VinoWeek - Episode 56 Coronavirus Insanity

A lot has happened worldwide since our last podcast. Country after country have instituted curfews, travel restrictions and have closed schools, museums and sporting venues. Last week Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte imposed a national quarantine, mandating the closure of all stores limiting travel to only grocery stores, pharmacies and hospitals in an effort to slow down the spread of Covid - 19. On Wednesday March 11th the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.

What does any of this have to do with wine? As we’ve discussed in previous podcasts the wine industry has already entered a slow period of growth. At some levels wine is a luxury product and not a necessity. With the precipitous drop in stock market valuations in the last several weeks, the uncertainty of the spread of Covid - 19 stoking market fears, discretionary wine buying may be put on pause. Bill and I will no doubt have a lot to talk about in the coming podcasts. For now my wife and I are practicing social distancing and have only left the home to go grocery shopping. Everyone be safe and be well.

Here are some of the topics we discussed on this podcast.

Bundschu Company has purchased the Valley of the Moon Winery in Sonoma Valley. It’s nice to see a local acquisition made by a local family owned winery instead of a private equity firm or a wine conglomerate.

Tim McKirdy post a nice piece on how to (confidently ) buy aged wines. Always a risky proposition he offers some good ideas to help you make good decisions when looking for a special mature bottle.

Treasury Wines has slashed their profit earning expectations for the year as the Corona virus hits the Chinese market.

Hard to believe it but Americans are not buying Corona beer because of the coronavirus name.

Thieves targeted a Danish restaurant in Copenhagen and stole about five cases of rare and expensive burgundy. Some of the bottles were from the famed Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.

Bill and I discuss these items and more in this week's addition of VinoWeek. Thanks to everyone for listening. Cheers!

Our wine recommendation this week is Castello di Fonterutoli’s 2016 Ser Lapo Chianti Classico Riserva. This wine is crafted by Carlo Ferrini who consults for wineries all over Italy. Castello di Fonterutoli has been owned by the Mazzei family since 1435, 26 successive generations to date. Ser Lapo is the author of the first known document to use the “Chianti” denomination in 1398. The Fonterutoli estate is located 10 miles northwest of Siena. The company is run by Lapo Mazzei, chairman and his two sons Filippo and Francesco. The family business is well diversified as they also own properties in Maremma, Sicily and Veneto. The grape sources for Ser Lapo are from 15 to 30 year old vineyards. The soils are comprised primarily of clay/loam and calcareous rocks and sandstone. The vineyard altitude is 800 to 100 feet. The wine is comprised of 90% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot. After fermentation in stainless steel the wine is aged for 12 months in small french oak barriques (225/500 liter) 50% new. It’s then aged in bottle for five months before release.

The bottle has a unique old school wrap around label covered with Renaissance writing. The label is sealed with a wax medallion about the size of a silver dollar that is embossed with the Mazzei family crest. What’s it like in the glass? The color is a bright ruby in the glass, with aromas of cranberries and red cherries, violets and thyme. On the palate it has that classic acidic bite of Sangiovese at first. Red cherry flavors with hints of cedar, earth and orange peel. It’s medium bodied with moderate tannins and has really good length on the finish. It’s lip smacking good. You should decant it to clear the sediment and let it breath for 30 to 45 minutes for it to show its best. 13.5% alc. $27 to $30