Are The Best Tasting Wines Dry Farmed?
By Katie Kelly Bell, March 12, 2015
When talking about wine, the term dry farmed might not be the kind of descriptor that inspires passion, curiosity or thirst. Yet, if you like wine, the term is probably a descriptor you should know about. Why? In short, dry farmed wines are not irrigated and many argue that practice yields a big difference in taste. …Essentially, a wine that is dry farmed only gets the water that Mother Nature sees fit to give. The vine is then left to struggle for water during dry spells, which can often mean much of the growing season. This aspect of struggle requires the vine’s roots to dig deeply in search of water. The deeper a vine’s roots, the more exposure it gets to native terroir, not just the top layer of soil. Also, many argue that dry farmed wines have greater flavor because the grapes tend to be smaller and more concentrated….Without a doubt, dry farming grapes requires an attentive winemaker to ensure the grapes ripen properly. The winemakers forgoing irrigation are indeed crafting some amazingly elegant wines.
Some Dry Farmed Wines/Wineries to sample now:
Smith-Madrone Vineyards, Napa—Brothers Stuart and Charles Smith dry farm the grapes for their cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and riesling wines. Vines grow on steep hillsides in the northern end of Napa Valley, yielding concentration and finesse.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/katiebell/2015/03/12/are-the-best-tasting-wines-dry-farmed/
Smith-Madrone News 