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GRAPE PROFILE: THE NOBLE ASCENT OF CHENIN BLANC Jacky Blisson MW
GRAPE PROFILE:
The Noble Ascent of Chenin Blanc
By Jacky Blisson MW
Photo credit: supplied by Domaine les Pierres Ecrites
The major wine grapes of the world are often grouped together under the illustrious title of noble varieties.
Chenin Blanc is notoriously absent from many such lists. And yet, this most versatile of white cultivars has more than enough merit to warrant its place on the honour roll.
No other white variety quite matches Chenin Blanc in terms of stylistic range. From dry to sweet, sparkling to still, unoaked to barrel matured, conventional to natural, white to orange, Chenin does it all and (in the right hands) does it well.
Chenin Blanc grapes are naturally high in acidity and phenolics. When yields are kept in check and ripening is optimal, Chenin Blanc produces racy, textural wines. These hallmark features are the key behind Chenin’s ability to produce well-balanced, age worthy wines in such a myriad of styles. THE VINE OF ANJOU
A descendant of the Savagnin variety, Chenin Blanc has been cultivated in the Loire Valley for over a thousand years. Native to Anjou, the grape was originally called Plant d’Anjou (vine of Anjou), and later Pineau de la Loire. The name Chenin Blanc is thought to have emerged at the Montchenin monastery in Touraine, a likely tale given the importance of the monastic orders in proliferating plantings throughout Anjou-Saumur and Touraine from the Middle Ages onwards.
The reputation of Loire Chenin Blanc was forged by the Kings of France. When Henry II Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, became King of England in 1154 he only allowed Anjou wines at court. This spurred a fashion that spanned centuries among the French nobility as the grand châteaux of the Loire sprang up.
GLOBAL EXPANSION AND FALL FROM GRACE
In 1655, the intrepid Chenin Blanc took to the high seas, destined to become the most planted white wine grape in South Africa. For the next three hundred years, Chenin Blanc was referred to as Steen, potentially as it came to form the hoeksteen (Afrikaans for cornerstone) of the South African wine industry. It wasn’t until the 1960s that the University of Stellenbosch determined that Steen and Chenin Blanc were one and the same.
The late 18 to mid 19 hundreds marked a shifting of the tides for Chenin Blanc. After Phylloxera, and two grueling world wars, the young Loire Valley farmers left the countryside in droves to work in factories. Meanwhile, in South Africa, trade embargos imposed during the apartheid era cut the nation off from international trade.
In both cases, the vineyards suffered. Overcropped and under tended, Chenin Blanc produced thin, acidic wines in the cool Loire Valley, often masked by a healthy measure of residual sugar. Fruitier, yet equally insipid wines became the norm in warmer South Africa. At the same time, this propensity for high vigour and crisp acidity led Chenin Blanc to become the star grape in California’s innocuous “Chablis” jug wines.
CHENIN BLANC QUALITY REVIVAL
By the turn of the century, California plantings of Chenin Blanc had begun to dwindle. However, in South Africa and the Loire Valley the efforts of a determined few brought about a Chenin Blanc renaissance.
“People thought I was crazy when I started out in Montlouis,” recounts Jacky Blot of Domaine de la Taille aux Loups. Now common practice for quality-focused Loire Chenin producers, his approach of low yields, organic farming, hand harvesting, and barrel fermenting Chenin Blanc was revolutionary in the late 1980s.
In Stellenbosch, Ken Forrester’s championing of Chenin Blanc, especially its older vine plantings, also puzzled many growers who farmed the grape for quantity not quality, routinely uprooting older, less productive vines. Now “South Africa has the highest concentration of old vine Chenin Blanc in the world,” recounts Swartland winemaker Andrea Mullineux of Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines.
Mullineux refers to the grape as a “natural survivor,” referencing the process of natural and massal selections over the years, and the work of Rosa Kruger’s Old Vine Project. Today, South Africa’s 2000 hectares of old Chenin Blanc bush vines are highly sought after by winemakers for the depth and textural richness they bring.
A CHAMELEON OF TERROIR
In the Loire Valley, the sweet, often botrytised wines of Anjou-Saumur appellations such as Bonnezeaux, Quarts-de-Chaume, and Coteaux du Layon once represented the heights of Chenin Blanc quality. Now, dry wines of equally revered calibre are the focus of the region and neighbouring Touraine.
This shift has revealed the marked terroir differences across the area. Indeed, the schist soils of Savennières produce far steelier, more structured wines than the chalky tuffeau of Vouvray. In Montlouis, biodynamic vigneron François Chidaine was an early adopter of single vineyard bottlings, showcasing the diversity of clay, sand, flint, and limestone rich soils across the appellation.
“Chenin Blanc is a real chameleon of terroir,” agrees Mullineux. This realization led her to produce four separate Chenin Blanc from their Swartland vineyards. The first was a firm, flinty expression on decomposed granite soils, the second a riper, more phenolic expression from a schist terroir, the third a concentrated, textural bottling from iron-rich gravelly clay. Finally, Mullineux produced a racy, mineral-laced Chenin Blanc grown on quartz.
Photo credit: supplied by Mullineux
Increasing frequency of frost/erratic weather in Loire and how Montlouis producers are reacting
In recent years, wine grape growers across France have witnessed an alarming acceleration of vegetative cycles. According to a 2021 study by the World Weather Attribution initiative, climate change is to blame.
Average winter temperatures are warming, leading to an earlier start to the growing season. This puts early budding varieties, like Chenin Blanc, at greater risk. April frosts are hardly a new phenomenon in the Loire Valley. However, in the past, the tender buds were less often exposed.
Over half of Montlouis-sur-Loire vintages in the past decade have suffered significant frost damage. “We have had to learn how to act, rather than simply react” explained Ludovic Chanson at the recent Montlouis on the Rock conference.
At La Grange Tiphaine, this meant investing in fixed and mobile wind turbines. According to Damien, within a few short vintages they had already paid for themselves. “The spring frosts were particularly bad in 2021,” he said. “Many neighbours lost up to 70% of their yields. My losses were less than 30%.”
Many of Montlouis’ smaller producers, like Domaine Thet and Domaine les Pierres Ecrites, are members of groups that share vineyard equipment. This collaborative arrangement has allowed for the purchase of units to cover multiple vineyard sites.
In 2017, Montlouis-sur-Loire newcomer Laura David lost over half of her first vintage. When frost struck again in 2019, followed by a mid-summer heatwave, David’s vines struggled to ripen. “I wanted to make single terroir wines, but certain parcels were excessively acidic, others had a vegetal bitterness,” she explained.
David decided to abandon her initial plan and instead make one blend which she labeled “L’insolente” (the insolent one). The wine received a highly positive response and taught David an important lesson. “I couldn’t afford to lose another vintage, so I was forced to adapt.”
Photo credit: supplied by Domaine de la Taille aux Loups
Jean-Philippe and his father Jacky Blot of Domaine de la Taille aux Loups
MONTLOUIS ON THE ROCK
In July 2022, Chenin Blanc specialists from South Africa, Spain, the Pacific Northwest, and France’s Limoux region joined local producers for Montlouis on the Rock, a Chenin Blanc celebration organized by the Vins de Montlouis-sur-Loire growers’ association.
The day-long event included comparative tastings and discussions on how to express terroir, achieve balance, and enhance overall quality across a vast range of Chenin Blanc growing regions, in an ever more challenging climate context.
Debates included the merits of oxidative handling to bring greater stability and textural appeal to wines vs. reductive winemaking techniques for finesse, as well as the relative importance of continuing to block malolactic fermentation with falling malic acid levels and greater frequency of spontaneous malolactic conversion.
Montlouis producers discussed the latest improvements in barrel fermentation and aging with the advent of the chauffe blonde technique of long, slow, low heat barrel toasting. These barrels provide gentle micro-oxygenation without overpowering Chenin Blanc’s vibrant fruit and floral aromas.
Extended skin contact techniques, efforts to limit or eliminate sulphur, varying practices in Pét Nat production, and experimentation with different ageing vessels were all shared, with an impressive array of wines demonstrating each style.
THE FUTURE OF CHENIN BLANC IN AN EVOLVING CLIMATE
While the specific climate challenges were different in each area, all growers at the Montlouis conference spoke of the increasing frequency of erratic and extreme weather events. Smoke taint, hydric stress, frost and hail damage, rot, and the arrival of never seen before vineyard pests were just some of the many issues raised.
Despite these growing threats, the mood among producers was optimistic. They were there to share solutions and work collaboratively. The sense of community, among Montlouis growers, and extended to international guests, was infectious.
As the quality and stylistic diversity of Chenin Blanc continues to increase, so does the grape’s fan base around the world. Once a grape most commonly found on supermarket shelves or dessert wine lists, Chenin Blanc is now the darling of trendy wine bars.
South Africa and France continue to dominate worldwide plantings, but small quantities of excellent Chenin Blanc are emerging from Argentina, Australia, Spain, New Zealand, California, Canada, Chile and beyond, bringing ever more stylistic range and quality focus to this most noble white grape.
Jacky Blisson MW is an independent wine educator, writer, and consultant with over two decades experience in all facets of the global wine trade. She is the first Master of Wine in Québec and one of only ten across Canada. After studying wine science and commerce in Beaune France, Jacky managed exports for Burgundian and Rhône Valley firms. She also worked harvest seasons in Beaune and Walker Bay, South Africa. Jacky produces a self-titled wine website and YouTube channel. Her go-to restaurant that never disappoints is L’Express in Montréal and the best concert she ever attended was The Tragically Hip on New Year’s Eve 2000. The visiting winemakers at Montlouis on the Rock 2022
Thomas Monroe, Division Wine Co. (Portland, Oregon)
Thomas Monroe left the world of corporate finance to study enology. In 2010, Monroe set up Division Wine Co. with partner Kate Norris. The négociant winery sources organic and biodynamic grapes from across Oregon and Washington. Monroe crafts rich, precise Chenin Blanc from own-rooted, old vine plots in the Columbia Valley. Monroe shared his experience coaxing quality Chenin from this arid environment, with its ever-increasing challenges of combating smoke damage.
In 2007, Craig and Carla Hawkins returned from years of harvest globe-trotting to set up Testalonga in the Swartland. The skin macerated wines of Ligurian master Antonio Perrino inspired the Hawkins’ winery name and approach. Years of experimentation with different vessels, oxygen ratios, and fermentation techniques has given Hawkins a wealth of experience in producing structured, textural Chenin Blanc on his beloved decomposed granite soils.
José Luis Matéo, Quinta da Muradella (Monterrei, Spain)
Agudelo (aka Chenin Blanc) is a rare grape in Galicia, used in blends for its vibrant acidity. José Luis Matéo was so enamoured with the quality of his co-planted Agudelo vines, grown on granite and schist soils, that he decided to produce a monovarietal wine. Over the past 30 years, faced with a steady rise in regional summer temperatures, Matéo has gained significant expertise in adapting Chenin Blanc winemaking techniques.
Thomas Fort, Domaine Mouscaillo (Limoux, France)
Chenin Blanc is an important blending element for Domaine Mouscaillo’s still and sparkling Limoux wines, bringing freshness and verve. Despite its secondary role, Fort is committed to low yields and carefully selected harvest dates to derive the best expression of the grape. Despite its southerly location, Domaine Mouscaillo’s location, perched in the clay-limestone foothills of the Pyrenees gives uniquely ripe, yet lively Chenin Blanc with distinctive florality.
Grown on sandy clay soils veined with flint, the Epinay cuvée is fermented slowly throughout the winter in neutral barrels and casks, and aged in a mix of foudres, amphora, and concrete eggs. Enticing notes of lanolin, oatmeal, red apple, and honeysuckle leap from the glass, gaining in complexity with aeration. Brisk acidity balances the weighty, textural palate, elongating the juicy, spiced finish.
François Chidaine Rive Gauche 2020, Montlouis-sur-Loire France
The partially botrytised Rive Gauche cuvée is sourced from three different vineyard sectors, vinified separately and then blended during ageing. Fragrant notes of spiced apple tart and honey are underscored by hints of lanolin, giving significant complexity to the nose. The palate’s weighty core and luscious sweetness are seamlessly balanced by its vibrant freshness.
Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Triple Zéro, Montlouis-sur-Loire France
Triple zéro means no chaptalisation, no added yeast, and no dosage. The wine spends seven to eight months in barrel before transfer to bottle at 12 grams/litre residual sugar, where it completes fermentation over three years or more. The latest cuvée is mainly sourced from the ripe 2019 vintage. Delicate notes of bruised apple, brioche, and underbrush on the nose. The palate is lively and elegant, with its fine bubbles and silky, dry finish.
Domaine les Pierres Ecrites « Empreintes » 2019, Montlouis-surLoire France
New to Montlouis, Anthony and Coralie Rassin have quickly gained a following for their organic, minimal interventionist wines crated in a very precise style. Discreet chamomile and yellow apple aromas give way to hints of quince with aeration. The palate is racy and linear, with vivid citrus and apple flavours. Appealing saline notes linger on the finish.
Domaine Laura David L’Insolite 2019, Montlouis-sur-Loire France
Assailed by frost and mid-summer heat, recently arrived Montlouis vigneronne Laura David decided to blend her various vineyard plots to produce one cuvée. Aromas and flavours of baked yellow fruits, raw honey, and baking spice are offset by bright, tangy acidity. The palate is broad and subtly earthy with refreshing citrus pith bitters on the finish.
Mullineux Old Vines White 2020, Swartland South Africa
This Chenin Blanc dominant blend is sourced from schist, granite, and iron-rich vineyards across the Swartland. The wine is fermented and aged in large, neutral oak casks. Pretty aromas of white blossoms, orchard fruit, and flint feature on the nose. The palate is rich, yet steely, with a concentrated core of tangy fruit and subtle savoury flavours that persist on the dry finish.
Reyneke Organic Chenin Blanc 2020, Stellenbosch South Africa
The organic grapes for this cuvée are sourced from a hot, semi-arid area of Stellenbosch, on loamy soils. Wild yeast fermentation and subsequent lees ageing takes place in stainless steel at cool temperatures. Quite an aromatic expression, with exuberant notes of honey, quince, and yellow apple. The palate is plush and rounded, bookended by bright acidity and refreshing citrussy bitters that lengthen the finish.
Beaumont Wines Chenin Blanc 2021, Bot River South Africa
With its close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, Bot River enjoys a long, slow ripening season. The Chenin Blanc vines here grow on deep, shale soils. Vivid orange marmalade, lime blossom, and wild thyme notes emerge on the nose, in perfect harmony with the wine’s bracing acidity and light bodied, precise palate.
Ken Forrester “The FMC” 2020, Stellenbosch South Africa
An icon wine from Ken Forrester, the FMC hails from well-drained soils of decomposed granite and clay. This Chenin Blanc is barrel fermented and aged for on lees in new and one-year French oak barriques. Very opulent, full-bodied Chenin Blanc with its rich, creamy core and perfumed notes of acacia, yellow peach, toasted oak spice. Fresh acidity lifts the palate and lengthens the fruity, textural finish.
Testalonga “Stay Brave” 2021, Swartland South Africa
The Stay Brave Chenin Blanc is in deep rooting schist soils, giving small, thick-skinned berries. Two weeks of skin contact is followed by a long, slow native yeast fermentation in large vats. Initially savoury flavours give way to appealing citrus peel, baking spice, and quince notes. A complex, vibrant white of medium body, with subtle citrussy bitters and lingering malted nuances.
Division Wine Co. Chenin Blanc “Inondé” 2020, Willard Farms Columbia Valley, Washington
This hot, arid sector of the Columbia Valley experiences significant diurnal shifts, allowing for excellent acid retention in these organically farmed Chenin Blanc grapes. Aromas of preserved lemon, white grapefruit, and elderflower on the nose. The palate is crisp and initially firm, broadening across the smooth, rounded mid-palate, then tapering to a dry, textural finish.
Quinta de Muradella Monovarietal de Agudelo 2015, Monterrei Spain
Agudelo is the local name for Chenin Blanc in Galicia. Grown on granite and slate soils, this cuvée is aged for one year in a mix of stainless steel and oak barrels. Tropical notes of guava and papaya give way to a more mineral, earthy impression as the wine develops. The medium weight palate is dry and firm in structure, with a precise, clean finish and gentle bitters.
Wine production in By Åsa Johansson Photos courtesy of the producers Sweden? Yes, you read that right.
Say Sweden, and most people think of ABBA, IKEA, or Volvo. Wine production not so much – but that might change soon. Meet the people and foreign winemakers who want to put Sweden on the world´s wine map.
“We wanted to start a winery up north to avoid problems with climate change, but honestly, we did not think it would be as far north as in Sweden,” says Andrea Guerra. Guerra is an Italian winemaker from Salerno. After working in wineries around the world, he ended up in Tuscany, where he met his Swedish girlfriend, Emma. “One day Emma said, almost by a joke, why don’t we start a winery at the Island of Gotland where we have our summer home,” Guerra continues. The idea seemed crazy, but they started to study the soil and the climate and were surprised by the data they collected. Emma and Andrea understood that their dream could come true – in Sweden. “The Island of Gotland outside Sweden´s eastern coast has the most sun hours in the country,” explains Guerra. ”A constant wind from the sea and the soil has a high level of chalk, not different from the soil in Chablis or Champagne.”
During the spring of 2018, the winery Långmyre was born. Andrea and Emma planted 26.000 vines on five hectares, approximately 12.3 acres. “In a couple of years, we will be able to make around 20,000 bottles,” says Andrea.
The varieties are so-called PIWI varieties, or hybrids, produced by the nursery Vivai Rauscedo in the north of Italy. For example, Fleurtai, a crossing of Tocai Friulano and Sauvignon Kretos originating from Sauvignon Blanc.
PIWI varieties are crossings with traditional grapes (vitis vinifera) and wild vines, making them both resistant to many diseases and adaptable to the Nordic climate. But why use hybrids if the climate is changing? Why not use vitis vinifera like they have done in England using Pinot Noir and Chardonnay? “Why not?,” answers Guerra rhetorically. He then adds “We live at the winery, and the hybrid varieties require no chemical treatment. Therefore the agriculture is naturally environmentally friendly and sustainable - all without compromising the quality.”
K Felix G Åhrberg from the winery Kullabergs agrees. “Why use a Fiat when you can have a Ferrari,” he says while showing the new and impressive 2000 square meter size winery under construction. Åhrberg grows many different hybrids, as well as the most common hybrid in Sweden, Solaris. With Solaris he makes one of the most appreciated wines from Sweden, Immelen, a rich white wine with tropical fruit aromas, buttery texture and a fresh finish.
Kullabergs is in the western Scania, the most southern region in Sweden. The stunning area has high cliffs overlooking the sea, picturesque villages, and beautiful hiking paths.
“The only problem with the view is that you see Denmark from here,” Felix says, laughing while opening the door for his little dog, suitably named Piwi.
Åhrberg is one of the leading figures behind the Swedish wine scene. An enologist, viticulturist and pomologist educated in Austria, with experience also from Italy, France, Switzerland, South Africa, and New Zealand (he almost counts as a foreigner), Åhrberg is trying to take Swedish wine production one step further. He has a leading role in creating the first rules for wine production, as well as the upcoming first Swedish PDOs (Protected Designation of Origin) and PGIs (Protected Geographical Indication), something that does not exist yet in Sweden.
“The document is being controlled by the authorities now and will hopefully be approved before this harvest,” Åhrberg explains. Kullabergs has 14 hectares (30.8 acres) with vineyards. Several foreign winemakers are working in the field and the cellar, including Nicola d´Agostini from Italy. “I came here after seeing an announcement on Facebook and thought, why not? ” d´Agostini says.
He thinks it is fascinating and, at the same time, challenging to work in such a young wine
K Felix G Åhrberg from Kullabergs winery in the region of Scania Andrea Guerra and Emma Serneer från Långmyre winery on the island of Gotland
The vineyards at Kullbergs winery in Scania, southern Sweden Johan and Heather Öberg from Thora winery, southern Sweden
country. Swedish wine production started in 1999, and today there are around 150 hectares in total and 20 serious producers who are not seeing wine production only as a hobby. Most vineyards are in southern Sweden and on the Islands of Öland and Gotland. “I think it will take time to find an identity,” d´Agostini muses. “Today many Swedish wines are forced to be something they are not. I mean too much use of wood, too ripe and too similar to wines from New Zealand or France. It is difficult not to try to copy something that already exists.” Like everyone interviewed, he thinks sparkling wines will be the future, together with vertical and mineral whites and rosé wines. Another winery in Scania is called Thora, owned by Johan and Heather Öberg. Here, two young French winemakers take care of the facility. Emma Berto grew up in a Swedish and French family in Avignon, France. She studied oenology and viticulture at the University of Montpellier and worked with prestigious domaines like Beaucastel and Chateau Sixtine in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. At the university, she met Romain Chichery, a French winemaker specialising in biodynamic viticulture.
They are not sure that the PIWI varieties are the future for Sweden. In fact, at the winery, they have traditional Pinot Noir.
“Hybrids give good grapes, but it is hard to control the maturation,” Berto notes. “Most PIWIs have big leaves, which result in intense photosynthesis and accumulate a lot of sugar. It is hard to find a balance.”
Chichery thinks it is vital for a new wine country to have a long-term strategy, and it might not be suitable to focus only on hybrids. “Maybe in five-ten years, the PIWI varieties will be sensitive to new diseases or mildews, and then they will make no sense,” he says. “I would not take the easiest way.”
They have noticed that the vines with Pinot Noir are doing well. “Our vineyards are only 500 metres from the sea and exposed to a lot of wind,” Berto says. “The wind brings sea salt that helps to dry the atmosphere and reduce the impact of fungus. We sprayed the same amount of sulphur on Pinot Noir as on our Solaris. We are not allowed to spray the vines with copper in Sweden; that is forbidden.”
Another challenge compared to their previous experiences around France and Germany is handling the vineyard.
“We have a short growing season in Sweden, with intense sunlight during summer,” Berto continues. “The cycle of the vine is different from the ones on the continent. It is a big challenge during summer, the vines grow quickly, and the photosynthesis is strong, so we are still learning to find a good balance in this new growing environment.”
The route to market for Swedish wine is another challenge. Direct sales from the wineries is forbidden by law, and the State Monopoly, Systembolaget, regulates the Swedish market. It is possible to find some Swedish wines in the local monopoly stores; otherwise, the only way to try them is in Swedish restaurants or at the wineries. “The cost for production is high, so the prices start from 20 euro a bottle,” Berto points out. “It is expensive for what you get. We must make a larger quantity of higher quality in the future – we will get there, I am sure.”
Perhaps when thinking of Sweden in the future, we might need to add Swedish wine to the list with ABBA, IKEA, and Volvo.
Åsa Johansson came to Italy from Sweden in 2001 because she loved Italian films from the ‘50s and ‘60s and wanted to learn Italian. It was love at first sight. Following a degree in political science and journalism at the University of Florence, she now writes about wine, food, and travel for Swedish, Norwegian, Italian and Canadian publications. Asa travels back to Sweden on a regular basis to hold courses and seminars on Italian wines. Since 2019 she produces her own extra virgin olive oil, La Collina Blu, from the olive trees on the Tuscan hills where she lives with her husband Stefano and two children. Her latest project is Sweden’s first podcast about Italian wine.
The Resurgence of Indigenous Grapes By Michelle Bouffard
According to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine, there are 6000 Vitis vinifera grapes.
If you are doing a count in your head and the list is short, there is a good reason. Thirteen grape varieties cover one third of the world’s vineyards, and 33 cover half. Those grapes that have been widely planted in multiple wine regions such as Merlot and Chardonnay are known as international varieties, while indigenous varieties refer to grapes that are associated to a particular region and have a long record of being grown there. Autochthonous grapes carry a rich heritage and play an important role both culturally and financially in their respective countries. While indigenous grapes may not be as well known by wine consumers, new wine trends and the challenges brought by climate change could change this.
The reason why only a few varieties cover a large portion of the world’s vineyards is due to a series of devastating incidents. Namely two world wars, phylloxera, and fungal diseases like downy mildew and powdery mildew. As a result of those challenging events, wine producers opted to abandon grapes that were difficult to grow, and instead replant with higher yielding varieties that also had the ability to retain their appealing aromatics and structure when grown across several wine regions. Globalization coupled with the success of variety labelling in North America also contributed to the widespread of what we now refer to as international grapes.
Meanwhile, indigenous grapes possess cultural significance for many countries. Greece is a great example of this. As Vassilis Papagiannakos of Papagiannakos Winery in Attica points out, symposium in the Greek language means drinking wine with company. The cultivation of the vine and the production of wine was, since ancient times, a key element not only in economic activity but in communication and the dissemination of ancient Greek spirits. Back then, consumption was served in gatherings that involved philosophical sessions which were called symposiums. Over the centuries, wine became a product for people of all classes and a commodity. Papagiannakos also reminds that the popular retsina, which at the end of the 19th century was flooding Greek tavernas, played a key role in preserving indigenous grapes such as Savatiano and Roditis.
The ritual of enjoying wine made from local indigenous grapes is not unique to Greece. I think of the families in the Douro who exported Port, but drank table wine at home. And Croatia! Damir Štimac, owner of Rizman Winery in Dalmatia, says that to this day Croatians have carried on the tradition of making their homemade wine. He gathers that on average people make 500 L per year for their personal consumption. This long-time practice has no doubt helped preserve Croatia’s indigenous grapes heritage. According to Štimac, the country lays claim to over 130 indigenous grapes.
Despite local support, it has been financially challenging for many of the regions blessed with autochthonous grapes. Economic and political struggles have often been the main reason, and for Eastern Bloc countries, it was extremely challenging until the end of the 20th century. Many wineries were consolidated under the state monopoly: the focus being on high yielding indigenous and international grapes to supply the USSR and Comecon, aka the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, which the Soviet Union established to coordinate economic activity in the Eastern Bloc.
Large-scale vineyards were privileged. Countries like Hungary, who benefited from international investment and had a good system for land redistribution after the collapse of communism, recovered better. This is reflected on the export market. Robert Gilvesy, owner of The AUSTRIA winery near Lake Balaton, says that a handful of producers see the potential of their indigenous grapes and the possibility of making great wine. “Locals are not enamoured with indigenous grapes like Furmint, but sommeliers in export markets are,” he shares. “They are looking for something different and they are excited about the possibility of proposing something unique to their consumers.”
Education has been key in improving the quality of wine of recovering countries and as a result, wine production has become economically beneficial. “The younger generations are travelling and working vintages in other countries,” says Gilvesy.. “The money they make in two seasons is the same they would make in 12 months in Hungary. When they come back, they bring knowledge and contribute to the increasing quality of the local wine.”
Born in Turkey, Şeyma Baş, marketing consultant in Europe and co-founder of Maki Seltzer, also emphasizes the role of the younger generations in the increasing quality of Turkish wine. “Before, wineries would rely on consultants. Now, local winemakers study in prestigious oenology schools and come back with the desire to make our best local grapes like Narince shine.”
Oenotourism has also been financially important for wine producers. Damir Štimac likes to say that he exports 100% of his wines. “I ex-
Photo credit: Michelle Bouffard
Rizman Vineyards in Dalmatia
port about 18% to other markets and the rest is consumed locally by tourists. Locals don’t want to splurge on wine made from local wineries. They drink their home-made wine.” When a country becomes a popular tourist destination, it not only helps the local economy, it exposes vacationers to the array of indigenous grapes and in return, helps boost sales on the export market.
The role of co-ops in different countries also should not be ignored in the preservation of indigenous grapes. As mentioned previously by Quench contributing editor Michaela Morris, “the 350 members cooperative Cantina di Venosa in Basilicata plays an important role in Vulture giving a place for small growers to sell their grapes, rather than abandoning their vineyards. It has also been instrumental in the revival of Malvasia Bianca di Basilicata inspiring other producers to recover this rare grape.” This is just one example. Co-ops have also played an important role in countries like Portugal and Greece.
With respect to climate change, indigenous grapes could well be a silver lining for producers. While research centres in countries like France, Italy and Germany are working on creating grapes that are resistant to drought and fungal diseases (known as cépages résistants), the renowned ampelographer Dr. José Vouillamoz insists that we should do more research on the already existing, lesser-known grapes. This is certainly what Miguel Torres of Familia Torres has been doing in the last 30 years, though by accident. While his quest to find forgotten Catalonian grapes was originally meant to preserve heritage, his findings brought promising solutions to adapt to climate change. The white grape Forcada is a great example. In the Penedès region, it ripens one and a half month later than Chardonnay and at the time of picking, it has a total acidity of 8 mg/L. He is working with the ‘Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique Français à Montpellier’ to develop an innovative method to propagate those grapes.
Some regions are consciously doing what Dr. Vouillamoz advocates. In 2019, the winemakers of AOP Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur adopted with unanimity a list of seven new grapes, as long as they would not represent more than 5% of the plantings and 10% of the blend. Those grapes (Arinarnoa, Castets, Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Alvarinho, Liliorila, Petit Manseng) were chosen out of 52 grapes they had been experimenting with since 2009.
In McLaren Vale Australia, producers have been championing Mediterranean grapes. Shiraz might be the most planted grape in this region, but it is not the most adapted to climate change. This is why Stephen Pannel has planted over 20 different grapes, including Fiano, Assyrtiko and Touriga Nacional. “My Montepulciano finishes at 3.3 to 3.4 pH, while my Shiraz can go up to a pH of 3.9. In some years, my Shiraz reaches 15.5%. This does not make a food friendly wine.” The Italian grapes allow him to add less S02 and make it easier to control microbial stability.
Indigenous grapes have also been helpful in adapting to increasing problems with drought. Vassilis Papagiannakos says that Savatiano has been cultivated without irrigation since antiquity and nothing has changed. This is despite the fact they only have 25 days of rain per year.
Savatiano is durable. Damir Štimac echoes the resilience of indigenous grapes in general, saying “local varieties have shown in the last century that they are best suited to survive difficult conditions and are the best adapted. Plavac Malic resists drought and reacts much better if it gets very little water.” Such grapes could offer solutions to countries suffering from lack of water. It is certainly what many winemakers in McLaren Vale are exploring.
The history of indigenous grapes might have been tumultuous, but the future is looking much brighter. The tide is turning, and everything is aligned for those varieties to shine and get the attention they deserve. Join the trend, many wine professionals and wine lovers already have.
Posip grapes at Rizman Vineyards
Michelle Bouffard is a sommelier, author, speaker, educator and consultant based in Montréal. Her first book Dis-moi qui tu es, je te dirai quoi boire was published in 2017 and for the past six years, she has been the sommelier on the popular Quebec cooking show Curieux Bégin. In 2017, Michelle founded Tasting Climate Change, an international symposium to explore the challenges and solutions in the wine industry. Ever the eternal perfectionist, she is continuing her studies at the prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine.
