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September 2018

Reviews Wines

The Lost Wines of Valdeorras

valdeorras wines
Photo credit: www.telmorodriguez.com

“Il passado esta el futuro” cried Telmo Rodriguez, swirling a glass of Godello in one hand while gesturing energetically with the other. The past is the future. Thus began an impassioned speech on the recent history of Spanish wine, and the replanting of Valdeorras.

Rodriguez is well placed to comment on the subject. His family purchased the historic Remelluri estate in Rioja when he was just a boy. He witnessed first-hand the frantic pace of progress that engulfed the Spanish wine industry in the 1980s to early 2000s. He saw native grapes uprooted in favour of more popular international varieties. He saw gleaming stainless steel tanks replace concrete and wood. He was there for the “Parkerization” of wine styles, and has followed the aftermath.

In 1994, Rodriguez struck out on his own. He head east from Rioja to Navarra, a region then little known for its wine outside of Spain. In a time when Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot reigned supreme, he focused on the native grape Garnacha (aka Grenache).

As the company grew, Rodriguez continued his pursuit of indigenous grapes, from both famed and forgotten terroirs throughout Spain. In 2002, his wanderings took him to Valdeorras in Galicia – the rugged, rainy northwest corner of Spain.

Valdeorras, the “golden valley” acquired its name in Roman times, due to its wealth of gold mines. As was the case across much of Western Europe, the Romans planted vineyards that, centuries later, were tended by industrious monks.

Phylloxera, the Civil War, and the ensuing exodus of countryside dwellers saw Valdeorras’ vineyards abandoned en masse. The remote location, steep slopes, and unpopular grape varieties, doomed the valley to a long winter’s sleep.

Thankfully, enterprising young producers like Rodriguez have slowly begun filtering into the region and winemaking is once again a proud local tradition.

Situated on the eastern edge of Galicia, Valdeorras is located in the Ourense province, bordering Ribeira Sacra to the west and Bierzo to the north east. While maritime influences play a minor role on the local climate, the area is largely continental, with cold winters, warm summers and mild spring and fall seasons.

Slate mining is a major industry in Valdeorras, and a major soil type for the appellation’s vineyards. The hilly terrain, with altitudes raning from 300 to 700 metres above sea level boasts a wide diversity of other soils as well, ranging from alluvial, to calcaerous, to iron-rich clay, and granite.

White wine, made from the local Godello grape, is King in Valdeorras. Godello has long been touted the next “it” grape for white wine lovers. Although with a mere 1200 hectares planted, Godello won’t be bursting onto the international wine scene anytime soon. Wine experts liken Godello to Burgundian Chardonnay, with its crisp acid, lemon-fresh scent, mineral-laced flavours, affinity for oak ageing, and rich, weighty structure.

Red wines from Valdeorras are generally made solely or predominantly from Mencia. Better known as the major grape in neighbouring Bierzo, Mencia gives lively, light bodied reds with floral aromas, tart red fruit flavours, peppery hints and moderately firm tannins.

When Rodriguez first arrived in the area, he headed to the town of Santa Cruz, perched 600 metres above sea level, and spoke with its tiny community of just 938 souls. He observed the local vineyard practices and asked questions.

When he purchased a vineyard, it was upon the advice of the village elders, who deemed it the best. The “A Falcoeira” plot had been abandoned many years prior. Rodriguez set about replanting the land, and to the surprise of the locals, he did so in the historic manner. Rather than growing one single grape vine, he co-planted native red grapes.

Rodriguez just shrugs his shoulders when asked the blend of his signature wine from the A Falcoeira vineyard. The technical sheet for the “A Capilla” cuvée reads: Mencia, Brancellao, Sousón, Garnacha and others.

Reviving forgotten native varieties, and the ancient local tradition of field blends is what drives Rodriguez’s Galician endeavours today. He believes that Spanish winemakers across the country need to work harder to prove how unique, diverse, and exciting their top terroirs can be. For Rodriguez, incorporating the traditions of the past, with the high level of winemaking skill and tools of today, is perhaps the answer.

At a recent gathering in Montréal, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Telmo Rodriguez and tasting his range.

(What do VW, PW, LW mean? Check out my wine scoring system to find out.)

Gaba do Xil Godello 2017 – 88pts PW

Crisp, dry white with pretty lemon, green almond, fennel notes on the nose. Full-bodied, with a subtle, textural quality and moderate concentration of honeyed, nutty, savoury flavours. Finishes clean and fresh.

Where to buy: SAQ (21.60$)

Gaba do Xil Mencia 2016 – 87pts. VW

Discreet nose. Upon aeration, intriguing notes of red currant, blood orange, and white pepper come to the fore. Medium bodied, with brisk acidity, juicy red fruit flavours and a subtle vegetal hint. Tannins are silky, making for a smooth finish. Unoaked.

Where to buy: SAQ (19.80$)

Telmo Rodriguez “As Caborcas” 2015 – 93pts. PW

The first of the trio of Rodriguez’s top tier red wines from Valdeorras. As Caborcas hails from a 2.5 hectare vineyard in Santa Cruz featuring shallow granite soils planted on steep terraces. The is an old vineyard, boasting 60 year old co-planted vines of Mencia, Merenzao, Sousón, Godello, and Garnacha. Only 2500 bottles made.

Highly aromatic, with heady notes of macerated red cherry, cranberry, crushed strawberry, peony, and milk chocolate. Wonderfully fresh on the palate, with incredibly vibrant, highly concentrated notes of brambly, just ripe wild berries. This medium bodied, moderately firm red, finishes with powdery tannins that bring just a hint of attractive bitterness. Ageing in large, old foudres brings a rounded, earthy quality. Lovely!

Where to buy: SAQ (4 cases coming soon!). 77.25$

Telmo Rodriguez “O Diviso” 2015 – 94pts. PW

High altitude vineyards, 550 to 725 metres above the town of As Ermitas. The northwest exposure and soil diversity of this green slope long fascinated Rodriguez. The vineyard has a mix of old and recently planted vines; mainly Mencía, Brancellao, Sousón, and Garnacha, along with other red and white varieties.

A fuller, richer red than the As Caborcas. Intense aromas of ripe red cherry and black plum mingle with notes of rose, milk chocolate, and exotic spice on the nose. The palate is lively yet generous with impressive depth of flavour. Hints of leather and tobacco underscore the ripe red and black fruit flavours, and linger long on the finish. Fine grained tannins and well-integrated oak bring further polish.

Where to buy: SAQ (2 cases coming soon!). 77.25$

Telmo Rodriguez “A Capilla” 2015 – 96pts. PW

From the revered A Falcoeira vineyard, this 2015 cuvée is a stunner. The hot summer weather caused the vine to shut down briefly, allowing fresh acidity to be preserved. The steep granite-based slopes above Santa Cruz were largely replanted and are just now giving mature fruit of the depth and complexity sought by Rodriguez.

Incredibly elegant, with layer upon layer of aroma and flavour developing upon aeration. Notes of red currant, strawberry, rose, and cranberry, are underscored by autumnal, earthy hints and vibrant dried citrus peel. Brisk acidity is beautifully balanced by a rich, velvety mouthfeel, highly concentrated core, and full-bodied structure. Tannins are firm, yet perfectly ripe. The finish is almost endless, with notes of tea leaf, dark chocolate, fresh fruit, and cedar oak hints. Brimming with finesse.

Where to buy: SAQ (4 cases coming soon!). 77.25$

 

 

Education

NEW WAYS OF COPING WITH ARCTIC WINTERS

geotextiles
Photo credit: Domaine St. Jacques, Québec

 – As published on www.jancisrobinson.com on Aug. 28th 2018 – 

As the leaves fall from the vines in November, the annual race against the clock begins in the cooler reaches of the Northern Hemisphere. In Ningxia, China, vineyard workers at Pernod Ricard’s Helan Mountain Winery begin the arduous process of laying down canes for winter burial. Wind machines are readied for their winter vigil at Southbrook Vineyards on the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario. Meanwhile, at Domaine St. Jacques in Québec, a tractor appears in the vine row equipped with twin, overhead rolls of white fabric.

“Cold hardiness is the main limiting factor for growing grapes in many regions across North America, and beyond”, affirms Dr. Jim Willwerth, Senior Viticultural Scientist at Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI). And yet, despite the challenges posed by icy winters, new vineyards continue to emerge in some of the chilliest corners of the planet.

The ever-increasing frequency of extreme heat and drought in many traditional vineyard regions is driving wine grape growers to seek out cooler climates. Thanks, in part, to this pattern of global warming, areas once considered too cold to successfully grow Vitis vinifera grapevines are flourishing.

“Cold hardiness is the main limiting factor for growing grapes in many regions across North America, and beyond”

The Niagara Peninsula is just one such example. Thomas Bachelder, winemaker in Oregon, Burgundy, coastal Chile, and Niagara, is convinced of the region’s vast potential. “We have the degree days, and complex limestone-rich soils”, explains Bachelder. “Niagara Chardonnay is elegant; racy, mineral and floral, with a solid core of rich dry extract”, he adds.

However, while temperatures may be milder on average in many marginal regions, climate change is also bringing more erratic weather patterns and greater extremes. In northerly, continental areas this means more vicious cold spells. The Vitis vinifera grape vine is not winter hardy. According to Dr. Willwerth, temperatures below -15°c can lead to loss of fruiting buds and damage to stem tissues. Winter injuries to grapevines create opportunities for infection and can lead to the development of Crown Gall disease. When the thermostat lingers below -25°c it can kill vines outright.

Because of this, cold hardy hybrid varieties are the preferred cultivars in many wintry regions. Lerkekåsa Vineyard in Norway focuses mainly on ungrafted hybrids like Hasanski sladki and Solaris. In Northern China, breeding programs have long centred on the Vitis amurensis grape species that can withstand temperatures of -40°c. In Québec and the Midwestern United States, resistant varieties such as Marquette and Frontenac are common.

…while temperatures may be milder on average in many marginal regions, climate change is also bringing more erratic weather patterns and greater extremes.

Critical success on an international level remains elusive for hybrid grape wines however. Consumers and professionals alike still maintain that Vitis vinifera is the only grapevine species qualitative enough for fine wine production. Regardless of limiting factors, the majority of growers continue to prize vinifera plantings above all others. And while they accept that some loss of fruiting buds is the price to pay for growing Vinifera in cold climates, they are increasingly looking for more effective solutions to keep these casualties to a minimum and prolong the lifespan of their vines.

The most important defense against winter injury lies in the initial grape variety and site pairing as different cultivars have varying degrees of cold hardiness. Vines must also be adequately prepared for the dormant period. Over cropping is found to reduce winter hardiness. “Managing vigour and crop level is key to ensure that we harvest at optimal maturity, at a reasonable time in the fall”, explains Southbrook’s Winemaking Consultant Ann Sperling. The vine requires time to build up sufficient reserves in its trunk and canes to resist cold temperatures.

Yet even vines in good health, with adequate stores, require additional protection to withstand deep freezes. These measures vary from one region to another, depending on the severity of winter temperatures, vineyard size, budget, available labour, and so forth.

The most important defense against winter injury lies in the initial grape variety and site pairing. Yet even vines in good health, with adequate stores, require additional protection to withstand deep freezes.

In regions where temperatures sub -15°c are a rare occurrence, wind machines are common. CCOVI estimates that half of Ontario’s vineyards are equipped with wind machines. These large fans can bring a 2 to 3-degree temperature increase around the fruiting zone. They have a number of shortcomings however. “At wind speeds of 8km/hr or higher wind machines are useless. The inversion layer doesn’t form”, says Sperling. “Their mechanisms are also easily damaged by wind”, she adds. The cost is prohibitive for many small growers. Tom Higgins of Heart & Hands Wine Company in the Finger Lakes region of New York estimates the price per fan at 50 000$ USD, with each unit covering 4 to 6 hectares.

To help growers use fans (and other cold protection methods) more effectively, scientists at CCOVI have created a bud cold hardiness monitoring program called Vine Alert. The system tracks a multitude of different cultivars, from vineyard plots all across Ontario, throughout the dormant period, sending alerts to growers when dangerous cold spells are forecasted. Similar such programs exist in British Columbia’s Okanagan and Similkameen valleys.

Where winter lows regularly plunge to -25°c or less, more dramatic actions are necessary. The most popular technique world-wide is to bury vines deep under the soil. While this method effectively protects vines against freezing temperatures it carries many risks. The process of laying down and uncovering the vines damages the vines and increases the potential for diseases entering cracks or trunk wounds. According to Helan Mountain Operations Manager, Mike Insley it is also “incredibly labour intensive and expensive”. Insley estimates that one third of the winery’s labour budget is spent covering and uncovering the vines.

Burying vines is an effective technique against freezing temperatures yet it carries many risks.

Photo credit: Helan Mountain Winery, Ningxia, China

The decision of when to unearth the vines is also fraught. Exposing the vine to the elements in early spring means earlier bud break and a longer growing season yet leaves the vine defenceless against spring frost. At Hinterland Winery in Prince Edward County, Ontario the team waits until late May, after the risk of frost has passed. This brings its own set of challenges. “We lose a month of the growing season”, says owner Vicki Samaras. “There is a risk of bud rot if the soils are moist”, she goes on to explain, “and, worst of all, you can hear the buds popping off as you pull the canes from the soil”.

From China to Russia and through out Canada, vine burial practioners are vocal in their frustration, yet committed to continue. “Why do we persist in the face of all of these disadvantages?” asks Insley, “Simple, we can’t grow vinifera varieties without winter protection”. Insley believes that the growing season conditions and subsequent high quality of wines produced in Ningxia is worth the effort.

In certain areas, alternate solutions are slowly gaining traction. Yvan Quirion, proprietor of Domaine St. Jacques, began experimenting with geotextiles on his estate in 2006. The results were so compelling that he now covers his entire 23-hectare property. Quirion trains his vines 30cm from the ground to capture ambient heat from the earth. He does an initial Cordon de Royat pruning, and then uses a tractor to drape geotextiles over the trellis in a tent-like fashion, securing the base of the fabric to the ground. Quirion says he can cover 20 kilometres in a day; winterizing the entire estate in less than a week. With careful maintenance, he has managed to re-use many of his geotextiles for going on 10 years.

Domaine St. Jacques began experimenting with geotextiles in 2006. The results were so compelling that they now covers their entire 23-hectare property.

Despite many bitter winters, Quirion claims he has only incurred notable bud damage once, in January 2018, when the longest cold streak ever recorded struck the region. Even then, Quirion estimates a mere 10 – 15% loss of fruiting buds. Adamo Estate Winery in Hockley Valley, Ontario was also struck with similar temperatures, and the vines under geotextiles faired well. Only the Merlot grapes suffered bud damage.

Trials at Hinterland Winery began in 2018. “We saw a 33% increase in yield this year”, enthuses Samaras. Vines were uncovered a full month earlier than usual allowing for earlier, more uniform bud break. By bundling the geotextiles up on the topmost wire above the fruiting zone, they were able to keep them at the ready in the event of spring frost.

Adamo Estate began testing geotextiles in 2015, in partnership with CCOVI. After three years, winemaker Shauna White deems the results “phenomenal”. “The buried canes were much darker and less vibrant”, she asserts. “Under the blankets, they are brighter and healthier looking.” White also enthused about the increased crop load. In 2017, a geotextile-covered Pinot Noir plot half the size of a neighbouring, buried vine plot gave the same quantity of wine.

Adamo Estate began testing geotextiles in 2015, in partnership with CCOVI. After three years, winemaker Shauna White deems the results “phenomenal”. 

The use of geotextiles has even allowed Hinterland Winery to farm organically for the first time. “There is a lot of fungal disease in Ontario, much of which originates from the soil”, explains Samaras. “When you bury vines, you are obliged to train the vines low to the ground. Using geotextiles, we have raised the fruiting zone by 15cm”.

Geotextiles are not a perfect solution for all estates however. According to Mike Insley, they aren’t a viable option for Helan Mountain Winery. “Covers are potentially problematic on large-scale vineyards – a vineyard with a 3m row spacing would require 3333m of row covering for each hectare. That’s a lot to purchase, store, and apply”. Concerns about cost, storage, and unease with application methods seem to be the major obstacles to greater adoption by growers.

At Heart & Hands Wine Company, Tom Higgins is taking another approach. He has devised an automated heating system to protect against icy temperatures. Heating tape, more commonly used in roof de-icing, is permanently attached to the fruiting wire and then wrapped in plumbing tube insulation over winter. Temperature probes inside the insulation are triggered to activate the heating tape at -17°c, and to turn it off at approximately -13°c. The system can also be used to ward off spring frost, using higher temperature settings. “For every 100 feet of grape vine, it takes me 20 minutes to apply the insulation, and 10 minutes to remove it”, claims Higgins.

At Heart & Hands Wine Company, heating tape is permanently attached to the fruiting wire and then wrapped in plumbing tube insulation over winter.

Photo credit: Heart & Hands Wine Company, Finger Lakes, New York

The ease of use and relative affordability of his plan is a major part of its appeal. Higgins received a Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to pursue his research. Initial results are inconclusive after a relatively mild first winter of use, but Higgins is confident that the long-term benefits will be tremendous.

Times and techniques are definitely changing. Cool climate vineyards are gaining in prominence around the globe. Rising temperatures have rendered many wintry regions more hospitable for vinifera grape varieties. However, the increase in extreme weather events in these areas is making effective freeze protection strategies more and more vital. While wind machines and vine burial have proven effective in certain conditions, both methods have significant drawbacks. The advent of recent techniques such as geotextile coverage and heating systems are exciting developments likely to have a major impact on the future of cool climate viticulture.