SOUTH AMERICA

1
SOUTH AMERICA

• Argentina and Chile are the two most important
  wine producing countries
  
• Argentina is the largest producer on the
  continent
  
• can sell virtually everything it produces both at
  home and in neighboring Brazil
  
• Chile produces the best quality
• actively seeks and is achieving a major
  international market

2
A LITTLE HISTORY

• Wine production came to South America with the
  first European explorers (conquistadors)
  
• grape vines were planted
• the first wines from this area came to be made in
  the either the Spanish or the Portuguese styles
  of the time

3
A LITTLE HISTORY

• the church had a great deal of influence on the
  spread of wine making
  
• Records show grape vines being grown in Peru in
  the early 16th century
  
• legend has them traveling south from Peru with
  the Franciscan missionaries
  
• planted in both Chile and Argentina by the
  middle of that same century

4
A LITTLE HISTORY

• The variety most commonly used by the Franciscan
  missionaries
  
• In California it is called the Mission
• In Chile it is the Pais
• in Argentina, it becomes the Criolla Chica
• generally acknowledged as the first vinifera
  variety planted on a large scale in South
  America
  
• grows virtually anywhere
• extremely hardy, and when irrigated can produce
  massive yields

5
A LITTLE HISTORY

• Immigration into Argentina over the past two
  centuries has come mostly from Spain, but also
  from Italy and France
  
• In Chile, the majority of immigration at one time
  came from the Basque regions in Spain

6
ARGENTINA

• the sixth largest wine producing country in the
  world
  
• its wines are rarely seen outside of South
  America
  
• domestic consumption
• demand from an extensive local market, both at
  home and in neighboring Brazil
  
• in the 1980s, per capita usage was in the
  neighborhood of 90 litres per person (now at 50 L
  in 1997)

7
ARGENTINA

• Malbec has taken over from Criolla as the
  dominant variety
  
• Cabernet Sauvignons and Pinot Noir
• a greater number of Italian varieties are already
  in place, such as Barbera and Sangiovese
  
• Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Chenin
  Blanc are finding moderate success

8
ARGENTINA

• Pedro Ximenez
• the main variety in Spanish sherries
• the dominant white variety
• Torrontes
• a white grape variety of Spanish origin

9
ARGENTINA

• More than two thirds are made in the province of
  Mendoza
  
• the run-off of melt waters from the Andes
• Sophisticated irrigation system of dams,
  reservoirs and canals
  
• also being used to flood the vineyards as a novel
  way of eliminating the vine louse, phylloxera

10
ARGENTINA

• San Juan
• second largest wine producing region
• hotter area
• the majority of its production is in bulk
• La Rioja
• the oldest wine producing region
• one of the smallest in terms of yield.

11
ARGENTINA

• the wineries themselves who have come up with
  their own Denominacion de Origen (DO) system
  
• soon include three DOs
• including Lujan de Cuyo, San Raphael and Maipu

12
CHILE

• produces a large number of good, inexpensive
  wines
  
• also produces a growing number of superb wines
• won its independence from Spain in the early
  1850s
  
• immediately sought to create quality wines

13
CHILE

• In 1851, Don Silvestre Ochagavia Echazarreta
• a wealthy Basque landowner
• hired a French wine maker named Monsieur
  Bertrand
  
• brought with him more than 200 vine cuttings of
  the Bordeaux standards
  
• Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec, Semillon, Sauvignon,
  and Riesling
  
• found that they all worked exceptionally well

14
CHILE

• at almost exactly the same time phylloxera was
  about to devastate the vineyards of Europe
  
• essentially saved the better vinifera varieties
• the same vines in Europe were virtually wiped
  out
  
• Bertrands cuttings managed to miss being hit
• the only country in the world totally untouched
  by the dual plagues of Phylloxera and the downy
  mildew

15
CHILE

• fairly strict government controls and quarantines
  dealing with any kind of plant material coming
  into the country
  
• Chile is the only major wine producing country in
  the world which does not have to graft its vines
  onto North American root stock

16
CHILE

• Sunshine is plentiful
• the soil is incredibly fertile
• disease free
• Andes mountains provide irrigation
• the ancient Incas created a complex series of
  canals in order to direct the run-off to the best
  locations
  
• added advantage of the cold Humboldt current
• creates a coastal fog

17
CHILE

• Chiles five main wine growing regions
• Aconcagua
• furthest north and best known for bulk
  production
  
• much of it going to the making of the local
  brandy, Pisco

18
Maipo

• the chief wine region
• most likely to be seen on labels in the export
  market
  
• Varied soil types
• Production is 50/50 reds to whites

19
Other Regions

• Rapel
• becoming known for Bordeaux style whites and
  reds
  
• Maule
• a cooler region where Pais still dominates but
  Bordeaux varieties can do well when treated with
  tender loving care
  

20
Bio-Bio

• little known outside
• produces mostly Pais and Muscat for bulk local
  consumption
  
• Cabernet Sauvignon is the most successful red
  grape
  
• Riesling is considered the best white
• little of this is ever seen on the international
  market

21
The Rules

• rules regarding vintage dating are unfortunately
  nonexistent
  
• National Council for External Trade
• wines for export have to be at least 11.5
  alcohol if they are red, and 12 if they are white

22
The Rules

• A wine at least one year old must look clear,
  healthy and with a strong color
  
• Export wines are classified by age
• Current
• Wine one year old
• Special
• two years old

23
The Rules

• Reserve
• considered the best
• must be at least four years old
• Gran Vino
• wines which have aged for at least six years or
  more.

24
HUNGARY
25
HUNGARY

• making a remarkable comeback since the Eastern
  Bloc Revolution of 1989
  
• wine making history goes back to Roman times
• 17th century brought Tokay Aszu
• A rich and delicious dessert wine

26
HUNGARY

• Communist takeover in 1947 did the opposite here
  to what it did in Bulgaria
  
• State control blocked new technology
• Quality declined
• demise of Communist control in 1989
• Many of the vineyards remained in private hands

27
HUNGARY

• using indigenous varieties
• wines are regularly labeled with the name of the
  town or area that they originate in first
  
• followed either by the grape variety or the type
  of wine
  
• red grape varieties include Kedarka Kekfrankos,
  and Kekoporto
  
• white grape varieties are Harslevelu and Furmint

28
Regions

• The six main growing areas
• subdivided into about twenty separate regions
• Sopron
• Kekfrankos is perhaps its best known red wine

29
Regions

• Balaton
• moderating influence of Lake Balaton on the local
  climate
  
• Badacsonyi Szurkebarat (Grey Friar of Badacsonyi)
  is a well known white wine.
  
• Pecs-Villany
• Red wines are produced from Kadarka, Kekoporto
  and Nagyburgundi (Blaufrankish) varieties

30
Regions

• Alfold
• the Great Plain
• A large sandy plain which stretches between the
  Danube and Tisza rivers
  
• the largest of all wine growing areas
• Over half of Hungarys total vineyard area

31
Eger

• most famous Hungarian red wine, Egri Bikaver
  (Bulls Blood of Eger)
  
• Made from a blend Kedarka, Kekfrankos and Merlot
• reputation came from the 16th century
• Eger was defended from Turkish invasion by
  soldiers who were supposedly fortified with
  copious amounts of this wine

32
Eger

• appeared on the ramparts, their beards dripping
  with red
  
• their enemies are said to have believed that they
  had been drinking the blood of bulls,

33
Tokaj (or Tokay)

• produces the world famous sweet wine that carries
  the same name
  
• extra letter i implies the word village
• added to the wine name so that it becomes Tokaji
  Aszu or wine from Tokaj
  
• only the varieties Furmint, Harslevelu and
  Sargamuskotaly (yellow muscat) are permitted

34
Tokaj (or Tokay)

• Aszu
• Botrytis affected grapes
• Szamonrdni
• as it comes
• Harvested grapes not botrytis affected
• Gonci
• 136 litre barrel
• Racodium
• Special mold used in the production
• Lines all cellars
• Puttonyos
• Basket used for harvest that holds approximately
  26 L of grapes

35
Tokaj (or Tokay)

• mature a portion of the grapes into an overripe
  state
  
• the humidity of the autumn mornings encourages
  the growth of noble rot
  
• shriveled bunches are collected separately and
  ground up into a paste (almost raisin like)

36
Tokaj (or Tokay)

• Production method
• Szamonrdni grapes harvested and fermented
• Barrels not filled all the way to allow for
  racodium to enter in (flor like conditions)
  
• Prepared Aszu grapes measured out in puttonyos
  and added to barrels and aged
  
• Normally 2 years longer than the number of
  puttonyos added (3 putt. 5 years aging)
  

37
Tokaj (or Tokay)

• label on most Tokay Aszu will state 3, 4, or 5
  Putts.
  
• The more puttonyos of raisin-like grapes added to
  a cask of regular wine, the richer this wine
  becomes
  
• From three to six puttonyos or Putts are
  usually added

38
Tokaji Aszu Eszencia

• only the juice of the raisin-like botrytis
  affected Aszu berries is fermented
  
• High amount of sugar
• a special yeast must be used called Tokay 22
• fermentation can take several years
• must be aged a minimum of 10 years in oak
• 180-240 g of sugar / litre

39
Tokay Essence

• During the week or so of initial storage the
  pressure of the grapes themselves produces a tiny
  amount of free-run juice that concentrates at the
  bottom of the tub
• The average yield from one puttonyo will be a
  minuscule 142 ml. or 5 oz. of Essence
  
• 150 litres per year obtained
• 800 g sugar / litre
• Essence is allowed to ferment in oak for a
  number of years
  
• Documented to last 300 years

40
SOUTH AFRICA
41
SOUTH AFRICA

• eighth largest producer in the world
• struggle these days between producing quantity
  and quality
  
• reputation for quality was made over two hundred
  years ago with Constantia
  
• an elegantly structured dessert wine

42
SOUTH AFRICA

• face two major problems
• a rapidly shrinking domestic market
• average annual consumption is nine litres per
  person
  
• stiff competition from the rest of the southern
  hemisphere wine producers

43
South African Wine History

• Jan van Riebeeck of the Dutch East India Company
  is credited with making the first wines in the
  Cape in 1659
  
• looking for a cure for scurvy
• In 1886 Phylloxera Vastatrix, hit the Cape
• grafting of vines had such a great degree of
  success that replanting got out of hand
  
• huge surplus (wine lake)

44
South African Wine History

• Ko-operatiewe Wijnbouwers Verenigning van
  Zuid-Afrika Beperkt (KWV)
  
• the Co-operative Winegrowers Association was
  formed in 1918
  
• purpose was to set prices, determine quota
  limits, control quality and to see to the
  disposition of excess wine

45
South African Wine History

• KWV includes 4,900 individual growers and has
  over seventy member coops which crush up to 85
  of the grapes harvested
  
• distill up to half of this into brandy
• seventy-nine wine estates
• grow their own grapes instead of buying them

46
REGIONS

• Breede River Valley (includes Robertson,
  Swellendam, Tulbagh and Worcester)
  
• Boberg (includes Paarl Tulbagh)
• Coastal Region (includes Constantia, Durbanville,
  Paarl, Stellenbosch, Swartland Tulbagh)
  
• Klein Karoo
• Olifantsriver
• Benede-Orange

47
Wine of Origin Districts

• Constantia Robertson Durbanville Stellenbosch
  Klein Karoo Swartland Ollfantsriver Swellendam
  Orange River Tulbagh Overberg Walker Bay
  Paarl Worcester Piketberg

48
South African Wine Rules

• Prior to 1973, there were no rules
• producers could lie about what was in the
  bottle
  
• In 1973
• government introduced a system of control for
  Wines of Origin
  
• their wines were sold with a rather colourful
  Seal of Origin on their capsule
  
• known locally as a bus ticket

49
South African Wine Rules

• Bus Ticket
• if the wine had a vintage date
• a red band showed at least 75 of the wine was
  from that vintage
  
• A blue band signified that the wine was
  certified to come from the region stated on the
  label
  
• a green band told you that there was at least 75
  of that variety in the wine

50
South African Wine Rules

• Superior
• judged by the Wine Spirit Boards tasting
  panel
  
• Has a seal with a gold background
• all of them contained a center panel that
  contained identification and serial numbers

51
South African Wine Rules

• While the rules have stayed the same, the entire
  seal has changed
  
• The seals are smaller and much less obtrusive
• they guarantee that the information on the labels
  is accurate within the percentages

52
South African Varieties

• Steen
• Most important variety grown
• also known as Chenin Blanc
• made into a vast variety of wines
• very dry whites with a wonderful rose blossom
  aroma to the sweet Edelkeur
  
• made of late picked grapes afflicted by Noble Rot

53
South African Varieties

• Other important white grapes are Palomino, Cape
  Riesling, Rhine Riesling, Colombard,
  Gewurztraminer and Clairette Blanc
  
• red grape varieties most used are Pinotage,
  Cinsault (most planted red grape), as well as
  Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Gamay and
  Zinfandel 

54
South African Wine Laws

• In 1980, the wine industry adopted regulations
  for allowable amounts of residual sugar patterned
  after the German Wine Law
  
• rules are specific about the sugar left in the
  finished wine
  
• not simply concerned about the must weight at
  harvest
  
• range runs from 0.25 for dry wines, up to 5
  residual sugar for Noble Late Harvest wines.

55
Grapes to Discuss
56
Carmenere

• Color
• ruby red to red/brown
• Nose
• Green peppers
• Blackberry
• Black plum

57
Carmenere

• Taste
• Some herbaceous tones
• Sweet tasting fruit
• Low acidity
• Black fruit and spice flavors
• Rich round tannins
• Sweet / savory flavor
• Wines
• Blending grape in Bordeaux
• Chilean reds
• Comments
• Also called grande vidure in Bordeaux
• Late ripener

58
Malbec

• Color
• Dark purple color
• Nose
• Violets
• Very perfumed
• Tobacco leaf
• Taste
• Fat rich fruits
• Raisins
• tobacco
• Ripe tannins

59
Malbec

• Wines
• Bordeaux blending grape
• Also grown in Argentina and Chile
• Called Cot in Loire Valley
• Also known as Auxerrois
• Comments
• Native grape from south-west France (Cahors)
• Susceptible to coulure