EXPERT
Series One
What’s in your glass?
The nuances of cloning
Cloning nuances, growing regions, what’s happening in the vineyard, wine sensory, what happens after crush and wrap up with winemakers and food pairings for the holidays!
WHAT IS A CLONE?
The nuances of cloning
Most of us might assume grapevines originate from a seed; however, this is not the case. In the same way you are not an exact replica of your parents, reproducing vines via planting a seed results in vines that are not exact replicas of the parent vines. Instead, viticulturists “reproduce” vines by planting a cutting (twig of a vine with a bud) from a “mother vine” that exhibits optimal traits such as resistance to a disease or a distinct flavor profile. These cuttings, or clones, are identical to the mother vine and have been replicated over and over by grape growers all over the globe.
DISTINCT CLONES
The nuances of cloning
There are multiple clones for each grape variety; For example, there are dozens of Pinot Noir clones, all showcasing different characteristics – berries can vary in size, leaves can take on different shapes, but most importantly, different clones produce distinct flavor profiles. One clone of Pinot Noir may produce grapes with deep, intense strawberry flavors, while another clone’s grapes take on the flavors of mushroom and earth. Generally speaking, most wine producers prefer to have vineyards with a mixture of clones, allowing them to blend them and create a wine with optimal balance and complexity.