Merlot is also bifurcated by Old and New World characteristics.  Old World Merlot, generally grown in Bordeaux’s Saint-Émilion and Pomerol AOCs, are always generally blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, while New World Merlot can be blended or made as a single varietal.

Merlot’s site and climate often drive style and flavor. Cool climate Merlot often produces strawberry, red berry, cassis, plum, cedar, or tobacco notes, moderate climate Merlot often feature more blackberry, black plum, and black cherry characteristic, and warm climate Merlot shows more carmel and chocolate.  Regardless, Merlot is always medium-to-full bodied, soft, fruity, never tannic, and always “fleshy“ or “jammy.”

Malbec however is the clear heavyweight in Argentina. The continental climate, low rainfall, dry conditions, and low humidity provide the perfect growing conditions for Malbec to thrive. Malbec is a thin-skinned grape as well, so its susceptible to rot and disease. The grape also has predisposition to “coulure”, so warm dry climates are best. Coulure, simply put, is a failure of the grapes to develop after they flower initially, so there won’t be a harvest if you’ve got coulure. And finally, Malbec tends to have low acid levels, so it does not do well in very hot conditions.

Argentina features the highest altitude vineyards in the world (e.g. Salta) along Andes’ foothills, where average altitudes of Mendoza vineyards are at 2,000-3,000 feet. This increased altitude means decreased temperatures and increased solar intensity, producing wines with higher acidity and good sugar levels. The Andes also provides wind protection and irrigation from snow melt in the valley along with pollution-free mountain air. All of these characteristics are distinctive features of Argentina’s terroir that embrace a sort of utopian ecosystem.

I think this is why Malbec as wine is so darn good to drink…because it reflects its environment. A beautiful magenta color, low acidity, soft tannins, and a glass of juicy plums, dark berries, spice, and/or violets. A warm fermentation to extract color, flavors and tannins to balance fruit and perhaps a dash of tartaric acid to adjust its pH / acidity. Everything about this wine is welcoming, its brilliant color, its softness, its warmth, its full flavor, and nothing hard edged.

And finally, Malbec is also a noble grape of Bordeaux. In fact, it’s one of the six grapes permitted in red Bordeaux wine blends (grown especially in Côtes-de-Bourg, Blaye and Entre-Deux-Mers). And, if you can find it, Cahors (that’s in France too) also permits a minimum content of 70% Malbec in its wines, where the wine goes by the name Côt Noir.

For example, Bordeaux Sauvignon  Blanc will show more mineral or gravelly notes, Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé (Loire  Valley Sauvignon Blanc) will show more lemon-ness, Chilean Sauvignon Blanc will be more grass, and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc will show more grapefruit, lemon-grass,  gooseberry and thyme elements.

Sauvignon Blanc almost never sees oak instead mainly using stainless steel fermentation/aging.  So unlike Fumé Blanc (California Sauvignon Blanc that is oak influenced), the wine truly shows its varietal character based on where it’s produced.

In an episode of Wine Inside Out TV, we featured New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc because of its mass appeal.  About 33% of New Zealand’s plantings are  Sauvignon Blanc of which 67% are planted in Marlborough.  Within Marlborough, the most diversity of flavors can be found in a sub-region called the Wairau River Valley (Why-ra-ow).  The maritime climate of New Zealand allows for a long  and steady growing season for the grapes to ripen, develop a natural balance of  acids and sugars, and bring out the flavors. Sandy soil over slate soil also provides rapid soil drainage and poor fertility, encouraging the vine to concentrate its flavors in lower yields.

Geek  note. Sauvignon Blanc is well suited for cool maritime climates or cooler areas in warm climates because the grape buds late  and ripens early.  So an objective of every vineyard is to minimize the risk  of Spring frost and Autumn rain.  Sauvignon Blanc is also a vigorous vine, and so shoot devigoration and/or drip irrigation  is often needed to minimize yield to maximize quality.

The twenty regions of Italy are often broken down into four quadrants, which include the Northwest (Piedmont, Lombardy, Valle d’Aosta, Liguria), the Northeast (Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige), Central (Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Umbria, Marches, Abruzzi, Molise, Latium), and the South and Islands (Apulia, Campania, Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily, Sardinia). The largest producing areas include Apulia, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna, while arguably the most famous include Tuscany (aka Chianti) and Piedmont.

While there are whites like Garganega, Trebbiano, and Pinot Grigio, you’ll find that reds have the bench strength. Classic grapes like Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara, Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Aglianico, Negroamaro, Nero d’Avola and Primitivo all make for a good wine life.

Then there is Italy’s classification system, which categorizes the wine’s place of origin combined with a number of regulations. Tables wines are considered Vino da Tavola or IGT, while premium wines are considered DOC or DOCG. But take this with a grain of salt, many producers opt out of the classification system, so many of Italy’s most expensive wines are classified as IGT.

At our Les Zygomates shoot, our focus was on Veneto. Veneto is the largest producer of DOC wines in Italy and is also the region that produces Prosecco and timeless Valpolicella or Amarone della Valpolicella. The latter is a red wine made from Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara grapes. Amorones use a special production method called, “Rasinate”, which means to dry and shrivel the grapes on straw mats before fermentation. This concentrates the sugars and flavors, so the final wine typically packs some alcohol along with a fantastic aroma and taste. Common descriptors include tar, licorice, spice, chocolate, cherry, strawberry, red fruits, flowers, and even almonds. Pomace from the fermentation of Amarone (a byproduct) may also be added or “repassed” over the partially aged wine for a period extended maceration, creating a Baby Amarone.

Depending on the specific AOC rules for each appellation, there are 13 authorized grape varieties that may be used to make Southern Rhône wines, including Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Muscardin, Cournoise, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Picpoul, Roussanne, Terret Noir, Picardan, Vaccarese. However, Grenache-based wine, blended with Syrah (for color and spice) and Mourvèdre (for elegance and structure), dominates the wine blend. Albeit the Rosé of France, Tavel, can also be found here as well as some sweet wines such as Beaumes de Venise.

Châteauneuf-du Pape is marquee wine in the Southern Rhône. The wine is very often full-bodied, high in alcohol, and deeply colored. They can be tough and tannic in their youth, then rich and spicy with age. Common descriptors include earthy, gamey, tar, leather, spicy, and herbs. During winemaking, large cement tanks are used during vinification to protect the wine from oxygen given Grenache’s tendency to oxidize easily. No chaptalization (ie. adding sugar for alcohol) is permitted. Gigondas and Vacqueyras are two other key areas. Producing Grenache-based reds, these wines are robust, high in alcohol, showcase red/dark fruits, and can be aromatic. They are lesser expensive alternatives to Châteauneuf du Pape. There is a small range of mountains – Dentelles de Montmirail – that divide Gigondas into cooler and warmer sites. And in Vacqueyras, the best sites are found on – Plateau de Garrigues – where elevation helps moderate temperatures and enhance sunlight. Other key appellations with Grenache-based reds, include Vinsobres, Côtes du Ventoux, and Côtes du Luberon. Terroir variations in these appellations is also determined by soil: Châteauneuf-du Pape (large stones called “Galets”), Gigondas (stony red clay, alluvial), Vacqueyras (alluvial and glacier terraces), Vinsobres (rocky and sandy soils on the hillsides, rocky alluvial soils on the terraces), Côtes du Ventoux (limestone), and Côtes du Luberon. Finally, there are 18 Côtes du Rhône Village Appellations bottled under a Village Name, where Grenache is at least 50% of the blend, with 20% Syrah and/or Mourvèdre. Côtes du Rhône are basic Rhône AOC wines, where Grenache is at least 40% of the blend. These wines are most often light-to-full bodied red, red to salmon orange color, fruity, alcoholic and rustic.

Condrieu produces Viognier only, a full bodied wine with rich, floral flavors , fresh acidity, and moderate alcohol. Common descriptors include perfume, apricot, pear, peaches, dried fruit, white flowers, anise, almonds, and melons. Château-Grillet is a single vineyard within Condrieu. Saint-Joseph is a Syrah based wine with up to 10% Marsanne and Roussanne blended, and one of the larger districts in the Rhône. Crozes-Hermitage is a Syrah based wine with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne, and is largest district in the Rhône. The wine is generally tannic and earthy with aromas of leather, red berries, earth, and cocoa/coffee. Hermitage is often considered the next finest wine after Côte Rôtie. The wine is 100% Syrah and/or blended with up to 15% Marsanne and Roussanne, offering a well balanced, strongly scented bouquet with red berries, chocolate, and leather. Interesting, the appellation of Hermitage applies to a single granite hill. Where would we be without terroir? Soils and the altitude of the vineyards vary across the hill, creating nuances in the finished wines. Cornas is made of Syrah only, so the wine is dark colored, intense, and richly flavored. The vines grow in steep granitic slopes facing the sun. Saint-Péray is Marsanne and Roussanne only.

Alternatives to Rhône wines include Paso Robles, California and the Victoria Zone of Australia. Victoria has a mini Rhône Valley with largest plantings of Marsanne worldwide in the Goulburn Valley.

In the North, a warm continental climate provides cooling winds for Syrah that grows in porous granite and schist soil, providing excellent drainage.   The wines, typically aged in oak, are full-bodied, intense, flavorful, richly colored, very aromatic, and tannic.  The key AOCs include  Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, Château Grillet, Hermitage, Crozes Hermitage, Cornas, St  Joseph and Saint-Péray.

In the South, a Mediterranean climate with rolling hills protects the authorized grapes varieties such as Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault from the wind, affecting the ripening period of the grapes. Galet Stones also retain moisture in the soil, helping irrigation.  The wines, typically vinified in large cement tanks (protects the wine from oxygen given Grenache’s tendency to oxidize) are full bodied, thick, powerful, high in alcohol, and deeply colored.  The key communes include Châteauneuf-du Pape, Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Côtes du Ventoux, and the broader Côtes du Rhône.

More to come…

On our first show, we featured an Australian Shiraz from the Bendigo, Victoria.  Victoria is one of five, “Geographical Indications” or “GIs,” (Australians love to abbreviate, so I will too) that also include New South Wales (NSW),  South Australia (SA), Western Australia (WA), and Tasmania.  GIs are further delineated by zones, regions, and sub-regions.  So officially, our wine was from Victoria in the Bendigo region which is a part of the Central Victoria Zone.   Thankfully, Shiraz generally embraces all GIs because Australia’s warm climate is generally Shiraz friendly, so you don’t have to over-focus on regional aspects in contrast with other wine regions.

However, Shiraz distinctions can be made in certain GIs and regions.  For example, Shiraz from Heathcote and Upper Goldburn (Victoria) is often more peppery with less alcohol; Coonawarra (SA) is more intense but still spicy; Clare Valley (SA) is very full-bodied and minty; McLaren Vale (SA) is often sweet with chocolate characteristics; Barossa (SA) is higher alcohol with very ripe-fruit; and Hunter Valley (NSW) has more leather and rich flavors.

Having said all of that, all you really need is a bar, a shed, and the courage to just go for it.   So pick up an inexpensive or unknown bottle of Shiraz, and drink bravely.