Vinnez – June 2010

Watching and Waiting

One of the hardest things to do as a winemaker is wait. The off-the-charts intensity of harvest time, where adrenaline rushes are an hourly event, drops off to a more measured pace. Although everyone is happy for the respite, the transition is always a bit difficult.
 
With the vineyard dormant for the winter – remember Mendoza’s seasons are opposite North America’s – all focus is on the wines in barrel. Other then topping up barrels and performing regular laboratory tests to make sure the wines are healthy, there is not much more to do than wait, and wait, and wait. The wine and the oak must be given time to do its thing. 
 
Due to the high quality of the grapes, the Generaciones wines will remain in barrel longer than first anticipated. For 12 months the Seguin Moreau medium toast French oak barrels will breathe nuance and elegance into our wines. This is more than two months longer than anticipated, a good sign that the land has produced good quality fruit. Although I don’t like the extended wait, I am thrilled about the quality.
 
Michael Evans, Founder of Vines of Mendoza , sent me a message recently letting me know that our wines are tasting well. He promised to bring me a bottle or two the next time he travels to the Northeast. I can hardly wait.
 
Cheers.
Sincerely,
 
Barry P. Chaiken, Proprietor
Chaiken Vineyard
info@chaikenvineyards.com
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Syrah – Rhône Wines in the Uco Valley

Syrah or Shiraz is a dark-skinned grape grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce powerful red wines. Whether sold as Syrah or Shiraz, these wines enjoy great popularity.  Following several years of strong planting, Syrah was estimated in 2004 to be the world’s 7th most grown grape at 352,000 acres.
 
DNA profiling in 1999 found Syrah to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche. It should not be confused with Petite Sirah, a synonym for Durif, a cross of Syrah with Peloursin dating from 1880.
 
Wines made from Syrah are often powerfully flavored and full-bodied. The variety produces wines with a wide range of flavor notes, depending on the climate and soils where it is grown, as well as other viticultural practices chosen. Aroma characters can range from violets to berries (usually dark as opposed to red), chocolate, espresso and black pepper. No one aroma can be called “typical” though blackberry and pepper are often noticed. With time in the bottle these “primary” notes are moderated and then supplemented with earthy or savory “tertiary” notes such as leather and truffle. “Secondary” flavor and aroma notes are those associated with several things, generally winemakers’ practices (such as oak barrel and yeast regimes).
 
It is called Syrah in its country of origin, France, as well as in the rest of Europe, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Uruguay and most of the United States. The name Shiraz became popular for this grape variety in Australia, where it has long been established as the most grown dark-skinned variety. The name Shiraz for this grape variety is also commonly used in South Africa and Canada.
 
Syrah continues to be the main grape of the Northern Rhône and is associated with classic wines such as Hermitage, Cornas and Côte-Rôtie. In the Southern Rhône it is used as a blending grape in such wines as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, and Côtes du Rhône, where Grenache usually makes up the bulk of the blend. Syrah has been widely used as a blending grape in the red wines of many countries due to its fleshy fruit mid-palate, balancing the weaknesses of other varieties and resulting in a “complete” wine.´
 
Source: Wikipedia