WHINE # 25
SUPER TUSCANS: The first rebels
One of the most basic distinctions between styles of wine is between “Old World” and “New World” wines. Generally the “New World” wines of California, Australia, Chile and Argentina are more robust, fruitier, and have higher alcohol content than those of the “Old World” countries of France, Italy and Spain. These “in your face” wines, on the other hand, may lack the complexity or subtlety of a classic Burgundy or Rioja.
Two of the reasons for this basic difference lie (1) in the climate allowing “New World” grapes to be picked at greater maturity, and (2) in the style of the wine-maker who chooses to produce wines that need less time in the cellar, therefore being more suitable to the western consumer who likes to pick up a bottle 30 minutes prior to consumption.
Another difference comes from the wine laws enacted many, many years ago in most European countries. For example 58% of French wine production is classified as “Appellation d’Origine Controllee” This means that the grapes are guaranteed to have been grown in the AOC area, and also specified are the varieties used, the viticultural methods, harvest and yield restrictions, and winemaking techniques. Wines labelled Vin Delimite de Qualite Superieure (17% of French production) and Vin de Pays (31% of production) have progressively lower restrictions.
This classification system provides a certain guarantee of authenticity to the consumer, but also has two disadvantages. First, the consumer may have difficulty understanding a label that does not specify the varieties blended therein; and more importantly, these laws restrict severely the winemaker’s opportunity to experiment with different varietals and different blends. For example, a bottle with “Appellation Saint-Emilion Controlee” tells the purchaser that the wine comes from the village of Saint-Emilion or surrounding area. The label does not tell, however, that this wine is a blend of 60% Merlot with lesser amounts of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. It does not tell that the wine needs to age from 2-6 years, nor that the best wines of Saint-Emilion are labelled Grand Cru.
The Italian equivalent is DOC (denominazione di origine controllata) or DOCG (denominazaione dorigine controllata e garantita). Thus a DOC Chianti label means that the wine came from the Chianti region of Tuscany and that it contains 75-100% Sangiovese, with up to 10% Canaiolo and up to 6 % of two white varieties (Trebbiano and Malvasia). Wines labelled IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) are generally from larger areas and are less restricted in varietals, for example. The presumed lowest quality wines are simply labelled “Vino daTavola”.
“Old World Wines” can be described as tradition bound. However, as “New World Wines” began to be recognized as of at least as good quality, some European wine-makers rebelled against the restrictive labelling laws.
The first rebellion took place in Tuscany about 30 years ago when growers realized that they could produce better wines (and demand higher prices) if only they could blend in such non-traditional varieties as Cabernet Sauvignon with the dominant and frequently low quality Sangioveses. Legally they could no longer label their wines as DOC. These new blends (mimicking in some cases the wines of California) came to be known as the “Super Tuscans”. In fact, producers made such interesting wines that they found that they could demand very high prices indeed.
Today, some of the very best Italian wines fall into this category as wine makers reserve their best grapes for these blends. Sometimes they give the wines fanciful names (but never as silly as the names used by Australians). They charge a lot and frequently use heavy bottles. The irony is that these IGT wines are better than the DOC or DOCG wines of the traditional labelling system. By the way, these Super Tuscans seem more like “New World” than “Old World” wines.
Smaller rebellions against restrictive laws have occurred in Spain; in particular in La Mancha. Even in France a few winemakers, particularly in the south, are making goods wines that are only labelled Vin de Pays.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: The place to buy wine
Betty and I just returned to Nova Scotia after a 3-week golf holiday in the Low Country (Georgia and South Carolina). Admittedly these states are not known as having wine cultures. I doubt anybody ever takes a Super Tuscan to a tail-gate party.
However, getting between N.S. and the southern U.S. means that one inevitably passes along that 20 click stretch of I-95 that traverses the southeast corner of New Hampshire. Along that stretch are 3 large New Hampshire Liquor Stores.
The parking lots are always full and most of the cars seem to be from out-of-state; predominantly from New York and Massachusetts. These visitors are stuffing their vans and SUVs with bargain booze.
These stores have shelves of great wines, including lots of French wine at prices lower than those along the Seine. However, the real bargains are in wines from California. All I can do is walk along the rows of Cabernets feeling ever more sad that I am not going to be able to get the purchases I should like to make across the US/Canadian border. Maybe that awful state slogan “Live free or die” could be replaced with “wine almost free, die happy”.
OPIMIAN OFFERING # 201
6019: I have had a couple of cases of this Austrian Pinot. Pinot is never inexpensive but I think this one will stand up to all but the most expensive Burgundies and is definitely better than the over-priced Pinots from Oregon.
6038: I am partial to Negroamaros and suspect this would make a great accompaniment for most Italian meal.
6067: This is inexpensive for a Super Tuscan. I haven’t tried this particular one but I shall squeeze a case into my own small cellar.
6076: My favourite Italian varietal is Nero D’Avola (from Sicily). This is a food wine - so good it might have come from Argentina.
