Wines By Grape
Wine is usually made from one or more varieties of the European species, Vitis vinifera. When one of these varieties, such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, or Merlot, for example, is used as the predominant grape (usually defined by law as a minimum of 75 or 85%) the result is a varietal, as opposed to a blended wine. Blended wines are in no way inferior to varietal wines; indeed, some of the world`s most valued and expensive wines from the Bordeaux, Rioja or Tuscany regions, are a blend of several grape varieties of the same vintage.
Wine can also be made from other species or from hybrids, created by the genetic crossing of two species. Vitis labrusca, Vitis aestivalis, Vitis muscadinia, Vitis rupestris, Vitis rotundifolia and Vitis riparia are native North American grapes, usually grown for eating in fruit form or made into grape juice, jam, or jelly, but sometimes made into wine, eg. Concord wine (Vitis labrusca species). Although generally prohibited by law in traditional wine regions, hybrids are planted in substantial numbers in cool-climate viticultural areas.
Hybrids are not to be confused with the practice of grafting. Most of the world`s vineyards are planted with European vinifera vines that have been grafted onto North American species rootstock. This is common practice because North American grape species are resistant to phylloxera. Grafting is done in every wine-producing country of the World except for Chile and Argentina, which have yet to be exposed to the bug.
The variety of grape(s), aspect (direction of slope), elevation, and topography of the vineyard, type and chemistry of soil, the climate and seasonal conditions under which grapes are grown, the local yeast cultures altogether form the concept of ``terroir.`` The range of possibilities lead to great variety among wine products, which is extended by the fermentation, finishing, and aging processes. Many small producers use growing and production methods that preserve or accentuate the aroma and taste influences of their unique terroir.
However, flavor differences are not desirable for producers of mass-market table wine or other cheaper wines, where consistency is more important. These producers will try to minimize differences in sources of grapes and hide any hint of often-unremarkable ``terroirs``, or of climatically under-performing harvest years, by:
- blending harvests of various years and vineyards
- pasteurizing the grape juice in order to kill indigenous yeasts (to be replaced with ``choice`` cultivated yeasts)
- using flavor additives.
This article is based entirely or in part on the
Wines By Grape wikipedia article
and is licenced under the terms of the
GNU Free Documentation Licence.
Contact
If we can be of any assistance please don't hesitate to contact us, or drop by the Rose & Crown during business hours:
email: roseandcrown@alderney.ws
phone: +44 (0) 1481 823414
fax: +44 (0) 1481 823615
The Rose & Crown Hotel
Le Huret,
Alderney
UK Channel Islands
Delivery on Alderney is free :-) we deliver Monday to Saturday between 10am and 1pm.
Please note that we cannot deliver off-island.
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In this categorySancerre Blanc Clos du Chene Marchand 2006
Clos Chene Marchand vineyards form a magnificent complete amphitheatre on the outskirts of the village of Bue. They produce some of the finest Sancerres which benefit from maturing in bottle for a few years. It is highly aromatic with an intense flavour with nuances of peaches, goose-berries and quince. A very fine bottle indeed. [read on...]
A B V: 12.5% Vintage: 2006 Color: white Code: 71947
Sancerre Blanc, La Reine Blanches 2008
2008 was a very unusual vintage in as much as the acidity in the grapes remained high even with the rise in grape sugar when ripening on the vine. Although having been bottled one month before we tasted this delicious Sancerre in Jean Reverdy's cellar, it was already showing huge character and confirmed the greatness of the 2008 vintage. Powerful exotic fruits of mango, apricot and pineapple with a touch of grapefruit and fine acidity to give excellent balance. [read on...]
A B V: 13% Vintage: 2008 Color: white Country: France Region: Loire Code: 71886
Sancerre Blanc, Les Boucauds 2007
Claude Riffault is recognised as one of the top growers in Sancerre, having gained a string of prestigious awards in recent years. This Les Boucauds cuvee was produced from vines grown on kimmeridgen soil, importing special qualities, a floral (rose) nose and acacia flowers. The flavour is unctuous, lively with great persistence and trade mark citrus, grapefruit gooseberry,litchi and guava making it lithe,graeful and irresistable. [read on...]
A B V: 13% Vintage: 2008 Color: white Country: France Region: Loire Code: 71878
Sancerre Rosè Les Villots 2008
Tender coloured pink rose with a touch of salmon. The bouquet exudes charm and its powerful fruit is a pleasant surprise of raspberries, aniseed, brioche and exotic fruits. Its structure is really complex, broad and satisfying, firm and long in the mouth. A real cracker. [read on...]
A B V: 13% Vintage: 2008 Color: rose Country: France Region: Loire Code: 71895
Sancerre Rosè, Pierre Riffault 2008
The enticing Pinot Noir character is noticeable on both the nose and in the flavour of this delicate pink rose, crisp, strong, dry flavour with a long finish. [read on...]
A B V: 12.5% Vintage: 2008 Color: rose Country: France Region: Loire Code: 71920
Sancerre Rouge Les Villots 2006
Produced from Pinot Noir, this attractive red wine has an harmonious marriage between the bouquet (redcurrants, cassis, dark red plums) and brioche and toast on the palate which comes from maturing in French oak casks. Fine structure, classic Pinot Noir style, juicy fruit and soft silky finely structured tannins make this an exceeding pleasurable drink. [read on...]
A B V: 12.5% Vintage: 2006 Color: red Country: France Region: Loire Code: 71903
Santa Digna Chardonnay 2002
Produced from vines grown in the Rio Claro area of Curico, which enjoys a cooler climate than the central valley. It displays a brilliant yellow colour with green hues, has a strong varietal aroma - mango and apricot - enhanced by vanilla and coconut flavours contributed by the American oak casks in which the wine was matured. The style is typical of good Burgundy. [read on...]
A B V: 13.5% Vintage: 2002 Color: Country: Chile Code: 57342
Santa Digna Sauvignon 2007
This Sauvignon blanc was produced from vines grown near the Guaiquillo river. It has an opulent bouquet of ripe tropical fruits over a background of apple and fennel. The palate is silky and intense with a crispness that balances the characteristic varietal aromas. [read on...]
A B V: 13% Vintage: 2007 Color: white Country: Chile Code: 69827
Saumur Blanc 2009 Isabelle Suire
In 2009 the summer in the Loire was warm and sunny and the Chenin Blanc grapes from which this wine was produced, matured evenly and fully ripe, reflected in its excellent rich fruit of pears, apples and acacia flowers. It has a long farewell with just a hint of sweetness. [read on...]
A B V: 12.5% Vintage: 2009 Color: white Country: France Code: 74997
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