Saturday, December 18, 2010

Tawse Comes of Age



As Paul Pender is talking to a group of bloggers amongst the vines about the difference he's seen in Tawse's recent move toward organic and biodynamic practices you get the feeling that the near decade old winery is coming into its own under his stewardship

For Pender it really is all about what happens out in the vineyards. The few times I've spoken to him he's always been in a flannel shirt, jeans and boots amongst the vines where he passionately and eloquently explains that what is happening in the vineyard determines the quality in the bottle. Today he starts off with a quick five minute crash course in biodynamics (see my Spotlight article for more detail on the subject) for the group, which includes some unfamiliar with the concept. He touches on all the key points: the preparations, Steiner's philosophy, the integrated self-sustaining farm and all without glossing over the more controversial cosmic aspects. The key step to unlocking terroir (see this post for a more in depth look at the subject) for Pender is the soil. “You're not getting a sense of terrior when the soil is dead”, he says. Since coming aboard in 2004 Pender has worked to convert the exisitng vines over to biodynmaic farming methods. I say methods becuase having only received organic certification this year it will be another year until the wines can be biodynamically certified.

From Tawse camp


The biodynamic concept of having an integrated self-sustaining farm is something that appeals to Pender and it is something that Tawse has really begun to embrace. This year Pender has started using a horse in place of a tractor. The decrease in production (seven compared to nine acres a day) is more than a fair trade-off for less compaction of the top soil, he says. The vineyard's sheep are just tall enough to eat the leaves keeping the vine's fruiting zone exposed to the sun for ripening and good air flow. Plus they provide manure for the vineyard as they do at Southbrook. The chickens fertilise and provide pest management as they roam amongst the vines. They also provide a bonus of free-run of eggs which are sold at the winery. The small Shetland sheep go to slaughter in the fall and generally end-up on a plate at a local restaurant. But given the cost to raise them nether is a money maker for the winery. It's more about keeping with the biodynamic spirit of creating a self-sustaining integrated farm.

From Tawse camp


Although not a required biodynamic practice clover is planted as a cover crop between the rows a—common practice in almost all of Ontario's vineyards. Cover crops are known to provide numerous benefits. Reduced soil erosion, stability for people and/or tractors between the rows (especially in wetter conditions), weed suppression, a habitat for beneficial insects, a home to discourage harmful bugs from the moving on to the vines, organic material, nitrogen and lastly soil structure improvement via drainage. But maintaining cover crops costs money and they can compete with vines for resources as well as attract pests. In Tawse's case the sheep are a solution to these issues happily keeping the cover crop and pests in check as they greedily clear whole blocks in a matter of hours.

From Tawse camp


Pender believes that with its thick tap root oil seed radish (another cover crop sometimes used) can cause soil compaction. He prefers clover because in his experience the finer root system leads to better drainage. With a heavier clay soil at the home Cherry Avenue property good drainage through the top layers is key. A heavy compacted clay can have a tendency to allow water to sit near the surface and drain slowly—a problem you want to absolutely avoid if possible. Overall Pender has noticed that since implementing the biodynamic practices the health and caliber of the estate fruit has maintained top quality even in challenging vintages.

From Tawse camp


Another strategy being employed at Tawse in the pursuit of better grapes is the use of tighter spacing on the Burgundian model.
The theory is that with the vines tightly planted the root systems dig deep and fiercely compete for nutrients leading to less fruit per vine but higher yields overall per acre/hectare
. Furthermore with more canopy and fewer bunches to ripen you should end-up with high-quality, small and intensely flavoured grapes that express a sense of place. Although it sounds good in theory tight planting is not a light undertaking. With the extra roots in close proximity good soil structure is essential for them to remain healthy. The tight spacing also means that good canopy management like shoot positioning and leaf stripping is essential not only for ripening but also to help with disease pressure. The Cherry Avenue vineyard seems to have good air flow which helps keep things dry and thus far it means there's not been a need for wind machines (to reduce frost risk) according to Pender. Some of the vines on Cherry Avenue are quite old for Niagara (Robyn's Block of 29-year-old Chardonnay and Carly's block of 34-year-old Riesling) so ripping out before the vines have reached the end of their life-span just to try tight planting would be a shame. Nobody is planning to rip vines out prematurely but if the trails work well and older blocks need replacing you would have to believe tighter spacing would be seriously considered. Tawse's tight planting trails use five foot row spacing (most Niagara planting is eight-nine foot between rows which fits the locally available tractors) but this requires all hand labour until a special tractor from Burgundy arrives next year.

From Tawse camp


For Pender Niagara has reached a maturing point where the winemaking technique and knowledge is very solid, so gains to be made there aren't dramatic. With Brock's Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute approaching its 15th year and Niagara College Teaching Winery closing in on a decade of operation there is certainly a lot more people educated in winemaking and viticulture than there was in Niagara just a short decades ago. Thus it's only logical that the focus be on the vines. “The biggest advances will come from the vineyard. We need to pay attention to what the vineyards are telling us. If we don't pay attention to that we won't get anywhere,” Pender say.

From Tawse camp


Part of that focus is growing fewer varieties. Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc are what should be grown in Niagara according to Pender. Gamay could also work but the lower price point works against it in the business sense. Trying to grow everything and being everything to everyone doesn't work in the cool climate of Niagara according to Pender. He cites Oregon as a great example of a region that despite some recent troubles has been able to position itself as a premium region by focusing on one grape: Pinot Noir. In a bit of an ironic twist Pender has inherited a couple of mixed vineyards as Tawse begins to expand. The Hillside vineyard purchase from Lakeview Cellars last year has 23-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines as well as 13-year-old Pinot Gris and 11-year-old Syrah. The Thomas & Vaughn vineyard purchased late last year has the same three varieties as well as Merlot. Talking to Pender you get the feeling he's a bit conflicted growing varieties that he feels aren't suited to the climate year-in-and-out—he mentioned in passing that 2010 might but be the one year in a decade that Syrah fully ripens. At the same time ripping out 23-year-old vines when a life expectancy of 30 years is considered very good is something that pains every winemaker especially in a good vintage. It seems that right now the plan is to carefully monitor the vines. If there's damage and/or the fruit isn't up to quality the inevitable replanting will come sooner rather than later.

From Tawse camp


What will be intriguing to watch is what these additional vineyards mean for Tawse. After starting as a small producer focusing on premium-priced Burgundian-styled Chardonnay Tawse began to branch out a bit with the Echos line primarily focused on giving the restaurant market something at a lower price point. Echos became a restaurant only line with Sketches of Niagara, which is bottled at the Hillside vineyard, being the retail/consumer version of it. After acquiring the Lakeview and Thomas and Vaughn properties plus the Quarry Road and Tintern Road vineyards Tawse's combined the potential is for about 115 acres of grapes. That production has it moving away from small producer status towards at least a large mid-sized producer. What remains to be seen is where that new grape production will go. If the fruit proves distinctive enough small batch single vineyard bottlings are a possibility. But there is a high likelihood that much of the fruit will, at least initially, end-up in the Sketches of Niagara line unless it shows the distinction to warrant a single vineyard bottling like Quarry Road began to a few years ago in 2006. Even if it does show distinction it may continue to see part of production declassified like Quarry Road because it could be too much volume for a single vineyard bottling.

From Tawse camp


The Quarry Road vineyard is just starting to move towards full production. Located on a former Quarry site owner Moray Tawse bought it simply because he thought it would be a good investment says Pender. And Tawse would know a good real estate investment being responsible for mortgage investments at First National Financial. Being on the northern edge of the Niagara's grape growing region in the Vinemount Ridge the grapes can struggle a bit ripen in tough years, but the old adage is that the extra work pays off in the bottle. What Quarry Road gives up in some heat ripening to the Twenty Mile Bench site on Cherry Avenue, it possesses in other characteristics. It has an ideal slope, good drainage and a consistent breeze that really helps keep the vines dry in a wet season. The retired Quarry site sits on lighter soil that's rich in limestone compared to the heavier clay with moderate limestone of the home Cherry Avenue vineyard. At first Pender wasn't really convinced of the site's potential to produce quality fruit to the level of the Cherry Avenue vineyard but he says the organic and biodynamic methods have started to make a difference.

From Tawse camp


Pender brought up the topic of clones in terroir after giving an overview of Tawse's six-level gravity-fed facility on Cherry Avenue. Harvest starts at the top of the winery where the standard premium practices of hand-sorting and destemming are done before fermentation. In some cases the wine moves into large oak fermentors before eventually moving down to the barrel cellar in the case of Chardonnays and red wines. He poured Riesling samples straight from the tank. One was from the widely established premium Weis 21B clone and the other from a less common Alsatian clone: 49. Pender has used clone 49 in the Quarry Road plantings as he prefers the flavours it achieves. Finished wines from clone 49 are more complete and complex, he says. But interestingly he has no desire to start bottling by separate clone. To him getting caught-up and focusing too much different clonal selections does a bit of a disservice to the wine. An example he cited was famed Burgundian producer Domaine de la Romanée-Conti where the highly mutative Pinot Noir grape has developed 50-60 different clones in a single vineyard. Pender's point is that when the wines of that producer are spoken of what the individual clone is bringing to that bottle is not brought-up. Rather the focus is on the impact of the terroir that the particular vineyard brings to that bottle. But as Pender says “there's not just one way to do terroir.”

From Tawse camp


To illustrate the concept of terroir Pender lead the group through a bit of a blind tasting exercise. In Burgundian fashion we started with Pinot Noir. Both samples were 2009s. One from the Cherry Avenue vineyard and the other from Quarry Road. We were asked to guess which one was from what vineyard. We did the same with Chardonnay and finally we did it with the finished 2008 versions of Robyn's Block Chardonnay from the Cherry Avenue vineyard and the 2008 Quarry Road bottling. The differences were very apparent on my palate, especially the unfinished wines. The finished wines were a little more difficult to tell (both Chardonnays are vinified identically according to Pender). As Pender had said earlier the wines from the Cherry Avenue vineyard tend to be more masculine with the heavy clay soil over moderate limestone imparting richer complex flavors. Quarry Road on the other hand with its lighter soil rich in limestone tends to be tight and focused with strong minerality. With that in mind I was able to correctly identify the samples. The answer to the second part of the challenge which one we preferred put me in the Cherry Avenue camp. Its Pinot Noir had earthy elements that added an extra layer of complexity to the Quarry Road's fragrant cherries and minerals. With its citrus, pineapple and vanilla notes as well as a rounder-softer mouth feel, the Robyn's Block was victorious on my palate to the linear focus of the more austere minerality and razor sharp acidity of Quarry Road. Although a bit away form the terroir focus of the day an equally interesting exercise might have been to taste through a vertical of Robyn's Block. I'm confident that the variation of Niagara's different vintages would be apparent in the glass. But also the development of the vines and the different stylistic approaches of the various winemakers from the initial winemaker Deborah Paskus to Paul Pender would certainly be at least as drastic as the difference in terroir.

From Tawse camp


From Tawse camp


Given the theme of the day it was a curious decision for owner Moray Tawse the pour some 2005 99/1 to go with the five course lunch from The Only On King. Made from 99 percent Pinot Noir imported from nine barrels of Morey St Denis 1er Cru Burgundy and one percent Tawse Pinot Noir, the wine was protest to the 2005 rule exception when non-VQA wines were only required to have one percent Ontario grapes. The exceptionally cold winter left many vines dead or damaged from severe winter temperatures and so there was a significantly reduced crop from the vines that survived. The rule exemption was created to encourage the Ontario crop to end-up in VQA wines, but Tawse a long time critic of the blending of foreign juice and Ontario wine would have preferred the industry just made wine that year from what mother nature had given them. Tawse pulled out the Pinot Noir for lunch because he had recently tried some from the cellar and felt it was drinking very nicely. Full of rose petals, tar and earth I concur with the assessment. It was also pointed out to me by one of the other bloggers that although there is nothing wrong with selling only to the local market and tasting from it, if you don't export or taste against the rest of the world you'll never be talked about amongst the world's best. So it was certainly a treat to be able to taste a world benchmark in a 1er Cru Burgundy nearly back-to-back with some fine examples of Niagara Pinot Noir.

From Tawse camp


From Tawse camp


On the verge of the trip Tawse won Canadian Winery of the Year at the Canadian Wine Awards In the ten year history of the awards that honour has always gone to a B.C. winery making this win particularly special for Tawse. The Vineland winery also took White Wine of the Year for the 2008 Robyn's Block, which in another first, received the highest score ever at the awards for a table wine. Although Tawse and Robyn's Block have received recognition in the past it would seem that at least in the case of the Canadian Wine Awards the conversion to the biodynamic methods that Pender spoke about has made the difference in the judge's glasses as well. As Pender says “Terroir is a great concept. But until you can taste it's not really real.”

From Tawse camp

Mid-Atlantic Wines: Thoughts on the 2008 Le Clos
Line-up





Hearing and seeing the interest from the crowd throughout the kick-off party for the 2008 Le Clos Jordanne line-up, it's hard to believe that winery almost never released a bottle. The winery's launch in the fall of 2006 came a few months before Constellation Brands had ended its half-year long hostile take overbid with a successful purchase of Vincor. You see Constellation Brands is more famous for being in the business of buying wineries than building them. On the other hand Vincor which more or less began in the pioneering days of the Canadian wine industry with the Niagara Falls Wine Company (later T.G. Bright & Co) was built through the consolation of some the biggest, most successful and innovative wineries in Canada. Quite a contrast. But luckily for everyone the ambitious Le Clos Jordanne project was given a chance. It certainly helped that the initial critical praise resonated with consumers who overnight practically snatched-up the entire inaugural vintage when it was released through the LCBO's Vintages.

From Le Clos


At the time that the Le Clos Jordanne project began in 1999 many Ontario grape growers and wineries that are now known for a focus on quality Pinot Noir like Flat Rock, Malivoire and Norman Hardie had started to join early pioneers like Château de Charms, Inniskillin and Five Rows Craft Wine of Lowrey Vineyards in the exploration of producing great wine from this grape. The joint venture between Canada's largest wine company Vincor and the largest Burgundian producer Boisset came with deep pockets and technical as well as practical knowledge. Cuttings were selected from Burgundy and planted on premium land purchased on the Jordan Bench. The grapes were grown organically with tight spacing like in Burgundy with an eye on creating competition amongst the vines so fewer bunches could coax that much more character from the site. The now common premium practices of: shoot positioning, leaf removal, careful hand-harvesting and sorting were used before the grapes were allowed to ferment on their natural yeast and age in premium French oak barrels. All of the above were all proven and long established in Europe with many Ontario wineries now using all or at least some of these techniques. But Le Clos Jordanne was really the first to bring them all together and apply them with the focus of producing the best possible Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In a fitting mirror to the Franco-Canadian partnership of the venture the vines were initially under the watchful eye of Montreal-born Burgundy-trained Pascal Marchand. The winemaking duties were then passed on to Montreal born, Burgundy-trained Thomas Bachelder who has been face of Le Clos Jordanne through its rise to prominence, including many of its recent accolades. Most notably the 2005 Claystone Terrace Chardonnay winning the Judgement of Montreal and Bachelder taking Winemaker of the Year honours at the 2009 Ontario Wine Awardsfor his work at the winery. But starting with the 2010 vintage the winemaking duties have been entrusted to Sébastien Jacquey. The Burgundian has “a degree in terroir—I can't believe that exists,” according Vincor's National Hospitality Director Del Rollo. After his schooling he got experience at key cool climate French regions like the Loire valley, Bordeaux and Burgundy before spending the last three years learning the intricacies of the Le Clos Jordanne's vineyards as Bachelder's assistant. Although Bachelder will be staying on as a consultant he's very confident that the wines will be in good hands under Jacquey. “It's not a force fit. He's Burgundian born with the Burgundian thought,” Bachelder said addressing the topic of his successor. You got the feeling the transition was complete when Jacquey was given the task of speaking about the wines and the conditions in the 2008 vintage.

At best the 2008 vintage has been spoken of with trepidation or qualified optimism and at worst it's been maligned after following 2007–the dry and hot previously declared the 'vintage of the decade'. So it was interesting to hear Jacquey's thoughts. Overall his philosophy is to “identify the vintage and show that character in the wines.” He pointed out that Pinot Noir doesn't like to be overripe. So 2008 in Niagara was arguably a year that was more suited to the variety than 2007 which was so dry and hot that it caused vines in vineyards throughout Niagara to shut down and stop the ripening process at the peak of summer —they like many of us just couldn't take the heat. He also added that the grapes in 2008 had enough acidity to allow the wines to “hold and reveal fruit”.

From Le Clos


But that didn't mean 2008 was easy. In fact it was far from it. With the rain and colder than usual temperatures 2008 was probably the winery's most challenging vintage just behind 2006. Regardless of site specifics or growing methods all Ontario growers/winemakers who were in the vineyards daily as harvest approached and were on top of critical quality practices like leaf stripping, shoot positioning and cluster thinning are seeing the dividends in the bottle right now. Given its thin-skinned and tight disease prone clusters it seems counterintuitive that growing Pinot Noir organically (Le Clos Jordanne was certified in time for the 2005 vintage) could be an asset in a wet year like 2008. But not having the option to spray with a synthetic herbicide, fungicide and insecticide that targets a problem forces you to be vigilant about the leaf stripping, shoot positioning and cluster thinning if you want to keep the largest amount of fruit as ripe and healthy as possible. Of course having the resources of two large wine companies certainly helps make that labour intensive task easier over Le Clos Jordanne's 138 acres. But even with all those quality focused vineayrd practices when it came time to harvest there was sorting and resorting of the the fruit to eek out the best quality results in a tough vintage. Hand harvesting, hand sorting, hand-labour and organic farming practices are certainly not the only way to achieve quality grapes but Boisset and Vincor believe these practices are key to producing the best quality grapes that express the terroir of Le Clos Jordanne's vineyards.

For those who have never tasted a wine from Le Clos Jordanne Bachelder sums up its wines as "mid-atlantic". By that he means they are an amalgam possessing some new world flavours but also the old-world style of terroir derived flavours that got Boisset so excited about growing on the Niagara Peninsula.

Overall I found the entire 2008 line-up of both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir tight with the wines drinking well right now but many certainly not reaching the maturity needed to begin to show everything they have to offer. When you're looking to taste the impact and subtitles that the different vineyards bring it is much easier when wines are clearly showing their true character. When asked staff acknowledge that the wines are tight and that begs the question why not wait a little longer before releasing the wines? As Rollo explains Le Clos Jordanne likes to release the wines in late fall as it gives their customers a regularly timed event to try the wines in their youth. Many, who were taking notes while tasting, could compare to previous vintages when they first tasted them and compare the single vineyard ones with more mature vintages to get an idea of how they might develop. Production isn't as scare as it was when the project started but it also allows long time customer to purchase what they would like before widespread sale begins.

The 2008 tasting was organised with each of the bottlings given their own separate tables (manned by Le Clos Jordanne staff who were happy to answer questions) throughout the room the room guests were free to sample and mingle at their leisure amongst themselves or Bachelder and Jacquey who welcomed questions. Mini bites like steak tartare, canopies, were offered by staff which circulated throughout Panorama.

From Le Clos


The more resilient Chardonnay grape is a little easier to work with than Pinot Noir. Acid is the key to good Chardonnay says Jacquey. He describes the 2008 Chardonnays as elegant with the wines achieving good acid levels and balance—something that was challenging for many a year earlier when sugar levels quickly soared with the heat at the expense of acid.

The Village Reserve Chardonnay was the wine drinking best that night. Made from the wine that didn't quite make the cut for the single vineyard bottlings this blend of vineyards has flavours and aromas of yellow apple, a little peach and butterscotch and vanilla notes from the barrel. The finish lingers with strong acidity and a nice warming sensation. By contrast the 2008 Talon Ridge was a little tighter with the barrel notes primarily showing through citrus and green fruit aromas and falvours. Where wine distinguished itself was in its fuller mouthfeel. It was the high-lauded Claystone Terrace where things really started to get interesting. Despite being just east of the Le Clos Jordanne vineyard the site is on a darker heavier soil and is known to produce more masculine wines. Overall well integrated with a good bit of golden apple and melon there was also some intriguing minerality and complexity with the slightest spice and sweat notes. Still tight it exhibited nice strong mouth-watering acid and a superbly rich mouth-filling texture without feeling overly heavy. It's amazing to think that the flagship Le Clos Jordanne vineyard used to be a hay and corn field. But that's the beauty of Niagara there's still plenty of prime parcels of land just waiting to be discovered by someone with a sharp eye. Leading first with a mineral zing, apples and slight bit of licorice follow with some warm barrel notes revealing themselves next. Although the finish isn't quite as long and pronounced as the Claystone Terrace it shows a restrained elegance. Finally the Le Grand Clos. Made only from the best sections of the Le Clos Jordanne vineyard this is a wine that has bit of poker face wanting to give away as little as possible on the nose right now. Very tightly wound I could only get the the merest hints of barrel, apple and peach aromas. But in the mouth these layers of beautiful crisp apple, juicy peach, and barrel spice all fill the palate. The mouthfeel is full and elegantly balanced by the mouth-watering acidity. The finish just lasts teasing you as you contemplate another sip. If there's a single way to sum the wine it is how well each element is seamlessly integrated at this point. I can only imagine how it will develop over time.

From Le Clos


Showing well at this stage despite being a little tight with tannins—the line-up of 2008 Pinot Noir from Le Clos Jordanne was just as the grape should be light in colour but deep in flavours and aromas. The Village Reserve Pinot Noir had a nose rich with the Niagara Pinot hallmark of cherries as well as a little rose and a bit of tar. The relatively small seven and half acres of the La Petite Vineyard with a sandy loam soil is without a Chardonnay counterpart. This singe vineyard Pinot Noir was fragrant with cranberries and cherries. More tannic than the Village it had a good length on the finish and strong acidity. Talon Ridge is the youngest vineyard with this being only the second vintage released. The largest vineyard in terms of acreage it provides the majority of the fruit that goes into the Village Reserve. Compared to the La Petite the depth and concentration of cherry flavours and aromas was fuller and it had a stronger sense of minerality. Hints of vanilla and cranberries also showed through. The Claystone Terrace sitting on heavier soil has even more depth. Flavours of cherries and the minerality show well but what stands at this point is the the satisfying rich mouthfeel. My favorite Pinot Noir of the night came from the Le Clos Jordanne vineyard. The layers of aromas and flavours start with cranberry and black cherries then it builds with hints of vanilla, minerality, tar and the slightest meaty animal note. With the strongest tannins and acidity of the 2008 line-up this wine should be one to lay down and revisit in a couple of years. Lastly Le Grand Clos which in word is all about balance. Although not showing as well as the Le Clos Jordanne vineyard at this point, it has an intriguing minerality with funk and tar notes beginning to peak through. Just like the Chardonnay you get the feeling that its holding back right now. Its best asset is its silky feel on the palate.

From Le Clos


Bachelder describes the vintage overall as similar to 2006 but stronger. With an extra two years for the vines to mature and a better overall growing season he believes the wines are showing even better than the 2006 vintage did at the same point in their lives. In three-five years the wines should be even better. Ideally for him you would test this recommendation by brining a bottle with you to share with friends, family or business associates abroad—especially if you're visiting Europe. Awards and the critical recognition is wonderful but nothing quite turns heads and makes new fans like a person sharing his/her favourite wine and surprising skeptical company. "You're our ambassadors" he said.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Terr-What: attempting to Understand what terroir means





A recent blogger trip to Tawse got me thinking if I had to define terroir what would that definition be? Here goes…

Terrior is a prickly concept that is either just a factor or of absolute precedence in the flavours of a wine depending on who you ask. For proponents of terroir it is all about capturing the essence of a particular place. So above all else it really comes down to the vineyard. And by vineyard I mean everything that makes the site. Grape vines just like all other plants need sunlight, heat, water and nutrients to grow. Provide all of the above and you should get grapes. Provide all of the above in the right amounts and combination and you should get great grapes. Since grapes aren't grown in a lab but on a piece of land it's the elusive combination of the above that gets proponents of terroir so passionate about a particular site.

From Terroir


Despite being derived from the French word for land the dirt itself is merely an aspect of terroir. According to James Halliday & Hugh Johnson's The Art and the Science of Wine, there isn't a single identified soil make-up that produces the same good quality wine world round. In other words even if you're on the same latitude with a similar climate and plant the same variety on the same soil type and use the same vineyard practices there's no guarantee that your wine will resemble the wine of a world renown vineyard in another country. Furthermore Halliday and Johnson explain that thus far scientific experiments have been unable to to show that minerals or substances from the soil have a direct impact on the flavour of the grape. Jamie Goode's research in The Science of Wine more or less concurs. Although mineral ions and water are what's taken-up by the roots, there's no science that confirms that minerals in the soil end-up directly as flavors in the glass. So I guess that means that mineral-rich soil isn't directly responsible for that minerality in my glass of Riesling. But this doesn't mean that what's in the dirt isn't important. Assistant Professor of Geology at Bryn Mawr College Chris Oze and students studied two Syrah vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA with similar climates but different soil compositions. When they took apart the roots, stems and grapes looking for trace metals and chemical compounds they found that the two were “very different.” Early research yes, but perhaps this is the beginning of proving that there's something to what's in the dirt after-all. If there's one aspect of soil that science seems have made a definitive link regarding grape quality it is how well the dirt can hold or release water. Being of dessert origin Vitis vinifera doesn't like sitting in wet ground. In particular it's the root structure that doesn't like too much moisture.

From Terroir


Although dirt seems to be what people like to talk about the other major aspect of terroir: the climate is much more well documented. You'll find grape growing in regions throughout the world between 30-50˚latitude in the North and South Hemispheres. The reason? They are warm enough with a growing season that is long enough to ripen grapes but cold enough for a dormant season which allows the vines to sleep and recover. Amongst those latitudes there's a wide range of climates but what all premium regions seem to have in common is the influence of a body of water. For Niagara that body of water is Lake Ontario which absorbs heat over summer and gently releases it over winter. This is key to keeping vines alive and relatively damage-free over the winter in a region which is colder during the dormant season than most other wine growing regions. It also explains why vineyards aren't all over southern Ontario and that in Niagara itself the number of vineyards is generally less concentrated as you get towards the top of the escarpment where the lake's influence diminishes.

Now at 43˚ latitude north Niagara is firmly in the cooler climate grape growing zone. There are various ways to calculate growing degree days (a measure that helps predict when a crop will mature) but the figures put Ontario more or less on edge of viticulture with the ability to ripen cooler climate varieties like Chardonnay, Gamay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Riesling consistently and without issue. Techniques like cluster thinning, leaf stripping, etc. can help stretch-out things to allow the growing of grapes which need more heat like the Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. A vineyard with a special characteristic like a south facing slope to maximise sun exposure in a sub-appellation like Niagara River or St. David's Bench which have more growing degree days than other areas of Niagara also helps. But those are a bit of a rarity in Niagara where many vineyards slope north. The other side of the climate equation: water isn't an issue.

Ontario gets much more than enough rain to grow grapes and it actually comes fairly evenly throughout the season which believe it or not isn't ideal. For most viniferia you would want rain early in the season to get the canopy of leaves well developed which will provide the surface area for ripening. After that sunny and clear days with cooler nights and a light sprinkling of rain now and then is ideal. Having a bone dry harvest season is a luxury. So in a particularly wet year if you have a vineyard with well draining soil or one that doesn't absorb much it can be an advantage.

From Terroir


But the land and climate alone doesn't grow the grapes. Although it seems at odds with the whole concept of terroir ruling out the human element of wine—the viticulture and winemaking—seems short sighted. Vitis vinifera vines of Eurasian heritage are not native to North America. Thanks to curiosity in the mid 19th century the vine destroying phylloxera hitched a ride to Europe on the resistant North American Lubrusca vines decimating the vineyards there in the process. The result is that with a few exceptions in very isolated places in South America, effectively no vinifera vines grow on their own rootstock. How many plants can you think of that don't grow on their own roots? It's hard to imagine a non-native plant achieving natural balance and producing ripe fruit. If you ever get the chance to talk to a vineyard manager out amongst the vines about what he/she does you might be surprised at the intricacies of what's involved to get the best grapes. Even on two adjoining properties you can get vastly different approaches from viticulturist who have different philosophies on how to coax the best grapes from their vines.

But even the best grapes don't make wine on their own. Without human intervention there is no wine. My old nemesis Pinot Gris is a good example of the role vineyard practices and winemaking play in shaping a wine. In general thinned less and picked earlier the Northern Italians have developed a style from the Pinot Gris grape that is dry, light, with high acidity that tastes largely of citrus—they call Pinot Grigio. The Alsatians on the other hand tend to pick later, thin more and produce a fuller bodied, spicier aromatic wine that leans towards stone fruit flavours. They call it Pinot Gris. Now the climate and soils of both Friuli and Alsace differ. So that likely has an impact on the style that can be consistently produced from the grape in each region. But the philosophical winemaking decisions has an equally direct impact on producing these two vastly different styles from the same grape.

From Terroir


Sean Thackrey who makes Orion from the Rossi vineyard in St. Helena California is not a proponent of terroir. As he explains in this video it's not that he doesn't believe the site has an impact on the quality of the wine that can be made. But the focus and obsession on sub-soils in terroir overemphasises the importance of a vineyard site at the expense of everything else in the winemaking process. He believes the motivation behind this is largely to improve the value of the vineyard for inheritance purposes. That being said he doesn't disagree that certain vineyards bring unique characteristics to a wine. Underlying his position is the argument that the vineyard in and of itself is not responsible for producing the wine. Watching the video and hearing him talk about minimal intervention in the cellar and the intimate relationship he has with the vines that make Orion seems very disconnected from someone who criticises terroir. In fact the grape varieties on the Rossi vineyard, planted in 1905, have yet to be definitively identified by DNA tests. So promoting the concept of terroir could certainly be in his best interests. But for him at the end of the day the winemaking decisions are just as important if not more important than vineyard site selection is to the winemaking process. As he explains the Rossi vineyard used to supply Gallo before he sourced the grapes for Orion. Before that Orion was made from Schmidt vineyard Syrah which was sold in the early 1990s to Clarke Swanson of frozen dinners fame. Even amongst the transition the wine is still very well regarded and although different they are said to have common characteristics.

From Terroir


So where does this leave us in trying to define terroir. If you're too inclusive you risk making a definition that is all but meaningless. If too limited you risk leaving something critical out. For me terroir is the coming together of everything that allows the site's special sense of place to come through in the glass. That includes the microclimate, soil, special site attributes (like slope, a breeze, a cooling fog) which impact the the quality of the fruit. But all of this doesn't matter without the right stewardship. If you plant too far apart, carry too heavy a crop, grow the wrong varieties, etc. than the character of the terroir won't translate into the finished wine. So does that mean that the vineyard practices should be included in the definition of terroir? I'm not convinced so because that begins to encroach upon an all encompassing definition. But any vineyard practices or lack there of just like any steps in the winemaking process must be talked about when we speak of terroir. The process that takes grapes on a vine to a finished bottle of wine is so interconnected that taking one aspect and isolating it above all others is an injustice. Each aspect feeds-off of the other to express the site's special sense of place or lack there of. So just like how engine design, transmission choice and body aerodynamics aren't mentioned in the basic definition of an automobile when you really want to talk about what separates one car from another you need to talk about how all those factors and more come together and make one distinct from the other.

The debate on the importance of terroir to the finished wine and even what it includes will likely be debated even long past when science is able to unravel some of the mysteries and secrets behind great wine. But if there's one thing we can agree on it is that you can't make great distinctive wine without the best quality fruit. But even the best quality fruit alone doesn't equate to the best wines. It's up to the winemaker to take that quality fruit and figure out the best way to translate its essence into the bottle.

From Terroir

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

30 Days Round-up



From Misc


Over the past couple of months I've been lucky enough to be writing content for Spotlight Toronto's 30 Days of Local Wine. Publisher Suresh Doss and all the staff on the site pride themselves on providing more locally focused food, wine and cultural content than anywhere else. The 30 Days of Local Wine focus, which covered not only the wines of our three major regions: Lake Erie North Shore, Niagara and Prince Edward County but the personalities behind the wines, was a great example. If you haven't already explored the 30 Days of Local Wine focus please do so because there is a great breadth of stories from some very talented writers. Even though the 30 Days of Local Wine focus is over look for continued local wine content at Spotlight Toronto because there is a steady flow of great wine produced in Ontario and more stories to tell throughout the year.

Below is what I wrote collected in one place.

A piece on our two local Ontario coopers and some long time Canadian Oak supporters: Lailey & Black Prince.

A story on using natural/wild/indegenious yeast for feremntation and couple of Niagara wineries (Rosewood & Hillebrand) who are currently marketing some of their wines under wild/natural fermentation labels.

An event that paired Buster Rhino's Southern Barbecue and 13th Street wines.

Coverage of the launch of Malivoire's Guilty Men wines hosted by the iYellow Wine Club.

A story on Rosewood Estate's 2008 Merlot line-up.

Talking to the winemakers at Southbrook & Ravine about their Biodynamic & organic vineyard practices.

The story of the Foreign Affair Winery and its unique wines.

Taking you into Flat Rock's hands-on In the Winemaker's Boots sessions.

A recent dinner that Norm Hardie held at the classic French uptown restaurant Didier.

Sunday, October 03, 2010

Pinot Gris, It's not you it's me



I don't hate Pinot Gris. I just wanted to get that out there because people seemed to have the impression that I do. I love wine too much to hate any grape. For me what makes wine so exciting is the possibilities. Between the grape, the viticultural practices, the fermentation and the wine making techniques there's enough potential to cause the indecisive to have a nervous breakdown. Then when you throw in the variation that a cool climate blesses Ontario with you really have limitless possibilities. All of that conspires together in this little thing that drives any wine lover. I'm talking about the search for that one perfect wine from that one perfect vintage that suits you perfectly. You might not ever attain that perfection because as your tastes develop and as you learn more it can become a bit of a moving target. But if you've got the bug (if you're reading this you do) you're going to get damn close tasting a lot of great wines made by some passionate and amazing people. And you'll have lot of fun along the way doing it.

From Taste Gris


For me I'm not sure that one 'perfect' wine will ever come from the Pinot Gris grape. Although I haven't been privileged enough to visit the Alsace, which arguably produces the finest examples of Pinot Gris in the world, I have been lucky enough to visit Oregon's Willamette Valley home of the world's largest producer focused on top-quality Pinot Gris and BC's Okanagan Valley where it only trails the citizen-of-the-world that is Chardonnay in tonnage and value.I didn't fall in love with Pinot Gris during my visits there. The many wines I tried had lovely aromatics, but didn't really give me a whole lot more. That's what frustrates me about Pinot Gris. When I give it a swirl and lean into my the glass I get a wonderful nose full of flowers, pears and melon that sweetly entice me into to taking a sip. Once I take one that promise is almost never fulfilled. Although I love a wine that can beguile me a little it can only get by on its charming nose for so long before it has to deliver in other ways. Instead of doing that Pinot Gris just makes me long for aromatic varieties like Riesling, Viognier, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir where I get an experience that satisfies on my tongue just as much as it on the nose.

I'm glad I wrote the initial tweet which inspired the whole #TasteGris event if for no other reason than it brought friends beyond the virtual community of Twitter into one room where we could share, discuss and taste together. That being said it really was a great learning experience for me. There were some very good wines, but more importantly there was a breadth of flavours and styles that prove it would be foolish to outright dismiss the grape entirely.

From Taste Gris


Some of my favourites of the afternoon were the 2009 Fielding Estate Rock Pile Pinot Gris with its peach, pear and the smallest hint of barrel spiciness. The partial barrel fermentation provided a beautifully rich mouth feel but there was also a nice lively acidity. In a single word: balanced. The Stoney Ridge Excellence from 2009 also had a a beautiful floral nose and delivered with peach and pear on the palate. It was interesting to experience the vintage variation between the 2009 and 2007 Thirty Bench Pinot Gris. According to the technical notes both wines were more or less made the same and yet the oak influence seemed to come through much more clearly on the 2009. The 2007 has a bit of pink easer on the nose before giving way to the pear, peach and melon. The mouth feel was quite rich on both making a strong argument for barrel fermentation. So was the difference primarily from vintage variation between the hot and dry 2007 and the cooler and wetter 2009 vintage? Or is it mainly the extra two years of bottle aging that the 2007 has over the 2009?

From Taste Gris


Lastly the 1992 Domaine Zind Humbrecht Clos Saint Urbain Rangen de Thann Grand Cru Tokay Pinot Gris really was something special. The beautiful golden colour, the botrytis influence of apricot and peach, the slight spiciness, the rich oily mouth feel and balancing acidity all added up to one magnificent wine. It was a bit of a revelation for me. Enough to make me a Pinot Gris lover? No, but certainly more than enough keep Pinot Gris in running to be the 'one' wine for me.

From Taste Gris


P.S. A big thank you goes out to Sandra Oldfield for organising the BC contingent of the our Pinot Gris line-up. We don't often get to taste BC's wines here in Ontario so it was privilege to get a taste of the Okanagan for this event. An extra special thanks goes out to Rick VanSickle for organising this even in my honour. Not only is he a true gentleman but he's a true ambassador for Canadian wine and Niagara wines in particular.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

The Curious Controversy of Scarpetta Toronto

Would you eat at restaurant that featured no Ontario wines on its list? That question is at the heart of a debate over the newly opened restaurant at the boutique hotel Thompson Toronto.

Last week a tweet went out from a Niagara wine rep. looking to sell some his wines at the Toronto outpost of Scarpetta . It read " 'I have no North American wines on my list and never will.' sommelier of Scarpetta."

That's a bold statement for any business that relies on pleasing people, let alone a newly opened restaurant in a luxury hotel where the average room rate is around $300 per night. Curiously it was proceeded by an open letter praising Niagara farmers, purveyors and chefs—it even mentioned the quality of the wines. As you can imagine the initial responses were swift and passionate on Tuesday. Things got even more heated after Friday's retweet.

Now if I can digress for a moment, Twitter is unparalleled in its instantaneous ability to share our experiences and create an environment for a lively conversation. We're certainly all the richer for it. Unfortunately the 140 character limit means there's often no room for context, tone or anything beyond the barest of ideas. It also means that sometimes consequences aren't fully considered and information can move faster than it can be verified.

Given the bold statement and the reactions I decided to phone the restaurant and find out for myself. It was confirmed that there were no North American wines carried. The wine list was primarily focused on Italy with some Old World (read other European countries represented). The chef thought the Italian wines fit best with the food, I was told. When I pointed out that no Ontario options was an odd disconnect, given the praise for them in the open letter, the response I got was an agreement that it was a little confusing. I wasn't speaking to the sommelier, manager or anyone who had input into the list's creation, so the staff member's ability to speak to the matter was limited. But I was told that the position could change and the young restaurant is looking into improvements based on customer feedback. Although these were fair answers I decided to contact chef Scott Contant. After all as the author of the letter and the executive chef he is probably the authority best suited to speak on the matter.

Excutive Chef Scott Contant was polite, professional and responsive throughout our email exchange. He certainly had no obligation to speak to me especially given that I haven't spent a penny at his restaurant.

Regarding the tweet about North American wines Contant wrote "I can assure you that quote was never uttered from someone on my team. I take pride in being inclusive as opposed to ex-clusive."

I have no intention on getting into a debate over exactly what was said. I wasn't there but the parties involved know what was said. An Ontario wine representative has nothing to gain by potentially alienating restauranteurs in the province's biggest market. Similarly in a business where reputation is everything and there is a high first year failure rate, a newly opened high-end restaurant has nothing to gain by potentially turning-off pro-local customers.

Conant went on to stress that all suggestions and the criticism are key to helping him remain relevant to his customers. Contant also wrote that staff are considering and exploring many things to improve the restaurant, including expanding the wine list with local options, particularly those made with Italian varietals. If Scarpetta does do this in the future the options might include Pillitteri wines from the newly planted Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara (these were the first of their kind planted in Canada). There's also Alvento's Nebbiolo or Ridgepoint's. And the wines of Foreign Affair are made using the appassimento method.

The larger part of the debate that occurred in wake of the tweet was whether a diner should expect a local option at a restaurant, especially an ethnic one. I talked to Conant about what I saw on his menu. It largely draws on the cusines of Piemonte and Alto Adige with hints of Emilia–Romagna.

It's important to recognise that Italy is still very much a regional country with people being unable to understand the other's regional dialect. Where, this really expresses itself is in the cuisines. People the next region over not only don't, but won't eat the same dishes because their food is 'best'. So naturally it makes sense to feature the wines of a region with its cuisine. The aforementioned regions have a long history of hundreds of years where the cuisine and wine developed and evolved side-by-side and naturally are crafted to complement and enhance one another.

Interestingly the Northern Italian regions of Piemonte and Alto Adige are as much if not more influenced by boarding Swizterland and Austria as they are by the rest of Italy. So they grow and drink Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris & Pinot Blanc. There are plenty of great Ontario examples of those varieties.

A restaurant is certainly free to stock whatever it feels matches best with it cuisine & what will sell. Like a menu, a particular focus to a wine list is always best, but it does help to have some breadth to cover a range of tastes and preferences—otherwise you risk losing sales. Still it certainly can be interpreted as bit of a snub to open-up a high-end restaurant in Toronto and not list any Ontario wines. Granted Niagara is a very young wine region, but if a similar restaurant opened in San Francisco and did not list any Napa-Sonoma wines there would likely be some controversy.

Despite the email exchange I never got a reason why Conant writes "I don't think I need to tell you how great the [local Ontario] wines are, either." in the open letter, yet Scarpetta carries no local (or North American) wines on its list. It certainly seems like a contradiction given the praise for the Niagara farmers & local suppliers in the letter and the use of them.

If this is a non-issue by all means make a reservation and enjoy Scarpetta. If the responsiveness I've received is indicative of the level of service you're in for a wonderful meal. But if this bothers you don't merely vote with your dollars. Let the staff of Sacrpetta know that the lack of Ontario wine options is what's preventing you from trying the food.

Monday, July 26, 2010

What the truck or you can get Good Food in Wine Country Without all the Pretense?

What do you think of when you think food in wine country? At its best it makes use of the fresh seasonal local crop. It's set amongst the idyllic backdrop of the vines. And naturally it pairs well with the local wine. But does it always need to be rooted in classic French technique, amuse bouches, and tasting menus served on white table cloths?

Adam Hynam-Smith and Tamara Jensen are doing all the former out of a truck without all the latter because sometimes you just want tasty seasonal food without all the formality.

Hynam-Smith, a passionate and adventurous Aussie, has some serious cooking chops. He learned under Michelin-starred Jacques Raymond at his eponymous Melbourne restaurant. He also worked under Cath Claringbold at the well-regarded Mecca. It was there that he developed a love for Middle Eastern and North African flavours that he would expand upon in a trip to Morocco. That lead to traveling and working throughout Europe where he met Canadian Tamara Jensen. After further culinary travels in North America, the Caribbean and South-East Asia the couple settled in St. Catherines unable to resist the beauty and bounty of Niagara. They now run Peapod Cuisine.

From El Gastro


But he's all very modest about his cooking accomplishments and is much more interested in where I learned about the food of the Middle East and North Africa and what I thought of his food than talking about himself.

The idea for El Gastrónomo Vagabundo took shape at a local wine event where after enthusiastically enjoying some of Niagara's best Hynam-Smith talked to Ed Madronich. After an expensive catering quote proposing an uninspired menu, Madronich had Peapod cater Flat Rock's fifth anniversary party. The menu was essentially the essence of El Gastrónomo Vagabundo. The concept was such a hit that Madronich insisted the truck be parked at winery on weekends for the rest of summer.

Things are just getting started for El Gastrónomo Vagabundo serving at Flat Rock for the past two weekends. Staff at the winery's tasting bar enthusiastically invite you to stay for a bite comparing the concept to LA based gourmet taco trucks. The description is mostly correct, if a bit simplistic.

From El Gastro


The location of the truck reminds me of the affectionately named roach coaches (named so because they come out at night) that I came across in Sonoma which feed migrant vineyard workers & savvy tourist looking for break from wine country cuisine. The execution is more like Kolgi where traditional Korean BBQ tastes are delivered via taco and other easily handled Mexican street food. All out of truck which has its menu and location distributed via the Web and Twitter.

Unlike Kolgi the ethnic flavours are more global, reflecting Hynam-Smith training and travels. Thankfully it isn't fusion food because more often than not fusion tends to be a compromise between two ethnic foods that does a disservice to the respective cuisines. There's also a focus placed on local sourcing and minimising the environmental impact.

The set-up is a little strange with liquor laws requiring you to go through the winery and on to green roof patio. But tasting room staff will be happy to lead the way where Jensen and Hynam-Smith will make you feel welcome at picnic tables that overlook the vines and rolling bench landscape.

Given the Middle Eastern theme of the day's menu I thought a garden salad (picked from Hynam-Smith and Flat Rock's gardens) featured sumac for some colour and tart earthy, citrus flavours. It turns out it was beet dust—Aussie's love beets. But Hynam-Smith plans to make use of the sumac trees at Flat Rock to spice items later in the season.

From El Gastro


For me the the highlight was the Fez with lamb seasoned in Ras el hanout. It's sauced in a homemade harissa with a sneaking spice that's hot enough to raise your temperature but not so much that it obliterates the palette. Although the taco is good, it really comes together in bites featuring lemon zest, it's just missing that one elevating touch. When I ask Hynam-Smith about preserved lemons he mentioned that he's making some at home to provide the salty-citrus tang that will get the Fez tasting exactly to his liking. When they're ready I plan to try it again as it should be the missing ingredient that will bring everything together and elevate the layered spicing of the lamb taco.

From El Gastro


Given the hot day and the need for a wine deft enough to go between the different cuisines of the salad, Don Caprese and Fez tacos I ignore the Fez's suggested '08 Gravity Pinot Noir pairing in favour of the mineral and citrus forward '09 Naja's Vineyard Riesling. It gets a little lost in the harissa but the lemon and lime flavours highlight the zest and the acidity cuts through some of the lamb's richness.

Beyond weekends at Flat Rock this summer Hynam-Smith and Jensen hope to take El Gastrónomo Vagabundo to events and private parties. If you're touring the Twenty Mile bench this summer and looking for something different stop at Flat Rock for the duo's evolving menu (which you can get a peak at by following them on Twitter) of seasonal local produce and global cuisines. It's all very much an apt metaphor for the nomadic Aussie whose worldly experience has him exploring and interpreting the flavours of the globe for where he calls home.

From El Gastro

Saturday, July 10, 2010

They Grow-up So Fast

So while we wait for our next work ticket I took the opportunity to look at the progress of our My Wine vines. I have to say what a difference a week makes. After the last post we had a week of rainy weather. As you can see the early start to the season and the water have the vines growing well. Although you can spot a bit of difference in the shoot height and the density of the canopy, you can definitely see it in the berry size. It's getting tough to see any of the stalk in there!


From My Wine


This week we're in the midst of a heat wave not since seen in these parts since 2005 & 2007 . If you're familiar with Niagara vintages those two are known for hot and dry conditions. Now that probably doesn't benefit our Riesling as much as Bordeaux varieties commonly grown in Niagara like Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot. Hot, dry growing conditions can sometimes lead to a petrol note that's usually associated with more aged Riesling earlier in the wine's life. But if this is any indication we're in good hands should you not care for a hint of fossilised-dino-car-go-juice early in your Riesling's life.


With lush and thick canopy growth like this I have a feeling we're in for a bit of trimming sooner rather than later.


From My Wine

Friday, June 25, 2010

Lookin' Good There, Good Lookin'


Given the early start to cherry season (what's good for tender fruit is generally good for grapes), I thought I would check out our My Wine, My Way vines. Please click the link here to view an album or look below to see a slideshow of how our vines are progressing. Brian Schmidt told me our vines are about six weeks earlier than normal with their vegetative growth (leaves, canes, etc.) and about two weeks ahead of schedule on grape growth progress. Things are definitely looking promising. I'm looking forward to our next ticket, which should be coming soon.



Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait:

My Wine's First Ticket


It's our first opportunity to make a decision for My Wine, My Way. We're being asked to crop thin now or in August. If we crop thin now it should increase the possibility of more uniformly ripe grapes come harvest time. So if we want to help our chances of making the best possible wine this year it's really a no-brainer decision. Time to get in the vineyard with the shears and get cutting—not so fast.


Coincidentally I've been taking a general viticulture course this summer and the one thing that's stuck above everything else is the underlying theme that it isn't easy or straightforward growing wine grapes in Niagara. Without getting into too much detail, Niagara has a short, humid, wet (especially at harvest) growing season followed by a harsh winter for a grape growing region. So what does this mean for Vitis vinifera, a plant of desert origins? It means certain varieties can be a struggle to ripen fully here. With little to no tricks or intervention cool climate varieties like Riesling need about 1700 growing degree days to fully ripen. Moderate climate Cabernet Sauvignon requires 1900 and the heat loving Grenache demands 2100. Niagara's weather fluctuates yearly affecting the quality of the growing season but it's a cool climate growing region, which is generally considered to be in the range of 1500-1700 growing degree days. The growing conditions in Niagara also mean grapes are susceptible to potentially crop-ruining fungal diseases and the grapes can become water logged or even burst when nearing harvest time. About 550 mm – 850 mm of precipitation per year is ideal for most Vitis vinifera. Niagara usually hits that target before the end of summer and exceeds it by year's end. If the grapes mange to get through all of that unscathed there's still the potential of vine-killing cold and frost severely damaging the buds in spring. Anywhere with winters below -23°C more than once every 20 years is considered unprofitable for viticulture—completely replanting can put you out of production for 3-5 years. Ideally the coldest winter month should average above -1°C. Plus most Vitis vinifera will die if the temperature falls below -15°C to -25°C (depending on the cold hardiness of the variety and clone). Niagara fails everyone of those criteria. It kind makes me glad that the vines our only our's until the Riesling gets made for the My Wine, My Way project.


A row of the My WIne, My Way Riesling. You can see Vineland's iconic stone tower in the background.


So what does all this have to do with the decision to crop thin now or in August? As the My Wine, My Wine site explains, if we crop thin now we essentially lighten the vines' loads. The remaining grapes have to fight less for their share of sun, nutrients and other resources—thus more even ripeness. But unfortunately it's not just the grapes that get more of that good stuff. By lightening the load the canes stretch, grower thicker and you don't make wine out of canes. Unfortunately, these suddenly thicker canes have a tougher time getting ready for winter. As you know from the above anything we can do to help the vines prepare for winter is a good first step towards making a great wine next year.


Also if we crop thin now and (knock on wood) something should happen that puts the vines at risk, it would make it very difficult to produce a good wine in decent quantities. Even though the season started off warmer and earlier than usual, the recent moisture and humidity can be dangerous to this year's young grapes. In fact, just the other day there was a risk of severe thunderstorms and hail. I don't know about you but the risks outweigh the potential reward of grapes at harvest that are slightly more ripe vine-to-vine. Besides I'm sure there are some other upcoming wine making decisions that will allow us to help aid the potential ripeness of the grapes without risking next year's crop.


My Wine, My way Riesling vines on June 22nd 2010.

Monday, June 21, 2010

What's Cooler than an idea who's time has come?

This changes everything. You've heard it before but how many times when referring to the Ontario wine Industry?


Vineland Estates, a producer of some of the best Riesling in Niagara (and Niagara makes cellars packed with Melchiors worth of good examples) has an idea so simple and compelling you would swear Steve Jobs had started a winery. Vineland wants to make a Riesling for you and not only do they want you to help make it, but they want you to make it your way.


For any wine lover who always wanted to know more or get involved in the winemaking process in some capacity My Wine, My Way is your chance. Sure you could take a wine making course at your local community college, buy some local grapes come harvest time and then make and bottle your own wine. But this is more than that.


Talk to any passionate winemaker (Brian Schmidt is amongst the most passionate in Niagara) and he/she will tell you that good wines, especially those that come from one particular site, start in the vineyard. No good grapes means no good wine. This community based project will allow wine lovers to participate in all sorts of decisions that will help shape the colour, taste and aroma of the finished wine. Based on a brief explanation of the task at hand and its possible consequences you'll be asked to make decisions about shoot positioning, crop thinning, the harvest date and more.


Brian Schmidt & Vineland's staff will then apply your decisions for you. There may even be the possibility to apply some of these decisions yourself with some hands-on participation in vineyard should you desire.


Vineland makes some of Niagara's best Rieslings. Here's a trio from the various tiers. Left to Right: 2004 St. Urban Riesling, 2004 Reserve Riesling. 1999 Semi-Dry Riesling.


But why bother going through the trouble of inviting the public in on the wine making process? I could tell you that the alcoholic beverage market is growing in Canada and wine's share of it is too. I could also tell you that Millennials (18-29 year olds) splurge more of their spending dollars on food and wine than any other group. They are epicureans and their worldly exiperience has their tastes ahead of previous generations. They are constantly connected to the internet, enjoy social media but growing-up with the technology they are both savvy and weary of businesses using them. Still they love being able to opt-in to participate in something genuine, useful, informative, engaging and unique.


But none of the above paragraph is the motivation behind My Wine, My Way. I'll repeat it. None of the above paragraph is the motivation behind My Wine, My Way. When I spoke to Schmidt about the idea behind My Wine, My Way he talked about how he saw it as a unique opportunity to interact with customers on another level and to learn from each other.


You simply have to have one conversion with Schmidt about Niagara wine on Twitter to know he and the staff at Vineland are doing this because they genuinely care about their customers and want to share some of their passion through this unique experience. Brain Schmidt is a tireless champion of Niagara wines promoting the great products of fellow winemakers before his own. He's also a great steward of the wine region taking the time to share his knowledge and passion at every opportunity. I've benefited from this on more than one occasion and always come away impressed, engaged and learning something useful. I believe this is one way he gives back for all the knowlege that he has said he has benefited from via the past and fellow winemakers of the region.


I will most certainly fully take part in My Wine, My Way documenting and adding what I can here. I encourage all Ontario wine lovers to do the same by participating on the website and joining in the conversation on the My Wine Twitter feed . With ideas like this one the present and future of Ontario's wine industry looks bright. This project certainly has potential to spark the passion that I know is driving Ontario's growing wine culture.