Archive for ‘Wine & Health’

Wine labelling – Nutritional information

May 19th, 2023 | Responsible Drinking

 

As from December 2023 we will be obliged to add nutritional information to our labels. Of course, with the amount of information already appearing on labels (including government health warnings etc.), there is a danger that the label might eventually cover most of the bottle! This leaves us with two options, either produce bigger bottles, or add a QR code to the label linking consumers directly to the information. (The first option of bigger bottles was very much tongue-in-cheek and we have used option two).

Suffice to say that in the very near future we will start to print labels with this new QR code included. (We do already include QR codes that links to the product page of the wine being consumed). The new QR will replace this, but this new link will still include information about the wine itself, so not all will be technical information.

In the meantime, we have already posted nutritional information on our website. On each product page (English and Spanish) there is a link under the downloads (descargas) section. The same link also appears under the general ‘downloads’ header on our homepage. All of these links are clearly marked ‘Nutritional Information’.

Covid & Wine

October 26th, 2020 | Covid 19

One of the first, and most common signs that you might have Covid is, apparently, the sudden loss of taste and smell. The actual cause of this is not yet fully understood (although scientists do have their theories), but it is a symptom that can last for varying amounts of time – from weeks to months. The virus attacks the olfactory neurons and in some cases can destroy them completely, resulting in total loss of smell and taste. The only good news is that these neurons can regenerate, albeit this can be a long, slow process.

As a former wine buyer myself, I know that I was always a bit obsessive about avoiding colds and flu in winter. Effectively this would render me almost completely useless and unable to do my job (which obviously involved a lot of travelling and tasting). This was my nightmare scenario.

I can’t imagine therefore, what it might be like to lose these senses completely, especially when they can take years to train. My biggest concern would always be that if you did lose these senses completely, would they be as sensitive as they were before when they return? I do know, for example, that (because of my life in wine), I have a highly developed sense of smell and taste and can pick up on things in daily life that other people just don’t notice. Of course, this can be both a blessing and a curse, especially if it is a smell that is not too pleasant!

Perhaps a simple and effective Covid test for me might just be to smell and taste wine as often as I can? On this basis, at the moment, I am probably averaging about 45 Covid tests per day….

2018 Alcohol

May 21st, 2019 | Harvest

Galician weather is always difficult to predict at the best of times – for example, at this very moment we are experiencing some significant shifts of temperature, sometimes within the very same day. Our vines are certainly quite advanced for the time of year, and in some small pockets we are already seeing the onset of flowering. This could equate to a harvest at the very beginning of September if the weather behaves as it should. Vamos a ver (we will see).

However, the reason I am writing about alcohol is actually because of what happened during the summer of 2018. After poor spring and cool early summer the 2018 vintage was largely saved by a late burst of sun and warmth in August and early September. So much so that the final, very rapid maturation of the fruit actually took many by surprise, and at least some of the resulting albariño grapes were picked with between 13° and 14° potential alcohol!

Of course, here at Castro Martin we always to our very best to retain the typicity of our grape and our denomination, but even we struggled to pick all of our fruit before it ‘overcooked’!

Last week we racked a number of our 2018 tanks, removing them from the lees. The first step following this is to have every wine analysed, running tests for every parameter including stability. The results were all very good, with the key elements exactly at the correct levels in relation to one another, meaning that the wines are well balanced. The only slightly a-typical aspect was the alcohol, with a couple of wines just touching the 13% mark (not perhaps for the very first time, but certainly not within the last 17 years that I have been in Galicia).

We will need to adjust some of our 2018 labels accordingly.

Natural wine (and food) – Part 4 – Sulphites

February 25th, 2019 | Bodega

A couple of weeks ago we attended a very interesting seminar – ‘Making wines with low SO2 (sulphur dioxide) content’.

One of the most defining characteristics of a ‘natural’ wine is that it will certainly be low in sulphur – sometimes with no added SO2 whatsoever. Added sulphur has two roles to play in a finished wine: Firstly, it acts as a microbicide, killing bacteria or any remaining yeasts that could eventually lead to spoilage. Secondly, it prevents oxidation of the wine, by preventing or reducing interaction of wine with oxygen.

During fermentation yeast will naturally produce a very small amount of SO2 (and so it will always be present), the question is – is this enough to protect a wine in the medium to long-term? For example, it’s worth noting that premature oxidation is actually a very common fault in ‘natural’ wines.

Our seminar talked of this, and offered alternative solutions, products to be used in the grape must to replace SO2, yeast strains that produce very little natural SO2, and pre-bottling additives – all apparently quite natural. We tasted two Spanish white wines from the 2018 vintage made using the low-sulphur products….

When I was a wine buyer, one of the most important issues for me was not only the quality, but mainly the longevity of the wine – looking into its future and trying to imagine how it might evolve. (Bearing in mind that many of my purchasing decisions were made in the producers cellar, tasting raw wine from tanks and barrels). If a wine tasted ready for drinking from the first sip, then the likely hood was that it would not last the course. It is rare that a good or great wine will show it’s true colours during its infancy – and that is where the buyers judgement comes into play.

I say this because of the two 2018 wines in the tasting. They were fine for drinking NOW, very commercial styles, but simply ready to give a bit of ‘instant gratification’. Perhaps perfect for the two wines in question, but not really for our albariño, which can often be consumed two or three years down the road. I’m sorry to say, that we will almost certainly continue with our current policy of adding a little pre-bottling SO2, simply because it works for us, and our export customers (who require an extended shelf-life).

 

A drop of Chablis with your cornflakes?

October 10th, 2017 | Odds & Sods

On one or two odd occasions (Sunday brunch for example), we’ve probably all indulged ourselves in an odd ‘beverage’ or two – maybe a Bloody Mary, Mimosa or something similar? For me at least, drinking wine or alcohol too early in the day has never felt quite right, but that’s probably just a person thing – each to their own I guess.

In recent years however, there are some worrying trends that have developed, all related to early morning drinking. For example, a common sight at many UK airports are groups of young men and women, enjoying their traditional full English breakfast….. with drink in hand. This sometimes extends to several drinks, eventually culminating in unruly behavior, even on early morning flights. The problem appears to be that once border control has been cleared, then normal UK licensing hours don’t apply, and so travellers are free to drink what they like. It is becoming quite a problem for the airlines – air rage fueled by alcohol.

I was a little perplexed therefore to read what I assumed to be a ‘serious’ article entitled “8 breakfast wines you should be drinking” – some restaurants are now apparently offering a wine list with breakfast. The recommendations rather depend on what you are ordering, but the majority of those offered are white, ranging from crisp, fruity white, to sweet white (intended to accompany your pancakes!). There is even one suggestion that a chilled, light red could be teamed up with your bacon dishes, albeit I find that eggs are notoriously difficult to marry, and most red wines would probably be rendered metallic, harsh and astringent by a ‘runny’ egg yolk.

Personally, I think that wine with breakfast quite a bad idea, and believe that a line has to be drawn somewhere, and round-the-clock drinking should not be encouraged. Whatever happened to ‘responsible drinking’ and ‘wine in moderation’? Has that now become an old-fashioned concept?

Could albariño be more ‘addictive’?

July 27th, 2017 | Oddballs

Apparently there is a very unique and different ‘style’ of wine now available on the market (although I’m pretty confident that it will never be made here in Galicia) – wine infused with marijuana. In California it is sometimes known as ‘weed-wine’ and in some local markets is now commercially available.

It may surprise you to know that this rather unusual blend was not originally cooked up by the fun-loving, open-minded Californians, but actually dates back centuries or even millennia. Pot-wine was sometimes consumed an integral part of ancient religious rituals, whilst in Chinese medicine it dates back as far back as the 28th century B.C. (so powerful that it could be used as an anesthetic during surgery). In any event, when this slightly bizarre cocktail was first used it was never intended simply as a way of getting high, but was used much more for its healing power and also relief of pain. In religion it was considered as an entheogen, aimed at spiritual development, literally ‘generating the divine within’ – which I think you could interpret in any number of ways!

Despite the fact that marijuana has now been legalised in several States, weed-wine is still not widely available, and in some of the places where it can be bought, it is still treated as more or less an ‘under the counter’ sale.

I have read that the most effective way to add this aromatic herb is by slow, cold maceration, and that the resulting wine has greater depth of flavour and a better structure. It is not mentioned exactly what this flavour is, but the ‘medicinal’ side-effect is ostensibly not as euphoric, but actually more mellow and long lasting. Certainly it would be a wine to be savoured with some moderation (if that’s your thing).

Finally, it is said that white wine better lends itself to these natural aromatics, a healthy marriage of marijuana and grapes, lower alcohol levels, giving a better balance to the finished wine. Who knows, Angela could become Galicia’s first “ganjapreneur”?

Suitable for vegans?

March 6th, 2017 | Wine & Health

[:en]Vulcan wineI was recently sitting in a small village restaurant, grabbing a quick ‘menu’ lunch, to the inevitable accompaniment of the television in the corner of the room. The regional news was interviewing a local winemaker, who they were reporting makes the only vegan wine in Galicia! (I should immediately point out that wine classified as vegan is not to be confused with biological, biodynamic or even ‘natural’ wine).

A couple of months ago I made my own discreet investigation into biological and biodynamic wines by speaking directly to the Technical Director of our D.O. I simply asked him how many wines or bodegas are legally certified as such?

His reply was quite unequivocal. There is only one certified biodynamic vineyard in the whole region, but the wine made from these grapes is not…. biodynamic grape growing and biodynamic wine making are two completely different things and are certified independently of one another. To summarise, biological or biodynamic wine of the D.O. Rias Baixas do not exist at the time of writing.

Vegan is however, a whole different classification, and you could easily be forgiven for assuming that all wines might potentially be suitable for vegans. The problem is that there are quite a number of fining agents (commonly used to precipitate out the haze-inducing molecules), that are prohibited in vegan products – casein (a milk protein), albumin (egg whites), gelatin (animal protein) and isinglass (fish bladder protein). Fining, or clarification, leaves the wine clear and bright and is often enhanced by a final filtration that adds a bit of extra ‘polish’ to the finished wine.

The good news for vegans is that these days there are an increasing number of wine makers (including Castro Martin) who are using clay-based fining agents such as bentonite – particularly efficient at fining out unwanted proteins. Activated charcoal can also be used to produce vegan friendly wines.

So I am pleased to confirm that vegans can safely drink Castro Martin wines, happy in the knowledge that they will live long and prosper![:es]I was recently sitting in a small village restaurant, grabbing a quick ‘menu’ lunch, to the inevitable accompaniment of the television in the corner of the room. The regional news was interviewing a local winemaker, who they were reporting makes the only vegan wine in Galicia! (I should immediately point out that wine classified as vegan is not to be confused with biological, biodynamic or even ‘natural’ wine).

A couple of months ago I made my own discreet investigation into biological and biodynamic wines by speaking directly to the Technical Director of our D.O. I simply asked him how many wines or bodegas are legally certified as such?

His reply was quite unequivocal. There is only one certified biodynamic vineyard in the whole region, but the wine made from these grapes is not…. biodynamic grape growing and biodynamic wine making are two completely different things and are certified independently of one another. To summarise, biological or biodynamic wine of the D.O. Rias Baixas do not exist at the time of writing.

Vegan is however, a whole different classification, and you could easily be forgiven for assuming that all wines might potentially be suitable for vegans. The problem is that there are quite a number of fining agents (commonly used to precipitate out the haze-inducing molecules), that are prohibited in vegan products – casein (a milk protein), albumin (egg whites), gelatin (animal protein) and isinglass (fish bladder protein). Fining, or clarification, leaves the wine clear and bright and is often enhanced by a final filtration that adds a bit of extra ‘polish’ to the finished wine.

The good news for vegans is that these days there are an increasing number of wine makers (including Castro Martin) who are using clay-based fining agents such as bentonite – particularly efficient at fining out unwanted proteins. Activated charcoal can also be used to produce vegan friendly wines.

So I am pleased to confirm that vegans can safely drink Castro Martin wines, happy in the knowledge that they will live long and prosper![:]

20,000 leagues under the sea

May 10th, 2015 | Wine & Health

UnderwaterBy coincidence I have continued my recent theme of using film titles for our blog… I posted some time ago about underwater wine ageing, but now it appears that in the United States the FDA have expressed some new concerns about the practice. The Federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has issued an advisory saying water pressure could cause contaminants to seep into the bottles.

“Overpressure on bottle seals increases the likelihood of seepage of sea water into the product, and biological growth on the container may contribute to the degradation of the cork which could contaminate the product when the bottle is opened”. The advisory warned that contaminants from petrol and oil to pesticides and heavy metals can sometimes be found in sea water.

For the time being the FDA will not approve labels for any underwater aged wine until more tests have been carried out. This ban will not change anything at  Castro Martin, as of course, we don’t use this method for ageing any of our wines, but I do know that there are at least one or two other Galician bodegas that may be affected.UnderwaterBy coincidence I have continued my recent theme of using film titles for our blog… I posted some time ago about underwater wine ageing, but now it appears that in the United States the FDA have expressed some new concerns about the practice. The Federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has issued an advisory saying water pressure could cause contaminants to seep into the bottles.

“Overpressure on bottle seals increases the likelihood of seepage of sea water into the product, and biological growth on the container may contribute to the degradation of the cork which could contaminate the product when the bottle is opened”. The advisory warned that contaminants from petrol and oil to pesticides and heavy metals can sometimes be found in sea water.

For the time being the FDA will not approve labels for any underwater aged wine until more tests have been carried out. This ban will not change anything at  Castro Martin, as of course, we don’t use this method for ageing any of our wines, but I do know that there are at least one or two other Galician bodegas that may be affected.

Allergic to work?

March 4th, 2015 | Odds & Sods

AllergyI don’t know if it’s my imagination, but I have a feeling that there are an increasing number of people with allergies these days. It could be that we live in such a clean, sterile world (where children aren’t allowed to play in the dirt as they used to), that our immunity and intolerance to certain foods and materials, is slowly being eroded. Please don’t quote me on this thought, it is based solely on my own personal observations, and is not necessarily a scientific fact. Whatever the truth, I now find myself living my with own personal sensitivity…..

This winter I have been suffering from a throat irritation that only occurs when I am working in our bodega. This does however, exclude the offices, which are the only part of the wine cellar that have any form of heating. This being the case we are able to keep them dry and warm for the most part, during our long, cold, humid winters. My problem is that the minute I step out of the offices I can feel my throat tightening, and almost immediately, the irritation begins, resulting in a rather annoying dry cough. This is compounded when I spend a lot of time working outside the office, and means that sometimes I actually become short of breath. This week I finally decided to get it checked out. (Why are men always so reluctant to visit the doctor?)

After a battery of tests with a specialist in respiratory problems, resulting in a forearm that resembled a pin cushion, it was finally determined that I am now allergic to fungus and mold. Now, please don’t imagine for one second that our bodega is a filthy hovel, with dark, damp, black walls covered with mold, because I can assure you that it’s not – but inevitably, wherever there’s darkness and humidity, then there’s going to be fungal spores hanging in the atmosphere.

So, what’s the solution? Tablets? Stay in the office all winter? Well, apparently the suggestion is that I should probably wear some sort of surgical mask to filter the air that I breath when working in the cellars. (I do of course, already use a full face mask with filters for working with sulphur dioxide, but for this minor irritation that might be just a bit extreme!). I will have to try it and see.AllergyI don’t know if it’s my imagination, but I have a feeling that there are an increasing number of people with allergies these days. It could be that we live in such a clean, sterile world (where children aren’t allowed to play in the dirt as they used to), that our immunity and intolerance to certain foods and materials, is slowly being eroded. Please don’t quote me on this thought, it is based solely on my own personal observations, and is not necessarily a scientific fact. Whatever the truth, I now find myself living my with own personal sensitivity…..

This winter I have been suffering from a throat irritation that only occurs when I am working in our bodega. This does however, exclude the offices, which are the only part of the wine cellar that have any form of heating. This being the case we are able to keep them dry and warm for the most part, during our long, cold, humid winters. My problem is that the minute I step out of the offices I can feel my throat tightening, and almost immediately, the irritation begins, resulting in a rather annoying dry cough. This is compounded when I spend a lot of time working outside the office, and means that sometimes I actually become short of breath. This week I finally decided to get it checked out. (Why are men always so reluctant to visit the doctor?)

After a battery of tests with a specialist in respiratory problems, resulting in a forearm that resembled a pin cushion, it was finally determined that I am now allergic to fungus and mold. Now, please don’t imagine for one second that our bodega is a filthy hovel, with dark, damp, black walls covered with mold, because I can assure you that it’s not – but inevitably, wherever there’s darkness and humidity, then there’s going to be fungal spores hanging in the atmosphere.

So, what’s the solution? Tablets? Stay in the office all winter? Well, apparently the suggestion is that I should probably wear some sort of surgical mask to filter the air that I breath when working in the cellars. (I do of course, already use a full face mask with filters for working with sulphur dioxide, but for this minor irritation that might be just a bit extreme!). I will have to try it and see.

Confused? You will be!

February 19th, 2015 | Websites

steak & wineAnyone who has read my posts over recent months and years will know that included in my ‘soapbox’ issues are the conflicting reports that we read on a regular basis, concerning what is and isn’t good for you. The experts abound, each one claiming to make some startling new discovery, that contradicts everything we have been told before about what we should eat or drink to stay healthy.

There have been various claims and counter claims relating to wine, admittedly mostly relating to red wine. Some of the alleged health benefits include protecting the body from heart and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer prevention, and even a control for obesity. Without getting too technical the benefits are attributed to different compounds found in the tannins and phenols – these are the very same compounds that contribute to the colour and flavour of a red wine.

A new study in the British Medical Journal completely contradicts many of the popular beliefs about food and drink, the most dramatic of which is that saturated fats are actually good for your heart, and that the real killers are carbohydrates. The study is extensive, and will certainly leave you more confused than ever before about healthy eating – probably the best summary of the report can be found using this link.steak & wineAnyone who has read my posts over recent months and years will know that included in my ‘soapbox’ issues are the conflicting reports that we read on a regular basis, concerning what is and isn’t good for you. The experts abound, each one claiming to make some startling new discovery, that contradicts everything we have been told before about what we should eat or drink to stay healthy.

There have been various claims and counter claims relating to wine, admittedly mostly relating to red wine. Some of the alleged health benefits include protecting the body from heart and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer prevention, and even a control for obesity. Without getting too technical the benefits are attributed to different compounds found in the tannins and phenols – these are the very same compounds that contribute to the colour and flavour of a red wine.

A new study in the British Medical Journal completely contradicts many of the popular beliefs about food and drink, the most dramatic of which is that saturated fats are actually good for your heart, and that the real killers are carbohydrates. The study is extensive, and will certainly leave you more confused than ever before about healthy eating – probably the best summary of the report can be found using this link.

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