In a groundbreaking move that challenges traditional winemaking norms, Maxime Chapoutier, a renowned winemaker from France, has introduced an innovative concept of blending wines from two continents. This audacious endeavor, part of The Wine Society's 150th birthday celebrations, is both a celebration and a challenge to the age-old French winemaking traditions. The wines, aptly named Hemispheres Red and Hemispheres White, are crafted using grapes sourced from both Australia and France. However, the venture faces legal hurdles, as French and EU laws prohibit the blending of EU and non-EU fruit, making these wines illegal in Chapoutier's native country.
The concept of cross-continent blending is not entirely new, but it is gaining attention due to the unique approach and potential it holds for the future of winemaking. Peter Richards, a Master of Wine and wine sniffer, supports this novel idea. He asserts,
"The notion of cross-country blending for wine isn't something I find outrageous in itself."
This project involves shipping Australian red and white wine components in bulk to the United Kingdom. Once in the UK, these components are meticulously blended with wines from France's northern Rhone and Roussillon regions. The resulting blend is then bottled and distributed across the UK, US, Australia, and other international markets. Penfolds, a key player in this venture, describes their blends as "wine of the world" with an "otherness that can best be described as worldly."
The practice of shipping wine in bulk rather than bottles is seen as an environmentally friendly approach. Jas Swan, an independent winemaker, acknowledges this benefit but remains skeptical about the trend leading to more low-grade wines. Jamie Goode, a respected wine writer, offers a balanced perspective on this development. He notes,
"If the wines are good, and made well from good vineyard sites – and not simply a gimmick blending together cheap bulk wines and then slapping a huge margin on the wine – then this is quite interesting."
Despite the excitement surrounding these blends, there remain staunch defenders of traditional winemaking principles. The French wine industry places immense value on "terroir," a concept referring to the environmental factors affecting vines in a vineyard. Susie Barrie remains cautious about the taste quality of such blends, expressing,
"I remain to be convinced that a wine made by blending grapes from different countries can be great in terms of taste."
Jamie Goode further elaborates on the skill required for such blends by stating,
"In some ways, there's a lot of skill required to blend the right wines together to create something interesting coming from such different places."
Maxime Chapoutier's willingness to push boundaries does not come without its risks. Due to strict French appellation rules, he would face arrest if he attempted to sell these blends in France. Nonetheless, Chapoutier believes that his provocative approach could spark necessary changes within the industry.
"There would likely be outrage about these wines in France, and that would be a good thing," he remarks.
Pierre Mansour from The Wine Society also highlights another motivation behind this innovation: combating climate change impacts on winemaking.
"We were thinking about the future of wine, and we wanted to do something innovative. In the end we thought that one area of innovation is blending, of creating a wine that can mitigate for the impact of climate change on a particular country."
The journey to revolutionize winemaking continues as this innovative approach challenges traditional perceptions and opens up new possibilities for the future. While it faces significant legal and cultural obstacles, the concept has sparked interest and debate across the global wine community.