Terroir lays the foundation for exceptional wine
When a producer stood in rubber boots in his vineyard in Burgundy, France, and intoned, “Gordon, my wine is made in the vineyard, not in the winery,” he was sniffily referring to terroir.
That was two decades ago and now I am beginning to understand what it is.
Yes, it’s the sum of the sun, rain, elements, soils, air summed up in the wine.
And you can learn to sniff it out and taste it.
Chalk in Alsace whites, schist and slate in German rieslings, fossiliferous limestone in French whites, but it is not confined to Europe.
I was tasting two very contrasting new chardonnays from Dan Sullivan of Rosehall Run fame in Prince Edward County. Terroir was vibrantly detectable in one, and buried in the other. The 2010 Chardonnay Cuvée County (#132928, $21.95, 90) has clean limestone, shale and hints of clay in the nose, with lime candy, white flower and lemongrass flavours.
Sure enough, it was grown on hillier clay limestone vineyards. The terroir shines through because the oak used was mostly big older puncheons, with only one third in new wood. It’s coming to Vintages in May. In stark contrast, also from the high heat 2010 season, is JCR Rosehall Vineyard Chardonnay (winery, $29.95, 91). No terroir detectable, as 75 per cent new French oak and barrel fermentation has bestowed layers of roasted nuts, cashews, toasty apple, charcoal, smoke and butterscotch. This rich chard will be released in May at the winery only. The difference? The first wine tastes like it was made in the vineyard and the second like it was sculpted in the winery. Both are excellent, a worthy pair of Ontario’s finest. In last week’s column, I reviewed Rockway Vineyards Small Lot Red Assemblage (#321893, $16.95, 90) and praised winemaker David Stasiuk for revolutionizing the wines at the Niagara winery. I called the wine Rockway Glen, which turns out to now be the old name. Wines under the former name (Rockway Glen) are on deep discount (up to half off ) by the new incarnation winery (Rockway Vineyards). I visited the winery six years ago and found all the wines drinkable, but not good enough to write about. Many were flabby and lacked vibrancy or were oxidative. So bargain hunters beware. stimmell@sympatico.ca