Vinitaly Young Lions of Winemaking – Legends of the Future, Chicago 10/23/07 Discussion Of Climate Change

Once again I was reminded of the advantages of belonging to the wine trade and living in an incredible city like Chicago. On October 23rd 2007 Vinitaly, which calls itself the largest wine exhibition in the world, descended upon Chicago with Master of Wine Serena Sutcliffe as host of Young Lions of Winemaking – Legends of the Future. The event consisted of a panel tasting and discussion with eleven internationally acclaimed winemakers (actually it was ten winemakers as a family emergency held Jean-Marie Fourrier of Domain Fourrier from attending) on the issue of climate change and was reserved for press and trade only (and I am trade!). That event was followed by an exclusive wine dinner and silent auction at the Ritz-Carlton to benefit Grapes for Humanity, http://www.grapesforhumanity.com/ (trade though I am, the $250 a plate dinner made it too exclusive for me). Young Lions was an event that delivered star power, a compelling topic for wine geeks to deliberate over, and a tasting of eleven outstanding wines. It was not a surprise to see an A-list of Chicago wine professionals that included at least one Master Sommelier, four Advanced Sommeliers, many other top restaurant wine directors, and a host of regional supplier and local wholesale representatives.

Climate Change- As moderator of the Young Lions panel Serena Sutcliffe MW, head of Sotheby’s International Wine Department and highly decorated wine writer and educator, introduced the discussion by making a distinction between climate change and global warming. Global warming implies a uniform and progressive shift toward higher temperatures and data of the previous ten or twenty year averages will support a categorically higher average in most wine producing regions. However, the global averages do not tell the story of the inconsistent weather patterns that challenge contemporary viticulturists and winemakers. Temperatures are erratic, not progressively rising, as noted by Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon of Champagne Louis Roederer. Also erratic are levels of rainfall, winter temperatures that are important as a cold disinfectant, and the length of time from flowering to picking of mature grapes. In Bordeaux, noted Mrs. Sutcliffe, the 110 day standard between flowering and picking receded to about 100 days over recent vintages and then this year jumped to over 130. Bordeaux has also historically been plagued by the issue of water, or too much of it in the form of rain and humidity close to harvest that can cause swollen, diluted grapes at harvest, rot, and other vine disease. Rising ocean tides may also affect a region like Bordeaux by allowing salt levels to creep into subsoils of coastal areas. Australia, however, is on the other side of the water issue and the 2007 vintage in that country will see its production levels cut in half because of drought according to figures provided by Jeffrey Grosset of Grosset Wines. Temperature is a concern, but one of many that concern those who produce wine.

Macro Regions- Albiera Antinori of the legendary Tuscan winemaking Antinoris explained the climate issue by classifying challenges of the wine world (if in the Northern Hemisphere) into three macro regional categories: Extreme North, Classical, and Extreme South. Extreme North regions are those that struggle to achieve ripe fruit and expressive, balanced wines that result from them. For this think much of Germany, or even England and parts of North America. Classical Regions include Tuscany, where the Antinori family has been involved in winemaking since 1385, as well as Bordeaux, Burgundy, and the other pedigreed regions of relatively moderate climates that produce classical styles of wines. Extreme South are the regions that are so warm that the challenge is elegance and balance, not ripeness. California, for example, or much of Australia in the Southern Hemisphere (though there the labels are reversed and it would be the Extreme North that would be too hot). Mrs. Antinori described the three region types to explain how climate change may affect a particular wine region differently. An example is a borderline Classical and Extreme North region like Champagne, where old questions of ripening ability seem to be fading away.

Extreme North or Cool Regions- Jean-Baptitste Lecaillon, representing the 2000 vintage Roederer Cristal (for a brief recap of the wines see the below post), described climate changes in the relatively cool vineyards of Champagne. In the past Champagne producers skirted the cold weather issue by relying on a few tricks to keep the wines consistent and balanced; assemblage of the non-vintage style, and dosage. Mr. Lecaillon told us that the average 10.3 C average temperature before 1989 has been since a 12 C average and ripeness of fruit in Champagne is now occurring more regularly. The result is more declared vintages (‘vintage’ is only bottled when the champagne house declares that vintage worthy, otherwise they blend vintages to remain consistent and stay in the market) and less of a need for dosage of sugar. In other words, the state of Champagne in the face of increased temperatures is a good one. Lecaillon (and the luxurious 2000 Cristal) agreed that the environment in Champagne was improved but made sure to lay out Louis Roederer’s plan to adapt their methods to decrease their carbon footprint and become more socially responsible with regard to the environment. British MW Serena Sutcliffe took the opportunity to plug the potential of her own country’s South Downs chalky soil (which is an under-the-channel extension of the same from Champagne) as a potential future home for world class sparkling wines and was proud to note that Louis Roederer chief winemaker Lecaillon was recently appraising vineyards there.

Classic Regions-While the vintners of Extreme North regions may currently benefit from the ability to produce ripe fruit on a more consistent basis, and the possibility of less traditional northerly regions like Britain seem very real, those in Classical regions find themselves at a familiar crossroads between tradition and innovation. Thomas Duroux of famed Margaux Chateau Palmer, looking ahead at a future of (perhaps) continually rising temperatures, berated rigid appellation regulation prohibiting varietal experimentation in Bordeaux, calling them “stupid laws”. Albiera Antinori’s family would probably relate; Antinori was of those pioneers that bucked Tuscan appellation law and declassified their top wines in the 1970′s, ushering in a new group of world class wines sometimes referred as ‘Super Tuscan’. Chateau Palmer producing Syrah based wines? It is not completely unheard of actually. In the 19th Century Bordeaux winemakers would sometimes boost a poor vintage with a modest percentage of Rhone Syrah. Duroux has been experimenting with addition of Syrah from Hermitage and produced 100 cases of ‘Historical 19th Century Wine’ in 2004 (85% Palmer fruit with 15% Syrah from Hermitage). Another interesting point made by the Bordeaux winemaker was that vineyard and management techniques in Bordeaux went through a dramatic change in the early 1980′s to maximize expressiveness and intensity; careful selection, reduction of yields, and the adoption of canopy management methods to increase sun exposure on the fruit in the crucial weeks leading up to harvest, for example. As in Champagne, Nature is doing its part to ripen fruit in Bordeaux these days and those innovative techniques of the 1980′s may no longer be necessary. Looking at the future the producers of Classical regions face choices that may defy tradition, though in some ways there could be a return to older methods.

Extreme South or Warm Regions- In warmer growing areas climate change is more of a dangerous reality than the possible threat it posses in the northerly and classical areas. Australia provides the most telling example of recent devastating natural phenomenon in the way of drought. In Australia water is the greatest resource, and the vines that were planted as far back as 1790 have always been ‘dry farmed’. Jeffrey Grosset, who works with the delicate Riesling varietal that does not like to struggle, claimed that he was able to salvage the dry 2007 vintage by dropping fruit and picking a full month early. However, this process required 6-8 weeks of labor in the fields and is not economically sustainable. The other Young Lion panelist from Australia, David Powell of Torbreck, approached the recent drought as market correction for the overproducing low quality wines of his country saying that less wine is “a good thing”. A little wine darwinism perhaps.

Other warm region representatives on the panel were Francesca Planeta of Sicily and Adrian Bainbridge of Taylor’s Port. Mrs. Planeta spoke confidentally of her family’s success in the challenging Sicilian environment and believes that they hold an advantage in facing climate change based on their experience. Planeta is fairly new project, established in 1985 and focused on producing top quality wines from Sicily by experimenting with local and international varieties and moving around the island of Sicily to try out different soils and microclimates. This trial and error method often led Planeta back to native varietals that had adapted to the area. Choice of rootstock, fermenting yeast and water managment were also important lessons gleaned from the last 20 years of producing Planeta. Mr. Bainbridge also pointed to adapting the varietal choice and vineyard location in his realm of Portugal.

Young Lions and Climate Change- The assembly of Young Lions were chosen as representatives of old and new world regions because they are the ones most likely to be producing future vintages and will have to continue the winemakers dance in vineyards and cellars while facing climate change and all of its realities. While many acknowledged recent changes in their respective local climates, only the Australians are involved in any kind of current crisis. Warming has been the trend that has recieved much attention and now it appears that Water is the next big thing. Is this the Phylloxera of the future? Or, what may come next? To most in the wine world climate change is a mere idea that they may think they are prepared to face, but knowing is impossible. Jeffrey Grosset’s story of his unyielding commitment to quality and refusal to compromise as such during the 2007 drought is an example of what it may take to be a vigneron dealing with climate change; pay attention to what the vineyard is telling you and react and hopefully you will not have to compromise. And hopefully it will not cost too much and you can stay in business.

For Decanter Magazine Coverage of the event see:
http://www.decanter.com/news/152074.html

For more on British Sparkling:

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=419802004
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3629187.stm
http://www.englishwinesgroup.com/

This entry was posted on November 26, 2007 at 2:00 am and is filed under British Wine, Climate Change, Planeta, Serena Sutcliffe, Super Tuscan, Vinitaly, Young Lions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.