Spanish Wine Tasting Evening

[dananne]

You may be right about cycles, and it may already be happening to some extent -- perhaps not with the winemaking as much as the varieties. Just some of the trends, like the Spanish bottling old vine Hondarribi beltza (which would have likely just been ripped out and replanted in the past), the trend back to field blends (particularly single vineyard, but also NV table wines), etc. In Greece, Portugal, Argentina, etc. you see a trend towards traditional (and in many respects, long-forgotten) varieties. In Washington this summer I visited a vineyard that used to have 30-yr old Gewurtz vines that they ripped up and replanted with Chard. Even though the Chard sold well, it wasn't as good as the Gewurtz. So, they ripped out the Chard and are going back. Stupid, insane, costly, but maybe the right decision? Who knows. All I know is that I'd rather try a unique Gewurtz than yet another blah Chard. Perhaps the winemaking decisions will follow suit. I hope so, because I hate, for example, having to ask the alc % on a bottle of Pinot Noir at a restaurant when trying to pair with my meal.