The Mission Grape
Ξ January 7th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ A Day at a Time, Tasting Notes, Wine History, Winemakers, Wineries |
Yes, the historically important Mission grape is still being used in California for blends and even for 100% variety bottlings. About 1000 acres of Mission remain under cultivation here, roughly the same acreage as Petit Verdot! Though a far less distinguished grape than PV, nevermind Cabernet or Zinfandel, the other ‘founding’ California vine, the Mission grape possesses an unrivaled caché in the state. Still used as a blending grape for fortified sacramental wines and inexpensive Gallo and Robert Mondavi bottlings, there also exist a few higher end, charming efforts, more about which in a moment.
The padres vinified as they were able, using cowhides stitched together for the crushing, done underfoot. The juice was then poured into any available receptacle for fermentation. (Often the results, if fermented to dry reflected poorly on the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, shall we say. So Brandy was frequently added to the grape juice at the crush, arresting fermentation altogether, California’s first contribution to the world of wine: Angelica.) But with respect to modern expressions of Mission many a palate comes away with the impression of a sweet, simple wine, very pale, almost rosé in color. While not exactly disappointing, drinkers find Mission wine has very little structure. Tannins are virtually absent, alc tends to be nearly 15%, with little effort on the winemaker’s part to manipulate largely because of the historical significance of the drinking experience itself.
Yet it is also true that the term Mission 
may refer to any number of cultivars brought initially from Spain, often as seeds, to be grown not only on the lands of the Catholic Church’s 21 Missions in California over a 75 year history, but also in the larger South West and in Mexico for far longer. It has only recently been determined by using modern DNA techniques that at least one cultivar is in fact Listan Prieto, a grape rare in Spain today. Yet, apart from probable clonal variations of the Listan, we have historical ‘tasting notes’, typically the passing observations of travelers and explorers, which suggest when compared today, that at a minimum, two other varieties of early vines were planted in Alta and Baja California. Additionally, it is possible hybridization took place between Mission grape(s) and wild species Vitis girdiana and Vitis californica. The difficulty of teasing out the historical facts of the matter are multiple, the greatest of which is the paucity of surviving vines.
Be that as it may, for the purposes of this article I recently had the pleasure of drinking one of the finest 100% Mission wines still available: Rocco Malvini’s Com’ è Bella 2002 Vallecito Vineyards Mission. 
The nose is sweet, (alc. @ 14.3%, though I think it is closer to 15%) with dark, ripe plum and fig. Color quite light, a hint of orange, but does not taste oxidized. Vanilla cream and milk candy, followed by an expansive soft mid-palate of vanilla and plums. Finish has just a bit of acid, no tannin to speak of. Very fruity, oak notes close the experience. All in all, quite a bit better when done in French Oak rather than cowhide!
A very simple wine, to be sure, but also charming, like the man himself. I had the pleasure of speaking with Rocco. Somehow ended up with his home number. A humble man, he’ll sign your bottles should you make it to Com’ è Bella’s tasting room in Murphys, Ca., though now under very capable new ownership, renamed Bodega del Sur Winery. Wander in, have a chat with the man. Rocco is an important link to a swiftly changing vinous landscape.
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