Black Grapes Flashcards
Cabernet Sauvignon
late budding, late ripening
small berries, thick-skinned -> high tannins
well-drained soil-> highest quality
Bordeaux (Medoc-gravel soil)
pronounced violet, blackcurrant, black cherry and menthol or herbaceous flavours,
mint and cedar which will all become more pronounced as the wine ages
medium alcohol
high acidity
high tannins
in cooler season: struggle to ripen fully ->
higher acidity
unripe tannins
little fruit
Anjou, Loire: blend with Cab Franc
New World:
California’s Santa Cruz Mountains, Napa Valley,
New Zealand’s Hawkes Bay,
Australia’s Margaret River and Coonawarra regions
Chile’s Maipo Valley and Colchagua
in moderate climate: black cherry and black olives notes
in hotter climate: over-ripe and “jammy”
Coonawarra (AUT):
medium to full-bodied
medium alcohol,
high levels of firm tannins concentrated aromas of dark fruit (ranging from cassis to plum),
with mint and eucalyptus notes. Frequently matured in oak, bringing hints of spice
Barossa (AUT): richer and riper than CW, softer tannins, higher alcohol
USA -California: most planted red
a) moderate influence -> fresher
black fruit, herbal flavours, m body, m alcohol
b) very concentrated, very ripe,
full body, high alcohol
new style: new French oak, shorter maceration
Chile
a) premium (near the Andes)
full-bodied
high but ripe tannins
pronounced dark fruit, particularly blackcurrant, often with a herbaceous (mint or eucalyptus) character.
Maturation in at least a proportion of new oak tends to bring toasty, spicy notes.
b) inexpensive (Central Valley)
simple, fruity wines, some dark fruit and herbaceous character, but with less structure, complexity and intensity.
Argentina
3 styles: a) blackberry and green pepper (NW)
b) fruity, ripe currantsv (Cujo)
c) mineral and earthy (South)
barrel ageing -> tobacco. leather, spices
Merlot
early budding - spring frost
mid ripening -> blending partner for CabSav
- coulure, drought, botrytis bunch rot
high sugar level - > high alcohol
medium to pronounced int.: strawberry, red plum, herbaceous (cool vintage),
cooked blackberry, black plum (hot years)
medium tannins
medium to high alcohol
Northern Médoc, Pomerol
USA
a) inexpensive
m acidity
m tannins
fruity plummy
b) premium: at moderate climate (Stag Leaps Valley, Napa Valley)
m+ acidity
m+ tannins
greather freshness
complex flavours
Anderson Valley (North Coast)
m body, m + acidity
fresh raspberry, cherry, plum
good to outstanding
Cabernet Franc
early budding variety -> prone to spring frost
Prone to coulure -> reduction in yields.
mid-ripening -> picked before autumn rains begin.
If it is not ripened fully, the wines can taste excessively leafy.
canopy management + warmer summers ->less overly herbaceous
winter hardy -> good variety for cool areas
earlier ripening -> blending partner for CabSav
Middle Loire:
primary fruit aromas and flavours, medium to pronounced intensity red fruit (redcurrant, raspberry),
floral (violet) aromas and, as noted, can have leafy aromas,
a light to medium body,
medium tannins
high acidity
single varietal red wines or be part of a rosé blend.
Eastern Touraine: where it will ripen fully, it is blended with Cot (Malbec).
Saumur-Champigny AOC (Loire): Cabernet Franc min85%; 757hl/ha
pale ruby in colour
medium to medium (+) intensity of redcurrant fruit, sometimes with leafy aromas, drunk young, Paris bistros
medium alcohol, high acidity and medium tannin
good to very good quality and inexpensive to mid-price
Chinon AOC:
a) light fruity, early to drink examples from a short maceration on the skins (6–8 days); sandy or gravelly soils. made to be drunk young
b) much more structured and powerful wines with a longer maceration period (2–3 weeks), released up to two years following the vintage
clay and limestone soils. can age for 20 years and more
very good flavour intensity of fruit,
high acidity and medium to medium (+) tannins.
good to very good quality and inexpensive to mid-price, with a few premium
Canada, Ontario
Elegant, fresh
Red plum, red berry, green pepper, herbal,
Oak ageing—> texture, complexity
Bordeaux blends
Icewine also!
Pinot Noir
buds early -> susceptible to spring frosts.
ripens early, -> suitable to grow in cool regions;
yields must be limited to produce quality wine; de-budding, green harvesting
(Cordon de Royat or Guyot system (replacement-cane pruned with VSP); Poussard-Guyot: cutting on the upper part of the cordon -> less ESCA and trunk diseases)
a delicate variety and prone to millerandage, downy and powdery mildew, botrytis bunch rot and fan leaf and leaf roll viruses.
In warm climates, it tends to ripen too fast (reducing the intensity of aromas) and the berries can shrivel and suffer from sunburn.
In Burgundy, the concerns are more typically whether the fruit will ripen sufficiently to achieve the desired ripeness (tannins, colour and flavour).
8,000–10,000 vines per hectare
Burgundy:
strawberry, raspberry and red cherry flavours
village wines and above: light, oak- derived flavours (smoke, clove)
low to medium tannins (grand cru wines can have medium (+) tannins), medium alcohol and high acidity.
Develops earth, game and mushroom notes with time in bottle
regional appellations: maximum of 69 hL/ha (red) and 75 hL/ha (white);
village level wines: 40–45 hL/ha (red) and 45–47 hL/ha (white);
some grands crus: maximum yields 35 hL/ha (red) and 40 hL/ha (white)
Whole bunch fermentation-> adds perfume, freshness, fine tannins
low in anthocyanins-> cold soaking for maximizing colour
prone to reduction-> cap management techniques!
barrel fermentation (30°C), a) 12-20months ageing; b) less than 12months
Dijon clone families: vary in a number of aspects, such as yield, disease tolerance, speed of ripening and fruit characteristics -> a more uniform fruit profile, or plant a mix, leading to greater diversity in grape characteristics (whether good or bad) and potentially more resistance to disease.
Loire, Central Vineyards: 15% PN
medium ruby in colour,
light to medium intensity of raspberry and strawberry fruit,
high acidity and medium alcohol
mid-price to premium.
Cotes de Nuits
Alsace: 100hl/ha
rather thin and lean wines,
warming climate, knowledge from other regions (Burgundy, neighbouring Germany) and local demand -> rising quality with both unoaked and oaked wines.
Adelaide Hills (AUT):
medium (+) acidity, medium body,
medium alcohol, firm tannins
red fruit characteristics.
a) delicate and floral
b) more spicy
USA - California (cool coastal influence or altitude)
premium, super-premium:
a)
m+ acidity
m body
m alcohol
fresh flavours: cherry, raspberry
b) greater body
m+ alcohol
m+ acidity
m tannin (whole bunch fermentation)
riper flavours: black fruit, slightly jammy
Sta. Rita Hills (California, Santa Barbara):
cool, calcium rich soil
medium+/high acidity
m+ tannins
black cherry, black plum, tea leaf, savoury
super premium
Edna Valley
USA, Oregon
m+ acidity
m tannins
m/high alcohol
red cherry, raspberry, black cherry, plum
oak maturation
good/outstanding! premium priced
Syrah
Vigorous
-mites
-botrytis bunch rot
- syrah disorder
Prone to reduction! -> more pump over, needs oak for maturation (oxidative way)
Northern Rhone cru:
Deep ruby
Medium to pronounced aromas:
Violet, plum (red to black), blackberry, black pepper, herbal
Medium to high acidity
Medium to high tannins
Structure, fruit, colour
Coté-Rotie AOC:
pronounced aromas
typically softer and less full-bodied than the wines of Hermitage and Cornas
Hermitage AOC:
Syrah 40hl/ha; old vines, low yields, highly concentrated wines; the world’s most structured and long-lived Syrah wines
pronounced flavour intensity, high tannins
Cornas AOC: 100% Syrah
very high tannins, robust and long-lived
Coonawarra (AUS): lighter-bodied than Barossa Shiraz, but still with concentrated blackberry characters and herbal, minty notes.
It is sometimes blended with Cabernet Sauvignon
Barossa (AUS): full-bodied
high in alcohol with high levels of soft tannins
pronounced ripe (and often cooked or dried) black fruit aromas
usually aged in new American oak, some in French oak
age for long time -> softening, spicy, leathery aromas
b) earlier harvest-> fresher, more elegant, structured style
Eden Valley (AUS):
higher acidity,
more structured tannins,
lower alcohol than Barossa Valley.
Ripe but fresh plum and blackberry aromas with sweet
spice notes from oak
Argentina (10% of reds) - warmer regions
medium/dark colour
floral, spicy, fruit forward
bottle ageing
Chile:
in different locations, it produces a variety of styles:
San Antonio, Casablanca, Limarí and Elqui (cooler-climate style) :
higher acidity,
fresh black fruit and notes of pepper and clove
Colchagua Valley (warmer-climate style)
fuller-bodied
more intense, riper black fruit flavours
Grenache Noir (Rhone Valley)
Garnacha - ESP
Garnacha tinta - Esp, Aragon
Cannonau (IT, Sardegna)
buds early
late ripening
thrives in hot, dry conditions
generally vigorous
susceptible to coulure, bunch rot and downy mildew due to the vine’s tight grape clusters
earlier “workhorse”
low yields, good quality
high sugar level -> relatively high alcohol
ripe berry-flavored, raspberry and strawberry fruits
subtle, white pepper spiciness
low / m - acidity
naturally low concentration of phenolics
low/medium tannins, soft on the palate
but m+/full body
pale colour
good wind tolerance ( Cierzo-Aragon and Mistral-Rhone)
high winds (cierzo, mistral)
thrives on schist and granite, needs good drainage
highly prone to oxidation, even at young -> browning
at low yield -> concentrated, ageing -> leather and tar flavors,
complex and intense notes of blackcurrants, black cherries, black olives, coffee, gingerbread, honey, leather, black pepper, tar, spices, and roasted nuts
at high yield: overtly earthy and herbal notes (fading quickly)
tend to lack acid, tannin and colour -> often blended with other varieties such as Syrah, Carignan, Tempranillo, and Cinsaut
as a blending partner adds body and sweet fruitiness, red fruits
Rhone
Châteauneuf-du-Pape: GR+SY/MV principal varieties
medium ruby in colour,
medium (+) to pronounced intensity of ripe red plum and blackberry fruit with spice notes and sometimes new oak notes.
medium acidity,
high alcohol,
high tannins
good to outstanding
mid-priced to super-premium.
Tavel (southern Rhone) AOC: rosé
thin skin and pale coloring makes it well-suited for the production of full bodied, fruit rosé wines
darker colour from the blended Sy, MV or the other permitted variety.
medium intensity pink-orange much darker than most other rosés,
medium to medium (+) intensity of strawberry and raspberry fruit,
medium (+) to full body
medium alcohol (e.g. 13.5% abv).
good to very good
mid-to premium priced.
IT, Sardegna:
Cannonau di Sardegna DOC: can be grown in any part of the island,
77 hL/ha, 63 in the Classico zone.
Riserva: 24 months (6w), Classico: 24 m (12w)
deeply coloured, high in tannins (very hot climate -> thicker skin-> higher anthocyanins, extended maceration for extraction, barrel ageing, blending with other local high tannin-grapes)
full bodied
high alcohol (around 15%)
medium acidity
good to very good in quality
inexpensive to mid-priced
Dry and sweet fortified wines are also made from Cannonau and sold locally.
Argiolas
Esp, Priorat 37%
a) traditional old basket press, large oak ferm.
b) more fruitiness freshness, higher acidity
concentrated
high alcohol
dark black fruits, notes of figs and tar
very good to outstanding
Esp, Rioja 8%
Well suited to warm, dry Rioja Oriental
ripe strawberry
lower tannins
fuller body (than Tempranillo)
….
Mc Laren Vale (AUT): Old vines,
medium tannins and acidity,
a medium to medium (+) body fresh red fruit and spice or herbal, old oak to avoid overwhelming the primary flavours.
premium-priced.
Malbec (Cot in Cahors)
mid-ripening
vigorous -> careful canopy and yield management, susceptible to coulure -> reduces yields
Cahors (Fr, South-West Fr): min 85% Malbec (+Tannat max 10%)
deep ruby in colour,
medium to pronounced levels (depending on quality level)
of: violet, red and black plum fruit,
medium to medium (+) acidity
medium (+) to high tannin
a) aged in French oak barriques -> very good and utstanding
vanilla and sweet spice notes.
b) 1000 l foudres for ageing -> slow oxidative development, but not adding oak aromas. good to outstanding (the latter can be aged in bottle for many years), mid- to premium priced
c) Some lighter coloured, high quality wines
Cahors AOC: min 70% Malbec+Merlot/Tannatt -> easy drink
top quality: 90-100% Malbec, loner extraction, oak matured
Argentina - flagship variety (40% of reds)
smaller berries and bunches, softer tannins than in France
Mendoza 85%: Maipú, Luján de Cujo
vigorous
intense dark colour
aromatic profile associated to the terroir, diversity:
cherry, strawberry, plum, raisin, black pepper, cooked fruit
high alcohol
full body
silky, sweet tannins
oak ageing -> coffee, vanilla, chocolate
Salta (Arg) 1500-3000m:
full body, m+ acidity
high alcohol
ripe blackberry, black plum
herbal, floral
cooler sites:
lower alcohol, m(+) acidity, firm, medium tannins, fresh fruit: red and black, floral, herbal
Gamay
Early budding-> spring frost
early ripening - picked before autumn rains
Millanderage; -damp, -windy
Thin skin -> rot, Mistral wind-> bush trained; mechanisation - VSP trellised
Productive, high yield -> canopy management - bud reduction
Red fruit, kirsch ( semi-carbonic maceration), blueberry,
purple color
retains acidity even in warm climate
express different nuances depending on the topography and soil of the site,- >
giving wines of varying levels of tannins and fruitiness
Beaujolais - semicarbonic maceration <- whole bunches <- hand picking!
Pays Nantais, Touraine, Rose de Loire, Rose d’Anjou, Central Vineyards
Ontario
Poulsard (Ploussard) Fr
buds very early -> vulnerable to spring frost.
thin-skinned -> prone all the fungal diseases
prone to coulure (reduction in yield)
ripens early (no harvest rain threat)
very pale ruby, almost translucent
low intensity red fruit (redcurrant, cranberry),
low tannins,
high acidity,
low end of medium alcohol
light body
The wines are typically good to very good in quality
mid- to premium priced.
Jura
Trousseau (FR)
Maturana Tinta (Rioja)
thick skins -> resistance to fungal
diseases
it can suffer from botrytis bunch rot
prone to poor flowering and
coulure
vigorous variety -> careful canopy management
To ripen fully it needs a warm site (warm gravels, warm, lower part of the slope or on a well-exposed, higher, steeper slope
pale ruby in colour
low intensity red fruit (red cherry),
low to medium tannins,
medium to high acidity,
low end of medium alcohol,
light to medium (–) body.
good to very good in quality
mid- to premium priced.
Jura
Maturana Tinta (Rioja)
In blends contribute:
purple colour
high acidity
fresh cranberry and blackberry
Grolleau Noir (Fr)
early budding
mid ripening
prone to botrytis bunch rot
used in rosé blends (Rosé d’Anjou, Rosé de Loire) - direct press, short maceration, short ageing, neutral containers
Tannat (Fr, Madiran )
vigorous
mid-ripening ->picked before the onset of autumn rains. prone to botrytis bunch rot
highly tannic
deep ruby in colour
a) pronounced aromas and flavours: blackberry and blackcurrant, plus oak flavours,
high tannins, high acidity, full body, medium to high alcohol very good to outstanding (top: 85-100% Tannat + CbFr, CS, Fer)) Madiran AOC
b) earlier drinking styles with lower levels of tannins and concentration
Dornfelder (DE)
deep in colour,
high in acidity
fruity and floral notes
a) a fruity, easy-drinking style, occasionally with a
little residual sugar, with aromas of sour cherry and blackberry;
b) a more complex style with ageing potential produced from lower yields showing greater focus on tannins and structure, fermented or aged in oak.
Rheinhessen and Pfalz:
the most planted black variety, ahead of Spätburgunder
Blaufrankisch (AT)
medium (+) to high tannins,
high levels of acidity,
deep colour
black fruit flavours
buds early -> vulnerable to frosts
ripens late -> needs a warm climate to become fully ripe, and so is generally only found in Burgenland.
thick skins -> not as prone to rot (humid area around Neusiedlersee)
high yields -> green aromas and flavours
if yields are managed -> Austria’s most age-worthy and intense red wines
a) simple, fruity wines with little or no oak ageing, that are good
in quality and mid-priced
b) very good to outstanding wines with pronounced black fruit,
spicy oak characters and high tannins that are premium priced.
Leithaberg DAC and Mittelburgenland DAC
Agiorgitiko (Gr)
the most planted black variety
versatile grape
a) lighter, fruity style for early drinking b) more complex, full-bodied age worthy style
c) high quality rosé
d) sweet wine.
The reds are:
deeply coloured
medium acidity
medium to high levels of soft tannins medium alcohol.
aromas of ripe red fruit (although it can become jammy if allowed
to get extra ripe) , sweet spices
often aged in oak, usually a proportion of which is new.
It is mainly found in the Peloponnese, and is particularly highly regarded from PDO Nemea.
Xinomavro (Gr)
Greece’s most prized indigenous black grape variety
All over northern Greece but its most famous wines come from Naoussa in northern Macedonia.
often likened to Nebbiolo:
in their youth, the wines can have
unpleasantly high levels of acidity and grippy tannins with aromas that are more vegetal than fruity
pale-coloured and turn garnet rapidly
Naoussa PDO:
high acidity and tannins,
great complexity of aromas
potential to age for decades.
mid-priced with a few premium examples,
range from good to outstanding in quality
a) long bottle ageing: the best wines, produced from lower-yielding vines and aged in oak, can age for decades,
developing highly complex aromas of flowers, herbs, spices, leather and earthinessc, pronounced spicy and meaty
b) more accessible in their youth (more fruity and softer tannins)
Using riper grapes and less extraction
much fruitier, with lower levels of acidity, and are often aged in new oak
cold soaking or whole-bunch fermentation -> deeper-coloured but less tannic wine
c) blended with Merlot to soften out its rough edges (not PDO)
Amynteo PDO (Macedonia):
usually lighter in body and lower in tannins than from Naoussa
a distinctive floral quality
a) sandy soils (phylloxera-free) -> old vines giving more concentrated wines
b) riper, more accessible style of wine.
mid-priced and good to very good in quality, some outstanding examples
Teroldego (IT)
the most common black variety in Trentino.
black cherry; deeply coloured, medium tannin
vigorous; trained on pergolas for high yields
(quality minded growers now are also using Guyot)
suffers from drying out of stems
less susceptible to mildews
Teroldego Rotaliano DOC:
sandy and gravelly soils in the far north of Trentino -> best quality
Outside the geographical area of Teroldego Rotaliano DOC cannot be bottled as Trentino DOC but as Vini delle Dolomiti IGT (which includes wines from both Trentino and Alto-Adige).
Trentino red styles (single variety or two-blends
a) fresh and fruity in style with medium level of tannins and medium body. maceration on the skins during alcoholic fermentation (5–7 days) and moderate fermentation temperatures (17– 20°C /63–68°F). briefly aged in stainless steel or old, neutral wooden casks.
b) premium reds go through a period of maceration after alcoholic fermentation (additional 7–14 days) and warm fermentation temperatures (26–32°C/79–90°F).
Aged in small oak barrels with a small proportion of new oak -> medium (+) to intense fruit flavours and an additional layer of vanilla and sweet spice oak.
Marzemino (IT)
prone to botrytis bunch rot, prone to powdery mildew.
vigorous, trained on pergolas;
newer lower-yielding clones have been trained as spurred cordons.
mid- to late-ripening varieties
deeply coloured, medium tannin; red cherry
mostly good to very good in quality and inexpensive to mid-priced
Ziresi subzone Trentino DOC:
The best, ripest wines
<- full sun exposure and rich calcareous/clay and basalt soil
Lagrein (IT)
needs a warm site with plenty of sunshine to ripen fully.
vigorous
poor fruit set -> low yields
mid- to late-ripening
Bitterness and some harshness on the finish is being addressed by shorter maceration times and ageing in wood.
red cherry and black plum
deep colour -> also used for rosés
medium tannin
Trentino.
The wines can be labelled in either Italian or German as ‘red’
and ‘rosé’: Lagrein rubino/dunkel and Lagrein rosato/kretzer.
mostly good to very good in quality and inexpensive to mid-priced
Alto Adige
Refosco IT
Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso;
Collio DOC: the most planted of the local black variety
best grown on hillside sites with lower fertility.
late ripening and resistant to botrytis.
red cherry flavoured with herbal aromas.
It has small berries that produce wines with high tannins that are best smoothed out by time in wood.
Mourvedre
Monastrell (ESP)
late ripening
well suited to hot&dry
drought tolerant
able to retain acidity
difficult and demanding
upright bush vine, short stumpy trunk (strong mistral or cierzo wind)
vigorous, canopy management
triangular bunches with small, tight, dark grapes
Mourvèdre is used very sparingly because of the strength of its character
High tannins
extraordinary aging ability
complex typicity, distinctive feature.
gives rosé wines power and remarkable aging ability
Rhone Valley …xxx
Mourvèdre can add elegance and structure to the win
Bandol AOC (Provance, Fr)
red, at least 50% of the blend up to 85%
best-suited terroir: soil, subsoil, optimal sun exposure, sea influence and prevailing winds -> collaborates to obtain beautiful, slow and full maturity
“gobelet” pruning -> reduce foliage, low-producing
Monastrell (Penedes): full body
Alicante DO: min 80% Monastrell
full body, dry
m+ acidity
high alcohol,
high tannins
ripe black fruit
American oak maturation
Carignan (Fr)
Carignano (IT, Sardegna)
Mazuelo (Rioja)
Carinena (Spain)
Languedoc-Rousillon (Fr):
buds late and ripens late -> needs to be grown in a warm climate with a long ripening season)
high yields (200 hL/ha and more)
low flavour intensity
Red fruit, raspberry, liquorice, blackberry
smokey, cured meat (umami), baking spices
prone powdery mildew and to grape moths
not particularly suited to mechanical harvesting as the bunches are firmly attached to the vine
high acidity
high tannins ->
a) carbonic maceration to soften + fruitiness: simple blackberry fruit
typically unoaked, medium ruby, easy drinking
b) high quality, small volume: warm fermentation, barriques maturation -> ageable
intense black fruit with spice and earthy notes premium and super-premium prices
Corbieres AOC: Crg +GSM min 40%
Fitou AOC: 10-40% Crg
Sardinia:
mainly grown in the south-west corner of the island
heat and drought-resistant -> thrive despite high summer temperatures, low rainfall and drying winds from the sea (which also reduce the threat of
fungal diseases)
Low fertility sandy soils -> restrains its natural vigour
Carignano del Sulcis DOC: 77 hL/ha
bush vine a -> suited to the dry climate of the area and restrain the natural vigour of the variety
Limited irrigation is permitted in the period of vegetative growth
low flavour concentration
Superiore category: 52.5 hL/ha
a) Inexpensive wines are typically fermented at warm temperatures and macerated on the skins for 7–10 days and are aged for 3–4 months in large neutral containers (cement, large oak casks).
b) mid-priced and premium red wines by contrast will be macerated on the skins for around 15 days at warm fermentation temperatures for fuller extraction of colour, flavour and tannins
rich, fruity-earthy
aged in French oak barriques for 12–18 months.
Both the Superiore and Riserva (available for the basic DOC as well as Superiore) categories require two years of ageing.
good to very good in quality (at low yields), some outstanding wines,
inexpensive to premium
Santadi
Mazuelo- Rioja
In blends contribute high acidity
Barbera (IT)
Italy, Piemonte
Early budding, late ripening (but before Nebbiolo)
Very vigorous, disease resistant
😢fun leaves virus, spring frost
High acidity, low/medium tannins, medium alcohol
Medium intensity red plum, red cherry, black pepper
Winemaking: a) early drinking, medium/deep ruby
Good-very good, inexpensive- mid priced
b) highly concentrated, french oak barriques
Piemonte DOC: 84 hl/ha
Barbera d’Asti DOCG: 63 hl/ha 4m (-w), Superiore 14m (6w)
Alba, Nizza DOCG: 49 hl/ha 18m (6w,)
Montferrato, Langhe
Barbera
Piemonte DOC, Asti, Nizza DOCG and Alba, Monferrato, Langhe
less sensitive to site than Nebbiolo
relatively early budding -> prone to spring frosts
very vigorous
disease-resistant, but susceptible to fan leaf virus
grows on a range of sites and aspects
very high yields -> prune hard for highly concentrated wines
ripens relatively late, but before Nebbiolo
relatively high in acidity
relatively low in tannin
a range of styles:
a) traditional lightly sparkling style
b) still for early drinking:
medium to deep ruby colour,
medium intensity red plum and red cherry fruit,
sometimes with black pepper aromas,
high acidity
medium tannins
medium alcohol
The lighter wines show the high acidity of the variety.
Most wines are good to very good in quality and are inexpensive to mid-priced.
c) highly concentrated Barbera wines
lower yields, often from old vines,
aged in French oak barriques (Giacomo Bologna) -> Oak tannins from barrels adds to the body and gives further capacity to age.
Barbera d’Asti DOCG 63 hl/ha
Nizza DOCG
some very good to outstanding wines are made that command premium prices.
Nebbiolo (IT, Piemonte)
early budding (and hence at danger from spring frosts)
ripens very late
vigorous - > canopy mgmt + cluster thinning, mass sleelction for lower vigour, for open bunches (fungal threat)
have to be pruned high as the first few buds are infertile; Single Guyot
It is mainly grown in the Cuneo province, especially in the Langhe, but also in the northern provinces of Piemonte.
Wines made from Nebbiolo are typically pale ruby in colour (-> clonal research, mass selection for smaller berries -> deeper colour)
turning to pale garnet within 3–5 years, with pronounced intensity aromas and flavours (violet, rose, red cherry, red plum), a full body, high tannins, high acidity and can be
high alcohol
Capacity to develop 3rd aromas in bottle
the finest, most perfumed wines on calcareous marls
Barolo DOCG: dry, tannic wine made from 100 % Nebbiolo
56 hL/h. has to be aged for three years and two months from 1 November of the year of harvest, including 18 months in wood.
very good to outstanding in quality and premium and
super-premium priced.
- the villages with blue-grey marl in the north and west of the denomination (for example La Morra) produce lighter more aromatic wines that become drinkable after a few years in bottle
- the villages in the south and east of the denomination with less fertile, predominantly yellow-grey compacted sand and clay (for example, Serralunga d’Alba) producing wines that are closed and tannic in youth and should be cellared for 10–15 years.
a) blending wines from the grapes of a number of vineyards, -> more complexity
b) single vineyards
Barbaresco DOCG: 100% Nebbiolo; 56 hL/ha
two years and two months from 1 November of the year of
harvest
a) Traditional winemaking very long maceration on the skins (three to four months), followed by five to eight years of ageing in large old wooden vessels to soften the tannins.
b) wines with deeper colour, softer tannins and less need to be aged, and with new oak flavours (Gaja)
pick only grapes with ripe skins and seeds (to eliminate aggressive tannins), macerate on the skins for 3–4 weeks for top wines and age the wines in either large format oak (French or Slavonian) or a combination of large and smaller format oak (barriques and up to 500 L), only a small proportion being new.
Roero DOCG
Gattinara DOCG
Ghemme DOCG: continental climate with greater
diurnal variation than Barolo, resulting of wines of higher acidity. South-facing sites at around 300 m above sea level enables fruit to ripen and the wines are light bodied but intensely perfumed.
Langhe DOC Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC
Schiava IT (Trollinger, Vernatsch DE)
Alto Adige, IT
four separate varieties identified, normally grown and vinified together.
grown on a pergola to cope with their natural vigour;
high yields.
pale ruby wine
perfumed violet and strawberry aromas
medium to light body and low tannins
Santa Magdalena DOC: Schiava blended with up to 15 per cent Lagrein -> deeper coloured and fuller bodied wine
Corvina Veronese (IT, Valpolicella)
the most planted in Valpolicella 50%
vigorous and dependable, producing high yields.
thick skins making it suitable for drying (see Appassimento below). However,
prone to downy mildew, botrytis and esca and is sensitive to drought.
mid to late ripening.
well suited to pergola training:
- does not fruit on the first few buds of the cane
- the shade prevents sunburn to which the variety is prone
- good air circulation helping to reduce disease,
- temperatures significantly lower in pergola systems, but they do also lose more water through evaporation.
If carefully grown, Corvina can be grown on trellises.
Corvina is mostly blended in Valpolicella and related wines. In blends, it contributes violet, red cherry and red plum fruit with a herbal note.
low to medium tannins and high acidity
There are a few single-variety Corvina wines following the success of Allegrini’s La Poja, a concentrated barrel-aged red.
Valpolicella DOC
Corvina and/or Corvinone min. 45–95 % of the blend Rondinella: 5–30 % + other authorized varieties including Molinara
84hl/ha, low flavour concentration.
typically: a short maceration on the skins. bright purple tints in youth and have red cherry and rose aromatics, no oak
flavour, low to medium tannins and medium to medium (+) acidity. The wines are typically good
quality, with some very good examples and are inexpensive to mid-priced
Valpolicella DOC Classico: rom the hilly, defined, historic Classico zone. Wines typically have greater concentration than the wines of the preceding DOC. The wines are typically good to very good in quality and are inexpensive to mid- priced.
Superiore: marginally higher minimum alcohol level, which are often aged in large wood vessels for one year.
b) a significant proportion of semi-dried grapes and have been aged for many years before release (Quintarelli)
Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG: historic, sweet, semi-dried grape wine of Valpolicella, based on winemaking styles
The grapes must be dried off the vines for 100–120 days. The final yield (after drying and pressing the semi-dried grapes) is a maximum of 48 hL/ha. The wines have intense red, fresh- and dried-fruit flavours, a full body, and medium (+) to high tannins. Production is typically small scale and often artisan. As a result, the styles differ in terms of alcohol and sweetness levels (minimum 12% abv and approximately 50 g/L residual sugar). The wines are very good to outstanding in quality and typically premium priced
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG:
dry or just off-dry semi-dried grape wine of Valpolicella.
the grapes can be sourced from anywhere within the Valpolicella DOC and final yield (after drying and pressing the dried grapes) is a maximum of 48 hL/ha.
The grapes are vinified usually after 100–120 days of drying. The minimum abv is 14 per cent but more typically 15 per cent and above, and often with 5–9 g/l residual sugar. (The maximum residual sugar is 9 g/L) The wine must be aged for a minimum of two years in large casks or barriques (four years for the ‘Riserva’ category).
The wines have intense cherry and dried fruit flavours accompanied by spice and wood notes, medium to high tannins and a high acidity, which balances the richness. According to the style preferred by the producer, the wine may have new oak flavours or nutty and volatile
notes from mildly oxidative ageing in large wood casks if these are not kept entirely topped up.
Due to the popularity of the style and the high volumes being made, quality ranges from good to outstanding. Equally there is a wide range of prices from mid-priced to premium and super-premium
Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
ripasso method:, unpressed grape skins with some residual sugar are taken from the end of the fermentation phase of Amarone or Recioto. Newly made Valpolicella wine, having been pressed off its own skins, is then added to these grape skins for a second maceration. Yeasts, which are also transferred in this process, ferment the remaining sugar, during which time the grape skins give more colour, flavour and tannins to the wine. 10–15 per cent of Amarone or Recioto must also be added to contribute further flavour, tannins and alcohol.
The finished wine must have a minimum 12.5 per cent abv and 13.0 per cent for Superiore.
They must be aged for one year after 1 January of the year after the harvest. This is often in large wood vessels.
They are medium- to full-bodied with medium (+) tannins and flavours of fresh and stewed red cherries and plums. Given the popularity of the Ripasso style, producers
are also making wines from a blend of dried grape wine and standard wine and selling it as IGP. The wines are good to very good in quality and mid- to premium priced.
Corvinone (IT, Veneto, Valpolicella)
Not related to Corvina.
prone to downy mildew.
the berries do not ripen uniformly and therefore the fruit must be picked over bunch by bunch at harvest, adding work and cost.
Corvinone is a good complement to Corvina in blends as it supplies tannins, while also contributing red cherry fruit flavours. It also dries well – see below on appassimento.
Rondinella (IT, Veneto, Valpolicella)
very reliable
very productive
can grow on a range of soils
good disease resistance (and therefore is good for drying) but is prone to esca.
rather neutral wines with light, simple cherry fruit.
It accumulates sugar very fast and so is useful for Recioto
Molinara (IT, Veneto, Valpolicella)
high yielding variety
pale colour -> less grown
It contributes acidity, red-berried fruit and lightness.
Dolcetto (IT)
ripens early
can be grown on cooler sites
susceptible to fungal diseases
fragile (the buds are easily broken),
low vigour
ripening can be blocked by prolonged spells of cold weather
naturally high tannins
-> reduction in vineyard area planted. This reduction has also
been due to the much higher prices that can be obtained for Nebbiolo grapes.
reductive in the winery -> requiring frequent pump overs or rack-and-return to introduce oxygen and avoid off-flavours.
mid-range fermentation temperatures -> retain fresh primary fruit
short times on the skins (5–10 days) and soft extraction -> to avoid extracting its naturally high tannins.
typically aged in stainless steel tanks or cement vats to preserve primary fruit
typically deep ruby in colour,
medium (+) intensity red cherry fruit with floral notes,
medium (–) acidity and medium (+) tannins
good to very good in quality and are inexpensive to mid-priced
Piemonte DOC 77hl/ha
some very good to outstanding wines, premium prices
Dolcetto d’Alba DOC: 63 hL/ha,
Dogliani DOCG
Dolcetto di Ovada DOC
Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore DOCG
Sangoviese
=Morellino di Scansano
=Prugnolo Gentile
difficult variety to grow successfully
buds early -> prone to late spring frosts
ripens late -> can be affected by early autumn rain
best on sunny south and south-east facing slopes where it has the best chance to ripen; warming climate -> growers are looking to plant on higher sites or those with less sunny aspects
best quality: 200 and 550 m above sea level to enable full ripeness achieved over a long season
risks rain at harvest time
best quality: friable, shale and limestone soils (excellent drainage), clay.
vigorous -> canopy trimming -> avoid shading.
Thin skins -> very susceptible to botrytis bunch rot
high yields, and growers have to decide whether to produce volume or, by pruning, cluster thinning and green harvesting, reduce yield to raise quality.
cordons pruned to spurs or cane pruned with VSP
choice of clones -> moderate yielding, higher-quality clones
mass selection from best performing plants.
Chianti Classico 2000 project: seven clones that have been widely planted. -> smaller berries, thicker skins and more-open bunches to produce wines with deeper colour, more flavour intensity and greater disease resistance.
-> less vigour, less labour intensive
ESCA, wild boars
Montepulciano blends
Montepulciano (IT)
resistant to botrytis bunch rot and downy mildew
susceptible to powdery mildew
needs a long season to ripen fully (to avoid bitterness)
tends to ripen unevenly within individual bunches ->lower quality, carefully selection
naturally high tannins
deep ruby in colour
susceptible to developing reductive sulfur compounds during winemaking and requires frequent aeration to avoid the development of off odours
Maceration times depend on the style being made:
a) short 4–5 days: simple, lighter wines
ripe, medium intensity red cherry fruited wines
no oak flavours
medium body
medium tannins
b) longer 20 days: higher-quality. don’t extract too much tannin!
medium (+) to pronounced intensity red cherry and black plum
with oak aromas
medium (+) tannins
large oak vessels
Rosso Piceno DOC: 35–85 % Montepulciano
Rosso Piceno Superiore DOC
Offida Rosso DOCG: 85–100 % Montepulciano + 24 (12w) months
Rosso Conero DOC and Conero Riserva DOCG: 85 % Mp, 24m(12w)
ROSÉ! Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC: min 85% Mp
a) medium intensity pink, much deeper colour than many modern rosés
short maceration (generally up to 12 hours)
b) lighter intensity
direct pressing
c) rosé as a by-product of their red wine production (saignée)
medium to medium (+) bodied
Mp is rich in anthocyanins -> so maceration times are short to avoid the extraction of too much colour.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC, min 85% MP, 98 hl/h
short maceration -> medium intensity
up to 15 per cent of Merlot or Primitivo
b) High-quality, extended time in barrel to allow the tannins to soften and may benefit from bottle age too
Large oak vessels are most common, with some producers using small French oak barriques for their best wines
typically deep ruby in colour
medium intensity red cherry and plum fruited
medium (+) body
high tannins
inexpensive to mid-priced (oak aged)
Subzones: 66hl/ha, 18 m(9w) -> more concentration
Colline Teramane Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOCG: min 36months (12w)
very good quality and premium priced
Canaiolo Nero
red-berried fruit and some floral notes with only light tannins
blending partner in Tuscan denominations
Primitivo (IT, Puglia, Sicily)
=Zinfandel (California)
high yielding
buds early -> prone to spring frosts
prone to drought
In rainy or humid conditions, it is susceptible to poor flowering and fruit set
ripens unevenly -> challenge to meeting demand in a predictable way and with regard to cash flow.
the bunches of Primitivo are looser with smaller berries, giving them more disease resistance than Zinfandel in California
accumulates sugar easily -> tends to produce high alcohol wines
tendency to dry on the vine as harvest approaches -> high alcohol
picking date -> to avoid overly jammy or dried fruit flavours
the bunches typically contain ripe and under ripe fruit -> strict sorting is required to produce high-quality wines
originally bush trained, low density (Puglia)
now more cordons -> mechanisation
a) inexpensive - warm fermentation, 7-10 day skin contact -> medium to high levels of tannins; short ageing SS or large cask
b) premium wines: longer skin contact - > greater structure, French barriques 12 m
Primitivo di Manduria DOC: min 85% PR, 63 hL/ha;
Riserva: 30months (9w), min 14% abv
Gioia del Colle DOC: 100% Primitivo, 52 hL/ha, hilly, cooler, 250-500m
Riserva 24 months, no wood, min. 14% abv. ->
full-bodied, high alcohol
medium (+) to pronounced, ripe to jammy red cherry and strawberry fruit
medium acidity
medium to medium (+) tannin
acceptable to good, some very good and a few outstanding wines
Old vines with high quality potential, were removed under the EU wine pull scheme. Since then, the variety has become more popular again, partly through the success of Californian Zinfandel.
Zinfandel California
(Primitivo in Puglia)
SIgnature of California
old-vines >100 years
uneven ripening -> m+ acidity and jammy
a) premium (Dry Creek)
m+ acidity
medium to full body
ripe m+ tannins
m+ intensity: raspberry, blueberry, blackberry
American oak -> vanilla
b) inexpensive: soft, ripe, jammy + oak alternatives
c) rosé: White Zinfandel (Central Valley)
short cool maceration -> medium pink
low alcohol
medium-dry (stopped fermentation)
medium body
medium acidity
strawberry, fruit candy
inexp. to mid priced,
accept. to good
semicarbonic maceration
Beaujolais
orange wine
Friuli, Oslavia sub-region of Collio, neighbouring Brda in Slovenia
long maceration (8 days up to 6–8 months) on the skins of white varieties followed by long ageing (2–6 years) in large format barrels.
Joško Gravner , Stanko Radikon and Dario Prinčič
- organic methods in the vineyard
- the use of local varieties (especially the celebration of Ribolla Gialla) +international ones
- long maceration on the skins
- fermentation with ambient yeasts with no temperature control
- long maturation in large format oak or other wood
- no fining or filtration
- low or no added SO2
amber, orange or gold in colour
pronounced flavours of dried fruits, dried herbs, hay and nuts
medium tannins.
premium prices,
particularly appreciated by sommeliers
appassimento method (IT)
The resulting wine style is called passito.
Veneto and in many other parts of Italy (e.g. in Tuscany for Vin Santo)
grapes are picked and allowed to reach a semi-dried state before
they are crushed.
the grapes are stored for 3–4 months in well-aerated drying lofts
-> concentrating flavour, raising alcohol levels and making sweet (and today,
dry) wines.
The grapes may be picked early at 11–11.5 per cent potential alcohol to maintain acidity and to ensure perfect bunches.
Completely healthy grapes with open bunches are left to dry, either on the vine or, more usually, off the vine.
The grapes are hung up or, in volume production, laid one bunch deep in well-spaced trays, to prevent the growth of moulds.
The grapes must be checked regularly and rotated occasionally.
controlled humidity, temperature and air movement
Depending on the speed and length of drying, the grapes lose around one third of their weight. This loss of water leads to higher levels of sugar, potential alcohol, acidity, anthocyanins (colour), tannins and concentration of flavours.
In addition, chemical changes occur in the drying grapes: more glycerol is produced, giving a softer, fuller mouth-feel.
Corvina blend
a) without appassimento (Valpolicella): pale ruby, simple, fresh, fruity wines, red cherry and rose aromatics
low to medium tannins and medium to medium (+) acidity
b) Amarone and Recioto: deep ruby, concentrated, complex, high alcohol wines with tannic and acidic structure
Ripasso method (IT)
unpressed grape skins with some residual sugar are taken from the end of the fermentation phase of Amarone or Recioto.
Newly made Valpolicella wine, having been pressed off its own skins, is then added to these grape skins for a second maceration.
Yeasts, which are also transferred in this process, ferment the remaining sugar, during which time the grape skins give more colour, flavour and tannins to the wine.
10–15 per cent of Amarone or Recioto must also be added to contribute further flavour, tannins and alcohol.
The finished wine must have a minimum 12.5 per cent abv and 13.0 per cent for Superiore.
They must be aged for one year after 1 January of the year after the harvest in large wood vessels.
medium- to full-bodied
medium (+) tannins
flavours of fresh and stewed red cherries and plums.
Given the popularity of the Ripasso style, producers are also making wines from a blend of dried grape wine and standard wine and selling it as
IGP. The wines are good to very good in quality and mid- to premium priced.
Sagrantino (IT, Umbria)
needs full sunshine and heat to ripen
moderately productive
principally on hillside sites, 220–470 m, for the best sunlight interception and good drainage
Guyot or cordon with spurs and VSP trellised
- tiny spiders that can live on the hairy underside of its leaves and reduce vegetative growth, vine moths
- downy and powdery mildew
very tannic
deep ruby in colour,
medium (+) to pronounced blackberry and red plum fruit
high acidity
high tannins -> requires long ageing in the production phase and often in bottle before the wines are ready to drink.
Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG 100% Sagrantino, 52hl/ha, 37months (12w)
very good to outstanding
Cesanese (IT, Lazio)
semi-aromatic
very late ripening
high yielding with high quality potential
prone to powdery mildew
vulnerable to autumn rains and to a failure to ripen fully-> low quality wines
can be used in a number of denominations including
DOCG Cesanese di Piglio: min. 90% Cesanese
pronounced aromas with red cherry and rose-petal scented fruit
medium tannins
medium acidity
high alcohol
Cesanese di Affile DOC 65-70 hl/ha
light flavour intensity, large oak or SS for aromatic wine
Aglianico (IT, Campania)
early budding-> vulnerable to spring frost
late ripening -> requires a long season for the tannins to ripen
vigorous, yields have to be controlled
prone to botrytis bunch rot -> vulnerable to rain late in the season
spurred cordons or cane-pruned with VSP -> mechanisation possible
medium (+) to pronounced intensity rose, red plum and blackberry aromas, high acidity
high tannins - softened either by ageing in high-quality small barrels or long ageing in traditional large oak casks, plus bottle age
high-quality wines on the cool slopes (200–600 m) -> longer season ->
more intense flavours
Taurasi DOCG, min 85% Aglianico, 70 hL/ha
36months (12w), Riserva: 48 (18w)
picked at the end of October and early November
long maceration on the skins (20 days or more)
aged in French oak barriques or in large oak casks
very good to outstanding
mid-priced to premium in price
Aglianoci del Vulture DOC 70 hl/ha, 100% Agl
increasingly being aged in French oak barriques
powerful wines
red plum and blackberry fruit
full body
high acidity
high alcohol
high tannins
capable of extended bottle ageing
very good to outstanding
mid-priced to premium in price
Aglianoci del Vutlture Superiore DOCG: 100% Agl., 52hl/ha, 36 m(12w)
Riserva: 60m (24w)
Generazione Vulture
Piedirosso (IT, Campania)
pale ruby
fresh, medium (+) acidity
medium tannins
red plum and red cherry fruit
around Naples: Campi Flegrei DOC and Vesuvio DOC ( 50-100% Piedirosso), including the islands of Ischia and Capri
adapted to the heat and drought (and flourishes here with only 600 mm of rainfall per year and windy conditions)
open bunches with thick-skinned berries -> resists botrytis
dry and windy conditions in the growing season -> less mildews
planted on their own roots (phylloxera is present but does not spread in the sandy soils)
low densities
trained very high with many bunches for high volume
now moved to Guyot or spurred cordons to achieve better fruit quality with greater fruit concentration
harvested late but still produces wines of only 12–13% abv
a) make early-drinking varietal wines
b) as a blend to soften Aglianico-based wines -> adds perfume and freshness
stainless steel or old oak, some top wines in new French oak barriques
local market, tourism (Naples)
international interest because of the theme of volcanic wines
mid-priced to premium
Negroamaro (IT, Puglia)
widely grown on the eastern side of the Salento peninsula, the so-called heel of Italy.
high yielding
good resistance to diseases and to drought
ability to retain acidity -> highly suitable for growing in a hot climate
-> adds alcohol and body to wines of cooler regions
Salice Salentino DOC
Salice Salentino Rosso DOC: min 75% Negroamaro
or if the variety is on label, 90%
84 hL/ha -> low concentration and flavour intensity
Riserva: 24 months (6w)
macerated on the skins for 7–10 days
a) inexpensive: aged SS for a short time (six months)
b) mid-priced to premium wines: 12 months in oak
black plum and black cherry fruit
medium to high alcohol
medium acidity
medium (+) tannins
c) rosé wine (rosato): deep pink-orange in colour
very popular summer drink
good to very good quality
inexpensive to mid-priced, with a few premium wines
Nero di Troia (IT, Puglia)
Uva di Troia
late-ripening -> risk from autumn rain
prone to downy mildew
needs a long season to develop its full colour and to ripen the tannins
berries on bunches ripen at different times -> costly repeated passes through the vineyard and/or sorting a necessity for higher quality wines
medium intensity red cherry and redcurrant fruit with a black pepper note
high but fine-grained tannins
medium (+) acidity
Castel del Monte DOC: 90% Nero di Troia, 91 hl/ha
aged in SS for a short time, about 6 months
Castel del Monte DOCG: Riserva only. 70 hL/ha
24 months (12w), French oak barriques or large casks
good to very good, with a few outstanding examples
mid-priced to premium
Nero d’Avola (IT, Sicily)
the most planted black variety in Sicily
= Calabrese
grows well in a hot climate
late-ripening
grown close to the ground to maximise the heat
adaptable variety that also grows satisfactorily in damper, cooler sites
very vigorous -> lot of canopy management,
susceptible to powdery mildew
suffers from uneven flowering -> uneven yields from year to year
medium to deep ruby in colour
red cherry to black plum fruit
medium (+) to high tannins
medium to medium (+) acidity
a) at moderate yields. very good to outstanding quality, with concentration, typically aged in small oak barrels
mid-priced to premium in price.
b) at high yields -> acceptable to good wines,
stored for a short period in stainless steel (6 months)
inexpensive to mid-priced
- made as a varietal wine, 70–77 hL/ha, often produced as IGT or ‘wine’
Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG (rosé) blended with the black Frappato variety and with international varieties.
Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG (red): Frappato adds strawberry and herbal aromas and fresh red fruit, 50–70% Nero d’Avola + 30-50% Frappato,
52 hL/ha -> very good concentration
Gulfi, Feudo Montoni, Cos and Planeta.
Nerello Mascalese (IT, Sicily, Etna)
high yields - > volume wine production across Sicily
buds early -> vulnerable to late spring frost
yields can vary due to coulure
late ripening -> affected by early autumn rain.
At altitude on Etna (400–1,000 metres above sea level) it has a very long season, adding to the intensity of flavours.
prone to powdery mildew and botrytis bunch rot
Care has to be taken to deleaf around the fruit zone at the right time in cooler sites on Etna. If deleafing is too early, then the berries can be burnt by the sun; if not done soon enough the fruit may never ripen fully, leading to unripe flavours and harsh tannins.
moderately high tannic variety ->
relatively short time on the skins (10–15 days) to avoid over-extracting tannins.
some top producers, e.g. Graci, keep the wine on the skins for much longer (30–90 days) believing that this results in smoother tannins.
medium to pale ruby colour (depending on the level of extraction)
high intensity aromas and flavours of red cherry and violet with herbal earth notes
high acidity
medium to high tannins (depending on extraction)
high end of medium alcohol
Etna Rosso DOC: min 80% Nerello Mascalese + Nerello Cappuccio; 56 hl/ha
Nerello Capuccio provides colour and red berry fruit in blend
best wines on Etna are typically from very old vines (60–100 years) ->
high concentration, low yields
moderate to steep slopes-> working by hand
Riserva: 48 months (12w)
pale ruby in colour
medium intensity red cherry fruit
high acidity
medium (+) to high tannins
aged in large, neutral oak casks or 500–600 litre barrels
very good to outstanding in quality
mid-price to premium in price
Tempranillo
Tinto Fino, Tinta Pais in Ribera del Duero
Tinta Roriz (Portugal)
Aragonez (Portugal, Alentejo)
Ribera del Duero (Castilla y Leon)
full body
high alcohol
ripe blackberry, plum
vanilla, chocolate <- new oak
Rioja
Able to ripen in cooler high altitude in cool clay soils
medium/deep ruby
Red fruit, raspberry, black plum
m+ tannins -> high tannins (grippy, powerful)
medium/medium+ acidity
American oak, but many producers now use a blend of American and French oak barrels. American oak gives the wine flavors of coconut, vanilla, dill, and caramel
Rather simple variety
Tinta Roriz, Dao, Portugal:
mid ripening
deep colour
m/m+ tannins
full body
capable of bottle ageing
if blended -> gives structure
Mencia (ESP)
Jaen (P - Dao)
Riberia Sacra DO, Galicia Esp
Bierzo DO, Castilla y Leon
Early/mid ripening
Red cherry, raspberry
a) Light/medium body
Medium tannins
Medium +/high acidity
Quickly accumulate sugar->
high alcohol
Fresh, early drinking
b) on the high slopes, poor soil, slate: more concentrated
fuller body
high tannins
slow sugar accumulation-> higher acidity, higher alcohol ripe red cherry and plum, floral, herbal, delicate aromas
Oak-> spicy
Blended with Alicante Bouschet-> deep color
red and black berry
Dao (Portugal)
m acidity,
m intensity raspberry, blackberry
carbonic maceration for fruitiness, early consumption
if blended -> soften, lend ripen fruits
Tinta de Toro
Toro DO, Castilla y Leon Adapted Tempranillo or a separate variety?
Thicker skin -> greater colour
(carbonic maceration)
high tannins
full body
high alcohol
medium + to high acidity
blackberry, blueberry
site selection-> north-facing, cooler site, higher altitude
Good / outstanding
Bobal (Esp)
Valencia, Utiel-Requena DO
mid to late budding -> spring frost
very drought tolerant
retains acidity well, high acidity
ripen unevenly -> lack of ripeness -> grippy, firm tannins
vigorous, high yields
deep colour -> blending component
a) fruity, light bodied, m tannins (semi carbonic maceration)
b) old maturation -> complexity
m+ /full body, m+ tannins, high acidity
blackberry, black cherry
chocolate
Bonarda (Arg)
the 2nd most cultivated red after Malbec in Arg.
adapted to hot climate (Mendoza)
late ripening
high yield
large volume, inexpensive
domestic consumption
deep colour
m+ body
red (raspberry) and black fruit, anise
m + acidity
medium tannins
medium alcohol
barrel ageing
blending partner
b) lower yield, old vines -> riper, black fruit, spicy
Maipú
Concord (USA)
Hybrid!
Finger Lakes, Lake Ontario (CAN), Yakima Valley (W)
Derived from V.Labrusca, 1/3 is V.V.
table grape, wine grape, juice
A native American grape variety, derived from the Vitis labrusca species, and it has a distinct, bold flavor that’s quite different from European wine grapes (Vitis vinifera).
hardy and can withstand cold climates, making them well-suited for regions with harsh winters, unlike European Vitis vinifera grapes.
resistant to many pests and diseases that affect wine grapes, making them easier to cultivate.
dark blue or purple
often is covered with a glaucous epicuticular wax “bloom”
highly aromatic, “grape” flavor
Foxy or musky aroma (a distinct characteristic of Vitis labrusca grapes).
Strong grape flavor, often described as sweet, jammy, and candied.
Notes of purple fruits (grape, blackberry, plum).
Often has a slight earthiness or herbaceous undertone.
moderate to high acidity
Naturally high in sugar content, making them very sweet when ripe.
thick skins and a juicy interior
“slip-skin” grapes
large seeds
Traditionally, most commercially produced Concord wines have been finished sweet, but dry versions are possible if adequate fruit ripeness is achieved.
have been used to make kosher wine[7] and sacramental wine
Carmenere - Chile
Often used in blends
single-varietal wine and good and very-good quality
Deep colour
Medium / full-bodied
high levels of tannins,
medium acidity
Medium int. flavours:
ripe black fruits (blackberry), raspberry, herbaceous (pyrazin, bell pepper, eucalyptus) and notes of spice, savory, meaty,
roasted coffee or dark chocolate when oaked.
Site selection is important for Carmenere. It ripens two to three weeks later than Merlot and needs warm (but not too hot), sunny sites, otherwise it can be overly herbaceous with harsh tannins. However, if it is allowed to get too ripe, the wine can be overly alcoholic. Research into clonal selection, site selection and harvesting dates, and less extraction and new oak usage in the winery, mean that styles of Carmenere are likely to keep evolv
Carménère wine has a deep red color and aromas found in red fruits, spices and berries.[1] The tannins are gentler and softer than those in Cabernet Sauvignon and it is a medium body wine.[25] As a result, many find it can be drunk easily with fish. Although mostly used as a blending grape, wineries do bottle a pure varietal Carménère which, when produced from grapes at optimal ripeness, imparts a cherry-like, fruity flavor with smoky, spicy and earthy notes and a deep crimson color. Its taste might also be reminiscent of dark chocolate, tobacco, and leather. The wine is best to drink while it is young.
Saignée method
Red wine grapes are picked when optimally ripe for red wine making.
Grapes are crushed and put into a fermentation vat.
After a short period of time (from 2 hours to 2 days) a portion of the juice is bled off.
The Saignée rosé finishes fermenting on its own.
Some producers age their Saignée rosé in oak barrels.
Chinon - Loire Valley Cabernet Franc Saignée rosé. tangy with aromas of wild strawberry, crushed rock, raspberry, and subtle notes of licorice or herbs. more medium-bodied than many Loire rosé wines because they’re picked at optimal ripeness for red wine making (rosé is typically picked a little earlier). The fruit flavors are riper and the body is a little wider in the mouth.
Cabernet Saignée - Napa Valley.
great deal of color, closer to blood red, as opposed to the “onion skin” color that’s popular with rosé today.
The wines are much closer to red wines in terms of body, and producers might even incorporate the use of neutral oak aging to further intensify the flavor.
cherry, raspberry, pink peppercorn, and green bell pepper, often with a somewhat oily or waxy mid-palate.
challenge Napa Saignée rosé wine :
lack of acidity -> can become flabby quickly.
drink immediately.
some producers blend a portion of white wine or other rosé wines that were picked earlier with their Saignée so that the final products have higher acidity and will age a few years
Petit Verdot - Bordeaux
early budding, late ripening
powerful deeply coloured,
spice
high tannins
warmer parts of Médoc
enjoys rainy season
usually in blends
Touriga National (P)
Duoro DOC, Dao DOC
deep colour
high tannins
high acidity
black fruits, floral, herbal
capable of bottle ageing
if blended -> gives structure
Baga (Barraida, Portugal)
late ripening (autumn rain is problematic)
productive -> yield control -> full ripeness
high acidity,
high tannins,
m body, cranberry,
cherry, plum,
astringent when young,
soft, complex when aged (bottle ageing after maturation)
Baga Classico: min 50% Baga; in blend min 85% Baga and TN, Alfrocheiro, JAen, Camarate
Pais (Chile)
Criolla Chica (Argentina)
Alicante Bouschet (Portugal, ESP)
Alentejo DOC (P)
red-fleshed grape
deep colour
high acidity, high tannins
red and black fruits
Bierzo (ESP)
blending partner (max30%) of Menzia
Castilla La Mancha
Galicia
Alicante DO (Valencia, ESP): blending partner of Monastrell, +Garnacha, Bobal.
Pinotage (SA)
crossing of Pinot Noir&Cinsaut in 1925, known as Hermitage
early budding (usually no spring frost)
high sugar level
small berries -> pot. high alcohol level
a) full body, high alcohol,
high tannins, deep colour
red plum, blackberry
b) lighter body, m alcohol, m tannins
m ruby, red fruit
1) inexp: SS ferm, staves, chips, 6-12 months
2) premium: 50% new, 12-15 months French barrique
recently: less new oak -> cost, time decresasing
past: poor quality
recently: better vineyard management, no water-stress, better winemaking, lower fermentation temperatures
