Some reflections on saying no to cryoextraction

 The Syndicat rejected this

 I'm delighted that the Syndicat des Quarts de Chaume threw out so decisively on Monday night the demand from two of its producers to allow the use of cryoextraction in the appellation. This and other decisions that the Syndicat has taken should enhance the credibility of the Quarts de Chaume.

At the meeting they also decided to limit the weight of grapes harvested from each vine to 1.4 kilos with a maximum tolerance of 1.7 kilos. Adjusted for the vignes larges it was agreed that this would equate to 2.5 kilos. The Syndicat previously agreed that grapes for Quarts de Chaume have to reach an average potential alcohol of 18% with 17.5% at the lowest.    

To have accepted the use of cryoextraction would have signalled a return to the bad old days of the  late 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s when much of the sweet wine produced in the Layon was of poor quality, although the technique of cryoextraction was developed during the 1980s. It would have threatened the impressive progress made over the last 20-25 years with the reintroduction of selective picking, reduction in yield, etc. It is quite likely that other Quarts de Chaume producers would have decided that why take the risk making sweet wine naturally when cryoextraction allows you to pick the grapes when they are less ripe. From the photos I took on Sunday and yesterday (see below) it is also clear that it allows yields to be pushed up well beyond the limit possible for naturally sweet Quarts de Chaume. The permitted maximum yield for Quarts de Chaume is 25 hl/ha. To make top quality, naturally sweet wine you have to go well below this – much closer to 10hl/ha than 25. Cryoextraction allows you to harvest at 25hl/ha and probably much higher in some parcels as these photos show:

Taken yesterday in a terraced parcel in the Quarts de Chaume – 20+ bunches

Doubtless accountants would find such arguments compelling. 

I'm not saying that Quarts de Chaume made by cryoextraction are bad wines. After all cryoextraction assisted Quarts de Chaume have won numerous awards. However, they are not I think true terroir wines. Indeed they could be made more economically on flat ground, machine harvested and then concentrated. The Quarts de Chaume is classified as one of the three crus of Anjou because of its terroir or special site: its proximity to the Layon, its soils, its microclimate, etc. which all go to making these vineyards particularly favourable to the development of noble rot. Cryoextraction and the quantity of grapes on these vines makes this special terroir irrelevant, except that the finished wines benefit from the reputation of the Quarts de Chaume.

The Syndicat's decision to require in 2011 a minimum of 18% potential at the time of picking and a limit on the amount of what can harvested from each plant will surely force changes to the way the vines on these terraces are managed. Under the current way they are managed I would be very surprised if they can reach 18% potential and if the fruit on each vine weighs just 2.5 kilos – between 4 and 5 kilos per vine looks much more likely.

I note on the InterLoire site which details the requirements for Quarts de Chaume that:

'Contraintes techniques : Vendanges manuelles avec tries successives de raisins arrivés à surmaturité et présentant une concentration par l’action ou non de la pourriture noble. Contrôle « à la parcelle » des conditions de production.'

I have to wonder whether the above parcel meets the 'conditions de production'. If they do, then it would appear that the 'conditions' are actually pretty lax!