Words and Wine

One of the most intimidating things about wine and tastings is the lingo. There are many ways to describe wine, many aromas and many industry phrases. I’m going to list the five aroma descriptors I use most in wine tastings and what they mean.

1. Earthy: Some wines have an earthy taste to them and that isn’t a bad thing. I usually find this aroma in dry reds and occasionally dry whites like Pino Grigio or Seyval. Ie. Grass, soil or mushrooms.
2. Minerality: I get this aroma in mostly dry white wines that don’t have a fruit forward aroma. Ie. Flint or slate
3. Floral: If you smell a wine and it has an aroma of perfume or flowers, I consider those floral aromas. You can pick up different floral notes in red wines and white wines. Reds usually have Rose, Violet and Lavender aromas and whites usually have Citrus Blossom, Lilly and Honey Suckle aromas; however, some whites can have notes of Rose, etc.
4. Fruity: Even though wine is traditionally made with only grapes (excluding fruit wines, of course) you can get a lot of fruit aromas out of wine. White wines are known for citrus fruits like oranges, lemons or grapefruits. Reds have aromas of raspberries, cherries or blueberries.
5. Oaky: I use this word to describe anything with a wood aroma, which comes from making wine in either a wood barrel or using wood chips. These aromas are spice, tobacco or cedar.

What descriptors do you use in explaining your wine? There are so many ways to express what you are smelling and tasting. Next time you go to a wine tasting, try some of these out.

Courtney is an employee of School House Winery, home of Building 6 wines located in Dover, Ohio.

Uncorked With Courtney: Why video is so important.

So here’s the deal… Google REALLY likes video. You know who else likes video? Basically everyone.

So most of you know that I do a weekly vlog called Uncorked with Courtney. And every week I talk about either something happening at the winery or something happening in the world or, if I really don’t know what to talk about, something random. And I end each video with a wine of the week (occasionally, not our wine).

It’s a very fun and comfortable thing for me to add to our marketing plan. But that isn’t the only reason I do it. Using video in marketing is also a great way to educate or tell a story.

People value education. Facts. Knowing. And in the wine world, not knowing can be scary. What wine should I take to a dinner party? What wine should I drink? What should I eat with certain wines? There are a lot of questions.

And we all love stories!

My goal is to make my friends, family and our customers more comfortable with the idea of wine and to tell them our stories. (I hope it’s working!) And at the same time, I’m boosting our rankings on Google, getting our business name out there and having a blast. It’s basically a win-win win-win.

So, if you want to see my Uncorked videos, click here.

If you have any questions (seriously, any questions) about wine, email me here. courtney@schoolhousewine.com

If you have any questions about video shooting, editing or more info about why it is so important in the digital world, email me at the same place.

Now go out and make some awesome videos about your business!

Courtney is an employee of School House Winery, home of Building 6 wines located in Dover, Ohio. 

The 6 Different Types of Wineries

 

As I mentioned in my vlog, I attended the annual wine conference in Dubin, Ohio a few weeks back. I really can’t believe how much I learned in a span of a few short days. One thing I always ‘knew’ but didn’t really think about was the 6 basic types of wineries.

1. Vineyard Winery: this is your traditional winery. They have acres of land where they grow their own grapes, harvest those grapes, crush them and turn them into wine. Wines grown and made at the same winery are called Estate Wines. Typically you can sell Estate Wines for a few dollars more a bottle because it’s completely (from sprout to bottle) produced by one winery.
2. Farm Winery: on a farm winery, everything is basically the same as a vineyard, but the owners live on the property and probably grow other crops along side the grapes. There are a few perks to living on the same property as your winery, but you can never really escape your work.
3. Urban Winery: urban wineries are a growing  phenomenon. These wineries are housed in a downtown setting and have all grapes or juices shipped in (typically they don’t grow their own grapes). Once the wine maker gets the grapes or juices from vineyards, they begin the wine making process. These are usually in store front shops.
4. Kit Wine Winery: kit wines are the pre packaged boxes that contain all materials and instructions needed to create a batch of wine (juice concentrate, yeast, flavor packets, etc.). A lot of kit wine wineries offer wine making classes or other special events where you can make and store your wine on their property. When the wine is done, you bottle it and take it home with you. Some offer beer making along with wine making.
5. Destination Winery: destination wineries are usually in a country setting and offer an outstanding view, relaxing setting, and more with their wine. Some destination wineries also have a bed and breakfast on the property so you can enjoy the view and wine all weekend.
6. Venue Winery: a venue winery usually has a large room for weddings or events. Some venue wineries have a large area for outdoor concerts or festivals. They do produce quality wine, but people also know these venue wineries for the large event space.

So there you have it, the 6 different types of wineries. Some wineries can fall under a few different categories, i.e. the winery has a vineyard and a large venue space, but these are the basic types of wineries. Think about the wineries in your area. Comment with the types of wineries you see.

Courtney is an employee of School House Winery, home of Building 6 Wines, located in Dover, Ohio.