As many of you know, I spend nearly four decades as a debater and a debate coach. During those decades we debated dozens of domestic and international policy issues…including the danger of species loss via natural selection and human interaction with the planet.
In the most recent post to the Wine and Spirits Report we examined the potential risk to the future of the wine industry as wine species are lost worldwide. The questions we examine in this post is twofold: what is the impact of this species loss? And, even more critically, is there a means by which to reverse, or slow this loss of species?
Let’s start with the concept of ‘keystone species.
National Geographic defines a keystone species as “an organism that helps define an entire ecosystem. Without its keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether. Keystone species have low functional redundancy. This means that if the species were to disappear from the ecosystem, no other species would be able to fill its ecological niche. The ecosystem would be forced to radically change, allowing new and possibly invasive species to populate the habitat”. And, “any organism, from plants to fungi, may be a keystone species”.
Vineyards are ecosystems. There are small ecosystems (like a pond or puddle), and there are large ecosystems (like the earth). A vineyard according to the publication Scientia Horticulturae, is an ecosystem, and as such, needs balance to prevent disease and to maintain control of pests.
Grapes belong to a species named Vitis. There are eight species of grapes in the Vitis genus. Of the eight, six are native to North America with only vinifera (native to Europe), and amurensis (Asia) are non-American species. It is the European vinifera that is the basis of virtually every wine we consume (the six Noble grapes from Cabernet Sauvignon to Chardonnay).
Domestic species of grapes, for the most part, do not make drinkable wine. There are exceptions. However, there has been very little effort to vinify these grapes because the Europe’s vinifera has dominated the U.S. market. The Wine Mosaic (introduced in the last post) has been devoted, despite “working with scarce funding and apathetic growers” to “improving heirloom grapes and encouraging adventurous wine drinkers to broaden their palates”. They hope to appeal “To wine lovers in search of authenticity”.
We reviewed in the last post how inbreeding developed. Following the phylloxera crisis of the late 19th century, grape growers initiated processes to both prevent a recurrence of phylloxera and to propagate vines that would be resistant to mildew and botrytis (a grape rot). Eventually, they sought to resolve virtually every vineyard issue from insects to fungi through ‘genetic engineering’.
Vineyard yields improved, and vine were less likely, in the short run, to contract diseases. However, through the process of inbreeding growers also made it necessary for vines to have assistance from pesticides and insecticides to survive and thrive. And, they did…
There are wine writers (including New Zealand’s Wine Guy) who argue that there is no real threat to the future of grapes and wine. He argues that terroir assures diversity and protects diversity. “There is no danger of running out of interesting wine any time soon, as it is the geography, climate, winemaker and cultural influences which all play their part in making interesting wines.” I believe he is wrong.
However, despite differences of opinion, science supports the proposition that the reduction of any species (varietal) is a risk to the environment. The key is to expand our very parochial palates.
Old World Wines…a focus on “tradition and the roles of terroir versus the New World where science and the role of the winemaker are more often emphasized”.
Today, the ‘winemaker’s art’ has too often become the domain of marketing. From reviewers with their ratings driving customer interest, and distributors with consumer analysis and a need for placement of products, it should be no surprise that you will find a hundred Chardonnay options, but not a single bottle of a Norton, a robust North American native grape cultivated near St. Louis.
It is difficult to place the blame on retailers. They are simply meeting demand. White Zinfandel to Merlot to Australian Shiraz to Pinot Noir…retailers simply respond to market forces. So, the solution resides in us.
We need to understand the underpinnings of our ‘cultural palate’, and we need to challenge it. Americans have a sweet tooth and that sweet tooth has influenced our choice of beverages. We like sweet soft drinks, sugar in our coffee and tea, we like cocktails that are sweet, and we like our wine and spirits to have a ‘touch’ of sweetness. However, we should be aware that most wine is not sweet. There are fruit elements in wine which may be suggestive of sweet, but most wines, if vinified properly, are dry.
We need to be aware that wine and food are natural partners, and we need to experiment with those pairings. And, we need to experiment with taste.
Especially, considering experimenting with more ‘field blends’.
The Old-World Wine movement encourages the return to a time before mechanical farming and harvesting. And, the movement focuses on how well the “wine communicates the sense of the place where it originates”. The focus on terroir is not new Growers and winemakers have long been aware that the soil dictates the flavor as much as the varietal.
However, the Old-World wine people also believe in a return to use of wild yeast. ‘New World’ winemakers traditionally rely on cultured yeast strains. Cultured yeast, controlled fermentation through temperature-controlled tanks, and limited maceration (contact of juice with the grapes) all suggest a wine more influenced by the winemaker than the grapes.
Field Blends are an excellent example of Old-World Wine. Made from a blend of grapes grown together in the same field or vineyard. The grapes are then picked and fermented at the same time. “Old World winemakers planted some for ripeness, some for acidity and others for color”. The process ensured that if environmental conditions impacting one of the varieties, the remaining varieties would survive. Quality control is provided by nature. The varietal is not as important as the final product.
There are ‘field blends’ you have likely already sampled. The Prisoner, Ménage a Trois, and Apothic Red/White would all qualify as Field Blends. Field Blends can even mix red and white grapes. And, the field blends tend to focus on old vines. There is an assumption being older vines represent a more intense flavor profile. And, winemakers are generally not as concerned about what grapes are included in the final ‘mix’ as what the flavor profile might be.
However, this is a flavor profile that requires a ‘trained palate’. The tannins are more aggressive, and the flavor profile require a palate willing to be challenged. This is tricky process. The blending is handled in the vineyard not in the winery. The skill of the winemaker is ultimately determined by the decision as when it is the ideal time to harvest a vineyard populated with multiple varietals.
Ask your local retailer for suggestions of other ‘field blends’. Your palates will expand, and you may ultimately save a grape species. If your retailer is not stocking any field blends, encourage them to do so.