The newer clonal material was imported for several reasons. First because new is sexy! Right? So if its sexy its got to be good!!!

Actually there are several reasons for the new material. Generally winemakers/people are always looking for the next best thing. That great clone that in the right site does magic, or gives a winemaker an advantage over another winemaker. Its a quest to improve.

The newer clones are plant materials that were selected by a French governmental entity with the purpose of improving plant material stocks. ENTAV/INRA. They select plant materials and in trials identify materials that have interesting and valuable characteristics. For Pinot in France one characteristic is early ripening. The Dijion clones tend to ripen a little earlier. In a northerly region with rapidly shortening fall days this is a major benefit. These clones also tend to have more color and lower acidity, amongst other characteristics.

The existing California pinot materials go back at least as far as 1852 or thereabouts when Pierre Pellier brought cuttings from Burgundy and varietals from other French regions to the lower San Francisco Bay area – Santa Clara Valley. (Along with plums and fruit tree cuttings which went on to found an amazing fruit industry.)

I have some material that traces to this selection that is abutting a block of Dijion clone 115. (I think Eric Anderson has seen this and photographed it, its somewhere on http://www.grape-nutz.com/ ) The abutting rows, side by side dramatically show that the Dijion clusters are about 7-10 days ahead of the Pellier materials.

The Pellier selection can be as dark, but tends to be more aromatic and has a looser cluster morphology.

Other materials were brought in by Professor Olmo at UC Davis, and by many, many others… who transported them in suitcases and in their underwear.

Many winemakers are going back to the older materials because they tend to ripen more slowly than the new Dijion materials. This may be an advantage in terms of achieving specific stylistic goals.

But again, they could all be wrong… (can I get maniacal laughter piped in here?) I think the trick with the Dijion clones is that you need to hang a little more crop in order to slow them down… To delay the early sugar accumulation you need to give them a bigger carbohydrate sink… duh!!!!!!!??? That gives tannins, phenolics and flavor time to develop.

Its all about balance… and the sweetspot changes every year… Thats what makes it so hard…! Hope this helps.

This is such a tough crowd to please.

Jay

Incidentally, in the past when it’s been a talk with a Powerpoint presentation you’ve posted the presentation with the show. I understand that may not always be possible, but I just want to register my voice in favor of the practice when you can do it.

Okay, back to the second half of the podcast.

Brian