Growing Romanee Conti in California

Nice article by Eric Asimov, the New York Times wine writer, on clonal selction for Pinot Noir The Truth About 'Suitcase Clones' in California and Oregon. It also touches on the dubious practice of slipping into the great vineyards of Burgundy at night to grab a cutting or two from cru's like La Tache and Romanee Conti.

The story goes that a number of grower/ winemakers over the years have resorted to this practice, hiding the cuttings in their suitcases and smuggling them back into their homeland to be propagated as their own version of 'Grand Cru' burgundy. Hence the name, 'suitcase' clones.

Consequently, the predominant Pinot Noir clones in California and Oregon are the so called Dijon clones ( 113, 114, 115, 777, 667 and 828), which, according to authorities like Burghound writer Allen Meadows, is producing a boring, uniform style in the U.S. offerings.

With Pinot Noir being the flavour of the moment in red grapes, plantings have doubled in California in the last ten years. Being bagged for lacking interest is not quite what most of these people would be wanting to hear at this point in time.

We enjoyed Asimov's style of writing though and will be looking for more of his work to review on www.dombeyawines.com.

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