Comments on: The Long Tail of Terroir http://israeliwineblog.com/2008/07/the-long-tail-of-terroir/ Introducing Americans to boutique Israeli wines and winemakers. Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:01:52 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Gabriella Opaz http://israeliwineblog.com/2008/07/the-long-tail-of-terroir/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Gabriella Opaz Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:16:15 +0000 http://israeliwineblog.com/?p=86#comment-35 Sadly, when you talked about individuality, it made me think of the difference of how I felt moving to Spain from the US. Here I see a dog hanging out in a bar run by guy who looks spry and younger than myself at 78. I see couples running a yarn shop, a young woman opening her first hairdresser joint, a gay couple open a fax and copy store. Sure, they may be from all over the world, but their store is unique, decorated with pictures of family and friends or with little personal accouterments. While the US, the frightening virus it can be, has spread the sterile mall approach across the world, where McDonalds, Burger King and Hard Rock Cafe, can be found everywhere. Every store is the same, identically the same, and every store can be found anywhere in the US. It's one big consumer nightmare. Stripping down to something that is homogeneous, empty, without personality and void. Now let's apply this to wine. Am I seeing Chardonnay, Merlot or Syrah in every single blend, no, happily I am not. Are they not infiltrating Iberia as well? Sure, they are. But as we talked about before, it's not the grape, as so much as the winemaking process. Chardonnay from California, Spain or Israel will taste completely different if we allow the "terroir" to come through. Strip the wine down to nothing, and maybe we have an argument. But as long as we remain "true" to the terroir, give me any grape that is conductive to the climate and conditions, and I you can show individuality and unique personality. No matter where you go in the world, Hard Rock Cafe will always be the same. Always. But Iberia has done incredible wonders with foreign varietals, allowing their true beauty to come through. Israel can do the same, and has done the same, and I would happily support any project that emphasis the expression of both the grape and the land. Sadly, when you talked about individuality, it made me think of the difference of how I felt moving to Spain from the US. Here I see a dog hanging out in a bar run by guy who looks spry and younger than myself at 78. I see couples running a yarn shop, a young woman opening her first hairdresser joint, a gay couple open a fax and copy store. Sure, they may be from all over the world, but their store is unique, decorated with pictures of family and friends or with little personal accouterments. While the US, the frightening virus it can be, has spread the sterile mall approach across the world, where McDonalds, Burger King and Hard Rock Cafe, can be found everywhere. Every store is the same, identically the same, and every store can be found anywhere in the US. It’s one big consumer nightmare. Stripping down to something that is homogeneous, empty, without personality and void.

Now let’s apply this to wine. Am I seeing Chardonnay, Merlot or Syrah in every single blend, no, happily I am not. Are they not infiltrating Iberia as well? Sure, they are. But as we talked about before, it’s not the grape, as so much as the winemaking process. Chardonnay from California, Spain or Israel will taste completely different if we allow the “terroir” to come through. Strip the wine down to nothing, and maybe we have an argument. But as long as we remain “true” to the terroir, give me any grape that is conductive to the climate and conditions, and I you can show individuality and unique personality.

No matter where you go in the world, Hard Rock Cafe will always be the same. Always. But Iberia has done incredible wonders with foreign varietals, allowing their true beauty to come through. Israel can do the same, and has done the same, and I would happily support any project that emphasis the expression of both the grape and the land.

]]> By: eitan http://israeliwineblog.com/2008/07/the-long-tail-of-terroir/comment-page-1/#comment-22 eitan Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:53:47 +0000 http://israeliwineblog.com/?p=86#comment-22 Richard, I would like to see Israeli growers try to find indigenous varieties (that are probably long lost or forgotten) and try and recreate wines that were made in the region before Muslim rule. Richard,

I would like to see Israeli growers try to find indigenous varieties (that are probably long lost or forgotten) and try and recreate wines that were made in the region before Muslim rule.

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