Wine 101: Clones
Let’s say we have a vineyard full of Pinot Noir. In that vineyard, one vine acts differently from the rest. Maybe it yields better fruit. Perhaps it handles the climate a little differently. Regardless, it’s a vine that the grower decides they want more of. They take a cutting from that vine — the mother vine — and send it to a nursery for the winter. There, it’s fostered and eventually grows into a rootling before it’s brought back to the vineyard and planted the following spring. This, wine lovers, is vegetative propagation, the basis for asexual reproduction and grapevine cloning.
While not necessarily a new phenomenon, it wasn’t until the organic and biodynamic movements of the 20th century that people started paying attention to specific clones. These days, some bottles even boast what clone they’re using on the label to let you know that the wine is, well, going to be awesome. But buyer beware: Just because a wine is made from a famous clone doesn’t mean that its balance and complexity are guaranteed.
On this episode of “Wine 101,” Keith responds to a listener question about clones. What are they? How are they produced? And what’s the deal with all the hype around them? Tune in for more.
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“Wine 101” was produced, recorded, and edited by yours truly, Keith Beavers, at the VinePair headquarters in New York City. I want to give a big old shout-out to co-founders Adam Teeter and Josh Malin for creating VinePair. Big shout-out to Danielle Grinberg, the art director of VinePair, for creating the most awesome logo for this podcast. Also, Darby Cicci for the theme song. And I want to thank the entire VinePair staff for helping me learn something new every day. See you next week.
*Image retrieved from themorningglory via stock.adobe.com
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