Winebits 828: Carolyn Wente, wine’s woes, winery waste

This week’s wine news: Carolyn Wente becomes a legend, plus the Mainstream Media takes note of wine’s problems, and turning winery waste into jelly

• Carolyn Wente: Carolyn Wente, who has worked for her family’s winery for 42 years — most recently as the board chair — has been named an American Wine Legend by the Wine Enthusiast. She’s the first woman to be honored in the 24-year history of the award. Wente, who I know professionally, has helped steer her family’s fourth-generation, 140-year California winery through some of the most difficult times in recent wine history. Wente still makes quality wine that offers value. And — praise like this doesn’t come much higher from a cranky ex-newspaperman — she returns calls and emails.

• CNN on wine’s woes: People “around the world are drinking less wine than in previous years, opting for beer or spirits instead, or ditching alcohol altogether. Globally, wine consumption has fallen about 6% between 2017 and 2022. …  That means nearly 1.9 billion fewer wine bottles were drunk last year than in 2017.” That’s CNN’s take on wine’s crisis, and (though too long), it’s spot on. I wish it has talked specifically about neo-Prohbitionism, but it says a lot that CNN has noticed what’s happening. Now, if only more in wine would notice.

• Turn to jelly? Researchers in Turkey may found a way to turn winery waste into gelatine-based sweets. A study published in SCI’s Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture details how to use wine lees (residue left over after fermentation in the winemaking process)  to color jellies. The lees improved the texture of the jellies and improving the flavor. The author of the study said that given consumer demand for more natural products, using wine lees is an “attractive option.: In addition, wine lees are cheaper than the commercial alternatives.