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Steve Slatcher
Wine guru
1047
Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:51 am
Manchester, England
Steve Slatcher wrote:If eucalyptus leaves are responsible for the eucalyptus notes in some Australian wines, could the garrigue notes in wine from South France be due to bits of garrigue vegetation? And do these flavours count as terroir?
http://www.winenous.co.uk/wp/archives/3927
Steve Slatcher wrote:If eucalyptus leaves are responsible for the eucalyptus notes in some Australian wines, could the garrigue notes in wine from South France be due to bits of garrigue vegetation? And do these flavours count as terroir?
http://www.winenous.co.uk/wp/archives/3927
Steve Slatcher
Wine guru
1047
Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:51 am
Manchester, England
Steve Slatcher wrote:Tom
In many ways I am like you in your attitude to terroir. But I am interested in the sense that it challenged my thinking, and I wondered what other responses might be.
If you chase through the links, you will see that the recent research suggests it is bits of tree, rather than oil, that transmits the aroma. I think that is of relevance for the terroir question, because with a bit more care on the sorting table the eucalyptus (and perhaps garrigue) aroma could be eliminated.
If I understand you right you say that the effects of eucalyptus oils are NOT terroir, but sagebrush & chamisa oils ARE terroir. Why one but not the other? Did the grower actually plant the eucalyptus?
Steve Slatcher
Wine guru
1047
Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:51 am
Manchester, England
Steve Slatcher wrote:Indeed Tom, airbourne oils were acknowledged as a possibility.
The article I linked to is a bit vague, but it seems imply that even the low quantitities of MOG in hand-harvested grapes were enough to impart eucalyptus aromas to the wine.
As for lady bugs and fires - I think they are more vintage character than terroir aren't they?
Steve Slatcher
Wine guru
1047
Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:51 am
Manchester, England
Steve Slatcher wrote:Tom
In many ways I am like you in your attitude to terroir. But I am interested in the sense that it challenged my thinking, and I wondered what other responses might be.
If you chase through the links, you will see that the recent research suggests it is bits of tree, rather than oil, that transmits the aroma. I think that is of relevance for the terroir question, because with a bit more care on the sorting table the eucalyptus (and perhaps garrigue) aroma could be eliminated.
If I understand you right you say that the effects of eucalyptus oils are NOT terroir, but sagebrush & chamisa oils ARE terroir. Why one but not the other? Did Sean Thackery actually plant the eucalyptus?
Oliver McCrum
Wine guru
1075
Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:08 am
Oakland, CA; Cigliè, Piedmont
Ian Sutton
Spanna in the works
2558
Sun Apr 09, 2006 2:10 pm
Norwich, UK
Ian Sutton wrote:Yes smoke taint is a perfect demonstration that airborne aromas / particles can significantly affect the end wine.
FWIW I don't see terroir as static. Weather systems change, which can affect not just the sun/rain, but also the wider water table. Other agriculture any come & go, other airborne yeasts may change, etc, etc. A great site traditionally might just get too hot / too wet / etc if the weather changes other than just seasonal variation - and in time might no longer be a great site.
So the fact that someone has a lavendar farm next door, that for me would fit in terroir, as would proximity to a main road, petrochemical works, or some lunatic who likes flying his crop-duster once a month.
Steve Slatcher
Wine guru
1047
Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:51 am
Manchester, England
TomHill wrote:Steve Slatcher wrote:Tom
If I understand you right you say that the effects of eucalyptus oils are NOT terroir, but sagebrush & chamisa oils ARE terroir. Why one but not the other? Did Sean Thackery actually plant the eucalyptus?
Sorry, didn't catch that, Steve. What I was trying to say if the eucalyptus oil came from the locale of where the grapes grow, than it is "terroir". If it comes from the air in the locale
where the wine was made, or if it comes from the winemaker adding eucalyptus oil during the winemaking, than I would claim it is not "terroir". Wether it is "terroir" or not;
I don't think is worth arguing or dogmatizing over.
Steve Slatcher
Wine guru
1047
Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:51 am
Manchester, England
Ian Sutton wrote:FWIW I don't see terroir as static. Weather systems change, which can affect not just the sun/rain, but also the wider water table. Other agriculture any come & go, other airborne yeasts may change, etc, etc. A great site traditionally might just get too hot / too wet / etc if the weather changes other than just seasonal variation - and in time might no longer be a great site.
Steve Slatcher
Wine guru
1047
Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:51 am
Manchester, England
Ian Sutton
Spanna in the works
2558
Sun Apr 09, 2006 2:10 pm
Norwich, UK
TomHill wrote:Now there's a thought, Ian. I could not think of what was once regarded as a "great" (by whatever definition) site that is no longer
regarded as "great". But I'm not the sharpest pencil in the box and I'm sure better minds could think of some.
Tom
Steve Slatcher
Wine guru
1047
Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:51 am
Manchester, England
Victorwine wrote:This bulletin from ETS Labs might be of interest,
http://www.etslabs.com/assets/PTB008-Mo ... 20Wine.pdf
Ben Rotter
Ultra geek
295
Tue Sep 19, 2006 12:59 pm
Sydney, Australia (currently)
TomHill wrote:if you're one who worships at the altar of terroir...one who deems the highest calling of any wine is to reflect the terroir of the grape's vnyd... [...] I think that those folks who worship at the altar of terroir are worshiping a false god.
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