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- Short history of Malbec

Short history of Malbec

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When we think of malbec, it is often the Argentinian version, but the popular wine actually originated in France. Roman invaders planted vineyards as they developed infrastructure in Southwestern France. They left, but the grapes remained, and by the 16th century evidence of malbec, under the name Auxerrois, was recorded. Malbec has seen ups and downs since those early recordings, but winemakers in its birthplace are bringing the French wine back to the table.

History in France

Early on malbec suffered from something of an identity crisis. Local growers in France would name the wine after their localities resulting in a variety of monikers like Auxerrois, Pressac, and Plant du Lot. It was also known as the “Black Wine of Cahors,” famously enjoyed by Eleanor of Aquitaine who allegedly served it at her parties, and her wedding to Henry Plantagenet, the future King of England, in 1152. The confusion in names still exists. It has been called malbec since Monsieur Malbeck planted it in Bordeaux in the 1780s, but winemakers today still refer to it as ‘cor,’ or ‘cot’ which is probably a nod to the region that birthed it, Cahors.

The identity crisis was not malbec’s only challenge. Cahors was the primary producer of malbec wine in the Middle Ages, but it was then shipped to Bordeaux to sell. Bordeaux dominated the wine trade in the 1300s, and British demand for wine was huge. The complication came with Bordeaux capitalizing on their economic advantage—they wanted to sell Bordeaux wines before any other region’s products. Wines from Cahors were low priority for Bordeaux tradespeople as they depleted their own local winemakers’ stock first. Wines from Cahors became lower-priced, less attractive bottles in the grab for the British market, and eventually malbec suffered as less and less of the grape was planted.

The lower demand coupled with the temperamental nature of the grape all but erased malbec from the French wine map. The grape thrives in warm climates, and the wet, cold weather dominating French wine regions made it an undesirable choice for winemakers. Then came the phylloxera outbreak in Bordeaux. When it came time to replant, most growers selected hardier varieties, leaving malbec out of their repertoire.

The frosts in Bordeaux in 1956 cemented malbec as a risky grape. But Cahors persevered, continuing to grow malbec.

Move to Argentina

Malbec found new fans in the 1850s when French botanist Michel Pouget brought malbec vine cuttings to South America. Governor Sarmiento of Argentina ushered in a renaissance for the shunned grape on April 17, 1853 when he founded the research center to study international grape varieties that would propagate well in the Argentinian climate. This date now serves as the anniversary malbec was introduced to Argentina and has been designated Malbec Day.

The inky, thin-skinned grape took off in Mendoza, and started the worldwide love affair with Argentinian malbec. The drier climate, and abundant sunshine combined with cool nights allowed malbec growers to tap into the grapes’ full potential. Argentinian malbecs tend to be produced with 100 percent malbec grapes, and are known for their fruit-forward, approachable style. Today Argentina dominates the malbec market with over 100,000 acres planted across the country.

Winemaker Florencia Stoppini got her start making malbec in Argentina. She grew up in vineyards with her grandfather and father, and by the 1990s, was making her own wine. “I made my first malbec in Argentina in 1997 and I [made] wine there until 2001, in Mendoza, in a vineyard called the Valle de UCO area . Then I had a short experience with malbec in Australia for the 2006 harvest…Finally in 2016 I had [the opportunity] to put all my experience and my knowledge to make the great malbec here in Languedoc, where all [the] best climatic conditions are.”

Florencia Stoppini

Now she is at Le Wines in Languedoc in Southern France. The Le Malbec starts in the chalk and clay-based soils of the Minervois region. It is 100% malbec, aged 80% in stainless steel and 20% old French oak barrels. The warm western Languedoc brings out tastes of deep blackberry and tart plum. Stoppini has clearly brought her zesty Argentinian style to the venerable French grape, as well as a bit of luck, “I remember my first harvest in 1997. I was tasting the tanks in the cellar during fermentation but my glass broke on me. The t-shirt I was wearing was white, and this malbec wine was so black. You can imagine the situation… I kept that t-shirt stained with malbec for a long time, for many harvests, and today I still keep it as a lucky object for every harvest.”

Resurgence In France

Though Argentina is a nexus for malbec today, there is something special happening back in its birthplace, France. Winemaker Arnaud Bladinières is following his family’s legacy of viticulture at Mas des étoiles in the heart of Cahors. Bladinieres returned to work at his father’s estate Château Bladinières in Cahors in 2005 and opened Mas des Etoiles in 2007 with childhood friend David Liorit. “I use only malbec grapes even though we are allowed to blend. The goal is to make approachable wine you can drink right away.” And his malbec is just that. The Cahors Petite Etoile comes from 30-year-old malbec vines grown in silica and clay soil, and it is 100% malbec. It spends 18 months in stainless steel tanks. The Cahors wine is approachable like an Argentinian but has a more complex profile with tinges of earthiness and dark fruit.

In 1971, Cahors and malbec were tossed a lifeline when it garnered the Appellation d’Origine (AOC) classification. All AOC Cahors wines must have at least 70% malbec grapes. They can be blended with merlot or tannat, but many Cahors winemakers are moving to 100% malbec. “When first started in viticulture or making wine, malbec in France had a bad rep. I took on the goal to put it back in the forefront, to help people love malbec again. I enjoyed the challenge. I also have a passion for the wide range of profiles you can have with that grape. You can grow from the very light, flowery rosé, to a very deep, dark inky, red wine, and everything in between,” Bladinières said.

Arnaud Bladinières

This move to 100% malbec is helping the little French grape that could on two fronts—the increasing warming of the climate, and the tendency to drink wines young, some on the day of purchase. Bladinières added, “There’s a lot of complexity that makes it fun to work with, also because people these days drink wine young, no one has to [age] the wine. With malbec you’re gonna get fruit and complexity early on.” And, that trend is supported by Nielsen who reported in 2020 that 58% of consumers drink their wines the same day they purchase them.

Environmental factors are a constant concern for the agricultural industry as a whole, but especially for French winemakers. Malbec was eschewed early in its history because of its lackluster performance in French wine regions which tend to be cooler, and wetter, but the warming trend in Southwestern France has produced much more favorable growing conditions. “The quality of the wine is now superior to 20 years ago in France. One of the reasons Cahors came back is because of global warming. You have a better maturity of the grapes, and therefore you have a higher quality, or more approachable malbec. So, global warming has benefited putting Cahors back on the map because 20 years ago, people in America, for example, didn’t want to drink [French malbec] at all,” Bladinières said.

Whether attributed to the warming climate, or tendency for consumers to drink wine young, French malbec is carving its own niche in the global wine marketplace.

Source:
https://www.alcoholprofessor.com/blog-posts/history-of-malbec-in-france

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carrie Honaker

Carrie Honaker is a freelance writer who is not sure where she will land next, but it will involve messy eating, a spicy Tempranillo and finding the local dive bar. Her work has been featured in Wine Enthusiast, Bon Appetit, and others.
You can find her on Twitter and Instagram

- Short history of Zinfandel, About wines

Short history of Zinfandel

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Do you know where did Zinfandel grapes came from before reaching California? How was white Zin discovered? This and many other burning questions about this wine will be answered in this post.

A Glass of Zinfandel Rosé

Planted in more than 10% of the vineyards in California, Zinfandel grape plays a crucial role in the red wine industry. It is used to make a type of ripe red wine of the highest alcohol content in the market (14%-17%). It features jammy and fruity characteristics which are a result of the hot sun in California. Here is a brief history of the wine.

The Greatest Discovery

The origin of Zinfandel was unknown until 1960. Its production started spreading across California in the mid-1800s and it was accepted that the grape was indigenous to the USA. It thrived well in Californian climate and up to date, there are people who strongly believe that it has existed for centuries in this area. However, in 1960, a professor who was exploring Italy spotted a lot of similarities between Zinfandel and Primitivo grapes and that is when people started questioning the origins of the grapes.

The professor’s survey led to the conclusion that Primitivo had a strong connection to the Californian Zinfandel. But several researchers did not agree to it so they kept on testing the fruits. Finally, a DNA test confirmed that the grape had no connection to any of the Italian grapes, not even ones from the greatest wine regions in Europe. But its origin was discovered in the least expected place, i.e. Croatia. But how did Zin find its way to California? It was during the Gold Rush when the Americans were heading to the west.

After this discovery, everyone wanted to know the exact details of its movement into the US. In the early 1800s, a lot of grape vines from Vienna, Austria were shipped to the Long Island specifically to a particular horticulturalists. Zinfandel vines were also included in the shipments and that is how they penetrated the US at the time of the California Gold Rush.

Old Vine Zin is the oldest type of Californian Zinfandel. Their vines are at least 50 years old and their intensity and flavors are greater than the younger vines. The Old Vine Zin grapes produce a premium version of Zin and that is why they command a greater price.

White Zinfandel was Born by Accident

Now that you understand how Zinfandel came to California, you want to learn how it was discovered. Its discovery was made accidentally by Bob Trinchero from Napa Valley in 1972. The Trinchero family is well known in the Italian wine industry. They started producing wines in 1974 after purchasing an abandoned estate. Bob Trinchero inherited the estate in the late 1960s. He started a new brand that focused on varietal wines as opposed to generic wines. Te homemade Zin created during the Gold Rush strike an interest in Bob and he expanded its production in Amador County under the label ‘Sutter Home’.

The white Zin came about as Bob was experimenting with the wine to make it more robust in Amador. He took some free-run juice and allowed it to ferment into a white wine. At first, it came out as pale pink due to the exposure to red skins. It was lighter than the original Zinfandel and it got a lot of fans in the tasting room. He named it Oeil de Perdrix, which means eye of the partridge.

Zinfandel grapes, grown at a winery and vineyard in Southern Oregon.

The Onset of Production

In 1972, Bob Trinchero started growing Zinfandel at 220 cases. To comply with the US government requirements, he had to find an English name for the wine. And that is when he named it White Zinfandel. From 1975, he increased the production and for reasons unknown, the fermentation came to an end when the wine reached a residual sugar percentage of around 2%. It had a pink tinge and a taste that was well-received by consumers. The drinkers actually stated to ask for its cases.

Trinchero believes that if he had listened to the critics some decades ago, white Zin wouldn’t be on the market today. The most fortunate thing happened when customers accepted the wine and they still enjoy it to date. The beverage is light-bodied, refreshing, inexpensive, and very fruity. White Zin came from a humble beginning and has become the most famous and premium domestic wine. Other small wineries started making similar blush wines in order to save the old grapes which would have gone to waste or taken over by other varieties.

Trinchero was honored with a Doctorate degree in Oenology recently at Johnson and Wales University College due to his outstanding entrepreneurship and inspiration. He has made wine more accessible to consumers and removed most of the pretention that surround winemaking. In the Wine Spectator Magazine, Trinchero was recognized for having introduced wine to Americans more than anyone in the history of winemaking. Today, people connect wine to foods and events and are able to use innovative approaches that allow them to have responsible and fun experiences. As time goes by, Americans are growing savvier about wines. This drink has become an important part of dinner and social events.

The Different Versions of Zinfandel

Zinfandel may be a single grape but it produces different styles of Zin. The red grape produces clear juice and it is upon the winemaker to decide how long it stays in contact with skins, stems, and seeds. And that is why the clear juice gets the red or pink tinge. The ripeness of the grape is another determinant of the outcome. In short, the winemaker has numerous styles at disposal. Here is a list of the major versions.

  • Zinfandel rosé: the grapes are fermented dry. A little skin contact is allowed to give the wine a deep rose color
  • Zinfandel big style: red Zin made from riper grapes featuring complex and intense fruit flavors plus a jammy quality
  • Zinfandel port: made from overripe grapes plus distilled grape spirits which are added to halt the fermentation before the sugar turns alcoholic
  • White Zin: made from the red Zinfandel Skins and seeds are removed after crushing the grapes
  • Late harvest Zin: made from overly ripe grapes with 1% to 3% residual sugar
  • Zinfandel table wine: red wine derived from grapes with an optimal balance of sugar and acidity. Extended skin contact is allowed to produce intensely fruity wine

You will find most of the Zin wines in retail outlets. Some have introduced new cocktails created from the same grape. It is the best juicy wine you can open at a barbecue.

Source:  Ilovewine Staff

- 10 Most Popular Red Wines in Europe, About wines

10 Most Popular European Red Wines

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10. Barolo

Province of Cuneo, Italy

This full-bodied, red wine is made from Nebbiolo grapes in a small area in Piedmont with a unique soil and climate conditions. It has been produced since the 19th century, and soon after its invention, it became a favorite among the Italian and European nobility.

According to Italian DOCG regulations, Barolo needs to matured for at least 36 months, while those aged for five years carry the prestigious Riserva label. It is a robust, but elegant wine, which is very high in tannins that soften with aging.
Because of its distinctive notes of rose petals, dark fruit, tobacco, mocha, tar, and truffles, it pairs well with various dishes. Serve it with beef or game meat, aromatic tomato and truffle sauces, or aged and blue cheese varieties.

09. Primitivo

Apulia, Italy (Province of Taranto)

Primitivo is an Italian grape variety with quite interesting origins. Research conducted in 1994 proved that the grape is identical to Californian Zinfandel, while it was later discovered that both grapes originated from an old and obscure Croatian grape Crljenak Kaštelanski.

Despite the same lineage, these grapes are influenced by their terroir, and they can slightly differ in character. In Italy, Primitivo is mostly cultivated in Apulia, where it is used in the appellation Primitivo di Manduria. Primitivo is a somewhat rustic wine, dark, intense, and rich in tannins that tend to mellow with age.
Young styles usually display fruity aromas of cherries, plums, and blackberries, as well as floral notes of violets. Aged varieties tend to develop nuances of cocoa, tobacco, and spices. Primitivo is best paired with meat dishes and aged cheese. It can also work well with lamb, vegetable dishes, game, and legumes. 

08. Sangiovese

Italy

Sangiovese is a red grape variety indigenous to Italy that is predominantly grown in Tuscany, but also in other central and southern regions, from Romagna down to Lazio, Campania, and Sicily. It is best known as the main grape used in Chianti or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and as the only grape in the prestigious Brunello di Montalcino.

Though its flavor profile may be influenced by the terroir, Sangiovese based wines are rich in tannins and high in acidity, while their flavor is savory, and may range from rustic to fruity, with typical notes of cherries, dark stone fruit, spices, tobacco, and dry herbs.
Because of its savory character, it goes well with a wide range dishes, including pasta, pizza, grilled meats, poultry, charcuterie and matured cheese varieties.

07. Tempranillo

La Rioja, Spain

Tempranillo is a red grape variety whose origin is associated with the Iberian Peninsula. Although it is planted in other countries, Tempranillo is best known as the primary grape used in the classic Rioja blend. The wines produced from Tempranillo are typically full-bodied and rich in tannins with the flavors that range from ripe red and dark berries, leather, and tobacco, while aging in French or American oak helps them attain typical vanilla and spice notes.

In the Rioja wine, Tempranillo is the principal grape, but it is often blended with Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo. The grape is especially popular in Portugal where it is known as Tinta Roriz, and it has also shown success in the United States, South America, and Australia.
Tempranillo-based wines are incredibly food friendly and can match charcuterie, sausages, lamb, pork, and aged cheese. 

06. Ribera del Duero

Castile and León, Spain

Ribera del Duero is a Spanish appellation located in several provinces of Castilla and Leon, in north-central Spain. The region is best known for big and bold varietals made with Tempranillo, also known as Tinto Fino or Tinta del Pais.

The blends have to include 75% Tempranillo, while other permitted varieties include Garnacha, white Albillo, and international varieties Malbec, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Ribera del Duero wines are built to age. With time, they develop complexity and become more balanced.

Most of the wines are deeply colored, full-bodied, and well-structured with bright acidity and aromas of ripe fruit, vanilla, and spices. Aging requirements are similar to those in Rioja. Crianza is the youngest, aged for two years and 12 months in oak. Reserva labels are aged at least three years with at least 12 months in oak, and the Gran Reservas have to be aged for five years, including two years of oak aging.
The D. O was established in 1982 when the region had merely nine wineries. Now, there are more than 300. Because of their fruit character and good acidity, Ribera del Duero are food-friendly wines that can agree with different types of food, from sausages, appetizers, and pasta dishes to roast meat (pork, beef, lamb), BBQ dishes, casseroles, game, and aged cheese.

05. Beaujolais

Rhône-Alpes, France

Beaujolais is a light-bodied red wine, with relatively high amounts of acidity. It is made in the historical wine producing region Province of Beaujolais, mostly from thin-skinned Gamay grape, which makes it very low in tannins, and therefore it is often treated like a white wine and served slightly chilled.

Although it rarely needs decanting, after being open for a while, it will gain some aromatic complexity, with a fresh cherry and blackberry fruit nose and spicy, earthy notes in the background. It is classified in three categories: Beaujolais AOC, Beaujolais Villages AOC, and Cru Beaujolais.
According to the body, Beaujolais can be paired with a wide range of dishes. Beaujolais Nouveau, the lightest and mass-produced style of this wine is typically used as an aperitif with salads; the lighter Cru Beaujolais, such as Brouilly, Régnié and Chiroubles, pairs well with poultry, while the heavier and richer, fullest bodied of Cru Beaujolais, like Morgon, Régnié, and Juliénas, pair better with red meats and stews.

04. Syrah

Rhône-Alpes, France

Although Syrah is an internationally known grape that is planted worldwide, it attains distinctive character in northern Rhône—which is often dubbed as Mecca for Syrah. There are several theories about the origin of the grape, but it has been widely accepted that Syrah is native to France and that it probably originated somewhere in the Rhône valley.

Syrah-based wines from northern Rhône often differ in style, but they are powerful, full-bodied reds that can age exceptionally well. They usually display aromas of dark fruit that evolve into peppery, earthy, and herbaceous nuances. Northern Rhône is also home to the premier Syrah-based appellations such as Côte Rôtie, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, and Cornas.
In the southern Rhône, Syrah is mostly used as an addition to the dominant Grenache. Syrah-based wines generally pair well with grilled or braised meat, stews, and game. Traditionally, French appellations do not include the name of the grape on the label.

03. Rioja

La Rioja, Spain

Rioja was the first Spanish appellation that received protected status. This renowned Spanish region is located in the north of the country, on both sides of the river Ebro. It is best known for its red varietals and blends, and while Tempranillo is the dominant grape, blending varieties include Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo, and Maturana varieties.

Some amount of rosés and whites are also produced. The region is vast, and it is divided into three subregions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Oriental. Aging guidelines categorize it under the generic label with no aging requirements (also known as Joven), Crianza (aged for two years), Reserva (at least three years of age), and Gran Reserva (five years of age and a minimum of two years in a barrel).

The entire area is impacted by two different climates—Atlantic and Mediterranean—but specific microclimates and different types of soil, together with different winemaking techniques and maturation, generate various styles and greatly influence the final character of Rioja wines.

They can range from light, fruity, and approachable styles to more complex expressions that often showcase rich notes of dark fruit and spices. Most styles will have firm tannins that are balanced with bright acidity. Pairing suggestions mostly depend on the style and the age, but most examples work well with pork, lamb, and spicy dishes.
Aged varieties may also be a good match with game. The new classification system that allows the use of village and municipality on the label tends to encourage producers not to rely exclusively on oak-aging as the sign of quality. 

02. Burgundy

Burgundy, France

Bourgogne or Burgundy is a wine region in France which produces some of the most prized wines in the world. Located in east-central part of France, the region is dominated by Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, though some other red and white grapes such as Aligoté, Pinot Gris, or Gamay are also used, but on a much lower scale.

Burgundy boasts with more than 100 approved wine growing areas that are regulated by a complex classification system, which according to quality divides the region into grand cru, premier cru, village wines, and regional appellations.

The wines are greatly influenced by age as well as terroir, and they show great diversity in flavors and aromas. Most Burgundy reds display complex and layered aromas of fresh fruit, spices, as well as earthy notes of leather, truffle, or mushrooms, while matured varieties tend to develop more juicy expressions of cooked fruit or jam.
White wines are characterized by floral, fruity, and buttery aromas which are often complemented by citrus or honey notes. Because of their diversity, both white and red Burgundy wines can match a wide variety of dishes, including appetizers, charcuterie, meat or fish based main courses, as well as desserts and regional cheese.

01. Bordeaux

Gironde, France

Bordeaux region is the largest wine growing area in France that comprises of more than fifty different appellations. Bordeaux wines can range from massively produced everyday table wines to prestigious and expensive vintages. The predominant style is red, but the region also produces sweet and dry whites, rosés and sparkling wines.

Red Bordeaux wines are mostly produced from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Malbec, or occasionally Carménère. They are soft, elegant and silky, with aromas of dark fruit, truffles, spices, smoke, tar, and leather.

Because they are typically medium to full-bodied, they perfectly pair with patés and terrines, grilled meat, roast beef, game pies, and goat and sheep cheese. Older vintages of the wine pair well with dishes that include mushrooms, truffles, hard cheese, or game.
White Bordeaux styles are mostly produced from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle. They are predominantly light, with floral, fruit, and citrus aromas, and pair well with seafood, vegetables, pasta, and risottos.

Source: TasteAtlas.com

- Short history of Dôle

Short history of Dôle…

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Geneva was the first canton to implement an AOC label. Here pictured the largest winemaking municipality of Switzerland, Satigny

The Dôle is a Valais AOC -certified red wine made from pure Pinot Noir, which was harvested, weighed, probed and vinified in the Swiss canton of Valais, or from a mixture of red grape varieties also permitted and cultivated in Valais, this mixture must consist of at least 85% Pinot noir and Gamay grape varieties . The Pinot Noir must predominate in this 85%. Any addition is forbidden. The Pinot noir and the Gamay are traditional red grape varieties in Valais, to which the designation Grand Cru is reserved. All grape varieties of the Dôle Grand Cru must meet the requirements of the Valais red wines of the Grand Cru category.

Origin and name customer

In 1820 the Geneva botanist and natural scientist Augustin Pyramus de Candolle named the red wine grape variety Gamay from the French city of Dole with the name “Dôle”. The first vines in this regard came to Valais in 1850. The name “Dôle”, originally associated with the Gamay grape variety, later referred to Pinot noir, before the name finally referred to a Valais mixture of both types. Pinot noir from Burgundy was also introduced in Valais by the Council of State in the middle of the 19th century.

The name “Dôle” has been protected since 1959. This means that from this year on, the name “Dôle” will only be used for related wines that explicitly come from the canton of Valais.

Red grape varieties growing in Graubünden.

Walliser Pinot Noir

The Valais Act requires the Dole or Pinot noir appellation d’origine contrôlée or AOC du Valais a minimum Oechsle degree of 83 ° Oe and current boundaries per unit area of 1.2 kg per m 2 , or 0.96 l per m 2 (must), for the Dôle or Pinot noir Grand Cru or GC du Valais of 91.9 ° Oe and 0.8 kg per m 2 or 0.64 l per m 2 (must).

Walliser Cuvée

The Dôle is the most famous red wine -Cuvée (red Cuvée or assemblage wine) from Switzerland. It consists of at least 85% Pinot noir and Gamay, and a maximum of 15% other varieties such as Syrah, Humagne and Cornalin, all of which must also be approved in Valais. Syrah and Humagne rouge are also traditional red grape varieties in Valais, and Cornalin is an indigenous red grape variety that is also designated as Grand Cru. The proportion of Pinot Noir must be at least 51%. The minimum must weight is 83 degrees Oechsle required. For the classification as Dôle, maximum yield limits apply for the individual varieties, which are set by the canton.

The Pinot noir gives the Valais Cuvée its strong structure, while the Gamay gives it intense aromatic components as well as a fresh and supple character.

Valais rosé

The Weisse Dôle (French La Dôle blanche ) is a white Valais AOC – Rosé made from the same grape varieties as the Dôle, which is considered a summer wine. It can also be blended up to 10% with Valais AOC white wines. The red grapes are pressed without their skin. Very pale in color, it has a fruity and full-bodied character with a slightly sweet finish. It goes well with an aperitif and tapas as well as upscale dishes (also spicy) and Asian cuisine.

Chasselas vines growing in Geneva.

Valais country wine

If the required minimum must weight is not reached, the Dôle can be marketed under the name Goron , whereby these grapes were also harvested, weighed, probed and vinified exclusively in Valais. The name “Goron” has been protected since 1998. The Goron is primarily consumed locally in Switzerland itself. The white pressed Rosé de Goron also comes exclusively from grapes that have been harvested, weighed, probed and vinified in Valais. These are Valais country winesThe traditional names “Goron” and “Rosé de Goron” are not accompanied by a geographical reference. If the wine in question comes solely from the Pinot noir or Gamay grape variety, it can also be used as a grape variety name combined with a geographical designation such as Swiss Pinot noir , Swiss Gamay , Swiss Rosé de Pinot noir , Swiss Rosé de Gamay etc. and the note “Landwein” (“LW”, Frech Vin de pays ) are brought into the trade.

The red Valais country wine Goron should not be confused with the Valais grape variety Goron Bovenier.

The main wine regions of Switzerland marked in brown.

Source: Wiki

- Short history of Merlot

Short history of Merlot…

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We can trace Merlot back to the 1st Century in France but Merlot as a noble Bordeaux varietal standing on its own doesn’t appear till the 1800s. Merlot, Malbec and a few others owe their existence to the ‘biturica’ variety from which it has evolved.

Other names for Merlot around the world include: Petit Merle, Vitraille, Crabutet Noir and Bigney. In a further twist of mistaken identity, DNA profiles reveal that some wines from Chile labelled as Merlot come from a vine called Carmenère or Grand Vidure. This story on its own is fascinating so see the note at the end of this article.

Merlot is an early ripening variety. This is wonderful as it will ripen before the winter rains set in. Also this is terrible as it is vulnerable to spring frosts. It tolerates and even thrives in soils too poor or too moist or too cold for top class Cabernet Sauvignon. The colder climates produce wonderfully complex Merlots with lots of soft fruit flavours not found in the warmer climate fruit. Its sensitive during flowering and wind or vine diseases will decimate the crop. A sound strategy with Merlots is to leave excessive bunches during flowing and thin them out later. This allows us to adjust the yield after the critical flowering time has passed. The berries are thin skinned and physically large. They wont tolerate bird damage or sunburn or splitting, as they’ll rot as soon as any moisture finds the damaged berries.

Merlots most famous home is in the Bordeaux. Even the Medoc region, famous for its Cabernets has about 40% area under Merlot. Merlot comes in third behind Carignan and Grenache as the most planted red grape variety in France. It thrives in northeast Italy, is spreading through Eastern Europe and the new world regions can’t produce enough. The Winemakers Federation of Australian, 2002 vintage report tells us that: ‘Merlot intake increased dramatically, up by 31% to 105,000 tonnes, representing 6% of the total wine grape intake.’ Merlot is a doubly versatile grape. It is widely blended with many other grapes providing a soft, luscious, velvety fruit characteristic softening the harsher varieties. This makes for extremely drinkable young wines. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot is our best-known blend with tannins and structure from the Cabernet Sauvignon and a fruity rich middle palate from the Merlot.

The most famous producer of French merlot wines is Chateau Petrus, whose 1990 bottling earned a perfect 100 score from Wine Spectator (it sells for about USD$1,700 a bottle). Ouch! Merlot on its own is not great for long bottle aging. It’s become ridiculously popular in the last few years as a stand-alone varietal. More so among people wanting a ‘drink now’ wine rather than a long term cellaring wine. Ripe Merlot gives you lots of fruit flavours; plums, cherry, raspberry, mint and subtle spice. However unripe Merlot, goes towards herbaceous green flavours. It’s great with rich dishes, pasta, meats and even chocolate. For the same season with the same conditions from the same vineyard, the Merlot will end up higher in alcohol and less tannin than the Cabernet Sauvignon.

Some of the characteristics you’ll pick up in various Merlots include:
Fruits – plum, cherry, blackcurrant
Lightly oaked – vanilla, coconut
Heavily oaked – smoke, tar, oak
Floral – violet and rose
Spices – mint, caramel, cloves, bay leaves
Bottle age – mushroom, earth, coffee, leather, cigar

This is one of those fascinating stories we often uncover when researching articles for this newsletter. It’s somewhat related to Merlot, but still interesting reading. Carmenere is almost exclusive to Chile and virtually extinct in its French homeland. Carmenere was very important in the Bordeaux vineyards from the 1700’s onwards but is now virtually unknown. When wineries started to become trendy in Chile around the 1850’s, the natural source for vine material was France. The valleys around Santiago were planted with vine material from Bordeaux including a lot of Carmenere. Naturally the winemaking skills mirrored the French and when phylloxera struck in Europe, the wines from Chile helped quench the thirst for fine wines back in France.

The massive replanting of vineyards in France after phylloxera hit, left Carmenere out of the mix. A condition called ‘coulure’ hits vines in certain climates. It prevents flowering when the spring is cold and wet and Carmenere is particularly susceptible. Carmenere ripens several weeks after Merlot and often produces yields lower than Merlot. The French vineyards had this golden opportunity to replant their stocks and many chose the more robust Cabernet Sauvignon or stuck with traditional Merlot. The thick-skinned Cabernet Sauvignon berries better resisted the rain and resulting rot than the thin-skinned Carmenere. And, here was an ideal opportunity to replant onto phylloxera resistant rootstocks.

Chile has very little rain during the growing season and was spared the destruction of phylloxera. There was no systematic replanting of vineyards and Carmenere remained safely growing amidst the Merlot vineyards. And, since Carmenere and Merlot look alike, over the centuries Carmenere lost its identity and both varieties assumed the Merlot tag. Meanwhile back in France, Merlot thrived. Chile was relatively isolated from international wine markets and Carmenere to the rest of the world was an old forgotten and/or extinct wine grape. Wine sales have boomed around the world in the last 20 years. As more Chilean ‘Merlot’ found its way onto the world markets, someone noticed the ‘Merlot’ had stronger and spicier and more sumptuous flavours than Merlot from anywhere else in the world. Finally in 1994 Professor Jean- Michel Boursiquit of Montpellier’s renowned school of Oenology identified the Chilean ‘Merlot’. Using DNA mapping he showed the world the Chilean ‘Merlot’ was really Carmenere and was identical to Carmenere vines found in France.

Source: Uncork Australia website

- Short history of Riesling

Short history of Riesling…

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The history of the Riesling vine can be traced back to Germany and the year 1435. The first documented evidence comes from the cellar log of Count Katzenelnbogen at Ruesselsheim on 13th March 1435, when Klaus Kleinfish purchased six Riesling vines for the sum of 22 solidi. There are other supposed ‘first plantings’ but without the documented evidence: Wachau in Austria in 1232, Westhofen in Rheinhessen in 1402 and Alsace in 1348. An undocumented tale of Riesling from the 14th century has the Cistercian Monks at Eberbach disappointed in their light Rheingau reds compared to the French reds. Their instruction to their growers to remove all plantings other than the white vines ensured the spread of the Riesling vine. In 1464 the St Jacob Hospice in Trier purchased 1,200 ‘Ruesseling’ vines. 1490 sees another reference to ‘Ruessling hinder Kirssgarten’ (Riesling behind the cherry orchard) and a ‘Rissling wingart’ at Pfeddersheim in 1511 shows that Riesling was starting to spread.

The name Riesling seems a bit harder to clarify. ‘Russ’ means dark wood and this along with the grooved bark gives the resultant root word ‘rissig’. Another likely reference relates to Rieslings poor flowering in cold weather which is described by the German words ‘verrieseln’ or ‘durchrieseln’. Hieronymus Bock refers to Riesling in 1552 and also in a later version of his book on herbs in 1577 he mentions Riesling growing in ‘the Mosel, the Rhein and the environs or Worms’. In 1716 the Prince-Abbey of Fulda purchased the rundown Benedictine Abbey in Johannisberg in the Rheingau. 294,000 Riesling vines from Ruedesheim, Eberbach, and Floersheim were planted during 1720 to 1721 to replace the neglected plantings. Clemens Wenzeslaus, Elector of Trier, on 8th May 1787 proclaimed at all inferior vines be dug up and replanted with noble (Riesling) varieties.

By the end of the 19th century Riesling was the dominant variety in the Rheingau and was significant in the rest of Germany. The early 20th century saw Riesling declining in Germany with only 57% of the Rheingau planted to Riesling in 1930. This trend was reversed during the rest of the century and now Riesling is treated as a national treasure. The push is now to think of Riesling in Germany as you do Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Burgundy or Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux. The first reference to Riesling in Australia is in 1820. William Macarthur planted 20 acres of vineyards at Camden Park near Penrith in NSW. The commercial plantings included: Pineau Gris, Frontignac, Gouais, Verdelho, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Grenache and Mataro. October 1837 sees Johann Stein and 5 other ‘vinedressers’ arrive in Australia from Germany under a 5-year contract with William Macarthur and successfully introduce Rhine Riesling into Australia. Penfolds Wines purchases ‘Minchinbury’ in 1912 and expands the vineyards to over 400 acres of old and new varieties including: Verdelho, Riesling, Cabernet Riesling, Pinot Noir, Hermitage, Traminer and Pinot Blanc. Then we come to the 1970’s where the combination of the new invention called the wine cask and sweet fruity styles such as Gewürztraminer, Gewürztraminer Riesling, and Rhine Riesling ensured the Riesling boom in Australia. Incidentally, Angoves first introduced the wine cask in 1965.

The legend of sweet Riesling is generally accredited to Schloss Johannisberg in the Rheingau who ‘accidentally’ created their first ‘Spatlese’ or late harvest in 1775. The legend goes that the messenger bringing the official order to start picking was robbed on the way. By the time he arrived the grapes had rotted, been infected with Botrytis and were given to the peasants. The peasants brewed their own wonderful wines and the rest is history. It’s the Riesling grapes ability to develop high sugar levels while maintaining acidity that produces white wines that age very well. Riesling is produced from dry to very sweet. The sweet, botrytis affected wines are rated in ascending order of sweetness as: Auslese, Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese.

Riesling means different things to different people. In Australia the word Riesling has traditionally referred to any sweet wine variety. Stricter labelling laws now ensure that when you see Riesling on the label you do get Riesling. Riesling has suffered the unfortunate association with sweet, white cask wine. Only the last ten years or so has seen Riesling coming back into fashion as a crisp, clean white winedrink. The lime and citrus flavours in the cooler climate Rieslings make a wonderful summer drink.

A true Riesling in California is referred to as a Johannisberg Riesling. Gray Riesling and Emerald Rieslings are different varieties and Sylvaner is commonly called Sylvaner Riesling, Franken Riesling, Monterey Riesling and even Sonoma Riesling. Parts of Europe have a Welschriesling or Italian Riesling but this is a different variety. South Africans have Cape Riesling, Clare Riesling, Paarl Riesling and South African Riesling which are all really Cruchen Blanc. Weisser Riesling is what you have to look for to find a true Riesling. Even in Rieslings homeland Germany, Schwarzriesling is in reality the variety Müllerrebe (Meunier) and the variety Rulander is called Grauer Riesling. And to confuse matters even more, there are several Riesling hybrids of which the most famous is a cross between Riesling and Sylvaner called Müller-Thurgau. Other names that Riesling answers to in Germany include: Johannisberger, Klingelberger, Riesling Renano, and White Riesling.

And it’s not just the vines that have different names. The wine itself has many names in different countries including: Italy (Riesling Italico); Austria (Welschriesling); Hungary (Olasz Rizling); Rumania (Riesling de Italic); Bulgaria (Italiansky Rizling); Yugoslavia (Laski Rizling); Czechoslovakia (Rizling Vlassky) and Russia (Risling Italianski).
Notes

  1. Recent DNA fingerprinting has in fact determined that the grape was created by crossing Riesling with Madeleine Royale, not Silvaner (Ed)
  2. Reproduced with permission from Peter Svans at The Gurdies Winery

Source: Uncork Australia website

- Short history of Shiraz

Short history of Shiraz…

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If you live in Australia you drink Shiraz and if you live in other parts of the world (especially near Avignon in Frances’ Rhone Valley) you drink Syrah. Same grape, different name. Legend has it that during the 13th century Crusades a French knight called Gaspard de Sterimberg discovered wonderful grapes near Shiraz in Persia. And, as winery people tend to do, he ‘liberated’ some cuttings to plant back home at his Hermitage (farm) in the Rhone Valley. The city of Shiraz is the provincial capital of Fars and is around 935 km from Tehran. Shiraz lies at an altitude of 1,600 meters that makes for mild winters and moderate summers. An ideal climate for grapes. The Shiraz region had some of the world earliest vineyards. Greek amphorae have been unearthed in Hermitage but this could work both ways. It could have been the Roman legions who brought their own wines with them as we know wine was grown in the Rhone Valley during Roman times. Unfortunately, DNA testing by Dr. Carole Meredith of the University of California has shown that Shiraz is a native of the Rhone Valley and not Persia. It was a good story while it lasted. Syrah accounts for the majority of wines coming from the northern Rhone Valley. Two of the worlds most famous Shiraz appellations are in the northern Rhone Valley: Hermitage and Côte-Rôti. The southern half of the valley is the origin of the Rhone blends, traditionally a blend of Shiraz, Mourvedre and Grenache grapes.

Australia and France seem to be obsessed by the grape. About 40% of all red grapes planted in Australia are Shiraz. France has somewhat less than this but is still way in front of any other country. The first cuttings of Shiraz made it to Australia, probably with James Busby in 1832 and were incorrectly labelled Scyras which is a popular northern Rhone Valley variety. The cuttings first reached South Africa from Europe. They were then picked up by the first fleets when they took on provision in South Africa and made it to Australia. Recent DNA testing by Carole Meredith at UCD and Jean-Micel Boursiquot of France shows Shiraz as a cross between Mondeuse Blanche and Dureza grapes. Dureza is from the northern Ardeche region west of the Rhone Valley. Mondeusa Blanche comes from the Savoie region and the earliest recorded plantings of Shiraz in France date back to 500BC. Grosse Syrah and Petite Syrah is another divergence of the Shiraz branch. The only difference being berry size. Petite Syrah tends to produce dry, dark wines with lots of tannins, spice and black pepper.

Petite Sirah (that’s an ‘i’ and not a ‘y’) is a completely different grape. In the 1880’s Dr Durif in France was promoting a mildew resistant variety that he naturally called: ‘Durif’. It was planted in the United States and somehow the naming didn’t make it across, it was incorrectly labelled Syrah. Phylloxera wiped out a lot of the grapes in the late 1890’s and it wasn’t till the 1970’s that Californian Syrah was correctly identified as Petite Sirah. DNA testing in 1991 confirmed the Durif label for Petite Sirah.

Australian Shiraz is made in two different styles. The big, full, rich, tannin laden wines and lighter fruitier ‘drink now’ styles with lots of blackberry and raspberry. You’ll often find a bit of Grenache in with some of the cheaper and nastier ones just for a bit more flavour. But this is just a small portion as there are some fantastic examples around. The Hunter Valley in NSW produces Shiraz that has a trademark ‘sweaty saddle’ characteristic while the Barossa Valley produces a more peppery and herbaceous style with less fruit nose and more tannin. The cooler climates produce rich fruit driven wines with lots of pepper.

Shiraz grapes are used to create the world famous Grange Hermitage. Now called Penfolds Grange as the name Hermitage was a casualty in the great France versus the rest of the world naming debate. Max Schubert created Grange in 1952. He pioneered the use of refrigeration to control the rate of fermentation and hence the flavour extraction from grapes and the use of new oak barrels to store and mature wines. Both these practices are now standard for premium red wines but were revolutionary in their day. And, it took more than 10 years for Grange to be accepted as a great wine. It was universally criticised when first released and only Max’s determination to see it succeed kept it alive. Imagine the loss to the wine world had Max listened to everyone and given up.

Shiraz is a very vigorous growing grape. It produces large bunches of anywhere up to 130 berries per bunch. They are long and loose bunches with very good disease resistance. Shiraz does very well in our cool climate and thrives in warm spring weather to produce a strikingly peppery wine.

And one final legend on Shiraz grapes, from Cyrus Kadivar, The Iranian: One ancient Persian legend says that Jamshid, a grapeloving king, stored ripe grapes in a cellar so he could enjoy grapes all year long. One day he sent his slaves to fetch him some grapes. When they did not return he decided to go to the cellar himself only to find that they had been knocked out by the carbon dioxide gas emanating from some bruised fermenting grapes. One of the king’s rejected, distraught mistresses decided to drink this poisoned potion, only to leave the cellar singing and dancing in high spirits. The king realised that this fruity liquid had the wonderful and mysterious power to make sad people happy. When Alexander overthrew the powerful Persian Empire he entered Darius’s palace in January 330 BC. During one of the conqueror’s orgies soldiers raided the wine cellars. In a drunken moment Alexander ordered the destruction of Persepolis.