Harvest Report 2013 – Rhone – Maison M. Chapoutier

Posted by Organic Wine Journal on Nov 21, 2013 in Features

Michel Chapoutier: “Just like Maison M. Chapoutier ‘s arms, the 2013 vintage will be very “Fac et spera”. It took us a lot of patience with the nature and great boldness in our observations and choices. Photographs of a grape variety in a specific vintage on a given terroir, the single-vineyards wines will reveal great surprises this year. The first surprise comes from the white wines that almost show a Burgundian balance, which does not bother me at all!”

Northern Rhône

The first plots in the Northern Rhône Valley were picked over the week commencing 23rd September, in Saint-Péray. In Saint-Joseph, white grapes were picked and the first early white grapes from Hermitage were sorted over the same week. The mild temperatures and frequent south wind over the last ten days of September accelerated the end of the red grapes’ ripening process. The bulk of the harvesting took place in the first week of October, starting with the early ripening Cornas vineyards and Côte-Rôtie, followed by Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph. The excellent health of the red grapes of Hermitage meant that we could afford to leave them to continue ripening until the week commencing 7th October.

Without doubt, the hard work in the vineyards, in terms of green harvesting and multiple applications of herbal infusions and plant decoctions, had been effective in controlling the various threats and in keeping the foliage fully effective until maturity. So effective in fact, that the balances shown at the harvest indicated potential degrees between 13 and 14% and pHs of about 3.2 for the whites and 3.4 for the reds. It is difficult to pass final judgment on red wines at this stage, but the first tastings show a character that already reflects the origins of the wines, in terms of both texture and aromatic expression.

Southern Rhône

The consequences of the late harvest which characterizes 2013, were felt outside the Northern Rhône Valley. The Châteauneuf vineyards suffered a wet winter (>400mm from November to March) and a late spring where warm temperatures struggled to make an appearance, resulting in a delayed bud burst, three weeks later than in 2012.

Even more than in the North, the first stages of growth of the vine were affected by the spring temperatures warming up slowly ‘in steps’. The last ten days of April (barely reaching an average temperature of 12°C) had the combined effect of complicating the early stages of ovule differentiation in the flower buds and of significantly slowing down the growth rate.

This meant that during the flowering period reserves were drawn to the foliage at a time when the flowering usually requires all the energy generated by photosynthesis. Flowering itself took place in unusually cool daily minimal temperatures (averaging <8°C in the last ten days of May). The Grenache was heavily affected by fruit set failure (coulure). This grape variety is particularly sensitive to this phenomenon, even in less difficult climatic conditions. Coulure was particularly noticeable on the old vines, which had already been hit harder than the young vines by the heavy frosts in February 2012.

Fortunately, in one way, the spring hydrological regime, which had certainly not been depleted, (243mm of rainfall over April and May) encouraged the early for-mation of secondary shoots. The improved weather conditions in June (which con-tinued all through the summer, reverting to normal local weather patterns) promot-ed, on these secondary shoots, an abundant and homogenous flowering, benefitting fully from the photosynthesis of the primary shoots now almost relieved of their own growth. At this stage, the skill and experience of the wine grower were crucial. The wine grower had to retain only those second generation grape clusters at an advanced stage of development, because the lateness of the vintage and the threat of violent September thunder storms had dashed any hopes of heterogeneous grape clusters reaching full maturity.

After thundery weather throughout France in July, August stayed fairly dry (15mm) which caused a moderate deficit in water levels, benefitting a slower rate of growth and ripeness. The grape harvest got underway on 23rd September, the Syrah was picked first, but the Grenache needed 15 days longer to reach anticipated physiological ripeness. As the post-fermentation macerations draw to an end, the wine shows generous fruitiness with some vigour, certainly very different from the classic generous Châteauneuf style but with an uncomplicated expression and a fruity Pinot-type character, typical of the Grenache in a late vintage.

Harvest Report 2013 – Oregon – Evesham Wood

Posted by Organic Wine Journal on Nov 21, 2013 in Features

It was quite an interesting growing season this year. We started with a moderately early budbreak, followed by a warm relatively dry summer and by mid-August it was looking to be an early harvest and if anything I was hoping for things to cool down. That outlook just continued into September and on September 19th we began picking our estate Pinot Noir.

We continued moving up our easterly sloped Le Puits Sec vineyard, picking block by block and began bringing in fruit from many of our contracted vineyards until September 27th when the epic rains began to fall; remnants of a typhoon in Japan. At this point we had brought in about 60% of our fruit (all of Le Puits Sec had been picked) and we waited. We waited 6 days, during which we received record rainfall and then the sun came back out and stayed for weeks.

For the most part we achieved optimal ripeness (for the elegant style of Pinot noir we strive to produce), although there were a couple blocks we were forced to pick a bit sooner than we would have ideally liked due to botrytis pressure. It’s always a balance.

Organic Vineyards In Sicily

Posted by Organic Wine Journal on Nov 19, 2013 in Features

Over at the Jenny & Francois Blog check out photos from Lauren Kennedy’s trip to see organic vineyards in Sicily. She visits Vino Quantico which has been growing organically since 2007. And what’s a trip to Sicily without climbing Mt. Etna…

What is Lyle Fass Drinking?

Posted by Organic Wine Journal on Nov 19, 2013 in Features

The people at Serious Eats have the answer.

Organic Wines For Thanksgiving – ABC News

Posted by Organic Wine Journal on Nov 14, 2013 in Features

Our friends at Vinotas Selections were interviewed by ABC News online for their organic and biodynamic wine recommendations for the upcoming holidays.

Organic wine consumption has maintained a steady growth rate worldwide in the last few years, according to the International Organic Accreditation Service, Letis, owing to both an increased consumer interest in eating healthier foods and more options available in stores. Some say, the wines simply taste better too.

“You are what you eat but you’re also what you drink,” said Abood. “I was tired of seeing companies produce wines that are basically pesticide soups.”

But despite plans to brine and roast a free-range, heritage turkey this Thanksgivukkah or attempts to recreate grandma’s famous Christmas pudding from scratch, many Americans forget their all-natural preferences when it comes to choosing holiday pours.

“It’s so funny,” said Veronica Moreno, chief operating officer at Vinotas Selections. “People are open to exploring new cuisines and foods at their farmers’ market, but then they are hesitant to try new wines.”

Harvest Report 2013 – Natural Merchants

Posted by Organic Wine Journal on Nov 13, 2013 in Features

Natural Merchants is an Oregon-based importer of organic wines from all over Europe. Here is a round up of how this year’s harvest went with some of their wineries.

La Cantina Pizzolato – Italy

What were the 2013 harvest dates? Was this later or earlier than usual?

Harvests over the past 5 or 6 years were early-the middle of August – when the heat forced us to start at 5am and finish before the sun was too high in the sky. This year was like a flash from the past, with the harvest starting at the beginning of September. It was wonderful fall weather and temperatures.

What role did weather play in this year’s harvest?

May & June were really difficult months, with a lot of rain during the critical period for peronospera. We were really worried about the disease of the plants but fortunately from the end of June weather changed, going back to high temperatures.

What are the unique characteristics of this year’s harvest?

For us 2013 was a great year for red wines. The Cabernet and Merlot grapes were really healthy and fantastic this year. We are very optimistic that 2013 will be a great vintage for our NSA reds.

Vignobles Raymond – France

What were the 2013 harvest dates? Was this later or earlier than usual?

The harvest started September 21st with the whites – about 3 weeks later than last year. The harvest was a bit late due to not enough sun during the month of June.

What role did weather play in this year’s harvest?

Due to the cold and rain which lasted throughout the spring, we had issues with millerandage (or berry-shot) meaning the berry forms but does not bloom & also flower abortion especially on the Merlots. We lacked sun in the spring but were lucky with the great heat during the month of July! This was once again a tough year, going out to the vineyard everyday as it required our full attention on each plot.

Did anything unusual, surprising or wonderful happen during this year’s harvest?

2013 marked an historical loss for the vineyard in Bordeaux: Over 10,000 hectares were hailed upon. However the organic vineyards are emerging relatively unscathed. The raisins are more solid, less assisted, and less impacted by the rot than they would be at a conventional vineyard. More work of the soil allowed a better runoff of the water and saved the vineyard!

What are the unique characteristics of this year’s harvest?

The 2013 Sauvignon Blanc was a great success. Very aromatic, vivacious, and beautiful acidity with a cool crisp. This vintage was tough on the Merlot, with rot during spring and the problem with flowering. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Francs are well-structured and aromatic. The aromatic level of the whites is excellent; fresh with brilliant color, supple tannins and well parfumed!

Domaine Gioulis – Greece

What were the 2013 harvest dates? Was this later or earlier than usual?

The harvest of our white grapes varieties (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Gris, Sauvignon Blanc) started on 26th of August. For the Moschofilero grape variety -grey coloured skinned variety- the harvest started on September 30. For all of them, the harvest was one week earlier than the usual. The harvest of the reds: the indigenous Agiorgitiko and the Cabernet Sauvignon, started on 19th of September. This was two weeks earlier than the usual.

What role did weather play in this year’s harvest?

During the months of April and May, we had high temperatures (20–30oC vs. 15–20 which is the norm) and south winds. From May to July we had sunshine with little rainfall. However, a strong rain, for a couple days in June, filled in the needs of the vines for water. After that the month of August till the days of harvest was sunny but breezy without any rainfall.

What are the unique characteristics of this year’s harvest?

Due to the fact that spring had high enough temperatures, and the summer was breezy enough without rainfall during the harvest, we had as a result a medium but qualitative production. The aromas are fine and more expressive and the flavors are more complex than the usual. It will be a very good vintage especially for the red wines.

Did anything unusual, surprising or wonderful happen during this year’s harvest?

The south winds during the spring were unusual. These lead to an early harvested vintage.

Bodegas Iranzo – Spain

What were the 2013 harvest dates? Was this later or earlier than usual?

The harvest was done between September 25 and October 10. It’s later than usual in recent years. Although these are the dates that were traditionally harvest dates in this area in the past.

What role did weather play in this year’s harvest?

The summer was cooler than usual in recent years, which caused a delay in the maturation of the grapes. I think the effect is positive, leading to more balanced wines.

What are the unique characteristics of this year’s harvest?

The harvest quantities are smaller this year. The best thing about the crop is the uniformity of quality of the grapes. The fruits are very healthy and are of excellent quality.

Did anything unusual, surprising or wonderful happen during this year’s harvest?

We would like to emphasize that we have started using soft pressing technology with our newest generation pneumatic press. This will have a positive impact on all the wines we produce, especially in the Rosés.

Biokult – Austria

What were the 2013 harvest dates? Was this later or earlier than usual?

Harvest was more than a month later than usual. The quality was good, but it harkened back to average harvest dates twenty years ago when October was most common.

What role did weather play in this year’s harvest?

We had very dry summer and then a cold second half of August. That stopped/slowed the ripening making the harvest later.

What are the unique characteristics of this year’s harvest?

It will be a very fine and fragile vintage because of the cold climate. Intense flavors and slightly more acidity. We were patient and the grapes stayed healthy and in good condition.

Did anything unusual, surprising or wonderful happen during this year’s harvest?

That was this very very slow ripening process, with wind and sun, then a rainy period and more sunny conditions. We had a very nice finish to the season with two very warm October weeks right before harvest.

Alpamanta – Biodynamic Wines from Argentina

Posted by Dani Rozman on Nov 12, 2013 in Features

I hailed a taxi from Mendoza’s 6th section on a sun-filled winter day. The season had been mild, but the elderly women on Calle Olascoaga could be seen in puffy coats performing their driveway sweep routine, unfettered by passersby tracking through their dust piles. The drive to Luján de Cuyo, one of Mendoza’s highly touted sub-regions, could confound any visitor; despite the wine capital’s conspicuous fuchsia-splashed billboards, the city’s immediate surroundings are starkly desert-like. However, just fifteen minutes away, past big box supermarkets, turf soccer fields and a bit of nothingness, vineyards begin to appear like oases before a towering Andes backdrop.

I went to visit Alpamanta to learn from agronomist Pamela Federici how responsible viticultural methods translate into award winning wines. Their 35-hectare estate sits in the south of Luján in Ugarteche, which rests at a slightly lower altitude than its neighboring valleys. It is characterized by alluvial soils and stark contrast of hot days and cool nights, providing an ideal amount of stress on the vines while allowing a long ripening period for grapes. What sets this winery apart is a simple but strenuous homeopathic approach: the vineyard is farmed according to organic and biodynamic certifications and winemaking is conducted without cultivated yeasts and additives. Through its work with Alvaro Espinoza and René Piamonte, Alpamanta has honed in on essential farming practices that have transformed the estate into a flourishing ecosystem, yielding healthy fruit and increasingly popular wines.

Pamela Federici is in charge of day-to-day operations at the estate and, like other dedicated agronomists, practically lives in the vineyard. She boasts work experience spanning three continents, but decided to remain in her home region after a chance encounter with owner Andrej Ruzumovsky.

Alpamanta does all its farming in accordance with René Piamonte’s biodynamic calendar; a schedule set by the lunar cycle, revealing the optimal dates for pruning, picking, composting – every aspect of the harvest cycle. In compliance with organic and biodynamic teachings, the vineyard team refrains from chemical use in both the vineyard and winery, opting instead to let nature take its course. This approach is meant to allow a vineyard to remain in a harmonious state, with insect and yeast populations unharmed, but it can also leave crops susceptible to problems that a conventional winery could easily eradicate with chemical spraying. I asked if being biodynamic was worth the extra trouble.

“Overall I have seen a very balanced vineyard,“ said Federici. ”There is a very good relationship of leaf to fruit and the quality is outstanding. The plants have adapted very well to the natural conditions under which we grow; they fight for themselves against the odds of rain, heat, insects and fungal attack. Thanks to our minimal intervention and the greatly diverse microclimate, the plants have managed to survive and adapt.”

I was watched closely by a small heard of sheep, presumably waiting for me to leave their hangout. They do the dirty work around the farm, eating weeds and providing organic material that supports the life of the vineyard. Most people don’t like to talk about the behind-the-scenes aspect of farming, but it’s essential to the process. Like an unblemished apple, an organic or biodynamic vineyard without free-roaming animals is rather suspicious. Sure, some organic projects manage just fine by purchasing all their compost and manures, but it seems to remove some of the meaning. Alpamanta’s large animal population, plant growth and vegetable garden support Federici’s claim, “We believe in diversity, not monoculture.”

In following with biodynamic practices, Alpamanta does utilize some techniques to add nutrients to the soil and avoid undesirable outcomes in the vineyard. To learn more, we made our way down into a basement below a tasting room and stopped in front of two opened barrels laid down on their sides. They revealed various components of biodynamic preparations separated in clay and glass jars – chamomile, dandelion, oak bark, horsetail, eggshells, quartz, yarrow and manure. Each application is readied in a specific fashion – the oak is inserted into the skull of a domestic animal, then buried next to the vineyard, to be added to compost or used as a spray. These preparations are part of a homeopathic approach meant to improve the health of the ecosystem’s soil and crops; the belief is that they populate the soil with an abundance of microorganisms, aid the breakdown of manures/composts and prevent pests, fungi, molds and diseases.

We ended the day with a lengthy asado (Argentine barbecue) in a space carved out into the vineyard. There’s no better way to experience Mendoza than sitting for hours with old and new friends around a table of meat, cheese, salad and wine. Asados are fully engrained in the culture; on Sunday afternoons locals stay at home with friends and family, while the smell of caramelized fat flows into the quiet city streets. If someone eats or drinks too much and is feeling a bit sleepy, they are welcome to take a nap in the host’s bed. I managed to stay in my chair. Our asado was accompanied by a generous tasting of Alpamanta’s current releases. Standouts included the honey-filled 2012 Natal Chardonnay, the peppery oak-free 2009 Natal Cabernet Sauvignon and a nostalgic 2007 Reserva Malbec that nearly coaxed me into staying in Mendoza for a few extra days.

More than anything else, the wines at Alpamanta seem to provide a sense of place. As in the case of other meaningful projects in the region, a glass of this wine, enjoyed anywhere, can invoke the undeniable charm of the Argentine wine experience – the tranquility of the vineyards, looming westward mountains and asado beneath a shaded canopy. It’s all made possible by a philosophy that allows for healthy soil and grapes to do all the talking. After arriving back in New York a week later, I was pleasantly surprised to find a bottle of Alpamanta among the usual Mendoza selections in a narrow West Village wine shop. Now I just need to find an Argentine butcher.

List of wines:

Natal Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Natal Chardonnay 2012
Natal Cabernet Sauvignon 2009:
Estate Malbec 2010
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Reserva Malbec 2007

Dani Rozman is a contributor to Organic Wine Journal. He is currently working the harvest at Clos Saron. Photographs courtesy of Alpamanta.