Wine Dimensions June 2005 |
Dear Friends of Monolithos, |
| This month"s bulletin takes a broad look into the role of the winemaker. In future articles, we shall elaborate in more detail on all winemaking tasks. |
| Throughout time, wine has had a special influence on Western culture, a sentiment expressed by the Greek historian Thucydides in the following quote: |
| "The peoples of the Mediterranean began to emerge from barbarism when they learned to cultivate the olive and the vine." |
| By definition, wine is a drink made by the partial or complete fermentation of grape juice. Grapes are the only fruit with a high enough level of sugar and with the proper balance of acid and nutrients to sustain a natural fermentation to dryness with stable results. Wine quality is, in its broadest sense, determined by the grape and the winemaker. Fruit characteristics are governed principally by the "terroir", that combination of soil and climate influencing grape chemistry and subsequent wine quality. Growers and winemakers should work closely together during the months leading up to harvesting, constantly checking sugar and acid levels and fruit ripeness. Another contributing factor to the quality of the end product is the sunny, stable climate and relatively low incidence of persistent rain during the growing season, which is particularly true for Cyprus vine-growing areas. |
| Most people believe that great wine is made in the vineyard. Others believe it is made in the winery. Without good grapes you cannot make good wine, however it is the task of the winemaker to maximise the quality obtained from the vineyard. |
| In the professional sense, a winemaker is someone who is fully involved in the production of wine including every aspect of winemaking from the vineyard to the bottling and marketing of wines. Briefly a winemaker may perform the following tasks: |
- Liaise with grape-growers regarding management of the vineyard.
- Conduct various tests to monitor the quality of the grapes and decide the correct time for harvesting
- Organise the crushing and pressing of grapes, the settling of juice and the fermentation of grape materials
- Select and use the appropriate yeast and other additions that may be required for the must
- Control the temperature and progress of fermentation
- Supervise and perform the racking, clarification, fining and cold stabilisation of the wine
- Decide on the blending from different musts or wine in order to produce a more uniform final product
- In the final stages, the winemaker performs the filtration and bottling.
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| Most wines are aged in the bottles for a few months up to a few years, depending on the wine and the winery facilities. The winemaker"s job continues to monitor the ageing of the wine in order to detect possible instabilities. Finally, the winemaker should be involved in the marketing and sales of his wines in order to appreciate the customers" response and to ensure that the appropriate wine types, styles and quantities are produced to meet market demand. |
Winemaking at Monolithos Winery |
| We have a simple philosophy of our winemaking at Monolithos Winery. Use the healthiest possible fruit and make the best possible wines. We are committed to quality and value. Our bottles, labels, packaging and marketing philosophy reflect this simple approach. |
| We are also devoted to creating wines which best exhibit local character. The key element in the implementation of our goals is reflected through our personal involvement in all aspects of the winemaking, from vines to wines. We constantly update our working knowledge on all seven wines we produce whilst maintaining a balance of science, technology and local tradition. We aim to produce wines with a moderate framework of tannins and acidity, filled with fruit, a richness in the palate, a solid body and a good alcohol level. We create our wines and determine their prices with the intent of surpassing customers" expectations! |
| Our winery is always open to any of our friends and supporters to view or participate in any part of the winemaking process. If you wish - and have some free time - just let us know either directly by phone, or e-mail. |
Wine News and Information |
| A new study has found moderate red wine consumption can cut by half the risk of developing cataracts. The research formed part of the larger Reykjavik Eye Study, a five-year investigation into age-related eye disease that initially included 1,045 people, all over the age of 50. Data on 846 people were included in the cataract study. Beginning in 1996, subjects underwent eye examinations and filled in detailed questionnaires on their drinking habits. Of the 846 participants, 318 were classified as drinkers, of which 300 were "moderate" drinkers and 18 "heavy" drinkers. After five years, 32.2% of the non-drinkers and 22% of the drinkers had cataracts. Of the drinkers, beer drinkers faced the highest risk, followed by hard liquor drinkers and red wine drinkers. White wine was not included in the study because, as the researchers noted, it is not commonly consumed in Iceland, where the investigation took place. After accounting for age, smoking habits, diabetes and other factors, the researchers found moderate wine drinkers reduced their incidence of developing any kind of cataract by about 50% compared to non-drinkers. |
| Cyprus was the first Mediterranean country to make wine, an Italian archaeologist has claimed. Maria-Rosaria Belgiorno said that during an archaeological dig near the southern coastal town of Limassol, she had uncovered evidence that Cypriots were producing wine up to 6,000 years ago, AFP reports. "At Pyrgos, we found two jugs used for wine and the seeds of the grapes. And at Erimi, of the 18 pots we looked at, 12 were used for wine between 3,500BC and 3,000BC," Belgiorno was quoted as saying in the Cyprus Weekly newspaper. It was previously believed that the Mediterranean wine-making tradition originated in what is now Turkey and Syria, or with worshippers of the Greek god of wine, Dionysus. |
| Two Croatian yachts have weighed anchor on an expedition dedicated to finding the true roots of the Malvasia grape. The expedition"s final destination is the southern Greek port of Monemvassia, from which Malvasia was shipped all around Europe in its heyday. The name of the grape is itself a corruption of the name Monemvassia. The boats will also stop at Venice and other ports along the route. Malvasia was as popular as Chardonnay in the 13th and 14th centuries, mainly because of its ability to withstand long sea voyages. It was said to be a favourite of English kings. It is widely believed that Malvasia originated in the Greek Peloponnesian islands, but scientists now want to scientifically prove the genetic bond between the Greek version and its Croatian cousin "Malvazija Istarska". |
| Over the years, California"s winemakers, intent on getting that full body that sells so well, have been leaving the grapes longer and longer on the vine. That brings two risks during the fermentation process: either the alcohol level will get so high that it blots out the flavours, or the fermentation will become "stuck", with the sugars in the grape juice refusing to convert into alcohol. |
| "Stuck fermentation", which would lead to the kind of low-alcohol, sickly sweet drink that only a gullible under-age teenager would think was wine, is clearly something to be avoided. But it does have one useful property: it gives legal cover for the addition of water, ostensibly to restart the fermentation process. The letter of Californian law - Section 17010(a) of the California Administrative Code, to be precise - says "no water in excess of the minimum amount necessary to facilitate normal fermentation may be used in the production or cellar treatment of any grape wine". That, you might think, means that the only water that can be added to wine is the residue left from cleaning out the vats from the last batch of grapes. You would be wrong. The reality, as Mr Lee points out, is that "most countries are pretty much like California in that you can"t add water - except in special circumstances." In other words, just as for a Californian winemaker, there is surely some wiggle room for an Italian or French or Spanish vintner, too. Moreover, at the other end of the climate scale where the problem is a lack of sunshine rather than an excess, the wiggle room is often clearly spelled out: it is perfectly acceptable for German winemakers, for example, to "chapitalise" their wines - to add sugar to the fermentation process in order to increase the alcohol content. |
| The sensible conclusion for the consumer, then, is to judge a wine by its taste and bouquet, rather than by any tricks of the trade that the winemaker may or may not have used. |
Monolithos Monthly News |
| In late March, early April, when the daytime temperature reaches 15-20°C, the flowering of the vineyard begins. An early flowering usually signals a very good quality vintage. The warmer and calmer the weather, the better; rain or hail can be disastrous during springtime. After flowering, the shoots are thinned. |
| In May, the blossoms are replaced by minuscule berries that grow in size, but stay green and hard. Depending on weather conditions, the vines must be sprayed. Achieving season-long control requires a proactive approach that aims to reduce early-season infections and subsequent infestation. Elemental sulphur dust is an excellent prevention. Care must be taken to ensure that sulphur dust reaches shoots, fruit and leaves - even those shaded. |
| In the winery, we completed the bottling of Santa Monica White. This year"s vintage has a style adjusted to meet several customers" request for a sparkling wine that "talks dry and drinks sweet" in a similar manner to our popular sparkling Santa Monica Ros? wine. |
| In the marketing field, we are pleased and proud to announce that our award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon has been selected and included in the wine list of the exclusive restaurant of the Londa Hotel, Following an 18-month multi-million dollar transformation, Londa Hotel offers upscale facilities including a recently refurbished Italian restaurant which is operated by the team behind the popular restaurant Caprice of Mykonos. |
| If you are in Nicosia and wish to enjoy local tavern-type grilled food with your favourite Monolithos wine, you should try the "Yefsis" tavern at Armenia Street which is the latest addition to the list of restaurants that serve our wines. |
| If at any time you are passing near the village and wish to visit the winery or purchase any of our products, Martin Wood will be pleased to meet and assist you at his "Fig Tree Villa" in Pachna, so do not hesitate to phone him on 25-816212 or 99-165995. |
| We thank you for your continued support. |
| Regards from all of us here at Monolithos |
