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Jammy characters in wine - aromatic compounds

We commonly associate the jammy fruit characters found in red wines with warm climate Viticulture and winemaking. Especially during recent years, average temperature consistently increase during the growing season, the prevalence of jammy wines also seem to increase.

Researchers have narrowed down and pinpointed out two aromatic compounds that could be the potential contributor of jammy characters: Furaneol and Homofuraneol.

(Furaneol exhibits a sweet strawberry when diluted, found in strawberries and other fruits. Partially also responsible for fresh pineapples, buckwheat, tomato etc. Homofuraneol is also called 'toffee furaneol', exhibits toffee and caramel noses when diluted.)

It is found that under elevated temperature (aka warm climate), sugars in grapes (glucose and fructose) react with specific amino acids in grapes (namely, Arginine and Proline) to form Furaneol and Homofuraneol.

Dehydration of berry however doesn't seem to be an influencing factor on the formation of these jammy characters, and there's a more linear relationship between the delay of harvest date and the concentration of these two compounds.  So perhaps with an robust nitrogen fertilisation schedule and prolonged ripening period, you can deliberately accentuate the jammy characters in your wines - obviously many other factors need to be taken into consideration as well.

Side note: How do researchers identify aromatic compounds?

These two are identified with the use of GC-O (Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry), a brilliant machine invented to identify aroma or odour active volatile compounds, and to associate particular compounds with specific aromatic descriptors. The machine has a 'robotic nose' hooked to the body, and a trained personnel is responsible for sniffing effluents separated and 'delivered' from the machine, from the robotic nose in attempt to identify which component poses what odour.

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Top Chilean wineries

Almaviva

Almaviva was established in 1996 by Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Château Mouton-Rothschild and Concha y Toro. Their aim was to create the first Bordeaux Grand Cru Classé equivalent in Chile. With 40 hectares of Concha y Toro's best Puente Alto vineyards being dedicated to the task and the steady hand of Patrick Leon (winemaker at Mouton and Opus One), the results have been nothing short of spectacular.

Located in the Maipo Valley, in Chile's central zone, Puente Alto was recognized over twenty years ago as offering ideal conditions for growing the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. It is here that 85 hectares have been reserved exclusively for Almaviva.

Characteristic features of Puente Alto include its stony soil, cold, rainy winters, and the hot days and cool nights of its summers. The Almaviva vineyard is tended with meticulous care from pruning to harvest. A revolutionary underground drip irrigation system has been installed, making it possible to deliver the precise amount of water that each vine needs with a constant concern for quality.

Concha y Toro

Concha y Toro was established in 1883 by Don Melchor de Concha y Toro and his wife, Dona Emiliana Subercaseaux. It is located in the Maipo Valley and is now one of the leading premium producers in the country. It produces a wide range of wines, including the rich Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve and the luxury cuvée Almaviva, which it produces in collaboration with Mouton-Rothschild. Winemaker Enrique Santelices and consultant Ignacio Recabarren are leading the field in terms of innovation and experimentation in both the winery and the vineyard. In 1994, Concha y Toro became the first Chilean winery to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Seña wine was established as a collaborative venture in Chile between Viña Errázuriz and Robert Mondavi [1]. Since 2005 Seña is owned 100% by the Chadwick family, proprietors of Errázuriz, and is the personal project of Eduardo Chadwick. Eduardo's ambition is to create a Chilean icon wine, one which fully expresses the terroir (wine identity linked to local soil, aspect and climate) of the Aconcagua Valley north of Santiago.

Vina Errazuriz

Wine region: Aconcagua Valley. Standout points: Super-modern Samuel Claro-designed winery; iconic Chilean Bordeaux blends. Winemaker: Francisco Baettig. clarity of the air in the Aconcagua Valley of Chile, refreshed by ocean breezes to the west and Andean currents to the east, which makes the view seem almost unreal in its sun-drenched grandeur. The impressive Viña Errázuriz estate is located 90km north of Santiago in the Aconcagua sub-region of Panquehue – regarded by some as the perfect terroir for grapes like Cabneret Sauvignon and Carmenère. Add to that the skilled winemaking of Francisco Baettig and you have the recipe for a bona fide red wine lover’s paradise. Flagship wine Vinedo Chadwick 100pt

Via Viu Manent

In Colchagua Valley, top Malbec producer. Lovers of deep, satiny Malbecs will be very happy here. One of Viu Manent’s principle claims to fame is that it produced Chile’s first 100% Malbec, back in 1993, from one of the country’s oldest Malbec vineyards. Today, Viu Manent produces no fewer than eight wines from this old Bordeaux variety, from the Estate rosé right up to its ‘icon’, Viu 1.

Santa Rita

Wine region: Maipo Valley. 40ha Renaissance style, iconic Cabernet Sauvignon. Concentrated, deep reds.

Casas Del Bosque

Wine region: Casablanca Valley. Cool climate whites and reds NW. coolest section of Casablanca Valley. Close to Ocean, south of Valparaiso,

Casa Lapostolle

French-Chilean collaboration. 300ha vineyard, Clos Apalta flagship wine. Region: Casablanca, Rapel.

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Chile in a nutshell

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely-planted grape variety in Chile.

Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon - lighter colored, less tannic style of Cabernet Sauvignon, with juicy flavors of black cherry, plums, smoked bell pepper, and (on some more refined examples) mint and pencil lead.

Great Value Regions: The majority of the best value wines are labelled as Central Valley (Valle Central) wines. This vast valley actually encompasses a number of subregions, including the regions of Maipo, Colchagua, and the Maule Valley. Find a top-value Chilean Cab by seeking out the higher quality vintages, many of which are under $20.

Fine Wine Regions: The Maipo Valley is well known among experts for its bolder styles of Cabernet, outfitted with darker notes of blackberry and cocoa powder. For a more elegant, Bordeaux-styled Cabernet, Colchagua and the Rapel Valley offer wines with black fruit and pencil-lead-like minerality.

Vintages to Seek Out: 2009 and 2011–2014 all produced excellent quality reds, particularly 2009, 2011 and 2013. Keep in mind that 2015 was a hot year, so you might find these to be slightly more tannic.

Top Chilean Wine Brands

Seven major producers in Chile control over 55% of Chile’s wine. This small handful of brands includes Concha y Toro, San Pedro, Montes, Emiliana, Veramonte, Lapostolle, and Santa Rita. Still, you can find many excellent independent producers, championed by importers such as Vine Connections, which specializes in importing several independent brands.

          Chardonnay

Chilean Chardonnay delivers the tropical fruit flavors you find in Californian Chardonnay, but Chile’s Pacific coastline and the cool ocean breezes give its wine an added extra burst of acidity. Expect minerally notes of lemon, pineapple, baked peach, and meringue, along with a long, creamy, spiced finish.

Great Value Regions: The larger regions of Maipo and Aconcagua offer great value Chardonnay. Just $11–13 should buy you a bottle that is a charming example of Chilean Chardonnay.

Fine Wine Regions: Spend $17+ and you’ll get into the finer examples of what Chilean Chardonnay has to offer. Within the Aconcagua Valley, there are several sub-appellations including Casablanca Valley, San Antonio Valley, and Leyda Valley. Also, to the North, Limarí Valley has come out with a couple of outstanding examples and in the deeper south, Malleco Valley produces elegant Chardonnay with lean notes of starfruit and minerals.

Vintages to Seek Out: The years 2014, 2013 and 2012, produced outstanding Chardonnay. While 2015 wines may be a little flabby, 2016 has the potential for good quality whites (but not reds).

               Sauvignon Blanc

Chilean is exactly where to look for awesome value, zesty, minerally Sauvignon Blanc. Even the country’s best Sauvignon Blanc wines are usually under $25. Wines exude lemon-lime, white peach, and grapefruit backed with a long, racy, stony finish. These Sauvignon Blancs will usually echo a riper style of white Bordeaux.

 Great Value Regions: Much of the best Chilean Sauvignon Blanc grows alongside Chardonnay in Aconcagua including Casablanca, San Antonio, and Leyda Valleys. You’ll also find some intriguing stuff from Colchagua Valley and, believe it or not, to the far north in Elqui Valley where the vineyards line small, sun-protected steep valleys.

Vintages to Seek Out: As with Chardonnay, 2014, 2013 and 2012, produced outstanding quality and 2016 also has great potential because white wines were harvested prior to the late-summer rains.

              Bordeaux Blends Chilean Style

The grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carménère, Petit Verdot, Malbec and sometimes Syrah are blended together to create Chile’s own version of the classic Bordeaux Blend. These blends produce some of the finest wines of Chile and you’ll often see them labeled with a made up name (such as Auma, Alpha M, Don Maximiano, Aluvion, etc.). Because of the wide range of potential blending varieties, the flavors range a bit, but the general taste profile offers up rich flavors of plum and dried blackberry or raspberry, with savory accents of olives and pepper, as well as a mineral-tinged, smoky finish.

Great Value Regions: The Central Valley offers exceptional values for the Bordeaux blend. Of course, you can find excellent values from Maipo and Rapel Valleys if you keep your eyes peeled

Fine Wine Regions: Maipo has shown to be the place to look for Cabernet Sauvignon but there are some excellent producers now coming from Los Lingues in Alto Colchagua and Aconcagua offering equally stunning wines.

Vintages to Seek Out: The years 2009 and 2011–2014 all produced excellent quality reds, particularly 2009, 2011 and 2013. However 2015 was a hot year, so you might find these to be slightly more tannic.

            Carménère

At first, Carménère was thought to be Merlot when it was first transplanted into Chile. Thankfully, this little mistake is likely what saved Carménère from extinction. Carménère has a similar profile to a light-bodied, juicy style of Merlot with plum and black cherry fruit along with mild tannin. What makes it different than Merlot is Carménère’s high prevalence of an aroma compound called Pyrazine which gives wine more savory flavors of black pepper, bell pepper, and cocoa powder. This is an absolutely fabulous food wine and one of Chile’s treasured grapes.

Great Value Regions: The Central Valley of Chile grows the majority of Chilean Carménère and many high-value wines have Rapel, Cachapoal, or Colchagua Valley on the label. Be sure to seek out great vintages for exceptional quality in the value category.

Fine Wine Regions: The finer examples of Carménère have been found in tiny areas within the larger Rapel Valley area including Peumo in Cachapoal and Apalta in Colchagua. Keep your eyes open for these sub-appellations.

Vintages to Seek Out: The years 2009 and 2011–2014 all produced excellent quality reds, particularly 2009, 2011 and 2013. However 2015 was a hot year, so you might find these to be slightly more tannic.

         Syrah

Syrah is an important grape in Chile and is only just starting to make waves in the wine community. These wines are distinctly more elegant (cool climate) in style and consistently offer up spiced meaty notes along with red or black plummy fruit. Tannins can be bolder in Chilean Syrah, which is one of the reasons this wine has become so intriguing as of late; it also has the potential to age very well.

Regions of Interest: Within the Central Valley, the region of Rapel Valley (which includes both Cachapoal and Colchagua Valleys) has consistently shown some of the finest examples of Syrah from Chile. Beyond this, you’ll find Syrah also grows alongside Chardonnay and produces several lush and plump examples from Casablanca and Leyda Valleys (in Aconcagua). Some of the best values are found in the extreme wine growing regions including Elqui, Limarí, and the Choapa Valley (in Coquimbo).

Vintages to Seek Out: The years 2009 and 2011–2014 all produced excellent quality reds, particularly 2009, 2011 and 2013. However 2015 was a hot year, so you might find these to be slightly more herbaceous and tannic.

   Pinot Noir

If you love Pinot, then you likely already know about the great-value varietals coming from Chile. Chilean Pinot Noir offers plush flavors of black cherry, plums, subtle allspice (sometimes verging on beef bouillon), and floral aromas of bergamot, with a creamy, spiced finish. Pinot Noir from Chile is often round and smooth with low tannin.

Regions of Interest: They say everywhere where Chardonnay grows also makes great Pinot Noir, and Chile is no exception. The best regions tend to be towards the coast in the Aconcagua region including Casablanca, San Antonio, and the Leyda Valley. Still, there are some intriguing finds from Limarí Valley in Coquimbo, Bío-Bio, and the Malleco Valley in the South Region that are more delicate and floral; for a Pinot fanatic, these up-and-coming regions are definitely worth a try.

Vintages: The years 2009 and 2011–2014 all produced excellent quality reds, particularly 2009, 2011 and 2013.

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Alsace vintage chart 2000-2020

2000/2001 good year, need to drink now but might have pass peaked. 2000 good for SGN. in 2001 VT/SGN revised and increased minimal sugar level. 2001-2004 past peak 2005 good year -especially for noble rot Gewurztraminer 2007 good year - slow ripening and elegant dry, especially Gewurtz. VT/SGN good quality. 2009 - great grand crus, great late-harvest Riesling 2010 Dry wines expressive and great acidity. Long term cellaring worthy. 2015 - PERFECT year. Even Pinot Noir. Greatest vintage since 1990 and 1971, low yield. 2016 Little or no botrytis, but great claissic Riesling, PG an Gewurtz dry. 2017- frost struck 20% down in yield, especially for flat ground varieties (Auxerrois and Pinot Blanc for Cremant). Ohter wide perfect, botrytis +dry all great. 2018 - rainy early days. Heat spike in August. Generous in quantity and yield. PG and PN great. VT and SGN good.