Wine Enthusiast |
- The 2021 Frost Could Impact Harvest, Distribution and What You Pay for French Wine
- The Grower-Winemakers Redefining Tasmania with Cool-Climate Sparklers, Riesling and More
- A Completely Customizable Greek Goddess Salad Dressing
| The 2021 Frost Could Impact Harvest, Distribution and What You Pay for French Wine Posted: 26 Apr 2021 04:00 AM PDT  When frosts arrived in French vineyards the week of April 5, initial reports suggested the entire 2021 vintage would be destroyed. Fortunately, it's not as bad as that. Overall, in France, about 30% of the 2021 crop was destroyed, according to still-early government estimates. Smaller but similar hits were reported in Italy, Germany and Spain. It's possible a second, smaller crop will appear on some French vines, but frost will affect the 2021 and 2022 vintages. Some vines in France hit by frost in 2017 or 2018 were just beginning to recover. Now, two weeks after the frost, the temperatures are above freezing, and the French government has announced a $1.2 billion emergency assistance program for vineyard and agriculture producers. The 2021 frost has not resulted in the overall crop and vineyard devastation of 1947, 1956, 1991, or even the destruction caused by rolling frosts in 2016, 2017 or 2019. How, then, will this year's frost affect the price of French wine? At the moment, the U.S. wine market is immersed in widespread problems like the pandemic, 2020 vaccine delays, and lost or decreased bar and restaurant sales. Now that the tariffs have been paused, and many importers are buying again, the French wine industry faces shipment delays, container shortages, late arrivals and currency fluctuations. Frost is a lesser problem. “The prices shouldn't jump due to frost," says importer Franck Agostini, owner of Promex Wines and Franck's Signature Wines. "On the contrary, at the moment they may fall for some and especially for Bordeaux, since some Asian and others European markets collapsed in sales, and exporters know that the U.S. will be the market to recover sales quicker than the others." Based in Washington, D.C., Franck's Signature Wines specializes in French bottles. “We had very busy recent days and orders," he says. "I don't think it is linked to frost fears. It is mostly thanks to bars and restaurants re-opening, spring, vaccine take-up in the U.S. and people wishing to enjoy wine after such a long hard time and a better lifestyle budget because of the Covid."
Specialist importers are waiting to see how the upcoming 2020 Bordeaux en primeur campaign will fare. Prior to the frost, importers were not expecting price increases. “The prices need to be the same as last year, the market is still fragile,” says Jean-Sébastien Calvet of New York- and Bordeaux-based Aquitaine Wine Company. However, Marion Lopez, U.S. export manager for Crus et Domaines de France, believes prices will increase. "The question is, are the U.S. importers ready to pay more for the 2020 vintage?” According to Lopez, since the tariffs were paused, the priorities are the 2017 and 2018 wines sold as futures and now bottled. High-profile, high-price wines are being express air shipped to the U.S. in case tariffs return. Beyond Bordeaux, obstacles such as previous tariffs, Covid, frost and shipping are stacking up for French wineries, says Raylene Mallet of Cognac One in New York. So far, the situation is not influencing Cognac One’s purchases from mostly small-production boutique and family-run wineries, but “there is no doubt the industry will be impacted next year with the 2021 release,” says Mallet. Guillaume Touton, founder and owner of Monsieur Touton, a wine import and distribution company, has also noticed the challenges. “I was expecting a break [following the tariffs] but we are not getting any break, prices are probably going higher,” says Touton. Plus, millions of French bottles arrived in the U.S. with the 25% tariff prior to the pause, "and they still need to be sold," Touton says. Shipments are fraught. “On the Friday afternoon after the frosts of April 6 and 7, I tried to buy a container of Pinot Noir,” says Touton. “They said ‘No we cannot give you a price yet.’ ” If the frost renders the 2021 vintage into one with exceptionally little volume, “I could see going back to older stocks," says Roy Cloud of Vintage ’59 Imports in Washington, D.C. "I could also see the world turning to countries that were not impacted, and/or turning to appellations that weren’t hit hard. Maybe at long last Alsace will see its revival." Meanwhile, winemakers throughout France must navigate their changing climate. It was a precocious February and March that drew out the buds a month or so early in most regions of the country. In many points in Gascony, it was 73°F on February 23, and 24°F on April 7, says Olivier Bourdet-Pees, director of 600 small-acreage producers in the Plaimont cooperative. “For some, it was cataclysmic." Plaimont’s post-frost market strategy is to get small domestic retailers all the wine they need. “They have suffered enough with Covid,” says Bourdet-Pees. “The U.S. will have what it wants, no allocation. Big French supermarkets will be on allocation.”
Due to the pandemic, many producers are just starting to bottle some of their 2018 wines. Some can’t afford to bottle their 2019 and 2020 selections, leaving generous volumes still in tank. “Some clearly told me that somehow… the frost will be a way to help a bit to ‘clear the market’ and that at least it happened before all the expenses it takes to maintain a vineyard until harvest,” says Christophe Chateau, marketing and media manager for Conseil Interprofessionnel de Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB), the Bordeaux wine council. Chateau believes that about 10% of Bordeaux producers were on the brink of failing before the frost. Now, he predicts more. “The magnitude of this freeze, as well as the health—Covid—and economic—Trump tax, etc.—context makes farms and winegrowers very vulnerable," says Chateau. Some producers in pockets of the Loire had 13 nights of frost. Kevin Vigné of Cellier du Beaujardin in the Cher Valley encourages strategic thinking. "We are learning to look further ahead and know that behind every cloud there is a silver lining.” Great harvests are easy and financially beneficial. Devastating weather is expensive in both the immediate and eventual aftermaths. The legend in France is that frost is possible until the feasts of the Saints de Glace, the frost saints, May 11 to 13. Only time and the climate will tell.  Latest Estimates and Predictions by RegionBordeauxSaint-Emilion, Pomerol, Sauternes, Barsac, Graves and parts of Entre-deux-Mers were hit hard, with 30% affected. Vineyards near the estuary and rivers—in Médoc, Blaye and Bourg—were less or barely hit. Prior to the frost, demand for current stocks was on the rise in domestic and U.S. markets as Covid restrictions began to ease. The market is expected to continue to rise in volume, but prices are unlikely to increase, except for the very top wines. LoireFrosts hit in various appellations in 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021. There are concerns about global wholesale buyers taking advantage of available stocks. Until U.S. restaurants reopen to capacity, retail prices are down. RhôneAbout 30–40% of vineyards scattered throughout the region were affected by the frost. This follows several vintages of weather damage due to heavy rain, frost and hail. No information on prices yet. LanguedocDepending on location and variety, half the crop was hit. Some areas normally protected were also hit, many with all-night black frost. Importers waiting for more information. ProvenceExcept for vineyards right on the Mediterranean coast, there was significant damage due to black frost, with temperatures dipping to 17°F. There's some hope Grenache vines will have a second, normally less successful, growing season. ChampagneSome areas, particularly those growing Chardonnay, were hit, but numerical estimates are scarce. Roederer’s Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon says it experienced 15–25% damage, similar to 2016 but less than 2017. Champagne holds a lot of older stock for blending so it will not likely impact most of its wines in the U.S. Prices will likely depend on interest post-lockdowns. BurgundyIn Chablis, up to 80% of vineyards are affected, in Pouilly-Fuissé, up to 90%. Southern, mostly Chardonnay, vineyards in Mâcon and Lyon areas were 30% affected, with Aligoté vines surviving the best. In Côte d’Or, vine damage was less among small-production wines that tend to fetch high prices. Chardonnay growers may benefit from a program that allows them to hold older vintage stock for use in short years. BeaujolaisVineyards had about 50% damage, but the mountain cru regions were less affected. As Beaujolais cru wines are now dynamic on the American market, it is possible there will be less Beaujolais Nouveau (already dropping) in favor of normally bottled wine. SouthwestUp to 80% of the region was affected, with estimated potential loss of nearly 11 million cases. |
| The Grower-Winemakers Redefining Tasmania with Cool-Climate Sparklers, Riesling and More Posted: 26 Apr 2021 03:30 AM PDT  Its isolation is what makes Tasmania so special. The rugged island state, roughly the size of Ohio and 150 miles off the southeast coast of Australia, is a food and wine lover's paradise. In fact, wine is the jewel in Tasmania's crown. Australia's coolest-climate winegrowing region, Tassie can produce precise, complex traditional-method bubbly; slinky, sappy Pinot Noir; exuberant, saline Chardonnay; and fleshy yet delicate Riesling. For more than four decades, the island has attracted investment from large-scale wine businesses around the globe, as well as an increasing number of small, quality-focused grower-winemakers. In recent years, with climate change at the doorstep of Australia's mainland regions, interest in Tas has exploded. Twenty years ago, 1,255 acres were planted to vines; that figure has soared to 5,189 acres planted today. Growth on a small island comes with challenges, but one thing is certain: Tasmanian wine has never been better.  The Early PioneersAboriginal people in Tasmania have made fermented beverages since precolonial times. They used sap from Eucalyptus gunnii trees in the Central Highlands to to create a drink called way-a-linah, which has a flavor akin to cider. But wine grapes weren't planted on the island until European colonists arrived. In 1788, William Bligh planted some cuttings on Bruny Island, only to find them dead four years later. More attempts were made in the early to mid-1800s, and many cuttings from those early Tasmanian vineyards ended up in South Australia and Victoria, where they helped build successful industries. But wine grown and made on the island itself wouldn't take off for another century, when two men, unbeknownst to one another, ignored the predominant view that Tasmania was too cold for vine growing and kickstarted its modern wine industry. The first was a Frenchman, Jean Miguet. In 1956, he planted Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Chasselas and Grenache near Launceston in the northern part of the island at Providence Vineyard. The second, Claudio Alcorso, an Italian, planted Riesling near the state's capital city, Hobart, in the southeast in 1958. He retained the land's Aboriginal name, "Moorilla." Both vineyards still produce today. Moorilla Estate now houses the Willy Wonka-esque Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), which draws millions of tourists and has almost single-handedly revitalized Hobart. It boasts some of the state's most celebrated vines and wines. Emboldened by those successes, the latter half of the 20th century saw a string of pioneers take Tasmanian wine to the next level. Graham Wiltshire's 1966 Heemskerk vineyard plantings led him 20 years later to cofound one of the island's best known sparkling brands, Jansz, with Champagne house Louis Roederer. Today, Jansz is owned by Yalumba's Hill-Smith family, who purchased the winery in 1997. Another pioneer, Andrew Pirie, developed Pipers Brook Vineyard in 1974, now owned by European wine group Kreglinger Wine Estates. It helped put Tassie wine on the map. Pirie, Australia's first Ph.D in viticulture, is one of Tasmania's most knowledgeable growers and sparkling producers. Pirie's "retirement project," as he calls his current label, Apogee, is a love letter to the pocket of northeastern Tasmania he knows best. "I came into this area without fully understanding [it] like I do now," says Pirie. "We planted close plantings, but didn't have limestone. Close planting doesn't work here because the soils are too vigorous."  Quality Over QuantityTasmania may not have limestone, but its soils vary vastly, from ancient sandstones and mudstones to river sediments and igneous volcanic rock. This variety is due to the dolerite-capped mountains which run along the island's western side and provide rain and wind shelter to the east. Subsequently, vineyards are planted solely on Tasmania's eastern half. Unlike many mainland wine regions, Tasmania's cool climes are due to its latitude, not altitude. Even though the three oceans and Bass Strait that surround the island moderate its climate, it remains variable. Growers can struggle with frosts in the winter and wildfires during summer. Viticulture areas are drier than one would expect from this comparatively lush place, so much so that a sophisticated irrigation system runs across the whole state. The growing season is long and labor intensive, and it produces low fruit yields. Add to this the high cost of production brought by Tasmania's isolation, and most producers focus firmly on quality over quantity. "We often, only half-jokingly, say that Tasmania is not the place you come to make a quick buck," says Sheralee Davies, CEO of the trade group Wine Tasmania. "If your goal is to make value wines of large volumes, it would be easier, more reliable and cheaper in other Australian wine regions." While it has no official "geographical indication" (GI) status, Tasmania's wine zones are divided into seven subregions, delineated more by rainfall levels and humidity than temperature or even soil composition. The northern subregions of North West, Tamar Valley and Pipers River, known as the heartbeat of sparkling wine production, are wetter and more humid than the East Coast, Coal River and Derwent Valley. The latter two regions, just outside Hobart, are known for stellar Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and even some Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Driest of all, the pastoral Huon Valley, in the far south, is an emerging region full of promise.  The Next WaveWhile a large number of Tassie wines are made by a single contract winemaking facility, an expanding number of creative grower-winemakers have contributed to the island's diversity. Among the most longstanding and innovative of them is Stefano Lubiana, a fifth-generation winemaker who left his family's large winery and distillery in South Australia for Derwent Valley. "I decided I didn't want to make thousands of tons of bulk wines," he says. "I looked all around Australia and thought that Tasmania was the obvious place if you want to make fine sparkling wine. That was back in 1989. We were the first winery from the mainland to come down here to do sparkling." Today, Tasmania's only certified biodynamic winery offers a vibrant, cellarworthy Pinot Noir with no added sulfur; an amphorae-aged amber wine from Malvasia Istriana (a tribute to Lubiana's Istrian roots) that exudes wild fennel, kumquat, salt and honey; and a range of laser-focused sparkling wines with extended time on lees.  In 1995, Lubiana was followed by another firm believer in long lees time, Ed Carr, at the helm of House of Arras, owned by the Carlyle Group/Accolade Wines. Much of its fruit is bought from growers around the island, but the operation is hailed frequently as one of the world's greatest sparkling producers. "[Our lengthy lees aging] is relatively unique with Australian sparkling wine brands," says Carr. It ranges from four to 10 years, which results in extraordinarily multifaceted fizz. "Tasmanian bubbles are top three in the world in my sparkling opinion," says wine writer Curly Haslam Coates, who moved to Tasmania 10 years ago from England and founded educational events company Vintage Tasmania. "Bubbles are what drew me here. Every year I've been here, they just get better and better." But Tassie isn't just sparkling wine territory. Still wines play an important role, too. Riesling thrives on the island. One of its greatest cheerleaders, Pooley Wines, is Tasmania's lone third generation winery. The late Margaret and Denis Pooley planted Riesling in the Coal River Valley in 1985. Margaret spent her life amongst the vines. "[She] had a passion for Riesling," says John Pooley. "At 95, she was probably the oldest [vigneron] in Australia." John's son, Matthew, is the viticulturist at Pooley, and his daughter, Anna, is the winemaker. From its heritage-listed Georgian winery, Anna crafts delicate, mineral-driven Riesling that's gorgeous both in its youth and with age, in addition to sumptuous Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, an ethereal skin-contact Gewürztraminer and a spicy, nervy Syrah. Just three miles from Pooley, Tolpuddle is a more recent addition, but it has emerged as one of Australia's most prized single vineyards. Planted in 1988, the property received a new lease on life when Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith, MW, of Shaw & Smith winery in South Australia's Adelaide Hills, purchased it in 2011. The meticulously farmed vineyard produces pristine, long-lived Chardonnay and Pinot that nod vigorously toward Burgundy, yet with a distinctly Tassie beat. Other beautiful wines can be found around the state from Josef Chromy, Delamere, Dalrymple, Stargazer, Stoney Rise, Glaetzer-Dixon and Sinapius, to name a few. However, the Huon Valley has emerged as a hotbed of talent. Nestled in the rolling hills above the Huon River or perched at the edge the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, producers like Chatto Wines, Mewstone and Sailor Seeks Horse make elegant, saline, acid-driven Chardonnay and supple-yet-structured Pinot Noir from vineyards at the edge of where viticulture is possible. "We believe greatness lies at the [cusp] of ripeness, and the Huon balances on that edge," says Paul Lipscombe, who founded Sailor Seeks Horse with his partner, Gilli, in 2010.  The FutureThe Huon and Tasmania won't be at viticulture's fringes forever, though. The region's unique landscape is fragile, and climate change is a real concern. Fred Peacock, whose Bream Creek Vineyard was the first established on the East Coast, is one of Tasmania's longstanding viticulturists. He sees it up close. "One of the big changes is that the picking has now become really compressed," he says. "Rainfall since 1990 has dropped by 21% at Bream Creek. That is massive. There's a warmth in our sea breeze that we haven't seen before." As large, out-of-state wine companies snap up hundreds of acres, Tasmania's artisanal reputation could come under threat. So could the island's limited natural resources.  "Much of the contribution from the arriving companies has been positive because they bring professional training and skills," says Pirie. "Not all of it is going to be positive. We've got some signs of opportunists coming along and looking to make cheap wine… That's happened more than once with mainland firms. Occasionally, they arrive with their mainland viticulturists. We do the learning and then people just turn their back on it. So let's say it's a mixed bag, but mostly positive." For the most part, the focus on sustainability and quality remains strong. And Tasmanians seem thrilled to be in the spotlight. "Everyone wants to move to Tasmania," says Louise Radman, director of Hobart wine bar and kitchen Institut Polaire, and co-owner at Domaine Simha. "It's like the last frontier. The vineyards that are being planted are going to be world famous." Six Tassie Wines to TryClover Hill 2014 Vintage Brut (Tasmania); $40, 94 points. Clover Hill’s range of bubbly demonstrates Tasmania’s ability to make traditional method sparklers that give Champagne a run for its money. The Vintage 2014 Brut is honeycomb hued with a heady, floral perfume reminiscent of jasmine and backed by subtler butterscotch and baked apple notes. The palate is opulent in flavor and mousse but is restrained, dry and refreshing, with the floral and apple notes lingering long on the finish. Editors' Choice. Tolpuddle 2018 Chardonnay (Tasmania); $60, 94 points. The Chardonnay from this single-vineyard, southern Tasmanian site is a rich, polished bottling that will please many a Burghound. The nose leads with notes of roasted nuts, toasty oak, struck match and saline amid lemon curd and pineapple rind. The palate is opulent but focused. Oak and saline characters dominate flavorwise, but there’s balance, structure and fruit purity, too. A fair amount of highfalutin winemaking here but should age with grace. Drink 2021–2030. Cellar Selection. Sailor Seeks Horse 2018 Pinot Noir (Tasmania); $45, 93 points. This small-batch label is from Paul and Gilli Lipscombe, who have been instrumental in putting Tasmania’s Huon Valley on the map. A vibrant, translucent cherry hue, this is an ethereal Pinot that pulses with energy; smashable (as the Aussies say) and serious all at once. The nose is delicately aromatic, reeling you in gently. Notes of wild blueberry and strawberry, dried flowers and a whiff of baking spice and an olive grove at harvest float from the glass. The palate crackles with acidity, bouncy bright fruit and spice, and a cocktail bitters-like bite at the finish. A buzzy wine with heart and soul. Editors' Choice. Stargazer 2019 Coal River Valley Single Vineyard Riesling (Tasmania); $46, 93 points. Tasmanian Riesling is underrated and under made. Those who do focus on it have a passion for the variety. Samantha Connew’s version, from the Coal River Valley, is mouthwatering, with its refreshment belying its volume and layers. It weaves flavors of fresh lime, green apple, lavender, honey and beeswax into a chalky texture, crunchy acidity and just a touch of residual sugar. Ultra-food-friendly, this would be at home beside young, creamy cheeses or popped in the cellar for a few years to gain more textural weight and honeyed complexity. Tamar Ridge 2018 Pinot Noir (Tasmania); $30, 93 points. Tamar Ridge is one of Tasmania’s biggest wineries (relative compared with some of Oz’s mainland giants) yet it rarely skimps on quality. This Pinot is an excellent example, showcasing the density yet elegance of Tassie’s north. It is a well of flavor: tangy red currant and blueberry fruit underpinned by earthy, savory notes like cured meat, five-spice powder and graphite. The elegance arrives on the medium-weight palate thanks to its rapier acidity. It feels porous, like it’s running through granules of sand, but also focused: a dance between acidity and unique tannin structure. A distinctly Tassie wine to drink now until 2028. Jansz 2015 Vintage Rosé (Tasmania); $56, 92 points. From Tasmania’s best known bubbles brand, this ballerina pink-hued Vintage Rosé opens with delicate aromas of watermelon and red berries, underscored by floral, herbal nuances. That herbal edge can be seen on the finish, too, which is long and lingering. Dry and slippery, with soft but persistent bubbles, this is a quaffing sparkler with an easygoing nature but that has the complexity to pair happily with a variety of fresh, summery dishes. |
| A Completely Customizable Greek Goddess Salad Dressing Posted: 26 Apr 2021 03:00 AM PDT  Named to honor George Arliss, lead actor in the popular 1923 play The Green Goddess, this vibrant salad dressing has become a classic. Make it your own with any combo of so-called "soft" herbs like basil, dill, mint and chives. Just don't skip the tarragon—it's an integral part of the original recipe. Also try it as a dip for crudités, drizzled over grilled vegetables, or even as a lighter alternative to Béarnaise or Hollandaise sauces.
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