Tag: sustainable agriculture

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OREGON’S 2008 VINTAGE ELEVATES PINOT NOIR

Over the last decade, Oregon has emerged as one of the world’s great Pinot Noir producing regions. Now, with around 400 wineries, the state has developed into a world-class wine tourism destination.

The Oregon wine industry also has become a leader in the sustainable agriculture movement. This is seen in the increasing number of growers and wineries participating in four related certification programs.

LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology, Inc.) certification promotes responsible stewardship of the land by recognizing practices that reduce reliance on synthetic chemicals and fertilizers and maintain biological diversity.

“Salmon Safe” certification recognizes practices that help restore and maintain healthy watersheds.

Organic certification from Oregon Tilth is awarded to those that meet biologically sound and socially equitable criteria. Many wineries also employ organic and sustainable farming practices without official recognition.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building certification acknowledges achievement in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

Most of the wines in my tastings were from the highly touted 2008 vintage and confirmed the vintage’s reputation. As a group the wines show intense fruit and ripeness – yet only one had more than 14 percent alcohol – resulting in wine with power and elegance. They aren’t cheap but most have avoided the price inflation of comparable wines from Burgundy and California. My recommendations from recent tastings are listed below.

Arcachon. This second label for Oak Knoll is named after a community southwest of Bordeaux, which was the home of the founder’s ancestors. The 2008 Willamette Valley ($12) is a very good value; quite flavorful for the price.

Cana’s Feast. Also known for their Italian varietal wines from Washington grapes, the 2008 Meredith Mitchell Vineyard ($48) is supple and balanced with a sense of earth and brown spices with fresh acidity lifting the finish.

Carabella. Owned by a Colorado trained winemaker, Carabella’s first vintage was in 1998. The vineyard, located in the Chehalem Mountains of Oregon’s Willamette Valley has produced an excellent 2008 ($39). Expect admirable complexity from berry fruit, spice and even minerality, carried with good weight and a supple texture.

Four Graces. Established in 2003, The Four Graces is named in honor of the founders’ four daughters. Half of the vineyards are farmed sustainably; the other half using Biodynamic principles. The 2008 Willamette Valley ($29) combines blackberry fruit with earthy, mushroom notes in a firm and, well, graceful frame.

King Estate. Founded in 1991 by the King family, King Estate has grown into one of Oregon’s largest wineries and most popular wine tourist attractions. They also have been pioneers of organic and sustainable farming. The flavorful and firm 2009 Signature Collection ($27) continues a successful streak for this wine.

Ponzi Vineyards. Established in 1970, the Ponzi family and have been leaders in Oregon’s wine industry and the responsible stewardship movement. Truly a family winery, production now is being carried on by a second generation. The vineyards and winemaking are LIVE certified. The winery is a sustainable, gravity-flow facility. And the complex and silky 2008 Willamette Valley ($35) is one of the rewards.

Sokol Blosser. Ever since the first vines were planted in 1971, this family has been leaders in the sustainable agriculture movement utilizing a variety of stewardship practices, including organic farming, sustainable business practices, energy efficiency, and low impact packaging, a LEED certified winery, Salmon-Safe, and Carbon Neutral Challenge. The 2008 Dundee Hills ($34) is 79% organic, with black cherry, earth, spice and good structure with supple tannin.

Stoller Vineyards. The Stoller family has farmed this property since in 1943. Bill and Cathy Stoller became owners in 1993 and began the gradual conversion to vineyards. The new winery is solar-powered and gold-level LEED status. Add Salmon Safe and LIVE certified. The 2007 Dundee Hills “JV” ($25) shows bright cherry fruit and spice in an early drinking style.

Toii Mor. Although founded in 1993, the estate vineyard was planted in 1972.  The owners are focused on farming sustainably (LIVE certified); reducing carbon and energy usage; and employing solar energy and a gravity flow winery (LEED Gold). The 2008 Willamette Valley ($22) was fermented using indigenous yeasts and shows dark cherry, earthy mushroom and toast with crisp acidity.

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Chile Another South American Source of Excellent Values

rich mauro peoples palateAs I wrote in a previous post, the popularity of wine from Argentina and Chile with American consumers has been growing for a good decade now. And it seems to have escalated since the beginning of the Great Recession. The main reason for this popularity seems to be that most of the wines remain modestly priced, even as the quality has improved.

Chilean wines have been good values as long as I can remember. What is different now is that the quality has improved rather dramatically in recent years. Just as I proposed in my post last month on Argentina, there are good wines under $10 and in some ways even better values in the $10-$20 range.

Another similarity with Argentina is the fairly recent emergence of an otherwise lesser-known variety – in this case Carménère – as the country’s signature wine. This red grape was widely planted in Bordeaux in the early 1700’s but virtually disappeared in the late 1800’s. As immigrants and others brought European varieties to Chile in the mid 1800’s, it showed up there; seemingly disappeared again over time (actually it apparently was often mistaken for merlot); then was discovered again in the 1990’s and rather quickly recognized for its potential in this new environment.

Typically, Carménère is a deeply colored wine that displays appealing berry, coffee and spice notes.  The Colchagua Valley, south of Santiago, is considered the primary source as it is for these wines recommended from my tastings: 2009 Cono Sur “Bicycle” ($11), 2009 Mont Gras Reserva ($15), 2008 Arboleda ($19).

But Carménère is not just a “value” wine in Chile. Numerous wineries are producing refined, complex Carménère. A good example is the 2007 “El Incidente” ($50) from Viu Manent. This inaugural vintage contains the finest grapes from their Colchagua vineyards. Translated as “the incident,” the name refers to a balloon accident from the family’s history. This complex wine shows dark berries, brown spice, and hints of chocolate. It also clearly benefits from the addition of Petit Verdot and Malbec. This 75 year-old family owned winery also produces a wide variety of wines at modest prices.

Despite the excitement for and promise of Carménère, Cabernet Sauvignon still dominates the reds. It tends to show more ripe fruit than, say, Bordeaux but more structure and herbal notes than California. Look for wines especially from the Maipo (just north of Santiago) and Colchagua valleys. My favorites from the tastings: 2008 Los Vascos Reserve ($20) from a winery managed by the Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), 2007 Santa Rita “Medalla Real” Single Estate ($20), 2009 Cono Sur Organic Cabernet Sauvignon/Carménère ($14).

As for the whites, Chardonnay still rules by volume but Sauvignon Blanc, especially from the Casablanca Valley (west of Santiago near the coast), may turn to be the best white overall. The finest are fresh and crisp and quite aromatic. They tend to display lively fruit and occasionally mineral notes. These showed well in my tastings: Los Vascos $11, 2010 Santa Rita Reserva ($12), 2008 Arboleda ($18).

Actually, like California, Chile has quite a diverse landscape and climate – in this case the Pacific Ocean borders to the west, the Andes Mountains line the east, and the Atacama Desert defines the north. This allows many different grape varieties to be grown successfully. Beyond the varieties already mentioned, there is a lot of merlot and I’ve been reading about the improving Syrah (although neither of these were included in my tastings).

Chile also is turning into a good source of Pinot Noir. One of my favorite producers is Cono Sur, the pioneer of Chilean Pinot Noir. They seek a Burgundian style, with a Chilean accent. The 2009 “Vision” ($15) is a fine expression of the Block 68 Old Vine Vineyard in Colchagua Valley. The 2008 “20 Barrels” ($28) is a limited edition special selection that rewards the effort to select the best lots from their Casablanca Valley vineyards.

Another good Pinot Noir is the Bodegas Corpora 2008 “Llai Llai” ($13). Llai Llai (which means “wind” in the indigenous Mapuche) is a new brand featuring two wines, a Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Bio Bio Valley in the remote southern part of the country, whose cool climate and significant coastal influence offers excellent conditions for these varieties.

Interestingly, Chile is emerging as an innovator in sustainable agriculture. Several of the wineries mentioned in this column employ a variety of sustainable practices – Arboleda (sustainable viticulture, environmental and worker protection), Cono Sur (integrated vineyard management, organic vineyards, carbon neutral delivery), Santa Rita (sustainable viticulture), Bodegas Corpora (organic and biodynamic viticulture, solar energy), Viu Manent (environmental protection, carbon neutral).

One of Chile’s most socially and environmentally responsible businesses is Emiliana, a 25 year-old winery from the family that also manages the iconic Concha y Toro winery. Emiliana is dedicated to producing wines

made from organic and biodynamic grapes. And the winemaking has transitioned to using indigenous yeast. They have earned carbon neutral certification for many of their wines; use recycled and recyclable materials; have reduced packaging; and recycle waste products. Beyond production values, the company certifies good and fair working conditions and supports community projects. They even share profits in ancillary honey and olive oil ventures with the workers.

In addition to the top-of-the-line Coyam and “G” biodynamic wines and the organic Natura and Novas lines, Emiliana has introduced a new line called Eco Balance (from sustainably farmed vineyards in transition to organic status). Priced at an inviting $9 and delivering equally attractive quality, the whites include 2009 Sauvignon Blanc and 2009 Chardonnay (both Casablanca). The reds include 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo), 2008 Merlot (Rapel), and 2008 Carménère (Colchagua).

All in all, my tastings revealed a diverse and impressive showing. For the most part, Chilean wine delivers high quality at reasonable prices, a good combination in any economy.