Wine in Beauty

Dubbed a “girly girl” growing up, I can’t ever remember a day that I wasn’t interested in beauty and fashion. Since the age of eight I’d spend my time alone painting designs on my nails, flipping through fashion magazines, and experimenting with homemade face masks. My aunt would jokingly call me the scientist as I’d go through her makeup bag and make her products “better”, which really meant adding water to her mascara tube because I thought it needed more moisture. The creative, scientist in me is still fascinated with beauty innovation and I love researching and testing new beauty products. Everything from snail gel face masks, bee stinger lip plumper, to sake based hair care we are seeing a return to natural sources as the basis of the latest innovations.

Resveratrol, a stable and potent antioxidant naturally present in grape skins, nuts, blueberries, cranberries, wine, and dark chocolate is suggested to protect against heart disease, prevent cancer, and increase lifespan. Studies on resveratrol based skincare products have shown to increase cell turnover, reduce cell damage, protect against sun damage, and promote the synthesis of enzymatic antioxidants. Here are four resveratrol based products that are worth trying!

Splurge

Caudalie, a French luxury skincare line created by Mathilde Thomas of Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte is my favorite brand specializing in the use grape derived polyphenols for skincare. Caudalie was the first to patent the process of extracting and stabilizing polyphenols in 1995. Since, they have developed a whole line of products based on the newest research and have established Vinotherapie Spas around the world.

“The French secret to great skin...get your beauty sleep, consume lots of antioxidants, and fall in love...”

— Mathilde Thomas, Founder of Caudalie

Vinoperfect Radiance Serum     $79      

Highly concentrated with Viniferine, a natural molecule derived from grapevine sap, this satiny serum reduces the appearance of existing dark spots such as acne marks, scars, and damage revealing a brighter, more even complexion.

Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream     $158

Seven years of research and 300 trials were necessary to create this advanced solution that will take your complexion back in time. Caudalie's three signature patents are now blended at their highest concentration for unparalleled age-fighting power: Resveratrol-Oleyl for lifting and firming, Viniferine for brightening, and antioxidant-rich grape-seed Polyphenols.

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Tony Moly Red Wine Face Mask       $7.50

This sheet mask treatment is infused with real red wine extracts and rosemary to address enlarged pores while purifying, refining, and tightening skin. Perfect for troubled skin, it soothes the complexion with jasmine and green tea extracts for a refined complexion in as little as twenty minutes.

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask      $26

This innovative, natural formula smooths, nourishes, and moisturizes lips with a bio-active blend of organic agave nectar, jojoba oil, vanilla CO2 extract, and triple the amount of antioxidant trans-resveratrol found in red wine. It's so good you can even eat it!

What you never knew about Brettanomyces: 4-ethylphenol vs 4-ethylguaiacol

Brettanomyces is a genus of yeast, also known as Dekkera. It has been known for about a hundred years as being an important component in British and Belgian beer styles by adding a unique complexity and sourness. However, when Brett is found in wine it is typically considered a wine fault. Seasoned wine professionals can immediately identify Brettanomyces in a wine by the band-aid, medicinal, horse stable aromas it gives off. However, not many know that there are actually two different chemical compounds that together make up this aroma we vaguely term as “Brett”. This pesky yeast species produces 4-ethylphenol (4-EP), described as band-aid, antiseptic and horse stable and 4-ethylguaiacol (4-EG), which has a rather pleasant aroma of cloves and smoke. These aromas are released in the highest concentrations during the "death phase" (decline) of the population, which usually means it is too late in the cycle for prevention.

Typically, 4-EG is present in much lower quantities in red wine than 4-EP. The concentration of 4-EG in a wine falls between 0 and 300 µg/l , whereas 4-EP has a concentration between 0 and 2300 µg/l. However, 4-EG is a more volatile compound with a sensory threshold at 150 µg/l which is much lower than 4-EP’s threshold at 600 µg/l.

What does this mean? The smokey, clove aromatics associated with 4-EG are present in your wine at a much lower concentration but they are much more volatile than the barnyard, medicinal, band-aid aromatics from 4-EP, which are present at a higher rate. Together both of the compounds influence the perceived “Brett” character in wine. Next time you smell Brett in a wine ask yourself: Am I noticing cloves and smoke or band-aid, barnyard aromatics? These aromatic profiles are distinctly different and to be able to distinguish one from another will be a great advantage. 

This graph displays measured concentrations of 4-EP and 4-EG in three wines. In each case,the concentration of 4-EP is fairly consistent. The major difference is the relative concentration of 4-EG. Displayed ratios of 4-EP : 4-EG range from 3:1 to 18:1

There is a significantly greater risk for contracting Brett in wine by using new, toasted oak barrels. Brett feeds off cellobiose, a compound that is formed when barrels are toasted. The yeast prefers new over neutral barrels because there are more sugars available for the yeasts to live on which helps the populations grow. Other factors known to contribute to the growth of Brett include high pH, warm temperatures (above 59 °F), residual sugar, low SO2, poor cellar hygiene, and heavy lees.

Sources:

"Brettanomyces Masterclass with Matt Thomson." Wineanorak. Nov. 2007. Web. 31 May 2016.

"Microbiology: Monitoring Brettanomyces by 4-EP and 4-EG." ETS Laboratories. 5 Jan. 2015. Web. 31 May 2016.

Smith, Clark. "Wines & Vines." Post Modern Winemaking: Integrated Brett Management. June 2011. Web. 31 May 2016.

"Wine Education Topic: Brettanomyces Character in Wine." Aroma Dictionary. June 2004. Web. 31 May 2016.

A Day in "The Life Of Pablo" Beverage Pairings

Inspired by my friends at I Like This Grape I thought it would be interesting to do a beverage and music pairing. Lately, I've been feeling the album "The Life Of Pablo" by Kanye West. I love the diversity of style in this album along with the sincerity and thankfulness to God that Kanye expresses, and of course the always confidently charged lyrics he is known for. This album has been considered one of Kanye's greatest pieces of work since his first two albums. "The Life Of Pablo" is a musical kaleidoscope ranging from gospel to southern hip-hop and dance music. Kanye's seventh album was released in February and features Ty Dolla $ign, Desiigner, Kid Cudi, Caroline Shaw, Kelly Price, The-Dream, Chance the Rapper, Kirk Franklin, Rihanna, Young Thug, Chris Brown, The Weeknd, Sia, Vic Mensa, Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar and Post Malone.

I curated a list of songs and beverage pairings based on sounds, lyrics, emotion, flavors, and aromas while considering the setting one may be in...Try these parings out and let me know what you think!

Feedback-  “Name one genius that ain’t crazy?!“

Bulletproof Coffee with Kerrygold Unsalted Grass Fed Butter and Brain Octane Oil

To get you fired up before you head to work or start your day enjoy Bulletproof coffee and bump Feedback. It’s wild and industrial influenced.The combination of caffeine and healthy fats with ego feeding lyrics will ignite the genius in you.

Famous- "Young and we alive. We never gonna die"

2014 Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco di Sorbara Secco "Vecchia Modena"

Lambrusco is fun, bubbly, and rustic. This Lambrusco comes from a 150 year old winery in Modena. It matches well with the two classic samples Kanye used in this track including "Bam Bam" by Sister Nancy and "Do What You Gotta Do" by Nina Simone. This wine is fruity, spicy, and layered like the different sounds featured in Famous.

Ultralight Beam- "We on an ultralight beam, this is a God dream."

2012 Domaine Seguinot Bordet Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume

The purity of the fruit and terroir really shines through paralleling the purity of expression felt in Ultralight Beam. This gospel inspired track firmly thrusts the listener into a new dimension reaffirming his love of God. This wine is bright and luminous, showing characters of white flowers, minerality, and richness to balance it.

Fade- "Your love is fadin, I can feel it"

2014 Marcel Lapierre Cuvee MMXIV Ville Morgon Beaujolais

The fleshy, luscious, inviting character of this wine complements the funky, tribal vibe in Fade. Lapierre's Morgon Beaujolais reveals ripe red cherries, roses, and earth. The beat is so contagious you will find yourself moving to it, especially after a few sips of this Morgon.

April Recap: Furmint USA Tasting; Wine & Flavors Seminar

April was a busy month full of changes and new opportunities. One of the things I love doing is attending educational seminars and tastings so that I am constantly learning and honing my craft. In April I attended several tastings including Austrian, Provence Rose, and Hungarian wines. I also did an extensive two day seminar on sensory evaluation and identifying wine aromatic molecules with sensory master, Alexandre Schmitt. My two favorite events in April were the Furmint USA tasting hosted by the Napa Valley Wine Academy and the Wine & Flavors Seminar taught by Alexandre Schmitt.

Furmint USA, Hungarian Wine Tasting at Napa Valley Wine Academy- April 19, 2016

"FurmintUSA is a branded educational campaign founded in 2014. Its purpose is the promotion of dry furmint wines from Hungary's Tokaj Wine Region. FurmintUSA strongly believes that furmints are not only Hungary's flagship dry white wines but that furmint is the next true rising star on the international wine scene. FurmintUSA unites first-rate Hungarian wineries and markets their very best furmints in the United States."

Furmint is a Hungarian white grape variety indigenous to Hungary's Tokaj region. It is the major grape of Tokaj. It grows vigorously, ripens late, and produces wines with high acidity. Furmint is known as Mosler in Austria, Sipon in Slovenia and N. Croatia, Moslavac Bijeli in Croatia, Som in Transylvania, and Zapfner in Germany. Furmint is the most essential grape in the production of sweet Aszu wines. However, Furmint also produces some of the most prestigious dry white wines of Hungary. At this tasting we tried nine different Furmint wines from Csopak and Tokaj's top producers. A few of the winemakers from Hungary came and presented their wines and their winery's history. I am so glad I attended and was exposed to dry Furmint wines. I really hope to see more of these wines in the market and on wine lists across the country.

Wow! This seminar was life changing. Alexandre Schmitt is from Bourdeaux, France. He graduated in Chemistry at the University of Sciences in Bourdeaux, and in Perfumery at the ISIPCA at Versailles, France. He worked as a creator of perfumes in Paris and London and taught perfumery before transitioning into the wine industry. He now teaches olfaction at the Bourdeaux Oenology University and consults for many winemakers and top wineries around the world. His client list includes: Chateau Petrus, Chateau d'Yquem, Chateau Margaux, Opus One, Robert Mondavi Winery, Dominus Estate, Bodegas Miguel Torres, Joseph Phelps, Dalla Vale, Laffort Espana, Radoux, Taransaud, and so many more. He only offers his seminars in Napa once a year so I jumped on the opportunity as soon as it became available. He is crazy talented at what he does and is often referred to as "the nose" within the wine industry.

I took his Level 2: Aromatic Molecules seminar in St. Helena at ETS Laboratories. This was a two day seminar. We went through wine defects, barrel aromas, flowers, types of wood, fruits, spices, and balsamic notes. It was incredibly eye opening; other sensory classes I have taken before have never gotten into the nitty gritty details of each chemical compound like this seminar did. As wine professionals we breakdown a wine by identifying the aromas we are picking up but we usually do not break down the specific molecule and describe it further. That is exactly what we did during these two days. For example, to simply say vanilla or cedar is being lazy and elementary. We each had to share what that vanilla felt like. Was is warm? Was it oily? Was it sweet? Creamy? Artificial or Natural? Was it Vanilla or Vanillin? As there are many different types of vanilla and levels that can be perceived. Was the cedar cool? Was it resinous? Dry? Wet? And so on...

I can't wait for Alexandre to come back to Napa next year. You bet I will be taking all the other levels he offers. You cannot get training and teaching like this anywhere else. He is the best in his category and his classes are worth the investment! I implore those seeking to sharpen their sensory skills to take his seminars. The way you think about smelling will be changed forever. For more information check out his site https://www.wineandflavors.com/en/ and sign up for his newsletter to be the first to know of a course near you.

Exclusive Interview with Josh Widaman: Winemaker of Lewis Cellars

Last harvest I had the privilege of working with an incredible team at Lewis Cellars led by Winemaker Josh Widaman. I learned a tremendous amount during my short time at Lewis thanks to Josh and Assistant Winemaker, Justin Kinkade. They both have incredible backgrounds in wine and have worked at some of the most esteemed wineries in Napa. I gained so much applicable knowledge from the winemaking team that I just had to share with my readers and viewers. This interview is a must see for anyone itching to get into winemaking. In this exclusive interview Josh reveals the “secret” to winemaking at a world class level, how he conquered Napa and rose to the top, and his advice for aspiring winemakers. Enjoy!

Word to the Wise: Preparing for the Certified Sommelier Exam

In my last post I mentioned that I recently passed the certified sommelier exam through the Court of Master Sommeliers; this post is intended to give you insight as to how I prepared as well as advice for those pursuing certification.

Preparing for this exam was an intense journey filled with ups and downs of self doubt, desire, self belief, and faith. Even though these past three months were ugly (as was my hair 99.9% of the time), I made it through and would do it all over again if I had to. The sleep deprivation, stress, and disgusting commitment to my goal was all worth it. I gained so much satisfaction and fulfillment from this and felt myself growing more confident each day. Passing was the definite goal but the process was even more satisfying. I discovered so much about myself and what I was capable of achieving. This exam is no small feat and it is not uncommon for candidates to test 1-2 times before actually passing. If you are unfamiliar with this exam and are intrigued by the madness you must watch SOMM to see what the Court of Master Sommeliers exams are all about at the highest level. The documentary can be found on netflix and itunes.

Theory

I started casually studying in November when I first signed up for the exam. I started off reading through The Certified Sommelier Prep Course only to realize that it wasn't detailed enough or up to date with the questions I'd be asked on the exam.
Thankfully I had a friend who recently passed that led me to the Guild Somm site which has tons of information that is directly used on the exam. I used the study guides as my main study source, took notes, and made flash cards based on that information. I also studied with my friends old flashcards as well as my own to fill in any missing pieces. I watched every video on the Guild Somm site, studied the maps provided, and listened to all theory focused podcasts from the Guild. After every section I completed the beginning and intermediate practice quizzes to see how well I understood what I just covered.

Although it is highly encouraged to draw your own maps instead of just staring at one hoping you memorize it I only made one map due to lack of time. If I were to do this again I would make map drawing a priority and do it early on and use it as a break from reading!

Service & Tasting

For the service portion of the exam I practiced the service routine with a group of friends at our weekly tasting meeting. They all asked me possible questions I might be asked and created different scenarios that could be tricky so I could practice problem solving and handling stress gracefully.

I opened sparkling wine bottles as often as possible; the goal was one bottle a day but in reality I did this every two days. I spent about $200 a month on sparkling wine just for the purpose of practicing opening the bottle silently. In addition I met with a tasting group once a week to do a blind tasting focused on the list of testable varietals and also attended blind tastings at a local wine shop.

One of the benefits of living in Napa is that I was surrounded by many people who have passed this exam and are willing to help. Fortunately I was able to practice with Master Sommelier and star of the SOMM film, DLynn Proctor. Training with him helped tremendously and made my service more polished and fluid.

For more specifics or any questions about the exam or how to prepare email me at ladysommelier@gmail.com

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Alex