From Sigi Hiss
, at 10. February 2010 13:30
The first commercially-produced wine from grapes ripened in Scotland is to be launched, if there is enough sunshine.
By Simon Johnson, Scottish Political Editor – Pete Gottgens, a top chef, is planning to harvest grapes at his Perthshire hotel later this year, and wants to use them to produce a crisp Riesling. He plans to sell the wine in his hotel restaurant and run classes in wine-producing, although he will turn his crop into vinegar if it is not good enough.
Wine has even been produced in the Outer Hebrides on the Isle of Lewis, but never previously on a commercial scale north of the Border. However, scientists have predicted that global warming will create a more favourable climate for making wine in Britain, including Scotland. “If we have a warm summer, then we are in business. This will be the first harvest that we actually pick the grapes,” said Mr Gottgens, who was Nelson Mandela’s personal chef. “Cold is not the problem, the lack of sunshine is our biggest problem. If the wine is fit for consumption it will be served by the glass with our food. If it’s not good enough we can make it into vinegar.”
Mr Gottgens planted 48 vines four years ago as a trial, but wants to expand this to 800 vines once he knows which varieties work. The vineyard is managed by a wine maker from his native South Africa. He has used Bacchus and Madeleine Angevine vines, which produce white Riesling, in the grounds of the Ardeonaig hotel, on the banks of Loch Tay.
Of encouragement has been Canada’s viticulture industry, centred around Ontario’s Niagara region, where freezing temperatures contribute to the cultivation of the sweet Ice Wine. Mr Gottgens admitted Scotland will not be Europe’s next wine-growing region, but argued: “If we don’t try we will never know if Scotland can produce wine or not. Somebody has got to be first.”
There are already 416 vineyards in England and 2,732 acres of vines under cultivation, an increase of 45 per cent in the past four years. Julia Trustram Eve, of English Wine Producers, said: “This is a new thing for Scotland and it will be interesting to see how it goes. We wish them well.”
But Tom Cannavan, a wine critic and author, was sceptical about the end product, after Mr Gottgens has harvests his grapes in September. “They might end up with a palatable white wine, which they will have to add sugar to, but it will not be at connoisseur level,” he said.
“The quality will probably be kind of middling, but I imagine the quirkiness of having a Scottish wine will spark a lot of interest.
“The basic rule of thumb is that grapes need 100 days to ripen and in that time they need a certain amount of heat and sunlight, and I don’t think Scotland has the climate.” wine-business-international.com/News.html
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