A manger!

Viognier may not be the wine varietal of the month, but it is here in the Northern Rhone.  With the cool wind beckoning the oncoming fall, the Syrah and Viognier vines cling to their steep cliffs, breathing in the last of the warm summer days.

This terroirist arrived here in the Northern Rhone about two weeks, and is as inspired by the luscious, floral, and earthy wines as the roots of these old vines run deep into the steep gravelly soil.

With all the buzz in the wine writing community about “natural” or
“authentic” wines out there, I could not feel a greater sense of pride.  Here at Les Vins de Vienne (where this terroirist is working the harvest), the idea is that each wine reflects its appellation, and will taste different every year.

We begin drinking Condrieu at 9 in the morning here (along with some cheese, meats, bread, and chocolate), and continue with St. Joseph, St. Peray, and Cote-Rotie for lunch (each with its own course, including a cheese course thrown in there).  Since we didn’t eat enough for breakfast, mid-morning snack, and lunch, we accompany dinner with the leftover Condrieu and maybe some of our estate vineyard, Seyssuel.  This combination is creating optimal conditions for understanding how every year creates conditions for different wines.  Simple enough, right?

So what’s the big deal with wine that tastes different every year?  Is it really too romantic of an idea?  Is it essential for an “authentic” wine?  Is it “unauthentic” to add things to your wine to make it taste better?  Perhaps if a consumer is just discovering a new winery, and tastes a thinner wine than the previous vintage, they may not return.  That’s unfortunate.

At LVDV, we put ripe grapes into the fermenter, some sulfites, and let them do their thing.  No water, no acid, no sugar, no enzymes, no yeast, no bacteria…just grapes.  As the rains begin to pick up, and the grey mold spreads across the land; it means its time to bring ’em in.  No extended hangtime here.

The funny thing is, the sugars stay low, yet the flavor and concentration of these grapes are what California growers dream of…is it the soil?  The temperature?  The humidity?  C’est la terroir, et c’est la Cotes-du-Rhone.

One thing is for sure, the French love, to eat.