WINES FROM PLACES NOT USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH VITICULTURE

The ideal range of climate on our earth in which Vitis vinifera can survive is located within two latitudinal bands, called wine belts, wrapping around the earth roughly 30 degrees latitude to 50 degrees latitude, both south and north of the equator. There are exceptions of Vitis vinifera that thrives outside of these belts, but few and very small in area, and what enables these exceptions is a perfect storm of terrain and geography and micro-climate. On the other end of the spectrum, there are a lot of places within these wine belts where Vitis vinifera does not thrive because terrain and geography influence climate to the extent that it is not conducive to viticulture.

If you look at the depiction of the wine belts, you will see big swathes of territory within the wine belts, particularly inland territory in the United States, Central Asia and China that are not known for winemaking. One of the main reasons why this is the case is because the terrain in these far inland territories is less directly affected by large bodies of water that have outsized effects on climate.
But microclimates can happen anywhere, so we’ve found wines from three places that don’t roll off the tongue when a discussion about wine ensues: Pennsylvania, Tasmania, and Morocco.

Source: https://winefolly.com/tips/start-planning-now-wine-harvest-season/

Source: http://www.wineandvinesearch.com/united_states/pennsylvania.php

The wine we chose is from the east in Lehigh Valley, which is a designated AVA (American Viticultural Area), the United States equivalent of an appellation in Europe… kinda. An AVA is an official delineated grape-growing region with specific geographic or climatic features that make it suitable for the successful cultivation of Vitis vinifera for the purpose of making wine, sanctioned by a United States government agency, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). The TTB does not go as far as designating specific grape varietals and blends because Vitis vinifera varietals are not native to the New World. Hence, it is the job of viticulturists to match known Old World varietals that fit their terrain and climate.
Established in 2008, the Lehigh Valley AVA covers over 230 planted acres and includes over 30 wineries. Its climate is comparable to those of Central and Northern Europe with hilly terrain, nearby mountains, and “lake” effects of the Delaware River contributing to a microclimate that includes limited rain and reliable sunshine in the summer. The shale and sandstone soils are also key for growing Vitis vinifera as they provide ideal drainage.

Aerial view of northeast Pennsylvania wine country.

Day Wines headquarters in Willamette Valley.

Featured September Amaro Wine Club Unusual Location wine: Galen Glen Winery Gruner Veltliner Vinology Lehigh Valley (2022)
VARIETALS: Gruner Veltliner

Galen and Sarah, established the winery in 1995 after purchasing Galen’s family farm from his father, becoming the sixth generation of the Troxell family to farm the land. The couple traded in corporate careers to realize their dream of adding vineyards to the farm. Galen was a mechanical engineer by trade and Sarah was a chemist. It is safe to say that after 25 vintages, the couple have transitioned successfully to winemaking as their trades, evidenced by awards including 'Best Winery in Pennsylvania' and 'Best Woman Winemaker’. The 7th generation, their daughter Erin, has returned from studying and working in the industry to head up the farming aspect of the enterprise, approaching the enterprise with scientific credentials and a dedication to sustainable farming.

To make this wine, the Troxell family’s scientific background is on display as they take the grapes from several of their different vineyards to ferment separately in small lots in stainless steel tanks before blending them to then sit on the primary lees for more than six months.

FOOD PAIRINGS: mushroom julienne, asparagus, smoked fish, herbal dishes, artichoke dishes, spicy Asian fare, young cheeses, e.g., goat cheese, pecorino, mozzarella.

The island of Tasmania, a state in Australia, is in the far south of the Southern Hemisphere wine belt, which is equivalent to being north in the Northern Hemisphere belt in terms of climate, meaning cooler weather. As an island, it is also subject to unpredictable violent weather patterns. Regardless, where the terrain allows it, there is viticulture on the island, and the wine is unique and exceptional. That said, the wine regions in Tasmania produce less than 1% of Australia’s wine and only 0.1% is exported abroad.

Featured September Amaro Wine Club Unusual Location wine: Devil's Corner Pinot Noir Tasmania (2021)
VARIETALS: Pinot Noir

Devil’s Corner Winery is supposedly named after a bend in Tasmania’s Tamar River that most sailors coming from the ocean found too treacherous to navigate. Those who did, however, came out on the other side in a calm-water microclimate sanctuary. The surrounding terrain was eventually earmarked for vineyards.

https://wine-pages.com/features/wonders-oz-part-v/

Being a cooler climate region, the winery plants white grapes mostly, but Pinot Noir is also successfully cultivated vineyards near the sea. Because violent weather during certain seasons is a constant possibility, the growing season is relatively brief. Hence, the goal is to attain a light, bright, fruit-forward Pinot Noir. The grapes are harvested early and are fermented whole in static fermenters that use an air maceration technique that allows gentle extraction of color and tannins. No sulfites are added.

FOOD PAIRINGS: roasted duck, grilled salmon, lamb chops, earthy mushrooms dishes, Chinese roast pork, slow-braised pork

The oak savannah is an integral part of the estate

Although the other two wines in this batch are in the “New World” of viticulture, Morocco’s viticulture history dates to the 2nd millennium BC via the Middle East, and then of course the Roman military did their usual thing and swept in during the middle of the 1st century and developed viticulture further with the grape varietals from European Mediterranean countries. But around 700 AD, the region was taken over by the Arabs and Islamized, which brought viticulture to a complete halt for centuries. It wasn’t until the 20th century when the French colonized the country that vineyards were replanted.

It is quite exceptional that Morocco has such a viticulture history because its climate and terrain is far from ideal for vineyards. Morocco’s wine regions exist on the southernmost edge of the northern hemisphere wine belt, meaning heat is an issue and the encroaching desert is quite the forbidding presence. In fact, the biggest problem for winemaking in Morocco is the chergui (or sharqi), a hot dry wind from the Sahara, which can dry out grapes and turn them to raisins within a very short period. Still, about 25 grape varieties have managed to cope in microclimates in the north of the country, which abutts mountains and the Atlantic. The most popular varietals are Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache Noir and Gris, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Muscat and Syrah.

Featured September Amaro Wine Club Unusual Location wine: La Ferme Rouge Le Gris (2023)
VARIETALS: 95% Cinsault, 5% Grenache

The La Ferme Rouge winery dates to French occupation in 1933, but only within the past 30 years has the winery produced worldclass wine. Their vineyards are in the Zaer appellation, about 75 kilometers from the Atlantic coast at 450 meters above sea level (1,476 feet) in the foothills of the Middle Atlas, which provides some respite from the desert.

This location is quite notable because the Fèz-Meknèz region next door is where 85 percent of production comes, yet winemaker Jacques Poulain, previously of the country’s best known winery in Fèz-Meknèz, Celliers du Meknes has applied his expertise. And he has done so by leveraging the oldest vineyards in the oldest estate in Zaer, Domaine Ouled Thaleb. The vineyards are farmed organically, and winter crops are used to improve soil health. Both thre farm and winery focus on both economic and social sustainability, investing heavily in the infrastructure of the nearby town where also many of the estate’s employees live.

Le Gris is the winery’s rosé wine. The Cinsault (and a little bit of Grenache) grapes are manually harvested, naturally fermented, and aged in stainless steel with no chemical additives.

FOOD PAIRINGS: briouats (spiced meat and cheese pastries), hummus, babaganoush, lean fish, shellfish,

Jacques Poulain