I recently read a cartoon about a wine drinker who shared his tasting notes, saying, “I’m getting a strong hint of grapes on the palate.” Why do we taste more than just the grapes used to make wine? In addition to the grapes used to make wine, there are many other factors which can greatly influence the taste of wine made with these grapes. A few of the most important of these factors are: terroir, winemaker techniques, and oak fermenters/aging. I will briefly discuss each of these factors below with some examples of wines that you can try and enjoy exploring these in your own “hands-on” experiment.
Wine Signatures
Grapes have their own unique signature aromas and taste. For instance, Sauvignon Blanc’s signature characteristics are grapefruit and lemongrass (even though neither are used to make the wine). Cabernet Franc is known for its bell pepper notes. Without getting too deep into the weeds, the aromas and flavors are largely an interaction of the grapes themselves, the chemical changes in the grapes, based upon the processes utilized by the winemaker during the fermentation and storage process, and the terroir of the grapes.
Terroir
There is a view, especially in Old World countries like France and Italy, that the most important factor in making good wine is the terroir (the place and environment in which the grapes are grown). The elements of terroir include things such as soil, topography, and climate.
Below is a Pinot Noir grown and produced in New Jersey (Turdo Vineyards) and a Pinot Noir grown and produced in California (Belle Glos). California is a huge state and there are many styles of Pinot Noir that you can find within the state. Even within New Jersey, the Pinot Noirs produced in Central New Jersey (like Unionville and Beneduce, which are also great) may taste more like those produced in France than in Cape May, New Jersey. While Turdo’s Pinot Noir, close to the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware River, may present somewhere between French Pinot Noir and California Pinot Noir. Warmer climate leads to a longer growing season and riper fruit. This may often result in a touch of sweetness and even a higher alcohol level, as the sugars convert to alcohol. The Turdo Pinot Noir is wonderful-rich, smooth, and very versatile. The ABV=12.5%. The Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Pinot Noir is also terrific. It has more body than a typical Pinot Noir and an ABV=14.8%.
Winemaker Techniques
Winemakers have many tools in their repertoire which can dramatically alter the taste of a wine. One of my favorites is a technique called Sur lie, which translated from the French means “on the lees.” Lees are the sediment that develops after yeast has remained in contact with the wine for a period of time during aging. This gives the wine (often used with Chardonnay) a round, full, creamy flavor. It may also present as nutty or brioche in the finished wine. An example of a New Jersey Chardonnay made in the Sur lie style is pictured below. It is the Auburn Road Vineyards White Bottle.
Another winemaking technique is using malolactic fermentation. If you have ever enjoyed a buttery Chardonnay, it is likely that this process was utilized. But it is not just used with Chardonnay. Nearly all red wines undergo malolactic fermentation. In red wines this process does not result in that buttery flavor, but does give the wine a softer, pleasing mouthfeel. Technically it is not a fermentation as no yeast is used in this process. A harmless bacteria is introduced to induce the chemical conversion of the malic acid (a tart tasting acid) into lactic acid (found in milk), which is softer and creamier.
Oak Fermentation/Aging
In general, wines made in stainless steel (or concrete) highlight the fruit. Some feel that they highlight the fruit without the “distractions” of added layers of flavors. Oaked wine lovers might say that the additional flavors are not a “distraction.” The oak adds complexity and nuance to the wine. When properly integrated with the wine it can result in a more elegant wine.
Oak commonly adds the following flavors: vanilla, caramel, chocolate, smoke, and spice (among many others). The type of wood (oak is the most common); size of the barrel; and age of the oak all have their own unique characteristics. For instance, new oak yields a more pronounced influence than older oak. American Oak is generally thought of as having a more conspicuous influence on taste than the more nuanced influence of French oak.
Chardonnay seems to be the wine where the battle lines are drawn over, “To oak, or Not to oak.” In general red wines are oaked more commonly than white wines, though oak and stainless steel are utilized for either. As last week’s post pointed out, concrete is also an alternative that many winemakers are starting to utilize.
Below are nice examples of an oaked Chardonnay (Hawk Haven Vineyards 2020 Reserve Chardonnay Signature Series Clone 76 & 95 and an unoaked Chardonnay (2019 Mersoleil Silver) from California. Both are great. The Hawk Haven Reserve Chardonnay is subtly oaked and pairs as well with food as the unoaked Mer Soleil Silver. A trend I have been noticing is, wines that are oaked are often more subtly oaked than a decade or so ago.
Miscellaneous
In addition to the characteristics listed above, some winemakers are using oak barrels previously used to store whiskey or Bourbon. Some folks pooh pooh these interesting efforts by these “rebels,”but I like wine and like bourbon. It was not a surprise to me that I like bourbon barreled wine-like the Amalthea 2018 Buffalo Trace Mourvèdre (pictured below). Autumn Lake also makes a great Chambourcin fermented in Bourbon barrels, they called Squankum.
An Interesting Collaboration
A few years ago, the Winemakers Co-Op started collaborating on making wines with shared grapes from each of the five present Winemakers Co-Op members. They include Unionville Vineyards, Beneduce Vineyards, Working Dog Winery, William Heritage Winery, and Hawk Haven Vineyards. They named these wines their Open Source wines. Each winery makes the same varietal, but chooses the style and other related decisions, but they all start with the same amount of the shared grapes from each winery.
Hawk Haven produced a barrel fermented and aged Rose. Beneduce made a wild yeast fermented Rose in stainless steel. Unionville made a stainless steel Rose. William Heritage made a traditional method Sparkling Rose. Working Dog made a wild yeast and barrel fermented Rose wine. These results are an excellent example of how the winemakers can make very different wines while utilizing the same exact grapes.
The photo below depicts the Hawk Haven Version of this collaboration of grapes to make a Rose wine. All wineries started with a wine with Merlot (40%); Cab Franc (40%); and Blaufrankisch (20%). I am looking forward to trying this one!
Coming Attractions
- Somer’s Point Brewing Company
- Merchantville Brewery
New Jersey Uncorked: A Snob-Free Taste of NJ Wine
Download your copy of my book about New Jersey wine and wineries today at Apple’s iBook app. Get it now for ONLY $7.99! Use coupon code Fall22.
Tried a New Jersey wine lately? Visited a NJ winery recently? Please share your experience here. Like what you read and see on these pages? It couldn’t be easier to scroll down, hit the “Subscribe” button and get your weekly pour of NJ wine right in your inbox. No spills. No mess.
