This month the #Winophiles are taking a look at French varieties made into wines around the world. While we could think of many examples from various regions we have visited, we want to shine a spotlight on our own backyard where the Okanagan Valley is making some truly world-class Chardonnay. (To read the other articles related to this month’s topic, please refer to the links at the end).
The beautiful vineyards at BC’s Blasted Church Winery.
Chardonnay has an association with Burgundy that is an unbreakable bond. That is simply because so many of the world’s most profound Chardonnay wines come from that region. The great wines of Puligny Montrachet, Chassagne Montrachet, Meursault and Chablis, among other Burgundy sub-regions, make the reference-point wines from the Chardonnay grape. But Chardonnay is a chameleon-like grape that has been successfully planted all over the world and shown its ability to adapt to new terroirs with the potential to make great wine outside of Burgundy as well as within. One of those regions that is rapidly gaining notice is the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Canada.
Mendoza is Argentina’s premier wine growing region. It is a high elevation plateau that has 350,000 acres planted to grape vines at the base of the Andes Mountains. The vineyards are planted at elevations of 2,600 to 5,000 feet, making them some of the highest vineyards on the planet. While many varieties (both red and white) are planted in Mendoza, Malbec is the star and the wine that has built this region’s reputation.
Our latest virtual winemaker interview is with the incredibly talented and engaging Scott & Marta Rich of Talisman Wine in Sonoma, California. Talisman is a small production winery that makes exclusively Pinot Noir from approximately 10 different vineyards throughout the region. We discovered their wines about 8 years ago at their charming tasting room in Glen Ellen (managed by the wonderful Amanda Lorren), and have been diehard fans ever since. In 2019, we interviewed Scott & Marta at Wildcat Vineyard which ended up being one of our most memorable interviews to date. In this virtual follow up, we talk about everything from the vineyards they work with, how the fires affected the 2020 vintage, how they’ve adapted to COVID, and their current release which marks their 25th vintage. Click on the video below to meet the exceptional people behind truly exceptional wines…
A sample of the limestone soils at BeauSejour Becot.
Minerality is a commonly used descriptor in the world of wine. We see it frequently when we read tasting notes. We see it as a term defined in the glossaries of wine books. We hear it used by winemakers when describing their wines. And, we use it ourselves. So just what is this minerality we and others speak of when talking about wine? Is it really there, in our glass? Do we even know what a mineral tastes like, or smells like?
The #WorldWineTravel group is kicking off 2021 by virtually exploring the world of wine, one country or region at a time. This month features one of our favourite regions of all, Rioja. We’ve been lucky enough to visit twice and we can’t wait to return once we can travel overseas again. Our submission is a primer aimed at providing a background on the region’s history, geography, climate, sub-regions, and styles of winemaking. To read the other articles related to this month’s topic, please refer to the links at the end of this article.
View of the Ebro River at Valpiedra Winery.
Rioja is Spain’s best known wine region. It occupies 63,593 Ha along both sides of the Ebro River in Northeastern Spain, spanning 100 km between the towns of Haro and Alfaro. The Rio Oja, a tributary of the Ebro, is where the region takes its name. Rioja is Spain’s oldest Denominacion de Origen (D.O.), the Spanish equivalent of a viticultural region, having earned the designation in 1926. In 1991 it earned the highest designation of Calificada (D.O.Ca.), and remains only one of two region in Spain to hold this designation alongside Priorat. It produces both red and white wines though over 90% of the production is red. Over 600 bodegas (wineries) call Rioja home. As a region it is capable of producing excellent wines, not just in the premium category, but it also can produce some incredible bargains.
Recent Comments