Dear Readers,

 Please be advised that Gerald is experiencing some health challenges and will return to publishing his blog soon. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

 

Sincerely,

Janet Boyd & Family 

A Look at Hybrids

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There was a time when the United States was divided by grape genus: Vitis  labrusca in the east and Vitis vinifera out west.  

The separations were understandable.  Eastern growers struggled with the damage  harsh eastern winters had on the more delicate vinifera varieties, like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, so they made wine from more weather-tolerant grapes native to North America. 

California, and later Oregon and Washington state, didn't have problems with severe, cold weather, so growing wine grapes, especially vinifera, was a better choice. There is also an historical angle about how wine grapes got to California, but that's another story. 

The problem with native grapes is they have a pronounced flavor described as "foxy," an off-putting animal-like character, not the fruits and flowers of fine European wines that were becoming so popular.  It was a vinous problem that needed a practical solution.

 Attempts to grow vinifera in such places as Seneca Lake, were mostly unsuccessful, and native grape wines were a hard sell, so growers began to look at hybrids, as a way to overcome winter kill of their grapevines. 

Food and ampelographers (plant scientists) worked on the problem, developing new vines and processes for the wine business that would adapt to local climates and conditions, while making life easier for the grower.  Ampelography is the branch of plant science that develops vine varieties.  

So, in the early 1980s, Wineries and growers planted  American and French hybrid grapes in eastern and mid-western vineyards, especially New York's Finger Lakes district.

Fast forward to the current worry about climate change and the impact it is having on the suitability of where to plant certain varieties.  Some talk is circulating about taking a new look at hybrid varieties for California, and more specifically which grapes to plant where.

Originally, the aim of hybridizers was to develop resistance to pest and vine diseases.  In eastern and Midwest vineyards, it was also important to eliminate vine winter kill.  

Basically, there are hybrid varieties and crosses.  A hybrid is the result of two different species, while a cross is between two varieties of the same species. In eastern U.S. vineyards there are both American and French hybrid grapes. 

A few of the many American hybrids include: Norton, a popular red variety, valued for its lack of foxy character; Concord, the most widely planted American hybrid, used for wine, juice and as a table grape; Niagara, the white answer to Concord, it has a foxy flavor and is planted widely in New York, eastern Canada and Brazil.

French hybrids widely planted in American vineyards, include  Baco (Noir), Seibel, Villard, Chambourcin and Maréchal Foch. Ironically, while some hybrids proved useful outside of France, a few, such as Isabella and Noah have been illegal since 1934.

The main problem with using hybrid grapes for wine is their objectionable flavor.  However, although it is not likely that hybrids will be used for fine wine, they may find success in more commercial wines.

 

Next post:  The Fashion of White Wine

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Original Zin

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Apologies to Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, but I needed a title for this post on Zinfandel, so I cribbed it from their book, "Original Sin."  The book lays out a detailed  and disturbing account of how Joe Biden's stubbornness helped to get us into the political quagmire we are now slogging through. 

While the book outlines how grim the present political climate is in the country,  the outlook for Zinfandel is bright and currently making a bit of a comeback. 

So, I thought an update on Zinfandel, the uniquely American red wine, would be a good way to forget about national politics, at least for a few minutes, and start the new year on a positive vinous note.

The story of American wine didn't begin with Zinfandel, but with indigenous grapes.  It soon became apparent that wine drinkers wanted their wine to taste like European wine, so the wine scene in the east turned to hybrids, while California, Washington and Oregon settled on Vitis vinifera, the genus that includes such popular varieties as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Following propagation in an Austrian nursery, "Zenfendel" crossed the Atlantic, changed its name in a New England nursery and eventually made the journey west to California. 

By the end of the 1850s, Zinfandel, had become a uniquely American grape, growing in the vineyards of Sonoma and Napa and other spots in California.  

Early in California's history, it was common for Zinfandel to share a vineyard with simpatico red varieties like Petite Sirah, Mourvédre and Carignane, in a field blend.  

Each grape brought something different to a harmonious blend, but Zin's dominant  flavors won out and today's examples are 100% Zinfandel, with the exception of a few that favor Petite Sirah with Zinfandel.

The attraction was flavors of pepper, cinnamon, black cherry, blackberry, plums and raisins.  A finished Zin presented good acidity and was compatible for aging in either American or French oak, the latter adding a touch of spice.   

With the development of DNA technology in the 1990s, a new historical path for Zinfandel was charted.  A back and forth argument asked if Zinfandel was related to a grape in Italy, and was finally settled when DNA showed that Zinfandel and Primitivo of southern Italy, were the same grape. 

The search wasn't done, though, since DNA also made the connection between Zinfandel and an ancient variety in the vineyards of Croatia. 

Today, small amounts of Zinfandel can be found in such far flung places as South Africa, Western Australia, Chile and Italy.  But California has the most plantings, especially in Sonoma County and the Sierra Foothills  

A short list of representative California Zinfandel includes these Zin masters: Robert Biale, Ridge, Ravenswood, St. Francis, Kenwood, Peachy Canyon, Sutter Home, Fetzer, Amador Foothill Winery, Rosenblum, Dry Creek Vineyard, Shenandoah.

Zinfandel goes with just about any food you'd pair with Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. But I find that Zin and grilled ribs slathered in a fruity barbecue sauce or grilled steaks and vegetables are great food and wine marriages. 

 

Next post: The rise of Hybrid Grapes

Leave a comment at boydvino707@gmail.com