Producing wine is an activity that requires patience and passion, but even with these traits, a winemaker might come across a problem that he or she just can’t seem to get right. This is where the oenologue comes in. Oenology can be considered as the science of wine, used in such a way as to better the quality of the wine. In the wine producing region of Saumur in the Loire Valley, where the vineyards are small parcels of land passed down through the generations of sons (and on occasion their daughters), two women fill the role of oenologue, Nathalie and Isabelle.
This past week, I worked with these two women as an intern in the lab that they have established just outside of Puy-Notre-Dame, a small village that is famous for its beautiful cathedral. While Nathalie and Isabelle spend much of their time in the lab working on the samples the winemakers have brought them, a large part of the job is also going to the vineyards, studying the vines, and visiting the chai (wine or barrel shed) that might be the root of problem.
During my week working in the lab, we saw quite a few interesting problems. There was a Coteaux de Layon (a sweet white wine) that smelled intensely of mold, a Saumur Rouge that smelled of reduction, and another that smelled of oxidation. The goal of the oenologue is to help the winemaker find a solution to better his or her wines. Sometimes the solution can be simple, such as blending the wines, while at other times it might call for a more extensive measure, such as ThermoFlash, that heats the wine in a very precise manner as to prevent or cure microbiological flora in the wines.
In addition to visiting the vineyards and working in the lab, we also participated in a wine tasting for the pre-selection of the Concours Général Agricole 2010. This competition selects the best agricultural products to be later presented in Paris. We tasted and judged 19 créments de la Loire (sparkling wines), which is no easy task at ten in the morning.
