Climate change has transformed modern winemaking

Trends in winemaking by Mar Galván

Winemaker, Agri-food Product Analyst, Writer and Poet.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

An experienced winemaker specializing in Agri-Food Product Tasting and Analysis, writer and poet. Degree in Oenology. Degree in Agri-Food. Master’s course in ecology and cork. Agri-food product analyst. A member of the prestigious Wineries for Climate Protection. A member of the Spanish Tasters Union. A member of Fivin. A member of the Spanish Wine Federation. A member of Oemv. A member of Aecork. An active aid worker for Amnesty International.

A member of the Asdent foundation. Columnist, author of three books published to date. I contribute articles to these magazines: “Revista Digital”, “elsumiller.com”. A writer in the Verema blog, Vitis Vinifera et Vinum, and a poet on my own website www.esenciadehafida.com. A judge at National (Sacramenia international tasting for women, Wine Fair (Torremolinos), International (Arribe Awards), Lyon and World competitions (Concours Mondial Bruxelles). Wine, oil and beer tasting events; guided tasting events, the harmony between verses and wine.

Wine Spiral Project is proud to count on this experts’ opinions on the last trends in winemaking… Read her views below!

CLIMATE CHANGE AS A TURNING POINT

“Climate and soil are essential to achieving quality wines, but the winemaking process is just as important. So much so that, depending on the winemaking process used in the production, bad wine can be made from the best grapes or poor grapes can be turned into a decent wine.
Today climate change is in the spotlight as it has become a concern for both agriculture and oenology in no time.
A common commitment. CO2 reductions achieved through specific actions carried out by all the wineries. Grapevines are extremely sensitive to temperature and the quality of the wines produced can be affected by increasing temperatures.

Temperature is expected to increase by 2 °C to 5 °C on average during the 21^st century.

We should consider whether transportation, a key to climate change we tend to oversee as we pollute so much, is really worthwhile.

WHAT WILL THE FUTURE OF WINE MAKING LOOK LIKE?

Trends in wine making have evolved over time, from merely technical work, which only seeks to avoid the defects of turning must into wine by using corrective chemicals, to the search for stability through clarification, stabilization and filtration treatments.

Modern winemaking is currently beginning to use ancestral techniques, those of our ancestors, rediscovering animal power, natural fertilizers, implementing Biodynamic agriculture, quite an interesting method to publicize.
Most of us look at the biodynamic calendar to determine the time for pruning, fertilizing, arranging a wine tasting event. This is something that was done centuries ago, when quality wine was already being made. The grapes must reflect the conditions of the land and the vintage. There should be no elements distorting that expression in the wine.

Fitting the essence of the land into a bottle of wine is what we are trying to achieve, the expression of the terroir, the ability to find thousands of nuances in a glass of handmade wine, from the land to the glass, hard work which is beginning to be brought back little by little. Managing to do this is having passion for wine.
I have seen that many wineries now do not use any commercial yeast or any other products to speed up or conduct alcoholic fermentation.
There is no clarification, the wine is left to do this on its own, with the aid of time. It is not filtered, thus not removing some natural and beneficial ingredients for the natural evolution of wine.

“WILL THIS TYPE OF PRODUCTION BECOME THE FUTURE OF WINE?”

CORK, SCREW CAPS OR SILICONE?

I am definitely a strong advocate of cork, while I avoid screw caps and silicone. When it comes to green issues, I always go for cork. However, I must admit that many of the wines that are exported will require screw caps. We can see how a good number of wineries now use screw caps or silicone. I might agree provided that they were used for wine intended for immediate consumption, and with a best before date on the bottle.

DOES CORK EQUAL TCA?

This is the question everyone asks when they open a bottle of wine and find cork taint. I have conducted numerous studies which have confirmed that TCA can be found anywhere in a cellar, not necessarily in cork, even in a screw cap. There are many more contaminants other than TCA that can be found in our cellar, whether it be in a cardboard box, on a wooden pallet, etc.

I hope that these lines have aroused interest and debate on such an important issue in oenology.”

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Thanks for your collaboration Mar, we wish you all the best!