Month: October 2022

Italy’s Sangiovese Grape

/ A Layman's Wine Musings / 3 Comments

The Sangiovese varietal is the most planted wine variety in Italy and has made the Tuscany region renowned for its Chianti wine.  In Chianti, Sangiovese must account for 70% of the blend and in Chianti Classico the minimum rises to 80%.  Other better-known Tuscan wine blends made mainly from Sangiovese grapes include Morellino di Scansano, which must contain 85% and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, with 70% Sangiovese grapes.

Photo credit: blog.suvie.com

Beyond Tuscany, Sangiovese is widely planted in Lazio, Umbria, Marche (all of which border Tuscany) and Corsica. In Corsica the variety is known as Nielluccio or Niellucciu.

In addition to being a mainstay in many varieties of red wines, Sangiovese is often used for Vin Santo wines, which are a style of Italian dessert wine. Vin Santo is traditionally found in Tuscany.

Sangiovese can come in different stylistic expressions based on where it grows.  There are many different mutations of the variety found throughout Italy, which results in very different tasting wines. From the delicate, floral strawberry aromas of Montefalco Rosso to the intensely dark and tannic wines of Brunello di Montalcino, Sangiovese wines have wide appeal.

Sangiovese is seldom found outside of Italy. Of the approximate 70,800 hectares of Sangiovese grown worldwide, almost 63,000 hectares are grown in Italy, followed by about 1,940 in Corsica, and 800 hectares in each of Argentina and the United States.

Sangiovese is savory and offers a wide range of tastes.  Flavours can vary from very earthy and rustic, as in many Chianti Classico, to round and fruit-forward options. Regardless of where it is grown, it always contains hints of cherry and subtle notes of tomato.

The range of flavours include tart cherry, red plum, strawberry, roasted pepper, tomato, leather, tobacco, smoke, oregano and thyme. 

Sangiovese is often lightly oaked in oak barrels.  The tannin and acidity level is usually quite high with ageability ranging normally from 4 to 7 years, with some varieties from the Brunello di Montalcino region being aged from 10 to 18 years.

Sangiovese pairs with a wide range of foods because of its medium weighted body and savory character. Use Sangiovese wine as a congruent flavour with herbs and tomatoes. This technique will bring out more fruity flavors in the wine.

A Sangiovese with high tannins will pair well with rich roasted meat, cured sausages and hard cheeses.  Vegetarian pairings include butter and olive oil; the richness in the fat helps cut through the wines’ tannins.

Sangiovese is a long-time personal favourite of mine, whether on its own or as the mainstay in a Chianti blend.  If you have never tried Sangiovese, it is well worthwhile seeking it out in the Italian Tuscany section of your local wine store.

Sláinte mhaith

The Scottish Lowlands Whisky Region

/ A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

The Lowlands whisky region dates back to the late 1700s when it was first defined as part of the 1784 Wash Act. The distillers often used a triple distillation process instead of the double distillation process used in the rest of Scotland.  To me, the adaption of a triple distillation process is an indication of the region’s Celtic influence as Irish Whiskey is also traditionally made using a triple distillation process.

Generally, the more times the whisky is distilled, the more elements that are removed, or in other words the purer the alcohol becomes.  However, it is those elements that give the whisky its character and there are those who will argue that triple distillation removes much of the whisky’s character and complexity.  Today almost all Scotch malt whisky is double distilled.

Many of the Lowland distillers also used coal rather than peat in the malting process. The combination of the two created what would become known as the traditional Lowlands character of light, soft and smooth malts that offer a gentle palate with hints of grass, honeysuckle, cream, ginger, toffee, toast and cinnamon.

The Lowlands region includes traditional Scottish counties like Ayrshire, Berwickshire, Dumfriesshire, East Lothian, Mid-Lothian, West Lothian, Fife and Wigtownshire. In a broader sense, many Scots consider anything that is not in the Highlands as part of the Lowlands.

At one point there were over 100 producers in the Scottish Lowlands but that number had dwindled to only three by the year 2000. Auchentoshan, Glenkinchie and Bladnoch were the last remaining distilleries.   The combination of competition from the newer Speyside region, World War I and Prohibition took their toll resulting in the distilleries closing.

However, the fortunes of the Lowlands whisky region changed dramatically after 2010 as there are now 13 distilleries in operation with several more in the planning and development stages.  Being the most populous and urban area of Scotland, the distilleries have the opportunity to take advantage of a high volume of tourist traffic. Most of the tourism centres around Scotland’s two largest cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow, both of which are located in the Lowlands.  Many of the distilleries are located between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

In addition to producing malt whiskies, they also provide whiskies suitable for creating whisky blends.  Most of Scotland’s grain whisky is also produced in the Lowlands.

Below is a list of operating Lowlands distilleries.  Those highlighted in blue occasionally have whiskies available in Canadian liquor stores.

Ailsa BayAuchentoshanBladnoch
DaftmillGlenkinchieGlen Flagler
InverlevenKillylochKinclaith
LadyburnLittlemillRosebank
Saint Magdalene  

Sláinte mhaith

The Wine of the North

/ A Layman's Wine Musings / 1 Comment

When you think of Ontario wines, Niagara and Prince Edward County usually come to mind, but there is one of international notoriety near Tweed.  Potter Settlement Artisan Winery has award-winning wine and has been putting Tweed on the map as a good place to grow grapes.

Owner Sandor Johnson says the winery is very small but has been making great strides to create high-end, boutique quality wines.  His team produces more than a dozen different wines, most of which are made with grapes grown on the Tweed property.  The winery only purchases grape varieties that can’t be grown in the cooler climate of Tweed and they never buy finished wine from elsewhere.  If the grapes are not grown on site, the wine label will indicate where they were grown.

As one of the northernmost vineyards in Canada, the temperature is known to drop to -27o C during the winter.  However, being further north has its benefits, as the soil is rich in minerals.  

Potter Settlement makes a unique wine that was accidently discovered during the McClure Arctic Expedition in 1850.  The wine, referred to as Portage, was named in honour of the sailors who pulled barrels of Port across the ice after their ship’s passage through the Northwest Passage was halted by winter weather.

One of the expedition’s participants was Henry Gaun, at that time the ship’s carpenter, and who eventually settled near Tweed in Ivanhoe, and is the founder of Ivanhoe cheese.  Gaun had recorded in his diaries how he and the other sailors created Portage.  The Port that they had taken with them on their journey froze.  They discovered that when the Port froze due to the extreme cold, the bitter acids disappeared making the port very smooth to drink.  Then the Arctic summertime midnight sun cooked the port in the barrels.  According to the diaries, the resulting wine was fit for Queen Victoria’s consumption.  Based on what Johnson read he felt compelled to recreate Portage.

Another example of Potter Settlement’s creativity is their Triple Rare Ferment Chardonnay, which was aged in barrels made of wood from Ontario butternut and extinct American chestnut trees.  In order to make the chestnut barrels, logs had to be salvaged from the bottom of Lake Superior.

At Great Britain’s 2022 London Wine Competition, Potter Settlement was awarded gold medals for the Potter Settlement Cabernet Franc and Potter Settlement Portage fortified wine. Each received 92 out of a possible 100 points.  Last year Potter Settlement won two gold medals and a silver in a competition in Bordeaux, France, at the Challenge International Du Vin competition.  They were the only Canadian winner of the 3,579 wine entries from 27 countries.  They won gold for their Marquette and Pinot Noir, and silver for their Cabernet Franc.

Construction has started to make a cave in the rock on the property that will be used to store the wine.  Once completed Potter Settlement will be the only winery in Ontario with a real cave.  They plan to rent storage space to high-end wineries.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any indication of Potter Settlement wines ever being for sale in wine stores.  However, their wines are available on their website at pottersettlementwines.ca or by visiting them, as I did, at the winery near Tweed, Ontario.  I found the wine tasting, which was hosted by Sandor Johnson, to be both entertaining and educational.  As well, I got to sample some excellent, unique wines; several of which have now found a home in my cellar.

Sláinte mhaith

Red Wine Trouble in “Auz”

/ A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment
Photo credit: thedrinkbusiness.com

The Riverland wine region is the largest wine producing region in Australia.  It stretches west from north of Adelaide along the Murray River from Paringa to Blanchetown.  It is home to about 1,000 grape growers who cultivate in excess of 21,000 hectares of vineyards, one third of Australia’s wine production.

Over half of these growers sell their grapes to a multinational company, Accolade Wines.  Accolade now has more wine in storage than the Riverland produces in a single vintage, equating to about 400 million litres of excess red wine.

Accolade is offering financial incentives for growers to switch from growing red to white grapes or to leave their vines dormant for the foreseeable future.  The incentives are not believed to be sufficient to cover the cost, thus making grape growing unviable.

Elsewhere, in the Murray Valley, it’s estimated that 20,000 tonnes of grapes were left unsold this season. Overall, in Australia, wine exports decreased by 26 per cent in 12 months with no relief in sight.  This has been coupled with rising input costs, which have at least doubled in the past year due to the rising cost of chemicals, fertilizer, fuel and labour.

The oversupply of red wine is the result of tariffs on Australian wine being exported to China and global freight issues (see my post from December 31, 2021, on Wine Shipping Delays), which have led to a downturn in red grape prices.  This situation is expected to continue for the next few years.

Although switching from growing red grapes to white would remove unwanted red and replace them with varietals like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Prosecco, which currently have much more demand, the transition would not be cheap or completed quickly.  It takes anywhere between two and six years to switch from one type of vine to another and for them to start producing the same amount of fruit as before.

Grape growers are calling for government assistance but even that may be too little, too late for some.  However, at this point it is most likely that the government would not provide direct financial assistance but instead refer growers to rural small business grants and rural assistance loans.

Some experts are forecasting a generational shift in ownership of vineyards.  There has been a recent increase in the number of vineyards being listed for sale.  Given the current favourable value of the Australian dollar, it is thought that the real estate market may attract the attention of international investors.

Some vintners are even expected to rip out their vines and plant almonds or other crops.

Having experienced fires, droughts and other effects of climate change over the past few years, Australian vintners continue to live in interesting times.  Grape growing is proving not to be a career for the faint of heart.

Sláinte mhaith

Racking Wine

/ A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

Racking, which is often referred to as Soutirage or Soutirage traditionnel, filtering or fining, is the process of moving wine from one container to another using gravity.   A pump is never used as it can be disruptive to the wine.

Photo credit: en.wikipedia.org

There are two main reasons why winemakers rack their wines.  The first is to remove sediment. An initial racking is done after malolactic fermentation is complete. Malolactic fermentation, also referred to as malo or MLF, is a process where tart malic acid in wine converts to softer, creamier lactic acid, the same acid found in milk. The process reduces acidity in wine and also releases some carbon dioxide.  The dead yeast cells and other solids, referred to as gross lees, accumulate during fermentation that settle over time.

After the first racking, winemakers might then rack additional times to remove what is referred to as fine lees.

The second reason to rack is to provide oxygen to the wine. This impacts its maturation process, managing the tannin in the wine.  Oxygenating the wine can also get rid of reductive aromas. These unwanted aromas, often perceived as rotten eggs or tire rubber, can occur when the wine is deprived of oxygen.

The racking process involves the insertion of a stainless steel, wand-shaped device into the barrel. The wine is then siphoned out. The winemaker then uses a sight glass to observe and halt the process when the siphon starts to pull up sediment. The wine continues on through a hose to a tank.

After the wine has been removed the barrel is cleaned. Then the process is completed in reverse returning the wine to the barrel. If the winemaker wants the wine to receive more oxygen, the wand is placed at the top of the barrel so there’s a splashing, aerating effect. If they want it to receive less oxygen, the barrel is filled from the bottom.

The number of times winemakers rack varies. Generally, the more tannic a grape variety, vineyard or vintage, the more times a wine might be racked. Some may rack their wines only once after malolactic fermentation is complete and then again just before bottling.  Others might do it every quarter. The winemaker’s vision for the wine is also taken into consideration.  A wine that is to be available for consumption early will probably be racked more often than one that is intended to be more age worthy that people are going to cellar for a long time.

All these decisions will impact the wine that ends up in your glass. Who knew?

Sláinte mhaith