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Is Organic Better?

8/15/2013

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We see lots and lots of things increasingly being labeled as organic. But, what can we infer from this? Is Organic better?

In today’s world, it’s a good idea for us to take better care of the planet. With global warming being a significant threat to agriculture, rising oceans, the extinction of sensitive species, etc, we need to look at what we can do. As a consequence, the words “organic” and “sustainable” get thrown around a lot. Many (I dare say the vast majority) of vineyards are working toward sustainability, using fewer and gentler chemicals on their crops, monitoring water and fuel usage, and trying to increase the effectiveness of their fertilization programs to avoid water contamination. Sustainability, though less easily put into a box than organic, is easier to achieve. In a nutshell, Organic certification means you cannot use synthetic pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers, and this can be a major limitation. It does eliminate harsh chemicals, which keeps the water supply purer. It avoids some contamination of beneficial plants, insects, and animals that might come in contact with it, and also doesn’t leave harsh chemicals in the soil for generations. However it doesn’t necessarily always equal a lower environmental impact. In areas where diseases are a common problem (usually areas with more moisture in the air and more rainfall,) organic farmers must use far more of the organic sprays and pesticides than their sustainable counterparts, because, as a generalization, the organic versions aren’t as effective.  This means not only are they putting more chemicals (even if they’re less harsh) into the vineyard, they’re also using more fuel and spending more money making multiple sprays on the crops. Some diseases and pests can also build a tolerance to sprays, and as there are far fewer organic approved pesticides, growers can sometimes back themselves into a corner as their sprays become less and less effective. This is not smart environmentally OR financially.

If you are a grower in a dry, low-disease prone area, then organic may be a viable, smart option for you. Even if you don’t take the many, many steps toward actual organic certification (it’s a PROCESS,) you can consider using organic approved pesticides because you won’t have many sprays to do in a season (maybe not any, for certain diseases and pests.)

You might be wondering what this means for you as a consumer of wine. Ideally, the answer is “not much.” However, I think we’ve all fallen victim to the cleverness of organic marketing. We have grown to associate organic with higher quality. This is not necessarily true with wine. It’s not false, but not unequivocally true. If you see a wine labeled “Organic,” think about where it was made. Did it come from Oregon? Austria, Washington, California (and if so, which part? Mendocino? Lodi?) Think about what you know of the region. Is it warm and dry? Is it cool and moist? The wines from warm, dry areas are probably of similar quality to their non-organic counterparts. However, you might not be able to assume the same of the wines from the cooler, wetter, more disease-prone region. Producers attempting to be organic in these areas will have less non-contaminated fruit to choose from and might have to compromise the quality of the grapes they bring into the winery. This also may drive the price up, as high-quality fruit becomes more scarce in rainy or high-disease seasons.

I’m pretty hippy-dippy about lots of things, and generally want us all to take better care of the planet, however, I also think we all should bear these quality considerations in mind as we read marketing hype. Of course, you can’t 100% assume anything about a wine's quality till you open the bottle and try it! Cheers! 




Did You Know?
Due to DNA sequencing, we now know that some grapes with different names are actually the same! Primitivo has been shown to be the same grape as Zinfandel. What many Californians call Fume Blanc is actually Sauvignon Blanc. 
The more you know! 
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Noble What?!

3/16/2013

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As a general rule, rots and infection in the vineyard are considered a bad, bad thing. Depending on the level of infection, they can cause some serious economic damage.

Botrytis Cinera, a fungal infection can be bad news to a viticulturist, but interestingly, infected grapes can sometimes be desirable for their use in dessert wines. In these cases, it is referred to as “Noble Rot.” The difference between spoilage and nobility here really just depends on the weather conditions late in the growing season.

Botrytis loves moisture and therefore, if there’s too much rainfall or soupy, foggy weather while there are grapes on the vine, botrytis can set in. It is a fungus that necrotizes (eats) flesh, but requires a wound to the berry in order to get in. Therefore, it is more likely to really take hold later in the season, once the berries have sugar in them. Birds and insects come into the vineyard, try to snack on the berries, and then if there’s lots of moisture, the botrytis gets in through the little bite marks.

If things then stay wet in the vineyard, there’s going to be a likely problem with the crop as a white hairy layer will cover the clusters of grapes and the fungus will start to eat the berries' tissue. There ARE different ways in which viticulturists will manage and try to prevent botrytis. The specifics depend on whether the vineyard is sustainable (most are heading this way,) organic, or biodynamic.

However, if after the initial infection, the weather dries out, and it is very close to or exactly at the time of harvest, then this can be a perfect recipe for Noble Rot. In this case, the botrytis will suck the moisture out of the berries, thereby condensing the sugars, acids, and other flavor components in the fruit. Some winemakers will ask the viticulturist to let the infected berries hang on the vine for several days so that they dry out even further. Basically, they’re then making wine from semi-raisined grapes.

It makes for very sweet wines with a specific “noble rot” flavor (I think it tastes a teeny bit like subtle acetone- but in a good way,) which is prized as a delicacy.

Some wines made this way (if you’re curious to try them) are Sauternes from France (probably the best known,)
 Tokay from Hungary, Spatlese from Germany, and Ausbruch from Austria. 

Did you know?
On top of yeast (a fungus’) initial alcoholic fermentation, many wines- especially reds- undergo a second fermentation known as malolactic fermentation in which certain bacteria convert malic acid into lactic acid. This lactic acid has a smoother feel and can take the bite off of a too sour wine. 
Fungus, bacteria- yum! 

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Lice- Sadly Not Just for Mammals…

1/21/2013

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You may’ve heard somewhere about an epidemic that pretty much eviscerated France’s vineyards when it was introduced in 1868. If not, you’re about to. 

First, a little background on the difference between European and American grapes: 
Both European and (most) American grapevines share the same genus: Vitis. However, European grapes are of the species vinifera, whereas American grapes are of different species such as V. labrusca, V. rupestris, V. riparia and many more. 
(Sorry for all the technical botany stuff- it’ll come in handy later, I promise. There will be no exam!)

Phylloxera, a tiny root louse, was introduced when American grapes were taken back to France for experimental planting. It is native to many eastern regions of the US so many American vines have developed enough resistance to keep living and producing fruit (though not truly an immunity as some will suggest.) However, V. vinifera, having evolved in Europe, had no such defenses. So when phylloxera was introduced to France in soil surrounding American vines, the destruction was brutal. By 1900, close to 75% of French vineyards had been severely affected and it had also spread to the rest of Europe, causing a major economic disaster

So, what to do?

Because European wines had come to depend on specific varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, etc) it wouldn’t really do to just start making wine out of American grapes. They have some significant taste differences (think of the specific flavor of Concords) and much tradition would be lost… 

Due to the way grapevines reproduce (I actually won’t go into detail here,) cross breeding between American and European grapes wouldn’t be ideal either- you’d lose the traditional varietal color and flavor characteristics and there’s no way to guarantee that the phylloxera resistance would actually be passed on.

So, that’s where grafting came into play (this totally blew my mind when I first learned of it- and seeing it done in person was awesome.) It is now commonplace to take the roots and below soil portion of an American grapevine and graft it to the upper, fruiting portion of a European variety. Voila! You have a plant that produces yummy, traditional wine grapes on the top, yet has roots that won’t get destroyed by lice! The vast majority of grapevines in Europe (and many in the US) are now rooted on American rootstock! Pretty neat, huh?


Did you know? 
Due to the phylloxera epidemic, most states with significant viticulture observe strict quarantine rules and participate in clean breeding programs led by UC Davis. Though many vineyards are not legally required to participate, they are strongly encouraged by state agencies. Washington State has yet to see any significant phylloxera infestation thanks to these efforts. Similarly, Australia has seen little to no infestation and is the only place in the world where Vitis vinifera is commonly grown on its own roots.
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    I'm a wine-loving actress in the Windy City who holds certificates in Enology and Viticulture from Washington State University. I also own a hilarious cat.

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