chapter 3 - international varietals

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CHAPTER 3 – INTERNATIONAL VARIETALS

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Contents• White wine– What to look for– Riesling characteristics– Chardonnay characteristics– Sauvignon Blanc characteristics

• Red wine– What to look for– Cabernet Sauvignon characteristics– Pinot Noir characteristics– Merlot characteristics– Syrah / Shiraz characteristics

• Sparkling wine– What to look for– The different sparkling styles

• Focused Tastings

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White wine

• Length of fruit flavours– The longer the better.– Wood should not

overpower fruit• Acid balance

– Benchmark: no more tangy than a cold green apple on a hot day.

• Sweetness– Fruit sweetness rather

than sugar (cloying, sticky aftertaste)

What to look for in white wine:

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Chardonnay

Key points: Most widely produced white wine.

Versatile grape that grows well in a variety of locations.

In New World, often subjected to Malo-Lactic Fermentation (MLF) and exposure to oak.

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Chardonnay

Characteristics: Non aromatic variety; affinity with oak –

adds texture, toasty, clove, cinnamon & nutty features.

Cold climate: Light & elegant - lemon, lime blossom, acacia flowers, hazelnuts, etc

Warmer climate: Stronger colour - butter, cream, honey.

Depending on quality, fruit can be quite bland.

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Chardonnay

Examples of Chardonnay wines aroundthe world:

France - BurgundyChablis – unoaked, minerally, lean, bone dryCôte de Beaune – oaked, full bodied, hazel nutty, intense

dry white.

New world (Australia, California, …)Usually oaked, buttery, toasty, fruit flavours varying with

climate:cool climate – melon, apple, grapefruitwarm climate – peach, mango, lime, pineapple.

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One of the world`s greatest white wine grapes.

Hardy wood makes it extremely resistant to frost.

Excels in cooler climates.

Slow ripening in cool climates - excellent source for sweet wines made from grapes attacked by the noble rot Botrytis Cinerea.

Riesling

Key Points:

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Riesling

Characteristics: Purity of fruit, high acid, crisp & fresh

Cold climate: Light & elegant - apples, limes, lemons

Warmer climate: Less elegant - Honey, apricots

Minerally (reflecting terroirs); kerosene aromas with age

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Riesling

Examples of Riesling wines aroundthe world:

Germany (heartland) Mosel & Rheingau valleysCrisp, lime, lemon, apple, peach, minerally (Mosel)Develops honey and kerosene aromas with age.

France – AlsaceMore floral and perfumed

Australia – Eden & Clare valleysCrisp, Lime, lemon, develops minerally, kerosene aromas

with age.

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Sauvignon Blanc

Key points: A grape variety with a world-wide

reputation for producing fine aromatic white wines.

At its most fragrant and fresh in cool climates.

Known as Fume Blanc in California.

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Sauvignon Blanc

Characteristics: Piercing, refreshing aroma; Crisp, dry &

uncomplicated; pointed flavour

Vast range of aromas, depending on the soil and the vinification process – extends from mineral notes (smoky, flinty) to exotic fruits (passionfruit, mango, papaya, etc.)

Can have green bean, asparagus flavours if unripe.

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Sauvignon Blanc

Examples of Sauvignon Blanc winesaround the world:

France – Loire Valley (Sancerre, Reuilly, Quincy, Mennetou-Salon, Pouilly-Fume)Cut grass, nettles, elderflower, blackcurrant leaf and

gooseberries with minerally, zesty, flinty undertones.

France - BordeauxBlended with Semillon.

New Zealand – Marlborough and Hawkes BayVery aromatic, passionfruit, grapefruit, guava, mango.

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Red wine

• Length of fruit flavours– The longer the better.– Wood should not

overpower fruit• Body and texture

– Traditionally body/texture signified intensity of flavour.

– Now less significant.• Quality of tannins

– Tannins should never be bitter.

What to look for in red wine:

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Cabernet Sauvignon

Key points: The undisputed king of red wines,

Cabernet is a remarkably steady and consistent performer throughout the world.

While it grows well in many appellations, in specific appellations, it is capable of rendering wines of uncommon depth, richness, concentration and longevity.

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Cabernet Sauvignon

Characteristics: Intensity of aroma and flavour

High in tannins from fruit & oak – often require many years of maturation to soften tannins.

Herbaceous when unripe (bell pepper, grassy)

Blackcurrant, plum, black cherry when ripe; Cassis when concentrated.

Affinity with oak – vanilla, cedar, sandalwood, tobacco, coffee, musk and spicy notes.

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Cabernet Sauvignon

Examples of Cabernet Sauvignon winesaround the world:

France - Bordeaux (Medoc, Graves, Saint-Emilion)Often blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Italy – TuscanyBlended with Sangiovese.

AustraliaOn its own or blended with Merlot or Shiraz.

USA – Napa ValleyOften has mint or eucalyptus notes.

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Merlot

Characteristics: Softer texture and less tannins than

Cabernet Sauvignon.

Very ripe fruit, plumy fruit cake flavours.

A little grassy from cool regions

Blackcurrant, blackberry, blueberry, chocolate and spice characters when ripe.

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Merlot

Key points: Popularity soared in 90’s

Soft texture and smoothness makes it more approachable than Cabernet Sauvignon

Matures early

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Merlot

Examples of Merlot wines around the world: France – Pomerol, Saint-Emilion and Fronsac

Often blended with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Italy – Tuscany

Australia, Chile, USA

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Pinot Noir

Key points: One of the most sensuously fragrant

red grapes in the world

Worldwide reputation for fine red wines.

Pinot Noir is the most fickle of all grapes to grow: it reacts strongly to environmental change such as heat and cold spells, and is notoriously fussy to work with once picked, since its thin skins are easily broken, setting the juice free.

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Pinot Noir

Characteristics: Fruity nose, raspberries, strawberries,

violets; soft & sweet, low tannins.

Becomes jammy if overripe.

Develops silky textures and alluring undertones of truffles, game and leather with age.

Generally matures quickly.

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Pinot Noir

Examples of Pinot Noir wines around the world: France – Burgundy (Cote de Nuits, Cote de

Beaune, Cote Chalonnaise)

USA – Oregon, Washington

New Zealand – Martinborough, Otago

Australia – Yarra Valley, Geelong.

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Syrah / Shiraz

Key points: Syrah is a majestic red that can age for

half a century, especially in cooler climates where wine is slightly acidic and maturation is very slow.

The grape seems to grow well in a number of areas and is capable of rendering rich, complex wines, with pronounced pepper, spice and black cherry aromas.

Known as Shiraz in Australia.

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Syrah / Shiraz

Characteristics: Deep in colour and relatively high in

alcohol, with notes of pepper, spices, violets and ripe red berries (raspberry, mulberry, blackberry).

In cold climates, brings out mint, pepperiness and spice.

As the climate gets warmer, changes from raspberry to blackberry, becoming chocolaty and with age tarry and gamey.

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Syrah / Shiraz

Examples of Syrah / Shiraz wines around the world: France – Northern Rhone (Cote Rotie, Hermitage,

Saint Joseph, Crozes Hermitage, Cornas)Smoky, floral, peppery, minty, spicy, raspberries.

California and South Africa

Australia – Barossa ValleyWorldwide reputation for great shiraz.Australia also blends it with Cabernet Sauvignon.

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Sparkling wine

• Length of fruit flavours– The longer the better (as per

still wine)• Texture of wine and bubbles

– Visually: small and slow rising bubbles. Mousse on the rim should be creamy and light.

– Taste: good quality has a creamy, gentle frothy texture neither aggressive or harsh. Low quality: course, prickly, ‘soda water-like’

What to look for in sparkling wine:

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Sparkling wine styles• Champagne (France)

– Blend of one or more of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier (and rarely Pinot Blanc).

– Rich, deep, biscuit flavour, softer mousse, bubbles from single source in the glass. Not every year has a vintage.

• Cremant de Loire (France)– Fine, delicate, sweeter, different to Champagne

• Cava (Spanish sparkling wine)– Frothy, dense lemon flavour, less creamy

• Spumante (Italian sparkling wine)– Talento – Dry and generally low in aromatics

• Sekt (German sparkling wine)– Lighter style of sparkling wine.

• New world– Large variety of styles. Sparkling reds increasingly

popular.

chapter 3 - international varietals

Documents

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cool climate melon

riesling key points

intense dry white

s greatest white wine

purity of fruit

fine aromatic white