I don't know if other people have experienced this but I find rootstock makes a huge difference.
When we had our place in the Languedoc, I planted Grenache on 3309 on the opposite side of a track from an existing parcel of Grenache on Ru140. Once our vines had about 5 years age we noticed that the grapes were significantly more aromatic at 12.8% potential alcohol than the vines on 140. We could harvest 2 weeks earlier with 2-3% less alcohol and the young vines made significantly more aromatic wine.
So cool (literally)! Thank you for sharing that insight. I wonder if there are trials or research into this at the major universities. I'll have to look into that.
I also experimented with partial dealcoholising. Domaine de la Colombette (who you should get to know if you don't already. One of the most forward thinking domaines in the Languedoc) were equipped to dealcoholise wine. I'd take 1000l over in the back of my Land Rover and they'd reduce it from 15% to about 6 or 7%. We'd then do blending trials with it and the rest of the cuvée. Usually we'd take the whole cuvée down about 1% to about 14%. Any lower and we felt we began to change the overall balance.
Of course, it's illegal for Appellation wines and if we still had the property I certainly would not be fessing up to this. But it us something to consider as sugars continue to rise.
Doing an early pick of Red for Rose then adding that wine back is another way to lower the alc and add back acid. I've done several trials domestically blending in white wines to tamp down the alcohol on some reds. Both methods can work, but there's plenty of trial and error with the white wine component.
Thanks for sharing that, David. American winemakers have more flexibility than their Italian and French counterparts in adjusting the must. In another part of the conversation, which I couldn't include, Christian talked about the urgent need for consorzi to revisit long-standing rules.
Can I ask what you mean by “lit up” at the end of the note for the Talosa Nobile di Montalcino Riserva 2020? It seems out of place with drying and astringent.
I don't know if other people have experienced this but I find rootstock makes a huge difference.
When we had our place in the Languedoc, I planted Grenache on 3309 on the opposite side of a track from an existing parcel of Grenache on Ru140. Once our vines had about 5 years age we noticed that the grapes were significantly more aromatic at 12.8% potential alcohol than the vines on 140. We could harvest 2 weeks earlier with 2-3% less alcohol and the young vines made significantly more aromatic wine.
So cool (literally)! Thank you for sharing that insight. I wonder if there are trials or research into this at the major universities. I'll have to look into that.
I also experimented with partial dealcoholising. Domaine de la Colombette (who you should get to know if you don't already. One of the most forward thinking domaines in the Languedoc) were equipped to dealcoholise wine. I'd take 1000l over in the back of my Land Rover and they'd reduce it from 15% to about 6 or 7%. We'd then do blending trials with it and the rest of the cuvée. Usually we'd take the whole cuvée down about 1% to about 14%. Any lower and we felt we began to change the overall balance.
Of course, it's illegal for Appellation wines and if we still had the property I certainly would not be fessing up to this. But it us something to consider as sugars continue to rise.
Doing an early pick of Red for Rose then adding that wine back is another way to lower the alc and add back acid. I've done several trials domestically blending in white wines to tamp down the alcohol on some reds. Both methods can work, but there's plenty of trial and error with the white wine component.
Thanks for sharing that, David. American winemakers have more flexibility than their Italian and French counterparts in adjusting the must. In another part of the conversation, which I couldn't include, Christian talked about the urgent need for consorzi to revisit long-standing rules.
Yeah, I know they have more rules in Italy than we do about such things, which I take for granted. Tradition, right? The double edged sword.
Can I ask what you mean by “lit up” at the end of the note for the Talosa Nobile di Montalcino Riserva 2020? It seems out of place with drying and astringent.
Fair question! I think the alcohol adds some heat and flare.
“Keep away from open flames!”
🧨