Wine questions and answers
From the time of the North Idaho Wine Rodeo and Tasting through a tasting with Renwood Winery here at the shop last weekend we have had a number of questions sent our way, so here are a few with our answers and explanations.
What is Phylloxera? Phylloxera is a disease that affects grape vines and is transmitted by a soft shell parasite that more specifically affects the root stock of the vine. The disease is actually a wasting condition that gradually over vintages causes the infected grapevine to produce less and less fruit. The vine is still able to produce and the condition does not affect in any way the flavor of the grapes or the quality of the wine. Once the vine fails to produce enough grapes to make it economically viable it is usually replaced and planted with a Phylloxera resistant root stock, which then has a new vine grafted on to it.
Phylloxera epidemics wiped out vineyards in Europe and later in California resulting today in most vines being grafted on the disease resistant root stock developed in the United States.
What is "head pruning?" Vineyards that are head pruned use no wire trellising system, of which there are many different types. Trellising systems are designed to provide the optimum sun and air exposure for the grapes based on varietal and the growing conditions of the vineyard location. Head pruning is the old fashioned way of growing grapes where the shoots that a vine puts out every year are cut back to the trunk of the vine much like any other fruit producing tree. The effect is quite visually dramatic and can be seen on the old vine Zinfandel vineyards of California and much of Europe. It is used less today as it is easier to manage production and disease using a trellis system.
How are the flavors that come out in wine created? The flavor profile of wine comes from two primary sources; first the flavors that are natural in the varietal and secondly from the tools available to the winemaker like cooperage (the barrels used), the yeast used for fermentation, single or double fermentation, ripeness sugar and acid levels at harvest and the time the grapes are left in contact with the skins and seeds to name just a few.
Aromatic notes in wine like cedar, herbaceousness, eucalyptus, and vanilla all come from the time the wine is aged in the oak barrels and the type of barrel used. Barrel types are many - they can come from France, the United States and Hungary, primarily all with different amounts of grain based on how the oak barrel staves are cut. The larger grained U.S. barrels impart more oak flavors while the finer grained French barrels impart less. All barrels are toasted over an open fire, the darker the toast the more oak you will taste in the wine. And finally new oak barrels impart more oak flavor on wine. Usually after three vintages of use an oak barrel will be referred to as neutral and will no longer add any oak character.
When wine is done strictly in stainless steel tanks or barrels you will get a wine with more citrus - leaner notes than those exposed to oak even if neutral barrels are used. The same is true for grapes that are harvested with lower sugar and or higher acid levels.
Different grape varietals also exhibit different flavor profiles. Chardonnay is predominated by pear and apple flavors while Viognier, another white varietal is dominated by peach and nectarine notes. The meaty character in the aromatics of Syrah is naturally occurring in that varietal while another red varietal, Pinot Noir, almost always exhibits cherry aromas.
Finally, there are two different fermentations that wine goes through. Primary fermentation where sugars are consumed by the yeast and create alcohol and secondary or Malolactic fermentation. This secondary fermentation is where malic acid, a fruit acid is converted to lactic acid, a milk acid. While all red wines go through malolactic fermentation many times fermentation is stopped for white wines before this secondary stage is completed. When Chardonnay is allowed to complete malolactic fermentation it creates the butter note that so many folks are fond of in Chardonnay.
If you would like further clarification on any of these questions give us a call here at the dinner party or ask your favorite wine professional.
If there is a topic you would like to read about or questions on wine you can e-mail George@thedinnerpartyshop.com or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d'Alene Press.
George Balling is co-owner with his wife Mary Lancaster of the dinner party - a wine and table top decor shop in Coeur d'Alene by Costco. George is also the managing judge of The North Idaho Wine Rodeo. Information: www.thedinnerpartyshop.com