Name Calling

There is a job in the wine world that requires an individual to examine, analyze, research and pass judgement.  No, not wine critic, but ampelographer.  An ampelographer is a person who's job is to be concerned with the proper identification and classification of grapevines.   The word ampelographry comes from two Greek words: ampelos for vine and graph for description.  

These ampelographers examine the various physical characteristics of a grapevine, then attempt to give the vine a proper name that represents the vine's lineage and individual characteristics, chardonnay or syrah for example.  Until the 1940s ampelography was considered an art.  Then Pierre Galet created systematic criteria for the identification of vines and the science of ampelography was born. 

It is important to know what variety of vine is growing in certain vineyard so this particular vine can be raised right and cared for appropriately.  Plus people like to know what it is they have in the bottle of red wine.  Some grapevines require more water and less sun, and some require just the opposite.  If you didn't know what kind of vine you were caring for it would be like trying to raise your son or daughter by always saying “hey you.”  Somewhat effective, but certainly not optimal.  People and grapevines like when you know who they are.

Most of the time, name calling is juvenile and silly and sometimes, your an ampleographer, and it's your job.