American Wines Vs. European: a Primer

American wines vs. European: a primer by David C. Ludwig While California produces about 75 percent of all the wine annually con- sumed in this country, most Americans know more about French, German, and Italian wines than those produced here. The reason for this phenomenon may be that the word domestic on any product carries a somewhat negative connotation; more likely, however, this situation exists because in a sense California's wine industry is less than 40 years old. Now it is certainly true that Fran- ciscan monks were planting grapes in California over 200 years ago, and it is also true that many immigrant Euro- pean vignerons established vineyards and experimented with various grape types in California throughout the 19th and the early years of the 20th cen- tury. Unfortunately, the prohibition of the 1920's forced the closing of all but a handful of California wineries and those who were able to remain open were forced to switch to the making of sacramental wines or the production of thick skinned grapes of the table and raisin variety to be used for home winemaking, which was still legal. Although prohibition was repealed many years ago, the legacy of that period still haunts the wine industry in this country; for example, fully 60 Wines from California vineyards such as Los Hermanos offer percent of the wine presently some of the best bargains in the world. produced in California is still made from table variety grapes. Progress is being made,.however, brought 100,000 vine cuttings from according to the way they are and through the efforts of such men as Europe to California and published marketed: generic wines, labeled with Agoston Harasthy (who in the 1850's the results of his experiments on famous European place-names, and them) and the research conducted at varietal wines, labels with the name the University of California on the of the particular grape from which Constant readers of GOLF BUSINESS will suitability of sites for the planting of each wine is primarily made. be familiar with David Ludwig's earlier various grape types, California now articles explaining how knowledgable Generic names have been used produces some outstanding wines. promotion and sale of wine can increase almost from the beginning of Califor- golf clubs' foodservice/bar profits. He is nia winemaking to suggest, broadly, New Jersey Wine Master, Wine Club of Labels can lie the kind of wine contained in the bot- America, and conducts many wine tastings Table wines from California may be tle. The most familiar generic names and lectures in the east. grouped into two general categories, for red wines are Burgundy, Claret, Grapes grown among the lakes of New York State produce a different flavor from those of California. the quality of the former with the high productivity of the latter. The wines it produces, while agreeable, lack the style of the Cabernet Sauvignon. Pinot Noir — this grape, used to make the great wines of the Cote d'Or, is generally considered less complex, less fine, and in general, less similar to the Burgundy original than is the Cabernet Sauvignon to red Bordeaux. Red Pinot — is not a true Pinot but rather the Pinot St. Georges, and its wines are considerably less fine. and Chianti; and for white wines north coast counties around San Fran- Zinfandel — one of the most Chablis, Sauterne(s), and Rhine wine. cisco Bay, and this area produces less widely planted of all the wine grapes These wines have only the vaguest than 10% of California's wine harvest. in California. While of European resemblance, if any, to the wines that Even within this area, despite exten- origin, it has never been traced back actually come from these specific sive new plantings of these varietals, to a specific European wine district. places in Europe, and each producer they still account for less than half of While Zinfandel has become the darl- will decide for himself which charac- the crop. Because high-yield varieties ing of many "wine authorities," I find teristics each of his generic wines will grown elsewhere in California can it to be somewhat heavy and cloying, have. For example, a bottle of French produce four or five times as much especially when it has been aged in Sauternes will contain a sw«eet, wine per acre as these varietals and redwood. luscious white wine made in a special because the best grapes are also the Napa Ganay — the grape used to way; yet a bottle of California most expensive, the finest varietal make the popular wines of southern Sauterne will often be dry, making the wines will never be cheap. Further- Burgundy and produces light, use of this generic name especially il- more, an important factor in the refreshing, if somewhat less complex, logical. It is not even unheard of for a quality of a varietal wine is the per- wines in California. winery to label identical wines as centage of the named grape being Gamany Beaujolais — not a true Chablis and Sauterne. used above the legal minimum. Since Gamay at all, but is now thought to be related to the Pinot Noir. The wines Even though this method of label- it is the specific character of each produced from this grape are not con- ing wines leaves much to be desired, it grape variety that distinguishes these sidered to be on par with those made is nevertheless at the level of generic wines and gives them their richness, from the true Gamay. wines that excellent values are to be depth of flavor, and so on, the extent Pinot Chardonnay — this varietal found among the many offerings of to which a Cabernet Sauvignon or produces the best of the California California. If you experiment with the Pinot Noir is diluted will have a tre- white wines and while this is the true many varieties on the market, you are mendous effect on its taste. Because Chardonnay of Burgundy (the word bound to find some brands that are the best California wines are Pinot has been dropped in Burgundy less expensive and more consistent in marketed by brands rather than by in- because recent studies have found quality than many imported wines. It dividual vineyard names, it is neces- that this grape is really not a true is interesting to note that many Cali- sary to compare the same varietal Pinot) it is unadvisable to make com- fornia generic wines are bottled with wine from several wineries to deter- parisons between the wines produced a small amount of sweetness in them, mine your preference. in California from this grape (or any which may or may not be to your The following lists well-known other for that matter) and those customers' tastes. California varietals in order that you might have some idea of what to ex- produced in, for example, Chassagne- Varietal wines have more recently pect when purchasing them: Montrachet or Meursault. come into their own and are slowly Pinot Blanc — the second classic Cabernet Sauvignon — the classic being adopted by many California grape used in white Burgundies is less grape of Bordeaux produces the best wineries. widely planted in California than the red wines of California. It is the well- These grape types imported from Chardonnay, but it still produces some aged examples of Cabernet Sauvignon the most famous wine districts of very good white wines. that have most impressed the experts Europe produce the best of the Cali- fohannisberg Riesling — the true with their quality. Unfortunately, fornia wines. These varietals include Riesling planted in the best vineyards production of the best examples of Cabnet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Char- along the Rhine and Moselle. It is also this wine is limited and consequently donnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and so called, in California, the White Riesl- you should expect to pay over $20.00 a forth, and a given wine must contain a ing. A Johannisberg Riesling has much bottle for this truly fine wine. minimum of 51 percent of a particular of the flavor and fruit for which this varietal for its name to appear on the Ruby Cabernet — a cross between grape is noted, and the wine is often a label. the Cabernet Sauvignon and the bit mellow in taste. Varietals flourish best in the cool Carignane that attempts to combine Riesling — on a California wine "The French especially make a great to-do over the similarities, or lack of them, between one year and another . label usually refers to a wine made vintages. As you probably know, the the name of the winery and the grape from the Sylvaner and is less flowery, French especially make a great to-do used. but often delightful in its own way. over the similarities or lack of Made and bottled, when used on a Grey Riesling — not a true Riesling similarities between one year and California wine label, means only that at all, but the Chauce Gris, and often another, while in California little, if 10 percent of the wine was produced produces a wine of indifferent any, attention is paid to a wine's par- by the winery itself. Bottled by in- quality. ticular vintage. This lack of attention dicates that all the wine may have Emerald Riesling — a cross of the given to California vintages, even for been bought in bulk from other true Riesling and the Muscadelle and the best of varietals, is based on sources. The phrase estate-bottled on produces a mild, very agreeable wine. several factors. For one thing, a Cali- a California wine indicates, as it does Chenin Blanc — the grape used to fornia wine marketed with a vintage in Bordeaux and Burgundy, that all of make Vouvary in the Loire Valley.

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