Category Archives: Merlot

Sep 06 NO comments
aroma, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, enology, entertainment, flavor, france, fun, grapes, History, Merlot, odor, Origins, plants, Viticulture, Whos Your Daddy, wine

Who’s Your Daddy?: Merlot



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The “Who’s Your Daddy” series takes a brief look at the parentage of grapes, in order to get a better understanding of where particular varietals come from and how they are genetically related to one another.  So far, we’ve covered: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Pinotage, Gamay, and Petite Sirah.  Feel free to click on any one of the varietal names to read all about their parentage.

The subject of today’s “Who’s Your Daddy” post is Merlot, which along with Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most popular varietals in the world.

History

In relative terms, the Merlot grape has not been around very long.  Some sources indicate that the first mention of Merlot came from an official in the Bordeaux region of France in 1784, though others say it wasn’t until the 19th century that Merlot had been noted in the record books.  It has been said that this official declared Merlot some of the finest wine of its time.  Today, Merlot remains one of the five major Bordeaux varietals, and has also seen widespread plantings throughout the world, including in the United States, Chile, Australia, and many others.

In the 1950s, a severe freeze had all but wiped out the Merlot (and Malbec) grape vines in France.  French winegrowers attempted to replant the vines the next year; however those vines were subsequently destroyed by rot.  Year after year, attempts to replant the Merlot were made, only to be met with year after year of failure and ruin.  As a result of the physical and financial loss occurring year after year, the French government placed a ban on planting new Merlot vines in 1970, which was later lifted in 1975 due to increasing popularity of Merlot wines worldwide.

Rather than me telling you about the most recent history of Merlot, including its’ “death” and then it’s more recent comeback, I’ll leave it up to the clever folks at Gundlach Bundschu with this clever video:

Viticulture

Merlot is characterized by having loss grape clusters and large berries.  The name Merlot; likely derived from the word Merle which means “blackbird” in French; is likely a reference to the dark color of the grapes (or perhaps to the fact that blackbirds are known to be very fond of the juicy berries).  The Merlot grapes are a dark bluish color, and also possess relatively thin skins, which contributes to the relative softness of the wine.

Merlot grapes tend to be less hardy than other varieties, which results in greater risk of infection by molds, mildews, or rots.  While it is more able to thrive in cooler climates than Cabernet Sauvignon, it still prefers to grow in a warmer growing environment.

Merlot does best when grown in clay or limestone soils, and ripens earlier than its’ Bordeaux cousin, Cabernet Sauvignon (2 weeks earlier, roughly).  At harvest, Merlot produces higher alcohol and lower acidity than other Bordeaux varieties.  These characteristics allow Merlot to calm the stronger tannins and structure of other Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, which allows it to function as a nice blending grape for that region.  Of course, Merlot is also well known and able to function as a single varietal wine as well, though in the Bordeaux region of France and in regions where it is more difficult to grow, it is known primarily to be blended with other varietals.

Sensory Characteristics

In general, Merlot tends to be softer and fruitier than its cousin, Cabernet Sauvignon, though it does share some similar aromas and flavors.  Of course, every bottle of Merlot is going to taste slightly different, depending upon where it was grown, what vineyard management practices were employed, and what winemaking techniques were used, though there are in general some common tones that resonate throughout the Merlot world.  Some of these common aromas and flavors of Merlot are black cherry, currant, and cedar, as well as tobacco, licorice, and chocolate.  Other aromas and flavors found in Merlot wines include black raspberries and plums, as well as jam and blueberries.

So, Merlot….”Who’s your daddy?”…

Enough of this chatter about the history, viticulture, and sensory characteristics of Merlot.  Let’s get down and dirty…Who’s your daddy, Merlot?

In 2009, a group of researchers at the University of California at Davis cleared up some of the fog surrounding the Merlot parentage debate.  Using inheritance analysis of DNA markers from thousands of grape varieties, the group was able to confidently answer the question of which grapes the Merlot grape originated from.

Without further ado, I present to you the parents of Merlot:

http://www.hort.cornell.edu/reisch/grapegenetics/
Varietyphotos/cabernetfranc.large.jpg
Cabernet Franc…….



……and……
http://lescepages.free.fr/
photcep/magdeleine_noire_fr.jpg
……Magdeleine Noire des Charentes






There you have it!  This research also found several other relatives of Merlot, including Carmenére, which may be a sort of sibling of Merlot.

If you’d like to learn about the parentage of another grape variety, simply leave a comment below and I’ll see what I can dig up!  Note: there are many grape varieties with unknown parentage still, but I’ll try my best to find data that may suggest particular relationships and origins.  This type of genetic research is ongoing, so even if I can’t find information on a particular grape of your choosing today, that may change in the future!

Cheers!
I am not a health professional, nor do I pretend to be. Please consult your doctor before altering your alcohol consumption habits. Do not consume alcohol if you are under the age of 21. Do not drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly!
May 29 NO comments
agriculture, anthocyanins, climate change, ecology, environment, global warming, grapes, Merlot, plants, research, Viticulture, wine quality

The Effect of Water Deficits on Anthocyanin and Tannin Concentrations of Merlot Grapes



http://blog.selenewines.com/wp-content/
uploads/2009/09/Bare-Merlot-vine.jpg

Flavonoids in grapes, particularly anthocyanins and tannins, have great impact on the quality of wines, specifically in the areas of color and astringency.  The composition of these compounds in grapes depends on many factors, including grape variety, water status, and other environmental/climatic variability.  This variability in grapes leads to a large variability in flavonoid concentration in finished wine as well, which can further be manipulated by different wine making procedures and techniques.   In regards to water status during the growing season, it is known that changes in water availability alters the concentrations of these major flavonoids, however, it is unclear precisely how and to what extent these changes are reflected in the grape.

Berry ripening may be either accelerated or decelerated depending upon the timing and duration/severity of the drought.  Skin growth itself could be inhibited during droughts, which could alter the proportion of skins and seeds to total berry weight, which is an important indicator of grape quality.  In terms of flavonoid synthesis, tannins are synthesized earlier in the season, while anthocyanins are synthesized later.  Therefore, the timing of the water deficit could be critical in the development of one or both of these important quality components of grapes and wine.  Specifically, it is thought that since flavonoids are primarily located in the skins of grapes, when berry growth is inhibited by some mechanism, the resulting concentrations of flavonoids in the grape will be increased due to an increased surface:volume ratio.

The goal of the current study, therefore, was to examine the influence of water status on grape berry growth, skin tannins, and anthocyanins in Merlot grapes in order to determine the extent that which water deficits induce changes in grape berry composition.  To date, results of similar studies have been inconsistent.  By understanding how water deficits alter flavonoid composition (specifically tannins and anthocyanins), one may be able to develop specific vineyard management strategies in order to maximize the quality of the grapes, and ultimately quality of the wine produced from those grapes.

Methods

Experiments were performed in 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008 in a vineyard of Merlot (Vitis vinifera) which was planted in 1993.  The vineyard was located at an experimental farm at the University of Udine in northeast Italy on soil (49% sand, 31.5% silt, and 19.5% clay) with 12% gravel, 0% slope, 29.3% field capacity, and a permanent wilting point of 19.3%.  Orientations of the rows were north-south, with spacing at 1m between plants, and 2.5m between rows, and about 4000 vines per hectare.  Vines were trained on a spur cordon system.

Water control to the vines was achieved by sheltering the rows under a tunnel covered by a polyethylene film.  The tunnel was placed over the whole experimental block that included four rows of 60m in length (240 vines).  Experimental rows were the two center rows of the four, since rain water could possibly seep into the edges of the tunnel and uncontrollably change the water status of the two rows closest to the edge.  The first and last 8 plants of each experimental row were also excluded due to the same reasons as mentioned just previously.  Water was supplied to the vines by a sub-surface drip irrigation system with emitters at 2.5L per square meter per hectare.  Each emitter was 0.6m apart and there was 2.5m between each irrigation line.

Plant water status was measured by midday measurements of stem water potential.  To measure this, two leaves per plot (on each side of the row) were covered with aluminum foil coated plastic bags for one hour, in order for the stem and leaf water potential to equilibrate.  After one hour, the leaves were removed and stem water potential was measured by a pressure chamber.

Two water/irrigation treatments were established: a control were vines were irrigated once a week in order to keep the stem water potential between -0.2 and -0.6MPa, and a water deficit (WD) treatment were vines were irrigated to maintain a stem water potential of -0.8 and -1.4MPa during the ripening period.  To maintain this level, irrigation was cut off on the WD vines 43, 34, 45, and 47 days after anthesis in 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008, respectively.  With the exception of 2007, one more irrigation was applied to WD vines between veraison and harvest.

Each irrigation treatment was replicated on four plots of 12 vines each.  Both control and water deficit treatments were performed under the polyethylene tunnels, to account for any microclimatic variation caused by being under the tunnel.

Grape berries were sampled every 7-14 days, from 21-40 days after anthesis to harvest.  For each sampling day, two sets of 30 berry samples were collected from each plot.  One set was collected to measure juice soluble solids (oBrix) and titratable acidity, while the other set was collected for anthocyanin and tannin analysis.

Results

  •       Midday stem water potentials were significantly lower in water deficit treatments than in control treatments from 55 days after anthesis until harvest.
  •       Stem water potential decreased progressively in water deficit treatment vines throughout the ripening period, while stem water potential for the control vines remained consistently higher than -0.65MPa.
  •        There were differences in the severity and the timing when the deficit became very severe.
  •       Across all four seasons, water deficit significantly reduced the final berry weight and pH, and had no effect on soluble solids, titratable acidity, skin weight, or skin/berry weight.

o   There was a significant effect of season on all size and chemistry parameters, as well as a significant season x irrigation treatment interaction for berry weight, soluble solids, and titratable acidity (parameters were significantly different in some years but not others).
  •       Anthocyanin concentrations significantly increased in the water deficit treatment but had no effect on skin tannin concentrations.

o   There were significant season effects on anthocyanin and tannin concentrations, and significant season x irrigation treatment interactions for tannin concentrations (significant changes in some years but not others).
o   Tannin concentrations were not affected by irrigation treatment.
  •       Water deficit inhibited berry growth, though it did not alter the berry growth pattern during the season.
  •       Maximum berry weight was reached at the same time for both treatments.
  •        At harvest, water deficit berries were 7.6% to 20.1% smaller than control berries.
  •       Skin tissue was 7-15% of berry weight, though skin and berry growth was relatively inconsistent from season to season.
  •       Berry soluble solids were not consistently affected by irrigation treatment.
  •       Titratable acidity was not affected by irrigation treatment.
  •        Anthocyanin concentrations increased faster in water deficit berries than control berries, and were significantly higher in water deficit berries after 30 days into the treatment.

o   Water deficit increased the overall mean anthocyanin concentration at harvest by 50% compared to controls.
  •       Overall mean tannin concentrations at harvest were not significantly different between treatments.

o   There was a significant treatment x year interaction (the treatment was significant in some years, but not others), and water deficit significantly increased tannins in 3 out of the 4 years.

Conclusions

The results of this study showed that anthocyanin concentrations in Merlot grapes significantly increased with the water deficit treatment; whereas only in certain years did this deficit alter skin tannin concentrations.  These results indicate that the relationship between fruit ripening and water status is complex.  Other studies have shown that tannin synthesis occurs earlier on in the ripening period, whereas anthocyanin synthesis occurs later on in the season.  Therefore if most or all of the tannins are synthesized before the water deficit occurs, it is likely that the drought will not significantly affect the concentrations of the compound.  However, if the water deficit occurs before synthesis is complete, as it happened with the anthocyanin concentrations in this experiment, final concentrations will likely be much more variable and affected by the drought.

The authors continued to elaborate on this relationship between flavonoid concentrations and water deficits in that the increase is due to an upregulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis but no corresponding increase in tannin biosynthesis.  Based on the results from other studies, the authors could not rule out a possible inhibition of anthocyanin degradation instead of the upregulation theory described earlier.  More research that focused on this type of physiology would need to be performed in order to get a more accurate understanding of the mechanisms involved with the increase in anthocyanin concentration when under a water deficit.

Generally speaking, the results of this study give some insight into how water deficits may alter the quality of grapes which would ultimately lead to changes in the quality of the wine produced from those grapes.  More work needs to be done to further understand the mechanisms behind the changes observed in the study, and should include many more parameters, as chemical composition of grapes can be very complex with each part playing a different role in different environmental and climatic situations. 

I’d also be curious to see a study that combined not only the types of experiments performed in this study, but to also take it one step further and create wines from the grapes under the different irrigation treatment, in order to determine how water deficits actually affect overall wine quality, instead of simply making assumptions.  Also, a study incorporating several different varieties of grapes may be important as well, as studies have shown that different grape varieties are affected by environmental or climatic conditions differently.

I’d love to hear what you all think of this study.  Can you think of ways to improve upon this study?


Source: Bucchetti, B., Matthews, M.A., Falginella, L., Peterlunger, E., and Castellarin, S. 2011. Effect of water deficit on Merlot grape tannins and anthocyanins across four seasons. Scientia Horticulturae 128: 297-305.

DOI: 10.1016/j.scienta.2011.02.003




I am not a health professional, nor do I pretend to be. Please consult your doctor before altering your alcohol consumption habits. Do not consume alcohol if you are under the age of 21. Do not drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly!
Apr 18 NO comments
anthocyanins, antioxidants, Cabernet Sauvignon, cardiovascular health, catechin, chemistry, chenin blanc, cholesterol, health, Merlot, phenolics, research, resveratrol, Sauvignon Blanc, wine chemistry, wine research

Inhibition of Cholesterol Oxidation by Wine: It’s Not All About Resveratrol



We’ve all heard over and over that red wine is good for your heart.  Studies have shown that wine consumption reduces blood platelet aggregation, which ultimately helps prevent many cardiovascular diseases.  The polyphenolic compounds in wine are primarily responsible for these benefits (specifically: resveratrol, catechin, and anthocyanins), as they possess high antioxidant activities which contribute greatly to the cardiovascular (and other) benefits of wine.  Comparing resveratrol and catechin with anthocyanins, they are more bioavailable and are found in the bloodstream without being degraded after the intake of wine.

http://abcofwine.com/images/wine%20health.jpg
Many cardiovascular diseases are closely linked to higher levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and cholesterol oxidation.  Oxidation of cholesterol starts with free radicals or active oxygen and produces a cholesterol oxidation product called 7-ketocholerserol.  Higher levels of cholesterol can lead to higher cholesterol oxidation, thereby producing higher levels of 7-ketocholeserol and other cholesterol oxidation by-products, which are toxic to blood vessels and cause damage to macrophages and endothelial cells inside them.  This results in abnormal cell metabolism, which ultimately causes cholesterol to gradually deposit on the blood vessel walls, forming a plaque, which in the end gives rise to cardiovascular disease.  By reducing the LDL cholesterol oxidation levels in the body, relatively normal cell function could be maintained, thus reducing the chance of plaque build-up in the arteries and cardiovascular disease.

Polyphenolic content is extremely variable, and depends upon many factors including grape variety, geographic location, terroir, vineyard and winemaking practices, as well as many other possible sources of variation.  The goal of the study presented today, which was published in 2011, aimed to determine the abilities of both red and white wines in reducing LDL cholesterol oxidation by using an emulsion system that has been shown to accurately replicate cholesterol oxidation levels and behaviors in the human body.

Methods

Two red wines (Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon) and two white wines (Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc) were purchased from a local market.

A cholesterol emulsion system was produced to accurately replicate the conditions and levels of cholesterol oxidation in the human body (if you want more details, just ask).  Each wine was tested in this system to determine effectiveness against cholesterol oxidation.

7-ketocholesterol was measured using HPLC methods.

Catechin and resveratrol levels were also analyzed and measured.

Results

  •       The cholesterol level in the emulsion system was 1000mg/L, which is similar to a normal LDL cholesterol level in the human body (100mg/100mL).
  •       No 7-ketocholesrterol was found in 48 hours of oxidation for white wines at a 1:10 ratio and for red wines at a 1:500 ratio in the emulsion system.
  •       7-ketocholesrterol inhibition rate remained at 100% after 72 hours for Sauvignon Blanc white wine at a ratio of 1:10, and in both reds at a 1:250 ratio.

o   Results indicate that red wine is much more efficient than white wine in inhibiting cholesterol oxidation.
o   Red wine has a 50 times higher capability than white wine in inhibiting cholesterol oxidation.
o   The lower antioxidant activity of white wine compared to red wine could be due to their lower levels of antioxidant-rich polyphenols, due to winemaking practices of no skin contact.

Individual Polyphenolic Compounds

  •       The molecular structure of the polyphenol appeared to be more important than the antioxidant activity of the compound. 

o   Antioxidant capacity of red wine may be the result of a synergistic effect among many polyphenols.
  •       Compared with anthocyanins, catechin and resveratrol are more bioavailable in the bloodstream and are absorbed without degradation.
  •       Catechin levels in Merlot were 140.6mg/L and in Cabernet Sauvignon were 132.5mg/L.
  •       Catechin levels in both white wines were between 10.6 and 11.0 mg/L.
  •       Resveratrol levels in all wines were less than 0.1mg/L.
  •       7-ketocholesrterol was not detected in 24 hours of oxidation when 1mg/L of catechin or resveratrol was mixed into the emulsion system at a ratio of 1:500.

o   The inhibition rate of catechin was higher compared to resveratrol after 48 hours of oxidation.  Resveratrol decreased to 74% at this time.
o   The inhibition rate of resveratrol continuously dropped to 68% after 72 hours of oxidation, and catechin was at 88% at this time.

Conclusions

The results of this study show that resveratrol may not be the major polyphenol in red wine that is responsible for the protection against cardiovascular disease as studies often claim.  Catechin may be a more important contributor to enhancing antioxidant activity in the blood, due to its higher antioxidant activity and bioavailabilty than resveratrol, which is found in levels of 10-20 times less than catechin in wine.  The results of this study also showed that the capability of red wine to inhibit cholesterol oxidation was 50 times higher than that of white wine, which makes sense when one considers the differences in winemaking methods of red (skin contact) versus white (no skin contact) wine and the fact that many of the polyphenols of grapes are located in the skins.  This higher polyphenolic content of red wine could explain the higher antioxidant levels in the beverage, as well as the increased cardiovascular health benefits.

Even though resveratrol is almost always given the most credit for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, the results of this study suggest that catechin may be more responsible than resveratrol for the antioxidant levels in red wine, thereby contributing more to the reduction of cholesterol oxidation in the human body.  According to the results of this study, the authors suggested that if the catechin level in a wine is 150mg/L, then consuming 60-70mL of a wine with greater than 10mg of catechin present would be very beneficial in inhibiting the oxidation of LDL cholesterol for healthy humans for 24 hours time.

In reality, I believe that there is most likely a synergist effect between resveratrol, catechin, and other antioxidant polyphenols, however, this study presents evidence that perhaps we should not be so focused on resveratrol alone, and should consider expanding the focus to other polyphenols that could be playing a more important role, or at least a synergistic role with resveratrol in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

I’d love to hear what you all think!  Please feel free to leave your comments below (no html tags).

Source: Tian, L., Wang, H., Abdallah, A.M., Prinyawiwatkul, W., and Xu, Z. 2011. Red and White Wines Inhibit Cholesterol Oxidation Induced by Free Radicals. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 59: 6453-6458.

DOI: 10.1021/jf200544r






I am not a health professional, nor do I pretend to be. Please consult your doctor before altering your alcohol consumption habits. Do not consume alcohol if you are under the age of 21. Do not drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly!
Sep 02 NO comments
Alexander Valley Vineyards, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Healdsburg, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Sonoma Wine Country, Twitter Tastings, Wine Tasting Events

@AVVY #cabernet

2008 Alexander Valley Vineyards - Healdsburg -  Cabernet Sauvignon, with hints of Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec & Petit Verdot.  Dark pitted fruit, cedar..tannin….balanced…and will blast out in 3-5 years..maybe more.  $20/btl….what a deal!

Mar 25 NO comments
botrytis, Burgundy, Cabernet Franc, California, Chardonnay, Food & Wine Pairings, food and wine pairing, foodies, Merlot, Petit Verdot, red wine, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Seyval Blanc, Traminette, Vidal Blanc, Virginia wine country, white wine, wine, wine tasting, Wine Varietals, Winemaker Tour, winemakers, winemaking, Winery Cellar Tours, Wines

From Burgundy to California to the Caribbean to Loudon County?!

Some winemakers are sort of like jet setters.   Think about it, they jet from one beautiful wine region to another to work at wineries and vineyards, so they can broaden their winemaking skills.   No wonder wine enthusiasts dream about being a winemaker, or starting a winery.  But, at the risk of bursting your bubble, these winemakers and the vineyard managers, toil and stress over growing conditions, sometimes inheriting a not-so-well-planted vineyard, negotiating big equipment in small spaces; not to mention really fun stuff like pruning in 0-20˚ winter weather with the wind howling.  Yep, it’s true…the wine business isn’t all about charming, or Taj Mahal-like tasting rooms, or wine dinners in elegant restaurants.   It’s a lot about farming and the challenges therein.  I am droning on about this a bit, because as I do these cellar visits with winemakers, and tell you about them, I am hoping to increase your appreciation of what it takes to make good wine.   A lot of guts and not always much glory.

Sébastien Marquet

The well-travelled winemaker who inspired this blog is Burgundy born and raised, Sébastien Marquet, at Doukénie Winery.   The Winery is owned by the Bazacos family, who first planted a vineyard on the property back in the ’80s.  The 4,000 case production enables Sébastien to also fulfill the roles of Vineyard Manager and General Manager, in addition to winemaking duties.  Before  we went into the cellar to taste, Sébastien gave me an overview of the vineyards….because any winemaker of worth will attest to how good wine is first made in the vineyard.   They have 12 vineyard acres on the Estate with clay and chalky soils, and 26 acres Sébastien also oversees in Fredericksburg, where the soil is sandy.  We ventured into the cellar, where I was reminded of how winemakers organize production in small spaces; similar to chefs who produce an amazing array of dishes out of incredibly small kitchens.  Not that Doukénie’s cellar is any smaller than most.  But, as in the case of most, especially during harvest it requires moving big tanks and barrels in and out and around.  Some barrels are still aging wines from the prior vintage, so space has to be  maintained for them.  Winemaking is truly a crossover of left and right brain activity.  

We started with a Chardonnay 2009 – aging in a 10 year old French Oak barrel, sur lies.  I’ve mentioned this before, but in case you haven’t read all of my blogs (hard to believe!)… sur lies is the term used when winemakers choose not to rack the wines after the first fermentation, and leave the wine to lie on the yeast.  This process gives a fuller body to the wine, and is often opted for with white wines instead of doing a 2nd/malolactic fermentation; but sometimes a winemaker may choose to do both. It’s a matter of the style that the winemaker is going for.  Even at this stage, wines will show their varietal characteristics on the nose and palate.  We did a tour of the Chardonnays and all exhibited classic Chardonnay pear, riper apple (unlike the green apple of Chardonnay that remains in stainless steel).  Also the difference in barrels, related to age, toast level (light to heavy), and country/region of origin, will all contribute something unique.  The blending of all is a result of the winemaker’s creation, their own recipe, as it were.

Chardonnay 2009 – aging in a 2-year old French Oak barrel.  The fuller palate on this wine, because of the newer barrel, was immediately apparent.  Just as wines are organized in order of style for tasting purposes, the same applies in a cellar tasting.

Chardonnay 2009 – aging in Hungarian Oak, which can impart pretty strong aromatics to a wine.   A smoky aroma was prevalent and Sébastien intends to blend this barrel with Chardonnay aging in French Oak.  This way the final blend of Chardonnay will have just enough of the Hungarian Oak characteristics to complement the Chardonnay from other barrels.

Chardonnay 2009 – aging in a new French Oak barrel.  Yes, a bigger, longer finish.

Chardonnay 2009 – aging in an Acacia barrel.  If you’re familiar at all with Acacia, then it will not surprise you that this barrel imparts floral characteristics immediately, on the nose.

Chardonnay 2009 – from the  Estate vineyard.  These vines are 16 years old and this Chardonnay stood out with richness and butter  (without a 2nd fermentation) on the nose and palate …but, like fresh dairy butter.  Not that stuff that impersonates butter found in the grocery store.  I usually don’t like that butter thing that happens in Chardonnay, but this was not that.  This was a good thing.

Even with oak aging, a good winemaker will always maintain the fruit’s integrity and all of the Chardonnays (well, in fact all of the wines I tasted) did just that.  Many of us have become picky Chardonnay drinkers, so I am always thankful when I taste the future of a final blend and know that this is a Chardonnay I will happily uncork!   And it probably helps that Sébastien learned to crawl in his grandfather’s Burgundy vineyard, followed by boarding school in Burgundy where viticulture and oenology was the focus of studies from the time he was 13 years of age.  Years making red and white Burgundies in many of  the top regions such as Pommard, Volnay and Meursault goes a long way in making  a Burgundy-like wine. 

We then went up to the ‘club members only’ room and tasted several of the current releases available in the tasting room.   Let me just say that I love that ‘club members only’ room.  It’s charming, with lovely views and it makes you feel special without being stuffy.

Sauvignon Blanc 2009 – this wine had just been recently bottled, so it will be released soon.   I had a chuckle when re-reading my notes, because  I had actually written ‘Sancerre” instead of Sauvignon Blanc.   As I’ve previously written, my favorite Sauvignon Blanc is from the Sancerre region of the Loire Valley.  So, obviously, I really like this one!   The nose was tropical and floral, acidity with a touch of roundness on the palate…and where did that floral come from?  Well, Sébastien has aged just a bit of it in an Acacia barrel.  Perfection!  This could be my summer House White!

2009 Mandolin – a lovely blend of Traminette, Seyval Blanc and Vidal Blanc.  A nose full of lychee, apricot and citrus flowers.  And with just 1.5 Residual Sugar, the intense aromatics of this wine is about the fruit, not added sugar.  A long finish and balance that has acidity and sweet aromatics in perfect harmony.  A divine apéritif, and dinner wine for spicy grilled fish.

2007 Vin de Paille – a Riesling dessert wine.  Vin de Paille translates to Straw Wine.  And why would anyone think Straw Wine sounds appetizing?  Well, when you hear what it stands for…you’ll get it.   It’s a term for this style of wine, where  the grapes are laid out on straw to dry to develop concentrated sugars.  Plus, the grapes had some botrytis, which is that good bacteria that forms on grapes in wet, accompanied by humid, weather.  Now, of course, the botrytis is only a good thing  if you’re planning on making a dessert wine.  Otherwise, you don’t want to see it spreading like mad on the clusters.  This is a rich, honeyed wine with balance of richness and slight acidity, florals and spice.  My peach and blueberry clafoutis, or that angel cake I make (from scratch, don’t you know) with macerated berries; Blue d’Auvergne cheese…any and all would work very nicely.

On to the reds….Petit Verdot 2007 – Silver Medal from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.  This unfiltered wine delivers the inky, black currant of Petit Verdot, aged 24 months in French Oak.  I see why several winemakers and some owners, see Petit Verdot as potentially ‘the’ leading red varietal for Virginia.  This one has a great earthiness and although it still shows some tannin and as Sebastien said, “It’s still angular, but will continue to smoothen in the next 2- 5 years.”  So this is a wine for your own cellar.   Petit Verdot is pretty singular in regard to it’s fruit characteristics, but even so, when in the hands of a good winemaker, one doesn’t feel cheated.  The varietal can still deliver a satisfying wine in every way. 

Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 – another Estate wine from their 25 year old vineyard.  Wow….it’s hard to get excited about most East Coast cabernet sauvignons, because the varietal can’t ripen as much as it needs to in these parts.  So having 25 year old vines sure does help.  This wine was rich with raspberry, strawberry, earthiness, cinnamon and black pepper.   Typically, red grapes are de-stemmed first thing, but Sébastien kept the stems on  to increase the tannins and structure, he did a cold soak for 4-5 days; started the fermentation at a low temperature and did 2-3 pump overs daily, plus push downs.  He does not like to have too high a temperature for fermentation to avoid that ‘cooked fruit’ taste in the wine.  This kind of thing is what defines a ‘winemaker’s style.’

Vintners Reserve 2007 – Cabernet Sauvignon 55%, Merlot 20%, Cabernet Franc 15%, Petit Verdot 10%.  A classic Left Bank Bordeaux-style blend.  Three words leapt to mind when I tasted this wine – perfection, bold and rich.   Everything was spot on with this wine.  The lively tannin makes it another candidate for your wine collection. 

It is very satisfying to experience such gorgeous wines being made right here in Virginia by winemakers who have chosen, out of all of the higher profile regions they could be in…to be in Virginia.  For  Sébastien, and winemakers like him,  the opportunity to be able to focus on a smaller production of high quality wines far outweighs being a cog in the wheel of a big name, high volume winery in a higher profile region.    Score for Virginia!

Doukénie Winery has lots of events, like Blending with the Winemaker…gotta love that, and culinary classes!   I suggest you put them on your weekend wine tasting schedule.  And the wines are outstanding across the board, so think about becoming a wine club member and get entry into that private tasting room.

Cheers,

Anita