Wines from Quebec

1. Wines from Quebec Presented by Maryanne and Bill Pilotte March 20, 2016

2. Thank You Silver Coast

4. Future Chapter Events • Mar 28th Tuscan Wine Dinner at Angelo’s in support of the Museum of Coastal Carolina (SOLD OUT) • Apr 23rd Amateur Wine Competition Awards & Tasting (Note that this is a Saturday) • Apr 30th 2016 Wine Fest • May 22ndWines from Texas presented by the Haglers • June 26th Two Amigo Wines presented by the Krauts • July No Meeting • Aug 28th High End Wines

5. AWS and Chapter News • Winemaker Wine Dinners scheduled for April 25 & 26 at Angelo’s. Winemaker from Monte dellaVigna winery will be in attendance. • Don’t for get to reserve your room for this year’s AWS National Conference. • All members should have received their membership cards for this year. • Wine Fest tickets are available. • Wine Fest donations due by April 1st.

6. Wines from Quebec

7. Quebec WinesRoute des vins Brome-MissisquoiMarch 20, 2016Ocean Isle Chapter AWS

8. American – Canadian Border

9. Brome-MissisquoiWine Route

10. Brome-Missisquoi Wine Route • Located in the “Eastern Townships.” • About 40 minutes from Montreal. • Extends 140 kilometers. • Links 21 wineries(some of the oldest in Quebec.) • Produces 60% of Quebec’s local wine.

12. Dunham Birthplace of Quebec’s grape-growing industry. • Midway along the Brome-Missisquoi Wine Route (province’s first wine route). • first township in the region (1796). • First township to be officially established in Lower Canada. • Village core-- typical of those from the Loyalist era. • This is where we find our wines.

13. Aerial View of Vineyards on Rt. 202

14. Windmills in the Vineyard!

15. Why Windmills? • Hot air rises. • Cold air collects on the ground and in the valleys. • When nighttime temperatures go too low, grapes will freeze. • Windmills (wind machines) push warmer air down from above to keep frost from forming. • Wind machines break up micro-scale air boundary layers, improving sensible heat transfer from the air to the plants. • Heat is transferred by forced convection. • The head of the fan rotates around the tower's vertical axis every 4.5–6.5 minutes.

16. Diagram

17. The Grapes

18. Grape Harvest • Mid-September to late October. • Mid-January for Icewine. • Grape Harvest Experience for all • Any one can sign up to participate (about 50 people /day). • All day event from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. • Lunch with glass of vine (provided by the vineyard) is 12:00 noon until 1:00 p.m. • One bottle of wine to take home. • Sit on stools on opposite sides of the vine and clip grapes.

19. Frontenac • Blue-Black-skin color. • Hybrid French-American grape variety. • 1978 U of Minnesota • Crossing between Landot Noir, and Vitisriparia (noted for its resistance to the cold). • Selected in 1983 and tested as MN 1047. • 1996 -named and released as Frontenac. • Most widely planted red wine grape variety in its home state of Minnesota. • Also enjoyed success in Quebec. • Safe to -36 degrees Celcius.

20. Vitisriparia #89 - one-dimensional variety with cold-hardy qualities. • Needed partner to add complexity and depth. • Landot Noir (a cross between Landal Noir 244 and Villard Blanc) --chosen to add complexity and depth and for its late bud-break and early maturity.

21. Frontenac PropertiesReferenced by David Hanson (University of Minnesota) • High levels of both sugar and acidity. • Low tannin. • Cold-hardy variety. • Extremely resistant to downy mildew. • Moderately resistant to powdery mildew. • Not prone to botrytis. • Often needs malolactic fermentation to produce a well-balanced wine in cold northern climates.

22. May be made in dry, sweet or rosé styles and is increasingly used to make port. • Makes full body wine. • Semi-sweet darker rosé that is very well received. • Dominant flavor– Cherry. • Juice - deep garnet color with cherry aromas Secondary characteristics of blackcurrant, plum and sometimes chocolate. • Dry styles typically benefit from oak contact.

23. Frontenac Gris • 1992 - (Minnesota Horticultural Research Center) - single mutation resulting in grey grapes growing from a single cane. • Released to the public in 2003 by the University of Minnesota. • White wine grape. • With skin time will produce a light rosé or blush, with apricot and peach flavors. • Amber colored juice and wine. • Wine has peach/tropical fruit flavors. • Good to -36 degrees Celcius.

24. Frontenac Blanc • First observed in 2005 (Quebec). • Mutation • Cold tolerant to -36 degrees Celcius. • Disease resistant. • Grapes ripen early and bitter if picked early. • Makes a classic white wine with no issues with pinking. • Aromas -- tropical fruit, pear, peach and passion fruit.

25. Pionnier Grape • Red • Hybridized vine by Elmer Swenson. • 1st grown – Quebec 1994. • Name never formalized and used only in Quebec. • Best for rosé wines and mistelle. • Aroma of shadbush and strawberries. • Cold tolerant to -35 degrees Celcius. • Juice has serviceberry and strawberry aromas. • Low in acidity and lacking tannin and structure.

26. SABREVOIS • Sister grape to St. Croix. • Origin: Osceola, Wisconsin. • Grown in Quebec as ‘Sabrevois’ since circa 2000. • Vigorous vine. • More cold hardy than St. Croix – Good to -38 degrees Celcius. • Good disease resistance. • Very popular in Quebec where it was named. • Cultivar named after the village of Sabrevois, near the Richelieu. River, south of Montreal (by Gilles Benoit). • Type: Interspecific hybrid (includes V. labrusca, V. riparia). • Color: BlackBerry: Small to medium in size (Average berry weight is 1.5 g.)

27. SABREVOISWine Quality and Characteristics • Plocher and Parke: • Juice is not deeply pigmented. • Wine can be very dark in color. • Sugar content rarely exceeds 20° Brix (even in very ripe fruit). • Wines have a pleasant berry like fruitiness in the nose and mouth. • Wines tend to lack body and tannin. • Alain Breault: • well balanced. • low in alcohol. • very vinifera-like (similar to Cabernet franc). • can make a highly aromatic rosé if pressed very early. • dry red varietal--should age well and improve after two years in the bottle. • probably best as part of a blend with other red hybrid varieties known for higher sugars (such as ‘Frontenac’ or ‘Landot noir’).

28. Seyval Blanc East Coast Chardonnay • Hybrid product of intentional breeding (hybrids often get no respect). • Has been referred to as the “Rodney Dangerfield” of the viticulturalworld. • Released in 1921 -Saint Vallier, Drome, France, where it was known as Seyve-Villard, named for its creators, BertilleSeyve and his son-in-law Villard. • Also referred to as Seyval, Seival, Seyve-Villard 5276, and SV 5276. • General acceptance for wine labeling-- SeyvalBlanc. • Cross of selections Seibel 5656 and Seibel 4986 (Rayon d’Or.) • Albert Seibel (1844–1936) - French viticulturist Seibel. • Developed classification system. • Produced more than 16,000 hybrids. • about 500 of these hybrids developed into commercial varieties.

29. Seyval Blanc - Characteristics • White grape. • Produces small berries and large clusters. • Production--usually good, although can vary depending on soil and climate conditions. • Subject to poor fruit set if pruned too short and over cropping if pruned too long (Galet). • Very susceptible to powdery mildew and botrytis. • Moderately susceptible to bunch rot due to its large clusters. • Moderate susceptibility to downy mildew, phomopsis. • Crown gall reported. • Grapespicked at maximum ripeness to avoid rot. • Fairly cold tolerant to winter temperatures – Good to -24 degrees Celcius. • Early bud break and subsequent maturity times--may span only one-hundred days. • Popular grape along the eastern seaboard from the Carolinas up to Nova Scotia.

30. Best in regions with relatively short growing seasons and areas where Vitisvinifera will not survive the winters due to extreme cold temperatures and snow. • Popular in the Finger Lakes region of New York, Missouri, Michigan, and Wisconsin. • United Kingdom (grown since 1945) locals have given it the moniker “Save All Blanc” because of its versatility. • Switzerland and Brazil also host some plantings.

31. Europe and Hybrids • European legislation has not permitted the use or importation of wines made from hybrid grapes. • Noble grapes grown on rootstock that resist disease came out ahead due to the ease of grafting and rootstock breeding only for resistance to disease, not development of fruit quality. • Market for hybrids is generally local.

32. The VineyardsBrief History of Region

33. LE DOMAINE DES CÔTES D’ARDOISE • First and oldest vineyard still in operation (1981). • Three grape varieties: Maréchal Foch, Seyvalblanc and Pinot noir. • Spring of 1983 the first bottles of wine sold illegally.. • 1985 - 5 vineyards received an official permit. • Achieved competitive quality recognition wines. • Today -25,000 vines in a 7.5 hectares area.

35. VIGNOBLE DE L’ORPAILLEUR • Originated 1982. • Name suggested by the means seeker of gold ( reference to the many gold-bearing rivers of the Eastern Townships). • Adapted a wine-growing technique from northern Europe and Russia (earth up the vine stocks in the autumn and expose them in the springtime). • Autumn of 1985-first harvest (15,000 bottles). • Today more than 175,000 bottles annuall.y • 20 hectares.

37. VIGNOBLE DE LA BAUGE • Established in 1986. • M. AlcideNaudplanted 5,000 Seyval Blanc vines. • Third-oldest vineyard in region. • Sixth-largest in the province of Québec. • Run since 1996 by Simon Naud (avid vintner who has traveled and studied throughout the world). • Increased its production and encompasses more than 7 and a half hectares.

38. VignobleGagliano

39. Tasting Room

40. VIGNOBLE GAGLIANO VINEYARDS • May 1989 - Le Vignoble Les BlancsCoteauxopened. • August 21st 2008 – acquired by Gagliano’sfamily. • Family - Sicilian • Viticulture and wine making are deep rooted in Sicilian life. • Sicily and Quebec vastly different climates. • Sicilian hot climate requires a very rigorous vinificationprocess. • Quebec very cold winter also requires a very distinct vinification process. • Brings a little Italy to Dunham. • “The respect for the old traditions brings us to crest new ones.” • 10 Hectares currently cultivated as vineyards.

41. Gagliano Vineyard (Con’t.) • Cold spell prior to harvesting resulted in hiring helicopters to protect grapes. • Following season installed Windmills to protect grapes from Quebec climate. • Helicopters more expensive.

42. VINIFICATION • Most modern winemaking equipment. • Press-- Della Toffola-- cutting edge of wine technology. • Temperature control system in vats for optimal fermentation conditions. • “Vat selector system of Gimar” (winemaker). • Purchased in Italy. • Produce the best red wines in Quebec. • Wines filtered with a tangential filter that does not alter the color or taste of the wine. • Wines are bottled professionally.

43. Alfonso, Ersillia and Sasha Gagliano

44. The Wines

45. Donna Livia

46. Donna LiviaMousseux Rose(SAQ) • 12% alcohol, 43 g/l. • TASTING NOTE. • Salmon pink in colour. • Medium-dry. • Boasts a medium nose exuding floral, fruity and vegetal aromas. • On the palate, its refreshing acidity and broad texture precede a medium finish. • AGING POTENTIAL • Drink now. • SERVING TEMPERATURE • Between: 6°C  And: 8°C.

47. Donna LiviaMousseuxRose Con’t • OBSERVATIONS • Flavours: • Acidity:Refreshing • Sugar perception: Semi-dry • Texture:Broad • Body: Medium-bodied • Taste families: • Floral • Fruity • Vegetal

48. Donna LiviaMousseux Rose(Gagliano Vineyards) • Traditional method, fermented in bottle for 11 months. Well balanced and stable. The foam is fine and the bubbles are medium. The aromas are firm and discreet that opens with the aeration. Raspberry flavor with a long lasting aftertaste. • Pionnier, Sabrevois and Frontenac Gris • $26.00

49. Donna LiviaMousseux Rose Awards • 2010 Winner • Silver Medal • LAURÉAT 2011 • Les Grands Vins du Québec • Vintage 2010

50. Frontenac Gris