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Spelunking anyone? I feel like a spelunker when I where that headlamp. I’m filling the last barrels for the 2008 vintage in this photo. It certainly was a long one for us, and I’m glad it is over. Wine quality overall seems very good. The whites are delicate and fragrant, and the reds show good varietal character so far.
I know most folks think of harvest as grapes being harvested and received, but the real work for us goes far beyond receiving grapes. It can be a very physically wearing time, and the end of it all is, frankly, welcome. We can resume our normal lives and actually get the weekends off. We aren’t off the hook entirely, though, as the wines and barrels need to be monitored. We check for the progress of malo-lactic fermentation, check on any wines that may have gone to barrel slightly sweet, and monitor any increase in volatile fermentation. Barrels also need to be topped, additions made, white wines stirred, and all the equipment needs to be cleaned, repaired if needed, and put away. Here’s a photo from a few weeks ago that I like.This is a picture of a red fermentor after we have drained most of the wine and before we have started shoveling the skins out of the tank and into the presses. The open space underneath is a stainless steel filter which, among other things, helps us to drain the tank.
Following the theme of my last post about Americans? increasing awareness of the quality wines that many artisan producers of Argentina are exporting, I?m pleased to post the first installment of my interview with Ed Lehrman of Vine Connections. Along with his business partner, Nick Ramkowsky, they formed a company that not only imports the wines of artisan Mendoza producers, but selectively forges meaningful, long term relationships with them. As Ed Lehrman explains in the interview, this type of involvement encompasses much more than shipping and distribution, extending into representation, consulting, label design and many other crucial aspects which in the end, bring American consumers the types of genuine artisan wines that multinationals couldn?t even conceive of delivering.
Based out of Sausalito, CA, Vine Connections has been at the forefront of the changing of the guard, in terms of tastes, that I described in my last post. Their portfolio includes excellent California, New Zealand and Japanese Saké producers, alongside the wines of star Mendoza winemakers Susana Balbo and Pedro Marchevsky, along with others to look out for, such as Mapema, Tikal and La Posta del Viñatero. If you really want to know what Argentines really like to have at the table and moreover, the breadth that Argentine wines are capable of achieving, I encourage you to explore the types of artisan producers that Vine Connections represents and whose work, over the coming years, will ultimately triumph over the characterless, corporate-backed South American wines saturating our shelves.
I would like to thank Ed Lehrman for taking the time to provide his in-depth responses concerning Vine Connections, its vision and inspiration. Our conversation unfolded over e-mail:
*What is the vision behind your company and what were some of the key experiences that led you and your business partner to get started?
- My partner, Nick Ramkowsky, and I have both been in the wine business since 1986 (we started very young), and we could have done any number of things together. Nick was a small California distributor at the time, and I had just sold my direct-to-consumer wine business where he had been one of my suppliers. A fateful trip together in May of 1999 launched us into the importing/national sale & marketing business. We spent about a week in Mendoza on that trip tasting wines from bottle, barrel, tanks?you name it?and we met some incredible winery owners and winemakers. By the end of the week, we were looking at each other and asking, ?How does the 5th largest wine producer in the world hide incredible wines like these from the US?? It seemed like this must be the opportunity of a lifetime for wine guys like us to lead the charge in introducing Argentine wine to the US, and in a way that they would be fully appreciated for their quality and authenticity, and not just their price. As an aside, of the first 12 wines we imported from Argentina, the LEAST EXPENSIVE wine was $22 retail! So in fact, Vine Connections was originally formed in order to be an Argentine wine importer. *Compared to other importers, what is the depth of Vine Connection's involvement with the producers its represents? (in terms of consulting, marketing, other assistance, etc.)
- It is hard to speak about other importers, since some do quite a lot and some just taste and buy. As for us, we take the approach that we are the winery?s own sales & marketing department and they can use us for as little or as much as they need. That may mean writing back label copy, helping with label design, or determining whether a new blended wine is even a good idea to add to their portfolio.
For all of our wineries, we do the copywriting for all printed materials since we can communicate their stories in English more effectively, and along the same lines, we handle most press relations since we are here and readily available. And I guess the most valuable thing we do would be called ?consulting? since we offer our advice on many topics based on our 40 years of working in the U.S. wine biz. *How does your company forge relationships with producers? In this vein, what is the process like for you when considering an addition to your portfolio? Do the producers come towards you in the way of trade events, do you travel to areas to scout, so to speak, or some combination thereof?
- We are very careful in this regard since our objective as an importer is to build brands and not just sell wine. That requires long-term relationships, so besides tasting backwards and forwards through a winery?s production, we spend as much as time as we can with the owners and the winemakers to see whether there is a good fit for working closely together. When we meet people who already think they know it all about winemaking, marketing, etc., we politely walk away no matter the wine quality. Our initial screen is the wines?they have to be particularly good since that is what we are known for importing. Then we start talking about their philosophies, their dreams, their business objectives, and where we should all eat dinner together (a meal with a potential supplier is always a good way to gain more insight).
This process means that while we have run into some wines that we like, we have sometimes been unwilling to take the winery on. The most common stumbling block for us seems to be that the winery lacks a strong winemaking philosophy, and often because they have abdicated this cornerstone to a consulting winemaker (and most often to foreign winemakers). As time has passed, we have pretty much settled into the idea of only representing wineries owned by Argentines and with Argentine winemakers since the winemaking vision is usually clearer and more grounded in expressing what makes Mendoza so special compared to other regions.
From the first moment that we meet a winery team, it usually takes about 18 months before we come to an agreement, do the ground work, and then start selling the wines in the U.S. It seems to work--we have never lost an Argentine winery and every brand that we represent has achieved a significant level of success.
I wish I could say that finding these producers followed a particular recipe, but in truth, all of our brands have come to us via different sources. The key is to have your radar on all the time so that the best ones don?t slip by accidentally.
*You represent Susana Balbo and Pedro Marchevsky's Dominio del Plata Winery?how did that relationship come about and how far back do you go?
- Well, if it weren?t for the ?dynamic duo? of Mendoza, we may never have been Argentine wine importers. We met them on our first trip to Mendoza in 1999, and they were so obviously talented and knowledgeable that they got us thinking a lot about the possibilities. We also formed a trusting relationship so quickly that it became obvious that we would work together, and together push forward a common vision of making Argentine wine part of the daily American fine wine conversation. That seems like an ominous task looking back now?we had no company yet and they were renting a very small winery at the time?but at the time it just seemed like destiny.
Impeccably maintained vineyards. A sprawling estate complete with world class dining, and stunning gardens. Tasting rooms that are bright and airy, and large enough for bus loads of visitors. This is an image that would not be out of place at a top flight California wine producer, or even a First Growth French Chateau, but I am describing Granmonte, one of Thailand's most impressive wine destinations.
Visooth Lohitnavy envisioned creating a grand estate among the jungle clad granite cliffs in the Asoke Valley of the Khao Yai region of Thailand, and he has made it all come to pass. With determination, and evidently no small sum of money, he has created a jewel where you least expect to find one.
Planted primarily to Syrah and Chenin Blanc with a few rows of Cabernet Sauvignon to experiment with, the vineyards of Granmonte are text book examples of modernity. Employing the Smart Vineyard System, data about the vineyards can be accessed from anywhere in the world.
This is especially important for the next generation of the Lohitnavy family as daughter Nikki studies enology in Australia while monitoring the family vineyards and sending her father regular directions for field adjustments based on real time data.
So just how well does all of this attention to detail pay off? I was quite impressed with their their efforts, but the even harder to impress International panel of judges at the 2008 Syrah du Monde blind tasted their Primavera Syrah and awarded it with a Silver Medal.
Tasting the wines of Granmonte is only half of the fun. Visiting the estate affords you the opportunity to enjoy the exquisite VinCotto restaurant. My tenderloin of Australian beet with French Foie Gras would have been amazing anywhere, but set among the lush tropical foliage of the Thai countryside it was a revelation. Keeping with the family theme, Visooth's wife Sakuna is responsible for the wide range of flavors the restaurant has to offer.
The delights of the restaurant are available to go at the tasting room, with a selection of Sakuna's sauces and preserves sold along side the fine selection of wines. Enjoy a sip of Chenin Blanc, then walk the grounds and admire the lotus pond before settling in for a fine meal at the restaurant and a bottle of their award winning Syrah.
Just two hours from Bangkok, Granmonte is well worth the trip. For more information on visiting Granmonte the next time you are in Thailand, or to learn more about the estate and its ever evolving plans, visit their web site at http://www.granmonte.com/. Tell them I sent you.
Now that you're wrapping up your Winter holidays, it's the perfect time to plan your Summer ones. In my opinion Summer holidays should be filled with beautiful scenery, great wine, and delicious food. If you agree, then perhaps you'll consider joining me at the Aspen Food and Wine Classic 2009.
I grew up in Aspen, and as a kid, I worked as a catering scamp at the Classic, hauling crates of dishes around, not really knowing what the whole thing was about, other than there was lots of free food. Last year I had the double pleasure of not only returning to my home town for the first time in 14 years, but doing so as a speaker at the Classic.
I believe I was the first blogger to ever present at the Classic, and apparently I didn't screw it up, because they asked me back again this year. Truthfully, I had a blast last year, and so did the folks who attended my seminars. We tasted some great wine together, and I'm super excited to do it again this June.
Tickets have just gone on sale for the 2009 Aspen Food and Wine Classic, and as the event always sells out, now would be the time to start thinking about just how tasty you want your June to be.
I'll be returning to my home town again to presenting two more guided tastings. The first, entitled "Sonoma Superstars" will highlight some of my favorite wines from some of Sonoma County's top producers. The second, entitled "Cabernet: Next From Napa" will highlight fantastic Cabs from several new producers that are just releasing some of their first wines.
When I'm not introducing attendees to some of my favorite wines, I'll be standing in the back watching while the real pros do their thing: Robert Bohr on Champagne; David Lynch on Italy; Michael Bonadies on Washington State; Anthony Giglio on Riesling, etc.
I'll also be poking my head in to see if I can even just get a whiff of some of the amazing VIP reserve tastings, which include a Conterno Barolo tasting, a vertical tasting of Remoissenet Clos Vougeot starting from 1952, and a retrospective on 1989 Bordeaux, among others.
If that sounds like your idea of a good time, you should come join me! Check out the Food & Wine Classic web site where you can download the schedule of events and buy your tickets.
As usual, the event benefits charity -- this year supports the Wholesome Wave Foundation, a national initiative dedicated to supporting local farms and encouraging sustainable agriculture.
A founding partner of US investment banking firm Global Wine Partners believes South Africa, with its excellent wine-growing conditions, the beauty of its winelands and competitive cost structures,is well placed to advance from its relative obscurity in the US to the point where it becomes better recognised for its quality offerings.
I helped out at a trade event in London devoted to Sauternes and Barsac the other week. Entitled ?Sweeties with Savouries? it set out to show how both Sauternes and Barsac can be drunk not only with the usual foie gras and desserts but also with all the courses of a complete meal. With courses ranging from roquefort crème brulee with figs (see picture) through roast Moroccan quail with sweet potato mash to blue cheese cheesecake, the food was absolutely wonderful. Attendees were then asked to vote for which wine made the best match with which course. There was quite a lot of agreement about which of the 16 wines went with which of the 5 courses but there were also many individual opinions. As with wine tasting there is no definitive answer in the area of food and wine matching.
Tasting through the 16 wines was an education in itself. Considering they were all the recently bottled 2005 vintage, there was a range of aromas from honey, peach, minerals and smoke to flavours on the palate of marmalade, peach, citrus and honey. There were also subtle but significant differences in the weight and texture on the palate. The differences can be understood when looking at the percentages of grapes with everything from 90% semillon and 10% sauvignon of the premier cru classe Chateau Clos Haut-Peyraguey through to the 70% semillon, 25% sauvignon and 5% muscadelle of Chateau d’Armajan des Ormes. The aging process whilst broadly similar in length of between 18 and 24 months, varies according to the percentage of new barrels used.
The key to good Sauternes and Barsac, apart from the terrroir, is the botrytis that is required to shrivel up the grapes and concentrate the sugar in the grapes. From talking to several of the producers the 2007 vintage was going to be a worry as the summer was cool. However the autumn was as hoped with cool misty mornings followed by sunny afternoons, the perfect environment for the ?mushroom? spores of botrytis cinerea to develop.
There is a much history associated with the ownership of the chateau in Sauternes with many of them having been in the same family for generations. Check out the web site of Chateau Dudon if you want some history of a typical family owned Sauternes producing chateau.
This is a gentle red, with ripe plum, berries, flowers and mineral on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied, with a light, velvety mouthfeel and a clean, fresh finish, leaving a hint of chocolate. Delicate, but all in balance.
Saw this thing at the Midland Antique Mall downtown on Sunday. I?m not sure what it was meant to cook ? nothing bigger than a hamburger, if that. Does it ring any bells for anyone?
We've been out flogging our wines for, what, a week now. So far the response has been gratifying. "Very good portfolio." "Well-chosen." "Come in any time, we want to taste everything you have." "I'll take 11 cases of this and 11 of that and 3 of this one just for me."A great reception at high-quality hand-sell shops. Lots of interest from white-tablecloth restaurants. Jeff's killing it. The most expensive wine currently in is already on...
Château Palmer derives its English name from Charles Palmer (1777-1851), a former Mayor of the spa town of Bath and Member of Parliament, who rose to the rank of General during the Napoleonic period. A gentleman, officer, and aide-de-camp of the Prince of Wales, Charles Palmer apparently fell under the spell of Bordeaux as well as the charms of a beautiful widow, Marie de Gascq, who convinced him to buy her Château de Gascq estate. From 1816 to 1831, Palmer bought additional land and buildings in the communes of Cantenac, Issan, and Margaux, and by 1830 the property covered 163 hectares, including 82 hectares of vines. Ultimately, the good life did him in financially, and he was forced to sell his magnificent Médoc estate. Purchased in 1853, brothers Isaac and Emile Péreire and their descendents had the château built in 1856, and thereafter battled oidium and phylloxera, survived the Franco-Prussian war, and made it through the First World War, only to succumb to the economic crisis of the 1930s which forced them in turn to also sell the estate. Château Palmer was purchased by several families of Bordeaux, English, and Dutch extraction (the Sichel, Mähler-Besse, Ginestet, and Miailhe families) in 1938, and continues to be owned by its descendants.
Château Palmer’s terroir dates from the Quaternary period, when gravel slowly accumulated on the Left Bank of the Gironde, pushed by the Dordogne and carried along by the Garonne. The two rivers meet a few kilometers downstream from Ch. Palmer to form the Gironde estuary. Among their current 52 hectares of vines, Ch. Palmer has a large percentage of Merlot, almost the same amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, and a small percentage of Petit Verdot. Here in Margaux, the vines are planted on gravely rises several meters thick, consisting of brittle black lydite, white and yellow quartz, quartzite mottled with black, green or blue, and white chalcedony. In an effort to help the vine roots sink deep into the gravelly soil, they till the soil regularly. They also maintain a very high vine density - 10,000 vines per hectare - in order to increase competition between the vines and encourage this deep rooting.
Join us as we talk with Thomas Duroux, CEO of Château Palmer since July 2004, about Ch. Palmer’s fascinating history, along with its vineyards and wines.
I picked up a nice bottle of good cheap wine: Purple Moon Shiraz from Trader Joe’s. This wine, made in Manteca California, was a pretty typical Shiraz with an atypical price tag. For only $3.99, this turned out to be one of many fantastic selections I made at Trader Joe’s.
I enjoyed this Shiraz with some Trader Joe’s Mild Fresh Salsa… boy! What a match!
It was dark plum in color and lots of fruit, the “dry Shiraz” fans that sampled this wine with me loved it. I enjoyed it at a perfect 54 degrees F, so that may have enhanced my enjoyment of this cheap wine. Now, when I usually write a post I research it on the internet. Aside from some web-spam, this cheap wine didn’t show up at all. Well, I feel this wine deserves some more publicity, so here it is!
Would buy again, without doubt. Stay tuned for my full tribute to Trader Joe’s (and Charles Shaw AKA Two-Buck Chuck)!
Has anyone else tried this? Has anyone been able to get it from places other than Trader Joe’s? Rating: 8/10 Price: $3.99 Place of purchase:Trader Joe’s
Posted by 1 As I have mentioned is some of 1, I believe 2008 will be a vintage where blending will play a major part in determining the overall quality of the wines. Dianna and I briefly tasted through a selection of our 2008 California Pinots at the end of this past week, and I am convinced, now more than ever, that blending decisions will be paramount.
Women Wine Writers on the Web has an interesting library of links to women's wine newsletters, blogs, books and more. Definitely a recommended stop. To find wines you're reading about at a shop near you, try WineSearcher. This free service will show you which stores have your target wine in stock, along with the price and ordering options. (A paid upgrade provides even more information.) Don't have the time to read wine blogs? But you'd like to stay on top of the hottest wine news? Wine Life Today features the hottest wine blog posts on the internet. Most of the referrals come from other wine bloggers, so when they toast an article, you know it's good stuff, and worth reading. Interestingly, it's always the oddball stuff that wine bloggers enjoy . . . so don't expect to find the usual wine reviews and commentary. Looking to upgrade your wine notes from lined school paper to something a little more . . . elegant and efficient? We recommend CellarTracker. This free online site lets you store your wine purchases, tasting notes, and more. Additional features let you see fellow members' tasting notes. And creator/owner Eric White is very open to feedback and suggestions.
It's been a wetter and milder than normal November, which perhaps accounts for the large number of snails in my garden. I've ceased my campaign of chemical warfare and decided coexistence and photography is the best approach. . .
…OUT? You’ve got to be OUT of your goddamn mind. Every Tuesday, I write a post for the Seattle Weekly entitled, “Ask The Bartender.” Apparently, I struck a nerve with this post: Ask The Bartender….Out? (Cringe) from Voracious, the Seattle Weekly food blog Those nerves apparently belong to some really over-sensitive men and the 5 female bartenders in [...]
Imagine 45 bottles of Syrah, each one bagged and numbered just waiting for sensory evaluation. Now, imagine that these evaluations will come from the very winemakers who made these wines.
That’s right, 45 winemakers evaluating their own wine, while competing against the wines made by their colleagues. That’s the premise of the 2008 Hospice du Rhône’s Syrah Shootout, where the winner gets bragging rights - plus a terrific-looking (not so much) “Coat du Rhône” to wear home.
Join winemaker Rusell Bevan and he takes us through a guided tour of this great event.
Merry Christmas to all! Today was supposed to be the final day of A Menu For Hope, our annual charity raffle, but it has really picked up some steam in the last few days so we're extending it through the end of the year! A number of new prizes in all regions have been added. So go find some fabulous prizes and bid on them:
We're hoping that the momentum we've seen recently (we quickly went from about $15k a couple of days ago to, at last count, $40k and change) will continue as we try to get somewhere close to the $90k we raised last year. It will be tough in this economic climate, but you folks have surprised us many times before with your generosity and your ability to help us spread the word.
There are still a ton of wine prizes that have only one or two raffle tickets purchased for them so far, meaning your $10 donation to the hungry children of Lesotho could easily get you something awesome. And don't forget that some people won some of the big, popular prizes last year with just a single ticket -- the winner of last year's Meadowood vacation (valued at around $3500) won with just a single raffle ticket.
Please spread the word, the holiday cheer, and the spirit of giving. And thank you so much for your support.
Sad sign of the times: collectors are resorting to selling their precious wine in order to raise capital. Lisa Baertlein (reuters.com) writes:
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Wine cellars have been taking a hit from the global credit crisis and it isn't because the owners of rare bottles are drinking more -- it's because they have been selling to raise cash.
The selling started with mortgage brokers and has moved to Wall Street as owners turn their collections of coveted vintages into liquid assets.
"People need money. Even richer people need money sometimes," Vinfolio.com founder and Chief Executive Stephen Bachmann told Reuters on Monday.
In the last few weeks, private collectors submitted offers to sell $10 million worth of wine to Vinfolio, a San Francisco-based company that buys and sells wine online. Normally the company has about $6 million offered to it.
I somehow weaseled my way into a Vegan cooking class this weekend to give a talk about organic wines. Shameless self/company promotion? Why do you ask!
SO, if you have nothing to do between 1:30 and 3 on Sunday, December 2nd, feel free to register to learn how to cook all sorts of yumminess (which is, apparently, a heavily-used wine descriptor) sans animals or animal by-products. I don't claim to be vegan (as the mountain of cheese in my belly can attest) but I do agree with the principles of it all.
Anys.
Come to Shakti Yoga Studio at 220 Lexington Ave this Sunday to hear me and to get your vegan feedbag on. I think it's $20 per person. Call 716 884 YOGA to register. I'll be the one with a cork in my hand stinking of butter.
Big News! Okay, I was trying to keep this one under wraps but it seems a few people have already found out and, well what better place to announce it than here right?
As of August 7th I will be back at the Wine Warehouse full time drinking for my living. I am very excited and can't wait to get back in the game.
Also My friend Andi got a new job at the O'Henry Hotel and I wish her mucho success in all of her endeavors. I will miss her.
It was time for the main event, and there must have been four or five hundred giddy people gathered in downtown Manhattan. One or two of dozens of Burgundy’s elite winemakers sat at each table in anticipation of this Bacchanalian orgy. The long, army-style lunch room seating had to have about forty people per table, [...]
One of New York?s most renowned and important collectors celebrated his 50th birthday in fine fashion recently at Bouley?s private ?Test Kitchen? here in New York City. David was at the top of his game for the twenty-some-odd courses that came out. Although the tables were set, it ended up being more of a cocktail [...]
Marginally food-related, but an entertaining if somewhat mindbending way to spend the next minute and a half.
Speaking of dreams, some Japanese scientists have developed a technology that can take images directly from a person?s brain and display them on a computer monitor. YouTube may become a lot more interesting soon....
I’ve been involved with Twitter Taste Live since the second tasting and will be participating again next time when the theme is “Bloggers Take Over.” In past tastings wineries have presented a selection of wines and wine lovers from around the world then posted their thoughts on Twitter while tasting the same wines simultaneously. But the next time out each wine blogger will be able to pick their wine(s) and give you the chance to pick them up and taste along with us on November 15th.
I have selected Lot 92 2004 Margaret River Chardonnay and Lot 36 2005 Rutherford Cabernet for the tasting.
The Chardonnay is available for just $14 at the Cameron Hughes online store but Lot 36 is only available in Costco or Sam’s Club stores (I paid $12.88 today for Lot 36 at Sam’s).
So pick up one or both of these wines, friend me up on Twitter and taste along with me on November 15th. I’ll be posting a follow-up with the approximate time of the tasting next week and, of course, tweet about this too. I hope you will join me or at least follow along on Twitter Search using the hash tag #ttl.
What with the Summer Games currently placing China and its regional cuisines in the limelight in terms of reflecting nearly a continent?s worth of complex, multi-ethnic influences, we should also consider other similarly impressive culinary miracles that geographically take up an infinitesimally tiny fraction the size of China?say Slovenia. In my understanding at least, Slovenia has always represented a fascinating crossroads within an impossibly modest amount of land. Many diverse and even warring influences have laced Slovene customs, viticulture and cuisine. Somehow though, like a cultural or culinary manifestation of the metaphysical concept in J.L. Borges? The Aleph, individual influences never amass into an incomprehensible amalgamation, but rather, remain clearly discernible.
Whether in its fairly recent history as a sovereign republic, under communism or seemingly serving as the geopolitical puck between Napoleon and the Habsburgs? shuffleboard match, Slovenia?s former overlords and neighbors include decidedly unique food cultures?Croats, Istrian Italians, Hungarians and Austrians, among others. Bearing all of this in mind and turning our thoughts to the central concern here on Enotheque, I would like to recommend this wine from the Gori?ka Brda region. Aside from being one of the wines I?ve been enjoying recently, I chose to post on it because I strongly feel that it?s indicative of the impressive quality-value dynamic that importers and retailers could benefit from should markets seem more receptive to the artisan wines of Slovenia.
Even if one is already familiar with the Colli Orientali of Friuli?sRibolla Gialla, the Slovene version, Rebula, is more than worth trying. As a whole, Slovenia and the Gori?ka Brda produce white wines of impressive caliber, be it from more distinctly regional varieties or others introduced from abroad: Briski Tokaji, Teran, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Sivi Pinot, Pinela, or Rebula for that matter. In t
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Attendees were then asked to vote for which wine made the best match with which course. There was quite a lot of agreement about which of the 16 wines went with which of the 5 courses but there were also many individual opinions. As with wine tasting there is no definitive answer in the area of food and wine matching.
The aging process whilst broadly similar in length of between 18 and 24 months, varies according to the percentage of new barrels used.
I’ve been involved with 
