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Illinicellar
Grape Sorter
Posts:348
 | | 10/14/2003 2:41 AM |
| | Considering the amazing amount of winemaking expression and variability out there, can anyone suggest a few wines, per variety, that truly express varietal characteristics? Do you feel that there are any true Shiraz's, Zin's or Cab's, etc. out there? After drinking wine for about 2.5 years steadily, I guess I am sort of confused on what a varietal is supposed to taste like. Are there any benchmark wines out there to teach me what the specific grape characteristics are? Thanks for any suggestions and I am enjoying this forum! | | | |
| Pool Boy
Laurl, MD (DC suburb)
Master of Wine
Posts:13711
| | 10/14/2003 2:43 AM |
| That is an excellent question illini-dude. I will let other more knowledgeable folks answer, since, despite my post count, I am woefully under-educated wine-wise. 
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www.roguefood.com -- www.cellartracker.com | |
| Jeremy Matthew
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2067
| | 10/14/2003 3:00 AM |
| Thats a really hard question. It has too many facets to be answered particularly accurately as I talked about in that Penguin Pinot thread.
Each varietal can be made in specific styles, ranging from full and ripe to soft and savoury. Could you be more specific? Ie Are you after a specific classical variety ( Say what should Aussie shiraz taste like?)or just something to give you an idea of what a varietal should taste like? | | | |
| David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15756
| | 10/14/2003 4:08 AM |
| There are several variable things that go into any variatle so saying what is a "true" taste of a certain grape is impossible IMO.
Weather, relates to the year.
Terroir, dirt.
Clone, there can be many clones of a particular grape.
Age or vine.
The vineyard manager.
The winemaker.
The barrels.
All of these are variable from wine to wine. I'm sure there are more but these are enough to make huge differences. | | | |
| TCK
Barrel Filler
Posts:1279
| | 10/14/2003 4:35 AM |
| The real point here is weather varietal correctness is even important.
Classically Syrah in the French Model is a dark brooding monster with aromas of game and tar and ample body and often austere in it's youth.
The Australians have turned that idea on it's ear. Shiraz's there are fruit bombs well worth drinking in their youth and full of excitiment.
Varietally correct burgundy would be a zippy earthy elegant mushroom flavored number.
Santa Rita Hills Pinot is rich bold 14%+ alcahol juice that has the structure of a Zinfandel. What a diffrence!
All of these wines are fantastic regardless of the fact they have nothing in common besides the grape that they are made from. This is a question that you well only be able to answer with comparitive tastings. You will spot similar aspects when you have multiple glasses in front of you. For the record if a pinot tates like a pinot it gets good marks from me. If it tates like a pinot and then adds something else it does even better. | | | |
| JimmyV
Central Connecticut
Wine Connoisseur
Posts:5112
| | 10/14/2003 1:17 PM |
| | Picking up on what davidn said, you have to remember that we are talking aboutwinemaking here, not just grape juice production. Inherent in the concept of winemaking is the expected, and much needed "tweaking" by the vineyard manager, barrel maker and winemaker. If there was a benchmark style or "recipe" for lack of a better word, of a varietal, wine could, and would be made by automatons. The art of winemaking is like any other art. There are many "styles" of painting. Impressionist, Cubist, Realism, Portrait etc. All artists start with canvas and paint. But the finished products differ greatly, thank God. It would be tough to say that one particular painting is the definitive representation of the Impressionist style, and that other paintings have pushed this or that feature too much, thus moving them away from the "norm". So too with wine. We want and need a variance of style and characteristic in wines made from the same grape(s). | |
Beta testing a new signature. | |
| Illinicellar
Grape Sorter
Posts:348
| | 10/15/2003 2:05 AM |
| I appreciate the replies! I guess what you are saying is answering my question and probably relates to how I have been exploring the red varieties. When I first started exploring wine, my first choice was always Sauvignon Blanc and I drank everything I could get my hands on. Then came the other white varietals. After the first year my tastes changed heavily to the red side. Since then, I have been drinking blends one night, then a Cab, a Shiraz, a Zin, etc. from all over the world. Not a very organized approach and little or no comparitive tastings, compared to drinking the whites, more or less in order.
I guess I started really thinking about where I wanted to go with exploring the reds. I read numerous tasting notes and saw several that implied that a certain wine was or was not varietally correct and realized that I wasn't sure if I knew the difference. Hence my question. I always knew, in the back of my mind, that worldwide styles are different but in my thought process, probably did not give that enough emphasis to satisfy my overly scientific mind! Even with my shotgun process, I'm enjoying traveling the road! Your answers have actually made me more intrigued about the whole process and these experiments are much more fun than work! Thanks again for the replies.
.........Actually, now that I think about it.....I wouldn't mind knowing more about the Aussie side of this varietal thing. I have been drinking more reds from Australia than anything. Love that fruit! Sorry, there goes that overly analytical mind thing again! Thanks | | | |
| TCK
Barrel Filler
Posts:1279
| | 10/15/2003 3:08 AM |
| Wow,
A guy who's willing to sit down and drink wine like a scientist! Your my kind of Wino.
Comparative tasting is the only way to learn about wine. Did you ever see Goodwill Hunting? Remember the part when Robin Williams tells Matt Damon, " I bet you could tell me every detail about the Cistine Chapell, but do you know what it smells like?". Same with wine, reading is important but tasting drives the point home. One thing I like about Andrea Immer's books is the tasting lessons in each chapter. They really help new comers and old pros. | | | |
| Craig Camp
Grape Stomper
Posts:107
| | 10/30/2003 8:13 PM |
| For Piemonte I would seek out the wines of Poderi Colla. These are pure and classically executed. They make Barbaresco, Barolo, Barbera and Nebbiolo d'Alba. I would also include the Baroli and Dolcetto of Marcarini in La Morra.
For Toscana I would have to say the wines of Riecine and Monsanto are the wines I find the best pure varietal examples of Sangiovese. In Emilia Romagna you also have great examples coming from Fattoria Zerbina.
That is the short list of the most popular regions. If people are interested I can put together a list of other Italian regions. | | | |
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