Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/552044
{ SOMMjournal.com } 61 Who: "Professors" Nicolas Quille, Enrico Cerulli, Christian Scrinzi and Rudy Buratti What: Going Green: All Hail Mother Nature Where: Hotel Alexis, Seattle, Washington by Karen Moneymaker / photos by Joann Arruda Exemplary Washington State Riesling When the morning starts with Nicolas Quille, Winemaking Director for Pacific Rim Winery in Washington State, bribing the Seattle audience out of our pre-coffee haze by saying, "I've got compost" with a wicked grin, you know the day is heading in a good direc - tion. So began our first seminar, Going Green: All Hail Mother Nature, which highlighted five remarkably different winemakers who, through very different winemaking styles, are working towards sustainability and striving to make a difference in their respective regions. The racy, yet balanced Pacific Rim 2013 Solstice Vineyard Riesling, Yakima Valley snapped the classroom out of whatever morning fog remained, and we were held in rapt attention as Quille walked us through his winemaking methodology. "When we started making Riesling, we had a very traditional approach to grape grow - ing and winemaking." Quille continued, "When we started in biodynamics, we discovered certain grapes needed much less 'input.' Riesling is one of those varieties for which biody- namics in the vineyard actually increase its aromatic and structural complexities." Quille continued, "In the winemaking process we use no added acid, sugar or culti- vated yeasts, and have a very hands-off approach to sulfur addition," using 2.5 times less than the legal limit, and much lower than the winemaking standard. To do this, Quille harvests his Rieslings in three different stages of maturation so he has varying levels of acid and sugar to use for the final blend. The result is a wine that is lively on the palate without losing the depth and nuances one hopes for in a glass of well-made Riesling. Breaking New Ground in Chile While Noelia Orts, Winemaker at Emiliana Organic Vineyards in Colchagua, Chile was unable to make the trip due to harvest in the Southern Hemisphere, Lars Leicht, National Director of Cru Artisan Wines, was an excellent proxy in speaking to Chile's importance in the South American "green" movement. Explained Leicht, "Producers in Chile who have heart—even large wineries, not neces - sarily those one would expect—are doing things sustainably, organically or bio dynamically." Emiliana is one such producer, and the result was evident as we tasted through their Emiliana 2013 Signos de Origén La Vinilla (a blend of Chardonnay, Roussanne, Viognier and Marsanne) from the Casablanca Valley, and the Emiliana 2011 Coyam (a Syrah, Carménère, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blend) and Emiliana 2011 Gê (Carménère, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon), both from the Colchaugua Valley. As Jacob Gragg of Cru Artisan Wines noted, "These wines are pretty groundbreaking." The Many Shades of "Green" in Abruzzo, the Veneto and Montalcino As Enrico Cerulli, family proprietor of Cerulli Spinozzi in Teramo, Italy sees it, "Growing green is good—for us as winemakers, for the environment and for the market." His family has been growing grapes in Abruzzo for more than 40 years, and Cerulli believes that "sustainable growing practices help to preserve our main treasure: our soil." "Our modern world, and the choices we made after WWII and the chemical revolu - tion, have put us in a place of forced responsibility." Cerulli attested, "Sustainable grow- ing practices means that I guarantee you that I won't use anything that will hurt our soils, our wines or the environment." Despite this Cerulli, entreats us to not be "victims to the idea that everything is bad for us. Chemistry is not evil, it just needs to be looked at in perspective and against the bigger picture." Nicolas Quille, Winemaking Director for Pacific Rim Winery in Washington State, with his "tools of the trade" for biodynamic grape growing. (left to right) Kelvin DeBoer, Sommelier at John Howie Steak, Seattle; freelance writer Chris Nishiwaki; and Brandon Rastok, Sommelier at John Howie Steak, Seattle. Enrico Cerulli, family proprietor of Cerulli Spinozzi.