Behind the Cork™ - Wines of La Scolca Italy

The La Scolca estate was purchased in 1919 by the great-grandfather of Giorgio Soldati who, today, leads the company with his daughter Chiara. The surname Soldati meaning “soldiers” is particularly symbolic for the approach taken by the company’s owners. The name of the property, as well, is symbolic. La Scolca brand comes from “Sfurca” or “Look off into the distance” and the farmhouse that stood there was exactly that: a lookout post. These names reflect the proud and tenacious character of the owners and their wines.

2020 La Scolca Gavi White Label ($19.50)

The White Label Gavi from La Scolca is their traditional Gavi that is produced from young vines that are located in the Rovereto heart, the “Gavi Grand Cru.” It’s made from 100% Cortese (kort-tay-zay) grapes that are almost exclusively grown in Piedmont, Italy.

This one is light straw in color with delicate aromas and a hint of sweetness. On the palate, it has bright fruit flavors of apple, lemon, pear and melon with refreshing acidity that leads to a long, pleasant finish.

2019 La Scolca Gavi dei Gavi Black Label ($42.99)

Gavi dei Gavi® has been a registered trademark in Europe since 1969 and in the US since 1971, and is best known as "Black Label".

This La Scolca Black Label is also produced from 100% Cortese (kort-tay-zay) grapes. It is pale gold in color, has delicate citrus and floral aromas, hints of Honeydew melon and peach. On the palate this Black Label Gavi is very delicate and light. Its subtle flavors are enhanced by its very rounded acidity that results in a light finish.

La Scolca does an extremely nice job of capturing the essence of the wonderful Cortese grape.

These two wines from La Scolca fit right in as Behind the Cork™ wines of the week for being attainable and affordable. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Making Business Happen USA. LLC

How Winemaker's Know It's Harvest Time

Finally, Fall is just around the corner and harvest time is beginning. This is the point where grape growers and wine makers become very focused on the grapes as they ripen. Then, once the grapes reach just the right level of ripeness, they are quickly harvested because, unlike other fruits, grapes don't continue to ripen once picked. So, you have to get it right.

If the grapes are picked too early they can be too acidic, too tannic and not contain the proper amount of sugar for a full and proper fermentation. Conversely, if the grapes are picked too late, the sugar level will be too high which can lead to an overly sweet wine. This is because fermentation will only go to the point where the yeast naturally dies due to the level of alcohol in the wine. So, the “residual sugar” doesn’t get converted to alcohol and remains in the wine.

The bottom line for grape growers and winemakers is to find the perfect time for harvest. While there is some science and chemistry involved there is also a lot of experience and intuition that goes into the decision to harvest the grapes.

Here’s a quick overview of some of the signs that the grapes are ready for harvest:

The Visual Appearance of the Grapes

From the experience and intuition categories, winemakers look for the exact color of the grapes to know when to harvest. The grapes may also take on different textures and levels of shininess versus dustiness as they reach the proper ripeness.

The Visual Appearance of the Seed Color

Winemakers also look at the stems and seeds as a sign of ripeness. As the grapes ripen, the stems will turn from green to brown. An un-ripe grape will have seeds that are white or green. When the grape seeds turn brown, they are nearing time for harvest. Winemakers may also taste the seeds. Unripe seeds can be highly tannic and bitter.

The Taste of the Grapes

It might seem obvious, but the taste of the ripening grape will also yield telltale signs to the winemaker. The grapes will have gotten mostly through the tannic and bitter stage and moved into being sweet. But again, the experience of the winemaker will determine if the grapes have just the right amount of tart and tannic qualities (that are very important in winemaking) while also having just the right amount of sweetness.

The Brix Level

From the science and chemistry side of things, winemakers will use a device called a refractometer to measure the ripeness of individual grapes. Brix measures the sugar levels in the grapes and allow a winemaker to convert that to how much alcohol the finished wine will have.

The Feel of the Grapes

Ripe grape berries (the individual grapes) are generally easier to pull from the stalks.

So, these are the primary methods used by winemakers to determine when the grapes are ready for harvest. A bit of science and a whole lot of experience goes into the final harvest decision. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Wines of Domaine Bousquet, Part 2

Embraced for their freshness, vibrant aromatics and fruit-forward qualities, wines from Tupungato Valley in Mendoza’s Uco Valley have become “must-haves” for Argentine connoisseurs. Domaine Bousquet, an early pioneer in this high-altitude sub-region of the Uco Valley of Argentina, stands out for its singular reliance on eco-friendly organic fruit. And their prices are extremely competitive!

All three of these wines are made from organic grapes and are Vegan friendly.

2018 Domaine Bosquet Gran Malbec ($25)

This Gran Malbec undergoes cold maceration at 10°C for 72 hours to 96 hours. Fermentation then occurs with selected yeast at a temperature between 25°C and 28°C for 12 days. It then undergoes 100% Malolactic conversion before being aged in French oak for 10 months.

This is a full-bodied wine with bold dark fruit flavors, easy tannin and a chocolaty finish.

2018 Gaia Cabernet Franc ($20)

This is a medium-bodied wine that is cold macerated for 72 hours. Fermentation occurs with selected yeast at a maximum temperature of 27°C for 12 days before being aged in French oak between 8 and 10 months.

This Cabernet Franc exhibits nice red fruit flavors and the classic peppery hints. It has nice tannins, moderate acidity and an easy finish.

2019 Domaine Bosquet Cabernet Sauvignon ($13)

This is a medium-bodied wine that is fermented for 15 days with select yeast at a maximum temperature between 25° C and 27° C.

This Cabernet Sauvignon has nice dark fruit flavors, moderate tannin and medium acidity that finishes with nice lingering fruit flavors.

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Creative Palate Communications

Fermentation Vessels Can Affect the Flavors of a Wine

In a recent blog, I listed some of the many factors that can affect a wine’s flavors. One of the factors is the type of vessel chosen by the winemaker to ferment the wine. So, let’s take a closer look.

The three most common fermentation vessels are made of either oak, stainless steel or concrete. Each of these can affect the flavor of the wine due to the degree to which the wine is exposed to oxygen.

Fermentation in Oak 
Oak fermentation barrels allow for the gradual influx of oxygen which helps to softened tannins and acid while developing a ‘rounder’ more balanced wine. Oak itself also imparts flavors. French oak is known to yield more subtle flavors like clove and spice to a wine while creating a silkier, smoother mouthfeel, while American oak typically imparts aromas of vanilla and coconut. And, the degree to which these flavors are imparted varies by the level of ‘toast’ created on the barrel during its production. So, for instance, a barrel with a ‘medium’ toast will impart less flavors than a barrel with a heavy toast. Finally, once an oak barrel has been used three to four times, the majority of the flavors have been extracted and it becomes a ‘neutral’ barrel that imparts little to no flavors.

Fermentation in Stainless Steel

Unlike oak, stainless steel fermentation vessels can be tightly sealed so as to allow little to no oxygen exposure of the wine during the fermentation process. And, a winemaker may fill the top of the tank (the headspace) with inert gas to drive out all of the oxygen. This makes for brighter, fresher fruit-forward wines. The stainless steel imparts no flavor characteristics to the wine. Stainless steel tanks are also used because they offer optimal refrigeration capabilities when a winemaker wants to cold-ferment the wine.

Fermentation in Concrete

Concrete-type vessels have been used to ferment wine for as long as wine has been made. Concrete tanks can be open for oxygen exposure, or sealed like stainless steel to avoid oxygen. The concrete itself is quite neutral so it doesn’t impart significant flavors like oak, but it can add mineral-like flavors to the wine.

Behind the Cork™ - Wines of Domaine Bousquet, Part 1

Embraced for their freshness, vibrant aromatics and fruit-forward qualities, wines from Tupungato Valley in Mendoza’s Uco Valley have become “must-haves” for Argentine connoisseurs. Domaine Bousquet, an early pioneer in this high-altitude sub-region of the Uco Valley of Argentina, stands out for its singular reliance on eco-friendly organic fruit. And their prices are extremely competitive!

At Domaine Bousquet, they have two paths of former rivers running through their property. These riverbeds, lined with alluvial deposits from the mountain sand seismic debris, are rockier than the plain sand areas. The characteristics of sandy soil are magnified in this rocky soil.

The Domaine Bousquet wines are:

Organic: The dry, low-humidity soil eliminates the need for pesticides and other chemicals to prevent disease, making organic farming easier. And, the dreaded phylloxera louse cannot survive in sandy soil!

Elegant: The harder the soil, the heavier and more powerful the wine. The lighter the soil, the more elegant the wine. The ability to produce elegant wines was so important from the start that Domaine Bousquet’s tagline is “Naturally Elegant Wines.”

Aromatic: Thanks to the sandy soil, the grapes thrive in an area with big differences between day/night temperatures, allowing the grapes to retain acidity and terpenes, those volatile compounds that result in wonderful aromas.

Complex: With riverbed and non-riverbed fruit available, the winemaker has more options, a bigger palate from which to blend.

All three of these wines are made from organic grapes and Vegan friendly:

2021 Domaine Bousquet Sauvignon Blanc ($13)

This grapes for this wine were harvested the first two weeks of February, underwent cold maceration for 24 hours and were fermented for 15 days.

It is medium-yellow in color with bright aromas of citrus and green apple. At 12.5% ABV, it’s light and refreshing with medium acidity and a soft finish.

2019 Domaine Bousquet Reserve Chardonnay ($18)

This wine is made from 100% Chardonnay that are grown by the foothills of the Andes at an altitude of 4000 feet. This high altitude yields cool nights that preserves the fresh fruit flavors and acidity in the grapes. This Reserve Chardonnay is fermented in oak for 15 days and then aged six months in oak and lees.

It’s deep gold in color with aromas of pear and baked apple. Although it’s fermented and aged in oak, the oak influence is restrained resulting in a medium-bodied Chardonnay with fruit flavors that are not too bright and not overly oaked - just right.

2019 Domaine Bousquet Reserve Pinot Noir ($18)

This wine is made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes that are manual harvested, undergo cold maceration for 72 hours and then fermented for 15 days. It is aged for six to eight months in French oak.

It is pale ruby in color with subtle red-fruit aromas. It has the characteristic cranberry flavor with a bit of black cherry and a round finish.

These are fine examples of affordability and attainability wines that fit right in with the Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week theme. Check further details at the Domaine Bousquet website and keep an eye out for them. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Creative Palate Communications