JacobH wrote: ↑18:22 Thu 09 Jul 2020
AHB wrote: ↑18:05 Thu 09 Jul 2020As consumers I love the fact we have a choice; I'm just not sure my palate is as good as that of the winemaker who can taste a difference!
I’m interested in your views as a chemist!
One aspect of modern winemaking that I struggle to understand is the jettisoning of science for a load of subjective beliefs which do not stand up to scientific scrutiny (e.g. it is important to decant of the lees during the right phase of the moon due to its gravitational pull on the sediment). It’s not a massive feature of Port, yet, but then Port is produced in a considerably more traditional way than almost any other classic wine so I don’t think there is much necessity to invent new traditions.
As a (former) chemist I would expect a very slight and very subtle difference in the chemistry of a co-fermented parcel of two grapes from that of a two parcels of grapes fermented individually and then blended. It's clear there's a chemical process which takes place when the sugar in grapes is converted to alcohol and a whole load of other small chemical reactions must take place at the same time. The chemical differences between different grape varietals must be tiny, but it is entirely possible that when combined together these tiny differences react very slightly differently than when kept apart during fermentation.
Most winemakers have incredible numbers of taste sensors and can pick up nuances that are way beyond my ability to detect. I'm happy to accept they find differences in flavour from co-fermented parcels or single varietal and blended parcels and then it becomes another variable for the winemaker to play with as they put together a wine which they like and which, hopefully, we also like.
As for biodynamics, I'm less convinced. I suspect that much of the perceived increased quality of a biodynamically farmed and produced wine comes from the fact that the vigneron has to pay so much more attention to the crop and production because of the lack of use of time saving interventions. It's a bit like my choice with my gooseberry bushes - do I remove sawfly larvae by hand or do I spray. I only have two gooseberry bushes so I do it by hand. If I had a field of bushes I'd probably spray. I also only harvest during the proper phase of the moon - i.e. when it's not raining.
The discussion about single varietal block planting compared with mixed field blends is another discussion. Field blends came about because it was the best way for a small grape farmer to ensure he was able to produce a decent quality crop in most years. Different weather conditions would support different varieties reaching optimum ripeness, but in most years you had a mix of over-ripe, ripe and under-ripe grapes as Tom has said - unless the grape farmer was able to make several passes through his vineyard (which is what Noval do with the mixed vine Nacional vineyard). David Guimaraens and others are convinced that grape varieties which are co-planted mature differently and at different times than the same variety planted in a varietal block. I don't have enough knowledge to be able to comment, but there is some research online from UC Davis and other places about mixed variety planting and whether the plants interact with each other chemically and through the micro-organism they support in the soil.
But mostly I am just a romantic. I love the idea of old field blends, of co-fermentation of the field blends and a great Port being produced through the skill and artisanship of the grape growers and winemaker. Sadly, I also accept that while this approach worked 175 years ago, it's probably not going to work today.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.