The Single Vineyard
Plots, parcels and blocks of vines tell a story of their own. A profile of 10 of the world's best single vineyards.
Usually, but not always, a single vineyard defines a morsel of land bestowed with unique and/or ultra-desirable characteristics of soil, climate, slope or elevation that makes the fruit grown within distinctive. For our purposes, then, a single vineyard is a geographically circumscribed piece of planted vineyard, from which fruit is harvested and made into wine - only fruit from that vineyard, each vintage, in the bottle.
The concept of terroir is the essence of what single vineyard wines are about: a direct expression of highly specific grapes from a particular soil, and bottled in all its often-idiosyncratic glory.
Today, the idea of specific sites with codified traditions that uphold typicity is the architecture of France's appellation system. In most cases, it works, but it's not for everyone. In fact, some would argue the wines are often one-dimensional and always at great risk from climate fluctuation.
To us, though, these wines are most often one-of-a-kind, authentic, quirky.
We explore here the world of single vineyard wines; what follows is a look at 10 of some of the most intriguing single vineyard sites in the world, with a special focus on Italy's Cannubi vineyard - a real one-of-a-kind that personifies all that a solo site can offer.
For full write-ups and additional tasting notes, check out the April/May 2009 issue of Wine Access magazine.
Cannubi
Barolo, Piedmont, Italy
By John Szabo
In his 1977 Guide to Piedmontese Wines, Renato Ratti writes: "In the commune of Barolo there is a site of exceptional completeness. It is the hill of Cannubi, whose slopes facing Monforte have been famous and well-known for centuries."
The most ancient bottle of wine from the region in fact bears the label "Cannubi - 1752," making this not only the earliest example of bottled wine from Piedmont, but one of the first in all of Italy. Such is the renown of this prestigious vineyard that its name predates even that of Barolo, as wines made from nebbiolo grapes grown in the Langhe Hills around the village of Barolo would come to be regularly known from the early part of the 19th Century on. Historically significant as well, Cannubi is the vineyard from which the first "modern" versions of Barolo were made in the mid-19th Century (full-bodied, dry red wine aged in wood) by the Marquise Falleti and her French oenologist, Louis Oudart.
Today, the Barolo Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG, referring to the guaranteed quality and appellation of the wine) includes 11 communes in which nearly 120 top crus have been identified over the centuries. Of these, Cannubi is considered by most to be the best among the best.
The vineyard lies in the heart of Barolo itself; a splendid, steep, southeast-facing site that has been the yardstick against which all the wines of the region have been measured for centuries.
"Cannubi never fails," says old-time Barolo vignaiolo (grape grower) Natale Ronzale. It performs well in every vintage, even in those difficult, rainy years in which lesser vineyards struggle. In the days before the cult of single-vineyard bottlings, Cannubi was often blended to improve the wine of inferior sites. Generations of anecdotal evidence such as this, and, more recently, proven success in comparative tastings, have established Cannubi as one of the pre-eminent vineyards in Italy, and the world.
This is a special part of Italy, suffused for millennia with the culture of wine cultivation at the highest level. Nowhere else on the peninsula are vineyards so densely planted, so manicured, so carefully cultivated and documented as in the region of Barolo. Whereas France's Burgundy was laboured upon for a millennium by monks to expose its magic sites, the Langhe Hills were the playground of Italian aristocrats, whose resources and labour rivalled that of the great monasteries and resulted in much the same careful understanding of the potential of their lands. The area is punctuated by long, slender, generally north-south-running, vine-carpeted hills that look like ripples across the crust of the earth.
A combination of factors makes Cannubi special. It is the only vineyard in all of Barolo where the zone's two major soil types, tortonian and helvetian, intersect. In fact, the name Cannubi derives from the same root as "conjugal," for this site is a marriage of the finest characteristics inherent in each. This felicitous mix of sand, clay and lime, referred to as Marls of Sant'Agata or simply Tov, accounts in part for the outstanding complexity of its wine. It is also one of the first sites to be harvested each year, given its excellent southeast aspect (exposure to the sun), perfect drainage and ideal elevation in the sweet spot between 250 and 350 metres.
Perhaps the experts that work and produce wine here best enumerate the attributes of this unique vineyard and the wines it produces. "Cannubi [wine] becomes more floral with aging and gains in length," according to area winemaker Giuseppe Rinaldi.
As for Stefano Gagliardo, proprietor of Gianni Gagliardo Estate, his opinion is, "Cannubi never wins in terms of concentration or tannins, but it's a champion in class and balance."
Whatever the interpretation, young Cannubi wine shows a moderate violet colour and uncommon aromatic power matched with delicacy and refinement, much more open than some of the burlier crus from Monforte or Serralunga. The tannins are delicate and fine-grained relative to the potential chewiness of nebbiolo. It is a wine of consummate grace; enjoyable young, but capable certainly of long-term aging. In short, Cannubi produces a complete wine from a vineyard that has proven its worth over generations.
WINES TO TRY:
94 Poderi Luigi Einaudi 2004 Barolo Nei Cannubi
Piedmont, Italy
BC $119
Einaudi's Cannubi represents a more classic, traditional expression of the cru. The rim is already starting to show a garnet tinge, while the nose offers a wonderfully complex amalgam of ripe cranberry and cherry, faded rose petals, old wood spice (cinnamon, allspice) and black liquorice. The palate is full and succulent, but very firm, with classic dry and dusty nebbiolo tannins bolstered by serious acids, though not without a measure of underlying finesse. Great flavour intensity and length ensures this will come together in time, at least 5 to 7 more years to come into balance, and then drink nicely to about 2025. For fans of classic-style Barolo. (JS)
92 Marchesi di Barolo 2004 Barolo Cannubi
Piedmont, Italy
ON $170/1.5L
Tasted from magnum. Despite long-standing tradition, the house of Marchesi di Barolo has produced a thoroughly modern, but compelling, 2004 Cannubi. The colour is quite deep ruby for nebbiolo, and the nose is fully ripe, intensely concentrated and richly oaky (partially aged in barriques, with the remainder in large Slavonian oak casks), with a great mix of black cherry, toasted hazelnuts, fresh road tar, vanilla extract and black liquorice. The palate is quite forward and open-knit, with abundant, but very ripe, fine-grained tannins and excellent length. Even from magnum, this is already beginning to show the seductive side of Cannubi, and already offers a lot of pleasure. This should be at its best from about 2014 to 2024. (JS)
PRODUCERS:
About a dozen producers make vineyard designated Cannubi, as well as others who continue to blend grapes from Cannubi with other sites to make Barolo, according to tradition.
Producers:
- Chiara Boschis (E. Pira)
- Paolo Scavino
- Luciano Sandrone
- Giuseppe Rinaldi
- Cascina Adelaide
- Marchesi di Barolo (Largest owner with almost 2/3 of the Cannubi vineyard)
- Burlotto
- Damilano
- Giacomo Fenocchio
- Sergio Barale
- Carretta
- Gianni Gagliardo
Two producers make Cannubi Boschis (Monghisolfo)
- Virna
- Luciano Sandrone
Here are our single vineyard picks from Ontario, France, United States, South Africa and Chile.
For the rest of our top 10 (BC, Argentina, Australia and Spain) check back next month or pick up an April/May 2009 issue of Wine Access magazine.
Highland Estates Camelot Vineyard
Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara, California, United States
By Anthony Gismondi
HISTORY: One of California's biggest champions of terroir, from regional down to single vineyard, is Kendall-Jackson owner Jess Jackson. A great example of single-vineyard K-J wines is the Highland Estates Camelot Highland Chardonnay. To be even more specific, it is a single-block (Block M) chardonnay grown on the Santa Maria Bench in Santa Barbara County's Santa Maria Valley. Geologically "lifted" above the valley floor and framed by a steep bank of treeless hills to its rear, the Santa Maria Bench is a breathtaking piece of terroir.
TERROIR: A mere 27 kilometres inland from the coast, Camelot Highlands is one of several well-known sites on the bench. Camelot Highlands is the highest plot of the group, nestled some 110 to 140 metres above sea level, east of the famous Bien Nacido site and directly west of Byron, another Kendall-Jackson acquisition. Santa Barbara's transversal mountain ranges expose the east- to-west valley to cool Pacific breezes and, accordingly, Block M's row orientation, at 135 degrees, is linearly aligned to the ocean and its morning fog banks and cool afternoon breezes. "The fog magically arrives each evening between 6 and 8 p.m., and vaporizes in the morning about 10 a.m., promoting a long, slow growing season," says winemaker Randy Ullom.
THE WINES: The vineyard gives the Camelot Highlands Estate Chardonnay, according to Ullom, "abnormally high natural acids and low pHs, forcing a malolactic fermentation, but the fruit-forward character of the clones [on the site] is so intense, one at times barely notices the malolactic fermentation. The tropical aspects in the nose and palate are the fingerprints of this area. The nice, oily viscosity can only be found in chardonnay from this area, similar to a portion of the Carneros area up north."
WINES TO TRY:
94 Highland Estates 2007 Camelot Highlands Chardonnay
Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County, California, United States
BC $45 speculative listing - Summit Fine Wines, AB $45 fine wine boutiques, ON $37 Vintages, QC $30
The nose is a sensational mix of oatmeal, subtle oak and vanilla, with bits of butter, mineral and spicy orange flecks. The palate is a creamy mix of pineapple, papaya, citrusy lime notes, along with a crème brûlée finish. Perhaps the best finesse yet, with only 55 per cent new French oak in the barrel ferment. A first-class chardonnay that over-delivers.
(AG)
94 Highland Estates 2004 Camelot Highlands Chardonnay
Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County, California, United States
BC $45 speculative listing - Summit Fine Wines, AB $45 fine wine boutiques, ON $37 Vintages, QC $35
Stunningly rich and sophisticated. A 100 per cent barrel fermented wine using 35 per cent new French oak. Power and elegance wrapped about a tropical fruit tour de force of pineapple, mango, baked apple pie and spicy vanilla. (AG)
94 Highland Estates 2003 Camelot Highlands Chardonnay
Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County, California, United States
BC $45 speculative listing - Summit Fine Wines, AB $45 fine wine boutiques, ON $37 Vintages, QC $35
Its flavour intensity is off the scale, yet the wine is polished, elegant and eminently worthy of the dinner table. Look for super, tropical fruit flavours and apple pie spiked with cinnamon and lime rind and a creamy lees undercoating. (AG)
93 Highland Estates 2006 Camelot Highlands Chardonnay
Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County, California, United States
BC $45 speculative listing - Summit Fine Wines, AB $45 fine wine boutiques, ON $37 Vintages, QC $35
Sophisticated, rich and packed full of floral, pineapple, citrus, buttery fruit flecked with orange and spice. Fresh toasted bread mixes with a creamy mid-palate and a long smouldering finish. (AG)
92 Highland Estates 2005 Camelot Highlands Chardonnay
Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County, California, United States
BC $45 speculative listing - Summit Fine Wines, AB $45 fine wine boutiques, ON $37 Vintages, QC $35
Ripe, round, good concentration and acidity, with some viscosity. Butter, mango, mineral, vanilla, lees, citrus and Creamsicle flavours. Good
finesse and length that finishes a touch hot. (AG)
Moira
Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada
By David Lawrason
HISTORY: Named after owner Martin Malivoire's partner, Moira Saganski, the Moira Vineyard was first re-planted in 1992; sitting just above Highway 8, about three kilometres east of Beamsville, it had previously been farmed with labrusca grapes, pumpkins and a few rows of gewürztraminer.
In 1996, Malivoire decided to open his own winery. He made the Malivoire 1997 Gewürztraminer himself and the wine received critical acclaim, which attracted the attention of winemaker Ann Sperling, who signed on as a consultant, bringing a passion for organic viticulture with her. (The vineyard became the first vineyard on the Bench to be certified organic, in 2004.)
Moira's 12.4 acres of vines are now dense-planted only to chardonnay and pinot noir.
TERROIR: The Moira Vineyard stands virtually alone on the lower edge of the Bench, surrounded on three sides by a wooded ravine. The woods are a haven for wildlife (a flock of 60 turkeys reside there), which provide a living, organic envelope for the site. Feasting birds are therefore a problem, as are some other pests, but the ravine is central to the success of the microclimate. The ravine funnels cold air around the vineyard, providing built-in frost protection.
The soil at Moira is very deep, the water table very low. There is silt at the surface, kept in place by planting organic material between the rows. Then follows up to 18 feet of clay, broken up by calcareus gravel and rock of increasing frequency as the depth approaches the limestone bedrock. There is surface tile drainage, but none was needed deep down as the natural drainage is so good.
THE WINES: These wines age very well, with evolution being slow year to year. Except for one oxidation problem in the 2004 Chardonnay, all the Moira wines ever produced are currently still fit to drink. Indeed, the 1999 Chardonnay is a masterpiece at 10 years old. There is also a sense of tender elegance to the wines; textural finesse bound up with flavour integration. There is a common gentle herb/basil spice in all the whites and reds and a sense of minerality on the finish of the chardonnays and pinot noirs, alike; not just tannin and acidity, but a sense of wet stone dryness.
WINES TO TRY:
92 Malivoire 2006 Moira Chardonnay
Beamsville Bench, Ontario, Canada
ON $37
Very pretty aromas of pear-peach fruit, yellow flower, herbs and a light touch of peaty smokiness from Vosges oak barrels. It's medium-weight, silky, refined, yet vibrant and powerful in terms of length of finish. Wonderful sense of fruit sweetness without it being sweet. Excellent length and focus. Best now to 2011. (DL)
91 Malivoire 2004 Moira Pinot Noir
Beamsville Bench, Ontario, Canada
ON $42
In many respects, 2004 was the most typical Niagara vintage of the decade - a coolish summer with a great Indian summer - creating mid-weight, paler but supple reds. It's a vintage that fits Moira pinot like a glove, emphasizing tenderness, vibrancy and satiny finesse. And it has now evolved to perfect drinkability, with pure sour cherry fruit, pepper, herbs and spice. A very slightly dry, tannic and mineral finish suggests it will hold another 3 years. (DL)
90 Malivoire 2005 Moira Chardonnay
Beamsville Bench, Ontario, Canada
ON $36
This is a bigger vintage, with more intensity, weight and heat on the finish. The nose is currently showing as quite smoky and stony, with almond nuttiness and pear-peach fruit. Medium-full bodied, very creamy and rich, with a vanilla custard sweetness and warmth. Excellent length. Enjoy now to 2012. (DL)
Les Clos Grand Cru
Chablis, Burgundy, France
By Stuart Tobe
HISTORY: The region of Chablis lies between that of Champagne and the Cote D'Or in France. The region is divided by the River Serein, with all seven grand cru vineyards located above the town of Chablis on the right bank of the river. The total for all the grand cru vineyards is only about 104 hectares. The largest of these is Les Clos, a 26-hectare site with a south-southwest exposure on a 20- to 30-degree slope. This section of the slope receives the greatest amount of sunshine and air drainage in the region. Ownership of Les Clos is split among approximately 20 growers.
TERROIR: The soils in this area are unique. They are derived primarily from the Kimmeridgian stage (late Jurassic period, approximately 145 to 160 million years ago). The soils are essentially lime-rich muds, mixed with a high percentage of oyster shell fossils. Very chalky and porous, the limestone from the subsoil rich in oyster fossils is said to give the mineral, flinty character typical of Chablis. The small variations in aspect, microclimate and soil structure of the grand crus then give rise to the small differences in aromas and structure of the various wines. In Les Clos, the surface soil is stony and well-drained, very white or pale gray, dense and deep, with compressed limestone at a depth
of 80 centimetres.
THE WINES: The wine is generally full, firm, austere and racy, with intensity and length of aftertaste, but very elegant and understated, with floral and citrus notes. It is also one of the most powerful and long lasting of the grand crus. Although attractive in its youth due to the balance and delicacy, the wines do improve with three to 10 years of age.
WINES TO TRY:
94 Domaine Christian Moreau 2005 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
Chablis, Burgundy, France
BC $67, AB $48 fine wine boutiques, MB $58
Ripe, round, fresh, elegant palate, but dry and structured with buttery, spicy lees, floral, citrus, baked pear and lemon aromas. Juicy with red apple, lemon, pear, nutty, honey, floral and vanilla flavours. Great finesse and crispness; more open and juicy than the Valmur, but with fine acidity. Drink now or hold. (ST)
94 William Fèvre 2006 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru
Chablis, Burgundy, France
BC $89 specialty listing, ON $86
Spicy lees, floral, lemon, butter, smoky seashell, vanilla, pear and baked green apple skin aromas, with a honeysuckle note. Crisp, dry and full, but elegant and slightly austere palate, with excellent body and texture. Great finesse, with green apple skin, butter, seaweed, seashell, lemon, vanilla, mineral and slate flavours. Very precise, with great finesse, but not quite the intensity of Les Preuses. Will improve with 2 to 7 years in bottle. (ST)
94 Jean-Marc Brocard 2005 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru
Chablis, Burgundy, France
BC $72 specialty listing, AB $60 fine wine shops
Light butterscotch, garlic lees, floral, butter, oyster shell and honey aromas, with a touch of spice and quince. Ripe, round, rich, elegant, fresh palate, with lemon, flint, butter, garlic, nutty lees, quince and green apple flavours, with a touch of iodine and smoke on the finish. Great acidity and finesse, should improve for the next 3 to 7 years under screwcap. Bravo. (ST)
94 William Fèvre 2005 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru
Chablis, Burgundy, France
BC $89 speculative listing - Grady Wine Marketing
Intense seashore, shell, lees, smoky flint, nutty lees, citrus and spicy anise aromas. Round, full, delicate palate, with great finesse and acidity. Butter, lees, chalky, seashell, seaweed, lemon, grassy and floral flavours. Great flavours, acid and expression. Fabulous bottle. (ST)
92 Jean-Marc Brocard 2006 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru
Chablis, Burgundy, France
BC $83specialty listing, ON $87 consignment - Halpern Enterprises
Lemon, leesy, chalky, floral, light grassy, green apple skin and flinty aromas, with a touch of garlic. Fresh, round, elegant, crisp, but slightly fat, entry. Juicy apple, lemon, lees, spicy, mineral, green apple and slightly flinty flavours. Elegant, long finish, with a floral, chalky note. A bit more forward in style this edition but very good intensity. Stelvin closure. (ST)
Crocodile's Lair
Elandskloof Valley, Overberg, South Africa
By Craig Pinhey
HISTORY: Crocodile's Lair (also known as Kaaimansgat) is a 25-acre contracted vineyard whose name originates from a farm that has been in the Roux family for more than 100 years. Bouchard Finlayson has made chardonnay there since 1992. Kaaimansgat wines are labelled "Wine of Origin Overberg," being officially outside the Walker Bay District. Although not officially designated a Single Vineyard, Kaaimansgat/Crocodile's Lair is a truly unique site, more like the Swiss Alps than South Africa.
TERROIR: High in the Cape Coastal Mountains near the village of Villiersdorp, at 700 metres above sea level, Kaaimansgat/Crocodile's Lair has distinct terroir defined by a short diurnal, where the sun rises late and sets early, due to parallel mountain ranges on either side. That is why it is referred to as a "blind" valley. And no, there are no actual crocodiles in the mountains. The surrounding mountains, including Galpin Peak (at 810 metres) and the Tower of Babel (at 1,200 metres) trap the cooling cloud cover and moisture, which is channelled up into the valley by the southeast trade wind. Thus, the summers are warm rather than hot, but they still have frost-free winters, as this is a semi-Mediterranean climate. These conditions make the area ideally suited for Finlayson's elegant pinot noir and Burgundy-style chardonnay. "This vineyard relies on seepage water off the mountain," says owner/winemaker Peter Finlayson, "and the soils are clay shale interspersed with rocky/stony patches."
THE WINES: The Crocodile's Lair vineyard is not irrigated, and thus produces small berries and a high skin-to-juice ratio, resulting in concentrated wines with added complexity. The Bouchard Finlayson chardonnays have been highly regarded over many consecutive vintages. Finlayson makes two versions of chardonnay from this very cool site: one is a traditional Burgundy-style and the other is the unoaked "Sans Barrique."
WINES TO TRY:
90 Bouchard Finlayson 2007 Crocodile's Lair Chardonnay
Overberg District, South Africa
ON $25
A rich wine, with apple and almost tropical fruit notes that reflect the warm climate of South Africa. But the mineral component, elegance, moderate alcohol (13.5 per cent) and fresh acid give away the area's high elevation (700 metres). It is fermented in Burgundian fashion, in the barrel, with ensuing malolactic fermentation, then aged 8 months sur lees in 225-litre pieces, 25 per cent new. It is not over the top with oak, and has a long, nutty finish that leaves a Burgundian impression. (CP)
Seña Hillside
Ocoa, Aconcagua Valley, Chile
By Bruce Stephen
HISTORY: The Seña vineyard is reached by driving up a rough dirt road flanked by young vines and incredible mountain vistas. Seña was initially planted as a conventional vineyard. The 350-hectare hillside site was first planted to 16 hectares of mostly cabernet sauvignon and merlot. In 2005 additions of cabernet franc, petit verdot, carmenère and malbec have bumped the site size to 42.5 hectares. A decade down the road, Chadwick has come to embrace the principles of biodynamic viticulture, believing this farming method would best reveal Seña's story.
He engaged the services of biodynamics expert Alan York. By 2004, Seña was fully converted into a biodynamic vineyard and Chadwick has re-acquired the original Mondavi shares, giving him complete control.
TERROIR: The vineyard is located in the western end of the Aconcagua Valley, in the district of Ocoa, approximately 40 kilometres east of the cool Pacific Ocean. It is in a tiny sub-valley that is intersected by a spring-fed stream called Estero Rabuco, and is an ideal viticulture location.
THE WINES: The morning fog allows the grapes to mature slowly, which contributes to ripe, concentrated fruit, with intense aromas and flavours.
WINES TO TRY:
94 Viña Errazuriz 2006 Seña
Aconcagua Valley, Chile
BC $76, NS $76
The 2006 Seña is a 55/16/13/10/6/ blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot, carmenère and cabernet franc sourced mostly from Seña Hillside. Look for spicy, green olive, black pepper, blackberry aromas with bits of earth, leather, coffee and chocolate. The palate, though youthful, has wonderful complexity with rich, intense flavours of spice, cassis, blackberry, tobacco, leather and black pepper, with just a hint of balsamic. The finish is long and elegant and will continue to develop over the next half decade. (BS)
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