Italy’s Sangiovese Grape

October 29, 2022 / 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.

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.

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The Scottish Lowlands Whisky Region

October 22, 2022 / 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 Bay	Auchentoshan	Bladnoch
Daftmill	Glenkinchie	Glen Flagler
Inverleven	Killyloch	Kinclaith
Ladyburn	Littlemill	Rosebank
Saint Magdalene

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The Wine of the North

October 15, 2022 / 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 -27^o 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.

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Red Wine Trouble in “Auz”

October 8, 2022 / A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

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.

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Racking Wine

October 1, 2022 / 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.

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?

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Highlands Scotch

September 24, 2022 / A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

The Scottish Highlands are one of the most sparsely populated regions of Europe, making the role of the Scotch whisky industry a major lifeline for small communities in the region. The distilleries primarily produce single malt whisky, made from 100% malted barley. The whisky is usually made in a pot still, which preserves more of the flavourful constituents giving it more distinctive character.

Note that although Speyside is geographically situated in the Highlands, it is considered to be a separate whisky region because there are more than 60 distilleries in Speyside alone.

Highland whiskies are generally described as being bold, rich, sweet, full-bodied, and sometimes peaty. However, due to the size and variations of the region, the characteristics of the single malts differ significantly. Because of this, the Highlands region is often categorized into four subregions based on the four compass points.

The north produces some big bodied single malts, containing sweetness and richness, for example The Dalmore. In the south there are lighter, fruitier whiskies that are characterized by a definitive dryness, such as Aberfeldy. In the east there are some full-bodied, dry whiskies with lots of fruit flavour, as well as some pungency; Glen Garioch is a good example. Finally, the west part of the Highlands contain full bodied whiskies with peaty, smoky overtones, while closer to the coast there are some more maritime flavoured whiskies including malts from Clynelish and Pulteney.

Below I have identified 34 distilleries in the Highlands. The ones highlighted in blue periodically have their whiskies available in Canadian liquor stores.

AnCnoc	Aberfeldy	Ardmore
Balblair	Ben Nevis	Blair Athol
Clynelish	Dalmore	Dalwhinnie
Deanston	Drumguish	Edradour
Glencadam	Glen Deveron	Glen Eden
Glendronach	Glenfoyle	Glen Garioch
Glengoyne	Glenmorangie	Singleton of Glen Ord
Glenturret	Knockdhu	Loch Lomond
Loch Morar	Macphail	McClelland
Millburn	Oban	Old Fettercairn
Old Pulteney	Royal Brackla	Royal Lochnagar
Tomatin

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Syrah or Shiraz?

September 17, 2022 / A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape with two different names. Syrah is the original name while Shiraz is how it became known in Australia and the Americas. The terms have become associated with a particular style of wine.

Syrah is the term that is associated with the Old-World expressions found throughout Europe. It is lighter in body and alcohol, with finer tannins. Shiraz, on the other hand, refers to New World, intense wines, which are generally richer, with riper aromas and fuller in both body and alcohol.

The distinct styles first emerged as a natural consequence of the different growing conditions and microclimates. The grapes in Australia have the potential of having higher levels of alcohol and more aromas than their European counterparts.

The varietal is believed to have originated in the Rhône region of France. Some winegrowers in the northern Rhône distinguish between a small-berried, more concentrated version of Syrah, referred to as Petite Syrah, and the larger-berried Grosse Syrah.

Until the 1970s, French Syrah plantings were mostly concentrated in and around the vineyards of the northern Rhône valley. Since then Syrah has had an extraordinary surge in popularity throughout southern France and has become France’s third most planted red wine.

Australia’s history with the grape began in the 1830s. It flourished and was quickly adopted by New South Wales and from there to the whole country, eventually becoming Australia’s most planted variety. The country makes a range of styles, the most recognisable is the distinctively rich, ripe styles from both traditional Barossa Valley and newer Heathcote regions.

There is now a growing trend towards more subtle, elegant, cool-grown Rhône style wines that are less concentrated and have a lighter touch. These are often labelled as Syrah instead of Shiraz. These wines are most likely to be found in the Adelaide Hills region.

The grape was introduced to California in the 1990s. A group of vintners, known as the “Rhône Rangers”, eagerly promoted the grape as being equally suited to California as Cabernet Sauvignon. Californian winemakers consistently produce very vibrant, refined wine.

In addition to California, Washington State also produces Syrah. Further afield, Chile, South Africa and New Zealand’s Hawke’s Bay are producing interesting varieties. It is worth noting that some of those who make the finest South African examples label them Syrah.

There are some noteworthy Syrahs found in Italy, the Castilla-La Mancha region of Spain and the Alentejo region of Portugal. Another unexpectedly successful site for mature, concentrated Syrah is the Valais in Switzerland, particularly around the upper reaches of the Rhône valley.

Some Canadian wine makers are growing the Syrah grape as well, though the cool climate limits the growing season and thus the intensity of the flavour. Some winemakers label their offering as Syrah while others choose Shiraz. While some would argue that British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley has a long, hot growing season that supports the Shiraz style of wine, most of Canada’s wine regions cannot. Wines made in the majority of the country only truly support the Syrah style of wine.

One of my pet peeves is to see an Ontario winemaker labelling their wine as Shiraz and not Syrah. I pity the unexpecting consumer who purchases a Shiraz, expecting the bold peppery flavour of a true Shiraz. Unfortunately, the wine will not live up to its name.

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Italy’s Aglianico Grapes

September 10, 2022 / A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

Along with Nebbiolo and Sangiovese, Aglianico (pronounced alli-yawn-nico ) is generally believed to be on of Italy’s three best wine grapes. It is a full-bodied red grape found in the Campania and Basilicata regions of southern Italy. Aglianico wines are known for savory flavours of leather, white pepper, black fruits, cured meat, cracked pepper, dried cranberry, mushroom broth, smoke, cocoa, nutmeg, cinnamon, cedar, tobacco, coffee and dried oregano.

Aglianico is full-bodied with high tannin and high acidity. It contains a medium to medium-plus amount of alcohol and can be aged ten to twenty years. The best Aglianico wines don’t start to come into their best until they are about ten years of age. The passage of time softens the wine’s firm tannic structure and acidity, revealing lush layers of sweetened fruit and dried floral aromas intermixed with dusty and spiced smoke, savoury flavours.

Given Aglianico’s rigid nature, some producers make it into a much fresher, easy-drinking style. Because the grape has so much tannin and acidity, it easily holds up to new oak aging and modern winemaking. The winemaking techniques are meant to quell Aglianico’s ferocity into a chocolatey, ripe, rich wine with moderately high alcohol and acidity. The modern style of Aglianico won’t age as long as the traditional method and has less of an expression of flavour. However, it is easier to drink at a much younger age.

The structure of Aglianico pairs well with high intensity foods. Aglianico goes well alongside rich meats with high fat content or vegetarian dishes with a rich umami note, such as black bean sauce, soy sauce, tempeh or dishes that welcome roasted mushrooms.

Meat selections that pair well with Aglianico include beef brisket, smoked pork, barbecue beef, seared prime rib, venison, beef stew, chili, rabbit stew or oxtail. Cheese pairings include Pecorino, Asiago, Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Provolone. Vegetable pairing include portobello mushrooms, roasted mushrooms, baked beans, black beans, lentils, crispy kale, purple potatoes, roasted purple cauliflower and arugula.

A few warm and dry regions outside of Italy are beginning to produce rich, chocolatey styles of Aglianico wine, in particular California and Riverina, Australia. The grapes ripen late, even in these warm climates, with the best examples offering aromas of chocolate and plum.

Aglianico wines are bound to become more available as growers all over the world look to varieties that grow well because of the rapidly changing climate conditions.

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Wine with Salad

September 2, 2022September 3, 2022 / A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

In the warmer weather, salads are more prominent on lunch and dinner menus. When serving a leafy salad, it is generally the dressing, not the contents of the salad, that determines which wine will best compliment it.

Vinaigrette Dressing

Tart, acidic dressings go best with tart wines such as Sauvignon Blanc. The higher acidity in the salad dominates the palate and has the effect of making the wine taste fruitier and less acidic.

Ranch-Style or Caesar Dressing

For creamy dressings such as ranch or Caesar, the wine needs to have body and acidity to offset the richness of the dressing. If not, the wine will taste flat.

Raspberry Balsamic Dressing

Valpolicella Ripasso is a well-balanced, fruity wine that with its dark fruity flavour matches well with the berry flavour in the salad. As well, it’s strong enough for the vinaigrette without drowning the more subtle flavors of the leafy greens.

Sweet Dressing

A sweet-spicy ginger-sesame, or other sweet dressing will make light sweet wines taste less so or make dry wines taste somewhat bitter. A French Vouvray, which is made using Chenin Blanc grapes, or an off-dry Riesling will pair well in this situation.

Bleu Cheese Dressing

Portugal’s Vinho Verde is a tropical fruit-powered delight that has a slight hint of sweetness that brings out the creamy factor in bleu cheese, making the salad pop. Pinot Gris or Pino Grigio will also pair well.

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Speyside Scotch

August 27, 2022 / A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

Speyside produces some of my favourite Scotch whiskies. It is a sub-region of the Highlands, taking its name from the River Spey which meanders through the region. It includes the Highlands to the west, Aberdeenshire to the east and the Cairngorms National Park to the north.

Speyside has the most distilleries of any of Scotland’s whisky regions, containing about half of all of Scotland’s distilleries. According to at least one so-called expert, Speyside is as close as most whisky lovers will ever come to the center of the single malt universe.

Speyside whiskies are generally not peaty as many of Islay’s and the Western Island regions are. Instead they tend to have a fruity flavour, sweet and nutty, sometimes with hints of apple, caramel, honey and vanilla.

There are a number of world class whiskies that hale from Speyside including Aberlour, Balvenie, Glenfarclas, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, and The Macallan.

The distilleries

Speyside’s distilleries are listed below with those highlighted in orange having whiskies available for sale in Canada.

Aberlour	Allt-A-Bhainne	Auchroisk	Aultmore
Balmenach	Balvenie	BenRiach	Benrinnes
Benromach	Braeval	Cardhu	Cragganmore
Craigellachie	Dailuaine	Dalmunach	Dalwhinnie
Dufftown	Glen Elgin	Glen Grant	Glen Keith
Glen Moray	Glen Spey	Glenallachie	Glenburgie
Glendullan	Glenfarclas	Glenfiddich	Glenlivet
Glenlossie	Glenrothes	Glentauchers	Inchgower
Kinnvie	Knockando	Knockdhu	Linkwood
Longmorn	Macallan	Mannochmore	Miltonduff
Mortlach	Roseisle	Speyburn	Speyside
Strathisla	Strathmill	Tamdhu	Tamnavulin
Tomintoul	Tormore

In addition to single malts that are sold under the distilleries’ names, brands associated with Speyside include Allt-á-Bhainne, Casg Annamh, Glen Turner, Lismore, McClelland’s Single Malt, and Tlàth.

The oldest working distillery in Speyside is Strathisla Distillery. Even though Strathisla single malt is not well known outside of Scotland, their whiskies are included in popular blended Scotch, such as Chivas Regal and Royal Salute.

Speyside’s style of whisky has helped popularize Scotch throughout the world. Their craftsmanship dates back a few hundred years with skills being passed down from one generation to the next. The distillers continue to find new innovations to keep improving the appeal of their whiskies.

There is ongoing experimentation with distilling processes. One such example is at Glenfiddich where they are finishing a 21 year old whisky in Canadian ice wine barrels from Niagara’s Peller Estates Winery. Fruity flavourful Speyside whisky accented by sweet ice wine is a match made in heaven.

With Speyside distilleries continuing to develop and rediscover themselves, the future of Scotch whisky is looking very bright.

If you haven’t tried a Speyside scotch, do yourself a favour and try the 18 year old Glenlivet, one of my ultimate favourites!

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