Field blend, an old winemaking method combining different grape varieties in a single block, is having a renaissance
But what is a field blend and how does it differ from any other blend?
Well, the strict definition is that it denotes a wine made from a vineyard where different varieties of grape are planted randomly, rather than in blocks of a single one. It’s the way things used to be done and operates much like a wildflower meadow. You can see the romance in that – though winemakers these days are more likely to know exactly what they’re picking, so the term is also used to cover grapes that are harvested and co-fermented at the same time, which results in some being underripe and others riper, and often brings a lively freshness to the wine (field blends are rarely high in alcohol, either). Blends, by contrast, are made mainly from grapes that are picked and vinified separately, which makes for more uniformity, but less of an unpredictable thrill.
Certain countries specialise in field blends. In Austria, for example, the city of Vienna has its own, the Wiener Gemischter Satz, which is included in the Slow Food Foundation’s Ark of Taste that highlights quality small-scale products worldwide. You find a fair few in Portugal’s Douro Valley too, and in Spain. In the new world, Australia has rather fallen in love with the stuff, while, perhaps more surprisingly, there are even some in the UK, including in Wales.
If you balk at the prices, there’s a reason they’re on the high side: true field vineyards, which are generally planted with old vines, are rare and unproductive, in much the same way as ancient apple orchards are, so producers, who tend to be small-scale, often make only a few hundred bottles each year.
It’s such an appealing concept, however, that I suspect we’ll see a lot more of them in coming years, so be prepared for what we should perhaps dub “field-washing”, the field blend equivalent of greenwashing, whereby grapes will simply be picked from different vineyards and go to press at roughly the same time.
In the meantime, look out for the real thing, particularly at this time of year, because they’re deliciously light and summery. You’ll find them in a lot of natural wine bars, too.
(Source: The Guardian)
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