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the most popular american red grape . its great character makes a dry full deep bordeauv type wines
Cabernet Sauvignon is a variety of red grape mainly used for wine production, and is, along with Chardonnay, one of the most widely-planted of the world's grape varieties.[1]
The principal grape in many Bordeaux wines, Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in most of the world's wine regions, although it requires a long growing season to ripen properly and gives low yields. Many of the red wines regarded as among the world's greatest, such as Red Bordeaux, are predominantly made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. World-class examples can improve for decades and remain drinkable for a century.
The particularly thick skin of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape results in wines that can be high in tannin which provides both structure and ageability. This varietal, while frequently aromatic and with an attractive finish, also tends to lack mid-palate richness and so is often blended with lower tannin, but "fleshy" tasting grapes, particularly Merlot and, especially in Australia, Shiraz / Syrah. Cabernet Franc is often used in blends with Cabernet Sauvignon to add aromatics. As a group, Cabernet Sauvignon wines are generally full-flavored, with a stronger flavor than Merlot for instance, and with a smooth and lingering "finish".
Cabernet Sauvignon, like all noble wine grape varieties, is of the species Vitis vinifera, and genetic studies in the 1997 indicated it is the result of a cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.[1]
Contents [hide]
1 Aroma
2 Around the world
2.1 Bordeaux
2.2 Italy
2.3 United States
2.4 Other New World Producers
3 Cabernet Sauvignon and Health
4 References
5 External links
[edit] Aroma
Cabernet Sauvignon has a well defined aroma. In Old World wines, particularly those made in Bordeaux, this is characterised by a smell of violets, blackcurrant, cedar and spice. New World wines of this grape can often share the aromas of their Old World counterparts, but are more often dominated by aromas of chocolate, ripe jammy berries, oak, pepper and earth. In Australia, there is often a strong smell of eucalyptus, particularly in wines made in Coonawarra. One of the most characteristic aromas of warm-climate examples is cassis (blackcurrant), while cherry and other red berry notes are not uncommon. Cooler-climate examples often reveal greener, herbaceous notes, such as eucalyptus or green pepper/capsicum. There is, however, a great deal of variation in flavor depending on the region, winemaking technique, seasonal weather, and bottle age. Nonetheless the wines retain a remarkable ability to be recognizably Cabernet.
[edit] Around the world
A bottle of Trentino Cabernet Sauvignon.
[edit] Bordeaux
The grape is strongly associated with the great red wines of Bordeaux, such as those of the Médoc, where it is blended with varying quantities of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.
Although Cabernet Sauvignon will more often than not be the biggest single variety in the top Bordelais wines, its overall use is usually no more than 50 percent of the wine. Elsewhere in France it is used in varying quantities in several Roussillon wines, though generally in an attempt to imitate the wines of its Bordeaux neighbour.
[edit] Italy
Traditionally, Italian wine-makers have long regarded the Cabernet Sauvignon grape with suspicion, despite a long history there, and it appears in very few of Italy's DOCs. In Tuscany in the 1970s however, a number of top winemakers deliberately introduced Cabernet Sauvignon into their wines, despite knowing that it fell outside of the DOC system, and produced the top class wines that are often known as "Super Tuscans". Famous examples include Sassicaia and Tignanello.
A bottle of Stag's Leap Cask 23 Cabernet Sauvignon, a California Cabernet.
[edit] United States
California is, after Bordeaux, the world's largest grower of Cabernet Sauvignon, most notably in the Napa Valley and warmer AVAs of Sonoma County. In California the area of Cabernet Sauvignon planting doubled in the 1990s, precipitously lowering prices and disrupting the health of the wine industry. As in Bordeaux, it is often blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc to produce world-class wines. More commercial versions may be blended with Ruby Cabernet or other varietals that provide more structure and richness than Cabernet Sauvignon can provide. The grape has also found a home in Washington, though it requires the warmest vineyards such at the Red Mountain AVA in the lower Yakima Valley for it to ripen fully.
[edit] Other New World Producers
The grape's most notable success over the past decade has been its use in the wines of the "New World". The consistently optimal climates (more so than in Europe), strong investment and innovative winemaking techniques have allowed countries such as Canada's Niagara Peninsula, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia to produce very good and at times, outstanding, quality Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines at competitive prices.
[edit] Cabernet Sauvignon and Health
In late 2006, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology published the result of studies conducted at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine that showed the beneficial relationship of Cabernet Sauvignon in reducing the risk factors associated with Alzheimer's disease. The study showed that resveratrol, a compound found in all red wine, can reduce levels of amyloid beta peptides, which attack brains cells and are part of the etiology of Alzheimer's. [2]
Resveratrol has also been shown to promote the clearance of amyloid-beta peptides.[2]
It has also been shown that non-alcoholic extracts of Cabernet Sauvignon protect hypertensive rats during ischaemia and reperfusion |
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Gamay
A California GamayGamay is a purple-colored grape variety used to make red wines, most notably grown in Beaujolais.[1] Its full name is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc, and it probably originated as a mutation of Pinot Noir. It is a very old cultivar, being mentioned already in the 1400s. It has been cultivated because it makes for abundant production rather than due to the quality of the wine made from it.
Gamay-based wines are typically light bodied and fruity, often exhibiting tropical flavors and aromas - reminiscent of bananas, meant to be drunk young, although certain crus (Moulin A Vent for one) produce richer wines with slightly more body and aging potential.
Confusingly, the Gamay name has become attached to other varieties grown in California, which at one time were thought to be the true Gamay. The grape 'Napa Gamay' is now known to be Valdeguié, and the name Napa Gamay will no longer appear on labels after 2007. Gamay Beaujolais is considered to be an early ripening Californian clone of Pinot Noir. Despite similar names the grapes Gamay du Rhône and Gamay St-Laurent are not the Beaujolais grape either but rather the southwestern France grape Abouriou. [2]
Beaujolais wines (made entirely from the Gamay grape) have an intense cranberry aroma, and thus are easy to identify in blind tasting.
Gamay Noir is a permitted synonym for Gamay in the U.S.[citation needed]
Gamay is commonly grown in the Niagara Peninsula in Canada, some producers being in the Short Hills Bench, Beamsville Bench and St. David's Bench to mention a few. One producer and even has a regional clone which they discovered, Gamay Droit, which is a recognized mutation. It is also grown successfully by a small number of wineries in Australia to make a range of wines including light bodied red wines suitable for early drinking.
[edit] History
The Gamay grape is thought to have appeared first in the village of the Gamay, south of Beaune, in the 1360s.[3]. The grape brought relief to the village growers following the decline of the Black Death. In contrast to the Pinot Noir variety, Gamay ripened two weeks earlier and was less difficult to cultivate. It also produced a strong, fruitier wine in a much larger abundance.
In July 1395, the Duke of Burgundy Philippe the Bold outlawed the cultivation of Gamay as being "a very bad and disloyal plant"-due in part to the variety occupying land that could be used for the more "elegant" Pinot Noir. 60 years later, Philippe the Good, issued another edict against Gamay in which he stated the reasoning for the ban is that "The Dukes of Burgundy are known as the lords of the best wines in Christendom. We will maintain our reputation".[4] |
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Definition
Pinot noir is a red wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines produced predominantly from pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the french words for "pine" and "black" alluding to the varietals' tightly clustered dark purple pine cone shaped bunches of fruit.
Pinot noir grapes are grown around the world, but the grape is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France. In De re rustica, Columella described a grape variety in Burgundy in the 1st century A.D. that sounds like Pinot noir.[1] [2] It is widely considered to produce some of the finest wines in the world, but is a difficult variety to cultivate and transform into wine.[3]
Contents [hide]
1 Description
2 History, mutants and clones
3 Crosses
4 Regions
4.1 Australia
4.2 Austria
4.3 Canada
4.4 England & Wales
4.5 France
4.6 Germany
4.7 Italy
4.8 Moldova
4.9 New Zealand
4.10 Spain
4.11 Switzerland
4.12 United States
5 Recent popularity
6 References
7 External links
[edit] Description
Pinot noir thrives in France's Burgundy region, particularly on the Côte-d'Or which has produced some of the world's most celebrated wines for centuries.[citation needed] It is also planted in Austria, Australia, Canada, Chile, Germany, Moldova, New Zealand, South Africa and Switzerland. The United States has increasingly become a major pinot noir producer, with some of the best regarded coming from California's Sonoma County with its Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast Appellations, as well as the Central Coast's Santa Lucia Highlands appellation and the South Coasts Santa Rita Hills region in Santa Barbara County [1]; the Willamette Valley in Oregon; and Martinborough, Waipara, and Central Otago in New Zealand.
The leaves of the pinot are approximately 12 cm (5 inches) in diameter, smaller than the cabernet sauvignon although larger than the syrah. The grape cluster is small and cylindrical, vaguely shaped like a pine cone. Some viticultural historians believe this shape may have given rise to the name. [2] The pinot noir tends to produce narrow trunks and branches. In the vineyard it is sensitive to light exposure, cropping levels (it must be low yielding), soil types and pruning techniques. In the winery it is sensitive to fermentation methods, yeast strains and is highly reflective of its terroir with different regions producing very different wines. Its thin skin makes it highly susceptible to bunch rot and other fungal diseases. The vines themselves are prone to downy mildew, leaf roll, and fanleaf. These complications have given the grape the reputation of being difficult to grow: Jancis Robinson calls pinot a "minx of a vine"[2] and André Tchelistcheff declared that "God made cabernet sauvignon whereas the devil made pinot noir."[2]
However, pinot wines are among the most popular in the world. Joel Fleischman of Vanity Fair describes pinot noir as "the most romantic of wines, with so voluptuous a perfume, so sweet an edge, and so powerful a punch that, like falling in love, they make the blood run hot and the soul wax embarrassingly poetic."[2] Master Sommelier Madeline Triffon calls pinot "sex in a glass".[2]
The tremendously broad range of bouquets, flavors, textures and impressions that pinot noir can produce sometimes confuses tasters. [2] In the broadest terms, the wine tends to be of light to medium body with an aroma reminiscent of black cherry, raspberry or currant. Traditional red Burgundy is famous for its fleshy, 'farmyard' aromas, but changing fashions and new easier-to-grow clones have favoured a lighter, fruitier style. The grape's color when young, often compared to that of garnet, is often much lighter than that of other red wines. However, an emerging style from California and New Zealand highlights a more powerful, fruit forward and darker wine that can approach syrah in depth.
It is also used in the production of Champagne (usually along with Chardonnay and Pinot meunier) and is planted in most of the world's wine growing regions for use in both still and sparkling wines. Pinot noir grown for dry table wines is generally low-yielding and often difficult to grow well. Pinot noir grown for use in sparkling wines (e.g. Champagne) is generally higher yielding.
In addition to being used for the production of sparkling and still red wine, pinot noir is also sometimes used for rosé still wines, and even vin gris white wines.
[edit] History, mutants and clones
Pinot noir is an ancient variety that may be only 1-2 generations removed from wild vines.[4] Since vines grew wild as far north as Belgium in the days before phylloxera, it is possible that Pinot represents an independent domestication of Vitis vinifera - it certainly looks different to the vines of southern France, which may represent Caucasian stock transported by the ancient Greeks.
Ferdinand Regner has proposed[5] that Pinot noir is a cross between Pinot meunier (Schwarzriesling) and Traminer, but this work has not been replicated.[2] In fact Pinot meunier appears to be a Pinot noir with a mutation in the epidermal cells which makes the shoot tips hairy and the vine a little smaller.[6]
Pinot gris is a bud sport of Pinot noir, presumably representing a somatic mutation in either the VvMYBA1 or VvMYBA2 genes that control grape colour. Pinot blanc may represent a further mutation of Pinot gris. The DNA profiles of both Pinot gris and blanc are identical to Pinot noir, [7] The other two major Pinots, Pinot moure and Pinot teinturier, are also genetically very similar.[8]
Pinot Noir vines at Clos de Bèze, Gevrey-Chambertin, on Burgundy's Côte d'OrA more recent white grape sport was propagated in 1936 by Henri Gouges of Burgundy, and there is now 2.5ha planted of this grape which Clive Coates [9] calls Pinot Gouges, and others call Pinot Musigny.
Pinot Liébault is a mutant which has higher, more consistent yields than Pinot Noir, but retains its oenological qualities. As such it is explicitly mentioned in some Burgundy appellations.
The Wrotham (pronounced "rootum") Pinot is an English variety with white hairs on the upper surface of the leaves, and is particularly resistant to disease. Edward Hyams of Oxted Viticultural Research Station was alerted to a strange vine growing against a cottage wall in Wrotham in Kent, which local lore said was descended from vines brought over by the Romans. An experimental Blanc de Noir was made at Oxted, and in 1980 Richard Peterson took cuttings to California, where he now makes a pink sparkling Wrotham Pinot.[10] Wrotham Pinot is sometimes regarded as a synonym of Pinot meunier, but it has a higher natural sugar content and ripens two weeks earlier.[11]
Pinot noir appears to be particularly prone to mutation (suggesting it has active transposable elements?), and has a long history in cultivation, so there are hundreds of different clones such as Pinot Fin and Pinot Tordu. More than 50 are officially recognized in France compared to only 25 of the much more widely planted cabernet sauvignon.[3] The French Etablissement National Technique pour l’Amelioration de la Viticulture (ENTAV) has set up a programme to select the best clones of Pinot. Laurent Audeguin of ENTAV believes that most American clones, such as 'Pommard' and 'Wadenswiel', produce wine that is inferior and very different to French Pinot;[12] the recent popularity of ENTAV ("Dijon") clones in the US would appear to support that thesis. It has even been suggested that the difference between Oregon and Californian wines is principally a clonal effect, [12] Oregon having mainly 'Wadenswil' (UCD2A) and 'Pommard' (aka 'Coury', UCD4),[13] California has a lot of the well-regarded Joseph Swan clone.
Gamay Beaujolais is an early-ripening clone of Pinot noir. It is used mostly in California but is also seen in New Zealand[14]. It was brought to California by Paul Masson [15]
[edit] Crosses
In the Middle Ages, the nobility of northest France grew some form of Pinot on the slopes above the peasants' Gouais blanc, a Croatian grape that may have been brought to Gaul by the Romans. Much cross-pollination resulted from such proximity, and the genetic distance between the two parents imparted hybrid vigour leading to many desirable offspring. These include Chardonnay, Aligoté, Auxerrois, Gamay, Melon and eleven others.[7].
In 1925 Pinot noir was crossed in South Africa with the Cinsaut grape (known locally as Hermitage) to create a unique variety called Pinotage.
[edit] Regions
[edit] Australia
Pinot Noir is produced in several wine growing areas of Australia, notably in the Yarra Valley, Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, Beechworth, Whitlands and Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Adelaide Hills in South Australia and Tasmania.
[edit] Austria
In Austria, Pinot Noir is sometimes called Blauburgunder (literally Blue Burgundy) and produced in Burgenland and Lower Austria. Austrian Pinot noir wines are dry red wines similar in character to the red wines of Burgundy, mostly aged in French barriques. Some of the best Austrian Pinots come from Schloss Halbturn (Neusiedlersee, Burgenland) and Johanneshof Reinisch (Thermenregion, Lower Austria.)
[edit] Canada
Quality Pinot noir has been grown in Ontario for some time in the Niagara Peninsula and especially the Short Hills Bench wine region, as well as on the north shore of Lake Erie. It has also been grown recently in the Okanagan, Lower Mainland, and Vancouver Island wine regions of British Columbia.
In the last decade, growers in the Prince Edward County region of Ontario such as wine pioneer Geoff Heinricks have made a concerted effort to grow pinot noir in the region, as it is felt by advocates that the latitude, climate, growing season, and limestone soils are very similar to the Burgundy region of France.
While hotter climates struggle to get the interesting high notes of Pinot Noir the Niagara Peninsula is emerging as a region that produces wines which are expressive of varietal character with the noted influence of its regional soils and climate. Premier houses are starting to emerge with wines from Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery, Le Clos Jordanne (a Vincor/Boisset project), Picard Pere et Fils, Cave Spring Cellars, Flatrock Cellar, Coyote's Run and Chateau des Charmes all considered as leading producers in the region, to mention a few. Some of these producers also make fine traditional method sparkling wines using Pinot Noir while a further trend is toward premium dry roses using the same as a component or for a varietal wine.
[edit] England & Wales
Pinot noir is increasingly being planted in England, mostly for use in champagne blends such as Nyetimber. It is sometimes made into a fairly light still red or rose wine, in the style of Alsace, Chapel Down are particular keen on it. England can claim an indigenous Pinot variety in the Wrotham Pinot (see above).
[edit] France
2 bottles of Red Burgundy from Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits.Pinot Noir has made France's Burgundy appellation famous, and vice-versa. Many wine historians, including John Winthrop Haeger and Roger Dion, believe that the association between pinot and Burgundy was the explicit strategy of Burgundy's Valois dukes. Roger Dion, in his thesis regarding Philip the Bold's role in promoting the spread of pinot noir, holds that the reputation of Beaune wines as "the finest in the world" was a propaganda triumph of Burgundy's Valois dukes.[2] In any event, the worldwide archetype for pinot noir is that grown in Burgundy where it has been cultivated since 100 CE.
Burgundy's pinot noir produces great wines which can age very well in good years, developing floral flavours as they age, often reaching peak 15 or 20 years after the vintage. Many of the wines are produced in very small quantities and can be very expensive. Cheaper examples are available, and provided one is willing to sample, it is possible to experience the Burgundy character but at a more affordable level.
Today, the celebrated Côte d’Or area of Burgundy has about 4,500 hectares (11,000 acres) of pinot noir. Most of the region's finest wines are produced from this area. The Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais regions in southern Burgundy have another 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres).
In Jura département, across the river valley from Burgundy, the wines made from pinot noir are lighter.
In Champagne it used in blending with chardonnay and pinot meunier. It can also appear unblended, in which case it may be labelled blanc de noirs. The Champagne appellation has more pinot planted than any other area of France.
In Sancerre it is used to make red and rosé wines, much lighter in style that those of Burgundy, refreshing served chilled, especially in warmer years when they are less thin.
In Alsace it is generally used to make rosé wines. However, it is also used to make genuine red wines usually called pinot noir rouge, which are similar in character to red Burgundy and Beaujolais wines but are consumed chilled. Prominent examples are Rouge de Barr and Rouge d'Ottrott. Pinot noir rouge is the only red wine produced in Alsace.
[edit] Germany
In Germany it is called Spätburgunder, and is now the most widely planted red grape.[3] Historically much German wine produced from pinot noir was pale, often rosé like the red wines of Alsace. However recently, despite the northerly climate, darker, richer reds have been produced, often barrel (barrique) aged, in regions such as Baden, Palatinate (Pfalz) and Ahr. These are rarely exported and are often very expensive in Germany for the better examples. As "Rhenish", German Pinot Noir is mentioned several times in Shakesperean plays as a highly prized wine. [16]
There is also a smaller-berried, lower yield variety called Frühburgunder which is grown in Franken and can produce very good wines. It is thought to be a mutant clone of pinot noir.[3]
While it is the most common red grape in Germany, much of the Spätburgunder is used to produce Sekt, German sparkling wine, rather than red wine.
[edit] Italy
In Italy, where pinot noir is known as Pinot nero, it has traditionally been cultivated in the Alto Adige, Collio Goriziano, Oltrepò Pavese and Trentino regions to produce Burgundy style red wines. Cultivation of pinot noir in other regions of Italy, mostly since the 1980s has been challenging due to climate and soil conditions.
[edit] Moldova
Pinot Noir grapes in a vineyard in Moldova.A lot of Pinot was planted in central Moldova during the 19th century, although much was lost to phylloxera and the ravages of Communism. Quality is somewhat variable, Moldovan Pinot can be overoaked and rather rough. Hopefully new investment and greater exposure to Western winemaking techniques will improve things.
[edit] New Zealand
Pinot Noir is a grape variety whose importance in New Zealand is greater than the weight of planting. Early in the modern wine industry (late 1970s early 1980s), the comparatively low annual sunshine hours to be found in NZ discouraged the planting of red varieties. But even at this time great hopes were had for Pinot Noir (see Romeo Bragato). Initial results were not promising for several reasons, including the mistaken planting of Gamay[citation needed], and the limited number of Pinot Noir clones available for planting. However in recent years Pinot Noir from Central Otago has won numerous international awards and accolations making it one of New Zealand's most sought-after varieties.
One notable exception was the St Helena 1984 Pinot Noir from the Canterbury region. This led to the belief for a time that Canterbury might become the natural home for Pinot Noir in New Zealand. While the early excitement passed, the Canterbury region has witnessed the development of Pinot Noir as the dominant red variety. The sub-region Waipara has some interesting wines. Producers include Pegasus Bay, Waipara Springs and Omihi Hills.
The next region to excel with Pinot Noir was Martinborough on the southern end of the North Island. Several vineyards including Palliser Estate, Martinborough Vineyards, and Ata Rangi consistently produced interesting and increasingly complex wine from Pinot Noir at the end of the 1980s and into the 1990s.
At around this time the first plantings of Pinot Noir in Central Otago occurred in the Kawarau Gorge. Central Otago had a long (for New Zealand) history as a producer of quality stone fruit and particularly cherries. Significantly further south than all other wine regions in New Zealand, it had been overlooked despite a long history of grape growing. However, it benefited from being surrounded by mountain ranges which increased its temperature variations both between seasons and between night and day making the climate unusual in the typically maritime conditions in New Zealand.
The first vines were planted using holes blasted out of the north facing schist slopes of the region, creating difficult, highly marginal conditions. The first results coming in the mid to late 1990s excited the interest of British wine commentators, including Jancis Robinson and Oz Clarke. Not only did the wines have the distinctive acidity and abundant fruit of New Zealand wines, but they demonstrated a great deal of complexity, with aromas and flavours not common in New Zealand wine and normally associated with Burgundian wine. Producers include Felton Rd, Chard Farm and Mt Difficulty. More recently Central Otago has again subdivided into areas producing subtly different wines based on unique terriors such as Bannockburn, Gibbston Valley and Wanaka.
The latest sub-region appears to be Waitaki, on the border between Otago and Canterbury.
A recent blind tasting of New Zealand Pinot Noir featured in Cuisine magazine (issue 119), Michael Cooper reported that of the top ten wines, five came from Central Otago, four from Marlborough and one from Waipara. This compares with all top ten wines coming from Marlborough in an equivalent blind tasting from last year. Cooper sugggests that this has to do with more Central Otago production becoming available in commercial quantities, than the relative qualities of the regions' Pinot Noir.
As is the case for other New Zealand wine, New Zealand Pinot Noir is fruit-driven, forward and early maturing in the bottle. It tends to be quite full bodied (for the variety), very approachable and oak maturation tends to be restrained. High quality examples of New Zealand Pinot Noir are distinguished by savoury, earthy flavours with a greater complexity.
[edit] Spain
Pinot noir has recently been produced in small amounts in Lleida province, Catalonia, under the appellation "Costers del Segre" DO.
[edit] Switzerland
Pinot noir is a popular grape variety all over Switzerland. In German speaking regions of Switzerland it is often called Blauburgunder. Pinot noir wines are produced in Neuchâtel, Schaffhausen, St. Gallen and Bündner Herrschaft. Neuchâtel, which is across the border from Burgundy is renowned for its Pinot noir, a full bodied dry red wine. In Valais, Pinot noir is blended with Gamay to produce the well known Dôle.
[edit] United States
A California Pinot.By volume most Pinot Noir in America is grown in California with Oregon coming in second. Other regions are Washington State and New York.
California wine regions known for producing Pinot Noir are:
Sonoma Coast
Russian River Valley
Santa Barbara / Santa Rita Hills
Monterey County / Santa Lucia Highlands
Carneros District of Napa and Sonoma
Anderson Valley
Livermore Valley
Oregon pinot noir pioneer David Lett of Eyrie Vineyards first planted pinot noir in Oregon in 1965, and several other growers followed suit throughout the 1970s. In 1979, Lett took his wines to a competition in Paris, known in English as the Wine Olympics, and they placed third among pinots. In a 1980 rematch arranged by French wine magnate Robert Drouhin, the Eyrie vintage improved to second place. The competition instantly put Oregon on the map as a world class pinot noir producing region.[citation needed]
The Willamette Valley of Oregon is at the same latitude as the Burgundy region of France, and has a similar climate in which the finicky pinot noir grapes thrive. In 1987, Drouhin purchased land in the Willamette Valley, and in 1989 built Domaine Drouhin Oregon, a state-of-the-art, gravity-fed winery. Throughout the 1980s, the Oregon wine industry blossomed.
[edit] Recent popularity
During 2004 and the beginning of 2005, pinot noir became considerably more popular amongst consumers in the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Being lighter in style, it has benefitted from a trend toward more restrained, less alcoholic wines. Pinot noir was also heavily featured in the 2004 film Sideways. [2]. In the film, the main character Miles describes pinot to his love interest:
"It's a hard grape to grow ... it's thin-skinned, temperamental, ripens early ... it's not a survivor like Cabernet, which can just grow anywhere and thrive even when it's neglected. No, pinot needs constant care and attention ... it can only grow in these really specific, little, tucked-away corners of the world. And only the most patient and nurturing of growers can do it, really. Only somebody who really takes the time to understand pinot's potential can then coax it into its fullest expression. Then, oh, its flavors, they're just the most haunting and brilliant and thrilling and subtle and ancient on the planet."
And Robert Parker has described pinot noir in Parker's Wine Buying Guide:
"When it's great, pinot noir produces the most complex, hedonistic, and remarkably thrilling red wine in the world..." |
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Term
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Definition
Zinfandel (also referred to as the zinfindel, zinfandal, zeinfandall, zinfardell and Black St. Peters during the 19th century), in Europe known as Primitivo and in Croatia as Crljenak Kaštelanski, is a red-skinned wine grape. Commonly referred to as Zin, it is used to produce a popular California wine, known for its intense fruitiness, lush texture, and high alcohol content.
Contents [hide]
1 Background
2 History
3 Research on Zinfandel's Origin
4 Notable Regions
5 External links
6 Notes
7 Works Cited
[edit] Background
Typically, Zinfandel wine tastes spicy and fruity. Vintners use Zinfandel grapes to produce a wide range of wine styles including sweet White Zinfandels, light-bodied reds reminiscent of Beaujolais nouveau, full bodied dry reds, sweet late harvest dessert wines, and ports. Most serious wine critics in the 1970s-1980's considered White Zinfandel to be insipid and uninteresting, while many also consider the heavy styles to be too high in alcohol, making wines that are too "hot" and not food friendly. The producers of Zinfandel made a shift from the 1990s into the new millennium with the production style for their dry reds. Although high in alcohol, as much as 15 percent or more, the wines have thrown off their hot abrasive flavors and the wines have evolved with gentle tannins, and are stated to be rich and tasty from ripe fruit flavors brought out by newer fermentation techniques. This new style of Zinfandel created age worthy Zinfandels of remarkable complexity and finesse, although always with great vigor and power. White Zinfandel also has evolved to contain fuller fruit flavors and less of the cloying sweet flavors which were so reviled in the past.[1]
[edit] History
Zinfandel was brought to the United States (Long Island) from a varietal collection of the Imperial State Nursery of Vienna in the 1820s. In the cooler climates it was grown in greenhouses. In California the first Zinfandel vineyards were planted in the 1830s. Its popularity grew swiftly, and by the end of the 19th century it became the most widespread variety in the US.
Vintners have grown Zinfandel in quantity for over one hundred years. Many of the oldest wineries in California grow Zinfandel and the vines are now treated almost like historic landmarks. At the start of prohibition Zinfandel was California's most popular and successful variety. During prohibition, limited home winemaking and the production of sacramental wine was allowed, and Zinfandel remained popular with Northern California's home wine makers. However, on the East Coast Zinfandel fell in popularity and was replaced by thicker-skinned varieties. Zinfandel's tight bunches left its thin skins susceptible to rot on the slow train rides to Eastern home wine makers. The creation of White Zinfandel in the 1970s further saved the vines by providing a larger market for the grape. In the 1990s the market for premium wine increased sufficiently that old vine Zinfandel became valuable on its own.
Zinfandel is grown by over 200 producers, and now accounts for over 23% of the total vineyard territory. Its quality and character largely depend on the place of cultivation, the age of the vineyard, and the winemaking technology. Zinfandel became so popular that in 1991 the association of Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP) was founded with the objective to promote the varietal and wine, and support scientific research on Zinfandel — particularly its origin.
[edit] Research on Zinfandel's Origin
Although similar to other varieties of the Vitis vinifera imported from Europe, Zinfandel was long considered "America's vine and wine." The earliest discovery concerning its origin occurred when Austin Goheen, a professor at UC Davis visited Italy in 1967, where he tasted different wines and noticed that the varietal called Primitivo reminded him of Zinfandel. His subsequent comparative study of Zinfandel and Primitivo concluded that they were identical.[2] Geneticist Carole Meredith from UC Davis later confirmed this conclusion using a DNA fingerprinting technique. The fact that Primitivo was introduced in Italy after Zinfandel first appeared in the United States left the question of its origin unsettled, although evidence suggested that it was brought to the Italian region of Puglia from the East Adriatic, indicating that the origin of Zinfandel may lie on the Croatian coast.
A vine of Zinfandel's ancestor, Crljenak Kaštelanski, in the vineyard where it was discovered. The metal tag from the University of Zagreb indicates that this vine is reserved for genetic research.Because of its morphologic similarity with Primitivo and Zinfandel, Plavac Mali was first considered Zinfandel's ancestor in the 1980s, a hypothesis that acquired more supporters with the passing of time. In the late 1990s Professor Meredith embarked on a DNA search for the true origin of Zinfandel. Aided by some American producers (including Miljenko Grgić, an American wine-maker of Croatian descent) and her collaborators from the School of Agriculture of the University of Zagreb (Ivan Pejić, Edi Maletić, Jasminka Karoglan Kontić, Nikola Mirošević), she toured Dalmatia and collected over 150 samples of Plavac Mali. DNA testing, however, showed that Zinfandel and Plavac Mali are two different varieties — in fact, Zinfandel is actually a parent of Plavac Mali. Eventually the Croatian scientists Maletić and Pejić found the other parent of Plavac Mali: an ancient variety called Dobričić from the island of Šolta. This narrowed down the search area to the islands of Šolta, Brač, and Čiovo, and the central Dalmatian coastal strip. Meredith and the Croatian scientists embarked on a long, detailed search throughout these regions. Included among the numerous samples was Crljenak Kaštelanski, taken in 2001 from the vineyard of Ivica Radunić in Kaštel Novi. DNA testing confirmed that Crljenak Kaštelanski and Zinfandel have the same genetic profile. The origin of Zinfandel had been found.
Knowledge of Zinfandel's ancestry came close to being lost forever. The existence of Crljenak Kaštelanski could be found in only one vineyard containing thousands of vines and dozens of varieties, of which only nine vines were Zinfandel. Vineyards get replanted periodically, and nobody recognized anything special about this particular vineyard, so it is likely that in a few years Crljenak Kaštelanski might have ceased to exist.
Additional proof of the Croatian origin of Zinfandel came with the discovery that many other Croatian autochthonous varieties are closely related to Zinfandel / Primitivo / Crljenak Kaštelanski – a varietal that Meredith now calls "ZPC."[3]
[edit] Notable Regions
The following regions are known for producing Zinfandel:
Alameda
Amador
Contra Costa
El Dorado
Lake
Lodi
Mendocino |
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Term
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Definition
Merlot is a red wine grape that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. Merlot-based wines usually have medium body with hints of berry, plum, and currant. Its softness and "fleshiness", combined with its earlier ripening, makes Merlot an ideal grape to blend with the sterner, later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon. This flexibility has helped to make it one of the most popular red wine varietals in the United States.[1] and Chile.
Contents [hide]
1 Origins and genetics
2 History
3 Major Regions
4 Viticulture
5 White Merlot
6 In popular culture
7 References
[edit] Origins and genetics
The earliest recorded mention of Merlot was in the notes of a local Bordeaux official who in 1784 labeled wine made from the grape in the Libournais region as one of the area's best. By the 19th century it was being regularly planted in the Médoc on the Right Bank of the Gironde. [2]
It was first recorded in Italy around Venice under the synonym Bordò in 1855. The grape was introduced to the Swiss, from Bordeaux, sometime in the 19th century and was recorded in the Swiss canton of Ticino between 1905 and 1910. [2]
Researchers at University of California, Davis believe that the grape is an offspring of Cabernet Franc and is a sibling of Carmenere. [2]
Until 1993, the Chilean wine industry mistakenly sold a large quantity of wine made from the Carmenere grape as Merlot. In that year, genetic studies discovered that much of what had been grown as Merlot was actually Carmenere, an old French variety that had gone largely extinct in France due to its poor resistance to phylloxera, which as of 2006 does not exist in Chile.
The labeling Chilean Merlot is a catch-all to include wine that is made from a blend of indiscriminate amounts of Merlot and Carmenere. With Merlot ripening 3 weeks earlier then Carmenere, these wines differ greatly in quality depending on harvesting. [3]
[edit] History
After a series of setbacks that includes a severe frost in 1956 and several vintages in the 1960's lost to rot, French authorities in Bordeaux banned new plantings of Merlot vines between 1970 and 1975. [4]
In Merlot early history with California wine, the grape was used primarily as a 100% varietal wine until wine maker Warren Winiarski encouraged taking the grape back to its blending roots with Bordeaux style blends. [5]
[edit] Major Regions
Merlot is produced primarily in France (where it is the third most planted red grape)[6], Italy (where it is the country's 5th most planted grape)[7] and California, Romania and on a lesser scale in Australia, Argentina, Canada's Niagara Peninsula, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, Croatia, Hungary, Montenegro, Slovenia, and other parts of the United States such as Washington State and Long Island. It grows in many regions that also grow Cabernet Sauvignon but tends to be cultivated in the cooler portions of those areas. In areas that are too warm, Merlot will ripen too early. [2]
In the traditional Bordeaux blend, Merlot's role is to add body and softness. Despite accounting for 50-60% of overall plantings in Bordeaux, the grape tends to account for an average of 25% of the blends-especially in the Graves and Médoc. However, in the regions of Pomerol and Saint-Emilion it is not unusual for Merlot to comprise the majority of the blend. [6] One of the most famous and rare wines in the world, Château Pétrus, is almost all Merlot.
In Italy, the Merlot grape is often blended with Sangiovese to give the wine a similar softening effect as the Bordeaux blends. [7] The Strada del Merlot is a popular tourist route through Merlot wine countries along the Isonzo river. [4]
In Hungary, Merlot complements Kékfrankos, Kékoportó and Kadarka as a component in Bull's Blood. It is also made into varietal wine known as Egri Médoc Noir which is noted for its balanced acid levels and sweet taste. [8]
[edit] Viticulture
Merlot grapes are identified by their loose bunches of large berries. The color has less of a blue/black hue than Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and with a thinner skin, the grapes also have fewer tannins. Also compared to Cabernet, a Merlot grape tends to have higher sugar content and lower malic acid. [9]
Merlot thrives in cold soil, particularly ferrous clay. The vine tends to bud early which gives it some risk to cold frost and its thin skin increases its susceptibility to rot. It normally ripens up to two weeks earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon. Water stress is important to the vine with it thriving in well drained soil more so than at base of a slope. [10]
The vine is susceptible to over cropping, and pruning is a major component to the quality of the wine that is produced. Wine consultant Michel Rolland is a major proponent for reducing the yields of Merlot grapes to improve quality. [11] The age of the vine is also important, with older vines contributing character to the resulting wine. [9]
A characteristic of the Merlot grape is the propensity to quickly over ripen once it hits its initial ripeness level, sometimes in a matter of a few days. There are two schools of thought on the right time to harvest Merlot. The wine makers of Château Pétrus favor early picking to best maintain the wine's acidity and finesse as well as its potential for aging. Others, such as Rolland, favor late picking and the added fruit body that comes with a little bit of over-ripeness. [11]
[edit] White Merlot
White Merlot is made the same way as its more famous cousin, White Zinfandel. The grapes are crushed, and after very brief or even no skin contact, the resulting pink must ferments. Some producers of White Merlot include Sutter Home, Forest Glen, and Beringer. It normally has a hint of raspberry. White Merlot was reputedly first marketed in the late 1990s.
In Switzerland, a type of White Merlot is made but is often considered more a rosé. [7] |
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Term
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Definition
Burgundy produces wines of the same name. Although "Burgundy" means red, the Burgundy region produces both white wines and red wines. According to the AOC's regulations, they must only be made of either Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay or Pinot Blanc to be considered true Burgundy wines. The best-known wines are made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varietals, and come from the Côte d'Or, although also viticulturally part of Burgundy are Beaujolais, Chablis, Côte Chalonnaise, and Mâcon.
Burgundy wines can be described as varied, complex, human, and sophisticatedly homely. They are highly regarded because of historical tradition, and arguably because they transmit well the flavour of the land, what the French call terroir.The reputation, quality, and small numbers of production of the top wines means high prices and high demand. This leads to the wines of this region to be some of the most expensive wines in the World. Some consumers buy the high-end wines of this region purely for speculative purposes, as they are often regarded as Veblen goods.
There have been issues with the quality for the asking price, and reputed fraud practices of enhancing the lesser wines with powerful, alcoholic and deeply coloured southern wine. |
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Term
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Definition
The Rhône wine region is first divided into north and south. The north produces syrah based reds and pure viognier whites. The south produces Châteauneuf-du-Pape and other blends from several varieties.
The first cultivated vines were likely planted in 600 BC, however, the orgins of the two most important grape varieties in the northern Rhone (Syrah and Viognier) are unknown.
Contents [hide]
1 Northern Rhône
2 Southern Rhône
3 Côtes du Rhône
4 Other appellations
5 See also
6 External links
[edit] Northern Rhône
Syrah is the only red grape variety allowed in these wines. The grape is also widely known as Shiraz, its name in Australia, which has made the variety very popular with consumers around the world. Some Syrah, however, has white mixed in. The only white grape varieties in the north are viognier, marsanne, and roussanne. Marsanne and roussanne are used for the whites in Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Saint Joseph, and Saint Péray.
The northern Rhone is characterized by a continental climate with harsh winters but warm summers.
Northern Rhone reds are often identified by their signature green olive and smoky bacon aromas. Premier Cote Roties include Guigal's "LaLa's": La Landonne, La Mouline and La Turque, while some of the most renowned wines from Hermitage are Chave's Cuvee Catelin and Jaboulet's La Chappelle. These and other top class reds from Northern Rhone command consistently high prices, but can age effortlessly for decades.
From north to south the appellations are:
Côte-Rôtie AOC - reds with syrah and up to 20% viognier.
Condrieu AOC - whites with only viognier.
Château-Grillet AOC - whites with only viognier.
Saint-Joseph AOC - reds with syrah and up to 10% marsanne and roussanne, whites with only marsanne and roussanne.
Crozes-Hermitage AOC - reds with syrah and up to 15% marsanne and roussanne, whites with only marsanne and roussanne.
Hermitage AOC - reds with syrah and up to 15% marsanne and roussanne, whites with only marsanne and roussanne.
Cornas AOC - reds with only syrah.
Saint-Péray AOC - sparkling and still whites with only marsanne and roussanne.
Some good producers include: Marcel Guigal, Vidal-Fleury, Rene Rostaing, Delas Freres, Chateau Grillet, Chapoutier, J L Chave, and Paul Jaboulet Aine.
[edit] Southern Rhône
Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC has 13 legal varieties, and the surrounding areas, Coteaux du Tricastin AOC, Côtes du Ventoux AOC, Côtes du Vivarais AOC, Lirac AOC, Tavel AOC and Vacqueyras AOC can have more. Gigondas AOC is predominantly made from Grenache Noir and is more restricted in the other grapes it can use. Fortified wines (vin doux naturel) are made in the Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise AOC and Rasteau AOCs.
The southern Rhone has more of a Mediterranean climate with milder winters and hot summers. Drought can be a problem, but limited irrigation is permitted.
The red wines of the Southern Rhone are blended from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan, and Cinsaut while the white wines are blended from Ugni Blanc, Roussanne, Bourboulenc, Picpoul, and Clairette.
Some good producers include: Paul Jaboulet Aine, E. Guigal, Beaucastel, Vieux Telegraphe, Chapoutier, Mordoree, Grand Veneur and La Nerthe
[edit] Côtes du Rhône
Côtes du Rhône AOC is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée that covers both the northern and southern sections of the valley. Typically it is only used if the wine does not qualify for an appellation that can command a higher price. Produce from vineyards surrounding certain villages Cairanne, Rasteau and others may be labeled Côtes du Rhône-Villages AOC.
[edit] Other appellations
Other appellations falling outside the main Rhône area in terms of wine styles but administratively within it are Clairette de Die AOC, Coteaux de Pierrevert AOC, and Côtes du Luberon AOC. These are more similar to Provence wines. Costières de Nîmes AOC has recently been added to the Rhône department in the official sense. Its wines largely parallel the wines of Southern Rhône proper. |
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