Vinnez – March 2010

First Harvest Begins

After a long three years of careful nurturing of the vines, our first harvest at Chaiken Vineyards begins this month. To say we are excited about the event is an understatement……we are filled with overwhelming anticipation. How balanced will the sugar and acid be? What is the expression of terroir? Did our green harvest do what we expected? No time at a winery is more hectic, nerve wracking and downright frightening than harvest time.
 
Nevertheless, we are confident in our team in Mendoza to execute flawlessly. Oh, I’ll be heading down there to observe it all. It never hurts to have another pair of eyes monitoring the activities.
 
In our April issue I will report on how it all went. In the meantime, sit back, relax and open one of those special bottles you might have. It is time to celebrate. It’s harvest time!!
 
Cheers.

Sincerely,
 
Barry P. Chaiken, Proprietor
Chaiken Vineyards
info@chaikenvineyards.com

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Malbec Loves Mendoza

 Malbec was originally one of the minor blending varieties of red Bordeaux, where it now accounts for a tiny proportion of local production.
 
Called Auxerrois or Côt Noir in Cahors, called Malbec in Bordeaux, and Pressac in other places, the grape became less popular in Bordeaux after 1956 when frost killed off 75% of the crop. Despite Cahors being hit by the same frost, which devastated the vineyards, Malbec was replanted and continued to be popular in that area where it was mixed with Merlot and Tannat to make dark, full-bodied wines, and more recently has been made into 100% Malbec varietal wines.
 
But its home now is well and truly in Argentina, where after more than 100 years of nurturing it has come into its own both as a pure varietal, and blended with Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.
 
Malbec grapes are reasonably small, very dark, and juicy. Controlling the fruiting of the vines is important to ensure good concentration of flavours. Fortunately, the Argentine wine industry’s almost 100% reliance on irrigation (it virtually never rains) gives growers the tools they need to ensure quality fruit.
 
However, Malbec is fairly sensitive to its climate. In cooler conditions (in Mendoza, this normally means a higher altitude) it is a thick-skinned grape which develops high acidity and tannic content, giving rise to more robust wines. At lower altitudes the grapes have thinner skins, more juice, and produce wines that are lighter-bodied and more suited to drinking young.
 
Flavours most commonly associated with Malbec include plums, cherries, currants and raspberries. Fruit, as well as colour, may be perceived as black or red depending on the origin of the fruit, as well as the wine-making style. Argentine Malbec is generally liberally oaked, and even the earlier drinking styles reflect the resulting flavours – vanilla, spice, as well as occasional tobacco notes – well.
 
An earlier ripening variety in Argentine conditions, the Malbec harvest generally begins in early March.
 
Source: Argentina Wine Guide, Wikipedia