Part III -- Macro-Level characteristics: The definitive comparison of Champagne, Franciacorta, Prosecco, and Cava

What I refer to as macro-level characteristics are critical determinants of wine quality and in this post I detail the relative positions of each of the subject wines vis a vis these elements.

Location

The first major characteristic examined is location. Champagne is located at 49ºN latitude, 160 kilometers to the east of Paris, while Franciacorta (represented by Brescia) and Prosecco DOC (represented by Treviso) are at 45.5ºN  and Barcelona is 600+ miles south of Champagne at 41ºN latitude. The northern location of Champagne (close to the outer limit of accepted viable grape-growing zones) makes it difficult for grapes to ripen, resulting in acidic base wines which require the bubbles of the second fermentation to make them sparkle. Grapes in Franciacorta, for example, have no difficulty ripening and the resultant wines are richer than Champagnes of an equivalent sweetness level.

Climate

Climate is the average course of weather in a region over an extended period as measured by temperature, precipitation, and wind speed, among other variables. The climate of a grape-growing region will determine, to a large extent -- and all things being equal -- both the grape varieties that can be grown and the styles of wine that can be produced. That is not to say that these varieties cannot be grown outside of these environments; that is to say, however, that varietal typicity is compromised when these varieties are grown outside of their "zones."  Again, there are key differeneces between the regions.

Located as far north as it is, Champagne has the lowest average temperature of any French wine-growing region and, consequently, grapes do not ripen adequately over the course of a growing season. The northernmost outposts of the region are about 290 kilometers from the English Channel and are subject to oceanic influences. These areas experience regular rainfall but very little variation in temperature from season to season. As the traveler journeys south, however, continental climatic influences come into play to include: winter and spring frosts; summer sunshine coupled with violent thunderstorms; cold, wet weather in June; and hailstorms. Mean rainfall in the region is 700 mm.

Franciacorta is mild in the winter and hot in the summer. The climate is moderated by winds blowing in off Lakes Iseo and Garde which protect the region from the autumnal and hibernial fogs that threaten from the Brescian plains. Rainfall in the region is concentrated in the spring and fall.

Prosecco DOC wines are authorized for production in all of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto (provinces of Treviso, Belluna, Padova, Venezia, and Vicenzia) while the DOCG wines are authorized for production in Treviso.

In general, Friuli-Venezia Giulia has a humid, temperate climate which varies according to the landscape; areas to the north experience an alpine continental climate while those in the south experience a Mediterranean climate. The Alpine system protects the region from icy north winds but air movement from east to west causes low pressure systems which can bring summertime hailstorms and thunderstorms. Being open to the Adriatic, the region experiences Sirocco winds which can bring heavy rainfall. The climate is modified by the presence of the Adriatic Sea and the Alps resulting in warmer winter temperatures and cooler summer temperatures. Mean temperature in the summertime is 22.8℃ (73℉) and mean rainfall is 1524 mm (60 inches). Vineyards to the north and east lie above the level of the fog that flows in occasionally from the Adriatic and this allows the grapes to take advantage of the increased hang time to promote phenolic ripening. The diurnal shift is somewhat mitigated by maritime influences closer to the coast. There is a constant breeze known as "la bora" flowing in from the Adriatic and this provides great air flow in the vineyards as well as serving as a deterrent to fungal outbreaks.

Veneto has two major climatic regions: an alpine region -- characterized by cool summers and snowy winters -- and the mild winters and warm summers that are associated with the hills and plains. The overall region is protected from the severe northern European climate by the Alps, the foothils of which abut the area's northern flank. One of the most well-regarded Prosecco growing areas -- Connegliano-Valdobbiadene -- sits halway between the Alps and the sea and is blessed with a cool climate, bountiful sunshine, and generous rainfall.

Fully 95% of the Cava produced originates in Catalonia's Penedès, a wine region located about 40 kilometers southwest of Barcelona, and, as such, its climate will be the basis for our discussion of the DOs climate. Penedès is surrounded by the Monserrat range which provides a protective barrier from the heat and humidity of the Mediterranean as well as the cold winds -- levanter -- from the north and east. The climate is Mediterranean with annual temperatures averaging 15.5℃ (60℉) across the region but with slightly differing micro-climates within its three sub-zones. In Baix Penedès, the area closest to the coastline, elevation ranges between 0 and 250 meters and the temperature is milder, thanks to its proximity to the sea. In Penedès Superior -- 500 - 800 meters elevation -- there is greater rainfall than in the companion zones and a greater differential between maximum and minimum temperatures. Penedès Central (250 - 500 meters) experiences a mix of the Superior and Baix microclimates.

The grapes grown in Champagne would be expecetd to have higher acidity levels at harvesting than grapes from the other regions resulting in greater freshness in the wine. This increased acidity comes at the cost of less sugar resulting in higher levels of sugar added to the wines in order to attain end-state sweetness levels. Freshness levels would dedcline with movement towards the south.

Soils

The soil in Champagne is composed of massive chalk deposits interspersed with rocky outcroppings and covered with a thin layer of topsoil (mix of sand, marl, clay and lignite which requires constant renewal through fertilization. The chalk deposits in Champagne are finer-grained and more porous than other French limestone soils -- and have extremely high concentrations of the mineral marls Belemnite (younger and found higher up on the growing slopes) and Micraster (older and located on the valley floors) -- while the rocky outcroppings are 75% limestone plus chalk and marl. Chalk has excellent drainage as well as water-retention properties in that its micro-pores can absorb water during wet periods and slowly release it during drier periods. In addition chalk will also reflect sunlight and heat thus aiding in the ripening of the grapes. The chalk soil allows the vine roots to dig freely and deeply in search of water and nutrients and also retains a constant temperature year round.  One of the disadvantages of this alkaline lime-rich soil is that it prevents the uptake of minerals -- such as iron, copper, and magnesium -- which are needed for the prevention of chlorosis. The Côte de Bars region of Champagne has a Kimmeridgian soil of the same construct as the soils that underpin the vineyards of Chablis and Sancerre. This ridge of limestone and shellfish is nutrient rich and provides the optimal level of water retention and drainage for the growth of high-quality grapes.

Thanks to exhaustive zoning studies conducted in the Franciacorta region in the late 1990s by the University of Milan, a very clear picture of soil differentials -- and the contributions of each type to the finished product -- has been established. The figure below shows that the combination of landscape units (formations by geologic era) and soil types results in six distinct regional terroirs. The figure illustrates that the soil, vegetative productive, qualitative, and organoleptic characteristics of each terroir has also been identified. The details of those characteristics are contained in the table following.

The Friuli-Venezia landscape can be divided into four major areas: (i) the mountainous region to the north which includes the Carnian and Julian alps with peaks in excess of 2000 meters; (ii) a hilly area that is south of the mountains and along the Slovenian border; (iii) the central plain which is characterized by poor soil which has been made fertile through irrigation; and (iv) the coastal flatlands which is low and sandy to the west of the Isonzo River and rocky to its east. The soil in the region is calcium-rich marl and sandstone in hilly regions and clay, sand, and gravel elsewhere.
According to bottlenotes.com, Veneto has "silty, sandy soil with influences of clay and calcareous debris."

The soil in the Penedès region is a mix of limestone, sand, and clay with a chalky top layer preceding a layer of clay which in turn overlays a rocky base.

The regions have differing soil types with the Champagne region appearing to have a complexity of composition which is exceptionally beneficial for its grapes.  The thinness of the topsoil, and associated fertilization costs, plus the poor uptake capability regarding minerals are noted.  These have not been gating factors based on the history of the region and its wines.  In a future post in this series we will investigate how much soil matters to sparkling wine given (i) blending across soils in some regions and (ii) the degree of manipulation that is associated with construction of these products.

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The table below summarizes the points discussed in the foregoing.

The next post in the series will cover the production environments.  Click below to read earlier posts in the series.

Part I
Part II

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Part II -- Regulatory histories: The definitive comparison of Champagne, Franciacorta, Prosecco, and Cava

The regulatory histories of Champagne and Prosecco are bound up in brand protection strategies and questions as to the physical boundaries of the brand and who/what would be excluded from the brand inner circle.  The case of Champagne was further complicated by an internecine war between the French Departments of Marne and Aube as to wheteher Aube should be considered a part of Champagne or a part of Burgundy. The regulatory histories of Prosecco and Franciacorta were tame in comparison.

In the 1890s and early 1900s, the grape growers in Marne and Aube felt that the Champagne Houses were bringing grapes in from other French regions, blending it with local grapes, and calling the resulting product Champagne.  This was a problem on two levels: (i) It had quality implications in that bad product would reflect directly on the "Champagne" growers and (ii) more importantly, it provided competition for local grapes in an environment where prices were already deathly low. Growers organized themselves into the Fédérations des Syndicats Viticoles de la Champagne and lobbied the government to pass laws that would make it a fraudulent act to sell a wine as Champagne if it was made, wholly or in part, with grapes from "foreign" sources. The Law of August 1, 1905, went a long way to meeting the organization's goal in that it allowed the government to regulate the composition and origin of wine "of general and specific areas" (maisons-champagne.com) and to pursue offenders.

In order to "flesh out" the 1905 Law, a December 1908 Law defined the areas that would be considered as Champagne for wine-production purposes.  The areas designated as such were Marne and selected communes in Aisne to a total of 33,500 hectares.  A subsequent Law passed on the 17 June, 1911 designated Aube as a Champagne-Deuxième Zone, a classification which would prevent Aube-resident growers from selling their grapes into the main Champagne region.  The Aube growers were unhappy with this solution and they took the issue up again after the end of WWI and got relief with the Law of May 6, 1919 which defined the Champagne wine-growing region in terms of size as well as grape varieties.  Marne inhabitants disputed the Law and it was placed in the hands of an arbitrator for final resolution.  His findings, which made their way into the Law of 1927, defined the AOC system for all of France, did away with the Champagne-Deuxième Zone, and included Aube in the Champagne AOC (maisons-champagne.com).

Champagne region post the 1927 Law (Map source: terroir-france.com/wine/champagne_map.htm)

Beginning in 1935, a governing body was put in place to "ensure that wines called Champagne consistently meet definitive quality standards, both inside and outside the region" (Margaret Weeks, A Toast to the Good Life: Exploring the Regulation of Reason, April 2003, leda.law.harvard.com).  Organizational names have changed over the years but the mission has remained the same. The progression of organizations are as follows: Commission of Chalons -- established by the French Government in 1935; Commission of Chalons dissolved by the Vichy Government during WWII and replaced with the Bureau National de Repartition des Vins de Champagne; and Vichy organization was replaced by the Comite Interprofessional du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), the organization that manages the process up to this day.

On Friday March 14, 2008, decanter.com reported (New Champagne areas defined) the first major changes to the Champagne region since the passage of the 1927 Laws. According to the report, the grape-growing zone was to be expanded from 319 communes to 357, the wine-production zone was to be expanded from 634 communes to 675, and two wine-growing communes were to be struck from the  list of approved growing areas.

The Prosecco DOC was first awarded in 1969 and was restricted to wines produced in the Conegliano-Valdiobbadene region.  Growers felt that the brand was under attack by "imitators" using just the grape variety and moved to isolate those competitors by changing both the rules and the venue of the game.  Prosecco growers agitated for, and gained regulatory acceptance of: (i) extension of the Prosecco DOC to cover all of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia and approximately two-thirds of Veneto; (ii) promotion of the original Prosecco DOC to DOCG status; (iii) changing the name of the source grape from Prosecco to Glera; and (iv) restricting the use of the name Prosecco only to Glera sparkling wines produced within the delimited zones.  The growers felt that these actions would serve to protect their territory, the brand, and the quality of Prosecco.  The regulations authorizing these actions came into law in 2009.

Pre-2009 Prosecco regulated zone (Map source: prosecco.it)

Post-2009 Prosecco regulated zone (Map source: prosecco.it)

As I mentioned previously, there were no perceived existential threats to either the Cava or Franciacorta brands so their regulatory histories were relatively tumult-free. The Trade Regulations for Sparkling and Fizzy Wines was first established in Spain in 1959 and was formalized in the 1969 Order of the Ministry of Agriculture wherein Cava was acknowledged as the term for sparkling wines made with second fermentation in the bottle. The 1972 Minesterial Order established the Regulatory Board of Sparkling Wines -- comprised of vinegrowers, producers, and Community Representatives -- which oversees the growing, production and marketing of Cava. Cava was granted DO designation in 1986 and is considered a quality wine under the EU Laws.

The Franciacorta Consorzio was founded in 1980 and the region obtained DOCG status in 1986.

My next post in the series will focus on the physical characteristics of the regions.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Part I -- Origins: The definitive comparison of Champagne, Franciacorta, Prosecco, and Cava

I know. This is a rather presumptuous title. But over the course of the past two years I have penned quite a few posts on the individual regions and wines and I will, in this series, attempt to bring those previous writings together in a way that allows the attainment of the promise of the post title. I begin this series with today's post on the origins of these sparklers. Enjoy (I hope).

The Champagne founding myth has been built around Dom Pérignon, a monk and cellarmaster at the Abbey of Hautvilliers, near the city of Reims, and his apocryphal statement "Come quickly ... I am tasting the stars."  This origin story has been called into question by the facts on the ground. According to Don and Petie Kladstrup, in their seminal work on the history of Champagne (Champagne, Harper 2005), "... most of the wine that Dom Pérignon made was red, not white, and definitely not sparkling." Rather, the good monk thought of bubbles as faults and worked assiduously to get rid of them. Further, according to the authors, an inventory of the Abbey's wines taken two years prior to the Dom's passing shows mostly red wines and some whites.  Finally, the type of bottles that were being utilized at the Abbey were not strong enough to withstand the pressures associated with secondary fermentation in the bottle.

It is more likely that the secondary fermentation process -- the hallmark of Champagne -- was invented by Christopher Merret (1614 - 1695), an English Scientist who is credited with being the first person to deliberately add sugar to wine in order to create bubbles. Merret's experiment is documented in a report to the British Royal Society titled "Some Observations Concerning the Order of Wine" (Maurizio de Rosa, On Wine: Who invented sparkling wine? The Epoch Times, 8/30/11; James Tozer, Pardon Messieurs, but Champagne was a BRITISH invention, claims new research, dailymail.co.uk, 9/26/08). Further adding credibility to this origin story is the fact that Merret also worked on the strengthening of glass bottles (Tozer).  At the time English bottles were stronger because they were blown over coal fires (higher temperatures) while the French were restricted to blowing glass over lower-temperature, charcoal-fueled fires.

Franciacorta's origin does not stretch as far back as does Champagne's.  Enologist Franco Ziliani had been engaged by the Berlucchi estate to help with the stabilization of its wines. While undertaking that effort, Ziliani also sought to convince Guido Berlucchi that the area was well suited to the production of a sparkling wine using the methode champenoise.  Berlucchi gave him the go ahead and, after a number of tries, Ziliani successfully produced his first batch of sparkling wine in 1961.

Cava's history begins with the experimental work of Luis Justo Villanueva while he was attached to the Institut Agricola Catalé de Sant Isidro, work that was built on by Francesco Gil and Domingo Sobrano de Reus when they made sparkling wine to be displayed at the 186l Exposition in Paris (Cava, the Spanish sparkling wine made by the Champagne method, spanish-wine.org).  It should be noted that all these early tests utilized Champagne varieties as the source material. In 1872, the first bottles of Cava using the second-fermentation-in-bottle method were made in the town of of Sant Sadurni which eventually became the Cava capital of Spain.  Phylloxera-induced replantings in the late1880s led to the supplanting of the Champagne varieties with the varieties utilized today and the distinctive nature of the wine vis a vis Champagne.

Historical records show a knowledge of Prosecco that stretches back to Roman times; there is some speculation that it may have even been the vinum pucinum praised by Pliny the Elder (wine-grape.findthedata.org, folladorprosecco.co.uk; intowine.com).  The Prosecco that was drunk 150 years ago was, based on the production method, slightly fizzy and sweet. Grapes were pressed and fermentation initiated but winter would kill the yeast and halt fermentation prior to completion.  This partially fermented wine was bottled and, in the spring, would evidence trapped carbon dioxide (probably the result of refermentation initiated by dormant yeast cells). The writing was on the wall for this style of Prosecco with the opening of the Carpené Malvoti winery in 1868 and its practice of making Prosecco in large tanks, implementation of a proto-Charmat method of sparkling wine production.

According to Bortolomiol.com, Maumèné was the fiirst person to consider speeding up the process by fermenting sparkling wine in large containers rather than in bottles.  In 1852 he built a machine called the "afroforo" in which he tested this proposition. Once the sediment had settled out, the wine was siphoned off and bottled.  This application, while demonstrating the workability of the process, was not considered commercially feasible.  The former Director of the Enological Experimentation Institute of Asti, Federico Martinotti, was the next person to move the ball down the field.  In 1895 he patented the use of an autoclave -- a pressurized metal container -- for fermentation of the grape juice.  This advancement served to industrialize the process but did not improve its market acceptability.  Instead it was the improvements -- including the use of lined steel autoclaves -- of Eugene Charmat, a Frenchman, which finally made the Charmat method a commercial success.

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The classic method, as implemented in the production of Champagne, is clearly the oldest of the sparkling wine production methods and its success has been a catalyst for the efforts of other regions.  Based on the data presented, it was approximately 200 years after the introduction of Champagne before the commercial efforts at modern sparkling wines were undertaken in the Cava and Prosecco initiatives.  Prosecco and Cava development activities were co-incident.  While the consensus is that it is more economical to produce sparkling wines using the Charmat method, three of the four sparkling wines described herein, opt for the traditional method.

My next post will cover the regulatory history of these regions.


©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Massolino: "Family-Style" Barolos

Sunday October 14th was the last day of the Decanter Piedmont Reader Weekend; and we were not happy about that. We had had a great time to date visiting wineries, speaking to proprietors, eating great food, and drinking great wine; and we did not want it to end.  Well, pouting would not help.  We had a full day of activities still ahead of us, beginning with a morning winery tour and tasting with Massolino estate in Serralunga d'Alba.

Serralunga d'Alba is a small, medieval village in the Langhe region of Piedmont that is 7100 meters long, 1800 meters wide at its widest point, sits on a hill 414 meters above sea level, and serves as the eastern flank of the Barolo wine production zone.  According to massolini.it, Serralunga d'Alba is one of only three of the 11 Barolo communes that are contained in their entirety within the production zone (the remaining two are Barolo and Castiglione Falletto).

According to Gambero Rosso (Serralunga Barolo: The unrushable wine; gamberorosso.it), Serralunga d'Alba has "compact, sandstone-based soils dating from the Helvetian period."  These soils are high in sand, limestone, iron, phosphorous, and potassium and, as a result, produce wines that are intense and structured and that need time to mature.

When we arrived at the Massolino Cantina after our trip from the hotel, we were greeted in the courtyard by a smiling Franco Massolino who proceeded, during the course of an introductory "seminar" in the courtyard, and continuing dialogue during the course of our walking tour, to detail the estate's philosophy and practices.

The Massolino winery was created by Giovanni Massolino in 1896 and all through the years it has been operated as a family enterprise with brothers Franco and Roberto, enologists both, managing the current incarnation.  The style of wine espoused by the family is a pure expression of Nebbiolo which demonstrates a balance between power and excellence.  Franco refers to this style as "classic" and sees aging in large barrels as a key enabler of that style because the barrels respect and protect the classic bouquet of Nebbiolo.  There was an idea in the market, according to Franco, that consumers would like a wine that was dark in color and some winemakers began to use barriques for aging in order to acquire this darkening effect.  That is not classic Nebbiolo and the decision was made by the estate in 2006 to return to its roots and only age Barolo in large bottes.

Massolino is focused on the production of the highest quality wines possible and, towards that end, grows all of its own grapes. The principal estate vineyards are detailed in the table below.

The grape varieties planted at Massolino vineyards include Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, Moscato, and Chardonnay.  The estate began making Chardonnay wines in 1991 based largely on a sense that the variety would thrive in the region's chalky soil.

Fermentation is carried out in resin-lined cement tanks or stainless-steel tanks.  Cement tanks are desirable for their ability to maintain purity of fruit and freshness, according to Franco.  He also mentioned that 10 to 15 years ago, consultants had been recommending deserting cement tanks for stainless steel.  Massolino had not gone down that path and now cement is back in vogue.  Their choice is to use cement vats and when those are not available then use stainless.

Large Slovenian oak casks are used for aging all the wines with the exception of the Chardonnay and Barbera which are aged in barriques.

After our walk-through of the winery, we repaired to the tasting room to sample some of the estate's offerings:

• 2011 Chardonnay -- The grapes were picked a little early in the cycle.  Some of the fruit was aged in cement and some in oak and then blended. Golden yellow color. Sweet white flower and vanilla nose.  A rich creaminess resulting from 9 months of battonage.  Chalky minerality and spiciness.  Persistent finish.
• 2011 Dolcetto -- Stainless steel and cement in search of a pure expression of fruit.  Cherries.  Good body. Spicy. Fresh. Soft tannins. Long finish.  Franco felt that this wine would be great with appetizers but felt that the freshness and tannins would allow it to be drunk with the entire meal.
• 2011 Barbera -- Fermented in stainless steel and cement. Turpentine and petrol on the noseRed pepper and rust on the palate.  Tight and short on the finish.
• 2010 Barbera -- 5000-bottle production.  Aged for 18 months in barrique.  Extracted color and more appealing nose.  Strawberry and spice.  RIch with good acidity.
• 2010 Langhe Nebbiolo -- Violet, green flower, dill, marine, spiciness.  Freshness and purity of fruit.  Non-corrosive tannins.
• 2010 Barolo Classico -- Translucent. Sweet tar, tobacco, and hint of violets.  Molasses on the palate along with weightiness, texture, and balance.
• 2007 Margheria -- Perfumed nose.  Fresh, pure fruit. Elegant with a long finish.
• 2007 Parafada -- Closed.
• 2007 Parussi -- Tar. Green bean. Non-complex.Chalky minerality. Long finish.
• 2005 Riserva Vigna Rosada -- Complex. Bean. Stale beer. Elegance.Late-arriving tannin. Great acidity with a long mineral finish.

This winery's focus on quality was evident in Franco's conversation as well as the look and feel of the surroundings.  This is an estate that knows the type of wines that it wants to produce and is doing so to the tune of 120,000 bottles annually.  The winery has explored what modernity has to offer and have adopted the things that have improved the quality of the operations but have discarded those which have led away from what they perceive to be the traditional style (the family style) of Barolo.


©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Cava: Spain's bubbly answer

Cava production, driven largely by the wine's straightforward flavors and perceived value, exceeds 200,000,000 bottles annually, making it second only to Champagne in volume terms.  In this post I will examine the region, its wine, and the issues it confronts.

Prior to Spain's entry into the EU, its sparkling wine was called Champán or Champaña. With the EU regulation that all sparkling wines called Champagne has to originate from the Champagne region of France, the Spanish sparkling was renamed Cava, a reference to the place -- caves-- where the early wines were stored for aging.  Cava was granted DO designation in 1986 on Spain's entry into the EU.

Cava is produced in 159 municipalities spread across Catalonia, Aragon, Navarra, Rioja, and Valencia but fully 95% of that production originates in Catalonia's Penedès, a wine region located about 40 kilometers southwest of Barcelona.

Penedès is surrounded by the Monserrat range which provides a protective barrier from the heat and humidity of the Mediterranean as well as the cold winds -- levanter -- from the north and east. The climate is Mediterranean with annual temperatures averaging 15.5℃ (60℉) across the region but with slightly differing micro-climates within its three sub-zones. In Baix Penedès, the area closest to the coastline, elevation ranges between 0 and 250 meters and the temperature is milder, thanks to its proximity to the sea. In Penedès Superior -- 500 - 800 meters elevation -- there is greater rainfall than in the companion zones and a greater differential between maximum and minimum temperatures. Penedès Central (250 - 500 meters) experiences a mix of the Superior and Baix microclimates.

Source: dopenedes.es

The soil in the Penedès region is a mix of limestone, sand, and clay with a chalky top layer atop a layer of clay which in turn overlays a rocky base.

While the Méthode Champenoise is utilized in the production of Cava, the traditional Champagne grapes, if used at all, are bit players in this drama.  The prime varieties used in Cava are Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parelleda but small amounts of Chardonnay, Malvasia, Pinot Noir, Trepat, Red Grenache, or Monastrell can be used in the blend. Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parellada are grown in both Baix and Central Penedès but the highest-quality Parellada grapes are grown in Penedès Superior.

Source: crcava.es

In order to be called Cava, the sparkling wine made in the region has to be aged a minimum of 9 months before being taken to market.  Many producers age their wines for 2 to 4 years in order to provide wines with more character.  To be classified as Gran Reserva, a Cava has to be aged for at least 30 months.

Cava DO can be either white or rosé styled as follows:

• Brut Nature -- 0 to 3 g/l
• Extra Brut -- 3 to 6 g/l
• Brut -- 6 to 12 g/l
• Extra Dry -- 12 to 17 g/l
• Dry -- 17 to 32 g/l
• Semi-Dry -- 32 to 50 g/l
• Dulce -- > 50 g/l.

The attractiveness of Cava is tied to its perception as a "crisp, fruity, well-balanced" sparkling wine with straightforward flavors which can be acquired at prices well below the cost of Champagne. For example, I have called upon the services of the NV Segura Viudas Cava Aria Brut on many an occasion and have been impressed by the pineapple, honey, pear, and bread aromas and flavors which have been delivered at the pocket-pleasing price of $12/bottle. The leading Cava producers are Codorniu, Freixenet, and Segura Viudas.

Cava production in 2011 was 239,556,000 bottles, 63.5% of which was exported.  While domestic consumption in 2011 fell by 8.7% over 2010 ( a result of current economic conditions within the country), exports increased by 2% resulting in an overall reduction in production of 2.14%.  The primary export markets for Cava are Germany, the UK, Belgium, and the US in that order.

But it is not all peaches and cream in Cava-land.  According to an article on decanter.com (Friday, November 2, 2012), producers in the Penedès wine region are deserting the Cava appellation and branding their wines as Spanish sparkling.  The producers are taking this action because they feel that the Cava brand has a poor image with low prices baked in in many markets. Further, these producers feel that the appellation is too large to be managed or regulated effectively.  According to Josep Albet, President of the Regulatory Council of Penedès (as quoted in the article), nine producers have already deserted the appellation and five others are poised to follow.  He will be making two recommendations to the authorities as potential solutions to the problem: (i) shrink the appellation and (ii) have the entire Penedès region designated organic.  The latter proposal is seen as adding value and allowing market differentiation.  This is an issue in its early stages and it is not yet clear how it will evolve.  It is unclear however how a Spanish sparkling branding would work as I already think of Cava as Spanish sparkling.


©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Italian Merlots: Tenuta dell'Ornellaia's Masseto (Bolgheri, Tuscany)

Any discussion of Merlot wines generally begins with a deep bow in the direction of Bordeaux's right bank and wines such as Le Pin, Pétrus, L'Eglise-Clinet and a host of others that are produced in Pomerol and neighboring St. Emilion.  And that acclaim is justified.  But Merlot wines from Bordeaux no longer have a monopoly on greatness as a number of small-production, mono-varietals reared in the Bolgheri region have begun to gain critical acclaim.  Names such as Masseto (Wine Spectator 100 points in 2001), Redigaffi (Wine Spectator 100 points in 1997 and 2000), and Messorio (Wine Spectator 100 points, 2004), among others, have grabbed the attention of critics and wine collectors alike and, in so doing, have led to steady value appreciation for those lucky enough to own these wines.

I will be exploring these Italian Merlots in a series of upcoming posts beginning with today's post on Tenuta dell'Ornellaia's Masseto, an estate which I had the privilege of visiting last year with a Bordeaux Index team.

The Ornellaia estate encompasses 180 hectares -- 97 of which are planted to vine -- divided between two properties: the 37 hectares of vineyards and the winery on Via Bolgherese and a 60-hectare property called Bellaria which is located to the north of Bolgheri.  The Via Bolgherese property is divided into a 30.37-hectare vineyard dedicated to fruit for non-Masseto Ornellaia wines and a 6.63 hectare vineyard dedicated to the growth of Merlot grapes for the fabled Masseto wine.

The Masseto vineyard lies on soil comprised of thin silty clay and broken rock fragments. There is some confusion as to the planting date of the vines with the Masseto website stating the year 1984 as the planting date and other sources (see hermitagewine.com/masseto) using 1981 as the planting date.  The older date seems to be more reasonable as the first vintage of the wine is identified as being offered on the market in 1986.

The Masseto vineyard is sub-divided into three distinct sections based on soil characteristics and resultant wines.  The lowest section of the vineyard is called Masseto Junior and its soils are characteristically a clay-sand mix.  According to the winery the wines produced frrom grapes grown in this section are lighter and serve to smooth out the tannic roughness associated with the wines from the other sections as well as contributing to the overall delicacy of the final product.  The middle portion of the vineyard is called Masseto Centrale and has the highest levels of Pliocene clays.  Wines produced from these grapes are powerful, concentrated, and tannic.  The top portion of the vineyard is located 120 meters above sea level and the soil here consists of loose clays and sand along with pebbles.  The soil here is the shallowest in the overall vineyard and the grapes tend to ripen earliest.  The wines produced from this section of the vineyard are dense and linear.

Source: masseto.com

The Tenuta dell'Ornellaia winemaker is Alex Heinz and the winery's philosophy is "quality without compromise."  The quality begins in the vineyard and continues throughout the winemaking process.  Grapes are hand-harvested and subjected to a three-part selection process which ensures that only the best berries make it to the fermentation tanks. Suspect grapes are selected-out in the vineyard and before and after de-stemming.

Fermentation is conducted in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and oak vats with each block fermented separately.  Blocks are aged in wooden barriques for one year prior to being blended into the final wine by the winemaker.  The barriques of choice are procured from the Massif Central area in France and have a medium toast.  After blending, the wines are returned to the barriques for an additional year of aging.  Specific lots of wines may be clarified prior to bottling depending on their characteristics.  The wines are aged for an additional year in bottle before being released to the market.

Source: masseto.com

Source: masseto.com

Annual production of Masseto averages around 30,000 bottles and the wine sells for around $450 upon release.  Recent vintages that are especially well regarded by the critics include the 2001, 2004, 2006, and 2008. Axel Heinz, the winemaker, in a Decanter interview (Ornellaia, May 2013) said "When young, Masseto can seem monolithic, but it often shows much more complexity with age."

Masseto has the distinction of being the first Italian wine to be sold through the Place de Bordeaux, a marketplace ttraditionally reserved for First Growths and a small number of foreign icon wines. Other foreign wines sold through this marketplace include Opus One and Almaviva, both estates associated with Baron Rothschild (decanter.com 11/18/08).  The first Masseto vintage offered through this marketplace was the 2006.

On a personal note, this is, for me, one of the great wines of the world.  I have had the pleasure of tasting vintages from the mid-90s and and have been consistently blown away by how elegantly they transit time.  Our team tasted the 1996 vintage during one of our many local tastings and the notes talk of a terroir-driven wine with coffee notes.  The wine was smooth with great texture and complexity.  It was concentrated but not weighty.

Masseto has been referred to as the Pétrus of Italy and it is a moniker that, in my opinion, is not without merit.  Will there come a day when we refer to Pétrus as the Masseto of France?


©Wine -- Mise en abyme

The continuing travails of Jacques

So Jacques descended on Orlando once again to show us barbarians what good wine really looks (tastes) like.  You remember Jacques, right.  He was the guy who was unfortunate enough to bring two (count them, two) corked bottles of 1986 Mouton to a dinner with a group of my friends in December, 2010.  Jacques walked away from that dinner bowed but not broken and vowed that he would return to vindicate his family name and honor.

In December of last year I received a call from Jacques.  He was going to be in Tampa over the Christmas holidays and wanted to get together with me to share some red Burgundy that he was particularly proud of.  After some back and forth we settled on brunch at Prato, a Winter-Park-based restaurant which features "hand crafted Italian cuisine."

Sunday broke bright and sunny and I made my way to Prato accompanied by my wife and a friend who was visiting from NY.  When I arrived Jacques was already there and had settled in comfortably with the other brunch attendees.

Jacques is meticulous about ensuring that his wines are decanted for an appropriate period prior to drinking and, to that end, he had arrived in town the day before and deposited his bottle at the restaurant along with specific instructions as to when the bottle should be opened and decanted.  The wine in question was a 2005 Nicolas Potel Nuits St.-Georges aux Chaignots and the restaurant was instructed to decant it 2 hours prior to our 1:00 pm start time.  When I arrived the decanted wine sat in the middle of the table patiently waiting to deliver Jacques from the self-imposed purgatory in which he had been existing since the dual TCA attack.

As I settled into my seat, Jacques announced that his wine was not yet ready.  It would require some additional caressing by the oxygen blanketing its surface.  I was prepared for this.  Remember I had seen this guy in action before so I had brought along a few "backup" bottles and I threw them into the breach.

The first wine I opened was the Tenuta Villa Crespia Franciacorta NumeroZero NV.  This zero dosage sparkling wine has become one of my go-to Franciacortas combining as it does richness and elegance with citrus, melon, and almond notes.  It should be noted that all of the wines were tasted in conjunction with food which we ordered from the menu and shared as small plates.

The second wine tasted was the 2004 Hospice de Beaune Meursault-Genevieres.  I have had this wine on a number of occasions and it is normally rich and palate-pleasing.  Not so this bottle.  The wine was a thin, pale shadow of those prior bottles.  I chalked it up to bottle variation because this bottle had been stored for a similar period and under similar conditions as were the more enjoyable bottles.

At this time I gave Jacques the option of either pouring his wine or for us to shift to the trio of Italian wines which I had brought.  His eyes lit up.  We would wait on the Burgundy.

Of the Italian reds, two were Barolos (The 2002 Monfortino and the 1997 Corino) and the third was a 1983 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.  These wines were all excellent.  The Barolos were of different pedigree with the Monfortino, held by many to be the finest Barolo label on the planet and this particular vintage, initially a controversial bottling, now held to be a legend. The Corino provided riper black fruit, anise, and tar.  The Emidio Pepe was characterized by earthiness and dried cherries.

Jacques was in heaven.  He had come bearing French gifts and was being rocked back on his heels by a range of Italian wines.  Well his time had come.  All eyes were now on him.

According to the Wine Advocate, the Nicolas Potel Nuits St.-Georges aux Chaignots "... offers alluring aromas of strawberry and red cherry, comes onto the palate smooth and polished with abundant ripe fresh fruit and subtle raw meatiness, and finishes with satisfying length."  When we poured Jacques bottle, these were not the aromas and flavors that greeted us.  The aromas were muted and washed out and the flavor was pale strawberry.  The satisfying length mentioned in the tasting note had turned tail and ran, along with the attack and all of the other elements of the wine.  The wine had been left to the vagaries of the elements for too long and had faded out.  Jacques' bottle had turned on him again.

He looked at me sheepishly, cursed the gods, and poured another glass of the wines on offer.  I wonder what he will be bringing next year.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme