Ausbruch (pinging Michael Pronay)

Stefan is managing a winery in the El Dorado wine region- this is an area about 1 hour from Sacramento and maybe 2 hours from Napa. We went last weekend for the wedding, and Eduard flew in from Austria, so it was a great occasion for a reunion as well as to check out Stefan's new venture. It's a very beautiful area, and the winery facilities are quite impressive. Stefan said it reminds him of Styria 10 years ago. Lots of potential.

We chat with him every few days, so I will be sure to pass along your greetings. e.

Thanks a lot!

M.

The person responsible for the wein-plus glossary (Norbert Tischlmayer of ... Vienna! Perhaps you know him?) tells he has updated it and himself learned something new :-) Anders

I know Norbert only from wein-plus.de mailing list, I haven't met him in person yet. Since he is not exactly a member of the wine press (although he could be, if he wanted), I don't see him at press tastings & such events.

M.

I beg to differ, Ian - at least according to the info Istvan gave me. When I asked him about maceration, he rolled his eyes and exclaimed: "Oh no, never!"

M.

Salut/Hi Michael Pronay,

le/on Mon, 27 Feb 2006 18:29:20 +0100, tu disais/you said:-

Then I don't know what he's up to, because a) in 2000 he did without question, and at Orémus (no slouch either for Tokaji Aszu and whose wine was recently (according to Xtian) judged best for that year). I saw the machines they use, like large washing machines. It has _always_ been the tradition to use maceration, for a load of reasons. I even understood it was written into the rules for making Aszu.

Ok things do evove, but it's fair to say that the very concept of "Putts" was a measure of how many baskets (puttony) of nobly rotted grapes were used per gonc (barrel). So if less than the capacity of the barrel were added, it's obvious that the rest has to be must or wine. When I was last there the debate was over which of these should be used. The tradition is divided. Wine can give a higher final alcohol lever with residual sugar, while must makes it easier to say "it's 1996" or whatever, because you aren't tempted to use last year's dry wine.

I'm mystified here Michael. Is there any chance that there's a misunderstanding?

Most certainly, Ian. I will put it on my agenda for June 2007 at Vinexpo.

Btw, I just realized that Isvan will be in Vienna next June (on 12th, at 14:30 hrs to be exact):

Hey, there's even an English version:

M.

Salut/Hi Michael Pronay,

le/on Sat, 04 Mar 2006 15:43:40 +0100, tu disais/you said:-

I saw that there's a "Michael Próney" hosting a tasting of Champagnes.. any relation? (:-))))))

Seriously, if you do happen to get a chance to talk to him, I'd be grateful if you'd quiz him on this. Given that even the traditional world of Tokaj winemaking has been buffeted by the winds of change I suppose that they _could_ have dropped the maceration merely using bunches with less botrytis or simply grapes that were less dried out to get the sugar levels for 4 and

ATB Ian

Grrr ... I just mailed them (and also told them it's not "terroire").

M.

We have not yet made our schedule for Vievinum, but I think attendance at your Champagne tasting will be mandatory!

e.

Try to register as soon as possible. Tell ÖWM people in time that you want to attend.

M.

I'll send them an email right now-

e.

Question- I just assumed these would be Austrian. Is "Champagne" a misnomer in this case?

e.

Sorry, no.

No. "Champagne" within EU wine & food designation can only have two meanings

I do know that we have wonderfull sparkling wines here in Austria, but in this case I present cuvées de prestige from the region 1).

M.

Oh yes, I do know what "Champagne" should mean. I thought perhaps it was an error on the website, like "terroire".

Sounds lovely in any event (just perhaps a bit less useful for our import business)

e.