Joeseph Swan and Suitcase Clones Cont.
I was looking back over some of the recent comments and noticed a very interesting one from Rod Bergland, the winemaker at our neighbor Joseph Swan Winery. In an earlier post I expressed my doubts that Swan actually planted DRC clones in his vineyard due to the virus problems that would have resulted. Rod left a very interesting note that sets the record straight.
If only it were true that we didn’t have to worry about virus in the old vines…many appear clean but I am sure that they would test positive for something, while with others it is very obvious come harvest time when their leaves are almost as red as the fruit, that there is something other than a little water stress going on. And it is true that we have some DRC vines in the vineyard. They are not the original old vines and I won’t reveal which vines they actually are (we like to keep the canes on the vines, where they belong!), they were a gift from Burgundy some years ago. In defense of the vigneron who brought them over, when I mentioned to him, some years later, that it was a crime he responded with shock and horror! (Of course this all occurred before I was associated with the vineyard). And, as mentioned, site is everything. They, like the fruit from the rest of the vines, express the terroir of this particular site.
Fascinating stuff! Thanks for the insight Rod. While their website appears to be down at the moment (a re-design perhaps?) you should be able to visit them at swanvineyards.com in the near future. Additionally, if like me you will be attending the Terroir 2006 conference at Davis, there is a special field trip out to Joseph Swan Vineyards that is sure to be very informative.
Now if only I can teach our Labrador to root out DRC clones by smell…;-)
One Comment → “Joeseph Swan and Suitcase Clones Cont.”
As I continue browsing your blog I come across this subject — one near and dear to my heart. Scandal? Hey, ALL of the grapes we grow here in CA were once suitcase selections (in the case of Agoston Haraszthy it was probably more like several steamer trunks). All the grapes in France and Italy were suitcase selections centuries ago. Grapevine imporatation and certification programs are recent phenomena. Some might say impedimenta, but that would be irresponsible.
Ticking off a few other great Pinot vineyards that may (or may not) have been supplied with wood from DRC, or at least some properties along the Route de Grands Crus: Louis Martini’s original Carneros planting (now gone), Chalone’s old Estate (now gone), some of Josh Jensen’s plantings at Calera, maybe Hanzell? Maybe part of Bien Nacido? And given the current push to plant more Pinot, probably more than a few new plantings as well. Rod may be able to keep keep the canes on the DRC vines at Swan, but everyone in the world can get a map that shows just where to go for the real thing in Burgundy.
That said, I am sticking contentedly with registered clones for planting our Estate vineyard. Because with Pinot it really is all about terroir. I believe DRC would still taste like DRC no matter what is planted there (within reason). Years ago I had a conversation with where he told me that they went to “the communes across the river” for their selection massale.