Monthly Archives: June 2013

Land of Two Seasons: The Mediterranean Climate

  By admin | June 28, 2013 - 12:22 pm | ,
4 Comments

Olive LeavesThe area around the Mediterranean Sea, home to miles of sun-drenched beaches, mild winters, olive groves and (of course) fabulous wine, has been a cultural crossroads since the dawn of civilization. The beautiful weather, with the four seasons seemingly compressed into two, is surely one of the major reasons why so many people decided to make this region their home.

The comfortable climate typical of the Mediterranean Basin is found in many other areas throughout the world, including California and Baja California, the Central Coast of Chile, Southwest and South Australia, and the Western Cape Region of South Africa.  We serious students of wine will easily recognize these areas as major wine producers, and, of course, areas blessed with a Mediterranean Climate.

The Mediterranean Climate, known as a “dry-summer subtropical” climate under the Köppen climate classification, is generally found between 31 and 40 degrees latitude north and south of the equator, on the western side of continents. The climate can be summarized as “warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters.” The climate zone can extend Mediterranean Climateeastwards for hundreds of miles if not thwarted by mountains or confronted with moist climates, such as the summer rainfall that occurs in certain regions of Australia and South Africa.  The furthest extension of the Mediterranean Climate inland occurs from the Mediterranean Basin up into western Pakistan.  In contrast, areas of California and Chile are constricted to the east by mountains close to the Pacific Coast.

The oceans and seas bordering the land areas with a Mediterranean climate work their moderating magic and keep the temperatures within a comparatively small range between the winter low and summer high.  Snow is seldom seen and winters are generally frost-free.  In the summer, the temperatures range from mild to very hot, depending on distance from the shore, elevation, and latitude. However, as anyone who has experienced Southern California’s Santa Ana Winds will tell you, strong winds from inland desert regions can bring a burst of dry heat to even the mildest season.

VineyardIn addition to the influence of water, specific atmospheric conditions create the Mediterranean climate. Every area that enjoys a Mediterranean Climate is located near a high pressure cell that hovers over the ocean or sea.  These high pressure cells move towards the poles in summer, pushing storms away from land. In the winter, the Jet Streams shift the cells back towards the equator, drawing stormy weather inland.

The long, dry summers of the Mediterranean Climate zones limit plant growth for much of the year, so the natural vegetation of such areas has adapted into evergreen trees such as Cypress and Oak as well as shrubs such as Bay Laurel and Sagebrush.  Trees with thick, leathery leaves and protective bark such as olive, walnut, citrus, cork oak, and fig are also abundant; and as those early settlers in the Mediterranean Basin figured out—grapevines thrive here as well.

 

 

The Winds of Wine: Le Mistral

  By admin | June 25, 2013 - 6:01 pm | ,
2 Comments
Van Gogh's "Starry Night"

Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”

Convinced that it comes in multiples of 3 days, residents of Provence will tell you that the Mistral Wind blows for 3, 6, 9 or 12 days. Referred to as “Le Sacre Mistral,” it is blamed for headaches, edginess, and the bad behavior of husbands, pets, and children. They swear it is what drove Vincent Van Gogh to chop off his own ear.

The Mistral is a cold, dry, regional wind that occurs each time there is an area of high pressure in the Bay of Biscay accompanied by an area of low pressure around the Gulf of Genoa.  It occurs mainly during the winter and spring, but it can happen at any time during the year. Its cooling effect is perhaps most welcome in the summer, but during the winter it can chill one to the bones.

Schematic diagram of mistral wind by Piotr Flatau, via Wikimedia Commons

Schematic diagram of mistral wind by Piotr Flatau, via Wikimedia Commons

In the Rhône Valley and Provence, the regularity and force of the mistral causes trees to grow leaning to the south. Vines are often kept low to the ground, their thick and sturdy branches developing a permanent south-facing bow. The rows of Cypress and Poplar trees typical of the region provide shelter from the dry force of the wind.

The Mistral, despite its ferocity, can nevertheless be beneficial to the vineyards in its path. The mistral blows the clouds from the sky and heralds the arrival of sunny weather.

When the Mistral blows during the warm parts of the growing season it cools down the vines, helping the grapes to retain acidity through the hot summers. The dryness of the wind keeps the grapes free from humidity and mold, and has earned it the nickname mange-fange, or “mud-eater.”

The bell tower of the hilltop village of La Cadière-d'Azur is open, which allows the mistral to pass through. Photo via Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

The bell tower of the hilltop village of La Cadière-d’Azur is open, which allows the mistral to pass through. Photo via Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

The name of the Mistral is traced to the Provencal word for “Masterly” and it certainly has had such an effect on life in Provence.  Old farmhouses were built facing south, with sturdy north walls devoid of windows.  The bell towers of the churches in the region are often topped by open iron frameworks, which allow the wind to pass through.

There was even once a law that stated that anyone who claims to have gone mad on account of the Mistral may be pardoned of their crime.  Sacre Mistral!

References/for more information:

  • https://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/wind/The-Mistral.htm
  • https://www.britannica.com/science/mistral
  • http://www.languedoc-france.info/110515_mistral.htm

For more information on “the winds of wine,” see our posts on The Zonda and The Roaring 40’s.

Post written by Jane A. Nickles, CWE (your SWE Blog Administrator) bevspecialist@societyofwineeducators.org

 

 

Gimblett Gravels, via Aerial Topdressing

  By admin | June 18, 2013 - 3:33 pm |
Leave a comment
The Auster Agricola

The Auster Agricola

It’s amazing the things the study of wine can lead you to.  Do you know what “aerial topdressing is?” Neither did I, until I set about to research some of the more unique wines of New Zealand for SWE’s “Wines in the Dessert” event last May. It turns out that aerial topdressing is an agricultural application that uses aircraft to spread fertilizers over farmland.  The practice was developed in New Zealand in the 1940’s. A special plane known as “The Auster Agricola” was designed specifically for the new industry, which was quickly adopted elsewhere, although it remains a New Zealand specialty.

It turns out aerial topdressing is the reason that Gimblett Gravels, one of the most unique wine terroirs in the new world, came to be.  You know there’s a story there!

The story begins in 1980, in the Hawke’s Bay Region of New Zealand.  Hawke’s Bay, being at the east end of one of the widest portions of the islands of New Zealand, is one of the warmest sections of the country and for that reason is one of the few places where red grapes (other than Pinot Noir) can fully ripen. Due to its geography, the area gets less rain, and more sun than other areas of the country.

Within the Hawke’s Bay Region, the forgotten area down at the end of Gimblett Road was considered to be the poorest, least productive land in the area; too infertile even to use to graze sheep, so nobody dared plant a thing.  The area instead was given over to warehouses, strip malls, an army firing range, and a concrete company that used the area to mine for gravel.

Gimblett GravelsChris Pask, a local businessman, owned a few vineyards in the Hawke’s Bay Region but often had difficulty getting his Cabernet Sauvignon to fully ripen.  Coincidentally, Chris’ day job, aerial topdressing, had him flying over the area near the end of Gimblett Road every day.  One day, as he looked down on the dry, dusty wasteland, he had a crazy idea that maybe his grapes would have a chance of ripening if planted there.

In 1981, risking ridicule, he bought nearly 100 acres at the end of Gimblett Road and planted Cabernet Sauvignon.  His first wine from these newly planted vines,  produced with the 1985 vintage, was released to wide acclaim.  Assured that he wasn’t crazy, Pask proceeded to buy more vineyard land and plant more grapes, including Malbec, Syrah, Viognier, and Sauvignon Blanc in addition to Cabernet Sauvignon.

Despite Pask’s initial success, it was no easy task getting the region zoned for viticulture and wine making.  As a matter of fact, it was not until 1992 that all the legal battles were won, enabling wine making facilities and full-scale viticulture to come to the area.  As one can well imagine, a land stampede soon followed as companies such as Babich and Villa Maria set up shop.  Malls gave way to Merlot, warehouses became wineries, and the concrete company at the end of Gimblett Road gave up their gravel dreams and sold their land to a winery. The Gimblett Gravels Winegrowing District now has almost 2,000 acres of vineyards.

Gimlett gravels SoilThe Gimblett Gravels region is strictly determined by its soil.  The unique gravelly soils of the region are the result of a huge flood on the Old Ngaruroro River in the 1860’s.  Due to the heat retention of the gravelly soil, Gimblett Gravels is warmer during the day in summer and autumn than the surrounding areas of Hawke’s Bay. The evenings are also warmer due to the heat retention of the stony ground. It is this extra heat that allows red grapes, including Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, to ripen so well here, and puts Gimblett Gravels among the world’s best terroirs for growing fine wine.

For more information:

Post written by Jane A. Nickles, CWE (your SWE Blog Administrator)

Prince Golitsyn’s Award Winning “Crimean Champagne”

  By admin | June 7, 2013 - 1:25 pm |
1 Comment

76 years before the famous “Judgment of Paris,” at the 1900 Paris World’s Fair, a sparkling wine from Crimea defeated all the French entries to claim the internationally coveted “Grand Prix de Champagne.”  You may need to let that sink in for a few minutes.  In 1900, in France, Sparkling Wine from the Ukraine won the top prize for Champagne.

Prince Lev golitsynThe wine, known as Novy Svet, was made by Prince Lev Sergeievitch Golitsyn, a highly educated member of a royal Family, at his wine estate in Crimea. Crimea is a peninsula of the Ukraine located on the northern shore of the Black Sea.  Lying between  44° and 45° in latitude, the region has an excellent climate for growing high quality grapes.  As a matter of fact, during Soviet times this region was the largest wine supplier in the USSR – which sounds like a good story for another day.

Prince Golitsyn, having studied both law and winemaking in France, established his winery in 1878 on the southern coast of Crimea. He dug a series of wine cellars into Koba-Kaya Mountain (Cave Mountain), much of it below sea level. All in all the tunnels stretched on for over a mile. He planted experimental vineyards of Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Aligote and Pinot Meunier and spent ten years perfecting the art of sparkling wine.  The Prince used a variation of what we would call the Methode Traditionelle, allowing his wines to rest on the lees, in the bottle, for three years in his cellars at a constant, underground temperature of 59 – 60°F.

By the late 1890’s, the Prince was an experienced enologist and was producing a large array of sparkling wines.  In 1896 his wines were served at the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II (who would wind up being the last in a long line of Tsars) and Golitsyn was granted the right to display the family coat of arms on this wines.  Soon thereafter, in 1899, Novy Svet

Novy Svet Winery's "Coronation" Sparkling Wine

Novy Svet Winery’s “Coronation” Sparkling Wine

produced its first large-scale production, making over 60,000 bottles of sparkling wine…one of which won the Grand Prix in Paris.

Legend has it that Prince Golitsyn was was inspired to build an estate in the area during a passionate love affair with Nadezhda Zasetska, an aristocratic young lady who had inherited large land holdings in the Crimea. It is rumored that the Prince bought the land to be near to her and studied enology in order to impress her.  We may never know if the rumors are true, but it does seem that wine and romance often go hand-in-hand.

Prince Golitsyn passed away in 1915 and was buried in a large tomb on his beloved estate.  The Novy Svet winery did not survive the Russian Revolution and the beginnings of the Soviet Union intact, and was plundered and nearly destroyed several times.  Today the restored winery, including the underground tunnels, is government-owned.  Under the leadership of Ms. Yanaina Petrovna Pavlenko, the winery produces a wide range of unique sparkling wines, many of them reflective of the original style and spirit of Prince Golitsyn.

In 1978, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Novy Svet Winery, the Golitsyn House Museum was opened in the house where the Prince lived for over 37 years.

The Novy Svet Winery in Crimea:  http://nsvet.com.ua/en

Klevener de Heiligenstein and the Alsace Eleven

  By admin | June 4, 2013 - 6:19 pm | ,
Leave a comment

5.10-Klevener-1441-ZvardonThe grape known as Klevener de Heiligenstein is an enigma. It is an allowed grape in the Alsace AOC, but can only be grown in certain places.  It has nothing to do with Klevner, as Pinot Blanc is often called in many places, including Alsace.  Klevener de Heiligenstein should not be confused with Gewurztraminer, although the grapes appear almost identical while on the vine and they are closely related. Got that?

So, now that we are clear on what Klevener de Heiligenstein is NOT, let’s talk about what it is.

Klevener de Heiligenstein is a pink-skinned grape variety that is considered to be a local clone of the grape known as Savagnin Rose or Roter Traminer.  There are currently about 240 acres of Klevener de Heiligenstein planted in Alsace, where it is made into a concentrated wine of good acidity with a characteristic hint of bitterness on the finish.  While not overly aromatic, the wines are often described as similar to Gewurztraminer in terms of a slight spiciness and a rich texture.

It is believed that the grape was originally brought to the town of Heiligenstein in 1742 by the mayor of the town, Erhard Wantz. Klevener 1742Mayor Wantz was a big fan of the grape, and petitioned Le conseil des Echevins de Strasbourg for permission to plant the grape in the region. He won the right to plant his grapes, and soon the wines were well received and even earning higher prices than other wines of the region.

In 1971, the Klevener de Heiligenstein grape was approved for use in Alsace AOC wines.  However, it is the only grape in Alsace that has geographic restrictions placed on it. As such, it is only allowed to be grown for use in AOC wines in specified vineyards located in the village of Heiligenstein and four of its neighbors—Bourgheim, Gertwiller, Goxwiller, and Obernain.  A grandfather clause allows specific vineyards outside of these regions to use the grapes in AOC wines until 2021; however, outside of the 5 approved villages, plantings or re-plantings are no longer allowed.

KlevenerAmpelographer Pierre Galet claims that Klevener de Heiligenstein is a pink-berried mutation of Savagnin that traveled to Alsace, Germany, and other parts of Central Europe.  But here’s where the story gets interesting…Savagnin Rose, aka Traminer, aka Klevener de Heiligenstein, apparently, somewhere along the way, went through a secondary mutation that became Gewurztraminer.  It makes sense, as Gewurz is often thought to be the musqué, or highly aromatic, version of Traminer.

The Alsace 11: The curiosity known as Klevener de Heiligenstein is often referred to as the “phantom” grape of Alsace.    The other 10 grapes of Alsace, as every serious wine student should know, are Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner, Muscat, Chasselas, Auxerrois, and Chardonnay.  Chardonnay is also something of an outlier, as it may only be used in Crémant d’Alsace AOC – the sparkling wines of the region.