In lieu of our normal monthly newsletter, given our home base in Northern California, we at Charles Communications Associates, representing wineries from our own backyard and around the world, dedicate this missive to those affected by the Northern California fires of October 2017
The Napa Valley has recently taken a lot of heat – both literally, due to the serious temperature spike that hit the valley earlier this month, as well as figuratively from those who think the aberrant fluctuation spelled doom for the entire region’s harvest. The media has been eager to report this story, which we can all understand – what’s sexier than a potential climate change story about America’s most recognized wine region? Fortunately for the consumer, cooler heads prevail for those of us on the ground, and I wanted to share the perspective from someone who has been around the vineyard block.
Meet Faith Armstrong, the winemaker behind Onward and Farmstrong wines. As refreshing as the Pétillant Naturel she makes of Malvasia Bianca, many of the words used to describe Faith's wine could be used to describe the winemaker herself. Honest, vibrant, unfiltered, true to her origins, bright, complex.
This week on All the Swirl, Hillary Lyons interviews Rodrigo Soto, Chilean winemaker and trailblazer in sustainable winemaking in the Southern Hemisphere. As summer comes to a close, bringing high temperatures and more early harvests, Rodrigo Soto reflects on Chile's distinct terroirs, his winemaking philosophy, and the impacts of climate change on the world of wine.
In the spirit of summer and all things sustainable, Charles Communications Associates brings you our Green Guide to the Bay, a series of posts that will highlight sustainable producers, organizations, and businesses near our hometown of San Francisco. In this edition, summer intern Jules Lydon interviews Imperfect Produce, a Bay Area company devoted to minimizing food waste by encouraging us to Eat the Ugly! You may have seen Imperfect's clever advertising on busses and billboards throughout the city, but today Jules digs deeper to discuss the importance of community in building a more sustainable food future.
Read on to learn more about how one company is salvaging funky fruit and veg for a greener food system.
Albariño is a white grape from Galicia, Spain that is used to make a white wine by the same name. Though the grape is ubiquitous in northwestern Spain, it has recently skyrocketed in popularity here on American soil, particularly in California. In honor of Albariño Days, a week long series of West Coast festivities from August 3-8 devoted to this Galician grape, All the Swirl dives into Albariño's history and explores its success in the Golden State.
This week on All the Swirl, Intern Sam Foxworthy at Charles Communications Associates describes the summer bubbles that everyone is raving about: pet nat. Read on to learn why this rustic French sparkling wine is the Millenial's beverage of choice for summer.
10 medium intensity questions with Dennis Carroll, Head Hooligan at Wine Hooligans, a group of California winemakers and aficionados dedicated to promoting artisanality and authenticity. Get to know Dennis better with this fun Q & A.
