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Vintage
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More Details
Winery
Tenuta Le Velette
Vintage: 2011
The year 2011 was an interesting year for many northern and central European countries, as the weather was more than unpredictable in the spring and summer. However, in most countries, the climatic conditions thankfully settled down in the late summer and fall. The result of this slightly difficult year of weather in France was a set of surprisingly small yields, but overall, these yields were of a higher quality than those harvested in certain previous years. A fantastic set of wines was also made in Italy and Spain, and the Rioja wines - when released - are set to be very good indeed. Austria also had superb year in 2011, with almost fifty percent more grapes being grown and used for their distinctive Gruner Veltliner wines than in the year before. Possibly the European country which had the finest 2011, though, was Portugal, with wineries in the Douro region claiming this year to be one of the best in decades for the production of Port wine, and the bright, young Vinho Verdes wines.
In the New World, the Pacific Northwest saw some of the best weather of 2011, and Washington State and Oregon reportedly had a highly successful year, especially for the cultivation of high quality red wine grapes. Chile and Argentina had a relatively cool year, which certainly helped retain the character of many of their key grape varietals, and should make for some exciting drinking. South Africa had especially good weather for their white wine grape varietals, particularly Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, and many South African wineries are reporting 2011 as one of their best years in recent memory.
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc grapes originated in France, where they are still widely grown today and treated to a wide range of processing practices – from aging in oak barrels, blending with other varietals, and undergoing malolactic fermentation to encourage a more mellow, buttery finish. These green skinned white wine grapes are highly versatile, and are now grown in several countries around the world which have the correct climatic conditions for getting the best results from them. Generally, Sauvignon Blanc varietal grapes prefer a cooler climate, as too much heat dulls the flavor present in the fruit. As such, they are generally grown in valleys and on coastal areas, where they can benefit from cooling breezes before being typically harvested early in the summer. The grapes themselves produce wines which are often very dry and crisp, yet full of a wide range of flavors including grasses, tropical fruits and citrus notes.
Region: Umbria
The region of Umbria in central Italy is one of the country's most interesting wine regions, as well as being one of the most ancient. Umbria was home to many of the Roman's finest wines, and ancient civilizations such as the Romans were quick to recognize the potential a small region such as Umbria had, with its rolling, lush green hillsides, long hot summers and cooler ripening periods. Today, the region has a strong and characterful wine industry, with wineries in Umbria keen to experiment with blending together native grape varietals such as Sangiovese and Grechetto with imported Bordeaux varietals, in order to produce truly unique and exceedingly delicious wines. Tradition still plays an important role in Umbria, however, and wineries in the region are keen to use modern techniques alongside their time honored methods in order to produce the best wines possible.
Country: Italy
There are few countries in the world with a viticultural history as long or as illustrious as that claimed by Italy. Grapes were first being grown and cultivated on Italian soil several thousand years ago by the Greeks and the Pheonicians, who named Italy 'Oenotria' – the land of wines – so impressed were they with the climate and the suitability of the soil for wine production. Of course, it was the rise of the Roman Empire which had the most lasting influence on wine production in Italy, and their influence can still be felt today, as much of the riches of the empire came about through their enthusiasm for producing wines and exporting it to neighbouring countries. Since those times, a vast amount of Italian land has remained primarily for vine cultivation, and thousands of wineries can be found throughout the entire length and breadth of this beautiful country, drenched in Mediterranean sunshine and benefiting from the excellent fertile soils found there. Italy remains very much a 'land of wines', and one could not imagine this country, its landscape and culture, without it.