Wines & Vines

February 2018 WINES&VINES 69 GRAPEGROWING zymes and catalysts to accelerate a number of chemical reactions. "One lot may ferment too far; another may not ferment far enough," he says. "Generally, I let each fermentation find its own sticking point." To arrest a batch that converts too much sugar to alcohol, he re- frigerates it. In rare cases of persis- tent fermentation, he removes the wine from the barrel and filters it. With an initial Brix of 35°, he looks for batches that range from 12.5% to 14% alcohol. "I'm trying to avoid a finished wine that's cloy- ingly sweet or overtly alcoholic," he says. "I am looking for a balance be- tween sweetness, acidity and a texture that is oily and mouthwatering but carries the fruit flavor long into the finish with- out bitterness, heat or the thickness of syrup." Just before bot- tling, Allen adds about 10% Sauvi- gnon Blanc to the blend to balance the Sémillon, in- still tropical fruit flavors and re- tain acidity that ensures Dolce's texture. He combines 10 to 20 batches i n t o a m a s t e r blend with an al- cohol concentra- t i o n o f a b o u t 1 4 % , r e s i d u a l sugar of about 1 2 ° B r i x a n d moderate acidity. "I achieve this balance by blend- ing," Allen says. "With more than 32 months of bar- rel aging, we taste various combina- tions to find the best the vintage can offer." For centuries, w i n e m a k e r s have associated Botrytis with rich textures and complex aromas and flavors. "It is clearer now that the mold's effect is much broader," Allen says. "Its mere presence induces t h e a c c u m u l a t i o n o f a w i d e range of precursors for aroma, flavor and texture that concen- trate as the berries dehydrate." "Winemakers can spend entire lifetimes exploring how to craft great wines fermenting grapes in- fected with noble rot," says wine- maker Greg La Follette. "Yet as our techniques and the practices of our forebears are informed by a more complete understanding of grape chemistry and physi- ology, we are on the verge of a deeper, more intimate discussion with the land." Aroma, acid, ethanol, flavor, sugar and tannin combine to embody the varietal character of a ma- ture wine grape. Yet, as Allen, Cantu and oth- ers have discovered, climate and vine- yard practices can dramatically i n f l u e n c e t h e color, taste and texture of wine. Exploring how these factors af- fect the fruit ad- d r e s s e s w h a t may be the great- est challenge the industry faces during the first half of the 21st century: produc- i n g q u a l i t y g r a p e s a n d a memorable bot- tle of wine in a rapidly changing world. T h o m a s U l r i c h wrote a story about L a r r y H y d e a n d Paul Hobbs for the July 2016 issue of Wines & Vines. He teaches journalism at San Jose State University. ONLINEMARKETINGSYSTEM Wines Vines Analytics Visit winesandvines.com/OMS or call 866.453.9701 to set-up your free demo. Reach Thousands of Winery Decision Makers The Wines & Vines Online Marketing System is designed to help your business: • Increase sales • Generate winery leads • Manage clients and sales territories • Improve marketing effectiveness Winemaker Greg Allen blends 10 to 20 batches in an effort to balance acidity with residual sweetness in Dolce late-harvest wine.

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