Source: Bodegas del Uruguay
will reach a historic vintage? In the vineyard, the harvest begins with pruning (July-August), therein lies the plant to mobilize its reserves, budding, the subsequent leaf development, flowering, ripening, maturing, ripening. After pruning, there was a normal sprouting, there was no frost, but there were cold nights, there was a good temperature range. In time of maturity that is great for the plant, because the whole plant development and all that is happening inside you need heat during the day and cold at night. Occurs naturally in some places, such as in Salto, but this year was also in the south. This year's harvest Uruguay all raw materials of excellent quality.
What happened after sprouting?
somehow be started with a significant water stress, that in some vineyards negatively impacted. At some points it rained, but it just rained. There is a critical moment that goes from the time of fruit set (from flower to fruit) until veraison (when the acid begins to turn into sugar), which is providing cellular development, ie, 75% of the kernel is water . If at this stage lacks water, the grain is smaller. So he had the chance, watered, I think many vineyards had to invest irrigation. And there was a general level of grain size smaller, which means less kilos per hectare. This already creates a natural concentration: in a large grain, there is more water, and all the anthocyanins, the pigments and scents are diluted, but in a smaller grain, the amount of flavor and color will be the same , but you get concentration. Viewed from there, as the raw material is spectacular.
What other events were added to the initial water stress? He
something that surprised me was the pH of the grape to me had a pH ideal ... 3.4, 3.5, 3.6 ... between 3.4 and 3.6, when ever we obtained a pH between 3.8 and 3.9. The degree of acidity, measured pH, handles all the variables: the aroma, color, stability. The ideal pH is between 3.4 wine. and 3.5, is the range where it was almost everybody.
turn, due to the large temperature range, there was a large sugar content, unusual. Let's consider: a medium grit, an ideal pH, an important sugar content, and not an excessive amount per hectare, due in part to the point guy, there was a small decline. Also there were fewer pesticide treatments because conditions were not conducive to a proliferation of diseases.
Finally, throughout this maturation ranging from veraison to harvest almost no rain! There was no humidity! I was surprised. I am looking at three or four forecasts per day, and I was surprised the percentage of moisture. One could harvest at will. This is what occurred in 2004, but not analytical conditions were ideal this year. Seeing that you had ideal weather for harvesting when they wanted, ideal laboratory parameters, a decline in kg / ha without meaning, if the producer had worked a little vineyard in cluster thinning and leaf removal, now got a raw material out of series .
varieties Between what was favored?
were the white variety: sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, Viognier, Gewürztraminer, the muscat, all these varieties are very susceptible to disease so as to achieve a high sugar content. Among these, the most favored was undoubtedly the sauvignon blanc and muscat. And the red varieties, Cabernet sauvignon no doubt, because it is the one with the longest cycle, which mature last, then, as it always rain before it matures, it never ends the process of maturation. The Tannat and Merlot or need to talk. In contrast, the cabernet sauvignon was left on the ground until he reached the ideal analytical parameter. In extremes, the sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon were the most favored.
reap Already finished?
The harvest ended on Friday 8 April. There may still some botrytis, because that is also a good year. That leaves a cluster on the ground in an extraordinary way, now with a little moisture is in ideal conditions.
What about the concentration of sugar when it becomes alcohol?
We'll have wine with an alcohol content high enough. For white wines and young reds will be complicated. But keep wines that are barrel about a year and a half, and then spend two years in bottle, the alcohol benefits them. However, it is a general problem when wines are obtained with a high alcohol percentage. What
us about the competition you can advance to the World Tannat?
Tannat The fourth edition of the World will be held in Montevideo in November. The competition is under the rules of the International Organization of Vine and Wine, OIV, is audited and endorsed by it, and will submit its Director General, Mr. Federico Castellucci, and a representative of the International Union of Winemaking, UIŒ, which can be su Presidente, Serge Dubois, o algún delegado directo de él, lo que le da gran importancia. El jurado estará integrado por directivos de las Asociaciones de Enólogos de Brasil, Chile y Argentina, y también por reconocidos enólogos uruguayos. Para su realización es importante el apoyo que recibimos de las bodegas uruguayas, que se suman a éste.
¿Además de Uruguay, Argentina y Brasil, hay probabilidad de que se inscriban vinos de más países?
El año pasado nos sorprendieron algunos Tannat que vinieron de Perú por su calidad, Chile aún no ha enviado muestras a los concursos anteriores, Argentina sí, Brasil también. Y la expectativa de este año is to submit copies of French Tannat of Madiran, pushed by the presence of directors of the UIŒ, we hope to come at least two or three samples. Because somehow, the birth of Tannat is France, Madiran.
Competition will take place in two days. Last year we received about 200 samples, this year we hope to exceed that figure. Globally, the World contest Tannat is registered and has the stamp of Uruguay, is the heritage of the Winemakers' Association of Uruguay. Tannat say is talk about our flagship variety, and this in the wine world is to establish a heritage. And in that environment, it is right to bring medals Brazilian wines, or Argentine wines, is precisely the fact that the variety is rewarded. This win recognition, and this helps to sell. As a single varietal Tannat contest the World, which is international, which is endorsed by the OIV and the UIŒ, it is very important.
As you say, the creation of Tannat the World contest, as well as its organization, is credited with the Winemakers' Association of Uruguay. What other activity also displays the Association? We
, winemakers, we spent all our spare time after 6 pm. We work in the warehouse, but after working for the Association in an honorary capacity. Our profession is very sentimental. In the cellar we always receive trainees from the School of Oenology, and all Gurises we say the same thing: if you really feel the profession continue, if not, devote themselves to something else. Because it takes passion to dedicate himself to winemaking, we have to give passion to the grape and wine, you do not mind staying twenty hours in the hold, or work on Saturdays and Sundays. If one is doing what he likes, he feels it is working. And there are many people like that.
For example, when the harvest began, and began to check their analytical quality, we said that this year we had to do tastings of all varieties. The Association began two years ago to thematic tastings monthly. Every month we chose a variety met with as much potential exponents of all holds, we gathered in a place where the samples were coded, were made formal tastings tab, tasting glasses, time, score. When concluded, the time devoted to comments. Because the idea was just trained tasters. When one participates as a taster in competitions, and one knows only the variety and year, and must try to convey in one or two minutes, he felt, and transform it into a number ... We must have the ability to transform into numbers everything you saw and tasted!. The task is to teach the winemakers taste. That was the idea of \u200b\u200bthemed tastings.
Then it turned to the "assessment of crops", for example, were held last year tasting chardonnay and sauvignon blanc in April and May, for testing by exponents from around the country, how was the harvest. Also we did with Merlot, Tannat and Cabernet. This year especially, the idea is to make these tastings with a more focus to be evaluated. Because this year I think everyone will have good examples. I think if you meet ten, thirteen, or fifteen Sauvignon Blanc this year, everyone will be impeccable, because the harvest were given to clean. The aim would be formed in the head a conceptual evaluation "This year there are good Chardonnay ... Merlot is good ...", and purpose of all this is after trying to produce a harvest report:" The 2011 harvest was positive for sauvignon, cabernet and chardonnay. They tend to certain scents, or a certain color, or a certain level ...".
years ago that we are working with this and we can not give way. We want to achieve perform an annual evaluation. Although it is difficult to transmit these results to the paper. How do you say that some variety in a given year did not work, and publish it? This objective is our challenge, and like others we are serving, we hope to achieve.
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