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🍇 The 'Grenaissance'

🍇 The 'Grenaissance'

In this week’s DECORKED digest you will read all about California's smoke vintage, the South African 2023 harvest, fine wines, the revival of Grenache, and more. Keep reading!

October 22, 2023

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Happy Sunday! We hope this week treated you well. This week’s DECORKED is all about South African harvest updates, a discussion about fine wines, info about California’s smoke vintage, the revival of Grenache, and much more. Keep reading!

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INTERESTING THIS WEEK

🍷 Master sommelier writes definitive wine-tasting guide for professionals and novices READ HERE (get it HERE)

✨ Azorean island of Pico notches up wine quality READ HERE

🍇 Quality over quantity for Italy's grape harvest READ HERE

📜 1,697-year-old bottle of wine ‘safe to drink’ READ HERE

📝 How can the wine industry stay relevant READ HERE

🇳🇴 The Norwegian way of wine READ HERE

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We curate, filter, and select only the most exciting and important news for you.

CLIMATE CHANGE PATTERNS ARE BOOSTING WINE QUALITY

A recent University of Oxford study looked into the impact of weather patterns on wine quality in Bordeaux over the past 70 years, revealing that warm summers and wet winters contribute significantly to superior wine production. The research suggests that while climate change initially enhances wine quality, prolonged drought conditions could eventually diminish it. Contrary to earlier studies, this research considered the impact of weather throughout the year, including dormant seasons, on the final wine quality. The findings showed that certain weather patterns, such as cooler, wetter winters, and hot, dry summers, correlated with high-quality wine production. The study, focusing on Bordeaux as a case study due to its unirrigated vineyards and extensive historical wine score records, aims to extend its analysis to other wine regions and explore the effects of climate change on other perennial crops like cocoa and coffee, provided long-term quality records are available.

WHAT EVEN IS “FINE WINE” ANY MORE?

Until recently, splurging on a premium bottle of wine meant sticking to well-known options like Burgundy, Bordeaux, or Napa, or possibly indulging in a renowned Champagne label. These longstanding wines have embodied luxury for decades if not centuries. However, the contemporary wine scene presents a strikingly different picture. The evolution of luxury in the wine world has become increasingly elusive to define, particularly together with the widespread acceptance of natural wine. This movement, often associated with the casualization of wine consumption, highlights the prominence of trends like pét-nat and chilled reds, reflecting wine's contemporary democratization. Exploring this new luxury paradigm at the individual bottle level reveals innovative reinterpretations of classic regions through unconventional approaches, such as non-sparkling Champagne and unfortified Jerez table wine, alongside the exploration of lesser-known global wine corners. The emergence of pre-industrial-style Jerez table wines and non-sparkling Champagne, as well as the development of new-style Chardonnay, exemplify this trend.

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SOUTH AFRICAN PRODUCERS OPTIMISTIC FOR 2024 HARVEST

According to recent reports, South African wine producers are expressing optimism for the 2024 harvest due to favorable winter conditions and adequate rainfall across all regions. The preceding year's smaller harvest has heightened expectations, with industry experts emphasizing a positive outlook for the upcoming season. The winemakers are highlighting the beneficial impact of cool, wet weather during the 2023 harvest and subsequent autumn, facilitating vine recovery. Despite concerns regarding climate change, South Africa experienced an exceptional winter marked by sustained low temperatures and significant precipitation. Spring arrived earlier than usual, fostering consistently high budding percentages attributed to the favorable winter climate. However, challenges such as severe weather in September causing infrastructure damage and vineyard accessibility issues have cast some uncertainty on the extent of the potential impact on production, particularly in specific regions. Notably, previous harvests have demonstrated varying outcomes, with 2021 characterized by a prolific grape yield due to favorable climatic conditions, while 2022 saw a comparatively smaller crop, with certain regions experiencing harvest delays attributed to cooler weather. Considering the unpredictability of weather patterns, Vinpro's head of consultation services, Etienne Terblanche, emphasizes the critical role of effective decision-making and adaptability in maximizing the potential of the forthcoming harvest.

THE WAYS OF NATURAL WINE

Despite a decline in overall wine consumption since 2015, natural wine, focusing on sustainability and minimal processing, is gaining traction in the United States, according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis. Although it comprised less than 1% of sales in 2021, its demand is outpacing that of the broader wine category. However, the lack of a definitive definition for natural wine and its subtle labeling poses significant challenges to its growth. The concept of natural wine, viewed by some as a return to traditional winemaking, has persisted in certain regions like Georgia, where winemakers continue to ferment grapes in ancient clay pots. While advocates argue that natural and conventional wines share a thin boundary, some support the implementation of standards, as seen in France's "vin method nature" label. Yet, such regulations can be met with resistance from winemakers due to the associated costs and restrictions. Amidst these developments, there are discussions regarding enhanced transparency on wine labels, exemplified by the upcoming requirement for ingredient and nutrition information on wines sold in the European Union. Some winemakers emphasize the importance of wine quality over strict adherence to particular winemaking practices, challenging the notion of rigid boundaries within the natural wine movement.

AT LONG LAST, GRENACHE IS A RISING STAR

Grenache, once overshadowed and undervalued, has undergone a dramatic revival in the world of fine wines, emerging as a prized single varietal offering at premium price levels. Its recent renaissance represents a remarkable transformation from its earlier association with fortified wines, highlighting a newfound appreciation for its delicate expression and distinctive terroir influence. Winemakers, globally from Australia to France, now meticulously nurture Grenache, carefully selecting optimal harvest times and refining vinification techniques to unveil its lighter, nuanced character. This resurgence reflects a growing recognition of Grenache's capacity to deliver elegantly balanced, fruit-forward wines that resonate with contemporary tastes and complement modern culinary experiences. Despite some areas still lagging in its development, the prevailing ‘Grenaissance’ signals a promising trajectory for its continued prominence and cultivation in the world of wine.

DON’T BE AFRAID OF NAPA AND SONOMA’S ‘SMOKE VINTAGE’

In 2020, devastating wildfires in Northern California blanketed the region in smoke, impacting the famous wine-growing areas of Napa and Sonoma. While concerns were raised about the potential effects on the quality of the vintage, particularly the red wines, the resulting products surprisingly showed minimal evidence of smoke. White wines were largely unaffected, having been harvested before the fires, and no health risks were identified in the wines. Despite challenges in the evaluation process, wineries employed various techniques to mitigate smoke effects. While comprehensive data on the scale of grape and wine loss remained elusive, certain wineries experienced reduced offerings. Nonetheless, the 2020 vintage, marked by a promising start and favorable weather conditions, managed to produce a substantial supply of high-quality wines, and you should definitely give them a try.

TRENDS: GLASS BOTTLE ALTERNATIVES

A wine company on the Central Coast is adopting an eco-friendly approach by introducing paper bottles as an alternative to traditional glass wine bottles. Partnering with the British company Frugalpac, Monterey Wine Company in King City is launching the "Frugal Bottle," which resembles a regular glass bottle but is constructed from durable cardboard and recyclable paper. According to Fred Ordway from Monterey Wine Company, the paper bottle is sturdy yet lightweight, providing a sustainable solution to the environmental challenges associated with glass production and recycling. Glass bottle manufacturing consumes significant energy and poses recycling difficulties, often resulting in bottles ending up in landfills. The Frugal Bottle, on the other hand, is crafted from easily recyclable materials and boasts a carbon footprint up to six times lower than that of a standard glass bottle. Ordway emphasized that this innovation not only offers a practical solution but also aligns with the growing awareness among consumers about the need for sustainable packaging options.

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WINE REGION OF THE WEEK: CRETE, GREECE

Crete (Kriti) is the largest and arguably the most famous island in Greece, marking the southern edge of the Aegean Sea. The island has a long and illustrious history dating back thousands of years and today, the Cretan wine industry is thriving. Pale, aromatic red wines are made here from Liatiko, sometimes blended with Mandilaria. Light, delicate white wines are made from Vilana and Athiri. While most Cretan wine is made from native varieties, innovative producers have begun to experiment with grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Sauvignon Blanc. These are often blended with the Cretan mainstays of Liatiko, Vilana, and Kotsifali, giving rise to new styles of Cretan wine. Soils on the island are usually rich in limestone, and vary from light, sandy loam to more dense clay-based soils. Steep vineyard sites provide good drainage, and the vines are often deep-rooted to reach hydration and nutrients deeper in the ground. The Minoans of Ancient Crete are thought to have been among the first civilizations in Europe, and evidence of viticulture on the island reaches back to at least 5000 BC. Ancient wine presses have been found in sites across Crete, and paintings in Minoan palaces denote grape-growing and winemaking.

GRAPE OF THE WEEK: LIATIKO

Liatiko is an ancient black-skinned grape variety grown on Crete. In the 21st Century, only a handful of producers make wine from Liatiko, but the variety was once of great importance to Crete's winemakers, particularly during the Middle Ages when the island was under Venetian rule. Although the Liatiko berry has very dark, deeply pigmented skin, this color is notoriously hard to extract and keep. Liatiko must is typically quite pale, and loses much of its tint during maturation, whether in a tank, barrel, or bottle. "Bricking" (the process whereby a red wine takes on orange-brown, brick-like colors) sets in early for all but the most robust examples. Dafnes, in central Crete, is Crete's only Liatiko-specific appellation with all Dafnes wines required to be 100-percent Liatiko. In Sitia, at the far eastern end of Crete, Liatiko is blended with Mandilaria (Amorghiano) for added depth of color. Liatiko wines are produced in both dry and sweet styles, the latter using sun-dried grapes and sometimes fortified, depending on the producer.

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