The Battle for Wine and Love

Or, perhaps he just liked taking the spotlight, because he must have known that there was a group of old-timers and anti-barrique boys that included Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa, Giacomo Fenocchio, Teobaldo Cappellano, and Bartolo’s own cousin Giuseppe Rinaldi.

I told her my shortlist: Selosse. Françoise Bedel. Raymond Brigandat. José Dhondt. Fleury. Pierre Moncuit. Camille Saves. Davide LeClapart. Jacquesson. Jacques Lassaigne. Leclerc Briant. There are plenty of alternatives to the Yellow Labels and Moëts of this world. And, in a pinch, I am also quite fond of Bollinger and can drink Pol Roger, too.

With his wife, Pierre now operates Champagne Larmandier-Bernier on biodynamic principles, and is one of the very few in the region working with indigenous yeast.

For centuries, some white grapes were blended in with the red grapes for Chianti, but now this practice is rare. The aromatic white grape Viognier is still added to some wines of the northern Rhône. Though counterintuitive, the practice enhances color.

Pencil-like tannins

The more I thought about it, the dogma of authentic wines would include

Healthy farming practices

Hand picking

No extended cold maceration

No added yeasts or bacteria

No added enzymes

No flavors from oak or toast

No additives that shape flavor or texture

No processes that use machines to alter alcohol level, flavor, or texture or that promote premature aging

As I explored this New World wine vs. Old World dichotomy, another theme kept coming up: confusion surrounding the word tradition.

They are rightfully fearful of advertising the reverse-osmosis process, believing that the public would “misunderstand.”

Winemakers these days are getting more comfortable admitting their use of micro-ox. But reverse osmosis and additives? Clark Smith proudly states their use on his own labels, but most winemakers are not so forthcoming.

Another of Clark Smith’s machines performs reverse osmosis, which he likes to call ultrafiltration.