Five Fast Facts about Saperavi

March 22, 2024 Leave a comment

In one of the most extreme and impressive examples of everything old is new again that I have ever seen, the Saperavi grape is having a moment in the spotlight. Read on to learn more about the modern incarnation of this most ancient grape!

#1—It is a true Georgia native: Georgia (the country) has been making wine for over 8,000 years and is fittingly referred to as “the birthplace of wine.” With all that time for the vines to adapt and co-mingle, it should come as no surprise that over 500 specific grape varieties are native to the area. While most of these 500+ grapes are still thriving, the two most widely planted grapes of the country are Saperavi (our hero), and Rkatsiteli (a white grape that is both the most widely planted in Georgia and also one of the leading grapes throughout the Caucasus and Eastern Europe).

#2—What is a teinturier? Saperavi is a teinturier: A teinturier is a rare type of red wine grape that has reddish-pinkish colored flesh in addition to the red-blue-black-purple of the skin. Most red grapes—as wine students certainly know—contain white/greyish pulp, which is why maceration (contact with the grape skins) during fermentation is required to produce a wine with a hue on the pink–red–purple spectrum. Other teinturiers—in addition to Saperavi—include Alicante Bouschet and Chambourcin.

#3—Saperavi is to dye for: All that color—the tinted juice as well as the thick, anthocyanin-rich, deep-almost-black color of the skin—means that Saperavi is often used to kick up the color in red wine blends. As such, it makes total sense that the name of the grape is derived from a Georgian word meaning paint, dye, or place of color.

#4—Everything (Saperavi) old is (Saperavi) new again: These days, Saperavi has significant plantings in Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Russia, Bulgaria, and Australia. It has even spread to the Finger Lakes AVA in New York State. It is the leading red grape of Georgia’s well-known Kakheti PDO and is planted throughout many of the other wine regions of the country. In addition to its well-known inky, dark color, rich tannins, and lively acidity, Saperavi-based wines often show aromas of black fruit (dark berries and black currants), sweet spices (nutmeg and cinnamon), tobacco, cocoa, and roasted coffee beans.

#5—Saperavi has a son (or a daughter?): Saperavi is—along with Severny (a complex Vitis amurensis hybrid)—a parent! The result of this pairing—accomplished in the laboratory of Ya Potapenko at the Russian Center for Viticulture and Winemaking in Novocherkassk—is known as Saperavi Saverny and referred to as Northern Saperavi. Northern Saperavi is very cold tolerant (which makes sense for a grape bred to be grown in the Riostov region Russia) is known to produce highly tannic, age-worthy wine. Often blended with its parent grape (Saperavi), the wine thus produced often shows a fruity and herbaceous character.

References/for more information:

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of San Marcos, Texas… missjane@prodigy.net

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Sweet Secrets of the Northern Rhône (the Misfits Series)

March 2, 2024 Leave a comment

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The 30-mile (72-km)-long stretch from Vienne to Valence in France’s Northern Rhône Valley is famous for its sturdy, Syrah-dominant red wines. Just whispering the word Hermitage (or Cornas or Côte-Rôtie) is enough to make a red wine lover smile. Equally well-known—albeit produced in much smaller amounts—are the fruity, floral, and powerful white wines of Condrieu and Château-Grillet (made from 100% Viognier). The area also produces sparkling wines down along its southern edge in the Saint-Péray AOC. While the Marsanne and Roussanne-based bubblies of Saint-Péray may seem somewhat out-of-place in the rough-and-tumble Northern Rhône, they are nevertheless well-known and acknowledged among well-informed enthusiasts and students of wine.

However, there is a secret whispered among the steep, hillside vines of the Northern Rhône, and you can hear it if you really try. It sounds like this—sweet wines are made here too. You may need to tread deep into the cellars to find these wines, but they are here: Hermitage Vin de Paille and Condrieu Doux.

The Condrieu AOC—located towards the northern end of the Northern Rhône, just south of the Côte-Rôtie—is a white wine-only appellation producing richly flavored and -textured wines from 100% Viognier. Like most Viognier-based wines, Condrieu AOC tends to be wildly aromatic, showing perfume-like scents of fruit (apricot, peach, tangerine, mango, fruit cocktail); flowers (honeysuckle, rose petals, jasmine) and baking spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, anise).

It’s a little-known fact, but (like many French wines), Condrieu was historically produced as a sweet wine. Harvest would traditionally begin on All Saint’s Day (November 1). It was not until the mid-1950s that the leading style of Condrieu shifted to the heady, dry wines that make up the majority of the production today.

In keeping with tradition, some wineries in Condrieu still produce sweet wines (alongside their dry versions). Cave Yves Cuilleron produces a sweet (11% RS) Condrieu, Condrieu Ayguets Doux. According to their website, the south-facing aspect of the vineyard promotes over-ripeness, and the grapes (harvested in stages from mid-October to mid-November) were at least partially affected by botrytis in the 2018 vintage. The resulting sweet wine was matured for eight months in oak barriques and emerged with “notes of candied fruits, honey, wax and mild spice.”

Other examples of sweet Condrieu include Domaine du Monteillet’s Condrieu doux Candice (made from 50% botrytized grapes), Domaine Christophe Pichon Cuvée Patience, and E. Guigal Condrieu Luminescence (produced only a few times over the history of the estate using ultra-over-ripe grapes).

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The Hermitage AOC—located on a famous south-facing, terraced hillside towering above the curving Rhône River and the town of Tain-Hermitage—is well-known for its sturdy, fruity-but-earthy Syrah-dominant red wines. The red wines of the region allow for the use of up to 15% (combined) Marsanne and Roussanne grapes, and white wines—based mainly on the Marsanne grape variety and known for being dry, sturdy, and long-lived—are produced as well.

Viticulture in Hermitage can be traced back thousands of years, and many people believe this hillside to be the actual—or perhaps just spiritual—birthplace of the Syrah variety. Vines were tended, and wine was produced in the area as far back as Roman times, when the local wine was referred to as the “wines of Vienne.” Among these ancient wines were sweet wines made from grapes allow to dry (raisinate) on straw mats after harvest. This style of wine—now known in this area as Vin de Paille—is being produced again, now under the auspices of the Hermitage AOC.

According to the rules and regulations, Hermitage Vin de Paille may be produced using the Marsanne and/or Roussanne grape variety. The grapes—which may be picked at a “typical” level of sugar ripeness—are left to dry on straw mats for a minimum of 45 days and until they have a minimum must weight of 350 g/l. While not required, the rich, sweet juice is typically barrel fermented and oak aged for several years before bottling. The resulting wines are intended to be very aromatic—redolent of candied fruit—with good levels of sugar and alcohol, and very well poised for long aging.

M. Chapoutier has—since 1990—occasionally produced a Hermitage Vin de Paille; the 2009 vintage was made from 100% Marsanne grapes that had been dried on straw mats for two months before pressing. The wine produced in 2009—which the winery advises may continue to successfully age for up to 50 years—has almost 15% abv and 10.5% residual sugar. The wine (as reported by the estate) has a deep, golden yellow color and intense aromas of candied fruits and honey. It is suggested to be served with fruit desserts…or as a dessert by itself.

Sweet wines of the Northern Rhône…they are fascinating, ancient, and true misfits, but secret no more!

References/for more information:

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of San Marcos, Texas… missjane@prodigy.net

Filed under The Misfits Series

Aspect: East, West, (and Romeo’s)

February 1, 2024 Leave a comment

What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.

Many people will recognize these famous lines  from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (Act 2, Scene 2) . However, it would take a true-and-total wine geek to understand how hearing that line—one of the most romantic ever written—inspired me to write a blog post about east-west aspect and its effect on a vineyard (and yet it did). Something about Romeo invoking the sun rising in the east reminded me of the concept of eastern aspect—as it was used in a recent discussion of the vineyards of the Côte d’Or—and here we are.

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Wine students are well-aware that in the Northern Hemisphere, south-facing slopes (hillsides with southern aspect) receive the benefit of more direct sunlight (solar radiation/insolation) than other areas (those that are flat or facing north). These directions are flip-flopped in the Southern Hemisphere, where hillsides with a northern aspect have the sunshine advantage. The CliffsNotes version of north-south aspect is that if a hill faces the equator, it receives the bonus insolation.

Lesser known to wine students (but very important to realtors, as I learned) are the effects of eastern and western aspects, as discussed below:

Eastern aspect: These vineyards receive sunshine in the morning, when the sun’s rays are at their gentlest, and the ambient temperature is comparatively cool. This morning glow helps to dry out the vineyards from dew and overnight rain, helping to prevent fungi, mildew, and some disease. Eastern aspect can “kick-start” photosynthesis in the morning and can also help prevent vines from over-heating in the hot afternoons. Vineyards with eastern aspect tend to have lower maximum daytime temperatures, cooler overall ambient temperatures, and may experience delayed budbreak as compared to other spots.

Western aspect: Vineyards on west-facing slopes receive a good deal of sunlight during the afternoon—typically the warmest time of the day. Vineyards with western aspect may warm earlier in the spring and be among the first vines to undergo budbreak. Western aspect can be especially beneficial in areas near the coast and other places that are susceptible to wind and marginal weather. Western aspect can be a boon to late-ripening and heat-seeking grapes that require a lot of warmth and energy in order to fully ripen. However, It can be a challenge in areas prone to humidity, as the drying-out of dew-, fog-, or rain-related moisture will occur later in the day (as compared to east-facing vines).

Does that make sense to you, Romeo?

References/for more information:

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of San Marcos, Texas… missjane@prodigy.net

 

Filed under WineGeo

(Under the) Tuscan Syrah

January 18, 2024 1 Comment

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Tuscany is truly the land of Sangiovese; most of its famous wines—all variations of Chianti, beloved Brunello, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano to name but a few—are based around Sangiovese in all its glory. However, in the Cortona DOC—tucked into one tiny southeastern corner of the province—Syrah rules the roost.

The cultivation of Syrah has a long history in Cortona. Fanciful legends abound about its introduction to the area from the post-Crusades Middle East; others tell of its introduction along with the political upheaval following the fall of House of the Medici (1737).

Recorded history is not quite so colorful but (according to the website of the Consorzio of the Cortona DOC) can trace Tuscan Syrah back to the early twentieth century, when the Count of Montecarlo di Lucca brought some vines back to his property in Arezzo following a trip to France. A few generations later—by the 1960s—several estates in the area discovered Syrah vines tucked in and around their established vineyards and encouraged and expanded its use.

In the 1970s, science—by way of Professor Attilio Scienza at the University of Milan—began to study the efficacy of several different cultivars in and around Cortona and discovered that Syrah performed exceptionally well.

The study also revealed significant similarities between the terroir of Cortona—an area tucked into the foothills of the Apennines and blessed with an abundance of sun-drenched, south-facing hill sides—and the Syrah-dominant Northern Rhône Valley of France. These days, Syrah—accounting for as much as 80% of the area’s vines—is well established in and around Cortona.

Photo via: fabriziodionisio.it

By the late 1990s, the Cortona DOC had been established, requiring Cortona Rosso DOC to contain a minimum of 50% Syrah.

As far as I can tell, Cortona Rosso is the one of only two DOC/DOCG wines of Italy (aside from varietally-labeled wines) that require the use of Syrah. (The other is the Lazio’s Atina DOC that requires the use of a minimum 10% Syrah in addition to at least 50% Cabernet Sauvignon.)

  • The details of Cortona Rosso DOC include:
    • Grape varieties: 50% to 60% Syrah, 10% to 20% Merlot, maximum 30% other red grapes allowed for use in Tuscany
    • May not be released for sale before March 31 of the year following the harvest
    • Riserva versions must be aged in oak barrels for a minimum of one year and may not be released for sale before November 1 of the second year following the harvest

In addition to its Syrah-focused red blends (rosso), the Cortona DOC allows for the production of several other styles of wine. Many of these are varietal—including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Grechetto, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese as well as Syrah. By EU standards, the varietal wines must be produced using a minimum of 85% of the named grape variety. The Cortona DOC also allows for the production of Vin Santo (based on red and/or white grapes).

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Many Americans became familiar with Cortona via the best-selling book Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes. The book—and later, the movie—made the town look idyllic, and it also happens to be true. Cortona is a dream-come-true for travelers who prefer to venture off-the-beaten-track. You will find plenty of delicious opportunities to wine and dine in Cortona, and the community is rightfully proud of the local wine. Main sights to see include the main town squares (Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo and the Palazzo Comunale), the ancient walls of the city, an impressive museum of Etruscan antiquities (Museo dell’Accademia Etrusca e della città di Cortona), the Basilica di Santa Margherita, and (of course) Bramasole.

References/for more information:

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of San Marocs, Texas… missjane@prodigy.net

Filed under Context is queen

Confusion Corner: The Cerasuolos

January 11, 2024 1 Comment

Two Italian wines use the term cerasuolo in their titles: Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG and Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC. These two appellations consistently end up in the confusion corner, for obvious reasons.

The term cerasuolo is related to the Latin word cerasia—meaning cherry—and does indeed refer to some sort of cherry-like attribute. However, that in itself does not mean that these two wines are the similar in style.

To clear up any confusion, let’s take a closer look at the cerasuolos.

Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC: This Abruzzo-based cerasuolo is a wine with a “cherry-pink” color; famous for being one of the few Italian appellations with a focus on rosato.  The required formula includes a minimum of 85% Montepulciano grapes—with the other 15% allowed to be comprised of any red grape allowed for cultivation in Abruzzo.

The color is described—via the disciplinare—as rosa ciliegia più o meno carico (“more or less intense cherry pink”). This characteristic color is produced via vinificate…in presenza della buccia per un limitato periodo di fermentazione, al fine di conferire al vino ottenuto il caratteristico colore rosa ciliegia (see the disciplinare, article 5, as posted below). Translation: “The grapes are to be vinified in the presence of the grape skins for a limited fermentation period to give the resulting wine its characteristic cherry pink color.”

The Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC covers a large part of the Abruzzo province and co-exists (in the exact same geographic area) as the well-known Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC. The appellation rules require that most of the vines be planted at elevations of or 500 meters (1,640 ft) or lower. As such, the appellation includes the entire coastline and the coastal plains of Abruzzo before zigging and zagging through the interior of the region, hugging the lower-elevation valleys and foothills of the Apennines.

Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo was awarded its DOC in 2010; prior to this date these wines were bottled as a specific style of wine produced within the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo appellation (Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Cerasuolo DOC).

Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG: This cerasuolo is a wine with “cherry-like” aromas and a deep red color. Cerasuolo di Vittoria is famous as Sicily’s one-and-only DOCG.

The rules require this wine to be produced using 30% to 50% Frappato and 50% to 70% Nero d’Avola. The Frappato grapes are credited with giving the wine its distinctive cherry-strawberry aromas. Thin-skinned Frappato does not, however, bring much in terms of tannin or structure to the wine. These attributes are, however, well-provided by the Nero d’Avola. Nero d’Avola grapes are also largely responsible for the wine’s deep color, which is described as da rosso ciliegia a violaceo (“from cherry-red to purplish”) via the disciplinare.

The defined area for the production of Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG is located in the southeastern corner of the island of Sicily, encompassing the coast (and the city of Vittoria) and extending inland for almost 45 miles (70 km). The Vittoria DOC—which allows for the production of red blends as well as varietal bottlings of Nero d’Avola, Frappato, and Ansonica—occupies the exact same area as the Cerasuolo di Vottoria DOCG.

One more—Cerasuolo, Molise: Just to make it crowded in the confusion corner, Cerasuolo is also the name of a small town (hamlet) in Molise. Located within the commune of Filignano, this Cerasuolo is located right along the border between Molise and Lazio. Cerasuolo in Molise lies within a mountainous region of the Apennines and It is not really known as a wine capital, although it does lie within the (nearly) region-wide Molise DOC.  Rather, this Cerasuolo is super-small mountain town (around 300 buildings) located just outside of a large national park—the Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo, Lazio, e Molise.  Click here for a dreamy, beautiful visual tour of Cerasuolo in Molise, via Michael Pacitti.

References/for more information:

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of San Marcos, Texas… missjane@prodigy.net

Filed under Confusion Corner

Pertaining to Petrichor

December 1, 2023 Leave a comment

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Wine and spirits aficionados have a unique vocabulary. Consider these terms, and admit to yourself how often you have used them: foxy, malo, stemmy, corked, brett. Dig a bit deeper and we find hogo, rancio, lanolin, graphite, and iodine.

And then there is petrichor, often used to describe an earthy, sometimes mineral-like aroma defined as “the scent that arises from the earth after it rains.” To be specific, it refers to the scent of the air after a light rain falls on dry earth—the breaking of a dry spell, as it were. Scientists will tell us that we humans find the aroma pleasant due to the fact that in an evolutionary sense, humans relied on the rain for survival and the aroma represents life-sustaining rainfall (a fact which remains true today).

The term itself was invented in 1964 by two Australian scientists—Isabel Joy Bear and Richard G. Thomas—who were working for Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Their work was published in the March 1964 edition of Nature magazine, under the title The Nature of Argillaceous Odour (the word “argillaceous” referring to rocks or sediment containing clay).  Bear and Thomas explained the source of the petrichor aroma as remnants of the oils emitted by plants and bacteria trapped in the soil.

The word itself is derived from the Greek petra (stone) and ichor (the blood that flowed in the veins of the gods, according to Greek mythology). In terms of etymology, it is the stuff of legends: blood from a stone. 

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In 2015, scientists at MIT figured out—and captured using high-speed cameras—the mechanism of petrichor. Put simply, as a raindrop hits the ground (a porous surface), tiny air bubbles are trapped just below the surface. The bubbles then shoot upward, creating a tiny explosion of aromatic compounds as they escape the surly bonds of earth.

Pop culture alert: the word petrichor had its moment of fame in the Doctor Who TV series. In the episode titled “The Doctor’s Wife,” characters played by Karen Gillna, Matt Smith, and Suranne Jones used the word as part of a password (Crimson…Eleven…Delight…Petrichor). They defined petrichor as “the smell of dust after rain.” It’s an impressively accurate definition. Check out a video here.

There is also a winery known as Petrichor Vineyards, located in Sonoma’s Fountaingrove District AVA. According to the winery website, the term “petrichor” represents a passion for terroir—and a good choice it is.

References/for more information:

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of San Marcos, Texas… missjane@prodigy.net

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Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day!

November 16, 2023 Leave a comment

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(Wine Geo) Burgundy’s River—the Saône

November 10, 2023 Leave a comment

From its source west of the Vosges Mountains, France’s Saône River flows past Burgundy’s Côte-d’Or and the finest vineyards of Beaujolais before it joins the Rhône River in the city of Lyon. Read on to discover five fast facts about the Saône River!

#1—It’s Burgundy’s River: The Saône River flows—generally to the southeast—for just over 294 miles (473 km) across eastern France. For much of its length, it helps to define the wine region of Burgundy and Beaujolais (located along or west of its western shores). Many of the grands crus of the Côte-d’Or are located a mere 10 miles/16 km to the west of the Saône, and once the river makes its way a bit further south, it forms a small part of the eastern border of the Mâcon AOC before heading further south toward Beaujolais. The river then flows past the northern and central portions of the Beaujolais AOC (about 6 miles/9 km from the eastern edge of the vineyards) before it takes a sharp turn to the east just past the town of Villefranche-sur-Saône on its journey to the Rhône.

Map of the Saône River by PRA via Wikimedia Commons

#2—It all begins in the Faucilles: The source of the Saône River can be found within the rolling hills of the Monts Faucilles (Faucilles Mountains).  The Faucilles Mountains mark the boundary between the Lorraine Plateau (to the west) and the Vosges Mountains (to the east). The precise source of the river— a spring located at the foot of a cliff (elevation: 518 feet/158 m)—may be found in the Grand Est commune of Vioménil.

 #3—It’s Petite and then it’s Grande: The Saône meanders as a slow, winding river—known as the Petite  Saône through the Faucilles Mountains and across the Lorraine Plateau for about 93 miles/150 km until it is joined by the Doubs River in the town of Verdun-sur-le-Doubs. At the point of its confluence, the Doubs is a much more impressive waterway than the Saône (and some would argue that the Saône joins the Doubs instead of the other way around). From Verdun-sur-le-Doubs to its confluence with the Rhône—where it is known as the Grande Saône—river is a high-capacity waterway crisscrossed with canals leading to the vineyards of Burgundy as well as many other large rivers—including the Loire, the Marne, and the Rhine.

Photo of the Presqu’île by David Monniaux with Wikimedia Commons

#4—There is “almost an island” near the end: Located with the 1st and 2nd arrondissements of the city of Lyon, the Presqu’île is a peninsula extending from Croix-Rousse hill in the north and surrounded by the Rhône and Saône Rivers—precisely at the point where they join. The word presqu’île translates literally to “almost an island,” an apt way to describe the prestigious area, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to Lyon’s City Hall (the  Hôtel de Ville) and the 14th-Century Church of St. Nizier in addition to a plethora of restaurants, cafés, and department stores.

#5—It feeds the Rhône: In the city of Lyon, the Saône flows into the Rhône as a right-bank (and the Rhône’s largest) tributary. From Lyon, the Rhône flows south through a valley (well-known to wine lovers as the Vallée du Rhône/Rhône Valley) tucked between the Alps and The Massif Central. Just past Arles, it breaks into two arms and forms the Camargue Delta on its way to the Mediterranean Sea.

References/for more information:

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of San Marcos, Texas… missjane@prodigy.net

Filed under WineGeo

Confusion Corner: the Montepulcianos

September 6, 2023 1 Comment

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Welcome to confusion corner, Montepulciano! Well-deserved! To wit: Montepulciano is a place (a town in Tuscany), a grape (a red variety), and the name of several wines. Let’s see if we can de-muddle some of the Montepulciano mayhem by taking them one by one.

Montepulciano—the town: Montepulciano is an ancient hilltop town located in Tuscany—about 43 miles (70 km) southeast of Siena. The town—once a Roman fort charged with guarding the main roads of the area—sits on a 1,985-foot- (605-m-) high limestone ridge. The town’s historic center is home of a range of Renaissance palaces (Palazzo Comunale, Palazzo Tarugi), a delightful town square (Piazza Grande), and more than one imposing place of worship (don’t miss the Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral). Beyond Montepulciano’s medieval walls lie rolling hills, vineyards, and cypress trees as far as the eye can see. Such towns are what Tuscan dreams are made of.

The Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall) in Piazza Grande, Montepulciano

The wines of Montepulciano (the town): Those vineyards surrounding the town of Montepulciano are mainly planted to Sangiovese—although here it goes by the name of Prugnolo Gentile. The most famous wine of the area—Vino Nobile de Montepulciano DOCG—is produced using a minimum of 70% Prugnolo Gentile. In addition, it often contains a smattering of other red grapes and maybe a dash or two (maximum 5%) Malvasia Bianca Lunga or other white grapes. Vino Nobile de Montepulciano DOCG requires a minimum of one year in oak and a total of two years of aging (measured from January 1 of the year following the harvest) before its release.

Rosso di Montepulciano DOC—a more modern, fruit-forward red wine of the region—is produced using the same grape varieties but only requires a few months of aging. With some exceptions, Rosso di Montepulciano DOC may be released on March 1 of the year following harvest. In April of 2020, the consorzio for Rosso di Montepulciano DOC sought to assuage some of the Montepulciano madness by requiring that the wine bear the term Toscana on the label along with the name of the wine.

Montepulciano: the grape

Montepulciano—the grape: The grape variety known as Montepulciano is most likely native to the area around Abruzzo. Montepulciano—widely planted across central Italy—is a prolific grape known to produce red wines of deep color and ample tannin. After Sangiovese, it is the second-most-widely planted red grape in Italy and as such, it makes sense that Montepulciano (the grape) is often used as a blending partner for Italy’s superstar Sangiovese.

On its own, Montepulciano can be made into medium-bodied, easy-drinking pizza wines with cherry-berry aromas and a good zing of acidity. However—particularly when grown on old vines and vinified with a touch of oak—Montepulciano can produce a serious, age-worthy wine redolent of red plum, black fruit (boysenberry, blackberry), herbs, and tar (sounds weird, but Syrah can show tar aromas as well).

Photo of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo by Agne27 via Wikimedia Commons

The wines of Montepulciano (the grape): The Montepulciano grape variety is used (in varying amounts) in over 50 DOC/DOCG wines of Italy. Offida Rosso DOCG, Rosso Conero DOC, and Terre Tollesi DOCG are among those that best showcase this grape.

However, the confusion corner sets in with the wines named for the grape itself: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane DOCG. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC, produced in a large swath of the Abruzzo province stretching along and inland from the Adriatic Sea, is one of Italy’s most widely produced and popular wines. Beloved for its fruity flavors, soft tannins, and delightfully inexpensive price point, it is an easy wine to love.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane DOCG—made only in the hilly, northwest section of the larger DOC area—is made with a minimum of 90% Montepulciano grapes; the remaining 10% may be Sangiovese (or more Montepulciano). The wine required a minimum of 2 years of aging (from November 1 of the harvest year). This two-year aging regiment must include at least one year in oak or chestnut and at least six months of bottle aging.  Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane DOCG is a uniquely opulent wine with intense flavors of fruit (dark cherries, red plum, spice (), and smoke.

TLDR: Montepulciano is a town in Tuscany; the wine known as Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG is made from Prugnolo Gentile (Sangiovese). Montepulciano—the red grape—is a specialty of central Italy and made into a wide range of wines; Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC is among the best known.

Any questions?

References/for more information:

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of San Marcos, Texas… missjane@prodigy.net

Filed under Confusion Corner

Five Fast Facts about Budbreak

August 11, 2023 Leave a comment

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Despite the craziness of the world around us, the natural cycle of life continues. One of the most fascinating to witness—for students of wine—is the life cycle of the vineyard. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, we are witnessing the blooming of spring—and along with it—the breaking of buds in the vineyard.

In homage to this annual miracle, here are five fast (fascinating) facts about budbreak in the vineyard.

#1: In a typical year in the Northern Hemisphere, budbreak will begin in mid-March. In years of oddball weather, it may begin to occur as early as mid-February or as late as mid-April. In the Southern Hemisphere, the process typically begins in mid-September, but can be as early as August or as late as October.

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#2: Within a single vine, those buds that are furthest away from the trunk will break first; in some cases, this may occur several days before those located closer to the trunk. This is particularly apparent when canes are left upright; in such cases the buds furthest from the trunk (the more distal buds) will be observed to burst several days before those closer to the trunk (basal buds). This phenomenon, known as apical dominance, can be avoided by bending or cracking the cane.

#3: The most direct correlation between mother nature and budbreak is the cumulative effect of the warming air temperature once it hits an average of 10°C/50°F. This temperature is sometimes referred to as the “growth threshold” and will signal the nascent buds to shed their fuzzy exterior and break free. Soil temperature may also be a contributing factor, so a wet-and-cold late winter (resulting in wet soils that retain the cold temperatures) can slide bud break back a few days or weeks. (According to the website of Penn State Extension/Wine and Grapes there is conflicting information on whether or not soil temperature affects the timing of bud break. In some studies, Cabernet Sauvignon vines show a correlation between the date of bud break and rising soil temperatures. Alternatively, some studies show no correlation between soil temperatures and the timing of bud break in Syrah.) Other factors that influence the timing of budbreak include photoperiod (day length) and chemical (hormonal) plant growth regulators that help to maintain the plant’s period of dormancy even in the face of mid-winter warm spells.

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#4: While many factors contribute to the timing of budbreak in a given vineyard in a given year, some varieties are known for their tendency towards early budbreak. Likewise, some grapes tend to be late breakers. Here is a list of some of the better-known varieties, arranged by their tendencies regarding bud-break and ripening:

  • Early bud break/early ripening: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot
  • Early bud break/mid-to-late ripening: Chenin Blanc, Grenache, Viognier
  • Late bud break/early ripening: Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah
  • Late bud break/mid-to-late ripening: Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon

#5: Fun with fruit trivia: Grapevines need a slightly higher base (air) temperature than is required to induce bud break in many other fruits. Fruit trees such as apple, peach, cherry, and apricot tend to break bud when the average air temperature reaches 39° to 41 °F (3.8° to 5°C).

The most important aspect of bud break, at least in my opinion, is that is represents the hope for a successful year, to be followed by flowering, fruit set, veraison, ripening, harvest, and (several months or several years later) more wine for all of us lucky humans. Bring on the buds!

References/for more information:

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of San Marcos, Texas… missjane@prodigy.net

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