“What a marvellous wine this ’45 Mouton is – tremendous elegance and flavour, the complexity of the nose, violets and cigar boxes. Quite superb. And that extraordinary depth of flavour on the palate, although there is just the slightest trace of hardness at the back of the middle palate…” Len Evans. I sincerely wish I was there too. Surely the first thing to strike you about this description of a classic old cabernet, of one of the great red wines of the century from one of the best palates in the world, are the flavours – don’t they sound fabulous? When you really get down to the issue, it is flavour that separates the best from the rest, and small differences in elegance, complexity and volume of flavour decide the outcome of trophies in our wine shows. There are so many sources of flavour in wine, so many ways that man and nature can affect the final outcome of the finished wine. Try different batches and barrels of the same wine before bottling and it is rare not to notice some degree of difference between them. Different grapes varieties, regions, soils, and viticultural, winemaking and maturation techniques all contribute to the diversity of flavours found in the finished wine. As I suggested in the last issue, complexity of flavour is one of the most sought-after features in premium wine, and this is the diversity and range of the spectrum of different flavours present. The greatest winemakers seek to maximise complexity. In Champagne it is rare to use a single vineyard or a single clone of the vine to in the finished wine. In any case, most vineyards there are far too small alone. Instead, grapes are sourced from many different properties, from different sub-regions in Champagne, from different grape varieties and sites. Each element of difference contributes something towards the complexity of the final product. Another approach is used if only a single vineyard is available, and this approach is directly applicable to most Australian situations. Complexity can be generated from a `single source’. By picking portions of the grapes at different degrees of ripeness and flavour development, fermenting different batches at different temperatures, with different yeasts, in different containers (barrels, stainless steel or concrete), using a malolactic fermentation or not, maturing different proportions of the finished wine in different oaks, the winemaker can generate a whole range of different wines from a single vineyard. And with each additional grape variety used in the final blend the complexity multiplies again. These differences in flavour may be significant or slight. They may or may not be complimentary. Again, the ability of the winemaker to blend these different components together determines the ultimate quality of the wine. In previous issues I have described the flavours that the major grape varieties contribute to wine. The premium varieties each possess a specific flavour spectrum of identifiable and characteristic flavours. Their presence or absence in wine relates to factors like the winemaking region, clone of the variety, and the other variables previously introduced. These flavours may either be initially present in the wine at bottling, or else will appear in the wine as a result of maturation in the bottle. Bottle maturation is another factor that generally increases complexity, and the varietal flavours described by Len Evans at the start of this article are those of bottle-aged cabernet sauvignon. The same wine when much younger might have tasted of intense blackcurrant fruit with a greenish perfume. The wood and tannin might have been aggressive, although in balance with the level of fruit flavour. Now it has clearly mellowed and changed, becoming more complex, mellow and smoother to drink. Many people still cellar wine not knowing what to expect. When finally uncorked, after several years in the cellar, that intensely floral and citric young rhine riesling won’t simply be more and better of the same flavours as before – it could well have changed almost beyond belief. It could now be honeyed, toasty, with an oily bouquet. Some will think it better – others will disagree. It’s extraordinary how much vineyard management can influence wine flavour. There was barely a good red wine to come from New Zealand until the recent intervention of top viticulturalists who revolutionised the rather basic levels of viticulture found there. The reds were thin, flavourless and hard. There was no softness, no fruit flavour. How dramatically have things changed! Te Mata Estate’s Awatea and Coleraine reds are extraordinary modern wines, to name just two. So what happened? The vine canopies have now been opened up and exposed, creating better access for air and light. Canopies are thinner and taller and have been `hedged’ to collect more sunlight. The vegetation has been cut back to what is required to ripen the fruit fully, and not to create a drain on the photosynthetic production of the outer layers. The fruit now ripens fully, and the results are in the bottle. The vineyard has changed the whole structure of the wine, and of course, the flavour. Harvest time is crucial. Think of those greenish, lolly-flavoured cabernet-based ros wines. They have a confection-like raspberry flavour. This is immature cabernet. As the grapes ripen further, more herbaceous flavours appear – think of the greenish cabernets of cooler areas like the Mornington Peninsula and Tasmania. Then more ripening produces the more typical blackcurrant aromas and flavours – try Yarra Valley, Margaret River and Coonawarra. Over-ripening introduces jamminess, and hot seasons can make the wines taste `cooked’ or `stewed’. S The viticulturalist’s role is finally being fully acknowledged as an integral part of the winemaking team, and several top Australian wines now bear the name of their viticulturalist on their label. But the real improvements in the vineyards are only just beginning. Next time we’ll look a little more closely at regional flavours.
