Hudson Austin, a wine educator for The Wine Merchant, located in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, has created a following while presenting wine dinners, as a published wine columnist for various magazine and on television’s Fox29 morning show and 6ABC’s FYIPhilly. His unique style is influenced by the history of wine and is enjoyed by experts and novices alike.
With the holiday season in full swing, we’ve asked Hudson about some of his favorite holiday-themed wine memories, why using local wines is important and what wine trends we should be looking forward to in 2016.
PA Eats: Why use local wines at your holiday gathering?
Hudson Austin: Why not? Yes, there was a time where there weren’t many good options for local Pennsylvania wines of quality; that time has passed. I would suggest drinking local because it ties in with the flavor of our local terroir—a fancy French word that means place—especially in this day and age when so many people are clamoring for local produce, cheese and more. Why shouldn’t wine be part of that thought process?
Do you have a favorite wine memory from the holiday season?
Wow, that’s tough. I spend every Christmas Eve (since fourth grade) with my best friend’s family. I keep a bunch of wine at his parents’ home from when I moved from one apartment to another, and I just left the bottles there.
So, each year, I go down and rummage through the racks I built in their basement and pick out a few good bottles. It is always exciting to see how some of my vintage wines are faring and it’s only fun to drink these things when you are sharing them with people. But, last year on Christmas morning, I opened a bottle of Champagne from Salon, a Blanc de Blancs “le Mesnil” 1997. It was glorious!
What are some current wine trends, and what do you think will be “hot” in 2016?
I think the biggest trend of late has been that people are consuming more quality wine and less “plonk.” The economy has largely picked up, which has led to people migrating their spend on a bottle of wine up a few dollars. This leads to an excess of wine at the bottom, which I hope will cause many producers to pick up their quality and offer more bang for the buck.
As for what might be big in 2016, we have a whole new generation of people being turned on to wine. It’s becoming nearly as much a part of our culture here as in Europe. Along with “millennials” coming of age, it also seems that the new consumer isn’t looking for a score as much as a story to make some personal connection with a wine. It’s a very interesting and exciting time in the wine world!
Keep on the lookout for The Wine Merchant events featuring Hudson Austin himself, including his upcoming Spring Mill Cafe Wine Dinner on Nov. 28 and his red wine only dinner ahead at Azie on Main on Dec. 13.
- Photography: Alexandra Whitney Photography
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