gary ’ s corner
GOT PERSONALITY ?
By Gary Hewitt
Despite jetlag and a hectic schedule , winery owner and vintner Marc Valentini , speaks with the passion of someone who loves what he does . His forum , a winemaker ’ s dinner to showcase his wines , came at the end of a Canadian tour and a week-long visit to Winnipeg .
Marc spoke earnestly . He spoke of vineyards and specific vines , of vintages and of how the wines , like children , grow up . He presented , for the first time in Winnipeg , his Chardonnay . His excitement was palpable — the wine wowed with its elegance , refinement and youthful promise of complexity . Marc was pleased , not so much because we will buy the wine ( there are only 150 cases that would easily sell in France ), but because we love his baby . He spoke openly about how he will raise the next generation and the changes that he will make in their upbringing ( parents should be so lucky ).
During dinner , casual table conversation revealed that part of Marc had already returned home , his anxiety about weed growth among his vines having drawn his mind before his body could follow . His investment of soul was clearly evident .
Marc ’ s wines , Le Grand Vallat from the Côtes du Ventoux region just north of Marseilles in south France , are balanced medium-bodied wines that evolve from firm young wines with restrained character into complex regional wines begging for food . The firm tannins of the reds and the medium intense fruit don ’ t pamper the mouth with round easy accessibility , instead they make a statement with lavender echoes of the region ’ s garrigue .
Undoubtedly , the wines have a sense of place , a quality that many will quickly term terroir , the mélange of factors — soil , climate and vineyard site — that go into the making of a wine . Some think terroir gives a wine its personality . For example , in Marc ’ s red wines , the Provençal herb character likely results from wind transfer of essential oils from local resinous herbs onto the maturing grapes . Such character is certainly terroir-based . However , modern viticultural specialists claim many terroir effects can be mimicked through the use of modern vineyard techniques and that certain revered vineyards of the Old World may not be as special as they seem .
Personality in wine is not just in the soil or climate but also in the human touch . Whether a producer chooses to obliterate terroir by the use of supercharged ripe grapes and a carpenter ’ s dream of new oak or to lend full expression to the vagaries of each vineyard in each vintage , winemaking can be a personal , artistic expression of self . We consumers can revel in the personality of a wine as we grow to know it and thereby know the producer ( or vice versa !).
For the curious , wine is the unique beverage that allows us to pinpoint its source and to know its makers . The importance of this to the deep enjoyment of wine is enormous . In the case of Marc ’ s wines , we can say that to know Marc is to know his wines ( or vice versa !). �
Renaissance Man Burge Family Wines , Barossa Valley , Australia Rich , thoughtful , complex wines from Rick Burge , a complex and thoughtful man .
Community First Dutschke Wines , Barossa Valley , Australia Wayne Dutschke thinks globally and works locally in the creation of wines of strong character based on a foundation of family and community first .
Cosmic Messenger M . Chapoutier , Rhone Valley , France A world leader in the practice of biodynamics who is willing to let each wine fully express the personality of each different vintage .
Let it be Weingut Lingenfelder , Pfalz , Germany Thirteen generations , father to son , instill Rainer Lingenfelder with the confidence that the wines know best .
Against the flow Viña Casa Marin , San Antonio Valley , Chile Diminutive Maria Luz Marin takes on the big boys of the Chilean wine industry with highly evocative wines from vineyards on a climatic razor ’ s edge , only 4 km from the Pacific Ocean .
Deep Thought Co-op Cantina Terlano , Trentino-Alto Adige , Italy Low yields from highly specific sites give varietal wines with a depth of minerality that suggests the vine roots go to the centre of the Earth . � www . banvilleandjones . com 31