Comments on: Restrictive appellations are good http://www.centralcoastwinereport.com/winesooth/2009/08/31/restrictive-appellations-are-good/ searching for truth in wine Wed, 09 Mar 2011 13:35:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Dylan http://www.centralcoastwinereport.com/winesooth/2009/08/31/restrictive-appellations-are-good/#comment-2006 Dylan Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:20:29 +0000 http://www.redwinebuzz.com/winesooth/?p=3304#comment-2006 More to Arthur's point are the basics of creativity itself. I've found as many would profess that the creative endeavor is heightened by the limits set upon it. When we are forced into a corner and put into a box, we do our best creative thinking. It's the restrictions set forth that can actually allow us to advance further. When creativity is left boundless, it becomes too wild and incapable of being trained in. We all need our walls and restrictive appellations can be considered good for that reason. More to Arthur’s point are the basics of creativity itself. I’ve found as many would profess that the creative endeavor is heightened by the limits set upon it. When we are forced into a corner and put into a box, we do our best creative thinking. It’s the restrictions set forth that can actually allow us to advance further. When creativity is left boundless, it becomes too wild and incapable of being trained in. We all need our walls and restrictive appellations can be considered good for that reason.

]]> By: Thomas Pellechia http://www.centralcoastwinereport.com/winesooth/2009/08/31/restrictive-appellations-are-good/#comment-2003 Thomas Pellechia Tue, 01 Sep 2009 02:20:37 +0000 http://www.redwinebuzz.com/winesooth/?p=3304#comment-2003 Morton, So, the wine was made from grapes grown in the appellation. So what? What does that information mean if all it conveys is the name of a place? Then, I read on in your comment and realize that you are bemoaning all the things that Arthur has bemoaned--yet you come to a different conclusion. I submit that your conclusion that appellations should not direct how wine is grown and produced is exactly why we have the situation that you bemoan concerning your final paragraph. For the first time since reading your comments online, I get the sense that you aren't making sense. What gives? Morton,

So, the wine was made from grapes grown in the appellation. So what? What does that information mean if all it conveys is the name of a place?

Then, I read on in your comment and realize that you are bemoaning all the things that Arthur has bemoaned–yet you come to a different conclusion.

I submit that your conclusion that appellations should not direct how wine is grown and produced is exactly why we have the situation that you bemoan concerning your final paragraph.

For the first time since reading your comments online, I get the sense that you aren’t making sense. What gives?

]]> By: Morton Leslie http://www.centralcoastwinereport.com/winesooth/2009/08/31/restrictive-appellations-are-good/#comment-2002 Morton Leslie Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:36:29 +0000 http://www.redwinebuzz.com/winesooth/?p=3304#comment-2002 I am pretty much turned into a libertarian on this issue. The horse is out of the barn, keeping the door closed now will ensure you never see the horse again. Appellations should never mandate how wine should be made or grown. The one goal of appellation control should be to ensure the customer gets what he thinks he is getting. If it says Haut Medoc, it should be made from Haut Medoc grapes. No cheating with crap from the South. Truth in labeling. While some of what we bemoan as a loss of regional distinction is, in fact, imitation, a lot of it comes incrementally from what everyone would agree is \product improvement\ all conducted within AOC, DOC and AVA regulations. Virus free, early ripening CTPS, TCVS. and FPS clones, low vigor rootstocks that favor ripening, increasing percentage of earlier maturing varieties, dense spacing, vertical shoot positioning, leaf and cluster thinning, intelligent crop and water stress management have taken out a lot of the risk and guaranteed ripe fruit each harvest. An example... vineyards in the Napa Valley used to be turning color this time of the year and winegrowers were happy to get 22.5 Brix on their Cabernet late October. Cabernet on deep Napa Valley loams were a disaster most years. They were only good for grazing. Now $100 wines come from 26 Brix grapes grown on former cow pastures and the vines stay green all vintage, turning yellow, then brown after the harvest. Despite nostalgia for some wines, this is what progress looks like. And we haven't talked about winemaking yet. Or market pressures where everyone thinks there's a problem if someone is still trying to sell a three year old wine. Hell with appellation, tell me what is new and hot! We end up with wines that are all dark in color, all made from ripe grapes, made to mature early, aged in the best oak, and on the market before the second birthday. None of this has to do with appellation or regulation. In fact, many of the regulations help guarantee a lack of diversity and drive us toward homogeneity. Give the consumer more choice and there is a chance (albeit slim) they will make the right decision. I am pretty much turned into a libertarian on this issue. The horse is out of the barn, keeping the door closed now will ensure you never see the horse again. Appellations should never mandate how wine should be made or grown. The one goal of appellation control should be to ensure the customer gets what he thinks he is getting. If it says Haut Medoc, it should be made from Haut Medoc grapes. No cheating with crap from the South. Truth in labeling.

While some of what we bemoan as a loss of regional distinction is, in fact, imitation, a lot of it comes incrementally from what everyone would agree is \product improvement\ all conducted within AOC, DOC and AVA regulations. Virus free, early ripening CTPS, TCVS. and FPS clones, low vigor rootstocks that favor ripening, increasing percentage of earlier maturing varieties, dense spacing, vertical shoot positioning, leaf and cluster thinning, intelligent crop and water stress management have taken out a lot of the risk and guaranteed ripe fruit each harvest. An example… vineyards in the Napa Valley used to be turning color this time of the year and winegrowers were happy to get 22.5 Brix on their Cabernet late October. Cabernet on deep Napa Valley loams were a disaster most years. They were only good for grazing. Now $100 wines come from 26 Brix grapes grown on former cow pastures and the vines stay green all vintage, turning yellow, then brown after the harvest. Despite nostalgia for some wines, this is what progress looks like.

And we haven’t talked about winemaking yet. Or market pressures where everyone thinks there’s a problem if someone is still trying to sell a three year old wine. Hell with appellation, tell me what is new and hot!

We end up with wines that are all dark in color, all made from ripe grapes, made to mature early, aged in the best oak, and on the market before the second birthday. None of this has to do with appellation or regulation. In fact, many of the regulations help guarantee a lack of diversity and drive us toward homogeneity. Give the consumer more choice and there is a chance (albeit slim) they will make the right decision.

]]> By: Thomas Pellechia http://www.centralcoastwinereport.com/winesooth/2009/08/31/restrictive-appellations-are-good/#comment-1999 Thomas Pellechia Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:15:20 +0000 http://www.redwinebuzz.com/winesooth/?p=3304#comment-1999 Arthur, Couldn't agree with you more, which makes two people I know who, by present standards, must be nuts... Arthur,

Couldn’t agree with you more, which makes two people I know who, by present standards, must be nuts…

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