Keep in mind that Notes is just about as far from highbrow as you can get. Consequently, some of the “trivia” may be commonplace to more sophisticated connoisseurs (what are they doing visiting this site anyway?!?) but the below was interesting to this guy.

• The term Amarone was not seen until the 18th century, and this wine was once reserved for kings and noblemen. It has been produced in the Vapolicella region since the Roman Empire.
  

  2011 Conte di Bregonzo Amarone della Valpolicella, Italy.

• Amarone is made in the ancient wine-making method of appassimento, which roughly translates to the “drying of the grapes”.  Its traditionally made and then filtered, bottled, and aged for six months prior to release.
• According to the USDA, cabernet sauvignon has 96 calories and 3 carbohydrates per 4 ounces.
• The Korbel Brothers started the production of sparkling wine in California back in 1892 using the “methode champenoise” – the process of having secondary fermentation inside the bottle, thus creating its bubbles.
• The alternative to the traditional method for the production of champagne is the “Charmat“. Also known as the transfer method, this approach requires the winemaker to put large quantities of wine under pressure during its second fermentation, and the sparkling wine that results from this process is then bottled.
• The term “AVA” means American Viticultural Area, e.g., Napa Valley California. You can’t believe how long I’ve been writing about wine before I actually ran across this term.
• The process of “optical sorting” refers to the use of computerized laser technology for sorting grapes based on their color, size, and shape. Optical sorting has been described as playing an “Increasingly critical role in Bordeaux’s tricky 2011, 2012, and 2013 vintages.” (Molesworth J, “The right stuff Bordeaux 2012” Wine Spectator March 31, 2015.)
• Curious on when and where to decant? An important general rule is to decant when you’re concerned about sediment, and this link from the folks at Wine Enthusiast does a nice job of providing detail.
• What we, as wine consumers, pay for excellence in 2015 — and mind you this is according to the standards held by the good folks at Wine Spectator — varies according to regions of the world. Small harvests and growing demand factor into the equation, but France is the big dog on the block at over $100 a bottle for its best-rated wines.
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