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As a spokesperson for the Wine Market Council I'm occasionally interviewed on all sorts of subjects, and this fall the queries turned - no doubt unsurprisingly - to the upcoming election. That's right, upcoming as in TOMORROW!!! (Sheesh, I've got to admit I'm pretty stressed about tomorrow, and am in fact contemplating something pretty dramatic if Obama doesn't get elected. Like maybe drowning my sorrows in oceans of White Zin.) No matter what tomorrow's outcome, you can get the goods on my election night food and wine suggestions in the article "Election Party Food and Wine" at SheKnows.com. It includes some interesting tidbits on wines Republicans prefer versus those Dems gravitate towards, along with pairings to spice up your election night viewing party. So even if the *%&! hits the fan come winner- (or loser-) time, at least you'll be well plied. Cheers to that.
Friday night we had some company coming. Dominique made a fabulous cheese plate complete with two camemberts - Old Chatham Sheepherding Company and Real Amazing Food Company, and a Sprout Creek Eden, a semi-hard cheese which is wonderful. There were assorted rustic breads - walnut, raisin loaf and traditional sourdough. We decided on Cascade Mountain Winery Coueur De Lion
Cascade Mountain was founded in the spring of 1972 by the Wetmore family who pioneered the production of premium table wines on the eastern side of the Hudson River. Bill, along with his wife Margaret and their three children Charles, Michael and Joan, planted the vineyard in 1972, built the winery in 1977, and opened the restaurant in 1985.
Today, Cascade Mountain is a thriving business which features a full line of award-winning table wines and a highly rated restaurant. Customers come from all over the world to enjoy a few pleasant hours on top of the Berkshire foothills accompanied by some of the best food and wine to be found in the Hudson River Valley.
George Cafiero is the manager now at the winery. He's one of the hardest working guys in the Hudson Valley. He's a ubiqitous presence at farm markets an festivals from the Hudson Valley to the Finger Lakes.
This wine is a light-bodied, beautifully colored red. It's made in the Beaujolais style with soft, rounded berry flavors accented by peppery Cabernet Sauvignon to produce a velvet smooth finish. Great quality for the price. It's $14 per bottle. Great for Thanksgiving.
Two weekends ago we visited friends who live in Zug. Just 20 minutes drive away is the (bottom of the) hill of Rigi which reaches almost 1,800 metres. It was a picture-postcard kind of weather, so I include for you my postcards… a rigi - canton zug
Some food and wine connoisseurs have made food and wine pairing so rigid that they are missing the point completely.New food and wine pairings are all about bending the rules to suit your palate
In the circles of wine lovers I travel in, many folks make a common observation about the evolving landscape of wine criticism. Namely that the era of Robert M. Parker, Jr. is coming to a close, and a new world of wine critics are emerging. I'm not sure I'd personally describe what I see happening in the wine world in quite those terms, but it's clear that Parker has been doing some succession planning in the past couple of years with many of the new additions to his staff. It's also clear that there are many new voices in the world of wine criticism, and some of them are beginning to carry serious weight.
One in particular seems to be rapidly gaining in power and influence, to the point that he is making markets for wine -- when he writes about a wine, it flies off the shelves and skyrockets in price.
His name is Shizuku Kanzaki, and he is a cartoon character.
Specifically, he is the sommelier hero of the Japanese comic book series Kami no Shizuku, or "Droplets of the Gods." Long time readers will remember that I have written about him before. But apparently he's gone from novelty to downright phenomenon. And when I say that he is gaining in power and influence, a single number may suffice to demonstrate that fact:
Number of subscribers to Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: 50,000 Estimated number of individual readers of Kami no Shizuku: 500,000
Influence on wine prices and inventories aside, the most impressive impact of this imaginary wine critic seems to me to be the fact that sommelier classes for women are "fully booked" in Japan.
How cool is that? Beats the heck out of the "Sideways Effect."
Sometimes the deals are all about knowing what’s right next door, and sometimes it’s worth asking, “Yeah, but does she have a sister?” Viognier’s Pretty Stepsisters in this issue of the Seattle Weekly I feel bad that there wasn’t room to talk about their BFF, Bourblanc.
A Napa Valley-based filmmaker has turned his camera on several French and Hungarian vineyards and wineries to create a series of short films.
Individual films will premiere online in October and November 2008. The first, featuring Royal Tokaji, is already available. All films will be available for download to iPods, as well as web-based viewing at Wilson Daniels Films, and on Facebook and YouTube.
"Each mini-documentary explores the history, setting, and distinct personality of the properties through thought-provoking images and interviews with winery principals. Lyman's signature style--saturated colors, lush cinematography and striking music--make a breathtaking background for the three- to five-minute films, filmed exclusively in high-definition. Lyman also captures the small details of each estate, from candle-lit cellars in real light to the ancient lock on a cellar door, providing viewers with a sense of intimacy with each locale."
The series will cover Royal Tokaji of Tokaj; Champagne Delamotte and Champagne Salon; three domaines in Bugundy (Faiveley, Leflaive and Pierre Morey); Domaine Philippe & Vincent Jaboulet of northern Rhône; and Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss of Alsace and southern Rhône.
This is a %50 percent Garnacha %50 Carinena Right of the bat I got and abnormal amount of chocolate and I have to say I liked it! I also get a bit of Jerky, and lots of cherry and plums( I think more plum) its got a bit of strong alcohol on the nose, it quite yummy, and runs in around $20 a bottle, I would say its is well worth it.
Finish of mixed berries, licorice, earth, and spice
Look for some classic Brunello character in this wine, with rich cherry and spice layers set on an earthy, chewy backbone. Also, expect to pay about $60, which is now a very typical price for a non-riserva Brunello.
While this wine is showing some nice complexity of flavor, I recommend you continue to cellar it for several more years. If you're at home and want to drink it now, simply decant it, let it sit, and sip it closer to room temperature than you might with other wines.
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.
Spring Mountain Vineyard is rich with history. After the sudden death of Tiburcio Parrott in the late 1800s, neither the house nor the 800 acres were used between 1896 and 1938.
Eventually the property was purchased by Mike Robbins in 1974. Robbins bought an old Victorian on St. Helena Highway near Deer Park Road and constructed a small winery which became Spring Mountain Vineyards. Soon Robbins outgrew this first location and discovered the wonderful Parrot estate.
After acquiring Parrott’s Miravalle estate, Robbins restored the Victorian residence and built a 17,000 square foot winery at the site of Tiburcio?s wine cave and small winery. Though his primary vineyard was in Rutherford on the Silverado Trail (now the site of Domaine Mumm), Robbins planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc in 1980 on the land around Miravalle. Robbins’ Spring Mountain Chardonnay became highly prized by connoisseurs and was a ?cult? wine of the late 1960?s and 1970?s.
Once the site for the former TV show, Falcon’s Crest, Spring Mountain lives on, now comprising four separate vineyards totaling 245 acres in 130 blocks. The Miravalle, Chateau Chevalier, Streblow (Alba), and Draper (La Perla) vineyards are beautifully terraced, rising up the hillside from 400′ to 1600′ in elevation creating several microclimates. The “main house,” an 8,000 square foot Victorian was built in 1885 by Tiburcio Parrott. Featured during the aerial flyover in the opening credits of the TV show, the house is meticulously maintained both inside and out, and all of the original features of stained glass and molding have been kept.
Join us as we talk with Valli Ferrell, winemaker Jac Cole, and vineyard manager Ron Rosenbrand about the vineyards and this lovely estate. .
First Press - the UK wine trade’s first fully-interactive Ezine, has just launched featuring an interview with JancisRobinson. First Press has been produced by Nicky Burston of World Wine Agencies. It has a lifestyle look and feel and is easy to download, or email directly to friends. Issue 1 of this new quarterly features wine celebrity interviews and podcasts, up-and-coming news and events and includes a prize draw for tickets to Old Trafford.
I have been traveling back and forth across the country for the last two weeks and have been working long days for months. In between flights and endless delays in airport waiting lounges, I try to make study time for my WSET exam coming up all too soon in a few days. After a grueling, four-city tour, tonight I feel justified in picking something special to celebrate a clean desk and being home. A bottle of Amarone is definitely appropriate. The bottle I decide on is an Amarone Negar 1961. Yes the vintage is right, 1961.
It was a great year for Italian wine in 1961 ? rain and sun in perfect balance. John Kennedy was president of the USA. The Berlin Wall was under construction. Maria Callas was 38 and at the height of her career. Sophia Loren was starring in El Cid, and I was all of nine years old.
The label is a little worn and torn. The fill level looks promising ? still mid neck ? although there is a little sediment. The cork seems to be okay ? solid and removes easily without crumbling. Should I decant and risk adding too much air? I pour a glass to see what has happened to this 40-something wine.
The color is amazing ? dark red, with a little orange and brick red on the rim. The nose is equally remarkable ? still lots of fruit left on the nose, black cherry with truffle, and a little sherry oxidization odors in the background. A few swirls of the glass and the oxidative aromas disappear.
The taste and finish on this wine is surprising, still full of black cherry, truffles, and forest floor with a finish that lasts for minutes. The tannins are like silk, and there are not enough descriptors to describe the mouth feel and full body. The acidity must be holding this wine together.
Now, there is a caveat to this story. We both love Amarone, so there is a built in basis here. But points and ratings have no relevance to this wine. It is, quite simply, a great wine. It is like the Callas aria playing on the stereo ? powerful yet filled with grace and finesse. It is an Amarone at its heights. Yes, 1961 was a good vintage year for Italian wines. I am going to lay down some bottles for the future.
SUSAN'S NOTE:
This Amarone is a perfect example of why Frank and I both hate the point system. Is this a 98 or only a 97 point wine? After all, how do you define the difference of a single point? Or has this venerable liquid actually achieved the enviable position of 100 points despite its initial hint of oxidation? It is only two additional points after all.
And if we were to rate it as a 98, would that make it comparable to the 2004 Cabernet Blend IX Estate from that received a 98 point nod from Robert Parker? Hmmm, let?s see. A three-year old blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot from Napa Valley versus an Italian Amarone with almost half a century of love, care, and passion in its provenance. Somehow, the comparison just doesn?t work ? although I suppose one day, some scientist, somewhere in the world, will come up with a formula that proves you can actually make a meaningful comparison between apples and snow peas.
(Photos of Maria Callas and Sophia Loren are both dated 1960, only a year before this wine was produced.)
Marking the first anniversary of the 24 hour drinking licence laws, a 'rescue remedy' called Dink has been released.
It is supposed to mitigate the ill-effects of binge-drinking with ingredients that mop up free radicals produced by the liver when it is processing alcohol. It is also cheap and readily available.
It is being marketed to "people who like to get merry". Presumably because they feel it is unwise to market it to people who like to get smashed out of their skulls every Friday night and throw up partially digested burgers on street corners. I think we know who it is actually aimed at.
I must admit that my first thought was "great idea", sounds so useful. But while I'm no Catholic I do think the pain of hang-overs is justly deserved and should reflect any excess. The sparkle generated by a few drinks with friends too easily degenerates into boorishness and incapacity beyond a certain point. There are very few elegant drunks.
And aren't we supposed to be cutting down binge drinking, as a society? We need a cultural shift that comes collectively - social evolution if you like, of the kind we've seen with smoking, drink driving and wearing seat belts.
Most Friday-nighters, though by no means all, are young people with their whole lives ahead of them and of course there is a natural protective urge to want them to stay healthy. The price that many of them pay for their excesses can be heart-breaking. Blaming them as being responsible for their own actions is ridiculous if the message they absorb is that getting really drunk and doing stupid things is clever and/or funny.
And now we are giving them the tools to avoid hangovers. I like drinking and sometimes I drink more than I should, but I also know that my body hates it when I do. It's a natural defense mechanism to show us our limits and should not be overlooked as a preventative.
If we no longer have any medical consequences we will push our bodies over the limit as a matter of course. But often the real trauma of binge drinking is the wider physical and emotional damage caused by violence, bravado, promiscuity or recklessness . Can we develop a pill for that too?
According to the company, the ‘podcasks’ provide the latest updates on wine news, en primeur releases and wine events as well as featuring exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the world of fine wine.
Shortly after 1 died Sept. 19 at 78, I got a message from Gavin Speight, his U.S. importer. He said that he would like to celebrate Carrodus' life by dipping into his own personal cellar to open a few of the iconoclastic winemaker's older 1 bottles. Earlier this week I met Speight, who imports some of Australia's finest and most venerable artisanal wines, at Cavallo Point, the new resort near Sausalito.
Brief notes scribbled at the London International Wine and Spirits Fair in Excel of the Top 100 Vins de Pays 2008.
Of the 1,214 samples submitted to the competition tasting there were 520 red wines, 518 white and 176 rosé. Of these wines 14 trophies were awarded to six white wines, one rosé and seven reds.
"So how did the Top 100 pan out this year? As you'd expect, Vin de Pays d'Oc had the largest number in the winners' enclosure, with exactly half the wines selected - although statistically speaking, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne had a better hit rate (15 wines out of 95 entries). "
"The judges were impressed by the diversity and overall quality of the top 100, and most were surprised by what the much criticised 2007 vintage had produced. Most of them singled out rosés as the area of greatest improvement. The Merlots were also a lot better than last year, although several judges felt it was the red blends that really stood out."
From my tasting of the top 100 (not all of the 100 were tried, I should mention) it was the red blends that stood out for me. Stockist information and links are included but most wines are now out of stock; you might be able to secure stocks of follow on vintages.
White Wines Review0.3Wine Tasting Note: Domaine de la Coche, 2007, VdP du Val de Loire [More: Adegga / Snooth] Winner Sauvignon Blanc Trophy. 100% Sauvignon Blanc grown in Retz south of Nantes. 12% Alcohol. Grassy, green aromas. Very pure, gravelly, palate complex hints of orange. Alcohol 12%.
Review0.3Wine Tasting Note: Rive Haute Sauvignon, 2007, VdP des Côtes de Gascogne Stockist: Adnams Price: £8.49 [More: Adegga / Snooth] £8.49 Adnams. Rounder than the previous (south, warmer climes) good, long length. Alcohol 11.5%.
Review0.3Wine Tasting Note: M&S Grenache Blanc, 2007, VdP d'Oc Stockist: Marks and Spencer Price: £5.49 [More: Adegga / Snooth] Grenache Blanc Trophy and Best Wine of Show Grenache Blanc grown around Carcassonne. Delicious stone-led palate, zesty, lemony, floral hints. A little oak aging adding complexity. 12.5% Alcohol.
Review0.3Wine Tasting Note: Domaine le Roc Anges Les Vieilles Vignes, 2006, VdP des Pyrénées-Orientales Stockist: Les Caves de Pyréne Price: £11.85 [More: Adegga / Snooth] A blend of Grenache Gris (80%) and Macabeu (20%). Crisp, toasty flavours, orange and lime rind. Excellent length. Alcohol 14%.
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Domaine L'Hortus Grande Cuvée Blanc, 2006, VdP du Val de Montferrand Stockist: Les Caves de Pyréne Price: £12.40 [More: Adegga / Snooth] £12.40 A mix of Chardonnay (80%), Viognier (15%) and Roussanne (5%). Crisp but rounded, full of flavour and great length. Alcohol 13.5%.
Review0.3Wine Tasting Note: Producteurs Vignoble de Gascogne Fleur de Givre Florenbelle, 2007, VdP des Côtes de Gascogne Stockist: Waitrose Price: £7.99 [More: Adegga / Snooth]. - Gros Manseng Trophy Winner £6.99 Late harvested. Lingering, cleanly fresh, exotic was one word overheard as a description. Alcohol 11.5%.
Red Wines Review0.3Wine Tasting Note: Domaine Py Merlot, 2007, VdP d'Oc Price: £5.49 [More on Adegga / Snooth] - Merlot Trophy Winner From a 32ha at the foot of Mont Alaric in the Corbières region. Deeply coloured with a open, straw and blackcurrant and leaves led nose, creamy, rounded, good structure, good price.
Review0.3Wine Tasting Note: Domaine Paul Mas La Forge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007, VdP d'Oc Price: £7.49 [More on Adegga / Snooth] - Cabernet Sauvignon Trophy Winner Heavy weight bottle, full, rich, lashings of raspberry and blueberry. Great length. Alcohol 13.5%.
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Camplazens Syrah, 2007, VdP d'Oc Stockist: Majestic Price: £6.49 [More on Adegga / Snooth] - Syrah Trophy Winner Deep, deep, colour, wonderful bacon edge aroma, violets and similar on a gorgeous palate. Plenty of cassis laced with inky fruit. Super. Alcohol 13%.
Review0.3Wine Tasting Note: Domaine Familongue, Le Carignan de Familongue, 2007, VdP du Mont Price: £5.99 [More on Adegga / Snooth] - Carignan Trophy Winner Excellent packaging. 100% Carignan from 50-60 year old vines. Juicy. Not as heavy as the colour would suggest, deeply flavoured.
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Camplazens Marselan, 2007, VdP d'Oc Stockist: Majestic Price: £6.49 [More on Adegga / Snooth] £6.49 Majestic. Very deeply coloured, nice lifted aromas and a rather tasty, curranty, palate.
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Domaine de La Jasse Vieilles Vignes, 2006, VdP d'Oc Stockist: ay and Wheeler Price: £9.95 [More on Adegga / Snooth] Red brick in colour but a lovely balanced palate and lingering flavours.
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Domaine Phillippe Nusswitz Miratus, 2005, VdP d'Oc [More on Adegga / Snooth] - Best Red Wine of Show Striking packaging. Blend of Syrah (60%), Grenache (20%) and Mourvèdre (20%) vines are grown in the foothills of the Cevennes between the Languedoc and the Rhône. Wonderful nose, gorgeous palate, complex but not heavy. Sadly no details of stockists or price.
One of the events I enjoyed was the vineyard walk on Saturday morning led by Zephyr Adventures. We went to Saralee's Vineyard in the Russian River Valley, where we met up with Rich and Saralee Kunde (who made us a fabulous lunch!), Daniel Moore of Zmor Winery, and Rod and Lynn Swan Berglund of Joseph Swan Vineyards. We hiked through the vineyards, learned a lot about the area and its viticultural heritage, and drank some fantastic wines.
I hope this slide show whets your appetite to learn more about the Russian River Valley appellation, and makes you feel that you've been able to enjoy a little bit of this year's fall season here in the California Wine Country.
If you're interested in seeing more pictures of the 2008 Wine Bloggers Conference, head over to my Flickr photostream where I've set up a collection of pictures for you to flip through.
I usually don't write about beer but this on is great. Dog Fish Head: Theobroma:
This is a recreation of one of the oldest brews, 1100 B.C. it made of coco, ancho chili, honey, its not really hot with spice even though you can taste it, and the coco is mellow but the main flavor, its smooth and tasty, not going to be around long try it if yo can
I rarely see a Philippe Charlopin, so it was a surprise (for me) to see this on the shelf of a French supermarket. Very tasty wine. 2006 Philippe Charlopin, Gevrey-Chambertin Medium-plus colour. Slightly murky nose with a little vanilla and a faint mushroom - slowly fills out
Tecnorati
As a spokesperson for the 
