Finally, the big news of 2014 (so far) – we have just started to bottle some of our 2013 wines with a completely new breed of synthetic closure – NOMACORC SELECT BIO – THE WORLD’S FIRST ZERO CARBON FOOTPRINT CLOSURE. 

We have been using the Select Series for some time now, and this new Select Bio is just the latest product in the evolution of the series. The material used to make this closure includes sugar cane, plant based polymers, meaning that it comes from 100% renewable raw materials. Of course using a plant based source also helps to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, and the canes used are cultivated in a socially responsible way – having no impact on the food supply chain. Plant based polymers are also perfect for re-cycling in the normal plastic waste streams.

As if all this isn’t enough the Select Bio is also manufactured using 100% renewable energy – closures simply don’t come with ‘greener’ credentials than this one!

I should finish by saying that this new Bio product has all the usual benefits of our previous Nomacorc closure, being taint free and enabling consistent bottle ageing. Oh, and by the way, I forgot to mention that we are the very first Bodega in the whole of Spain to be using this new technology!

Finally, the big news of 2014 (so far) – we have just started to bottle some of our 2013 wines with a completely new breed of synthetic closure – NOMACORC SELECT BIO – THE WORLD’S FIRST ZERO CARBON FOOTPRINT CLOSURE. 

We have been using the Select Series for some time now, and this new Select Bio is just the latest product in the evolution of the series. The material used to make this closure includes sugar cane, plant based polymers, meaning that it comes from 100% renewable raw materials. Of course using a plant based source also helps to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, and the canes used are cultivated in a socially responsible way – having no impact on the food supply chain. Plant based polymers are also perfect for re-cycling in the normal plastic waste streams.

As if all this isn’t enough the Select Bio is also manufactured using 100% renewable energy – closures simply don’t come with ‘greener’ credentials than this one!

I should finish by saying that this new Bio product has all the usual benefits of our previous Nomacorc closure, being taint free and enabling consistent bottle ageing. Oh, and by the way, I forgot to mention that we are the very first Bodega in the whole of Spain to be using this new technology!

Before I start writing I should point out that it’s not quite April Fool’s day as yet, simply because today’s news is of a new gadget coming to the market that claims to turn water into wine! This new contraption will not come cheap with a price tag of around $499, and then of course the cost of the “ingredients” has to be added to this. By adding grape concentrate and yeast, it apparently takes three days to actually ferment the mixture into wine, at a finished cost of about $2 per bottle. The concentrates will be available as several different varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay from Napa Valley, a Pinot Noir from Oregon, a Tuscan blend from Italy, Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma, plus a red and white from Burgundy.

The technology enclosed within this condiment shaped machine is actually quite impressive,  comprising a fermentation chamber that uses electrical sensors, transducers, heaters and pumps to provide a controlled environment for the fermentation. So this really appears to be wine making in miniature…..  In addition there is also the inevitable phone App that alerts the user when the fermentation has finished and the wine is ready to drink.

The California based makers say the finished product will be up to the standard of a $20 bottle of wine, but as I always say, the proof will be in the tasting – I prefer to reserve my judgement at least until we see some consumer reviews.

 Now where did I put my loaves and fishes?

Before I start writing I should point out that it’s not quite April Fool’s day as yet, simply because today’s news is of a new gadget coming to the market that claims to turn water into wine! This new contraption will not come cheap with a price tag of around $499, and then of course the cost of the “ingredients” has to be added to this. By adding grape concentrate and yeast, it apparently takes three days to actually ferment the mixture into wine, at a finished cost of about $2 per bottle. The concentrates will be available as several different varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay from Napa Valley, a Pinot Noir from Oregon, a Tuscan blend from Italy, Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma, plus a red and white from Burgundy.

The technology enclosed within this condiment shaped machine is actually quite impressive,  comprising a fermentation chamber that uses electrical sensors, transducers, heaters and pumps to provide a controlled environment for the fermentation. So this really appears to be wine making in miniature…..  In addition there is also the inevitable phone App that alerts the user when the fermentation has finished and the wine is ready to drink.

The California based makers say the finished product will be up to the standard of a $20 bottle of wine, but as I always say, the proof will be in the tasting – I prefer to reserve my judgement at least until we see some consumer reviews.

 Now where did I put my loaves and fishes?

A day or two ago I wrote about the Amazon ‘Prime Air’ delivery service. Unfortunately this very original idea is probably going to be a bit of a non-starter, as for the time being at least, it is grounded by simply having too many drawbacks to be practical. In the meantime I have been working on my own alternative for making deliveries – a system that thoughtfully takes into account our carbon footprint, whilst also cutting down dramatically on expenses. You can see the first prototype of my proposed solution in today’s photo, which not only has the advantage of offering a very personalised service, but also helps to burn off a few extra calories at the same time. However, like the Prime Air, this idea also comes with it’s own drawbacks, as it now requires 12 single journeys to deliver one full case of wine….. OK, so it’s back to the drawing board!

A day or two ago I wrote about the Amazon ‘Prime Air’ delivery service. Unfortunately this very original idea is probably going to be a bit of a non-starter, as for the time being at least, it is grounded by simply having too many drawbacks to be practical. In the meantime I have been working on my own alternative for making deliveries – a system that thoughtfully takes into account our carbon footprint, whilst also cutting down dramatically on expenses. You can see the first prototype of my proposed solution in today’s photo, which not only has the advantage of offering a very personalised service, but also helps to burn off a few extra calories at the same time. However, like the Prime Air, this idea also comes with it’s own drawbacks, as it now requires 12 single journeys to deliver one full case of wine….. OK, so it’s back to the drawing board!

Christmas deliveries can always be a bit of a nightmare, especially if you have to sit at home waiting for a delivery driver, not knowing exactly when he or she is going to turn up (or indeed, IF they’re going to turn up). Of course one possible answer is to have packages delivered to your work address, assuming that your employer is amenable to this idea. My guess is however, that if you work for a very large organisation, then this is probably not a very practical solution and would probably cause all sorts of problems for the company mail room.

Amazon’s latest answer to this predicament is their ‘Prime Air’ drone. Unfortunately, as practical solutions go, this has to be one of the most impractical ever and is absolutely fraught with pitfalls – possibly too numerous to mention. Don’t get me wrong, I love technology, but this idea, even for me, is just a bit too incredulous….. or at least for now. Apart from the obvious perils of civil aviation, apparently these drones would also be severely restricted by weather, weight and physical distance from the warehouse. On top of all this, not only would the recipient have to be at home to receive the parcel, but the sender would also have to be in contact to advise of the exact ‘landing’ time (assuming that you don’t live in an apartment and have somewhere for the drone to set down your box). Shooting at drones would also provide a great new sport for the opportunists!

Suffice to say that owing to the many drawbacks, your Castro Martin won’t be arriving by drone this Christmas, or probably any time soon for that matter.

Christmas deliveries can always be a bit of a nightmare, especially if you have to sit at home waiting for a delivery driver, not knowing exactly when he or she is going to turn up (or indeed, IF they’re going to turn up). Of course one possible answer is to have packages delivered to your work address, assuming that your employer is amenable to this idea. My guess is however, that if you work for a very large organisation, then this is probably not a very practical solution and would probably cause all sorts of problems for the company mail room.

Amazon’s latest answer to this predicament is their ‘Prime Air’ drone. Unfortunately, as practical solutions go, this has to be one of the most impractical ever and is absolutely fraught with pitfalls – possibly too numerous to mention. Don’t get me wrong, I love technology, but this idea, even for me, is just a bit too incredulous….. or at least for now. Apart from the obvious perils of civil aviation, apparently these drones would also be severely restricted by weather, weight and physical distance from the warehouse. On top of all this, not only would the recipient have to be at home to receive the parcel, but the sender would also have to be in contact to advise of the exact ‘landing’ time (assuming that you don’t live in an apartment and have somewhere for the drone to set down your box). Shooting at drones would also provide a great new sport for the opportunists!

Suffice to say that owing to the many drawbacks, your Castro Martin won’t be arriving by drone this Christmas, or probably any time soon for that matter.

These days we probably tend to take most technology for granted, using apps on our smartphone for airline check-ins, football scores or even to find out where we are. Having said all that, I still occasionally find some app or website that amazes me….. The other day I was attempting to track a container of our wine en route to a customer across the world (in the same way that you might track a UPS parcel), when I stumbled upon a website called www.marinetraffic.com – Click on the map to see more detail.

The website shows the movement of every conceivable type of vessel on the seas and oceans around the world, but in quite astonishing detail. Firstly, you can filter the different ships (or yachts) by type, for example separating the cargo ships from the cruise liners or tankers. Then, if you want to find an individual vessel you can search by name, and not only will it give you information about the ship itself (including photo), but it will also give you the speed, heading and destination etc. It’s all pretty amazing stuff. 

They say that the English Channel is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, and if you ever take a minute to visit this site you might understand why. The volume of traffic is quite staggering, looking much like a busy motorway or highway. Of course for the vast majority of people this site may have no value at all, but certainly the next time that I want to follow the shipment of one of our wines I will know where to look. Oh, and by the way, there is another site which might be of more interest to more people, with similar maps, but showing live air traffic – www.flightradar24.com 

These days we probably tend to take most technology for granted, using apps on our smartphone for airline check-ins, football scores or even to find out where we are. Having said all that, I still occasionally find some app or website that amazes me….. The other day I was attempting to track a container of our wine en route to a customer across the world (in the same way that you might track a UPS parcel), when I stumbled upon a website called www.marinetraffic.com – Click on the map to see more detail.

The website shows the movement of every conceivable type of vessel on the seas and oceans around the world, but in quite astonishing detail. Firstly, you can filter the different ships (or yachts) by type, for example separating the cargo ships from the cruise liners or tankers. Then, if you want to find an individual vessel you can search by name, and not only will it give you information about the ship itself (including photo), but it will also give you the speed, heading and destination etc. It’s all pretty amazing stuff. 

They say that the English Channel is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, and if you ever take a minute to visit this site you might understand why. The volume of traffic is quite staggering, looking much like a busy motorway or highway. Of course for the vast majority of people this site may have no value at all, but certainly the next time that I want to follow the shipment of one of our wines I will know where to look. Oh, and by the way, there is another site which might be of more interest to more people, with similar maps, but showing live air traffic – www.flightradar24.com

Wine aroma kits have been around for some time, indeed I remember buying my first ‘Nez du Vin’ roughly 20 years ago. The kit consisted of small vials of oils impregnated with some of the more common fragrances found in wine. Indeed some of the kits were actually regionalised, and you could buy one that represented a specific (French) wine region – in other words the smells associated with the grape varieties of that particular region. Nicely packaged, with colour pictures (like large playing cards) explaining each individual aroma. They were not cheap, and also did not last that long once they had been opened for the first time – like fine perfumes they would eventually age and start to fade.

However, there is now a new kid on the aroma block – the Aroxa sensory kit. The way that this kit performs is completely different to its predecessors, and aimed more at the profession wine taster who wants to train his or her palate. The system contains a series of capsules, each one containing a purified form of the molecule responsible for some of the more common flavours and taints found in wine. To use them you quite simply break the capsule and pour it into a wine. The capsules are not actually given the name of a particular smell such as honey, violet or vanilla, but they are give the chemical name of the molecule instead e.g. ethyl phenylacetate, β-ionone or vanillin (the latter example being the most obvious of the three). The system’s creator, Dr Bill Simpson, thinks that his method will help to unify the way in which wines are described, replacing the current somewhat vague, but elegantly crafted prose. For example, one person might say grapefruit, whilst another will say citrus, but then using Dr Simpson’s system, both would be trained to say ‘linalool’. Accurate perhaps, but certainly not quite as lyrical…. Dr Simpson argues that a professional taster should first know the real name of the compound, and then find a way to convey it to their own particular target audience.

The real beauty of this Aroxa kit is that it allows trainers to actually test the sensitivity of any given group of students, and their ability to detect particular aromas. As the molecules are actually added to the wines then it also allows them to be tasted blind, giving a much more objective result.

The downside? Price! Ten small capsules for a single tasting will set you back £69 (approx $110). A kit of eight flavours for a group tasting of ten people (viable for only 20 hours), is a ‘snip’ at only £499 (nearly $800), but at least it does include free shipping! It’s on my Christmas list….. 

Wine aroma kits have been around for some time, indeed I remember buying my first ‘Nez du Vin’ roughly 20 years ago. The kit consisted of small vials of oils impregnated with some of the more common fragrances found in wine. Indeed some of the kits were actually regionalised, and you could buy one that represented a specific (French) wine region – in other words the smells associated with the grape varieties of that particular region. Nicely packaged, with colour pictures (like large playing cards) explaining each individual aroma. They were not cheap, and also did not last that long once they had been opened for the first time – like fine perfumes they would eventually age and start to fade.

However, there is now a new kid on the aroma block – the Aroxa sensory kit. The way that this kit performs is completely different to its predecessors, and aimed more at the profession wine taster who wants to train his or her palate. The system contains a series of capsules, each one containing a purified form of the molecule responsible for some of the more common flavours and taints found in wine. To use them you quite simply break the capsule and pour it into a wine. The capsules are not actually given the name of a particular smell such as honey, violet or vanilla, but they are give the chemical name of the molecule instead e.g. ethyl phenylacetate, β-ionone or vanillin (the latter example being the most obvious of the three). The system’s creator, Dr Bill Simpson, thinks that his method will help to unify the way in which wines are described, replacing the current somewhat vague, but elegantly crafted prose. For example, one person might say grapefruit, whilst another will say citrus, but then using Dr Simpson’s system, both would be trained to say ‘linalool’. Accurate perhaps, but certainly not quite as lyrical…. Dr Simpson argues that a professional taster should first know the real name of the compound, and then find a way to convey it to their own particular target audience.

The real beauty of this Aroxa kit is that it allows trainers to actually test the sensitivity of any given group of students, and their ability to detect particular aromas. As the molecules are actually added to the wines then it also allows them to be tasted blind, giving a much more objective result.

The downside? Price! Ten small capsules for a single tasting will set you back £69 (approx $110). A kit of eight flavours for a group tasting of ten people (viable for only 20 hours), is a ‘snip’ at only £499 (nearly $800), but at least it does include free shipping! It’s on my Christmas list….. 

Perhaps I shouldn’t mention that we have chosen to ignore today’s General Strike, for Castro Martin business carries on as usual. I will not comment on the sentiment behind the strike except to say that there is no doubt that the Spanish Government will be forced to make cuts, whether we like it or not….

Several months ago Angela exchanged her desktop PC for a new laptop. It has revolutionised her life as she is now able to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether that is true or not is not really the issue, but the reality is that it now enables her to work more or less wherever she wants. After all, a Blackberry still has its limitations despite being an indispensable piece of kit.

During those months I have been observing jealously that Angela is no longer a slave to her desk, and although my desktop still works pretty well (despite being a dinosaur in computer years), I have finally taken the plunge. Yesterday I received my shining new laptop, fully equipped with all the very latest technology. Of course the immediate downside is that I first have to load it with all the appropriate software, before I can even contemplate transferring any files. I have my fingers crossed that all goes well over the coming few days.

In the meantime, on the very same day, our office received a huge box containing a brand new photocopier. (Heaven only knows how they got it up the stairs to the first floor.) Anyway, calling it a simple photocopier does it a serious injustice, as not only is this a colour machine, but it also serves as a fax machine and scanner….. and all done by wi-fi! Gone have the days of waiting at the machine to send faxes typed on bits of paper – the 21st century has officially arrived!

Now where’s that handbook, I must check to see if can make me a cup of tea…..

Perhaps I shouldn’t mention that we have chosen to ignore today’s General Strike, for Castro Martin business carries on as usual. I will not comment on the sentiment behind the strike except to say that there is no doubt that the Spanish Government will be forced to make cuts, whether we like it or not….

Several months ago Angela exchanged her desktop PC for a new laptop. It has revolutionised her life as she is now able to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether that is true or not is not really the issue, but the reality is that it now enables her to work more or less wherever she wants. After all, a Blackberry still has its limitations despite being an indispensable piece of kit.

During those months I have been observing jealously that Angela is no longer a slave to her desk, and although my desktop still works pretty well (despite being a dinosaur in computer years), I have finally taken the plunge. Yesterday I received my shining new laptop, fully equipped with all the very latest technology. Of course the immediate downside is that I first have to load it with all the appropriate software, before I can even contemplate transferring any files. I have my fingers crossed that all goes well over the coming few days.

In the meantime, on the very same day, our office received a huge box containing a brand new photocopier. (Heaven only knows how they got it up the stairs to the first floor.) Anyway, calling it a simple photocopier does it a serious injustice, as not only is this a colour machine, but it also serves as a fax machine and scanner….. and all done by wi-fi! Gone have the days of waiting at the machine to send faxes typed on bits of paper – the 21st century has officially arrived!

Now where’s that handbook, I must check to see if can make me a cup of tea…..

It’s probably quite appropriate that in this age of instant information this relatively new technology is known as a QR, or Quick Response Code (to give it it’s proper title). I believe that this two-dimensional matrix barcode was originally developed for the car manufacturing industry, where it was used for marking cars and their parts. (You may have noticed it years ago at your local car dealership, or even on the documentation of your new car). Its big advantage over the usual UPC barcode is that it’s much quicker to read, and by virtue of its design, has a much larger storage capacity.

Originally its use was confined to industry, but now, with the advent of smart phones, we are all pretty much carrying around a portable QR scanner in our pockets (or handbags). By downloading a simple App we now have the ability to gather information on pretty much anything, including our favourite wine cellar, Bodegas Castro Martin. On a recent visit to London I even saw them being used outside restaurants to replace the traditional curled-up menu in a glass box, so that a potential customer can now browse the menu at his or her leisure.

From the 2011 vintage QR codes will be added to all our labels, for you to download instantly all the relevant information about the contents of your glass. 

………beam me up Scotty!

It’s probably quite appropriate that in this age of instant information this relatively new technology is known as a QR, or Quick Response Code (to give it it’s proper title). I believe that this two-dimensional matrix barcode was originally developed for the car manufacturing industry, where it was used for marking cars and their parts. (You may have noticed it years ago at your local car dealership, or even on the documentation of your new car). Its big advantage over the usual UPC barcode is that it’s much quicker to read, and by virtue of its design, has a much larger storage capacity.

Originally its use was confined to industry, but now, with the advent of smart phones, we are all pretty much carrying around a portable QR scanner in our pockets (or handbags). By downloading a simple App we now have the ability to gather information on pretty much anything, including our favourite wine cellar, Bodegas Castro Martin. On a recent visit to London I even saw them being used outside restaurants to replace the traditional curled-up menu in a glass box, so that a potential customer can now browse the menu at his or her leisure.

From the 2011 vintage QR codes will be added to all our labels, for you to download instantly all the relevant information about the contents of your glass. 

………beam me up Scotty!

It’s been a bad time for us recently on the technical front…… Our Blackberries have been out of action on-and-off for the last three days, the server for our website failed over the weekend, and now we have a backup problem with our server here in the office. Where would we be without all this technology?!

It’s actually one of those things – we all take our gadgets for granted – until they don’t work. For example, in the case of Blackeberry we have become so accustomed to picking up our e-mails anywhere in the world, that the minute it stops we start to get withdrawl syptoms. How on earth did we survive before I ask myself?

I also have to admit that the problem with our website nearly gave me a heart attack, for the simple reason that, when it was eventually restored, the last two months worth of my blog posts were missing (including the whole harvest period)! Thankfully, only this morning, the problem was completely resolved, as appears to be the Blackberry saga.

Now, if only I can sort out the problem with our own server….

It’s been a bad time for us recently on the technical front…… Our Blackberries have been out of action on-and-off for the last three days, the server for our website failed over the weekend, and now we have a backup problem with our server here in the office. Where would we be without all this technology?!

It’s actually one of those things – we all take our gadgets for granted – until they don’t work. For example, in the case of Blackeberry we have become so accustomed to picking up our e-mails anywhere in the world, that the minute it stops we start to get withdrawl syptoms. How on earth did we survive before I ask myself?

I also have to admit that the problem with our website nearly gave me a heart attack, for the simple reason that, when it was eventually restored, the last two months worth of my blog posts were missing (including the whole harvest period)! Thankfully, only this morning, the problem was completely resolved, as appears to be the Blackberry saga.

Now, if only I can sort out the problem with our own server….

There is always an element of showmanship (or “cinema” as the French would call it), involved when a professional sommelier opens a bottle of wine at your table – and long may it continue, is my own opinion. It would appear that, over time, we are becoming more and more impatient, and want everything to happen in an instant, but I’m afraid to admit that the screwcap just doesn’t do it for me, especially in a restaurant scenario. If I’m paying decent money for a decent bottle then I want to savour the experience, and the opening ‘ceremony’ forms an integral part of the whole performance. Perhaps I am just old-fashioned?

Anyway, that is not the reason for my story……

It appears that scientists at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona have now developed a kind of robo-sommelier, or electronic tongue, which can distinguish between different Cavas. Well, actually, only three to be precise – brut nature, brut and medium dry. As a human being is capable of detecting over 10,000 different scents and aromas, as well as being able to distinguish between sweet, sour, bitter, acidic and savoury flavours, my guess is that sommeliers won’t exactly be rushing to the job centres just yet. Besides, they would still need to develop a further machine to pull the cork and serve!

Other wine related electronic noses have already been developed in France and Sweden, but all have very limited capabilities, so far.

There is always an element of showmanship (or “cinema” as the French would call it), involved when a professional sommelier opens a bottle of wine at your table – and long may it continue, is my own opinion. It would appear that, over time, we are becoming more and more impatient, and want everything to happen in an instant, but I’m afraid to admit that the screwcap just doesn’t do it for me, especially in a restaurant scenario. If I’m paying decent money for a decent bottle then I want to savour the experience, and the opening ‘ceremony’ forms an integral part of the whole performance. Perhaps I am just old-fashioned?

Anyway, that is not the reason for my story……

It appears that scientists at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona have now developed a kind of robo-sommelier, or electronic tongue, which can distinguish between different Cavas. Well, actually, only three to be precise – brut nature, brut and medium dry. As a human being is capable of detecting over 10,000 different scents and aromas, as well as being able to distinguish between sweet, sour, bitter, acidic and savoury flavours, my guess is that sommeliers won’t exactly be rushing to the job centres just yet. Besides, they would still need to develop a further machine to pull the cork and serve!

Other wine related electronic noses have already been developed in France and Sweden, but all have very limited capabilities, so far.