Wine Enthusiast

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• A Brief History of the Mint Julep, From Daily Medicine to an Elite Race Icon
• In England, Varied Soils Meet Cool-Climate Winemaking
• What Does ‘Garrigue’ Mean in Wine?

A Brief History of the Mint Julep, From Daily Medicine to an Elite Race Icon Posted: 27 Apr 2021 04:30 AM PDT Getty To many, the mint julep is an iconic accessory to the Kentucky Derby, but there’s more to this cocktail than big hats, horse racing and garden parties. The mint julep is a story of an American takeover. What started as a daily health elixir made with any handy liquor has morphed into the elite juleps of the Derby, priced for charity at up to $2,500. But these expensive drinks simply disguise its everyman origins. Alamy The Birth of an American Drink The julep’s origins date to Persia, where it was documented in the Sasanian Empire (224–651 AD) as a rosewater bath called gulab for imperial princesses. This concoction became associated with health elixirs to either drink straight or use in cooking. Prescribed for shortness of breath and stomach issues since the 9th century, the julep reached as far as India through trade. Refined to an oil, it was sought widely throughout the Egyptian, Roman and Byzantine empires for medicine and skincare. The Mediterranean's indigenous and ample mint supplies replaced rose petals, and the name gulab morphed to julab and julapium. Michelangelo reportedly had a daily julab routine. The mint julep's purported medicinal value reached America in the 18th century. Full of warm, high proof rum or brandy, honey and muddled mint, it was both preventative medicine and a kickstart to the day. To cut the bite, wealthy drinkers with access to an icehouse chilled their juleps and threw in peaches, pineapples and berries. But the days of the brandy and rum-styled julep in America were numbered. While Britain’s import taxes on items like molasses, sugar and rum helped fuel the American Revolution (1775–1783), winning the war didn’t change taxes on foreign liquor. Rum and brandy outpriced their popularity. But with a surplus of both grain and a new crop, corn, farmers made an affordable and distinct whiskey that would eventually be dubbed Bourbon. This new corn whiskey joined its rye counterpart as a staple and reliable currency. Both were so popular that their economic potential landed whiskey in the sights of U.S Treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton. At Hamilton's urging, Congress taxed native liquor in 1791 to build the nation’s coffers, which resulted in the Whiskey Rebellion (1794). George Washington’s armed response set the standard for how the government handles uprisings. The crisis and ensuing legal battles united the family distiller-farmers on Kentucky's frontier. No longer was Bourbon simply the poor man’s drink found on the fringes. Over the centuries, Bourbon’s popularity and prestige swelled beyond the South to the rest of the United States and then, the world. While it was produced throughout the frontier, Bourbon thrived in Kentucky. The state credits an abundant corn crop, oak forests and limestone water in the creation of its signature spirit. A 2019 report claims the Bourbon industry pumps $8.6 billion per year into Kentucky’s economy. Horses coming down the backstretch during the 142nd Kentucky Derby in 2016 / Alamy Mint Juleps and Horse Racing “We have every reason to assume that juleps were a part of the first Derby in 1875, as they were popular drinks in the state at that time,” says Chris Goodlett, the Kentucky Derby Museum’s director of curatorial and educational affairs. “They were a part of racing culture, not just the Derby.” Goodlett shares how Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. (1846–1899), who founded Churchill Downs in 1875, supposedly grew mint behind the club. He also retells the local courier’s story of how famous Polish actress Helena Modjeska downed a large julep in 1877 meant for all of Clark's guests to share. She then asked him for two more. The mint julep became the Kentucky Derby’s official drink in 1939. In 1938, Churchill Downs noticed that patrons were taking decorated water glasses home. Rather than fight the trend, the track embraced it. The following year, the julep came in the first collector cups. Today, the mint julep supports the booming Bourbon industry. More than 10,000 bottles of Old Forester's Mint Julep Ready-to-Serve Cocktail wind up in 120,000 glasses over an average Kentucky Derby weekend. Sister-brand Woodford Reserve releases a commemorative Derby bottle each year. And every April, leading up to the race, distilleries and bartenders across the state celebrate Mint Julep Month. It’s one piece of the grand spectacle. And the ongoing legacy of the mint julep reaffirms the perseverance and identity of Kentucky Bourbon.

In England, Varied Soils Meet Cool-Climate Winemaking Posted: 27 Apr 2021 04:00 AM PDT Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey Hills / Photo by Helen Dixon Though not typically associated with wine, England has produced it since Roman times. Due to the country's cool climate and rich soils, many vineyards planted in the middle of the 20th century are now paying dividends. Climate is moderated by the Gulf Stream, and its chalk-based soils are amenable to sparkling wine production. As for what English wine is, stylistically, there's still room for interpretation. "I don't think we can pin down a typical English wine just yet, and why would we?" says Sam Lindo, winemaker at Camel Valley in the country's South West region. "Everyone has the right to be different." English winemaking is currently focused on three central regions: Sussex, Kent and Surrey. Three additional regions, Hampshire, East Anglia and South West England, are considered up and coming. The country's organizational system is the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). This system unifies wine not by quality, but by style. Harvest at Biddenden Vineyards in Kent, England / Photo by Saltwick Media Sussex Sussex sits in the southeast of the country, and is divided into East and West. Considered one of England's most important wine-producing regions due to its established sparkling wine estates, the cool-climate area is also known for its wine center. Housed at Plumpton College, the program offers master's degrees in both viticulture and oenology. Despite these laurels, Sussex is yet to receive PDO status. In Sussex, traditional-method sparkling wines use varieties like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Still wines are produced with German varieties like Donfelder, Bacchus and Riesling, as well as French Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc. All thrive in cooler climates, with white wine and limited amounts of rosé dominating. "I don't think we can pin down a typical English wine just yet, and why would we?" —Sam Lindo, Camel Valley With more than 1,700 acres of vineyards, Sussex has the biggest concentration of vines in the United Kingdom. Soils are diverse, but perhaps most famed are its chalk soils, part of an ancient system that runs east from the region's western border with Hampshire. It's an extension of the same band of chalk that stretches through Paris and into the Champagne region. Kent Also in the country's southeast, Kent is home to roughly 50 vineyards including Biddenden, established in 1969. Known as the so-called "Garden of England," Kent's orchards and other agricultural crops have long taken precedence over vineyards. As a result of climate change, however, many Champagne producers are interested in Kent. In 2017, Domaine Evremond, a nascent project from the Taittinger house, began planting vines in Kent. Cool-climate grape varieties thrive like Ortega, Bacchus and all the grapes used in Champagne. Soils vary in composition, from clay to sand to shale to chalk. Hambledon Vineyard is England's oldest commercial vineyard / Photo by Chris Dixon Surrey "Surrey is rich in limestone chalk, which provides excellent drainage for vines, and many of our geological features are similar to that of Champagne," says Andy Kershaw, assistant winemaker at Denbies Estate, one of England's largest producers. It's the sunniest region in the United Kingdom, with longer ripening days and picking that goes into October. Surrey also has subregions, like Surrey Hills. That area benefits from microclimates and hilly land, says Kershaw. It offers winemakers south-facing slopes for planting. "I think that England is really one of the more interesting winemaking regions, from a working point of view." —Tobias Tullberg, Hambledon Vineyard The area is home to a Champagne import. Pommery partnered with English producer Hattingley Valley in 2016 to take advantage of the region's terroir. The climate is diverse enough to produce numerous grape varieties. "We currently have 12 different varieties on the estate at Denbies," says Kershaw. "They range from noble varieties to things a little lesser known, such as Reichensteiner and Ortega." Climate change has changed winemaking in Surrey, and throughout the country. "The gradual increase in average temperatures has seen the English wine industry cement itself on the world stage—certainly from a consistent quality point of view," says Kershaw. As warming temperatures have provided challenges for established regions, some cooler regions are becoming the face of the future. Hampshire Located to the west of Sussex, Hampshire is home to Hambledon Vineyard, England's oldest commercial vineyard. It dates to the 1950s, when Maj. Gen. Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones established it with hopes of producing acclaimed wine from Seyval Blanc. In the intervening years, the vineyard has also been planted to Champagne varieties, since the region is hospitable to cool-climate and sparkling varieties. The Upper Cretaceous fine white chalk, found in Hampshire, "[is] the exact same chalk as you have in the Côte des Blancs, in Champagne," says Tobias Tullberg, operating winemaker at Hambledon Vineyard. "It's not even that it's similar. It's exactly the same. It comes up on this side of the English Channel." Family-run Camel Valley lies in South West England / Photos by Camel Valley The soil is great for Chardonnay and even Pinot Noir, says Tullberg. Hampshire's south-facing slopes also produce nuanced Pinot Meunier, a variety often regarded as less noble than the other two primary Champagne grapes. Tullberg believes that Hampshire, and the country as a whole, have both "capital" and "terroir." "That's why I think that England is really one of the more interesting winemaking regions, from a working point of view," he says. East Anglia East Anglia is actually a combination of two English counties, Norfolk and Suffolk, which fall to the north and east of London. Unlike many of England's other winemaking regions, East Anglia has clay-based soils, which offer possibilities for different varieties. Rondo, Schonburger and Huxelrebe thrive there, though some winemakers also grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. South West England South West England is relatively untapped for up-and-coming winemakers. But some established vintners have taken advantage of the region's relative anonymity and its diverse soils, which include slate and loam. "The cool climate means the grapes grow very slowly, and the hang time is 30–40 days longer than Champagne," says Camel Valley's Lindo of the region. "This means the grapes retain a lot more delicate characters of unripeness that happen to be really nice." When Lindo's parents founded Camel Valley in 1989, he said, vineyards were rare, "like swimming pools," he says. "People struggled to sell the wine they made." That's no longer the case. Camel Valley began its business in still wine, and it started to make traditional-method sparklers in 1995. Winemaking here has also benefitted from the shifting climate. Yields are better now, says Lindo, and "things are a lot easier than they were. We are where Champagne was in the 1950s. We have a long way to go until we will experience the difficulties they are experiencing now."

What Does ‘Garrigue’ Mean in Wine? Posted: 27 Apr 2021 03:30 AM PDT Illustration by Alyssa Nassner Whether a Grenache blend from Châteauneuf–du-Pape, a Bandol Mourvédre or a rosé from Pic Saint-Loup, classic wines from the Southern Rhône, Provence or Languedoc are often described as having notes of garrigue.  In wine, the term garrigue suggests distinctly herbaceous, peppery or smoky tones reminiscent of the low-lying vegetation that grows wild in sun-scorched limestone soils along the Mediterranean, particularly the South of France.  Rather than a single plant or scent, garrigue refers to a variety of aromatic, resinous herbs like rosemary, sage, bay leaves and thyme. It also includes shrubs like juniper and artemisia as well as lavender and mint.   Throughout Southern France and especially in its vineyards, the heady perfume of garrigue permeates the air. It's a scent familiar to anyone who's opened a fresh jar of herbes de Provence.   Garrigue is a classic example of terroir, the notion that aromas and flavors in wine are influenced by the environment in which wine is produced. More than just a romantic idea, it's increasingly believed to be a matter of organic chemistry. The scents we identify to garrigue can be attributed to aromatic compounds found in both plants and wine called terpenes. Alpha-pinene, the terpene most associated with garrigue, is linked to coniferous plants like pine trees, but also juniper, rosemary, sage, lavender and other plants common to Mediterranean climates.  Alpha-pinenes are highly volatile aromatic compounds that can become airborne, transferring from vegetation onto the waxy surface of grapes growing nearby. Fermentation and maceration of the grapes during red and sometime rosé winemaking allows alcohol to extract aroma compounds from the grape skins and into the wine.   Aromatic compounds can also be transferred directly into wine from pieces of vegetation that are harvested alongside grapes and unintentionally incorporated into winemaking.  While the term garrigue is used most specifically for wines originating from the limestone soils of Southern France, is it a mistake, then, to identify notes of garrigue in a Nero d'Avola from Sicily or a Carmenère from Chile? Absolutely not! Those spicy, peppery aromas of wild herbs and underbrush can be found in wines from around the world.   Elsewhere in the Mediterranean, similar vegetation is known as garig in Croatia, maquis in Corsica or macchia in Italy. In regions of the New World with similarly arid Mediterranean climates, garrigue-like notes are associated with wines from California (where it's known as chapparal), Chile (matorral), South Africa (fynbos) or Australia (mallee).

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