What I Learned (The Region and Districts)
Chianti is the area south of Florence and north of Siena, in Tuscany. The area is a large one. Forests, olive groves and vine dot the slopes of its many hills. In between are small towns with names widely known by travelers to Tuscany as iconic Chianti villages and towns: Radda in Chianti, Castellina in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti.
What I Learned
The Kaiserstuhl is a wine district within the German wine region of Baden. With almost 4300 hectares (over 10,500 acres), it is the largest of all nine wine districts in Baden.
What I Learned
Alsace’s Haut-Rhin (Upper Rhine) area’s interesting geological history resulted in some great terroirs. It was initially born of volcanic activity. Once spent, the volcanic mountains collapsed on themselves, and an ancient sea covered the area. Then two mountain chains arose (the Vosges in France, and the Black Forest range in Germany), and the ancient Rhine river poured through the resulting valley. As the river receded to its current banks, it exposed the slopes of the Vosges, on which the Alsatian vineyards currently lie. The soil here is incredibly complex, thanks to this geological history, and it results in minerally, and complex wines.
What I Learned:
Off all the German states (or Laende), Rheinland Pfalz has the most wine regions. And of all the German wine regions, the Rheinhessen is the biggest. On the left/west bank of the Rhine, between roughly Worms and Mainz, it extends away from the river to as far west as Alzey-Weinheim, itself about 25 kilometers from the Rhine. In total, Rheinhessen vines cover approximately 26,000 hectares/65,000 acres.
What I Learned
Vouvray is a village, and with 7 other small villages, the name of a wine appellation in the Loire Region. Vouvray’s small area, only about 200 hectares or 5000 acres, belies its huge renown.
Just east of Tours, France, on the right (north) bank of the Loire River, the vineyards here face mostly south, sitting atop a bedrock of tufa. The soils here are a mix of clay and either flint or chalk – particularly well suited for Chenin Blanc vines. Vintners attribute these physical characteristics to the unique expression given by its Appellation Vouvray Controllee wines.
What I Learned
The Taubertal (Tauber (River) Valley) is a very diverse wine growing area. Following along the course of the river, upstream to downstream, you find 3 regions and 4 districts represented: Franconia’s Mainviereck District, Baden’s Tauberfranken District, Wuerttemberg’s Kocher-Jagst-Tauber District, and Franconia’s Maindreieck District. All this within about 120 miles of a fairly narrow river valley! The frequent district changes reflect the diverse soils and growing conditions in each region. Of course, these differences result in a variety of unique wines produced along the Tauber.
What I Learned
The town of Soave with its famous vineyards is located west of Venice, in a hilly landscape between Verona and Vicenza.
Soave wine tends to be a blend. The Garganega grape is the main grape found in its wines. Its juice will always comprise at least 70% of any DOC Soave wine. Trebbiano and Chardonnay can also make up the blend. Around the towns of Soave and Monteforte d’Alpone, Sauvignon Blanc is also cultivated. Decades ago, Soave’s unique white wine didn’t have the best reputation. All that has changed with a stringent adherence to the quality rules.
What I Learned
The term Franciacorta refers to a region in north central Italy. The term Franciacorta also refers to a production method. Thirdly, this same term refers to its sparkling wines.
What I Learned:
Germany’s Moselle River region is as an important wine-producing area in Germany as the Rhine region. It is the oldest wine producing region in Germany.
Germans refer to the Moselle sections as Upper, Middle and Lower, beginning at the French-Luxembourg border, and continuing to Koblenz downriver, in the Lower Moselle section.
What I Learned:
In Germany, the Moselle River valley vintners vie with the Rhine River valley vintners for producing great quality Rieslings. It is certainly Germany’s second-most well-known river, running as it does some 250 kilometers/155 miles from the French-Luxembourg border to the Rhine. Although less well-known and shorter than the Rhine, the Moselle can claim to be Germany’s oldest wine-producing region. Continue reading Wine Notes: The Moselle’s Bernkastel District
