Latest news with #JacksonFamilyWines
Scoop
7 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Winemakers Reclaim Wine Quality And Value With New Molecular Filtration Tech
Press Release – amaea amaeas smart polymers enable US and NZ wine producers to selectively remove unwanted sensory compounds and recover higher-value wine. Hamilton, New Zealand, 28 May 2025 – A new precision wine technology is changing how winemakers address quality challenges and recover value from fault-affected and heavily phenolic wines. amaea, a New Zealand developer of custom-engineered molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), is gaining industry validation for its novel molecular filtration technology for precision wine remediation and palate fining. From premium winemakers in New Zealand to top-tier producers in California, amaea's selective, sustainable filtration solution, launched in late 2023, is being used to remediate and enhance wine quality. The proprietary MIP beads, imprinted with billions of binding sites, selectively target and capture unwanted molecules—such as pyrazines, ethyl phenols, and phenolic compounds responsible for sensory profiles—and remove them while preserving the wine's essential varietal character, color, and flavor. 'Winemakers face real challenges when unwanted, characteristics or impacts appear in their wines, that traditional methods cannot resolve,' says amaea CEO Aiden Tapping. 'Our molecular filtration solution gives them control to target and remove the compounds responsible for undesirable sensory profiles – without stripping away desirable characters. This recovers value, saves wine from being downgraded or discarded, and ultimately protects brand integrity.' Wines tainted by 'off aromas,' such as those caused by stink bugs or pyrazines as well as wines that require significant bitterness management pose a major financial challenge for producers globally. Over the past year, amaea RMx technology for remediating 'off' aromas and wines impacted by frost, pyrazines, Brettanomyces, MOG and other challenges, and amaea PFx technology for palate fining, have supported over 50 unique producers in treating more than 400,000 gallons/ 1.5 million liters of wine, helping them recover an estimated USD$3.5 million/ NZD$6.2 million in wine value in the past 12 months. 'It's fantastic to see the consistent validation from the industry, highlighting the versatility and value of our technology,' says Tapping. 'We've focused on giving some of the top winemakers the confidence to try our technology, even on small volumes. Now, on the back of customer success, we're gearing up for an increase in the volume of wines treated by both existing and new customers as our technology gains market traction.' Smart Polymer, Better Wines: Customer Successes amaea's technology has successfully helped top winemakers recover wine to its intended program, high-quality and value, showcasing a wide variety of commercial customer applications: Jackson Family Wines (US) has successfully trialled amaea to replace single-use fining agents by decreasing bitterness in hard-pressed white wine. Dr Caroline Merrell, Senior Manager of Winemaking Technical Services at Jackson Family Wines says: 'One area where we see a lot of potential is replacing single-use fining agents with reusable media, such as amaea's MIPs. During a recent trial, amaea's MIP treatment decreased bitterness and was preferred sensorially over wines treated with traditional fining agents. The results were impressive and will allow us to simultaneously improve quality in select wines while decreasing waste from single-use inputs.' Cleomont Vineyards (NZ) increased the saleable quality of wine where traditional methods couldn't resolve the issues. Faced with a particularly phenolic 2024 Marlborough Pinot Gris, renowned New Zealand winemaker and grower Digger Hennessy, the owner of Cleomont Vineyards, reduced the wine's excessive bitterness and enhanced its sweetness, with amaea's MIPs selectively capturing the offending phenolic compounds. 'The wine didn't need a huge treatment. It got rid of the very annoying bitterness on the back palate that we were struggling to get out. The MIP treatment made it a lot smoother and now I'm happy with it.' Marisco Vineyards (NZ) remediated a stink bug-affected wine back to its intended program. Marisco Vineyards celebrated an exceptional 2024 vintage. Yet, one block of Pinot Noir faced an unexpected issue when a species of Pentatomidae, commonly known as the Australasian green shield or stink bug, was found among some of the grapes. Traditional techniques for stink bug remediation focus on masking the distinctive vegetative aromas caused by the insects. However, amaea's highly selective technology removes unwanted molecules responsible for the undesirable vegetal and herbaceous traits. 'Having the ability to run wine through MIPs, knowing it won't physically change apart from removing the target molecules, is a massive plus,' says winemaker Alun Kilby, who sees endless potential applications for amaea's technology. Giesen (NZ) used amaea PFx in place of gelatin (a fining agent), to address bitterness in their 0% Merlot. Consulting winemaker Duncan Shouler, former Director of Winemaking at Giesen Group, supports technology, change and innovation in the wine industry to stay relevant and evolve. At Giesen, he saw an opportunity to use amaea PFx in their 0% Merlot. 'Typically, when you remove alcohol from wine, certain traits and characteristics start to stand out. For Merlots, the tannins become prominent, and the warmth and sweetness are lost. For palate fining, gelatin is traditionally added, which, though effective at softening phenolic content, isn't vegan-friendly and isn't entirely selective, which means it removes more than is intended. At Giesen, when introduced to amaea PFx, we saw a technique that enabled us to balance polyphenols without relying on animal additions; it was environmentally conscientious and had the potential to provide a more financially sustainable alternative to traditional fining practices.' Additional Applications: Remediating Smoke-Impacted Wine In late 2023, amaea launched amaea VPx, its smoke remediation solution, which uses tailored MIPs in a one-pass filtration system. A 2024 WINnovation Award winner, amaea VPx technology successfully removes the volatile phenols from smoke-impacted wine to a level that sits below sensory thresholds. To extend its position as a next-generation partner for quality-focused winemakers, amaea's MIP solutions, already commercially used in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, will launch in Australia later this year with a future focus on Europe.
Scoop
7 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Winemakers Reclaim Wine Quality And Value With New Molecular Filtration Tech
Hamilton, New Zealand, 28 May 2025 – A new precision wine technology is changing how winemakers address quality challenges and recover value from fault-affected and heavily phenolic wines. amaea, a New Zealand developer of custom-engineered molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), is gaining industry validation for its novel molecular filtration technology for precision wine remediation and palate fining. From premium winemakers in New Zealand to top-tier producers in California, amaea's selective, sustainable filtration solution, launched in late 2023, is being used to remediate and enhance wine quality. The proprietary MIP beads, imprinted with billions of binding sites, selectively target and capture unwanted molecules—such as pyrazines, ethyl phenols, and phenolic compounds responsible for sensory profiles—and remove them while preserving the wine's essential varietal character, color, and flavor. 'Winemakers face real challenges when unwanted, characteristics or impacts appear in their wines, that traditional methods cannot resolve,' says amaea CEO Aiden Tapping. 'Our molecular filtration solution gives them control to target and remove the compounds responsible for undesirable sensory profiles - without stripping away desirable characters. This recovers value, saves wine from being downgraded or discarded, and ultimately protects brand integrity.' Wines tainted by 'off aromas,' such as those caused by stink bugs or pyrazines as well as wines that require significant bitterness management pose a major financial challenge for producers globally. Over the past year, amaea RMx technology for remediating 'off' aromas and wines impacted by frost, pyrazines, Brettanomyces, MOG and other challenges, and amaea PFx technology for palate fining, have supported over 50 unique producers in treating more than 400,000 gallons/ 1.5 million liters of wine, helping them recover an estimated USD$3.5 million/ NZD$6.2 million in wine value in the past 12 months. 'It's fantastic to see the consistent validation from the industry, highlighting the versatility and value of our technology,' says Tapping. 'We've focused on giving some of the top winemakers the confidence to try our technology, even on small volumes. Now, on the back of customer success, we're gearing up for an increase in the volume of wines treated by both existing and new customers as our technology gains market traction.' Smart Polymer, Better Wines: Customer Successes amaea's technology has successfully helped top winemakers recover wine to its intended program, high-quality and value, showcasing a wide variety of commercial customer applications: Jackson Family Wines (US) has successfully trialled amaea to replace single-use fining agents by decreasing bitterness in hard-pressed white wine. Dr Caroline Merrell, Senior Manager of Winemaking Technical Services at Jackson Family Wines says: 'One area where we see a lot of potential is replacing single-use fining agents with reusable media, such as amaea's MIPs. During a recent trial, amaea's MIP treatment decreased bitterness and was preferred sensorially over wines treated with traditional fining agents. The results were impressive and will allow us to simultaneously improve quality in select wines while decreasing waste from single-use inputs.' Cleomont Vineyards (NZ) increased the saleable quality of wine where traditional methods couldn't resolve the issues. Faced with a particularly phenolic 2024 Marlborough Pinot Gris, renowned New Zealand winemaker and grower Digger Hennessy, the owner of Cleomont Vineyards, reduced the wine's excessive bitterness and enhanced its sweetness, with amaea's MIPs selectively capturing the offending phenolic compounds. 'The wine didn't need a huge treatment. It got rid of the very annoying bitterness on the back palate that we were struggling to get out. The MIP treatment made it a lot smoother and now I'm happy with it.' Marisco Vineyards (NZ) remediated a stink bug-affected wine back to its intended program. Marisco Vineyards celebrated an exceptional 2024 vintage. Yet, one block of Pinot Noir faced an unexpected issue when a species of Pentatomidae, commonly known as the Australasian green shield or stink bug, was found among some of the grapes. Traditional techniques for stink bug remediation focus on masking the distinctive vegetative aromas caused by the insects. However, amaea's highly selective technology removes unwanted molecules responsible for the undesirable vegetal and herbaceous traits. 'Having the ability to run wine through MIPs, knowing it won't physically change apart from removing the target molecules, is a massive plus,' says winemaker Alun Kilby, who sees endless potential applications for amaea's technology. Giesen (NZ) used amaea PFx in place of gelatin (a fining agent), to address bitterness in their 0% Merlot. Consulting winemaker Duncan Shouler, former Director of Winemaking at Giesen Group, supports technology, change and innovation in the wine industry to stay relevant and evolve. At Giesen, he saw an opportunity to use amaea PFx in their 0% Merlot. 'Typically, when you remove alcohol from wine, certain traits and characteristics start to stand out. For Merlots, the tannins become prominent, and the warmth and sweetness are lost. For palate fining, gelatin is traditionally added, which, though effective at softening phenolic content, isn't vegan-friendly and isn't entirely selective, which means it removes more than is intended. At Giesen, when introduced to amaea PFx, we saw a technique that enabled us to balance polyphenols without relying on animal additions; it was environmentally conscientious and had the potential to provide a more financially sustainable alternative to traditional fining practices.' Additional Applications: Remediating Smoke-Impacted Wine In late 2023, amaea launched amaea VPx, its smoke remediation solution, which uses tailored MIPs in a one-pass filtration system. A 2024 WINnovation Award winner, amaea VPx technology successfully removes the volatile phenols from smoke-impacted wine to a level that sits below sensory thresholds. To extend its position as a next-generation partner for quality-focused winemakers, amaea's MIP solutions, already commercially used in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, will launch in Australia later this year with a future focus on Europe.
Forbes
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Tennis Whites—Top White Wines To Enjoy While Playing (and Watching) Tennis This Summer
Strawberries and champagne during Wimbledon tournament getty A chilled glass of white wine is the perfect pairing for watching tennis, and now is the time to organize a Grand Slam Watch party. Select white wines to drink with your tennis gatherings that celebrate each slam's location—French whites for Roland Garros, English sparkling (yes, they make amazing bubbles) for Wimbledon and American whites for the US Open. The ideal wine for summer tennis sipping will be crisp and juicy but laced with a bit of decadence, here's a shopping list to get things started: Les Passerelles Sancerre, 2023 The Loire is France's longest river—almost 634 miles to be exact, and it's diverse and varied landscape forms the backbone of this wine region offering everything from exquisitely juicy Sauvignon Blanc to a mineral-driven Chenin Blanc. This Sancerre is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc and brings a balanced style to the palate with loads of juicy grapefruit and citrus zest. $40 The Passerelles collection is the first-ever Loire Valley offering from Jackson Family Wines; the rest of the portfolio includes a Chenin Blanc and a Cabernet Franc. Domaine Jean Defaix Chablis, 2023: A classically styled Chablis with ample juicy fruit layered with citrus zest and a fine wire of minerality for structure. A warm sunny afternoon of tennis can have no more perfect match than this 100% mouthwatering Chardonnay to pair with it. Domaine Pichot Vouvray Sec Coteau de la Biche 2022: Vouvray can be dry or gently sweet and this expression is 100% dry Chenin Blanc crafted with a mix of 90% stainless steel and 10% wooden vats. Ripe pretty aromas of white flowers and juicy peach make it a great option for daytime tennis drinking. $23.99 Moët & Chandon Moët Impérial: A non-vintage expression that is the House's iconic champagne—a universally appealing bubbly offering in just about every situation with its creamy mouthfeel and crisp juicy apple notes laced with a citrusy-floral edge. You'll find plenty on offer at Roland-Garros and the US Open (where they are an official sponsor). Wimbledon—The Celebrating Tradition Slam Nyetimber Classic Cuvee Multi-Vintage: This sparkling wine is made the same way as Champagne, but in England. Nyetimber is not actually served at Wimbledon but is the official sparkling wine sponsor of the Lawn Tennis Association which means they are served at the Queen's Championships and regional tournaments. If the Queen approved, then so do we. Cherie Spriggs, Head Winemaker at Nyetimber says, 'Many people don't realise how diverse sparkling wine can be, and the Nyetimber range really does offer something for everyone. Our flagship wine, the Classic Cuvee Multi-Vintage is an elegant way to begin the festivities, whilst our Cuvee Chérie Demi-Sec is delicious paired with light desserts, or even scones with jam and cream for a true British summer staple.' The US Open Whites—The 'Anything Goes' Slam Sparkling Pointe Brut Seduction, 2014: Let's talk about even more New York bubbly—this one hails from Long Island's North Fork and is devoted to producing sparkling wines in the traditional Méthode Champenoise. This gem, aged for eight years, has lovely deep golden hues matched by heady aromas of lemon custard, buttered biscuit, ripe apple and baking spices. $70 Cuvaison Estate Sauvignon Blanc, 2023: This special wine is cultivated from vines that have the famed d'Yquem clone—a world-renowned clone cutting whose fruit adds layered complexity to the wine. Aromas of white flowers, fresh cut herbs, grapefruit and ginger dominate the nose and palate. Juicy and delicious—perfect for sipping on a sunny tennis-filled afternoon. $28 Lola Chenin Blanc St Helena Napa Valley, 2023: Lush and savory, with a mouth-watering juiciness this wine is a classic expression of what Chenin Blanc does best—deliver richness with acidity and freshness. It's the perfect wine to sip after or during a match. Demetria Estate Cuvée Papou, 2023: A fun Rhône blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Marsanne, this modest alcohol wine shows off with notes of melon, citrus and a hint of lime sorbet. It will pair well with any tennis spread. $45 Palisades Canyon Chenin Blanc, 2022: The CCOF-certified organic vineyard of Chenin Blanc is the only 100% head-trained vineyard in Napa—a style of cultivation that allows for more uniform ripening and is ideal for hot climates. This satiny Chenin delivers ripe tropical fruit notes that give way to a juicy finish that lingers on the palate. ($75) Trefethen Katie's Acre Chardonnay, 2022: Family-owned for more than five decades, third-generation vintners Lorenzo and Hailey Trefethen are now at the helm of this historic and sustainable winery, which dates to the late 1960s. The palate is layered and complex with tropical fruit and a thread of citrus zest. $60
Forbes
02-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
New French Brand Aims To Build Bridges With Sancerre Wine
Sauvignon Blanc grapes grow in the idyllic Lionel Gosseaume Vineyards. Barbara Banke, president of Jackson Family Wines, fell in love with Sancerre, the Loire Valley's signature version of Sauvignon Blanc. So, she and her team began investigating the possibility of creating a whole brand dedicated to this very French expression of Sauvignon Blanc in 2022, but instead of just focusing on one varietal from vineyards that traverse France's longest river, the Loire, in central France, they decided to create an entire brand focused on the beautiful wines of the Loire called Passerelles. The French name means for 'footbridges,' and it evokes the many bridges that connect winegrowers and wine lovers in this historic river valley. 'The Loire might not be as famous (for wine) with consumers, but it was the playground for royalty,' says Gilian Handelman, vice president of wine education. 'That's why you see extraordinarily old estates and chateaux with these really grand, beautiful landscapes, but at the same time, the wines here are arguably the best values in all of Europe.' 'It's remained humble, and it hasn't been overinflated because it has returned to farming instead of international glitz,' Handelman continues. 'There are lot of young people making wines from these vineyards that are extraordinary.' The Passerelles portfolio currently includes two Sauvignon Blanc wines, a Chenin Blanc, and a Cabernet Franc. The Passerelles brand launched quietly last year, but they official launched the brand in February this year, with the release of 2023 Passerelles Sancerre ($40)) and 2023 Passerelles Touraine Oisly ($30), both Sauvignon Blancs, as well as the 2023 Passerelles Anjou Blanc ($25), a Chenin Blanc, and the 2022 Passerelles Saumur Rouge ($35), a Cabernet Franc. The debut of Passerelles couldn't come at a more advantageous time, as many wine drinkers are shifting from red to whites, says Eugenia Keegan, senior vice president of winemaking. 'They make dry, racy white wines, and as the demand has shifted away from big reds, the timing of the investment of these young people who understand these old estates is great,' Keegan says. 'It's a very special time for the Loire.' 'They make dry, racy white wines, and as the demand has shifted away from big reds, the timing of the investment of these young people who understand these old estates is great,' Keegan says. 'It's a very special time for the Loire.' Passarelles is right on trend. Wine Business notes that consumers continue to clamor for Sauvignon Blanc. 'Sauvignon Blanc remains in favor with consumers,' the journal notes. 'It was the sole varietal among the top 10 sold through NIQ off-premise outlets last year to show growth in both sales value, up 6 percent and volume, up nearly 2 percent.' Also, according to Numerator, the top two wines with increased buy rate among Millennials in the past year are Chenin Blanc, which has a growth of 34 percent, and Cabernet Franc, which has a growth of 22 percent. Sancerre has the potential to grow among young American wine consumers, Keegan says. 'Sauvignon Blanc continues to grow in the double digits,' Handelman says. 'There's a richness to these wines that doesn't come from alcohol or oak - it comes from smart farming and concentrating the chemistry and flavors in the vineyards.' To develop the brand, Keegan and Handelman worked with Dimitri Mesnard, a certified master sommelier and division vice president and international brand ambassador, Marcia Torres Forno, consulting winemaker, as well as four different wine growers in the Loire Valley: Lionel Gosseaume in Touraine Oisly, Domaine Michel Girard et Fils in Sancerre, Thibaut Henrion at domaine de la Treille in Anjou, and Franck Bimont at Domaine des Guyons in Saumur. Passerelles aims to educate Sauvignon Blanc drinkers about the finer points of Sancerre.'People consider Sancerre its own thing,' Keegan says. 'It's really defined in its own category.'
