England & Wales Flashcards
How long has England been producing wines?
For over 1,000 years
How much area does England and Wales have under vine?
812 ha
What was introduced in 1992 in England and Wales?
The British Quality Wine Scheme (QWS)
Wines must be tasted and come from 100% Vinifera specifies.
Wines can be labelled as English or Welsh Vineyards Quality Wine
The huge plantings of Seyval Blanc are not eligible as they have non Vinifera parentage
Which much planted grape is not eligible to be labelled as English or Welsh Vineyards Quality Wine and why?
Seyval Blanc
It is a hybrid and not eligible for quality wine because of its non Vinifera parentage
What was introduced in 1996 in England and Wales and why?
A Regional Wine Scheme introduced to assess any variety of wine
What latitude are England’s vineyards at?
A latitude above 51•N
How can grapes still ripen at 51•N latitude in England?
Moderated by maritime influence and warming Gulf Stream
Global warming is a positive influence on UK viticulture in terms of heat
But more extreme weathers, spring frosts and wet weather at flowering a problem
There are long seasons and mild autumns to help ripening
What is the soil in the best sites in England?
Chalk or limestone sub soil which is a continuation of that found in Champagne
Why is disease control an issue in English viticulture?
High rainfall encouraging rot
What are the biggest climatic problems during the growing season in England?
Spring frosts and wet weather at flowering
How are vines trained in UK?
Many different systems used
VSP common, Geneva Double Curtain, Lyre and Scot Henry to deal with vigorous growth conditions
What is the usual vineyard holding in England?
Half of all vineyards are under 1ha and yields are small.
Small numbers of growers/producers; most sell the grapes or wines to large wineries
Why is site selection of great importance in England?
To maximise ripeness in marginal climate - maximise sun exposure
What characteristics do Bacchus, Huxelrebe and Phoenix share?
All produce light body, crisp acidity wines with a herbaceous nettle like character
Low yields give and intense flavour character
What is Seyval Blanc?
- A white hybrid grape
- French Hybrid - a result of two Siebel hybrids
- Productive, ripens early and is suited to relatively cool climates like England where it is the single most planted vine variety
- Also popular in eastern US and NY state
- Crisp whites have no hint of foxy character and can benefit from barrel maturation
- Outlawed by EU for quality wine production as has non-Vinifera genes but for some reason can be used for quality sparkling wine
- In the UK mostly used for blending and sparkling wine production
What does Reichensteiner and Seyval Blanc have in common?
They are both non-aromatic with high acidity
Both are high yielding with good disease resistance
Both grown in UK
What is Reichensteiner?
- A white grape
- Result of a crossing with French, German and Italian antecedents - Helmut Becker it’s creator called it the first EU crossing
- The vine most resembles its German parent Muller-Thurgau
- Less prone to rot due to looser bunches and can reach GMP must weights in good years
- Fewer than 200ha in Germany, mostly Rheinhessen like most of newer crossings
- Also planted in England where it is the second most planted variety after Seyval Blanc
- Non aromatic, high acidity
- High yielding
What is Ortega?
A white grape crossing (Müller-Thurgau x Siegerrebe)
With high sugar levels (popular as an Oechsle booster in German wine)
Susceptible to noble rot
Used to make sweet wines with zesty citrus fruit and moderate acidity
Full flavoured wines that often lack acidity
Does not have good disease resistant - susceptibility to Coulure leaves Optima the more obvious choice for Mosel
Germany’s plantings are declining
Popular in UK for high sugar and flavour
Why is Rondo a special hybrid legally?
It is one hybrid variety permitted for quality wine in EU
What do Dornfelder and Rondo have in common?
Both deep black wines with low tannin.
Light body and crisp acidity
Both grown in UK
What is Rondo?
- A red fleshed disease resistant variety
- Once known as GM6494
- Grown to a limited extent in Northern European countries like England, Netherlands, Denmark and Poland
- Treasured for its early ripening and depth of colour
- Bread to withstand cold winters and has small berries making light, fruity wines
- Despite its Vitis Amurensis parentage ir produces remarkably Vinifera like wines and may be used in the production of quality wine
What is Dornfelder?
- A red German crossing
- Bred in 1956 by August Herold (already created Heroldrebe)
- Every important red wine vine in Germany somewhere in its genealogy
- Valued for depth of colour, acidity and ability to benefit from barrique ageing and develop in bottle
- Produces wines that are velvety textured, slightly floral and just a hint of sweetness
- Easier to grow than Spätburgunder, better resistance to rot that Portugieser, better ripeness and earlier ripening than Lemberger (Blaufränkisch)
- High yields
- Found in Germany especially around Rheinhessen and Pfalz and UK
What is Schönburger?
- A pink berried German Crossing
- Created in 1976 from Pinot Noir x Chasselas Rosé and Muscat Hamburg
- More useful to England than its native Germany where it is hardly grown
- Good disease resistance, yields reasonably well and tendency to lack acidity is a distinct advantage in Kent and Somerset
- Wines are white and relatively full bodied
What is Bacchus?
- Common name in Ancient Rome for the classical God of wine
- One of the most important German crossings
- Bred from Silvaner x Riesling x Müller-Thurgau
- Ripens early and as productively as Müller-Thurgau. Planted most in Rheinhessen where it is used as a component of QbA blends. Declining in importance
- Bacchus is the fourth most widely planted variety in UK and can produce creditable wines vaguely reminiscent of SB.
- With UK’s generally lower yields and higher natural acidity it does not suffer from flabbiness of warmer climate examples
What is Müller-Thurgau?
- White grape crossing developed in 1882 by Dr Hermann Müller born in the Swiss Canton of Thurgau but then working at the German viticultural station in Geisenheim
- Aim was to combine the quality of Riesling with the viticultural reliability and early ripening of Silvaner
- DNA profiling shows it is Riesling x Madeleine Royale a table grape, all too short on Riesling character, typically smelling vaguely leaching with a fat, flaccid mid palate
- Large thin skinned berries are prone to rot
- Can be grown practically anywhere unlike Riesling. And produces extremely large yields of extremely dull, flabby wine
- Embraced by German’s post WWII when need to rebuild the industry fast
- By 1970s overtook Riesling as most planted grape
- Basis of most Liebfraumilch
- Riesling had taken too spot in plantings by 2003 with Muller-Thürgau second (some would suggest this is still too high)
What is a hybrid?
- The offspring of two grape varieties of different specifies (distinct from a cross which is a cross of two varieties of the same species)
- EU uses interspecific cross to the word Hybrid
- Can happen naturally by cross pollination but more commonly have been deliberately produced by man to combine desirable qualities of parents
- Hybrids became important when trying to combat Phylloxera by combining European Vinifera varieties with American species immune to Phylloxera
- Grafting onto American rootstocks became the eventual solution
- Different specifies of Vitis contain genes with natural tolerance or resistance to winter cold, cholorosis, salinity, downy mildew, powdery mildew, nematodes etc
- It is therefore logical to explore possibilities for new hybrid varietals in an age of increasing concern re the use of agro chemicals
- Vine breeders at Grilweilerhod hace proved that new hybrids called disease resistant varieties produce wine that cannot be distinguished from Vinifera wines and as a result EU authorities now allow such varieties as Rondo, Regent, Phoenix and Orión (all new hybrids) into quality wines
What do Rondo, Regent, Phoenix and Orion have in common?
They are all new hybrids classified as Disease Resistant Varieties and produce wines that are indistinguishable from Vinifera wines and so are allowed by EU laws to be used in quality wine
What are disease resistant varieties?
- A term introduced by the German Plant Variety Rights Office in 1995 to describe vines that were bred specifically to produce wines that taste like Vinifera varieties yet meet consumer demands for reductions in agrochemicals by incorporating some non Vinifera genes with resistance to various common vine diseases
- Term replaces hybrids or interspecific hybrids
- There is a bias against new varieties especially those from American vine specifies because of a historical association with poor wine quality and foxy flavours
- The bureaucratic hurdle of the EU’s ban on non Vinifera varieties was bypassed by classifying these new disease resistant varieties as a Vitis Vinifera sub species Sativa
- Merzling was the first variety registered
- Other German-bred varieties like Phoenix, Rondo, Orion and Regent have all been registered as disease resistant varieties of Vitis Vinifera and so can be used in quality wine production, although they still need to be registered
What are three successful German crossings for red wine?
- Dornfelder
- Heroldrebe
- Helfensteiner
All bred by Dr August Herold in 1950s
Which German crossings can make distinctive, attractive and characterful wines?
Scheurebe
Rieslaner
If sufficiently ripe
Also Kerner & Ehrensfelser
Which man bred German’s first commercially successful modern crossing?
Dr Hermann Müller
Swiss doctor created Müller-Thurgau at Geisenheim in Germany
Which two institutes are most notable for their vine breeding?
Geisenheim, Rheingau
Gielweilerhof, Pfalz
Which research institute developed disease resistant varieties, Phoenix, Orion and Regent?
Geilweilerhof in German’s Pfalz
Also created Castell and Felicia (white)
Calandro and Reberger (red)
Which research institute developed Müller-Thurgau?
Geisenheim in Rheingau where Professor Müller-Thurgau developed the Müller-Thurgau crossing which became the most planted in Germany
What is sweet reserve?
Preserved grape juice held for blending purposes usually to sweeten or soften wines high in acidity
The unfermented grape sugars counterbalance the tart flavours of wines produced from grapes grown in cool regions such as UK and Germany
How was grape juice preserved historically?
Grape juice historically was preserved for sweet reserve by adding offensively high doses of sulphur to prevent fermentation.
What has enabled the production of sweet reserve that does not reek of sulphur dioxide?
Modern refrigeration and near sterile filtration
Sweet juice usually undergoes clarification and refrigeration so as to precipitate any tart rates and can be stored at very low temperatures for up to 12 months
How long can sweet reserve be stored?
Sweet reserve can be stored at very low temperatures for up to 12 months
How can sweet reserve be stored for up to 12 months?
Refrigeration and near sterile filtration.
Sweet juice can be clarified and refrigerated to precipitate any tartrates. It. An then be stored at very low temperatures for up to 12 months
Why is sweet reserve being replaced by grape concentrate or rectified grape must in some wine regions?
Cost
Grape concentrate is cheaper to store, because it is much richer in sugar which prevents the growth of microorganisms and so it can be stored without the need for expensive refrigeration
Rectified grape must is preferred simple because it more closely resembled a solution of sugar and what than does preserved juice
What is protected viticulture?
A form of vine growing where the vines are protected from climatological excess to avoid stress
This can include protection from low temperatures using glass or plastic houses or cloches- used un cool climate of England and some parts of California to protect Chardonnay vines from poor fruit set
Vines made by protected from wind by windbreaks and from frost from fires or from drought by irrigation
What impact does Latitude have?
- Latitude is the angular distance north or south of the equator
- Main northern hemisphere viticultural regions extend between 32 and 51• north
- Main Southern Hemisphere viticultural Regions extend 28-42• S
- Extreme poleward limits are about 52•N in England and just over 46• S in Otago, New Zealand
- Northern hemisphere generally warmer than equivalent latitude in Southern Hemisphere due to warming Gulf Stream and greater land mass
- High latitudes I.e. further from the equator tend to ripen grapes more fully and let maturing grape varieties can ripen. can have longer days with given totals of sunlight hours spread more through them
What is the difference between English wine and British Wine?
English and Welsh Wine is the produce of freshly picked grapes grown outdoors in England and Wales
British Wine is the result of fermenting reconstituted, imported grape concentrate.
The British government for many years charged a lower excise duty on British wine than on the indigenous product
Where are Vineyards concentrated in England?
In the warmer southern counties of Kent and Sussex?
What is an ideal site in England?
Ripening grapes so far from the equator is still hazardous.
- South facing slope, good drainage and protected from frost and wind
- Annual rainfall below 800mm
- Altitude of less than 110m
Spring frosts, poor fruit set and autumn rot are constant problems
What moderates the climate in England?
Maritime influence
Warming Gulf Stream
Why is Spring frost, poor fruit set and autumn rot a constant problem in England?
Because of its cool, wet climate
Why are only early ripening varieties suitable in England?
Due to cool, wet climate need varieties that ripen early as autumn rains and rot is a problem
What are the most planted varieties in England?
- Seyval Blanc
- Reichensteiner
- Müller-Thurgau
- Bacchus
Britain’s influence on wine trade
- Long been one of the most important international markets for wine
- Limited local production, combined with relative prosperity, political power, strong commercial empire and Navy increasing middle class
- English and Welsh wine small, British Wine from Concentrate
- Historically, Britain’s commercial influence has helped shape the very existence of wines such as Claret, Champagne, Madeira, Marsala, Port and Sherry
Why has Britain had such an influence on the wine trade?
Limited local production, combined with relative prosperity, political power, strong commercial empire and Navy increasing middle class
What wine categories has Britain helped to shape the style of?
Historically, Britain’s commercial influence has helped shape the very existence of wines such as Claret, Champagne, Madeira, Marsala, Port and Sherry
What has dictated Britain’s choice of wine over the years?
Convenience, fashion, economics and politics as much as taste
Which was the first wine region to devote itself to British wine needs?
South West France when it belonged to the English Crown
For 300 years from 1152 Bordeaux was transformed into the most important wine centre in France.
Vineyards were planted or extended around the City and far up the rivers of Garonne and Dorgogne to quench the English thirst
The lost of Bordeaux to the French in 1453 das a decline in exports to England but this part of France was not established as a commercial wine region
How did London become a chief market for fine wine?
The English aristocracy got a taste for French Claret and paid through the nose for them.
Exports is what makes reputations, raises standards and becomes a driving force for investment
Why did William Gladstone say that an Englishman’s taste in wine ‘is not an immutable thing, but a mutable thing’?
He meant that British played were capable of adapting to whatever was most available or pleasing in any particular period.
After the British lost Bordeaux to the French it developed a taste for wines of sack from Andalucia and what would later be known as Sherry.
Wars with France and price of claret and Champagne meant the Brits looks to Portugal for wine, creating demand for Port.
