How to Be a Wino: Where the Grape Grows

Soil, climate and culture make the wine

By Paula Zamecka
Published: Dec 08, 2007

How does the origin of a wine determine its taste? What is the difference between a French and a California Chardonnay? How do you choose? These questions plague many a sophisticated lady trying to plan a smashing dinner party – or just planning to get smashed.

One of the best ways to get an idea about the characteristics and taste of a wine is to think about the environment in which the grapes grew: Does the sun shine a lot? Does it get cold at night? Generally speaking, the lusher the climate, the lusher the wine. A good rule of thumb is that if you like the climate you will most likely like the wine.

CLIMATE:
In countries where it is warm during the day but the temperature drops significantly at night, such as in central Europe, grapes develop a high sugar level. This is the origin of sweeter red and white wines, which are notoriously mimicked by major box wine companies and consumed in high quantities in college dorms and nursing homes.
Very notable sweet wines include German wines labeled “Spaetlese.” This term is applied to both red and white wine. It means that the grapes were left on the vine longer than usual before being harvested, allowing them to develop higher sugar level during the cooler temperatures at night.

An even higher level of sugar is found in “Eiswein” or Icewine, a very sweet dessert wine for which the grapes are allowed to freeze at night. Icewine is very popular and is also produced in Canada and in California. In California, however, the winemakers artificially freeze the grapes because temperatures do not drop enough at night.

Other notable, sweeter reds include Hungarian wines made from the “Katarka” grape. The most famous one being “Egri Bikare,” which translates to “bull’s blood.”

SOIL:
The flavor of a grape is also strongly affected by the quality of the soil in which it grows. If a vineyard is next to a pine tree forest, the flavors of nut and pinewood will make it into the soil and eventually move ever so subtly into the grape. A grape grown next to a banana grove will take on those flavors. Soil influences become very apparent when comparing Pinot Noir, which is made from a very delicate grape. French Pinot Noir is much more earthy and subtle, carrying hints of wood and spice, while New Zealand Pinot Noir has much stronger, lush fruity flavors.

CULTURE:
Wine making culture and history also impact the end product. Countries that have a long history of wine making will have very old wine barrels, which affect the taste. The barrels used in old European style wine making give the wine a more complex but much more subtle taste. New barrels give a strong oak note that can be very dominant and generally more flat. Plus, in countries with a long history of wine making there are many family recipes and secrets passed on from generation to generation. California is very good at mimicking European wines by importing old barrels and buying recipes from the old masters, or just by freezing grapes!

How to choose:
A safe rule is that if you are making or ordering in a meal from a cuisine who’s country has a strong wine culture, you are best off by pairing it with a wine from that country.
Look into the spices and ingredients of your dishes and see if they are used in countries that pair these notes with wine.

Asian food lends itself to wines from more exotic regions, especially fruity, citrusy whites. California white can work too, especially if you are having California rolls! Mexican food has Spanish parallels and hence generally pairs well with Spanish wine. Middle Eastern food can be a bit tricky, but lends itself to heavy Shirazes, as the Shiraz grape actually originated in the Middle East and goes very well with the spice pallet. There is a lot of gastronomic crossover in Middle Eastern food, so it can also go with Spanish and Greek Wines.

The Right Wine For Your Dinner:
These wines will turn your take-out into a gourmet experience:

Food: Chinese
Drink: Kim Crawford, Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand

Food: Sushi
Drink: Lois, Gruner Veltiner, Austria

Food: Middle Eastern
Drink: Roberston, Shiraz, South Africa

Food: Pizza/Pasta
Drink: Masi, Campofiorin, Italy

Food: American
Drink: Seven Deadly Zins, Zinfandel, California

Paula Zamecka, a small business owner in Chicago, is a self-professed wine expert and foodie. She owes most of her expertise to many years of bartending and waitressing during college, as well as the wine parties and dinners she loves throwing to this day.

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