tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post8807242813138686213..comments2023-10-10T14:43:29.795-04:00Comments on Brooklynguy's Wine and Food Blog: Two Kinds of RipeBrooklynguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16321573602782343974noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-78459208564998490272009-10-24T20:27:40.054-04:002009-10-24T20:27:40.054-04:00Great article. This is our struggle here in Sonoma...Great article. This is our struggle here in Sonoma, where as fledgling winemakers, we are attempting Southern Rhone style varietals. The ripeness equation is the biggest challenge. Especially if you are not a fan of Parker Fruit Bombs.<br /><br />And yes, talk to any farmer around here (and the great winemakers are first and foremost farmers) and they'll tell you Global Warming is a bitch.Lisa paulhttp://leftcoastcowboy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-2383643218937997592009-07-06T19:24:29.009-04:002009-07-06T19:24:29.009-04:00I'm thinking in the Rocky's- like Colorado...I'm thinking in the Rocky's- like Colorado or Wyoming, I mean- why not, the soil is basically rock. The wines should be good in about 100 years!<br />B.benhttp://www.67wine.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-91843734144084828022009-06-24T22:44:16.915-04:002009-06-24T22:44:16.915-04:00Zebras?! Where are the zebras?Zebras?! Where are the zebras?Director, Lab Outreachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10624832393197386064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-68088944364662075742009-06-24T18:43:55.101-04:002009-06-24T18:43:55.101-04:00It's warmer than it used to be, so shouldn'...It's warmer than it used to be, so shouldn't ripeness occur earlier? Sugar ripeness - yes. Phenolic ripeness, not necessarily. What if grapes achieve sugar ripeness before phenolic ripeness is achieved? The grower must then either pick early, perhaps making wine with astringent tannins and a green streak, or must allow the grapes to hang longer, achieving higher sugars and wines of potentially higher alcohol. This is what I imagine is happening in Bandol and in Châteauneuf du Pape, and in other hot weather wine regions too.<br /><br />There certainly is evidence that riper wines get higher scores and more dollars.<br /><br />Is there any evidence that the acceleration of phenolic ripeness lags sugar ripeness? <br /><br />I think that this falls under the category of, "when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras."MATCOHENhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00015012194121360462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-41721388118285080732009-06-24T12:32:25.241-04:002009-06-24T12:32:25.241-04:00I know not the point of the post, but I think no o...I know not the point of the post, but I think no one, not even the so-called global warming deniers, claim that the last 20 years were not hotter than the previous 20. The question is whether this was caused by human activity, which I think, is far from certain. Just my 2 cents. This is not in any way to be construed as a defense of George Bush in any way whatsoever. He is beyond defense.Genenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-53227712336480085102009-06-23T19:02:11.877-04:002009-06-23T19:02:11.877-04:00I agree with Neil, Lars. Yes, you are.
This is a...I agree with Neil, Lars. Yes, you are.<br /><br />This is another great, educational post.<br /><br />TWG, you probably already know that if you dig down to the technical notes that some (but not all) producers/importers provide, you often do get information about brix at harvest and RS on bottling. It's probably not a hard and fast rule, but I'd say if a producer is willing to share this data, they're not likely to be spoofing their wines to conform to contemporary palate habits. Which is a good starting point to motivate purchase for me.<br /><br />I think this is an issue in Champagne as well (let's ask Peter, he'll know for sure!). There's only so much you can blend away. And the growers that Neil favors are not likely to be using reverse osmosis to reduce alcohol levels (which is why I favor them too). <br /><br />I read somewhere recently but can't remember where, about producers who were experimenting with trellising and sun exposure to promote phenolic ripening that better matches sugar ripeness. <br /><br />But they must be nuts. Parker'll never go for that.<br /><br />cheers (thell)Director, Lab Outreachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10624832393197386064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-64405558522762640262009-06-23T18:25:12.149-04:002009-06-23T18:25:12.149-04:00Jack - i was being sarcastic in the post. i disagr...Jack - i was being sarcastic in the post. i disagree with GW Bush on global warming, and on pretty much everything. we both like baseball though. <br /><br />TWG - i imagine that it's much easier to control alcohol in Champs via wine making process. muscadet, like the loire, seems not to be rising. although i've noticed some high alcohol savennieres lately. <br /><br />hey lars - yes you are. and thanks for all of your comments.Brooklynguyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16321573602782343974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-1236902762963152512009-06-23T17:59:09.881-04:002009-06-23T17:59:09.881-04:00You surprised me with this post. I appreciate the ...You surprised me with this post. I appreciate the kind words, but I'm no "wine thinker extraordinaire." Anyway, I do feel there has been a conscientious policy among some domaines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, as well as in other classic wine regions, to harvest later in order to make bigger, riper wines for Parkerites. In Châteauneuf, these are often the special cuvées. Certain local oenologists advise their clients to make the wines this way, which also includes more destemming than in the past. On the other hand, there are some very good and authentic cuvée spéciale as well.<br /><br />Jack brought up an excellent point in regard to certain clones producing higher alcohol levels. Ulli Stein, one of our growers on the Mosel, pointed out to me that his ungrafted, old vines reach full physiological ripeness at much lower sugar levels than most clonal vines. In Châteauneuf, however, many of the overripe and over-alcoholic wines are made from old vines.<br /><br />Next weekend, I'll be in Paris to meet Mark Williamson, also a longtime Rhône fan. He was telling me a story once that one of the Armenier sisters at Marcoux felt that maybe they need to plant more grapes such as Counoise, because Grenache tends to be higher in alcohol, sometimes exceeding 15° in recent vintages.Larshttp://www.moselwineblog.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-66151892844656098832009-06-23T06:28:00.138-04:002009-06-23T06:28:00.138-04:00There's also a lot of discussion of viticultur...There's also a lot of discussion of viticultural and wine making practices that raise ripeness levels.<br /><br />Two areas that don't seem to have been effected are Champagne and Muscadet.TWGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02592548268341500443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-29492138208692927152009-06-22T22:22:46.306-04:002009-06-22T22:22:46.306-04:00Global warming, as GW Bush said, is a load of hogw...<i>Global warming, as GW Bush said, is a load of hogwash spread around by environmentalist pagans. hat wisdom notwithstanding,</i> So, because it's "inconvenient" for George's friends, it's "hogwash"? Yet Global Warming is a fact, as what, 999 out of 1000 environmental scientists and "more than 45 scientific societies and academies of science, including <b>all of the national academies of science of the major industrialized countries" agree.</b><br /><br />So, what the heck you talkin' about?!<br /><br /><br />You did not mention, but another big factor thought to have caused the huge rise in alc. levels is the (re)planting of vines using clonal stock that produces higher alc. wines. <br /><br />Those 1966 Burgs and Rhones that are so great just aren't made/cannot be made anymore. Very sad. Very sad indeed.Jack Everitthttp://www.forkandbottle.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799854524070158890.post-58112624025722866062009-06-22T21:21:15.356-04:002009-06-22T21:21:15.356-04:00You've got the right idea about your land buys...You've got the right idea about your land buys, but check those soils.<br /><br />No one seems to test residual sugar levels in wines. Maybe the Lab Director could give it a try.TWGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02592548268341500443noreply@blogger.com