Grape Spotlight: Codru PGI Moldovian Pinot Noir from Chateau Vartely

Winemaking has been an occupation in the Eastern European country of Moldova for the past seven thousand years starting with the Cucuteni-Trypillia culture – one of the oldest civilizations in Europe (6th – 4th centuries B.C.). Serious grape growing was introduced later by the Greeks and Romans and strengthened by the Christian monasteries during the Middle Ages. Winemaking halted for 300 years when the principality of Moldova was a vassal state to the Ottomans and was eventually reversed under the Soviets when the state became a leading supplier of cheap bulk wine to the rest of the USSR and satellite countries. Once independent in 1991, there have been public and private efforts to increase quality and become a tourist destination for European travelers.  

The Moldovian landscape is quite moderate in regard to topography and extreme weather.  Rolling hills provide sunlight and drainage while cool winters and warm summers rarely reach extreme levels that can damage vines or reduce fruit quality. Rainfall is also moderate, "completing a set of conditions almost perfectly suited to viticulture" (wine-searcher.com).

There are four Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) designations in the country: Codru, Ștefan Vodă, Valul lui Traian, and Divin. Codru PGI is a wine designation that covers roughly the central third of the Republic of Moldova, stretching from the border with Romania to that with Ukraine on the other side of the country. This region shares many of the overall conditions in Moldova where the climate is temperate continental, with mild short winters and long warm summers. Vineyard altitudes range from 150 to 400 meters above sea level and the region is fragmented by a network of valleys, ravines, ridges, hills, and cliffs. The most common soils are dark chernozem. This is very fertile, with high levels of humus, phosphoric acids, phosphorus, and ammonia. It can produce high yields due to its water storage capacity. Chardonnay accounts for the largest plantings of white wine so it's no surprise that its Burgundy compatriot Pinot Noir is a widely planted red wine grape. 

According to Wine of Moldova, "Château Vartely is considered a pearl of the Moldovan wine industry and the calling card of the Republic of Moldova".  The name Vartely originates from the name of the town Orhei which in Hungarian means “place of the fortress”, (vár + hely or fortress + place).  Château Vartely officially appeared on the market as early as 1996 while the Château Vartely Company brand was launched in 2004. The winery sits 50 kilometers from the capital Chisinau and farms 550 hectares of grapes -- mostly in the Codru PGI. 

I purchased the 2019 Codru Pinot Noir ($10.99) from MezeHub, attracted by the low price and Eastern European nature. The wine is light-medium bodied with abundant red berry fruit on the nose and palate. The tannins are very approachable with a slight black pepper spice and satisfying finish. 

The last two photos are courtesy of Wine of Moldova. 

Grape Spotlight: Uruguay Wine 101

Last week I participated in an Uruguay Wine 101 seminar hosted by Uruguay Wine and INAVI (Instituto Nacional de Vitivinicultura) and presented by Martina Litta (Uruguay Wine - INAVI Foreign Trade Manager) and Joaquín Hidalgo (Wine columnist, La Nación - Argentina). The seminar itself was quite informative with a presentation on the country's wine regions and major wine grapes implemented using samples from nine producers, video greetings from each producer, and the participation of a couple winemakers. Definitely a worthy candidate for a case study in successful seminars. 

Ms. Litta started the session by describing Uruguay and several general facts about this country.

• 
  The name means “river of the painted birds” in the indigenous Guarani language.
• South America’s second smallest nation after Suriname with a similar surface area to Wisconsin.
• Population 3.4 million – a population close to that of Connecticut, but less than Brooklyn and Manhattan combined.
• Largely European heritage, primarily Spanish and Italian in origin.
• Cows outnumber humans in Uruguay 4 to 1 and Uruguayans consume more meat per capita than any other country in the world 

Mr. Hidalgo then discussed the Uruguay wine industry where the terroir is closer to Bordeaux than either Argentina or Chile and the mild and humid climate is affected by both river and ocean influencers. 

• With 14,804 acres/5,991 hectares under vine, the wine regions are slightly larger than Saint - Émilion in Bordeaux and slightly smaller than Alexander Valley in California.
• The only South American terroir whose climate is affected by the Atlantic Ocean.
• 
  180 wineries are currently operating in the country. Most are family-run, with two-thirds located in the Metropolitan Region.
• More than 50% of the grape harvest in Uruguay is done by hand
• The vineyards of Maldonado are planted above some of the oldest rocks on earth, the Río de La Plata craton, which is 2.5 billion years old.
• Tannat is the most widely planted variety in Uruguay at 3,892 acres/1,575 ha and it is not offended by humidity.
• In Uruguay, Tannat is also known as Harriague (Ha-ree-AH-gay), the surname of the first producer to plant it in the country.
• The VCP label stands for Wine of Preferential Quality and distinguishes fine wines from mass-market versions.

Mr. Hidalgo then discussed the six winemaking regions of Uruguay encompassing five distinct terroirs. The dominant winds in Uruguay come from the Atlantic, bringing with them cool, rainy conditions. Peak summertime temperatures in the south can reach 87° F/31° C, with rainfall averaging 39 inches/1,000 mm annually. Peak summertime temperatures in northern Uruguay can hit 106° F/41º C, with rainfall of up to 63 inches/1,600 mm annually. 

The Regions:  

• 
  Metropolitan: 12,076 acres/4,887 ha
  Includes departments of San José, Canelones, and Montevideo. Deep, clay soils also include strips of pink granite, making for a terroir well-suited to Tannat. 
• Oceanic: 1,053 acres/426 ha
  Includes two departments, Maldonado and Rocha with a varied topography which is the primary factor in distinguishing its wines. The Cuchilla Grande is the highest point in Uruguay, reaching a height of 1,600 feet/488 m above sea level, contributing a mix of granite and ballast to the soils. The climate is oceanic where white varieties dominate. 
  
• Southern Riverside: 722 acres / 292 ha
  Includes departments of Colonia, Río Negro, and Soriano. The influence of the Uruguay River can be seen in the sedimentary soils of Carmelo, while the San Juan River is distinguished by rockier soils. The region accounts for 5.2% of hectares under vine in Uruguay. Carmelo lies at the center of the southern shore. A dozen wineries are scattered throughout the area. Soils are distinguished by pockets of calcium carbonate deposits. Reds are the heart of the region.
• Northern Riverside: 408 acres/165 ha
• Center: 109 acres/44 ha
• North: 84 aces/34 ha
  The Rivera and Tacuarembó departments are planted in different geological formations, each rich in iron, comprising 84 acres/34 ha of vines, or 0.6% of the total. A continental climate with a significant thermal range. Experiences more hours of sunlight than any other region of Uruguay.

The Wines: 

Marichal Wines is a family-owned winery that was established in 1938 and is now in its third and fourth generation of family winemaking headed by winemakers Juan Andrés and Alejandro Marichal. The vineyards are located in the department of Canelones in the Metropolitan region. These vines benefit from warm weather, cool Atlantic breezes, and deep clay soil. The Marichal Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($14) is very aromatic (citrus); dry, with juicy lemon and melons, some vegetable character; and finishing with chewy tannins. 

Bracco Bosca is located in Atlantida in the Oceanic region and their 11-hectare vineyard is managed by fifth-generation grower Fabiana Bracco. These vines are located just eight kilometers from the ocean and this proximity is reflected in the surprising Bracco Bosca Ombú Moscatel 2022 ($16). This is a dry wine, with the expected floral and tropical aromatics but powered by salinity and creamy melons and pears. Excellent. 

In 1979 Familia Deicas took over the historic 18th-century estate and winery of Establecimiento Juanicó -- rejuvenated that brand and launched their own Familia Deicas brand in 2000. Here they focus on premium wines with low intervention winemaking from third-generation vigneron Santiago Deicas and utilize multiple vineyards in various regions in Uruguay. One of these vineyards is the Sierra de Mahoma, San José - located in western Montevideo. This vineyard is called the “sea of stones” because it looks like a sea bed with loam soils that are covered in gravel and almost vertical schist. The low fertility and limited water-storing capacity mean that these vineyards produce a very low yield of very concentrated grapes. This minerality is evident in the Familia Deicas Bodegones del Sur Vineyards Select Cabernet Franc 2020 ($20) which also includes a minty aroma and juicy herbaceous and red fruit flavors. 30% of the wine was aged in American and French oak barrels --providing greater roundness.

Gimenez Mendez is a family winery where the first vines were planted in 1950 and today is run by Marta Marta Méndez Parodi and her youngest son Mauro Giménez Méndez. The winery specializes in Tannat grown in Las Brujas, a sub-region in Canelones, and, in fact, currently releases seven different styles of Tannat. Summers are dry in Las Brujas with high daytime temperatures which shift to the colder side in the evenings from the cool coastal breezes. This enhances acidity that is abundant in the Giménez Méndez Alta Reserva Tannat 2020 ($18). Also expect ripe red fruit and a slight black pepper and tobacco nose, followed by plums and other black fruit, the aforementioned juicy acidity, and solid tannins.

Winemaking in the Toscanini family descends over 100 years into the past when the patriarch of the family emigrated from Italy and settled in the department of Canelones, producing his first wine in 1908.  Seven decades later (in 1979), Margot Toscanini de Montes and her brother acquired the current winery in Las Piedras, giving rise to Montes Toscanini. And in 1995, the responsibility of the winery descended to Enól. Leonardo Montes Toscanini, who along with other members of the fourth generation of the family, has run the winery to this day. The grapes for the Montes Toscanini Gran Tannat Premium 2019 ($59) are grown in Altos de La Ballena where the soils are predominantly clay-loam with some calcareous material and have a gentle slope. In addition, the proximity to the River Plate provides maritime and estuary influence with mild and steady temperatures throughout the year. This Gran Tannat is an impressive wine made using classical production methods. Expect more black pepper; creamy red fruit, great depth, and juicy and approachable tannins.

Pisano Wines also shares a century of winemaking tradition - this time in Progreso in Canelones - and is operated by three Pisano brothers: Gustavo, the winemaker; Eduardo, the agronomist; and Daniel, the export manager. The family traces their heritage to Italian and Basque immigrants - this later from the group of people who introduced Tannat to Uruguay. Again like Montes Toscanini, the Pisano wines benefit from the Río de la Plata (River Plate) - an estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River at Punta Gorda.  The Pisano Reserva de la Familia Tannat 2018 ($24) is a fresh and well-rounded wine with light and chewy sour cherries that alternate with darker fruit and soft tannins. 

Alto de la Ballena is a small winery operating in the Sierra de la Ballena located just 15 kilometers from the Atlantic coast. The small 8-hectare estate vineyard benefits from the oceanic air as well as excellent drainage from the steep, granite, and schist hillside mountain soils. The winery's birth is dated at the Millenium when  Paula and Alvaro quit their finance jobs after spending the previous two years searching for the ideal vineyard location. They found that in the Maldonado department in the Oceanic region.  They showed an interesting wine in the Alto de la Ballena Tannat – Viognier 2018 ($24) - an 85-15% blend. They manage both lots so that they can be harvested very close together allowing for co-fermentation. The Viognier adds a more intense aroma and softens the Tannat's tannins creating a lovely wine. Still structured with juice acidity, some herbs, and juice and chewy sour cherries. 

Bodega Bouza is an innovative winery and the very first to plant Albariño in Latin America to incorporate the family's Spanish roots from Galicia. They also farm several other winegrapes in five vineyards from the metropolitan areas of Montevideo and Canelones to the oceanic-influenced Maldonado region. These are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Tempranillo, and Tannat. The last three comprise their Bouza Monte Vide Eu (Tempranillo - Merlot - Tannat) 2019 ($67) - a full-bodied and structured wine providing a robust mouthfeel. This is structured at 50% Tannat, 30% Merlot, and 20% Tempranillo and the grapes are vinified and initially aged separately then aged together for a total of up to 16 months in French and American oak barrels. This is an exceptional Oceanic wine. 

Basta Spirit was founded in 2018 and produces spirits using a Tannat base. The Basta Spirit Vermut Flores Rosé ($16) contains 27 botanicals, including flowers such as hops, chamomile, rose, and elderberry. It is extremely aromatic, with loads of herbaceousness and forest spiciness - very gin-like. I plan on using this in a Negroni, and replacing the gin with mezcal, since this Vermut has suitable gin flavors. 

Grape Spotlight: Oltrepò Pavese DOC Pinot Nero and Others

Lombardy is one of Italy's largest and most populous regions and is located in the north-central part of the country. It consists of five DOCG, 21 DOC, and 15 IGP titles with the Oltrepò Pavese DOC being one of the larger and better-known regions. Oltrepò  Pavese refers to Pavia across the Po -- or more meaningful - the area south of the Po River. The region lies in southwest Lombardy and shares many common features with neighboring Piedmont as both regions were once ruled by the House of Savoy.

Viticulture has been prevalent in Oltrepò Pavese for thousands of years as evidenced by the discovery of a fossilized caràsa, that is, a fossilized vine trunk, 25 cm long by 6 cm in diameter, found near Casteggio (Consorzio Tutela Vini Oltrepò Pavese). And why not. According to wine-searcher.com, "the vineyards of the Oltrepo zone sit among the foothills between the Apennines and the river Po in the provinces of Alessandria, Genoa, and Piacenza. The vines benefit from an excellent microclimate (thanks to its proximity to the Po), well-drained soils rich in clay and calcareous marl, and a terroir often compared to that of Barolo".  In 1884 Oltrepò Pavese was home to at least 225 native vines, but today there are just a dozen that are the most widespread.

 
Last week I attended a fascinating lunch at Cafe Milano featuring wines from Oltrepò Pavese presented by Carlo Veronese, the director of the Consorzio Vini Oltrepò. Even though there are 20 classifications within Oltrepò Pavese, this tasting focused on the Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico DOCG, Oltrepò Pavese Pinot Grigio, Pinot Nero dell'Oltrepo Pavese, and Sangue di Giuda dell'Oltrepo Pavese. And notice that the wines of Oltrepò Pavese are generally named from the vines from which they are made and not just the region.

 
Pinot Nero dell'Oltrepò Pavese DOC
Oltrepò Pavese is considered the Pinot Nero (Noir) capital of Italy as more Pinot Nero is planted there than anywhere else in Italy. Interestingly, the original genotypes of Pinot Noir were already cultivated in the Oltrepò areas by the ancient Romans and may have been the source of Pinot Noir in the south of France. However, the current Pinot Noir vines derive from French selections that were planted after the Phylloxera epidemic. Pinot Nero can be labeled as a vintage wine or a Reserva with a minimum of two years of aging.

The Cantina di Casteggio Pinot Nero Dell'Oltrepò Pavese DOC 2020 is a lighter style but with noticeable tannins and a little chewy mint.

The Dino Torti Pinot Nero Dell'Oltrepò Pavese DOC 2019 was perhaps my favorite despite the interesting branding. It's floral with creamy red raspberries and cherries and a viscosity throughout.

The Mazzolino Pinot Nero Dell'Oltrepò Pavese DOC 2018 was the biggest of the reds, aged twelve months in oak and offering a tea and pepper aroma, a full-bodied interior, with a firm and lasting finish.

Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico DOCG
Metodo classico is Italy's version of Champagne's methode classique and Pinot Nero is dominant in all wines made under this title.  The sparkling wine can be made either as a white or rosé and 70 percent or more of the final blend must be Pinot Nero. This percentage increases to 85 percent for wines claiming the varietal title Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico Pinot Nero.  Picked at the early stages of skin ripeness, Pinot Nero displays a good balance of acidity and sugar required for these sparkling wines.

The Asburgico Oltrepò Pavese DOCG Metodo Classico Pinot Nero 2018 explodes in the mouth with textured citrus notes.

The Azienda Agricola Quaquarini Francesco Oltrepò Pavese DOCG Metodo Classico Pinot Nero 2014 needed a few minutes to open then the floral, white grapefruit and a little tropic fruit notes rushed out.

Oltrepò Pavese Pinot Grigio DOC
This title applies to still and frizzante white wines containing at least 85 percent Pinot Grigio.

The Vanzini Oltrepò Pavese Pinot Grigio DOC was an eye-opener on the region's richer style and orangish-colored versions of this varietal wine.

Sangue di Giuda dell'Oltrepo Pavese DOC
The title translates to "Blood of Judas" and applies to sweet red wines which can be still, frizzante (semi-sparkling), or spumante. Barbera and Croatina must each account for between 25 and 65 percent of any blend with Pinot Nero, Uva Rara, and Vespolina alone or in any combination, accounting for 45 percent. The intriguing and sometimes controversial name Sangue di Giuda means "Blood of Judah" or "Blood of Judas". 

The Losito & Guarini Sangue Di Giuda Dell'Oltrepò Pavese DOC, C'era Una Volta 2021 is a low alcohol (6%), full-bodied, and fresh wine where the sweetness is partially obscured by the abundant acidity.

Oltrepò Pavese Riesling
The Ca Di Frara Oliva Oltrepò Pavese Riesling DOC also provides a darker copper color with tropical and petrol notes.

Oltrepò Pavese Barbera
The Ca Montebello Oltrepò Pavese Barbera DOC 2020 is fruit-forward, and very friendly with a floral start and a slight mocha tail.

Grape Spotlight: AOP Limoux Blanquette de Limoux Mauzac Blanc

Blanquette de Limoux is considered to be the first sparkling white wine produced in France and it was created long before the Champagne region became world-renowned. Although the vineyards date back to the 5th Century BC, introduced by the Greeks, this particular wine was discovered in 1531. A hundred years before Dom Perignon, some Benedictine Monks were fermenting a white wine at the Abbey in Saint-Hilaire.  It was produced in cork-stoppered flasks (the cork oak forest south of Limoux was an important factor). To this day an age-old tradition is followed to bottle at the time of the full moon in March ready for the warmer weather to start the secondary fermentation that produces les bulles (the bubbles) and the fabulous sparkle within the bottles. -- The Good Life France

This fact was highlighted during a recent seminar I attended titled Languedoc: The New French Wine Scene and presented by Vins du Languedoc. This region is located in southeast France on the Mediterranean and is comprised of 20 AOPs representing 90k+ acres of vines. AOP Limoux is a sub-regional appellation located close to the Pyrenean foothills and includes three sparkling wine AOPs: Crémant de Limoux, Limoux Blanquette de Limoux, and Limoux Méthode Ancestrale.  Mauzac Blanc is the dominant grape with each region allowing different percentages. Limoux Blanquette de Limoux and Limoux Méthode Ancestrale both obtain secondary fermentation in the bottle with Limoux Blanquette de Limoux using dosage and Limoux Méthode Ancestrale being bottled when the must reaches 5-6% abv.  

The AOP Limoux and three sparkling AOPs share similar growing conditions affected by the two main geographic influences: the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. These are a cool, moist climate affected by the crisp and dry Atlantic wind from the west and the warm Mediterranean wind from the east.  In addition, the region's vineyards are higher and thus cooler than others in the general Languedoc appellation. The soils are rocky, mostly sandstone and limestone, providing excellent drainage. 

The Limoux Blanquette de Limoux AOP requires 90% Mauzac Blanc (plus no more than 10% Chardonnay and/or Chenin Blanc) with "Blanquette" representing the grape's local name. Mauzac prefers the region's limestone soils and cooler temps as it is a late-ripening variety and requires slow ripening.  The grape's dominant profile is honey and green apples. 

The most popular Limoux Blanquette de Limoux sparkling wine in the U.S. is most likely the Saint Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux with its recognizable yellow-orange label and honors the Benedictine Monks from the Abbey in Saint-Hilaire.  The 2019 vintage is composed of 95% Mauzac and 5% Chenin Blanc and is extremely clean with a dry and crisp green apple profile. Love the yeasty aromas and the creamy texture that proceeds the effervescence. 

Grape Spotlight: DO Navarra Ribera Alta Graciano with Bodegas Alconde

Navarra’s reputation for making exceptional wine blossomed during the late Middle Ages, as pilgrims traveling along the Camino de Santiago—a medieval pilgrimage route currently enjoying a dramatic resurgence in popularity—began noting the particularly high quality of wines they encountered as they made their way through the Kingdom of Navarra, en route to the shrine of St. James the Apostle in Santiago de Compostela, roughly 400 walking miles to the west, in the northwestern Spanish province of Galicia. (Rioja, Navarra’s next-door neighbor to the west, found its own early fame in precisely the same way.)  -- Navarra Wine

Navarra is not only the convergence of Camino de Santiago pilgrims and traded between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe, but also a "rugged, transitional zone at the convergence of three major climate types–Mediterranean, Continental, and Atlantic".  This results from its proximity to the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic Ocean) to the northwest, the Pyrenees to the northeast, and the Ebro River -- all combine to moderate the temperatures within the inherent Mediterranean climate. This convergence helps create a diverse landscape comprising a semi-desert basin, lush woodland hills, and high mountain peaks, all within a total area smaller than that of Connecticut.

The D.O. Navarra wine region occupies roughly half the area of the municipal region of Navarra, with approximately 11,500 hectares of vineyards. The D.O. is bounded to the north by the verdant lower slopes of the Pyrenees, just below Pamplona, and extends southward and outward, down a series of river valleys until the region reaches its southern terminus at the arid Ebro basin. Because of its geographic and climatic diversity, five sub-zones were created: Baja Montana in the northeast, Valdizarbe in the north, Tierra Estella in the northeast, Ribera Alta in the center, north of the Ebro, and Ribera Baja in the south below the river. A small section of Navarra is classified as Rioja DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada)".

Ribera Alta is situated along Navarra’s midsection -- a transitional belt between the semi-arid south and the dry north -- with a large concentration of wine-growing centered around the historical town of Olite. Many of the 4,125 hectares of vines are planted along the gentle slopes leading to the River Ega. Far from the influences of the Atlantic and the Pyrenees, Ribera Alta is typically warmer than its three neighboring subzones to the north. It contains a mixture of soils, depending on elevation and substrata composition. On most slopes, soil depth and particle size vary, with layers of fine or silty loam alternating with marl and sand. There are exceptions where vineyards sit atop shallow, loamy-clay soils with marked calcareous content. 

Photo Courtesy of Bodegas Alconde

Although Graciano is considered indigenous to Navarre, it is considered a minor grape with less than 2% of D.O. Navarra plantings. Perhaps because this variety is susceptible to mildew and very low-yielding. Wines made from Graciano have moderate tannins and an intense aroma that makes the variety very popular with winemakers to use in the classic Rioja blend with Tempranillo and Garnacha.

However, just to the west of Olite, in Lerín, Bodegas Alconde produces a single-varietal Bodegas Alconde Graciano X01 (14%).  Viticulture in Lerin is at least as old as the Roman era as evident by the wine artifacts found at the Roman villa at Arellano. Later in medieval times, there is documented evidence of the wine trade between Navarre and the Basque Country and La Rioja written in the La Saca of 1356 -- "a document which, by order of the Crown of Navarre, contained the records of this national export of the wine produced in the town".

According to Bodegas Alconde, "we bring together the whole tradition of winemaking that dates back to Roman times. We are local winegrowers, we are from here, we are Lerineses and we have been growing vines and making wine for many, many generations. In fact, we don’t even know from when because it is not documented. We only know that our grandparents, our grandparents’ grandparents, and their grandparents… all made wine".

In fact, Bodegas Alconde was created in 1956 as a collective of several small family winemakers who learned their craft directly from techniques passed from previous generations. They combined their vineyards -- 150 hectares of vineyards and all at least 50 years old and sometimes over a century old -- with the shared goal to create quality Ribera Alta wines. The vineyards around Lerin experience old winters and hot summers and are planted in poor and limy soils that are suitable for small yields.  The grapes for the Bodegas Alconde Graciano X01 come from such a low-yield plot. The wine is immediately impactful from its strong floral aroma which yields to bright silky cherries and a structured soft finish. Excellent. 

Maps courtesy of  Navarra Wine.

Grape Spotlight: DO Calatayud Garnacha through Bodegas Raíces Ibéricas

"Hola, My name is Rubén, Carlos Rubén, winemaker in Spain and my favourite grape is the Garnacha. I love all the facets of this unique grape variety, which exists in white, grey, and red. It offers plenty of options, which is exactly the feature that my good friend Mark, the high-spirited founder of Master Winemakers, used to challenge me. To follow the Garnacha trail across Spain and make beautiful wines, originating from a wide range of terroirs. Mark has dubbed me La Voz de la Garnacha, and it is quite a challenge to live up to such a title, but I immediately felt like giving it my best shot."  Bodegas Raíces Ibéricas

"The red wine of the Garnacha variety represents the essence of Calatayud wines". -- D.O.P. Calatayud  

These are the sentiments of two experts regarding Garnacha and the DO Calatayud (created 1990) wine region, an arid area of rolling hills within the autonomous community of Aragon in northeast Spain. Romans introduced viticulture to the region, and despite periods of neglect and boom (Moorish conquest and Christian re-conquest), grape growing has continued to this day. Calatayud's climate is continental with cold winters but extremely hot and dry summers that are somewhat mitigated by the elevation of Calatayud's vineyards. These vines are planted on the south-facing slopes of the Sierra de la Virgen mountain range where altitudes can reach 3,280 ft (1,000m). This altitude helps create a better balance between residual sugar and high potential alcohol in a grape's development. 

Vineyards are planted on loose, rocky soils of granite, slate, clay, or loam (limestone and clay) with each providing good drainage. In general, the grapes grown on soils of slate and granite are known for generating wine with greater minerality and spicey aroma; whereas grapes grown on more clayish and loam soil produce a wine with greater fruitiness. Yields are typically very low because of the harsh conditions, further adding to the quality of the wines.

Calatayud is known for its big and bold red wines with Garnacha representing more than three-quarters of vineyard plantings. The local Consejo Regulador sets quality criteria according to the age of the Garnacha vines, with those more than 50 years old given the classification Calatayud Superior. Garnacha also thrives in the highest and steepest elevations where mechanical harvesting is nearly impossible and most of the cultivation work is done by hand.  

During a Spanish Wine Roadshow held in Washington D.C., I was introduced to one Calatayud producer, Bodegas Raíces Ibéricas. Like several of the wineries in Calatayud, this is a new, organic winery producing wine in an old cooperative in the town of Maluenda. Although the source 19 different Spanish grape varieties, winemaker Carlos Rubén and owner Mark Schiettekat recognize the predominance of Garnacha.  This Las Pizarras Vina Alarba Garnacha is made from grapes located between 2,750 and 3,250 feet above sea level and planted in slate-dominated soils. The Alarba region also hosts many old vines, some more than 60 years old.  This is an intense wine, with lively aromas, a full-bodied and spicy core, followed by noticeable chewy tannins and lasting freshness. 

Grape Spotlight: Limari Valley Sauvignon Blanc via Viña Tabalí

The Limarí Valley is one of the northernmost wine-growing regions in Chile, located 200 miles (320km) north of the capital, Santiago. Technically, Limarí (Lee-ma-RE) is not a valley, but a high plateau (“altaplana” in Spanish). It is also closer to the equator and thus hot and dry but contains areas suitable for viticulture thanks to its close proximity to the Pacific (seven miles) and to the gap in the coastal hills created by the Limarí River. On either side of this gap, the coastal ranges rise to almost 2300ft (700m), preventing cooling Pacific breezes from reaching inland areas. 

In the morning, the coastal "Camanchaca" fog creeps through the gap and up into the valley. The fog refreshes the local vineyards with cool, moist air, and once it dissipates it is replaced by cooling breezes from the cold Humboldt Current (See Grape Spotlight: Casablanca Valley Sauvignon Blanc about the cooling effects of the Humboldt Current). Once the sun has risen above the Andes  the warm, dry, desert-like conditions are re-established.  And in the afternoon, "the wind coming from the Andes can be so strong that some producers plant their rows east-west so that the vines don’t take the brunt of the powerful wind head-on".  

The soils in the Limari Valley are quite unique for Chile as they consist of limestone from an ancient seabed that was raised by tectonic activity into the Andes Mountains. The limestone was then gradually washed downstream by glaciers and rivers to the plains and valleys below. A great source of calcium carbonate.

Viña Tabalí was founded in 2002 by Guillermo Luksic and was the first modern winery built in the Limarí Valley. However, his foray into Limari started a decade before when he purchased the Tabalí vineyard because "I want to have land in Ovalle because it’s a fascinating area with its climate and temperature and it’s also very pretty". In 2009 the winery acquired the Talinay Vineyard located next to the Fray Jorge National Park and which forms part of the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. It is located only 12km from the coast and is the source for the Viña Tabalí Talinay Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($24).  According to the winery,

This is a very unusual landscape, as it is completely unpopulated. It adjoins the Fray Jorge National Park and forms part of the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. The proximity to the sea and the entry of sea breezes make this a cool area for producing wines. It is very cloudy in the mornings and the camanchaca sea fog effect kicks in in the afternoons. The dense fog settles in the high parts of the Altos de Talinay hills and gives life to the forest of Fray Jorge. This mist produces average annual precipitation of 1,000 mm on the western face of the hills. This is a very windy area and the sea breezes cross through the clouds, lowering the temperature even further and making this the coolest vineyard in the whole 4th Region of Chile. The wind also carries evaporated components from the sea to the vineyards. This is an oasis in the desert, which receives 80mm of rain a year and is sparsely vegetated with cacti, small bushes and gentle slopes. The landscape shows the Coastal mountain range to the west and a small chain of hills to the east, making this place a small hidden valley. To the south, the vineyard borders the River Limarí. It is the last water right holder of the valley, that is the one nearest to the ocean (12km).

The wine was cold fermented in stainless steel and is completely saline driven from head to toe. White flowers and lime notes accompany the minerality in the nose whereas the saline shares the palate with just a touch of citrus. A fresh finale. 

Grape Spotlight: DO Getariako Txakolina Hondarrabi Zuri from Blai Txakolina

Welcome to the Basque language. DO Getariako Txakolina is the appellation, Hondarrabi Zuri a white wine grape, and Blai Txakolina a winery. 

Founded in 1989, and extended in 2007, Getariako Txakolina is a DO wine zone within Pais Vasco (the Basque Country) in northern Spain. There are three recognized areas for Txakoli (pronounced chac-o-lee and translated to 'wine made from a village' or 'wine village'). The other two areas are Arabako Txakolina and Bizkaiko Txakolina. 

The vines are grown bordering the Atlantic coast to the north and France and the Pyrenees 30 kilometers to the east. These vineyard sites are greatly affected by their proximity to the Atlantic Ocean where the cold influences are felt in all three areas. However, in Getariako Txakolina, the cold influences are moderated by warmer coastal hills. And, as opposed to the other two Txakoli areas, Getariako Txakolina receives a high level of rainfall – an average of 63 inches a year. Here most vineyards are located on the gentle southeast-facing slopes and foothills of the Pyrenees where the soil is chalky containing rich, organic material. 

There is documented evidence of viticulture in the Txakoli regions dating to 1397 -- but the undocumented evidence extends much further. By the end of the 19th century, the size and number of Txakoli vineyards had shrunk due to the gradual repealing of protectionist laws, the competition from foreign wines, and the outbreak of successive blights and diseases (phylloxera and mildew). By the early 1980s, there were only 21 hectares of vines planted. This number increased slowly when word of a possible Denomination of Origin was revealed and intensified after the DO was created -- in 2021 there were 36 wineries and 443 hectares of vineyards.

The Hondarrabi Zuri grape accounts for nearly 95% of total plantings in Getariako Txakolina and is named for a town in the region named Hondarribia. The word "Zuri" means white in the Basque language.  This grape excels in the colder conditions near the Atlantic and creates light, citrus, and white fruit wines with noticeable herbal and saline notes. 

Blai Txakolina is a producer we met at a recent Wines of Spain tasting in Washington D.C. They source from many wine growers in the area which allows them to utilize different vineyards that offer the grapes and conditions appropriate to their production style. Coastal grapes offer freshness and these are blended with more intense inland Gipuzkoa grapes. They utilize Oñati vineyards with their gentle slopes facing south as well as vineyards where the slopes descend towards the sea in the heart of Getaria. 

Here are several of the Hondarrabi Zuri wines we tasted and hope to visit during a Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. 

Blai Blanco Txakoli de Getaria
"Made with grapes from coastal Getaria vineyards 80% and inland Oñati vineyards 20%, both 100% Hondarrabi Zuri with an early ripening point to accentuate its freshness. Worked under strict temperature control, it is aged on its lees for 3 months before proceeding to cleaning and bottling." Expect citrus, saline, and fresh acidity. 

Blai Rosado Txakoli de Getaria
"Made with grapes from coastal Getaria vineyards, 30% Hondarrabi Zuri and 70% Hondarrabi Beltza with an early ripening point to accentuate its freshness and achieve a slight pink color during pressing. Worked under strict temperature control, it is aged on its lees for 3 months before proceeding to cleaning and bottling."
Herbaceous strawberries are followed by astringent and effervescent acidity. 

Blai Itsas-aparra Espumoso Txakoli de Getaria
"Made with grapes from inland Oñati vineyards 100% Hondarrabi Zuri with an early ripening point to accentuate its freshness. Worked like the white Blai txakolina, fermentation is stopped at the right time so that the residual sugar is what is later referred to in the bottle during the traditional foaming process. It is in rhyme, during the maturation process in the bottle, until the sensory and physical-chemical analyzes are adequate for its disgorgement and, subsequent and definitive corking." 
Think sparkling Blai Blanco

Blai Orange Txakoli de Getaria
An earthier version of  Hondarrabi Zuri

Grape Spotlight: Casablanca Valley Sauvignon Blanc

The Humboldt Current carries cold water from the South Pacific to the equator -- all along the South American continent. It is both wide and long and creates cold weather conditions as it flows north. This leads to the formation of fog along the coastal regions of Peru, Chile, and Ecuador; and this cold air is carried into the interior by coastal breezes. As a result, it helps create conditions for cold climate grapes in coastal wine regions such as Chile's Casablanca Valley.  

The east-west-oriented valley is roughly 30km (20 miles) long and separated from the Pacific Ocean by the Coastal Mountain Range.  This tempers the cooling effects of the ocean influences, but in the evening, the winds shift and air from the Andes continues to cool the valley. With a longer ripening period, the white grapes have more time to develop greater flavor complexity, while maintaining sugars and acids in balance. Thus the Casablanca Valley is well suited for both Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. These vines are planted either along the eastern slope of the range or on the valley floor where the soils are rich in maicillo (coarse-grained particles of sand and gravel), clay, or granite bedrock.  

Viña Morandé's Belén vineyard is located only fourteen miles from the sea and contains granite-rich soils with varying amounts of clay depending on height and location.  The vineyard receives a mixture of cold and warm air with the morning mist lowering temperatures to allow Sauvignon Blanc to ripen slowly and obtain different profiles. For the Viña Morandé Gran Reserva D.O. Casablanca Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2020, the wine is partially aged on its lees providing noticeable weight on the finished wine.  It also offers a slightly herbaceous and lemon aroma, followed by racy minerality and citrus flavors, and finishing with excellent acidity. 

Matetic Vineyards is located in the Rosario Valley and is even closer to the Pacific Ocean, only six miles away, and thus receives some of the coolest temperatures in Casablanca. They farm biodynamically in the granite-rich soils of the Valle Hermoso vineyard and the Matetic Vineyards EQ Coastal Sauvignon Blanc 2020 is a blend of multiple fermented grape musts. The majority was fermented in stainless steel tanks where the wine then remained for four months sur lees.  Around 30% of the grape must was fermented in concrete 700-liter egg-shaped vessels and another 30% was fermented in neutral oak barrels. This technique enhanced the mouthfeel and texture while still allowing the natural fruit and minerality to shine through. The wine shows both citrus and tropical notes with a similar herbaceousness as the Viña Morandé. Racy minerality as well. 

Casas del Bosque farms the La Cantera vineyard planted on the slopes of the Cordillera de la Costa mountain range -- 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean. La Cantera is named after an old granite quarry and is planted in the reddish soils rich in the granite rock, which also contains some iron and clay.  Like at Matetic Vineyards, the climate is the coolest in Casablanca allowing the grapes in the Casas del Bosque La Cantera Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Las Dichas, Casablanca to develop slowly.  The free-run juice is then fermented and rests on its lees for a couple months. This results in a delicious wine, mostly grapefruit and tropical with a touch of herbaceousness and a little less minerality. 

Grape Spotlight: Alentejo's Portalegre DOC and Arinto

Located along the Spanish border, the Portalegre DOC is Alentejo's northernmost subregion and is completely different from the rest of the Alentejo -- from the altitude to the soils, from the vineyard sizes to the age of the vines. The vineyards are located at the foothills of the Serra de São Mamede mountain range, between 600 and 700 meters above sea level. Thus the climate is cooler and wetter than the baking plains of southern Alentejo. And it receives influences from both the Atlantic and Mediterranean. The soils are primarily granite and interspersed with small patches of schist in the lower areas. Vineyards tend to be fragmented in the hills, divided into numerous small plots of very old vines -- many of which may be seventy years old.  In general, these conditions help produce fresh and elegant wines, yet equally powerful.

Arinto is a late-ripening, medium-sized yellowish grape that's naturally high acid content makes it well suited for the hot Alentejo environment. And the tightly packed bunches are shaded from the hot sun by the vine's large leaves. The grape provides a range of profiles from grapefruit to lemon and lime and green apple to some stone fruits. 

The Adegas de Portalegre Winery was founded in 1954 by a small group of winegrowers and is actually located in a Natural Park -- the Natural Park of Serra de São Mamede. This means the vines are planted at high altitudes, between 600 and 700 meters, and the average age of these vineyards are 70 years old. We received a sample of their Conventual Reserva Vinho Bianco 2018 which is a unique blend of Arinto, Fernão Pires, Syrah, and Bical. The Syrah grapes were harvested from the Serra da Penha vineyard -- an eight-hectare granite soil plot that starts at 450m and runs to the top of Serra da Penha at 650 meters. The other grapes were grown in the Quinta da Cabaça vineyard, an even higher plot with clay and granite soils. The wine is very complex starting with a white flower aroma, then moving towards a saline and white peach profile, and ending with excellent acidity. The 14% alcohol is unnoticeable. 

The Herdade da Torre de Palma is located in Monforte, Portalegre, and farms seven hectares in their estate vineyard, which interestingly enough, is planted with seven different grape varieties. The vineyard consists of light clay soil on top of the granite with smaller instances of limestone, schist, sandstone, and marble. The vineyard receives wide diurnal temperature swings which extend the maturation period - leading to increased acidity. The wines are created by enologist Duarte de Deus who tends towards a minimalist approach. That being said, the Torre de Palma Arinto - Alvarinho 2021 was fermented and aged on its lees in French oak. There is definitely a sense of depth in this wine with a strong citrus profile, complemented by a touch of tropical notes and minerality. 

Grape Spotlight: Abruzzo DOC Pecorino

“…one morning in September, before the harvest, I and others went to Arquata del Tronto, in the hamlet of Pescara, where they had pointed out to me an ancient vineyard cultivated with Pecorino. Arrived on the site I was indicated by the owner of the land Mr. Cafini some shoots that were evidently two, or three, generations old. In the following February I went back to pick up the shoots and took them to my company in Ripatransone, where I made the first grafts: my idea was to cultivate it in purity. I know, it was a crazy idea, everyone said it, my friends always repeated it to me in the winter evenings in front of the fire, but I wanted that wine, I knew it was possible, and I never doubted” -- quote from Guido Cocci Grifoni in The Rebirth of Pecorino

Abruzzo is a naturalist's dream "as half of the region's territory is protected through national parks and nature reserves, more than any administrative region on the continent, leading it to be dubbed 'the greenest region in Europe'".  That could be why it has been occupied since the "Neolithic era, with the earliest artifacts dating to beyond 6,500 BC. In the 6th century BC, the Etruscans introduced viticulture into the area which continued with the Romans -- who contributed to much of Abruzzo’s recognizable history.  Even after the fall of Rome, the Lombards, Byzantines, Magyars, and Normans successively imparted some type of influence in Abruzzo.   Throughout these periods, viticulture has been a constant with multi-generation small plots, sometimes less than a few hectares, being passed down through successive generations. 

Abruzzo is located directly east of Rome and bordered by the Molise wine region to the south, the Marche to the north, the Lazio to the west, and the Adriatic to its east.  It is further divided into several sub-regions: Controguerra, Teramo, Chieti, Pescara, and L’Aquila (L’Aquilano) -- with Chieti being the prime winemaking region (75% of vineyards).  Most of Abruzzo is rugged with  65% mountainous with this landscape assisting grape growing by blocking most storms from the west. And to the east, the Adriatic Sea provides a moderating Mediterranean climate for these vineyards; vines that are predominately planted in calcareous clay soils.

The most popular grape varieties in all sub-regions are Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo. That being said, our current focus is Pecorino, a light-skinned wine grape that, in general, produces dry, minerally, driven, floral, and herbaceous wines. According to our friends at Wiki, "Pecorino is a very old variety that, as believed by ampelographers, likely originated as a wild grapevine growing in the Sibillini Mountains that was eventually domesticated for wine production".  Its name derives from the Italian word pecora, meaning sheep, most likely because sheep would often eat the grapes while moving through the vineyards. 

Pecorino's home region is actually in Marche and in the last couple of centuries was slowly phased out because of low yields. By the mid-20th century, it was thought to be extinct. But in the 1980s, Guido Cocci Grifoni decided to "search for this native vine in the wild lands of the Sibillini National Park" and the quote above is how he traced an old vine raised in Pecorino in Arquata del Tronto.  "In February 1983, the first rows of vines were grafted in different geographical exposures within the grounds of the  Cocci Grifoni Estate. And just two years later the first demijohns of wine were produced". -- The Rebirth of Pecorino

Since then, the variety's plantings have grown exponentially, and Pecorino is now found across the Marche, Abruzzo, Umbria, and Tuscany.  "The 'Abruzzo' DOC was created to protect and enhance the main autochthonous regional grape varieties, in particular Pecorino and Passerina, and by means of the 'Abruzzo' DOC, the territory of origin of these wines has been directly identified, as a guarantee of their quality, typicality, and origin." -- Consorzio Vini d'Abruzzo

This month, the Vini d’Italia 2022 experience came to Washington DC showcasing 100 wines at the Embassy of Italy, There were also two masterclasses led by journalist and author Lorenzo Ruggeri, the first focusing on Italian wines in general and the second specifically on Pecorino wines from Abruzzo. I attended this second session which compared ten Pecorino wines from ten different producers and from various sub-regions within Abruzzo.

What I discovered was that these wines were able to alleviate the high sugar content and corresponding higher alcohol into crisp, fresh, and acidic wines. In general, they provided a vibrant white flower aroma with degrees of herbaceousness with sage, basil, and thyme. The wines also alternated between a ruby red grapefruit profile and a red delicious apple profile with a major exception being the Pasetti Abruzzo Pecorino Superiore Collecivetta DOP 2020 which had a textured profile of an upside-down pineapple cake laced with melons. The Podere Colle San Massimo Abruzzo Pecorino Colle Dell'Orso DOC 2019 showed the savory side of Pecorino layered with multiple spices. Two that stood out were the Tenuta Terraviva Abruzzo Pecorino Terraviva DOC 2021 and the Tenuta I Fauri Abruzzo Pecorino DOC 2020. The first is from a small organic grower located very close to the Adriatic so this wine is a little riper with a floral aroma, savory red apples, some herbaceousness, and energetic acidity.  The second is from the first female winemaker in the Consorzio Vini d'Abruzzo and is from the Chieti sub-region. This wine also provides savory fruit and the accustomed herbaceousness but is saline driven based on the clay calcareous soils of their vineyards. Both of these are evidently priced near six euros, so you don't need to spend much to obtain quality Abruzzo Pecorino. Saluti.