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What is setting the wine Twittersphere atwitter this Summer?
Wed, 07/14/2010 - 06:46Three considerations: (i) the residual good feelings resulting from the very successful 2010 Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla, Washington; (ii) the hard-upon-us PinotNoir Twitter Tasting and Smackdown; and (iii) The Summer of Riesling. I will reprise these considerations in this post.
The 2010 Wine Bloggers Conference, held in Walla Walla from June 25th - 27th, provided wine bloggers from across the country the opportunity to: visit Washington-area wineries; attend seminars covering a range of pertinent topics; and, most importantly, from some perspectives, interact with their peers (I had signed up to attend but had to cancel due to a bi-annual family gathering on the same dates. Failure to attend said gathering would have resulted in permanent banishment from all such future gatherings -- a fate worse than death.). Judging from the number of laudatory (and self-congratulatory) posts hitting the web at the conclusion of the event -- and the number of tweets released into the Twittersphere before, during, and after the event -- it was an untrammeled success. Early Twittersphere preparation is already underway for the 2011 edition of the event which will be held from July 22nd - 24th in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The second event that is highly trafficked on the 'sphere is the July 15th PinotNoir Twitter Tasting and Smackdown. This event, the brainchild of Ed Thralls, will bring Pinot Noir lovers the world over together, both physically and virtually, for a 2-hour Pinot Noir taste-off. Participants will gather at their homes, in bars, in restaurants, and in wineries and will share their experiences live on Twitter. The event will be from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on the west coast and 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm on the east coast. The event provides a great opportunity for wineries to connect with Pinot Noir fans from all around the world (and, to that end, Ed has provided a special set of participation suggestions for wineries) and for Pinot enthusiasts to have a worldwide party with like-minded individuals. The 'sphere has been atwitter with Twitteristas setting up parties, making connections, and determining exactly where, and with whom, they will be at Smackdown time.
By going for Tweet volume, @terroirNY has singlehandedly lifted The Summer of Riesling from a wine sommelier's dream to a series of live, New York City events and significant Twitter updates on these events and other Reisling-related initiatives. The scope of Terroir's Summer of Reisling initiative is aptly captured in its tag line: The Tastings! The Concert! The Queen! The Crawl! The crawl looks like it will be a lot of fun.
Dom Perignon introduces ...
Tue, 07/13/2010 - 07:09Champagne house Dom Perignon launched its Dom Perignon Brut 2002 and Dom Perignon Oenotheque Brut 1996 in a live webcast on July 12th from decanter.com's headquarters in London. The launch event was a tasting which also included the Dom Perignon Rose 2000 and the Dom Perignon Oenotheque Rose 1990. The tasting panel was led by Richard Geoffroy, Dom Perignon's Chef de Cave, and included Decanter contributors Sarah Kemp and Margaret Rand. The session was moderated by John Abbot of Decanter.
The format for the webcast was interesting. The tasting panel and guests were ensconced in a room on the 12th floor of the Decanter building (the only floor with a view, according to John Abbot) while a worldwide audience tapped into the tasting via a text-only stream or a text-and-video stream. Attendees signed in using Twitter, Facebook, or openID accounts and, once signed in, had the potential to pose questions to the panelists (Most of the questions were directed at Richard and many of them were broad Dom Perignon questions rather than being specifically about the wines being tasted.).
The first wine tasted was the Vintage 2002. This particular vintage was released 8 years after harvest while, traditionally, Dom vintages are released 6 to 7 years after harvest. Richard saw no significance in this fact. Sarah Kemp was first to comment on the wine and declared it a "very Burgundian champagne" with a "full, rich, Montrachet style" and having "extremely expressive notes of hazelnut and brioche." Margaret Rand saw the wine as "immensely rich and concentrated" but noted that it wore its weight lightly. It was "very, very elegant and linear, supple and terrifically long." Richard Geoffroy focused on the overall mouthfeel, a direct result, he stated, of the blending. Such a mouthfeel could not have been achieved with a single grape variety.
This vintage was disgorged 15 months ago and will pair well with seafood, in general, and specifically, with crab.
The second wine tasted was the Oenotheque 1996. Margaret Rand stated that 1996 was a year of enormous acidity which usually yielded great wines but on the lean side. She felt that the Oenotheque 1996 would be "young and tight" because of its recent disgorgement and found that to be the case. She found the wine to have "powerful toasty notes and huge weight" and an "enormous finish." This was a complex, mineral wine. Richard saw the wine as "packed with serious flavors" to include, smoke, minerality, toast, and iodine.
This vintage was disgorged 2 years ago and pairs well with caviar or very intensely flavored flat oysters.
In responding to a question on the difference between the Vintage 1996 and Oenotheque 1996, Richard stated that the primary difference was mouthfeel. The Oenotheque had a creamy expansion and a glide to the finish while the Vintage was a more classical champagne. It was more linear and then tailed into something marginally dried out.
Richard also re-emphasized the Dom Perignon philosophy that the wine be a perfect balance of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. This does not necessarily imply a 50/50 mix; it is driven by taste and will vary somewhere between 40% and 60% for each varietal. The more classical vintages are on the Chardonnay side, according to Richard, because it is not as intense as the Pinot Noir.
The panel continued on to taste the other wines but that does not fall under Dom Perignon introduces ...
Too Big to Fail - Wine Industry Style
Sat, 07/10/2010 - 04:36In all of the hullabaloo regarding the housing industry, the banking industry, the oil industry, and the meltdown of the global economic system as we know it, the wine industry felt left out – until now.
Let's start with the everyday, run-of-the-mill, garden-type-variety insanity.
Michael Havens was a professor of English in the University of California system. He caught the wine bug, cut his teeth making wine for Truchard Winery in the Carneros region of southern Napa Valley, and he and some friends eventually opened the Havens Winery in 1984, specializing in Bordeaux- and Rhone-style wines. The winery flourished, becoming known for a Cheval Blanc homage known as Bourriquot and even making some wine for an upstart restaurateur -- with a wine bug himself -- named Manfred Krankl. In 2006, Mr. Havens was approached by one of his distributors (Billington Imports) who liked the wines so much, they wanted to buy the company. Billington bought the brand and the vineyard holdings and winery facilities were sold to a company called VinREIT (Real Estate Investment Trust), which leased the facilities to Billington.
Billington, a significant importer of South American wines, fell into financial troubles when it lost the right to import the wines of Nicolas Catena and Alamos wines from Argentina in late 2008. The next thing you know, Billington defaults on the lease, goes into receivership, and its assets are liquidated. No Havens, no more. And VinREIT is now in financial straits as several of its other winery holdings are in foreclosure.
Here is a slightly different twist with, hopefully, a better outcome. Diageo, the London-based alcohol conglomerate which owns such iconic labels as Johnnie Walker whiskey, Smirnoff vodka, and Guinness stout, notified the public and its shareholders that it is selling most of its Napa Valley wineries and vineyards, including its flagship brands of Sterling Vineyards and Beaulieu Vineyards, to Realty Income Corporation (another REIT) for the tidy sum of 269 million dollars.
That is not necessarily big news given the economy, but the company also announced that it would turn right around and lease these same properties back for a period of 20 years. Diageo Chateau Estate Wines will continue to manage and operate the properties and will retain ownership and marketing of the wine brands. This will, hopefully, provide Diageo with some much-needed capital with no discernible effects on the wine-drinking public. Hopefully, the investment will work out better for Realty Income than similar investments have for VinREIT; and we won’t have to worry about iconic symbols of Napa Valley being foreclosed.
Finally, news came out a short time ago that Southern Wines and Spirits, arguably one of the largest, if not THE largest wine and liquor distributor in the United States, is in negotiations with Bank of America for two billion dollars in loans in an attempt to restructure the company’s existing debt. Terms of the deal with Bank of America include a $1 billion line of revolving credit and a $1 billion term loan, both of which would mature after five years.
Given than Southern has an estimated 20+% market share, what would be the implications if they were not able to restructure their debt or that this loan is only a stopgap measure? Are they “too big to fail” a la Lehman Brothers and AIG? Also, given the timeframe of the loans, does that indicate that Southern anticipates another 2 to 3 years of economic hardship before they see a rebound in sales?
Only time will tell.
The Lure of Prosecco
Fri, 07/09/2010 - 09:14I went to an Italian wine tasting at Tim's Wine Market on Wednesday of this week and the Prosecco offerings (i) reminded me as to why this wine is one of my wife's favorites and (ii) gave me the urge to learn more about the varietal. The Prosecco's tasted were the Trevisiol Winery Prosecco Brut and Rosecco and the winemaker, Paolo Trevisiol, was on hand to act as our guide.
Prosecco wines are known for their pale straw-yellow color, moderate body, delicate flavors, and aromatics, characteristics which are preserved by the use of the Charmat method of sparkling wine production. Unlike the methode traditionelle, the Charmat method allows for the second fermentation to occur in pressurized tanks rather than bottles. The result is a fresh sparkling wine at a reasonable cost. In order to be called Proseco, the wine has to be made from a minimum of 85% Prosecco with the remainder drawn from local varietals such as Bianchetta and Verdiso. The best Proseccos are generally made from 100% Prosecco.
Source: http://www.italianmade.com/wines/DOC-info10241.cfm
From 1969 until 2008, the Prosecco DOC covered wines made from Prosecco grapes grown in the Conegliano and Valdobbiadene areas of the Veneto region. Beginning with the 2009 vintage, this area was upgraded to DOCG status and allowed to place DOCG Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore on the label. The production zone for the grapes extends over 15 communes and 18,000 hectares along the hills around Valdobbiadene. The vines are planted on south-facing slopes at elevations ranging between 50 and 500 meters thus allowing for long hang times and good drainage. Within the broader DOCG there is a smaller delimited area of 104 hectares which has a specific microclimate and soils (moriane, sandstones, clay) that produces exceptional, grand-cru-type Prosecco. This area is called Cartizze and wines made from grapes grown in this region are allowed to so indicate on the bottle.
Prosecco production is tightly controlled by an organization called the Tutelary Consortium. This group was initially formed in 1962 by 11 regional producers and is a private body focused on improving quality and and monitoring adherence to production rules. Tutelary Consortium rules cover grape origin, varieties, vinification, bottling, and marketing.
The Trevisiol Winery is located in the hills of Valdobbiadene. The vineyards are located at 200 - 300 meters elevation and are planted at 2800 to 3500 vines/hectare with vines that are, on average, 40-years old. The soil type is called Morenico and is comprised of alluvial deposits from ancient glaciers. The winemaker is Paolo Trevisiol, a second-generation winemaker.
The pictures below show the Trevisiol wines and the winemaker in discussion with Tim, the owner of Tim's Wine Market.
The Prosecco Brut is a 2500-case production made from 100% Prosecco. This wine has delicious fruit and floral aromas and is light and "peachy soft"on the palate. This is an excellent aperitif or a summer refreshing wine. Retails for $16. The Rosecco is a 550-case production crafted from 40% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, and 20% Prosecco. This sparkling rose is a study in minerality, acidity and cherry/raspberry fruitiness. This wine is being introduced to the US for the first time and is available at a price of $20.
The tasting was conducted on a hot evening at very close quarters so these refreshing wines were especially appreciated.
Imperial Wine Bar: Tasting the Wines
Mon, 07/05/2010 - 13:50
In my previous post, I described the the new wine-bar-in-an-antique-store, Imperial. I have visited the establishment on three occasions and, while there, have tasted four separate wines. On my first visit I tasted the '06 Three Saints Cabernet and the Von Strasser ‘Eye of the Diamond’ Rose of Cabernet. The '06 Three Saints Cabernet is a slightly scaled-down version of the '07 Caymus so if you like fruit-forward, new-world treats, give the Three Saints a try. The second wine, the Rose, was a delight to the palate, a summer sipper that brings great pleasure. The nose was a stimulation of minerality, pear, and peach notes. A perfect wine for a warm summer day or night.
On my second visit to Imperial I went for the entry-level Merlot. This Washington-state Merlot is made by the well-known winemaker Charles Smith and is aptly named Velvet Devil. The wine has a plush velvet feel on the palate, plenty of oak, and buckets of black cherry. Unfortunately, the wine does not hold your attention. Though, I must note any newbie to the wine world would enjoy this offering.
On my third visit to Imperial I decided that the weather was right to sip a Pinot Noir. Imperial was able to exceed my expectations with the '07 Celara. This is the entry-level Celera rather than one of their acclaimed single-vineyard offerings. The wine, a bit tight initially, really began to display it’s full potential within a short time. The nose began to unfold notes of earth, porcini dust, ginger (I’m not kidding), dried strawberries, and some subtle char. On the palate, smoke, black cherry, shiitake mushroom, and strawberry. This is really good and, at $13 a glass, it should be. The Celera may be a bit pricey to drink all night, but is definitely worth a taste.
If you want to head out with a few friends for a relaxing time, stop in at Imperial and give these suggestions a try. Until next wine…
Washburn Imports, Furniture and…Wine?
Sat, 07/03/2010 - 10:18
Yes it’s true. And while you’re out shopping for some furniture, why not grab yourself a glass of wine? Ok I’m exaggerating a tad. However, tucked away on a side street in the back of Washburn Imports is a cozy new wine bar named Imperial. Once Washburn Imports closes for the day, Imperial comes alive at night. It appears as though John Washburn, the proprietor of Washburn Imports, has previous hospitality experience and felt that it was time to put it to good use. When I asked the attending bar keep Kaitlin about John Washburn and what he was like, I received the ever-so-minimally eloquent "he’s awesome." Love it!
Imperial has a capable and compact wine list (only one Bordeaux offering). For wines not offered by the establishment, a patron can bring his/her own bottle for a $20 corkage fee. The decor is a delight for the eyes with an eclectic blend of international flair. While I was trying to describe Imperial with one word, ‘chill’ immediately came to mind. Chill with some relaxing tunes and capable bar staff, led by Manager Brett. Brett, who designed the wine list, has a previous relationship with John Washburn. When John came up with the idea for Imperial he recruited Brett to deliver on its message. Brett's second-in-command, is Angel whose additional duties include handling and organizing private parties and events. There is no kitchen on the premises so the catering is subcontracted out to Cuisiniers and Big Wheel Provisions.
If you are looking for a mellow night out, a night to relax and enjoy good conversation, a visit to Imperial is in order. You will find yourself immersed in calm, cool, and laid back atmosphere. So if you’re up for a glass of wine, a beer, or even an end table (look for the price tags), give Imperial a try. Until next wine…
The Imperial at Washburn Imports.
A Wine Bar and Beer Garden specializing in boutique wines and craft beers.
1800 N. Orange Avenue Orlando FL 32804
Tue - Sat 5-12/Sun 1-6
Manager: Brett
Staff: Angel(events) Pours: Kaitlin and Libby
Comparing Top Wine Regions: Taber and Winegeek.com
Fri, 07/02/2010 - 09:25In checking Twitter this morning, I came across an article on soils that had been forwarded by @winewomansong. The article, written by Sunny Brown, and posted on winegeeks.com, was a fascinating take on her choice of the top 10 wine soils in the world. The article was fascinating for me on two levels: (i) its internals and (ii) how the regions identified as having the best soils matched up to the regions identified by George Taber in his book In Search of Bacchus.
The article begins with a primer on soil types and then launches into a discussion of of the top 10 wine soils ordered from lowest to highest. The rankings probably will not ignite the third world war but there are a few things I wished the author had delved into in greater detail (understanding that there may have been editorial constraints). First, the stated criteria for the rankings were unique qualities, historical importance, and market appeal (of the region's wines). I would have liked some more detail on what each of the criterion meant, within the current context, as well as the relative weighting of each characteristic. Further, I would have liked some discussion of how each region fared against each of these criterion.
George Taber, whose In Search of Bacchus was reviewed in a previous post, set out on a journey to explore "... twelve of the world's most interesting wine regions." In his work, no effort is made to rank the regions that he visited and, as I point out in my review, no selection criteria are provided.
If we compare the lists emanating form the two works, the only regions of commonality are Napa Valley (broadly speaking as the soils article narrows its choice down to Rutherford), Mendoza, Tuscany, Bordeaux, and Mosel. This is probably not surprising given the starting points of the two efforts. Wingeek.com set out to show the best regions for growing grapes while Taber's focus was the best wine regions to visit. All fun stuff.
Gregory Viennois Rhone Wines in the US
Tue, 06/29/2010 - 06:23In a recent post on Stephan Derenoncourt, I noted that, in his position as chief wine buyer for Montesquieu, he would provide that organization, and, as a result, its customers, with previously unattainable access to high-quality wines from around the world. What I did not mention directly was that he would also provide that same type of access to world-class winemaking talent, a shortcoming that I will address in this post.
Gregory Viennois is the Chief Oeneologist for M. Chapoutier, one of the leading Domaines in the world, and General and Technical Director and Winemaker for Ferraton Pere et Fils, a Chapoutier property. In those roles, Viennois is responsible for overseeing the production of the high-quality wines that have been staples of these venerable houses for ages. Viennois, a former pupil of Derenoncourt, is also a fierce advocate of biodynamics and the importance of terroir. The wines of M. Chapoutier and Ferraton "compete" in nine Rhone AOCs but, according to Gregory they are differentiated in that the Chapoutiers are massive wines while the Ferratons have more delicacy of texture and are earlier-drinking wines.
Gregory has been producing wines for Montesquieu under the Alexandre Rochette label since the 2005 vintage.
According to Montesquieu, Alexandre Rochette is "... a project dedicated to bringing its customers the finest terroir-driven, small-production Rhone wines in the world. The wines offered to date include:
- Chateauneuf du Pape -- 90-year-old vines; 95% Grenache, 3% Syrah, 2% Mourvedre
- Cote Rotie -- 50-year-old vines; 100% Syrah; Cote Blonde
- 2005, 2006 Hermitage Rouge -- 50-year-old vines; 100% Syrah; 100-case production; grapes from steep, rocky, granite-rich, biodynamically farmed plots
- 2007 Hermitage Blanc -- 50-year-old vines; 100% Marsanne; 180-case production; grapes from steep, rocky, granite-rich, biodynamically farmed plots
- 2005 Crozes Hermitage
- 2006 St. Joseph Blanc -- 100% Marsanne
- 2007 Coteaux de l"Ardeche Viognier -- 100% Viognier
A Wine Journey: 1990 Gruaud-Larose
Wed, 06/23/2010 - 08:47The 1990 Gruaud-Larose was the most recent conquest in my quest to "run the table" on Master Sommelier Andrew McNamara's Wines of the Decade.
Chateau Gruaud-Larose, a Medoc second growth (1855 classification), can trace its roots back to its creation in 1725 by the knight Joseph Stanislas Gruaud. The estate, initially called Forbedeau, passed to his only heir, Jean-Sebastian Larose, upon the founder's death. The chateau was purchased by Bordeaux merchants Balguerie, Sargent and Co., whereupon the name Gruaud-Larose was assigned. The estate was split between two families shortly after the sale with two Gruaud-Larose wines (Sarget and Bethman) being produced and sold as a result. The original estate was reconstituted when Desire Cordier, an east France wine merchant, bought the Sarget estate in 1917 and the Bethman estate in 1935.
The current-day Gruaud-Larose occupies 150 hectares in the St. Julien appellation, positioned directly between fellow Medoc properties Branaire-Ducru and Lagrange. Of the 150 hectares, 82 hectares are planted to vines which are, on average, 45 years old. The distribution of varietals on the estate is 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec. The soil under the vineyard is deep Quaternary gravel.
The Gruaud-Larose winemaking process requires that fruit be hand-picked after which it is sorted and cold-soaked. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled wooden and concrete vats with the juice pumped over the must twice per day. Upon completion of fermentation, one-third of the vintage is subjected to malolactic fermentation in oak barrels. The entire vintage is aged in up to 50% new oak for 18 months after which it is fined and filtered and then bottled as Gruaud-Larose (25,000 cases) or Sarget de Gruaud-Larose (16,000 cases).
The Wine Quest Premier Dining Experience, an event benefiting a local charity, was being held at the JW Marriott on Saturday evening, The event schedule called for a 7:00 pm champagne reception followed by dinner at 8:00. In order to have an even fuller evening, four of us decided to take some wine and hang out in the hotel lobby from about 5:30 pm and to then join the Wine Dinner when it began. I took a bottle of the 1990 Gruaud-Larose and a 1990 d'Yquem (for use with our dessert course) and Adam took a 2004 Chaves Hermitage Blanc.
We started with the Chaves which had a pale gold color and was thick and weighty in the glass. This wine needed decanting. It was powerful, unctuous, weighty on the palate and with a long finish. It actually needs more time in bottle so that it can resolve its issues.
We next turned to the Gruaud-Larose. We did not have a wine key so we asked our server to open the bottle for us. We were engaged in conversation but she did appear to be taking a long time to begin pouring. we understood why when she asked us if we could help with getting the cork out. The cork may have had some issues but the server had succeeded in punching a hole deep into the cork and expelling most of the material on which the corkscrew would grab. We took the bottle and attempted to penetrate at the interface between the cork and the glass but to no avail. There was not enough material. We dispatched her to get a decanter and a sieve in the event that we had to punch the cork down but I panicked when she returned with the decanter and a flavor-stripping coffee filter (I never use those for filtering wine after I had the experience of a 1991 Dominus being brought to its knees after being poured into a decanter through one of those filters.). By this time the anticipation had waned and it was now a rescue operation. I took the bottle to the bar and had one of the bartenders work on it for well nigh 20 minutes before he was able to successfully extract the cork with no residue migrating through to the wine.
We decanted the wine and then poured it into the glasses. Garnet color with bricking at the edges. Good viscosity. Vegetality on the nose. Good acidity. On the palate leather and a mintiness. Did not have a full, round mouthfeel and the finish less-than-long. I was disappointed in this wine but I will have to retaste it. The cork might have been an indication of prior battery to the wine and the circumstances under which it was tasted were not exactly memorable in a positive way. The company was great though.
Spanish Wines and the Modernist versus Traditionalist Battles
Tue, 06/22/2010 - 10:29In his book Liquid Memory: Why Wine Matters, Jonathon Nossiter lauds French (Anjou, Touraine, Chablis, Champagne, Alsace, Burgundy, Rhone, Provence, and Jura), Italian (Friuli, Sardignia, Umbria), and German wine regions for resisting the homogenization wave but is especially hard on the Spanish wine industry for its "abdication." According to Nossiter, "a disaster has befallen the Spanish wine industry over the past 15 years." With very few exceptions (Manzanilla Sherry and 20+-year-old Tondonia Rioja Blanco), the "whites are alcohol heavy, lacking any balancing acidity, cloyingly fruity, battered and botoxed by new oak" while the reds are "overconcentrated, overripe, saccharine, syrupy, and also artificially wrinkle-free."
Writing, longingly, in the Old World Old School blog, Joe Maneken hearkens back to a period 15 years in the past when Spanish winemakers picked their grapes before they became super-ripe and aged their wines for long periods in oak (mostly American) or concrete. Some of the resulting wines were oaky, dried out, and lacking in vibrancy but many were "distinctive and delicious" at reasonable prices. Writing in The World of Fine Wines, Mike Steinbereger, commenting on Spanish wines, indicated that "much of Spain is a black hole these days."
Why did Spain, with a wine tradition stretching as far back as its fellow Roman-era European cohorts, and with the largest area under vine of any country in the world, succumb where others did not. Nossiter points to two potentially contributory factors. First, Spain had experienced societal repression under Franco and, like the Pastor's children, once freedom was gained they became susceptible to "edgy fruit." Second, one way for the nouveau riche to gain social acceptance is to own a vineyard and many of Spain's new vineyard owners, according to Nossiter, have made their fortunes outside of the winemaking industry and are driven by other than "traditional" values. He illustrates the point by relating the story of Fernando Ramirez Ganuza, a real estate tycoon who bought land and established his brand in 1992 and by 1998 was receiving 95 and 96 points from Parker for his "jammy" Rioja wines. When Nossiter met with him in Madrid in 2006, Ganuza told him that Rioja was a brand ( a marketing conception) rather than a terroir.
Steinberger, while being firmly rooted in the traditionalist camp, does see some benefits accruing to the wine industry as a result of the modernist movement. For example, while their luster is fading, Super Tuscans gave "Tuscan winemaking a dynamism" that was sorely lacking and raised winemaking standards throughout the region. French garage wines, while in retreat, have attracted great attention to the St. Emilion region and have shown that winemaking can be practiced outside the hallowed halls of the Bordeaux chateaux. Steinberger sees the modernist movement in retreat (changing sensibilities; global economic crisis; a renewed passion for the authentic, the local, the natural; and the waning influence of previously influential wine critics) but posits that the modern versus traditional battle has redounded to the overall benefit of the wine industry.
Book Review: Liquid Memory
Mon, 06/21/2010 - 06:21Jonathon Nossiter's Liquid Memory: Why Wine Matters, with its treatment of taste, power, and globalization, is a very good cultural anthropology treatise. Those treatments, plus its treatment of "winespeak", selected wine regions, abdication of wine culture by a number of wine regions, and the psyche and philosophy of some of the leading Burgundian vignerons, makes this one of the best wine books I have ever read.
The author is a filmmaker, probably best known for his film Mondovino, a documentary on the impact of wine globalization. He has studied Greek language, literature and history; worked as a sommelier; lived in Paris (where his father was stationed as an international correspondent); and is currently living in Brazil, where there is a body of socially conscious, some would say reactionary, literature and film. All of these influences are reflected in this work. The author describes the book as an "involuntary guidebook" and a "polemic against all those critics and arbiters who purport to speak with authority and are taking most of the fun and almost all of the culture out of wine these days." Its purpose, stated in the Introduction, is to "attempt to transmit something of the sensual and intellectual delight that wine has brought me since childhood" and its audience is those who are "skeptical of jargon, defensive snobbery, or any one of power that obstructs the uncovering of one's own taste."
The book is organized along three broad themes. In the early sections, the author is focused on defining and identifying taste. For most of its second half, the author is focused on coming up with alternatives to the dreaded winespeak. In the last part of the book, it is Mondovino redux (somewhat) as the author decries the effects of globalization/homgenization on the world's wine regions and the contributions of Michel Rolland and Robert Parker to this "travesty."
In the introductory section of the book, the author engages in a thought-provoking discussion of wine as liquid memory (the title of the book) and as a medium for an evolving transmitter of terroir as it changes in the bottle (In the first chapter the author acknowledges that there are forces arrayed against the notion of terroir. Terroir, he says, is not "a reactionary, unquestioning clinging to tradition." Instead, it is a "will to progress into the future with a firm rootedness in the past ... a way to counteract the relentless homogenization of certain global forces."). From this base he continues on to a discussion of taste and power and how important it is for an individual to be the arbiter of his/her own taste. "The moment you abdicate responsibility for your own taste is the moment you voluntarily abdicate your own freedom."
The first two chapters appeared to be as much about film as it was about wine and I found this disconcerting. The author was liberal in his use of analogies and these analogies were always drawn from the world of film and film making. Two especially jarring practices were the gratuitous use of "flashback" and imbuing us with the pervasive sense that we were reading "the Making of Mondivino." At one point the references to Mondovino were so thick and so fast that I wondered whether Mondivino should be a pre-requisite to the book. But he rights the ship and takes us on a journey to some of his favored (and not so favored) restaurants, wine bars, and wine shops in Paris and through gripping, in-depth interactions with Burgundian vignerons Jean-Marc Roulet, Christophe Roumier, and Dominique Lafon.
This is a well-written, thoughtful, and thought-provoking book written with a filmmaker's eye for detail and clearly presents the author as a learned individual possessing excellent breadth as well as depth. The author is not at all ambivalent about what he thinks is wrong with today's wine culture or who is responsible for the current state of affairs. He is laudatory of Burgundy, Italy (with the exception of the Super Tuscans), Germany and Austria for not succumbing to the siren song of Parker-influenced, American-market-driven taste and excoriates Spain (especially), Argentina, and Chile for yielding their internal winemaking traditions (in the case of Spain going back centuries) to the Rolland/Parker vision of what taste is. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, this book is a must-read.
Secrets to Making Great Barbera
Fri, 06/18/2010 - 10:18Last Sunday I attended the subject seminar which highlighted the philosophy underlying the Vietti Family Winery Barberas. The seminar, a part of B-21s Annual Italian Grand Tasting and Sale, was led by Aldo Zaninotto of Vietti Family Winery.
According to Aldo, Piedmont is in the northwest corner of Italy and, being only 20 minutes travel from the Alps, the food and language of the region is heavily influenced by France. In pointing out the heavy regionality of Italian wines, Aldo laughingly said that the country had only been united since 1871 and was "one country with 30 different states."
After Phylloxera had ravaged the Italian wine industry in the mid-1850s, the grape that was replanted was Barbera. This grape varietal was used to make an everyday drinking wine. There are three Barbera zones: Alba, Asti, and Monferrato. Alba has very complex soils, resulting from erosion of old mountains, and tends to produce powerful wines. Asti wines tend to be more "feminine" and elegant. Monferrato has soil that is comprised of clay, sand and rock and the wines are not as complex as the wines from Asti and Alba.
The Vietti family name goes back to the 600s but the family produced its first wine in 1876. In 1890, the eldest son was given control of the estate and the youngest son came to America. The oldest brother was killed in World War I and the younger brother was recalled to run the estate. He was successful and re-invested by buying land in the region and, today, the company is a patchwork of sites totaling 87 hectares.
Unlike wineries who engage "fly-in" consultants, the Vietti's touch the wine. The owner works in the vineyard and then goes to the cellar to make the wine. The wine-making philosophy is to use the least amount of grapes possible to get the best quality wine. This philosophy begins in the vineyard where high-density planting is employed. The Vietti's feel that the high density, plus no irrigation, forces competition for resources and causes the vines to penetrate deep into the subsoil. As the vines go deeper, they tap into more complex minerals and this complexity is funneled up to the grapes. They begin with 8 clusters per vine but green harvest in August to get rid of the three to four of the largest clusters. The discarded clusters are left on the ground as fertilizer. A second green harvest clips the elongated part of the cluster leaving only the "heart" of the cluster for harvesting.
We tasted four Vietta wines as a part of the seminar: 2007 Vietti Barbera d'Asti TreVigne ($15.99); 2007 Vietti Barbera d' Alba TreVigne ($19.99); 2007 Vietti Barbera d'Asti la Crema ($39.99); and 2006 Vietti Barbera d'Alba Scarrone ($39.99). According to Aldo, the company puts a lot of effort into its entry-level wines because if the consumer likes these wines, they will try the higher-end wines (The winery also makes Barolos). The TreVigne is made from grapes grown on three estate-owned vineyards. In the case of the Asti, we get red cherries with good structure and mouthfeel. The wine has been aged for 6 months in neutral oak and an additional 2 months in Barriques. The Alba also shows red fruit but is more concentrated than the Asti. Both of these wines should be drunk within 4 years. The Scarrone and la Crema are single-vineyard offerings with greater ageability. Scarrone is one of the oldest Barbera vineyards in that it dates back to 1918. Both of these wines exhibit great complexity (soil characteristics) and concentration (vineyard practices, harvest time, skin contact). I purchased both of the single-vineyard wines.
Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 14:31I recently went to a seminar at B21 where Vittorio Marianecci spoke about the wines of Casanova di Neri, a 39-year-old Brunello winery owned by Giacomo Neri and located south of the town of Montalcino.
According to Vittorio, Brunelo di Montalcino has grown rapidly from its roots as as a Biondi-Santi-family-introduced clone of Sangiovese Grosso. Brunello became a DOC in 1966 and became the first red DOCG in 1980. It has grown from 11 producers in 1968 to 300 producers today with over 2000 hectares currently under vine. Legal requirements for Brunello include 5 years aging (6 years for Riserva) with a minimum of 2 years in wood and a minimum of 12.5% alcohol. Stellar Brunello vintages include 1990, 1991, 1997, 1999, and 2000 and ,according to Vittorio, 2006 may well turn out to be the vintage of the century.
Casanova di Neri was founded by Giovanni Neri who bought the property in 1971. The winery currently consists of 48 hectares divided among four vineyard sites: Fiesole, Pietradonice, Cerretalto, and Cetine. The estate is site-driven, using these four sites in a cru-type construct to produce three distinctive Brunellos and one Cabernet Sauvignon. The entry-level Brunello is the White Label, a 100% Sanigovese which is crafted from 35-year-old vines and aged in Slavonic oak for approximately 40 months. The second wine is the Tenuto Nuova, a 100% Sangiovese made from 35-year-old vines sited in the Fiesole vineyard. Maceration and fermentation for this wine takes 25 days after which the wine is aged for 29 months in French 500L tonneaus. The quality of this wine is reflected in the fact that the 2001 vintage was designated as the 2006 Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator. Vittorio revealed that Giacomo was dissatisfied with the grapes for the 2005 Ceretalto and blended them all into the 2005 Tenuto Nuova; something to keep in mind when that vintage is released.
Cerretalto is a 100% Sangiovese drawn from a vineyard of the same name located at 750-900 feet elevation. Maceration and fermentation takes 20 days and the wine is aged for 27 months in French barrique. The fourth wine, the Rosso di Toscana, is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Pietradonice Vineyard in Tuscany. The wine is macerated and aged for 15-18 days and then aged in small French oak barrels.
As a part of the seminar, we tasted the '03 ($52.49) and '04 ($69.99) Tenuto Nuova and the '05 ($99.99) and "06 ($99.99) Pietradonice Sant Antimo. The '03 Tenuto Nuova was bold, exhibiting the ripe fruit associated with a hot vintage. It has relatively low acidity and is ready to drink at this time. Probably a 15 year life. The '04 has more elegance and also more acid and will probably need 4 to 5 years before being ready to drink. Probably 20-year aging potential. Both of the Cabernets compare very favorably with international Cabernets but they are very robust wines at this time with the '06 requiring the most time of the two before being ready to drink.
Casanova di Neri is a producer of quality Brunello di Montalcino with entries at three market pricing points. Both the Tenuto Nuova and Cerretalto are in my personal cellar. Of the wines tasted, if you are looking for a Brunello to drink now, the '03 Tenuta Nuova should be your choice. For cellaring, choose the '04.
A Date With Happenstance
Mon, 06/14/2010 - 01:03
It’s that time of year to barbeque so let's break out those big wines. I’m calling for those red Zin’s, Shiraz, and Petite Sirah’s. These varietals are definitely on the short list.
Do you love when a good plan comes together? A plan so calculated and well executed that magic happens? Well, magic happened when it came to pairing the perfect wine for an evening invite to a barbeque at a friend's house. Only, rather than a plan it was delivered by happenstance.
The evening's festivities consisted of two good friends, barbeque, sports on the 50-inch, and an '06 Ross Estate Old Vine Australian Grenache. Who the heck pairs a Grenache with barbeque? I’m not quite sure. I just happened to make my pre-dinner purchase earlier that day so, I thought, why not give it a go? I’ve had some experience with the Ross Estate Reserve Shiraz and I was very impressed by the quality for the price. This wine came in at $17. A modest price for a wine that spoke so boldly.
On the menu that night was nothing fancy. Ribs in the oven, eventually smothered in KC masterpiece barbeque sauce. I brought the jalapeno poppers wrapped in bacon, baked beans purchased from the new 4 Rivers smokehouse, and the wine.
A little background on the Ross Estate Grenache. The grapes for this wine come from the oldest vines on the Estate at 94 years of age. Shiraz from vines this old can command fairly high prices. Fortunately, Grenache does not assert the same hype as does Shiraz, and the price reflects this. These old vines are not irrigated in this stressful dry Barossa climate. No doubt stressed vines can equal great wine! This wine rests close to a year in French oak. Ninety-one points from the stingy-scoring wine critic Stephen Tanzer was a welcome sight!
The Ross Estate Grenache has a crisp bright red glow. The nose on the wine gives a glimpse of what’s in store. Wafts of spice, bright red fruit, and smoke lead into the palate. The acidity of this wine shows off it’s laser like precision, followed by pepper, wild berries, cranberry and a mineral component. The real magic happens when you incorporate the food.
The ribs and the baked beans both amplified the flavors of the wine (this goes to eleven!). The wine took on an energy and explosiveness that left me slightly stunned. I was not quite prepared for the experience and took a brief moment to ingrain it into my memory bank. I looked at my friend and said I have to blog this. He looked at me like he always does…..a bit worried and frightened. Kidding aside, it’s these spontaneous, unannounced moments that reinforce my love for wine. Until next wine…..
Wine Quest Premier Dining Experience: Not so Primo
Sun, 06/13/2010 - 22:49The Wine Quest Premier Dining Experience, held at the JW Marriott on Saturday evening, was one of the most self-serving events that I have ever attended. It left me speechless but once I regained the use of my senses, I walked out on the proceedings.
The event schedule called for a 7:00 pm champagne reception followed by dinner at 8:00. A live auction was also included in the evenings events. In order to have an even fuller evening, four of us decided to take some wine and hang out in the hotel lobby from about 5:30 pm and to then join the Wine Dinner when it began. I took a 1990 Gruaud Larose and Adam took a 2004 Chaves Hermitage Blanc so when we found out that Gloria Ferrer (a sparkling) was being served at the "Champagne" reception, we decided to remain in the lobby and finish our bottles.
At a few minutes to 8:00, we made our way to the event entrance, signed in, and began reviewing the auction items. Shortly thereafter the call came for diners to take their seats. As we entered the room I noticed that it was so large that the 250 people and their tables took up about half of the space (It made it appear as though the event was undersubscribed; even though it was not.). The room was arranged with a band of covered, circular tables sandwiched between two rows of rectangular, stainless-steel, uncovered, cold, butcher-block-looking tables. It was not clear how one was assigned to the tables with the table cloths. We were not. The rectangular tables were doubled up so, depending on where you sat, you might need a cell phone to communicate with your table mate.
The first three courses were uninspiring -- a Foie Gras, a beet lettuce, and a duck with undercooked rice -- paired with equally uninspiring wines that did no justice to the cost of entry. The wines were so pedestrian that Adam went over to Primo and bought a bottle of wine and brought it back to our table. Our pains were only just beginning though. Rather than proceed to the main course, the dinner was suspended so that the live auction could begin. Apparently, last year's auction was held after the dessert course and a lot of people left. That was not going to happen to them again. They were going to hold the entire dinner hostage and have their live auction. Who cares if it is 9:15 pm and you are starving because the preceding courses were famine-sized.
After sitting through six lots, we got up and went to Luma for dinner.
Reflections
Fri, 06/11/2010 - 08:02Reflecting on the week's posts, and the events leading up to, and contributing to the success of our San Francisco/Napa trip, I remembered that this all started with Frank Husic's visit to the Wineontheway.com Board Meeting (http://mowse.blogspot.com/2010/04/husic-vineyards.html). The following video of Frank explaining the makeup of his Palm Terrace wine was recorded at that time.
While we were having lunch at Bistro Don Giovanni in Napa, Frank asked one of the servers whether Donna was in. Donna was Donna Scala, one of the owners of Don Giovanni. She came in towards the end of our lunch and sat down with us. Frank introduced us as being from Orlando and she lit up, explaining that she had recently opened a restaurant called La Luce at the Hilton at Bonnet Creek in Orlando. That was cool. After Frank left, she continued to hang with us and offered us a glass of her Sangiovese. Turns out that she has a 1-acre vineyard which had been planted to Sangiovese but is now planted to Cabernet Sauvignon. She gave us a bottle of the Cabernet Sauvignon -- called Scala and pictured below -- as a gift. I have not had a
chance to taste it as yet. Since returning to Orlando I have checked out the menu and wine list at La Luce and noted that they have a Scala Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon on offer.
Husic Vineyards Napa Cabernet: A Vertical Lunch
Thu, 06/10/2010 - 15:15I know. I know. This is beginning to look and sound like Shark Week on Discovery Channel. I did not intend for it to become Husic Week on the blog but so much happened in such a short time. And it was so goood.
Prior to our tour of the wine cellar (see previous post), Frank had opened two bottles of Husic Cabernet so that they could breathe before we went to lunch. He now opened a third. So we were going to be having '01, '02, and '03 Husic Cabernet Sauvignons for lunch; wines which are no longer available from the winery, except in magnums. Frank replaced the corks lightly into the bottles, placed the bottles into a wine bag, and we were on our way to lunch. We travelled in separate cars as Frank had to go back to San Francisco after lunch. Parlo, being the only passenger, was entrusted with the wine bag and the job of ensuring no spillage as we wound our way down the hillside.
Lunch was at Bistro Don Giovanni at 410 Howard Lane in Napa. We pulled in (ample parking) and headed to the terrace as it was a day well suited to outside dining. The restaurant, according to Frank, has some of the best Trattoria-style food in Napa. The restaurant has traditional inside dining and eastern and northern terraces, each with its own character and characteristics, for outside dining.
Frank opted for the northern terrace which, in addition to a spectacular view of the surrounding hills, had a view of the fountain and characters in the picture above (I later found out that these were depictions of characters from "Commedia del Artre," a professional form of theatre that began in Italy in the mid-16th century.).
We began by ordering a Fritto Misto (Calamari, Rock Shrimp, Fennel, Onions, Green Beans, Spicy Aioli) and an Antipasti. Frank wanted a white to accompany the starter so he ordered a bottle of Husic Chardonnay ("I don't eat where they don't serve my wines," he said). The starters were exceptional and went very well with the wine.
While we were having our starters, Frank instructed our server to bring nine additional glasses to the table and to begin pouring from left to right, beginning with the '01 at the left. The wines all had excellent color in the glasses and it was all I could do to restrain myself until the "appropriate" time.
For the main courses, Frank had Lamb Meatballs, I had a Risotto ai Funghi, and Parlo had a seared Filet of Salmon. My meal was excellent and, if the sounds of contentment that I heard escaping from my tablemates were any indication, so was theirs. We tasted the '01 first and I heard Frank say "This does not taste like a Napa Cab." He was right. This wine was all leather and graphite. The fruit had receeded completely into the overall framework of the wine. This was a left-bank Bordeaux in disguise. Frank had the happy, contented look of a master magician who had "done it again."
We went to the '02 next and it had almost a split personality with all of the characteristics of the '01 very evident but wrapped in a more prominent display of fruit and evidence of acidity. Good round mouthfeel. The '03 was fruit-dominant and spicy, also with a great round mouthfeel. Very approachable to the discerning drinker.
These wines are evolving rapidly in the bottle and if they are predictors of what the '05, '06, and '07 will be like in a few years, I am happy with the purchases I have made to date.
Frank Husic: Avid Wine Collector
Wed, 06/09/2010 - 12:59Frank came up from San Francisco to have lunch with us on Friday. Once he arrived on property he invited us down to the main house so that he could show us around. Beautiful structure. Tastefully decorated. The things that stuck with me were the entrance, the basketball court at one end of the family room (set up to entertain the boys while the room is being re-designed), an extensive rose garden, and a jaw-dropping wine cellar.
The cellar was the last room that we explored. Frank approached the door, opened it, and said "Let's go down here." So we followed him down the stairs into a basement. The basement was divided into a number of rooms and the one that we were in was stacked waist high with carton boxes and, as far as we could see from our position, so were the others. Frank walked over to one of the boxes and pulled out a 1961 Lafitte. The pile with which that carton (by now I had noticed that they were shipping cartons) was associated was all old Lafittes. Then we went over to another pile and it was Screaming Eagles. Then we went over to another pile and it was Harlan. Then we went over to another pile and it was Araujo. Then we went over to another pile and it was DRC. And then we went over to another pile and it was d'Yquem. And this went on and on. All the top wines in the world. 750s, 1.5Ls, 3L, 6Ls, 9Ls. This was the most extensive private collection I had ever been proximate to. I tried to be cool but my heart was thumping. I needed air. Luckily Frank started walking towards a tunnel (it seemed as large as one of the tunnels linking NYC and New Jersey) that was closed at the far end. This tunnel, still under construction, ran under the house and came out from underground to connect with the wrap-around terrace on the outside of the house. So you could be sitting on the terrace, decide you wanted some 1982 Lafitte, and just pop into the cellar and pick it up.
Sweet.
Room with a View
Tue, 06/08/2010 - 13:09So the dinner is over and we are ready to make our way back to the hotel. The Husics offer us a ride but I decline (My heels are fine). Julie insists, however, because, she says, you cannot walk downhill in high heels. So we get into their SUV and are dropped off at the Marriott. Pleasant goodbyes. When I wake up in the morning, I have an email with all the information needed to get to, and access, the guest house. I am thinking, these people are scarily efficient.
So we rented a car and drove to Napa. We were going to be having a late lunch in Yountville with some folks we met at dinner the night before but we want to find our digs during daylight hours so that we can stagger in effectively during the night-time hours. After turning off Silverado Trail, and wending our way for 20 minutes along a winding country road and two security gates, we finally arrive at our destination.
And what a destination. The residences (guest and main) sit at the midpoint of the 120-acre estate with the guest house having the higher elevation of the two. The views are absolutely fantastic. All of the pictures in this post were taken from the front of the guest house looking out over Stags Leap district.
The picture immediately above shows a partial view of the residence in the foreground.
Husic Vineyards Vintner's Dinner
Mon, 06/07/2010 - 14:06The subject event was held in San Francisco on June 2nd at the Fleur de Lys restaurant and my wife and I attended. The restaurant, recognized for the classic French cuisine of Chef Hubert Keller, is located on Sutter Street in the Tendernob district of San Francisco.
We were staying at the Marriott about three blocks down the street from the restaurant so we decided to walk. Hills are tough on high heels (not mine). The Husic dinner was positioned at the back of the restaurant with guests seated at two parallel rectangular tables in a rear alcove and circular tables arrayed around the alcove opening. Frank Husic sat at the head of one of the rectangular tables while his wife, Julie, sat at the head of the other. Dinner was preceeded by a champagne meet-and-greet after which guests were invited to take their seats.
There was very little ceremony or preamble before waiter service was initiated. We flowed effortlessly from magnificent course to even-more-magnificent course; as did the wine and conversation. The special menu, prepared by Chef Hubert Keller, consisted of five food courses and five distinct Husic wines:
- Course 1 -- Buternut Squash Puree, Caviar, Boudin of Guinea Hen & Golden Fried Panisse; paired with Husic Vineyards Chardonnay Napa Valley 2007
- Course 2 -- Maryland Soft Shell Crab, Dungeness Crab Ceviche, Green Asparagus, Crab and Sea Urchin Emulsion, White Gazpacho & Bacon Brioche; paired with Husic Vineyards Chardonnay Napa Valley 2007
- Course 3 -- Local California Swordfish, Salsify & Speck, Piquillo Basquaise & Pinot Noir Sauce; paired with Husic Vineyards Chardonnay Napa Valley 2008
- Course 4 -- Duo of Roasted Lamb Loin and Braised Lamb Shank, Cream of Parsnip, Scallion Fondue, Coriander and Cumin flavored Red Wine Sauce finished with Mint Oil; paired with Husic Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2005 and Husic Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2006
- Course 5 -- Vanilla Flavored Cheese Cake, Lemon and Honey Cup Cake with Chocolate Cream, Champagne Rose Ice Cream & Champagne Gelee; paired with Husic Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2007.
The food courses were excellent and were favorably enhanced by the wine pairings. The 2007 Chardonnay is a wine that I have in my collection and it did not disappoint with its pairings. The '05 and '06 Cabernets acquitted themselves well with the Lamb course but I have a definite bias for the '05. I was unable to tell whether the '07 Cabernet overpowered the dessert course because I opted for the wine on its own.
All in all it was a wonderful evening and well worth the trip for us. The Husics were gracious hosts, fellow guests were similarly pleased, the wait staff professional and service-ready, and Chef Keller came out and joined our party towards the end of the dinner.
After everyone else had left, the Husics, Chef Keller and his wife, and my wife and I, sat at one of the rectangular tables shooting the breeze and drinking wine (Husic wines, of course). It was during this time that the Husics extended us an invitation to spend the following evening at the guest house on their property in Napa Valley. I accepted (quickly).
