The Wine Academic

Recently, as in over the past couple of weeks, I've been wrestling with my thoughts on how malolactic fermentation and oak affects wines. It's also important to me because I want to be able to pick those sorts of things out in wine. When it came down to it, there were a couple of things that helped me frame the ideas in my mind. The BSC Wine Club (Que Syrah Syrah) tasted Chardonnays about two weeks ago. When I went to pick out wines, I purposefully selected wines that listed whether or not they were oaked, and the degree to which they were oaked. When the bottles were empty, many of my suspicions were confirmed:

1. Oak really has a serious affect on wine
2. New oak, especially American oak, adds a strong vanilla characteristic to wines
3. French oak has less of an affect than American oak, but but adds an element of creaminess
4. Used oak imparts a different texture and it's much more subtle than new oak

One of the wines really confused me though: Toad Hollow 2003 Chardonnay. It had a creaminess that reminded me of oak, but there was something about it that was cheesy, too. Not "peppery-cheesy" but "soft-cheesy" like brie or something. Anyway, when I was reading the notes on the wine, I saw that it had undergone 100% malolactic fermentation. "WTF???" you might ask…

Malolactic fermentation is a process whereby malic acid in wine is converted into lactic acid. Malic acid tastes tart while lactic acid tastes softer. If you feel like you recognize the term "lactic acid", it's probably because you took chemistry, or because you recognize it from milk or other dairy products.

So after a little research (and a lot of drinking) I felt much better about being able to discern certain flavors in wine and this is what I came up with: Oak imparts a creamy, sometimes woody texture to wines. If new oak is used, other flavors get added. Adding American oak usually results in vanilla-like flavors while French oak has less of an impact. Malolactic fermentation or "malo" also adds a creaminess to the wine, softening it, and, at least in chardonnay, can add some cheesy flavors to the wine.

Preface: I am neither a classical music expert nor a wine expert. I simply love both. I hope you enjoy.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born today 250 years ago. Incredible. There are only so many people that are recognized by their last name 250 years after they are born. Perhaps it is because he wrote some of the most inovative and moving music our world has ever known, or maybe it is because of his near insanity amidst all of this. (for further evidence of his genius/madness see Amadeus.) As a child, I listened to those little cassette tapes that had classical music on them…”Mr. Beethoven Lives Upstairs,” “Mr. Bach Comes to Call,” and of course “Mozart’s Magic Flute.” Last year, I caught the tail end of XM Classic’s day of Mozart, so this year, I tried not to let it pass me up. Unfortunately, it nearly did, but driving to the wine tasting Classic Wine Company tonight, I remembered and tuned in to XM Vox! where they were playing the “Magic Flute” and then leaving, I switched to XM Classics and listened to the Vienna Phil perform some more of his incredible work. Nearly back to school, I began to remember how people suggested pairing music with wine and art with wine, and I thought, “What wine would go well with Mozart?”

Nearly six hours later, the answer still eludes me. Initially, I thought vintage Champagne. A great deal of Mozart’s music is very upbeat, “bubbly,” and refreshing. When I say this, I think of the incredible soprano solo in the Magic Flute. The way the soprano dances around on those super-high notes reminds me both of the way the tiny bubble float to the top of a champagne flute before bursting, and the way they seem to dance on your tongue. However, as soon as I was convinced that Champagne and Mozart were the perfect combination, I remembered his final Requiem…the one he didn’t finish. It’s so dark, and depressing, and moving, and beautiful. One of my favorite Requiem Masses, if not my absolute favorite. The way he can transform your mood, the way the Confutatis echoes forever in my mind reminds me of one of those deep, rich, contemplative wines. What could pair well with something so somber? My brain was racked, and it still is. I thought of Hungarian Tokaji first, something that ancient czars would be given on their death bed to revive them. No…it had to be something red, something dark. Tokaji, while spectacular, was not dark or tannic enough. It wouldn’t fit. I considered Hermitage, the “manly red” of the Northern Rhone. But I honestly couldn’t recommend a wine I’d never tried. The same goes for Bonny Doon’s Heart of Darkness. While the name seems to go perfectly, the wine does not fit. My final choice, while still not perfect, is Petit Sirah. A wine so incredibly tannic you think you might die if you don’t eat a huge fatty steak with it…mmmm. That may be it, but suggestions are welcome. I’m a humongous fan of pairing regionally, and so my next thought was “why not gruner veltliner?” This kinda seemed like a ‘duh’ move after a while. Gruner is like the grape of Austria and I’m a big fan of the dry, complex and intriguing white wines it produces. Gruner also reminded me of Mozart the way it can fool you into thinking it’s a really steely Chablis or minerally Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre or Poully-Fume. But the way it gives itself away with that rush of white pepper at the end is so refreshing! In the same way, a Mozart Symphony or even movement within a piece can have so many different and complex themes. Sometimes, it is recognizable as Mozart immediately. Other times, you’re fooled into thinking it might be some other great composer…then…the end…of course! Aparently, a producer in Austria is doing three memorial Mozart Gruner Veltliners this year. How appropriate.

So, Happy Birthday Mozart. Thank you for all the wonderful music and memories. Next time I’ve got an Austrian Gruner open…a toast to you.

Cheers!

Type: Sparkling Wine (75% Pinot Noir 25% Chardonnay)
Producer: Rotari
Place: Trento, Italy
Cost: $12

I bought this at a wine tasting tonight at The Wine Cellar in Vestavia. I’ve never heard of Rotari before, tried a wine from Trento, and I’m on an Italian wine kick, so I thought it would be a good purchase. I ate it with some homemade pizza tonight, and really enjoyed it. The color had a pinkish hue, but is not considered a rose’. Bubbles are basically non-existant in the glass even though it is made in the traditional Champagne Method. The nose had lemon and green apple overtones and baked bread aromas which probably had to do with the 24 months the wine spent “sur lie” or on its dead yeast cells. The wine had a better mouthfeel, with the bubbles opening up a little more and doing what a good traditional Champagne should do…clear the palate. It was softer than most Champagne’s I’ve tasted, something I attribute to lower acidity in the still wine and the larger proportion of Pinot Noir. In my opinion this is a great wine for what it’s designed to be. It’s nothing special, but it doesn’t take a special chunk out of your wallet. I’ll probalby buy it again, but I might get Zardetto Prosecco instead when I’m looking for something sparkling and from Italy.

Final Grade: 8.5/10