| The Wine Industry Uncorked! | | | | By: Byron Carman | << back  Page 2 of 4 next >> |
LOCATION…LOCATION…LOCATION!
France refers to their wines by regions (aka appellation) versus by the type of grapes used. They do so because the region or location to which the grapes are harvested from distinguishes the wines. In the US, we of course know our wines by the grapes used in the processed such as cabernet, chardonnay, etc. In America, wineries can be somewhat deceptive regarding where their grapes are from versus where the wine is produced. In California, there are definite rules to the game though. If grapes come from a specific region a good percentage have to be from the area listed on the wine bottle label.
“Two Buck Chuck” first started off as a company that assists wineries in the crushing, production and bottling of wine. They later discovered that they can purchase surplus grapes from California vineyards and produce it on their own. That said, a bottle of “Chuck” will often reflect it’s a California Wine versus “Carneros - Napa Valley”
Each region or appellation may be ideal for growing a certain type of grape. As people do, some grapes enjoy hot and dry weather, and others enjoy cooler temperatures and perhaps a layer of fog.
On top of weather, the appellation may offer the grapes distinctive soil conditions. One has to prove to the government that they have distinctive soil and conditions in order to proclaim an area as recognized grape growing appellation.
Bottom line; know your grapes and the appellation that produces the best fruit.
MIXICOLOGY
Typically a specific grape is grown for a particular type of wine. For example, a Cabernet Grape is harvested for production of Cabernet wine. However, there are winemakers that like to mix things up a little bit by combining grapes for a unique flavor. These combos go by names such as; Meritage, Duo’s, Trio’s, etc.
Sometimes a winemaker will run short of a certain grape and mix it with others in order to keep production going. With some great mixology skills, a winemaker can often save the day with a unique wine that turns out amazing.
WHERE ART AND LOVE COLLIDE
There’s a fine art to making wine. It’s a lot of about the chemistry, however a lot to do with the passion of the wine maker. While the grapes do play an important role, there’s much more to the picture. The soil and the soil run-off in some cases tend to be very important factor. Nutrients from the ground and what’s nearby can influence the quality of a grape. It’s kind of like us humans…you are what you eat! In grape world, it’s all what the grapevines are ingesting. Vines, more specifically roots absorb the flavors and nutrients from the soil they’re growing in.
After the soil, it’s all about the root stock and the DNA of the vine. Often times a vintner will graft a multitude of DNA from different locations from around the world to produce what they feel is the ultimate grape that will eventually produce the ultimate wine.
The climate to where the grapes are grown has a lot to do with the overall product. Certain grapes are best grown in dry, moist, moderate temperatures, etc.
On top of climate the weather during the harvest year may play a more role in the development of the seed and ultimately the flavor for the grape itself.
LUCY AND ETHEL IT’S TIME TO GET STOMPING!
Its harvest time and the actual selection of which fruit to pick will reflect the quality of the wine produced. As a winemaker once showed me, there’s an ideal color of the seed and then sugar content level of a grape to harvest in order to produce various types of wines. Also hand selecting the fruit is very important. Some grapes are too large, too small or discolored. To produce the best barrel of wine requires good ingredients.
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