AWS Wine Journal Fall 2018

THE AMERICAN WINE SOCIETY
FALL 2018

VISITING BORDEAUX WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 | 1
SEYVAL BLANC
CABERNET FRANC
HEALTHY, HAPPY YEAST
HUDSON CATTELL
WINE: FACT OR FALLACY
CORK GETS ITS SWAGGER BACK

AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

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2 | WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

features

4 | Jim Rink 20 | Lee Miller 6
Editor’s Note In Remembrance of
Hudson Cattell (1931-2018) 10
In this issue of the Journal we pay tribute to 13
Hudson Cattell, the legendary wine wr i t e r / When I first met Hudson Cattell, in the spring
editor/photojournalist who was of 1976, he knew as much about wines and 20
author of Wines of Eastern North America grapes as I did. Which was exactly nothing.
and co-founder and editor of Wine Maybe a little Boone’s Farm in college. We 26
East Magazine. met at a small advertising agency in
Lancaster where I worked and he occasion- WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 | 3
6 | Bill Wilen, D.Ed. ally wielded a camera.
Visiting Bordeaux: Chateâux,
Vineyards and Wine 23 | Tim Rayborn
Wine Fact or Fallacy:
This was our first major wine chateau tour an Intriguing History
and we would not have had the opportu-
nity if not invited by longtime friends Do y o u k n o w w i n e f a c t f r o m w i n e
to accompany them to Bordeaux and fallacy? Wine, of course, has a remarkably
Paris, France. long history, having been a pillar of
civilization dating back to ancient times.
10 | J. Stephen Casscles
Seyval Blanc 26 | Roger Morris
Cork Gets Its Swagger Back
Seyval Blanc, also known as Seyve-Villard
5-276, is one of Bertille Seyve Jr.’s early It is one of nature’s interesting quirks
successes in hybridizing. – or should I say quercus? – that wine has
for centuries been fermented and aged in
13 | Gene Spaziani oak barrels, then traditionally sealed with
Cabernet Franc: Gaining Popularity oak corks. The two seem to have a natural
Among Home Winemakers affinity.

Cabernet Franc, known primarily as a red 30 | Ellen Landis, CS, CSW
blending grape, is rapidly becoming a 21 Wines to Watch
varietal favorite among commercial and
amateur winemakers in North America In her continuing column, Ellen Landis
and Canada. selects 21 wines for you to enjoy with any
occasion or celebration.
16 | Kristine Austin
Healthy, Happy Yeast 32 | Jim Rink
New or Noteworthy
When I left you last we had just inoculated
a tank with a healthy yeast culture. Whether New plantings of cold climate (resistant)
you are inoculating with a yeast culture or cultivars (Marquette, La Crescent and
babying a natural fermentation, providing a Frontenac Gris) at Petoskey Farms Vineyard
healthy environment for your yeast is essen- and Winery and other vineyards in the
tial to a healthy fermentation. Tip of the Mitt AVA are clear examples of
expanding Michigan’s grape and wine
industry by selecting cultivars that match
the conditions of the region.

AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

editor’s
LETTER JIM RINK VOLUME 50 NO. 3 · FALL 2018

“Work hard in silence, let your success make the noise” Published by
The American Wine Society,
— Frank Ocean
a non-profit corporation,
I n this issue of the Journal we pay tribute to Hudson Cattell, the legendary wine PO Box 889, Scranton, PA 18501
writer/editor/photojournalist who was author of Wines of Eastern North
America and co-founder and editor of Wine East Magazine. Hudson died in June Single copies $5.00
of this year and he left behind an enduring legacy. Former business partner Lee Copyright© 2018 by AWS, Inc.
Miller shares her early memories of Hudson in these pages. Reproduction or use of the editorial
or pictorial content without written
On the travel front, Bill Wilen, D.Ed. recently toured the three major river valleys of
the Bordeaux region - Gironde, Garonne and the Dordogne. Bill was fortunate to permission is prohibited.
taste many Bordeaux style wines in a variety of settings including several tastings Library of Congress Class Number:
at chateâux, with elaborate meals, of course.
TP544 A46A3 LC Card 76-647900
Kristine Austin continues her series on fermentation, sharing secrets on how Publisher
to keep your yeast happy and healthy. Here’s one secret: The greatest dangers
to your fermentation are nutrient deficiencies and inappropriate temperatures David Falchek
during fermentation. Editor
Jim Rink
Also in this issue, Roger Morris explains how cork is “getting its swagger back”
with new quality improvements, including the goal of eliminating TCA. Stephen Contributing Writers
Casscles gives us the back story on a versatile white hybrid known as Seyval Blanc Kristin Austin, J. Stephen Casscles,
and Gene Spaziani talks about how Cabernet Franc is gaining popularity among Ellen Landis, CS, CSW, Lee Miller,
home winemakers. Roger Morris, Tim Rayborn, Jim Rink,

We welcome Tim Rayborn to the Journal. In this issue, Tim presents Wine Fact or Gene Spaziani, Bill Wilen, D.Ed.
Fallacy: an Intriguing History. Is it fact of fallacy? Read the article and you decide! Editorial Office
Jim Rink
As always, we have “21 Wines to Watch” by Ellen Landis, CS, CSW. In this issue,
Ellen features wines from California, France, Israel and Oregon. Bottle prices in this 2800 S. Lake Leelanau Drive
issue’s collection range from $14 to $220. Lake Leelanau, MI 49653

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The AWS is the largest consumer based wine education organization in the U.S. A non-profit Founder
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WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 | 5

VISITING BORDEAUX
Chateâux,Vineyards & Wine

by Bill Wilen, D.Ed.

This was our first major wine chateau tour and we would But our real enjoyment and learning experience was tasting
not have had the opportunity if not invited by longtime many Bordeaux style wines in a variety of settings including
friends to accompany them to Bordeaux and Paris, France. several tastings at chateâux. Our first major tasting was in
They have been our friends for many years, starting when Cadillac at Chateau de Rayne Vigneau. We learned how
Larry and I, as committed amateur winemakers, were Sauternes wine was made from different blends of Semillon
involved in forming a wine group that became a chapter
of the American Wine Society for over a decade. After and Sauvignon Blanc grapes and then had a
almost 30 years, our group still meets several times a year to chance to taste three different vintages. All were
have tastings, socialize, and dine. naturally very sweet because this is primarily a
dessert wine but the best of the 2014, 2013 and
We toured the three major river valleys of the Bordeaux region 2009 vintages we tasted was the last one
- Gironde, Garonne and the Dordogne - and we visited towns
and chateaux on the right and left banks of the rivers. We took because of its exceptional smoothness. The
walking tours of the city of Bordeaux, Cadillac, Libourne, Bourg, AWS vintage chart gave the 2009 vintage its
Blaye and Paulliac. We particularly enjoyed seeing town/village highest rating of a 10. Afterwards we took a
centers because of the old building designs and seeing local tour of the production room with over 100 oak
people buy and sell goods in outside markets. The Citadel in barrels of Sauternes wine.
Blaye, which is located on the Gironde estuary was fascinating
because it is a huge fortress built on the orders of Louis XIV. We CHATEAU SIAURAC
walked through its many sections imagining what life was like
here several hundred years ago. The next tasting was a major one at Chateau
Siaurac in St. Emilion. On the way our van
passed by Chateau Petrus in Pomerol, which

6 | WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

Looking down at Bar de la Poste restaurant in St. Emilion. The main course was “beef chuck with farmer carrots” and the
dessert was “strawberry pastry, basil sorbet.” With this excellent
is known for producing one of the most expensive wines in the meal were served three red Bordeauxs: two Plaisir de Siaurac
world. The owner-manager of Siaurac is Paul Goldschmidt who and a L’Enchanteur from Pomerol of different vintages. Most
opens up his chateau for guests to tour one of the vineyards, surprising was the second of the Plaisir de Siaurac wines
taste wines from his three vineyards and then has a three- because it was a 2016 vintage but it tasted much more mature.
course lunch including several other of his wines. We started by
walking through the chateau’s drawing room and study areas, CHATEAU DU TERTRE
getting a sense of an aristocratic home environment and Our next major tasting was at Chateau du Tertre in Margaux
then over to the wine production area with its huge cement which is in the left bank where Cabernet Sauvignon is the
vats and steel tanks, and barrel room filled with varying styles primary grape of the Bordeaux blend. The soil of the left bank
of red Bordeaux wines. in this region is mostly gravel
and the climate is hotter and
These are blends of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet dryer. This is compared to the
Sauvignon with Merlot being the dominant grape in this right- right bank where the soil is pri-
bank region. We tasted one wine from each of his three labels: marily limestone best suit-
Chateau Siaurac (Pomerol), Chateau Vray Croix de Gay (Pomerol) ed for Merlot. Chateau du
and Chateau Le Prieure (St. Emilion) and they were of the same Tertre was founded in the
vintage (2014). There were subtle differences but, generally, 12th century and was our first
they were well balanced with berry fruit and oak knowing that in-depth experience in the
age will make them even better. The next phase of the visit was
to have lunch in the dining room, which commenced with a WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 | 7
starter (“tabbouleh, tomato gazpacho and potato cromesqui”).

AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

Margaux region. The tour guide said there has been a major CHATEAU KIRWAN
shift at this chateau to organic and biodynamic practices,
which has a major focus on the elimination of pesticides. She Our next stop in Margaux was Chateau Kirwan
mentioned that moon phases are important to consider when where we had dinner with another wine
grapes are picked but we did not get any science-based infor- tasting. This chateau was founded in 1855
mation on biodynamic practices. We were told there was a and we met in a huge dining room that
major frost attack this past April but it impacted the right seated our whole group. We had one of the
bank more than here. best meals ever! The first dish was Tourin a
Lail Borselais (“traditional Bordeaux sweet
Many chateaux lost major portions of their crops. But there onion soup in puff pastry). The dry white wine
was only minimal damage at Tertre. We toured through the we had with it was th e 2 0 1 6 C h a t e a u
primary and secondary fermentation areas and noticed K i r w a n Sig n a t u r e s , w h i c h w a s 9 0 %
that this chateau starts fermentation in very old oak vats and Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Semillon. It had
then transfers to steel and cement fermenters before ending a strong Sauvignon Blanc floral and fruity nose and dry taste
up in oak barrels. We tasted three wines with the first being a which I thought could have been mellowed with a higher
2016 Chateau du Tertre, which was 72% Cabernet Sauvignon percentage of Semillon. The next dish was a duck salad - Salade
and fairly equal amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Des Vendanges (“Seasonal greens with harvest grapes, pine
Petite Verdot. At this stage it was still aging with a purple tinge nuts, cured deck breast, duck confit, sour cream dressing”). The
noticeable but the fruit was fresh. Odors and tastes of “plums wine we had with it was the 2014 Les Charmes de Kirwan. It
and cherries” were dominant. The second was a 2012 Les Hauts was 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc
du Tertre which was 40% Cab Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 30% and 5% Petite Verdot. This was a fruity blend of cherry and cas-
Cabernet Franc. This was loaded with berry fruit flavors and sis and had a slight purple tinge, but it was smooth. The main
easy drinking with notes of “marmalade and a hint of dish was a Filet Mignonde Veau, Sauce Champignons, Gambas
cinnamon.”The third wine was a 2004 Margaux Chateau du Ter- a la Provencale (“veal tenderloin with mushroom sauce, shrimp
tre. It was exceptionally smooth with a good balance of fruit Provencale, steamed asparagus, baby carrots, potato gratin”).
and oak. It had an earthiness to it and was a little “smoky.” The tenderloin was outstanding – tender and tasty. The wine
we had with it was amazing. Chateau Kirwan 1995. The wine
was 22 years old – the oldest we tasted on this trip! (“This great
wine oscillates between periods of closure and openness
during which one discovers a large aromatic palette filled with
a mix of black fruits, the scents of wood underbrush, and hints

8 | WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

of minerals. The tannins are strongly present and promise good Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc. We saw that It was starting
ageing potential”). It was served decanted. It’s too bad that the to lose color and found it a little harsh because of the tannins.
AWS vintage chart didn’t rate wines before 2007 unless they The fourth was a 2012 Chateau Baudan St. Emilion which was
were “past greats.” The description said there were tannins but 45% Merlot, 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Petit Verdot. We
we couldn’t detect them, and probably shouldn’t with a 20+ talked about climate change and the problems the Bordeaux
year old wine. region has noticed over the years. The influence is that the
climate is warming and there are more extreme weather
THE MASTER CLASS patterns and this naturally hurts growth. She even mentioned
Two other major wine experiences closed out our tasting of that Malbec is growing in influence and it could, in the future,
Bordeaux wines and trip to this beautiful region of France. be a substitute for Cabernet Sauvignon because of the
warming weather. The last wine we had was a 2015 Graves
We returned to the city Sauternes which was 80% Semillion (botrytis) and 20%
o f Bordeaux and we decided Sauvignon Blanc from the Cadillac region. It was very sweet,
to go to the “M aster Class tasty and a pleasant way to end the tasting. All the wines at this
on Bordeaux Wines” which tasting were surprisingly, very reasonable in cost. We enjoyed
was held at the Musee du Vin learning another perspective on different Bordeaux white, rosé
et du Negoce (Wine and Trade and red wines.
Museum). The description had
sounded very good because Our final event for this phase of our visit to Bordeaux was the
there certainly would be more farewell dinner, which turned out to be another fabulous
information about the wines of this area and a tasting. The 10 culinary and wine tasting experience. We had two excellent
of us were met by a young teacher who turned out to be very wines with dinner: 2016 Chateau La Fleur Clemence Blanc
informed which we particularly noticed when dealing with the (Graves) (“aromas of exotic, floral and citrus fruits”) and 2015
many questions we asked. She gave us each an excellent Chateau La Fleur Clemence Rouge (“nose of prune and burnt
souvenir map to show us the differences in the appellations of fruit”), the flavors of which we found to be mainly dark ber-
Bordeaux and we recognized the regions we had visited over ry fruit and a little oak. It was exceptionally smooth for a 2015
the past week. There are 65 different appellations and over vintage. The farewell dinner menu items I selected were Escar-
7,000 chateaux producing wine that had to meet the strict gots a la Bourguignone (“baked escargot with shallots, garlic
demands structuring their productions. Most interesting was and parsley”), Filet d’Espadon Poche, Jus d’Ecrevisses (“poached
the clairet wine which is different than “claret” since this is the fillet of swordfish and crayfish sauce, celerian puree”), and for
B ritish term for red wine coming from Bordeaux. dessert “a crisp dark chocolate tart with mango salad.”
The first wine we tasted was a 2016 Chateaux La Freynelle
white which was a Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion and Muscadet What a great collection of wine experiences from one of the most
blend. It was thin and simple compared to the other whites famous wine production areas in the world! With our memorable
we have had with meals and at the chateaux. The second was wine tastings we were ready and looking forward to taking the
a 2016 Clocher des due Rosé, which was a 100% Merlot clairet. train to Paris for the final phase of our French vacation.
This tasted slightly sweet but it did not contain any residual
sugar. She said that the Merlot grape gave us the impression About The Author
of sweetness. We were not about to argue with her. The third
was a 2015 Chateau de Montsequr which was a blend of 50% Bill Wilen is a wine educator, amateur winemaker, and
certified wine judge. He can be reached at wwilen@
AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG kent.edu

WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 | 9

Seyval Blanc, also known as Seyve-Villard Seyval Blanc is a cross of S. 5656 x S. 4986 fat and buttery Chardonnays. Many
5-276, is one of Bertille Seyve Jr.’s early (Rayon d’Or), while the Geneva Vineyard consider Seyval Blanc to be one of the
and Cellar Notes maintains that the cross signature white wine grapes of the
Ssuccesses in hybridizing. This white wine
grape was developed in 1921 by may have been S. 4995 x Rayon d’Or. It Hudson Valley and has been likened to

Monsieur Seyve, Jr. (1895-1959), whose is agreed that Rayon d’Or is the pollen the Valley’s Chardonnay.

nursery was located on the east bank of parent of Seyval Blanc and that it shares

the Rhône River just south of this parent with Vidal Blanc. This grape, Seyval Blanc buds out fairly early, but has

Lyon, France. Pierre Galet and after its popularity began to grow in the a sizable secondary crop if a late spring

frost hits. It is moderately winter hardy
S e y v a lLucie T. Morton maintain that late 1920s and 1930s, became known in
France as Seyval Blanc. The name being

the contraction of Seyve and Vallier. to hardy, but less so than Baco Noir,
Seyval Blanc has been used to breed Maréchal Foch, or Delaware. It is
other white wine grape varieties such as moderately susceptible to black rot,
Cayuga White, Chardonel, La Crosse, powdery mildew, and botrytis at
Melody, and St. Pepin. maturity, but is more resistant to downy
mildew. On average, it is more
A VERSATILE GRAPE susceptible to fungus diseases than
either Vidal or Vignoles and it has no
sulfur sensitivity.

The grape is adaptable to many The cylindrical to slightly tapering
different regions and climates and is conical clusters are medium-large to
grown throughout the eastern United large and compact to semi-compact and
States, northern France, and England. even sometimes semi-loose, depending
It is a versatile grape that can be made on the clone and the soil that it is grown
into many different styles of wine, such on. The compactness of the clusters can
as very fruity, semi-dry Germanic-like lead to berry splitting at harvest time,
whites; Sancerre/Sauvignon Blanc-like particularly if it rains before harvest. This
wines that are dry with crisp fruit, grassy, berry splitting leads to bunch rot. Seyval
or have herbal notes; Chablis-style grows on a standard-sized vine of
Burgundy/Chardonnay-like wines that medium vigor, and it ripens mid-season
are flinty, with the fruit of green apples to late mid-season.
and soft lemons; and California-style,

1 0 | WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

The vine is of medium vigor, but it is neutral containers such as glass or complex yeasty and toasty vanilla finish.

reliable in the field and highly productive. stainless steel, the result is a high-acid, These wines age very well. In the middle

It should be cluster thinned to produce Germanic-style white wine. The wine’s to late 1970s, while work ing at Ben-

quality fruit for wine production. It can be fruit flavors include elements of green marl Vineyards in Marlboro, New York,

somewhat capricious as to soils, which apples, pineapples, and citrusy notes of I had the opportunity to taste many

can affect its productivity and winter lemon, grapefruit, and pear. It is a bright ten- to twenty-year-old Seyvals across

hardiness. It does not do well in wine that is clean and crisp – several vintage years in this wine style.

droughty or shallow soils. even metallic. These Seyval Blancs remained fresh and

interesting as any old Burgundian Chablis
of the same age. Benmarl Vineyards was
Without cluster
thinning, the
wines tend to be

B l a n cthin and the vines
by J. Stephen Casscles

weakened, thereby making it susceptible If the wine is made from slightly under then owned and operated by Mark and
to severe winter injury. The vine has an ripe to ripe grapes, fermented cool to at Dene Miller, along with their sons Eric
upright growth habit. It should be spur a room temperature, and then aged in and Kim Miller. The Miller family was
pruned to reduce the risk of over oak barrels for a short time; the wine can one of the founding members of the
cropping and to balance its crop load to taste more like a French Sancerre or American Wine Society.
the quantity of grapes that the vine can Muscadet, that are respectively made
fully support. from Sauvignon Blanc and Melon de The grape can also be made as a
Bourgogne grapes. These Loire-like California-style Chardonnay that is fat,
Seyval Blanc had a limited following in whites are more complex, with an buttery, and full of wood and vanilla
France from the late 1920s to 1960. In herbaceous flint-like body and softer fruit flavors. If very ripe grapes are fermented
France, there were 274 documented flavors of pears, melons, peaches, and in oak barrels and left on the lees while
acres of Seyval Blanc in 2008, down from apples. The wines are rounder and more aging, this results in a lighter version of
393 acres in 1998, and 3,235 acres in subtle than the Germanic-style Seyvals. a California-style Chardonnay. These
1958. It is however, adaptable to different Seyvals lend themselves to being made
growing regions and climates and is Seyval Blanc, if picked ripe – but not too as sur lie-style wines.
popular from Pennsylvania north to ripe – and aged in oak for six months
Canada and in England. or more, can result in a wine that is a These wines tend to have big wild flavors
sl i g h t l y t h i n n e r v e r s i o n o f a of melons, bananas, honey, ripe peaches,
When Seyval is fermented at a cool, but Burgundian-style Chardonnay. The flint orange blossoms, almonds, and
not cold, temperature and aged in and steely finish is still there, but it is hazelnuts. The body is round, warm,
more austere with fruit flavors of ap- buttery, and complex with lots of
ples, cider, peaches, and pears with a vanilla throughout, with no hint of

AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 | 1 1

Seyval Blanc grapes waiting for processing. the daughter of the grape hybridizer or Jean-Louis Vidal (1880-1976), directly
Victor Villard. introduce “superior” vinifera varieties,
herbaciousness. Barrel fermentation and such as Gamay or Chardonnay, into his
malolactic fermentation can enhance the Of the two brothers, Bertille, Jr. had the hybrids to enhance their wine quality.
body of Seyval. more extensive breeding program. He He rarely used his father’s hybridiza-
created several widely planted hybrid tion work. Toward the middle of Bertille
Seyval Blanc, like Baco Noir, should grape varieties in France, England, and Jr.’s breeding program, he began to rely
remain a signature grape variety for the the eastern United States, such as much more heavily on interspecific
Hudson Valley and indeed for much of Seyval Blanc, Roucaneuf, Villard Blanc, hybrids that he had developed under
the northern east coast of the United and Villard Noir. Perhaps one reason for the Seyve-Villard name. Of his work,
States. Below is a short biography of the his more prolific breeding program was Philp Wagner stated that Bertille Seyve,
creator of Seyval Blanc. that Joannes, his younger brother, Jr. w a s o n e o f t h e m o r e s u c c e s s f u l
continued to operate his father’s farm breeders of hybrids for hot climates and
Bertille Seyve, Jr. (1895-1959) and nursery, and was presumably still produced some hardy hybrids adaptable
the Father of Seyval Blanc evaluating his father’s older hybrids. to short-season conditions.

Bertille Seyve Jr.’s hybrids all came under While Bertille Jr.’s breeding program was This article is based, in part, on Grapes of the Hudson
the name Seyve-Villard (S.V.). This name almost as extensive as his father’s, he Valley and Other Cool Climate Regions of the United
was used for his nursery business and relied primarily on crossing interspecific States and Canada, (Coxsackie, NY: Flint Mine Press,
grape hybrids to avoid confusion with hybrids such as S. 5124 (Bienvenu 2015), 139-142, 145.
his father’s already existing nursery x Aramon du Gard), Subereux (S. 6905),
business and grape hybrids. This nurs- and S. 6468 (S. 4614 x S. 3011), and his About The Author
ery was ultimately taken over by his own creations such as Seyval Blanc. He
younger brother, Joannes Seyve. Both did not, like other contemporary or Stephen Casscles, is author of
nurseries were located on the east bank later generations of French hybridizers “Grapes of the Hudson Valley”
of the Rhône River, in Bougé Chambalud, such as Jean François Ravat (? – 1940) (2015), and a frequent guest
in the Rhône-Alpes area of France, just lecturer in the Hudson Valley at
south of Lyon. Bertille Seyve Jr.’s wife was colleges, historical societies, and
botanical gardens in New York
City, Boston, and the Hudson
Valley. He writes for wine/agri-
cultural/local history journals on
grapes, winemaking, and on
horticultural subjects and local
history, and is associated with the
SUNY at Coblesk ill Fermenta-
tion Sciences Program. He can be
reached at: [email protected]

1 2 | WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

CabeFrnreat nc:GainingPopularity

Among Home Winemakers
by Gene Spaziani

Cabernet Franc develops very well in cooler climates and

ripens early, usually escaping dreaded fall frosts, which makes

Cabernet Franc, known primarily as a red blending grape, is it an appealing variety to grow in northern regions of the

rapidly becoming a varietal favorite among commercial and United States and Canada. Plantings in the U.S. continue to rise

amateur winemakers in North America and Canada. Known as for Cabernet Franc and at present there are more than 2,500

acres planted in cooler regions of California alone.


a primary blending partner to its cousin, Cabernet Sauvignon, Increased California plantings mean that there are more grapes

Cabernet Franc now is being recognized as an outstanding and juice for home winemakers and that has been good news

varietal wine, standing on its own, producing wines with for those of us who enjoy making wine from Cabernet Franc

pleasant flavors and aromas. grapes and juice.


A VERSATILE GRAPE

The versatility of Cabernet Franc is an
appealing factor for home winemakers. It
makes a wonderful, early drinking, aromatic
red wine on its own and it can be blended with
a variety of other wines to enhance their
potential. The famous “Bordeaux Blend” in
France usually has Cabernet Sauvignon as the
primary grape, supplemented with
Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petite
Verdot. An American version of the French
“Bordeaux Blend” is called Meritage and there

AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 | 1 3

exists a Meritage Society which promotes commercial LOIRE VALLEY CONNECTION
producers of red and white (Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon)
Meritage wines. Cabernet Franc, widely known as a blending wine in Bordeaux,
is a primary red variety in the Loire Valley of France, where it
Cabernet Franc and Merlot are major contributors to the is often called Breton, named after an abbot who originally
Cabernet Sauvignon in Meritage wines, with Cabernet Franc brought the variety to the region from the south. France leads
usually the second-most added variety in the blend. the world in Cabernet Franc plantings with more than 38,000
acres in production.
Recent national amateur wine competitions have shown an
increase of Cabernet Franc varietal entries and the amateur’s A world-wide reputation of the Cabernet Franc variety in the
version of the Bordeaux Blend or Meritage Blend. Loire Valley has been earned because of the success of early
maturing red wines such as Chinon, Bourgeuil, Anjou-Villages
Dr. Carol Merideth of the University of California, Davis has and Saumur-Champigny.
verified that Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc are the
genetic parents that produced Cabernet Sauvignon. This is One of my favorites from this region is the Cabernet d’Anjou, a
perhaps the reason why the varieties blend so well together. rosé wine made from the Cabernet Franc grape in the Anjou
The Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon share similar region located in the central part of the Loire Valley. The wine is
flavors and structure but the Cabernet Franc has fewer tannins, almost dry and features raspberry-like flavors and is ideally
is not as full-bodied and is less acidic, qualities which usually suited to most light summer foods. It also does nicely as
transcend into an earlier drinking wine. an aperitif.

Loire - Known as the “Garden of France” where vineyards, fruit orchards, asparagus, and artichoke fields line the banks of the Loire River.

1 4 | WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

The popularity of Cabernet Franc is not limited to France and Cabernet Franc offers the creative winemaker a wide variety
the United States, as it is well-rooted in the northwest region of choices to experiment with. I’ve even made and excellent
of Italy where it is known as Cabernet Frank or Bordo and often port with Cabernet Franc and several years ago my Cabernet
labeled as just Cabernet. About 12,000 acres of Cabernet Franc Franc varietal won the “Best of Show” in the Connecticut
are grown in Italy. amateur competition. It is a relatively easy wine to make if you
follow the basic rules of winemaking and when finished,
In northwest Spain, Cabernet Franc is called Mencia and in it often offers a reward that can be memorable.
Kosovo, Cabernet Franc is the only western red variety grown
for production in Albania. Cabernet Franc is also planted in Two of the favorite yeast strains used to make Cabernet Franc
Romania, Hungary and the Balkans. by most winemakers I’ve talked to include the Red Star Pasteur
Red that is a strong, even fermenter that produces full-bodied
Australia, a world wine region noted for grape and wine wines with fairly complex flavors, especially with the Cabernet
experimentations of all kinds, has about 1,500 acres of family of grapes. The other favorite is the Lalvin L2056. This
Cabernet Franc planted and preliminary results have been variety retains varietal aromas and flavors. It has good alcohol
positive. In the rich Mendoza Valley of Argentina almost 2,000 tolerance and it maintains good color stability. It is particularly
acres of Cabernet Franc are planted, also with positive results. good for quick-to-market or early drinking red wines.
New Zealand is also experimenting with Cabernet Franc and
early results have been documented as being encouraging. In other parts of the world, Cabernet Franc is called Bouchet,
Carmenet, Brenton and Trouchet Noir.
From a viticultural standpoint, Cabernet Franc has become a
favorite of cooler climate grape growers as the variety survives There are a wide variety of producers offering Cabernet Franc
the colder weather well and ripens earlier than most varieties. winemaking kits of excellent quality for those who prefer them
Their grapes are thinner-skinned with lower acidity. Spring and for their winemaking. Cabernet Franc juice and grapes are also
fall frosts can be a problem to the earlier maturing grapes but available throughout North America and Canada in sufficient
they are becoming the major red variety for many Eastern and supply for the home winemaker.
North American growers.
About The Author
Many winemakers are raving about the many attributes
of Cabernet Franc. Yields are similar to Cabernet Sauvignon Gene Spaziani is the author of The Home Winemaker’s
but the flavors and aromas of Cabernet Franc are far more Companion, a retired college professor and
pronounced than those of their cousin, Cabernet Sauvignon. administrator and an award-winning home
Some of the descriptions of Cabernet Franc include: cherry, winemaker. He can be reached via email at:
strawberry, raspberry, plum, violet, vanilla, coconut, bell [email protected]
pepper, stems, sweet wood, oak, musk, earth, cedar and tar.
WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 | 1 5
Cabernet Franc can be made as a 100% varietal characterized
by many of the above descriptors or it can be excellent
blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and other red wines.
A liter or two of Cabernet Franc in five gallons of Chenin Blanc
or French Columbard or Seyval Blanc can produce a wonderful
blush or rosé, which should be in anyone’s cellar.

AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

HEALTHY,byKristineAustin
W hen I left you last we HAPPY
had just inoculated a YEAST
tank with a healthy
yeast culture. Wheth-
er you are inoculating

with a yeast culture

or babying a natural

fermentation, providing a healthy

environment for your yeast is

essential to a healthy fermentation.

The greatest dangers to your

fermentation are nutrient deficien-

cies and inappropriate temperatures

during fermentation.


These are not difficult tasks to also need greater nitrogen levels to decre a s e d y o u r n i t r o g e n l e v e l
complete fermentation. significantly so additional nitrogen
manage, but they do require a good will need to be added back. Another
NITROGEN MANAGEMENT factor is ripening. As the grape ripens
deal of your attention. The measure- it breaks down sources of nitrogen,
There are some practices that can so the riper the grape, generally the
ment of nitrogen in a fermentation is influence the levels of nitrogen in less nitrogen remains. Correspond-
the must. Vineyard practices influ- ingly yeasts fermenting higher levels
commonly referred to as YAN (yeast ence nitrogen levels, so maintaining of sugar need more nitrogen to do
an amply supply of nitrogen in the their job properly. In short you are
assimilable nitrogen). There is gener- vineyard helps to maintain necessary starting out with less nitrogen and
nitrogen levels in the grape/must. the yeast require more.
ally some nitrogen in the must but it The process for white wine/sparkling
production often clarifies the juice There are two main forms of nitrogen
can range from as little as 30mg/L to prior to fermentation. Clarifying the that are added during fermentation,
juice also takes out some nitrogen, organic amino acids and inorgan-
900 mg/L with somewhere between so if you are clarifying juice with ic ammonium salts (NH4+). There is
bentonite prior to or fermenting on usually a little bit of each of these
200-400mg/L as ideal. You can’t really bentonite, you have probably naturally in the must. Like feeding

have too much natural nitrogen but

you can have too little. As a general

assumption, for sugar levels starting

out between 21-25° Brix, YAN lev-

els below 120mg/L are reaching the

dangerous minimum. But also take

into consideration that if you start

out with higher than 25° Brix, you will

1 6 | WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

any life form, we need to take into and most constant and where the teaching them how to survive instead
account how many there are and at majority of the alcoholic fermentation of spoon-feeding them. Now that
what stage of their life they are in. A takes place. they have learned how to survive they
baby drinks a lot of milk, a teenager have entered into the rapid growth
will eat you out of house and home POPULATION DENSITY phase and it is at this point that you
and, as we get older, we tend not to make your first nutrient addition.
need as much food to sustain us. So, When doing nutrient additions we
when supplying nutrients to yeast, we take into account the population How do you know that they have
need to take into account the stages density of the yeast, and make entered the rapid growth phase?
of the yeast’s life. additions incrementally. Refrain from Basically you want to wait until you
making one nutrient addition to the have a visibly active fermentation or
Whether using a starter or doing a must prior to fermentation. Think of when the brix have dropped by 2-3°
natural fermentation there is a it this way: the yeast population is still degrees Brix. At this point, an addition
lower population of yeast to begin quite small and you are giving them of DAP or Superfood or Fermaid K or
with called the lag phase, followed so much to eat (sugar, nitrogen) and some thing with an inorganic source
by a period of rapid growth which is they just get super lazy. You are also of nitrogen (NH4+) can/should be
then followed by a stationary phase. feeding the other non-saccharomy- added at the rate suggested by the
The stationary phase does not im- ces/spoilage yeasts that may have manufacturer. Research has shown
ply stagnation; instead the stationary come in with the grapes. Let the yeast
phase is the period of time search the must for the that the easiest form
where the number of organic and inorganic of nitrogen for yeast
yeast cells is at its largest sources of nitrogen. to assimilate is the
It is kind of like inorganic form. The yeast
will take in this form

of nitrogen and are
able to store it for
future use. During
the stage of
rapid growth, do
not be afraid
of oxygen. Oxy-
gen is necessary
for the synthe-
sis of the yeast
cell membrane
and replication.
I encourage lots
of pump overs or

punch downs or
stirring with exposure
to oxygen.

AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 | 1 7

Yeast for wine fermentation tion. At this stage you want inorganic yeast hulls can be helpful, but they
and organic forms of nitrogen so only are expensive and should be replaced
I suggest mixing your nutrients in adding DAP (NH4+) is not recom- each season as they can go rancid. In-
either juice or water. A lot of people mended. stead, I suggest monitoring the tem-
probably cringed when I said water perature closely and increasing the
but well, first of all, it mixes better, If DAP is all you have it is better than temperature towards the very end of
and second, you’re just adding more nothing, but the yeast at this stage fermentation to help it finish off those
of the stuff that yeast loves, H’s and need nitrogen in the form of organ- last couple of Brix. The danger with
O’s! Not to mention, it is faster to do ic amino acids. Yeast produce alcohol adding nutrients towards the end of
with less mess. I do insist that you (which we love) but they do not; to the fermentation is not only that the
thoroughly mix it; no visible chunks them it is kind of like living in their yeast will not be able to use the in-
please. The other important thing is own filth. As the alcohol levels in- organic form (NH4+) but also that if
to incorporate the nutrient mix into crease, the yeast works hard to keep there is NH4+ and/or extra organic
the fermentation, especially when the alcohol from the breaking the cell amino acids floating around they may
fermenting on skins. And again the membrane barrier and thus can less make a tasty little snack for spoil-
yeast will not mind the added oxygen. frequently assimilate the inorgan- age organisms after your intentional
ic sources of nitrogen. The organic yeast culture has finished. This logic
The next nutrient addition should sources of nitrogen can still somehow extends to the reason why throwing
come when the fermentation is about be taken in and used by the yeast, nutrients at a stuck fermentation does
1/3 finished, or 1/3 of the sugar has which is why the addition of an or- not work. As I’ve mentioned before
been consumed. This is perhaps the ganic amino acid source is necessary there is a process for restarting a
most important nutrient addition at this stage. You need to give the stuck fermentation and it should be
because at this point the yeast have yeast what they need to be able to followed strictly.
entered into a stationary phase of finish your fermentation.
growth, which means that they are NONE LIKE IT HOT
maintaining a relatively high density If your fermentation tends to get slug-
population and it is this population gish near the end, an addition of pure The other concept to keep in mind
that is going to finish your fermenta- for a healthy, happy fermentation is
temperature. Like most living organ-
isms, yeast move slowly in cooler
temperatures; they are more active
in warmer temperatures; they create
heat in numbers; they will die if they
get too hot. Cooler temperatures slow
fermentation and also have more dis-
solved oxygen (just like our oceans).
Cooler temperatures also tend to
keep more aromatics in the wine be-
cause they do not become volatilized.
With cooler temperatures it is also

1 8 | WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

easier to keep track of nutrient adds so on and so forth. If you can rein it wine you want by manipulating the
because of the slow steady pace of in before it starts, you reduce the risk rate and temperature of fermenta-
fermentation. of getting temperatures so high t h a t tion but like all things in life, in order
they no longer support yeast to maintain health and happiness we
A higher fermentation temperature life (>95°F). need to assess our needs.
means a faster fermentation and also
the possibility that more lovely Natural fermentations usually need About The Author
aromas are being volatized and more nitrogen because the strain of
escaping. For extraction reasons, red yeast has not been genetically engi-
wine fermentation is usually a much neered, but the method and timing
warmer and thus faster fermentation. of making additions is the same, just
I also find that fermentation health is perhaps at an increased dosage. If
harder to manage. Warmer fermenta- you feed the fermentation too early,
tions proceed more quickly and so it you may be feeding a not so desir-
is easy to miss the desired sugar able yeast strain in your fermenta-
level for a nutrient addition because tion. You want the strongest strain
it happened overnight while you to take over and once it has, that is
were sleeping. I f you are close to when yo u f e e d i t . T h e s a m e
the appropriate numbers I sug- g o e s f o r non-grape fermentations,
gest adding half of the nutrients in all yeast need nitrogen (some strains
the evening and the rest the next more than others) and the timing of

Kristine Austin could be

considered an over-educated

migrant worker. With a degree

in philosophy and a degree in

enology she travels the world

making wine, working for great

winemakers, doing the hard

work and getting zero credit

Fermenting grapes (but having very few responsi-

morning. And if you have a cooling the additions would remain the bilities). Kristine can be reached
system I suggest making it a degree same because of the growth cycle of at [email protected]
or two cooler prior to making the the yeast is the same. Fermentation is
addition because the addition of all about knowing the life cycle of the
nutrients creates heat, which speeds yeast and giving it what it needs when
up the yeast, creating more heat and it needs it. You can create the type of

AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 | 1 9

W Hudson & Lee 1976

hen I first met Hudson Cattell, in the spring of Wood at Pequea Valley. Years later we laughed at ourselves in

1976, he knew as much about wines and grapes as I did. Which remembering that we had no idea what all those “little sticks”

was exactly nothing. Maybe a little Boone’s Farm in college. We in the ground were as we approached our first destination!

In Remembrance of

met at a small advertising agency in Lancaster where I worked Well, one thing led to another. That story about Lancaster
and he occasionally wielded a camera. He was 20 years older wineries turned into six full-length feature articles about
than I and we had very little in common. Yet something clicked the young Pennsylvania wine industry. Which turned into a
and shortly thereafter we formed a little PR firm called L&H monthly publication called The Pennsylvania Grape Letter, some
Photojournalism. As in Lee and Hudson. We did contract work informative pamphlets on the grapes being grown in east
and newsletters for clients like the School District of Lancaster coast vineyards, and a book called “Wine East of Rockies.” But
and Lancaster Country Day School. He was the “photo” and I mostly it led to Hudson Cattell’s unquenchable thirst to know
was the “journalism.” everything, every fact, every grape, every winery, every person
and every happening in the eastern American wine industry
I remember vividly how “the wine stuff” started. When the – simply “The East” to him. He began this quest with that first
phone rang, asking if we would write a free-lance article about article and never let it go until his death in June 2018. 40 years.
some small wineries in Lancaster County, we looked at each
other and said “what?”. But it sounded like fun so off we went to Not his life career, as he had retired from that before I met him.
meet Tom and Cindy Hampton at Tuquan Vineyards and Pete Not really a hobby because he invested enough time and

2 0 | WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

energy to make it a full time job. I like to think of it as the great L&H Early Publications
passion of his life. After his family, there was simply nothing else
he loved and pursued with such vigor and determination.

Hudson and I worked and travelled together for just a few
years, but during those years we visited and wrote about
more vineyards, vineyardists, wineries and winemakers than I
can recall or remember. We chased down and interviewed the
pioneers like Philip Wagner in Maryland and Konstantin Frank
in the Finger Lakes and Charles Fournier in Canada. We
travelled to the shores of Lake Erie and wandered into Ohio,
down to Maryland and Virginia, and up to the Hudson Valley…
wherever there was a new story or a news story about the
emerging eastern American wine industry.

Eventually these stories were told in The Pennsylvania Grape
Letter, a monthly newsletter we began to publish in September
1976. This was followed by a series of publications starting with
“Presenting Pennsylvania Wines” in 1978, and a trio of booklets
about the (often new and unknown) grapes being grown in
east coast vineyards, including The French Hybrids (1979),

(1931-2018)
HUDSON CATTELLbyLeeMiller
Author of Wines of Eastern North America, Co-founder and Editor of Wine East Magazine

The Vinifera (1980) and Native American Grapes (1981). In 1982, August of 2008. Even then, Hudson and Linda served as
we published our last joint venture: Wine East of the Rockies. co-editors of the Wine East section in that publication until
2013. For those many years, Hudson continued his travels and
When I left L&H Photojournalism to pursue a new career as a his quest to see it all, to know it all, to understand it all – and to
winery owner, Hudson joined forces with a new partner, Linda write and photograph it all.
Jones McKee, and they continued to chronicle the East for the
next 30 years until his retirement in 2013. Hudson and Linda With more time on his hands, Hudson then turned his atten-
tion to finishing what he considered to be the authoritative
transformed the Pennsylvania Grape Letter & Wine News into the research book on the history and background of the eastern
respected Wine East magazine, which they launched in May American wine industry. His non-stop efforts in this regard
1981. It covered the news of grapes and wine in Eastern North involved reviewing and compiling almost 40 years of
America until they sold the publication to Wines & Vines in

AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 | 2 1

Wine East, first & last copy 1976. Today, there are over 3,000. That rise to success has been
absolutely remarkable and I’m privileged to have covered it.”
interviews, notes, photographs and memories. His zeal to get
it right was beyond what normal people could understand. When I saw Hudson last, in January 2018, his office looked
I will never forget the weeks, months (years?) he spent trying the same as ever. Piles of magazines and periodicals on every
to pin down a date, a single date of a single meeting between surface. Walls covered with wine photographs and Wine East
Dr. Charles Fournier and Dr. Philip Wagner. Each remembered covers. Stacks of books and papers everywhere. His trusty old
the date differently. When I advised him to “let it go,” metal typewriter side by side with a small computer that I’m
hi s response was “never.” He simply felt it was his duty not sure he ever used for anything but email. And a developing
to record the indisputable and unblemished history of this manuscript about his personal recollections and remembranc-
industry that had captured his attention and captivated him es of the people he interviewed and befriended during his
for so long. When his Wines of Eastern North America was 40-year Wine East adventure. I had encouraged him to write
finally published by Cornell University Press in 2010, he was this new account, with less facts and more personal stories.
overjoyed to have, at last, achieved his goal to leave behind Unfortunately those tales will be left untold as Hudson Cattell
a comprehensive history of the growth of the East from passed away on June 26, 2018, sadly leaving this manuscript/
Prohibition to the present. memoir unfinished and untold.

Hudson Cattell was a quiet man who received little fanfare About The Author
for his years of work, dedication to and research about the
eastern American wine industry, and he asked for less. He was Lee Miller, with her husband Eric, founded and
extremely humble and grateful when he was honored in 2016
with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Eastern Winery co-owned Chaddsford Winery in Pennsylvania,
Exposition. In accepting that award, he summed up his career:
“Sine 1976, I’ve covered the Eastern wine beat and I’ve talked from 1982 through 2012 . They also owned and
to almost everyone in the industry; I thank the industry for the
chance to chronicle its achievements. Today it’s a world-class managed Benmarl Vineyards in the Hudson Val-
region. There were 125 wineries east of the Rocky Mountains in
ley, New York’s first farm winery, until 2006. Ben-

marl was founded by Eric Miller’s parents, Mark

and Dene Miller, in 1971.

2 2 | WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

DDo you know wine fact from wine by Tim Rayborn
fallacy? Wine, of course, has a remarkably
Fact or

WineFallacy:
an Intriguing History
the splendid name of Scorpion I (ca. 3,000 Wine was seen as an important part of the
BCE) was buried with numerous clay jars process, whether in embalming or

long history, having been a pillar of filled with wine imported from Jordan in filling jars for the tomb so that the

civilization dating back to ancient times. (Egypt at this time does not seem to have deceased could drink it in the afterlife. The

During those long centuries, the beloved cultivated its own grapes). Many of these fact that Egyptians made the effort to

drink has accumulated a collection of wines were “spiked” with medicinal herbs, import some wine shows the great value

legends, lore, and stories that is probably presumably to aid the departed king in his they placed on it.

unrivaled by any other beverage. From afterlife journey. FACT OR FALLACY — 2
myths about gods of wine to the experi-
ences of the humblest of vine-growing Indeed, wine was shipped over great
peasants, there is a tale to go with almost But wine was equal- distances for many thousands of years,
every bottle. Some of these accounts are ly important in the showing just how prized it was. According
ridiculously false, while others are merely embalming pro- to one medieval story, it was actually the
specious, but some are intriguingly true. cess for the mum- wine grapes that made a fantastic journey.
Many were believed for a long time before mies of the wealthy
being proven false. and the nobility. It Thibaut IV, King of Navarre (1201–53), was
seems that sweet also Count of the region of Champagne. He
palm wine was a

For fun, have a read-through of these five preferred embalming agent, and was used was a gifted poet and musician; a number

wine-related tales from the past few after the corpse’s abdominal organs were of his songs survive and are still performed.

thousand years, and see if you can taken out (the heart was not removed, as In 1239, he led a faction of French barons

determine which are real and which are no it was believed to be the center of the and their armies on a crusade to the

more than fanciful yarns before getting the person’s whole being). The empty space Middle East. On his return in 1240, he was

answer in the final section of each story. was washed with this wine to purify it and said to have brought three important

We’ll start off in the distant past. then treated with spices, including myrrh, souvenirs: the Apothecary’s rose (native

cinnamon, and other aromatics. The cavity to Eastern Europe and Turkey), a piece of

FACT OR FALLACY — 1 was then allowed to dry before the body the true cross (of which many seemed to
was stuffed and sewn shut again. circulate in those times), and the
The ancient Egyptians enjoyed various Chardonnay grape. Being count of the
alcoholic drinks, especially beer, but they And yes, this is all true. Mummification now-famous region, he oversaw its plant-
also consumed wine, made from both rituals were extremely elaborate and ing and cultivation there, and the rest is
grapes and palms, and revered it for its complex and were designed to ensure history.
medical properties. An early pharaoh with the proper preservation of the dead body.

AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 | 2 3

Except, that it really isn’t. The legend that to the Turks’ 40,000 or
Chardonnay originated in Lebanon and so. A Turkish victory
Syria was claimed to be true by some grape seemed to be a forgone
growers and wine makers in those areas, conclusion.
but there is no basis for it. DNA tests have
shown that the beloved varietal comes But the Hungarians
from a cross between grapes in the Pinot
family and Gouais Blanc, the latter of which were saved by an
may have been brought by the Romans to
the Champagne region (though this theory unexpected source:
is also hotly disputed). In any case, there’s
no chance that Thibaut brought the grape wine. At one point, the
back from his travels. Still, his connection to
the Champagne region and the fact that troops were granted Persepolis stairs of the Apadana relief
Chardonnay’s first mention was in 1330, rations of red wine to
when Cistercian monks recorded planting
it in their vineyards, make the story of the boost their morale, since defeat was all but have been discovered in ancient Persia. A
singing crusader king and his roses, wine
grapes, and true cross a tempting one to certain. In their eagerness to drink the young noblewoman (possibly a member
entertain.
beverage, many soldiers spilled it down of the royal harem) fell out of favor with

their beards, tunics, and armor, making King Jamshid and was banished. She was

it look like they had drunk blood. This so despondent over being rejected that

unnerved the Ottomans so much that they she decided to poison herself by consum-

feared what might happen to them if these ing the juice of old grapes that had gone

warriors were unleashed on them, off and had been marked as poison. But of

FACT OR FALLACY — 3 and they withdrew. course, they had merely fermented into a
primitive kind of wine. Instead of dying, she
Even after the medieval period, conflicts Well, this one may be partially true, but discovered that she felt better, and so took
giving all the credit to wine would be her discovery back to the king (another
between Christian Europe and the Islamic greatly overstating the drink’s properties. In account says that she passed out and woke
fact, a young commander named Gergely up hungover). Jamshid became enamored
Middle East continued. For several Bornemissza (1526–1555) made stunning of this miraculous beverage and ordered
use of various kinds of explosives and dec- grapes to be cultivated at Persepolis to
centuries, the greatest threat facing Europe imated the Ottoman ranks with early forms make more of it. And he also presumably
of grenades, among other pyrotechnic welcomed back the woman for her amaz-
was the Turkish Ottoman Empire, which at wonders. Now, presenting a horde of angry, ing discovery.
fired-up soldiers dripping red wine off their
times, seemed

almost unstop-

pable. The Ot-

toman Sultan faces and clothes might well have given the Well, none of this really happened, of

Suleiman the Hungarians some psychological advantage, course. But wine consumption in Persia has

Magnificent of course. If the Ottoman soldiers—who a very long tradition. Wine grapes may have

(1494–1566), being Muslim, didn’t drink alcohol—really been cultivated in the Zagros Mountains

arguably the saw such a sight, it might well have terrified of northwestern Iran as long ago as 5,400

Sultan Suleiman greatest leader them, especially as bombs and fireworks BCE. Later, the Persian city of Shiraz
The Magnificent in the empire’s
were going off all around them. In any case, became renowned for its grapes and wines,

history, oversaw a military expansion that this prohibition on alcohol had not always and another legend arose that the French

sent shockwaves of fear through Europe, been in place, and wine was enjoyed Syrah grape originated from there and was

as their territories seemed to fall to him extensively throughout the ancient brought back—once again—by a crusader,

with ease. During one campaign in 1552, Middle East. this time one Gaspard de Stérimberg in the

Suleiman’s army besieged Eger Castle in FACT OR FALLACY — 4 thirteenth century. Alas, DNA testing again
prevailed and confirmed that this imagi-
Hungary. The defenders were hopelessly Indeed, a form of fermented grapes may native tale wasn’t true. Syrah seems to be

outnumbered: a little over 2,000, compared

2 4 | WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

local to the Rhone Valley, after all, where it’s response, he condemned violence against excess was almost a requirement of such
been enjoyed for centuries. And speaking Jews (who some blamed for causing gatherings. So while he was tolerant and
of the Rhone… the plague), offered remission of sins to humanistic, he was also self-indulgent and
FACT OR FALLACY — 5 plague victims, and was a noted patron sometimes foolish.
Clement VI (1291–1352, reigned 1342– of the arts in those dark times. But the
1352) was pope during a time when the famed poet Petrarch (1304–74) was not These entertaining examples of wine lore
papacy and its entourage resided in the fond of Clement, writing that he was “foul show that while you can’t always believe
city of Avignon, just south of the Rhone with indulgences, bald, red-faced, with fat what you read, sometimes truth is just as
Valley, rather than in its traditional seat in haunches, half-covered by his scanty gown surprising and strange as legend.
Rome. This move came about for political bent not so much by age as by hypocrisy.”
reasons, and a series of fourteenth About The Author
Indeed, Clement was particularly fond of
Clement VI (1291-1352) the fine wines produced nearby. He was Tim Rayborn is a writer and classical
said to have enjoyed drinking wine so musician based in the San Francisco
century popes found the southern French much that he once celebrated mass while Bay Area. The author of several books,
city a safer place to be. Clement also had drunk, thus allegedly inspiring the phrase, he is currently working on two new
the misfortune to reign during the first “as drunk as the pope.” ones: a history of wine and wine
wave of the Black Death (bubonic plague, culture in England, and a collection
1348–50), which ravaged Europe. In This story seems to be true. Clement was of dark and strange anecdotes and
known to enjoy a lavish, very secular stories about food and drink from an-
lifestyle, and to have indulged in all cient times to the present day. www.
manner of worldly excesses. There were timrayborn.com
rumors that he kept a private harem, and
he was known to throw extravagant ban-
quets and celebrations on par with those
of his royal contemporaries. Drinking to

AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 | 2 5

Cork Egypt and in Greece. Through the centuries, it became
Gets the primary stopper of choice regardless of the
container, and for centuries it was just loosely fitted
Its and could be easily extracted by hand. But in the early
17th century, as glass bottles became more common,
by Roger Morris the cork was stuffed completely into the bottle, and
the corkscrew needed to be invented as a way to get
Swagger the cork back out.
Back
This practice continued with slight modifications until a few
Portuguese producers tout cork’s wine quality decades ago when a variety of circumstances challenged
cork’s primacy. Chief among these was that wine became
I perception, benefits of cork forests, bottle democratized, and many new drinkers, who no longer needed
oxygenation – and a goal of eliminating TCA. to carry a bottle opener to flip off the crown caps on pop
t is one of nature’s interesting quirks – or should I say bottles or punch holes in the tops of their steel cans, saw no
reason to contend with carrying a corkscrew. They were
quercus? – that wine has for centuries been fermented looking for convenience. Enter the screw or twist-off wine
and aged in oak barrels, then traditionally sealed with cap. Wine companies catering to this entry-level drinker
oak corks. The two seem to have a natural affinity. were delighted, as corks are an expensive markup for a
In fact, cork stoppers (quercus suber) were there before low-margin product.
oak barrels (generally quercus robur) came into service.
Cork was used as a closure for amphorae in ancient But cork’s patina of invincibility was breached when
some cork producers let down their quality control
Cork forest at Coruche standards, partly in response to increased worldwide
demand, and produced stoppers that too-often had
TCA or were not stable enough to last more than a
couple of decades. These set off alarms and also set
up the Great Cork Debate: How TCA-free can corks
really be? [Editor’s note: TCA stands for 2,4,6-trichloroan-
isole, a chemical that creates musty aromas and flavors
in wines—aka cork taint] Are plastic or metal stoppers
as good as or better than cork? Are corks as reliable as
they once were for long-time aging? Do we need the

cork ceremony for a romantic dinner with
wine?

Many wine producers were – and still
are – irked. Port scion Rupert Symington,
whose family operates several premium
Port wineries, complained to me recently
of having to prematurely re-cork many of
their 1990’s vintages in their cellars
because of deteriorating stoppers.

In response, for the past 15 years, cork
producers have scrambled, spending
millions of dollars on research and
advanced facilities to address these is-
sues. Recently APCOR – Associação Por-

2 6 | WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

tuguesa da Cortiça – invited me to Portugal to assess Harvest nor-
their progress.
mally takes
INSIDE THE CORK FOREST
place between
As we drive through rural Portugal, one part of my brain
– the one that has to do with expectations – is sending May and July
a message to the part of my brain in charge of observing
what is actually is front of me: “Recalculating!” each year,

We are about an hour northeast of Lisbon on the road and trees that
to, well – it doesn’t really lead anywhere in particular –
when we turn off unto a dirt track which takes us into are harvested
a cork forest at Coruche. As we climb out of the SUV,
it becomes apparent that my definition of forest as a this year will
“dense plantation of trees” really doesn’t fit here.
have an “8” for
Instead, we are on an open plain with small groves
of cork trees that are far enough apart that there are 2018 painted
grasses and wildflowers and light underbrush growing
between the individual trees. It is not beautiful in the where the cork
spectacular sense, but if you want to see nature’s
harmony, the cork forest at Coruche is almost heavenly. was removed,
“We need to maintain biodiversity here,” explains Carlota
Alves Barata, who is in charge of maintaining the forest which means
and its cork harvest. She explains that many birds and
game animals live in these woods and that hunting the trees may
takes place each fall to keep their numbers in check.
be ready to
Although this and most cork forests were planted
decades ago before sustainability and global be harvested Cork slabs before production
warming were concerns, APCOR and its members right- again in 2027.
fully use the forest to get across two messages: cork is
completely natural, and the biodiversity of cork forests “ The first harvest is not that high in quality,” Barata says,
helps alleviate a number of environmental issues,
including control of carbon dioxide. and these cork slabs may be used for composite corks

This will not be the first harvest for most of these trees. or for housing materials. The second harvest, when the
More than a few people believe that cork trees are cut
down to harvest the cork, when in fact they aren’t cut tree is about 34 years old, will probably yield quality
down at all – and there would be a fine from the
government for doing so, whatever the reason. whole-cork wine stoppers.
Instead they are harvested multiple times over their
long lives, the first time when the tree is about 25 years
old, judged on a combination of height and diameter. “When you plant a cork forest, you won’t get anything
The second harvest will be about nine years later.
After being tested for quality and readiness, large strips from it, and maybe your children won’t either,” says
several inches deep are cut manually and removed in a
ring around the tree. Carlos de Jesus, an executive for Amorim, Portugal’s

largest cork producer.
AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG
Indeed, those who plant cork forests do so isn an act of
faith in the future. Nevertheless, about 2.2 million hect-
ares (5.4 million acres) of cork forests are planted world-
wide, mainly in Portugal, Spain, France and North Africa.

The amount of cork cut from a tree is measured in a
unit called an “arroba,” which uses the now-familiar
“@” as its symbol and which weighs about 33 pounds.
A typical harvest for the forest at Coruche would be
about 10,000 @. Because not all trees have matured
at the same rate, harvesting of some trees takes place
every year. Of the estimated 18.5 billion wine bottles
annually needing stoppers, about 12 billion are cork
and the rest primarily screw caps. Plastic corks, almost
everyone agrees, are an idea whose time has passed.

And for good measure, the cork people cite studies
that show cork forests are among the world’s most
bio-diverse natural environments, supporting more
than 37 species of mammals, 160 of birds and 24 of

WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 | 2 7

reptiles and amphibians. The forests are also estimated have undergone 10 gas chromatography tests to check
to retain 14 million tons of CO2 annually. for TCA,” de Jesus says. He also explains that recent re-
search shows how cork stoppers actually give oxygen
CURING THE HARVEST to the bottled wine, and it isn’t by breathing. Instead,
each cork contains millions of cells filled with gases,
From the Coruche forest, it is only a few minutes’ drive mainly oxygen compounds. When the cork is com-
to Amorim’s cork storage and curing facility. In most pressed as it is inserted into a bottle, it causes the cells
ways, it reminds me of a country lumber mill with long to gush out micro-doses of oxygen into the wine to aid
stacks of corks waiting for processing in the morning in its graceful aging.
sun.
MAKING CORKS
Each strip of cork is up to two feet long and a half foot
to a foot wide. Each strip is lightly curled, like a big The following day
pork rind, reflecting in part the shape of the tree it was
taken from. In spite of their seeming fragility, cork slabs outside of Porto
are not easily crushed and are stacked in 10-foot high
rows, a layer or two wide, and some rows are 50 or so in the country’s
yards long.
northern region,
The fight against TCA starts here. Even though the
slabs are stored outside, the area is well-drained to pre- Nuno Silva, mar-
vent undue standing moisture in case of a rain. As we
walk by, one worker pushes ahead of him a portable keting manager for
buzz saw unit. Stopping at one corridor of corks, he be-
gins cutting on the ends of each strip where as part of M.A. Silva takes me
the tree had been anchored against the soil – a prime
source of TCA. It is a time-consuming but necessary on a factory tour
chore.
where slabs of cork
Underneath a huge shed open to the outside, another
preventive measure is taking place. “We try to fight fire are turned into the
with fire,” says de Jesus. Stainless-steel pallets of cork
are hoisted into the air and lowered into giant caul- finished products.
drons of boiling water for an hour – in part to clean
the cork bark of dirt and debris, but mainly to kill the “Ours is a family
precursors to TCA. The system was initiated in 2000 and
is generally considered to be a major step forward in Punching out corks company, founded
eradicating TCA. in 1972” he says,

It is here that the cork is also graded according to “and we produce about 600 million cor ks per year.”
quality for its end use. Again, this is done manually by
workers trained to spot both superior qualities in the
cork as well as flaws. Some slabs will be pulverized and As with most producers, Silva’s corks slabs are graded
used into composite corks. Some will be used to form
discs for such uses as the tops and bottles of sparkling for thickness and visual appearance and steamed clean
wine corks or in spirits capsules. These are punched out
horizontally, which full cork stoppers are punched out at a facility in the south. When they arrived at the
vertically.
Porto factory, they are trimmed of any excess or unus-
“Before we are finished with the process [at Amorim’s
cork-processing facilities], each individual cork will able sections, then sawed into narrow sections of cork,

2 8 | WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 each of which can produce a handful – say 6-8 – of

corks from each piece.


Punching is done by a row of workers who insert the

slice of cork into a punching machine which knocks out

the single-piece corks, and the excess pieces are set

aside to make composite cork. “After they are punched,

the corks are electronically graded and separated for

size and quantity,” Silva explains. “ Then their heads are

polished and then their bodies are polished.” They are

washed and sterilizes as well and are visually inspected

as they pass down a line, much the same as grape

sorting that takes place at harvest. Depending on a

winery’s order, the corks may be branded with the wine

producers’ mark, either by fire or ink.



AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

Then there are all those chromatography tests to factor Champagne corks ready for shipping.
in. All is all, the process is an impressive combination
of old-fashion craftsmanship – the hand-punching of businesses. Of course, there will be much wine – all
each cork and the visual inspections – and high-tech from cork-stoppered bottles, of course – and great
chemical analysis. food. I had previously talked with Amorim during a
visit a few years earlier, and I am impressed with how
INTO THE FUTURE much more emphatic and positive his message has be-
come on cork’s reputational comeback.
That same day, I get a chance to look into the future at
Amorim’s research facility, also near Porto, where head Our small dinner group discusses many things, includ-
researcher Miguel Cabral goes through an impressive ing studies which show that most consumers equate
presentation. The research facility, he says, was estab- bottles with corks as containing superior wines. Not
lished in 1999 to study TCA infection and how to com- that they prefer, or will only drink, wines with cork, but
bat it. that a cork still infers universal wine quality.

Some of the highlights: Most of the APCOR and Amorim people around the ta-
ble are not willing to concede that Stelvin and other
• A path of traceability can track any TCA-infected screw cap closures will always have a hefty share of
cork to its production lot and thence to its source. the market, and they are confident they are no longer
losing market share. In fact, demand continues to in-
• Much of the origins of TCP, the TPA precursor, can crease, even among lower-priced wines where the cost
be traced to the soils around the trees where the a good cork can greatly reduce profit margin.
humidity level is at its highest.
But if there is one closing message that Amorim has
• Boiling the cork slabs was found to be the best about corks – at least his own corks: “Our goal is no
way of eradicating most TCA infection. longer to reduce TCA in corks,” he says. “Our goal is to
completely eradicate it. We are perhaps two to three
• Surprisingly, man is the source of much TCA years from doing that. We’ve done the marathon. Now
infection (which can show up in other crops) by the we need to cross the finish line.”
spraying crop-protection chemicals containing TCP.
About The Author
• Since 2015, there have been no reports of
Amorim’s primary corks to have TCA. Roger Morris is a Pennsylvania-based writer who
contributes article to several publications,
• An important commercial, non-TCA discovery is including Wine Enthusiast, Town & Country,
that cork oaks more densely planted and irrigated The Drinks Business, Beverage Media and
might reduce the time of the first harvest from 25 TheDailyMeal.com. Roger can be reached at
years to 8-9 years, which would reduce cork costs. [email protected].

• Since corks have gas-filled cells that pump oxygen WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 | 2 9
into wines when the corks are forced into the
bottle’s neck, I decide to ask what may be a stupid
question: Because many producers are trying to
reduce the amount of sulfur in their wines, espe-
cially that added just before bottling, could corks
be infused with smaller amounts of the preserva-
tive that would be released during corking? “Actu-
ally, it’s something that we’ve been studying,”
Cabral says, “along with other things we could
add to the cork.”

DINNER WITH ANTONIO AMORIM

That evening, my last in Portugal, I have dinner at the
in-city estate of Antonio Amorim, head of the fami-
ly-owned Corticeira Amorim, one of Portugal’s premier

AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

21 Wines to Watch EllenLandis,CS,CSW

Louis Roederer | 2009 Cristal Brut | Reims, France Tishbi Estate | 2016 Sauvignon Blanc | Galilee, Israel

A classic with its earthiness and yeasty aromas mesmerizing the senses. Intensely flavored, Unveiling a delicate aroma of citrus fruits up front, this Sauvignon Blanc offers up old
this expressive cuvée is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. Sautéed apples, hints and new world characteristics. Minerally all the way through, with lemon-lime,
of pomegranate, chalky notes and a touch of fresh squeezed lemon weave around a pleasing salinity, and delightful herbaceous elements wrapped around a core of star fruit. Crisp, bright,
backdrop of minerality. Rich and complex with an energetic stream of tiny bubbles persisting and beautifully balanced.
through the forever finish.
Food pairing: Tilapia piccata | SRP: $14 | www.tishbi.com
Food pairing: Crab ravioli | SRP: $200 | www.louis-roederer.com
Golan Heights Winery | 2014 “Yarden” Cabernet Sauvignon | Galilee, Israel
Psagot Winery | 2014 Edom | Judean Hills, Israel This Cab Sauvignon dominant wine (blended with 15% Merlot) opens with a fragrant
scent of violets. In the mouth, plum preserves, a basket full of fresh boysenberries, black
Here is a beautifully structured Bordeaux blend crafted of 63% Merlot,16% Cab Sauvignon, currants, hints of hot chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla elements are richly layered, with
11% Petit Verdot and 10% Cab Franc showcasing power and elegance. Confident and snappy acidity lifting the dark fruit. The toasty oak (18 months in French barrels) is nicely
complex, it traverses down the palate with intensity and precision. Cassis, black plums, cedar, integrated, tannins are gentle, and the finish is juicy.
sweet tobacco notes, and underlying oak spices unravel gracefully, supported by a firm
backbone of tannins. Well-knit and approachable now, with the promise of many years ahead. Food pairing: Saffron lamb kebabs | SRP: $30 | www.golanheights.co.il

Food pairing: Slow roasted prime rib of beef | SRP: $42 | www.psagotwines.com Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards | 2016 Estate Cuvee Gruner Veltliner
UmpquaValley, Oregon
Karmei Yosef Winery | 2017 BRAVDO Chardonnay | Samson, Israel
Many know I am passionate about this grape, and Reustle Prayer Rock hit another home run
This elegant sur lie Chardonnay displays lovely balance and complexity. Baked Honeycrisp ap- with this magnificent 2016 GV. The aroma is simply irresistible, and the fine-tuned layers of
ples, creamy pears, vanilla bean and a hint of toffee from the 40% new French and American citrus blossom, Granny Smith apple, star fruit and dusting of white pepper exhilarate the palate.
oak aging meld in harmony. Enlivened by nice acids and a generous splash of citrus, it is It beams with brilliant acidity while maintaining impressive balance. It is a shining jewel, and
ethereal in the mouth, and finishes with style. age-worthy, if you can resist popping the cork!

Food pairing: Pan roasted dorade with lemon-butter sauce | SRP: $32 | www.bravdo.co.il Food pairing: Lobster spring rolls | SRP: $24 | www.reustlevineyards.com

Red Poetry Winery | 2015 “Red Free” White Wine | Judean Hills, Israel E16 Winery | 2016 Baby Rattlesnake Vineyard Barbera | Fairplay, California

Rarely you’ll come upon a white wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon, and this is a crisp and From vineyards perched at an elevation of 2,400 feet comes this exquisite, floral-scented
bright one. Crystal clear in hue, it is fresh and vivacious. A vivid level of acidity marries well with Barbera. Perfectly ripened blackberry and plum fruit at the core marry pleasing earthy notes,
aromas and flavors of citrus, Rainier cherries, yellow plums, and chopped herbs. It refreshes the savory spice, a nice edge of minerality and well integrated oak. Precisely balanced with vibrant
palate as it heads to a lovely blood orange scented finish. acidity and refined tannins, and the finish is long and graceful.

Food pairing: Broiled opakapaka | SRP: $14.50 | www.talfarm.wixsite.com/red-poetry Food pairing: Rigatoni with pork ragu | SRP: $38 | www.e16winery.com

Barkan Vineyards | 2016 Special Reserve Sauvignon Blanc | Upper Galilee, Israel Element 79 Vineyards | 2016 Abbey’s Rosé | Fairplay, California

Aromas of citrus and sun-kissed tree fruits remind me of a bright summer day. The lively and Showing off a sparkling pale pink hue and a fragrance of berries, this pleasing blend of Syrah,
invigorating palate displays juicy layers of sweet Meyer lemon, grapefruit, guava, crushed herbs Zinfandel and Viognier welcomes you into the glass. Dry and crisp, with flavors of cranberry-
and crunchy green apples. A silky mouthfeel and vivacious level of acidity keeps it satisfying orange juice, strawberry, and hints of stone fruit tickling the taste buds. Lively, well balanced
through the extended finish. and thirst-quenching through the delightful finish.

Food pairing: Tempura shrimp | SRP: $20 | www.barkan-winery.co.il Food pairing: Parmesan dusted spinach tortellini | SRP: $26 |www.element79vineyards.com

Recanati Winery | 2015 Reserve Merlot | Upper Galilee, Israel Sentivo Vineyards & Winery | 2013 Tribute Reserve Red Blend
Fair Play, California
Dark berry and spice on the nose draw you into the glass. There you’ll find luscious
flavors of fresh blueberries, black raspberries, spiced plum jam, licorice, vanilla bean, and This dynamic blend of 67% Syrah and 33% Grenache, from the Fair Play AVA (contained within
mocha. Eighteen months of French oak barrel aging contributes an attractive level of oak the El Dorado AVA), broadcasts a deep purple hue, and intense berry aromas. Rich with a firm
spice. Smoothly textured with gentle tannins, it’s a delightful palate pleaser, and will keep you tannic backbone framing juicy blackberries, black raspberries, roasted meat, tobacco notes and
reaching for more. freshly ground black peppercorns. Lush and gratifying all the way through.

Food pairing: Veal scaloppini | SRP: $32 | www.recanati-winery.com Food pairing: Braised pork shoulder | SRP: $36 www.sentivovineyards.com

3 0 | WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

Rombauer Vineyards | 2017 Sauvignon Blanc | Napa Valley, California Chateau Pichon Longueville | 2007 Comtesse de Lalande
Pauillac, Bordeaux, France
2017 Sauvignon Blanc; Napa Valley, California: This recently released second vintage of This sophisticated red Bordeaux displays dusty earth characteristics up front. Broadening on
Sauv Blanc from Rombauer is flavor packed and expressive. Just the ticket for backyard the palate are layers of black currant, black raspberry, forest floor notes, wild blackberry, anise
gatherings on sunny, early fall days. Exuberant and refreshing as crisp Honeydew melon, seed, tobacco, roasted coffee, leather, herbs and sweet oak spices. Beautifully integrated tannins
subtle herbs and lemon meringue pie flavors enliven the palate, and brisk acidity provides and precise balance marry with the well-defined berry fruit. The wine finishes with impressive
a perfect counterpart. Full of vibrancy, with a zesty, lingering aftertaste. depth and length; the aftertaste goes on forever.
Food pairing: Wagyu beef tenderloin | SRP: $160 | www.pichon-comtesse.com
Food pairing: Scallop and sea bass ceviche SRP: $24 www.rombauer.com
Domaine de l’Aigle | 2016 “Aigle Royal” Chardonnay | Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Story Winery | 2016 Primitivo | Shenandoah Valley, California From one of Gerard Bertrand’s estates comes this enticing, stone fruit and floral fragranced
Chardonnay. This pleasing quaffer was treated with malolactic fermentation before aging in
It’s been a while since I’ve tasted a Primitivo as compelling as this one. Dark and deeply barrel. The toasty oak is evident without overwhelming the fruit. Herb flecked nectarines,
flavored, it is smooth, juicy and succulent on the palate. Lip-smacking layers of blackberry butterscotch and a ribbon of minerality fill the mouth, and the finish features a refreshing
jam and strawberry rhubarb pie meld with subtle oak and savory spice highlights. twist of lime.
The acids provide a perfect accompaniment to the dense fruit, and the tannins are round Food pairing: Pinto bean and avocado burger | SRP: $32 | www.gerard-bertrand.com
and approachable.
Chateau Rieussec | 2009 1er Grand Cru Classé Sauternes | Bordeaux, France
Food pairing: Tandoori chicken | SRP: $24 | www.storywinery.com Aromas of honey and apricots provide a heavenly lead in to this deeply flavored
Sauternes, crafted primarily of Semillon, with a bit of Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle.
Macchia Wines | 2016 Rebellious Petite Sirah | Lodi, California Sweet guava, brown sugar sautéed pineapple, orange marmalade, dried peach, spice, and
roasted almonds burst onto the palate, accompanied by a thread of minerality. Rich with
Black fruits and spice on the nose speak clearly of this highly spirited wine. Multidimensional a velvety mouthfeel, and the vibrant level of acidity provides good energy and lift. Still in
with boysenberry, black currants, licorice drops, toasty oak spices and ground pink peppercorns its youth, I envision decades of aging will reap further rewards.
weaving a colorful display of flavors across the palate. Well-crafted with firm tannins and acids Food pairing: Roquefort cheese | SRP: $65 (375ml) | www.lafite.com
supporting the concentrated fruit; drink now or cellar for future enjoyment.
About The Author
Food pairing: Pork roast with a Camembert cream sauce | SRP: $26 |www.macchiawines.com
Ellen Landis, CS, CSW, is a published wine writer, certified
Sobon Estate | 2016 Tannat | Amador County, California
sommelier, wine educator and professional wine judge. She
This rich and pleasing Tannat showcases what America can achieve with this teinturier grape, a
variety more widely grown in Uruguay. Deeply hued, pure and bright, with florals on the nose spent four years as a sommelier at the Ritz Carlton and
giving way to mouth coating, luscious flavors. Bing cherry, cocoa-laced wild berries, and fresh
chopped herbs wrap around firm tannins. Finely balanced, and the finish is memorable. sixteen years as Wine Director/Sommelier at the award

Food pairing: Smoked leg of lamb | SRP: $28 | www.sobonwine.com winning boutique hotel she and her husband built

Gérard Bertrand | 2014 Clos d’Ora La Livinière Minervois and operated in Half Moon Bay, CA. They recently sold the
Languedoc-Roussillon, France
hotel to devote more time to the world of wine. Ellen is a
Dark fruit and floral aromas set the stage. On entry, fresh turned earth notes and forest berries
put you in an old world frame of mind. This blend of Syrah, Mourvédre, Carignan moderator for highly acclaimed wine events, judges
and Grenache shows off remarkable depth and complexity. Eucalyptus, roasted meat,
mushrooms, blackberries and spiciness join in mid palate, supported by firmly structured numerous regional, national and international wine
tannins.With all its body and depth, it is lithe and flows easily across the palate. I envision a long
life ahead; your patience will be rewarded! competitions each year, and creates and executes wine

Food pairing: Grilled venison loin | SRP: $220 | www.gerardbertrand.com seminars for individuals and corporations. She has traveled

Coup de Foudre | 2013 Pinot Noir | Sonoma Coast, California extensively to wine regions around the globe.

Red fruits and earthy notes waft from the glass with this complex and well-balanced Pinot Noir. Contact Ellen at [email protected]
Savory notes shine at first sip, interlacing with Sweetheart cherries, red currants, caramelized
mushrooms, fresh strawberries, Asian spice and cola accents. Lovely purity of fruit is carried by
a divine satin-like texture, and skillfully managed oak adds dimension without overpowering.
Finishes long with verve; an engaging and cellar-worthy wine.

Food pairing: Mushroom and barley risotto | SRP: $90 | www.coupdefoudrewine.com

AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG WINE JOURNAL : FALL : 2018 | 3 1

newornoteworthy
by Jim Rink

MICHIGAN’S COLD These cultivars require fewer growing been rising at a higher rate than during the
CLIMATE CULTIVARS degree-days (accumulation of heat units day since 1980s. Winemakers are watching
during growing season) than V. vinifera to the increase in average growing season
New plantings of cold climate (resistant) mature fruit. When managed properly, they temperature (GST).
cultivars (Marquette, La Crescent and produce high tonnage and quality result-
Frontenac Gris) at Petoskey Farms Vineyard ing in award winning wines. Moreover, “Today, the business problem is how do we
and Winery and other vineyards in the Tip with relatively higher disease resistance predict the performance outcome
of the Mitt AVA are clear examples of than V. vinifera, these cold climate grape- before we spend the capital to create
expanding Michigan’s grape and wine vines typically require fewer management new vineyards which will thrive 20 years
inputs such as fungicide sprays. from now,” says Doug McKesson, Program
industry by selecting cultivars that match Chair for the Bordeaux-in-America
the conditions of the region. The Tip of the For more information, see www.articles. conference. “ There is a paucity of
Mitt AVA is the coldest grape growing extension.org/pages/69915/growing-
region in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and wine-grapes-in-michigan. Courtesy of Thom-
in terms of phenological development, as Todaro, Michigan State University,
identical cultivars grown in southwest Leelanau County Extension Office.
Michigan are typically two to three weeks
ahead of those grown in Tip of the CLIMATE CHANGE AND
Mitt AVA. CALIFORNIA CABERNETS

The growers in this region were clever in A wine industry conference titled
selecting grapevines that not only survive, ”Bordeaux in America: The Climate Disrup-
but also thrive. In fact, when compared to tion” was held on June 7, 2018 at Ramekins
V. vinifera, cold climate cultivars are unique Event Center in Sonoma, California, just
in their ability to be planted without a 20 minutes outside of Napa Valley.
rootstock (grafting), withstand much lower
winter temperatures with minimal damage Disruptive new information about the
and consistently survive overly dry or wet future vineyard installation in Napa Valley
soil conditions. emerged from the conference, when
climatology, grape growing and wine
economic experts spoke about the effects
of climate on “luxury winegrowing.”

Climate change may be robbing Northern
California Cabernet Sauvignon winemak-
ers. Before sunrise, growing season
temperature in luxury wine country has

3 2 | W I N E J O U R N A L :: FA L L :: 2 0 1 8 AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG

meaningful information about the ANIVIN DE FRANCE, the national trade or- of the long-standing average.
optimum temperature standards for ganization responsible for promoting VIN
varietals to inform winegrowers who are DE FRANCE wines. “We are delighted that Therefore, early flowering was observed
planting new vineyards now.” American wine drinkers have discovered this summer in most of the 13 wine
VIN DE FRANCE and embraced these growing regions. Assuming the weather
“Given that climate models project warmer creative, quality wines in the way that they conditions remain decent, the grapes
temperatures in the Western United States, have. After just five years of availability in will need another solid three months to
we must ask ourselves if luxury wine scores the U.S., VIN DE FRANCE has become syn- achieve optimal ripeness levels.
and prices will be supported in California onymous with quality, value and creativity.”
when GST ap-proaches 70°F (21ºC)? What’s Since weather conditions were perfect in
troubling is that there is no luxury wine VIN DE FRANCE wines can now be found April – in fact, average temperatures were
made in volume in regions with a current across the U.S. at many leading wine the warmest since April 1881 – vintners
GST above 68°F (20°C),” says McKesson. retailers including Total Wine & More, saw huge growth in their vineyards during
Lowes Foods, Blanchards Wine & Spirits, the spring. The concern is now that individ-
AMERICANS LOVE VIN DE FRANCE Spec’s Wine & Spirits and the state ual shoots might break due to heavy loads
managed wine stores of Montgomery when rain hits the vineyard. Vintners will
VIN DE FRANCE designated wines continue County in Maryland. Additionally, during have to foster their vines carefully during
to be embraced by American wine lovers. the months of June and July 2018, 30 New the summer and fall.
In the last 12 months, total imports of VIN York City independent wine retailers are
DE FRANCE designated wines continued a featuring selec-tions of VIN DE FRANCE Each year, producers track the flowering
double-digit growth trend for the 5th year varietal wines. Additional sales promotions stage with great anticipation as smooth
in a row with total U.S. imports growing an are planned for 2018 to support the growth flowering is a positive indicator for a good
impressive 32%1 by volume and 30%1 by of this dynamic category. harvest to come whereas cool tempera-
value. Total volume imported to the U.S. tures during flowering lead to a smaller
topped nearly 1.5M cases1 (9L) totaling 2018 — A GOOD YEAR fruit set and ultimately a smaller yield.
$52M1 (USD) making the U.S. the 5th larg- FOR GERMANY?
est importer1 of VIN DE FRANCE wines.
Summerlike temperatures observed
VIN DE FRANCE is a national classification throughout spring in Germany’s
created following changes in the wine-growing
European regulations. Representing a new regions have led
generation of French wines, VIN DE FRANCE to h i g h h o p e s
wines can be ei-ther a single varietal wine regarding the
or a blend, and producers are permitted to 2018 vintage year.
blend grapes or wines from different At present, it is
regions of France. estimated that
the vines are
“The U.S. presents a tremendous opportu- de v e l o p i n g
nity for VIN DE FRANCE brands and their approximately
pro-ducers,” said Valérie Pajotin, Director of two weeks ahead

AMERICANWINESOCIE T Y.ORG W I N E J O U R N A L :: FA L L : 2 0 1 8 | 3 3

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