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My brother-in-law Nick was born a hunter. Growing up in Greece during WWII, where famine was the norm at the time, he learned how to survive at a very early age. When his family immigrated to the New World, settling in Southern California, I could only imagine what he must have felt like, as a child. He took to California and the American Dream like a duck to water.
All this as an introduction in the way of a comparison. Nick, being a hunter, is one of a handful of hunters who have made it into the Grand Slam Club. You can read about it here. The guy loves to hunt, fish, golf, win. I mean, we were sitting outside having lunch and I caught him stalking prairie dogs, it?s just in his blood.
Oh, and he likes wine. Italian wine, California wine, French wine. Good wine.
On a visit earlier this month at his and my sisters rambling Tuscan ranch house, on the 16th green of a PGQ gold course in Indian Wells, we got to opening a few bottles of wine. And talking about what makes a wine great. It got me to thinking about the way we collect our wines. Are they trophies to put on a rack and lay claim to bragging rights? Or is there a deeper meaning to the wines we have opened, enjoyed and appreciated over the years?
Is there an Italian Grand Slam for wines? And if so, what would they be?
In my mind I?d be putting Barolo and Barbaresco up on the wall. Brunello? Most likely, but these days, Brunello is bothering me. If you put it into the context of 50 or so years, then OK. But right now, I?d say Brunello is on probation with a lot of us.
The fourth wine? Amarone? A Maremma red, maybe from Bolgheri? Something from the Valtellina? A Taurasi? What do you think?
About ten years ago my brother-in-law and sister and I were having breakfast at a hotel. A few tables away Angelo Gaja and his field rep were seated. I mentioned to my brother-in-law that the gentleman about his age was a famous Italian winemaker. I went over to the table and said hello. After all I had first sold Gaja?s wines in 1981.
When I came back to the table, Nick seemed surprised that I knew and had done business with such a famous wine personality. I explained to him that once you enter into the field, most doors will open one day or another, no big deal.
But Gaja has not only entered the Grand Slam Club. In his winemaking ventures he also has produced the grand Slam wines if you see those four wines as Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello and Bolgheri. So to him, hats off. I only wish I could taste through some of these wines once in a while. They seem to have moved to an arena where other wines that I used to enjoy, wines like Pomerols and Pauillacs, have also migrated to. The investor classes.
No doubt Barolo, Barbaresco and Brunello are in my club. But the fourth wine? I?d like to think Amarone might rate high and Taurasi as well. Not yet with Sicily, nor Sardegna, sorry islanders. Not yet.
I do have fond memories of Chambave Rouge. But that is a wine for the ages now and the storytellers. I guess Neal Rosenthal and I are some of the few lucky chaps to still have a bottle or two around of the legendary 1961 from Ezio Voyat.
I?m sure my brother-in-law, if he was playing this game, would put Sassicaia on that wall of fame. And prior to the 1990?s I would agree. But that just gives the wine two decades to have proven itself. Is that enough? Is the wine still capable of evoking legendary emotions?
After last years trip to the Valtellina, I was hopeful. And while I won't rule it out, there?s still not enough time for those wines, in modern times, to have redeemed their once lofty status.
My mind seeks to focus my gaze through the crosshairs; focus. Is it even another red wine we seek?
Recently, at a dinner with friends, one man's date turned to me and complained, "He's so boring. All he ever talks about is wine. All day long he talks about wine." I probably looked hurt, because I was just as engrossed in our discussion of Syrah as he was. Lorraine leaned toward me and whispered, "She's right, you know. We're all hopeless wine geeks. Look at us from an outsider's point of view."
A big thanks to Jessica Yadegaran over at the Contra Costa Times for interviewing me for her very cool piece on cheap New Year's bubblies. Check it out at InsideBayArea.com, and in the event this catches you before you're off to buy your NYE bubbles, hopefully you'll find a few suggestions to your liking for fewer than 20 bucks. Highlights include domestic bubbly from New Mexico, Cremant from France (looks and tastes a lot like Champagne but costs less than half as much) and my all-time favorite bubbly, sweet red Brachetto d'Acqui from Piemonte. Most of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here's to making '09 a banner year, no matter the economic clime. As my mother likes to say, "this, too, will pass..." In the mean time, we've got wine. ;)
Founded in 1729, Ruinart is the longest established sparkling wine house in the Champagne region of France. Named after Benedictine monk Dom Thierry Ruinart, the winery is located in the city of Reims, where ancient crayères (chalk pits) serve as cellars that offer constant temperature and humidity, thus allowing the wine to age as long as 12 years. These crayères were hewn from the chalk sub-soil by the Romans, who used the chalk as building materials. Also used during World War I to escape the bombing, these cellars were classified an historic monument in 1931.
Join us as we sit down with Ruinart’s Cellarmaster Frédéric Pana?otis to discuss Ruinart’s history, its vineyard sources, and of course its various cuvées.
Two weeks ago a team of American researchers promised what the New York Times story called "guilt-free gluttony" through resveratrol, a component found in red wine.
Now, in a scientific detente, French researchers are doing them one better: cardiovascular-improving sloth. To wit:
"Resveratrol makes you look like a trained athlete without the training," said Dr. Johan Auwerx of the Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology in Illkirch, France who led the study. [Read full story]
This is going to be serious competition for the ab toning belt.
We all know that red wine can cause pinot envy. So only four deadly sins to go! What will resveratrol create next? Humble pride? Gentle anger? Generous greed? Platonic lust?!?
Related: "Lose weight on a red wine diet"--with video of lab mice! [Daily Telegraph]
It’s sweatin’ time here again. We brought in the rest of our Pinot Noir last week, and processed about 35 tons in 3 days. We got through that, certainly, but then the monster that rears it’s head as a result is a *@!#-load of punchdowns….needless to say, I’m not very popular around here at the moment.
Maybe we should go back to doing it the old-fashioned way as it seems like it might’ve been more fun than modern times….at least the old-timers could drink some wine and hike up their skirts while mixing-up their fermenting must!
*What an unusual mix in terms of the international producers you represent?why Argentina, New Zealand and Japan?
- Not really if you consider that Argentina and Japan (Ginjo sake), and to some extent New Zealand, share the same common elements?there are great wines and sake being produced by highly talented winemakers and tojis (master brewers), and they are not getting recognized yet. The quality is already in the bottle?so why should these sell less or get less respect than wine from more obvious regions? We always say that we are really a ?national education company? since we usually explain more than we sell. Our job is to get people to taste these wines and premium sake, and the stuff inside the bottles takes care of the rest. At the heart of this idea is also the notion that in the end, it?s the people you work with who make the difference between mediocre and ?wow!?. We have been lucky, fortunate, and smart (maybe a little of each) to meet and represent some of the top talent in these regions:
Susana Balbo?Crios de Susana Balbo, Susana Balbo signature wines, Nosotros (with Pedro below)
Pedro Marchevsky ? BenMarco
Pepe Galante & Mariano di Paola ? mapema
Luis Reginato ? Luca, Tikal, La Posta
Roberto de la Mota - Mendel
Jose & Pepe Reginato ? Reginato sparkling wines
Guy Davis ? Davis Family Vineyards (Russian River, CA) and Gusto (NZ SB)
13 Master Brewers from all over Japan?each as talented as anyone we have met.
*As someone who deals so closely with Argentine producers, what types of obstacles, limitations and concerns have any of them expressed to you in terms of being able to export and promote their products abroad?
- Well, I want to stay out of trouble here since I travel to Argentina a lot, but let me just say that the Argentine government has historically been more of a hindrance than a help for wine exports. As an example, and hard to believe, they actually tax EXPORTS! Perhaps the bigger obstacle for Argentine wineries is that the economic and political situation is relatively unstable, and when you are in an industry that measures commitment and success over a decade or longer due to capital investment requirements, it is hard to deal with a system that usually looks out only 2-3 years at a time.
*In your eyes, what sets apart these Argentine producers you represent? What do their wines bring to the table of American wine consumers that large-yield, often conglomerate-backed wines simply cannot?
- I alluded to this a bit above when talking about who we represent and why. I think there are three main things that set our producers apart:
1) Our wineries are owned by and have Argentine winemakers who have lived in this unique climate and region for their entire lives. For us, that means that the wines that they make TASTE like Argentine wines, not like some random wine from somewhere in the world. And as talented as some of the flying/foreign winemakers are who are working in Mendoza, I have yet to taste a wine from them that thrills me the way our producers? wines do at the dinner table. And I taste everything from down there.
2) As good as they already are, they are still always trying to learn how to improve their wines, and in today?s wine world, that?s the only way you stay on top. It shows.
3) Obsessive attention to detail seems like an abused phrase, but in winemaking it is crucial and not as common as you would think. Our winemakers are also our close friends and in Argentina that is taken pretty seriously. They make sure that every step is done with the utmost care because they would never want to look their friends in the eye and say, ?uhh..I?m sorry but this wine is just ok because we weren?t really paying close attention when we made it.? Large wineries may be able to solve #1 above, but #2 and #3 are far harder to come by, and that?s probably as true in the US as it is in Argentina.
*Looking ahead?are there any regions Vine Connections is looking to expand its portfolio toward, and why?
- We made a strategic decision a few years ago that we would remain specialists in Argentine wine and Japanese sake. Some importers have gone in the opposite direction and are happy to sell one of everything from anywhere, but we?re just not built that way as people. We started as leaders in both of these categories and we feel the only way to stay out in front is to specialize. That?s why we spend almost a month per year in Mendoza and visit Japan for at least 2 weeks every year. It?s our own ?attention to detail? mantra, and we try to stick to it so that we can look our customers in they eye and say every time, ?This is really great Argentine wine and Ginjo sake?. Every time.
- Fortunately, we won?t be bored since there still plenty of regions and microclimates still left to discover in Argentina.
*Given the nature of the market here in the United States, what advice would you give to consumers who would like be aware of, as well as actually see, a dramatic increase in availability of premium Argentine wines such as those crafted by your producers?
- American consumers have helped their own cause a lot already by being very open to trying wines like Malbec, Bonarda, and Torrontes. I think they will help themselves even further by continuing to experiment with wines at many different prices, not just the ?great values? under $15. Nick and I firmly believe that well-made Argentine wines offer incredible value and over-deliver at all price points. A $12 wine is worth more like $16, and a $30 wine is worth more like $40 when compared to other wine regions of the world. And, of course, you can support quality-focused companies like Vine Connections by paying attention to the importer name or logo (like our compass) that appear on every bottle. As with other wine regions, a good wine importer can be your best friend when you haven?t tried a particular wine yet and would like some assurance that you are going to enjoy it?especially when spending more than $15 or so.
Celebrate Wine is pleased to be a part of a new wine-writing project called "Drink Local Wine." The site brings together wine journalists, sommeliers, bloggers, and other wine enthusiasts from 16 "non-west coast" states and Canada. The goal is to enforce the reality that North American wine is not just about California, Oregon, and Washington anymore.
At "Drink Local Wine," you'll find information about wines from Illinois, Maryland, Georgia, and Wisconsin...and, of course, my home state, Ohio. Be sure to take a look.
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Torbreck’s top shiraz – the Run Rig Shiraz, priced at well over $200 per bottle – is probably Australia ’s most hedonistic wine. It leaps out of the bottle like a rattlesnake, all fanfare and bite. It is, always, dangerously drinkable. It is thick with flavour and accented by sweetness, its spicy, gravelly, smoky complexity ramping its class through the roof. There’s always been a question mark though: this tastes so bloody good the day it is released – what happens if you stick it in the cellar? Is it Australia ’s best early-drinking wine, or will it develop and evolve if given time? A tasting in the Barossa Valley recently of every vintage yet made of Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz (including the just-released 2005) threw a crust of clear answers.
How could I omit the two intelligent value Godello picks? I chose these two because they convey distinct interpretations of the variety, in spite of the two D.O.?s not being terribly far apart. Taste them together to see the immense differences evident in each Godello within what would amount to a short bus ride from Bierzo to Valdeorras. It?s quite hard to argue that neighboring wine regions cultivating the same variety aren?t little miracles, with this sentiment growing even more potent for the wine lover within single vineyards with many producers, though that?s another topic altogether.
Enjoy this, one of many examples of all new things Spanish that will slowly become more prevalent in the U.S. market over the coming six months or so?Godello.
Before I forget, speaking of the next wave of imports from Spain, if you haven?t been paying attention to Telmo Rodríguez in the past few years, I would try his Godello and watch this video. Aside from being a fascinating Spanish entrepreneur, he exudes passion for well-crafted, regional wines. The video is eight minutes in length, though for some reason, it winds up being 3 and change. Nevertheless, listen to Mr. Rodríguez introducing his wines on a recent visit to Toronto?s Lifford Wine Agency. In essence, he is responsible for affordable little masterpieces from various Spanish D.O.?s. His progressive outlook in terms of production methods is matched by an ability to reinvigorate production of traditional varieties in the regions where he owns vineyards. This in turn, yields intelligent value wines from various Spanish D.O.?s that much like Susana Balbo?s wines in Argentina, seem to be produced in a manner which never sacrifices regional character for novelty or the wrong type of market's tastes. What with how things are going nowadays in the wine business, what a refreshing point of view!
Los vinos: 2007 Pilgrim Godello Bierzo D.O.
This wine is clean, pale straw and unassuming at first sight. The nose is vibrant, driven by wild flowers, citrus, treefruit and stone minerality. Complex mouthfeel, with a crisp, racy shot of acidity (pink grapefruit), alongside rich treefruit and distinctive mineral notes.
This wine is produced by Viñedos Agribergidum in Bierzo, located at the westernmost outpost of León bordering Galicia. The Godello vines are an average of 40 years old, with the variety purposely farmed to very low yields.
Imported by Beacon Wine Company. 2005 Gaba do Xil Godello Valdeorras D.O.
A really nice pale gold in the glass. The nose is clean and pronounced, with perfumey floral element, lush green pear, peaches, honeydew melon and touch of sweet spice. Complex but never overwhelming medium-bodied white with great balance of ripe fruit flavors and medium citrus acidity. Love the soft spice undertones that follow the lovely fruit into the aftertaste.
"Consumer Learnings for Make Benefit Glorious Zinfandel Future" Christian Miller, owner of Full Glass Research--a wine industry research firm--chose this title for an opinion study on Zinfandel as a joking reference to the movie Borat. (See the movie's wine episode here.) And it?s pretty appropriate, because depending on who you talk to, zinfandel means different things to different people. There?s an almost Babel-like confusion involved in the language of zinfandel.
The average diner tends to be less than well-educated when it comes to pairing wine with their meals, or knowing how to serve it. To avoid turning ordering a glass of wine into a major ordeal, it's important to educate yourself about the wines available and the things you should or should not be doing to enjoy them.
New Year?s and bubbles always seem to go together perfectly, and this season was no exception. So with a lazy Saturday between Christmas and New Year Eve, it was hardly a surprise to find sparkling wines featured at every in-house tasting on our re-stocking the liquor cabinet route. How could we refuse?
We?re both fans of Spanish Cavas for their ability to combine great taste with solid pricing, and the Lavit Brut Rosado we sampled first was no exception. Light strawberry in colour, this sparkler was summer in a glass ? raspberries, strawberries, and just a hint of peach. Even though it was slightly over chilled for this tasting we instantly agreed it would be one to that would help solve the ?what actually goes with turkey dinner? dilemma. Good for pre-dinner sipping too.
The Sigura ViudasBrut Reserva that was next up is pretty much one of our standard stocker for its flexible nature and crisp taste. It?s also, according to Ian Farmiloe, the International Cellars rep pouring, BC?s largest selling Cava. Good for parties ? especially potluck where anything is likely to show up. ?So, is this one, like ? you know ? real champagne?? To his credit, Ian managed to keep a semi-serious expression on his face as he explained the intricacies of the Champagne region to the rather portly lady wearing a combination of tartan plaid, plenty of zestful holiday bling, and sturdy black walking boots. We weren?t quite so diplomatic and had to suddenly develop an interest in the Italian wine section several rows over.
However, we did pop back for the Reserva Heredad. Perfect for when we want a bit more of a treat for less than $35, this Grand Reserve Cava has plenty of lemon-lime acidity and always makes a reliable, refreshing pour.
For a complete change of pace, we also checked out two offerings from Gray Monk?s Odyssey series. Even our Scottish wanna-be would probably have hesitated to inquire about the authenticity of this ?Champagne.? Neither of us got the yeasty nose that we would have expected after being left for 16 months on the yeast, although there was plenty of big time buttery texture from the Chardonnay. We settled for this one as an aperitif. The Rosé Brut had pleasing strawberry notes but didn?t hit either one of us as a ?rush out and buy? item. At $27 each, we took a pass on both these BC wines and headed back for a few more of the Cavas? with just a short detour through Champagne for some of ?the real stuff.?
I wanted to leave this post because over the coming days, I'll be completing a move to the UK. Heaven knows by when we'll have broadband and some of the other essential amenities set up, so please bear with me. I look forward to posting again, hopefully in the near future. Turning the spotlight, however, to my more recent current of thoughts... Just how much do I have to look forward to in London, in terms of my wine habit? It would likely be an outrageously long post, though here are some of my thoughts, in brief:
1. I'm very eager to peruse the Oddbins and other shops we may have nearby in central and SW London, hopefully turning up new artisan wines to discover and write about in this venue. Should anyone have any suggestions about some favorite, hidden gem London wine shops, please do not play "keep away" and do e-mail me at enotheque@gmail.com.
2. Another wonderful factor I couldn't count on before was having convenient and relatively inexpensive access (thank you low cost carriers) to any wine region of Europe, should I need to travel for any reason, from personal enjoyment to meeting with client producers.
3. The impressive business hub that is London...Every major trade mission or regional/national wine interest in the world has offices and trade events in London. No more worrying about which event I am able to make or not, be it Chicago, San Francisco, Boston or New York. At most, I will usually be a couple of trains away from an exposition or seminar that I would have otherwise not attended in the U.S. I've been looking over LocalWineEvents.com's London section, but if any locals or otherwise knowledgeable readers have any other suggestions for finding wine-related classes, events, seminars (you name it) in the general London area, I would be very appreciative if you posted a comment or e-mail me.
4. Do I have to mention the cheaper subscription rate for Decanter?
Again, lists really don't do any justice to the dozens and dozens of ideas that propel themselves electrically from my dendrites when it comes to how much fun a wine geek can have in London. For now though, I leave you with a warm, albeit brief goodbye, and a reassurance that I'll soon return for more on artisan wines and the people behind them.
Robber demands cash ? but settles for a glass of wine and a group hug
The Associated Press WASHINGTON: A would-be robber was disarmed by hospitable hosts who offered him a glass of wine and sent him off with a group hug but no cash.
A group of friends was finishing a dinner of marinated steaks and jumbo shrimp on the back patio of a Washington, D.C. home when a hooded man slid through an open gate and pointed a handgun at the head of a 14-year-old girl.
"Give me your money, or I'll start shooting," the intruder said, according to Washington, D.C., police and witnesses. Everyone froze, including the girl's parents. Then one guest spoke up.
"We were just finishing dinner," Cristina "Cha Cha" Rowan, 43, told the man. "Why don't you have a glass of wine with us?"
The intruder had a sip of their Chateau Malescot St-Exupery and said, "Damn, that's good wine." Today in Americas Betancourt reunited with her children after 6-year hostage ordeal McCain shakes up his campaign staff for second time in a year On U.S. campuses, a generational shift to moderates
The girl's father, Michael Rabdau, 51, a federal government worker, told the intruder to take the whole glass, and Rowan offered him the bottle.
The robber, with his hood down, took another sip and a bite of Camembert cheese. He put the gun in his sweatpants.
Then the story took an even more bizarre twist.
"I think I may have come to the wrong house," the intruder said before apologizing. "Can I get a hug?"
Rowan, who works at her children's school and lives in Falls Church, Virginia, stood up and wrapped her arms around would-be robber. The other guests followed.
"Can we have a group hug?" the man asked. The five adults complied.
The man walked away a few moments later with a filled crystal wine glass, but nothing was stolen, and no one was hurt. Police were called to the scene and found the empty wine glass unbroken on the ground in an alley behind the house.
Police classified the June 16 incident, which lasted all of 10 minutes, as strange but true. The witnesses thought the intruder might have been high on drugs.
"We've had robbers that apologize and stuff but nothing where they sit down and drink wine. It definitely is strange," said Cmdr. Diane Groomes, adding that the hugs were especially unusual.
Dark and winey, but polished. There's a good beam of blackberry and black currant fruit that's reticent for now, with loam, tar and coffee-laced tannins at the fore. Should open up nicely with modest cellaring. Best from 2009 through 2014. 1,550 cases imported.
What am I doing around 1:00 am EST almost every night? Checking woot.com for the latest woot item, of course! Being a computer/tech junkie, I am always finding random good deals on woot. Now, they have made my life complete, with Wine Woot.
Every week they will be featuring a single deal on wine. Take it or leave it, but when they are out of stock, you are out of luck. If this turns out anything like the regular Woot.com, a good deal will be sold out in minutes.
The wine deal they have up there right now looks pretty good: St. Supéry 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot Sampler. Seeing as how these would fit the Cheap Wine Reviews rule of 15 bucks or less, I might give this wine a try.
I'd originally written this for Lenn, but we didn't use it and I'm dry on material... read it and weep
Cabernet Sauvignon is for wimps.
Yep, you read right. Wimps, I tell ya. You want a dash of crème de cassis? Mathilde makes a pretty one for kir royales. Bursts of blackberry? Pass the Polaner All-Fruit. Chocolate and coffee notes? Starbuck?s can whip you up a mean frappucino. But please, don?t put it in my wine.
I admit, I?m being cranky. And I know it?s partially because I have a pile of dishes in my sink crying out for help as I try to type. But it?s also because I?m trying to make a point: while Cabernet Sauvignon can indeed produce beautiful wines, it?s often made into over-ripe fruit bombs smothered in vanilla-toasted oak.
I know what you?re thinking. Clearly, this woman has never tasted Silver Oak. Or Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. Or etc. etc. etc. I admit, Cab Sauvs can be made into some pretty smoking wines, but can you afford those? Nah, neither can I. The gloriously rated Howell Mountain Cabs are about as far from my price range as possible. As are top growth Bordeaux. Where does that leave me?
Cabernet Franc.
Granted, the two grapes are very different. Cab Sauvignon is all about tannins, dark fruit and leathery aromas. Cab Francs, while also firmly tannic, are lighter, earthier, and display much more herbal aromas. But for me, it?s one of the most wonderfully versatile grapes under vine, producing a plethora of styles, most of which are both food-friendly and age-worthy.
Cabernet Franc, as you know, is one of the grapes used in the classic Bordeaux blend. Along with the more famous Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Bordeaux can also include Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Percentages of Cabernet Franc vary from chateau to chateau, but its typically used more on the right bank in St-Emilion and Pomerol to add tannic structure to Merlot?s juicy roundness.
But Bordeaux is certainly not where Cabernet Franc gained notoriety. That exhalted region is none other than the Loire Valley in France. The Loire is an interesting area that?s largely held on to traditional winemaking methods and indigenous grape varieties, including Muscadet, Pineau d?Aunis, and Cot (the local name for Malbec), among others. The AOCs (Appellation d?Origine Controlle) of Chinon, Bourgeuil, and St-Nicolas-de-Bourgeuil produce reds from Cabernet Franc. The wines tend to be leaner and more acidic than Bordeaux , ranging from the chalk-textured Bourgeuil to the richer Chinon to the juicy St-Nicolas-de-Bourgeuil. While lackluster winemaking can certainly produce bland wines, the true artists of the Loire have been known to craft earthy wines, loaded with mulberry, sage, and minerality that can age for 15 years or more.
Cabernet Franc, however, was largely overlooked in the United States until recently. Some experimental winemakers out in California have been producing Cab Francs that are big, bold, and brawny ? which is just fine, but not particularly true to the nature of the grape. Happily for us, Cab Franc seems to prefer the climate of New York State, and in particular, that of Long Island.
It turns out the maritime climate of Long Island is perfect for many of the Bordeaux grapes ? they dig the summer heat moderated by the surrounding water. Long Island is also cool enough in the winter to allow an appropriate dormant phase without great risk of extended freezes. The Finger Lakes have long struggled with red grapes for lack of sufficient sunlight to ripen, but Long Island has the best of all climactic combinations. And judging from a recent tasting, Long Island winemakers are producing Cab Francs in the all of its glory ? from light and juicy to tannic and mineral-laden.
Raphael and Jamesport both produce what are perhaps the most approachable Cab Francs. Lighter and juicier in style, these wines can both be served slightly chilled as delicious, thirst-quenching sippers. This is not to say that they?re not dinner-wines; indeed, serve them at room temperature paired with rosemary-roasted chicken and asparagus and they?ll certainly blossom.
Castello di Borghese has created a more new world Cabernet Franc that?s full on the palate with sweet cherry fruit and smooth tannins ? it?s a softer, rounder version of the grape that will appeal to dyed-in-the-wool Merlot fans. In a somewhat similar style, Vineyard 48 has certainly gone new world by oak-ageing the wines to impart toasty cinnamon nuances. It?s smooth, round, and creamy, loaded with blackberry and black cherry fruit. Pair either with a hearty beef stew for a midwinter treat.
Schneider produces the most classically-styled Cabernet Francs. If I were to taste their ?Le Breton? blind, I think I?d pick it out as a ripe Bourgeuil. The chalky nose offers plum, sweet red peppers, thyme, and rosemary, with a linear palate of blackberry that expands beyond the stoniness to a smooth, round finish of plumy licorice. Schneider?s ?Roanoke Point? is a bit more elegant, with toasty sandlewood aromas interlaced with rosewater and pluots. The blackberry fruit on the palate is enhanced by notes of roses, herbs, prunes, and roasted peppers. These are both Cabernet Francs for Cab Franc lovers. And a pairing? Why, Long Island duckling, of course!
Ok, now, I?m not saying that after trying Cabernet Franc, you?ll completely abandon Cabernet Sauvignon. But let it swish around your mouth for a while. Taste the lovely herbal notes and the layers of stone and fruit and try to convince me that it?s not an underappreciated grape.
And, if you really feel the need, send me a thank you note. It?s only polite.
?You haven?t posted much recently?? Really, no way?I could only wish the reason behind this was holiday-making. Life is currently beyond hectic, recently going from consulting job back to teaching and onwards with a complicated move. Sometimes, I find that life (as in working, family events, consulting travel, etc.) can get in the way of reading an overpopulated Google Reader inbox and commenting on every blog and forum across e-creation. In fact and admittedly, I must say that I sort of prefer real life to this whole thing, though at any rate, I love to write, and I?m sort of pining for more precious time to write, whether on wine or a multitude of other subjects.
Pleasure aside, ?you know what time it is, it?s business time.? Who could possibly wait until early 2009 for more FOTC? At any rate, the intention of this post? I would like to see more artisan Godello imported and available in the North American market. This brilliant viño galego white, while being delicious and predominantly planted in the Valdeorras and Bierzo (yes, León) D.O.?s, is capable of conveying that the cool breezes, seascapes and gorgeous greenery of the region are all tangible in more ways than just through Albariño. I truly adore Rias Baixas Albariños, but I feel that little brother Godello needs some love too; and what better a time than now to try it out, since more regional producers than ever are beginning to invest serious attention in crafting these wines, with sights on the export markets in addition to the domestic one. I sort of find the idea of trying them side by side to be fun. Maybe find a nice Albariño (say a solid bottle of Códax or perhaps Pazo) to enjoy and compare alongside a crisp, complex Godello?goes without saying that some fresh seafood is in order here. Recommendations and notes upcoming?
You might have to walk past this one a few times before you pick it up. The small black and white vineyard scene on the label depicts terroir, but it does so in a quiet way. You eventually pick up the bottle. After all, it's an affordable Pinot Noir, and you're curious about its roots in Argentina. Flipping to the back label, you read the description and discover this is one of Dan Kravitz' Hand Picked Selections. That closes the sale on the first of many bottles.
At any given time, if you find an importer that you can trust, that's great. If that importer is finding real bargains, you have a personal shopper. There are so many labels and so much good wine out there, a solid importer like Dan Kravitz can help you cut through a lot of clutter.
Alfredo Roca Mendoza Pinot Noir 2007 is a versatile red with nothing to hide. Though terroir is a difficult term to define, this wine embodies it. Beneath the bright garnet color, you begin to pick up some rocky overtones in addition to the prevailing black cherry, vanilla and roasted aromas that conspire to stimulate your appetite. Then plum and red currant preserves, herbal and earthy flavor notes carry through to a warm and rustic dry finish. There's a nice complexity here and not an overwhelming sense of oak or alcohol in the way of the fruit of the vines.
Good as a starter, you can pair this Pinot Noir with a wide variety of dishes. We can vouch for roast chicken, pork tenderloin medallions in a savory gravy, and pan grilled wild salmon. This sort of versatility makes it a candidate for the holiday table.
Quite an unusual combination for the Balkans, since Syrah is fairly rare in the region. Skovin is probably trying to follow the world commercial trends with this Syrah Cabernet Sauvignon combination, and it’s not doing a bad job. Syrah brings in the spiciness and the earthy taste, which brings memories of those strong South African tastes of Syrah wines. Cabernet softeness it a bit, so overall it’s a nice wine, but distinctively dryer than the famous Australian Syraz-Cabernet’s.
Rating: 6/10 Price: 400 RSD (5 euro) Retailer: Super Vero
Tecnorati
My brother-in-law Nick was born a hunter. Growing up in Greece during WWII, where famine was the norm at the time, he learned how to survive at a very early age. When his family immigrated to the New World, settling in Southern California, I could only imagine what he must have felt like, as a child. He took to California and the American Dream like a duck to water.
On a visit earlier this month at his and my sisters rambling Tuscan ranch house, on the 16th green of a PGQ gold course in Indian Wells, we got to opening a few bottles of wine. And talking about what makes a wine great. It got me to thinking about the way we collect our wines. Are they trophies to put on a rack and lay claim to bragging rights? Or is there a deeper meaning to the wines we have opened, enjoyed and appreciated over the years?
In my mind I?d be putting Barolo and Barbaresco up on the wall. Brunello? Most likely, but these days, Brunello is bothering me. If you put it into the context of 50 or so years, then OK. But right now, I?d say Brunello is on probation with a lot of us.
About ten years ago my brother-in-law and sister and I were having breakfast at a hotel. A few tables away Angelo Gaja and his field rep were seated. I mentioned to my brother-in-law that the gentleman about his age was a famous Italian winemaker. I went over to the table and said hello. After all I had first sold Gaja?s wines in 1981.
No doubt Barolo, Barbaresco and Brunello are in my club. But the fourth wine? I?d like to think 
Quite an unusual combination for the Balkans, since Syrah is fairly rare in the region. Skovin is probably trying to follow the world commercial trends with this Syrah Cabernet Sauvignon combination, and it’s not doing a bad job. Syrah brings in the spiciness and the earthy taste, which brings memories of those strong South African tastes of Syrah wines. Cabernet softeness it a bit, so overall it’s a nice wine, but distinctively dryer than the famous Australian Syraz-Cabernet’s.