Monthly Archives: May 2023

Austria’s Thermenregion: Now a DAC

  By admin | May 31, 2023 - 12:23 pm |
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Weingarten in der Thermenregion bei Baden © Austrian Wine / WSNA

Weingarten in der Thermenregion bei Baden © Austrian Wine / WSNA

The headline (linked to the Wines of Austria website on May 30, 2023) reads, “All wine-growing regions of Austria now in the DAC system.”

That’s quite a statement, and it lets us know that Thermenregion—the last of Austria’s quality wine regions to do so—will be classified as a Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC) with the release of the 2023 vintage. The process of converting Austria’s wine regions to DACs began over 20 years ago with the intention to protect wine that exhibits a character unique to the winegrowing region. In other words, Austria is stepping up to protect their wines in terms of terroir, tradition, and regionality; and all of the country’s Weinbaugebiete (a total of 18 at last count) are now DACs.

Map of Austria highlighting the Thermenregion v©AWMB (Austrian Wine Marketing Board)

Map of Austria highlighting the Thermenregion ©AWMB (Austrian Wine Marketing Board)

The wines of the Thermenregion DAC will include three quality-level designations, each with its own list of allowed grape varieties and standards for the wine. These will be as follows (listed in order starting with the highest quality level):

  • Riedenwein (from an approved single vineyard):
    • Allowed grape varieties include: (white) Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Rotgipfler, and Zierfandler; (red) St. Laurent and Pinot Noir
    • Minimum 12.5% abv
    • Must be dry (maximum of 4 g/L of residual sugar)
  • Ortswein (wine from a specific village or municipality, to include Perchtoldsdorf, Gumpoldskirchen, Tattendorf, Wiener Neustadt, and Bad Vöslau):
    • Allowed grape varieties include: (white) Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Rotgipfler, Zierfandler, and Pinot Gris; (red) St. Laurent, Pinot Noir, and Zweigelt
    • Minimum 12.5% abv
    • May be dry or sweet (as Auslese, Beerenauslese or Trockenbeerenauslese)
  • Gebietswein (wine from anywhere in the region):
    • Allowed grape varieties include: (white) Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Rotgipfler, Zierfandler, Pinot Gris, and Neuburger; (red) St. Laurent, Pinot Noir, Zweigelt, and Blauer Portugieser
    • Minimum 12% abv
    • Must be dry and without overt wood character

Wine made from grapes grown in the Thermenregion area that does not comply with these standards may use a different designation or region of origin on its label such as Qualitätswein of Niederösterreich (Lower Austria).

References/for more information:

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

The Vallée du Torgan IGP and the Rise of the Hybrids

  By admin | May 19, 2023 - 10:01 am |
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The Château d'Aguilar (Castle of Aguilar), a 12th-century castle located in Tuchan

The Château d’Aguilar (Castle of Aguilar), a 12th-century castle located in Tuchan

Located in the Aude Department, the tiny Vallée du Torgan IGP is comprised of just two French communes: Tuchan and Paziols. This is a sparsely populated area (both communes put together have less than 2,000 year-round inhabitants), but the area is rich in garrigue shrubland and rustic vineyards. While this vin de pays region is obscure, it has some famous neighbors: it is located within the boundaries of the Fitou AOC and surrounded by the vineyards of the largest appellation of the Languedoc , the Corbières AOC.

The Vallée du Torgan IGP is located in the Massif de Corbières, a mid-level mountain range that forms a portion of the more expansive Pre-Pyrenees (sometimes described as the northern foothills of the Pyrenees). Elevations are moderate and range from 135 meters (446 feet) to 920 meters (3,018 feet) asl.

The appellation is named for the Torgan River (Le Torgan). Le Torgan—a short but wild river just 19 km/12 miles in length—actually flows to the west of the area and joins the Verdouble River in the commune of Padern.

View of the Pyrenees from the vineyards of Tuchan

View of the Pyrenees from the vineyards of Tuchan

The cahier des charges for the Vallée du Torgan IGP was recently updated (May 4, 2023), and it tells an interesting story. Wine production in this area has always been dominated by red grapes with a smattering of whites, and the appellations of the region (even the area’s famous AOCs) have allowed for a long list of grape varieties to be used in their wines. After this last update, the Vallée du Torgan IGP allows for 81 distinct varieties—an impressive number of grapes to be sure—in total. (At last count—the latest update was in 2019—22 varieties are allowed for use in the Corbières AOC.)

None of this is exceptionally mind-blowing information, but what makes this latest update interesting is the way that the newly approved grape varieties are described in the updated documentation for the Vallée du Torgan IGP. The revision allows for the use of 13 varieties “considered to be resistant to vine diseases” (variétés dites résistantes aux maladies de la vigne) as well as 14 varieties “with the potential to adapt to climate change” (variétés présentant une aptitude potentielle au changement climatique).

The wine world is most likely getting accustomed to announcements from the INAO regarding new grape varieties, but this announcement is unique in that it includes the introduction of at least a dozen hybrid varieties. If you’ve been keeping up with the latest changes in the world of wine, you’ll recognize the increased acceptance of hybrid grape varieties as part of a growing trend.

  • Map of the Vallée du Torgan IGP via the INAO

    Map of the Vallée du Torgan IGP via the INAO

    Here is a quick run-down on a few of the more interesting hybrid grapes now on the list, as part of the Vallée du Torgan IGP:

    • Artaban: A red, interspecific hybrid grape variety produced by the Julius Kühn-Institut in Quedlinburg, Germany; approved for use in France in 2018
    • Floréal: A white, interspecific hybrid (containing bits and bobs of Villaris (Sirius X Vidal) and Muscadinia rotundifolia. Watch out for this grape…rumor has it that Bordeaux might be seeking approval for it in the future.
    • Saphira: A white, interspecific hybrid (also known as Geisenheim 7815-1) produced by Dr. Helmet Becker in 1978; grown mainly in Germany and Switzerland
    • Soreli: A white grape variety produced in Italy via a hybrid of Sauvignonasse (Friulano) and Kozma 20-3.
    • Vidoc: A white, interspecific hybrid grape variety produced by the Julius Kühn-Institut in Quedlinburg, Germany; approved for use in France in 2018
    • Voltis: An interspecific hybrid (white) grape variety that recently made news by being approved for limited use in the wines of the Champagne AOC.

See the attached documentation (below) for a complete list of the grape varieties (and more interesting discussion) of the new-and-improved Vallée du Torgan IGP. And keep an eye out for hybrid grapes…they are on the move!

 References/for more information:

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

Dispatch from Cariñena (and Cariñena Blanca)

  By admin | May 12, 2023 - 5:21 pm | ,
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CBThe Cariñena Denominación de Origen (DO Cariñena) is a well-established wine region located along the Heurva River in Aragón (an autonomous community in northeastern Spain). Originally established in 1932, the DO Cariñena produces a range of wine styles—including tinto, blanco, and rosado in versions from dry-to-sweet; plus sparkling wine, semi-sparkling wine (vino de aguja), and fortified wine (vino de licor).

All of these wines are allowed to be produced using a long list of grapes, sorted into those considered “principal“ and those considered “secondary.”  In order to use the label term “Superior,” the wine must contain a minimum of 85% principal grape varieties (variedades de uva principales). It comes as no surprise that Cariñena is listed among the appellation’s principal grape varieties.

Cariñena—a vigorous, high-tannin red variety—is a grape of many names; in France, it is known as Carignan; in Catalonia, it is known as Samsó; and much of the world knows it as Mazuelo. It is believed that Mazuelo was the original name, derived from the town of Mazuelo de Muñó (located in Burgos [Castilla y León]). It is further believed that the locally preferred name Cariñena derives from the town of the same name (one of the 16 towns of the Zaragoza Province included within the confines of the DO).

DOs of Aragon SpainThe white mutation of the grape—redolent with citrus aromas and often used in white blends—is known across Spain as Cariñena Blanca, Mazuelo Blanco, or Samsó Blanco. As it stands to reason, in France it goes by Carignan Blanc. Loyal readers of this blog might recall that Cariñena Blanca was only quite recently added to the official list of approved varieties in Spain, and that the Empordà DO was the first appellation to allow its use in the PDO wines of the region. (At the time, I received many comments relating that it seemed odd that it was not year approved in the Cariñena DO—agreed!)

However, it seems that the Cariñena DO has come around and—as of February of 2023—Cariñena Blanca has been approved for use (as a secondary variety) in the white wines and sparkling wines of the appellation (fortified wines must be produced solely from principal varieties).

It is believed that viticulture in Aragón began in the area near the town of Cariñena. The area was formerly a Roman town known as Carae, whose inhabitants of Carae were known to have enjoyed a locally produced wine mixed with home as far back as the third century BCE. Documentation concerning planting restrictions on vineyards dates back to 1696.

DO Carinena 1The Cariñena DO contains a diverse range of soil types and is characterized by low rainfall, extreme temperatures, and a strong, dry, northerly wind known as the cierzo.

Note: The complete list of principal grape varieties of the DO Cariñena includes the following grapes in addition to Cariñena: Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha Tinta, Merlot, Syrah, Tempranillo, Chardonnay, Garnacha Blanca, and Macabeo. The list of secondary varieties includes the following (in addition to Cariñena Blanca): Juan Ibáñez (Moristel), Monastrell (Mourvèdre), Vidadillo (Vidalillo de Almonacid), Muscat of Alexandria (Moscatel de Alejandría), Parellada, Sauvignon Blanc, and Verdejo.

References/for more information:

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