Ever Wonder? Why is Syrah Co-Fermented with Viognier?

Winemakers sometimes co-ferment Syrah with Viognier. But, why would they combine a red-wine grape and a white-wine grape during fermentation?

Well, this began in the Côte-Rôtie, a wine-growing region in France's Northern Rhône Valley where Viognier often grows alongside Syrah. And, some winemakers there simply went with what they had - producing a “field-blend” wine. And, it worked quite well.

It actually turns out that blending these grapes during fermentation serves multiple purposes for winemakers.

One of the primary reasons for using Viognier in small quantities with Syrah is that it actually enhances the color of the Syrah. You’d think the Viognier would ‘water down’ the deep dark color of the Syrah. But, the chemical compounds of Viognier actually help to stabilize and retain the color of the Syrah through the fermentation process.

Viognier also has a beautiful floral aroma along with spice and peach notes that enhances the aroma of Syrah that can include plum, tobacco, black pepper and even bacon fat.

Viognier is also said to give Syrah a silkier mouthfeel.

The amounts of Viognier that are added to Syrah typically still allow the wine to be labelled as Syrah but some winemakers are actually going with full disclosure and labeling their wine as Syrah-Viognier. Either way, this co-fermentation enhances the final wine in your glass. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Wines of La Scolca Italy

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The La Scolca estate was purchased in 1919 by the great-grandfather of Giorgio Soldati who, today, leads the company with his daughter Chiara. The surname Soldati meaning “soldiers” is particularly symbolic for the approach taken by the company’s owners. The name of the property, as well, is symbolic. La Scolca brand comes from “Sfurca” or “Look off into the distance” and the farmhouse that stood there was exactly that: a lookout post. These names reflect the proud and tenacious character of the owners and their wines.

2020 La Scolca Gavi White Label ($19.50)

The White Label Gavi from La Scolca is their traditional Gavi that is produced from young vines that are located in the Rovereto heart, the “Gavi Grand Cru.” It’s made from 100% Cortese (kort-tay-zay) grapes that are almost exclusively grown in Piedmont, Italy.

This one is light straw in color with delicate aromas and a hint of sweetness. On the palate, it has bright fruit flavors of apple, lemon, pear and melon with refreshing acidity that leads to a long, pleasant finish.

2019 La Scolca Gavi dei Gavi Black Label ($42.99)

Gavi dei Gavi® has been a registered trademark in Europe since 1969 and in the US since 1971, and is best known as "Black Label".

This La Scolca Black Label is also produced from 100% Cortese (kort-tay-zay) grapes. It is pale gold in color, has delicate citrus and floral aromas, hints of Honeydew melon and peach. On the palate this Black Label Gavi is very delicate and light. Its subtle flavors are enhanced by its very rounded acidity that results in a light finish.

La Scolca does an extremely nice job of capturing the essence of the wonderful Cortese grape.

These two wines from La Scolca fit right in as Behind the Cork™ wines of the week for being attainable and affordable. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Making Business Happen USA. LLC

How Winemaker's Know It's Harvest Time

Finally, Fall is just around the corner and harvest time is beginning. This is the point where grape growers and wine makers become very focused on the grapes as they ripen. Then, once the grapes reach just the right level of ripeness, they are quickly harvested because, unlike other fruits, grapes don't continue to ripen once picked. So, you have to get it right.

If the grapes are picked too early they can be too acidic, too tannic and not contain the proper amount of sugar for a full and proper fermentation. Conversely, if the grapes are picked too late, the sugar level will be too high which can lead to an overly sweet wine. This is because fermentation will only go to the point where the yeast naturally dies due to the level of alcohol in the wine. So, the “residual sugar” doesn’t get converted to alcohol and remains in the wine.

The bottom line for grape growers and winemakers is to find the perfect time for harvest. While there is some science and chemistry involved there is also a lot of experience and intuition that goes into the decision to harvest the grapes.

Here’s a quick overview of some of the signs that the grapes are ready for harvest:

The Visual Appearance of the Grapes

From the experience and intuition categories, winemakers look for the exact color of the grapes to know when to harvest. The grapes may also take on different textures and levels of shininess versus dustiness as they reach the proper ripeness.

The Visual Appearance of the Seed Color

Winemakers also look at the stems and seeds as a sign of ripeness. As the grapes ripen, the stems will turn from green to brown. An un-ripe grape will have seeds that are white or green. When the grape seeds turn brown, they are nearing time for harvest. Winemakers may also taste the seeds. Unripe seeds can be highly tannic and bitter.

The Taste of the Grapes

It might seem obvious, but the taste of the ripening grape will also yield telltale signs to the winemaker. The grapes will have gotten mostly through the tannic and bitter stage and moved into being sweet. But again, the experience of the winemaker will determine if the grapes have just the right amount of tart and tannic qualities (that are very important in winemaking) while also having just the right amount of sweetness.

The Brix Level

From the science and chemistry side of things, winemakers will use a device called a refractometer to measure the ripeness of individual grapes. Brix measures the sugar levels in the grapes and allow a winemaker to convert that to how much alcohol the finished wine will have.

The Feel of the Grapes

Ripe grape berries (the individual grapes) are generally easier to pull from the stalks.

So, these are the primary methods used by winemakers to determine when the grapes are ready for harvest. A bit of science and a whole lot of experience goes into the final harvest decision. Cheers!