Monthly Archives: July 2021

Way to Go, Granada (Now a DO)!

  By admin | July 6, 2021 - 10:26 am | ,
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Graphic via: http://www.dopvinosdegranada.es

Graphic via: http://www.dopvinosdegranada.es

An updated list of wine appellations—DOPs and IGPs—published by Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture (Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación) reveals that the Spanish wine region of Granada has been promoted to a Denominación de Origen (DO).

For the number-crunchers among us, this means that (as of June 2021) Spain now has 68 DOs, 2 DOCa’s, 7 VCIGs and 20 Vinos de Pago…for a total of 97 DOPs. See the attached List of DOP and VT Wines from Spain June 2021 for the names and numbers via straight from the source documentation.

Granada was was previously listed as a Vino de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica (VCIG)—which placed it in the top-tier of Spanish Wine Regions, but (theoretically) a step “lower” than the DOs.

According to the Pliego de Condiciones for the Granada DO, the appellation is approved for the production of a range of wine types and styles, including red, white, rosado (rosé), sparkling, and late harvest (de uvas sobremaduradas/over-ripe grapes). Here is a list of allowed grape varieties for the three main styles of wine:

Andalusia autonomous communityRed (Tinto) and Rosé (Rosado): Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Monastrell, Romé, and Petit Verdot.

White (Blanco): Vijiriego (Vijariego), Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Moscatel de Alejandría (Muscat of Alexandria), Moscatel de Grano Menudo (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains), Pedro Ximenez, Palomino, Baladí Verdejo (Cayetana Blanca), and Torrontés.

Sparkling (Espumante): Vijiriego (Vijariego), Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Moscatel de Alejandría (Muscat of Alexandria), Moscatel de Grano Menudo (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains), and Torrontés.

Map via: http://www.dopvinosdegranada.es

Map via: http://www.dopvinosdegranada.es

The Granada DO covers the entirety of the Province of Granada. Granada is located on the Mediterranean Coast and stretches across the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range to the border with Murcia and Castilla-La Mancha. The area is transversed by several rivers, the main one being the Genil (a tributary of the Guadalquivir). The central/northern portion of the province covers the Altiplano de Granada (Granada High Plains).

A single sub-region—Contraviesa-Alpujarra, located along the Mediterranean Coastline—has been approved. Sparkling wines produced using a minimum of 70% Vijiriego (Vijariego) supplemented by Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are a specialty of the  Granada-Contraviesa-Alpujarra DO.

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

 

Welcome to the World, Ulupalakua AVA!

  By admin | July 5, 2021 - 11:11 am | ,
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WaianapanapaHere’s a first: Hawaii gets its very own American Viticultural Area (AVA)!

Despite being located in the tropics (the AVA itself sits at about 20°N latitude) and not being particularly well-known for grape-based viticulture or wine production, here it is: an AVA located in a small corner of the island of Maui—where grapes are grown and sent to a winery just a few miles away to be made into wine.

The Ulupalakua AVA is the first AVA to be approved in the state of Hawaii. When the new AVA comes into force on August 2, 2021, there will be a total of 257 AVAs in the United States.

Map via the TTB AVA Explorer

Map via the TTB AVA Explorer

According to the original petition for the AVA—submitted by Mark Beaman, the former winemaker at Maui Wines—the distinguishing features of area include its topography, soils, and climate, as discussed below:

Topography: The area within the Ulupalakua AVA contains a series of four distinct, southwest-facing areas of gently sloping benchlands. In contrast, the area surrounding the new AVA consists of steeper slopes, ravines, and exposed volcanic rock. The elevation of the vineyards in the AVA ranges from 1,560 feet/475 m (in the western portions) to 1,850 feet/564 m (in the east). 

Soils: The Ulupalakua AVA is located on the western slopes of Mount Haleakala—a massive shield volcano that covers more than 75% of the island of Maui. The soils of the area are predominantly composed of volcanic ash and the weathered remains of igneous volcanic rock. About 20% of the soil contains silt, loam, and clay. It is believed that they combination of soils creates an area that is fertile enough to support healthy vines, but not so fertile as to promote excessive foliage.

Map via the TTB AVA Explorer

Map via the TTB AVA Explorer

Climate: The climate within the Ulupalakua AVA reflects its tropical location and rarely drops below 50°F/10°C or goes above 85°F/29°C. The region receives quite a bit of rain—an average of 30.7 inches of rainfall a year. However, it is noted that less than two inches per month tend to fall in July and August. While humidity can certainly be seen as an issue, this period of low summer rainfall reduces the risk of mildew and rot in the days leading up to the harvest, and the mild summertime temperatures protect again sunburn and heat stress.

It is believed that viticulture began in the area in the early 1800s when an immigrant from Portugal—Don Francisco de Paula Marin—imported vines into the region and made small amounts of wine. These days, the total area within the Ulupalakua AVA comprises 70 acres; of these, 16 acres are currently under vine. Leading grape varieties include Gewurztraminer, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Grenache, Malbec, and Syrah. There is currently one commercial vineyard— Ulupalakua Vineyards owned by Maui Wine LLC—in the region. There are no bonded wineries within the AVA, but grapes are often sent to Maui Winery (located about just a few miles away) for processing.

The name “Ulupalakua” is derived from the native language of Hawaii and may be loosely translated as “breadfruit ripened on the back.” The folklore of the area tells of how the island’s king would request that his favorite fruit—breadfruit—be brought to his home on the west coast of Maui. Harvesters would pick the unripe fruit on the island’s eastern side and carry it to the king’s house on the other side of the island. The fruit would ripen on the journey and would be totally ripe by the time they reached (the area now known as) Ulupalakua.

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Welcome to the World, Goose Gap AVA!

  By admin | July 1, 2021 - 12:50 pm | ,
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Map via the TTB AVA Explorer Map

Map via the TTB AVA Explorer

On July 1, 2021, the TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) of the United States announced a newly-approved American Viticultural Area (AVA) for Washington State: Goose Gap AVA. When this new AVA comes into force—on August 2, 2021—the total number of AVAs in the United States will be 256; of these, 19 will be located in Washington State.

Goose Gap is the third new AVA to be approved in Washington State this year; two others—The Burn of Columbia Valley and White Bluffs—were announced just last month (June 17, 2021).

The Goose Gap AVA—a sub-region of both the Yakima Valley AVA and the larger Columbia Valley AVA—is located in Washington State’s Benton County. The triangle-shaped area is tucked between (and to the south of) the Red Mountain AVA and the tiny Candy Mountain AVA.

According to the petition—submitted by Alan Busacca, PhD, on behalf of the Goose Gap Winegrowers Association—the distinguishing features of the Goose Gap AVA include its topography and soils, as discussed below:

Topography: The Goose Gap AVA surrounds (and is mainly to the north of) a basalt ridge known as Goose Hill (sometimes referred to as Goose Mountain). The topography of the area is such that most of the south- and southwest-facing slopes in the area are too steep for successful viticulture; therefore, many of the new AVA’s vineyards are planted on north- and northeast-facing slopes. As a result, the vines in the Goose Gap AVA receive less solar radiation than those planted on the south- and southwest-facing slopes of the nearby appellations, leading to longer growing periods and later harvest dates for the vines of the Goose Gap.

The elevation within the Goose Gap AVA ranges from 577 feet (176 m) above sea level (at the southern boundary) to 1,339 feet (408 m) atop of Goose Hill.

Map via the TTB AVA Explorer

Map via the TTB AVA Explorer

Soils: Many of the soils in the area—covering about 65% of the appellation—consist of wind-blown loess over layered silt and fine-textured sand. In many spots, this topsoil extends for six feet with no hardpan or other root impediments. Other areas of the appellation are also covered by loess, but with varying depths of loess as well as vary amounts of fractured basalt and flood sediment atop the underlying basalt bedrock. The soils of the Goose Gap AVA contain a higher overall percentage of loess, silt, and sand than the soils of the surrounding areas.

The area within the Goose Gap AVA covers a total of 8,129 acres; of these, 1,800 acres (728 ha) are planted to vines. The region is currently home to two commercial vineyards—including the 1,700-acre (688 ha) Goose Ridge Estate Vineyard—and one bonded winery (Goose Ridge Winery). Commercial vineyards specializing in Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have been planted in the area since 1998. Other forms of agriculture—including apple orchards, cherry orchards, alfalfa fields, and sheep grazing are traditional to the area.

About that name: The new AVA is located along the migratory path of several flocks of wild geese. The local use of the term “Goose Gap” as well as “Goose Hill” can be traced back to the early 1900s. The area bears the tales of many legendary goose hunts from the 1800s; First Peoples are known to have hunted geese in the area as well.

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org