WHY CLIMATE MATTERS IN WINE

Remember that it is the grape's innate sugar that is eventually converted to alcohol during the fermentation process. So presumably, riper grapes result in higher alcohol levels in the final bottle of wine.

Warm Climate Wines

grapes are grown in warmer climate zones, like California, Chile, Spain and much of Italy, they can't help but reflect the cogent influence of the sun, heat and typically drier growing conditions. These warm weather wines carry higher alcohol levels (typically 14% or above) when fermentation is complete and show more intense color, body and flavor on the palate.

Combine the concentrated flavor compounds with the elevated alcohol levels and both the aromatics and palate nuances are amplified by the alcohol.

 

Common Warm Weather Flavors :-

• White Wines:    pineapple, mango, banana, papaya
• Red Wines:       raisin, fig, ripe blackberry and carmelized fruit
  

Excellent Examples of Warm Weather Wines to Try:-

Chilean or Californian Cabernet Sauvignon, Argentinean Malbec, Rhone Valley reds, California Zinfandel, Australian Shiraz

Cool Climate Wines:

Classic cool climate zones like Burgundy, Champagne, Alsace, Germany, Oregon and areas of Italy cultivate grapes with lower levels of sugar and higher levels of acidity, which result in wines with lower levels of alcohol (typically below 13%).

These cool region wines are essentially the yang to the warm climate wine's yin. With less sun, lower growing temperatures and often more moisture, expect the wines to carry lighter color profiles, carry a light to medium body, and be noticeably more subtle in terms of flavors, though with more palate acidity.

Common Cool Weather Flavors :-

• White Wines: pear, apple, subtle citrus
• Red Wines: currants, cranberry

Dramatic Examples of Cool Climate Wines to Try: 

German Riesling, Alsatian Riesling or Pinot Gris, Burgundy, Champagne, Italy's Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige

Climate zones help explain why Chardonnay from the cooler region of Burgundy can display subtle aromas, with more green apple, minerality and zippy acidity and how Chardonnay from sunny California often carries intense aromas, riper fruit flavors and more weight on the palate.

Your wine dr.

KHAN

MERLOT

Merlot is the second most widely-planted black wine grape in the world.Most major wine-producing country have Merlot vineyards, including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Chile, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United States, and of course France.

It is by far the most widely planted grape of the entire Bordeaux region and third, behind carignan and grenache as the most planted black variety in France. However, it has a starring role in only one region, historically, north of Bordeaux's Gironde River, where it is the basis of the wines of St. Emilionand Pomerol. Château Petrus, which has risen in consumer stature in the past four decades, is over 90% Merlot.

South of the Gironde, however, merlot played a supporting role, usually about a third or less of typical Medoc blends with cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, until 1950, when plantings began to increase. Today, an average Medoc red blend has a base of two-thirds merlot, with the other grapes lending support. Most of the increased merlot planting has come at the loss of the cabernet franc, carmenere, malbec, and verdot varieties.

Because merlot ripens at least a week earlier than either cabernet variety, it is "vineyard insurance" where rains are a factor at harvest. The best quality merlot grows in rocky, arid ground, but is fairly adaptable and grows better than the cabernets in clay-based soils, even in damp, cool climates. Since merlot both buds and flowers early, growers' main worry is susceptibility to shatter or coulure, brought about by frost, rain, or early heat waves in the Spring. The berry of merlot is relatively thin-skinned and somewhat prone to rot.

Merlot is moderately vigorous in vine growth, but must sometimes be reined in from setting too large of a crop by judicious pruning, often followed weeks later by cluster thinning. Merlot on fertile soil may produce eight tons per acre, but best fruit quality is gained if the crop is kept at six tons per acre or less. Merlot's tendencies towards both shatter and over-cropping are paradoxical. Careful selection of both clone and site can avoid this problem, as shatter is more serious in colder climates. 

Merlot was brought to California in the 1850s and 1870s, but made little impact and was practically unknown. Almaden put in some in San Benito County in the late 1950s, Inglenook had some old acreage (planting date uncertain), and Louis M. Martini planted merlot in 1962, near Healdsburg. Merlot was first bottled as a stand-alone varietal by Louis M. Martini on a blend of 1968 and 1970 vintages. 

California Merlot was not a big seller until the end of the '80s. But in the 1990s, Merlot became to the American wine consumer what "burgundy" was in the '70s: the generic red wine flavor of fashion. Less than 2,000 acres existed in California in 1985, but over 50,000 acres were bearing by 2003.

While its flavor profile is similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot tends to be less distinctive and slightly more herbaceous overall in both aroma and taste. Ripeness seems critical; both under ripe and overripe grapes lean away from fruit and towards herbaceousness. Merlot has slightly lower natural acidity than Cabernet and generally less astringency, therefore usually a more lush moutHfeel. 

The most frequent, but not exclusive, aromas and flavors typically found in Merlot include:

*Typical Merlot Smell and/or Flavor Descriptors
*Typicity depends upon individual tasting ability and experience and is also affected by terroir and seasonal conditions, as well as viticultural and enological techniques. This list therefore is merely suggestive and neither comprehensive nor exclusive.	Varietal Aromas/Flavors:	Processing Bouquets/Flavors:
	FRUIT: currant, black cherry, plum	OAK (light): vanilla, coconut, sweet wood
	FLORAL: violet, rose	OAK (heavy): oak, smoke, toast, tar
	SPICE: caramel, clove, bay leaf, green peppercorn	BOTTLE AGE: truffle, mushroom, earth, coffee,leather, cedar, cigar box
	HERBAL: bell pepper, green olive	.

Earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon to mature in bottle, Merlot is held in higher esteem by wine drinkers than by wine collectors.
Syrah is richer and darker, Pinot Noir lighter and more velvety, but Merlot has become the darling red wine. Is it because the consumer finds Merlot easy-to-drink or is it perhaps, because Merlot is easy-to-say? I'll have a glass of Merlot, please, while I think about it.

Your Wine Dr
KHAN
CS,CSW,CSC