Dionysian Writes
Tuesday, 31 March 2009 19:12
The Many Faces of Petite Sirah
I'm out on the back patio of the Quixote winery with estate manager Lew Price looking out at the towering palisades as a light drizzle falls in the electric between-storm weather of late morning. In the distance one can hear the steady flow of a stream gurgling and up on the face of the palisade towering above a waterfall is barely visible. Suddenly, I'm reminded of the Wappo legend that describes the deer hunting that used to take place here and is the source of this AVA's name, 'Stag's Leap'. Legend has it that the deer would be stampeded from the backside towards the ledge, where they fell a few hundred feet to their deaths. However, one day there was a certain stag that gracefully leapt, from rock to rock, flying through the air softly down the palisade, and off into the distance... But at the moment I'm imagining the slow-motion macabre journey of deer falling, as they writhe and tumble to their deaths in the throes of bacchanalia. Lew breaks the silence by saying, "Let me show you the new vineyard."
The palisades in the distance behind Quixote
A Grape By Any Other Name:
Records show that in 1884 playboy-millionaire Charles Mc Iver, owner of Linda Vista Vineyard in San Jose, one of California's premiere pre-prohibition wineries imported a grape called durif. The grape was the progeny of a French nursereyman of the same name who developed a seedling believed to be a variation of a grape named peloursin. Mc Iver referred to the grape as "petite sirah." Shortly thereafter, H.W. Crabb, owner of the To Kalon Vineyard and Winery in the Napa Valley, which today is owned by Mondavi and Andy Beckstoffer, among others, visited Mc Iver and liked what he saw. To Kalon was soon producing the grape until phylloxera destroyed virtually all of the state's plantings in 1890. Sometime around 1897 a large-scale, statewide re-planting took place. It is commonly held that it was true syrah that was planted, with some durif, perhaps, although no one can say for sure. What is known is that most of what was produced went into red-burgundy blends.
Voodoo Child: Petite Sirah in the age of Aquarius
In the California of the 1960's, there were roughly 4,500 acres of Petite Sirah planted in California. The major distinction of this crop though, was that for the first time it was bottled as a premium varietal. Between 1971 and 1973 plantings doubled to 8,200 acres, with new plantings in Monterey and the Central Valley. Meanwhile, the coastal counties like Sonoma and Mendocino continued to tend their old plantings. However, like so many of the positive elements birthed in the 60's of California, Petite Sirah saw a serious decline in the 80's. At the University of California at Davis, ampelography, or DNA grafting tests for the grape were performed in 1992.
The result was that what is mostly called "petite sirah" is durif, with a slim chance that it might be either peloursin or beclan.
In 1997 there were close to 2,500 acres of California vines that were known as petite sirah which produced roughly 1.2 million gallons. In Napa there were 328 acres of petite sirah, and 10,335 of cabernet sauvignon.
The irony of petite sirah is that most vineyardists have been unsure as to what it actually is, and despite that, have continued to farm it on the grape's merit alone. Whatever the case may be, it is a true California original and premium varietal that will continue to evolve and develop into a 21st century standard for the state's wine industry, providing that consumers continue to appreciate its brooding blueberry depth and cocoa-powder tannic character - which is the easy part. The hard part is convincing producers to gamble on a grape that isn't one of the standard bordeaux varietals. To do the - dare I say, quixotic ?
Subterrranean Home Spun Blueberries: The Cave at Quixote
F.M. radio is playing to an empty, damp cave as Lew and I enter the subterrranean underbelly of Quixote.
There definitely are more elaborate caves in the Napa Valley. Built to host dinners and private events, these caves are oftentimes the showpiece of the winery. Quixote's is different. The cave at Quixote is what I would refer to as a "working" cave, consisting mostly of stacks of wine-stained barrels and sundry equipment. Lew and I are looking for Timothy Keith, Assistant Winemaker at Quixote, to do some barrel tasting. But at the moment there is only Lew and myself, and a pleasant yeasty, damp mustiness.
We were about to give up when Timothy appeared, Lew took off and we started to taste. My notes are as follows:
2007 Petite Sirah
2,000 Cases Produced
Blackberry and new leather aromas. A body of Rubenesque proportions doing a multi-veiled dance revealing consecutively: gravelly tannins, generous raspberry fruit and finally, silky tannins.
2008 Petite Sirah
Block 6
Alc. 14%
Deep purple saturated color, focused raspberry acid base that gives way to Mexican Cocoa tannic finish, less flesh, more elegant...
Block 5
Petite Sirah
Campfire smoke and blackberry jam with teeth staining tannins mingle with a velvety mid-palate laced with aged balsamic macerated blueberries...and finally, sandy tannins as long as a Tahitian beach.
Block 12
Petite Sirah
60 day extended maceration 6-8 day cold soak.
a full-bodied endeavor with thoroughly ripe blueberry flavor displaying a ripeness that shows raspberry and blackberry as well.
Block 14
Petite Sirah
Hawaiian Punch with an extra shot of blackberry juice, perfumed with violet and fresh herbs.
Acid, fruit and tannins dance hand in hand.
A cocoa powder tanninic tug at the end.
Friday, 16 January 2009 02:06
Miljenko "Mike" Grgich at Chateau Montelena, circa 1970's
Around 10:00 p.m. in the middle of a hot August night in 1958, a Greyhound bus pulled into the sleepy hamlet of St. Helena, California. Its sole passenger was a diminuitive Croatian named Miljenko Grgic. His journey to St. Helena began some four years earlier when he left communist run Croatia to follow his dream of coming to California to make wine. First, he went to Germany, and then to Canada, where he came out to the west coast to work in Vancouver as a waiter and at a paper mill. Then, he finally made it to Napa Valley. Miljenko was a hard worker and dedicated to the winemaking process. Napa Valley was the perfect place to be at that time for individuals that were serious about wine. The area had got back some of the steam that it had in the pre-prohibition days and was attracting serious individuals with serious money. Wine had always been a seminal part of Miljenko's life. From the days as a boy in his village of Desne, in Croatia: through his adult life, to the present day, where he is ensuring his legacy of love for the land, Miljenko has been, and like Robert Mondavi before him, will always be remembered as a Napa Valley pioneer.
The crystallizing year for Miljenko was 1976. As winemaker for Chateau Montelena, he helped to produce the Chardonnay that would eventually travel all the way back to Europe and to a tasting salon in France, where it, along with other California wines were to be blind tasted against the best of the French wine industry, a tasting that has now been immortalized in celluloid as well as print. Miljenko Grgic, nee, Mike Grgich, never forgot the peasant roots that tied him to the land. He came from a world where wisdom was found in the places that one encountered on a daily basis: vineyards, trees and mountains. These were all not just inanimate objects there for human consumption, but were known to hold properties that heal and are inextricably linked to a religious life that saw them as crucial to the concept of god and universe. And so, three years prior to the tasting, on September 6th, 1973, when the chardonnay grapes that would eventually go into the Montelena wine arrived at the winery, they were blessed by a Catholic Priest who also said a prayer for a successful harvest and sprinkled holy water on the grapes. Perhaps it was the holy water, perhaps it was the vintage, perhaps the hard work of the Montelena team, but the wine was selected as the best of the field of ten, beating out the second place winner, the Roulot Meursault Charmes, which had garnered 126.5 points to the Montelena's 132. The result of this tasting was a major coup in the wine world. California wines beating the best of France, and with French judges, nonetheless!
But success was not garnered overnight for Miljenko, while he enjoyed making wine, he still had not reached his goal of owning his own winery and growing his own grapes: he was determined to re-connect with land in a way that was imprinted in his subconscious. On Independence Day, 1977 Miljenko broke ground on his winery with his partner, Austin Hills, of Hills brothers coffee. The rest is history. Today, one may go to Grgich Hills in Napa Valley and get a sense of the history there. Unlike other wineries that architecturallywant to bowl people over with their presence, Grgich Hills, like Miljenko, has grown with dignity and with a sense of place.
Their website has a wealth of information on Biodynamic farming, but I feel that the following quote really puts their perspective into context and gives one a sense of the intention behind Biodynamics:
"Let us start with a painful truth: over the past fifty years many grape-growers in California and beyond did not take proper care of their soil and vines. In fact, some of the commonly accepted farming methods that we used wound up doing serious damage to the natural processes of Mother Earth. One set of problems began with the introduction of herbicides. This seemed like a good idea at the time, and after the first treatments the vines appeared to be doing well. But the benefits proved to be short-lived. As the herbicide was applied to the area, most of the living organisms in the soil were killed, providing an effective, but temporary compost. Over time, though, we found that those herbicides actually weakened the soil. The result was clearly visible: growers witnessed diminished growth and diminished yield. In response, the chemical industry gave us another short-term solution: synthetic fertilizers. For the chemical industry, the soil is of no importance, it is a lifeless support medium, nothing more. So why not add more chemicals? Alas, this “solution” only caused greater long-term damage to the soil and vines. In sum, this second round of chemicals added insult to injury, and the long-term health and well-being of Mother Earth suffered even further."
If one were to compare this quote from a quote that is posted in an entry on this site entitled "On Biodynamics" by Monty Waldin, whose book on Biodynamics is an invaluable source of information for anyone interested in the subject, there is a similar theme regarding the responsibility of farmers to be stewards of the land that they are farming. Government subsidies and the bottom line have pushed America's farmlands to the brink. As I've said elsewhere on this site, collectively we are at the tipping point with the environment. It is our responsibility as inhabitants of this one and only planet Earth to pass its beauty and splendor onto future generations, even so far as the seven generations into the future that was the commonly held viewpoint in America as recently as 300 years ago.
Allright, off the soapbox I go and into the wine...
My tasting notes on the wine. First though, a word on the vineyard... planted in 1889, this old-vine vineyard has soil of reddish, gravelly loam with excellent drainage. The clones, however are of an unknown origin, but most likely planted by Italian immigrants.
2006 Miljenko's Old vines Zinfandel
15.1 % Alcohol
bright cherry and fine herb nose...tightly packed and built to last...secondary aromas of mushroom and coffee with cranberry highlights...Grgich Hills suggests laying this down for 5 to 10 years, and I would agree with that, but if you wanted to open it up with a spicy lamb stew...I'm thinking this would be a good thing....
Thursday, 01 January 2009 03:17
Venus
Biodynamic farming practice sees mineral fertilizers as lifeless and posits that those that use them are seeing the soil merely as a neutral holding area while Biodynamics sees it as a living organism capable of stimulating a dynamic interaction between plants, roots and the cosmos above. This way of including the unseen with the seen is at the crux of the biodynamic philosophy. Underground, unseen root systems are directly influenced by the soil and humus that is visible to the naked eye by unseen cosmic forces that are vaster than, but also include the stars above and the visible sun, moon and planets. While Steiner incorporated this into his biodynamic concept, he is not the first to put forth the phenomenon.
The bedrock of Biodynamic farming is the use of composts that are a result of transforming organic waste, residues and manure into more or less new organic compounds, or humus. Humus endows soil with the capacity to hold both nutrients and water and gives it a stable structure and encourages the release of phosphorus through the activity of earthworms. Composting and the six compost preparations devised by Steiner were meant to utilize the intangible formative forces present in the earth and cosmos. These six preparations when seeded in the compost pile, transform ordinary compost into biodynamic compost by bringing energy into the vineyard, its soil and the vines. The soil is thusly prepared to receive cosmic energy, as well as simultaneously create upward growth from within the earth.
While it may sound like mumbo-jumbo to the scientifically inclined, it should be noted that knowledge of soil chemistry is not ignored, but biodynamic farming seeks to look beyond this knowledge to incorporate the phenomenon of the interaction between cosmic energy, the soil, the crop and the farm as a whole.
Equally important is the choice of animal manure used as it must be adapted to the type of crop grown, however, the preferred type of animal manure in compost for the biodynamic vineyard is cow, which is moister than other manures , thanks to the huge quantities of saliva the cows use during rumination and digestion. If overly moist, it can be mixed with sheep manure. The compost pile should also be turned and watered to provide it with moisture and air, to break it down into humus. With just the right amount of air the aerobic bacteria will break down mineral nitrogen to organic nitrogen, which will kill off weed seeds, fungal spores, and noxious bacteria by raising the temperature of the compost pile.
After the compost pile is built, but before the bacteria, fungi and other organisms such as actinomycetes, yeasts, and algae start to transform it into humus, the six Biodynamic compost preparations are added. holes are made around the pile and preparations (502-6) Yarrow, camomile, nettle, oak bark and dandelion are dropped in and valerian is sprayed over the top. However, the raw materials used in compost preparations can also be made into teas that provide similar effects when sprayed on vines.
Sense organs of animals are used as sheaths for the Biodynamic preparations to keep the compost within the realm of the living. The theory behind this is that the animal organs maintain their cosmic charge, and these in turn regenerate crops. Specific animal organs are chosen for their affinity to a specific plant: cow intestines, animal skulls, bovine mesenteries and stag's bladders are among the most commonly used. The preparations are placed into their respective sheaths and are allowed to interact with the life force still attached to the organ, creating a synthesis of energy and positive regenerative forces which will then be transferred back to the vineyard.
Steiner's initial reasoning for creating the Biodynamic philosophy was to heal a sick Earth. The composts were the tool that he envisioned would regenerate and revitalize the Earth: re-connect it with positive cosmic forces. In addition to these effects, the Biodynamic farm is to be seen as a living organism which is interconnected with the cosmos, however it isn't only the the farm or vineyard that is to be seen in this light, but the compost pile as well: Yarrow as the lungs, breathing in cosmic energy, camomile as the stomach, ensuring proper mix of elements within the pile and the soil are digested and processed correctly;stinging nettle as the liver to cleanse;oak bark as the brain, reining in excess, dandelion as the corporeal body holding the influx of energies together. Valerian is the blood, bringing warmth and stimulating life.
(502) Yarrow
Referred to as the lungs of the compost pile and also used to help "breathe in" the cosmic energy via its connection to sulphur and potassium. Steiner linked Yarrow to the energy of the planet Venus, an inner planet whose energy is instrumental in supporting the calcium process involved in plant growth, seeding and reproduction. Yarrow also helps plants attract trace elements such as boron, iron, magnesium, manganese and zinc.
The Yarrow preparation is cured in a Red Deer bladder, for as Steiner says,
"As thin as it may be in terms of substance, in terms of its forces a deer bladder is almost a replica of the cosmos. A deer is involved with forces that are quite different from those of a cow, which are all related to the interior. By putting the yarrow into a deer bladder, we significantly enhance its inherent ability to combine sulphur with other substances."
Red Deer Stag
The preparation utilizes, Flower heads of Yarrow, bladder of a Red Deer Stag and is collected ideally from August 11th to September 14th. The flowers are stored over Winter and stuffed into a dried stag's bladder before midsummer at the latest. It is then exposed to sunlight all summer and before Autumn turns to Winter, when the Earth opens up to the cosmos as it inhales, the bladders are buried in a pit one foot deep. Th following Spring they are dug up, ideally when Mercury is in Aries, by then only fragments of the bladder are left and the Yarrow should be crumbly. One teaspoon of the preparation is then added per 15 tonnes compost.
Next time...Biodynamic Preparations 503 through 506
Saturday, 20 December 2008 18:51
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Compost piles at Joseph Phelps Photos Courtesy of Joseph Phelps Vineyards
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It has been raining in the Napa Valley this past week. A cold arctic wind is blowing from the North, bringing cold rain and grey clouds. The community of Angwin on the top of Howell Mountain at around 1800 feet has some snow, as does Atlas Peak, to the south of the valley. As I drive down the hill from Angwin down Deer Park Road, there are patches of blue emerging occasionally across the valley behind the lush greenery of Spring and Diamond Mountains. Across the valley, the branches of the vines are bare and spread their spider-like fingers across the slate coldness of the sky. There is a fresh, clean quality to the day that seems to come with cold fronts. Driving South on the Silverado trail, just past The Napa Valley Reserve, the brilliance of a majestic rainbow emerges from the vineyards to the left of me, just at the entrance of the Meadowood Resort. These vines belong to individuals that have purchased the right to have the fruit processed by Bill Harlan and his team at the Reserve into world class wines that they will design labels for and have for their own consumption and for gifting. Lance Armstrong is among those that have bought into the program at the Reserve and last year I toured a few groups through this same vineyard to discuss plant physiology and to allow guests a more hands-on approach to vineyard production and plant life.
The sun is starting to emerge with more frequency, and as I pass the Pope Street bridge, I pick up the trail of another rainbow. To the left of the Silverado Trail, behind the hills, I can barely see the top emerging. Coming around the corner by the Spring Valley Ranch of Joseph Phelps, a huge, broadly banded multi-hued beauty sits smack dab in the middle of the Phelps vineyard. On a whim I veer the car into the long driveway and decide to see if they can fit me in for an unscheduled tasting. Wintertime in Napa Valley is one of the best times to taste. The crowds have dissipated and there is a regal quality to the valley that emerges in the silence of dormant vines and lush greenery. The parking lot is somewhat empty, so my chances look good. I present myself at the reception and am pleased to learn that they will be able to squeeze me in.
For those who are familiar with Joseph Phelp's wines, you know that they are constantly being lauded with high scores and awards, year after year. The wines are a mainstay in all of the crucial wine critic's reviews and they can safely be put into the 'trophy' category of California Wines. Less known but more importantly, is the fact that Phelps has quietly been converting his vineyards to fully Biodynamic over the years, nearing 100% at the time of this article. The handful of Napa Valley producers that farm biodynamically and simultaneously continue to capture discriminating audience's hearts are at the vanguard of the emerging green consciousness that is slowly pervading not only wine making, but most sectors of production from energy to food. However, for Phelps, as well as for the other Biodynamic producers in the world of wine that have had the vision and the wisdom to realize that the best way to ensure profitability for their business is to increase the longevity of their soils and increase the health of their vineyards, the true test may be in demystifying the biodynamic process for their consumers and informing them as to why they have decided to commit to Biodynamic principles without sounding too "mystical."
According to Joseph Phelps literature, they have this to say about their commitment to biodynamics:
"At Joseph Phelps Vineyards, our philosophy is to maintain, preserve and (where possible and appropriate) ecologically enhance the natural vineyard environment. While this goal is essential for present vineyard practices, it will have an even more profound effect on the development of maturing vineyards in the future. In order to achieve the greatest possible ecological health in and around our vineyards, we continue to build upon the sustainable vineyard practices we have been using since the early 1980's, and gradually but steadily we are embracing a style of farming known as "biodynamic agriculture."
In addition to the above statement, Philippe Pessereau, Director of Vineyard Operations at Phelps has prepared the following summary of Rudolf Steiner's vision for Biodynamics:
"What Steiner was suggesting is a comprehensive approach to supporting and bringing out the best in the soils (terroir), native vegetation and surrounding environment, while increasing the farm's ability to do this without importing enormous amounts of off-farm inputs.
If done well, this approach becomes the basis of sustainability in agriculture. there is more, though, in that Steiner came to this from a moral-ethical perspective, not just from a scientific-ecological one and had what we call a spiritual approach to our responsibility for the land and its creatures: increased reverence for life, enhanced sensitivity to our environment, a lasting commitment to quality andto the subleties of life."
BrassTacks: How It Goes Down In The Vineyard
There are basically Seven Key elements to the hands-on approach to Biodynamic farming at Joseph Phelps. They are as follows:
1. Appropriate Production is the very basic building block of all good farming. it involves a very careful selection of what to grow and where.
2. Biodiversity is nature's fundamental premise. It aims at helping as many plant and critter species as possible grow, co-exist, and mutually support each other.
3. Soil Fertility includes a focus on proper levels of organic matter, good humus content and healthy microbial activity in the soil (bacteria, fungi, yeasts, protozoa, etc.). At JPV, we have produced our own biodynamic compost since 1999 to foster our soil humus.
4. Natural Crop Nutrition involves feeding compost to our vines and cover crops, herbs, flowers and orchards. done correctly, compost produces nutrient rich, microbial rich, moist, spongy, sweet smelling and long lasting humus.
5. Whole Farm Self-Sustainability is the goal of any self-sustaining farm and is achieved by creating healthy soils and a bio-diverse set of crops.
6. Integration of Farm Animals began in 2006 when we brought sheep to graze in the vineyard during vine dormancy. Our purpose was twofold: we wanted to increase biodiversity on the home ranch (we have chickens and bees which perform a similar ro le within their respective realms), while maximizing use of our natural resources. Sheep grazed on the cover crop and transformed it, illustrating the animal's role on a farm. they not only recycled the grass but most importantly they influenced the soil ecology (manure=deposition of organic matter=humus) as well as the flora. In addition, they enabled us to keep the vineyard floor mowed and ready for frost season.
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| Before Grazing | After 1st grazing pass | After 2nd grazing pass |
7. Biologically Integrated Pest, Disease & Weed Prevention & Management is achieved by producing healthy plants which, when grown on healthy soil, are better fit to naturally resist pest and disease attacks. Thus, this system produces the optimal foundation for pest and disease prevention.
This is the time of the year that the cow horns are stuffed with manure and then buried prior to the Winter Solstice. The images below give a good indication as to the beneficial results of applying the tea that will be invariably be made from the manure that is buried.
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Right: Biodynamic field spray 500 is made by packing female cow horns with cow manure and burying them for 6 months (from fall to spring equinox). Middle: After the cow horn preparation is removed from the horn, a tiny amount is added to lukewarm water and stirred for one hour, thereby creating a vortex where the energy of the preparation is transferred into the water. One-quarter cup of preparation covers one acre. Left: A biodynamic farming experiment in which the plants on the right received an application of horn manure. The plants on the left were grown in untreated soil.
And so what about the wine? My notes are as follows:
2005 Joseph Phelps Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
90% Cabernet sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot from estate-owned vineyards (75%) and independent growers (25%)
Grapes were harvested between September 10th - November 3rd, 2005 at an average 24.7 degrees Brix, fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged 18 months in a combination of new French and American oak barrels (50%) and 2 year old (50%) from coopers Sylvain, demptos, Nadalie, Canton, Taransaud, Vicard and World Cooperage.
...ruby and crimson core with macerated cherry aromas, a spoonful of blackberry jam, hint of tobacco leaf and talcum powder fine tannic finish. A splash of violet perfume lingers seductively on the nose and lends an air of otherworldly elegance...
Friday, 19 December 2008 02:47
Dionysus
"O Rock that flashes with the
gleam of Bacchic torches above
the twin peaked summit that
Dionysius haunts, and you, vine,
that daily put forth shoots and
offer up the fruitful cluster
of your grapes."
Euripides, Phoenician Women v.225
Napa Valley is a truly amazing place. Aside from the natural beauty, tranquility and abundance here, there exists a geological environment which is truly unique: Thirty -three different types of soil series, a variety of microclimates, steep mountains and sloping foothills on the Eastern and Western flanks, and a network of pocket valleys that meander eastward off the valley floor creates an environment found nowhere else in the United States. It is said that the Napa Valley is Eden to the wine grape. However, 150 million years ago most of what we now know as the Napa Valley, or California for that matter, did not exist. Over time, a series of geologic events, described as a continual dance of crustal plates, caused the shifting, sliding and lifting of land masses that plastered material on to the edge of north America and formed it into its present, temporary and ever changing configuration. This seemingly eternal process has created this garden of eden for the wine grape and has positioned the Napa Valley as the premiere grape-growing region in the United States.
It didn't happen overnight, though. 145 million years ago cataclysmic events occurred which began to shape the current California geology and landscape. The Pacific plate dove beneath the North American plate, melting rocks into magma that rose to the surface forming a chain of volcanoes. Over thousands of years erosion eventually deposited sediments forming what is now Napa Valley. It is this bedrock material that is a major contributor to the unique soils that comprise the Napa Valley and helps to define the quality of grapes grown here. As the land masses danced with one another, shifting and sliding, material from the ocean plate was slathered onto the edge of North America, this material is now known as the Franciscan Formation, a complex and diverse rock unit that underlies much of coastal California and which is one of the major bedrock components of the Napa Valley AVA.
Closer to the present day, but still in a time that seems unimaginable in today's amnesiac culture, another huge geologic process contributed to the creation of the Napa Valley. About 24 million years ago, the Farallon, Pacific and North American plates met at a triple junction in Southern California. Pushing northward, they created the San Andreas fault. As this triple junction slowly moved north, it drug the San Andreas faultline along with it. The tremendous compression of this created wrinkles in the earth's crust that created what is now the coastal ranges and here in Napa, the Mayacamas Mountains.
California is a dynamic place. It is unique in the regard that it, like the Napa Valley has a stunning array of biodiversity; mountains, beaches, deserts, and one of the few places on Earth that one might find Redwood Forests. However, in regard to wine making, it is the bedrock that was produced as a result of the geologic processes mentioned that are one of the major factors leading to the success of the California Wine Industry. Bedrock is the main source of the chemical and mineral elements of soils in which grapes grow. It provides the necessary structure, and chemical make-up that invariably will provide all the right factors for world-class wines. The Great Valley sequence is a huge trough piled high with sandstone, conglomerate and shale deposited over a period of 140 million to 60 million years ago. These sandstones and shales, derived from volcanic rocks, contain quartz and feldspar and are rich in potassium and sodium. Exposures of the great valley sequence can be seen mainly on the west side of the valley roughly between Oakville and Carneros, as well as at Stags leap,and near Calistoga.
Another geologic feature of the Napa Valley is the Franciscan Formation. It is unique in the regard that it has geologists puzzled as to its origins, and to date are unable to find an environment on or in Earth that shares the same characteristics of high pressure, low temperature environments. It is believed to be comprised of materials derived from oceanic environments of the Pacific and Farallon crustal plates. It is important for viticultarists to understand that it is rich in calcium and sodium feldspar which is generally indicative of low amounts of available water and nutrients, especially nitrogen and potassium, which leads to slower ripening and potentially lower yields (1 to 2 tons per acre) there are sequences of the Franciscan that run along the middle Mayacamas from the Southern boundary of the Oakville fan, north to St. Helena and West over the mountains into Sonoma County. While their hasn't been a lot of attention paid to the mysterious origins of the Franciscan formation, I often wonder how in the heck the material got here and, what exactly it is? Galactic material of an unknown origin? meteor shards? Perhaps its better just to accept the fact that it produces world class wines and be content with that.
Thursday, 04 December 2008 03:11
Always think of the universe as one living organism,
with a single substance and a single soul; and observe
how all things are submitted to the single perceptivity
of this one whole, all are moved by its single impulse,
and all play their part in the causation of every event
that happens. Remark the intricacy of the skein,
the complexity of the web.
- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
As the realities of global climate change continue to be embraced by the incoming political heirarchy, so the ways of combating these effects will continue to develop and hopefully provide us with answers to these life-threatening forces which are currently at work. Whether you are recently being made aware of these effects through the global media, or have known about them for some time, the mindset must be the same: the situation is dire. However, it is within our power to at least make the effort to change, to innovate, to once again prove that necessity is the mother of invention. The world of wine does not exist in a bubble, the effects of global warming are at this moment being closely scrutinized by the powers that be. Global entities that are at the helm of multi-nationals as well as small time producers are closely watching weather patterns and adjusting their forecasts accordingly. However, there are many factors that come into play when it comes to global viticulture. Part of the problem with any agricultural endeavor is a lack of resources. Who determines who is going to get the lion's share of water? Who, in fact, determines who will be able to develop and maintain the mass tracts of land that are required to maintain a global wine concern? While these questions may appear self-evident (those with the money) I believe that it is not always so easy.
Vandana Shiva, a recipient of the right livelihood award, the alternative Nobel Peace Prize has said, "Whether it is ecological devastation or the destruction of diverse systems of knowledge, economic organization, and cultural patterns, the source is a common one; it lies in the dominant worldview that falsely universalizes the values, priorities, and truths of a small, privileged group based on class, gender, ethnicity or religion." Unfortunately, rural populations have traditionally been hit hardest by this situation. Land-based societies have been at the crux of the economy since the beginnings of civilization. As we've become more 'advanced,' these societies have continued to be marginilazed to the point where they, as well as the land they come from are at the tipping point. Wine growing societies have traditionally valued the land and in the European context, at least, they have managed to create some longevity, knowing full well that in order to continue to produce wine, healthy soil is a necessary corollary to said endeavor. Needless to say, this knowledge isn't across the board. The European wine industry is a hulking behometh that has deep roots. The product must go out, money must be made. This can oftentimes mean that the horse needs to be flogged to get to the finish line. The problem with this philosophy is that in order to meet quotas, or to get a return, the soil will end up suffering.
Monty Waldin, author of "Biodynamic Wines," states the problem as such,
"The problem I see with convential vineyards is that they are not sustainable long-term either environmentally or economically. This is because the vineyard owner ends up paying money which should be retained by the vineyard, to conglomerates for man-made, chemically synthesized weedkillers, fertilizers, and vineyard sprays that ultimately deplete the vines and the soil they grow in. The grower is then caught in an economic and environmental vicious circle. As the soils weaken because the living organisms with it are not being stimulated, so the vines and the wine they produce lose their strength and become less valued by the market. This tempts the vineyard owner to purchase yet more chemicals to try and bolster his flagging crop, or to rely on added sugar, acid, yeasts, and enzymes in winemaking. And it's not just everyday wines that are reliant on this kind of vinous scaffolding, or trickery, but the most expensive ones, too."
The problem of global warming in the context of the current financial meltdown is generally a point of anxiety for most of us, as well it should be. However, as one reads the daily news, the word "green" appears with greater frequency. One can only hope that this signals the turning point in the history of man where we turn the page, ironically, back, perhaps to a simpler time. I understand that there is a global consortium that wishes to go forward, to step out of time into a future that is sleek and shiny, where the problems at hand are solved with technology, where there is no hunger, no more global warming...things change constantly. In our quest to attain perfection, we have ignored the savage, the unpredictable, the wild, and yet these are all part of existence, we can no longer live without these natural phenomena than we can stop earthquakes or any other natural disasters, we can, however, stop the man made ones.
Sunday, 16 November 2008 03:24
Temple of Bacchus in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
It is a well known fact that the Ancient Greeks saw the grape vine as a symbol of life, death, and re-birth. This is also evident in the story of the life of Bacchus, which goes something like this: the monstrous Titans, children of Gaia, painted their faces with chalk to disguise themselves and lure Bacchus away from his nurse with a mirror, a toy that fascinated him, and a giant fennel stem. They seized the boy and sliced him into seven pieces with an Iron knife, then tossed the pieces into a cauldron to boil. Some say that a goddess, some say Rhea, or Demeter, or perhaps Persephone, then rescued the pieces and put them back together. There are several variations of the story, but they all end with Bacchus resurrected. Although the belief in the cyclical existence of life has been supplanted in the cradle of civilization, and in the Ancient Hellenic lands in particular, there are still references to the greatness of the viticultural properties of the area. The Bible, for example is full of references to the wines of Canaan, which is located in southern Lebanon. The Romans as well chose Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon to build the largest temple dedicated to Bacchus. And it is from exactly this place that this wine comes from.
Chateau Musar was created in the cellar of a 17th century castle by Gaston Hochar. The grapes for the wine are picked just as the sun is rising in the Bekaa Valley and are then swiftly transferred to the cellar of the old Mzar castle in Ghazir, overlooking the mediterranean. During the first year the wine is racked into Bordeaux type barrels made from Nevers oak where it matures for 12 to 15 months. At the end of the second year blending takes place with the proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault varying with each vintage, the only deciding factor being taste. During the third year bottling takes place after which the wine is allowed to rest 3 to 4 years in the cellar prior to release. The '98 Musar comes in at 13.5% Alcohol and is an elegant wine. My notes are as follows:
Light Ruby color with a garnet rim, tobacco leaf aromas with bright cherry flavors lingering... high altitude desert dust and hints of musty cellar... Burgundian-like acidity and velvety mouthfeel...pleasant touch of barrel funk mixed with sun-drenched ripe fruit.
Wednesday, 12 November 2008 04:38
When Orion and the Dog Star move
Into the mid-sky and Arcturus sees
The rosy-fingered dawn.
As early as the late eighth century B.C., the Greek poet Hesiod was producing work on wine production. His two works which are most commonly known on the subject are Works and Days and Theogony. Hesiod advised that grapes for wine should be harvested and then dried before pressing. At that time, wine was stored in clay jars, so by drying the grapes, their sugars would be more concentrated, leaving a wine high enough in alcohol for any unfermented (residual) sugar left in it not to re-ferment. Hesiod also stipulated that wine be made according to a sign from the sky, which is the time mentioned above in italics. These are the first writings that direct farmers to follow stars or use a cosmic calendar for different crops. Arcturus is a brilliant orange star on the constellation of Bootes, or the herdsman, while Hesiod's "Dog star" was Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. The Ancient Greeks saw Sirius as "the scorcher" of the ripening crops, due to its annual re-appearance in the morning sky in early Summer. When Hesiod linked the earthly activity of wine growing with the movements of the heavens, he linked the observable reality with the spiritual belief. Ancient Greek culture saw the cycle of life and death as including re-birth as the crucial third step. The vine came to play a symbolically significant part in Greek culture due to its ability to transform itself from a grey bareness and lifelesness in Winter , to flowering bright green buds of rebirth and bounty from Spring to Autumn. wine was also enjoyed by the Ancient Greeks to free the imagination and for its mineral rich liquid which sustained the body.
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