The Single Vineyard

For the purist, a single vineyard wine is the most concise, articulate expression of site or terroir in the wine world; its grapes speak to a particular place and give the site a recognisable identity. In the wine world, the notion of the single vineyard is a special one.

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 onwer 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

 

Phantom Creek Vineyard

Oliver, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

By Rhys Pender

HISTORY: The site grower Dick Cleave chose for his Phantom Creek vineyard was on a well-sited bench on the famed Black Sage Road in Oliver, British Columbia. When asked what makes this vineyard special, Cleave is pretty quick to point out what he thinks are the most critical factors. "The most important thing is the aspect [sun exposure] and the soil," he says. The aspect is not only perfect for soaking up the sun's rays, but the position of the vineyard and the gentle slope sees perfect air drainage on both the north and south sides, keeping the site frost-free. "The second most important things are the combination of rootstock, varieties and clones," says Cleave. Cleave uses the riparia gloire rootstock that restricts growth, ripening the fruit early and allowing some extra hang time at the end of the season to ensure really ripe fruit.

TERROIR: The property actually has two soil types: sand, as well as stones and gravel. The south-southwest-facing slope is tilted to catch the sun, and the free draining sand and gravel soils provide the perfect drainage to produce very ripe, intensely flavoured grapes. The southern portion of the vineyard is planted with the rows running southwest to northeast; the north-side rows run due south to north. Both of these orientations are ideal for catching the sun from morning to afternoon as it makes its daily passage across the sky.

THE WINES: The southern side of the property's very uniform sand has been planted to syrah, malbec, petit verdot, a little cabernet franc, merlot and some cabernet sauvignon. The north side of the vineyard has more stones and gravel blended in with the sand, and more cabernet sauvignon is grown here. "The cabernet on the heavier, gravelly soil at the north end of the property takes longer to ripen, but the flavours are more intense," says winemaker Howard Soon. Both Cleave and Soon agree the sandy soils of the area allow the grapes to fully mature, resulting in what Cleave calls the "soft, soft tannins."

WINE TO TRY:

90 Sandhill 2003 One
Phantom Creek Vineyard, British Columbia, Canada

BC $30 winery This blend (80/15/5 of cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, malbec) produces a big, rich brooding wine, with intense flavours of plum, black berry, sun-dried tomato, pepper, meat, tobacco, coconuty oak and mint. The palate is full and the substantial tannins soft and very ripe, giving a luscious texture that lingers on the palate. Delicious aged notes of orange zest, clove and burlap starting to emerge as the wine matures. Drink now until 2015. (RP)

 

Pewsey Vale Vineyard

Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia

By Ben MacPhee-Sigurdson

HISTORY: Winemakers are eager to show off Australia's diverse vineyards as being extremely terroir-dependent. Pewsey Vale Vineyard is by no means an exception; rather, the emphasis is on nurturing (or straining, as is often the case with vitis vinifera grapes) varieties that thrive in its hillside property. It is located about 250 metres above the floor of the Barossa Valley, around 500 metres above sea level. Winemaker Louisa Rose and vineyard manager Darrell Kruger focus on what works best on their particular property: cooler-climate whites like riesling, gewürztraminer and pinot gris. Riesling was first planted at Pewsey Vale by Joseph Gilbert in 1847, and developers, who purchased the vineyard in 1961, thought it would produce delicate rieslings in the Germanic style. Pewsey Vale's newest label, Prima Riesling, though, is shaped with the Old World in mind.

TERROIR: The roots of the vines are embedded in grey sandy loam and clay soil, which helps produce fine, aromatic whites. As the highest point of Australia's Eden Valley, Pewsey Vale is privy to summer evenings with cooler temperatures and long, cool autumns.

THE WINES: With grapes picked a few weeks earlier than most other parcels, the Prima is higher in residual sugar and lower in alcohol (9.5 per cent), making it more comparable to an austere German spätlese than most of its New World counterparts. The Prima aside, the wines of Pewsey Vale are more Alsace in style than reminiscent of the wines of Germany - flinty, fermented dry and with a delicate blend of vibrant fruit, mineral components and fresh acidity. Both the entry-level Eden Valley Riesling and the esteemed The Contours Riesling are higher in alcohol (around 12.5 per cent). The Pewsey Vale Gewürztraminer is also higher in alcohol and lower in sugar. The grapes are picked by hand, then fermented and aged in older Slovenian oak (rather than the more common stainless-steel tanks used for fermenting aromatic whites) before blending. This adds complexity to the busy nose that is typical of this varietal: spice, dried stone fruit, lychee and so forth. Like the gewürztraminer, the pinot gris also sees some brief time in older oak before bottling. New World pinot gris, unlike the crisp Italian equivalent (pinot grigio), has great colour, nice depth and shows ripe tree fruit character in the nose and on the palate.

WINE TO TRY:

92 Pewsey Vale Vineyard 1998 Museum Release The Contours Individual Vineyard Selection Riesling Eden Valley, South Australia
BC $28 speculative listing - Mark Anthony, AB $20, ON $25 Mark Anthony Wine Merchants
A Museum Reserve release, aged under a Stelvin screwcap. Very aromatic with mature smoky, slate, cream, mineral, lime rind and apple skin aromas, and just a touch of diesel. Crisp, dry, round and very fresh, with creamy green apple skin, smoky slate, lime rind flavours and a very long, dry lime, butter, Granny Smith finish. Super clean and fresh. Should continue to improve in the bottle for at least 10 years. It's amazing the difference in taste after a decade with a Stelvin closure. Fine value here. (AG)

 

Vina Victorio Coletto

Tupungato, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina

By Steve Thurlow

HISTORY: In 1956, Don Victorio Coletto started planting vines at a high point in the Uco Valley, tucked between the town of Tupungato and the Andes. The vineyard is a sheltered spot of about 10 hectares, set behind low hills and surrounded by trees, of which seven hectares are planted to malbec. A 2004 wine, made exclusively from the vineyard, was selected by Trapiche for its single vineyard program. It was the icing on the cake for Coletto the grape grower. His nieces, Cristina and Bibiana Coletto, who inherited the vineyard, were equally delighted when their 2006 wine from the same vineyard was also recently selected to appear under the Trapiche "Single Vineyard" series. The average age of the Coletto vines is about 25 years, but some are as old as 50 years. The vineyard produces a relatively high yield of 9,000 kg/ha, or approximately 60 tonnes of grapes annually, which produces around 15,000 bottles of wine.

TERROIR: The vineyard soils are about 80 centimetres deep and consist of sandy loam on top of stones, with little or no organic matter. Their well-established, deep root systems account for some of the wine's magic, but there must be more. Cecilia Acosta, the Trapiche viticulturalist responsible for nurturing these grapes, deduces it has to do with the very specific meso-climate. "It [the vineyard] has a climate totally different to the surrounding area and it's a little higher at 1,150 metres, so at ripening time we get warm days around 26˚ C, but cool nights sometimes as low as 10˚ C ... so the grapes grow so slowly," she explains. "Close to harvest, when you come here to taste the grapes, I sometimes think I am tasting a plum, not a grape, and the colour is unbelievable."

THE WINES: The 2006 vintage was warmer than 2004, with a higher yield and an earlier-than-normal harvest date of March 23, which would account for differences between the two vintages since winemaking and other factors were identical. Both the 2004 and 2006 wines are available in Canada, so you can still experience two of Mendoza's best malbecs, excellent for warming the heart during our own cold seasons.

WINE TO TRY:

93 Trapiche 2004 Victorio Coletto Malbec
El Peral, Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina
ON $ 34 Vintages, NB $40 Enticing aromas of plum, prune, cassis, liquorice and mild spice, with some earthy notes that evaporate after a few minutes. The palate is initially very muscular, the ample ripe fruit floating in big tannins, with a fairly dry finish. With time, the palate opens up and is much juicier, with the fruit flowing well into the finish. Full-bodied, with big structure, yet well balanced, with excellent length. It needs a little more time in the bottle. Best 2010 to 2013. Decant for a couple of hours before serving with robust red meat dishes or game. (STh)

 

 

Mas la Plana

Pacs, Penedès, Catalunya, Spain

By DJ Kearney

HISTORY: In the 1960s, Jean Léon planted noble French grapes and bottled Spain's first single-vineyard varietal wine. Watching with rapt interest was Miguel Torres, who bought a patch of high-altitude Penedès earth the following year, naming his vineyard Mas La Plana. The evolution of Mas La Plana vineyard wines can be seen as a microcosm of Spain's entry into the modern wine world. The early vintages blended 70 per cent cabernet sauvignon with uIl de llebre, the local variant of tempranillo, and a lacing of cabernet franc, all fermented in stainless steel and aged 12 months in new American oak. A decade later, the wine became 100 per cent cab from maturing vines and the oak regime shifted to a more modern recipe of new French and American oaks, with a harmonizing year in used barrels. The next two decades charts Mas La Plana's coming of age, with lower yields, the use of 100 per cent new French Nevers forest oak, sorting tables and the pneumatic press.

TERROIR: The Mas La Plana vineyard is a precise 29 hectares of brownish loams and gravels over cool, water-retaining clays. Fertility is low, drainage is ideal and the climate is well-ventilated, mild Mediterranean.

THE WINES: The 45-year-old cabernet vines get fantastically ripe in this generous sunny terrior, lending the wines a supple roundness, with full-blown cassis fruit. One of the world's great bargains, Mas La Plana is deceptively approachable in youth, thanks to ultra-ripe tannins, but can age with great majesty for a few decades in most vintages. Combining sublime finesse and structure with bull's eye cabernet character, the wine tastes undeniably Spanish.

WINE TO TRY:

94 Miguel Torres 2003 Mas La Plana 
Penedès, Catalunya, Spain
BC $49, ON $40
This vintage continues to unfurl striking cassis, spice and perfume, while the palate reveals leathery, briary black fruits and evolved, supple tannins seldom matched by other cabs. This small, privileged single vineyard in Penedès continues to produce very fine wines that will delight for decades.

 For more single vineyard profiles, click here