Ed R said: Reports to follow--gotta post a lot to counter the flood of cross-posting that's threatening to swamp the AFW boat.
Too true. Although I expect it's pretty seaworthy. Still, in that spirit: after a delightful half-bottle of the '03 Shafer Merlot in DC, we opened a stashed bottle of the '02 with some friends last week. Some of the same bones came through; huge body, very jammy for a Merlot, highly structured*. Not quite as good, though, to us: a little thinner without compensating elegance. Still delightful but not as rhapsodic; B, might be B+ but relativly high price argues against.
{*So, on a different note: what does a winemaker *do* to create structure? Newbie Q I guess, but I'd still welcome insight.}
Good question, Ewan. Here's my (non-professional) take: structure as we commonly define it comes from tannins and acid. In CA, both can (and often are) added to the wine during elevage to compensate for CA's sunny climate that robs certain grapes of their natural acids. However, a less interventionist approach is to grow your grapes in a relatively cool area and make sure that the vines are stressed enough to get the most out of them. That latter bit is often achieved by planting in well-drained soils on hillsides, by dry farming, by getting the proper amount of exposure, etc. If someone like Tom S. stops by, they can probably add quite a bit to this.
One winemakers response; adding acid is possible. Adjusting tannins artificially, while done by some, rarely results in a well balanced wine.
As always, better grapes equals better wine. IMHO, here in California we tend towards the "big" wines - resulting in leaving grape harvest later to increase sugars - with lowered acid as a consequence. For my own part, I prefer to harvest at the most optimal balance of sugar and acid as possible. For instance, my '05 Syrah is shaping up wonderfully. On oak right now, it has good acid to the palate (pH 3.62) but is lower alcohol than much of what the market is pushing - this wine is at 12.7%. I sacrifice higher alcohol for better balance. The heat values here in California (I am in the Sierra Foothills) do impact this whole equation. White wines, in particular, tend to be too low in acid and still maintain a balanced alcohol. Again, IMHO, I prefer not to pursue big alcohol, but rather try to harvest at a point as close to balance as possible - with the occassional acid adjustment where really required. As for the tannin structure, that is a function of both grape quality and winemaking. Better grapes, grown in appropriate conditions, fertilized and managed properly, harvested at the appropriate time will provide the better raw material. The winemaker then has an opportunity to play with his craft to create the wine he desires. For instance (again using my Syrah as an example), I like there to be a strong tannin profile - when accompanied by good acid allowing the wine to age well. My own grapes, I know from experience, have strong tannins. Others I might acquire may not be so. With the latter, I might be inclined to leave a small amount of stems in the primary to increase tannins (very small). I also monitor color extraction to press at an optimal stage - which usually also relates to tannin extraction. For those grapes with a little too much tannin profile, or if I want to make a wine the does not require as much aging, I might press off sooner or later, or fine the wine; egg whites, or similar, to soften the palate.
A more simple answer to the question; a winemaker 'creates' structure three ways;
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