The Answer is Brunello: The Grape Is?

Because Spanish wines have improved, those of us who reside on other parts of the world are really consuming more of them. Holding Tightly onto TraditionThe country has avoided classifying exceptional vineyards according to terroir. The regulatory board of the Spanish Denominations of Origin (DOs) are skeptical of any attempt to overturn a status quo that benefits large private firms and perpetuates their power. Some segments of the Spanish wine industry prefer to Invest in marketing rather than quality control or promotion. As a result, well-known DOs such as Rias Baixas in Galicia, shaved the budget line devoted to quality control, decreasing it from 25 percent in 2014 to 20 percent in 2017 while investments in marketing increased from 35 percent to 70 percent in the same years. This is also obvious in the continuing emphasis by most DOs – encouraging high grape yields and low-quality wines. A significant percentage of Spanish wine exports are directed to low-price countries including France, Germany, Portugal and Italy where lower prices are related to the sale of wine in bulk. Although the cheapest average price paid by this group has remained relatively stable in recent years, the reality is that they are losing their share of total exports in terms of value. Countries paying a higher average price (including the US, Switzerland and Canada) have not only increased their prices but also their market share. What is NEWIn response to the decline in local consumption, Spanish wineries are adopting innovative marketing policies based on new market research data. Historically, the traditional wine consumer preferred wines that were plain, inexpensive, fermented and consumed on a daily basis. Contemporary Spanish and Southern European consumers drink less wine than their parents and much less than their grandparents. Research suggests that the current profile of the average wine buyer in the Mediterranean European region is under 50 years of age, university educated, and in a high-income bracket. For this group, buying wine is a planned process and consumption is a “gastronomic ritual” that is practiced “occasionally.” Another reason people living in Spain are drinking less can be attributed to beverages that are replacing wine in Southern Europe, including beer, soft and sparking drinks, FABs (flavored alcoholic beverages), fruit juice and other liquid refreshments. When wine is the drink of choice, it is considered “fine wine” and priced accordingly. Marketing studies carried out by the Spanish Wine Association established that less than 8 percent of respondents under the age of 24 drink wine. Spanish youngsters see this drink as old and unattractive. They also think you have to be an expert in order to enjoy wine therefore limiting wine consumption to “experts.” Other causes for change include increased temperatures in the south of Spain favoring the consumption of cold beverages such as beer and soft drinks and the fact that these refreshments are supported by vigorous advertising campaigns. The wine sector does not actively market its products and there are legal restrictions for alcohol consumption based on age. Wine Culture DisappearingWine was a part of a Mediterranean lifestyle and this diet is being replaced by fast-food. Researcher E.V. Astakhova finds that this change in wine consumption by Spanish youth is very serious and “the loss of tradition, including the wine culture, is dangerous for the society. It will have negative consequences for the country, will cause damage to its attractiveness for investors and tourists and hurt the very image of their motherland the Spanish hold dear.” According to Astakhova, the wine culture must remain intact as it is “part of the national heritage, material and spiritual culture of Spain.” Traditionally, the Spanish wine sector has been highly fragmented. Small wine cooperatives and big companies are part of the same market although quite different in terms of production size, wines produced and cash flow. Some Spanish wineries are small and cooperatives lack adequate marketing savvy, sales networks and registered brands; in addition, they are dependent on a distribution network that is strongly concentrated and the industry tends to be vertically integrated. This is particularly onerous for some wineries causing an excess of supply and decrease in demand. In the US and Australia, large wineries produce massive quantities of wine using different types of grapes with homogeneity in variety allowing important economies of scale and creating a high-quality product at a value price which reflects investments in technology, and marketing. New wineries are more market-oriented than Spanish wineries which are too focused on their own product and production. In addition, wine companies in Europe are concentrated and oriented toward international markets with a new focus on designations of origin. Many small wineries have developed national promotions and marketing strategies which would have been difficult to carry out individually. Consumer Look Beyond WineThere are many explanations for the transformation of the wine culture in Spain that go beyond price, changes in personal income, cultural and social factors. The rise in income and the higher standard of living due to industrialization and urbanization is linked to a population more concerned with health and fitness and therefore a lower consumption of alcoholic drinks. Winemakers have a choice. They can make wines that make them happy, or produce wines that make consumers happy. The marketing strategies of wineries aimed at different consumer segments are more likely to successfully increase wine consumption in the Spanish market. Changes in the demographics of the population have changed beverage preferences to options that are better adapted to the demands of young, urban people. A recent study of the Spanish wine buyer found that one segment of the local consumer market seeks wines that “match their food;” however, this characteristic is linked to age. The older the respondent, the greater the preference for a food connection. Older people buy premium red wines for special gatherings with friends and family where food is present and are more likely to use specialty shops to buy their wine. New eating habits, with an emphasis on a healthy life style and physical

Globally, more and more people are “going kosher,” and by 2025, the market for kosher food is predicted to be worth more than $25.6 billion. The craze for kosher food and drink is good for you and good for your soul since those items adhere to the rules and laws outlined in the Jewish Dietary Law. Before being certified kosher, all the ingredients in the food and beverages as well as the machinery used to produce the products are carefully screened. Whether you are kosher, non-kosher, vegan, vegetarian and/or are challenged by allergies, the kosher section of supermarkets00000 and wine shops are likely to be the safest place to find ingredients for brunch, lunch and dinner. The transparency in food and beverage preparation and ingredients and the ease in identifying the kosher information on the label brings back the joy of cooking. At the end of the day, what a hungry consumer is looking for is good food, a delicious glass of wine and a smooth scotch (or vodka, gin, etc.). The Torah addresses food by creating the laws of kashrut within the parashah (weekly Torah portion) of holiness, links food to relationships with G-d. Nachmanides (a leading medieval Jewish scholar, Sephardic rabbi, philosopher, physician, kabbalist, and biblical commentator), noted that the traits of cruel unkosher animals transfers to the one who is eating them. The rules even advise that a woman who must eat non-kosher for medical reasons should NOT nurse her baby at the same time, but rather, find another woman to nurse (or use infant formula). Kosher food was a serious focus at the recent Kosher Food and Wine event in New York. Many of the innovative food purveyors represented meet the demands of the gourmet and the gourmand: Knowing that a product is certified kosher enables the consumer to trust that the food on the plate is clean and healthy and does not include allergens such as shellfish. It also offers certainty for vegans as in the case of Oreo cookies, which, prior to their switch to kosher (late 1990s) contained lard (pork fat). Kosher WineNot all wines are created equal. There are many guidelines for wine producers who want to be included in the kosher section of the wine shop: To be kosher, the yeasts and fining agents plus cleaning products must be kosher. The fining agents are used by some winemakers to remove colloids or unwanted aspects of a wine including clarification for color, aroma or bitterness and stabilization. These agents bind to the unwanted component and can be filtered out. Traditionally these agents included dried blood powder; however, today they typically include two categories – organic compounds from animals and solid or mineral materials. Organic compounds include: egg whites, isinglass (from a fish bladder), gelatin (from animal collagen) or casein (derived from milk). Solid/mineral materials include: pulverized bentonite clay, activated charcoal carbon and potassium ferrocyanide. Many winemakers prefer not to fine their wines as they are worried about losing important compounds for aroma and flavor. The rising demand for vegan and kosher products has played a role in which fining agents, if any, are used. As popularity for “natural winemaking” increases, winemakers look for the most natural finished product and try to avoid fining agents. Wine industry leaders like Edmond de Rothschild Heritage estates, and a new winery from the Ben Zaken family (owners of Domaine du Castel) presented sparkling wines as well as blends of Syrah and Carignan at the Kosher Food and Wine event. Wines from France were well represented with appellations from Bordeaux, and the Rhone Valley. Herzog Wine Cellars, owned by Royal Winery in Oxnard, CA presented Baron Herzog and Herzog Generation III. Major players from Israel included Carmel, Yatir, and Barkan while South Africa introduced wines from J. Folk and ESSA. Kosher SpiritsIf it is alcoholic and made from fruit (i.e., wine and brandy), it can only be handled and bottled by Jews and must be certified kosher (look for the circle U: means approval by the Jewish Union or a capital K). For a spirit to be kosher it must have the official symbol, and made from grain or sugar. It cannot be made from grapes and cannot be aged in a non-kosher wine barrel; therefore, Scotch whisky (or anything else) that has been aged or finished in a sherry, port or wine cask is a NO NO. All other ingredients used and the distillery itself, must be certified kosher. Most things that start in the ground are kosher including barley, wheat and rye. For whisky to be kosher the distiller must ensure all the individual ingredients (yeast and enzymes) are kosher. In addition, the equipment must be kosher. This is a challenge for the Jewish holiday of Passover for according to kosher law, a Jew may not own anything which is produced from the primary grains like wheat, rye, or barley which is leavened. These items are referred to collectively a chametz. Jewish owned whisky companies need to sell their chametz prior to Passover each year or else their products are no longer considered kosher. Ordinary Scotch Whisky whether Single Malt or Blended without any mention of the use of sherry, port or other wine casks on the label or marketing literature, can be consumed confidently without any Halachic concerns relating to potential contact with ex-wine casks. No additives to Scotch Whisky are permitted, with the exception of caramel color which is kosher. As far as Irish Whiskey is concerned, as a direct result of the work of the KLBD with the distillers, Irish legislation has been changed and it is no longer permitted to add flavor enhancers (including those which are wine based) to Irish whiskey. Therefore, all whiskey bottled in Ireland since mid-2009, without any mention of the use of sherry, port or other wine casks on the label or marketing literature, can also be consumed confidently without any halachic (guides religious practices and beliefs and many aspects of day-to-day life) concerns. In