New harvest of Syrah Epamig achieves “noble wine” classification and presents an unprecedented label

The Syrah winter wine produced by the institutional winery of the Minas Gerais Agricultural Research Company (EPAMIG), located in Campo Experimental de Caldas (MG), reached the “noble” category. The product, which in previous harvests was classified as “fine wine”, will feature a new label containing history and technical information about research in winemaking.

EPAMIG winemaker and responsible for making the wine, Lucas Amaral, explains that the “noble” classification achieved by the new harvest is related to the alcohol content of the wine and is determined by specific characteristics of the cultivation. “The grapes we harvested in August last year were so good that we achieved an alcohol content of 14,5%, this is because they managed to accumulate more sugars and phenolic compounds during the maturation process,” he says. According to Brazilian legislation, for a wine to be considered “noble”, it must have a natural alcohol content between 14,1% and 16%.

Among the main factors for the quality of the 2021 harvest are the weather conditions, which were favorable to the prolonged maturation of the Syrah cultivar grapes. “During the period, here in the south of Minas, we had low precipitation, high incidence of sunlight and large thermal amplitude, which is the difference in temperatures between day and night”, adds Lucas.

The double pruning technique, developed and disseminated by EPAMIG, once again proved to be effective for the production of winter wines. The method consists of altering the vine cycle by carrying out two annual prunings, which means that the grape maturation and harvesting period takes place in winter, a period with less rainfall and a high temperature range. The practice has been increasingly widespread among Brazilian producers and, according to the Company's winemaker, it is already used in vineyards in Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Goiás, Mato Grosso and Bahia, in addition to Minas Gerais.

Recommendations and care in field management

Another essential condition for the success of the 2021 harvest, highlighted by the winemaker, was the monitoring of the vineyard, carried out by technicians from the Campo Experimental de Caldas. Throughout the year, the field team periodically monitored the development of the plants, the incidence of diseases and specific demands, such as fertilization. Furthermore, during the maturation phase, every 15 days a team from the Experimental Field traveled to the institutional vineyard, in São Sebastião do Paraíso (MG), with the aim of evaluating the conditions of the vines and carrying out sampling to monitor the maturation and determination of harvest date. The grapes were then subjected to laboratory tests that determined their acidity, soluble solids and pH composition. In the 2021 harvest, the values ​​obtained were: total acidity of 94 meq/L; pH of 3,42; soluble solids content of 25,2°Bx; density of 1,100g/cm³.

The coordinator of EPAMIG's State Viticulture Research Program, Renata Vieira da Mota, also highlights the importance of management in the field and states that winter wine producers in the Southeast region need to be aware of some essential details during cultivation. The first is disease prevention. According to Renata, the producer must constantly observe possible outbreaks of disease in his vineyard and carry out preventive spraying throughout the cycle, paying special attention to the flowering period, the period in which the formation of vine clusters begins. This way, it is possible to avoid the development of fungi that only become visible when the grapes are already ripening. “Some producers maintain fixed spraying schedules, but I believe that the most effective way is to carry out detailed studies on the specific climate of the region where they grow their grapes, to know precisely the right time when spraying should be done, avoiding excesses. In doing so, they save resources and do not run the risk of inducing resistance in the fungi,” she highlights.

Another practice recommended by the researcher is the selection of more diverse grapes during sampling, not just those with turgid berries, so that the sugar levels of the harvest can be more accurately identified. “Withered berries provide little must for testing, but they accumulate high concentrations of sugar as they have been maturing for longer. If they are not included in the sampling, the producer will not be able to obtain the real level of sugar present in the bunches, which could result in the production of a wine that exceeds 16% alcohol content, the limit stipulated by legislation”, she emphasizes.

Renata warns that the EPAMIG team has observed a high rate of defoliation in some vineyards in the south of Minas, which results in an increased incidence of sun on the bunches and, consequently, an unwanted reduction in the acidity of the fruits. The researcher reinforces that “one of the characteristics of winter wine is precisely this balance between higher alcohol content and high acidity. If the acidity is reduced too much, the alcohol begins to stand out, causing the wine to lose its balance in the mouth. That’s why you need to be careful not to remove too many leaves from the bunches.”

New wine label and technology seal

Syrah EPAMIG 2021 will debut a label with a new, more modern design, containing informative texts regarding classifications and production processes. Lucas Amaral highlights that “in addition to being commercial, the Syrah produced in our winery is also an institutional wine. So we included additional texts on the back label to offer an educational experience for the consumer, who will now have access to specific information about cultivation and research.” The new presentation of the drink also has the “Dupla Poda” seal, which certifies the pioneering technology developed by the Company for the production of winter wines in Southeastern Brazil.

The team's expectation at the Caldas Experimental Field is that, of the total of 2,1 liters produced of the new Syrah, approximately 500 liters will undergo aging in oak barrels for the production of the Gran Reserva line, to be launched in 2023. Brazilian legislation stipulates that to be classified in the Gran Reserva category, the wine must age for at least 18 months. During this period, it is mandatory to use wooden containers for at least six months before bottling and selling the drink.

The vinification of EPAMIG wines takes place in the Experimental Field in the municipality of Caldas (MG). The company is linked to the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply of Minas Gerais (Seapa).