18 Jul Wine in the United States
Robert Foley, well-known and respected as a winemaker, said: “There’s an area between art and science that I call craft, and that’s what I do. I’m looking, I’m tasting, I’m smelling, and I’m feeling. And really, the power of the wine—a lot of that is discovered in how it feels on the palate.” This man is respected as one of the best winemakers in the United States, and his vineyard is in Napa Valley, a place that’s world-famous for growing good grapes. And, by far and away, the majority of the wine made in the United States comes from the state of California.
This love for wine and the craft of making a truly good vintage in America has developed over time. Even Thomas Jefferson spent a lot of time trying to grow varietals from Europe at Monticello, though they didn’t thrive for him at the time. That notwithstanding, he had a very refined palate and was a fantastic wine critic.
But even though Jefferson and others had previously tried to make good wine, the story of its establishment in the United States really started in the 50s. Because of prohibition, followed by the depression and the Second World War, the allowance and ability to experiment, grow different varieties, and produce quantities of wine to sell really began after these significant events.
Napa Valley put itself on the map in Paris in 1976 when, in a blind tasting, white wine and red wine from California came in first… ahead of French wines! The world realized that world-class wine could be made in America, too. And while winemakers may vary in precisely how they do things, here are some general details about wine production that are applicable across the board:
A lot of great wine growers are more concerned about quality as opposed to quantity. They will prune most of the fruit off the vine and repeat this pruning process throughout the growing season so that the plant is allowed to concentrate its efforts on a smaller amount of fruit, making for a high-quality yield with amazing flavor.
You’ll hear winemakers discuss the terroir of a wine, and you might wonder what in the world they’re talking about. Terroir refers to the combination of the particular soil where the grapes are grown combined with the weather conditions. The idea is that, even if you were to grow the exact same varietals and tend the grapes in the exact same way in a different location, the grape wouldn’t taste the same. This is due to the terroir.
When fruit is heavy on the vine, it’s a science to know when it’s just the right time to pick. Growers will check for sugar, pH, and acidic levels, making sure the grapes are in the range they want them to be for an optimal end product.
There are over 1,000 chemicals in a bottle of wine. And several things influence flavor: tannins, the combinations of various vintages, the oxidation process, the type of barrel the wine ages in, etc. It really is a skill to get specific flavors and come away with great-tasting wine, year after year.
When wine is aging in a barrel, it will often be racked, a process where the wine is taken out of the barrels and then pumped back in, and not always back into the same barrel. This process allows the wine to be exposed to air, which is an important part of influencing the flavor and texture of the wine. Discover the unique flavors of wine in the United States.
Making good wine takes expertise and practice, and those who do it well have perfected their talent over time. It’s a pleasure to tour vineyards and participate in wine tastings to come to know and appreciate wines from a specific area. We take groups on wine tours to help them get their feet wet with the best our area is known for. If doing a little wine tasting and learning more about vineyards is your kind of fun, call and schedule a tour with us today! Or learn more here: https://astrotravel.com/destinations/wine-tours/
(The information for this article came from this documentary that focuses on wine made in Napa Valley: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nsDXSJpXQck.)