Emerging Wine Regions Such as Texas and Arizona Overcome Obstacles
A native of Colorado, Aspen entrepreneur Nikos Hecht led an internationally prominent business as a global hedge fund manager. With a passion for collecting coins and watches, Nikos Hecht also maintains an extensive collection of wines from around the world.
A recent Forbes article highlighted the obstacles that wine growers from emerging regions face, ranging from climate and soil challenges to familiarizing consumers with the specific varieties and flavors that the local terroir produces.
Exemplifying this challenge is Texas, with the winemaker at Bending Branch Winery in Comfort pointing to the state’s “variable climate conditions” as a major obstacle. Often intense heat makes it extremely hard to bring fruit to its “phenolic ripeness.” Beyond humidity, growers must deal with hailstorms, late freezes, and disease, as well as nights that are too hot for grapes to get their proper rest.
One adaption to this has involved moving beyond what was traditionally considered the “commercially viable” varieties of grape, such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon, and Merlot. Today’s producers realize that, to bring out the full potential of the wine, they need to plant grapes suited to specific ecosystems.
The winemaker at Arizona’s Dos Cabezas WineWorks, which also experiences deep winter freezes and late spring frosts, echoes this approach. Through creative blending of Aglicanico, Petite Manseng, and hybrids, memorable alternatives to classic wines can be created that connoisseurs come to value and appreciate.
A recent Forbes article highlighted the obstacles that wine growers from emerging regions face, ranging from climate and soil challenges to familiarizing consumers with the specific varieties and flavors that the local terroir produces.
Exemplifying this challenge is Texas, with the winemaker at Bending Branch Winery in Comfort pointing to the state’s “variable climate conditions” as a major obstacle. Often intense heat makes it extremely hard to bring fruit to its “phenolic ripeness.” Beyond humidity, growers must deal with hailstorms, late freezes, and disease, as well as nights that are too hot for grapes to get their proper rest.
One adaption to this has involved moving beyond what was traditionally considered the “commercially viable” varieties of grape, such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon, and Merlot. Today’s producers realize that, to bring out the full potential of the wine, they need to plant grapes suited to specific ecosystems.
The winemaker at Arizona’s Dos Cabezas WineWorks, which also experiences deep winter freezes and late spring frosts, echoes this approach. Through creative blending of Aglicanico, Petite Manseng, and hybrids, memorable alternatives to classic wines can be created that connoisseurs come to value and appreciate.
