The Cool Clones

One of the key drivers behind the vast improvement in Oregon wine in the 2000s was the widespread implementation of so-called Dijon clones. The University of Oregon was the first entity in the United States to bring in these clones of pinot noir and chardonnay (clones are genetic subtypes of a variety). Named after Dijon the city in Burgundy where France’s ONIVINS plant materials laboratory is located, the numerous Dijon clones (with exciting names like 115, 667, and 777) are heralded for their complex flavors and ability to ripen fully in cool climates.

There are 51 Grand Cru vineyards in Alsace. Although the Grand Cru status is one of the most esteemed, there are some producers of great reputation who have chosen not to use the designation. Which of the following producers DOES use the Grand Cru designation?

A. Hugel

B. Zind-Humbrecht

C. Trimbach

D. Léon Beyer

Zind-Humbrecht designates several wines from its greatest vineyards as Grand Cru. Although the other three producers all own Grand Cru vineyards (or parts of them), they do not use the term on some of their best wines. The decision not to use the term is a form of quiet protest over the standards set for Alsace Grand Cru vineyards, which some producers feel are not as stringent as they would like. Trimbach’s famous riesling called Clos Ste.-Hune, for example, is not designated Grand Cru although it could be since the wine comes from a tiny plot within the Grand Cru vineyard called Rosacker.

Diacetyl

Diacetyl is a buttery-tasting compound that is a by-product of malolactic fermentation, the process in which beneficial bacteria turn sharp-tasting malic acid in wine to softer lactic acid. Chardonnays that have gone through malolactic fermentation… Continue reading

The Cool Clones

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