![]() You can make a lot of kinds of wine with this variety. You have the classical flavors from noble rot-honey and a bit of flowers and white fruit. Because every year botrytis colonizes it very easily. Semillon is like the king of white grape varieties to make sweet wine. Then you need to wait maybe one week until you can start the harvest again and have a good level of concentration. If you have rains, the berries act like a sponge. You need sunny and windy afternoons to obtain noble rot. The first one in 2008 was horrible because we had a lot of rain and it was very difficult to have a good level of concentration. If you have rain during harvest it’s nearly impossible to have a great sweet wine. He considers 2011, 20 as recent vintages with noteworthy quality, and spoke about challenges and grape varieties.Ĭhallenges every year? Most of the time it’s climactic conditions. Kilian began managing vines and winemaking of Château Kalian in 2007. Kilian Griaud, General Manager and Winemaker of Château Kalian Tom Mullen Twice a year Katell visits her parents and brother–in December and June-and works with Kilian to produce blends. Today, Kilian is both general manager and winemaker at Kalian, while sister Katell lives in Virginia in the U.S. To learn their craft, Kilian studied winemaking in Burgundy, while his sister studied enology at the University of Bordeaux. The name Kalian combines the names of both siblings. They named their son Kilian, and their daughter (born 14 months later) Katell. Kilian’s parents, Anne and Alain, lacked experience with wine when they purchased vines in the Monbazillac appellation in 1992. His family’s estate includes 26 acres (10.5 hectares) of which 10% is dedicated to red grapes and the rest to producing vintages for dry and sweet white wines. ![]() To learn more, I met an incisive winemaker named Kilian Griaud, of Château Kalian. Finally come flavors such as vanilla and toast associated with barrels in which wine is aged. The truth that Monbazillac is not as well-known as Sauternes (because it was not associated with the 1855 wine classification) means these wines can be of excellent value.įragrances from Monbazillac wines come in waves-first floral and fruity and with honey perfumes from the Muscadelle grape, then plant fragrances related to botrytizing. Of three grapes used in both wines, Monbazillac vintners often include more Muscadelle, which can lead to heftier aromas. Generally, soils of Sauternes include more limestone and are better drained. The terrain and weather of Monbazillac differ from those of Sauternes, in terms of soils and precipitation. How do sweet wines from Sauternes and Monbazillac compare? Sunrise over a vineyard near Bergerac, France Getty Three grapes are used to produce these wines: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc (or Gris) and Muscadelle. For Monbazillac, grapes grown along north facing slopes produce optimal wines because river valley humidity gets trapped there for longer.Īlthough red and dry white wines can be produced under the Bergerac appellation, only sweet wines can earn the Monbazillac appellation-established in 1936. This allows experienced pickers to select only grapes that have reached a particular level of ‘rot’ in order to produce different qualities of juice. Hand harvesting (no mechanical harvesting is allowed for Monbazillac grapes) between mid-October and mid-November involves multiple passes along each row of vines. This intensification produces sweetness and distinct flavors. ![]() The fungus sucks out moisture from grapes, shriveling them and concentrating internal acidity and sugars (as well as turning sugars into creamy glycerol). Morning mist fuels this fungal growth (so can rain), while afternoon sunshine and wind halt the process. Botrytis it a simple life form that basically thrives on humidity but slows its growth in the presence of heat. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |