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Italy’s Native Grape Varieties: Strength in Diversity

Italy's Native Grape Varieties

Among the many remarkable attributes of Italy’s wine industry, the sector’s resilience is surely its most impressive feature. The trials and tribulations, the production booms and busts, the sheer drama, and shocking scandals that Italian wine has overcome…

After all, who could forget the rash of 1980s methyl alcohol poisonings that left 19 wine drinkers dead and countless others with serious neurological deficits? Or the ignoble fake wines of the 1960s, where water and dregs from grape pressings were mixed with a variety of “ingredients” ranging from pureed figs to molasses to cattle blood.

Less dire but equally illicit are the countless discoveries of illegal grape blending, the most famous of which is perhaps the 2008 “Brunellogate” chapter. And yet, with every blow to their winemaking reputation—at home and internationally—Italy has always managed to rise from the ashes. Often, with the advantage of more stringent controls and a greater drive to boost wine quality.

Though Italian wine sales have flattened over the past year, in line with an international trend of slowing consumption and the global economic downturn, the UIV-Vinitaly Observatory indicates that the past 15 – 20 years have seen near uninterrupted export growth.

The Prosecco craze has had a lot to do with international (and domestic) volume growth in recent years. In value terms, Italy’s fine wine reputation has largely been carried by its famed regions like Barolo, Montalcino, Chianti Classico, or Amarone since the 1990s.

However, Italy has far more strings to its vinous bow than easy drinking bubbly and a handful of prestigious appellations. Sought-after wines are cropping up in all of Italy’s 20 wine producing regions, leading curious oenophiles to explore the country’s wealth of distinctive terroirs and indigenous varieties more closely than ever before.

Indeed, Italy’s native grapes are its greatest strength.

Estimates vary, but according to Italian wine expert, Ian D’Agata, Italy grows roughly 2,000 autochthonous cultivars. Nearly 400 of these grapes are produced in commercially significant volumes. The numbers are growing steadily as once forgotten grapes like Timorasso, Schioppettino, or Recantina make a comeback.

Why is this important? Because Italy’s indigenous varieties are an essential part of the country’s cultural heritage. They also set Italy apart from most other significant wine-producing regions. The International Organisation of Vine and Wine indicates that one-third of vineyards world-wide are planted to just 13 international grapes. In comparison, seven of Italy’s top ten most planted grapes are local.

“Native wine grapes hail from a particular place and region, and express a terroir unlike that of grapes cultivated anywhere else in the world. They are also specifically adapted to the environment in which they grow, representing the most ecologically friendly agriculture possible.”  Ian D’Agata, Club Oenologique.

The movement among Italy’s quality-minded grape growers to renew their focus on local varieties and resurrect forgotten cultivars was initially a question of preservation. Now, many are looking to indigenous grapes as the best local response to climate change challenges.

Countless numbers of Italian grapes were lost in the aftermath of the powdery mildew and Phylloxera ravages at the turn of the 20th century. Vineyards were replanted with maximum economic return in mind, with grapes that produced the largest yields and ripened earlier and more consistently.

Many later maturing grapes – that struggled to reach full ripeness most years – were forsaken, but for a handful of traditional growers. As temperatures continue to soar and harvest dates are moving alarmingly forward, late ripening varieties are becoming increasingly important.

Drought resistance is another essential grape attribute in a warming environment. The torrid conditions of Italy’s southern wine regions are not new. Over the centuries, many of their local grapes have learned to thrive with very little water. As more northerly regions begin to mirror the hot, dry conditions of Italy’s south, these varieties will likely migrate northward; a phenomenon already being seen in certain Tuscan vineyards.

Italy has several significant geographical advantages in terms of weathering the current intense heat spells associated with climate change. Coastal vineyards on its peninsular mainland and islands benefit from cooling marine breezes. Many of its inland regions are crisscrossed by lakes and rivers that also temper extremes. Finally, its mountainous interior has allowed many producers to move upwards in search of cooler vineyard sites.

Despite this, grape growing is becoming ever more challenging and unpredictable. The 2023 growing season was not kind to wine producers in central and southern Italy. Heavy rains, flooding, hailstorms, drought, and widespread downy mildew all conspired to slash harvests by 20% to 30%, according to local reports.

Italian wine lobby groups UIV and Assoenologi estimate a 12% decrease in volume output as compared to 2022, meaning that after a long hiatus, France has overtaken Italy as the world’s leading wine producer. While the news isn’t good for Italy, it will hopefully allow oversupply in certain regions to decrease.

Only time will tell how the world’s major vineyards fare, faced with over-production, climate threats, and changing consumer patterns. If there is one country that can weather the storm, as they have done for so many millennia, it is certainly Italy.

This piece on Italy’s Native Grape Varieties is re-printed (with permission) from my article written for Good Food Revolution. If you want to learn more about artisanal food, wine, beer and spirits, check out their excellent website.

Education

Low Alcohol Wine Guide Video: What you Need to Know…!

Low alcohol wine is becoming more popular as people strive to make healthier lifestyle choices. But…what actually are low alcohol wines? How is it made? What does lower alcohol wine taste like? Where can I find the best low alcohol wines? Is zero alcohol wine any good?

For answers to all these questions and more, join me, Jacky Blisson, Master of Wine for a quick low alcohol wine guide….complete with a list of good lower alcohol wine options.

Education

Why are Some Wines Aged in Oak? Short Video.

Why are some wines aged in oak

Why are some wines aged in oak barrels? Wine ageing in oak can benefit certain wine styles; integrating flavours, softening tannins, and adding complexity.

What is an oaked wine? How is wine aged? What is the difference between French oak and American oak? Check out my latest wine education video below to learn all about it.

N.B. Oak is not the only type of wood used to age wine. Chestnut, Acacia, and Cherry wood are favoured in some areas. Oak for wine barrels can also originate from many other areas. This short video just covers the most common styles.

Education Wines

Vinho Verde Wines… The Serious Side

Vinho Verde Wines

Vinho Verde wines. The ultimate in light, bright, easy-drinking whites. Low in alcohol, refreshing, subtly sparkling, and with just a touch of fruity sweetness on the finish. An affordable option in a sea of increasingly expensive wine choices.

This highly stereotypical description has been used for decades to sum up the wines of the verdant Minho region of northwest Portugal. The consistency and unique personality of Vinho Verde wines made for a simple branding message that has long resonated with casual wine drinkers around the world.

This global success has been a boon to the region, allowing for expansion, modernization, and, most importantly, a wave of quality-focused winemakers. Stylistically, the Vinho Verde wines of today are far more than a one-trick pony.

From Rustic Reds to Modern White Vinho Verde Wines

Winemaking is not a new activity for the Minho area. The first literary references date back to the first century AD. The old Minho province was officially recognized as a wine region in 1908. At that time, and well into the latter half of the century, red wine dominated.

The agricultural focus was on dairy and corn. Vineyards were an afterthought, grown on the edges of fields, up trees, or in overhead (pergola) canopies. The dense shading of these training methods, combined with cool winds and steady rain from the nearby Atlantic Ocean, made ripening a challenge and rot an ever-present concern. The wines were often thin, tart, and rough around the edges.

Vinho Verde History. Photo credit: Photo: Casa Alvão/ Comissão de Viticultura da Região dos Vinhos Verdes

All that started to change in the late 1970s, with the advent of more modern winemaking practices, including the introduction of inert tanks, temperature control, and a greater emphasis on cellar hygiene. This brought about a radical shift – to clean, fruity white wines with a subtle spritz of injected carbon dioxide to heighten their lively, early-drinking appeal.

Vinho Verde Wines : The Blend and the Sum of its Parts

While the Vinho Verde name has gained recognition among white wine lovers, the grapes that make up its blends have not. Over 45 different varieties are planted in the region. For white wines, the most common are Loureiro, Alvarinho, Arinto (aka Pedernã), Avesso, Azal Branco, and Trajadura.

Each grape had its role to play in the blend, Loureiro for its pretty floral aromatics or its broader structure, Alvarinho for its vibrancy and its array of citrus, stone, and tropical fruit flavours, Arinto for its nervy minerality, Avesso for its creamy texture, Trajadura for its steely structure and so forth. However, the focus has traditionally always been the blend and not its component parts.

Fast forward to the late 1990s, and all this began to change.

Vinho Verde Wines Terroir Pioneers

The turn of the century brought with it a wave of new energy in Vinho Verde. A handful of respected winemakers, like Anselmo Mendes, Quinta da Soalheiro, and Quinta do Ameal, started setting their sights on more complex, age-worthy wines.

The vineyards of Vinho Verde are divided into nine sub-regions separated by the Minho, Lima, Cávado, Ave and Douro Rivers and their many tributaries. Each area is unique in its proximity or distance from the Atlantic, the influence of its waterways, its undulations, meso-climate, and so forth. Granitic sandy and loam-rich soils dominate throughout Vinho Verde, but several veins of schist traverse the region from south-east to northwest, and stony outcrops also exist in several areas.

Mendes and his contemporaries sought to dial into these sub-regional differences by creating specific blends or single variety bottlings that best expressed their place. In 1998, Mendes, a renowned Portuguese consulting winemaker, returned to his native Monção with this goal in mind.

Anselmo Mendes. Photo Credit: Anselmo Mendes Vinhos

The Vinho Verde sub-region of Monção and Melgaço is located in the northern reaches of the denomination, along the inland banks of the Minho River. Lower annual rainfall and warmer summer temperatures here create rich, structured Alvarinho wines with fragrant peach and exotic fruit notes.

Further south, other grapes found their groove.  The Lima Valley proved an ideal terroir for single variety Loureiro, with its highly refreshing, floral expression. The inland sub-region of Baião has more continental influences with warmer summers. Here, the late ripening Avesso grape shines; developing notable body and depth.

Terroir-focused single variety bottlings, as well as blends, have become increasingly prominent in recent years. Winemaking practices vary from traditional, unoaked, early bottled styles to longer aged, discreetly oaked wines.

Beyond White Vinho Verde Wines

Once a second-class crop relegated to the periphery, Vinho Verde vineyards now span some 16 thousand hectares. The wines are produced by 370 wine bottlers across the region. White wine remains the undisputed focus, accounting for over 85% of sales, but Vinho Verde rosé and red wine are gaining a niche following.

Sparkling wine from Vinho Verde – not the subtly spritzy – but properly effervescent espumante wines made using the tank, traditional, and now Pét Nat methods are also generating buzz, though they remain difficult to come by in most export markets.

Quinta da Soalheiro was the first in the region to produce traditional method Alvarinho sparkling wine back in 1995. Almost thirty years later, they remain a reference for quality espumante, encouraging many to follow suit. Loureiro and Trajadura are also common choices for sparkling Vinho Verde.

Looking to the Future

Rainfall is high in much of Vinho Verde. While this makes for a lush, green landscape, it also means that fungal disease is a constant threat. Despite this, some of Portugal’s leading names in biodynamic and in organic winemaking are based here.

Vinho Verde Wines. Douro River Region. Photo Credit: Comissão de Viticultura da Região dos Vinhos Verdes

In 2003, Vasco Croft took over abandoned family-owned vineyards in the Lima Valley. By year three he began converting the property to biodynamic farming, and grew to over 20 hectares. The success of his estate, Aphros Wines, alongside fellow biodynamic great Fernando Paiva of Quinta da Palmirinha, is an inspiration to younger generations.

The list of certified organic wineries continues to grow, led by estates and négociants like Casa de Mouraz, Quinta das Arcas, Quinta de Santiago, and A&D Wines. Their efforts go far beyond prohibiting chemical vineyard treatments, to biodiversity initiatives, conservation initiatives, and an overall commitment to lowering carbon footprint.

A Tale of Two Vinho Verde Wines

Those who love the simplicity of a crisp, light, spritzy Vinho Verde will not be lost in this brave new world of Vinho Verde wines. The region’s iconic style still makes up the bulk of its production. However, it is exciting to see how multi-faceted Vinho Verde wines have become.

New names of top Vinho Verde producers – from classic to avant-garde, traditional to natural – are cropping up all the time. Racy high acidity remains a hallmark of the region, across its sub-regional and single variety bottlings as well as its blends. However, fruit expressions, texture, and body vary more widely than ever before, offering something for every palate.

This Vinho Verde Wines piece is re-printed (with permission) from my article written for Good Food Revolution. If you want to learn more about artisanal food, wine, beer and spirits, check out their excellent website.

Education Reviews Wines

Where did all the Santorini White Wine Go?

Island of Santorini

I recently attended a tasting of impressive Santorini white wine. The Assyrtiko grape had fallen off my radar recently and I was glad to be reacquainted with the crisp, steely, mineral-laced style typical to this Greek volcanic island.

Given the trends among more involved wine enthusiasts, towards sustainably produced wines, indigenous varieties, “authentic” wine regions, and lighter, more vibrant wines, I would have thought that Santorini white wines would be rising in popularity.

A few years back, Assyrtiko white wines – from Santorini and across Greece – flooded my local wine shops each summer. I regularly had one chilling in my fridge. A quick search of SAQ and LCBO offerings showed me why I had forgotten Santorini’s signature grape. They are all gone.

Santorini’s Low Yields of Old Vine White Wines

Santorini is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, some 200 kilometres southeast of mainland Greece. In 1650 B.C., Santorini experienced one of the largest volcanic eruptions ever documented. The island is part of the Hellenic Volcanic Arc, one of the most significant volcanic fields in Europe – still very much active today.

Santorini’s soils are a mix of lava, volcanic ash, and pumice stone. The lack of clay and thus organic matter provides a barrier against many pests and diseases, most notably phylloxera. As such, the island’s vines are own-rooted, with a significant number of venerable old vines.

The climate is hot and very dry. Despite this, vineyards are not irrigated. Humidity from sea breezes is absorbed by the volcanic soils. The intensity of the winds that buffet the island is too much for a trellised vineyard. Vines are therefore trained in a unique spiral, whereby vine canes are “woven” into a basket shape with the grapes growing inside this protective shield.

Leading Santorini wine producer, Santo Wines, explains that “the bigger the basket, the older the plant, with some of them boasting a root system more than 200 years old”. This ground level basket training system, called Kouloura, means back-breaking labour that can only be accomplished by hand.

The combination of a hot, dry, windy climate, and kouloura vine training, equates to very low yields. Many growers indicate a mere 10 – 20 hectolitres/ hectare harvest level. Put in perspective, this is far less than yields derived from Grand Cru Bourgogne plots. Combine this with the rough estimate given to me of 1500 hectares total acreage for Santorini and you quickly realize how little wine is produced annually.

The Unique Flavour of Santorini’s Signature Grape

No photo description available.
Photo credit: Wines of Greece (Kouloura trained Assyrtiko vine)

While most varieties of Vitis vinifera are happiest in Mediterranean climates, the particularly dry, windy conditions of Santorini would be inhospitable to many. Happily, the region found its perfect grape thousands of years ago: the white variety, Assyrtiko.

According to Wines of Greece, Santorini boasts Assyrtiko vineyards that date back 3500 years. Assyrtiko thrives in Santorini’s dry, volcanic soils. Despite the heat, Assyrtiko maintains vibrant, high acidity as the grape matures. It is not uncommon to taste Assyrtiko wines at over 14% alcohol with a level of crisp, refreshing acidity that belies their evident ripeness.

Santorini white wines are rarely overtly fruity. Assyrtiko tends toward an earthier, wet stone or oyster shell type minerality on the nose. The grape’s ripeness presents itself more on the palate, in its weighty structure, layered texture, and slight phenolic (tannic) edge.

Of course, the island also produces leaner, fruitier styles of Assyrtiko – often from younger vines or less favourable vineyard sites, but given its small production, more and more producers are focusing on premium Assyrtiko wines, of the former style.

Assyrtiko wines are often unoaked, though in line with a move toward more premium winemaking, many producers are experimenting with longer ageing, extended lees contact, and carefully managed oak ageing.  Nykteri is the name given to Santorini dry white wines, left to hang longer on the vines, with a short period of skin contact in the winery, and a period of barrel ageing.

The island also makes very limited quantities of stunning Vinsanto. The grapes for these luscious, sweet wines are left to partially desiccate in the sun for a couple of weeks before a long, slow fermentation. After a few years of barrel ageing, they are an amber coloured liquid ambrosia.

So why has all the Santorini White Wine Disappeared?

The Santorini white wines that featured on wine store end aisles five years ago all sat at an “entry premium” dollar value in the high teens to low twenties. The labour involved and low yields meant that these wines were ludicrously under priced and not a sustainable way forward for the island’s producers.  However, when prices were raised, sales slowed, and the listings were dropped.

A while back, I interviewed Jermaine Stone, hip hop artist turned fine wine auction director, now owner of wine importing and consultancy firm, Cru Luv Selections. We were chatting about perceived wine value from one region to another and compared with other luxury goods.

Stone gave examples of teenagers saving up for Yeezy sneakers they know they will outgrow or a middle-income worker shelling out on a Balenciaga handbag.  Few regions have managed this feat of creating a luxury aura around their wines. “People have the money. They just don’t have the reverence for the product” according to Stone. “If they don’t think it’s special, they won’t want it”.

With yields as low as they are, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing that Santorini white wine sales are no longer focused on volume-driven outlets like monopoly wine stores. As the quality rises, the wines deserve a hand-selling approach built around creating that necessary reverence. But who will step forward as the region’s champion among Canada’s sommeliers and fine wine buyers? Only time will tell…

Santo Wines, Santorini
Photo credit: Santo Wines

A Handful of recently tasted Interesting Santorini White Wines

Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2022 – 92pts.

Discreet green citrus, wild herbal, and flinty aromas feature on the nose. The palate invigorates with its high, lip-smacking acidity, chalky texture, and lingering salinity. Light and dry with lots of verve, this 100% Assyrtiko is fermented stainless steel and aged for three months, with regular lees stirring.

Gaia Wines “Thalassitis” Santorini 2021 – 90pts.

Sourced from sixty-year-old Assyrtiko vineyards. Earthy, wet stone hints mingle with fragrant yellow apple and apricot aromas. These ripe fruited notes give way to tangy citrus flavours on the palate. Racy and medium weight, with pleasant grapefruit pith bitters that lift the finish.

Santo Wines Santorini Assyrtiko 2022 – 89pts.

Sixty- to eighty-year-old vines, grown at 400 metres altitude. Macerated six hours on skins before fermenting in stainless steel and brief ageing. Light-bodied, with nervy flavours of lime, gooseberry, and earthy minerals. Piercing acidity and a taut structure give this very dry wine a tingly, electric sensation on the palate.

Estate Argyros Cuvee Monsignori Santorini 2020 – 94pts.

Venerable old vines (estimated at 200 years in age), fermented with wild years and aged for ten months on fine lees in stainless steel tanks. Subtle, yet highly attractive white floral, flinty, smoky nuances on the nose. Initially silky on the palate, building up to a powerful structural crescendo. Savoury and saline, with a long finish of refreshing, grapefruit pith bitters.

Gaia Santorini Wild Ferment 2022 – 91pts.

Seventy- to eighty-year-old vines. Native yeast fermentation in stainless steel, oak, and acacia barrels, followed by twelve months’ ageing. Reminiscent of a Graves white Bordeaux nose. The palate is full-bodied, with bracing acidity and a creamy mid-palate. Juicy flavours of apricots and nectarines balance the hints of toasty, spiced oak nicely. Very powerful. Hold for one to two years or decant.

Santo Wines Nykteri 2021 – 90pts.

85% Assyrtiko, blended with secondary white grapes Athiri and Aidani. Fifty-year-old vines. Blend is aged six months in French oak foudres. Pretty aromas of white flowers, beeswax, wet stone, and preserved lemon play across the nose. Very youthful on the palate with its firm acidity, structure, and tannins. Hints of juicy apple flavours emerge with aeration. Needs time to soften.

Sigalis Santorini Barrel 2021 91pts.

Aged in French oak barrels (10% new) for eight months, this 100% Assyrtiko wine is sourced from selected blocks of sixty year+ aged plots across the island. Complex notes of ripe stone fruit mingle with wild herbs, spring blossoms, and exotic spice on the nose. The palate is rounded and fleshy, lifted by brisk acidity that accentuates lingering salty hints on the finish.

This “Santorini White Wine” piece is re-printed (with permission) from my article written for Good Food Revolution. If you want to learn more about artisanal food, wine, beer and spirits, check out their excellent website.

Education Life Reviews Wines

It’s Time for Serious Rosé Wine…

Rosé wine glasses, Vins de Provence

Elizabeth Gabay MW is one of the world’s foremost experts on rosé wines. She is the author of two major reference guides, Rosé: Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution and Rosés of Southern France. I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Gabay about what’s new in serious rosé wine (aka the world beyond the pale, poolside pink wines that flood our wine store shelves each spring). 

What do you find are the most interesting trends in the world of rosé wines?

I think one of the big problems when we talk about premium rosé trends is, it’s like talking about trends in cru classé Bordeaux or Domaine Romanée Conti. It is such a small percentage of rosé production. 90% of rosé that I taste is aiming at the same pale, dry, bland commercial style.

Though, where serious rosé wine is concerned, a small contingent of producers are experimenting. They are looking at things like the porosity of cement or amphora to minimize reductive character. They’re looking at different barrels to soften tannins. I’m working with a rosé vinified in acacia.

So, there is that happening. And then on the other side, there is the natural wine movement.

Is natural wine playing an important role in rosé wine?

I think natural winemakers are incredibly important for the rosé category because you’ve got people who are breaking down the rules. They’re doing things like solera rosé, much more spontaneous fermentation, and so on.

Last week I tasted a Greek Moschofilero “rosé” for Decanter. It is basically a gris coloured grape which spends a week on the skins and turns a shade of dark pink, but it has all the texture of a skin contact white wine.

We tasted a rosé from Uruguay which was 50% red and 50% white grapes blended together to make a rosé. It does all its fermentation on the skins, so is it an orange wine? A red? A white? Is it rosé? It’s a sort of fusion.

These wines only represent about 2% of rosé production, but I find them really exciting.

What do you like most about them?

Personally, I really like funky rosé. I am looking for the Picasso, I’m not looking for the pretty picture. I’m looking for a wine that is going to challenge me. It may not be yacht worthy, but if it has made me sit up and think, I am happy.

For me, texture is quite an important element for serious rosé wine. This is why cement or oak are quite good, or a bit of skin contact. I love spontaneous fermentation on rosé. One reason you won’t get it in bulk stuff is that they want the rosé to be ready for the en-primeur market in January. That rush to get the new vintage in market by Easter is very destructive on rosé.

As natural wine becomes more mainstream, do you think we will see more rosé producers embracing a lower interventionist style?

It’s not really hitting rosé in a major way yet because too many people see rosé as swimming pool wine so why would you bother doing anything funky with it? It’s almost as though its very success has killed off creativity.

At present, the premium rosé people aren’t talking to the natural people, so we’ve got these different branches splitting off. I would like premium rosé producers to take off their blinkers and have the confidence to say, you know what we could actually learn from each other.

Is this lack of confidence driven by consumers? Are people simply not interested in drinking more diverse rosé styles? Or more expensive rosés?

I think this is a major problem with rosé and it is something I am trying to work with. If you look at restaurant wine lists, there is a huge selection of white and red wines. They don’t do that for rosé. The trade is not showing consumers how they can branch out or move up in the rosé sector.  Rosé is between 10 and 50% of sales, depending on country and time of year. Why should it only be one or two options on a restaurant wine list?

Even if someone went to a Michelin starred restaurant and wanted to drink rosé, they wouldn’t have more than a few, quite similar choices, none of them of the quality level expected in such a restaurant.

This is a very good point. Where do you think we could see increased diversity in rosé wines? You mentioned some of the winemaking experimentation that is happening. What about grape varieties? I spoke to a Provence winery last week who felt the only truly great grape for rosé is Grenache…

Every big producer in Southern France feels this way and I absolutely don’t agree. It is as though you interviewed a Burgundy producer who said, you know what, the only grape that makes fine red wine is Pinot Noir. This is blinkered thinking.

Grenache is not the only great variety to make good rosé. It is a great variety that makes rosé within a specific style. One of the big problems is that Grenache oxidises really easily, so producers tend to make it using a 100% reductive method. That means fermenting dead cold with cultured yeasts that give a grapefruit character. Is that the best rosé in the world, really? Absolutely not.

There are plenty of excellent rosé grapes: Negroamaro from Puglia, Grenache blended with Tempranillo as they do in Rioja, Xinomavro, Blaufränkisch. They all make great rosé.

Do you see any countries that could be real competitors for France in terms of having a strong identity linked with rosé winemaking?

There are lots and lots of excellent rosé producers around the world but there is no one with the same cohesion as Provence. That is why they are so successful. For 30 years they’ve had a very cohesive marketing policy. They’ve created their identity. And they’ve stuck to it.

We don’t get a lot of rosés from South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, or California in Europe so I can’t comment there. However, I taste widely across Europe and so many regions are struggling not to make a Provence style rosé. I ask them to send examples that aren’t Provence imitations, and they really have a problem there. Tavel is really the only rosé-based region that is sticking to its individual style and even there, there is some dispute on the direction the appellation is taking.

There is a growing group of top rosé estates in Rioja, but we’re talking about 10 wineries. There is fantastic rosé in places like Greece and Austria as well, but it is isolated producers, and their heart isn’t in it.

Ben (Bernheim, co-author of Rosés of Southern France) likes to ask wineries making good rosé, “if there was a fire, which vines would you save, the red wine grapes or the rosé”? It is always the red. It’s a bit sad really.

Having said all of that, I am very excited by the high quality of roses that are increasingly being produced. So, it’s not a negative thing, it is just that there is a lot more work to actually bring it together.

Elizabeth Gabay MW

Five serious rosé wines on Elizabeth Gabay’s radar right now…

  1. Tête de Cuvée, Château Maissy, Tavel
  2. Clos Cibonne, Côtes de Provence
  3. Ekato Moschofilero, Ktima Troupis, Greece
  4. Giana Masciarelli Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, Italy
  5. Rosato Reserva, Quinta da Cuca, Douro, Portugal

This “Serious Rosé Wine” piece is re-printed (with permission) from my article written for Good Food Revolution. If you want to learn more about artisanal food, wine, beer and spirits, check out their excellent website.

Education Producers Reviews

What Next for Loire Valley Wine? Organic, Biodynamic, Natural Beginnnings.

Domaine Luneau Papin Vineyards

Three Loire winemakers gathered in a buzzy Montréal bar on Wednesday night. The event was fashionably informal. A pop-up tasting in a cool, low-key spot dripping with tuque-clad, tattooed ambiance. Retail staff from SAQ stores across the city had come in droves to taste the wines.

Having listened to wine event organizers lament a rising trend of poor attendance, I was heartened to see such a packed room. The crowd was young, knowledgeable, and evidently captivated by the wines. A world away from dismal media reports of Gen Z drinkers spurning wine for canned cocktails.

The vignerons hail from three distinct areas of the Loire: Domaine Luneau-Papin, Muscadet producers from the Pays Nantais, Domaine Pellé from the Centre Loire appellation of Menetou-Salon, and Domaine Sérol on the eastern foothills of the Massif Central, in the Côte Roannaise.

While their soils, topography, climate influences, and grapes are highly distinct, all three estates have a shared vision – not only for organic and biodynamic farming practices, but for how they see the future of their wine region.

The Loire has long been a hot bed for terroir-focused, innovative wine producers. Nicolas Joly is often cited as an early pioneer in this movement. His tireless and vocal championing of biodynamic viticulture was a powerful boon to the region as a whole. Joly’s books and his work at Coulée de Serant linked the Loire, by association, to greener, more sustainable vineyard practices.

Despite the Loire’s challenging meso-climates, with their ever-present threats of frost, hail, and damp weather, the number of estates adopting organic and biodynamic practices is noteworthy. The desire to experiment, push boundaries, and explore terroir expression is another hallmark of the Loire.

Spraying biodynamic preparations. Photo credit: Domaine Pellé.

Natural wines are made in every corner of France today. Beaujolais’ Gang of Four might get the credit for earliest adopters of sulphur-free, low intervention winemaking but the Loire came on hot and heavy in its wake.

In 1999, Pierre and Catherine Breton organized the first natural wine focused fair: La Dive Bouteille. The event was held in a Bourgueil cellar, with 40 or so local natural wine producers. Over twenty years later, the event remains the largest natural wine fair, bringing together over 200 producers from around the globe.

The Loire holds many advantages for young winemakers starting out. The vineyard land is far more affordable in areas like the Anjou, Roanaise, and Auvergne than many other viticultural zones in France. There are no age old classifications or quality hierarchies to contend with. And the inspiration to follow in the footsteps of trailblazing producers is a powerful draw.

The road is not without significant challenges though. “It hasn’t been easy” admitted Marie Luneau, of Domaine Luneau-Papin, over a glass of wine later that evening. When Luneau and her husband took over his family’s estate in the late 2000s, Muscadet was in crisis.

Pierre-Marie and Marie Luneau. Photo credit: Domaine Luneau-Papin.

Saddled with a reputation for cheap and cheerful supermarket wine, the region struggled to get buyers and consumers to accept price increases. Several vintages of devastating frosts, rising production costs, and increased global competition for entry-level white wine drove Muscadet’s mass markets into the ground.

The region that spanned over 13 000 hectares in the 1980s shrunk by one third in the ensuing decades. In the face of this dire situation, it took producers like Luneau-Papin, with serious passion and grit to remain steadfast.

In the late 2000s, while many Muscadet growers were walking away from the industry, Domaine Luneau-Papin converted to organic viticulture. Marie also co-founded L’Association des Vignes de Nantes to join forces with like-minded growers in promoting their quality-focused Muscadet wines.

Though Marie is (rightfully) proud of the nervy, textural wines the estate is crafting today, and the success they have found, she is quick to dispel any romantic notions of their ascendancy. “We worked non-stop for years” she explained. “I wonder if my children will even want to follow in our footsteps after seeing that”.

While Nantais growers like Domaine Luneau-Papin were fighting to revitalize Muscadet’s image, Carine and Stéphane Sérol had another concern…a complete lack of image for Côte Roannaise wines. Stéphane took over the estate from his father in 1996 and immediately set about making changes.

The couple uprooted lesser vineyards, selected higher altitude granite-rich sites for new plantings, and focused their attentions on their local variety: Gamay St-Romain. This unique Gamay clone thrives at higher elevations making structured, peppery wines. Interest for Domaine Sérol’s distinctive wines has come slowly but surely.

Gamay Saint Romain tank. Photo credit: Domaine Sérol.

Building renown has also been a long game for Domaine Pellé. The long shadow of Sancerre cast Menetou-Salon in a second tier role that quality-minded growers like Paul-Henry Pellé have worked hard to cast off. Paul-Henry took on responsibility for his family’s estate at a young age. After an inspiring apprenticeship with Hubert Lamy, he knew he wanted to adopt biodynamic farming.

Paul-Henry admits that it took time to get it right. An initial attempt at immediate, full-scale biodynamic practices – making his own preparations, applying all tenets of the new system, while running the estate proved too much. He realized that he would need to transition from organic to biodynamic over time.

Over nearly two decades, Paul-Henry has honed his craft, lowering yields, working towards certification, and transitioning to micro-vinifications in seasoned oak vats and casks. The wines are a testament to his efforts: racy, saline, and complex.

As the crowd eventually thinned and the lights grew dim, we sat at the bar sipping cocktails, musing about how far the Loire, and its top producers have come. The hard work of the current generation has garnered admiring audiences across the globe, as the night’s event proved. The next generation may not have an easy path in the face of increasingly extreme climate conditions, but the acceptance won by their predecessors will certainly set them up for easier success.

This “Loire Valley Wine” piece is re-printed (with permission) from my article written for Good Food Revolution. If you want to learn more about artisanal food, wine, beer and spirits, check out their excellent website.

Education Reviews Wines

The Wines of Menetou-Salon: Stepping out from Sancerre’s Shadow

The wines of Menetou-Salon

The vineyards of Menetou-Salon lie a mere 20-minute drive southwest of Sancerre. The same highly prized terroir of chalky Kimmeridgian marl runs through both appellations. The same grapes are planted in their sloped vineyards. And yet, Sancerre is revered the world over for its superlative Sauvignon Blanc, while Menetou-Salon is…well…not.

Size is one obvious differentiating factor. The acreage of Sancerre is almost five times that of Menetou-Salon’s modest 647 hectares. Sancerre exports over two-thirds of its wines, whereas the vast majority of Menetou-Salon’s wines are consumed in France.

Star producers from Sancerre have successfully promoted the region’s top terroirs such as Bué or Chavignol; even going so far as to elevate individual vineyard plots, like Monts Damnés and Cul de Beaujeau, to (unofficial) cru status.

The terroir specificities of Menetou-Salon’s ten communes remain little known. However, this may not be the case for long. A growing contingent of innovative, well-regarded winemakers is emerging in Menetou-Salon focused on single commune and vineyard bottlings.

vignoble-ap
Map credit: Menetou-Salon AOC

Near the eastern boundary of Mentou-Salon, lies the village of Morogues. This pretty hamlet is home to Domaine Henry Pellé. Third generation winemaker Paul-Henry Pellé produces a range of incisive, racy Sauvignon Blancs here that easily rival his excellent La Croix au Garde Sancerre.

Morogues marks the highest point of Menetou-Salon. Its hillside vineyards grown almost exclusively on Kimmeridgian marl – sediment formed during the Upper Jurassic period made up of alternating layers of chalky limestone from ancient, fossilized marine creatures, and clay. These soils are prized for their powerfully structured, long-lived expression of Sauvignon Blanc.

The best way to understand the nuances of Morogues is to taste Domaine Pellé’s Morogues cuvée – a blend of seven different hillside vineyards, against his three single vineyard (aka lieux-dits) wines from the same village: Les Blanchais, Le Carroir, and Vignes du Ratier.

Anne & Paul-Henry Pellé. Photo credit: Polaner Selections.

Variations in elevation, orientation, soil depth and composition yield markedly different wines. The sunny, southwest facing Vignes du Ratier plot gives fleshier, more supple wines; whereas the north-eastern exposure and mixed Kimmeridgian marl and flint soils of Les Blanchais give more austere, chiselled Sauvignon Blanc.

Heading west from Morogues, the vineyards of Menetou-Salon form a southward arc sloping more gently as they approach the towns of Parassy and Menetou-Salon. Here, the soils are more heterogenous with pockets of clay, varying compositions of clay-limestone, and veins of flint interspersed with the Kimmeridgian marl.

Domaine Chavet is based in Menetou-Salon. In 2018, this historic 23-hectare estate was acquired by Antoine de la Farge. Trained oenologist and former wine buyer for French wine store chain Nicholas, de la Farge is also a Menetou-Salon native from a family of vignerons at Domaine de l’Ermitage.

De la Farge is both estate owner and négociant, making wine in Menetou-Salon, Pouilly-Fumé, and Sancerre. His goal with Domaine Chavet mirrors that of Pellé – to showcase the distinctive quality and diversity of Menetou-Salon terroir.

Domaine Chavet’s vines are located between Menetou-Salon and Parassy. According to de la Farge, the wines here are generally richer and rounder than Morogues. The estate produces a broad Menetou-Salon blend called La Côte, as well as two lieux-dit whites, Clos de Coquin and Clos des Jentonnes.

The deeper clay, and more southerly exposure of Clos de Coquin gives a riper, more opulent Sauvignon Blanc, while just one kilometre over, the pure Kimmeridgian soil of the western facing Clos des Jentonnes plot yields a nervy, electric white with lingering salinity.

For a long time, Menetou-Salon was merely considered an affordable alternative to Sancerre. Now, the rise in ambition and excellence is palpable. At a recent Domaine Chavet tasting, Antoine de la Farge outlined his plans for a new, top-quality gravity flow winery – with temperature-controlled stainless steel vinifications followed by extended lees ageing in unlined sandstone amphorae and seasoned oak casks.

De la Farge also spoke highly of his neighbouring winemakers, especially Pellé. He praised his fellow vignerons commitment to sustainable growing practices, and their exacting standards of wine making – many focusing on natural yeasts and low intervention.

Since the turn of the century, the acreage of Menetou-Salon has increased three-fold. As curious oenophiles continue to step off-the-beaten track and local winemakers keep pushing quality ever upward, it will be exciting to see where the appellation goes.

Domaine Chavet Tasting Notes (Montréal Tasting, October 2022)

Chavet “La Côte” Menetou-Salon AOC 2021 – 90pts. PW

La Côte refers to the seven slopeside vineyards that make up this Menetou-Salon blend. The 2021 bottling has attractive currant bud, lemon, grape fruit aromas, underscored by riper hints of guava. The palate is laser-like in its light, linear structure, piercing acidity, and overall poise. Great value for the price. Drink now.

Where to Buy: SAQ ($24.25), LCBO ($22.95)

Domaine Chavet “Clos de Coquin” Menetou-Salon AOC 2020 – 92pts. PW

Pretty white floral notes mingle with lemon, aromatic green herbs, and subtle apricot notes on the 2020 Clos de Coquin cuvée. The palate is crisp and light-bodied, with a silky texture and layers of tangy green and white fruit over hints of green almond. Long, lively finish. Drink now or cellar up to 8 years.

Where to Buy: Inquire with agent AOC & Cie (SAQ specialty order expected in spring 2023; $31.25)

Domaine Chavet “Clos des Jentonnes” Menetou-Salon AOC 2020 – 94pts.

Initially discreet, with vivid aromas of lime, greengage plum, tarragon, and wet stone developing over time. Racy and precise on the palate, with a textural, almost electric hum. Notes of guava, green apple, lemon, and lime unfurl in vibrant succession on the long, mineral finish. Drink now or cellar for up to 10 – 12 years.

Where to Buy: Inquire with agent AOC & Cie

This Wines of Menetou-Salon article was originally written for Good Food Revolution. Want to learn more about artisanal food, wine, beer and spirits? Check out their excellent website.

Education

Jura Wine Film: A Wine Travels Short Doc!

jura wine film

The Jura is fascinating wine country. Despite its small size, this historic French vineyard is beloved by sommeliers the world over. Curious to learn more, I set out to make a Jura wine film; journeying to the region with a rockstar camera crew to discover the Jura’s distinctive grapes, wine styles, terroirs, and more.

Join me as I dig in the vineyard soils with Stéphane Tissot, learn the secrets of Vin Jaune winemaking with Domaine Macle, and taste some Crémant du Jura bubblies with Domaine Baud. Tour the market of Arbois with me, alongside Meilleur Ouvrier de France, sommelier Philippe Troussard to find out what foods pair best with Jura wines.

To read up on the Jura, its famous Savagnin, Poulsard, Trousseau, and more. Read my article here. Otherwise, hope you enjoy the video. If you do, please feel free to give me a like, share, or comment!

Education

Portuguese Wine Sales are Booming. Here is Why…

Frederico Falcao

Frederico Falcão is a man on a mission : to spread the gospel of Portugal’s diversity of high quality wines from the Douro to Alentejo and beyond.

After studying agronomy and oenology, Falcão worked a winemaker for 18 years before becoming the youngest ever president of Portugal’s Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho (Institute of Vine and Wine). In his current role heading up Wines of Portugal, Falcão has ambitious plans.

He shared his vision with me yesterday over a cool glass of Vinho Verde at the bustling Wines of Portugal trade fair in Montréal.

Frederico, with so many terroirs and grapes, how do you explain Portuguese wines to newcomers?

We call ourselves “a world of diversity” because it is the only way to sum up our rich mosaic of wines. You go to Vinho Verde, you have granite soils, cool temperatures, a rainy climate. Then you drive just one and a half hours, and you are in Douro, with its schist slopes. It is hot and very dry. The grapes are different, everything changes. You go to Dão, Bairrada, Alentejo, they are all completely different.

Its very complex because it is not one single grape, one single style of wine, but that is what makes Portuguese wine so fascinating.

Wine lovers must agree because your international sales are booming! I recently read that Portuguese wine exports grew by 8% (to over 925 million euros) in 2021; doubling the growth seen in 2020. What is driving this trend?

Twenty years ago, people didn’t know that Portuguese wine existed. It was only Port. And in many cases, they didn’t even realize that Port wine came from Portugal. It was like a brand, a style of wine, and not a Portuguese appellation (PDO). We have been working hard to promote Portugal in the past twenty years and I think we have done it well.

Portugal is becoming very trendy when it comes to tourism. A lot of people are visiting. When they travel to Portugal, not knowing much about the country, they are always surprised – with the food, the wines, the landscape, the people, with everything.

Wines in Portugal are not expensive. In Canada, an everyday wine costs 10 dollars minimum, closer to the 15 – 20 dollar mark for a good wine. In Portugal, you can buy well-made wines for 4 euros. The quality available for such inexpensive prices is a surprise for a lot of tourists. So when they go back home, they start buying more Portuguese wine.

Portugal is the leader in wine consumption per capita in the world. We drink a lot of wine! But it is not only the Portuguese, its also the visitors. People are getting fed up with just drinking Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays. Portugal has grapes you won’t find anywhere else, that are reasonably priced, and great quality.

As you say, international audiences have only discovered Portugal’s table wines relatively recently. Have you seen a big improvement in the quality of these wines over the course of your career?

Absolutely. I have seen a dramatic improvement in the style of wine and in winemaking.

There is a younger generation of winemakers now who travel outside of Portugal, who taste wines from around the world, and compare their wines with their peers. My generation were the first to do this. Beforehand, winemakers never left their regions.

Twenty years ago, most wineries were making wines for the domestic market. Now they are making wines that are easier to appreciate for international consumers less familiar with Portugal.

We have a huge range of grape varieties and an equally large diversity of grape growing terroirs. It gives us so much scope to experiment, to innovate, and to improve the quality of our wines.

How is the Portuguese wine industry working towards greater sustainability?

The Porto Protocol was an important kick-off to get the wine trade talking more seriously about climate change and sustainability. Many of our wineries have strong sustainability practices in place, not only environmental, but also social, and economic, but there wasn’t a structure in place.

Alentejo has established their own certification system, but before we ended up with 14 regional programs, we decided to create one national certification through ViniPortugal (Wines of Portugal). We are very near the end of the process, so it is an exciting time.

Our goal is to have all of Portugal’s wineries certified in our program and really be leaders in this domain.

If you could send one message about Portugal to international wine lovers, what would it be?

With Portuguese wine, you get more than you pay for. You can taste this in our 15 dollar wine, but it is equally true of our 50 dollar wines. The value is there at every quality level. It really is worth exploring our diversity of grapes, wine regions, and styles.

After our chat, I spent some time tasting through a wide range of wines and Frederico Falcão’s words rang true. At every price point and in every wine style, I found fresh, balanced wines that are definitely in tune with an international palate.

The wines photographed above are just a small sampling of favourites from the tasting.

Portuguese Wine Fast Facts (source: Wines of Portugal):

  • Portugal boasts over 250 native wines grapes
  • The top five red grapes are: Aragonez, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional,  Castelão, and Trincadeira
  • The top five white grapes are:  Fernão Pires, Loureiro, Arinto, Síria (aka Codega), and Alvarinho
  • Wine styles range from still whites, rosé, and red, to sparkling wine (vinho espumante), to fortified wines: Port, Madeira, Moscatel
  • Total vineyard area is: 192 028 hectares (2.7% of world’s acreage)
  • There are 31 DOC appellations and 14 Vinho Regional areas in Portugal
  • DOC wine production is: 59% red wine, 24% white wine, 7% rosé
  • Major wine production regions include: Douro, Lisboa, Alentejo, and Minho (Vinho Verde territory)