauvignon for white wines (13 ounces), about $78 for six stems. The Forte collection Burgundy/Light Red and White Wine glass looks great and holds 13.6 ounces. It’s 8 ½ inches tall and 3.2” at its widest point. A set of six glasses costs about $72 or $12 a stem. The bowl widens enough to enhance swirling and aeration, which, combined with the tapering sides, make this a practical universal glass. 
 
I also came across Gabriel Glass from Austria, which, after perusing the myriad styles from Speigelau and Zwiesel, was refreshing in that it offers a single universal wine glass, though in two editions, machine made and mouth blown (“StandArt” and “Gold”). The latter are much lighter and delicate, though both are lead-free crystal. A set of six StandArt glasses costs $195 or $32.50 per stem. The Gold line costs more than double this. These glasses are seamless and dishwasher safe. In fact, as with Denk’Art Zalto, it is recommended not to hand wash these glasses. Gabriel Glass claims to have found the perfect dimensions for a wine glass, including a broad base of 95 millimeters (3.74”). The walls of the glasses are elegantly curved, not straight. They reportedly hold a potential 16 ounces and are 9” in height. 
 
Finally, I’m looking at Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson’s THE ONE glasses, which are lead-free crystal made in Europe. Andrea designed a single universal glass, with different sizes for red and white, featuring a narrow opening, angled to enhance swirling, and good depth. The stem is pulled, not fused, which should result in greater strength. The opening size may be a bit small so that your nose will touch the glass when tasting—not something attractive to me—and they appear prone to breakage (though honestly that holds true for most thin crystal wine glasses). The red version is 9” tall and a 4-pack of either the red or white glasses costs a tad less than $50, or $12.50 a stem, which is a great price for light German crystal. 

​For those undaunted by budget I recommend buying Josephine Huette. The distinctive, well-considered design combined with each one being a unique mouth-blown piece, makes these a stand out. The Universal glass has rapidly become extremely popular among wine connoisseurs, and if you want separate red and white glasses, these are available too. 
 
Runner-up: The Gabriel Glass
 
For those wanting an elegant set of red and white crystal glasses, I recommend the mouth-blown Grasl Vigneron series. 
 
Runner up: Spiegelau Gigi red and white 
 
What am I going to order? I cannot resist trying THE ONE red wine glasses from Andrea Robinson. German crystal, professionally designed, holding 19 ½ ounces, and only $13.50 per stem is hard to beat. But I will order four and see how they perform with different wines. 
 
My personal choice for a practical, affordable, and elegant universal wine glass? The Zwiesel Forte collection Burgundy/Light Red and White Wine glass. I would prefer a glass holding more than 14 ounces (full capacity), but I like the practical design, price, and elegant look. They will be great for wine tastings. That said, I’m also order a set from the Gigi line, as a runner-up, but not the red glass. I prefer the Gigi white wine glass height and its enhanced swirling capacity, with a generous enough capacity of almost 18 ounces. I also favor Zwiesel’s strong and longstanding eco-friendly commitments. 
 
Stay tuned for the next wine blog, where I will review the wine glasses received!

​The hotel’s Gran Reserva-red room décor complimented by a vineyard view and a half bottle of 2016 Riscal wine followed a seamless arrival: car doors opened, luggage hefted away, the effortless hand over of the room key. They ticked every box of a five-star experience.

​We had time for a quick drive through the surrounding vineyards before the Riscal tour began, and set our sights on one stop, like the Riscal hotel, an architectural landmark: Bodegas Ysios and its winery designed by Santiago Calatrava. Before, though, we witnessed the ceaseless activity of the 2021 cosecha, tractors crisscrossing the terrain, including a brief stop at Bodega Cosme Palacio in the process of receiving harvested grapes (under the close scrutiny of an official from the Rioja Regulatory Council, guardian of the DOCa). 

​Arriving at Bodegas Ysios via a long straight red gravel path, transversing the vineyards towards the elegant building framed against a mountain backdrop inspires the mind and the taste buds. We decided to sample the 2018 Ysios Blanco, made from old vine Viura, whose richness perfected the day thus far. This is a complex, fruity, layered wine with aromas of white flowers. It’s a testament to modern Rioja white wines. The care taken in vilification was obvious, I later learned that Ysios hand harvested the grapes in small 10 kg boxes to avoid crushing the fruit, which was then cold macerated for 12 hours for flavor extraction. Both the free-run and first-pressing musts were fermented in 500 and 225 liter French-oak barrels. An unknown portion of the wine was fermented on skins for 15 days to add complexity. A further 9 months of lees contact using clay amphora completed the process. Sipping this wine upstairs overlooking a sea of vines and swath of blue Alavesa sky left little more to desire.

​We arrived back at Marques de Riscal just as the vineyard tour began, which led eventually to the winery, cellars, and a guided tasting of three wines, including the Riscal Verdejo, a Reserva, and a Crianza. Riscal’s wooden fermentation tanks contrasted with the shiny stainless steel lineup of Cosme Palacios. Too, the dissimilitude of the century-old winery buildings and the post-modern hotel perfectly expresses the complexity of Rioja, physically and in terms of wine, today. The old and the new, the traditional and the innovative co-exist, if not in total aesthetic harmony, then at least comfortably at ease with each other. 

That evening at the hotel we enjoyed the views of Elciego, the local village, and decided to eat supper there instead of at the hotel. Every village in Spain has a bar, and this is where we enjoyed a typical light dinner with a glass of local red wine for 1/10th the price of Riscal’s admirable restaurant. It was chilly, no heat in the bar, but the wine and smart service warmed us up.

​The next day we awoke refreshed and relaxed and headed out after a delicious hotel breakfast, to check out Haro, the historic capital of Rioja. We had a delightful snack and tried some great wine at the terrace of Bodgas Muga, one of my favorite producers, red, white, or rose. Muga made the 2018 Reserva from a typical Rioja blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano hand-harvested grapes and fermentation with indigenous yeast in wooden vats. Before I drank my glass, the wine had been aged for 22 months in oak casks: 80% French oak and the rest hailing from Central Europe and America. Delicious, balanced, expressive. The Muga rose perfectly complimented the local cheeses.
 
Then, we were off to France.