On the Riesling Radar: New Place-Specific Appellations in Store for Germany

Graphic via https://www.germanwines.de/

Graphic via https://www.germanwines.de/

Ask any wine student, and they will be eager to tell you: German wines are confusing. When you consider the combination of gothic-style script on labels, overlapping levels of the Prädikat, and a seemingly never-ending list of places-of-origin (only some of which are government-approved and therefore considered official)—most wine educators would agree.

Hang on to your hats, wine lovers, because the categorization and classification of German wines is about to change, and it is yet to be seen whether these changes will make the study of German wines easier, or even more (shall we say) complex.

Before we dive in, take heart: these changes are still in the works. While producers can implement the changes immediately, they are not required to do so until the 2025 vintage—and there is still quite a bit of regulatory work to be done. Nevertheless, here is what has been announced so far:

The hierarchy (and label terminology) for Prädikatswein—based on ripeness levels (must concentration) at harvest—will remain unchanged.

A new system (hierarchy)—based on geography and the philosophy of the smaller the area, the higher the quality—will come into force. This geography-based set of classifications will apply to PDO (protected designation of origin) wines only—both still and sparkling—and may be used for both Qualitätswein and Prädikatswein.

This geography-based hierarchy is not entirely new; current students of wine will recall the four levels of German wine place-of-origin categories—Anbaugebiete (area), Bereiche (region), Grosslagen (village), Einzellagen (vineyard)—currently in use. This new system changes the terminology up a bit, adds a few levels of specificity, AND allows for the regulation of grape varieties and wine styles at the higher levels. (Specific information on what these regulations will be is to-be-determined and is expected to be released over the next few months/years.)

Here is the new categorization of German wine place-of-origin terms, in order from largest (and—theoretically, less specific in qualifications and lowest in quality) to smallest (and—theoretically, with the most specific qualification and highest in quality).

  • Anbaugebiet (area): This refers to Germany’s 13 quality wine regions (Anbaugebiete) and has not changed. Grapes may be grown in any part of the area, and the wine will carry the name of the area—such as Mosel, Rheinhessen, or Pflaz—on the label.
  • Region: Each Anbaugebiet will be broken down in several specified areas (such as those previously referred to as Bereiche or Grosslagen). These regions will span several political areas such as communes or districts.
  • Ortsweine (village): Named for a specific village; must reflect the typical grape varieties and wine style of the village. These wines must be produced from grapes harvested at least the Kabinett-level of ripeness and may not be sold before December 15 of the harvest year.
  • Einzellage (vineyard): These wines must be produced in accordance with the grape varieties and wine styles typical of the vineyard. In addition, all wines at this level of the hierarchy (and above) must be made from grapes that are harvested at the ripeness/must concentration threshold as defined for the area’s Kabinett level grapes (or higher). The name of the Einzellage (vineyard) must appear on the wine label alongside the name of the region. These wines may not be sold before March 1 of the year following the harvest.
  • Erstes Gewächs: This designation is made for a sub-plot of a vineyard and comes with a long list of qualifications, which may include specific grape varieties, methods of production, sensory characteristics, and limits on yield. This category is reserved for dry wines made from a single grape variety only. The quality level may be thought of as the “second-highest ranking” in the area, such as is reserved for Burgundy’s Premier Cru vineyards.  These wines must be vintage-dated and may not be sold before March 1 of the year following the harvest.
  • Grosses Gewächs: This designation may be considered the highest level in the category (similar to the Grand Cru vineyards of Burgundy). The qualifications are also steep—in addition to regulations on grape varieties, production methods, and sensory characteristics—the wine must be dry; and it must be produced from a single vineyard, a single grape variety, and a single vintage year. At this level, white may be sold after September 1st of the year following harvest, and red wines may not be sold until June 1st of the second year after harvest.
    • Smaller plots of land known as Gewannen (singular: Gewann) may also be defined within the Erstes Gewächs or the Grosses Gewächs.

Side note: according to the press release linked below, “Associations that already use the terms Grosses Gewächs and Erstes Gewächs may continue to use them if they meet certain minimum requirements from the wine ordinance, for example with regard to grape varieties, yields, harvest regulations or the taste profile.”

Reference/for more information:

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

 

 

Dispatch from the Ribeiro DO

Photo of Ribeiro vineyards via: www.ribeiro.wine/es/

Photo of Ribeiro vineyards via: www.ribeiro.wine/es/

The Ribeiro DO—the oldest appellation in Galicia—was established in 1932. The region sits between the of O Rosal sub-region of Rías Baixas (to the west) and the Ribeira Sacra DO (to the east). The area is located along the eastern banks of the Miño (Minho) River, about 30 km/48 miles inland of the Atlantic Ocean.

Ribeiro, a cool-to-moderate climate region, is part of Green Spain—the area of northwest Spain exposed to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean. The area is surrounded by rolling hills, criss-crossed by rivers, and tucked between the coastal plains and the mountains of the Galician Massif.

The region—heavily planted to white grapes—has been known for the quality of its wines since the 12th century, when the monks of San Clodio Monastery served their wines to travelers and pilgrims on the nearby Camino. Documentation from the time (dated 1133) shows that the wines of Ribeiro were the most highly prized—and expensive—wines served in the nearby town of Santiago de Compostela.

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These days, about 90% of the production of the Ribeiro DO is white wines. Treixadura—the leading white grape variety—is often referred to as the “jewel of the Ribeiro.” Other highly regarded white grape varieties include Torrontés, Godello, Albariño, Loureira, Lado and Caíño Blanco; Palomino and Albillo are allowed as well. The white wines of the Ribeiro DO are often enjoyed as young, vibrant, and expressive white wines; aged versions are appreciated for their elegance and subtlety.

Another 9% of the production is red wines—crisp and bright—produced mainly from Caíño Longo, Caíño Bravo, Caíño Tinto, Ferrón, Sousón, Mencía, and Brancellao grape varieties.  (Tempranillo and Alicante Bouschet are allowed as well.)

The Ribeiro DO also allows for the production of a naturally sweet, dried-grape wine known as Ribeiro Tostado (“toasted”). Grapes—which may be either white or red—used in the production of Ribeiro Tostado are dried (after harvest) for a minimum of three months. After fermentation, the wine must be aged for a minimum of six months in oak or cherry vats; this must be followed by at least three months of aging in the bottle. Production of this rich, complex, and luscious wine is very small and labor-intensive.

Advanced students of wine might be interested to know that in 2017, the Consejo Regulador of the Ribeiro DO granted approval for some changes to the rules and regulation of the appellation. This amendment was recently approved by the EU; the updated Pliego de Condiciones was published in the Official Journal of the EU on November 18, 2020.

Photo of Ribeiro Tostado via: www.ribeiro.wine/es/

Photo of Ribeiro Tostado via: www.ribeiro.wine/es/

As a result of the changes, the standards of the Ribeiro DO now allow for the production of sparkling wines. The changes also tightened several of the quality standards for the wines, such as maximum yields, planting density, and minimum ripeness levels. (See the attached documentation for details.)

The newly-defined standards for the sparkling wines of the region—Vinos Espumosos de Calidad Ribeiro—require that the wines be produced using the traditional method, with a minimum of 9 months aging on the lees. Ribeiro Espumoso may be produced as a white (blanco) or rosé (rosado) wine; however, it must be dry—brut (maximum sugar of 12 g/L) and brut nature (maximum sugar of 3 g/L) are the only sweetness levels allowed.

The updates also provide for the use of the term barrica on wines that have spent some time in oak barrels (of 600 liters/maximum capacity) at any point in the production process. While the minimum time in oak is not specified, wines labeled with the term barrica (Ribeiro Barrica Blanco or Ribeiro Barrica Tinto) must demonstrate a “woody aromatic character” (to include aromas of toast, spice, and balsam) balanced by aromas and flavors of fruit, flowers, honey, jam, and herbs.

References/for more information:

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

Dispatch from the Maremma Toscana DOC

Maremma Toscana MapHistorically, the term “Maremma” was used to indicate a large, marshy area stretching along the Italian Coast—encompassing about 100 miles/160 km of southwestern Tuscany and northern Lazio. The name Maremma is said to derive from the Spanish word marisma—meaning “marsh.” (For the geologically challenged among us, a marsh is a treeless, low-lying area that is typically water-logged, prone to flooding, and home to grasses. cattails, and reeds.)

The area has been drained of its swampy residue several times over the course of history—most notably by order of Ferdinando I de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, in the early 1600s—and again in the 1700s by the order of Leopold II. Modern times have seen the installation of powerful draining machines and the planting of pine forests. As a result, today’s Maremma is equally known for sandy beaches, rolling hills, wildlife preserves, and a wealth of agriculture ranging from olives and Maremma Cattle to viticulture and wine production.

The Monte Argentario Peninsula in Grosseto (Tuscany)

The Monte Argentario Peninsula in Grosseto (Tuscany)

The term Maremma is also used as a geographical indication for wine—as in the Maremma Toscana DOC. This Maremma Toscana DOC designation is applied specifically to the Grosseto Province, located in the southwestern corner of Tuscany. The Maremma was first established as an Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) region in 1995; it was promoted to a Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) in 2011.

The appellation is focused on varietally-labeled wines, including a range of typical Italian varieties (Sangiovese, Trebbiano Toscano, Ansonica) and international varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Syrah.

Blended wines—typically labeled simply as Rosso, Bianco or Rosato—are also produced in the region. One of the more unique styles of wine produced in the Maremma Toscana DOC is a wine labeled simply as “Cabernet” which may include any combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and/or Carmenère.

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Advanced students of wine might be interested in the recent updates to the rules and regulations that define the wines of the Maremma Toscana DOC. In late 2020, the region’s disciplinare was revised to allow the use of two grape varieties on the label, such as Sauvignon Blanc–Viognier or Cabernet Sauvignon–Merlot. It is thought that this will make the wines more appealing to some New World markets. The standards for the use of bi-varietal labeling are as follows: the grape named first on the label must comprise 50% to 85% of the blend; and the second grape listed must comprise 15% to 50%.

  • The updated regulations also include the following standards for the use of the term Riserva on the wines of the Maremma Toscana DOC:
    • Red wines: minimum of 2 years of aging—to include at least six months in wood—beginning no earlier than November 1 of the harvest year
    • White wines: minimum of 12 months of aging (beginning no earlier than November 1 of the harvest year)

This list of allowed wines produced in the Maremma Toscana DOC is long; and includes some wine styles typical of the region—such as dry rosso, bianco, and rosato (in varietal expressions and blends), as well as Vin Santo, sweet vendemmia tardiva (late-harvest) wines, and passito-style wines. The appellation is also one of the few in Tuscany to produce spumante (sparkling) wines. The sparkling wines of the region may be bianco or rosato and dry or extra-dry (up to 17 g/L of sugar). In addition, they may be produced via the Metodo Classico (traditional method) or the charmat method (in pressurized tank, referred to as the Metodo Martinotti).

References/for more information:

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

Welcome to the World, Pays de Brive PGI!

Photo via: https://www.1001-pierres.com/boutique/fr/

Photo via: https://www.1001-pierres.com/boutique/fr/

France has approved a new protected geographical indication for wine: The Pays de Brive PGI. The newly classified area produces dry, still (non-sparkling) wines in red, white, and rosé as well as sweet white wines.

The region’s white wines may be produced using Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Sémillon, or Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains. They may be produced as varietal wines or blends.

According to the Cahier des Charges, the white wines of the Pays de Brive PGI should be pale yellow in color with green reflections, with aromas of fruit and flowers. On the palate, they are “fruity, mineral, powerful, and lively.” Semi-sweet (moelleux) and sweet (doux) white wines (produced from the same slate of grape varieties) show aromas of yellow fruit (quince, peach), citrus (lemon, mandarin orange), and honey.

The red and rosé wines of the Pays de Brive PGI may be produced using the following well-known grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec (Cot), Merlot, Gamay, Pinot Noir, and Tannat. Other—more obscure—approved varieties include Jurançon Noir (a natural Folle Blanche X Malbec cross) and Ségalin (a Jurançon Noir X Portugieser cross created by Paul Truel in 1957). Red and rosé wines may be produced as varietal wines or blends.

Map of the Nouvelle Aquitaine Region; the Corrèze Department is on the eastern edge.

Map of the Nouvelle Aquitaine Region; the Corrèze Department is on the eastern edge.

According to the Cahier des Charges, the red wines of the area tend to be rich, powerful, and ruby-to-garnet in color. Typical aromas include black current, spice, and candied fruit. Rosés—which may be light in color (and flavor) or darker and richer (dusty rose/pink) in color and flavor—are fruity, floral, and lively.

The Pays de Brive PGI covers the entirety of the Corrèze Department, located in Southwest France (Nouvelle-Aquitaine), somewhat inland (east) of Bordeaux. Long-time readers may recall that a portion of the area was previously covered by the Vins de la Corrèze IGP before it received a “promotion” and was re-invented as the Corrèze AOC (in 2017). The Pays de Brive PGI covers a wider region and has a much longer list of approved grape varieties and wine styles than the stricter (and smaller) Corrèze AOC.

The region takes its name from the area’s largest town, the commune of Brive-la-Gaillarde (population: 50,000). During World War II, Brive-la-Gaillarde was a center of the Resistance; in 1944, it became the first city of Occupied France to liberate itself without outside assistance.

Welcome to the World, Pays de Brive PGI!

References/for more information:

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

There’s a New Grape in Town: Ciliegiolo

Photo of Ciliegiolo by Fabio Ingrosso via Wikimedia Commons

Photo of Ciliegiolo by Fabio Ingrosso via Wikimedia Commons

The TTB (Trade and Tobacco Tax Bureau of the US government) recently approved the (red) Ciliegiolo grape variety for use on American wine labels. This means that we may soon be able to purchase varietally-labeled Ciliegiolo wines produced and distributed in the US!

The name Ciliegiolo translates (in Italian) to small cherry and is said to indicate the cherry-like aroma of the fresh grapes. Ciliegiolo has been determined to be related to Sangiovese, and is most likely the result of a natural (once-upon-a-time) cross of Sangiovese and Calabrese di Montenuovo (a red grape, native to Campania that is also assumed to be a parent of Sangiovese).

There are currently about 7,600 acres (3,100 ha) of Ciliegiolo grown in Italy. Most of it is found in Tuscany, but small amounts are believed to be growing in many other regions of Italy as well. It is assumed that only around 10% of the total plantings are used in PDO wines; most of the rest is used in IGT wines or makes its way into wines classified simply as “vino.”

Graphic via: www.sassotondo.it/en/ciliegiolo

Graphic via: www.sassotondo.it/en/ciliegiolo

Ciliegiolo is allowed for use in several IGT wines of Italy, including Toscana IGT, Veneto IGT, and Campania IGT. As such, it may show up in DOC/DOCG wines under the allowance that many such appellations have for small amounts of “other” grapes permitted to be used in the blend. For instance, in the Chianti DOCG, winemakers may include a “maximum 30% combined other grapes authorized for Toscana.” Ciliegiolo is listed a primary grape variety in a list of Italian DOC/DOCG wines—I counted 16, most of them somewhat obscure—to include the Amelia DOC (Umbria), Colline Lucchesi DOC (Tuscany), and Portofino DOC (Liguria).

Sassotondo Estate, located in Sovana, produces a 100% Ciliegiolo wine that is bottled under the Maremma Toscana DOC. The winery website describes the wine a “ruby red in color” and with aromas and flavors of “red fruits, plum, licorice, and the typical touch of ground white pepper.”

It will be fascinating to see how this Ciliegiolo grape fares in the US!

Click here to see the full list of grapes recently awarded administrative approval for use on American wine labels, per the website of the TTB.

References/for more information:

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

Welcome to the World, Terre Alfieri DOCG!

Photo of the town of Magliano Alfieri by Alessandro Vecchi, via Wikimedia Commons

Photo of the town of Magliano Alfieri by Alessandro Vecchi, via Wikimedia Commons

Piedmont’s Terre Alfieri wine region has just been promoted from a denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) to a denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (DOCG) wine producing region!

With this latest promotion, Italy is now home to 76 DOCGs. Terre Alfieri is the 18th such region located in Piedmont—solidifying Piedmont’s “first place” status among Italy’s 20 regions in terms of number of DOCGs (Veneto is second, having a total of 14).

The Terre Alfieri DOCG—located just to the east (and slightly north) of the Roero DOCG—includes seven communes located in the province of Asti (Antignano, Celle Enomondo, Cisterna, Revigliasco, San Damiano, San Martino Alfieri, and Tigliole) and four in the province of Cuneo (Castellinaldo, Govone, Magliano Alfieri, and Priocca).

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Terrie Alfieri DOCG produces two styles of wine: red wines based on Nebbiolo and white wines based on Arneis. These are the same two styles of wine that were previously made when the region was a DOC, and the same two that its neighbor—the Roero DOCG—produces. A few rules and regulations have been updated with the recent promotion to DOCG status, which now reflects the following standards:

  • Terre Alfieri Arneis: minimum 85% Arneis, minimum 12% abv
  • Terre Alfieri Arneis Superiore: minimum 85% Arneis, minimum 12.5% abv, minimum 6 months aging
  • Terre Alfieri Nebbiolo: minimum 85% Nebbiolo, minimum 13% abv, minimum 4 months aging
  • Terre Alfieri Nebbiolo Superiore: minimum 85% Nebbiolo, minimum 13.5% abv, minimum 1 year of aging (including 6 months in wood)
  • Terre Alfieri Nebbiolo Riserva: minimum 85% Nebbiolo, minimum 13.5% abv, minimum 2 years of aging (including one year in wood)

The region—named for the noble Alfieri family that ruled these lands many generations ago—was first awarded DOC status in 2009.

Welcome to the world, Terre Alfieri DOCG!

Note: As with all such updates, this change will need to wind its way through EU approval; however, as the Italian government has granted their approval, the changes can be implemented in the meantime. Most likely, the Terre Alfieri DOCG will apply as of the release of the wines of the 2020 vintage. If the EU fails to approve the amendment, the regulation will be rescinded (although this seems unlikely to happen).

References/for more information:

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

At Long Last: The Pouilly-Fuissé AOC has 22 official Premier Crus!

Photo via: https://www.pouilly-fuisse.net/en/

Photo via: https://www.pouilly-fuisse.net/en/

More than 12 years after the beginning of the process, the Pouilly-Fuissé AOC has 22 official premier crus!

As reported by Frédéric-Marc Burrier, president of the Union des Producteurs de Pouilly-Fuissé, the application process for France’s newest premier cru appellations began with an in-depth study of the soil, topography, and history of the Pouilly-Fuissé area. This part of the project included creating a detailed map of the appellation’s 217 lieux-dits and the painstaking delineation of the 22 plots that would hold the area’s highest classification (all of which had to be approved by the organization’s 250 member-producers).

The application was approved by France’s Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité (INAO) on September 3, 2020. The newly-approved premier crus represent 194 hectares—24% of the total area of the Pouilly-Fuissé AOC—and are spread over the four communes of the appellation: Chaintré, Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly and Vergisson.

The Pouilly-Fuissé AOC, famous for white wines made using 100% Chardonnay, is located in Burgundy’s Mâconnais region. Pouilly-Fuissé is one of the five well-known, white-wine producing communal AOCs of the Mâconnais.  (For the wine students: the others include the Viré-Clessé, Saint-Véran, Pouilly-Vinzelles, and Pouilly-Loché AOCs.)

Pouilly-Fuissé is the first appellation of the Mâconnais to officially recognize specific climats as premier crus. The list is as follows:

  • Commune de Chaintré
    • Le Clos de Monsieur Noly
    • Les Chevrières
    • Aux Quarts
    • Le Clos Reyssier
  • Commune de Fuissé
    • Le Clos
    • Les Brulés
    • Les Ménétrières
    • Les Reisses
    • Les Vignes Blanches
    • Les Perrières
    • Vers Cras (shared with Solutré-Pouilly)
  • Commune de Solutré-Pouilly
    • La Frérie
    • Le Clos de Solutré
    • Au Vignerais
    • En Servy
    • Aux Bouthières
    • Aux Chailloux
    • Pouilly
    • Vers Cras (shared with Fuissé)
  • Commune de Vergisson
    • Les Crays
    • La Maréchaude
    • Sur la Roche
    • En France

Update: As of April of 2021, this amendment was approved by the EU.

References/for more information:

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

Dispatch from the Muscadet AOC

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The Muscadet AOC—known for crisp, dry, white wines based on the Melon (Melon de Bourgogne) grape variety—is located on the western edge of the Pays Nantais. While several appellations bear the name Muscadet, the over-arching Muscadet AOC encompasses the others—Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine AOC, Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOC, and Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu AOC. The Muscadet AOC contains 20,840 acres/8,430 ha of vines—including 3,950 acres/1,600 ha of vines approved just for the general appellation.

Recently, the Cahier de Charges for the Muscadet AOC has been revised (approved by the INAO as of April 28, 2020) and there are a few minor changes to report. Note that these changes apply only to the Muscadet AOC and for the time being, the rules and regulations for the other three Muscadets remain unchanged.

Here are the major updates:

  • Chardonnay is now listed as an accessory variety and up to 10% can be included in the blend. (Previously, Muscadet was required to be 100% Melon de Bourgogne with no other varieties allowed).
  • The amount of time that the wine is aged on the lees will be limited; the wines must be separated from the lees no later than July 31 of the year following harvest. (“Les vins sont séparés de leurs lies fines de vinification au plus tard le 31 juillet de l’année qui suit celle de la récolte”.) In practice, this limits the potential amount of sur lie aging to about ten months.
  • The term “sur lie” will not be allowed to be part of the wine’s name nor identification for products of the Muscadet AOC. It’s interesting to note that the term “sur lie” is conspicuously absent from the entire document, while the rules of the other three Muscadets specifically state that the wine’s name (the AOC) may be supplemented by the mention “sur lie” as long as the wine meets the defined production standards for use of the term.
Map of the Muscadet AOC via the INAO

Map of the Muscadet AOC via the INAO

In the  fine print of the new regulations (the section labeled as description des facteurs humains contribuant au lien/contributing human factors), it is explained that the producers of Muscadet AOC are moving away from the practice of sur lie aging in order to differentiate their wines from those of the other three Muscadets (Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine AOC, Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOC, and Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu AOC).

It looks like we can expect the Muscadet AOC of the future to be delicate, crisp, and dry with aromas of citrus (lemon, lime), green fruit (green apple, green pear), stone fruit (nectarine), fresh herbs, and white flowers. Sounds delicious!

Note: As with all such updates, this change will need to wind its way through EU approval; but (with the approval of the INAO) the changes can be implemented in the meantime. (Most likely this will apply as of the release of the wines of the 2020 vintage.) If the EU fails to approve the amendment, the regulation will be rescinded (although this seems unlikely to happen).

References/for more information:

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

“Vin Mousseux à Fermentation Unique” is Official in the Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC!

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It has been rumored for a while, and at long last (as of June of 2020) the Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC has been amended to include a style of sparkling wine produced via a variation of the methode ancestrale.

The methode ancestrale—a method of sparkling wine produced involving along,  single, often interrupted, fermentation—is assumed to have been responsible for the earliest versions of sparkling wine ever produced. These early bubblies most likely involved a fortunate series of events and spontaneous fermentation. In modern times, wines made in this style of wine—including some styles of Limoux Mousseux and Clairette de Die—are produced in a few far-flung French AOCs. These have, until recently, remained quite obscure.

These days, sparkling wines produced using variations of the methode ancestrale have become trendy, and variations are produced all over the world. Some are pink, some are white, some are orange, and some are red. Some of these are referred to by the informal moniker of pétillant natural, or pét-nat—and you either love them or you hate them.

Amidst all of the trendy goings-on, the venerable Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC has been quietly producing sparkling wines using these old-fashioned, natural methods for quite a while. Now, the Cahier des Charges (official rules of the appellation) have been updated to define and include them in the list of wines approved for appellation-certified production.

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The new version of the documentation includes the following rules and regulations for an “official” version of sparkling wines produced via a single fermentation—to be known as Vins Mousseux à Fermentation Unique. The standards include:

  • 100% Chenin Blanc
  • Mandatory hand-harvest
  • Whole-cluster, gentle pressing, no de-stemming or pre-crushing allowed
  • Natural yeast fermentation
  • No sugar may be added at any time during processing/zero dosage
  • Single fermentation: fermentation may begin inside a vat or a barrel, and the partially fermented must is bottled to “capture the foam”
  • The wines spend a minimum of 9 months on the lees beofre disgorging.
    • Note: despite the fact that many similar wines, including some of those referred as pét-nat, are bottled on the lees—the wines of the Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC must be disgorged before bottling
  • 5 g/L maximum residual sugar

Montlouis-sur-Loire Vin Mousseux à Fermentation Unique AOC wines are described as having aromas of white-fleshed fruit and white flowers, accompanied by “elegant and creamy bubbles” as well as a rich texture—all due to the unique production process. These wines are intended to reflect the distinctive character of a particular place and time and as such, vintage dating is mandatory.

Note: I’ve seen many reports claiming that this is an “official” version of pétillant naturel wines. This statement could be interpreted as partially true (except for the issue with mandatory disgorgement). In addition, the term pétillant naturel is not a part of the Cahier des Charges.

References/for more information:

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

Big Corvina

Big CorvinaFor generations, it was assumed that Corvinone—the big-berried, dark blue-black grape grown sparsely throughout Veneto—was a roly-poly mutation of the locally renowned Corvina grape variety. Thus, it was given the name Corvinone—”big Corvina”—and tolerated for use (in limited quantities) alongside Corvina in some of the red wines of the region, namely the Valpolicellas and the Bardolinos.

However, in 1993, S. Cancellier and U. Angelini—as published in the Vignevini Journal of the University of Bologna—gave the world proof that Corvinone is a separate grape variety. Corvinone is, they stated, most likely related to Corvina, but distinct, nonetheless.

According to Italy’s Registro Nazionale delle Variet di Vite, Corvinone tends to break bud fairly late, experience medium timing in flowering and veraison, and is a medium-to-late ripener (germogliamento: tardiva, fioritura: media, invaiatura: media, naturazione: medio-tardiva). Both the bunches and the individual grape berries are noted for being large in size and distinctly larger than Corvina. Corvinone is quite able to respond to water stress and takes well to drying; for this reason, it often goes through the appassimento process for use in Amarone and Recioto.

I have never encountered a varietal Corvinone wine, although they are allowed (at least in theory) to be produced under the IGT Veneto, IGT Vallagarina, or IGT Verona.  These wines might show the typical primary aromas of Corvinone, including red and black fruits such as cherry, raspberry, and blackberry; floral notes (violet), cocoa, and tobacco.

We are not quite sure from where the name Corvina, and thus Corvinone, is derived. However, many experts suggest that the grapes were named for their dark blue-black color, reminiscent of the color of the feathers of a raven (corvo in Italian).

For super-advanced students of wine: Late last year, the disciplinari for the wines of Valpolicella (Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG, Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG, Valpolicella DOC,  and Valpolicella Ripasso DOC) were all revised to allow 45% to 95% Corvina OR Corvinone grapes in the wines. You might recall that, up until this change, the allowed amount of Corvinone was limited to no more than 50% of the amount of Corvina used. This limitation has been now removed for all the variants of Valpolicella. The allowance for Bardolino DOC and Bardolino Superiore DOCG remains unchanged for now (35% to 80% Corvina, of which 20% may be replaced by Corvinone).

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