Oregon made qvevri

Andrew and Annedria Beckham are the owners of Beckham Estate Vineyards in Sherwood, Oregon, where Andrew is the winemaker. Unique to Beckham Estate Vineyards, Andrew Beckham blends his two passions, wine and art, using Amphorae. Amphorae are terra cotta vessels used as part of an ancient tradition of winemaking in terra cotta vessels, thought to originate in the Republic of Georgia. This is part two of the Beckham oral history interviews. This interview takes place at Union Wine Co. in Tualatin, Oregon where Beckham stores and makes his wine. In this interview, Beckham tells about his experiences using Amphorae. To access more material in this collection, please visit Digital Commons at http://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/ow…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB1MW2kB3a4

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A Comparison of In-Amphorae ( Qvevri ) Winemaking to Barrels/Barriques in Chardonnay Wine

Selected Results

Chemical analysis of the Chardonnay grapes at harvest resulted in the following values: 21.9oBrix sugar content, 7.60g/L titratable acidity, 2.25g/L malic acid, and 3.17 pH.
Only the dry extract and volatile acidity were statistically significantly different between the different wines (though there were some value differences that didn’t quite make it to statistical significance).
The researchers confirmed the higher dry extract in amphorae wines was due to the pomace cap maceration process.
The amphorae wines showed higher volatile acidity, straw color, and perception of tannin compared to the barrel and barrique wines.
Barrel and barrique wines showed higher vanilla flavor than amphorae wines.
Amphorae wines showed lower titratable acidity than the barrel or barrique wines (not statistically significant).
Volatile acidity was higher in barrique wines than barrel wines.
Malolactic fermentation was complete much faster in amphorae wines than barrel or barrique wines.
This again, according to the researchers, might be explained by the pomace cap, since there might have been wild lactic acid bacteria present, thus helping the process along faster than without the extra bacteria.
Lactic acid levels were more or less similar between the three wines at the end of the winemaking process.
Sensory analysis revealed:
Amphorae wines had a “mature scent”, fewer green characteristics, and fewer Chardonnay varietal characteristics. Tannins were “elegant” and the wine had a “pleasing taste” (higher than the barrel or barrique wines). A spicy scent was noted, as well as a lack of vanilla character.
Barrique wines had a lot of vanilla tones, and exhibited strong Chardonnay varietal characteristics. Characteristics noted were “fresh, harmony, and a remarkable woody flavor”. The panelists made a note to possibly blend this wine with the other wines to take the woody/oak characteristics down a notch.
Barrel wines possessed the most Chardonnay varietal characteristics, and were considered to be the most balanced with spice, light oak, and vanilla character in addition to the fruit character. Panelists noted it was “full, balanced, fruity” and had a “persistent flavor”.

Concrete helps to understand terroirs

One of his first steps was to replace stainless steel and wood fermentors with large, tulip-shaped concrete vats for all three wines, which are fermented with wild yeasts.

“With two years of aging in barrel,” says Ruini, “I don’t want to add more wood. Concrete is neutral. Steel has a reducing effect on wine—it’s not the best.”

Are natural winemakers in denial about mousiness?

http://www.themorningclaret.com/2017/are-natural-winemakers-in-denial-about-mousiness/

 

“Drink Wine Made in Qvevri Daily.”

“Zaza knows that the wine made in qvevri takes out all concern from the body, it helps the heart to work properly, and all different kinds of diseases. Zaza says to ‘drink wine made in qvevri daily.’”

Zaza is not the only one who says this. It’s more or less the slogan of the entire country of Georgia. Maka, who is translating for Zaza Kbilashvili, one of the few qvevri makers in Georgia, smiles in agreement as she repeats the phrase.

“Drink Wine Made in Qvevri Daily.”

I think it’s what they stamp in your passport when you arrive. Some interesting ideas about amber wines

Some interesting ideas about amber wines

USA orange wine

Besides Italy and Georgia, Slovenia and Croatia also make orange wines, and over the last five years, adventurous winemakers in the United States have gotten in on the action. “People making orange wines, by their nature, are more experimental,” says William Allen, winemaker and owner of Sonoma County’s Two Shepherds winery. Allen himself made orange wine from a blend of Roussanne and Marsanne grapes in 2011. He even makes an orange-style wine from a grey grape called Trousseau Gris—it looks like a rosé but tastes like an orange wine.

http://news.hvino.com/2014/10/a-guide-to-orange-wine.html#more

Marani building

Wine In Land – How it is Possible?

Gonna write some more about qvevri and Marani. I did not know that the land where one can put qvevri in the land and have marani should be special. According to Levan Jordjadze’s book, the land where one can put qvevri must be sandy black. It is very important becasue:

• If there is much water in the land, than the wine loose the taste. It gonna have more water like rotten taste.
• If qvevri is in red clay or lime land, than the wine gonna be bitter.
• If the land is yellow clay type, the wine gonna be smelly.

Does not matter how good qvevry one has, if the land is not proper it will always affect the wine quality and taste that’s why it is VITAL to put qvevri in black sandy like land. However there are not so many places with black sandy land, people are doing this : they dig big pit, put inside special black sandy land and only after put qvevri inside. (not. one can not use sea sand!!!!).

For building marani, there are also several vital musts!!! There should not be high humidity, the place should be well winnowed but with few sun light in it.

Qvevri from Eastern Georgia

Qvevri differ in their clay, which is always sourced locally. Remi’s clay comes from the Shuamta mountains, about 20 minutes away from his home. It is a dense clay with high lime content. He explained that lime is good because it is an antiseptic and has natural cleansing properties. The primary element to avoid in qvevri making is iron, which can impart bad flavors to wine.

http://christycanterbury.com/2014/09/08/the-near-lost-art-of-the-qveri-and-its-wines/

Trelab presented a poster about ongoing Qvevri research at the recent Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers annual meeting.

Trelab presented a poster about ongoing Qvevri research at the recent Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers annual meeting.

via The Qvevri Project.