Where We Grow Grapes -- Why Does it Matter?

Yesterday, I began to discuss where grapes are grown. And, I did hit pretty hard on vineyardmasters, winemakers, and winery oweners who might do this ramdomly. But, what right do I have to do this? Is it based on my extensive study of grapes and their planting techniques? Is it based on my previous and current successes growing great grapes?

None of those. Frankly, I've never even tried to grow a grape. And, when I try to grow most anything, except perhaps my own body in ways that it should not grow, I've never been very successful. So, who am I to be writing this and educating and criticizing?

I write this blog, that's what makes me the right person. And, honestly, what I do have that works well, even if I have the world's ultimate black thumbs, are my senses. I can see (and read), I can hear (and listen), I can taste, I can feel (sensations on my palate), and I can smell (most days anyway). And, perhaps most importantly since I write all this stuff off the top of my head, my imagination is not so bad and my memory is really good. Yes, that's right. I remember almost every wine I have tasted and I remember almost everything I have ever read or heard about them.

But, I wrote all that as if it actually matters. Isn't it what the winery does with the grapes that really matters? Frankly, that's part of the answer, but if you don't start with the right grapes, then you have no chance. And, if you are not growing those grapes in a place that is really suitable for them, you are growing them with one hand tied behind your back. 

What's that all about? Arguably (some would say there is no argument at all, but I do not want to demean those who think otherwise), the best Pinot Noir in the world is made in Burgundy. But, they don't grow other red grapes in Burgundy. If the land is so great there and I really love, for example, Grenache, why can't I get Burgundy Grenache? 

There are two reasons, one of which we could argue against and the other one of which is just reality. First, there are the French regulations. Under those regulations, you're not allowed to produce Grenache in a wine labeled appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) Bourgogne. Do you think that's silly? Do you think that if someone wants to make Grenache in Burgundy that they should be able to? Great, but the French don't.

The second reason is much better, though. And, perhaps it's why the Fench have these rules. Pinot Noir has its affinities and Grenache has its affinities and those affinities are not the same as each other. You might recall, for example, that many places that we have visited, albeit virtually, to taste Pinot Noir are cursed or perhaps blessed with cool nights and mornings, morning fog, and rare, if any, really significant heat. That's Pinot Noir growing weather, but it's not Grenache growing weather.

I'm still waiting from clearance from the Blogspot FAA to travel (in other words, I am trying to figure out how to structure this), but in a day or two, we are going to begin traveling around the world again exploring the connections between the soil and the climate -- the terooir -- and the grapes and helping in our selection of wines in the future.