Sunday, April 27, 2014

Stylistical Approach to Pinot Gris/ Grigio

Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are two names fotr the same grape variety. The Pinot Gris of France became the Pinot Grigio of Italy when it was planted there. Although they are the same grape they are referred to as being associated with different styles of wine. Pinot Gris is used in the Alsace region of France and, also in Oregon. In California, Australia, and Italy the wine is referred to as Pinot Grigio.

Pinot Gris/ Grigio is a wine that does not get much respect. It is known by many as a quaffer that is generally sold by the glass on restaurant wine lists, with the bottle selections some of the slowest selling on the page. As often as the more quality focused wines are overlooked most people really do enjoy them, and generally admit that they forget about the nicer wines in lieu of a different variety.

Admittedly, the wines that are sold by the glass are extremely light not showcasing brilliant fruit flavors, and other varieties can be packed full of flavor. Pinot Gris/ Grigio is a lighter style of wine by design. It has characteristic aromas and flavors of apple, lemon, peach, minerals, and almonds.  The acidity can be low to high depending on where it is grown.

In Alsace, Pinot Gris is at home where it has been grown since the 1500's. France produces more Pinot Gris than any other country. The grapes ripen slowly and maintain good acidity due to a large diurnal temperature swing. Alsace is cool, but the vines are bathed in sunshine allowing the grapes to ripen slowly developing more complex aromatics. The style of wine is richer and sometimes floral with a medium to full body, and an almost oily texture. The wines can be very long lived.

Oregon Pinot Gris is styled after Alsace, and is also a cool marginal climate for viticulture. Since Pinot Gris is an early ripening variety it matches the shorter growing season in Oregon. The wines here can be a darker color of copper pink with crisp lively flavors of melon, pear, and apple. When allowed to hang on the vines longer the wines are richer and sweeter. These wines are a great alternative to Chardonnay. Here the wine should be drank within 2 to 6 years.

Another popular growing region is Italy. Here Pinot Grigio is grown in the northeastern areas of Friuli, Trentino- Alto Adige, and Veneto.  The wines tend to be more mineral driven thanks to heavy concentrations of limestone soils where the vines are mostly planted. The wines show light and lean with  light color, and the better areas developing more complexity and minerality from the grapes.

Then we have California. Here the wines ae generally light and sometimes showing a touch sweeter with lower levels of acid. These are not usually designated to the better sites and can rarely show much complexity. Most often mass produced and sold at a relatively low price.

Lastly, there is Germany's Grauer Burgunder (AKA Pinot Grigio), which represents a sleeker and drier style allowing the wine to be more compatible with food.

Whether it be Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris the styles can represent different aromatics and textural sensations when enjoyed. Although the flavors can be relatively close there is more to this wine than simple patio sippers. If you enjoy Pinot Grigio I would recommend an Alsatian or Oregon Pinot Gris to really experience what this grape is capable of producing. All Pinot Grigio wines will be to a certain extent lighter in style, and are great accompaniments to salads and lighter seafood dishes. The wines are most often fermented in stainless steel at cool temperatures to allow the fruit to stay fresh and the wine to remain crisp. Either way, this white wine is sure to please in the heat of the summer.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Discover Rioja

Spanish wines are picking up the pace in the United States, because once they are tasted they lure you in with their power and elegance. Understanding Rioja can be a bit more tricky, however, but once understood its time to start exploring.

Winemaking in Rioja dates back more than 1,200 years and is steeped in history as most wines of Europe are. The wineries were actually established by a growing community of sheep farmers, and were traditionally vinified for communal purposes for the Catholic churches. Today Spain is the number three importer behind France and Italy.

In Rioja the queen of grapes is the Tempranillo which covers 80% of vineyard land there. Most of the red wines are made primarily from this grape, which displays aromas and flavors of red fruits with soft tannins when young,and developing earthy aromas and flavors with age. There are four other grapes grown in Rioja that add complexity and balance to the vines. These grapes include Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, and Mazuelo. In various proportions they add color, acid, and alcohol to the blend.

Rioja is also labeled and shows different characters depending on its age. The youngest wine category is Consecha. These wines are indicated by an olive green label on the back of the bottle. They must be aged for less than one year in oak and less than one year in the bottle before release. They are meant to drink young, fairly inexpensive, and show fruitier, jammy flavors. The next category is Crianza, which has to age at least one year in cask and one year in bottle. These wines start to develop more complexity from their aging requirement and can start to show different layers of complexity. The wines are indicated by a red label on the back of the bottle. Next is Resrva indicated by a a burgundy back label. These wines must age for one full year in cask and two years in bottle. The wines have more depth of flavor and come from the better vineyards of the region. Lastly, is Gran Reserva. This wine is indicated by a royal blue label, showing the royalty of the wine in this region. Grapes are picked from the best vineyards and must age for two full years in cask and three years in bottle. The wines can last for fifteen to twenty years developing layers upon layers of flavors of fruit, earth, and even mushroom.

The most common white wine is Viura. This wine tastes fresh and crisp with apple and citrus flavors. Other grape varieties include Malvasia, and Garnacha Blanca which can be added in various proportions.

The reds are best enjoyed with various meat dishes and can even go well with difficult food pairings such as Indian curry dishes. Overall the reds are very versatile. The whites are fabulous with seafood and are great summer sippers. Either way, try something new and exciting from the typical wines on the grocery store shelves. Discover the number one wine in Spain; Rioja.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

The Wines of Chile

The wines of South America are known to be sources of value for wine consumers. As they become further engrained in their winemaking expertise, the wines are also proving to be world class.

Chile is a 2,700 hundred mile ribbon of land that is set between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. With an average width of 110 miles you are never more than a two hour drive from the ocean. It is a dynamic area for grape growing with the frigid Pacific to the west sheltered by the snow capped Andes Mountains. To the north is the arid Atacama- the driest desert in the world, and to the south the ice flows of the Antarctica. The climate is Mediterranean with large temperature swings between the day and night, perfect for ripening grapes slowly, while maintaining acid levels.

One of the most unique facts about Chile is that phylloxera has never been present. Phylloxera devestated crops in Europe and the New World wine growing regions. The isolation of Chile is responsible for this and accounts for the amount of old vine vineyards in the region.

Chile is currently divided into 14 wine growing regions offering a diversity of altitude and soil types for  growing grapes.It's virtual lack of humidity and predominately sandy soils lessens the need for pesticides and fertilizers, so viticulture is naturally eco friendly.

The grapes are three quarter red varieties, with Cabernet Sauvignon being the most widely planted, accounting for more than 75% of vineyard land. Merlot is the next most popular, followed by Carmenere, Syrah, and Pinot Noir. With the white grapes Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc
 tied for second place of all grapes grown.

The good news is that the recent earthquakes left all of the vineyards mainly untouched, so rest assured you will be able to find plenty of wine from Chile in the years to come.