😲 Sancerre taking over

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Happy Sunday! Hope you’ve had a wonderful week! In this week’s DECORKED digest, you will read all about the Armenian viticulture, ‘Top 50 world wines’, Argentina’s harvest struggles, natural wines, and much more. Keep reading!

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INTERESTING THIS WEEK

📄 Organisers gearing up for the second ‘Wine vision by open Balkan’ event READ HERE

🍴 15 game changers who are reshaping the way we eat and drink in 2023 READ HERE

💃 Liberality, quality, festivity: wine in the French Revolution  READ HERE

🇵🇹 Portugal highlighted as a top global wine destination READ HERE

📉 The fine wine market continued to slide during May READ HERE

🔓 Unlocking the potential of Lithuania's wine market READ HERE

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ARMENIAN WINE IN THE MODERN ERA

Wine has been deeply rooted in Armenian culture for centuries, as revealed by the ancient winery Areni-1, discovered in 2007, complete with preserved clay vessels, a grape-stomping wine press, drinking cups, and remnants of grape vines, skins, and seeds. Today, Armenian wine is a recognized player in the global wine industry. Its producers are pushing boundaries with experimental winemaking and innovative farming techniques. Under the guidance of renowned winemakers, Armenian vintners have skillfully exploited their unique terroir, yielding vibrant, intense flavors from their native grapes. This process creates distinctive, characterful wines made from grape varietals exclusive to Armenia. With the shifting preferences of modern consumers, particularly the trend towards orange and natural wines, Armenian wine producers are ideally placed to leverage these evolving opportunities, setting a promising trajectory for the future of Armenian wine.

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ARGENTINA HAD ONE OF ITS SMALLEST GRAPE HARVESTS IN ITS HISTORY

Argentina is bracing for a significantly low grape harvest this year, with estimates pointing to a 21% drop in production compared to the previous year. Some local producers report losses exceeding 50% of their grapes. The decline, largely attributed to late spring frost in 2022, is anticipated to affect wine costs and stocks. The regions most impacted include Chapadmalal, Neuquén, Mendoza, and San Juan. Given Argentina's high inflation and exchange rate complications, the fallout from frost, drought, and vineyard loss further intensifies the challenges for winemakers striving for competitiveness in international markets. Despite these setbacks, producers remain optimistic, anticipating that the quality of this year's wines will not be compromised.

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DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARDS 2023 RESULTS UNVEILED

The Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) has established itself as a key player in the wine industry over the past 20 years. The 2023 competition convened 236 experts, including 53 Masters of Wine and 16 Master Sommeliers, from 30 countries. More than 100 international judges and regional specialists provided their expertise, making the DWWA results a reliable guide for consumers and industry insiders alike. The results for DWWA 2023, which highlight both emerging and established regions, grape varieties, and styles, are now available.

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THE SCHOOL OF NATURAL WINEMAKING

When considering natural wines, rather than attempting to fit them into strict, formal classifications for natural winemaking, perhaps it's more beneficial to borrow a broader designation from the world of fine arts. The process of crafting natural wines often conflicts with traditional winemaking conventions. Once revolutionary, or perhaps counterrevolutionary, movements and practices, such as adhering to "organic," "biodynamic," "sustainable," or "garagiste" principles, have gradually become standardized, losing some of their disruptive impetus.

In the industry's efforts to categorize wines, it has attempted to classify natural wines as a binary concept—either a wine is natural, or it isn't. However, this stark division fails to capture the nuances inherent in the realm of natural wines. They may be better understood within the framework of fuzzy logic, which recognizes varying degrees of reality rather than absolute states. Consequently, a more holistic way of approaching natural wines might be to let go of the conventional wine classifications altogether. Instead, we could adopt a perspective borrowed from the fine arts, viewing natural winemaking as a style or a school. This approach would afford a certain level of freedom to winemakers, critics, and consumers alike, allowing for a more fluid interpretation and appreciation of natural wines.

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SANCERRE TAKES OVER THE BAY AREA

Sancerre, a Sauvignon Blanc from France's Loire Valley, is taking the Bay Area by storm. Its soaring popularity has restaurants scrambling to keep it in stock. Sancerre captivates with its floral, mineral, and stone-fruit notes—a welcome change from the often sharp, herbal Sauvignon Blancs of California and New Zealand. Not as heavy as many Chardonnays, Sancerre's richer character and refreshing, non-oaky profile make it a safe and crowd-pleasing choice. But the mystery remains: do its avid consumers fully grasp the heritage and varietal intricacies of their favored wine? It's important to remember, the world of white wine is a vast and varied space—Sancerre is just the tip of the iceberg.

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WINE REGION OF THE WEEK: ETNA, ITALY

Perched on the slopes of Mount Etna, one of the globe's most active volcanoes, this unique wine region is making its mark with exceptional wines and an intriguing terroir. This designated wine zone (DOC) spans across the slopes of the towering 3330-meter (10,920-foot) volcano, a geographical landmark that unequivocally characterizes the island of Sicily. The predominant variant of Etna wine is the Etna Rosso, a red primarily crafted from the Nerello Mascalese grape variety. A supplementary proportion of up to 20 percent of Nerello Cappuccio is permitted, which is locally known as Nerello Mantellato.

The wine-producing region of Etna elegantly extends around the eastern flank of the volcano, commencing from Randazzo in the north and stretching down to Santa Maria di Licodia in the south. This cascading topography cultivates a spectrum of microclimates, creating an array of subtly distinct wine profiles. A notable aspect that makes the Etna region particularly captivating is the harmonious blend of time-honored winemaking traditions with a contemporary focus on premium and terroir-driven wines, giving birth to offerings that are as nuanced as they are nostalgic.

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GRAPE OF THE WEEK: NERELLO MASCALESE

Nerello Mascalese, a distinguished dark-skinned grape variety, is predominantly cultivated on the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily. The resulting wines often emanate a bouquet reminiscent of the prestigious wines of Barolo and Burgundy. The prefix 'Nerello,' indicating the black coloration of the grapes, is shared with Nerello Cappuccio, the most common blending companion for Nerello Mascalese. These two grapes form the base for Etna DOC wines, with Nerello Mascalese constituting the majority of the blend and surpassing the plantings of Nerello Cappuccio.

The volcanic soils of Etna, presenting immense variability, in combination with elevations reaching up to 1,000 meters above sea level, contribute to the production of wines marked by profound character and complexity. As a late-ripening variety, Nerello Mascalese is typically trained using the traditional bush-vine method, which harmonizes well with the unique terroir. This grape variety and its viticultural practices lead to the birth of wines that encapsulate the robust personality of Sicily's volcanic landscape.

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DID YOU KNOW THAT?

🍇 The vine training technique known as "espallier" involves training the grapevines to grow flat against a support system or trellis.

🗺 "Old World" refers to traditional wine-producing regions in Europe, while "New World" refers to regions such as the Americas and Australia.

📜 The first cultivated grapevines were likely domesticated from wild vines in the Near East.

🍷 The size of a wine barrel is often measured in barrels called "barriques," with a standard capacity of 225 liters or 59 gallons.

🍒 Wine can be made from various fruits, including grapes, apples, cherries, and plums.

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