The Barrel #014
France's unauthorised grape, how we got to 10,000 varietals, and the monopoly market for wine in Sweden! â
Despite 50% of vineyards growing just 33 different wine varietals, there are still 10,000 types of wine on Earth! Let's ask why.
Plus, France's unauthorised Vidal making the most of cold weather climates, and the monopoly the government holds on Swedish and Canadian alcohol sales.
Somm's Secrets
In this new section of The Barrel, we're putting your knowledge to the test! Be the first to reply with the correct answer.
Q: What does the M stand for in GSM? Grenache, Syrah, M....?
Varietal of the Week: Vidal
A French hybrid no longer authorised for growth in France is finding a home in cold weather climates globally. The resilient Vidal can be sweet and fruity or big and buttery.
In previous weeks we have come across varieties that are crosses of two parent varieties. Vidal is slightly different: it is a hybrid (see the difference in the Growerâs Corner section). Vidal or Vidal Blanc, a white grape, gets its name from its creator, Jean Louis Vidal. In the 1930s, this frenchman was aiming to develop a grape suited to Cognac production in the maritime climate of west France.
Unfortunately, the variety never took off in France, and today is actually not authorised for growth. However, in the meantime, it found its way to Canada. Here, it would prove to be successful because of its ability to survive the harsh winters. For similar reasons, it has been welcomed by cold regions of USA and Sweden.
Vidal is resistant to harsh winters and spring frosts. It is slow ripening, so able to ripen sufficiently in long cool growing seasons. The grapes are good at retaining high acidity, making it ideal for sweet wines. Moreover, the skins are thick, meaning they are resistant to the effect of disease when left on the vine for extended periods of time in the production of late-harvest wines and ice wine (for which it is famous).
In general, Vidal produces wines high in acidity and with bright stonefruit and tropical fruit flavours. A key characteristic of this variety is a âfoxyâ, musky taste, which turns some people away. Typically, Vidal is made into ice wine, which is sweet, profoundly fruity, yet well-balanced by the acidity. This style is typical of Canada: Canada is the worldâs largest producer of Icewine and Vidal is the workhorse grape for this. However, some believe the higher acidity and more pronounced aromas of Riesling mean Vidal canât reach the same heights.
When made into a dry wine (as is done in some parts of USA), it is often full-bodied and vinified like Chardonnay. That is, the wines are full-bodied, with buttery characteristics.
Down to business
The government plays a role in the alcohol industry in all parts of the world, for obvious reasons. Largely, governments set a framework within which the free market operates. Privately owned bottle shops comply with rules on age limits, operating hours, ABV limits etc.
But in Canada and Sweden, the government has a monopoly on alcohol.
In Canada, the biggest provinces (Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia) have a government monopoly on the industry. They buy, supply, and distribute almost all alcohol sold in Canada and often set a minimum price.
Across the Atlantic, Sweden has a government monopoly on alcohol sales, which means that all alcohol must be purchased through a state-run store called "Systembolaget". Systembolaget is the only retail chain authorised to sell alcoholic beverages stronger than 3.5% ABV.
The government believes that by having control over the sale of alcohol, they can better regulate access and availability, as well as provide education and awareness campaigns to promote moderation and responsible drinking.
When the monopoly was instated in Sweden, alcoholism, alcohol psychosis, and intoxication decreased by more than 20% among people 10-19 years old and by more than 5% among people older than 40. Motor vehicle crashes decreased by 14% in most age categories.
Grower's corner
While there are over 10,000 grape varieties in the world. Just 13 of these varieties make up 1/3 of the vineyard surface area. The top 33 varieties take this number up to 50%! So, how did so many grape varieties come about? To answer this we need to look at how vines reproduce.
Vines are one of the few plants that can pollinate successfully without wind or insects. A vine has reproductive organs of both sexes. In spring, during flowering, the vine exposes the stamen and stigma. Pollen from the stamen (male part) falls onto the stigma (female part). This eventually leads to the formation of grapes which contain seeds. When a vine pollinates itself, the genetic information in the seeds will be that of the single vine. However, if pollen of one vine happens to makes its way onto the stigma of another vine, the resulting seeds will have genetic information from both parent vines. This process is called cross-fertilisation. If the seeds of these cross-fertilised grapes grow into a vine, it will be a new variety.
Throughout the course of history, this would have happened countless times in nature. Thus the immense number of varieties. More recently, scientists actively carry out cross-fertilisation, trying to produce grape varieties with favourable characteristics from both parent vines. Thousands of varieties have been created in this way too!
If both parent vines are of the same species (e.g. both the famous European Vitis vinifera), then the offspring is called a cross. There are many famous varieties that fall into this category, e.g. Cabernet Sauvignon whose parents are Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc. If parent vines are of different species (e.g. European species x American species), then the offspring is called a hybrid. Vidal Blanc is an example of a hybrid, one parent being a French-American hybrid itself (Rayon dâOr), the other being a member of Vitis vinifera (Ugni Blanc).
Most commercially successful wine grapes are a cross of Vitis vinifera parents because of the positive characteristics of these European vines. However, hybrids are most often used as rootstocks for vines.
Your authors
Having grown up around a family vineyard, Sebastian is currently completing his Level 4 qualification with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust. Loves a Riesling.
Alex has his Level 2 Certificate from the WSET and is trying to make sense of the most intriguing economic good around. The bolder the better. Lives for Malbec.
Your future sommeliers,