#wine research

[ramensauce2pointoh-blog]

You know the vineyard history is gonna be lit when it's named after the lepers that were chillin there

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In this age, the only companions we have Who are free of faults are a glass Of clear wine and a book of love poems.

Hafez, “A Glass of Wine.” p. 63. translated by Bly and Lewisohn.

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5 week course — get your WSET 2 from Napa Valley Wine Academy

[featherymalignancy]

Fanfic Friday- You know I LOVE your fics but I ALSO love wine!! 😄 but the names have always confused me. Is there a rhyme or reason to how wines are named? I thought I knew the types, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, etc etc but then you always hear 10,000 other names I’ve never heard. Like my friend loves gerwurzaminner but that’s a grape name, but sometimes it’s the name of the wine too? Are all wine names either the basics or a single grape name? Will I ever learn them all??? 😂

Omg yeah wine naming is a NIGHTMARE to understand because it’s all over the place and there are a LOT of fussy rules about categorization, particularly with Old World (European) wines.

So generally wines are grouped by their varietal aka the grape, like you’re saying. Pinot Noir is a type of grape, as is Chardonnay, Gewürz, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc.

But also....they aren’t, they’re grouped by region/methodology (sometimes both!)

Like I mentioned in an earlier wine ask, Vihno Verde is a type of wine made in the specific DOC (officially recognized wine-growing region) in Portugal that are bottled young and drank relatively soon after bottling. So instead of being typified by the grape used, Vihno Verde typified by the growing region and how to wine is made. Vihno Verde can use any number of grape varietals (it can even be red, though that’s sorta uncommon)

Bordeaux is somewhat the same. Bordeaux is a growing region in France, and a if you buy a bottle of Bordeaux it could have any mix of grapes in it—cab franc, Merlot, petit Verdot, etc.

Now, generally a bottle you pick up will have three titles of it

1. Vineyard name

2. Varietal/Type

2. Unique brand name from the vineyard/vintner

When Nesta is trying to make up with Cash, she brings him Domaine Serene Monogram Pinot Noir

Some vineyards dont name their different wines though, so they would just refer to it by its varietal or its type/region

For instance, Meiomi Pinot Noir or Broadbent Vihno Verde

EXCEPT HERE’S WHERE IT GETS EXTRA FUN THO

often a varietal/wine type is named after the region where it’s grown. Champagne, for example, is a historical growing region in France, and as I discuss below, all “champagne” must made with grapes from that region to be officially called “champagne” instead of just sparkling wine.

But..

In Italy, for example, there is a very drinkable red wine called Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, which a wine made in the region of Abruzzo from the Montepulciano varietal (grape)

HOWEVER...

This is not to be confused with Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which is a red blend produced in the vineyards surrounding the town of Montepulciano (in the province of Siena) and made with predominantly Sangiovese grapes (it’s called Vino Nobile because it was historically the wine that nobles preferred)

So despite the names, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Vino Nobile/Rossi di Montepulciano have almost nothing in common. They aren’t grown in the same DOC (officially recognized wine-growing region), they don’t use the same grapes, they are aged differently, they look different, taste different, go with different foods, etc.

😂

Also, like we do with a lot of things, we use broad terms for types of wine that may not be technically correct, which causes confusion.

To be “champagne”, for example, wine must a) have been fermented a second time in bottle to create the bubbles (we can this the methode champagnenoise or methode traditionelle) AND b) the grapes must be grown in the Champagne growing region in France.

So sparkling wine made in California isn’t champagne technically, but obviously we are gonna just call it that most of the time for ease. In the US, cheap brands like Cooks getaway with incorrectly using the term “champagne”. In the EU, it is illegal to use the term if the wine didn’t not come from a certified Champagne AOC (officially recognized wine growing region/standard, same as DOC, in France)

However!!

Prosecco, for example, isn’t champagne not ONLY because it’s not generally made from French-grown grapes, it’s ALSO made with a different fermentation process called Charmat.

So yeah, that was a long ramble as always but the point is that is SO complicated, there are a BILLION different grapes that most of us have NEVER heard of, and there are a lot of nit-picky rules about what can officially be called what when it comes to process and appellation—the region of origin!

Also I think @keshavomit and I should host a virtual wine drinking party, who is in?

🍾

[unofficialchronicle]

Do you want Texas wine made by a French winemaker from 100% Texas grapes? French Connection Wines: celebrating the fierce independence of Texas and France!

French Connection Wines: Rhône-style wines from TX. 

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Southold Farm & Cellar

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The Future Is Bright for Texas Wine | Wine Spectator

Serious vintners in Texas are slowly working to shape an entire wine region. Wine Spectator associate editor Emma Balter reports on the efforts being made in Hill Country.

William Chris:

“[Chris Brundrett] met Bill Blackmon, a pioneer vintner who planted his first vineyard in 1983 in the High Plains, near Lubbock, and moved down to Hill Country in 1996. The two men bonded over a shared philosophy: that wine should have a sense of place, and that Texas has enormous potential.“

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Rhône varieties are their main focus, especially Mourvèdre, which they mostly bottle standalone. They also make Merlot, Sangiovese, Roussanne, rosé and sparkling wine, among others.

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MISSION

The mission grape is considered a North American “heritage grape.” It is believed to be the first grape brought from Spain to Mexico by the Spanish conquistadors in the mid-1500’s or early 1600’s. It was brought to present-day Baja California in 1697 by Jesuit Priest, (philosopher, and explorer) Jan de Ugarte to be planted at Misión de Nuestra Senora de Loreto Conchó. Mission Loreto, as it is also known, was founded on First Nations territory that belonged to the Monqui people.  Hernan Cortes decreed that sacramental wine should be made from “Old World” grapes, so cuttings of the Mission Grape crossed the ocean to be planted at every Spanish Missionary in the “New World.” Mission was probably chosen over other grapes for its “sturdiness”—the vine showed grit and desire to survive on its travel across the ocean. The grapes have thick skins and the vine grows with a thick trunk; the clusters are spacious, which allows the grape the hang on the vine for longer periods of time without developing mold or rot (a longer harvest window makes the grapes easier to care for). It was also a readily available grape in Spain (probably for the same reasons) where it was known as “Listan Negro.” The American Mission grape differs from its Spanish ancestor. Mission was labeled “Criolla” (meaning "born in the New World of European origin"). In the “New World,” in different kinds of soils, under different temporal circumstances, the grape took on a new form and individuated from its lineage. At one time Mission grapes were widely planted in Napa, California. Its acreage decreased, however, in favor of the “noble grape varieties.” Wine made from mission tends to be “weak” in color, sometimes it is associated with blandness and poor acidity. Many favor the grapes use as a fortified or distilled wine (which was also done by the Missionaries, who called this product “Angelica”), or dessert wines. In more recent times, winemakers have returned to this historically important varietal to take another stab at its idiosyncrasies. Wines made from Mission may have notes of candied fruits, orange-peel, roses, fig jam, bitters, and a touch of molasses.

Link: https://grapecollective.com/articles/mission-grape-listan-negro-and-the-history-they-share

Link: http://www.grape-nutz.com/tomhill/mission.html

Link: https://www.sfchronicle.com/wine/article/Mission-revival-State-s-first-wine-grape-11023418.php#photo-12509301