PSU Magazine Fall 2003

sedimentary soil because they are more easily damaged by drought. Red grapes can handle drought better, he says. "In fact, Pinots that have been some– what drought stressed are often considered superior." "There's no question that wines from one site are distinctly different than wines from another site," says Adelsheim. But is it the water-holding capability of the soiP Is it the chemical composition of the soiP Is it the climate or exposure of the site or even the clone of Pinot Noir? We really don't know. " How much does it mean to the consumer7 Sokol Blosser says his customers ask questions about soil just as they ask questions about other aspects of his wines. "What we try to do is produce high end Pinot (around $30 a bottle). At these price levels, people expect high quality Its like a lot of other products: if you spend the money, you want to know more about it. We let them know as much as they want to know," he says. S o next time you enjoy a glass of one of Oregons premiere Pinots, as you take note of the aromatics, the attack, the mid-palate, the finish and the flavor profile ("ls that blackberry with a hint of leather and mushroom I detect?''), know that the ground it came from had a lot to do with it. □ (John Kirkland, a Portland freelance writer, wrote the article "Vital Signs" in the spring 2003 PSU Magazine.) 8 PSU MAGAZINE FALL 2003 It's the soil . O regon has more than 215 wineries, second in the U.S. only Lo California. The soil and climate of the Willamette Valley-just as in Burgundy, France– make it a perfect place Lo grow Pinot Noir, which accounts for about half the state's production. But soil isn't the only factor, of course. Good Pinot Noir vineyards must also have a south-facing slope with just the right temperature variations and an absence of rain in August and Septem– ber. Geology Professor Scott Burns says world-class Pinot Noir grapes are al their best when they grow in climates that have wide temperature CTuctua– tions: up into the 80s and 90s during the day; down to the 50s at night. "Up and down produces the com– plexity that makes a great grape. You never get good complex wines in humid areas," he says. T hese environmental influences of soil, slope, exposure, and climate are a few in a long list of factors that col– lectively are known as terroir, a French term roughly translated as "everything having to do with the vineyard. " When you have good terroir, you produce a grape that is rich in sugar and complex in CTavors-exacLly the kind of raw material a winemaker needs. Not all conditions are suitable for all wine grapes. While the northern Willameue Valley is perfect for Pinot Noir, it lacks the long hot summers and a lot more that produce what Burns calls the "big reds": Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot and Shiraz. Those are best left to California and Australia, although southern Oregon and lands east of the Cascades put out excellent product. The weather and clay soils of north– ern Willamette Valley hillsides also have the conditions that produce poi– son oak-a clue for prospectors look– ing for the next great vineyard site. Mother ature can only go so far. The rest is up to the winemaker, who determines everything from the time of harvest Lo the type of fermentation to aging and bottling. Alex Sokol Blosser admits he can't taste the difference in wines produced from one soil Lo the next. For one thing, he says winemakers are able Lo do myriad things that influence a wines taste, and in some cases mask whatever differences come from one clay soil or another. O ne of the biggest determining factors is harvest time. Some winemakers like to give grapes the longest possible "hang time" before picking to maximize their sugar content. The more sugar, the more food for the yeast that makes alcohol in the fermentation process. Other ,vinemakers like relatively low sugar because of the different nuances it creates during fermentation. "When to pick is probably the biggest determining factor, " he says. Another is how the fruit is processed and the type of yeast used in fermenting. Sokol Blosser sends its grapes through a destemmer, resulting in 80 percent whole berries. This allows the yeast to break down the fruit slowly-slower than if the grapes were immediately crushed into juice. "Some yeasts are fast and hot, oth– ers are slow and cool. We do a slow and cool fermentation ," he says. Barrels are another variable. How much new oak versus old oak do you use7 How long do you keep the wine in the barreP Its these nuances that can keep wine aficionados debating deep into the night, looking for new revelations in the very next sip. D